Here at the forest’s entrance.
This is where the old quarantine facility stood.
I slip into the four-dimensional space.
The HP decreases when I bring creatures in, but I figured out that it drops by one per heartbeat.
Meaning, as long as I keep casting [Heal] on myself whenever my HP drops, I can stay inside the four-dimensional space indefinitely—as long as my MP holds out.
Time doesn’t pass in this place.
That’s why I can work at a leisurely pace.
I pick up the gem I received earlier—an emerald.
I use transmutation to turn it into a plate.
No good, it’s nowhere near enough.
Guess I’ll have to make more.
That said, it’s just a matter of manipulating protons, neutrons, and electrons through transformative alchemy to create Be₃Al₂Si₆O₁₈, then mixing in chromium.
Why emerald? The reason is simple: I’m just imitating what the God of Alchemists did, as described in the book Mac-kun gave me.
It seems the God of Alchemist inscribed the secrets of alchemy onto an emerald tablet.
What I’m writing isn’t the secrets of alchemy, but rather all the knowledge I possess—chemistry, medicine, and everything else.
When I say “write,” I mean engraving characters onto emerald plates using transmutation, so it’s faster than a typewriter.
About one page of text per minute.
This takes time because I’m thinking while I create it, but the process itself can be done in an instant.
And why do I do this work? To prepare for situations like this pandemic.
Even if I were to vanish from this world, it would be reassuring if Healers and doctors possessed this knowledge that could still be managed.
The reason for using emerald plates instead of paper is that they can be preserved long-term better than paper.
Like the Mona Lisa painting, they could be encased in thick bulletproof glass.
◇ ◇ ◇ ◇
Scholar POV
Recently, ruins have appeared in the Franbel Forest, adjacent to the Franbel capital.
The ruins are located at the forest’s entrance. Anyone can enter after passing through the checkpoint manned by elf guards.
They don’t even charge an entrance fee.
However, if you can’t use [Light] spells, the interior is pitch black.
Torches apparently won’t work because using them causes suffocation.
Going down the marble staircase leading underground brings you to a room with four branching paths.
A chubby cat statue carved from wood sits in the center, with the words ‘Bastet-sama is mighty!’ inscribed on its pedestal.
Well, the cat statue doesn’t really matter.
Each fork in the path leads to a single road made of glass walls.
The forks are labeled ‘Chemistry’, ‘Medicine’, ‘Alchemy’, and ‘Research and Ethics’ at their respective entrances.
Beyond the glass, emerald-like green gemstone panels are visible, each engraved with text—who knows by whom.
There appear to be about 1,500 panels per path.
And each inscription is said to be unique.
To the shallow-minded, this place would likely appear nothing more than the ruins of a treasure mountain overflowing with emeralds and glass.
But let me state this plainly.
Gems? They mean nothing.
The text is engraved there.
A mountain of profound knowledge, terrifyingly advanced.
Its contents were worth far more than a thousand platinum coins.
At first, I trembled with excitement.
Now I carry paper and pencil and am busy copying the emerald tablets along the path of ‘Alchemy’ in the ruins.
Besides me, about ten others are also engrossed in copying.
All of us are alchemists from the Franbel Kingdom—my comrades.
Though we’re one woman short.
That woman, too, had been diligently attending until just the other day, but it seems she’s having her wedding ceremony at the castle today.
I’ll offer my blessings in my heart.
Hm?
You ask if I’m not attending my fellow alchemist’s wedding?
That’s nothing compared to copying the Emerald Tablets!