. . . I've combined cosmic materials and more, so I thought I was quite a great alchemist, but it's the system doing everything for me. Technically, it's the system that is talented, not me. The system is still my greatest source of strength. I will never let it go or abandon it, but… Yeah, it's time I started learning and comprehending things outside of it. Cultivation, Martial Arts, Magic, Alchemy, Science… If I comprehend these things outside of the system and properly grasp what they are all about, maybe I can actually break through this bottleneck I'm in right now. Because unless I consume things, I simply can't really grow on my own, and it has been bugging me for a while. Why must I always rely on what I eat? As my pride as a person grows, it somewhat feels disgusting. I want to grow on my own, in a different way than just by consuming things. Yeah. This is why I will watch attentively and see what these masters have to teach me. "I'll watch attentively. Please teach me everything you can," I said, setting aside my pride. "Good girl," Medea said, patting my head. "Hm, I know you're strong and have pride in that, but properly showing respect to masters is necessary if you ever want to continue growing," Wasp said, looking at me with eyes filled with meaning. "Never forget that young lady." "Huh…" I nodded. To think he can say such enlightening things sometimes… The three alchemists began their work. They started grabbing the items Medea had bought and poured them into the cauldron using different methods while employing spells and tools. The Fallen Star Shard went first. The two shards were crushed into dust, sparkling with cosmic starlight, and then turned the liquid in the cauldron blue, with stars and nebulae inside. "Wow…!" Franky and Wasp remained by my side, watching the scene unfold. The girl was quite amazed. Later, Mirabilis grabbed the two Celestial Ginseng Roots and cut them into tiny bits. Then she used a green ghostly flame to roast them and poured them in once they were cooked. The roots infused bright white celestial energy into the cauldron, causing it to shake. Afterward, the doc, who kept shaking the cauldron, quickly took the Abyssal Plum and squeezed its juice into the alchemy cauldron. "It's kind of like cooking, no?" Alchemy was like cooking, melding ingredients together to create something new and great. However, it wasn't as simple, as it melded and synthesized their very elemental essence into something wondrously different. As I watched, I felt something within me begin to grasp something. The elements flowing from these items, their connection to our world… To the planes of existence. Afterward, Medea grabbed the Eyes of the Illusionist, both of them, crushing them into a meaty paste and pouring it in. The cauldron's contents exuded a pink light from within, twisting the space around it. I see. They combine the elemental properties of these items to create chemical chain reactions, which even include mystical forces. Alchemy is quite literally "magic science." An alchemist grasps the elements of the magical world and twists them to create a new magical phenomenon. That much I already knew, but why does it feel like I'm only learning it properly now…? "This should be enough for her Consciousness, Heart, and Mind Foundation." Doctor Frankenstein closed his hand, and then all the liquids were manipulated and fused together. Sparks of lightning and cosmic flames surged, warping space momentarily. And a small blue pill was created, all that effort for this little thing. "It's done! A Cosmic Consciousness Awakening Pill." "Cosmic Consciousness?" I had never heard of that before, but it deeply intrigued me, to be honest. "Eat it, young lady. We will begin working on the second item." Medea gave me the pill. By merely holding it, I could feel an immense amount of compressed energy inside. "Huh, alright." I swallowed the pill without even taking a bite of it. There didn't seem to be any change yet, no explosive change or new ability attained. I thought it was delayed or something, but I consume and digest things instantly, so… it's weird. "I didn't get anything?" I wondered. "Ah, that's what you believe," said Medea. "But your Consciousness has expanded. Well, it's still very restricted, mostly by your own lack of comprehension and understanding." "Eh?" I was confused. "Read the books, and then you'll be able to grasp it," Wasp said. "It is not an item that suddenly gives you power. It awakens what you already have and will help you elevate it even further… if you put in the effort, not just by training physically, but by trying to comprehend and understand things." "…I see," I said, falling silent, watching them continue their alchemy. "Hey, Franky." "Yes, young lady?" Franky asked, tilting her head adorably. "Do you have this Consciousness thing they talk about?" I asked her. "It's not just the mind, right?" "Oh, of course I have it. My father taught me about it when I was created," Franky nodded. "It's… um, like an invisible domain around people." "Not an Aura?" I wondered. "Aura is simply the excess energy emerging from your body, which you learn to materialize and manipulate to boost your attacks and magic, right? No, it's not the same," Franky smiled. "Uhuh…" I was confused. "Okay then, we'll learn about it later…" "Fufu, I am sure you will attain a great Consciousness," she said. "You have boundless talent." "I hope so…" I nodded. I saw the Doc, Medea, and Mirabilis combine the Shell of the Underworld's Devourer, the Dreamer's Fur, the Qilin's Horn, and the Forgotten Nightmare in a Bottle into a new concoction through various quick steps I barely understood, which made me feel lost in all of it. As I realized just how clueless I was… I felt really ashamed of thinking I knew anything about Alchemy. I would have definitely screwed up. This Alchemy cannot even be compared to the Alchemy done in Genesis or any other world I've visited. . . .