The West Wind's Destination - Chapter 94
“There seem to be more alchemists than I thought.”
The alchemist standing next to Ruslan shook his head.
“We don’t really go around calling ourselves alchemists. We use terms like ‘magitech engineers’ or various kinds of technicians instead. Traditional alchemists like you are quite rare these days.”
It was just a change in name. Their work would likely be similar.
Bea then easily guessed why he was interested in her after closely observing his prosthetic eye. It was likely because of how she designed the magic windmills and their method of separating the power source, which enabled the creation of such prosthetics.
On the way, Aseph had mentioned that the west, prone to accidents, required artificial limb technology. Of course, there were methods of healing by magicians, but alchemists would be those who couldn’t rely solely on magicians.
“Do you need a design for a permanently usable prosthetic?”
“That would be great!”
He pointed towards the windmills visible in the distance.
“But since we started with that technology, rather than letting us research it on our own, we hoped you could teach us a bit more efficiently.”
“Hmm.”
She had designed it a long time ago but still remembered it. Revisiting it would show parts that needed maintenance, and perhaps there was room for improvement to match the now-changed western region.
Contributing to the research wasn’t out of the question. However, she needed the opinion of Aseph Vilkanos, who essentially had exclusive rights to her. But looking up at Aseph standing beside her as they talked, he seemed to always smile, as if Bea’s answer was the most important.
“What do you mean! You’re asking Zephyr to aid in your research?!”
The complaints, surprisingly, came from elsewhere.
It was the alchemists on the opposite side of the group they were talking to.
Bea thought it was because the established alchemists here were not keen on welcoming new researchers so readily—perhaps some sort of turf protection.
However, the reactions that burst forth were unexpected.
“We’ve been using that for decades without any issues!”
“Artificial arms and legs are way more important!”
“It’s better to develop machines to do it than people!”
“No, before that……!”
And an alchemist standing next to Ruslan burst out in anger.
“Ah, we were the first to find her! We’re the ones who brought her here!”
Their coordination seemed lacking as they increasingly raised their voices.
“Excuse us for a moment. Even if not for this, if there’s any research you’re interested in, please let us know. Anything from you is welcome.”
Then they left to discuss among themselves without showing their quarrel to others.
As Bea blankly stared into the desert, Aseph tenderly initiated a conversation.
“What do you like, Bea? I think the technology you used to save me and create Homun would be interesting. What would you call that?”
“Biotech…”
Bea started to answer unconsciously but then stopped herself.
“Do I have to do something here?”
“Yes. You enjoy this kind of research, don’t you?”
“Me?”
After pondering for a while, Bea responded.
“I don’t have any preferences.”
“How do you feel about it now?”
Why was everything so complicated? Lately, Aseph Vilkanos kept throwing random things at Bea, inquiring in detail about her feelings towards them.
He could just straightforwardly tell her what he wants her to do.
“Is this what you want me to do?”
“It’s not about giving orders. Do what you want to do, Bea. I’ll always support you.”
“As you are the great divine beast, and since you’ve taken me in, there must be a reason you brought me to the desert. Please tell me what you want me to do.”
Divine beast? What was she talking about?
Feeling the conversation go off track, Aseph pondered the meaning of her words for quite some time but couldn’t come to a conclusion.
It wasn’t straightforward, nor was it a metaphor, and it wasn’t a hint about likes or dislikes. Despite knowing Bea doesn’t distinguish well between likes and dislikes from their past experiences, he couldn’t easily guess.
Eventually, unable to find the answer after trying to figure it out on his own, Aseph asked honestly.
“Bea, I might not be as smart as you, making it hard for me to follow your thoughts.”
Bea started with a simple statement in response to Aseph’s request for an explanation.
“In the west.”
Bea slowly began to speak, sharing a story she had never told anyone before.
“There was a custom in the west of abandoning children in the desert.”
That was a thing. It might not exist anymore.
Considering how much it has changed while she was away.
“I was one of those left in the desert.”
Left in the desert with words of love, Bea was abandoned.
Waiting for someone who said they would come back for her, saying that a god would take her in.
Bea was a child ‘blessed’ to be taken in by a deity. In reality, she was nothing more than a burden, but packaging it that way probably helped alleviate the guilt of abandoning a child in the desert.
Bea waited a long time. Until such an act was relegated to a superstitious belief in a desolate place, she began to see those people as fools.
But eventually, Bea did meet someone. A person who was like rain in the desert, like both destiny and a miracle.
And from that moment, the world turned upside down. She was released from the long chains of the desert, and for the first time, she experienced what it was to have a heart. To find sound beautiful, to focus on sensations with closed eyes and feel comforted was new and pleasing.
And Aseph Vilkanos told her he loved her.
He must be the deity meant to take her in.
He came running in the form of a wolf, but isn’t he a divine beast? She thought deities could take such forms.
But if he denies this, would Bea be pushed back into a long wait? Or would she have to return to a state of desperately trying just to survive and see things for what they are?
The emotion she must be feeling was undoubtedly anxiety.
So if Aseph, who took her in, was a divine beast, she thought there might be some reason or purpose for him bringing her along.
However Aseph, upon hearing Bea’s matter-of-fact explanation, could only keep smiling.
