31 Chapter 31 - Artificial Creations.
If you want to read up to 20!! chapters ahead go to https://www.patreón.com/cornbringer
Discord invite: https://discord.gg/XHduApz
Don't forget to check the auxiliary chapter about Adam. It's like an info chapter.
----------------------------------------------------------------
[Adam POV]
After many days of travel with little to no rest, I arrived at Magnolia Town as the first light of dawn was just beginning to break over the entire place.
The town had just begun to come alive around me.
Shopkeepers were setting up their stalls for the day, children were running along the rocky streets, laughing and playing alongside the gentle hum of early morning activity filling the air.
Wasting no time, I moved through the town, making my way to the edge of the forest, taking a deep breath as I entered, letting the fresh scent of pine and earth fill my lungs as I walked down the winding path, leading to Porlyusica's house.
After walking for a while, I finally reached the part of the forest where Porlyusica's house was located. The old woman lived deep in the woods, far away from the hustle and bustle of the town, or anyone for that matter.
As I made my way through the trees, the sounds of the town began to fade away, replaced by the soft rustling of leaves and the chirping of birds. The path was, as expected, overgrown and narrow, but open enough for most people to navigate it with ease.
Finally, after what felt like hours of walking, possibly because I hadn't slept in two days to save time, I arrived at the clearing where Porlyusica's house stood.
A humble abode covered in green; that at first glance, was easy to confuse with one of the trees growing around the forest, seeing as the base for its construction was one of them.
The house, as always exuded an air of mystery that was rather unmistakable.
Smiling at the sight of her house, I stepped forward, the sound of my footsteps echoing through the clearing. Reaching the door, I raised my hand to knock on the door, but before I could, the door swung open, revealing the old woman standing before me.
"You look like shit," Porlyusica said, her voice deep and gravelly. "Come in, come in."
I...
I'm too tired to think of a comeback.
"I got everything," I replied, stepping inside her house, noticing as I entered that the air was thick with the scent of herbs and potions, permeating the area.
Porlyusica shuffled ahead of me, beckoning me to follow her. We reached a small wooden table with two chairs. She gestured for me to take a seat as she pulled out a clay teapot from the pocket of her robe and filled a porcelain cup with steaming hot tea.
Taking a deep breath, I eased into the chair with my arms crossed, letting out a long yawn.
"Gildarts arrived two weeks ago with his part of the list," Porlyusica said as I carefully raised the delicate porcelain cup of tea she had served me to my lips.
Chamomile.
She was trying to put me to sleep it seems.
Sighing, I looked up from my cup of steaming tea, the sweet scent of the vanilla lingering in the air as I replied, "I never doubted he would finish his part before anyone else. How is Cordelia?"
"Worse, but still alive," Porlyusica replied, her answer short and to the point.
Smiling at the fact she was still alive, and this journey hadn't been for naught, I placed my cup of tea on the worn wooden table and adjusted the straps of my bag before handing it over to Porlyusica. "Everything is inside."
Taking the bag, she peered inside, frowning in concentration as she studied the various ingredients I had collected.
At this, Porlyusica's face crinkled with a faint smile. "Good, with this I can begin working on trying to make that," she said. Her unbecoming warm regard towards me making it clear that I had somehow managed to surpass her expectations in some manner or way.
Taking back my drink from the table, I took a generous sip, before turning my gaze back to her with a questioning tone. "Do you think you can do it?" I asked, my voice tinged with uncertainty.
Porlyusica stood in silence, her fingers tapping on the table as she pondered her response. "Needless to say, I've never done something like this before, kid," she finally said with a tired sigh. "The Knowledge you gave me is sound but complicated."
That wasn't an answer.
"And?" I asked again.
Porlyusica's gaze was heavy with thought as she slowly turned to face me. "I think there is a good chance," she said, her voice soft yet firm. "That being, like everything in medicine, nothing is for certain until it is."
I guess that's the best answer I will get.
Taking a deep breath, I finished my tea, before setting the cup down on the table with a gentle clink. "Very well then. I'll be off home now to rest. Should you need anything else, don't hesitate to reach out."
Porlyusica's stern expression softened as her wrinkles deepened. "Good, I was about to grab my broom to sweep you out of my house!" she scorned, but her voice carried a hint of fondness.
I think I finally understand her. For all her grumpy demeanor, she was nothing more than the oldest tsundere in all of Fairy Tail.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
Yawning every ten seconds or so I groggily made my way through the bustling trading district of Magnolia Town. Despite the time I had taken with my little chat with Porlyusica and my walk in the forest, it was still very early morning, and the sun had just set over the horizon, casting a warm orange glow over the cobbled streets.
If it was any other day, I would've appreciated the sight.
Right now, however, I couldn't give two flying fucks how beautiful the place looked.
As I walked, I was subjected to the enticing aroma of freshly brewed coffee and baked goods. The sweet aroma, creating an inward debate about whether or not I had the time for some food before going to my house.
However, as soon as that thought came to mind, I quickly dismissed it, seeing my exhaustion being stronger than my hunger.
I had eaten on my way here. Granted, it hadn't been as much as I would've liked, but I had eaten.
Sleep on the other hand, I had a debt to pay on that.
With that in mind, I turned around a corner and approached my two-bedroom apartment building, ready to sleep for at least a week, minimum.
Opening the door to the lobby, I trudged up the stairs to my third-floor apartment, my legs heavy and my eyes drooping thanks to the ever-growing exhaustion.
The way back home had been long and grueling, especially since I had covered a great deal of the way using shunpo to save time. I was honestly surprised my body hadn't shut down, forcing me to rest seeing how much I had pushed it just to get here quickly.
Yawning, I reached my door, and fumbled with my keys for a moment, pondering as I did whether or not to break the door down, before finally managing to unlock the door.
Yeeting the keys inside, I stepped into the apartment and immediately kicked off my boots, the sound of them clattering against the hardwood floor echoing through the empty apartment.
Eager to rest, I made my way to the bedroom, before jumping on the bed, the soft mattress enveloping me in its comforting embrace.
"I told you not to overdo yourself," Mavis scolded me, floating above me with her arms crossed.
"You did, I just chose not to listen," I replied, vacantly staring at the ceiling.
It wasn't long from that moment before the fatigue I had accumulated caught up with me, crashing on my body like a truck without breaks, making my eyelids grow heavier than I thought it was possible.
Knowing there was nothing more I could do for Cordelia or Cana, I rolled to my side, pulling the covers up around me, before finally closing my eyes, allowing myself to drift off into a peaceful, deep sleep.
Or into a coma.
One of the two, honestly, I'm not entirely sure what's the difference at this level of exhaustion.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
[3 DAYS LATER.]
The sun shone through my bedroom window, its rays casting a warm glow over my sheets and into my face. Groggily, I stirred around the bed a bit, feeling as my consciousness slowly began to return.
Yawning, I opened my eyes, blinking a few times to adjust to the light filtering in through the window, before sitting up and swinging my legs over the side of the bed.
"God that felt good," I yawned, stretching my body.
"I imagine it did, seeing you didn't move out of the bed for three whole days," Mavis commented, as she phased into my room through one of the walls.
Three days? Holy profiteroles!
Alarmed with the amount of time I had spent sleeping, I jumped off the bed, only to be stopped by Mavis stepping in my way, her arm outstretched to stop me from leaving.
"There is no need to rush out young man," Mavis said, her arms crossed, and her gaze stern.
I would beg to fucking argue.
I wasted three whole days!
At this, I ran my fingers through my hair and sighed, my voice carrying the slightest hint of worry. "I need to go check on Porlyusica, and see how things are going."
Mavis smiled reassuringly. "She has made some great strides on the artificial body, I have been watching her closely. Don't worry, you already did your part, let the others do theirs."
I sighed once again. "Thanks for spying on her."
Mavis's eyes twinkled and her lips twitched upwards in a playful smirk as she replied. "The advantages of floating around unseen and unheard - aren't they grand?"
I chuckled.
"Oh by the way, Lilia came to visit you multiple times," Mavis said, pointing at my nightstand.
Turning to my nightstand, I found a plain white envelope with my name scrawled across it in Lilia's handwriting.
-To Adam-sama.-
[As your devoted follower, I am pleased to announce I have fulfilled my duties in the most exemplary manner possible! For my devoti-]
I stopped reading after that.
"Well, that questionable letter aside, it's time I visit the guild and see how things are," I chuckled, jumping off the bed only to see Mavis frown, her eyebrows knitted in concern and her eyes searching my face for signs of exhaustion. "Don't worry, Mavis, I'm no longer exhausted. If anything, I'm super thirsty and hungry."
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
[Second POV]
Porlyusica worked feverishly in her lab, surrounded by a dizzying array of equipment and materials. It was easy to see she was focused on her latest project.
The creation of a fully functional artificial body, or gigai, one that could be used as a vessel for the soul of someone.
Even now the concept seemed laughable or something straight out of a Fairy Tale.
The irony wasn't lost on her.
As she worked, day and night, she couldn't help but marvel at the knowledge the brat had given her by simply stabbing her with his blade.
It was unlike anything she had ever seen before, a medical marvel that went far beyond what she could've accomplished with the limits of her own knowledge and expertise.
She had spent countless hours poring over this unbelievable thing, studying the intricate designs and formulas that had been transferred to her mind, as her hands moved with deft precision, manipulating the materials the Guild had collected for her.
She was creating something new, something that had never been seen before, nor here, nor in her world of origin, and this was a notion that filled her with a sense of awe and wonder.
That being said, she wasn't blind to the implications this brought. If this knowledge fell in the wrong hands, she had no doubt it would make the world a very dark place, for it could potentially give the wrong person the closest thing there was to immortality.
"Just what kind of magic do you truly have brat?" Porlyusica muttered with a tired sigh, before returning to her work.
This was why she preferred being alone, every time she interacted with someone, it complicated her life beyond measure, and for her, that was fucking annoying.
