The man was engrossed in his work at a table adorned with bottles of different hues. Despite his white hair on the verge of baldness, he remained undisturbed as he meticulously mashed ingredients in a mortar, focused on his experiment.
The sounds of bubbles exploding in the cauldron caught his attention, prompting him to double-check his notes to ensure he was following the planned steps. He was adamant about his efforts this time after several successful attempts to create traditional medicines that had confirmed efficacy.
"Grandpa! What are you making today?" A cute little girl with braided blonde hair approached him and halted beside the thin old man.
He gave her a soothing smile as he chuckled, turning to her, "The most excellent elixir I've ever made, sweetheart!"
"Is it? Can I drink it?" Beaming with an enthusiastic face, she tiptoed over, eager to see what was on the table.
"Oh, no, no," he then lifted her with ease, revealing his myriad of concoctions. "None of this is delicious; it's medicine. You know how it tastes, right?"
The little girl quickly covered her mouth with both hands as she shook her head. "It's bitter!"
"Yes, and behind its bitterness, it conceals tremendous benefits," the man reached out for some of his concoction with a bluish color and opened it. "It makes you heal from the ill."
He sips the concoction and the child feels unsettled as the pungent aroma spreads from the liquid. "Doesn't Grandpa feel nauseous?" she asked, still shielding her mouth with her hand.
"In this age, taste doesn't matter dear," he responded after finishing his elixir. "All I think about is how it went."
"Dad, we're going out for a while to buy something," a calm voice emerged behind them, a woman with the same hair color as the child. "Can I borrow Anastasia?"
"Of course!" The old man lowered her down from his lap, stroking her hair gently. "Have fun out there, eh?"
She nodded and took the initiative to hug him. "Bye, Grandpa!" she exclaimed when she released her embrace.
"We're off, Dad!" the woman waved before exiting his room.
"Be careful, dear!"
"We will come back soon!" The voice was faint until he captured the sound of the front door being closed.
The old Mikael refocused himself on his masterpiece. He collected some ingredients and mixed them into the ancient cauldron; the boiled water seemed to devour all of his components. The froth increased, obscuring the liquid behind it. However, it did not make Mikael flinch or falter. Instead, he was excited to see what he was creating.
Feeling that everything was perfect, he let the liquid pass through several channels for further filtration until it was finally all assembled in a small bottle. The color of the elixir was different from the others he had made—black and so thick.
However, the strange thing was that it had no odor. He, who had tasted his invention many times, did not think twice about doing the same this time. He knew the risk was too high; however, at his age, when he could not even go to the bathroom many times, there was nothing to lose to achieve what he wanted.
Although he still had his daughter and grandchild, at least he didn't want to trouble them more than this.
With a single drink, Mikael placed that black elixir back on the table, not feeling any sensation for a moment. The mixture of ingredients he mustered this time should have an antidote to mend illness and physical wounds, completing his elevation as a traditional alchemist.
Minutes later, as he prepared to depart, Mikael was seized by a sudden stomach ache that escalated into a stabbing hurt. His body turned frigid, his legs stiffened, and his consciousness faded. The liquid seemed to melt him from the inside.
"Argh!" he howled as he could not stand the distress he had felt, it was incredibly painful. "Someone... Anisa!"
Collapsed from the chair, Mikael lay on the floor, blackish-red liquid oozing from his mouth and foaming. Convulsions wracked his body, and his eyes, once open, now shut on their own. In a feeble whisper, he uttered, "I'm sorry... sweetheart..."
That was the last sentence from Mikael before he was completely unconscious.
"What? I've told you not to disturb me with this nonsense while I was still on holiday!" Anisa was busy driving, parking her car in the front yard while her daughter enjoyed her lollipop.
"Yes, yes, I know about that assignment, don't remind me every second," the woman in the cream blouse and jeans left the vehicle, entering the house with Anastasia preceding her. "Is it Mr. Braun still next week?"
Anisa seemed to be actively taking care of her office matters. Although she desired leisure by taking some time off, there appeared to be a lot of things she had to handle upon her return. Meanwhile, Anastasia stepped into her room, took off her outerwear, and headed into a closed room.
"Grandpa, we are back!" shouted the tiptoed child, about to open the hinges. "I have bought you something!"
Opening the door, she was startled to find the old man sprawled, with blue-tinged skin and a frothing mouth. The sealed snack slipped from her hand, a loud shriek escaping her lips, catching Anisa's attention as she turned around to the sound of her daughter's grief.
She hurriedly put down her smartphone, ignoring that someone was still babbling there, and approached the room. Both of the woman's beautiful eyes were burning hot, her heart skipped a beat in an instant, and she couldn't contain a wave of tears coming out.
"Dad! Please... No!" With a loud voice trying to wake up her father, it seemed futile because when they found him on the floor, the man was already lifeless. "Please, Dad! Don't leave me!"
The voice resonated through the room, and somehow, he could hear inside the blank space. He was nowhere at the moment, stuck in the void. He knew he was dead now, feeling remorseful because he was too confident that the elixir he created would not lead to something this fatal.
Leaving his daughter alone to take care of Anastasia weighed heavily on him. Although he understood that she could fulfill the family's needs, losing the closest one was certain to shatter her heart. But, an old man like him is too old for the world.
[Immortal Alchemist Cultivation System installed.]
Stunned by the voice, Mikael turned his head in search of its source. "Who... Who's there?"
[Welcome back to life, Mikael!]
"What?" Surprised, he realized his voice was robust, resembling that of a young man. "Back to life?"
[Here, your unfulfilled wishes will come true!]
"Wait, what happened here?" as he looked down, his body was now wrapped in a cloth with a material that could be said to be neat but looked ancient.
He began to see his reflection on the black-nothingness floor. It became obvious when it appeared a man with straight raven hair that flowed to his back - tied in a topknot. Because of his disbelief, he stroked his handsome complexion, adorned with emerald, cold-shape eyes.
[As an alchemist, each elixir you create will be linked to the consumer, doubling your strength as they grow stronger!]
"Could you explain more about this situation? This is a dream, right? Or... this is an afterlife?"
[You are reborn as a shopkeeper and bear the name of Lin Zhihao.]