This Lich Requests More Remuneration

Chapter 87 - 87 86 Talking Business with a Deity

?Chapter 87: Chapter 86: Talking Business with a Deity Chapter 87: Chapter 86: Talking Business with a Deity Regardless of gender or race, it’s often the first time that is the most unforgettable.

Amberser, having traveled through time for many years, had many teachers. There were those who taught him magic, lock-picking, trading, and even those who taught him to enjoy life… but none of those teachers remained.

To the majority of mortals, immortality was still out of reach. If becoming a spellcaster was one in ten thousand, then becoming legendary was one in ten million. And yet, being legendary was just the threshold for immortality. There were many accidents that led the legendary mighty to lose their lives.

The blind, handless old man before him was the first teacher Amberser encountered after his transmigration.

At that time, Amberser was new to this world, completely ignorant of it, and as a transmigrator with no system, he fainted from hunger just three days after arriving.

When he awoke, he had been picked up by the blind, handless old man before him.

What followed was an unremarkable eighteen-year apprenticeship.

The old man wasn’t much of a talker. He lost both his eyes and an arm in alchemy experiments. Passing by and finding Amberser nearly starved to death, he took pity and picked him up. Amberser had thought he encountered a reclusive master and took great care of the old man, studying day and night.

However, the result was disappointing. The knowledge Amberser gained from this teacher was not substantial; at best, he had learned the basics of alchemy, knowing even less about it than Isabel did at the time.

And this old man had no hidden treasures, secret inheritance, or an awesomely special identity.

Nothing of the sort—the old man was just an ordinary person crippled by alchemy who picked up a young man who knew nothing about the world to serve both as a student and as a retirement plan.

The old man had a foul temper and a sharp tongue, often arguing with Amberser. But he taught his apprentice with some dedication, and Amberser was grateful to him for saving his life. So, he took care of the old man for over a decade, until the latter’s last breath. It was from that day forward that Amberser officially became an adventurer. Then came centuries of a nomadic existence until he recently turned into a Lich.

He had thought this would be only a cherished memory, never expecting to encounter his teacher here.

“So you weren’t a lousy alchemist, you pretended for eighteen years, and I took care of you for eighteen years…” Amberser’s tone grew increasingly agitated, eventually bellowing, “Are you sick in the head?! You old scoundrel, before faking your death, you destroyed all the materials I had painstakingly collected, forcing me to dig your grave by hand!”

Amberser was truly furious. Those eighteen years of hardship didn’t seem so bad initially; he had chalked it up to bad luck and life’s trials. Considering the teacher was disabled himself, Amberser didn’t harbor much resentment. But now, seeing this man standing alive and well before him, looking like a hidden boss, those eighteen years of hardships suddenly seemed like a joke.

It was probably because he had become a Lich that he could suppress his emotions; otherwise, he would’ve definitely sent a barrage of Magic Missiles at the old bastard.

The disabled old man changed his appearance once more, reverting to the youthful visage of an alchemist named Gold Coin. He then said to Amberser, “Don’t be angry, my friend. I wasn’t faking my death; I genuinely died. It’s just that, who would have thought, after my death, I would ascend to godhood.”

“I don’t believe you for a second!” Amberser had intended to ignore this suddenly reappearing teacher, but then realized he might have heard something incredible.

“Wait, did you say you ascended to godhood?” Amberser asked, puzzled.

“Indeed, I am the God of Alchemy, Arkham Solomon.”

“You used to tell me your name was Old Pete,” Amberser retorted with a sneer.

The youthful deity smiled and said, “After becoming a god, that name seemed too pedestrian. I chose a new one later, using a name from the little stories you told me. My student, are you interested in becoming my Chosen of God?”

Amberser was through with this jerk and turned to the One-eyed Tentacle Monster, who was the guild master, saying, “I want to make a wish.”

Whether the God of Alchemy was genuine or not, Amberser decided to secure the benefits first and ask questions later.

However, as if not hearing Amberser’s words, the guild master, with his remaining eye, fixated on the God of Alchemy and demanded, “So you are the God of Alchemy, why, all these years, have you never cared for us?”

The God of Alchemy displayed a puzzled look and said, “You do not worship me. In fact, you even wanted to create a new deity to replace me. How can you ask why I haven’t been looking after you? I am merely a predecessor who ventured further in the art of alchemy than you, and I’ve been quite gracious toward a generation that lacks the basic respect I am due.”

The guild master immediately countered, “But you cursed us, preventing alchemists from creating new formulas ever again!”

The God of Alchemy adopted a serious expression and explained, “I don’t have the power to do that. It was Ogma’s punishment. The deity of knowledge thought that the alchemists were overstepping their bounds seriously, and without intervention, irreversible consequences would ensue. He consulted with me, and we agreed to temporarily seal away your creativity. Of course, I concurred because I also thought you had crossed the line.”

“Garey Woz, you must be aware of what was happening in Alchemy City at that time. Those experiments had breached the limits of morality, making even the devils of Hell look modest. My only regret is leaving you a way to break the curse, which led to the situation we face today.”