Scenario:Alchemist's Desire - Chapter 3: Homunculus, Homunculi - Episode 1

Alchemist's Desire - Chapter 3: Homunculus, Homunculi - Episode 1

When asked during Cagliostro's lecture, Mireille clarifies that she doesn't want an immortal body, but a natural body—that is, one that can produce offspring—in order to fulfill her dream of creating her own family. Clarisse inquires about Risette's position, but Mireille says that Risette is just a tool to her.

---

Cagliostro: Now let's get started with Miss Cagliostro's special alchemy seminar!

Clarisse: Whoooo!

Mireille: Wh-whoo...

Risette: Whoo?

Cagliostro: First up, a question for you, Mireille.

Cagliostro: Your objective is to attain a healthy body. Is that correct?

Mireille: Yes, that's right.

Cagliostro: Okay, then let's look at what defines a healthy body.

Cagliostro: Which are you looking for—an immortal body like mine, or a normal, healthy body?

Mireille: What's the difference between the two?

Cagliostro: Hm, how should I put it... It's choosing between something perfect and something natural.

Mireille: Something perfect, and something natural...

Cagliostro: This goes without saying, but although immortality is perfect, it's unnatural for a living thing.

Cagliostro: However, it is possible to attain if you use alchemy to move between different bodies.

Cagliostro: In other words, you would be mass producing bodies with alchemy and using them as your own.

Cagliostro: Strictly speaking, bodies made with alchemy are not living things in themselves. The reason is that an artificial body is exempt from the basic framework that connects life.

Cagliostro: It doesn't grow, doesn't age, and cannot produce offspring of its own.

Cagliostro: On the other hand, a normal, healthy body is, obviously, simply a body.

Cagliostro: It grows, ages, and can link life to the next generation.

Cagliostro: Alchemy-wise, making a normal body is much more difficult than creating a body that doesn't age.

Cagliostro: This is because you need a complete philosopher's stone in order to do so.

Mireille: A philosopher's stone? What's that?

Cagliostro: Leaving out the details for now...

Cagliostro: It's a special substance that even I find a bit of a nuisance to make.

The philosopher's stone—the sole substance able to circumvent the law of equivalent exchange.

It is said that whoever obtains this stone will gain knowledge of the entire universe and be blessed with infinite providence.

However, as there is no existing record of any alchemist in history who has succeeded in creating the philosopher's stone, it remains to be a substance of legend.

Clarisse: But Paracelsus had something like it, didn't he?

Cagliostro: Yeah. But what he had was a philosopher's stone still in its veriditas phase.

Cagliostro: In order for the stone to be complete, it needs to pass from veriditas to citrinitas, then finally, rubedo.

Cagliostro: With a complete philosopher's stone, you can change anything—whether it be a body or a homunculus—into a natural living thing.

Cagliostro: Now, going back to what we were talking about earlier. The biggest factor here is what you want to do after attaining a healthy body.

Cagliostro: Do you wish to continue living alone through an immortal body and live only for yourself?

Cagliostro: Or do you want a regular body in which to live the rest of your days and use your life to connect to the next generation?

Cagliostro: Which of the two do you desire, Mireille?

Cagliostro poses a grave question. However, Mireille answers almost immediately without hesitation.

Mireille: In that case, it's an easy choice. I want a regular body. I don't need immortality.

Mireille: I want a healthy body because I'm tired of my naturally sick body.

Mireille: But... that's not all. There's one more thing.

Mireille: I want a family... I want to make a family.

Mireille: I want people close to me who are connected by blood... That is my wish, and my dream.

Mireille: So I have no need for a body that doesn't age or produce anything.

Cagliostro: I see... So that's your wish.

Upon hearing Mireille's unwavering resolution, a wave of emotion flashes across Cagliostro's face.

Clarisse: Master? What's the matter?

Cagliostro: Nothing. I was just... intrigued.

Mireille: Intrigued?

Cagliostro: Intrigued by the difference in what we want in life. It's nothing important, don't mind me.

The others exchange looks of slight confusion. Cagliostro claps her hands together.

Cagliostro: Well then, now that we know what we want, we can move on to discussing the process of making a natural, healthy body.

Cagliostro: Generally, you will need two things—a body, and a complete philosopher's stone.

Cagliostro: First, the body...

Cagliostro glances at Risette, who is seated next to Mireille.

Cagliostro: Will you be using Risette?

Risette: ...

Lyria: Um... If she uses Risette, then...

Cagliostro: In a nutshell, a homunculus is a body with a will and mind of its own.

Cagliostro: This means that the body of a homunculus can also be used as a body for yourself.

Cagliostro: Of course, if you transfer your own soul into the body, Risette's mind will be erased as a result.

Clarisse: Erasing Risette's mind? Master, you can't seriously be suggesting that...

Mireille: It's out of the question anyway. I can't entrust my soul to something that was made by coincidence.

Mireille: Like I said before, I don't even know why or how this homunculus came to be.

Mireille: The body itself seems healthy enough, but who knows if there'll be any flaws later...

Mireille: Besides, when Risette was just born, she was just a worthless piece of junk that couldn't do anything.

Mireille: That's why I don't plan on using Risette's body for myself at all.

Cagliostro nods in comprehension.

Cagliostro: Well... I suppose that's your limit.

Cagliostro: Mireille, it's true that you've done rather well for someone who hasn't been properly trained.

Cagliostro: From what I see, you're lucky in that what you want to achieve and the special qualities you possess complement one another.

Mireille: Special qualities?

Cagliostro: Your special qualities most likely lie in production—simply put, you have a talent for making things.

Cagliostro: But because you're self-taught, the knowledge you possess is unbalanced, and you're only mildly aware of what you're making.

Cagliostro: You might have books on alchemy, but there's almost nothing in this room that teaches anatomy or biology.

Cagliostro: You can't create a healthy body with so little information. You don't even understand what a healthy body actually incorporates yet.

Cagliostro: Most of all, you don't have the attitude necessary for research.

Cagliostro: In terms of research and experimentation, the probability of failure compared to success is a thousand to one.

Cagliostro: But you know, even within those results, nothing is considered worthless.

Cagliostro: All results produced lay the foundation for the next step in research. You can only succeed in the next step by looking at your current failures.

Mireille: ...

Cagliostro: Your objective is clear to me now. What you lack, I will teach you.

Cagliostro: All in all, it's the same with any research—you just have to keep doing it until you succeed. Be patient and don't rush.

Mireille is silent for a moment, pondering Cagliostro's kind but firm words.

Mireille: Thank you... I'm looking forward to your lessons, Miss Cagliostro.

After some hesitation, Clarisse speaks up from beside her.

Clarisse: Mireille, um... What did you mean when you said Risette was a worthless piece of junk?

Mireille: I meant exactly that. When I'd just finished making it, it was something less than a golem that could only follow orders.

Mireille: But it grew and became what it is now. So now it's at least somewhat of a useful tool...

Clarisse: That's not what I'm talking about! Isn't Risette your family?

Clarisse: How could you refer to your family as worthless?

Mireille: Risette and me? Family? I don't know what you're talking about.

Mireille: What I created is merely a convenient tool. Nothing more, nothing less.

Risette: ...

(Captain) and the others stand in silence, shocked by what they are hearing.

Clarisse: You made Risette using your own blood, didn't you?

Clarisse: In other words, you're connected by blood...

Mireille: Well, yeah. I suppose in that case, we could be considered family.

Mireille: But it's a homunculus, and one that I made by coincidence. That's not what I wanted.

Risette: ...

Mireille: What I want is a family consisting of me and people I love from the bottom of my heart.

Mireille: People with whom I can share mutual love and respect...

Mireille: I want a family where we can grow and experience many things together.

Mireille: I don't want something that just follows me around. I don't need that in my family.

Mireille: That's why Risette and I are definitely not family.

Lyria: ...

Vyrn: ...

Everyone in the room is rendered speechless by Mireille's sharp words.

After an awkward pause, Cagliostro turns toward the crew and finally breaks the silence.

Cagliostro: I'm sure you all have something to say about that, but let's leave it for now.

Cagliostro: This is a problem between the creator and her homunculus. It's not our place to say anything about it.

Clarisse: B-but...

(Captain) and company look worriedly at Risette.

Risette smiles gently as if to reassure them, but her mild expression offers little insight.