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Chapter 314: Admit It, No One Loves You
...A demigod?
He wanted to turn a demigod into a puppet!?
“You...”
You’re an artistic genius!
Bai Shi’s sudden proposal shocked Seluvis so much he could barely sit still.
He was both shocked and delighted.
He was delighted that someone shared his own noble ambition.
He was shocked that Bai Shi had told him so bluntly.
This was their first time meeting. How could he just reveal such a treacherous thought so openly?
This wasn't normal. It was far too strange.
At that moment, a profound sense of caution took root in Seluvis’s mind.
Logically speaking, Bai Shi shouldn’t know who he was.
But with someone this powerful, common logic didn’t necessarily apply.
Could Ranni have sent him as a test?
Seluvis, who had been about to engage Bai Shi with enthusiasm, abruptly changed his tune:
“Are you serious?”
“That would be an act of utter blasphemy!”
“You should think carefully about the consequences of saying such things to me—a man who loyally serves a wise and brilliant demigod.”
After saying this, Seluvis himself could barely maintain his act.
But if this was a test, a little exaggeration wouldn’t hurt.
After hearing Seluvis’s performance, it was Bai Shi’s turn to struggle to keep a straight face.
When it came to “loyalty,” Seluvis was truly in a class of his own in the Lands Between.
Bai Shi would never have brought up turning a demigod into a puppet if it weren’t the perfect opening to get closer to Seluvis.
Bai Shi struggled to force down a smile, but a faint, knowing smirk still played on his lips.
“Heh. Just a mediocre mind, after all.”
“Without the necessary conviction, you'll never amount to anything. You’re doomed to appreciate only common puppets for the rest of your life.”
Hearing Bai Shi call him mediocre, the corner of Seluvis’s eye twitched.
How could a man with such a high opinion of himself tolerate such words?
But one look at Bai Shi, and he decided to swallow his pride.
Still, for Bai Shi to say such a thing... could he truly intend to turn a demigod into a puppet?
Seluvis asked Bai Shi again:
“...Which demigod are you planning to target?”
“Let me be clear, I have no intention of participating in your scheme. I am merely ensuring the one I serve will not be affected.”
“Yes, that’s right.”
Looking at Seluvis, whose attempts to hide his interest only made it more obvious, Bai Shi thought for a moment before speaking:
“Regarding the identity of that demigod, I don’t intend to tell you directly.”
“After all, if you lack the ability to craft the potion, you aren’t qualified to be involved.”
“In any case, he is a demigod of noble blood. His father is Radagon, the second Elden Lord of the Erdtree.”
“He has dark secrets and plans hidden beneath a harmless exterior, and once guided the course of the Shattering from behind the scenes.”
“Most importantly, he seems to trust me a great deal, so the chances of success are high.”
After hearing Bai Shi’s description, Seluvis’s heart immediately began to pound with excitement.
He was thrown into an unprecedented state of euphoria and ecstasy.
Based on Bai Shi’s description, Seluvis could only think of one person.
Who else but that demigod by Bai Shi’s side could be made into a puppet to be savored?
It could only be Ranni!
So... you’re into puppets too!
To think Bai Shi possessed such a refined aesthetic! Could it be that someone finally understood him?
With a smile he could no longer suppress, Seluvis said aloud:
“Hmm, it seems it’s not the one I serve.”
“Since that’s the case, I have no reason to be concerned.”
“Heh heh... Hahahaha!”
As far as Seluvis could tell, Bai Shi seemed to know very little about the process of puppet-making.
Otherwise, he wouldn’t have asked if a demigod could even be turned into a puppet.
It was common knowledge among puppet-makers that creating a puppet from a demigod was impossible.
But!
He, Seluvis, was different.
He was a sorcerer preceptor, and he poured immeasurable love into his puppets.
Love had shown him the way.
If starlight governed fate, then amber starlight must represent the fate of the gods themselves.
As long as he could find the “fate” of the demigods—the Amber Starlight—his potion would radiate a gentle, beautiful glow.
Such a draught, he was certain, would enthrall even a demigod.
Unfortunately, this was merely a theory. He lacked the power to make it a reality on his own.
But things were different now. Bai Shi’s appearance had given Seluvis hope.
At this point, Seluvis couldn't hold back his grin.
This feeling wasn’t just about finding a possible path to his ultimate goal.
It was because he had glimpsed the secret lurking beneath Bai Shi’s righteous façade.
He had thought Bai Shi was just another tasteless commoner, but it turned out he could appreciate the beauty of puppets.
And as for Bai Shi’s partnership with Ranni...
Right, it was only a partnership, after all.
In the Lands Between, betrayal was a perfectly ordinary affair.
Perhaps this unexpected betrayal would make the final fruit all the sweeter and more delectable.
Besides, he was in no position to judge Bai Shi.
As Ranni's servant, he had fantasized countless times about turning her into a puppet, to savor her beauty at his leisure.
Ah! A puppet of Ranni...
And now, for a moment of fantasy...
Seeing Seluvis lower his head in thought, occasionally letting out a disgusting “heh heh,” Bai Shi knew he had taken the bait.
He had been talking about Miquella the entire time.
Bai Shi had simply misled Seluvis, letting him think it was Ranni.
This way, Seluvis would drop his guard and help him create the Amber Draught.
Seluvis thought Bai Shi was on the first level, while he himself was on the second.
Unfortunately for him, Bai Shi wasn't even in the same dimension.
Bai Shi was the most terrifying ‘player’ from outside the Lands Between. Unless Seluvis could break through the fourth wall, talking about levels was pointless.
His every secret was laid bare. How could he possibly contend with Bai Shi?
Bai Shi coughed lightly, interrupting Seluvis’s fantasy time.
This sorcerer was truly getting ahead of himself, completely losing his sense of priority.
It was a clear diagnosis: he’d been playing with too many low-quality puppets and had rotted his own brain.
He had found Seluvis repulsive in the game, and interacting with him now was even more trying.
Did he really think he could turn Ranni into a puppet?
Once he got the potion, he would let Ranni deal with Seluvis personally.
Bai Shi spoke, asking Seluvis:
“So, do you have the ability?”
“If you don’t, then stop acting so high and mighty. You're wasting my time.”
Seluvis snapped back to reality, realizing his unseemly behavior.
Now certain that Bai Shi needed something from him, Seluvis reverted to his usual condescending demeanor.
He spoke, deliberately affecting an air of superiority:
“Then allow me to tell you, you’ve come to the right person.”
“If there is anyone in the Lands Between capable of concocting a potion that could enthrall even a demigod, it is I, and I alone.”
“I can see you are a person of some standing, but when asking for a favor, one should adopt a supplicant’s attitude.”
“I won’t make things difficult for you. I ask you only this: do you truly understand the beauty of puppets?”
Bai Shi chuckled.
Though he didn't know much about puppets, he certainly knew a great deal about figurines.
That was the confidence his two-dimensional world had given him.
“Of course. In my homeland, puppets of all kinds are the most popular collectibles.”
“Though we call them by a different name. The most popular kind there are exquisitely crafted, scaled-down puppets that can be appreciated in the palm of one's hand. We call them figurines.”
“Moreover, we can create collectibles of even greater beauty and flawlessness without the troublesome need to find a person to use as material.”
“Let's just say that the puppets of the Lands Between wouldn't be considered anything special in my homeland.”
............
As Bai Shi launched into his grand explanation, Seluvis was utterly stunned.
He considered himself an elegant connoisseur of puppets, but he had only ever appraised common puppets made from human subjects. He judged a puppet's quality entirely on the basis of its original material.
But the ‘figurines’ Bai Shi was now describing came in endless varieties, many of which were types he had never even heard of.
There was even something called a ‘model kit,’ which seemed to have no connection to humans at all, more akin to a golem.
Along with his bewilderment, Seluvis felt an immense longing.
Thinking about it, if puppets truly came in so many forms, not limited solely by the quality of their ‘material,’ what a wonderful prospect that would be.
And in Bai Shi’s homeland, collecting and appreciating puppets was something accepted by many.
The mere thought of it was thrilling.
At this point, Seluvis was completely taken in by Bai Shi’s spiel.
“Could you... let me see your collection of puppets? No, could I see these things you call figurines?”
Bai Shi shook his head, refusing him.
Was he kidding? He hadn’t brought any figurines with him across worlds.
“I keep them stored away in the safest of places.”
“Even if the entire Lands Between were destroyed, they would remain untouched.”
“So don’t even think about seeing them.”
Seluvis muttered what a pity it was, then asked again:
“Then... if my puppets were to be shown in your homeland, what kind of appraisal would they receive?”
Seluvis swallowed hard, his arrogant posture now gone.
Bai Shi glanced at him.
“You...”
“Pardon my bluntness, but while your puppet-making skills are decent, your taste is truly quite pedestrian.”
If anyone from the real world saw these puppets from the Lands Between, they’d probably fall right into the uncanny valley.
Seluvis, hearing this, immediately and unthinkingly retorted in disbelief:
“Impossible!”
“The puppets I create are my perfect children!”
“Tell me, what is wrong with my taste!?”
As soon as he finished, Seluvis felt a pang of regret.
Speaking to someone so much stronger than himself like that... was he tired of living?
If this body were destroyed, he would lose his identity as a sorcerer preceptor and be unable to continue collecting high-quality puppet materials.
But Seluvis desperately wanted to know why Bai Shi thought his taste was so awful.
Bai Shi gestured to the various puppets in the cellar and said:
“It’s obvious at a glance.”
“There is no love in the puppets here.”
Seluvis stared intently at Bai Shi, his tone turning agitated.
“Love?”
“What a joke. What could you possibly know?”
“There are so many puppets here, each soul unique in its own way! I cherish every single one of my children here!”
“I pour my love into them!”
Bai Shi met Seluvis's rebuttal with a faint smile.
He’s flustered. So very flustered.
It was insufferable. He engaged in such a despicable, filthy practice, yet paraded himself as a connoisseur.
“It’s quite simple. It’s not about your love for the puppets.”
“It’s that not a single puppet here loves you.”
“Not this one...”
“Nor... that one.”
Bai Shi pointed to the Jar-Man next to Seluvis that had almost been his new plaything, then moved his finger towards a treasured item in the depths of the cellar.
In the furthest recess of the basement, a particularly prized puppet lay reclining on a bed.
The puppet was dressed in a hunter’s attire, sleek and simple, with a leather hat placed by the bedside.
Her short hair fell naturally, revealing a handsome face that was cold and lifeless.
She had a pleasant appearance and a rather androgynous style of dress that would earn her favor with men and women alike.
This was Dolores the Sleeping Arrow.
Seluvis’s breath hitched.
He wanted to argue, but the words wouldn’t come.
Because everything Bai Shi said was the truth.
The pitiful truth had been laid bare, and a wave of self-loathing washed over him. He no longer dared to object.
Bai Shi shook his head and continued:
“How pathetic.”
“They feel no love for you whatsoever.”
“If they could, they would surely kill you with their own hands, wouldn’t they?”
“Admit it, no one loves you.”
Seluvis lowered his head, clenched his fists, and muttered as if to himself:
“So what?”
“How could anyone ever willingly become a puppet?”
“It’s only natural that I wouldn't receive their love...”
Hearing Seluvis's words, Bai Shi smiled.
When dealing with a despicable person like this, one had to thoroughly enjoy watching them break down.
“Of course it’s possible for someone to become a puppet willingly.”
“It’s just that... you might not have the chance to see it.”
“If you’re not dead by the time we next meet, I’ll let you see for yourself.”
“I imagine that after seeing it, you will no longer be able to accept these loveless puppets of yours.”
Seluvis took a deep breath.
“Fine... I shall look forward to it, then.”
Bai Shi nodded and deliberately asked:
“Now then, we should discuss the matter of the demigod.”
“Do you need anything to make the potion?”
“Or have you perhaps already made it?”
Seluvis looked up, somewhat drained, and sighed.
“I have not yet succeeded in creating it.”
“However, I have discovered the method. All that remains is one final, crucial ingredient.”
“It is a sliver born from a fleeting shooting star, an illusory fragment that glows with an amber light.”
“Amber Starlight. As long as I have that, I can create the potion.”
Bai Shi nodded and turned to leave the cellar.
“I will bring back the Amber Starlight.”
“Prepare yourself to create the potion, and look forward to that day.”
——
After Bai Shi left, Seluvis looked at the lifeless, ice-cold Dolores.
No matter how many times he gazed upon her, he was utterly captivated.
He had used every means at his disposal, and he had finally obtained her.
But Bai Shi’s words today had torn open his old wounds.
All the shameful memories of the past flooded Seluvis's mind.
Long ago, Seluvis had spent some time at the Roundtable Hold.
There, he met Dolores.
Her elegance and independence were admirable, and her behavior toward him seemed completely different from how she treated others.
In that moment, Seluvis fell for one of life's greatest delusions: she liked him.
Just when he thought he had met the most special person in his life, seeing Dolores interact with Gideon Ofnir made him realize the truth.
In the end, Seluvis managed to get his hands on Dolores, but she would never truly belong to him.
Seluvis slammed his fist into a glintstone crystal formation in the cellar, and the fragile crystal instantly shattered and scattered across the floor.
“Aaargh—!”
“Why, why?”
“Do you despise me so much? Can’t you love me!”
Seluvis walked slowly to Dolores's bedside and stroked her cheek.
“After some time, perhaps I’ll move you to Caria Manor...”
“I will continue to cherish you, ever so dearly.”
My god, these lab courses. Another day scheduled solid, 8 AM to 9 PM.