NABC Chapter 168: Frederica Endymion (1)
Chapter 168: Frederica Endymion (1)
Chapter 168: Frederica Endymion (1)
"What is this? Are these homunculi Frederica started making but never finished?"
The flask, which was about the size of a flowerpot, contained the face of a middle-aged man who bore a striking resemblance to the historical records and depictions of Frederick Endymion, as recorded by the Alchemist Guild.
In contrast, the large flask that could hold a human body contained a female figure that looked like Frederica’s much older sister. Unlike Frederica or No. 3, who had no pubic hair, this figure had fully grown pubic hair.
‘Come to think of it, is pubic hair also an optional feature...?’
From what I’d heard, when creating homunculi, body hair other than essentials like head hair, eyebrows, and eyelashes was considered an optional add-on, and it cost an absurd amount of money.
It was so expensive that even Frederica and No. 3 didn’t have pubic hair, despite being created for very specific purposes.
"Frederica really is something else. First, she transitioned from a male body to a female one. And now, that wasn’t enough—she’s even made a mature version of herself..."
I dusted off the flask and inspected its contents. Unlike No. 3 or Frederica, whose skin was flawlessly smooth without a blemish or scar, the mature Frederica had more natural features. There was a small tear mole near her eye, and her fingertips lacked fingerprints, giving her a subtle sense of realism.
‘And yet she just leaves her original body like this.’
The neck of Frederick Endymion, the hero who defeated the Demon King in the past, was now unceremoniously preserved in a small flask. Whatever had happened to him, his neck was crudely crafted compared to modern homunculi. His esophagus and trachea were poorly formed, with a simple, rough cut where it had been severed, and the muscle structure seemed absent.
From my experience with dissecting severed body parts in my line of work, the simplicity of the organs made it hard to believe this was once human.
"...Type 0, Origin..."
Just as I was about to touch the flask and confirm my suspicions—
"I brought the blanket."
"Ahhh!"
Startled, as if caught doing something I shouldn’t, I nearly dropped the flask containing Frederick Endymion’s head but managed to catch it at the last second.
"What’s wrong with you?"
Erin, holding the blanket, stepped inside and looked at me curiously. Ignoring her question, I hurriedly returned the flask to its original position and shook my head as if nothing had happened.
"Even if it’s just lying around in storage, you shouldn’t play with the hero’s remains like that."
"Heh... yeah, I guess."
"And by the way, the boss is calling for you. She said she’ll treat your fractured jawbone with a regeneration potion."
My jaw, cracked from being headbutted by Erin’s horns, still throbbed painfully whenever I touched it, so I figured it was best to get it treated.
‘And I do have a few things I want to ask Frederica...’
"I need to get back to work, so you’ll have to head to her office on your own."
"I’m not a kid; I’m not going to get lost in here."
Erin donned her helmet again, covering her face. As I watched her, I felt a mix of regret at not being able to see her cute face and a strange satisfaction in knowing only a few of us had seen her without the helmet.
As Erin hurried off, I stared at her retreating figure for a moment before heading toward Frederica’s office.
Knock knock knock.
"Come in."
Although Frederica’s expression was still wary, she seemed less angry than before. At least she wasn’t yelling at me like earlier.
"Well... Delphine was right. It wasn’t intentional on your part; the drug’s side effects left you in a compromised mental state. It couldn’t be helped."
"Yes."
"And as the re