Helos’s fingers began tapping unconsciously on the tabletop.
The words “robot” kept swirling around in her mind.
“Robot… robot…”
She muttered, and suddenly her eyes lit up, “That’s right! There may not be robots, but Golems do exist!”
The girl sat up so fast she nearly knocked over the glass bottle in front of her.
Her heart raced, a spark of inspiration flashing through her mind.
Golems were a unique product of alchemy and magic in this world.
Although rare, they definitely existed in reality.
“If I could get my hands on a Golem, or even improve one… wouldn’t that be ready-made combat power?”
She slapped both hands on the table in excitement, her voice echoing through the empty workshop.
Then she shrank her neck and quickly lowered her voice, as if afraid someone might overhear.
The concept of Golems wasn’t new—she’d found related information in the archives before.
Helos furrowed her brow, quickly running through the knowledge in her head.
A Golem—a puppet driven by alchemy and magic circles. Once infused with mana, it would act according to the commands of the infuser.
But its problems were obvious, too.
Control over a Golem was a major headache.
Whose mana was infused, the Golem obeyed that person’s commands.
This mechanism meant that Golems were a huge risk in battle; if an enemy touched it, they could seize command on the spot.
Because of that, most Golems were sent to do things like hauling goods or guarding gates, rarely appearing on the battlefield.
Golems that could actually be used for war needed multiple—sometimes dozens—of protective wards on both their bodies and mana cores.
Such defenses consumed enormous resources and required complex techniques; they were masterpieces among crafts.
Using such things for war was, to be honest, rather extravagant.
As she weighed her options, she casually sketched on her notepad.
The outline of a Golem gradually took shape, though it was rather crooked.
“Forget it, I can’t build one myself… but that doesn’t mean I can’t study it!”
The girl’s eyes narrowed to slits as a smile crept onto her face.
“I’ve got money now, anyway.”
She tapped the table lightly, a hint of pride in her voice.
That payment Eleanor gave her the other day from the Morning Dew profits was still sitting there, safe and sound.
Five hundred thousand Solis—enough to do a lot.
“I just need to get my hands on a ready-made one to study, even if it’s a broken one.”
The more Helos thought about it, the more excited she became.
She could almost see a tall, imposing Golem standing before her, obeying her every word.
No matter how powerful Werner was, he’d have to take a fully armed Golem seriously, right?
She suddenly burst out laughing.
If Julius found out about her plan, he’d be completely shocked for sure.
“Hmph, that’s the reaction I want!”
The girl propped her feet on the stool and folded her arms proudly. “Human progress comes one step at a time!”
But reality soon splashed a bucket of cold water over her head.
“But where am I supposed to get a Golem?”
After all, Golems weren’t exactly something you could just buy anywhere.
She wrinkled her nose, deep in thought.
Black Market? Auction House? Or maybe ask those traveling merchants?
She was willing to buy, but who would be willing to sell?
The workshop fell quiet again.
Helos rocked her chair, calculations flying through her mind.
Since Golems were the products of alchemy and magic, those alchemy workshops probably could make them.
Maybe she should commission a proper alchemist to make one?
Hmm…
Looks like she’d have to go out herself.
***
Just then, there was a knock at the door. Thud, thud.
Helos was so startled she nearly tore her sketch to shreds.
“Who is it?!”
“Me.”
A deep voice replied.
Helos froze, then realized who it was.
She quickly shoved the papers on the desk into a stack of books before cautiously opening the door.
As expected, it was Julius standing at the door.
“You’re back again?”
Helos narrowed her eyes warily.
“I just don’t feel at ease about you.”
The boy sighed. “I have a feeling you’re up to something dangerous again.”
Is he a worm in my stomach or something?
How did he guess?!
Helos’s heart skipped a beat, but she quickly put on an innocent smile:
“Come on, what could I possibly be doing? I’m just a sweet, pure, innocent little girl, you know?”
Julius frowned, glancing at the worktable behind her.
“The brighter you smile, the less I trust you.”
“Hmph, dumb knight, you just don’t understand the troubles of a genius!”
Helos threw up her hands in exasperation and started pushing him out.
“Hey! At least tell me what you’re planning!”
Helos stopped, her eyes suddenly glinting.
“I’m just training!”
She flashed a mysterious smile. “Once I finish my research, you’ll see for yourself!”
Research?
Julius’s brow furrowed even deeper. “That sounds dangerous already.”
“Don’t worry about it! Just focus on your Holy Light Magic! Guys like Werner—the old fox—loves to beat up clueless little knights like you the most!”
“Are you secretly insulting me?”
“You misheard!”
Helos waved her hand and slammed the door shut with a loud bang, shutting Julius out once more.
The moment the door closed, she let out a long breath, her heart still pounding.
She’d almost been caught for no reason…
The girl leaned against the door, but couldn’t stop the smile from creeping up her lips.
That’s right—she’d made up her mind.
Even if she had to spend all her savings, she’d get her hands on a Golem somehow.
Once she had a Golem, she wouldn’t just be the useless “deadweight” anymore.
No matter how frail her body was, at least she’d have something worthwhile to show Werner.
“There’s no turning back this time! I have to succeed!”
Helos looked out at the workshop bathed in moonlight, eyes burning with a resolve like never before.
She took a deep breath, sat back down at the worktable, picked up the crumpled sketch, and patiently smoothed it out.
“Plan Golem, commence!”
Helos threw on a simple cloak and hood, and set out under the cover of night, quietly inquiring at several workshops.
The boss at the first place didn’t even bother to look up.
“Don’t be ridiculous. That’s not something we could ever get involved in.”
At the second, the alchemy table was neatly arranged with all sorts of tools.
The girl apprentice behind the counter shook her head at the question, “A Golem? We’ve never even seen a blueprint for one, let alone built one. They’re just not practical.”
Each time, Helos quietly noted down any scraps of information, but disappointment kept building inside her.
“Yeah… this really isn’t something just anyone can make.”
She scratched her hair, looking a little discouraged. “But I don’t believe for a second there’s not a single person in all of Olivia who can.”
So she changed tactics and headed down the cobbled streets toward the lower district.
The lower district was lively even at night, with stalls everywhere along the roadside.
The air was filled with the scent of rust and cheap liquor, so noisy it made her head spin.
Helos pulled her hood even lower, winding through several alleys before stopping at a secluded street corner.
There, she found an utterly ordinary-looking alchemy workshop.
The sign was crooked, still streaked with uncleaned oil stains.
Behind the counter, a lazy-looking middle-aged man was flipping through the account books in boredom.
Helos approached and quietly tested the waters:
“Excuse me, does anyone here know how to make a Golem?”
“A Golem?”
The man was stunned at first, then snorted. “Girl, you’re dreaming. Even the big workshops uptown wouldn’t touch that stuff. You think this dump could handle it?”
A flash of disappointment flickered in Helos’s eyes, and she was about to leave, when the man lazily added:
“But, well… I have to admit, you’re in luck. There just happens to be a broken-down Golem lying around in my warehouse.”
If Golems are powered and controlled by mana would it just lose power in her presence.