Hacking the Game Didn't Go as Intended

CHAPTER 176: A Spellbinding Transformation - The Feminine Facade

Following her words, an object in the shape of a pot manifested. But instead of the standard cast iron cauldron, a translucent mold of pure energy with the physical properties of a cauldron was made. The runes were also responsible for heating and sustaining the mold at a certain temperature to emulate a cauldron above an open fire.

Sinister Granny smirked. "You also wondered why the kitchen didn't possess any otherworldly ingredients used in the brewing of potions?"

Daisuke's eyes widened in fascination as exotic materials—particularly from plants, animals, and minerals—started materializing from thin air. Is she using a magic bag for storage? Or maybe another pocket-dimension spell similar to what's going on with this building?

One-by-one, the ingredients floated into the cauldron as if enchanted. Then, under the high heat, they all started being incorporated into the liquid and gradually reduced into a thick, gravy-like substance. Meanwhile—

"Ancient runes to sculpt and heat the cauldron, witchcraft to pull out the special properties of each ingredient and knead them all into one, and finally," the woman said, retrieving a parchment inscribed with a detailed magic circle, "we employ science of another arcane power to regress the gemstones into their former state."

Daisuke and Lumielle observed with evident intrigue as the woman's telekinetic powers effortlessly pried the jewels from the eye sockets of the staff. Then they hovered just inches above the parchment at the center of the magic circle and started spinning to the point where they became a blur. Soon, the crimson stones started glowing as they were gradually rendered to a liquid.

Daisuke's eyes narrowed in surprise. I'm not much of a chemist, but I do know that most gemstones have a higher melting point than most metals, but even without a forge, she makes it look so easy.

"Next," the woman said with a flick of her wrist, and the thick pink reduction in the cauldron promptly rose from the pot in response like water caught in slow-motion. "We alter the state of the elixir. Ideally, we don't want it to be in the embodiment of a solid, liquid, or vapor, but a pure form of energy. This, in turn, allows us to combine it seamlessly with the gemstone without the risk of any impurities that could compromise the integrity of the mineral. Next, we reshape and cool the alloy. But before that..."

"Simply amazing," Lumielle sighed in astonishment.

"This definitely has the potential to put every single blacksmith in Lunarel out of a job," Daisuke murmured jokingly.

"More importantly," Sinister Granny began as the cauldron softly dispersed. "Is there any particular form in which you want the item to be? Should I design the gems to be embedded within another staff? Or maybe an accessory would be more practical? Do you both have a preference?"

While Daisuke was considering the options, in the spur of the moment, Lumielle retrieved a hair clip from her hair and offered it to the woman, even as she gauged Daisuke's reaction. "Would this work?"

"Works for me," Daisuke chimed in.

Without a word, the woman took the golden accessory and, using her magic, proceeded to resize and reshape the gemstones by splitting them into multiple parts. Then she used them to replace the tiny stones that encompassed the design of flowers on the hair clip. When the stones cooled, hardened, and were polished, they took on a raspberry-pink color that glinted in the ambient light.

"Perfect!" she grinned, appraising her handiwork. "Now that the fusion is complete, all that remains is the use of witchcraft to make the necessary power adjustments."

Daisuke cupped his chin in interest. "How does that work, exactly?"

The accessory hovered and glowed above the woman's open palm, even as she addressed the question. "An ego, core, or function," she began, "...people of different trades use different terminologies to describe the essence that is born within weapons, accessories, and general items when they are made.