Chapter 2

Chapter 2. The First Day

“Anyway, with all these things included, please create the perfect homunculus that does everything I ask for!”

Ariane shouted, imagining the ideal man and the things Eva had explained to her.

But when her words ended, the only thing she could hear was the pounding of her own heartbeat, thumping in her chest.

As there was no change in the magic circle, sweat began to form again on Ariane’s forehead.

‘Did I fail?’

The moment she accepted the truth, more than her own hardships, what weighed on her most was guilt toward Eva, who had taught her so carefully.

For a magician to teach another a higher-level spell—it was an act no different than sharing a piece of their own life.

‘I’m sorry, Eva. I failed because I wasn’t good enough.’

Moisture glimmered in her trembling eyes. Not knowing why the spell had failed made her feel that trying again would likely end in failure once more.

Just as she was about to wipe her reddened eyes, a brilliant light, as dazzling as the sun, suddenly burst forth from the giant magic circle.

“Urk!”

Ariane closed her eyes and turned her head away. The light was so bright and intense that even a wizard like her couldn’t keep her eyes open as it filled the spacious room.

Then, she realized something. Neither the books she had read nor anything Eva had ever told her mentioned this kind of reaction when using creation magic.

Now, instead of self-blame, a different kind of worry crept in.

‘Did I mess up somehow? No way… did I summon a demon or a monster? I barely have any mana left. Should I call Eva?’

One worry led to another, spiraling in her mind.

While she was anxiously fretting, the dangerous-looking light gradually began to fade.

“Phew. At least it’s not a demon that came ou—”

She froze mid-sentence the moment she looked straight ahead. As the intense light and thick mist cleared, a tall man came into view, standing atop the magic circle.

A completely n*ked man, not a single thread on his body, stood in a formal posture. His arms were resting at his sides, staring at her with a blank, doll-like expression.

“Oh my!”

Ariane’s expression turned to shock as she covered her face with both hands. It was the first time she had seen a man’s n*ked body in real life.

But through the gaps between her fingers, she saw him in full. It wasn’t out of curiosity—it was necessary to check whether he was a demon or the homunculus she intended. There was no other reason. Really.

‘Did it actually succeed? No way… He’s not a real human or a demon, right?’

For a second, she almost forgot that she was the one who had created him and nearly screamed.

But if she did that, every awake magician in the tower would rush into her room, and her secret would be out. That thought helped calm her startled heart.

‘Calm down. He’s a homunculus.’

If he were a demon or a real person, he wouldn’t be standing still like that—he’d be raising a fuss asking what was going on. 

A homunculus, whose abilities, personality, and appearance were defined by magic, lacked basic human emotions like embarrassment, joy, pain, or anger.

“Looks like… it worked?”

Maybe because she had already accepted failure, a sliver of doubt lingered.

Ariane cautiously approached the homunculus and looked at his face first.

She had thought he was handsome from afar, but up close, he was even more striking. The artificial human was more defined, darker, larger, and more dignified than she had requested—more vivid than she had even imagined.

Above all, his overwhelming height and physique were so impressive that no one could hope to compare. The glistening, firm muscles that shimmered under the orb’s light needed no words.

Even if someone threatened her to make another just like him, she couldn’t possibly do it.

Overall, while she wouldn’t say it was a bad result—on the contrary, it was an unexpectedly amazing homunculus—there was just one thing.

“He’s handsome, but…”

Ariane tilted her head, trailing off.

If only his expression or aura were a little softer, it would’ve been perfect. That part, she thought, was a bit disappointing.

His shadowy, deep-set eyes were cool, but so sharp it was hard to imagine him ever smiling.

Still, when viewed as a whole, he far exceeded her expectations. The time, effort, and mana she had poured in didn’t feel wasted at all.

She raised her hand and gently touched his cheek. A pleasant warmth spread across her palm. Though he was artificial, his body felt just like a human’s—warm, steady, and real.

Encouraged, Ariane let her hand trail from his neck to his collarbone, down over the firm chest packed with muscle.

‘So solid.’

Thump, thump, thump.

Everywhere she touched, she could feel the throb of a living pulse. Maybe it was because she created him herself, but even this natural reaction made her proud.

She stared in fascination at the way the homunculus’s impressive muscles flexed and moved.

“Your body’s like a golem’s.”

His biceps looked about the same size as her waist, and his sculpted chest bulged like a work of art. He was clearly different from the other homunculi she’d seen in Eva’s room.

She knew she had designed him in her mind, but still, she wanted to pat herself on the back. Good job, me.

“Uh… but, is this the part she meant?”

Tilting her chin, her eyes dropped below his waist, to that, the thing Eva had so passionately told her to always inspect after making a homunculus.

Ariane swept her cascading hair back behind her shoulders and bent down for a better look.

“It kinda matches the size Eva mentioned… or maybe… it’s bigger?”

Almost without thinking, she lifted one of her own wrists and held it next to the homunculus’s dangling m*mber. She remembered Eva telling her to do this if she couldn’t tell just by looking.