After returning to the guild, they held a small celebration, but since his body wasn't fully recovered, Noel decided to head back to his lab and rest for a bit.
—Inside the Laboratory—
Due to being abandoned for quite some time, the corners of the room were thick with cobwebs, and the floor was layered in dust. It was clear the lab had been neglected for too long—probably because of the overwhelming number of missions he'd taken on.
Noel had once considered hiring people to help him clean the lab, but since many dangerous materials were stored there, he had given up on the idea.
This sort of task required experienced hands. Or maybe he could take on an apprentice?
But the thought of misleading a student when he himself had not yet mastered the craft didn't sit right with him. That was something Noel never wanted.
He entered his study, which was in much better condition than the lab—good enough for experimentation. And this next experiment was important—possibly the most significant of his life.
The study was the largest room in the entire building, offering ample space to work. From the bookshelf, Noel pulled down the thickest of Mond's journals.
It recorded notes on the Philosopher's Stone, including related transmutation circles. But some parts of the formula were incomplete. Beyond that, the raw materials for crafting the stone were also uncertain. These were challenges Noel had to overcome.
However, through his research, he had begun to narrow down the possible ingredients. Most likely, the essential component was the Fifth Element: Aether—or what one might also call spiritual energy. In today's terms, the most accurate interpretation would be souls.
The idea had come to him the moment he first touched Lullaby—the cursed flute. And now he wanted to turn that idea into reality.
Some might find this approach laughable, even mad. But it was his own dream and pursuit.
Though there were historical alchemists who theorized that the Philosopher's Stone was made from human flesh and blood, Noel found that idea far too cruel.
He considered himself a pursuer of alchemy—but not someone who had lost his humanity.
A true alchemist, no matter the temptation, must never betray their moral code.
Noel placed Lullaby to the side and began drawing the transmutation circle, working meticulously to perfect the formula from Mond's journal.
---
"What are you doing?"
Lullaby watched Noel engrossed in his work and asked curiously.
"Just drawing a transmutation circle," Noel replied casually.
"Wait… a transmutation circle? Are you an alchemist!?" Lullaby exclaimed in shock.
"Yes," Noel nodded.
"So… what are you doing now?"
Lullaby didn't understand Noel's actions.
"Preparing for an alchemy experiment," Noel replied while continuing his work.
"Alchemy requires rare materials, right? What are you using?"
Noel looked up with a calm smile.
"You, of course."
He placed the sealed Lullaby inside the circle.
"You can't do this! I'm the great Lullaby! You can't use me as a material!"
The flute seemed horrified.
"Shouldn't you feel honored?" Noel retorted.
"To be offered up in the name of science is a noble thing."
"I don't want to be some damn lab material—I want to consume souls!" Lullaby protested.
"Do you even understand the purpose of this circle?" Noel asked.
"I was created by Master Zeref. I don't know anything about this nonsense," Lullaby growled, scanning the circle around him—but unable to understand any of it.
If it were normal magic, maybe he could make sense of it. But this was too bizarre.
A hexagram, each corner inscribed with elemental symbols—it looked like something only a lunatic would design.
No need to test it to know it would fail, Lullaby thought.
"Of course it won't work yet. It still needs other materials," Noel calmly explained.
It also required flesh and blood to activate, but using a living person was strictly taboo. So, he would simulate it.
From his storage, Noel retrieved various materials:
Water: 35kg
Carbon: 20kg
Ammonia: 4L
Lime: 1.5kg
Phosphorus: 800g
Salt: 250g
Saltpeter: 100g
Fluorine: 7.5g
Iron: 5g
Silicon: 3g
"This is beautiful," Noel whispered, admiring the circle.
"This is the most beautiful experiment I've ever attempted. Worthy of praise."
"You're insane." Lullaby spat.
"You should know—every alchemist has a little madness in them. But a real alchemist never crosses certain lines. You, however… you're not one of those lines."
Noel closed his eyes, entering a deep state of meditation.
Golden magical energy surged through his hands and flowed into the transmutation circle.
The circle lit up in golden light, lifting off the floor and hovering in midair—resonating with the surrounding materials.
The golden seal around Lullaby cracked and dissolved. One by one, the components were absorbed.
"I curse you…" Lullaby growled in pain from within the array.
Noel ignored it. Curses required a medium to take effect—and Lullaby hadn't had the chance to cast anything.
And besides, death curses had long been debunked by magical scholars. He was far more focused on whether the experiment would succeed.
In a flash, a translucent blue gemstone materialized in the center of the circle.
Noel stared at the result with quiet satisfaction.
The gem emitted an intense magical aura—it had clearly formed correctly.
But…
It was not the Philosopher's Stone.
At best, it was a high-density energy crystal—not what he had hoped for.
Where had he gone wrong?
Despite carefully following every step, he had only produced a failure.
Perhaps Mond's formula still needed refinement. Or maybe… he was missing a key ingredient.
Still—this was the first crystal he had successfully created. That meant he had the right to name it.
After thinking for a moment, he murmured:
"You're a failure… but your energy density is still impressive. I'll call you the Philosopher's Stone (Imperfect)."
"Sealing Circle: Lock."
With that, Noel sealed the crystal. The energy it emitted was warping the air around it—it couldn't be left unchecked.
Once sealed, it looked no different than a typical blue gemstone.
He pocketed it. Something like this should never be left out of sight.
It might just become his ace in the hole.
PS: Access the complete chapters/series at