Chapter 23: Chapter 23: Experimentation and Thinking

While waiting, Emil continued reading through the textbook. However, he wished he had also bought some writing material, like a notebook and quill. Or just really anything for him to take notes with. So that when he began experimenting with new ideas, he could keep a written record of the exact details. Perhaps he would get some from town later that day. He could make time for it before stopping by the inn again and getting a room for the night.

But once the ten expected minutes elapsed, he placed the book down. If he had done everything correctly, then the golem would be ready any second now. And right on cue, Emil watched as the dirt began to shift and stir. A clay arm forced its way out, and pushed the rest of it up.

Once the golem fully unburied itself, it looked up at him. Its face was featureless, save the rune carved into it. However, it knew that he was its creator and master. This was because every person’s Mana signature was slightly different, as a result of being contained within part of their soul. As such, if a golem’s creation involved Mana, it was automatically attuned to the person who made it. Interestingly enough, however, was if the creation didn’t involve Mana. Then in that case, the golem’s attunement to a person would require a separate step.

“Hmm, well I already named Theo, so it’s only fair that you get a name too.” Emil picked up the clay figure and checked it for any outward faults. From what he could see, it came out fine. “Let’s see, what was Theo’s full name again? I think it was… ah, right. It’s Theodore, Grand Ruler of All That Lives, Emporer of Insects, and High Prince of the Dead. So let’s try and keep with that theme.” Emil began to think about a suitable long and short name for the golem.

“How about this. You’ll be Alfonse the First, King of Clay, and Baron of Golems. Or for just Alf for short. And now, Alf, my first order for you is to fall asleep.” Upon giving that command, the doll promptly fell limp in his hand. For that he planned next, it would be easier if the golem was temporarily deactivated. Emil then set it back down onto the grass.

“Now then, creating a basic golem was a success. So, time for experiment number one. Try making another one, but with death energy instead of Mana. Although, I think I’ll actually make two side-by-side.” He just had an idea. There were enough supplies for about a dozen golems in total, so plenty of room to work with for trying different things.

Emil then began to repeat the same steps he had done for building Alf. However, for the first of this new pair, he made one major difference. Rather than put a mana crystal inside its head, Emil placed a memory orb instead. This way, the power of death inside it would act as this one’s fuel source.

Next, for the second one, he repeated the same thing. However, in addition to that, he grabbed its fake heart. And while holding it, he began to concentrate as he channeled Death Magic into the object. When Emil felt he had put it in as much as it could safely contain, he then inserted it into place.

Now he had two experimental golems running, each one its own variation. Both had a memory orb acting as the fuel source instead of a mana crystal. But only one also had death energy focused into the fake heart that gave it false life. Aside from those key changes, Emil made them in the exact same way as Alf. When their procedures were done, he buried them next to each other. Now, he just needed to wait and see what would happen.

With the changes made, there was no guarantee that they would work. And if they did, it might not be ten minutes until they were ready. So Emil decided that he would give them about an hour. But if they still weren’t done by then, he would just unbury them himself to check. With that expectation now in mind, he went back over to the textbook. Emil sat down, and picked his reading back from where he had left it off.

The sky had become cloudy, keeping the world shaded away from the sun’s direct light. But as he tried to read through the book, his mind instead began to wander. There was still the problem about how Emil actually intended to track down and single out the silver one. The more he thought about it, the more unreliable the dentist idea became. That was because it relied on too many things going perfectly.

For one, he needed to find a dentist and hope they were willing to share their private records. That in itself was a major stretch, but let’s say it happened. There was no guarantee that every person with a silver tooth or teeth would be in said records. If they moved to the town from somewhere else, then they might have had their teeth done wherever they lived before.

But the serial killer had lived in the town for at least a decade, based on the timespan of when the children died. So realistically, there was a good chance they would go to the dentist at least once during that long period. However, at the same time, a good chance wasn’t the same as a guaranteed one.

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In any case, let’s say his already assumed streak of luck continued. And that every person with that trait was listed on the record book. Then what? He could maybe whittle it down somewhat. A couple of ways would include excluding people who moved after the first murders, and those who would have been too young at the time. But past those obvious things, that still left a lot of room for age, gender, and essentially anything else.

Silver inside their mouth, that was the singular trait he had to work with. The luckiest thing in the world would be there’s only one person who had it. But even with the stretches Emil had been willing to make so far, that was just one step too far. No, the dental record method couldn’t be counted on. He needed to think of something else, another path that could be pursued instead. But what else could be done?

As the question spun around inside Emil’s mind, he began to fidget. He pulled out one of the memory orbs, and began to move it around across his fingers. It was as he was looking at it, that a lightbulb moment came to him. One that made him feel stupid for not realizing it sooner, because of how obvious of an idea it was. Memories, that was the key.

The ghosts had said they didn’t remember anything past the silver in their murderer’s mouth. However, these were kids, ones that had been dead for years. Of course their recollection of events wouldn’t be perfect. The silver one drowned their victims. That wasn’t an instant death, at least some of the kids would have been able to put up some struggle.

Even if it was just for a moment, there would have been the chance to catch a look at their killer’s face. But of course they wouldn’t realize it. After all, the only thing on their mind at the time would have been panic and a desperate attempt to survive. However, if they allowed him to view their last moments, he might be able to see it.

Because even while he would be seeing it from their perspective, and feeling the same things they did, he would always know that it was just a memory. And through that, remain detached enough to focus on seeing the silver one’s face. Emil may need to ask all the spirits of the murdered children. Just so that he could get as many perspectives as possible, and put them all together to form the picture within his mind.

Emil looked over at where the experimental golems were still buried. Just over twenty minutes had passed by that point. His camp wasn’t that far from the graveyard. He could likely make it there and back without taking too long. However, there might be people there while it was still day. So waiting until night anyway might be the right move.

He leaned back, there was no need to be on pins and needles about it. This was still only his first actual day interacting with the town. Emil didn’t need to rush things. He could spend the rest of the day finishing his golem experiments. Then at sunset, go back into town and get a room at the inn. After that, he could stop by the graveyard and go from there.

The silver one had been killing for years, and had yet to be caught. Whoever this person was, they wouldn’t slip up and make it easy for him to catch. But he was sure of one thing. They would never guess that someone like him would come along, who could directly speak with their dead victims.

You can be as perfect as possible when hiding evidence from the living. You can ensure that there aren’t any witnesses who saw the crime. But you can’t stop a ghost from revealing the truth. And Emil would make sure that, through him, the dead could break their silence. Even if the silver one managed to evade the hammer of justice for years, it didn’t matter. Emil didn’t know how long it would take, but one way or another, he would make sure the hammer hits its mark.

And it was those thoughts went through his mind, that he caught movement in the corner of his eye. Both of the buried golems had begun to stir. Emil stood up, ready to see the results of this novel experiment. Through the added power of death, just how different will they turn out from the standard golem?

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