Time Travel? Rebirth? I Win This Time!

"Let go of me!"

"No! I won't let go! Unless you promise me, my lord!" A scruffy old man clung to Mike Bai's leg with surprising strength.

"Old man, what are you doing? Let go of me!" William yanked at the old man's leg, trying to pry him off Mike Bai, but despite his frail appearance, the old man had a firm grip.

"Stop! Stop! My pants are going to fall off!" Mike Bai quickly stopped William and turned to look at the ragged old man, bewildered.

"Please, old man, don't do this. If word gets out, people will think I, Mike Bai, am some kind of villain!"

The old man, though disheveled, gazed up at Mike Bai with pleading eyes, as if the words "pity me" were written all over his face.

Mike Bai rubbed his forehead, feeling as though he had made some terrible mistake bringing this troublemaker into his life.

"Let's talk this through calmly! Old man, could you please let go of my pants?"

"Then please, my lord, take me in!" The old man's grip didn't waver.

Mike Bai sighed, signaling to William with a subtle glance. William immediately understood and put on a fierce expression. "Old man, if you don't let go, I'll make you regret it."

"Then just kill me. I'm already a lonely, penniless soul. You'd have to find someone to clean up after you if you kill me," the old man retorted, displaying an air of defiant street tough-guy bravado.

"But before you kill me, could you at least feed me a decent meal?"

Mike Bai sighed again. If the old man weren't an alchemist, he would have thrown him out already.

Twenty minutes earlier, Mike Bai had been working in his study when Dogo reported that an alchemist from the Venetian city-state wanted an audience.

Mike Bai hadn't noticed Dogo's hesitation at the time. The word "alchemist" piqued his curiosity, so he agreed to meet with the man right away.

At first, Mike Bai expected the legendary alchemist to be a refined, scholarly middle-aged gentleman, well-dressed and wise. But upon meeting him, he was shocked to find an old, disheveled man standing before him.

Mike Bai scrutinized the so-called "alchemist" — the robes were certainly fitting for an alchemist, adorned with ornamental trims, but they were stained and dirty. The old man's hair and beard were unkempt, long and matted, giving him the appearance of someone who hadn't bothered with personal hygiene in ages.

Before Mike Bai could even introduce himself, the old man rushed forward and latched onto Mike Bai's leg. That's when the scene unfolded.

Luckily, Sasan had been sent out on an errand; otherwise, this old man might have had an unfortunate accident right then and there.

"Alright, alright, I promise!" Mike Bai relented, unable to get rid of the old man any other way. At least the promise wouldn't cost him much—an old man, after all, wouldn't need much food and lodging each month.

As soon as the old man heard Mike Bai's concession, he immediately let go of his leg, standing up straight. He transformed in an instant from a stubborn, scruffy nuisance into a refined, dignified figure—he now resembled an academic scholar, not the troublemaker he had been moments ago.

"Baron Mike Bai, allow me to introduce myself. I am Leonardo Gisero, Grand Alchemist of the Venetian City-State and Master of the Builders' Guild." The old man bowed gracefully. "As an alchemist and master architect, I believe I should be afforded a status worthy of my position. I request no less than five gold Nomis per month, and at least five hundred gold Nomis annually for research."

Mike Bai's first instinct was to dismiss him as a fraud. But the old man's speech and manners didn't seem to be a pretense, and someone out to scam others would at least wear decent clothes.

Mike Bai hesitated, unsure of the old man's true intentions. He decided to probe further, "So, Master, as an alchemist, can you turn lead into gold?"

If the old man claimed to be able to do so, Mike Bai would immediately order William to throw him out.

But the old man's expression grew serious, as though he were a seasoned professor addressing a foolish student. "The ultimate goal of alchemy is to pursue the mysteries of life. How could you, my lord, be so shallow as to see only the value of gold? Such a focus is misguided!"

Mike Bai was momentarily speechless, unsure how to respond. The old man continued, his voice rising with passion, "If alchemy could truly turn lead into gold, humanity's greed would cause the supply of gold to increase endlessly. At that point, gold would be no different from dirt!"

"Only life is the greatest gift given to humankind!" The old man sighed as if the weight of this truth weighed heavily on his heart. "But people, oblivious to the gift, spend their short lives foolishly, wasting away and returning their treasure to the Creator."

His eyes gleamed with the brilliance of one who believes they have touched the very essence of wisdom. His hands moved excitedly as he spoke, as though his very thoughts were set free.

"Understand, decompose, and reconstruct—that is the method of alchemy! Rather than pursuing useless gold, we must use alchemy to unravel the mystery of life itself!"

Mike Bai blinked, surprised. He had never met anyone like this—this was the first time he had encountered a "scientist" of this age.

The old man, lost in his world, continued, as if he had just uncovered the door to truth and was now basking in the light of discovery.

"Baron, do you know how God created humankind? How many bones does a human body have?" The old man turned to Mike Bai, his tone suddenly serious. "I'll tell you—the answer is..."

"Two hundred and six!" Both of them spoke the number in unison.

Then, both of them froze, wide-eyed.

"How did you know that?"

Mike Bai's mind raced with a daring thought. A sly grin spread across his face as he asked, "Master, you didn't run into trouble with the Church in Venice, did you?"

"Ridiculous! I... I came to the Holy Land to atone for my sins, voluntarily!" The old man's response lacked confidence, but then he quickly recovered and retorted, "Who's your mentor, young man? Call them out and let me speak with them!"

"I'm not anyone's disciple. I just happened to find a notebook in a monastery," Mike Bai quickly fibbed, hoping to divert attention.

But the old man studied Mike Bai closely and asked, "I've heard that Baron Mike Bai hails from the Duchy of Mecklenburg in the Holy Roman Empire's north?"

Seeing Mike Bai remain silent, the old man added, "Is this notebook from a monastery in the realm of Wallenstein?"

Mike Bai's eyes widened. How did he know that? But before he could say anything, the old man burst into laughter, his face lighting up as if he had found a kindred spirit. "Well, it seems we are not alone in this pursuit! I will leave it to you from here. But could I trouble you to advance my salary for a few months...?"

Before Mike Bai could respond, Dogo hurried into the room, casting a disdainful glance at the old man before whispering something in Mike Bai's ear.

Mike Bai's eyes went wide. "You mean to say a tavern maid came looking for the master to pay for a night's stay?"