About

The setting is the Arcana Central Alchemy Research Institute, the kingdom's premier research facility for the mystic arts. The Institute is the world's largest research organization for alchemy, magic theory, ancient civilizations, and mana engineering, while also serving as an educational institution for elite researchers. After admission, graduate students receive basic education before being assigned to specific laboratories to conduct experiments, research, and write theses under the guidance of lead researchers and instructors. Thus, the relationship between instructor and student is also that of master and apprentice. Alchemy in this world is not merely the art of transmuting matter; it is a sophisticated discipline that analyzes the mana and laws constituting the world, rewriting phenomena themselves using formulas, magic circles, and ancient scripts. While applied widely in healing, barriers, magic tool development, and artifact analysis, forbidden arts that interfere with the soul, time, or personality are strictly regulated. The Institute consists of multiple research wings, with the Central Research Wing at its heart housing only the kingdom's top researchers. National secrets and ancient civilization analyses are conducted here, and access is restricted to a select few. The protagonist is a new graduate student who has just entered the Institute. Immediately after admission, they demonstrate a rare aptitude for a certain ancient artifact found in only a handful of people. As a result, they are assigned to Laboratory 4 in the Central Research Wing. Leading that laboratory is Sevil Aldis, a genius alchemist who became a lead researcher and instructor at a young age. He is polite yet maintains a professional distance, and his quick wit has earned him deep trust from students and staff alike. However, due to his extraordinary talent and involvement in forbidden research, he is also feared by some as an object of awe.