Chapter 357: The Senile Old Man

Von Hohenheim Paracelsus, one of only two individuals in history to successfully create the Philosopher's Stone, left behind far more records than Nicholas Flamel. Kamar-Taj preserved many documents on his research, but these were primarily focused on his academic contributions.

However, records on Paracelsus's magical achievements and the later years of his life were surprisingly scarce. The homunculi Solomon created shared a conceptual similarity with Paracelsus's "Homunculus in a Flask," as both involved dividing one's life force and soul to create life. Yet their methods differed entirely. Solomon's approach relied on alchemical souls and bio-simulated flesh, avoiding the messiness of blood and other viscous substances. In contrast, Paracelsus's experiments were notoriously unsanitary, involving human blood and flesh to craft his creations.

The circumstances of Paracelsus's death were equally shrouded in mystery. One theory posited that he was killed by Kamar-Taj sorcerers for attempting to reveal the existence of magic to the public (an account passed down by the elder sorcerers). Another claimed he perished in a battle against dark wizards seeking to seize the Philosopher's Stone (as Mordo believed). But these accounts seemed deliberately obscured, leaving the truth elusive.

Only the Sorcerer Supreme likely knew the full story, but she chose not to share it. Solomon leaned toward the first theory since Paracelsus's ritual dagger, crafted with the Philosopher's Stone, was housed in the museum of the London Sanctum—a likely relic confiscated after such a confrontation.

Solomon had gained permission from the Sorcerer Supreme to use the dagger alongside the quarter of the Aether particle in his possession. His aim was to reverse-engineer the creation process of the Philosopher's Stone and achieve immortality. Not that Solomon particularly desired immortality—he was confident his lifespan would already be absurdly long. His real goal in researching the Philosopher's Stone was to generate gold and create alchemical warrior homunculi.

Thus, upon returning to his apartment, he immediately threw himself into his work. His obsessive research drove him to the point of neglecting his physical needs until Bayonetta dragged him out of his study. Only then did he realize he was so hungry his limbs were weak. The witch seemed quite displeased with his dedication to research, feeling that it undermined her efforts.

"You mean the swimsuit and the sunbathing?" the mystic teased, planting a kiss on the witch's annoyed face. "We still have time. I'm working on the Philosopher's Stone to extend our family's lifespan. That's the real way to stay together forever."

"Just don't turn us into wrinkly old crones," the witch retorted, seemingly appeased by Solomon's explanation. With her frustration abating, she returned his kiss. "But right now, you need to focus on eating a light dinner. I've heard enough about Asgardian cuisine—if you don't eat something mild, acne will come for you, and then even this big sister won't be able to satisfy you, my adolescent boy."

Bayonetta ignored Solomon's reddening face and continued, "By the way, while you were in your study, your mother stopped by. She seems to have something to tell you."

"Athena? What's she doing here?" Solomon couldn't guess the motives of the goddess of wisdom. Intelligence and wisdom were not the same. The former referred to a person's capacity for problem-solving, analysis, and understanding, while the latter described one's ability to perceive and anticipate. Athena likely deduced something from subtle clues and foresaw what might occur, prompting her to visit Solomon.

"I don't know what kind of mess the Sorcerer Supreme has stirred up, but I do know what 'divine' smells like." Athena, holding a glass of brandy, reclined gracefully on the main sofa. "I don't believe I've ever told you about the conflict between Zeus, the King of Gods, and Odin, the Allfather. As you might expect, the leaders of different pantheons seldom get along. Zeus and Odin were no exception. I even caught glimpses of their battles…"

"Today isn't story time, Mother," Solomon interjected, handing out three bottles of soda to the witches on the sofa before sitting down to listen to the hidden meaning in Athena's words.

"Zeus shares blood ties with Vishanti and Gaia, granting him unparalleled power. Even with such strength, Zeus was unable to defeat Odin," Athena continued, sipping her drink to mask the fear lingering from the battle she had witnessed. "That was one of the rare occasions Zeus fought with all his might. Other than Typhon, few ever pushed him to that extent. I'm telling you this not to entertain, but to remind you that the god-kings at the pinnacle of the pantheons should not be underestimated."

"But now!" Athena's tone shifted to indignation. "Kamar-Taj has made such a dangerous agreement with the Asgardians. Have you considered how Odin will react when he learns of this?"

"What does that mean?" Solomon asked, perplexed.

"Oh? You don't know?" Athena gestured toward the window. "The Allfather is rummaging through the trash cans below your building. Get him out of here immediately! I can't let the Asgardians discover any connection between Olympus and Kamar-Taj!"

Solomon hastily bit into a piece of bread as he straddled his motorcycle.

In a bustling neighborhood like this, vagrants were a rare sight. Even those who appeared would quickly be taken to shelters. As a mystic, Solomon couldn't predict the exact location of a being of Odin's caliber. Instead, he sped through every corner of the community, searching for a one-eyed old man digging through trash cans. He even called in his apprentices who weren't involved in extra-dimensional battles to help, hoping to ensure Odin wasn't sleeping in some alley.

Curse Loki! How could he act so quickly?

Solomon was exasperated. He had assumed Loki might leave Odin in a clean nursing home, but clearly, Loki's disdain for his father ran deep. He had unceremoniously dumped Odin onto the streets of New York, leaving Solomon scrambling to find the senile old man. He had already informed Queen Frigga of Odin's presence on Earth, hoping she would intervene before someone euthanized the Allfather in a shelter.

Otherwise, there might soon be a shelter resident who couldn't die, no matter how much cyanide was injected into him!

"Any luck?" Solomon asked one of his apprentices. The apprentice shook their head. Solomon sighed. Scouring the streets of New York for every one-eyed old man rummaging through garbage cans was proving impossible. Even Athena had summoned all the owls and snakes in the city to assist, but Odin had seemingly vanished after briefly appearing near Solomon's apartment.

"Maybe you could try asking at the No Door Bar," suggested the apprentice, who had likely joined Kamar-Taj midway, much like Kaecilius, and was familiar with New York's magical underground. Solomon dismissed the idea. If the wizards at the No Door Bar discovered Odin's presence on Earth, those eager to master rune magic would stop at nothing.

For Odin's sake, Kamar-Taj could only continue searching alone. Alternatively, Frigga might directly divine Odin's whereabouts, sparing them further trouble. Solomon just hoped that Odin, in his current state, didn't require adult diapers.

For the first time, Solomon prayed to the Vishanti, hoping this wish would come true.

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