014 – There’s Always a Way to Convince You

Under the intense gaze of the gathered alchemists,

Maiza spoke in a low, solemn voice:

"Before we begin the ritual, allow me to share a secret."

"The man who taught me this summoning ritual…"

"Was once my senior apprentice."

"From my grandfather's time until today, he has never aged."

"That's because, 300 years ago, he summoned a demon and successfully obtained the Elixir of Immortality."

"That man is still alive somewhere in this world today—forever unchanging."

The entire room fell into dead silence.

All attention was firmly locked on Maiza.

Even Maiza himself felt his heartbeat quicken.

As he stood on the edge of the unknown,

A sense of fear crept into his mind.

But then—

His gaze hardened, filled with determination.

"My friends!"

"I do not know if what we are about to do is right or wrong."

"But as they say—"

"All things in existence are interconnected."

"The 'demon' we seek may not be evil."

"Even if an alchemist steps into the realm of black magic, its principles remain the same."

"If everything is for the sake of obtaining the Elixir of Immortality…"

"Then let the ritual begin."

With that, Maiza turned away from the crowd

And stepped into the center of the magic circle.

The two men beside him followed,

Standing around a glass container filled with a clear liquid.

"That must be the unfinished Elixir," Souta muttered.

"It's missing the 'gift' from the demon."

Maiza then took on the appearance of a devout priest,

His expression serious and focused.

Then, in a calm and reverent voice,

He began chanting the summoning spell:

"I summon thee—"

"Thou art sky, and thou art earth."

"Thou art night, and thou art time."

"Thou art shadow, and thou art light."

"Thou art virtue, and thou art sin."

"Thou art seen, and thou art unseen."

"Thou art love, and thou art hate."

"Thou—"

"That is enough."

BOOM.

A deep, guttural voice echoed through the entire room.

It was a voice so distorted, so unnatural,

That no one could determine its origin.

It was everywhere,

And nowhere.

It resonated from the walls,

Yet it also whispered directly into their ears.

The oil lamps flickered violently,

Casting wild, dancing shadows across the wooden planks.

The silhouettes of dozens of figures swayed like phantoms,

Blurring between light and darkness.

An eerie, suffocating presence filled the air.

No one dared to move.

No one dared to breathe.

Even Souta—standing at the very back—felt his body tense up.

He leaned toward Kurumi, whispering:

"Be careful. The demon's true nature is unknown."

"It never physically appears—it only watches."

"It's a mystery even in the original story."

"However, it only gave the Elixir to humans out of curiosity."

"It probably won't attack us."

Kurumi nodded,

Her guard fully raised.

If anything went wrong,

She was ready to grab Souta and flee the ship immediately.

At that moment—

The demon's voice echoed once more:

"That's Enough. Your Summoning Chants Are Just Repetitive Nonsense."

A low, guttural voice echoed throughout the dimly lit chamber.

It wasn't coming from any particular direction—

It was everywhere, as if seeping into their very minds.

"I have been listening to your conversations this whole time."

"I already know what all of you are thinking."

"You fear the unknown, yet you call upon me."

"You claim to seek eternal life, yet you cower in uncertainty."

"You do not need to speak my name, for I have never liked being called a 'demon'."

"But it doesn't matter."

"I know what it is you desire."

"You wish to learn the secrets of immortality."

"Very well, but I shall tell only you, Maiza."

The entire room fell into stunned silence.

The gathered alchemists held their breath in nervous anticipation.

Even Maiza himself, the one who had led the summoning, looked tense and uneasy.

He hesitated for a moment before asking—

"Why only me?"

The demon did not answer.

But Souta, knowing the full story, understood exactly why.

"It's a test."

"The demon is deliberately sowing discord."

"By creating inequality, it is ensuring that conflict will arise."

After all—

The entire chain of events in Baccano! started because of this very moment.

The demon's true interest wasn't in granting immortality—

It was in watching human nature unfold.

This was why the demon created a rule:

Those who drank the Elixir of Immortality could devour each other.

It was a twisted, cruel experiment.

"Drink It. If You Wish to Know Everything, Then Drink."

At some point, Maiza had already lifted the glass container.

Inside was the liquid the demon had enchanted.

It was no longer just a simple alchemical formula.

Now, it was the true "Elixir of Immortality"—

The so-called "Grand Panacea".

The demon's whisper filled the chamber once more:

"Drink it."

"Then you shall become immortal."

"Go on. If you wish to learn the truth, drink."

Every pair of eyes in the room was locked onto Maiza's trembling hands.

Their stares burned with a dangerous hunger,

Like starving wolves watching prey just beyond their reach.

Yet—

No one moved.

No one took the first step.

Even Maiza himself hesitated.

Because no one knew if this "Elixir" was truly a miracle—

Or a deadly poison.

The room remained in uneasy silence—

Until an elderly man suddenly stepped forward.

His beard was unkempt, his eyes sunken with age.

Unlike the younger alchemists,

He did not have the luxury of time.

For him, this was his only chance.

He reached for the bottle, ready to drink—

But then—

"WAIT!"

A shout rang out from the back of the room.

The crowd parted, revealing Souta and Kurumi pushing their way forward.

Souta stepped toward Maiza, his voice filled with urgency—

"You're seriously going to trust the words of a demon?"

"Have you people lost your minds!?"

"What if this thing is poisoned!?"

The crowd stirred uncomfortably at his words.

Even Maiza himself hesitated.

Souta took a deep breath and continued,

His tone righteous and unwavering—

"But…"

"If this is truly the Elixir of Immortality, then I will be the first to drink it."

"Let me test it for you."

"If I survive, then you can drink it afterward."

His declaration sent ripples of uncertainty through the gathered alchemists.

But Maiza, narrowing his eyes, finally asked—

"Wait a minute… who are you?"

"I don't recall ever seeing you on this ship."

"And who is the girl beside you?"

Souta quickly responded—

"The details don't matter!"

"The important thing is that I am willing to test the Elixir."

Maiza took a step back, gripping the container tightly.

"No. It does matter. Who are you!?"

"Ugh… fine!"

Souta sighed dramatically, then lowered his hood, revealing his face.

"My identity doesn't matter."

"What matters is that you have a volunteer."

"Wouldn't you rather have someone test it first?"

But before Maiza could respond—

The old man from earlier snarled in irritation.

"Hmph! Why should some outsider get the first taste!?"

"This Elixir is not meant for you!"

"You're just some sneaky little brat who somehow snuck onto our ship!"

Several other alchemists quickly echoed his sentiment—

"He's right! We don't know who you are!"

"Seize them! Find out what they're planning!"

Before Souta could react,

The entire group of alchemists suddenly rushed toward them—

Souta sighed inwardly. It was indeed not that easy. His negotiation skills needed to be improved.