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“Your Highness, this is what I’ve recently researched and developed for Lord Rupert. Asking for that, no matter how much it’s you, would be quite rude.”

Jenia coldly replied to Edric, who had come to her seeking information about the new golem.

“Third Prince Edric, according to the rumors, has been considered a strong candidate for the crown until the Crown Prince changes…”

She recalled the information about Edric standing before her.

A genius in swordsmanship, the most handsome man in the empire, and the hope of the imperial family.

With various nicknames, Edric genuinely resembled the prince she had imagined while reading fairy tales.

First of all, his status as a prince marked him as a noble being, and his exceptional swordsmanship was so outstanding that there were few, even among the imperial knights of his age, that could compare.

Additionally, there were rumors that he was the most handsome man in the empire alongside the imperial princess, deemed the flower of the empire.

Due to this, during the time when the former Crown Prince Alex had a bad reputation, it was rumored that Edric would become the next Crown Prince.

‘Is he perhaps trying to claim the throne again with this new golem?’

Jenia felt uneasy about Edric personally seeking her out for information regarding the new golem.

In truth, the reason she created the new golem was to assist Rupert, but contrary to her initial intentions, the manufactured golem had turned out to be extraordinarily capable.

‘If used as a weapon, it could become a device that harms countless people.’

Although the golem wouldn’t easily be mass-produced simply from sharing information, if Edric could create even a slightly inferior version of it, it was uncertain what events could unfold.

Thus, Jenia had no choice but to respond sharply to Edric’s proposal.

She absolutely could not allow her new golem to be used for political purposes.

“I’m aware. This is indeed an impolite request.”

Jenia thought Edric might get angry at her pointed reply.

However, Edric unexpectedly replied as if he understood her reaction.

“Nevertheless, I have a dream that I must fulfill.”

“May I ask what that is?”

“It might sound abrupt and strange, but it’s for someone I love.”

“For someone you love…?”

Jenia unintentionally asked again, caught off guard by Edric’s completely unexpected answer.

Edric silently nodded at Jenia’s question.

‘His eyes aren’t lying.’

The dragon blood hidden in Jenia’s lineage allowed her to discern the truth and lies concealed in others’ words.

The gaze Edric directed at her was one that exuded pure sincerity without a hint of deception.

“Ha… This isn’t right, but I feel I must ask. What exactly are you curious about?”

“The mechanical doll, no, the new golem I saw in Lord Kroon’s workshop— it spoke.”

“Yes, I didn’t create it that way, but it was designed to learn through experience.”

“If that’s the case, is it possible to create specific personalities as well?”

“Personalities?”

Jenia paused for a moment, taken aback by the unexpected question.

While her newly created golem had indeed learned and progressively resembled humans, she wondered if that could truly be defined as a personality.

She carefully organized her thoughts to determine if what Edric said about intentionally creating specific personalities was feasible.

“To cut to the chase, it is possible but nearly impossible.”

“Could you explain what you mean by that?”

“Creating a specific personality. For instance, to replicate my personality would rely on probability.”

Jenia simply cited her desk as an example.

“Could we make a desk exactly like this one?”

“Well, that should be possible, right?”

“Certainly, the shape might be identical. But is there truly a desk that is completely identical down to the grain of the wood or the tiniest details?”

“That….”

“Unless two trees grow with exactly the same speed, size, shape, and structure, a perfectly identical desk cannot exist.”

Initially, Edric found Jenia’s explanation confusing, but he quickly grasped her intention.

“Are you saying it’s easy to make something that looks the same on the outside, but making everything else identical is impossible?”

“Yes, even if they look like identical twins, they are still different people in reality.”

Edric’s complexion darkened sharply at Jenia’s response.

He looked like a prisoner who had just glimpsed a ray of light only to be dragged back into darkness.

However, seemingly unwilling to give up, Edric pressed Jenia again.

“Then why did you say it’s not impossible? According to your explanation, it sounds entirely improbable.”

“I said it’s not impossible because there are indeed methods to pursue it.”

Jenia continued, as if she anticipated Edric would question her about it.

“You mentioned earlier that there are no identical trees, right?”

“Yes, that is what you said.”

“But what if the number of trees is close to infinite?”

“Infinite?”

“If the number were to increase to an uncountable size, the probability would rise slightly rather than being zero.”

As Jenia spoke, she couldn’t help but think it sounded absurd.

This was merely a theoretical concept rather than something practically achievable.

“If there’s infinite energy and intellect, it isn’t impossible to create the personality you desire, but in reality, it’s virtually unattainable.”

Jenia was explaining in detail to encourage Edric to reconsider.

However,

“What kind of energy and intellect are you referring to?”

Edric, listening to Jenia’s explanation, seemed to regain some hope as life returned to his eyes.

“Your Highness! You clearly didn’t understand what I was trying to convey…”

“I understand. So please tell me.”

Jenia was taken aback by Edric’s response, which seemed impossible if he truly understood her.

But seeing the earnest expression on Edric’s face, she let out a sigh and had no choice but to answer.

“Unlimited energy would require something far beyond a top-grade magic stone. A Dragonheart from legends would suffice.”

The source of power for dragons, said to be the strongest beings, closest to god, and masters of mana.

Even though Jenia possessed more mana than humans due to inheriting a fraction of that power, she thought a Dragonheart would provide infinite energy.

“And for the unlimited intellect… this is a secret, but the new golem uses a spirit. While ordinary spirits can manage basic learning, for endless trial and error…”

It wouldn’t be feasible with an ordinary spirit.

“Only the spirit king, the ruler of spirits, would possess the intellect needed for that.”

Jenia found it ridiculous even as she spoke.

Dragonheart and the Spirit King.

The appearance of either of them on the eastern continent would be earth-shattering.

Gathering both was something even the empire’s emperor could deem impossible.

“Ha ha, this is truly an absurd notion.”

Edric burst into laughter, as if incredulous after hearing Jenia’s explanation.

“Yes, that’s why I said it wouldn’t work.”

“For sure, it’s worth risking your life over.”

“Pardon?”

Edric didn’t respond to Jenia’s question; instead, he simply gazed out the window.

‘As long as there’s a chance, it’s worth considering. Elza, I’ll be able to keep my promise to you.’

Edric didn’t feel disheartened by what Jenia had shared.

What he longed for was merely the slightest chance.

And it didn’t matter if the chances were so slim that it teetered on impossible.

That was the extent to which a venture worth risking one’s life should be.

“Why are you going so far for this?”

Unable to hold back any longer, Jenia had to ask Edric for his reason.

Given Dragonheart and the Spirit King, even if they existed, it wouldn’t be clear how long it would take, and she simply couldn’t understand why Edric deemed it worthy of risking his life.

“I need to meet the woman I’m destined for.”

“Then, wouldn’t it be easier to just go and find her…”

“She doesn’t exist in this world, so I must do it this way.”

“…”

Jenia couldn’t find the words to continue after seeing Edric’s expression.

In his gaze, there was only pure truth without any lies.

‘Doesn’t exist in this world? Then could it be…!’

Now she realized why Edric was so fixated on a seemingly impossible endeavor.

‘A lover? Did he truly lose the woman he loved?’

She guessed that Edric’s obsession with creating the new golem and personality was a means to resurrect a deceased lover.

It was an explanation that would make sense of the almost maddening fixation he had.

‘How deeply did he love her to go this far?’

Gazing into Edric’s eyes, now filled with longing, she couldn’t even begin to fathom the depth of that love.

If Rupert were to die, would she feel the same way as Edric?

Just the thought brought overwhelming sorrow, and Jenia turned her gaze to Edric once more.

‘He truly was a person with such pure love.’

She couldn’t help but envy whoever that woman who received such love from Edric was.

“Well, I suppose I have no choice; I’ll help you. This truly is outrageous, but…”

“Really?”

“After all, even if you find them, I’d be the only one able to use them, or my master.”

“Thank you!”

Seeing Edric smile brilliantly as if he had found a treasure at her words, Jenia remarked that it was indeed quite helpless.

‘For the sake of love.’

Seeing Edric’s devotion to his deceased lover, Jenia felt she could no longer turn a blind eye.