The Alchemists

"You must remember now. You've met my father and mother." London seemed to be able to read L's mind and immediately confirmed her suspicions.

L half-screamed, pressing her lips with both hands. Her pair of round eyes widened.

Gosh! Then... the young men and women he called Mr. and Mrs. Schneider at that time were... the parents of the man beside her?

Why do they look so young?

Is... London really telling the truth?

After struggling with her own thoughts for a few minutes, L finally realized that London had no reason to lie to her for this kind of thing.

Her c.h.e.s.t was pounding. L felt shocked as she panted. Seeing L looking stressed, London hurriedly pulled the girl's head into his arms. He calmed L by whispering soft words so the girl would be less stressed.

"Uncle Lauriel is the best medicine expert and he gave the medicine for your heart when you were about to give birth to Lily to strengthen your heart so you'd be able to give birth normally. Right now, your heart condition has improved, so you don't need to worry about getting sick again. I won't let you get sick. Calm yourself. Come on, inhale," he said in a soft voice. "Now... exhale..."

L followed London's words and regulated her breath carefully. She just realized that, indeed, her condition had improved recently. She had no idea that she was given medicine for her heart. All her life, even the best doctors could do nothing to help her. But now... she really felt that her body was much healthier.

She remembered that Lily's birth was a very dangerous moment for her. She could have died! But she managed to get through it all and gave birth to Lily normally. Something that should be impossible according to Dr. Muller's words.

"Honey, not only the best treatment, if you're willing to marry me and live forever with me and Lily, you'll receive an immortality potion as a wedding gift. You'll stay young all your life and there will be no illness that can bother you. Alchemists have perfect cells that constantly regenerate, so we'll never get sick or experience aging. Your heart disease will be cured, you will be able to stay with me and Lily forever until someday we decide it's time for us to die. The decision is in our hands."

Everything she heard was indeed very shocking, but the way London delivered it calmly and in order somehow managed to make L believe him and not shocked like she was earlier. L felt her c.h.e.s.t no longer pounding hard, and her feelings began to calm down.

This is really too good to be true. She pinched her hand and realized she wasn't dreaming. Wasn't she really lucky? This man beside her loved her so much, did so many things for her, and was even willing to lie to protect her feelings. And now... this man even offered her an immortality potion.

Which human didn't want to live forever young?

L lifted her face and looked at London with tears in her eyes. "What about Lily?"

"Lily is my child, so she'll surely get the immortality potion and live as an Alchemist with me. She'll also be young forever." London stared back at L and wiped the tears that started to well up in her eyes. "Do you want to be able to live forever, taking care of Lily with me?"

L pursed her lips trying to hold back her tears. "Why me? What did you see in me? You offered me so much... but I have nothing to repay you with. Between us, I have brought nothing into this relationship."

London only realized that L felt pressured because now, she knew her position of having nothing. Even her career that she was proud of was also a gift from London Schneider himself.

"You brought Lily into my life. That's equivalent to everything I brought into this relationship," London said quickly. "Even if I trade the whole world, I won't be able to give birth to Lily myself."

"So my contribution is just giving birth to a child for you?" L asked with tears still in her eyes. "Any woman will be able to give birth to children for you if they sleep with you. That's nothing special. I'm sure there are thousands of women out there who want to be your wife and give birth to your children. Why did you choose me?"

"That's not what I meant. It's not like that at all. You're precious to me not only because you gave birth to a child for me. But more than that. You made my life complete. Before I fell in love with you, my life was ordinary. After you and Lily were present, it felt as though I found something that can finally make me happy. With you by my side, I don't need anything anymore. Your singing every morning makes me very happy, even our fights keep me entertained… My life has been very colorful ever since you were in it, and I don't know how I'll be able to live without you."

"What makes you love me? If it's because of Lily... you can be trapped to sleep with another woman and if she's pregnant with your child, you'll also feel responsible and the cycle would repeat. I don't want to imagine it," L murmured in a barely audible voice.

"What did you say just now? I didn't hear it..." London frowned.

"I asked you... what makes you love me? I have to know whether you're sincere or if it was purely because you feel responsible for me and Lily." L's gaze was fixated on London.

Really, this is too good to be true for an ordinary girl to be able to meet such a perfect man? Not only was he handsome and came from a wealthy family, but he was even immortal. He and his entire family. This man's perfection made L fearful. She was afraid she wasn't good enough for this man.

"Why am I in love with you?" London frowned and looked thoughtful. "I don't know either. You're short, irritable, you can't cook..."

"What did you say????" Involuntarily, L got up with her hands on her waist. London only smiled. This girl is so easily provoked, he thought. L looked really upset. "I just asked you what made you fall in love with me. It doesn't mean you can insult me, okay! You think I don't already know I'm short, bad-tempered, can't cook, and so on??? I don't need to hear that from you, Jerk!"

London laughed. "What did I say? You're very irritating sometimes. But I still love you. I must have gone crazy."

L was stunned. She just realized that he was just teasing her to get her to react, and she now understood that London was not serious with his words.