His key-counter indicates 24 copies. He smiles and hands over 96 cents in change. I know how they do it. That aspect of alchemy is certainly not magic. I think there's probably a lot of misconception about alchemy.
People think it's about gold.
I don't think it's about gold at all. I think it's about regeneration and the regenerative powers that copiers possess. Operating on principles of heat and light and pressure and static, a photocopier is basically an instrument designed for Photocopaedic Morphisization. You get a roomful of these instruments and keep it available twenty-four hours, you're going to attract alchemists. I think it should be accepted that some people enjoy the purgation, sublimation, calcination and exuberation of androgyne manganine.