Chapter Thirty-Seven: The Magic Experiment

On the grayish cobblestone path, a solitary figure walked at a leisurely pace.

Hughes left the laboratory, feeling considerably better; at least, he no longer needed to worry about his assignment. Following the road, Hughes soon arrived at Lindsay’s shop.

“Hughes!” Lindsay spotted him and quickly greeted him.

“I was about to head over to your place, but here you are. The potion formulas have already arrived.” Lindsay turned and grabbed a wooden box from the table, handing it to Hughes.

Hughes opened the box to find three sheets of brown parchment nestled inside. He unfolded them one by one, carefully examining the potion recipes.

“The magic infusion is manageable, but this natural potion…” Hughes frowned at the list of ingredients. Many of the herbs for the natural potion were unfamiliar to him; it would be impossible to brew it any time soon.

“Don’t worry. Our family is already gathering the herbs. As soon as they arrive, I’ll have someone deliver them to you.” Lindsay noticed Hughes’ troubled expression and understood his concerns.

“That’s good. By the way, do you know of a potion that can increase mental strength? It’s pale pink in color!” Hughes seized the opportunity to ask Lindsay.

Ever since Hughes became a second-level apprentice, his chip had grown stronger, but the analysis of the third-level apprentice’s mental rune was progressing slowly. At this rate, it would take him at least two years to advance, which he simply couldn’t wait for. He remembered the vial that Count Ulot had given him; if he could obtain more of that potion, he could accelerate his progress.

“Increase mental strength? Pale pink…” Lindsay furrowed his brow at Hughes’ question.

“You must mean the Focus Potion; it’s the only one matching your description.” Lindsay pondered for a moment before replying.

“So it’s called the Focus Potion!” Hughes murmured. “Do you know its recipe?” he asked eagerly.

“Hughes, you must understand, a wizard’s power depends on mental strength. Any potion that boosts it is extremely expensive. Recipes rarely go on sale, and even the potion itself is seldom available. Besides…” Lindsay hesitated.

“Besides what?” Hughes was certain Lindsay knew something.

“Besides, this potion damages the body. Moreover, if taken excessively, it causes mental contamination.”

Hughes was aware of mental contamination; once it reached a certain level, the afflicted would be no different from a lunatic.

“Can ordinary people drink the Focus Potion?” Hughes recalled that Count Ulot had once given it to Boles and the others.

“Who would waste such an expensive potion on common folk? A single vial costs fifty magic stones, and if a normal person drinks it, death is almost certain.”

“So expensive!” Hughes was astonished by the price.

“I have no idea how Uncle Ulot got his hands on three vials of Focus Potion.” Hughes realized that the potion Count Ulot had given him must have come at great cost.

“Is anyone still able to brew it?” Hughes thought that if he couldn’t get the recipe, he could at least earn magic stones to buy the potion.

“No. There used to be someone, but after that alchemist died, no one could make it anymore.”

“What about my teacher?” Hughes thought of Mage Mart.

“I’m not sure. The Academy hasn’t had Focus Potion in a long time,” Lindsay mused. “But if you really want it, you could ask your friend!”

“You mean Billy?” Hughes considered his circle in the Shadow Ring; only Billy could be called a friend.

“Exactly. The alchemist who made the Focus Potion belonged to his family. Later, he disappeared for reasons unknown, but the recipe should have survived.”

“Wouldn’t others covet the recipe?” Hughes was doubtful.

“At first, yes, but the Academy’s people handled it. Billy’s family is affiliated with the Shadow Ring; no one dares touch them.”

“Oh.”

“So you might try to get the Focus Potion recipe from him,” Lindsay suggested.

Hughes said nothing, his eyes flickering thoughtfully.

After chatting with Lindsay, Hughes took the wooden box back to his dormitory.

For the next few days, Hughes spent every morning in Mage Mart’s laboratory and returned in the afternoons to brew potions in his room. He no longer attended public classes, since he could scan materials in the library with his chip, making lectures unnecessary.

Hughes also noticed that the Academy was growing livelier; more apprentice wizards in second-level robes appeared, and there were a few third-level apprentices as well.

Carrying his newly brewed potions, Hughes went to Lindsay’s shop.

Seeing Hughes arrive with a wooden box, Lindsay knew immediately what it contained.

He accepted the box wordlessly, disappeared to the back of the shop, and soon returned with a cloth bag for Hughes. Hughes didn’t bother counting; Lindsay wouldn’t cheat him over a few magic stones.

“Hughes! I have something to tell you!” Lindsay whispered, leaning in.

“What is it?” Hughes asked, puzzled.

“The Academy is welcoming people back, and some have bought potions here. Quite a few asked about you. I haven’t said much, but it’s hard to keep it secret; you’re the only new student your professor took in this year. People will soon know, and they’ll seek you out. Our partnership…” Lindsay looked at Hughes with a pleading expression.

“It continues as before. I won’t break our contract lightly.” Hughes understood Lindsay’s worry—he feared that others would offer better terms and Hughes would abandon him. But Hughes was a man of principle.

“That’s good, very good! I’ll make sure you get the herbs for the natural and magic infusion potions as quickly as possible.” Lindsay felt reassured by Hughes’ promise.

Hughes didn’t mind; if people sought him out, he could always sell some potions to others. After all, there was a stash of potions under his bed.

Taking his magic stones, Hughes headed toward the teaching district.

He had been monitoring the progress of two spell templates, and now they were nearly completed. Hughes decided to try them out.

He walked deep into the teaching district, arriving at the spell testing area—a special zone for apprentices to experiment with magic. Due to the powerful energies and radiation released by spells, it was set in a remote part of the Academy.

Seeing the marble walls, Hughes strode inside.

“Hi! Here for a spell trial?” As he approached the counter, a woman wearing a mask greeted him with a sweet voice. She was clearly female, though Hughes wondered why she wore a mask.

“Yes, I’d like to test some spells. What’s the procedure?” Hughes asked.

“We offer two zones. As a second-level apprentice, you’re restricted to the apprentice area, which has private rooms and a public zone. The public zone lets you test spells alongside others and is much cheaper. Right now, few people have returned, so the public zone is nearly empty—it’s almost like having a private room. Previously, you might have been disturbed, but now is a good opportunity. Would you like to use it?” The attendant explained in detail.

“What’s the cost for a private room?” Hughes preferred not to use the public zone; he didn’t want others to see certain things.

“A private room costs one magic stone for three hours. The testing equipment inside is comprehensive, allowing precise measurement of your spell data.”

“All right, I’ll take one.” Hughes handed her a magic stone.

“Very well! Please wait a moment.” The masked girl took the stone, wrote something with a quill, and handed Hughes a purple-gold card.

“This is your room key—number eight. When your time is up, someone will remind you. To avoid unnecessary interruptions, please keep track of your time yourself.”