Chapter Eighty-Nine: Preparing to Leave

“This potion would be very useful to me!”

Hughes naturally knew how dangerous an offensive potion like this was. It might not be as difficult to brew as a Focus Draught, but if anything went wrong, the consequences would certainly be perilous.

Still, he was not worried. He now had Guiding Protection; even if an accident occurred during brewing, it could instantly shield him. At worst, he would only have to change dormitories.

“But you should understand that brewing this kind of potion consumes a great many magic stones,” Lindsay said. From Hughes’s attitude, he already knew there was no point trying to dissuade him.

“I’ll find a way,” Hughes replied.

There was no chance he would let this formula slip through his fingers. In the worst case, he could have the chip slowly analyze and simulate it. In short, no matter how dangerous the Blast Potion might be, it could not outweigh how badly he wanted it.

Lindsay, seeing this, said nothing more. Since Hughes had made up his mind, further persuasion was useless.

“Then I’ll send them your reply,” Lindsay told him.

“All right. Tell them for me. And one more thing—keep the quantity of potions down to the same number as before. Make it clear that this is the bottom line.”

Hughes wanted the potion formula, but he could not exceed his own limits. He had already promised Billy he would brew a batch of potions. If the quantity for this new batch was too large, even with the chip’s help it would still be difficult to manage.

“Fine. I’ll negotiate with them. Once it’s settled, I’ll let you know.”

One glance at the ingredients laid out on Hughes’s workbench told Lindsay that he had probably already agreed to brew a batch for someone else. It was only natural to press for a lower quantity.

“Come to think of it, you’re from a wizarding family too. Don’t you need potions?” Hughes looked at Lindsay. Other families had come to him one after another for potion brewing, yet Lindsay, also born into a wizarding family, seemed completely unhurried.

“I... the potion stock in my shop is already more than enough,” Lindsay said proudly, clearly quite pleased with the supply he had stored up so early.

“I see.”

Hughes gave Lindsay a long look. If Lindsay had reserves, then the amount was surely not small. Hughes knew his temperament well enough.

“All right, I won’t disturb you any longer. I’ll go bargain with them on your behalf.”

Seeing the unfinished potions, Lindsay refrained from troubling Hughes further. He turned and left.

“How exciting.”

As he watched Lindsay go out and close the door behind him, Hughes found himself full of anticipation for that Blast Potion formula.

“Sigh, back to work.”

After his brief reverie, Hughes looked helplessly at the heap of ingredients on the table.

Lindsay was swift and efficient. Before long, he delivered the potion formula to Hughes.

As Hughes studied the formula sheet, his brows drew together. Just as Lindsay had said, some of the ingredients listed on it were indeed exceedingly hard to find.

“Well? I wasn’t lying to you, was I? If brewing a single vial of Blast Potion weren’t so troublesome and laborious, they probably wouldn’t have given you the formula as a gift,” Lindsay said, reading Hughes’s expression and knowing he too found it difficult.

“That’s why I’ll have to trouble you,” Hughes said, lifting his gaze from the formula to Lindsay.

At those words, Lindsay wore the look of someone who had expected nothing less. He had known all along that Hughes would ask for his help.

“Fine. If I come across any ingredients you need, I’ll keep an eye out for them.”

Lindsay agreed at once. After all, his relationship with Hughes was no longer what it had once been.

“Chip, analyze and simulate the Blast Potion!”

As soon as Lindsay left, Hughes impatiently instructed the chip to begin parsing the Blast Potion.

“Beep! Blast Potion record complete. Analysis and simulation in progress. Estimated time: 12 hours, 17 minutes!”

“That’s not too bad.”

Hearing the chip’s response, Hughes was not surprised. That amount of time would pass with a single night’s sleep.

“Whew! That wasn’t easy!”

Hughes looked at the rows upon rows of potions. At last, he had finished brewing the required number of Stamina Potions.

After a full week of relentless labor day and night, he had finally completed the quantities needed by the two families.

Throughout that week, aside from eating, sleeping, meditating, and attending public lectures, every remaining moment had been spent brewing potions.

The Blast Potion had long since been fully analyzed and simulated. He simply did not yet have enough materials.