Chapter 80: An Alchemist Must Never Be Careless!

Chapter 80: An Alchemist Must Never Be Careless!Adrian dragged his aching legs into the Alchemy Hall. The class was bustling, with all 22 students already seated and discussing.

[12:25 PM].

’Only five minutes left,’ Adrian thought, silently praying the Academy’s bell would lag behind his clock’s time. His body still throbbed and he desperately needed as much rest as he could get.

As he stepped inside, Serena’s familiar wave caught his eye.

She was at the spot they had both sat in the last class. But this time, her friends sat behind their chairs, and they were all chatting animatedly before she noticed him.

"Adrian! Over here!"

He walked heavily towards her and sank into the chair beside her.

"Hi, Serena," he said in a dry voice, before leaning back, longing to close his eyes and let the soreness melt away.

Serena’s smile faltered as she noticed his state. "Rough day?" she asked, already launching into a recap of their alchemy assignment before he could answer. "I managed to make the potion. What about yours?"

Adrian shook his head. "Combat class was brutal. I need a minute to rest."

Her expression softened with understanding.



"Rest well," she said, but then her eyes glinted with mischief.

She raised a hand; "Luminos Reficio!"

A golden light shimmered from her palm, enveloping Adrian in a warm, tingling aura. The spell took only seconds, but when it faded, Serena looked slightly drained.

Adrian, however, sat up straighter. His muscles was still sore, but his body was oddly refreshed, as if a layer of fatigue had been peeled away.

He blinked at her in surprise. "What was that?"

Serena grinned, though her voice was a touch weaker. "A restoration spell I’ve been practicing. It’ll help you feel better, but it’s no substitute for rest. Now, go to sleep, Adrian."

She patted his head playfully. "I’ll wake you when Instructor Lira arrives."

Adrian’s chest warmed with pride for his sister’s skill. "Thanks, Serena."

He leaned back and rested his head on his arms before closing his eyes as he drifted into sleep.

***

~DING—DONG!~

The bell’s chime and Serena’s gentle tap was enough to rouse Adrian up.

He stood up immediately, joining the class in greeting Instructor Lira as she swept into the room.

[12:34 PM].

The brief rest, combined with Serena’s spell, had taken the edge off his exhaustion. He still wasn’t at full strength, but it was better than nothing.

Lira’s sharp gaze swept the class. "Good afternoon. I trust you’ve all completed your assignments?"

The students nodded, some more confidently than others. Adrian had worked on his potion in his [System Factory] during spare moments, but a sinking realization hit him... he hadn’t brought it.

Or his cauldron. The time he had spent in the Dojo, had left him with no time to return to his dorm.

He suppressed a sigh, improvising by pretending to rummage in his pocket while retrieving the potion vial from his [Inventory].

’The cauldron’s a problem,’ he thought, glancing at the spare ones lining the back wall. ’Maybe I can borrow one.’

Lira began moving through the rows, inspecting each student’s potion with a critical eye.



Her remarks were blunt but fair. Some had overheated their brews, others hadn’t let them simmer long enough, and a few had botched the ingredient ratios.

Still, enough students had succeeded to keep her from growing irritated. When she reached Serena, her expression softened.

"Well done," she said, holding up the vial. "Perfection."

At Adrian’s table, her eyes zeroed in on the missing cauldron. "Where’s your cauldron, Adrian?" she asked, recalling his name from his excellent performance.

"I forgot it in my dorm," Adrian replied plainly, bracing for her reaction.

Lira’s eyes widened and her voice raised to a near-shriek.

"You forgot it?! An Alchemist must never be careless! How do you expect to brew potions without your tools?"

Adrian met her gaze blankly, offering no defense. He knew arguing would only prolong the lecture. Lira sighed, pinching the bridge of her nose.

"Show me your potion," she said in exasperation. "Tell me you didn’t forget that too."

Adrian slid the vial across the table, grateful he’d pulled it from his [Inventory] earlier.

Lira snatched it up, scrutinizing it under the light. She muttered a quick chant, a faint glow enveloping the vial as she scanned for flaws.

After a long moment, she handed it back to him. "Hmph. Good job," she said grudgingly. "But don’t let this excuse your carelessness."

Adrian nodded, keeping his expression neutral. "Yes, ma’am."

Lira moved on, finishing her inspections before returning to the front.

"I’m impressed with most of you," she said before a pause.

"That’s progress. Today, we’ll move on to a new potion: a Stamina Recovery Potion. It restores physical energy temporarily, though its effects are shorter-lived than a Health Recovery Potion."

"It’s less complex, so you’ll handle everything yourselves... sorting, preparing, and brewing. The ingredients don’t require as much prep, so you should finish before class ends."

Adrian’s interest piqued at the potion’s name, but his enthusiasm waned as he recalled the limitations of potions.

Their temporary effects paled compared to permanent solutions like pills. ’I need to ask her about pill-making,’ he thought, making a mental note to inquire later.


Lira continued, gesturing to the ingredient shelves.

"You’ll find everything you need there. I’ll provide charcoal for heating your cauldrons. Get started."



Adrian glanced at her, hoping for a reprieve about the cauldron, but Lira shook her head firmly.

"Don’t touch those spares, Adrian. You forgot yours, so you’ll face the consequences."

He sighed, resigning himself to sitting out the practical session. He leaned back, ready to rest again, when Serena nudged him.

"We can make the potion together," she said brightly. "Let’s share my cauldron."

Adrian’s mood lifted and a small smile broke through his fatigue.

"Thanks, Serena," he said, standing to join her.

They worked together to isolate the necessary ingredients, before making a list on the needed ones.

After that, they moved to the ingredient shelves, where students were already sorting through herbs, roots, and other ingredients.

Serena grabbed a basket, calling out the ingredients they needed: "Stallion Grass, Vigor Root, and Mana Crystal Dust."

Adrian nodded, scanning the shelves. His eyes quickly picked out the vibrant green Stallion Grass and the knobby Vigor Root.

Serena measured the Mana Dust carefully too.

With all the necessary ingredients ready, they quickly got to work with the preparation.