Chapter 84: Chapter 82: The Artisan Dragon

If the first two titles for a young Silver Dragon were mere signs of small achievements, then the last one undoubtedly merited the title of Master!

In the eyes of many laypeople, the more sophisticated a potion one invented, the more impressive it was. This was just like those Mages who developed high-level, ninth-circle, or even legendary magic. Among the elite was one of the Eight Leaves from the Greyhawk Plane, the legendary Mage Duncan. He invented a series of widely known spells named after him, including “Duncan’s Mansion,” “Duncan’s Loyal Hound,” “Duncan’s Force Missile,” “Duncan’s Great Disjunction,” “Duncan’s Recollection,” “Duncan’s Private Chamber,” and “Duncan’s Phantom Guard.” Such achievements required incredibly profound knowledge and a deep exploration of the nature of magic.

However, Alchemy was slightly different; inventing and concocting high-level or legendary potions certainly commanded respect. But once potions became high-level, the rarity of their materials and the difficulty of making them widely available skyrocketed. Unlike some incredibly adept ’Magic Specialization’ Mage Lords who could perform certain specific spells without materials, alchemists couldn’t conjure something out of nothing when making potions. This meant some potions were one-of-a-kind, often just a fluke, and impossible to reproduce. This was much like on Blue Star, where creating new chemical compounds often proved much easier than discovering and validating a new element on the periodic table. Sometimes, the invention of a new method to couple complex organic molecules meant the explosive emergence of dozens of new compounds.

But creating a new, low-level potion with cheaper materials, building upon the High Elves’ centuries of magical civilization and countless previously explored avenues, required not just similarly profound knowledge but sometimes also a bit of… luck. No matter what, those who had such ’luck’ were equally entitled to claim the designation and qualifications of a Master.

According to Drow Mage Hiatt, even their Drow’s Anger Potion was accidentally concocted by using the wrong main ingredient while reverse-engineering the Clarity Potion. They had mixed in Crimson Ash, which surprisingly resulted in a potion even more suitable for the constitution of Drow children. Also, because of this property of interchangeable coupling, it was very likely that more varieties similar to the Deadly Poison Potion, Elariya’s Corpse Powder, and Hand-thrown Thunder Potion Bottles were on their way to being developed by the Drow in a reckless, life-risking manner.

David guessed that this must be why the Silver Dragon who invented the Clarity Potion, despite having a good reputation, never openly claimed it, which was quite peculiar. The root of the matter was here. David could tell that Priest Attilicia, who seemed to have suffered some unknown past hardships, displayed an extreme aversion and rejection to everything concerning Red Dragons, to the point of an almost fanatical prejudice. He preferred to relinquish the honor rather than be remotely associated with the ’filthy and evil’ Anger Potion made from Red Dragon blood.

However, David was never a Dragon to be overly inquisitive out of curiosity. After all, curiosity could kill a Dragon. I couldn’t care less why this Silver Dragon Priest is so vehemently against Red Dragons; what does it have to do with me now, ’Saphistouin the Silver Dragon’?

And with such a potion-developing dragon serving directly as a teacher, what about the Drow Mage originally planned as the potion maker? Or Yevgeny, who was preparing to be Hiatt’s ’proxy messenger’? Make way for Master Attilicia, all of you! Wouldn’t I learn the tricks of the trade myself, and wouldn’t that be better than those two dabblers?

With such a cheerful outlook, while Master Attilicia waited for the Duke of Silver to dispatch someone to thoroughly investigate the ’collusion with Drow potion smuggling and corruption case’ and for the truth to emerge, David took the opportunity to observe and learn from him.

Actually, learning Alchemy first required a basic understanding of magic, because Alchemy is essentially an application of magic. Moreover, knowledge of natural sciences like botany, mineralogy, and biology was also crucial, as many alchemical formulas required their use. Next was the use of tools, which included the Alchemist’s toolkit as well as other basic tools, like a mortar and pestle, test tubes, beakers, couplers, filter paper, and so on. Proficiency with tools often had a decisive impact on the success or failure of Alchemy.

And the most important qualities for studying Alchemy were patience and meticulous attention to detail. Alchemy often involved monitoring and adjusting various details during the concoction process, which also required good observation skills and intense focus.

But in Attilicia’s view, all these foundations could be set aside for now. For him, a Silver Dragon, especially a genius Master of Alchemy, none of these were issues; they were all minor details that could be effortlessly compensated for later. High intelligence, exceptional memory, and comprehension were what truly mattered for an Alchemist! Many alchemical formulas and creation spells required a deep understanding of complex recipes and arcane materials, as well as an innovative mindset and a way of thinking that transcended ordinary logic. And this was what would determine the upper limit of an Alchemist’s future achievements.

But to Attilicia, especially after David had seemingly ’seen through everything’ with a single glance earlier, this naive Silver Dragon Priest believed: His son possessed all these precious qualities… What a joke! I, Attilicia, am the unanimously acknowledged Alchemy genius and master among the entire Swietlanden silver dragon clan and the High Elves. How far off could my own flesh and blood be? Ah?

David, too, harbored the idea that within ten days or half a month, he could smoothly learn the process of making the Clarity Potion. After all, how difficult could a junior Alchemy Potion be? Even that idiot Drow Mage can learn it, so how could I fail? Ah?

Then, the two Silver Dragons, similarly self-assured and full of ’Arrogance,’ crashed and burned together in grand style.

In the spacious Alchemy Workshop, as yet another reaction flask exploded under Attilicia’s impassive gaze, all the Alchemy Apprentices and Magicians simultaneously stopped their work. Then, for the first time in over a decade of knowing him, they had the honor of witnessing this usually calm, wise, and composed Alchemist roar, almost screaming in a meltdown,

“Why could you mess up such a simple operation!?

“You must wait until the other stock solutions are fully mixed and change color before adding the Century Aroma flower powder as a medium! Otherwise, what you make will always be just like this—an alchemical explosive ready to blow up at any moment!

“Had I not been here to cast a spell and halt the aggregation process, were you planning to blow this Alchemy Workshop sky-high!? Eh???

“This is the very basics of basics! Has your teacher never taught you…”

However, at this point, Master Attilicia suddenly paused. Then, amidst everyone’s incredulous stares, he embraced the head of David, the silver dragon, who had been listening silently to the reprimand with his head bowed.

“I’m sorry… I was too arrogant.

“I forgot for a moment that you had just returned from the Old Continent and most likely had never even come into contact with these basic pieces of knowledge prior to this.

“Yet I stubbornly believed that you could rely on your extraordinary intelligence to leapfrog the knowledge and processes that ordinary people might take ten, twenty, or even thirty to forty years to truly grasp and master.

“I’m sorry, Saphistouin… please forgive my earlier arrogance, disrespect, and the cardinal sin of learning Alchemy—rashness.

“We’ll start from the very basics.

“But before that, to give you a taste of the charm of Alchemy, I will personally demonstrate the production process of the original formula of the Clarity Potion today.

“Don’t force yourself to memorize it; even an Alchemy Master couldn’t replicate it perfectly after observing just once. All you need to do is…

“Listen attentively, and feel.

“Do you understand, my child?”

As he spoke this last sentence, the somewhat emotional Attilicia had let it slip. Yet no one present, including the fake Silver Dragon David, caught any hint of anything amiss. After all, the term ’my child’ was quite normal for a teacher to use with their most beloved and cherished students. Especially when the student in question was a Silver Dragon with a likely astonishing background, it was even more ordinary.

“Understood, Teacher,” David replied with a smile, devoid of any discouragement.

“Very well. This kind of unyielding spirit is precisely what Alchemy requires. Now, watch my demonstration.”

Attilicia’s words nearly brought the Alchemists present to tears. When had Master Attilicia ever treated them so gently! Still, even being sweetly scolded or berated by such a beautiful teacher usually had its own peculiar charm. In fact, many of them liked to make small, non-critical mistakes in the hope of being berated by Master Attilicia, considering it a sort of reward to break the monotony of their work.

As Master Attilicia began the textbook demonstration of the Clarity Potion’s alchemical process, everyone held their breath. David, his dragon eyes wide and bright like lightbulbs, was muttering to himself in a voice only he could hear:

Ah! Why can’t I be a genius like Master Attilicia! Why can’t I learn these seemingly simple steps! How is it that the Drow Mage, that idiot, can make this beginner potion, and I can’t? Huh?!!

Soon enough, his focused feelings of envy, jealousy, and resentment finally bore fruit.

[Authority—Jealousy]

[Authority—Greed]

[Authority—Pride]

Under the collaboration of these three great Authorities, the entire Alchemy Workshop, and even Attilicia’s every action, seemed to slow down. David could even predict Attilicia’s next movements and operations. At the same time, David instantly bypassed the need for the intellect, memory, comprehension, patience, meticulous attention to detail, and even the foundational knowledge of natural sciences like botany and biology, all typically required of an Alchemist.

In that moment, it was as if he were possessed by Obito Uchiha, activating his ’Divine Authority Blood-Wheel Eye.’ With the Artisan Dragon Spirit, he seared the entire process of Attilicia’s Clarity Potion creation into the depths of his mind.

Just as all the Alchemists marveled at Master Attilicia directly producing a crystal-grade, perfect Clarity Potion ’stock solution.’

PFFT! Having finally reached his limit, blood gushed from all seven of David’s orifices simultaneously.

CRACK!

Attilicia, his own robe now splattered with David’s blood, seemed to realize something and hurriedly turned around. Just then, the exquisite, crystal-grade potion in his tweezers—a true work of art—fell to the ground and shattered amidst the anguished cries of everyone present. It was as if the hearts of the Alchemists shattered along with it.

Attilicia, however, paid it no mind. He rushed to the seemingly stunned David’s side, repeatedly casting Healing Spells, tears streaming down his face like rain as he cried,

“Saphistouin!

“What’s happened to you!

“Don’t scare me!

“How can I live without you!!!”

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