Chapter 88: Chapter 86: Wrapping Up for the Day

However, to avoid suspicion of smuggling due to his potion-making ability, David carefully considered his actions. Within a single day of successfully replicating the Sobering Potion, he sealed the test tube and tucked it away for safekeeping in a crevice between his scales.

Then, he resumed honing the purity and proficiency of his craft. What should have been the most difficult and error-prone part of the process became much easier. This was because he had already succeeded once, and the memory of Master Attilicia’s entire procedure, replaying constantly in his mind with perfect clarity, served as an infallible reference.

Precisely because of this, when working hours arrived, the High Elves reporting for alchemical duty were shaken to discover the lights in Master Attilicia’s room still on. Their shock was quickly followed by mutterings filled with a mix of dejection and respect.

Damn it! This young Silver Dragon is already so talented, and yet he’s still working so hard! He’s even arriving earlier than our work time! How are we Elves supposed to live like this!

They were certain the Alchemists would soon scold them for being foolish and slothful. They had even anticipated their teachers’ reprimands: “Look at him! Despite being so talented, he’s still so diligent. If you continue to be this negligent, you’ll truly fade into obscurity among the Elves!”

Ah! Lord Saphistouin! Why don’t you just overwhelm us mortals at once!

When the Alchemist on duty for the day—who had also been the “assistant teacher” substitute yesterday—knocked and received permission to enter, he saw David still repeating the previous day’s task of refining material purity. He silently breathed a sigh of relief.

Even though he was older and no longer harbored ambitions for further advancement, he instinctively dreaded witnessing the ’historic moment in alchemy: learning to make basic potions in a single day’ unfold. It felt like it would negate all the efforts of my early years.

It’s good that it hasn’t happened… It’s good that it hasn’t… Otherwise, I would start to suspect he might be the incarnation of a deity, sent to play this cruel joke on me.

After answering a few casual questions from David and respectfully exiting the Alchemy Room, a puzzling event occurred, baffling him and all the other Elves. The situation was a drastic reversal from the previous day, when the bell had hardly stopped ringing and the Alchemists on duty had found no time to rest.

From that moment onward, apart from the lights in the personal resting room never going out and the Halfling chefs from the Duke of Silver’s castle delivering meals daily, the well-soundproofed Alchemy Room was eerily quiet. This silence sparked curiosity while also exerting an unseen pressure.

Soon, the answer was revealed: Lord Saphistouin, the Silver Dragon, threw out a list of materials. It included nine sets of alchemy toolkits and workbenches. The rest, naturally, were all the raw materials required for making the Sobering Potion. Each request started with no less than one hundred portions of ingredients, including Century Aroma pollen. Just this batch of materials could be worth tens of thousands of Gold Coins on the market.

At first, they were somewhat puzzled by his intentions. When the nine alchemy platforms were brought in, they watched as the rest area began to devour the incoming raw materials like a monster in an endless cycle. Only then did they realize with a chill:

It turned out that the Silver Dragon Lord inside had indeed mastered all the procedures of potion crafting within a single day, just as several Alchemists had claimed.

He had begun the simplest, yet most difficult—and also the most expensive and time-consuming—step for all Alchemy Apprentices aspiring to become formal Alchemists. This involved engaging in trial and error through constant, repetitive training, thereby continuously summarizing the experience gained from failures. Then, they would use this to repetitively practice and iterate, refining their operational proficiency.

This phase is commonly known as the “material-feeding stage.”

Because the materials consumed by all Alchemists at this step were actual Gold Coins! Some minor Nobles from resource-poor regions might bankrupt their families and still fail to produce an Alchemist of even average talent.

This was precisely why the Alchemy Apprentice system was so widespread. Before becoming proficient, apprentices would work for free for their master or the workshop, sometimes even paying for the privilege. They did this just to reach this stage, hoping their teacher or workshop would grant them a period for hands-on trial and error.

Alchemy Apprentices from less affluent families, lacking the spare funds to purchase even a few raw materials, could only repeatedly polish the foundational skills leading up to this step. They hoped to seize this opportunity and, in the process, make as few mistakes as possible, thereby burning less money.

But now, this Silver Dragon, who had appeared from who-knows-where, was demonstrating to all of them what it truly meant to burn money: running ten Alchemy Potions at once!

This was yet another action that baffled apprentices and Alchemists alike, something they found hard to comprehend. The most crucial aspect of crafting Magic Potions was the need for constant observation and continuous fine-tuning of temperature, pressure valves, and various other intricacies. Normally, even when these Alchemy Apprentices focused their entire attention on a single potion-making process, there was still a chance of errors leading to failure. Yet, here was this individual, managing ten.

Could he even handle it?

This point was further emphasized when the remaining four Alchemists politely knocked, entered to observe for a while, and then re-emerged, looking somewhat dazed. One of them uttered a phrase that made all the apprentices’ hearts sink. He said, “Based on Lord Saphistouin’s current pace, I’m afraid the warehouse’s material stock won’t last through today’s consumption, and neither will the Century Aroma. At this rate, I fear our workshop might even default on this year’s orders. Report this to the Duke of Silver immediately. Master Attilicia isn’t here; this is beyond our authority to decide.”

However, just as the naive apprentices believed the Duke of Silver would order a halt to the Silver Dragon’s absurd behavior of frantically consuming raw materials without any apparent output, something astonishing happened. Less than a quarter of an hour after the message was relayed, the apprentices watched, stunned, as hundreds of beautiful maids—women they might never have had the chance to see in their lifetimes—emerged in a stream from the deep and mysterious Silver Fortress, all wearing beekeeper bonnets.

One by one, they stepped barefoot into the Century Aroma flower fields and, with small brushes and delicate potion bottles, took over the florists’ tasks.

This could only mean one thing: the current collection rate of Century Aroma pollen could no longer keep up with the workshop’s demands—or rather, with the consumption rate of Lord Saphistouin.

So, when the Duke of Silver learned of this ridiculous waste, she not only didn’t stop it but offered her full support? Heavens! What kind of background does this Silver Dragon, Lord Saphistouin, possess to garner such indulgent support from the Duke of Silver?

Soon, cart after cart laden with various magic potions and materials—high-priced, temporary purchases from magic potion dealers across Saeolus City and even the black market—began arriving at the workshop.

What they didn’t know was that, by order of the Duke of Silver, even the washroom in the Silver Fortress residence originally belonging to Master Attilicia had been cleared out.

These poor apprentices had already lost the will to work, even losing the ability to speak normally.

Meanwhile, the Alchemist temporarily filling Serxi’s position received a personal letter from the Duke of Silver. He couldn’t help but chuckle as he read it.

“Postponing all potion orders, except those for the military, and pushing business orders directly to next year, are we?” he mused. “Should I say, this is truly befitting the Duke of Silver’s magnanimity and courage? Such a strategy to win over a dragon’s heart… it’s something we ordinary folk really can’t learn.” Even if they could learn it, they wouldn’t possess such nation-rivalling wealth to squander.

The apprentices listened, dumbstruck. They no longer had the energy or inclination for envy or hatred. The talent and support they were witnessing were on a completely different plane from their own hopeless level. One dared to burn through resources; the other readily supplied them.

“But if he continues to burn through resources like this, can His Excellency really concoct a qualified Sobering Potion?” one of the more trusted apprentices couldn’t help but voice the biggest question on all their minds.

The old Alchemist’s reply struck them like a blow to the head. “We’ve observed His Excellency’s process. He is improving the purity of the raw material solutions at a rate visible to the naked eye. If he weren’t so demanding of himself and proceeded to the next step, perhaps… perhaps he could produce a finished product within half a year, maybe even just a few months. Who knows?”

“Half a year?! A few months?”

If this rate of expenditure continued for half a year, even the Duke of Silver would likely feel the pinch.

However, a small reprieve came from the knowledge that the Century Aroma’s flowering period was only half a month—just enough time for the Silver Dragon to burn through the current supply.

Thus, the next half-month passed by in a somewhat hazy state for everyone.

As the end of the month approached, the once radiant and pure fragrance of the Century Aroma flower gradually faded, its petals beginning to fall with the wind.

After fifteen days and nights of tireless work, David finally pushed open the door of the Alchemy Room.

Just as he was bidding farewell to the four Alchemists who had taken good care of him during this time and preparing to head to the Silver Fortress to personally thank the Duke of Silver, he saw a luxurious yet modestly understated carriage parked outside the Alchemy Workshop. The Duke of Silver, Mirillian, was already waiting for him at the door.

This gesture made it almost too gracious for David to decline. If the Duke of Silver personally asks me to stay, should I extend my visit, or should I extend my visit?

Unexpectedly, the slightly pale Duke of Silver initiated the conversation with a smile. “Are you preparing to leave?”

“Yes, Your Highness. I am grateful for your care over the past half month.”

David thought for a moment. The tip of his flexible tail deftly retrieved the Sobering Potion he had made on his first day from between his scales. He handed it to the Duke of Silver. “I have nothing impressive to offer. Please accept this as a gift.”

When the Alchemists and apprentices behind him saw the slightly murky yet still faintly magical potion bottle, they all held their breath, utterly stunned.

He actually succeeded!!! It didn’t take half a year, nor did it take several months. It only took one flowering period of the Century Aroma. Half a month!

Suddenly, the older Alchemist gasped for air, his eyes rolling back as he fainted and collapsed.

“The master has fainted!”

“Quick, quick, someone help him!”

Witnessing this comically real scene, even the Duke of Silver, who seemed burdened with concerns, couldn’t help but chuckle. She took the Sobering Potion from the tip of David’s tail. “This is the best gift I’ve received this year.”

They both knew this implied a promise.

“I heard from Attilicia long ago that you had matters to attend to and needed to leave. I won’t insist you stay,” the Duke of Silver said.

This made David, who had prepared a whole slew of excuses, feel a bit abashed.

Then he heard the Duke of Silver say with profound meaning, “But there is one thing I would earnestly ask of you. If you encounter Attilicia on your journey home, please, you must persuade him to return. Tell him not to do anything foolish.”

“Ah?” David was a bit stunned.

Yes, where had Priest Attilicia gone? And what was he planning to do? Was he really that upset over my rejection? That couldn’t be, could it?!

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