Arcane Innovator

When we were finished examining the potion's samples, Theo looked at me with a complicated face and said, "I still can't believe it... This turns everything I've learned so far about alchemy on its head."

Despite Theo's ongoing effort to carefully hide his growing elation behind a veil of detached curiosity, his shining eyes betrayed the fact that he was beyond excited about the possibilities this little side project of mine had now opened.

I simply smiled while I dutifully continued filling vial after vial, as I didn't want to waste any drop of the precious crimson liquid flowing through the pipes of the assembly.

But when I was about halfway done emptying the tank, I furrowed my brows as the liquid began losing its bright red color and slowly reverting back to its original amber one.

I released a sigh, 'Hmm, so it's still not enough...' I thought with frustration. The first half of the batch was just fine, but as soon as the vessel began to empty, some air must have got inside it as it was not exactly airtight, which in turn led to the degradation of the remaining liquid.

'If this is not enough, what else can I do?' I contemplated the issue as I looked at the whole assembly, deep in thought. I was wondering if I should add more of the dry ice pellets during the filling process, but I quickly discarded that idea as that would most certainly lead to the whole batch freezing solid.

But then another idea struck me as I remembered something Theo said to me a while back. He raised an eyebrow, as he must have noticed me staring at him. "What?" He asked curiously.

"Ehm..." I cleared my throat while I quickly organized my thoughts. "You told me during one of our conversations a few months ago that there are several types of potion vials, correct?"

"Yes, that's right... But why are you asking about that all of a sudden?" He replied with a slight confusion.

I smiled at him in return. "Do you see this?" I asked as I showed him one of the degraded potions. "It seems there is still some amount of degradation happening, and I was thinking..."

I then pointed at one of the vials, "You said that there are special vials for the high-tier potions that have some sort of inscription on them that slows down degradation."

"Yes, that's true..." He said but then he widened his eyes. "Wait... you can't possibly think of using it here! That would be imp..." Theo blurted out before promptly stopping himself and looking away in embarrassment.

He probably wanted to say it was impossible, but as I had already proven to him multiple times today that I had found a way to make the impossible quite possible, he quickly stopped himself.

He instead put on a thoughtful expression, contemplating my idea for a while before finally saying, "There is a reason those inscriptions are used only on the high-tier potions, you know..."

Theo then pointed at the infusion vessel, saying, "They are inscribed upon the vials using the very same magic ink that we use to draw the alchemical formations themselves, so you can imagine how expensive something like this is... Thus, to use it on something as big as this tank..."

He shook his head. "It would most certainly cost you a fortune... Besides, those inscriptions were never meant to be used on anything larger than a potion vial, so they might not even work properly. At the very least, you'd need a very powerful catalyst." He finished his explanation as he waved his hand dismissively.

I raised an eyebrow, seeing his obvious reluctance toward the idea. "But you didn't say it was impossible... so you must think there is a chance for it to work." I winked at him.

Theo showed an awkward smile as he scratched the back of his head. "Ehehe... normally I certainly would, but after today I'm a lot more reluctant to use that word when I'm with you... There is a slight chance it might work, but I never heard of anyone trying it."

He then paused for a second before adding in a slight embarrassment. "Not to mention, I don't know those particular inscriptions. They are an extremely difficult thing to learn, and although I don't want to admit it, I had trouble learning them, so the only person who would know them is my Master, and I'm pretty sure he won't help you with this..."

"Don't worry about it." I showed him a bright smile. "I'm sure that my new tutor would be able to help us with this problem as she is a real mage."

Theo widened his eyes for the umpteenth time. "Wait, that new magi everyone is talking about who recently arrived in Ereneth is your tutor?"

"That's right!" I proclaimed proudly. "Although she doesn't talk much, she is actually extremely knowledgeable," I said to the flabbergasted Theo, who was just staring at me in bewilderment.

"So what do you say? Will you help me with this?" I finally asked Theo the most important question and the main reason I invited him today.

Theo released a heavy sigh and showed a helpless smile. "You knew you had me after you showed me the finished potion, right? I can't miss something like this... This could be the most important breakthrough in the art of potion-making ever since the discovery of the alchemy formation itself."

However, in the next moment, he furrowed his brow as he seemed to remember something. "But wait... You never told me how you plan to sell them. Even if we use my Alchemist mark, if we flood the market with hundreds of potions, the Alchemist Guild will surely come after us."

"Don't worry about it. I know just the right person who will help us with this." I smiled mysteriously as the image of Dominic's domineering figure surfaced in my mind.

So in the end, Theo eagerly agreed that he would become my partner and that we would open an alchemist's workshop together under his name as a cover.

Having finished our discussion, I then went to promptly discard the rest of the degraded potions and clean everything up. And right after I said my farewells to Theo and saw him off, I went to the upper floor to seek out Lily so that I could ask her about those peculiar inscriptions.

I wanted to solve this issue quickly, as I desired to put the new potions on the market before the winter hit, as that is the one time of the year when many people get sick and consequently die without access to proper medicines.

I wasn't any sort of samaritan, so helping people wasn't my primary goal, although saving lives was a nice side effect to have. However, what I really cared about right now was quite simple: popularity.

If I flood the market with potions so cheap that even the lowest commoners would be able to afford them, I will consequently become immensely popular among the common folk, and many people will be indebted to me for saving their lives or the lives of their loved ones.

Thus, when the Alchemist's Guild finally comes after us for disrupting the market and damaging their profits, I will have the whole city on my side. And when the issue gets in front of the Count himself, he won't be able to shut us down, as he would then look like a heartless tyrant for denying his subjects access to cheap medicines, thus destroying his meticulously crafted persona of a benevolent ruler.

I couldn't help but smile as I imagined the chaos I would soon unleash upon Ereneth with this invention of mine.

I arrived in front of Lily's room, but when I knocked on the doors, there was no answer. 'Hmm, that's weird... She is normally holed up in her room every time she is not teaching me.' I thought confusedly before making a quick scan with my magic sense, confirming that her room was indeed empty.

So I went back downstairs, where I stumbled upon one of my maids, who told me that they had seen Lily leaving the house earlier and heading into the city. 'Interesting, never mind, I will ask her later, I thought as I decided to deal with the issue of distribution first.

Ever since I first struck the deal with Dominic, I never saw the man again and instead dealt only with Sam, who became something akin to my personal connection with Dominic's gang.

Thus I donned my plain, worn-out clothes, and using the servant's entrance in the kitchen, I disappeared into the winding streets of Ereneth, heading straight for the slums in the Northern Quarter.

Before I got to the hidden inn located deep within the slum area, the sun began lowering itself behind the horizon, and I had to carefully navigate the dangerous alleyways in the dim twilight.

But I wasn't complaining; on the contrary, I preferred it, as that way, being submerged in darkness, nobody would recognize me. Soon I entered the inn, and sure enough, I instantly spotted Sam's familiar figure crouching over a mug of ale at his favorite spot in the corner.

I quietly sat on the empty chair beside him and, without lowering my hood, addressed him. "Long time no see..."

He looked at me, startled by the sudden interruption, but then he recognized me. "It's you..." He carefully looked around before leaning closer and whispering. "What are you doing here...? We weren't supposed to meet today."

"I need to see Dominic," I replied in a confident voice.

Sam chuckled "You very well know that's not how it works... If you have something to say, you tell me, and I make sure it reaches his ears." He said as he took a swig of ale.

I smiled as I placed one of the newly made potions on the table between us. "I have a new product, and I'm sure he will want to hear all about it..."