Jon found himself in a luxurious room, with polished marble floors and several smaller chambers distributed around, each prepared for alchemical experiments. In the center, oak tables were covered with rare ingredients, mana crystals, and carefully aligned equipment.
Seraphine, with a rare smile on her lips, turned to Jon after finishing signing a paper. "Done. You are now part of our alchemy club."
Jon blinked, stunned. "Our?"
A soft laugh escaped her. "Hehehe..." The sound was light, almost unbelievable coming from the elf who always wore a serious expression. The smile, however, vanished as quickly as it appeared. "I am the instructor responsible for several clubs. Alchemy is one of them. Coincidentally, I've been conducting some tests with new recipes… because of a certain student."
Jon pressed his lips, holding back a grin. So she's still trying to find the stabilizing agent for that combination I mentioned... Hehehe.
He bowed his head respectfully. "I understand. It will be a pleasure to be part of this club."
Seraphine nodded and then turned to the siblings sitting nearby. "Thank you for helping Gabriel and Emily."
Gabriel, a half-elf with short, light-blue hair, slim build, and a humble demeanor, bowed politely. "Thank you."
Beside him, Emily, also half-elf, with long light-blue hair and bangs partially covering her eyes, stammered, blushing. "Th-thank you..." The contrast between her shyness and the disproportionate volume of her chest only intensified her embarrassment.
Jon smiled, trying to ease the tension. "It was nothing. As a constant target of those arrogant nobles, I'm already used to it."
The siblings gave him discreet, grateful smiles.
Seraphine, however, didn't let the conversation linger. Her eyes locked on Jon with intensity. "Red Mountain Flower, Tundra Cotton, Mora Tapinella, and Taproot Root really form a strong combination for a mana potion. But..." She paused, narrowing her gaze. "It lacks a stabilizing agent."
She leaned forward slightly, as if trying to invade Jon's thoughts. "I remember you mumbling something about that the other day. It should work, shouldn't it?"
Jon pretended to think, his eyes distant. That's exactly the effect I wanted to provoke...
He stepped closer to Seraphine's table, observing the ingredients already prepared. Then, calmly, he suggested: "What if we use snow eagle blood?"
The change was immediate. Seraphine's usually controlled face showed shock for a brief instant. Soon, that shock gave way to a wide, genuine smile—almost unsettling.
"That might actually work." She suddenly stood up, her eyes gleaming. "I'll be right back."
With quick steps, Seraphine left the room, and silence reigned for a few seconds.
Jon crossed his arms, smirking. This world really is adjusting to my words… or maybe I'm meddling with something I shouldn't.
Gabriel and Emily's curious eyes fixed on him, but neither dared to ask anything.
Jon didn't feel regret. If it were up to him, he would reveal every secret without hesitation. Every recipe, every hidden artifact, every secret dungeon—everything should be used to increase people's strength and prepare Aeloria for the dark events to come.
But he knew better. When those secrets surfaced, there would not only be progress. Wars would be fought for miraculous resources, families would tear themselves apart over rare recipes, and empires would fall in disputes over unexplored dungeons.
It's better to use this knowledge only to strengthen those by my side. When I have enough power to protect myself… then yes, I'll share more.
He turned to the siblings, who were still watching curiously. "Can I use the alchemy chambers?"
Gabriel's eyes widened. "You want to practice alchemy on your first day?"
Emily also looked surprised. Until that moment, she had believed Jon only spoke well about alchemy, perhaps to impress. But now, his request came with undeniable seriousness. Her heart beat faster. He really does know alchemy?
Jon scratched his neck, noticing their surprise. "I don't have any materials. Does the club provide them?"
It was then that Emily, for the first time since they met, raised her eyes to meet his without hesitation. Her voice came out firm, clear, though tinged with doubt. "Do you need the materials?"
Her deep gaze left Jon momentarily speechless. "I-I..." He took a deep breath. "I don't have anything. Does the club provide them?"
Emily couldn't resist. A genuine smile lit up her face, and a soft laugh escaped. "Hahaha… Of course. Tell me the materials you need. If we have them in stock, I'll bring them to you. If not, we'll request a purchase from Seraphine."
Jon brightened at the possibility. If he could request materials at no cost, that helped a lot. He quickly grabbed a sheet of paper from the table and began to write. The quill slid without hesitation.
— Monster Core Level 10
— Aether Root
— Sun Crystal Powder
— Three Nights' Lunar Dew
— Purified Phoenix Blood
He handed the paper to Emily, who read it silently. Her eyes widened as she recognized some names. I've never seen a recipe combining all these ingredients… Does he really know alchemy?
A warmth spread through her chest. For a moment, she felt a strange confidence blossom inside her. Emily smiled, closing her fist around the paper. "These are basic-level materials, there won't be a problem."
Jon returned the smile, pleased at how lucky he had been since entering the academy.
But the feeling of victory didn't last.
Emily was already walking toward the back room when she added casually: "It'll be 500 points. You can pay at the desk. I'll be right back."
The words hit Jon like a punch to the gut.
"W-what?" he muttered, feeling his smile vanish.
The heavy silence in the room was broken only by Gabriel's barely contained chuckle, clearly amused by Jon's desperate expression.
Jon closed his eyes for a moment, taking a deep breath. Damn… I should have guessed. Nothing in this world comes for free.
He then began to mentally review the recipe.
Phoenix Blood Revitalizing Pill
Effect: Restores physical and mental exhaustion once absorbed by the user.
Usage Limit: One pill per day.
Ingredients: Monster Core Level 10, Aether Root, Sun Crystal Powder, Three Nights' Lunar Dew, and Purified Phoenix Blood.
Preparation Method: Crush the crystalline core into a fine powder, keeping its energy contained with sealing runes. Mix the ground Aether Root and Sun Crystal Powder in a heated cauldron. Slowly add the Lunar Dew, stirring clockwise while using mana to blend the ingredients. Finally, drop in the Purified Phoenix Blood, sealing the cauldron. Mold the mixture into small pills, compressing as much as possible with mana.