After showing his pass, Ron was let through the gates and entered the Magic Academy.
Today, he didn't wander around like usual—instead, he headed straight for the experimental zone.
Although he was interested in checking out Illya's class again, he didn't know when the Magic Circle course was scheduled, so he decided against it.
Edith had told him yesterday that she would be in the experimental zone for most of the afternoon, so if he went there, he'd definitely find her.
Just as he stepped into the experimental area and was about to ask someone for directions, he saw Harper running out of a lab, his face full of excitement and joy.
"Haha! Hahaha!"
"Harper!" Ron called out loudly, trying to stop him after hearing that excited laugh.
But Harper didn't seem to hear him at all—he walked right past Ron without even noticing him.
Ron didn't know whether to laugh or cry. He bent down and placed a hand on Harper's shoulder. "Hey! Harper, it's me!"
"Hahaha... Huh?" Harper snapped out of his ecstatic daze, glanced up in confusion, and then blinked. "Oh, it's you, Ron."
"I came to see Edith. Do you know which lab she's in?" Ron asked.
But Harper didn't answer the question. Instead, he grabbed Ron's hand with the enthusiasm of someone reuniting with a lover, his face flushing as he exclaimed, "Ron, guess what? I finally created a zero-side-effect explosive potion! This one right here! I was just heading to the puppet testing field to try it out—come with me!"
"Uh…" Ron had already heard about Harper's "glorious achievements" from both Edith and Mason, so he knew how utterly unreliable this guy could be when it came to experiments. With a forced smile, he said, "I'll leave you to your tests. Just tell me where Edith is—I need to find her."
"No, no, no, you have to come with me." Harper suddenly became serious. "You know why? It was thanks to your Crimson-Gold Chrysanthemum that this potion worked! It's the perfect stabilizer—it delayed the detonation time without reducing the potion's power!"
"Your Crimson-Gold Chrysanthemum is the perfect buffering agent!"
Ron's expression froze.
"Wait, the Chrysanthemum does that?" he asked in surprise.
According to the system, the Crimson-Gold Chrysanthemum was a plant designed to stimulate the body's potential, enhance Battle Aura circulation, and help form a Battle Aura Vortex. Its effects were mild and had no side effects.
That didn't seem related to stabilizing potions at all…
Hold on...
Mild effect, no side effects...
Maybe it could work as a stabilizer?
A flood of thoughts raced through Ron's mind.
"So how are you planning to test it?" Ron asked, now intrigued.
"We'll talk on the way." Harper grabbed Ron's hand and practically dragged him toward the puppet testing ground—clearly, he couldn't wait to show off his "big baby."
The experiment plan was simple.
Harper's explosive potion was mainly meant to enhance intermediate-level fire magic, and it was compatible with most offensive fire spells.
First, Harper would cast a series of fire spells under normal conditions and record their damage output.
Then, he would drink the potion and cast the same spells again, comparing the damage values afterward.
If the post-potion damage was clearly more serious, the test would be considered a success.
In the past, Harper refused to use buffering agents because they weakened the potion's effects.
As a result, every time he took his explosive potion, he'd either blow himself up before the spell was cast or end up injuring himself worse than his target.
On top of that, the potions were incredibly unstable. Even slight exposure to air could cause spontaneous combustion—or outright explosions. To ingest them safely, the potion had to be fully sealed in mana, or it could burn through the mage's stomach.
In short, Harper's previous experiments had been labeled "high-risk materials" by the Magic Academy—strictly banned from both commercial and military use. Even conducting tests required special approval.
If it weren't for Harper's outstanding talent in alchemy, Professor Hicks would have shut down his research a long time ago.
They arrived at the puppet testing grounds.
Harper had reserved a high-tier puppet testing area and led Ron inside.
The setup was similar to a shooting range, except instead of targets, the range had rows of scarecrows.
These scarecrows were enchanted constructs, capable of withstanding damage from high-level magic—rare and expensive.
Only wealthy institutions like the Chaos City Magic Academy could afford such a luxurious setup.
Mason—already inside—was itching to get started.
Fireballs of all kinds began flying from his hands.
Intermediate Fireball Spell, Flame Ray, Flame Palm, Dragonfire Technique...
After each spell, Harper recorded the damage based on the scorch marks on the scarecrows.
Once recorded, he would inject mana into the scarecrows to repair the damage instantly, readying them for the next test.
Ron watched with great interest.
Unlike yesterday, when he learned magic theory with Edith, today he was witnessing a real Tier-4 Mage unleashing intermediate fire spells.
The visual spectacle and the raw power of the spells gave him a whole new appreciation for the magic of this world.
This was the true charm of another world.
"Alright, time to drink the potion." Harper took a deep breath after writing down the last damage value.
He pulled out a mana recovery potion first and drank it to restore his mana reserves.
Once his mana had recovered, Harper solemnly took out his newly developed explosive potion and opened the vial.
A pungent, sharp odor wafted out.
Ron, remembering what Edith and Mason had told him, instinctively stepped back and covered his nose. "You're actually going to drink that stuff?"
"Cough cough... Should be fine," Harper replied confidently—but still enveloped the potion in mana before daring to down it.
Unlike previous times, when he'd feel like a ticking time bomb the moment he drank a potion, this time was different.
Harper felt his mana begin to boil—but it was an oddly stable sensation.
Like a wild beast waiting patiently for its master's command.
He licked his lips, barely able to contain his excitement.
He began channeling his mana seed and followed the casting process for the Intermediate Fireball Spell, guiding his mana through dozens of meridian pathways in his body.
Fire elements in the air were drawn toward him, gathering in front of him.
A massive fireball, a full meter in diameter, began to form.
Compared to the fireballs he cast earlier, this one was darker, denser, and wilder.
By now, Ron had backed all the way to the entrance of the testing zone, ready to bolt at the first sign of danger.
After all, Harper was a Tier-4 Mage—his enchanted robes alone offered him plenty of protection.
But Ron? He was just a Tier-1 Mage and didn't want to end up as collateral damage in one of Harper's "legendary" experiments.
In the tense atmosphere, Harper completed the cast.
The massive fireball whooshed toward a scarecrow in the distance.
BOOM!
Flames exploded outward.
The scarecrow was charred black.
Embers danced across its smoldering frame.