In front of Bat's Eye Medical Hall, two people stood on either side of the entrance, waiting for Old Orio to arrive.
"I've already got a clue. It won't be long before I can learn to make potions like you. Don't be so proud yet," Justine said, unable to hold back as their glances inadvertently collided.
"Oh," Ivan responded casually.
Dissatisfied with his reply, Justine waved her fist at him, her body trembling slightly.
She hated this attitude the most. She considered him a competitor, but he disregarded her, which was infuriating.
Soon, Old Orio arrived.
Justine continued with the miscellaneous chores, while Ivan went to the apothecary lab to make potions.
At the square table, Ivan took two ounces of dried coral tree bark and, using tweezers, placed it on the beast lard lamp to roast evenly until its surface was charred. Then, he placed it in a stone mortar and mashed it into a powdery substance with a pestle.
He leaned in and sniffed it, noticing a distinct fishy fragrance that was undeniably accurate.
Next, he took eight ounces of dried purple-spotted clam glue and one ounce of dried beeswax, crushed them together into a powder, and mixed them evenly.
He placed the coral tree bark powder in a glass dish and heated it over the fire until it turned a bright red, and the fishy smell was fully released. Then, he gradually added the previously mixed powder, occasionally dripping a few drops of scorpion tail gum oil, continuously stirring until the powder turned a copper color.
"It's done," Ivan muttered.
Once the powder had cooled, he skillfully weighed it with a small scale, divided it into ten parts, and packed them into ten small bottles.
This was ten servings of intermediate-quality glorybower hemostatic powder, each worth 30 silver coins, totaling 3 Gold Coins, with the cost of the materials being about 40 silver coins. The profit potential was six to seven times greater, and that's why the stakes were so high.
As it was a successful batch, he would earn 20% of the profits, approximately 50 silver coins, which was a sizable gain.
If it were a failure, half the cost of the materials would be deducted from his pay. In the beginning, when he started making glorybower powder, he had lost quite a few silver coins.
This was the only intermediate recipe Old Orio had taught him, and it was the simplest among the intermediate potions. The demand for glorybower powder was moderate; it only needed to be produced three or four times a week. He spent most of his time making other lower-tier potions or doing other menial tasks.
"Again."
Ivan fetched the same materials and began the second batch; however, he didn't drop the scorpion tail gum oil properly, resulting in uneven coloring. According to Old Orio's standards, the subpar hemostatic powder had to be discarded.
The third batch was a success.
The fourth batch was also successful on the first try.
[Apothecary Skill Experience Point +1]
[Apothecary Skill: lv2(1/200)]
As he cooled the last batch of the coral tree hemostatic powder, in that moment, an invisible pair of hands touched a mysterious gateway in his mind, plunging him into a state of transparency.
In just a few seconds, he seemed to review the knowledge of the medicinal materials he had learned many times, filling in any gaps and thinking things through overall. He repeatedly and efficiently made various other potions, correcting some minor oversights.
'Truly indescribable!' he thought to himself.
Ivan came back to his senses, feeling he had advanced half a level in his apothecary skills, saving him several years of effort, and he silently marveled.
In the fifth attempt at making glorybower powder, his movements became more adept and graceful, and his confidence was higher. The successful batch undoubtedly confirmed his earlier insights were not just illusions.
Beyond the Small Light of Wisdom, he also gained a Light of Wisdom that would last for 4 minutes.
Together with a previously accumulated level 1 Light of Wisdom, he planned to use them all on analyzing the Whirlpool Potion, but he wasn't in a hurry. He was seeking another level 1 Light of Wisdom, specifically for the upgrade of the Linguistics Skill.
Meanwhile, he also needed to save up more Gold Coins to buy materials.
...
West City.
Near Hobson Library, that day Ivan came to visit a well-learned scholar.
"Sir, who are you looking for?"
He knocked on the iron bell outside the fence, and soon a corpulent maid came out from the villa.
Ivan said, "I am looking for Scholar Harayer to study languages."
Maid Ada understood and opened the door to welcome him into the front courtyard garden, leading him into the villa's living room, where she introduced him to a lady in her thirties who looked refined and graceful.
"Madam, this gentleman has come to study languages."
As the maid turned to leave, Ivan reintroduced his purpose, "Greetings, madam. I am Ivan Marichardon, here to visit Scholar Harayer, hoping to study the ancient Golgandar language and other languages with him."
The lady he faced was dressed elegantly, her demeanor gentle and her most striking feature were her red lips, which seemed like translucent agates, adding a unique charm to her, clearly a person who had lived a privileged life.
Mrs. Harayer motioned for him to sit and her red lips slightly parted, "You are actually looking for me; I am the only one teaching languages here, as my husband, Scholar Harayer, suffered an accident last year."
Her voice was soft and after she spoke, a trace of sadness briefly appeared on her face.
Ivan noticed this and immediately replied, "I apologize, if you don't mind, I would like to study languages with you."
Mrs. Harayer said, "Of course, which languages would you like to learn?"
Ivan had already planned, "I would start with the ancient Golgandar language, and once proficient, consider other languages."
"A wise choice, then I'll state my requirements."
"Please do."
"Six gold coins, with a limit of three months, I will arrange your exact courses."
Contrary to the information he had gathered, Mrs. Harayer had her own conditions; the limit was three months, meaning she only taught for three months, and she would arrange a class every other day or two, each class lasting two hours, at times decided by her, and she would notify him at the end of each session.
Ivan agreed, the tuition almost emptied his pockets, but he received a substantial teaching material—Golgandar Language Dictionary, along with a notebook, pen, and ink, and thus began his first language lesson.
"Madam, until next time."
"Goodbye, remember the time is two days from now in the morning."
Two hours later, Ivan bid farewell to the lady of refined life.
[Linguistics Experience Point +1]
[Linguistics: lv0(3/10)]
When the academic level is low, growth is always easier; he had a small gain after one lesson, which was much more comfortable and enjoyable than self-studying.
From that day on, Ivan's daily routine included memorizing more Golgandar language words.
Ten days later, Ivan entrusted Old Orio to purchase ingredients such as Silver Fish Flower and Mouse Bellflower Root for him; Old Orio did not refuse, nor did he say or suggest anything else.
At the Marichadon home, Peggy looked in amazement as her brother moved things into the house.
"Brother Ivan, what are these?"
"Just what you think, I am preparing to set up an apothecary lab at home to facilitate my potion-making."
Inquiring about the properties of the Whirlpool Potion was a private matter, not suitable to be carried out in Old Orio's apothecary lab, so he simply asked Old Orio for credit on a set of equipment, and brought it along with the purchased ingredients back home.
"Don't worry, your brother knows his limits."
Seeing Peggy's hesitant expression, Ivan gave his sister a reassuring smile and casually touched her fluffy brown hair with his palm.
Whirlpool Potion was an intermediate recipe; there was no doubt it would cost a substantial amount of money, but he was confident he could make it work.
Once the research succeeded, he would gain a broader avenue for wealth, his own strength would greatly advance, and even the Marichadon family could rise a step higher.
"Ah!"
Peggy, snapped out of her daze, moved away annoyed from his palm, puffing up at him.
"Haha, look at you, getting all shy."
"I am not!"
The siblings played around for a bit, and with Peggy's help, picked a room near the backyard to set up the apothecary lab.