Riniock's frustration boiled over, his mind racing with ways to sabotage Urael's potion in retaliation. He weighed his options, but before he could act, a triumphant shout cut through the room.
'Success!' a student cried, practically leaping off the floor.
Idrass turned towards the commotion and strode over to inspect the potion. 'Let's see…' He examined the liquid's colour, dipped a pinky in to test the temperature, and then, to everyone's mild discomfort, took a sip.
A surge of refreshment washed over him. He smacked his lips in approval. 'Colour is right. Temperature – perfect. Taste – acceptable.' He set the ladle down and nodded. 'This brew meets my standards. You may go.'
The victorious acolyte wasted no time filling several potion bottles before slipping out through the reinforced door, his success evident in his smug stride.
Idrass turned back to the class, clapping his hands. 'Pick up the pace, acolytes, or you'll be at this until next light!'
Riniock stood there, momentarily dumbfounded. If not for Urael's relentless interference, he would have been the first to complete the potion.
Gritting his teeth, he chose to ignore his rival and refocused on his frozen cauldron, which had already begun to thaw. With a sharp gust from his wind magic, he fanned the flames beneath it, accelerating the melting process. In mere moments, his brew was back on track.
To his relief, Urael's sabotage hadn't ruined the potion – no need to start over.
Glancing up from his station, Riniock noticed more and more of his peers finishing their potions, satisfaction gleaming in their eyes as they packed up and exited the classroom one by one.
'Shameful…' Riniock muttered under his breath, the sting of humiliation still fresh.
Determined to put this ordeal behind him, he carefully added the remaining berth beans at the correct intervals, stirring the mixture as he reviewed the final steps of the recipe.
Finely dice adai root, grind it into a paste using a mortar – clockwise to release the juices – then add it to the brew and stir continuously for two minutes.
That last step was critical. If Urael had any sense, he would take this moment to sabotage him again, and this time, it would ruin the potion beyond repair.
Anticipating trouble, Riniock hurried to the pantry, arriving well ahead of his rival. He located the adai root quickly – then, with a smirk, shuffled the labels on the shelves. By the time Urael arrived, he'd have no idea where to look.
Wasting no time, Riniock returned to his station, slicing the root into fine pieces. As he moved them into the mortar, he stole a glance at Urael, who was now sifting through the shelves in frustration.
Satisfied, Riniock focused on his task, grinding the root into a smooth paste.
Now, to stir for two minutes… He whispered to himself as he added the paste to the brew. Immediately, the liquid turned a brilliant golden hue, hissing and sizzling upon contact.
He stirred with unwavering focus. For once, Urael seemed too preoccupied with his own struggles to cause any further mischief.
Minutes passed, and at last, the potion settled. Its colour glowed rich and golden – just as the manual described.
'Professor,' Riniock called, his hands aching from exertion. 'Please inspect my rejuvenation elixir.'
Idrass approached, scrutinising the potion with a discerning eye.
'The colour is sublime,' he remarked with genuine approval. 'The temperature – hmm, a little inconsistent, likely from multiple reheats. But the taste…' He dipped a finger in and sampled it. His brows lifted in surprise. 'Remarkable. The adai root's essence was extracted perfectly. This is up to my standards. You may bottle it and leave.'
'Thank you, professor. I won't be long.' Riniock exhaled in relief, his victory well-earned.
With several potion bottles now safely tucked into his inventory, Riniock strode towards the door. His fingers wrapped around the handle, but just as he pulled it open, inspiration struck—a perfect moment for retribution.
Glancing back at Urael's station, he spotted his rival, utterly absorbed in the final rounds of stirring.
'That's for everything,' he murmured, a wicked grin creeping across his face as he twisted his fingers ever so slightly.
Urael's cauldron shuddered violently, rattling like a boiling kettle on the verge of eruption – then, with a sudden lurch, it tipped over.
A flood of golden liquid splashed across the stone floor.
'Gods, no!' Urael cried, dropping to his knees in despair, watching his painstaking work soak into the cracks of the dungeon floor. His anguish turned to rage as he whipped his head around. 'Tolgir…you absolute anus!'
Riniock slipped through the door, shutting it behind him just as laughter bubbled up from his chest.
His amusement lingered all the way through the dungeon halls, past the vivarium, through the garden's winding paths, and back onto the main college grounds.
As he strode across, his thoughts drifted. The expedition – long anticipated – was just around the corner. Perhaps tomorrow, perhaps in a few days. He had waited for this moment for what felt like an eternity. But now, for the first time, he truly felt ready.
Lost in thought, a soft glow caught his attention.
The Arch-Maegi…or perhaps Linry's coffer?
A small coffer materialised before him, its delicate enchantment unmistakable. It was the same spell he had learned just days ago, one he had generously shared with Linry to exchange letters and items with ease.
With a quiet click, the lock released, and the lid snapped open. Inside, a small pouch rested atop a neatly folded piece of parchment.
'I did my own research. This is your share.'
At the bottom of the note, a simple L.
Riniock's fingers closed around the pouch, and as he peered inside, his eyes widened in delight. Nestled within were several phials of what appeared to be weaponised celseed spores.
He let out a surprised laugh. There's so much!
Without hesitation, he tucked the pouch away and burned the parchment, ensuring no trace remained. His gaze lingered on the now-empty coffer, contemplating how best to repay Linry's efforts.
With a smirk, he placed two bottles of rejuvenation elixir inside, sealing the coffer once more. The enchanted container shimmered briefly before vanishing, streaking back to its owner.
Riniock clenched his fist, resolve burning in his chest.
'We're ready!'