After absorbing every single book and scroll in the library that I could, a sense of accomplishment washed over me. With eager anticipation, I settled down and entered the sanctuary of my Mind Sanctum. As the doors opened, revealing a realm of boundless knowledge, a giddy smile adorned my face. The once barren shelves now teemed with a vast array of books and scrolls, waiting to be explored.

Alexander approached me, a knowing smile playing on his lips. "You've certainly been busy," he chuckled. "I assume you will start reading now?"

I nodded enthusiastically, my eyes scanning the titles adorning the spines of the books. History Of Reodone, Secrets Of Mana Purity, The Mythos Of Elves, The Flora of Reodone, The Fauna of Reodone... the possibilities seemed endless. While I could delve into a passionate discourse about each of these captivating subjects, I realize it might be best to spare you the rambling and dive straight into my pursuit of knowledge.

Although I couldn't find any spellbooks in the library that were suitable for my needs (not that it stopped me from searching!), I stumbled upon a book dedicated to the Flora of Reodone, which delved into the alchemical properties of the plants. It sparked an idea in my mind—I should pay a visit to the apothecary as soon as I finished absorbing the knowledge from this current book!

The Mythos of Elves turned out to be a moderately interesting read, although I didn't come across anything particularly useful for my purposes. However, the History of Reodone proved to be an absolute treasure trove of information! It contained excerpts from primary sources dating back thousands of years to the founding of the kingdom! My excitement got the better of me there, I apologize for my exuberance.

Another captivating book was Secrets of Mana Purity. It shed light on the unique criteria by which elves evaluate their mages. Elves are assigned two scores based on a test, and their Tier is determined by the average of those scores. The first score measures the number of spells known, with 20 spells being the threshold for Tier 1, and it increases from there. However, the other test focuses on the purity of one's mana. This book contained numerous methods for enhancing mana purity. I made a mental note to have my mana purity tested after I visited the apothecary. I read quite a few more books after that, but none worth mentioning.

With my mind buzzing with newfound knowledge and a clear plan forming in my head, I closed the Secrets of Mana Purity book, eager to explore the potential enhancements it offered. The allure of the apothecary beckoned me, promising further discoveries and a chance to delve into the alchemical properties described in the Flora of Reodone. I couldn't contain my excitement to unlock the hidden secrets within.

Exiting the Mind Sanctum, I gracefully navigated the winding corridors of the royal library. The grand architecture and flickering candlelight added an air of enchantment to the surroundings as if the library itself held ancient wisdom and whispered its secrets to those who sought them.

Suddenly, a loud explosion reached my ears, accompanied by a distinct scent of failed potion brewing. Intrigued, I calmly entered the room to find Melanie's face covered in black soot, standing over a cauldron. Ignoring her hostility, I approached her with a smile.

"What are you working on?" I asked curiously.

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"None of your business, filthy mongrel," she growled in response.

Undeterred by her comment, I surveyed the table and quickly formed a theory. "Ah! A potion to increase Mana Purity, fascinating," I exclaimed.

Her eyes widened, "How could you tell that?" she questioned.

"Just read a couple of books," I shrugged nonchalantly. Wafting the smoke, I caught a whiff of the potion and wrinkled my nose slightly. "Ugh. Your issue seems to be the impurity of the mana you're using to charge the potion," I remarked. She frowned and looked down.

"Judging by your reaction, I'd say you have a Mana Deficiency," I continued. She nodded slightly. "Well, I see two ways to solve this. First, you could seek assistance from someone with high mana purity–"

Melanie scoffed dismissively, "As if, a Moondown never asks for help from anyone," she retorted, glaring even harder. "Especially not a human."

"Human... that's an improvement from 'filthy mongrel'," I remarked with a shrug. "In that case, I'd recommend obtaining Moon Flower petals and some crystals. Grind the petals and crystals separately, then mix the two until the mixture glows. Add it to your potion," I offered my advice before preparing to leave for the apothecary.

Just as I was about to depart, I heard Melanie call out, "I-I didn't need your help, filthy mongrel!"

***

The elderly elf in the apothecary had a long gray beard and grumbled something in Elvish as soon as he laid eyes on me. Putting on an obviously fake smile, he greeted me, "Good afternoon, what can I do for you today?"

Returning the smile, I replied, "I was wondering if you have a way to test mana purity here?"

"Give me a moment," he said, turning around and grumbling about humans and their intrusion into elven secrets. He returned with a small crystal ball in his hand and handed it to me. "Hold this and charge it with a bit of your mana," he instructed, adding slyly, "This test will cost you 200 credits."

I had anticipated the cost, so I was prepared to dip into my funds. I took hold of the crystal ball and infused it with a small amount of my mana. Colors swirled within the orb, and suddenly a notification appeared in my system.

The crystal began rapidly changing colors: green, yellow, red, purple, and blue. And then, the ball shattered in my hand. The man's eyes widened, and his smile vanished. I bent down to pick up the shards.

"No!" he blurted out. "I mean, let me handle it." He rushed over with a broom to sweep up the shards. "I apologize for the way I was treating you. I had no idea–" He shuddered.

"I am truly sorry I broke your orb," I said, "Should I pay double so you can replace it?"

"Heavens, no!" he exclaimed. "You broke it simply because you were too powerful for my orb. I will not, no, I cannot let you pay for a test that simply did not work!"

"I understand," I replied as he returned to his place behind the counter. I handed him a slip of paper. "Do you happen to have any of these ingredients?"

He scanned the list I gave him. "This is a peculiar assortment of ingredients. May I ask what they are for?"

"I'm working on a couple of experimental potions," I explained, cautious not to reveal too much. "Though I shouldn't delve into too many details."

He nodded knowingly. "A powerful mage and an intelligent alchemist. I would expect no less from the human adored by the queen. It'll be 1000 credits. If that's agreeable to you, I will fetch the ingredients immediately."

I nodded in agreement. "That'll be fine."

Now it was time to create my magnum opus.