The next day, I wasted no time and immediately took the necessary steps to carry out my plan. Able was working alone in his Alchemy Lab when I found him, surrounded by his Tier 4 book and personal alchemy journal, with the Tier 1 book sitting on the shelf behind him.
I entered the lab and took a moment to look around. The room was filled with an assortment of jars, vials, and flasks, each containing different substances of varying colors and textures. There was a large cauldron in the corner of the room, and several smaller pots and pans scattered around the lab. The walls were lined with shelves, on which were stacked various books, parchments, and scrolls.
"Tell me Able, what do I need to do to borrow your Tier 1 Alchemy book for the day?" I asked.
He looked up briefly from his work and replied, "100 credits, no additional resources, 8 hours max."
I countered, "150 credits, ingredients and cauldron, 1 day."
"250, and I can keep what you make," I said.
We haggled back and forth for about 30 minutes until we finally agreed on a deal: 125 credits, ingredients and cauldron, 6 hours, and Able would keep half of everything I made. Though it wasn't exactly what I had hoped for, I was still able to make it work.
The Tier 1 Alchemy book contained only two spells: Fragmentation and Nature Sense, as the focus was on potions rather than spells. Fragmentation allows you to break an ingredient into its most basic form, while Nature Sense allows you to sense and find ingredients more easily. Though I only needed to learn 6 potions to advance to the next rank, I found so many of the potions to be useful that I decided to use the first half of my time to memorize all of them.
I sat down at a table and began to read through the book. Despite not being in a library and being unable to use my skill, my memory was still exceptional, with each page taking only a minute or two to commit to memory.
After an hour and a half of memorizing, Able seemed annoyed at my lack of progress in potion-making. "You've been through half the book already, and you haven't tried to make a single potion yet. Are you trying to waste my time?" he asked.
I quickly reassured him, "Of course not, I'm just working on memorizing as much as I can."
Able returned to his usual demeanor and asked, "How much have you memorized so far?"
"I've memorized everything that I've read," I replied confidently, sensing Able's confusion.
To prove my point, he grabbed the book and tested me, "What are the ingredients to the Basic Vitality Potion?"
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"Besides the base of water, you need 1 part honey, ginger root, and dandelion root, and 2 parts rose petals," I answered without hesitation.
Impressed, Able asked me about the Mana Restoration potion, to which I replied, "That one is a little more complicated. You need 3 parts Mana Grass, 1 part Moon Flower, and 1 part finely ground crystal to serve as a catalyst."
Able looked at me with newfound respect, "You really do have an incredible memory. Maybe you'll be worth the half of the potions you make that I'll be keeping."
I nodded and began to work on the potions. The first one I tried was the Basic Vitality Potion, which was relatively simple, but I still took my time to ensure that I made it perfectly. I made sure Able was satisfied with the potion before moving on.
I followed Able's instructions carefully, taking my time to measure each ingredient with precision. The Mana Grass had to be finely chopped, and the Moon Flower petals had to be dried and ground to a fine powder. I added the ingredients to the cauldron one by one, stirring constantly in a specific pattern. Finally, I added the finely ground crystal as a catalyst, and the mixture began to glow with a bright blue light.
Able to observe my progress with interest, occasionally offering a suggestion or a correction. "Watch the heat," he cautioned me at one point. "Too high, and you'll burn the mixture. Too low, and it won't react properly."
I adjusted the heat as needed, keeping a close eye on the mixture as it bubbled and steamed in the cauldron. After a few more minutes of stirring and adjusting, the mixture turned a deep shade of purple, and the potion was complete.
Able examined the potion carefully, sniffing at it and then taking a small sip. "Not bad," he said with a nod of approval. "A little rough around the edges, but with some practice, you could make this potion truly exceptional."
Encouraged by Able's praise, I moved on to the next potion on the list. This one was the Sleep Potion, which required a combination of chamomile flowers, lavender, and valerian root. I carefully measured out the ingredients, following the instructions in the book precisely. As I stirred the mixture, the aroma of the flowers filled the room, and I found myself feeling a little drowsy.
"A word of warning," Able said as he watched me work. "This potion is incredibly potent. Use it sparingly, or you'll sleep for a week."
I nodded, taking his advice to heart as I continued to work. After a few more minutes of stirring and adjusting, the potion turned a deep shade of blue, and it was ready to be bottled.
The last potion I made was the Invisibility Potion, which required a mixture of ground unicorn horn, powdered moonstone, and a pinch of powdered silver. The ingredients were difficult to find, but I managed to acquire them through some careful searching and a little bit of luck.
As I worked, Able watched me with interest, occasionally offering a suggestion or a correction. "You need to be very careful with this potion," he warned me. "It's incredibly powerful, and if you don't use it properly, you could find yourself in some serious trouble."
I nodded, taking his advice seriously as I continued to work. After a few more minutes of stirring and adjusting, the potion turned a deep shade of green, and it was ready to be bottled.
After six hours had passed, I had made all six of the required potions, as well as a few additional ones for Able to keep. I handed him the half he was owed, feeling satisfied with my progress for now.
As I left Able's Alchemy Lab, I couldn't help but feel a sense of excitement and anticipation for what lay ahead. With my newfound knowledge and skill in alchemy, I was one step closer to achieving my ultimate goal.