The reason I wanted to partner up with Sammy is that I hate alchemy, unlike Samuel, who is an all-rounder, I am more of a mechanically inclined person. Don't get me wrong, alchemy is good, but I choose not to spend my time on that. Currently, in this academy, there are only a few alchemists who could be considered top tiers: Samuel, Tommy and Steven Williams. Sylvia isn't half bad either, so having her as a partner in this class is probably the best option I have.
'Points this, points that... Five years... Five whole years in this hellish place they call an academy. Should I try to learn this? I didn't want to learn it from Alfred because it seemed boring but five years is a long time,' I thought. 'Alchemy is just understanding chemistry on a higher level, but unlike physics, I hate chemistry, even biology is better than chemistry.'
This class is just a trial class for the students. Since we all are allowed to choose from the three extra classes: alchemy, magic engineering, and commercial management. I was hoping to go for magic engineering but alchemy provides the most points, which will be useful later on.
"If you take magic engineering, then Ian would probably have more of a reason to make you his top student," Ryuk said.
'Never mind that I need to make this potion first,' I replied before focusing on the current task at hand.
The basic healing potion is made by using Mandrake roots as a base and ent branches as a compound and boiling them in a flask for ten minutes, just over 268 degrees Celsius.
"I am definitely going to burn my hand," I said, proceeding with the recipe.
"Can't I just freeze it after the boiling is over? Then again we would need to heat it if it's completely frozen," Sylvia replied. "Absorbing its heat energy is an option, but I don't know if that will affect it in some way."
"Don't do that, I will just turn on my suit partially," I said. The electric currents in my body have been acting up for a while, maybe because I suppressed my rank for a long time. However, the problem with advancing right now is my Still Force; unless I find my attributes, I can't advance to B rank. This means if I get close to this flask and accidentally burn myself, it might cause an explosion. I am like a ticking time bomb in this class.
'I wish I could have asked Doctor for some advice on my attributes instead of those questions... Sigh, what's done is done. Can't do anything about spilt milk,' I thought while chopping the Mandrake roots into smaller parts.
According to the recipe, we needed a whole Mandrake root to make this, but Mandrake roots come in different sizes. There is no way we can make a potion if we don't know the exact amount. I get why most students screw this up on their first try.
"The ent branches need to be ground thoroughly until they are as small as sand grains, and then we need to add half the amount of ent branches with the Mandrake root," I read before realising the answer that I had been looking for. "... I am such a stupid."
"That's what you get for not being patient," Ryuk commented.
The answer to the amount of Mandrake lied in the amount of ent branches, since ent branches are always cut off in a way that it has two twigs and weighs the same. This takes a lot of time and precision, and I really respect the ones who collect these branches, they have a lot of patience to be in this line of work.
Following the instructions, we were finally able to make a potion after fifteen minutes, which was the shortest record time for first-timers. However, I was reluctant to get near it, even with my suit on, so Sylvia had to put it aside herself.
"I would rather work on our fake IDs than make a potion, there is no way I am choosing this class," I said.
"I think it's pretty promising for the point that Miss Violet will give us the most points out of the three. Look at the bigger picture here, your condition is temporary and can be solved in the near future, but choosing an extra class means that you can gain profit out of it for the next five years," Sylvia explained. "And besides you don't want to join magic engineering because of Dr. Ian. So, why not just stick to this class?"
"... I hate to accept that you are right," I said, understanding her point. "I guess alchemy is the best option I have for now, but I do want to attend the other classes as well."
"What are you two gossiping about? Don't you have something to show me?" A voice came from our backs, as we moved away from our positions and turned around immediately.
"Hey, no need to be alarmed. I am sorry if I scared you two," Violet apologized, walking towards our desk to analyse the potion.
"Not bad for beginners, but to make this in your first try is praise worthy," Violet complemented us after taking a look at our desk, only to find materials necessary for a single potion. "And a record time on top of that... I wonder how I should reward you."
'I would gladly take any points, she gives us but leaving her with a good first impression is better, she is one of the best magicians of this era after all,' I thought. "I thank you for your compliment, ma'am, but we didn't make this potion for any rewards."
Sylvia looked at me from the side as if asking me what I was doing, to which I replied to her though my TWG's one way telepathy, "Play along."
You don't always get a chance to pull a great alchemist/magician to your side, do you?