Chapter 22
Helen stepped into a spacious room.
A long, sturdy oak table dominated the space, its surface covered with an assortment of bottles, jars, magical ingredients, potions, and various alchemical tools.
Standing beside the table was a tall, elderly man dressed in a flowing black mage's robe. He was engrossed in his research on magical potions.
"Teacher," Helen called out respectfully.
Giles briefly looked up but quickly returned his focus to his work.
Helen's gaze shifted to the assortment of diluted potions in front of him, her eyes settling on a half-opened bottle of lavender-colored liquid.
Could it be…?
She blinked in surprise.
A new type of low-level strength potion.
Its effect was three times more potent than ordinary low-level strength potions, yet its cost was less than half that of a mid-level one.
She had heard rumors about it and had always been curious, but she never expected that even her esteemed teacher, Giles, would be so invested in it.
"Haha! I understand now!"
Helen was lost in thought when she suddenly heard Giles let out an excited laugh.
"The missing ingredient is hornbeam seeds!
By substituting octopus flower seeds for the traditional moteng flower extract, the cost is cut in half while enhancing the potion's effectiveness.
Whoever came up with this is a genius… Why didn't I think of it sooner?!"
Muttering to himself, Giles hastily scribbled notes onto a piece of parchment with a quill, his eyes gleaming with admiration.
His usually well-groomed beard and hair were unkempt, as if he hadn't tended to them in days.
Is this really the same teacher who always prioritizes his appearance?!
Helen could hardly believe it.
She had studied magical alchemy under Giles for a long time, yet she had never seen him this enthralled.
And the source of all this excitement…
Her gaze fell upon the bottle of lavender potion on the table.
What kind of magic does this potion possess that even her esteemed teacher, the master alchemist Giles, is so captivated by it?
"Um… Teacher?"
Helen hesitantly spoke.
"Ah, Helen, you're here."
Giles, still in high spirits, handed her the parchment, which was filled with intricate formulas and a list of magical ingredients.
Helen skimmed over the notes, feeling a bit overwhelmed.
"I recently made an interesting discovery. Try preparing this formula—it will be of great benefit to your potion studies."
"Understood, Teacher."
Helen nodded respectfully.
"Oh, right."
As if remembering something, Giles turned to her and said, "If you have time, look into whether a student named Luciel Lanster is enrolled in our Magic Academy.
It's said that he developed this potion formula, which is simply astonishing."
"Luciel… Lanster?"
Helen repeated the name, feeling a strange sense of familiarity.
Then, it hit her.
"Wait a moment!"
Isn't Bellis' last name Lanster? And doesn't she have a brother by that name?
Could it be that the formula that amazed her teacher was created by… Bellis' brother?!
That… that failure of a student?!
Helen's striking lake-blue eyes widened in shock. She covered her mouth lightly, her face filled with disbelief.
"What's the matter?"
Giles asked, noticing her reaction.
Helen hesitated before replying, "I… I think I know this person."
"Really? Excellent!"
Giles was pleasantly surprised. "Find a way to invite him over. I'd love to have a conversation with him."
Helen forced a bitter smile.
"I'm not sure if it's the same person… because, as far as I know, Luciel Lanster isn't a student of the Magic Academy. He's… a knight student."
"A knight student?!"
Giles froze.
A heavy silence filled the room.
After a long pause, his eyes gleamed with newfound intrigue.
"That… makes it even more fascinating. See if you can get in touch with him for me."
"Understood…"
Helen remained perplexed, a mix of curiosity and disbelief swirling in her mind.
Unconsciously, an image surfaced—a young man standing quietly by a bookshelf, immersed in his reading.
Could it really be him?
It seemed she needed to learn more about her so-called "useless" brother from Bellis…