In an alchemy workshop located in the suburbs of Langton, the capital of Victory Empire, Miss Perfikot Brandelis stood at her experiment station, focusing intently on the complex glass apparatus in front of her.
While her expression was focused, her hand movements were also extremely careful and steady, not daring to make a single mistake or oversight.
Among these complex glass vessels, a pink gas was constantly being distilled, then condensing into orange-red droplets which fell into a conical flask designated for collecting these liquids.
When the droplets filled about two-thirds of the bottle, Perfikot shut off the valve of the condenser, transferred the conical flask to a nearby workstation, and dripped a few drops of pale blue liquid from a pipette into it.
Next, she took out a slender metal rod and stirred gently; at the end of this rod was embedded a gem that was flashing a fiery red light.
It didn't seem like a rigorous scientific experiment, but more like witchcraft and magic.
Yet, as Perfikot stirred, the liquid in the conical flask gradually turned into a bright emerald green, seemingly sprinkled with tiny specks of light, inexplicably giving a feeling full of vitality.
"Concentrated Primary Life Potion"
"Manufacturing Materials: Normal (Legendary)"
"Manufacturing Process: Outstanding"
"Effect: Equivalent to twenty years of vitality for a normal person; restores youth and extends life when consumed."
"Evaluation: Compressing the primary life potion twentyfold, utilizing the Philosopher's Stone to catalyze to achieve the effect of a high-level life potion. Should I call you a genius, or say you wasted it?"
Ignoring the last half of this statement, Perfikot believed as long as the effects met her expectation, that was sufficient.
Wasted? For Perfikot, who wielded the Philosopher's Stone, it didn't matter.
As long as she's willing to lend this Golden Touching Rod embedded with the Philosopher's Stone to another alchemist, many would offer her what she desires, merely for the privilege of borrowing it.
After all, this was the absolute crown of alchemy, Philosopher's Egg, Red Medicine, stone from the heavens, The Fifth Element, capable of breaking the alchemical truth of "equivalent exchange"—the Philosopher's Stone!
"Golden Touching Rod embedded with the Philosopher's Stone"
"Manufacturing Materials: Legendary"
"Manufacturing Process: Outstanding"
"Effect: Used in alchemy rituals to enhance ritual effects by 120%, increase success rate by 40%, disregard equivalent exchange principles, replace any material or medium in alchemical rituals."
"Evaluation: With the Philosopher's Stone, even a pig can become an alchemy master."
Looking at this Golden Touching Rod that seemed insignificant now as the gem at its end dimmed, Miss Perfikot was filled with emotion. Who could have imagined that the pinnacle of achievement for an alchemist—the most coveted goal—would merely be an all-purpose plug-in in her hands?
To other alchemists, this item was disproportionately overpowered and absurd.
The fundamental principle of alchemy is equivalent exchange, adhered to by alchemists to achieve various incredible miracles.
This reflects one of the iron laws of the physical world, the law of conservation of mass, which also serves as the foundation for alchemy.
But the Philosopher's Stone can break the equivalent exchange principle, using itself to replace materials or media needed in alchemical rituals, offering true miracles for alchemists.
Hence, the Philosopher's Stone is deemed the supreme masterpiece of alchemy.
For Miss Perfikot, who possessed this extraordinary artifact, waste isn't a factor she needs to consider.
Whether it's mass-producing gold with the Philosopher's Stone or renting it out to other alchemists, she could quickly amass immense wealth, potentially becoming the richest person in Langton, or even the entire Empire.
"At last it's done; once this is consumed, Grandpa Fu's body will be restored to peak condition, allowing him to surpass the threshold of a great Knight and become a high-grade Extraordinary." Miss Perfikot picked up the conical flask and poured the emerald green potion into a test tube, sealing it with a cork and tucking it into the pocket of her lab coat.
After tidying up the experiment table, Perfikot took a pocket watch out from her chest pocket and checked the time.
This pocket watch was quite old, its casing engraved with the crest of the Brandlis Clan, depicting a shield with a wolf head and two crossed war hammers.
Inside the casing, there was an animated photo manufactured using alchemy, showing a pair of smiling young couples who bore a striking resemblance to Miss Perfikot.
Perfikot was also in the picture, though her face showed some reluctance, standing between the young couple like a girl being forced by her parents to take a family portrait, putting on a small tantrum.
Yet, from the hint of a smile in her amber eyes in the photo, it was clear she wasn't quite as resistant as she appeared.
Gazing at this photo, Perfikot became slightly absorbed, reminiscing about the incident three years ago with the couple who protected her with their lives.
"Can't believe it's been three years already." She sighed while rubbing the pocket watch, suppressing her emotions, closing the watch face, and placing it back into her breast pocket.
As Perfikot, someone who before crossing over was an ordinary person, one moment viewing a museum exhibit on difference engine replicas, the next faced with two bloodied people on top of her speaking their last words, anyone would find this unforgettable.
Even after three years, Perfikot still occasionally recalls this incident, waking during the midnight with such thoughts.
She attempted to forget this, but the memories were too heavy and profound.
Perhaps this was the last obsession of her predecessor? To her predecessor, those two who protected her with their lives might be the most crucial memory and obsession.
The old memories didn't linger too long with Perfikot. She put the pocket watch away, composed herself, and prepared to continue working.
There was another long table in the laboratory—Perfikot's desk.
The tabletop, crafted from fine white oak, was strewn with numerous blueprints, some rolled and stacked together, others spread out with drawing tools and paperweights pressing on them, evidently incomplete.
Before this desk was a display stand, on which a model of a Flying Airship was placed with a rack.