Return of The 8th Class Mage Chapter 25:
The Finest Investment
“Where have you been at this early morning?”
It was quite early in the morning and everyone was still sleeping .
Except, Ledio, who was standing at the door of the hut and greeted Ian .
He was a man who didn’t sleep much .
“Oh you woke up quite early . ”
“My previous life trained me to do so, haha . ”
Ledio made a smile to break this awkward situation .
Then, he looked at the Ian’s beg interestingly .
“What is about that bag… . ?”
“Ah, I have something for you . ”
After Ledio’s question, Ian started to sift through his bag .
Soon, he pulled out violet-colored stuffs and put them on the table .
Two pieces which looked alike amethysts .
“What is that?”
“Eyes of gargoyle . ”
“Hik!”
Ledio inhaled short breath with surprise .
Eye of gargoyle . He never saw it in real, but he knew the value of it very well . His reaction was natural as an alchemist . To alchemists, it was valued as much as an artifact to a mage .
“T, truly is it… . . ”
“I pulled it out with my very hand, it can’t be fake . ”
“D, did you, pulled it yourself?”
Did that mean Ian had hunted a Gargoyle? Where?
It was very rare ingredient since it wasn’t a commonly found monster normally .
‘Where the heck did he find it?’
This boy, Ian, had sneaked out and when he returned , he chucked out eyes of gargoyle all of sudden .
How mysterious a boy he was .
Ledio started to feel more suspicious of Ian, more than before .
“Is this can be used to brew elixirs? I don’t know that much detail of its usage . ”
“H, hold on a second . ”
Ledio rapidly pulled out and searched through his illustrated book .
He always treated and held it like it was a treasure box .
“…… It says even simply swallowing it as raw will works as an elixir . In addition If a taker has a mana heart, it will make his mana more dense . ”
That was a good news to Ian .
The quantity of a mana pool was important, but also the density of mana was quite important to a mage . Even with the same magical spell, a mage who had denser mana could yield a stronger spell result .
‘But I don’t like to swallow it raw though . ’
Firstly, it was too big to swallow by single bite,
Secondly, It was hard as a jewel .
Thirdly, it was once the eyes of a monster .
Ian wanted different way to consume it .
“And there are quite many ways to brew a potion with eye of gargoyle . Let’s see, the best elixir that can be brewed with it is… . . ”
That was a relief . There was a way to brew it to some potion .
Ian drank a water in the cup, on the table .
He felt a small sense of excitement .
‘The best elixir, huh?’
In former life, he didn’t have many chance to use elixirs .
He had drunken them a few times, but only after he already grew up and reached a high level of magic . When he was young enough to receive benefits of elixirs fully, he only allowed to drink basic elixirs which were supported by the academy .
“Ah, I found it . ”
Soon, Ledio found the best recipe for brewing epic quality elixir with the eye of gargoyle .
While showing Ian the section, Ledio said .
“Five breaths of red dragon?”
“What an immense name, isn’t it?”
‘Five breaths of red dragon’ was a name of the elixir .
Well it was dramatic name, indeed .
“As its name, it requires a lot of crazy ingredients . Look at these ingredients . I wonder is it even possible to brew . ”
Ledio pointed ingredients section of it .
Indeed, it was an assemble of such precious ingredients .
Even Ian, who wasn’t good about alchemist, heard many of their names .
Eye of Gargoyle, root of Mandragora, leaf of Ambrosia, blood of Ogre .
And there were plenty more ingredients on the lists which Ian never heard of it .
“I showed it to you since it was one of the best elixir . But, I don’t think it’s possible . As you can see, there are no exact required amount of ingredients, right? It means even my ancestors failed to brew it, to say nothing of me… . ”
Ledio knew his limit very well .
Even if he acquired those ingredients, he couldn’t guarantee that he can brew this great elixir successfully .
He would waste these precious ingredients for nothing .
‘Where I think I can collect these ingredients . ’
Ian thought, on the other way .
It seemed he can obtain it eventually .
Of course it would take long, but he needed a talented alchemist like Douglas anyway, to brew such artifact level elixir .
There would be enough time for Douglas to grow enough to support Ian with his powerful talent .
“I will get those ingredients for you . ”
“What? B, but as I told you… . ”
“I’m not saying that I will bringing those immediately . It will take some time . Until then, how about do research about it . Researching was a deal between you and me, do you remember?”
Yes . Ledio made a deal with Ian .
Ian promised to let him survive from mana addiction and ultimate treatment for it, while Ledio research custom elixirs for Ian .
“With my skill it may takes longer than you think . Honestly, it may impossible . please consider that… . ”
“I don’t mind how many years will it take . I won’t pressure you about it . ”
“Hmmm… . ”
Nevertheless, Ledio seemed unconfident .
Ian needed some new topics to encourage him .
“And Douglas,”
Ian slowly mentioned the name .
Ledio’s most precious person, Douglas .
“He seems quite interesting with alchemy . ”
“… . . Recently, yes he does . ”
“There must be special reason . ”
Without further explanation, Ledio already knew the reason .
He must be desperate to help his father and let him survive .
To brew a treatment by his own hand, on the day when the Randeor flower became useable .
“I heard that alchemy is your family business for ages . ”
“… . . ”
“Douglas must inherit some talent through your blood . ”
“But he’s still young… . ”
“He made a cure potion, I saw it . ”
“… . . !”
With Ian’s confession, Ledio was surprised .
A few days ago, Ledio was amazed by his son’s talent . Recently, his son looked up the illustrated book a few times, then suddenly he made a basic cure potion by himself .
‘I never expected him to brew a potion without any help of measuring tools… . ’
Even basic potion needed exact measuring .
If not, the potion will be effectless .
But, Douglas measured the amounts required of it simply with his own sense .
It was impossible to happen in Ledio’s ken .
“As I know, alchemist’s are treated very well . Furthermore, there is a special academy for alchemy in the royal palace, isn’t there?”
Indeed, a talented alchemist was treated very well .
As Ian said there was a special academy to educate talented alchemist .
It was worth it to educate them .
And wouldn’t it mean their future were quite bright?
Ledio must’ve had a fine life until he suffered from mana addiction .
“With this amount,”
Ian sifted through the bag again .
These time, he pulled out a few of the finest diamonds .
“You won’t need to worry about financial issue . It would be enough to educate Douglas . ”
“W, where did you get all these… . ”
A sudden rain of jewels .
And every single of them had the best qualities .
Ledio couldn’t help himself to be stunned .
“I’m considering an investment . ”
“What sort of investment… . . ”
“For all researches for Ledio, and,”
Ian looked at the inside of the hut .
He could see Douglas’ face, who were still sleeping innocently .
“The talent of Douglas . ”
With Ian’s suggestion, Ledio closed his eyes .
For a while he spoke nothing as he thought deeply .
It was about a future for his son . He needed a time to think .
“…… . The cure he made . Honestly, I was surprised as well . ”
Ledio broke the long silence .
“I could see some talent on him . But sir, it was an basic of basic potion . It didn’t require any complex measuring skills . Did you know that?”
“Yes I do . ”
“Then you must know it as well . It NEVER guarantees that Douglas will become great alchemist . Did you know that?”
“Yes I do . ”
“And you saying you want to invest on his talent which is yet uncertain?”
“Well, that’s the basic rule of investment . ”
“Ha…… . !”
Ledio sighed due to his worries .
Of course, it was such a sweet suggestion .
Not just lengthening his life, Ian also suggested supporting Douglas . He may bowed to Ian with full of thanks .
But .
‘It will decide the future life of Douglas . I must consider it carefully . ’
He might risk his own son’s life .
He already suffered enough by mages .
Mages were untrustworthy .
What if Ian couldn’t get the elixir he wanted?
Not just Ledio himself, but even Douglas failed to brew it?
Then Ledio couldn’t know the result .
Even Ian shouldn’t be trusted fully .
‘But… . ’
Nevertheless, he couldn’t decide easily .
The suggestion of Ian, those jewels were precious enough to provide Douglas to receive every benefits and educations which were allowed to non-noble people . Furthermore, his general life quality must be increased .
‘Wouldn’t it be better for Douglas?’
He never considered things like this carefully .
Douglas was his everything .
Like most of parents in the world .
“The more I experience you, the more I don’t think you are just young boy . ”
He mumbled while shaking his head .
He made a decision after the sun arose completely .
“I have no idea what kind of secret you have… . But!”
Ledio continued his word while taking the jewels quickly .
“Keep your promise! Even if I failed you, and even if Douglas won’t be a great alchemist! Well, of course, he will be a great alchemist . I am sure my boy will . Anyway… . ”
As Ian analyzed before, he spoke a lot when he felt comfortable and relieved .