Surviving As A Mage In A Magic Academy [EN]: Chapter 296

“Let’s go! Time to show them what we’ve got!” The alchemist grinned, his eyes bright with excitement.

Leahan blinked, surprised. “Wait,” he said, “I thought we were here to see Yoner Maykin…”

“Ah, perfect!” the alchemist said quickly. “Yoner Maykin himself will see your potions today! Come on, follow me!”

Leahan’s face brightened. He had worried about bothering the busy Maykin family. This was easier than he thought!

Raeford frowned, tilting his head. “Leahan,” he whispered, “isn’t Maykin just a student like us? Can a student really judge potions?”

“Maybe,” the alchemist replied. “Perhaps Yoner has family members helping him.” He lowered his voice. “Noble families sometimes like to make their children look good, even if they get help.”

“Ah, I see,” Leahan said. “Noble families are interesting.”

“Right?” The alchemist winked. “Knowing these things will be helpful, Raeford.”

“Helpful for what?” Raeford asked, looking confused. He wondered if Leahan meant it was good to understand how powerful families worked.

“Ingredients on the left, extra ingredients in front, special stuff – write a note on the right. Tools, ask! Big mess, your fault! Worried? Call a supervisor!” The servant spoke quickly, barely looking at them. He seemed desperate to finish and leave.

He finally glanced at Leahan and Raeford’s fine clothes and his eyes widened. “Wait… are you… nobles? Why are *you* here?” He looked flustered.

Before the servant could say more, the alchemist stepped forward, a little louder than before. “Even nobles,” he said firmly, “must wait if they are truly eager to learn!”

“Oh… right, of course!” the servant stammered. “Well, call if you need anything!” He hurried away, deciding it was safer not to ask any more questions.

The alchemist turned to Leahan, a wide grin spreading across his face. “Right then! Shall we begin?” Suddenly, the friendly feeling was gone. Now, it was a competition.

“So, when does Yoner Maykin come?” Leahan asked.

“Maybe when we finish the potion?” the alchemist shrugged.

Leahan thought quickly. Should he find a servant and explain the mistake? But that might cause trouble for the servants who had helped them. It wasn’t their fault.

“Raeford,” Leahan said quietly, “maybe we should have said who we were at the gate.”

Raeford stared at him, eyes wide. “No! Really? You think so?”

“Well, something felt wrong. You’re a Wodanaise…”

“I know, I know!” Leahan said, a little embarrassed. “But everyone was in line, so I just joined in!”

“If we’d said something at the start…” Raeford mumbled.

“Too late now,” Leahan sighed. “The alchemist spoke first. And it would have made a scene anyway.”

Leahan rubbed his neck. “Let’s just make a potion,” he decided. “Then we can ask for Yoner. If I can just talk to him, we can fix this quietly.”

“Understood,” Raeford nodded.

“Heh heh!” The alchemist chuckled. “So, you’ve decided! What amazing potion will you create?”

“A simple health recovery potion,” Leahan said.

“We’ll make a low-grade health potion,” Raeford added.

Karl Joonin stared at them, his mouth slightly open. A *health recovery potion*? This was a chance to impress the Maykin family! He had been working on his own special potion, hoping to show off his skills. Surely, they should make something amazing!

“Are you… sure?” Karl Joonin asked, his voice hesitant.

Leahan shrugged. “Sometimes,” he said casually, “doing the simple things perfectly is the most impressive thing.”

“Simple things… impressive?” Karl Joonin repeated, thinking hard.

Leahan continued, “Imagine two alchemists. One makes one potion a thousand times. The other makes a thousand different potions, just once each. Who is better?”

Karl Joonin’s eyes widened. It made sense. He had been so focused on showing off, he hadn’t thought about doing something truly well. *Was he being too ambitious?* He realised Leahan was right. The Maykin family would see through any trickery.

“Indeed!” Karl Joonin nodded, feeling a new understanding. It was better to show them what he could do best.

Raeford leaned closer to Leahan, whispering in awe, “That was… amazing.”

“Really?” Leahan grinned. “I just made it up. Don’t worry about it.”

The three of them turned to the ingredients, a new energy filling the room.

Soon, the workshop was filled with activity. Knives chopped herbs on wooden boards, the rhythmic *thump-thump* mixing with the *crunch* of ingredients being ground in stone mortars. A small fire crackled under a copper pot, sending steam into the air. Wands flicked, casting gentle spells to heat and stir.

“The colour is a little cloudy,” Leahan said, peering into his pot. “Boil it for another minute, Raeford.”

“Right,” Raeford replied, carefully watching the potion. Then he frowned. “Wait… isn’t this just a practice? Not a real test?”

“Doesn’t matter,” Leahan said, stirring his potion with focus. “Good practice is never wasted.”

“O-okay,” Raeford stammered, a little shiver running down his spine. Leahan’s dedication was almost scary. *That’s how top students are,* he thought. *They even enjoy studying.*

Yoane Maykin carefully cleaned his amethyst glasses with a soft cloth, the lenses sparkling as he put them back on. He had bright red hair that looked a little messy, and tired lines around his eyes.

“West wing?” he asked the servant, his voice a little quiet.

“Yes, Lord Yoane. Three of them,” the servant replied.

“What are they like?” Yoane asked, tilting his head.

The servant hesitated. “Well… I don’t want to presume, but… two of them look like nobles.”

Yoane frowned. “Nobles? Which families?”

“They just… look like nobles, Lord Yoane.”

“But why are they in the west wing, waiting with everyone else?” Yoane wondered aloud.

The servant looked even more confused. “I… I don’t know, Lord Yoane.”

Yoane sighed. Well, the servant clearly didn’t know. He thought for a moment. “Perhaps,” he said slowly, “they want to be judged on their skills, not their names?”

“Ah! Yes, Lord Yoane! That must be it!” the servant agreed quickly, relieved to have an answer.

“Good,” Yoane nodded. “I like that. Let’s go.”

“Are you feeling alright, Lord Yoane?” the servant asked quietly. “You look like you haven’t slept.”

“Sleep is overrated,” Yoane mumbled, already heading for the door. “One hour a day is plenty.”

The servant followed, wondering if one hour of sleep really *was* enough for anyone.

Yoane pushed open the door to the workshop. The air inside smelled of herbs and bubbling liquids. The three alchemists stood up quickly as he entered. Yoane waved a hand dismissively. “At ease,” he said, and went straight to the potions on the table. He picked up Karl Joonin’s potion first, examining it closely. “An olivine potion,” he said, raising an eyebrow. “Why this? Didn’t you have something more… original?”

Karl Joonin’s face was pale with nerves. “I… I was going to show you my own potion, Lord Yoane. But then I thought, it’s better to show you what I can do *best*, not just something new.”

“Hmm,” Yoane considered this. “Indeed. I appreciate honesty. Good thinking.”

“Thank you!” Karl Joonin breathed, relieved.

Yoane moved to the next potion, and stopped. He stared at it, a puzzled look on his face. “A *health recovery potion*?” he said, turning to Leahan. “Even if you make it well… isn’t this a bit… basic?”

“Well…” Leahan started to explain, but Yoane had already picked up the bottle, uncorking it. He sniffed it, then carefully poured a tiny drop onto his finger, and tasted it. His eyes widened. *Wait… what is this?*

The health recovery potion. It was so common, so basic. Dozens of recipes existed, some whispered as rumours, some written in beginner books. Anyone could *try* to make it. But Yoane knew, better than most, that simple didn’t mean easy. The *quality* of a health potion could vary wildly. And this… this was exceptional.

The recipe was perfect, refined to its purest form. The alchemist’s skill was undeniable. But there was something else… Yoane frowned, focusing his magical senses. *The magic… how much power did they infuse into this?* Alchemy wasn’t just about ingredients. Especially for complex potions, a magician’s own magic was crucial. A truly great alchemist was also a powerful magician.

And this potion… it pulsed with magic, far more than any ordinary health potion. Someone had poured in magic, right to the edge, pushing the limits without breaking the delicate balance. It was… artistry.

Yoane looked up, his expression changed. He met Leahan’s eyes. “No need to say anything more,” he said, his voice firm. “You pass. What do you want?”

He finally noticed the two younger students properly, their faces a mix of nervousness and something else… embarrassment?

“Actually,” Leahan said, “we were hoping… could you call Yoner Maykin?”

Yoane blinked. “…Yoner?”