“Then what are we waiting for? Let’s begin!”
Professor Bernard instantly shed his previous disheveled look. As if injected with chicken blood, he dashed to the still-usable lab bench and quickly cleared out a work area.
Emma sprang into action as well, gathering the materials anew, her eyes shining with eager anticipation.
Lilian obediently stepped aside, maintaining a gentle, curious expression as she neatly arranged the alchemy equipment Camilla had “compensated” her with.
Camilla looked at the suddenly motivated trio and sighed helplessly. She set her satchel aside and rolled up her sleeves.
“Rimuru, come help out.”
“Blop?”
A blue slime poked its head out from the satchel.
“Clean up the shards and waste liquid on the floor.”
Rimuru understood and bounced out happily. Its round, plump body began to morph and stretch, flowing like jelly as it quickly spread over the messy area on the ground.
A few seconds later, Rimuru returned to its original size, flopping onto the floor as if stuffed, its tiny “tentacles” rubbing its belly, looking utterly adorable.
“Blop!”
Emma, instantly recognizing the act, nearly burst out laughing. She hurriedly covered her mouth, her shoulders trembling.
Professor Bernard didn’t pay much mind to the little interlude, fully focused on the new round of alchemy about to begin. His eyes were fixed keenly on Camilla.
“Miss, the workspace is cleared, and the equipment is ready. Shall we start?”
“Let’s do it.”
Camilla nodded.
“Emma, I’ll leave the grinding of the Star Silver Leaf to you. Pay close attention to the fineness of the powder—the more uniform, the better. Professor, could you recalibrate the baseline output of the No. 3 temperature control array? That explosion just now might’ve affected the runes.”
“Understood!” Emma immediately picked up the Star Silver Leaf and moved to the grinding table, her movements careful and focused.
Professor Bernard got to work too, taking out a special inspection crystal and meticulously checking and adjusting the runes of the array on the lab bench.
Camilla walked to the materials rack, her gaze quickly scanning the remaining ingredients. Her fingers tapped lightly on a few bottles and jars as she silently calculated ratios and procedures. Lilian quietly followed at her side like an eager observer, her eyes discreetly recording every subtle movement and choice Camilla made.
Before long, the critical step arrived. Under Emma’s precise control, the prepared Ice Crystal Flower pollen suspension and Star Silver Leaf powder began to combine. This time, the reaction in the flask was gentle and stable, the intertwining blue and silver magical radiance pulsing like a breath, exuding a refreshing, invigorating aura—a far cry from the violent energy surges of before.
“Did… did it work?”
Emma’s voice trembled in disbelief as she carefully poured the finished product into the prepared reagent bottle.
Professor Bernard snatched the bottle and impatiently cast several detection spells. A look of wild joy rapidly overtook his face.
“Stable! Exceptionally stable! The magical fusion rate is near perfect! Estimated effectiveness up by… over forty-five percent! My heavens! This isn’t just an improvement—it’s a revolutionary optimization!”
The old professor was so ecstatic that he nearly dropped the bottle, but Lilian’s quick reflexes saved it.
“Camilla! You’re incredible!”
Lilian gazed at Camilla, her eyes brimming with amazement and curiosity.
Camilla merely let out a sigh of relief, rubbing her slightly sore eyes.
“Finally done… So, can we eat now? Professor, you promised to treat us—third floor restaurant.”
She had been thinking about that all along. As for improving potion formulas? That was just a bonus—after all, there was a similar recipe in the game, and she merely put it into practice. Nothing to fuss over.
But Professor Bernard didn’t see it that way. In his eyes, Camilla was practically a once-in-a-millennium alchemical prodigy, the very incarnation of a lost imperial potion master.
And so, he suddenly did something that caught everyone off guard—a venerable old professor, he threw himself to the floor on the spot, crawling all the way to Camilla’s feet, clutching her hands with both of his.
“Miss! No—Master! You must join the Alchemy Department! I, Bernard Hohenheim, as an honorary member of the Royal Alchemy Association, promise that if you’re willing, I will immediately petition the headmaster for a special exception—every resource will be at your disposal! I can be your exclusive mentor! No—let us research together! With your talent, in ten years… no, five years, you could become an alchemy master renowned throughout the continent!”
The old professor was so excited his beard quivered, his eyes burning with desire as if grasping a priceless treasure.
Camilla was startled by this sudden “grand gesture,” trying to pull her hands back.
“Thank you for your appreciation, but sorry, I refuse! I… um, I’ve already decided to become a great Summoner like the Headmaster! Alchemy isn’t for me!”
“What’s so good about being a Summoner!”
The professor still wouldn’t let go, even as Rimuru yanked out several of his beard hairs.
“Just like my stubborn daughter, messing around with those magic beasts all day—dirty and dangerous! Alchemy is the crystallization of wisdom, the art of creation! Miss, you have such talent; it’d be a waste not to join the Alchemy Department! Ow! Not the hair!”
Under Rimuru’s annoyed threats and Camilla’s firm rejection, Bernard finally let go, though he was far from giving up.
“At least—at least tell me, who was your master? Anyone who could teach a student like you must be a reclusive alchemy grandmaster! Please, introduce me!”
“Uh… he was a teacher from my hometown, named… um, Aminos.”
Camilla just made up a name—after all, she couldn’t say she was self-taught, could she? If she did, the old professor would probably never let her go.
“Aminos? Aminos? That name… how odd.”
Professor Bernard chewed over the name, brows knitted, trying to recall but coming up empty.
“In any case, he’s a low-profile elder from a distant land, and he doesn’t take students anymore.”
Camilla hurriedly added, trying to cut off that line of inquiry.
“Professor, look, it’s already dark. Emma and Her Highness Lilian are tired…”
Lilian timely spoke up in a gentle voice.
“That’s right, Professor Bernard. So much happened today; we all need to rest. Camilla must be hungry too.”
Emma nodded vigorously, discreetly rubbing her stomach.
Professor Bernard looked from one to the other, then finally sighed deeply, letting go of Camilla’s hand in resignation.
“So be it… But, Camilla, the doors of the Alchemy Department will always be open for you! You’re welcome to visit anytime!”
Camilla breathed a secret sigh of relief, scooping up Rimuru—who was still playing with the professor’s hair—and making a swift getaway.
“Then we’ll be off! Goodbye, Professor! Don’t forget, you promised us dinner—the bill goes on you! We’ll come back for it another day!”
The three of them practically fled the alchemy tower. Out in the corridor, Camilla let out a long breath and wiped away imaginary cold sweat.
“Phew… Finally escaped. That old professor’s enthusiasm is terrifying.”
Emma couldn’t help laughing.
“That’s what you get for being so amazing, Camilla. You always… find a way to surprise people.”
Lilian gazed thoughtfully at Camilla, her gentle smile returning as she softly said, “Today was all thanks to you, Camilla. Why don’t I treat you both to dinner? To thank you—and to help Emma recover from the shock. As for the professor’s treat, let’s bring more friends next time.”
“Yay!”
Camilla raised her hand in agreement, instantly leaving the earlier trouble behind.
The sun dipped completely below the horizon, the academy aglow with twinkling magic lights. The three of them, hand in hand, entered the dining hall.