Materials, ok.
Location, ok.
Begin refining!
Lomio focused his consciousness into Basic Alchemy and selected the experience card he wanted.
[E-rank Experience Card]
[Effect: Grants 500 experience points.]
Cultivation in this world was deeply reliant on the card system, with the two main paths being skills and ranks.
To Lomio’s understanding, it was basically skill points and stat numbers.
Experience cards directly affected the numbers, raising one’s rank and strengthening oneself.
According to the guidance of the talent tree, Lomio only needed to create two E-rank experience cards to advance the talent tree to the next stage and unlock more skills.
This inevitably led to the topic of why the Assassin class was considered so weak.
Assassins before the Card Era: honed their bodies to the limit, pure and refined, striking with explosive assassination power.
Everyone started on equal footing, so he trained to specialize in ambush and solo kills—who wouldn’t be afraid of that?
Assassins now: Wuwuwu, cards are so expensive, skills are so bad, no matter how much you train your body, you can’t compare with those who just top up with alchemy cards.
There are tons of skills, from movement to stealth to backstab, plus all sorts of physical techniques. Even if you manage to learn them, you just get beaten up anyway.
To upgrade advanced skills, the card materials required are all from stealth or assassination-type magical beasts, which are incredibly tough to deal with—sometimes you can’t even find them!
And even if you finally make the card, the unlocked skill is still just so-so, totally unable to compete with others.
It was a vicious cycle, plain and simple.
So!
Lomio had to increase his stats immediately!
Rhythm game… Alchemy Master, initiate!
Lomio closed his eyes and gathered all his focus.
↑↓←→ gradually floated before his eyes.
His conspicuous actions inevitably drew the attention of the other female students in the workshop.
“Heh, a man doing alchemy?”
“Closing his eyes—is he just trying to show off? Does he want us to notice him that badly?”
Their gazes swept past Lomio, but lingered with more greed and envy on the figure beside him—Kalienina.
“Heavens, that’s Prince Kafnir… He’s unbelievably handsome, today is my lucky day!”
“……”
Kalienina’s once pleasant expression was now covered in a frosty chill.
So noisy.
After spending several days as a man, Kalienina felt nothing but a physical disgust for the so-called “pursuit” of these women around her.
Born of noble lineage, yet they cast aside all pride and restraint as women, employing the most blatant, lowly tactics to hunt men.
As if baring a bit of chest meat could turn everything into prey.
Disgusting!
And their taste? Absolutely disastrous!
Kalienina admitted that this illusionary male body was indeed handsome.
But these fools—none of them even noticed Lomio refining alchemy with his eyes closed!
It’s just a face—what’s the point in looking at it?
Such shallowness, such ignorance!
“Shut up. Be quiet!”
A voice filled with authority cut the noise short for a moment.
“As expected of my chosen best brother!”
Knowing he’d never be harassed by women, Lomio’s QTE was more perfect than ever!
“How is this possible…”
Kalienina watched Lomio’s movements. She confirmed he never opened his eyes, yet his hands were deftly shuffling among bottles and jars the whole time, leaving her speechless.
Alchemy demanded precision to the gram. Even half a drop of water or a stray hair could at best ruin quality, at worst, cause an explosion on the spot!
But he didn’t even need to look!?
“Kafnir, I am from the Audrich family, a lady—”
Even after being scolded, one girl still couldn’t hold back. She pushed through the crowd, puffed out her chest, and tried to use her assets to attract the “prey’s” attention.
“Get lost!”
A furious shout exploded through the workshop.
Kalienina had reached her limit!
She suddenly turned, stepping between Lomio and the girl. Her tall figure cast a cold shadow.
“Ah…”
The girl met her gaze.
What kind of expression was that?!
Prince Kafnir’s stunning face was emotionless, yet that overwhelming aura made one’s blood run cold at a mere glance!
“This is an alchemy workshop, not the brothel you’re in heat for!”
“Put away your shameful display… Don’t come near again!”
This angry outburst landed crystal clear in Lomio’s ears.
“For my brother’s sake, she actually scolded women in public?! Kafnir, you bastard!”
Damn!
I’m touched!
What kind of pressure must she be under for this! Such manly spirit!
What more could a brother ask for!
A surge of emotion instantly turned into ultimate focus.
Lomio’s concentration reached unprecedented levels; his QTE inputs at his fingertips were perfectly flawless!
Perfect! Full combo!
Suspended in midair, a sphere of liquid metal, formed from several materials reacting at high speed, suddenly burst into radiant light as he injected the final trace of magic!
Intricate patterns began spreading and intertwining rapidly across its surface, finally solidifying into shape!
“That’s… the embryo of an alchemy card?!”
“Is that possible? Isn’t that Lomio Arkady? One of the few assassins in our year.”
“Heh, a sewer rat trying alchemy? Think cards are easy to make?!”
“Aiya, but now that I look closely, he’s pretty handsome. When he fails, us big sisters have plenty of ways to comfort him!”
“That’s right, come cry in big sister’s arms! All night is fine!”
Laughter mixed with teasing came from all directions.
“Yeah, that’s the spirit!”
Lomio didn’t care about these female delinquents at all.
Switching genders—turns out I’m the beauty myself?
Matriarchal world, men beneath women?
That kind of setting only exists in games—it’ll never be my reality!
“Done!”
As the final note was struck with flawless accuracy, Lomio abruptly opened his eyes and thrust out his hand.
As the light faded, a card radiating pure energy quietly hovered above his palm.
[E-rank Experience Card (Exquisite)]
[Effect: Experience +1000]
“What pure energy!” Kalienina looked at the card, feeling a growing heat in her chest!
This was by no means ordinary—at the very least, it was advanced, possibly even precision-level energy waves!
She’d watched the whole process and was certain Lomio never used any measuring instruments!
He relied purely on the sensation of his fingertips, yet reached such precision!?
Moreover, these materials were freshly extracted from scrap just moments ago!
A genius…?
No! Not right!
Kalienina suddenly recalled Lomio’s words.
—“Return on investment.”
He did this on purpose!?
He’d already anticipated someone would harass him during alchemy, so he asked to “borrow money” from her in advance, piqued her interest, and used this situation to prompt her into becoming his shield to maintain order?
When trouble came, would she stand by and watch, or step in to help…
That was probably the answer he truly wanted!
If she had looked down on him because he was an “assassin” and hadn’t helped…
Then right now, with his alchemy a failure, her investment would be lost, and their partnership would be over.
But now, she had acted.
He responded with this “Exquisite” quality card, returning her “investment” and showing his true value!
“So… at the very moment of the opening ceremony, he had already planned a whole series of tests for me?”
Such a tightly interlocked plan brought to mind only one person for Kalienina.
That life already fading like a candle in the wind, yet still seated on the Russell Throne, orchestrating everything—the Empress!
What a terrifying disguise, what meticulous scheming!
Lomio Arkady!
“As expected of my examiner!”
“Whew…”
Meanwhile, Lomio looked at the card in his hand, unable to calm his heart for a long time.
Rely on brothers when you leave home—such wisdom!
If he hadn’t found a reliable ally right away, not only would he have failed at alchemy today, but even money for armor and scavenging would have taken ages to save up!
What more is there to say!
For the next three years, I must bring my brother along and cheat my way through it all!
*****
Outside the workshop, a red-haired woman with messy hair, clutching a bottle of wine, wandered the street.
“Damn, still can’t find it… Sigh…”
Ankat let out a heavy sigh, then took a few more big gulps of spirits.
She hadn’t had a proper drink in two days while searching for that ring. If this kept up, withdrawal symptoms were just around the corner.
Where on earth did it fall…
Just then, an exceptionally pure energy wave spread out from inside the workshop, slipping into her not-so-clear consciousness.
“Hm!?”
Ankat’s eyes lit up.
Precision level?
No, probably Exquisite level!
“How strange. Isn’t that the basic workshop for students…”
Temporarily brushing aside her worries, Ankat pulled her hair back.
“Which old fellow is so bored he’s already started training the new batch of students?”
“Trying to poach them, huh? I’d better take a look…”