Font Size:
Professor Victor, the potion teacher, had a serious and stern demeanor. Their appearance as a mage could be deceiving, and the students didn’t know the specifics, but they understood that this teacher wasn’t someone easy to get along with.
As soon as this punctual potion teacher entered the classroom, without wasting any time, he said, “Today, we will be making a basic Healing Potion.”
Healing potions were common potions used to treat wounds and replenish lost blood in the human body. They were primarily used by mages to expedite the recovery of magical energy.
Depending on the level of the potion, the effectiveness varied. In the case of the basic Healing Potion they would be making, it was suitable for minor injuries.
Victor asked them to turn to the page on Healing Potions in their textbooks and went through the necessary ingredients and steps for brewing the potion. Then, he instructed them to gather the materials and begin the brewing process.
The recipe for the Healing Potion was simple, with only three ingredients, and the brewing process was straightforward. For newcomers like them, it seemed easy, but the stability of the magical input during the brewing process was not as simple as it appeared.
That’s why they needed a partner. Handling everything alone would be too chaotic and could result in failed brewing.
In Aresia’s group, Karina was responsible for handling the ingredients, while Aresia took charge of the brewing process. However, she couldn’t rely on a count’s daughter who never been in the kitchen to cut the medicinal ingredients into the required size. When Karina accidentally ruined one of the materials, Aresia didn’t hesitate to take over the task.
With skilled knife work, Aresia swiftly and proficiently handled the ingredient preparation. Karina, feeling a mix of admiration and confusion, didn’t know what to do.
“Just practice a few more times, and you’ll get the hang of it,” Aresia reassured her.
As Victor finished inspecting the others and he turned to Aresia’s work place to observe the method of handling the materials, he showed a hint of surprise in his eyes. He nodded slightly, turned his head, and continued observing the other students.
Aresia was in charge of the potion brewing, while Karina practiced her knife skills by taking the leftover scraps and following the instructions for each step. This allowed her to solidify her knowledge and make progress with each attempt.
It wasn’t that Aresia loved being a model student, but Karina was her partner, and if Karina didn’t perform well, it would affect Aresia’s performance.
The healing potion is not hard to make specially for experienced potion maker. So Aresia’s group is the first one to finished the task. The quality of their potion is perfect that even Victor can’t find any fault.
After they handed in their potion, Victor asked Aresia, “Have you learned it before?”
Aresia nodded.
“The Healing Potion turned out well. I hope you can maintain this quality in the potions you make,” he said.
Victor remained serious, and his words were concise. This was already a difficult praise coming from him.
Aresia nodded and replied, “Thank you, sir.”
After addressing Aresia, Victor turned to Karina without hesitation and bluntly said, “Focus on practicing. If you still rely on your partner, I suggest you drop this class.”
Karina’s face turned pale, unsure of what to do next.
Aresia intervened and stood up for Karina, saying, “Please, give her a chance to practice under my supervision.”
Victor glanced at them before returning his attention to the content on the blackboard. He instructed, “Submit today’s assignment by the next class next week.”
The remaining assignments were unrelated to what they had just made as per the teacher’s request. Instead, they were to write reports on potion-related topics.
Potion class consisted of two sessions per week, and it demanded a substantial amount of time. The workload was significant, taking a full week to complete.
As Karina returned to her seat, she still felt a lingering fear, saying, “Professor Victor’s presence is so intimidating. I almost cried.”
After finishing what she said, she saw Aresia goes back to the shelves and took some medicinal ingredients, she approached and took a look at the materials Aresia had brought back. It seemed like she was preparing to make another potion. The materials she brought back were different from before, and there were even more varieties.
“What are these for?” Karina asked.
“I’m making Energy Potions,” Aresia replied, placing the materials on the table. She handed a portion to Karina and instructed her on how to handle them. “As the professor suggested, it’s time to practice. Try handling these.”
After ensuring Karina understood the instructions, Aresia focused on handling the remaining materials. Karina, recalling the content of the potion class textbook, confirmed that Energy Potions weren’t mentioned. She admired Aresia’s decision to attempt such an advanced potion and glanced around, making sure Victor wasn’t nearby. She whispered to Aresia, “Using the materials provided by the school to make unrelated potions won’t get us scolded, right?”
Aresia, understanding the school’s rules, explained, “The fees we pay cover the cost of materials provided in the classroom. Using these materials is not considered a waste, and the teacher won’t scold us for it.”
Although relieved, Karina still had some concerns. She cautiously approached Aresia after Victor finished inspecting their area and whispered, “Let’s practice before the teacher finds faults with us.”
Aresia understood her concerns and reassured her, “Let’s focus on practicing. Don’t worry, as long as we follow the instructions carefully, we’ll be fine.”
Karina expressed her gratitude and relief before looking around to make sure Victor wasn’t nearby. She then leaned closer to Aresia and whispered, “Thank you for supervising my practice.”
With their roles settled, they both focused on their tasks. Aresia handled the brewing, while Karina practiced her knife skills with the scraps.