Chapter 5: Muddle Through

Duke Rogest observed Aresia for a while, but apart from her unusual complexion, he couldn’t detect any other issues. It wasn’t easy. While he loved his children deeply, due to his responsibilities, he hadn’t spent much time with them, especially Aresia, making their relationship somewhat distant.

He knew very little about his children, not even as much as some of his servants. In a bid to understand her better, he straightforwardly asked, “Have you suddenly taken an interest in magic? Weren’t you the one who disliked it?”

Aresia was indeed hungry, and upon hearing her father’s question, she gulped down her food and answered sincerely, “I find magic very intriguing.”

The Duke asked, “What brought about this change? Weren’t you the one who felt that magic was unsuitable for young ladies? Didn’t you dislike it?”

“Magic in combat isn’t very ladylike, but I find it suitable in other aspects,” she replied. Specifically, for her magical experiments.

Aresia quickly offered an excuse, “Karina told me that there is a very talented commoner girl among the freshmen in the magic department this year. Even some several imperial Prince had praised her. I don’t want to be outdone.”

Karina was the previous Aresia’s bestfriend, and she indeed shared this piece of information. While Aresia was overly concerned about the attention from nobility, she chose not to mention that part.

Aresia had only learned about this from her previous life; it was the reason the Aresia from that time had taken an interest and targeted the commoner girl.

Those who knew the previous Aresia were aware that she held affection for the sixth imperial prince, and if an ordinary child received praise from several Princes, especially those close to the imperial family, it could indeed affect their perception. This change was something a few individuals, marked as ‘Insiders,’ understood.

The Duke understood his children’s wishes but didn’t support them. In his time, the decision of marriage between dukes and the imperial family was relatively simple.

Within the imperial family, competition for the heir’s position had begun to take root, and the Duke chose not to participate in it. In this world, people highly valued strength, and in most cases, the rule was “the strongest shall prevail,” even for the imperial succession. This rule had certain limitations, such as ensuring that all imperial children went through a fair competition to secure their place, as eliminating or directly favoring one heir was against the rules.

However, these rules didn’t guarantee that individuals wouldn’t resort to shortcuts or underhanded methods to eliminate competition when it truly mattered. In such critical moments, the victor took all.

The current Holy Lotean Emperor had many children, all of whom were excellent. So, the position of the heir had remained unassigned for a long time. If Aresia married into the imperial family and publicly supported a specific heir, it would directly signal the Duke’s stance, which wasn’t a trivial matter.

Upon hearing about Aresia’s recent change, possibly connected with the sixth imperial prince, Duke Rogest’s initial response was displeasure. Learning magic was a reasonable endeavor, so he didn’t object outright. However, his main concern was probably that Aresia might become more entangled in the imperial family and their political aspirations.

Aresia understood the Duke’s attitude towards the imperial family and recognized that his reaction to her transformation had underlying reasons. She also knew that her father preferred not to get involved in the imperial family’s intrigues, especially when the current emperor’s health remained robust. The Duke might not approve of any efforts to gain favor with the imperial family, even if it was through the six imperial Princes.

Aresia decided that after a few more weeks, once her grasp of magic was at an appropriate level, she would show her determination to focus on her magical studies. She intended to use this as an excuse to resist family-matching proposals and end her one-sided affection. This plan was only possible because she was considered strong and had the privilege to make such decisions. For an ordinary noble daughter, no matter how loved she might be, marriage was inevitable by a certain age.

However, her claim couldn’t fool her mother, who had been with the Duke’s sister for a long time. When the Duke’s wife returned from her absence, Aresia was already at the academy, so her excuse was left unverified.

The academy operated as a boarding school, and students only left at the end of each week. During the rest of the time, they stayed at the academy. Aresia intended to stay at the academy during the upcoming period, avoiding a reunion at home. She assumed that her mother wouldn’t question her absence until the end of the current period and any potential changes in her could be attributed to her growth.

When asked about her absence, she had a simple response: “I’ve grown taller.”

After dinner, Aresia’s maid arranged for the visit of Deiman, who had been waiting for her in advance.

In this world, there are three main professions responsible for healing: herbalists, potion-makers (also known as archmage), and priest healers. Herbalists and potion-makers may seem quite similar, but there are differences. Herbalists are ordinary people who are skilled in using non-magical herbs for treatment, and their knowledge is generally limited to a specific set of common ailments. In contrast, potion-makers create various magical elixirs with miraculous properties. Priests rely on light magic for their healing abilities.

Deiman, the priest, had a unique combination of skills. He excelled in brewing magical potions and had an in-depth understanding of the non-magical herbs used by herbalists. He was a high-level priest known for his expertise in both areas.

Wealthy noble households often employ priests as their family physicians. Deiman, being a distant relative of the Duke’s family and hailing from a commoner background, possessed the innate gift of priesthood. The Duke had been financially supporting him for a long time. Deiman’s unique skills and his close ties to the Duke’s family made him the exclusive family physician for the Rogest household.

This practice of noble sponsorship was common among the aristocracy. Nobles frequently supported talented commoners with magical potential, providing them with opportunities and education. This not only benefited the individuals but also secured a trusted source of magical assistance for the noble households.

Commoner mages, while those invested need to serve as noble courtiers for a certain period.

The Rogest family has sponsored many common-born Gifted, some of whom have already ended their contracts but still choose to serve the Rogest family, while others are in training.

Becoming a priest in the Church requires a significant Gifted background, making it quite challenging to ascend. However, Deiman’s Gifted status isn’t particularly remarkable; he’s a commoner. If it weren’t for his connection to the Rogest family’s support, he would still be an apprentice priest.

Nevertheless, he fulfilled his commitment to serve as a court physician at the Rogest Duke’s residence, without affecting his church duties. Deiman served as both a priest and a court physician for the noble family.

Priest Deiman conducted an examination on Aresia, with magical auras scanning her body, emitting a radiant light.

Soon, the examination concluded, and Priest Deiman delivered his verdict, “The Miss’s health is somewhat frail and requires rest. Besides that, there don’t seem to be any other issues.”

Aresia wasn’t surprised by this conclusion. The magic used to examine the soul is quite advanced, something a lower-level priest wouldn’t be able to perform. Moreover, Aresia’s soul is that of a demigod, making it difficult for lower-level mages to accurately assess the state of her soul.

Upon hearing the results, some people breathed a sigh of relief.

Her physical weakness was a concern, but it’s a common affliction among noble families, and some even pursue a delicate, frail appearance. Therefore, labeling Aresia as physically weak wasn’t a significant issue. Apart from her slightly pale complexion, there didn’t appear to be any other problems with her health.

Moreover after dinner, her complexion had improved a bit, looking better than before.

Priest Deiman didn’t just offer words but also handed Aresia a bottle of magical elixir for her physical well-being. It was exactly what Aresia needed. She drank the peculiar potion in one gulp without a change of expression, providing her evaluation of the elixir’s quality.

It wasn’t terrible, but there was certainly room for improvement.

Seeing her take the potion, the Duke urged her to rest and didn’t press further about recent events.

Aresia breathed a sigh of relief; this obstacle was now behind her.

Last night, Aresia’s father, the Duke, had finished dinner and confirmed that there was nothing to worry about. He then returned to his Legion’s quarters.

Before departing, he instructed the steward to inform Aresia that she should buy whatever she needed and prepare for something without needing permission to access the family’s treasury.

After a night of rest, Aresia’s complexion had improved slightly, most likely due to the magical elixir she had consumed the previous night. Her body was benefiting from the nourishing magic elements, and her soul’s harmony had slightly increased.

With a refreshed outlook, she headed into the laboratory.

This time, Aresia was brewing a magical elixir for handling spider silk, or rather, an alchemical potion.

There are various types of magical elixirs, and they aren’t all meant for consumption. They are often referred to as alchemical potions, particularly those used for processing different materials.

Aresia was currently crafting a potion called “Solidifier,” a fundamental alchemical potion with a wide range of applications in her world. It can adjust the material ratios and combinations to achieve different effects. In this case, she was creating a derivative of the Solidifier to solidify spider silk, removing its stickiness and transforming it into a thread that can be woven like actual silk.

Basic alchemical potions like these are typically among the first concoctions that aspiring alchemists and magic practitioners encounter. There is even information available on various formulations of solidifiers on the magical network. Aresia had learned this formula during her magical apprenticeship and began teaching it to others. The recipe for solidifying spider silk had been etched into her memory.

The production of this basic alchemical potion on a small scale was straightforward. Aresia had acquired the necessary materials, and with a simple cauldron, she was able to brew several pots of the elixir to use.

The brewing process was short and efficient.

The elixir was then bottled into vials, and a single vial contained a concentrated 5 liters of elixir. To use it, one needed to dilute it with water. This one vial of Solidifier was enough to treat a ton of spider silk for weaving.

The cost of producing this vial of spider silk solidifier was less than a single gold coin. When combined with the low cost of acquiring spider silk, the profits from weaving the finished silk fabric were astronomical.

As for the remaining materials, they were not all meant for producing the solidifier but rather for concocting elixirs that would nourish the body and accelerate the fusion of body and soul.