Reynard walked down Markus's alchemical garden with familiarity. On the left were plots with Saturnian Ivy that Markus forced Reynard to plant several months ago, on the right—patches of various lesser grasses, which were still incredibly valuable.
The entire garden was protected by an enchanted fence and gate, but Reynard had a key to it now. Meanwhile, Markus was lying in the infirmary, and from what Reynard heard, his Inner Athanor was badly damaged, crippling his magic for years, if not for life.
The total value of the garden was at least three times more than Reynard earned in his entire life in the Blue Bismuth School. Just looking at it, he could barely believe it really was all his.
Yesterday, when he declared himself a victor, he still feared that the Magister would protest.
It was fully within the rules to use artifacts in duels, but it was up to Magister to change these rules as he saw fit!
But the old magus nodded and declared:
"Reynard Artemy is the victor! By the duel's rules, the school will give him the key and rights to Markus's alchemical garden and everything in it."
The runic dome around the arena fell, and the spectators started shouting and talking among each other all at once. Those who placed their bets on Reynard were laughing and taking their bank, while others just tried to understand what had happened.
Many people tried to talk to Reynard, but he slunk away, knowing when to make his exit—BEFORE someone tried to rob him of his precious gun!
'Soon, I won't have to worry about being bullied by people left and right.' Reynard thought, walking to the Saturnian Ivy's patches. 'Yes, this should work perfectly for my first Cycle of Operations. The flowers on this plant are at full bloom!'
Using a fresh set of gloves and a silver knife, Reynard carefully cut a single flower. With it, he sat in an empty patch of ground near the garden's entrance.
At the moment, it was the best place to peacefully refine. Anywhere else, Reynard could be accosted by other people, but the garden was locked.
Reynard held the Saturnian Ivy flower, inhaled its spicy aroma, and closed his eyes.
His own self and the world around him glowed with various mana before his inner eye.
The ivy flowers were glowing black with powerful Earth Mana, just as all the magical plants in the garden. Someone with Wind could have also felt Wind Mana in the air, but Reynard was entirely blind to it.
Reynard's own aura was dark and flaky, with almost no mana circulating through. It was fueled by a near-empty Inner Athanor—a mystical and ethereal thing that glowed in every magus's lungs. Other tools of inner alchemy were spread over other organs.
Although over the years Reynard tried to gather some Earth Mana to start his refinement, he couldn't even complete the first Cycle of Operations.
In the end, Reynard spent his money on other things, and his refinement only regressed as a result. Right now, he was basically starting from scratch.
Reynard reached for the ivy's Earth Mana. With his Pure Earth Affinity, he easily coaxed it from the flowers and gathered it in his Inner Athanor.
The flower turned to ash in his hands, but his Athanor flared to life, filled to the brim with Earth Mana.
Next, he recalled the Manual of Threefold Transformation.
It was a basic refinement technique taught in Blue Bismuth School, one that worked passably well for magi of all Affinities. Out of twelve base Operations, it only used six.
'The first Operation is calcination—heating the mana within Athanor until the impurities melt away, using one's Innate Fire. Which is my life force.'
Reynard breathed deeply, and his lungs worked like bellows. His Athanor grew hot, but Reynard felt weakness come over him, as if he was carrying heavy sacks. Inside the Athanor, mana bubbled and sizzled like lard in a frying pan.
An hour later, Reynard was sweaty, and it was hard to keep his breathing steady, but the mana in the Athanor changed color to gray.
'The second Operation is dissolution—dissolving the purified mana in more unrefined mana in the Alchemical Vessel.'
First, Reynard directed the purified mana into the Alchemical Vessel in his chest. There, it swiveled with every beat of his heart.
Then, he had to cut another Saturnian Ivy flower. As he did this, despite his tiredness, he felt new strength in his body. Full of purified mana, his Athanor sent fresh "circulating mana" through his aura.
This type of mana was temporary and used to cast spells. It also nourished a magus's body and made them stronger than ordinary people.
It was a very refreshing feeling to have more of it.
Reynard consumed the mana of a second ivy flower, directing it bit by bit into his Alchemical Vessel until all the mana mixed evenly.
'It's so nice to refine when I have all the mana I need! Magi can spend months or years gathering enough mana to finish a single Operation, but I can just breeze through them in hours. The day has only just started, and I don't have to go to any classes… Except, shit, I still have to work in the school's gardens…'
Reynard huffed and moved to the next Operation. He knew he could finish it before evening.
'Distillation—repeatedly heat and cool my mana in the Inner Alembic in my kidneys to separate its purest part. This will take more of my life force…'
Reynard focused on refinement. He was tired, but satisfied, watching as his mana turned from a gray mix to a whiter substance. Since this was only a First Cycle, it took a single heating and cooling, but later Cycles were progressively more demanding. In all aspects.
Reynard's stomach grumbled loudly. He winced.
'The next stage is much harder. Separation will require a lot of my mental power and time,' Reynard thought, getting up. 'I need to get some food to refill my life force. I'm damn starving... To the mess hall!'
But as soon as Reynard stepped out of Markus's garden, his peace and quiet were gone. Two familiar students were standing on the other side of the gate, clearly waiting for him—Markus's cronies.
"Peasant! Did you think you would get away with injuring our friend?!"