Chapter 34 — Potion Crafting [2]
"Alex, I brought the things you asked for. Are these right?"
"Yes, they look about right."
I quickly checked through the items Layla had brought.
Two potion-making cauldrons, and then…
'Raven Stone, Mandrake Flower Extract, Dried Peppermint Blossoms, Ashwinder Bone Powder, Firefly Wings, and Thunder Crystal Dust.'
I was finally seeing in real life the ingredients I'd only ever seen in the game.
It was fascinating, but first, I bowed my head respectfully to Layla.
"Yes, these are perfect. Thank you once again for going through all this trouble for me."
"Aww, it's nothing. Hehe. I'm glad I could help."
Layla laughed cheerfully, as if she was truly happy to be of use.
"By the way, did anyone say anything when you took these from the clubroom?"
"Nope. When I said I wanted to borrow them for a bit, the club president told me to use as much as I wanted."
"Oh, that's good to hear."
Honestly, the Potion Brewing Club's president probably had no choice in the matter.
The Princess of the Empire wanted to borrow some club supplies—of course they had to let her.
If I were them, I would've said the same: "Use whatever you like."
"By the way, Alex. What are you trying to make with all that? And in such a hidden place like this?"
Layla looked around and asked me curiously.
Just as she said, we had come all the way to one of the remote corners of the Academy's grand castle.
"I'm planning to start serious training tomorrow, and I wanted to make some potions that could help with the workout."
"Ohh, really?"
"Yes. I intend to make two kinds of potions that are effective for muscle fatigue and recovery."
I set up alcohol lamps under the cauldrons and lit them.
"Let's see… three cups of water for one, five for the other. Grind all the stones into powder…"
I sat cross-legged on the ground and began the potion-making process.
Having brewed countless potions over the years, I had completely memorized the recipes for several of them.
Among those were the Strength Enhancement Potion and the Defense Enhancement Potion.
'Both need to boil on high heat for five minutes… stir the Strength Enhancement Potion eight times clockwise, and the Defense Enhancement Potion five times counterclockwise.'
Honestly, I might have been a bit of a maniac gamer.
The fact that I still remembered all this was… impressive, in a pathetic sort of way.
"Oh, Alex. You're interested in potion-making too?"
"Yes, I developed an interest in it while traveling across various regions when I was younger."
I worked carefully, and Layla sat beside me, watching in fascination.
"Isn't it uncomfortable sitting on the ground? You can sit on my mat if you want…"
"Oh, no, it's fine. Really. But you're good at this. I think you might even be better than me."
"Ah, really?"
It was actually my first time physically making potions, but I didn't mention that.
Still, as I stirred, I couldn't help thinking—I might really be good at this.
Maybe the body I'd transmigrated into had a natural talent for potion-making…
"Wow! You're amazing! Hey, if you fail the Disciplinary Committee test, want to join the Potion Brewing Club instead of the Swordsmanship Club?"
"That doesn't sound bad."
Honestly, it was a pretty good idea.
The Potion Brewing Club had many students from prestigious families.
It was one of the best clubs for building connections.
"If I fail the entrance exam, I'll definitely consider applying."
"Hehe, great. I think club life with you would be pretty fun."
"Thank you for saying so."
Smiling, I focused again on my work.
The Strength Enhancement Potion and Defense Enhancement Potion weren't particularly difficult to make.
Normally, they'd come out fine just like this, but…
'…Will it work? It did in the game.'
Curiosity got the better of me, and I decided to alter the recipe slightly.
In this world, potion-making wasn't just about ingredients. The stirring direction, number of rotations, and even timing mattered.
It was basically a rhythm game—the results could change completely based on how you stirred.
And I… knew a lot of bugs related to potion crafting.
'Every time I reported those bugs, the devs ignored them. They never fixed potion-related glitches.'
So among players, there was a rumor that those bugs weren't actually bugs, but hidden features the developers left in.
Whatever the truth, I knew several bugs that could easily create overpowered potions.
'Since I'm already making a Strength Enhancement Potion… if I use the bug here, I should be able to make an Elixir.'
For reference, an Elixir was the most powerful healing potion in the game.
According to the lore, it could even completely heal fatal wounds—a priceless item.
In short, it was incredibly valuable. And if I could reproduce it here as easily as in the game… it'd give me a huge advantage.
'Honestly, it probably won't work… but I've got nothing to lose.'
In the cauldron where the Strength Enhancement Potion ingredients were boiling, I stirred the mixture once clockwise, then pulled out the stick.
Then I inserted it again and stirred it once counterclockwise.
After a short pause, I repeated the process in reverse—again and again.
"Umm, Alex? What are you doing?"
"I'm making the potion."
"I can see that, but… are potions normally made like this? I've never seen anyone stir it like that before."
"Yes, you probably haven't. This is… you could say, a method unique to me."
It wasn't exactly a lie.
No one in this world brewed potions like this, that was for sure.
As I repeated the strange motion, inserting and removing the stick, the color of the potion began to change.
The red liquid gradually turned purple.
'Wait, what? It actually works?'
The moment I saw that familiar purple hue, I realized the bug really did exist here.
After about thirty repetitions of the process—
'…It worked.'
Faint light began to shimmer within the purple liquid.
That glow—the mark of a true Elixir.
I didn't know why it worked, but I'd successfully created an Elixir using a bug.
'If this bug works, there might be others that still function too… I could use this to my advantage.'
After all, I was a veteran who knew all the unfixed bugs from the game.
If I used them wisely…
"Alex? How did you make this potion?"
"Ah, well, that is… a mistake."
I quickly poured the potion into a glass bottle before Layla could look any closer.
In my focus on exploiting the bug, I'd completely forgotten she was there.
And Layla was someone with quite a deep interest in potion-making.
The moment she saw the potion turn purple, she must have sensed something was off.
"A mistake? But potions that glow like this are top-grade! And this purple color… it's an Elixir, isn't it?"
"Uh… well…"
"How did you do it? It's impossible to make an Elixir from those ingredients. Don't you need a Phoenix's Tear for that?"
"Hmm…"
[To be Continue]