Chapter 77 - Brüle

Author: Dawn

The Potion Manufacturing class was excluded from the parent observation sessions.

The reason was simple.

“Our Potion Manufacturing class doesn’t participate in parent observation sessions. You all understand the reason, right?”

“Yes. We heard it’s because there are too many classes.”

The Magic Department had a surplus of classes.

Among the meticulously divided courses in the Magic Department, there were quite a few that were essential for parent observation sessions.

As a result, relatively less important classes had to be omitted from the Magic Department’s side.

If Hassen Rittle was here, maybe it would have been possible, but Ethan, who hadn’t been validated yet, participating in the Magic Department’s observation sessions was unrealistic.

“Well, it’s amusing that I, who am not a mage, would take you to parent observation sessions.”

“Nevertheless, we still consider you our teacher, even if you’re not a mage!”

During the first class, the students had shown resistance, but their thoughts changed that day.

They initially brushed aside the rumors from the Swordsmanship Department as exaggeration, but experiencing it firsthand revealed it wasn’t an exaggeration.

The rumors from the Swordsmanship Department were true: Ethan indeed delivered substantial classes.

Like the instructors of the Swordsmanship Department, the instructors of the Magic Department hadn’t been teaching their core techniques effectively.

In fact, they were worse than the Swordsmanship Department in this regard.

Even if a swordsman was exceptionally talented, reproducing their sword skills was difficult.

This was because sword skills varied greatly between each swordsman.

But magic was different.

Applying most of the core techniques in various ways was feasible.

By doing so, students could quickly end up using magic that surpassed that of their instructors.

Therefore, the Magic Department instructors taught their secrets but subtly held back the core techniques.

Core secrets and techniques.

Since these two things were taught only to apprentices or bloodlines, there was no choice but not to teach them to the students.

And such things didn’t sit well with the Magic Department students.

If it was going to be like this, why bother attending classes at the academy?

It would be better to learn from a personal tutor or enter as a renowned mage’s apprentice.

If not, entering the Magic Tower would have allowed them to learn much more.

That’s why the students had high expectations for this class.

They believed there would be something worth learning in Ethan’s Potion Manufacturing class.

“You all seem excited.”

This was the second session of the Potion Manufacturing class.

-The class that was taken over midway was received excellently.

-All students were in attendance!

-Your reputation is growing!

Just continuing the class inherited from the middle without any dropouts added to the reputation.

‘And if I finish it successfully, my reputation will rise even more.’

The more the students hoped for Ethan, the better.

‘It’s not at all burdensome.’

If there were no expectations, it might have been burdensome, but Ethan was already well-prepared.

‘If I can establish trust here, it will be much easier from the second semester onwards.’

Back then, Ethan was willing to take on many students, even if it meant pushing the limits.

In order to gain a lot of reputation, classes needed to be filled to the maximum capacity permitted by the academy.

“Those who have learned the basics of potion-making from their family tutors, raise your hands.”

Upon Ethan’s words, all the students raised their hands.

“Those who have learned the same content from their families as they did in the academy?”

Again, everyone raised their hands.

They already knew all the basics.

Yet, the reason they took Ethan’s Potion Manufacturing class was due to their previous instructor, Hassen Rittle.

“What you all expected from Teacher Hassen Rittle were practical potion-making methods. Not grand ones, but methods that could be practically utilized in daily life.”

Applying to Hassen Rittle’s class was a way to learn something new, something substantial.

In essence, something of value.

This was what all academy students desired.

Ethan promptly started writing on the board.

[Potion Manufacturing]

“Healing potions, mana potions, buff potions that provide buffs. There are various types of potions, but even for the same potion, the effects can differ.”

After finishing his sentence, Ethan looked at Grandel Torf.

It was a gesture, asking him to explain how they were different.

“Inferior, lesser, intermediate, greater, superior. These are the five tiers. With good materials, even if you’re not skilled, you can make a lesser potion, but with poor materials, you can’t make anything higher than that tier.”

Therefore, the most crucial thing in potion-making was the ingredients.

Without proper ingredients, even a skilled alchemist would find it difficult to make a good potion.

In fact, a skilled alchemist encountering poor ingredients wouldn’t be able to produce any potion below a certain tier.

“In potion-making, I understand that ingredients are the most important.”

“Right. That’s why Potion Manufacturing doesn’t differ that much no matter who teaches it.”

Using poor ingredients won’t yield good potions.

This was almost like the essence of the truth about potions.

“Then, do you know how to handle those ingredients?”

“The timing of adding the ingredients is crucial. You need to add them at the right moment to create a potion with good effects without wasting the ingredients.”

Upon Ethan’s question, Grandel Torf nodded confidently.

“That’s for sure. The more time you invest, the better the potion becomes.”

Smiling at his words, Ethan added new text next to the [Potion Manufacturing] that he had just written on the board.

[Correct]

“You all have a preconceived notion about potion-making. That is, it takes a long time to brew. But that’s wrong.”

The students paid attention to Ethan’s words.

“Now, let me show you a spell.”

Ethan drew a simple fireball rune.

With just five strokes of the pen, a fireball appeared on Ethan’s hand.

“This is the basic.”

Then, he did it again four more times.

“Application.”

This time, with three strokes of the pen, he drew a rune and conjured a fireball. The size was smaller than the first one, but it formed much faster.

“This is the advanced version. Elite mages like yourselves could naturally handle this advanced fireball, right?”

Everyone nodded.

Although a few students still needed four strokes, most of them could achieve it in three.

It was challenging but feasible since it was the most basic fireball.

Then, Ethan made two simple movements with his hand.

Two strokes of the pen.

“And this is acceleration.”

“…!”

“That’s unbelievable!”

“Huh, how?”

Grandel couldn’t contain his astonishment and blurted out.

Creating a fireball with just two strokes of the pen?

“Why did you apply to the Swordsmanship Department, Teacher?”

Though it wasn’t the most polite question, Grandel couldn’t hold back. Could an inspector create a fireball with just two strokes of the pen?

It would be impossible for anyone other than a high-ranking mage.

“This is just an example. I’m not particularly skilled in magic. I’m just adept at handling runes.”

In a moment, Ethan drew another rune swiftly.

“I’m sorry, Teacher.”

“It’s fine. You’re just asking on behalf of everyone.”

Grandel scanned the room.

Everyone had the same expression. Without a doubt, if he hadn’t asked, someone else would have.

The fireball rune conjured with just two strokes of the pen by Ethan was shocking enough to elicit such reactions.

Undeterred by their surprise, Ethan continued his explanation.

“What’s important here is this ‘acceleration’ created with these two strokes of the pen. The spell was completed while maintaining the form of the fireball. The original should have been a rune consisting of five strokes. Do you know why?”

Even Grandel, the most exceptional mage here, didn’t know the reason.

He only knew that the rune had been compressed, but he didn’t understand why it functioned that way fundamentally.

‘No one could know.’

What Ethan was doing now was magic from the future.

He intended to show a part of the core of the reformed potion rune, developed by future accomplished alchemists.

‘In reality, this spell was designed for the convenience of the players in the marketplace.’

Creating potions one by one was quite tricky in MePan.

Because of that, players had to buy potions at high prices. As their levels increased, the cost of potions often took a toll on their wallets.

It became challenging even to embark on large-scale expeditions due to the potions, which led to an urgent patch that created this setting.

‘I know that.’

Everyone silently awaited Ethan’s response.

Despite the silence, their excitement was palpable.

“Brüle.”

Ethan spoke briefly.

“The line here. The power contained in this line is the ‘brüle.’ The burning force. This single line holds the burning force, which is why a fireball can be created with just two lines.”

Having drawn the brüle, Ethan promptly took out a substance from his pocket.

“Then, if we integrate this into potion-making? The reason for dedicating time to making potions is to ensure that the ingredients are thoroughly heated.”

After pausing to catch his breath, Ethan continued.

“By combining this brüle, we can intensify the heating, and consequently, create potions much more quickly.”

Currently, Ethan possessed the skill of ‘Heo’s Decoction’.

However, even during his time as a player in MePan when he didn’t have the ‘Heo’s Decoction,’ Ethan was already skilled in potion-making. In fact, efficiently making potions was his specialty.

‘At present, the ‘Heo’s Decoction’ is much more effective using the brüle than not using it.’

However, he couldn’t reveal the ‘Heo’s Decoction’ to the students. So, he intended to introduce them to the brüle.

After all, it wouldn’t be significant since this knowledge would be unlocked when that alchemist appeared in the future.

“If we utilize this brüle to make potions, what do you think will happen?”

This time, Ethan asked another student.

“To be honest, I think it would result in messy potions. Potions need time to be meticulously prepared.”

“Right, that seems like the only logical conclusion.”

Ethan nodded.

“But you’re wrong.”

He immediately raised his hand.

“I’ll show you now. Watch closely.”

With one hand, he started making a potion using the brüle rune, and with the other hand, he made a potion without it.

The students remained breathless, their focus locked on Ethan as he skillfully crafted two potions.

In an instant, a brüle Healing Potion was created.

Since it was made without using the ‘Heo’s Decoction,’ the brüle’s power was the only element infused into the potion.

The other side was still being created.

And not long after, a potion made without the brüle was also crafted.

The difference between the two potions solely depended on whether the brüle was used or not.

“One was created with careful dedication, while the other was made quickly utilizing the brüle. As you know from your training, logically, the quickly made potion shouldn’t have better effects than the one made with time.”

Ethan tossed the two potions to Grandel.

“Appraise them.”

Grandel, the most skilled at appraisal magic here, could easily perform appraisal magic in this situation. As Ethan handed him the potions, Grandel glanced around.

Everyone was looking at him expectantly.

Ethan’s statement directly contradicted the content of Potion Manufacturing they had learned until now.

No one had ever suggested making potions faster before.

Even students who learned from Hassen Rittle had been taught that potions should be made at a leisurely pace, and concentration should never waver during the process.

With his eyes closed, Grandel placed his hands on the two potions.

His hands radiated light, and appraisal magic was instantly cast.

“…!”

Grandel opened his eyes anxiously.

“Both of these…”

Everyone focused on his words.

“Th-They’re the same….”