Chapter 81: The Legacy of the Family

That day, the people living around the Nineteenth District of Seventon distinctly felt the ground shaking violently. Many believed it to be an earthquake, but only seasoned adventurers realized this tremor was the result of a powerful explosion deep underground. When the “earthquake” subsided, a huge crater—over two hundred meters across—appeared again at the location previously cordoned off by the military.

Soon, spellcasters from the military arrived at the scene and discovered numerous skeletal remains below, many of which were unmistakably human. Upon inspection, they determined the bottom of the pit had suffered an immense magical assault, even causing a spatial collapse. The commander of the spellcasters in charge wore a dark, grim expression.

That very night, all military personnel assigned to guard duty were urgently recalled. Some distant onlookers claimed to have heard the furious roar of Hussein...

Not long after the count’s departure, Bourne sensed a violent surge of magical energy emanating from the Nineteenth District. Just as the count had promised, he returned shortly thereafter. Apart from the wild, unrestrained magic still swirling about him, he seemed unchanged.

Upon returning, the count handed Bourne a strange crystal. The moment it touched his hand, Bourne recognized it as a world’s coordinate core, though its outer layer had already been sealed by the count.

“Incredible!”

Bourne shouted inwardly, giving his grandfather endless mental praise. He regretted not having a chance to offer him a warm drink—well, tea—just now.

After all, he had tested it himself: he couldn’t even approach within a hundred meters of the altar, and the unknown being was operating from another world, at least of legendary strength. For the count to resolve the matter so swiftly was a testament to his overwhelming power.

…

Ten minutes later, the count led Bourne to the Mage Tower of Giles Academy, granting him full access to an entire floor. Bourne was puzzled but dutifully followed his grandfather’s arrangements.

The count entered the laboratory area, took out a crystal that looked like glass, and set it on the alchemy table. He picked up a hammer and tapped it lightly a few times, producing a ringing, metallic clang.

“Crystal Iron.”

The count handed the ore to Bourne, who began to study it carefully.

“Crystal Iron is a naturally occurring metal formed in lava. After refining and forging, it takes on a bluish-white hue with a greenish sheen. This metal is renowned for retaining its sharpness through years of use, making it the preferred material for crafting keen weapons...

“Crafting requires a quiet, comfortable environment, much like preparing spells. If you wish to make magical weapons, armor, or shields, you’ll need a set of tools for working raw materials...

“For instance, to forge a magical longsword, you’ll need metalworking tools. You also need exquisite items to hold the enchantments, a forging core, and various amplifying elements for making wands. The type of forging core depends on your own preferences...”

“Gloves are a spellcaster’s best friend. Most spellcasters, when making gloves, will embed a small pocket dimension within them.” The count raised his gloved hands for Bourne to see and continued, “Just like storage gloves, the space inside can hold a certain number of items. Most mages store spell components in them for easy access during combat—and they’re not easily detected.

“Of course, the wearer can also store potions, scepters, scrolls, weapons, or staves for ready use. Most adventurers favor storing magical scrolls, simply because they can be activated the fastest.”

As he spoke, the count took up a half-finished glove to illustrate. “In most adventures, spellcasters rarely wear robes; conflicts are commonplace. How do you identify enemy spellcasters in a hostile group? Those wearing gloves are easily spotted. The materials for these gloves are usually a special black leather, with silver and gold runes at each fingertip. The magic used in their creation removes all flaws and seams, making the gloves exceptionally smooth. When the wearer snaps their fingers, the runes at the tips will briefly glow. When summoning or storing items with the gloves, a mystical crackle of energy can be heard between the fingers...”

The count was thorough, pausing at each step for Bourne to observe carefully and explaining the advantages and drawbacks from every angle.

He wasted no words—everything he shared was pure, practical knowledge. Bourne, for his part, entered his “pseudo-genius” mode: with his formidable mental focus and the chip’s analytical abilities, he seemed transformed into a peerless prodigy. Occasionally, Bourne would pose questions so insightful that even the count had to pause and consider his answers.

And so, one taught with diligence, the other learned with all his heart.

This process lasted nearly half a month. Thanks to his tremendous mental strength and the support of “Qi,” Bourne needed no rest—and the count needed even less.

During this period, the only breaks the count took were to sip a few cups of black tea while Bourne practiced his experiments.

“Among all magical items, scrolls are the simplest and most cost-effective to produce. Scrolls containing low-level spells are the cheapest and easiest to make. That’s because a scroll is essentially a spell prepared and stored in written form, ready to be cast...

“Magic potions are somewhat similar to scrolls, as they store spells in drinkable form. In potion-making, you separate the properties of the ingredients and combine them in specific ways to achieve magical effects...”

Bourne had always known his grandfather was a master of alchemy, possessing extraordinary expertise in the field.

In this era, there was no formal profession of “alchemist.” Alchemists only emerged as a class after the floating city ascended into the sky, when the “Mithra Core” became available as a power source, enabling rapid advancement in alchemical research. Otherwise, crafting magical items would drain one’s life force, and research required constant experimentation—essentially sacrificing lifespan for progress. Of course, doing it just a few times, as Bourne did, had little effect.

But this research, akin to scientific experimentation, required thousands or even tens of thousands of trials to make even minor improvements. Not even the so-called immortal elves could afford such a cost.

This was precisely why Bourne devoted himself so earnestly to his studies. This was the true core inheritance of the Iolum family—the distilled experience of generations, earned at the cost of their lives!

After nearly a month of instruction, the count discovered Bourne possessed remarkable talent in alchemy. In such a short time, Bourne had digested nearly everything he was taught and could even extrapolate and ask advanced questions.

Now the count had imparted all his alchemical theories to Bourne—what remained was for Bourne to practice on his own.

“Bourne, remember this: before you advance to higher ranks, minimize your creation of magical items,” the count said sternly. “Crafting magical items not only consumes your life force but also drains part of your potential. Excessive use will affect your future advancement!”

“I understand, Grandfather!” Bourne replied solemnly.

These days of instruction had been immensely beneficial. Even his research into the second generation of the “magical storage device” had been greatly inspired, leading him to add several new features.

Seizing the opportunity, Bourne brought out the prototype of the second-generation device and raised several questions.

“A magical storage device?” The count had seen one in Bourne’s underground “den” before. At the time, he regarded it as nothing more than a magic-powered “bucket,” lacking any real technical merit—he could easily make a dozen better ones himself.

But the present device had undergone significant upgrades. The count examined its design and was surprised by some of the refined details.

What a brilliant design!

He nodded silently and asked, “Did you take inspiration from the Mage Tower’s elemental pool?”

“As expected of you, Grandfather—you saw through my design at a glance,” Bourne replied, masking his flattery.

The count fixed him with a cold, penetrating look, reading his thoughts instantly. “Without the Mage Tower as a power source, your ‘magical storage device’ must still be placed inside a magic circle to gather energy. At best, it’s a simplified ‘spell pool’—hardly enough to power experiments or spellcasting. It’s utterly superfluous. What’s the point of making such a thing?”

Bourne smiled faintly and placed a bottle of experimental spell potion on the alchemy table. He said softly, “This is something that can change the world!”

The count’s eyes widened in shock. His powerful aura swept through the room and then swiftly withdrew.

Bourne, seated across from him, broke out in a cold sweat.

Utterly terrifying!

“Arcane Garden?!”

“Exactly,” Bourne replied, nodding slowly. “But it’s not called the Arcane Garden. I’ve given it a more elegant name: the Alchemical Workshop.”