Chapter 84: Private Laboratory

The operation of capital is universal, regardless of the world one finds oneself in!

The striking domed architecture was impossible to ignore; anyone with intent could easily inquire and learn that this was the headquarters under construction for the Lehmann Guild. Sevendon was neither large nor small. The fact that the owner of the Lehmann Guild was Bourne Iolem was no longer a secret. In just a few short years, Bourne had transformed the Lehmann Guild into one of Sevendon’s leading pharmaceutical giants, dazzling countless onlookers. The techniques he employed were hailed as classics by many business owners.

Anyone asking around would quickly discover that the surrounding properties had all been acquired by the Lehmann Guild. With such a conspicuous building now rising, the old foxes could see through the Lehmann Guild’s layout at a glance.

“Hmph! A pack of wolves!” Lehmann’s face flushed with anger.

Lehmann’s commercial acumen surpassed even Bourne’s, but Bourne’s advantage lay in his vision—seeing beyond his era. Lehmann, blinded by flattery these past days, quickly saw through the intricacies after a brief hint from Bourne.

Smack!

Lehmann threw down a thick pile of invitations and letters. At first, he believed he could step into the noble circles, only to discover he was being treated as a juicy prey. Just as he was about to burn them all, Bourne stopped him, picking up the pile.

“Heh, so many. What a waste to burn them—let me have a look.”

Bourne glanced over them; there were at least fifty, and all the famous noble families of Nather were represented.

“These old foxes remain as sharp-eyed as ever!”

Only Lehmann and the Count knew of Bourne’s plans; no one else did. However, when the Lehmann Guild’s headquarters was officially completed, even the shops lining the surrounding streets would amount to a considerable fortune.

“Grandfather was right—this piece of meat is too large. Eating it alone is tempting, but it will antagonize everyone else and place us in opposition to all. We need allies to share the burden.”

Bourne casually flipped through the invitations, pulling out several; the first two were from the Shamsden family and the Cook family, while most of the others were from families belonging to the Arcane Society.

“I wonder if Father has returned. By the time, he should be arriving soon.”

For once, Bourne thought of Viscount Gordon. When it came to social skills, Viscount Gordon was leagues ahead of Bourne, and such matters were precisely suited for him.

The head of the Iolem family was still the Count, and the actual heir was Viscount Gordon. Since Bourne’s status as successor had not been finalized, he could not formally represent the Iolem family. Bourne was not adept at handling such affairs, so entrusting them to Viscount Gordon was fitting.

The most pressing matter now was to establish the alchemy workshop. Whether it was the Arcane Garden or the laboratory, these were the most urgent tasks.

Growing magical herbs was not accomplished overnight; it required a cycle of time. Fortunately, they did not need to follow the natural seasons—once the Arcane Garden was built, planting could begin immediately.

Most important, however, was the laboratory! Bourne was not accustomed to using either the manor’s laboratory or the mage tower’s.

The advantages of a private laboratory were indisputable, and Bourne's biological chip project needed to commence at once. Mechanical chips could no longer satisfy his requirements, especially in storage and analysis, which were falling behind his current needs.

Lehmann then led Bourne around the headquarters. Though it fell short of Bourne’s ideal, he knew that for the current construction standards, building with bluestone was already exceptional.

The architect was one of Nather’s renowned masters, who had once taught Bourne for a time.

Bourne, used to steel and concrete, always felt houses built of bluestone were less sturdy—especially after witnessing the aftermath of the previous battle between the Count and the Corrupt Chemist in District Nineteen, where the shockwaves alone toppled many buildings.

“Has the ‘Infrastructure Divine Spell’ been invented yet? It's a pity neither the Academy nor Grandfather had it. If only I could get it, things would be much easier!”

The divine spell [Stone to Mud] often appeared in various novels, though few knew its original purpose was simply to traverse labyrinths.

Moreover, [Stone to Mud] was not a simple low-level spell or cantrip—it was a fifth-circle spell! Only a caster of intermediate rank could learn it, and it was most often used by travelers to manufacture cement.

Fortunately, the basic framework was already established; Bourne decided to build the laboratory first.

Bourne had too many secrets that could not be revealed, not even to his kin Viscount Gordon and the Count.

In what was touted as the most luxurious laboratory, most of the equipment consisted of pans and vessels, with more reliance on cauldrons and crucibles.

The alchemy bench was equipped with auxiliary magic circles for purification and separation.

Common laboratory items such as test tubes, beakers, and scales, so ubiquitous on Earth, were simply absent here.

Yet Bourne secretly made a few himself and carried them with him, only taking them out for experiments and ensuring he used them away from others. Such out-of-place objects would only bring trouble if exposed.

During his time studying alchemy under the Count, Bourne’s skills had soared, and he was confident he could fashion many of the laboratory tools from his previous life using alchemical methods.

He was eager to see if he could create centrifuges and separators, hence his urgent desire for a private laboratory.

After a brief tour, Bourne took out pen and paper and swiftly compiled a list of required materials, handing it to Lehmann.

“Prepare these materials by this afternoon.”

“This afternoon? So soon?” Lehmann glanced at the list, frowning slightly; some items would not be easy to procure immediately.

“Yes, the sooner the better. I’ll wait here,” Bourne continued. “Today, I want to start building the laboratory!”

“Oh... and bring along Ranger Harbwick. He knows how to get some of the things I need.”

Lehmann was no stranger to such situations; he nodded and left.

Bourne looked around. His presence was attracting considerable attention.

The rapid construction of the laboratory was driven by the fact that his current chip storage was nearly full, and the design for the biological chip was essentially complete.

In the materials provided by Cook, Bourne found the Isolation Magic Circle!

Cook specialized in conjuration, and combined with the Dupont family’s research, Bourne was confident he could steal some shadow matter from the Dusk Netherworld!

...

(Apologies for the briefness—two chapters tomorrow! Please recommend, thank you!!!)