A Wizard’s Secret

Merlin appeared rather exhausted. He raised his head and took a glance at Wizard Sammir. In a calm tone, he said, “Wizard Sammir, I failed to make Edro Potion!”

“Failed?”

Wizard Sammir was stunned but quickly regained his senses. He showed a disappointed look as he mumbled, “So you still failed, huh…”

“Failed?”

Wizard Burton and the black-robed old man immediately stiffened. They glanced at Wizard Sammir in an alert. The Alchemy Creature behind Wizard Burton also came close to him. As soon as Wizard Sammir did anything, Wizard Burton and the black-robed old man would give their all to fight back even if they were no match for him.

Wizard Sammir reached out his wizened hands. He, of course, noticed Wizard Burton and the black-robed old man’s actions. His expression dimmed and sneered. “Heh. I said that I won’t attack you regardless of the result!”

After saying that, Wizard Sammir sent a cold stare at Wizard Burton and the old man, then immediately turned around. He was about to leave with his Alchemy Creature.

“Wizard Sammir, even though I failed this time, I’m getting a grasp of making the potion. Do you really expect me to succeed from just the first try?”

Suddenly, Merlin’s voice rang and Wizard Sammir instantly turned around. His expression was rather unsure.

After a long moment, Wizard Sammir spoke with a shivering voice, “Wizard Merlin, are you saying that you’re confident in making Edro Potion?”

“A little, yes. But I’ll need a lot of potion materials. After all, Edro Potion is really difficult to make; the success rate is too low.”

Merlin replied in a certain tone. Wizard Sammir could no longer hide the elation in his face. He quickly asked, “Wizard Merlin, how many sets of potion materials do you need to make Edro Potion?”

Merlin gave it a thought and said, “The process to make Edro Potion is too complicated. There are also many steps that required well fire-handling. I’m certain of the success rate by thirty percent for normal potions, but I’m not even ten percent certain that I can make Edro Potion. Give me ten sets of potion materials first. I may be able to make it. If I still fail in the end, prepare a few more sets for me and I’ll probably succeed at that time.”

“Ten sets…”

Wizard Sammir’s mouth twitched and said with a bitter smile, “Wizard Merlin, do you really think that I can buy the materials for Edro Potion anywhere? After so many years, I’ve only able to collect a dozen sets of potion materials by many means. In the end, I wasted a few after giving to many apothecaries. I only have eight sets left now.”

Wizard Sammir was helpless as well. These potion materials were extremely precious. Initially, he had obtained an Edro Potion from a certain ancient relics by an incident and found that it was able to stabilize Spell Models that were below Fourth-level. He then began to search everywhere for the materials needed to make Edro Potion.

He had spent a large amount of effort to collect each set of materials. Some materials could not even be bought by using elemental crystal stones. Wizard Sammir was truly speechless after listening to Merlin’s request to have a dozen sets of materials.

“Only eight sets are left? Then, I can only do my best now. After all, the success rate of potion-making can’t be increased that easily. During the time when I’m preparing the potion, I hope that Wizard Sammir can actively search for the potion materials as well. If you can get your hands on a few more sets, the possibility of making the potion will greatly increase!”

After Merlin said that, Wizard Sammir nodded and instantaneously handed eight sets of potion materials to Merlin. He then said to Merlin, “Wizard Merlin, please be rest assured. If you succeed, I’ll immediately pass the hundred years’ ice bone marrow to you. I shouldn’t bother you any longer now.”

Wizard Sammir’s tone was brimming with delight after he finally saw a slight hope of having the potion.

After Wizard Sammir left, Wizard Burton and the black-robed old man quickly asked Merlin, “Wizard Merlin, are you really certain that you can make the potion Wizard Sammir wants?”

They were worried that Merlin’s words were simply a means to drag the matter. If he could not make it in the end, Wizard Sammir would definitely fly into a rage and none of them would be saved from his fury.

Merlin nodded with a serious expression. “Please be rest assured. I’m certain that I can make the potion.”

“It’s all good then. We shall wait for your good news, Wizard Merlin!”

Wizard Burton and the black-robed old man left respectively. They knew that no one would bother Merlin during the next few days as that time would be the most crucial moment for him.

In the following days, Merlin was indeed trying to prepare Edro Potion. Even with the help of the Matrix, Merlin did not dare to relax. He tried his very best every time he prepared the potion.

However, as Merlin had predicted previously, Merlin could complete all three hundred steps without a single mistake with the help of the Matrix. However, he could not handle the fire well. Thus, he had failed in making the potion these few days and wasted three sets of potion materials.

Luckily, Wizard Sammir had given him an adequate number of potion materials. Even if he had wasted three sets, he was still left with five sets. Meanwhile, Merlin had accumulated more experiences after failing in the potion-making, helping him to achieve a higher accuracy while handling the fire in his subsequent attempts.

Therefore, Merlin actually benefited from the failure as well. The fire-handling experience was Merlin’s largest gain.

…

“Hiss! Hiss!”

Green smoke began to appear from Merlin’s glassware. This was the final step – he had handled the fire really well. Only with a little more heating and an extreme caution in the fire-handling, he would succeed in making Edro Potion.

Merlin stared at the potion in the glassware. Half a month had gone past since he failed in making the potion thrice. In the meantime, he had only four attempts to prepare it.

…

This was his seventh time in preparing Edro Potion. Merlin had handled the fire quite well. If he failed this time, only the last set of materials would be left.

The potion in the glassware had turned into a viscous dark green liquid. Heating it with high temperature, the liquid kept boiling and small gas bubbles popped from it.

After a moment, Merlin gradually stopped the heating and the potion in the glassware began to cool down. However, during the cooling process, the color of the potion changed. From dark green, it slowly turned into a strange green potion.

Merlin was slightly elated by this progress. According to the hint written in the formula for Edro Potion, the true Edro Potion was in the form of green powder.

The initially viscous potion had started to dry after cooling and finally became a pile of green powder.

“I finally did it!”

Merlin was relieved. According to his judgment, he had succeeded in making the potion, but he could only be sure after the potion was tested by the Matrix.

“The Matrix, test if Edro Potion is qualified.”

There were a few identifications meant to test a true Edro Potion in the Edro Potion formula and Merlin had long recorded them in the Matrix. There would be no mistake with the test.

“Beep. Test completed. More than ninety-nine percent probability that this is Edro Potion!”

The result was finally out. Merlin heaved a long sigh. Since the probability was over ninety-nine percent, it could almost confirm that he had made the true Edro Potion in his seventh try.

“Almost a month’s time. I believe that Wizard Sammir has waited long enough. It’s time to go out!”

Merlin was truly relieved. He kept the final set of potion materials for Edro Potion. As it was extremely precious, Merlin would not return them to Wizard Sammir like an idiot. Moreover, he was sure that Wizard Sammir would not care about these potion materials.

“Creak.”

Merlin pushed the door open. At once, Wizard Burton and the black-robed old man heard the sound and quickly came to Merlin’s room.

Wizard Burton was feeling impatient as he quickly asked, “Wizard Merlin, how’s the potion-making?”

Merlin smiled as he nodded. “Although it took me quite a while, I finally succeeded.”

“Succeeded?”

A hint of elation flashed on the black-robed old man’s face.

“That’s right. I indeed succeeded!”

Merlin reaffirmed his statement. Immediately, Wizard Burton and the old man could not help but heaved a long sigh. Although Merlin was the one who made the potion, this matter was, in fact, also related to their own lives so they were more anxious than Merlin.

“Oh right. Let’s inform Wizard Sammir quickly.”

The old man said in a low voice.

Meanwhile, Merlin and Wizard Burton exchanged a glance. Merlin shook his head. “Do we need to? I’m sure that Wizard Sammir is already on his way here!”

After saying that, Merlin took a knowing glance outside of the courtyard. Wizard Sammir could have arranged for someone to monitor their actions. When Merlin came out of his room, that spy could have informed Wizard Sammir.

The old man fell silent. Following that, Merlin and others simply waited in silence.

After a short moment, Wizard Sammir rushed to their residence urgently. Just when he arrived in Wizard Burton’s courtyard, he yelled even before seeing Merlin, “Wizard Merlin, how’s the progress of potion-making?”

Merlin did not speak. Instead, he took out a transparent glassware from his ring. In the glassware was a pile of green powder.

Upon seeing the potion in Merlin’s hands, Wizard Sammir’s wizened face could not help but brimmed with surprise. In addition, both his hands were shaking slightly and were about to take the potion from Merlin.

However, Merlin kept the potion back into his ring. With a calm tone, he said, “Wizard Sammir, do you still remember your promise?”