Chapter 743: How to Develop an Alchemy Symbol

Monday came, and the Royal Academy returned to its usual academic routine.

The First-Year students had resumed their classes after the weekend. The familiar sounds of students talking, moving between classrooms, and preparing their learning materials filled the academy once again.

Ezra’s first class of the day was the general course.

Professor Kent went through a new topic, taking the students through the lesson before bringing up the upcoming Conference on the Talk of Primary and Secondary Alchemy Paths.

It was a subject every Alchemist would eventually need to understand as they advanced towards the Arcanist Alchemist rank.

The conference was not something every student would attend. Those selected for the event had already received their messages, and Ezra was among the First-Year students who had been notified.

He took note of the information.

The first class eventually came to an end.

The next class followed, and then came the long break.

The students used the time to rest, prepare for their remaining lessons, or attend to their own activities before returning to the classrooms.

As the day progressed, the number of remaining lessons gradually decreased.

And finally...

The last class of the day arrived, just before the students would begin their Self-study session.

Professor Giggs Ryan stood at the front of the classroom, with the holographic screen displaying the Alchemy Circle he had been using throughout the lesson.

"So, this will be the conclusion for Fusion Process Symbols and Conversion Process Symbols."

Professor Giggs Ryan said calmly.

The holographic screen above him displayed an Alchemy Circle. Its structure revolved mostly around the Symbols of Fusion and the Symbols of Conversion .

Several symbols were arranged within the circle, connected by Alchemy Lines that formed the structure of the formula.

Professor Giggs had spent the previous lessons explaining the two Process Symbols, their functions, and how they were applied in Alchemy Circle Conversion.

For students who were still unfamiliar with the subject, understanding the difference between the two had not been immediate.

At first, the terms could easily become confusing.

Both involved changes to materials, and their functions could appear similar when viewed without understanding the purpose behind each operation.

But after studying their individual properties and applications, the distinction had become much clearer.

Basically...

The students who had only recently begun to understand what the two Process Symbols were about had finally grasped their purpose.

These two were among the most frequently used symbols in the Process Symbol category.

Conversion Symbols involved changing one form, state, or property into another.

Fusion Symbols, on the other hand, involved joining two or more separate substances or materials into a unified whole.

Although both could be used in the same Alchemy Circle, their purposes were different.

One dealt with conversion, while the other brought separate materials together.

Understanding that distinction was important. A student who failed to recognize the function of a symbol could easily misunderstand the operation of an entire Alchemy Circle.

Professor Giggs allowed the explanation to settle before looking across the classroom.

"Any questions before I give my assignment?"

He asked, looking at the students.

"Professor."

Willow Derlis raised her hand calmly.

"Please, speak, Young Lady Willow Derlis."

Professor Giggs replied.

Willow began asking her question.

At the same time...

Ezra was packing his Zphone Tablet, sketchbook, and Alchemy Circle drawing equipment into his space bag.

He arranged the items carefully, making sure that his drawing equipment was properly placed before moving on to the other materials.

His attention remained on his bag as he prepared to leave once the lesson was over.

"How were your dates, Player?"

Vera asked, looking at him from her side.

Her dull black eyes were fixed on him.

"It was fine."

Ezra replied plainly, without looking at Vera.

He continued arranging his things inside the space bag.

"Ara, fine, you say? But not as fine as spending time with me."

Vera said casually, as though it were an obvious statement.

"All your Flowers are mentally draining altogether."

Ezra replied flatly.

"I see you gaze is telling me that you see me as the more draining Flower."

Vera replied straightforwardly, an amused smile appearing faintly on her face.

Her words came out without hesitation.

She didn’t seem to find anything unusual about making such a statement to him.

"Ez, Mmm... you went on an outing with Willow and Selena?"

Diane turned from her sleeping posture on the joint table to look at Ezra.

She had been resting against the table, but the mention of the two girls caught her attention enough to make her lift her head.

Before Ezra could answer, the professor’s voice cut through their conversation.

"Please record your assignments."

The announcement reminded the students to take note of the work displayed on the holographic screen.

Ezra quickly took a picture of the assignment.

He checked that the information had been captured before standing up and placing his space bag across his shoulder.

"I did."

He replied to Diane before leaving.

His answer was brief.

He had already recorded the assignment, so there was no reason for him to remain in the classroom any longer.

"Doesn’t he look like he’s in a hurry?"

Willow said, looking at Ezra as she sat down.

"Maybe he is getting away from his rejected victim."

Vera said dryly.

"I’m not a victim."

Willow replied firmly.

Her voice came out annoyed as she looked at Vera with a serious expression.

"I wonder if my dear Willow cried?"

Vera placed her left hand on her chin, seemingly giving the matter some thought.

But it was clear to Willow that she was only acting.

"It’s a story we will never know."

She shook her head and shrugged.

Willow’s expression became stiffer.

Vera’s remark had clearly not helped her mood.

Yet Vera maintained her usual composure, as though she had merely made an ordinary observation.

After leaving his sitting spot...

Ezra walked out of the classroom.

He headed towards the area where Professor Giggs and his assistant were waiting.

Morgan was still there, holding the professor’s belongings.

"Professor Giggs Ryan."

Ezra called his name calmly and politely.

"Ah... one of my class’s top students."

Professor Giggs looked at Ezra with a pleased smile.

Morgan lowered his head as Ezra approached them.

Ezra also lowered his head to greet the two before speaking.

"Please, Professor. I have a personal question I need to ask you privately."

He said calmly.

"Personal?"

Giggs tilted his head.

He placed his right hand on his beard and stroked it gently while looking at Ezra.

Knowing the boy named the Thousand Fold Mind of Ash, he could already imagine the kind of question that might be coming.

It definitely had to be something involving an invention or perhaps something about Alchemy Symbols.

His old eyes sparkled with interest.

"Alright."

Giggs replied, nodding once.

He then waved his left hand, signaling Morgan to head back to his office with his belongings.

"Thank you, sir."

Ezra thanked the professor before leading him towards an empty classroom.

Most of the students had already moved to other classrooms and the library, particularly those who wanted to make use of the facilities during their Self-study session.

The corridor was no longer as occupied as it had been during the break.

Students had spread out across the academy, each heading towards their preferred place of study.

Ezra led Professor Giggs into one of the empty classrooms.

There were no other students inside.

The joint tables and chairs remained arranged in their usual positions, with the classroom ready for the next lesson.

"So, what do you want to talk about, Young Gun Alchemist?"

Professor Giggs asked calmly after sitting down comfortably on one of the joint chairs.

Ezra remained standing in front of him.

"I want to know how Alchemy Symbols are created."

He asked straightforwardly.

Creation of Alchemy Symbols?

Professor Giggs thought to himself, surprised.

"Not about Alchemy Circles, but the Symbols?"

He asked, wanting to make sure he had heard Ezra correctly.

"Yes, Professor."

Ezra replied calmly.

"Haha."

Professor Giggs Ryan laughed once.

"Then you have come to the right person."

He said with an amused expression.

"In my prime, I worked with Grand Scholars and Master Scholars of Alchemy Circle Conversion to create twenty out of the two hundred and four Advanced Formula Alchemy Symbols we have now. So, I do know the true method of creating Alchemy Symbols."

He said confidently.

His words carried a certain pride.

It wasn’t every day that a student had the opportunity to ask someone who had personally participated in the creation of Advanced Formula Alchemy Symbols about the process.

Professor Giggs had not merely studied the subject from existing records.

He had been part of the scholars who worked on developing some of the symbols that were now recognized and used in Alchemy.

"But, Mr. Ezra Ashenlocke, do you know how many Alchemists and non-Alchemists who had reached the Master Scholar rank in their studies were needed to create those Alchemy Symbols?"

He asked.

"I’m sure it wasn’t a small number."

Ezra replied calmly.

He already understood that creating an Alchemy Symbol was not something that could be compared to simply drawing a new arrangement of lines within an Alchemy Circle.

A symbol had a specific function.

Its meaning and the instructions it represented had to be properly established before it could become part of the standardized system.

And considering that Professor Giggs had worked alongside Grand Scholars and Master Scholars, it was clear that the process required the involvement of people with considerable knowledge.

"Yes, it wasn’t, but then... it doesn’t really matter."

Professor Giggs said calmly.

He adjusted his seating posture before looking at Ezra for a brief moment.

"As you already know, the originality of Alchemy is Philosophy."

He began explaining calmly.

"Yes, there is always a meaning to an equation, and that meaning is the philosophy that makes up the equation."

Ezra replied plainly.

"Correct. You have studied well, child."

Professor Giggs nodded once, pleased with Ezra’s response.

"That ideology is what is used in the creation of Alchemy Symbols."

He said calmly.

Ezra remained standing in front of him, listening.

"You see... behind every symbol lies a philosophical meaning..."

Professor Giggs paused.

He allowed his words to settle before continuing with an example.

"The Fundamental Symbol of Fire means for something to burn, for there to be light, or even for something to be hot. It’s the same for Ice and other Fundamental Symbols."

He continued.

Ezra remained standing with his left hand resting on his right arm while his right hand was placed against his chin.

His attention was focused on what Giggs was teaching him.

The explanation was straightforward, but it was an important starting point.

A symbol wasn’t simply a drawing with a function assigned to it.

There was a philosophical meaning behind what it represented, and that meaning was what gave the symbol its purpose within Alchemy.

Ezra continued listening to the professor.