Chapter 40: Bottled Divine Grace
“Where are you two from?” an elf alchemist asked, his golden hair streaked with silver. Elves lived twice as long as humans, so he must have been at least one hundred and fifty years old.
“I’m a traveling alchemist, and he’s my… partner,” Rebecca replied, curtseying politely. “You can call me Ray.”
“Just call me Abyss. I’m her assistant,” Abyss said, introducing himself. “Ray is fascinated by Lavoisier City’s alchemists’ gathering, so we came here hoping to participate and learn from the masters.”
The alchemists nodded, although they found it hard to believe that a traveling alchemist could possess such extraordinary skills. However, before Rebecca’s arrival, Professor Kom had shared his struggles with the potion formula, which this young woman had effortlessly deciphered. Her abilities had earned their respect.
With such talent, any alchemical organization in the world would welcome her with open arms. No one would refuse a genius.
As for her age, they assumed she was an older woman who used potions to maintain her youthful appearance. Rebecca, sensing their assumption, simply smiled. If she counted her time as an undead, she would be a sixty-year-old grandmother.
“Do you have any new ideas you’d like to share? We can discuss them,” an alchemist asked.
Rebecca pondered. She usually developed potions with specific goals in mind, driven by her own needs. Her inspiration often came from observing and analyzing details, which was why she enjoyed studying other alchemists’ work. She did possess some unique potions, like the antidote she had given Abyss and the potion that neutralized the toxins in the other world’s factory, but those weren’t worth sharing.
“Not at the moment. I’m simply curious about your discussion. May I listen in? If I have any ideas, I’ll share them,” she said.
“Alright, sit over there with your assistant. We were just discussing something. We can continue now.”
“Thank you,” Rebecca said, nodding, taking Abyss’s hand and leading him to a corner of the room, ready to observe the alchemists’ discussion.
It was clear they had been engrossed in their conversation before her arrival. The moment she sat down, their voices filled the room, their aged faces animated with excitement as they passionately shared their opinions.
“I’m telling you, this potion is revolutionary! It’s a precious legacy from our ancestors, something that will forever change Hai-Teweru!” a dwarf alchemist exclaimed, pounding his fist on the table, his bushy beard swaying with each breath.
“Don’t be ridiculous. Before you change the world, consider the possibility of the Church burning you at the stake!” an elderly woman scoffed. “I’ve said it many times, don’t trust those ancient formulas from tombs! Look at this inscription. It’s pure evil!”
Abyss, hearing the word “tomb,” perked up. He glanced at the woman. She was holding a large sheet of paper, a rubbing of an ancient inscription, likely from a tombstone. As a mage who frequently used ancient languages in his spells, he recognized the writing. It read: “This potion can store Divine Grace. Pray to the Nine Gods, asking them to heal your ailments. Hold this potion, and when Divine Grace descends, its power will infuse the potion. Consume it immediately.”
“How is storing Divine Grace evil?!” the dwarf protested, taking a long drag from his pipe, exhaling a thick cloud of smoke. “It’s simply delaying the use of God’s blessings! If we can unlock its secrets, it will revolutionize alchemy!”
“If this potion can store Divine Grace, it must be connected to the Church’s Divine Arts users. Why is this potion unknown now? Why has the Church suppressed this information?” the elderly woman asked with a sneer. “Where do you think those who created this potion ended up? Some unknown individuals left these formulas in their tombs, and you’re foolish enough to follow them blindly?”
Rebecca, listening intently, felt a surge of disbelief. She was undoubtedly the most talented alchemist in the world, yet she had never heard of a potion that interacted with Divine Arts.
Most potions relied on mana, either manipulating the user’s internal mana or facilitating the absorption of external mana. Alchemy was intrinsically linked to the principles of mana manipulation, hence the term “potion.” Only a small number of potions relied solely on their inherent properties, mostly for medicinal purposes.
But how could a potion interact with Divine Arts? Rebecca, well-versed in various fields of knowledge, could understand the ancient inscription. It clearly stated that the potion could store Divine Grace, specifically the power of healing, transforming it into a divinely empowered healing potion.
“Excuse me, could you explain what they’re arguing about?” Rebecca asked the alchemist beside her, tapping his shoulder gently.
The alchemist turned to face her. “Ah… That dwarf, Horst, recently explored an ancient ruin with his students. They discovered a stone tablet with a potion formula in an ancient tomb. It claims that the potion can store Divine Grace. But the problem is, some of the ingredients are rare, and everyone’s afraid of attracting the Church’s attention. If they discover this research, they’ll send their Paladins after us. We could all be executed.”
“Such a potion exists? Is there any evidence that it actually works?” Rebecca asked, her curiosity piqued.
“No, the tomb’s owner and its age are unknown. There’s only that cryptic stone tablet,” the alchemist said, shaking his head. “I wish they would change the subject. It’s too dangerous. And it clearly requires the cooperation of a Divine Arts user from the Church. It’s impossible. Where would we find such an obedient Divine Arts user?”
“Ah, thank you,” Rebecca said, then stood up, raising her hand to get everyone’s attention. “Mr. Horst, could I see that ancient potion formula?”
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