Compared to the Mental Enhancement Potion, which has immediate effects and can quickly condense Willpower Runes, the Meditation Potion's effects are evidently more gradual and long-lasting.
It is a daily consumable used to enter a deep and efficient meditative state.
However, Roy was not very trusting of the products available on the market. The Wizard Tower lacked any quality inspection agencies or effective supervision methods, relying solely on individual experience and luck.
Moreover, for some potions, buying the finished product was simply not cost-effective; it was better to brew them himself.
After a whole night of experimentation, he confirmed it.
The finished product he brewed was made with solid materials, with a conscientious amount of water added, and its effects far surpassed those of others on the market.
For such a complex concoction, it was indeed more reassuring to produce and sell it himself!
...
"Hakaraz..."
In the void, the outline of the Willpower Rune emerged, glowing faintly with silver light.
As his mind stirred, the image of the rune became increasingly clear and specific.
"The ninth rune, finally successfully manifested.
This time, I can finally pass the monthly exam!"
Time flew by, and it was now late August.
Roy took the self-made Meditation Potion in batches, and the results were quite good.
Although his aptitude was not great, the self-made potion was relatively economical in terms of Magic Stones, and over time, his expenses were surprisingly low.
With a steady supply, his training speed naturally improved.
One day, Roy returned from the library and sat down at the small table in front of his bed.
The Magic Crystal Chandelier above emitted a soft glow, illuminating the open book in front of him.
But his attention was not on that; it was elsewhere.
[Alchemy Talent Acquisition in Progress (22%)]
He glanced at the translucent, ethereal panel that appeared in his field of vision, and Roy fell into silent contemplation.
Talent is a kind of innate gift and ability.
He never expected to acquire it through a golden finger.
This was incredibly important for his alchemical journey.
However, in recent days, after continuously researching and trying various methods, the progress of acquiring a second talent was still crawling at a leisurely pace.
This left him feeling exasperated, so he decided to temporarily set it aside and try something else.
"Further optimize and improve the formula...
Is it really possible?"
He once again brewed the "Puwu Water Fragrance."
What was different this time was that he tried adding a certain Mind-Calming Potion to it.
Let's call it "Calming Puwu Water Fragrance."
In theory, it would have a calming effect and slightly enhance meditation efficiency.
This was a much more advanced version than the ordinary "Puwu Water Fragrance." For an average person, brewing these would be difficult to measure correctly, leading to frequent failures.
But he fully utilized his [Proficient] advantage, which could enhance the success rate, and boldly made improvements.
Moments later, a batch of "Calming Puwu Water Fragrance" was successfully brewed.
"Great! With this Alchemy Talent support, it really is convenient and quick!"
Feeling invigorated, Roy brought the bottle to his nose and gently inhaled. He found that this special perfume had a fresh and natural rush of reed fragrance at first.
Then, scents reminiscent of lotus and jasmine gradually emerged, adding a touch of softness to the overall atmosphere.
The base note was a faint woody aroma, giving a sense of tranquility and comfort.
"It really is different!"
He carefully sprayed a little perfume on his collar.
Whether it was psychological or truly effective, he didn't drink the Meditation Potion that night, yet his training results were still quite good.
The next morning, he felt particularly energetic, free from the usual fatigue.
"The effects are even better than what the book says.
Moreover, this proves that this path is viable.
Increasing the difficulty of brewing to achieve better results is no problem for me.
After all, my success rate is high!"
Roy began to attempt selling it externally at a price of three Magic Stones per bottle.
The material costs for this perfume were low, and when accounting for various expenses, the total cost was under one Magic Stone.
So everything above that was pure profit.
This was a trade-off for the brewing difficulty! At first, this special perfume was not easy to gain popularity, as others were also accustomed to producing and selling their own products and were not very trusting of others' goods.
Roy had no choice but to give away a few bottles to Renien and others for them to try and help promote it.
As a result, a few days later, many new intermediate apprentices came to him, eager to purchase.
Under the pressure of the monthly exam, these people had a strong desire to buy, forcing him to temporarily halt other research and studies to brew another batch.
This wave of demand peaked at the end of August.
After the monthly exam, everyone was surprised to find that Roy, who had failed the previous month, had actually passed smoothly.
Although the real reason was the secretly brewed Meditation Potion at work, both Roy and Renien naturally attributed the credit to this perfume.
Many people believed it.
By mid-September, nearly everyone in the surrounding circles had a bottle, and Roy's busy schedule finally came to a temporary halt.
Such a product was not something that could be used up in a day or two, nor would everyone necessarily repurchase.
But that was no longer Roy's concern.
He calculated his earnings, deducting the debt owed to Renien and the expenses for some miscellaneous items, and found that he had actually exceeded 200 Magic Stones.
"This truly is a lucrative path.
But the viable path is the path itself, not just one or two specific alchemical products.
The real secret is to brew more difficult and rare items, fully utilizing the advantages of [Proficient]! Let me think, I remember seeing a few good formulas in the library, perhaps I can give them a try..."
Just as Roy was contemplating how to proceed with his next plan, a familiar face, an apprentice he often attended classes with, came looking for him with someone else.
"Roy, we want to talk to you."
"You are... Trides?"
The other party seemed to be a new intermediate apprentice like himself, someone he often encountered during basic classes, and over time, he had developed a bit of an impression.
Trides nodded and gestured to the person behind him: "Let me introduce, this is Senior Botning, you should have seen him before."
"Hello, Senior Botning."
Roy indeed recognized this person and had some impression of him.
The other had a prominent scar on his face, extending from his forehead to his cheek, and his head was completely bald, covered with pits of varying sizes.
Such physical features were not uncommon among apprentices; one could even say they were a mark of "seniority," as they were often the result of certain battles or experiments.
"Roy, right?"
Botning looked Roy up and down.
"Your perfume is quite good, but I forbid you from selling it anymore, or else I'll make you regret it!"
Roy asked, "Why?"
Botning replied, "It's simple, because it's interfering with my business!"
(End of Chapter)