The Wizard Has A Biochip

Professor Totil let out a long sigh.

Then, he picked up the bottle beside him once again.

The amber liquid swayed gently before disappearing in another gulp.

I watched that scene for a few seconds.

For some reason...

It stirred a distant memory.

My father.

Not the father of this world.

The one from my old world.

I remembered the countless times I worked up the courage to ask him for money.

And almost every time, I found the same scene.

Him sunk into the couch, resting after an entire day of hard work.

With a bottle of beer in his hand and a soccer match playing on the television.

Back then, I found it irritating.

Now...

The memory only drew a nostalgic smile from me.

I turned my attention back to Totil.

He slowly scratched his beard.

Then he looked directly at me.

—Ah...

—You really are a bold boy...

His gaze seemed to pierce through my face.

As if he were trying to figure out just how far my determination truly went.

After a few seconds of silence, he spoke again.

—I have a few basic Mana Potion formulas capable of increasing the strength of magical energy.

—However, I signed magical contracts that prevent me from reselling any formula acquired from third parties.

I nodded slowly.

Magical contracts.

After yesterday’s experience...

I understood perfectly the weight of those words.

Totil continued.

—As for the formulas I developed personally...

He gave a faint smile.

—You definitely wouldn’t be able to afford them.

I felt my heart sink.

Even so...

I decided to ask.

—How much are they worth?

Totil let out an amused laugh.

—Hahaha...

—I knew you would ask.

He raised a finger.

—Eight hundred thousand magic crystals.

—And that’s only because you’re my apprentice.

For a few seconds...

My brain simply stopped working.

—Damn...

The words escaped before I could stop them.

A chill ran down my spine.

Eight hundred...

Thousand...

Magic crystals.

I already knew it would be expensive.

But this...

This was completely beyond my reality.

Not even if I added up everything I owned and everything I had sold since arriving at the Tower...

Would I be able to gather even a fraction of that amount.

I placed a hand on my forehead.

—It seems I really have no hope...

Totil merely smiled faintly.

There was no mockery on his face.

Only understanding.

—George.

—Developing an Ultra-Refined Mana Potion formula capable of permanently strengthening magical energy is no simple task.

His voice took on a lecturing tone.

—A Master Alchemy may spend dozens of years conducting experiments.

—Some dedicate an entire lifetime to it.

—Others die before completing the work.

—The costs are absurd.

—Every failed attempt consumes precious ingredients, represents thousands of magic crystals lost.

Then he looked directly at me.

—Besides...

—An exclusive formula usually becomes the primary source of wealth for an entire family of Masters specializing in Mana Potions.

—That’s precisely why they cost so much.

I remained silent.

It made sense.

A lot of sense.

On Earth...

Whoever mastered an exclusive technology became wealthy.

In this world...

Whoever possessed an exclusive formula became even wealthier.

It was practically a monopoly.

I smiled bitterly.

If one of those formulas ended up in the hands of a mere acolyte...

Probably everyone in the magical world would try to steal it.

Including me—I might even consider doing the same.

The thought crossed my mind for a brief moment.

Not out of malice.

But because that kind of knowledge could completely change someone’s fate.

I sighed.

Unfortunately...

None of that changed reality.

Eight hundred thousand magic crystals was still an impossible number.

I lowered my head slightly.

I was just about to thank him and leave...

When Totil spoke again.

—However...

—If that truly is your goal...

—Then perhaps you are not completely without hope yet.

My heart skipped a beat.

I immediately raised my head.

—Is there a chance, Master?

—Although I cannot give you my own formulas...

—I still possess a few formulas left behind by the Ancient Mages.

My eyes widened.

—Ancient Mages?

He nodded.

—I obtained these scrolls while exploring ancient ruins.

—If you wish...

—You may study them.

—You may experiment with them.

—You may even try to reconstruct them.

I frowned.

—Formulas from the Ancient Mages...

Totil slowly leaned back in his chair.

His eyes gleamed with a different light.

A light that was almost childlike.

—In ancient times...

—The Mages were far more powerful than we are today.

His voice carried an almost religious admiration.

—They founded an Arcane Empire.

—A vast and powerful empire that ruled over numerous continents.

—And, according to some records...

—It even conquered other worlds.

—Then...

—For reasons we still do not know...

—Everything came to an end.

—The Arcane Empire collapsed almost overnight.

—Libraries disappeared.

—Entire cities were destroyed.

—Laboratories vanished.

—Secrets were lost forever.

He smiled wistfully.

—We...

—Modern Mages...

—Built our entire civilization merely by gathering the fragments they left behind.

I carefully observed his face.

Slightly flushed from the alcohol.

Yet filled with enthusiasm.

It was obvious.

Professor Totil had a genuine passion for the history of the Ancient Mages.

Curiously...

None of that ever appeared in the library’s books.

Perhaps it was knowledge reserved only for professors.

Or perhaps it was simply something acolytes had to pay to learn.

My eyes lit up.

—I wonder...

—Just how powerful were they, really...

—George...

—They were practically gods walking among mortals.

—Unfortunately...

—Their greatest secrets vanished along with the Empire.

I remained silent for a few seconds, thinking.

Then an important question came to mind.

—Professor...

—These formulas...

—Are they incomplete?

Totil broke into a satisfied smile.

—Very good.

—You asked exactly the right question.

—The effects described in those scrolls are extraordinary.

—But there is one problem.

—A large portion of the ingredients simply no longer exist.

—Or...

—Have never been found again.

—At least...

—I haven’t found some of them in over two hundred years of life.

—Masters specializing in Mana Potions continue studying these formulas.

—They all dream of finding substitute ingredients.

—Even if they reproduce only part of the original design...

—The results are usually excellent.

My heart began to beat faster.

If I could use the Biochip...

Compare structures.

Analyze properties.

Simulate thousands of combinations...

Maybe...

Maybe there really was a chance.

But I didn’t let my excitement show.

I kept a serious expression.

—So...

—You expect me to find substitute ingredients?

Totil nodded slowly.

—Exactly.

His smile returned.

—In Alchemy...

—Great discoveries are usually born from small moments of inspiration.

—Every year, new Mana Potions are created in this Tower.

—Some fail.

—Some make their creators famous.

—If you truly wish to try...

—Then do it.

—But don’t nurture unrealistic expectations.

His expression darkened slightly.

As though he were remembering lost research.

Abandoned projects.

Decades wasted.

I took a deep breath.

Then I bowed once more.

—Professor.

—I still want to try.

—Even if I never manage to create a new formula...

—The knowledge I gain through this research alone will already make the effort worthwhile.

Totil continued watching me.

For a long time.

Then...

He smiled.

A genuine smile.

—I was hoping for exactly that answer.

He rose from his chair.

Turned toward an old bookshelf covered in dust.

After spending several minutes searching through boxes and weathered scrolls...

He pulled out a small bundle carefully tied with a ribbon darkened by time.

He walked back to me.

And slowly held it out.

—These...

—Are the formulas of the Ancient Mages.

I accepted the scrolls with both hands.

Even before opening them...

I noticed something strange.

The material wasn’t paper.

Nor leather.

Nor ordinary parchment.

It had an extremely dense texture.

Almost metallic.

I carefully untied the ribbon.

And unrolled the first document.

A greenish sheet appeared before my eyes.

Completely covered in diagrams.

Runes.

Notes.

Calculations.

My eyes immediately began scanning the list of ingredients.

—Pure Heart Essence...

—White Diamond Leaf...

—Tears of an Enchanted Fairy...

—Blood of an Elemental...

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

My expression froze.

I kept reading.

Each line seemed even more absurd than the last.

More than half of those ingredients...

I had never even heard mentioned.

As for the few I did recognize...

They were all extremely expensive, though the good thing was that they could be found with some difficulty—they weren’t impossible to obtain.

I swallowed hard.

Professor Totil burst into laughter when he saw my expression.

—Hahaha!

—What’s wrong?

—Shocked?

I slowly shook my head.

He crossed his arms.

—I made that exact face when I found those scrolls for the first time.

His smile widened.

—But let me tell you one thing...

—If someone truly manages to brew an Ultra-Refined Mana Potion using this exact formula...

—Even an Official Mage would clearly feel its effects.

...

1473 Words