Black Onyx - Forgotten Magic

Chapter 106: New Apprentice

"How is it possible to make Healing Potions so fast? I have never heard of anyone making them that way, won't the quality suffer like that?" Xilia started talking before Gerald even had the chance to answer.

"Now that I think about it, isn't the time and precision required to make those potions what gives them the high price? Although they are always in demand, won't the price drop sharply if everyone was making them like that?"

"Alright, I get it! Let me explain, will you?" Gerald spoke in an annoyed voice. "Firstly, the difficulty of making the potions is not that high, it's just that people are using the most inefficient method possible!"

'Even simple machines could do this a thousand times faster than these people Ah, too bad' He shook his head and continued his explanation out loud, "I already gathered some information and even if I were to make a thousand bottles of Healing Potions each week, the price would barely budge. The demand is just so high since they are used as medicine for every little thing."

"And lastly, this way of making potions is my own creation and I'm confident that it does not exist anywhere else, at least not in this kingdom!" Gerald spoke with confidence and vigor. For a moment it seemed like they were looking at an alchemy Grandmaster.

Then he turned to Qiona, "For that reason, I can't teach you my secrets, sorry."

"Oh" Listening to Gerald's explanation and rejection left Qiona severely disappointed.

"Actually, I wanted to take her as my apprentice, but since you want to go your own way, I'm not going to force myself into your life," he said, turning to Xilia. "It's such a shame, really. Your little sister is extremely talented so you should make sure to get her a competent teacher."

"Eh," Xilia mouthed. She looked at her little sister who was looking back at her with a pleading look. "Um Gerald"

"You don't have to say anything, I completely understand. You just got your freedom back and it's going to take a while before you can trust people again. Don't worry, I won't force you to stay, I just wish you good luck on your journey." Gerald spoke with his head held high and righteousness was flowing out of him in waves.

He was like an old man, full of wisdom and understanding for his little children. The girls were touched by his words and especially Xilia, she almost started crying.

'He's such a good man! He selflessly helped us even though I tried to kill him and expected nothing in return! He even invited us to his home, but I tried to quickly leave... I'm such an ungrateful person!' The more she held to these thoughts, the more sentimental she became.

She was given a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity and she threw it away without a second thought. 'No! I must not let my pride get in the way of my little sister! This is her chance to live a peaceful life, surrounded by good people!' Xilia clenched her fists in determination.

Falling on her knees, Xilia kowtowed by touching the ground with her forehead. "I was a fool, completely blind to your magnanimity! Please forgive me for my ignorance and lack of foresight! I am willing to serve you for a lifetime, I just beg you to take my sister in as your apprentice!"

Everyone, including Gerald, was momentarily stunned by her sudden emotional outburst.

'The heck? I did not expect a few words to have such a profound impact! Being a slave for so long must have left some deep emotional traumas! I should keep going in this direction'

After a quick thought, Gerald gently smiled and helped Xilia stand back up by saying, "Xilia, what are you doing? We are friends, aren't we? How could I be deserving of such praise and admiration!"

"I was just speaking casually before. Of course, I will take Qiona as my apprentice if she is willing to accept me. Fear not, as her teacher I will do my best to guide her in the art of alchemy and magic and help her reach greater heights!"

He turned to the little one with and asked with a gentle smile, "So, do you accept me as your teacher, little girl?"

The latter quickly nodded while returning the smile, "Mn, I want big brother Gerald to teach me. I want to make potions like you!"

"Hehe, alright then!" Gerald gently patted her on the head. "It's already late, you should get a good rest now. Tomorrow we will start early and I don't want anyone to be slacking off!"

"Okay!" Qiona happily agreed and dragged her sister out of the room.

Since the day was drawing to a close, Gerald quickly cleaned the tools and containers in his new lab. After that, he went to get a bite to eat and then went to rest for the night.

He slept through the night with satisfaction. With just a few well-placed words he turned an enemy into a friend and then a friend into a loyal ally. And he also got a small bonus in the form of a talented young alchemist for free.

Less than a week ago he was still thinking about how to get a few good workers to work under him while keeping his secrets hidden, but then the son of a City Lord sent him the perfect gift.

Considering Xilia's personality and the feeling of gratitude she carried for him, there was no way she would betray him. That was, of course, unless something terrible happened to her little sister under his care.

However, considering the mansion in which they resided, it was unlikely for her to suffer any injustices.

After breakfast in the morning, they had a meeting where Gerald shortly explained their current standing in the grand scheme of things.

The fact that they are going to be producing one hundred Healing Potions each week for the Golden Pouch merchant guild was also established.

After a bit of debate and negotiations, they came to a mutual understanding.

Gerald would be the boss and also a teacher and alchemist, while Qiona would spend her time learning from the former and train in alchemy and magic.

Sera would take over the finances and get a few maids to help her keep the house in order. A butler was also necessary for various finicky affairs that may come in the future.

And lastly, Xilia would be in charge of a handful of guards that had to be hired in order to keep unwanted guests from sticking their noses where they weren't allowed to.

Carefully considering the amount of money required for the whole operation going, Gerald wasn't too concerned.

Ingredients for making one hundred Health Potions were worth quite a lot, over four gold coins, but by selling the finished potions they would get twenty back. And that was each week.

Even if Gerald paid a generous amount of a gold coin per week to each person, that would still be almost ten gold coins profit each week.

Just thinking about the amount of stuff he could do with that amount of money, he couldn't help but smile.

'No wonder alchemists are considered extremely wealthy. Even if they are much slower in potion productions, the amount of wealth they can casually generate is still way higher than the average person.'

And that was, of course, only consider this one source of income. His plan was to quickly expand and increase production to at least twice that amount.

There was, of course, a possibility of introducing a few new potions to the market, but he would have to be careful of such radical changes.

The product couldn't be too extraordinary and he would probably have to establish some sort of cooperation with the Golden Pouch to keep the pressure off of himself from having a monopoly.

But now was still too early to be thinking of these things, it was time to begin school for the little Dark Elf.

"Listen closely," Gerald started his lecture, "Every living being in this world has been evolving since the very beginning with a plentiful competition from other living beings! To survive, some animals developed sharp claws and teeth, others horns and thick armor."

He stopped to take a breath and continued seriously, "But plants cannot move and are therefore subjected to all kinds of abuse from the environment and from the animals that try to eat them! As such, through millions of years of evolution, they developed physical defenses such as thorns or thick bark!"

"But, the most important of them all and also what we, as alchemists, are interested in, are poisons! Each plant is different and the poisons they developed won't have the same effect on different life forms. The essence of alchemy is to learn of these poisons, learn all you can about them and use them as tools, as medicine, to make potions with amazing effects!"

"Taking the Healing Potions that I made yesterday as an example, they can speed up the human metabolism thus speeding up our recovery. To insects and small rodents, however, they are a deadly substance that will make them starve with a full stomach!"

Qiona was listening to his lecture with wide-opened eyes and she was nodding vigorously the entire time.

"Now, some people might think that a common flower like the Stinky Toadwort was only to be admired from afar, as even the animals were unwilling to eat it However, what do these fools know? Although the plant has a revolting taste and smell, enough to induce vomiting, it is perfect for making a basic anti-poison."

"Once consumed the victim will immediately vomit out whatever they had in their stomach, saving them from the ingested poison. Of course, something like that only has the desired effect if the poison is slow-acting, and not too much time has passed from the ingestion Nonetheless, even worthless grass can become gold in the hands of a capable alchemist!"

Gerald continued his lecture for a few hours, leaving the little Elf completely stunned by the amount of wisdom he imparted to her. Even though he didn't say a single thing about potion-making or his secret technique, the horizons of the little girl were expanding at light speed.