Berger's Laboratory

Berger chuckled and looked at the list again. "From what I can tell, apart from the tools that you require for herbalism, you also wish to buy ingredients to brew healing potions, strength potions, venom antidotes, and explosion potions, eh?"

As expected from a master Herbalist! Adam was full of admiration.

Although the list of ingredients appeared to be random at a glance, Berger was able to accurately infer the potions that Adam was planning to brew.

Berger had listed all the potions except for one!

And the next moment, Berger asked curiously. "But why do you need 20 liters of mana-infused distilled water, citrus extracts, and sanguine leech?"

The last three ingredients were required to create a water solution that would enhance the effect of Body Cleansing Essence Oil. Although these ingredients were very common, when mixed together, they resulted in a surprisingly significant effect.

Adam planned to buy many ingredients at this store for the foreseeable future and thus decided to disclose this information as a show of goodwill. He felt that it was good to cultivate a healthy relationship with such a master Herbalist.

"Sir, I wish to combine these three ingredients and brew a water solution that will enhance the effects of the Body Cleansing Essence Oil." Adam began explaining.

Berger's brows furrowed together and he seemed to be in deep thought. Adam continued, "When the nutrients from the citrus extract mix with mana-infused distilled water, it will result in a solution that helps thoroughly expand the pores in a person's body. And the sanguine leech—"

"Acts as the primer between this water solution and the Body Cleansing Essence Oil! How ingenious! To think that mixing ingredients that are so ubiquitous could result in such efficacy!" Berger's eyes seemed to be glowing with brilliance.

He then looked at Adam and asked, "Boy, did that wandering Magus teach you this?"

"Of course!" Adam lied without hesitation.

Berger nodded while stroking his thick beard. "Hmm, I thought so. There is one small issue, however. Although the Body Cleansing Essence Oil will become much more potent if you mix this water solution, at the same time, it will also inflict upon you tremendous pain."

Adam shrugged. "So what if I have to suffer? No pain, no gain!"

Berger looked deeply at the youth. Slowly, his lips curled up into a faint smile and he nodded in approval. "Not bad, boy."

He got off his stool and walked toward the spiral staircase that led to the second floor. "You two follow me."

Adam and Edward looked at each other, not knowing just what the old gnome had in mind. But they followed after him nonetheless.

The second floor of the store served as Berger's laboratory as well as a living quarter. The laboratory took up the majority of the space. All sorts of glass equipment and other apparatuses were kept in an organized manner.

"Whoa!" Adam marveled at all the glass vials, flasks, beakers, and other tools required for herbalism. On the shelves, there were various types of ingredients as well as finished products.

One day I'll have a lab of my own! Adam thought to himself gleefully.

The three of them walked to the center of the room where a large cauldron was placed. Inside, a green liquid seemed to swirl on its own.

Berger snapped his fingers and a dozen empty vials flew out of the shelves and hovered around the cauldron. Next, he waved his hand and the green liquid inside the cauldron magically flew out and accurately filled the dozen vials.

Adam and Edward looked at this spectacle in amazement, and couldn't wait to learn and cast spells. In the academy, they had yet to be taught the basics of spell-casting. That is why they hadn't yet started utilizing spells.

"Take the cauldron away," Berger instructed.

"Huh?" Adan and Edward were puzzled and wondered if the gnome was talking to them.

All of a sudden, heavy footsteps sounded from behind them. The two roommates turned around and were instantly scared out of their wits.

A humanoid figure made of some sort of black metal emerged from the dark and was walking toward them, more precisely, it was walking toward the cauldron. The figure was more than 6 feet tall and had a crescent-shaped crown protruding from its head.

"W-What the hell is that!?" Edward shrieked in fear.

Berger rolled his eyes. "Stop being so overdramatic. It's a golem and is completely harmless."

"A golem?!" Adam asked as he nervously watched the adamantine figure walk past them and pick up the cauldron.

"It's a magically created construct," Berger replied in a bored manner. "They'll teach you about this later in the academy."

The adamantine golem carefully grabbed the cauldron and then placed it in a corner of the room.

"Get the ghanish wooden tub, 25 pounds of citrus fruits, and 5 pounds of sanguine leeches," Berger instructed again.

The sturdy golem walked to the shelf and one by one prepared all the items. Adam looked at the golem and curiously asked, "Magus Berger, does the golem not speak?"

Berger snorted. "How can it speak? Golems are mindless and emotionless creations that know only how to carry out the orders of their masters. In other words, they are the perfect slaves. And also very expensive."

While they were talking, the golem had already bought all the items and kept them on the floor beside Berger.

The old gnome looked at Adam and instructed, "Alright, take out the Body Cleansing Essence Oil and get this over with."

"W-Wait a minute." Adam was taken aback. "What do you mean 'get this over with'? You want me to do it here?"

"Where else, you fool?" Berger scolded. "I need to watch the whole process with my eyes and study it properly."

"B-But the essence oil is in my dorm room," Adam replied meekly after being scolded out of the blue.

"Don't worry about that." Berger waved his hand nonchalantly. He then took out a small metallic whistle from his pocket and blew on it.

No sound was produced from the whistle.

But suddenly…

The space in front of Berger distorted and colors started to saturate, almost as if the colors in that particular space were melting! The following moment, the distorted space tore open and a small black silhouette shot out of it!

This little figure looked around curiously with its tongue sticking out of its mouth until its gaze finally landed on Berger.

"Woof!" It pounced on Berger and began to affectionately lick his face.

Adam and Edward were flabbergasted. A puppy had casually torn open space and jumped out from this crack in the void!

Berger looked at the astonished faces of the two youths and chuckled.

"Now this is something they won't teach you in the academy."