"Crush it-no, not like that, like this." Simon explained, adjusting my grip on the pestle and watching me for a moment before nodding, "Use the bottom of the mortar and rotate to crush it into a fine powder. With bone, you break it down as much as possible to get at the mana. It's typically stored in the marrow."

"But not with plants, right?"

"Depends on the type, but usually no. Most, you boil down to extract the fluids, which means you want to keep them whole or cut them into large pieces. With some, if you crush them, you lose fluids which can dilute the product. Bone is a bit more forgiving."

I nodded, pausing to write down his comments before returning to my task. Though I had dropped the formal class, I did not dismiss alchemy as a subject entirely. And since Simon needed help with a side project, it served triple duty. I learned more about alchemy, he got assistance with busy work, and we had a chance to sit and speak. It was not exactly a break, but it was more relaxing than channeling mana or swinging a staff around my head.

"Why do you need all of this, anyway? There must be a dozen potions worth of reagents here. Are you expecting to get injured?" I asked, half-joking as I looked up at Simon.

"Not really, no," Simon remarked, avoiding my original question as he continued to cut the stems of some plant.

I paused again, looking at him, and Simon sighed, reaching into his back and pulling out a notebook that he placed on the desk between us. He flipped it open to the bookmarked page, and I saw dozens of lines, all written in densely packed and incredibly sloppy handwriting. Girem would have my head if he saw me write like that.

"I'm testing modifications to the standard low-grade healing potion formula. Altering concentrations, boiling time, heat, and so on." Simon explained, pointing to a few lines of gibberish as if that would magically let me read his atrocious script. Was there a spell for that? I did not think so, but maybe I should investigate.

Putting hypotheticals to one side, I leaned closer and asked, "Why? The existing formulas work well enough, do they not?"

Simon shook his head, flipping the book closed and gesturing to the pile of supplies in front of him."Depending on the potion, anywhere from a third to nearly three-quarters of the materials go to waste. The formulas work, sure, but they're wasteful and inefficient. I want to eliminate or reduce that waste. I'm still testing out ways to do that, but the only way to verify is with a mountain of data and repetitions."

"Hence the mountain of prepared reagents," I commented, and Simon nodded.

"Exactly."

"Quite the goal. You would be a very wealthy man if you figured that out." I remarked, my mind turning to the potential profits. I had a decent grasp of economics thanks to my training with Girem, but even if not, the ramifications were easy to follow. If Simon could create potions at half the cost, he would double his profits effectively. Or, he could cut the price in half, and devastate his rivals, and still come out ahead.

"Well, yes, but not just that. Do you know how many people die from preventable injuries every year? Or are killed by a disease? Thousands work themselves into an early grave farming for resources to make these potions. If I could make them easier and with fewer materials, everyone's lives would improve, from mages down to commoners. The extra gold is nice, but-" he stopped, and I turned to face him as he hesitated.

"But?" I probed.

"My family isn't like Leon's. We aren't famed lords with centuries of vaunted history, and we don't have any Archmagi in our bloodline. We're crafters, and we're great at it, but that's all we have ever been. My father, uncle, and cousins are examples of that. They never wanted to be anything else."

"And you? I thought every noble dreamed of becoming an Archmagus." I remarked, tilting my head to one side.

"I-no, not really. I don't like combat, and I'm nothing special as far as talent goes. But I still want to help Ferris and my family. So..."

"So, discover something incredible and help the world?" I concluded.

He blushed, muttering, "I know. It's a stupid idea, but-"

"Not at all," I remarked, smiling at him and placing a hand on his shoulder. "You are already the best alchemist of our year, so I suspect you are closer to your goal than you want to think."

Simon nodded, not replying as he returned his focus on the work in front of him, measuring out some of the powdered bone I had prepared into a glass vial for storage.

I was not lying just to satisfy his ego. Simon was a brilliant young man, and having a clear end goal helped crystallize what needed to be done. I did not doubt he would succeed in time. Still, I could not help but note the contrast between us.

Simon was selflessly searching for a way to help the world and did it so openly. We had known one another for all of a month, but he was willing to tell me something like this. He might lack Leon's charisma and easy way with people, but the two shared many of their morals and openness.

I, meanwhile, liked to think I was doing what I was doing for good reasons, but my methods said otherwise. What sort of good person lied or manipulated others for their own gain? Girem might say a smart man used all the tools at their disposal. Many Ferren nobles would likely agree. But did the ends always justify the means?

Simon broke my musings, rubbing his hand and commenting, "I could use a break. Are you hungry?"

"I could eat," I responded, lying through my teeth. I was still using alchemic resources to replace my meals but wanted to speak with Simon for longer. He was an interesting young man and, besides that, I would need his assistance with alchemy later on.

We were walking into the dining hall when I heard a voice shouting my name. I turned, spotting Amelia making her way towards us, waving and ignoring the other apprentices shooting us looks.

"Good afternoon Amelia," I said formally as she came within earshot.

She rolled her eyes, replying, "You really need to loosen up." before turning to Simon and holding out her hand, "Amelia Ruteh. And you are...?"

"S-Simon." he squeaked, shrinking in on himself in an instant, "Simon Helton."

"Simon is a classmate of mine. We were just finishing up some work in an alchemy lab and decided to break for lunch. Would you like to join us?" I asked Amelia, and she nodded, her smile growing.

"Sure. Maybe I can get a better idea of what you are like when I'm not around. You always seem a bit nervous."

"It is hard not to be when you are responsible for more bruises in a day than I have had in the last ten years of life." I countered, raising an eyebrow.

"Fair point, but let's find a seat. I'm wasting away out here."

As we dug into our food, Amelia began interrogating Simon in her mildly uncomfortable way.

"You're a water mage, right? How do you like it?"

"I-uhh-how-how did you know?" He stammered, eyes moving between the two of us.

Her mouth was full of a bite of food, so I answered, "Likely the same way I can tell. Every mana type feels different, and water mana feels-"

"Watery," Amelia interrupted, wiggling her fingers for emphasis.

"I was going to say fluid, but I suppose watery works too."

Amelia shrugged, commenting, "It sounds childish, but it's accurate."

"Well, yes, I am a water mage. But not a very good one." Simon said, his gaze turning back to his food.

"Why not? Don't like training?" Amelia asked, taking another bite as she waited for his response.

I winced, knowing that she was a little rude and intrusive, but Simon did not seem insulted, merely nodding.

"Well, if you change your mind, let me know. I can give some tips on how to train water magic."

"Are-are you a water mage, too?"

"Close," she said, leaning forward and placing her hand on her glass. Instantly, frost crawled up the side, chilling it and sending mists rising from the icy water.

Simon turned pale, not that I could blame him. There were several elements universally considered terrifying in battle. Lightning was one of them for its overwhelmingly potent offensive capabilities. Darkness was considered deeply unsettling, and few things could withstand a fire mage trying their best to turn you into cinders.

But out of all of them, I felt that ice magic might hold the crown. It was remarkably versatile, capable of controlling the battlefield or forming complex shapes. A skilled mage could create storms that turned the surroundings into a frozen wasteland.

Some mistakenly underestimated ice magic at first glance. What made a little bit of cold so dangerous compared to a firestorm or bolt conjured from the heavens? Ferris did not have harsh winters, which lent credence to that idea.

And those misconceptions vanished the instant your flesh turned black as coal, and your strength faded to nothing. It was a slow, almost peaceful death, which made it even more terrifying in my eyes.

We finished up our meal in relative silence, but Amelia stopped me with a hand on my arm as we went to leave.

"Vayne. I wanted to ask you for a favor."

"Ahh, sure. What is it?" I asked, caught off-guard. We trained together often and occasionally ate and spoke, but rarely did more than that.

"I-well, I could use a tutor for some subjects. Magic Theory mainly, if I'm honest."

"I see. And you chose me? Not that I do not wish to help, but surely you have a better choice than me." I said, genuinely curious. She was a noble and no doubt could find tutors or older apprentices willing to help her.

"True, but we already have a few classes together, plus our training with Sig. I'd rather work with you than a stranger."

I nodded, following her logic, and said, "I can set aside a few hours a week to work with you. Any preference on when and where?"

"After training with Sig, three times a week? And we should probably do it in the Archives. People might talk if you are coming in and out of my room late at night." she commented with a chuckle.

I felt my face flush and responded, "Right. Excellent point, my lady."

She smiled again, starting to walk away and throwing one final, "I'll owe you a favor, Vayne!" over her shoulder.

I watched her for a moment, wondering the best way to use that favor. She enjoyed combat practice, so maybe I could ask for additional combat training on our own. There was a certain point where it became counterproductive, but I did not feel like I had hit that point yet.

After another few seconds, I shook my head and made my way back downstairs to a private room. An hour or two of socializing was a nice break, but it was time to get back to my priority. I wanted my defensive spell as close to perfect as possible for the next time I went out hunting.