Mekas arrived at the palace built specifically for Chen Cheng Two's coronation. The guards recognized her and neither stopped nor announced her.
"Where is His Majesty?"
Mekas asked one of the guards.
"His Majesty should still be in the training hall. Lord Smog is waiting outside."
Mekas headed for the training hall. Sure enough, Smog stood outside it like a guardian statue.
"Chief of the Guard."
Smog nodded to Mekas and said:
"Since His Majesty summoned you, go in. But whatever you do, don't disturb his training."
Mekas acknowledged him, then pushed open the door and entered.
It was called a training hall, but it was really an enormous chamber covering over a thousand square meters. Magic books and materials filled the space.
Chen Cheng Two held a magic book in one hand and followed its instructions to prepare a potion.
Mekas did not disturb him. She simply stood to one side and waited in silence.
After watching for a few minutes, Mekas immediately understood what Chen Cheng was making.
It was a basic alchemical healing potion. Drinking it consumed the user's lifespan to repair injuries to the body.
But the alchemical magic available to Chen Cheng Two—or anywhere on the market—was rudimentary, so this sort of healing potion had a poor conversion rate.
The potion Chen Cheng Two was preparing, for example, cost nearly twice as much lifespan as it restored in health, and it could not immediately heal certain severe injuries.
Mekas silently recited everything she knew about the potion. She even knew of an improved version, as well as an alchemical array that could directly absorb other people's lifespans to replenish her own.
"Mekas, doesn't this look familiar? I bet you could recite the formula for this alchemical potion backward."
Chen Cheng Two's sudden words caught Mekas