The heavy wooden door of the Potions Department's common workroom closed softly behind him, shutting out the clamor beyond.
The spacious room was suffused with the scent of dried herbs, mineral dust, and a faint, almost imperceptible trace of old parchment.
Sunlight streamed through the tall arched windows, casting shafts of light across the polished quartz worktables and illuminating the motes suspended in the air.
Benjamin took a deep breath, allowing the laboratory's unique stillness to settle his mind.
Before him, crucibles, retorts, condensers, beakers of every shape, and grinding tools were arranged in perfect order, like a silent army awaiting command.
Today's objective was to brew a Focus Potion capable of briefly enhancing mental concentration. It was considered a relatively advanced Magic Potion for apprentices, though its ingredients were not particularly complicated.
He walked to the material rack at one side, his gaze falling on the items he needed: a bundle of Glowgrass exuding a crisp, refreshing aura; several Moon Silver ore fragments flecked with star-like silver spots; a small vial of viscous Nightglow Moss extract; and several dried Flame Petals, their veins resembling patterns of fire.
Benjamin put on gloves as thin as cicada wings. These were specialized tools for the Potions Department; not only could they shield the body from the corrosion of various materials, but they also allowed his fingertips to keenly sense the "pulse" of the ingredients.
He picked up the Glowgrass. Rather than simply cutting it, he gently rested his fingertips against its stem.
A faint, icy sensation traveled up through his fingertips.
He closed his eyes and activated Analysis Art, sinking his mind into it. It was as though he could see a cool, moonlit current of energy flowing within the blades of grass, along with several tiny impurity nodes clouded with murkiness.