Pharmacology

"Poisons can be classified in many ways. The most common is by their source and use."

Hibel held a segment of an unidentified branch and snipped it with scissors. Squeezing out the sap, she continued:

"Natural poisons include plant toxins, such as poisonous mushrooms, cassava, bitter almonds, ginkgo nuts, and so on..."

"Animal toxins include those from pufferfish, poisonous snakes, spiders, and the like."

"Then there are poisons extracted and refined afterward. The most common are the herbicides and insecticides farmers use."

This was one of the laboratories on Adolf's estate, currently being used as a classroom for pharmacology lessons.

Karl held a quill pen, nodding as he took notes and occasionally helping to prepare the ingredients.

"You have a good habit of taking notes."

Hibel picked up a glass bottle and gently swirled the liquid inside, praising him:

"My mentor once said, 'Never put down your pen and ink. They work better than your brain.'"

A good pen was mightier than a good memory.

There was a similar saying here.

"Besides the classifications I just mentioned, I prefer another one."

Hibel continued:

"Classifying poisons by their effects."

"They can be broadly divided into blood toxins, neurotoxins, corrosive toxins, enzymatic toxins... This makes it easier to tailor antidotes to each type."

As she spoke, she handed him a test tube half-filled with potion.

"Give it a try."

"This is a paralysis toxin I made. It can leave a Knight Squire's body rigid for a short time, rendering him unable to fight back."

?

Karl's face went pale.

"Do I really have to try it?"

"Of course." Hibel looked perfectly matter-of-fact.

"There's no better way to learn the principles and combinations of potions than to experience them for yourself. And repeated exposure can also increase your body's resistance to poisons."

"That'll make it easier when you study the Poison Immunity spell later, too."

"All right." Karl sighed helplessly, forced down his anxiety, took the poison, and drank it in one gulp.

He had already tried several potions over the past few days.

According to Hibel, this kind of immersive learning was the most effective. It was also the teaching style she had learned from her mentor, Adolf.

Just a few breaths later, Karl felt his breathing grow labored and his body begin to stiffen.

"How is it?"

Hibel smiled.

"Can you feel it taking effect?"

Karl's face flushed red. He struggled to nod, then staggered toward the workbench and began mixing a potion.

Before long,

he drank the potion he had prepared. Only then did his body go limp, and he collapsed into a chair, gasping for breath.

"Not bad!"

Hibel clapped her hands lightly.

"Looks like you've completely mastered what I taught you in yesterday's lesson. You managed to prepare the potion without making a mistake even while your body was paralyzed. I was planning to help you purge the toxin."

Karl was too weak to respond.

After spending some time with Hibel, he had come to understand her personality a little.

At heart,

Hibel was a girl filled with curiosity about the world. But because of her upbringing, she was also very cautious around outsiders.

So she could be quite naïve at times.

On first meeting her, one might find her distant and standoffish. Once you got to know her, though, she was easy to befriend.

After all, she was only a girl in her early teens. How complicated could her thoughts be?

"Ding-a-ling..."

The bell rang to end class.

Hibel stopped what she was doing and smiled as she held out her hand.

"We had three lessons today, and there were two potion recipes as well. That comes to twelve Gold Coins in total."

"Twelve?" Karl's face went pale.

Whether it was because there was still poison in his system or because the amount had shocked him, he fell silent for a long while.

Knowledge came at a price.

It was only after entering the world of wizards that he truly understood this.

Even potion recipes used for class had to be paid for, and different recipes came at different prices.

Besides,

he had to pay for the ingredients used in class, too.

In short, everything cost money.

Even though he had brought plenty of things back from another world, the Gold Coins he got in exchange were visibly dwindling.

All he could do was sigh.

"I'll bring it in a couple of days."

"That's fine."

Thanks to his good reputation, Hibel didn't mind letting him run up a tab.

"Hibel."

The classroom door opened, and a beautiful woman walked in. "Your mentor sent a letter. He mentioned something very important. Come and take a look."

Karl stood and bowed.

"Madam."

Catherine was Adolf's wife. In the language of the Kingdom of Gondo, her name symbolized purity.

Unlike the elderly Adolf,

Catherine was not yet thirty, in the prime of her life, and exceptionally beautiful.

Of all the women Karl had met, when it came to her eyebrows, perhaps only Madam Annie, who captivated countless men, could compare.

"Karl."

Catherine nodded.

"Are you staying for dinner today?"

"No." Karl shook his head.

"It's too late to head back. The road won't be safe."

"You can stay here." Catherine smiled.

"There are plenty of empty rooms on the estate."

"No need to put you to any trouble." Karl shook his head again.

At the One Look, Nothing Missed Version!

"All right, then."

Catherine shrugged.

She was quite pleased with Adolf's new disciple. He had always been respectful toward her.

Unlike Tim.

He acted like a gentleman, but his eyes were wicked. He often sneaked glances at her, which made her uncomfortable.

*

*

*

When Karl returned to his lodgings, Jenny had already prepared dinner.

Her cooking was getting better and better.

Karl didn't hesitate. His rent included meals and laundry, which was perfectly normal in the Kingdom of Gondo.

Bedroom.

Karl packed up all the supplies he had gathered, then set off on a familiar route to the Divine Domain Fragment.

"Finally..."

"I got the potion recipe!"

He had been studying potions with Hibel these past few days, partly to learn the knowledge and partly to get the recipe.

The recipe used Necromancer Dust as its main ingredient and could increase a Wizard Apprentice's spiritual power.

Light of Wisdom!

That was the name of the recipe.

Potion-making demanded extreme precision in the order, timing, and proportions of the ingredients.

The slightest mistake could render a potion useless—or worse, cause an explosion or turn a tonic into poison.

Precision,

just happened to be Karl's strong suit.

Inside the Divine Domain Fragment, he could control his strength with absolute precision, ensuring he made no mistakes while mixing the potion.

And working inside the Divine Domain Fragment also let him minimize the effects of the outside environment.

"Twenty percent diluted honey, crushed Purple Lotus, and seven grams of high-purity crystal fragments..."

Glassware, test tubes, oil lamps...

He arranged the laboratory equipment neatly, one item after another.

"Pfft!"

A cloud of black smoke billowed out, announcing the experiment's failure.

Karl remained unfazed.

Even with his precise control over his own strength, he was still unfamiliar with the proportions needed for the potion.

The odds of succeeding on his very first attempt were extremely low.

Failure was inevitable.

He picked up his quill and recorded the experimental data.

"Attempt two: increase the weight of the crystal fragments, delay adding the Necromancer Dust, record the data."

"Pfft!"

"Attempt three: prepare the Purple Lotus stems..."

"Bang!"

A burst of flame sent several pieces of glassware shattering, but Karl had prepared for this and bought spares in advance.

"Attempt thirty-seven: honey consistency two, seven portions of Necromancer Dust..."

"Drip!"

As a few drops of liquid ran into the test tube, Karl understood why the potion was called Light of Wisdom.

The ground crystal dissolved and began to glow faintly.

He gently swirled the test tube. The potion shimmered with flowing light, dazzlingly beautiful and utterly captivating.

"Hmm..."

"The Necromancer Dust must be what gives the potion's glow some of its bewitching quality."

Setting down the test tube, Karl continued experimenting.

Soon,

"One portion of Necromancer Dust can make two doses of Light of Wisdom. The other ingredients cost six Gold Pounds."

"Next..."

"Time to test its effects!"