New Invention

Although Charlotte's experiment couldn't completely overturn Fire Element Studies, it at least proved from another angle that this discipline, followed for three hundred years, had flaws. It left Teacher Claire deeply shaken.

Rainer's next experiment, meanwhile, completely denied traditional Combustion Theory. Seeing it with her own eyes was profoundly shocking.

She felt a wave of dizziness. This was magical backlash caused by wavering willpower, an exceedingly rare occurrence that only happened when some foundational belief held by a mage was challenged.

It was said that in ancient times, when numerous innovative systems were established, some mages had even suffered such shocks that their heads exploded and they died. But in modern times, as people's ability to accept new ideas had gradually improved, no theory—no matter how novel—would lead to such scenes again. Still, backlash like this happened from time to time.

"Teacher Claire, what's wrong?!"

Rainer hurriedly supported Teacher Claire. Only then did he notice how remarkably light and soft her body was. After helping her sit down, he quickly let go.

"I'm fine, just a little dizzy."

Teacher Claire had no time to worry about whether Rainer had taken the opportunity to cop a feel. She felt weak, while also realizing that her initial harshness might have been resistance born from the bottom of her heart—an unwillingness to accept that the theories she knew so well had been overturned.

"Bring me my flask."

Hearing Teacher Claire's words, Charlotte looked toward the flask beside the table and hurriedly brought it over.

It was the flask she carried with her. According to Rainer's memories, it should contain some special potion she had brewed herself, capable of treating Teacher Claire's chronic condition.

Yet when he opened the cap, Rainer caught a somewhat familiar scent.

"Sweet?"

It was a rich, cloying sweetness. Rainer watched her pour the dark brown liquid from the flask into a cup and gulp it down. Only after that did some color return to Claire's face, making him curious.

"Um, Teacher Claire, could I try a little of your medicine?"

The moment Rainer said that, the atmosphere became rather awkward.

Charlotte didn't know what to say, while several traces of red crept onto Teacher Claire's cheeks.

"Are you making fun of me, Headmaster?"

She asked in return, seemingly thinking Rainer was taking the chance to flirt with her.

"No, no, no. I just feel like I've seen your potion somewhere before, so I wanted to confirm it. If I've offended you in any way, I apologize."

Rainer hurriedly explained. He didn't want the goodwill he'd worked so hard to build to drop to zero in an instant.

Perhaps because she had never seen Rainer act so humbly, Teacher Claire instead felt a little embarrassed by her own rashness. She poured a little potion into an empty cup and pushed it toward Rainer.

"Let me make this clear beforehand: this doesn't mean I trust you. I'm only giving it to you because you asked."

Hearing Teacher Claire's wording, Rainer smiled helplessly. Then he picked up the cup and took a sip of the potion.

At once, it was as though some spark had ignited in Rainer's mind. His eyes widened slightly as he froze in place.

Seeing his expression, Teacher Claire hurriedly put away her flask, muttering to herself.

"He wanted to drink it himself. I didn't force him."

"Headmaster?"

Charlotte waved her five fingers in front of Rainer's face, finally snapping him out of it. He stared intently at the dark brown liquid in the cup.

If Rainer's sense of taste wasn't faulty, this should be some specially prepared sugar water. It was moderately sweet and tasted rather good.

And Teacher Claire's chronic condition that required regular sugar intake was clearly hypoglycemia.

But none of that was the point. Rainer had thought of something else.

He stood and walked over to the laboratory bench, mixing the carbon dioxide they had just collected with the sugar water. Soon, bubbles began rising from the sugar water, making it look remarkably like cola from Earth.

"Could you freeze this for me?"

Rainer pointed at the two cups of liquid mixed with carbon dioxide and spoke to Teacher Claire.

Though puzzled, Teacher Claire didn't say much. She immediately cast a spell to lower the temperature, causing a layer of white frost to form over the cups.

Looking at this familiar sight, Rainer felt a wave of nostalgia. Then he took a sip of the soda.

Without a doubt, it was more than eighty percent similar to cola from Earth.

Praise chemistry.

Seeing the blissful expression on Rainer's face, Teacher Claire found it strange. Could her potion really become delicious after having that special gas added to it?

Noticing Teacher Claire's gaze, Rainer handed her the other cup.

"Want to try it?"

Teacher Claire hesitated. On one hand, it was her own potion, and that strange gas had no taste, so no matter how she thought about it, combining the two shouldn't produce any special effect. On the other hand, the bubbling potion seemed to radiate some kind of magic that made her eager to try it.

After thinking it over, Teacher Claire accepted the cup and took a sip of the icy liquid.

"!!!"

An unprecedented sensation instantly washed over the teacher.

It was as though fireworks had burst across her tongue. An intensely stimulating sensation filled Teacher Claire's mouth, and for one moment, she even wanted to spit out the liquid immediately.

But in the next instant, a fresh, sweet flavor enveloped her throat. The fierce impact vanished like smoke, transforming into an icy wave with an endless aftertaste. Even after swallowing it all, Teacher Claire still felt dazed.

Closing her eyes, Teacher Claire felt as though she had arrived in a clear, icy pool. A contented, comfortable sensation seeped through her skin and into her body, making her feel as though she were about to become water herself and melt into it.

Her head felt light and her feet unsteady, as though she could float away at any moment and fly into the sky. For an instant, she even suspected that Rainer had slipped her some hallucinogen.

Yet this was clearly the taste of her own potion. It was merely that the stimulating gas and the shock brought by freezing it were so intense that even Teacher Claire had lost herself in the sensation.

Seeing Teacher Claire's expression, Rainer knew this drink held the same irresistible charm for people in this world. He handed the cup Claire had put down to Charlotte, signaling for the student to have a taste as well.

Charlotte took the cup, looked at the bubbles continuously rising inside, then took a sip. The moment the bubbling liquid poured into her mouth, her eyes flew wide open.

The carbonic acid separated from the sugar water and turned into carbon dioxide. This process absorbed a great deal of heat, making Charlotte immediately feel a cool, refreshing sensation.

Ordinary sugar water, after being treated this way, had unexpectedly gained a stimulating quality that instantly perked Charlotte up.

She had never drunk anything like this before.

For a moment, Charlotte felt as though she were standing upon the far-northern Brunhild Snowfield. A biting cold wind swept over her, dispersing all the early summer heat. It spread from her throat to her stomach, then throughout her entire body, nearly drawing a soft cry of surprise from her.

But Charlotte still restrained the urge to drink it all at once. She looked regretfully at the cup in her hand and had to admit that this drink truly possessed some kind of addictive power, urging her to take another sip.

"What exactly is this?"

Charlotte couldn't help asking.

"Teacher Claire's potion, as you can see."

Rainer glanced at Teacher Claire, who was still immersed in the dreamy flavor of the soda, then explained.

"I merely added this special gas and chilled it, which gave it a different taste. In my hometown, a similar drink is made the same way. If you wish, you can call this cola."

Recalling more things through the memories he had read, Rainer abruptly changed the subject.

"I think this could be a source of funding for the school."