Even Dogs Wouldn't Want It

In just three days, when Nicolas Flamel came to test him, the old man was completely astonished by Tom's progress.

Fearing that Tom might find the content too superficial and not have put in the effort to understand it, he deliberately asked a bunch of detailed questions, down to the wording.

The question-and-answer session lasted a full hour, until finally Nicolas Flamel was certain that Tom had genuinely and attentively read all ten books.

I gained a completely new understanding of his learning efficiency, and I grew to like this last disciple even more.

A student who is obedient, intelligent, and not arrogant—what teacher wouldn't favor such a student?

As for Tom's character and stance, they were utterly insignificant to Nicolas Flamel, who had lived for over six hundred years.

He didn't care where Tom would use the knowledge he learned, as long as his lineage of alchemy could be passed down and his reputation continued, that was enough.

Half a month passed in the blink of an eye.

With Nicolas Flamel's careful guidance and systematic alchemy training, Tom finally realized how wild his previous approach had been.

He took ten or even fifteen minutes to accomplish something that could have been done with just three minutes of effort.

It's like someone digging the ground with a shovel, digging very quickly, but never thinking of using an excavator.

He spent several days revising the bracelet's design.

He saved a third of the materials and improved the effect by nearly half; he made several samples.

The improved bracelet has a stronger connection with its owner; even if it is forcibly removed from the hand, it can be automatically recalled without the wearer having to think about it.

It can even be imbued with defensive spells such as Iron Armor Charm and Cushioning Charm, achieving multiple benefits in one fell swoop.

But Tom only made a few before stopping; things for the Ministry of Magic didn't need to be made so well.

Keep them for future upgrades and iterations; they can be sold for a good price later. Who knows, we might even be able to use these "alchemical weapons" to exert control over the Ministry of Magic. Why not?

"Two bowls of cold soup, and two garlic bread rolls, freshly baked, please."

Tom sat at the long table, reading in the same position for an hour, before finally leaving the Study Space.

He stretched his stiff neck and shoulders, giving orders to the air.

Before long, a small cart automatically glided into the library, without House-elf from the helper; it was completely driverless.

After the little cart came to a stop, the plates and soup bowls on it miraculously grew thin little legs, obediently crawled to Tom's side, and were neatly arranged.

Tom wasn't surprised; Nicolas Flamel was just that boring.

Whether it's a vacation villa or this palace, most of the objects are alchemical creations; even the food can be made into something extraordinary.

He wore an antique-looking ring on his hand, a central control device given to him by Nicolas Flamel.

With this ring, you can not only order food from the kitchen, but also remotely have the bathroom fill with water in advance, the opera house prepare the program, and the tea room brew strong tea.

It even has everything from washing clothes to preparing alchemical materials, making it more convenient than Muggle smart devices.

After finishing his brunch, Tom found Nicolas Flamel sunbathing in the sunroom.

This sunroom is made of magical glass on all four sides, which can change the view at will; today it is a sunset view.

The endless wheat fields outside the window, with the wind rustling through them, are so lifelike that at first glance you might mistake them for Muggle virtual reality projection.

"Teacher, this is my latest modified bracelet. Could you take a look?" Tom took out the improved Anti-Disarm Bracelet and placed it on the small table next to him.

Nicolas Flamel picked up the bracelet, examining it closely from all angles, and even put on his X-ray vision sunglasses to investigate the magical patterns inside.

Five minutes later, the old man nodded gently, his eyes full of satisfaction.

"You've improved so quickly! Your skill level is worlds apart from what it was a few days ago. Now, you could be considered a master of gold chaining."

Tom sighed, rubbing his forehead, speechless. "Please stop teasing me. Alchemy master? Even a dog wouldn't want that title."

He wasn't being modest; Nicolas Flamel's words weren't sarcastic at all. Tom's current skill level would indeed place him among the top alchemists in the outside world.

But even from the top of the pyramid to the sky, there's still a vast distance, and in the realm of alchemy, Nicolas Flamel is the sky.

"Don't always make me your target," Nicolas Flamel waved his hand dismissively.

"When I was twelve, I was worse than a piece of trash compared to you now. Besides, how long have you even been studying?"

"Reaching my level is just a matter of time; it all depends on how much effort you're willing to put into it."

Tom is a genius, and the trouble with geniuses is not knowing how to allocate their talents.

Albus Dumbledore did the same, ultimately choosing to focus his talents on traditional magic rather than Potions or alchemy, a decision that Nicolas Flamel regretted for a long time.

Tom's performance was even Albus Dumbledore's back then.

He doesn't need to be overly distracted; with just a little effort, he can get close to Nicolas Flamel's level in alchemy.

As for surpassing him? To be honest, Nicolas Flamel himself doesn't know where the end of alchemy is, so naturally he can't imagine how Tom could surpass him.

"The research on the bracelet can be put on hold for now," Nicolas Flamel advised.

"If we dig any deeper, it will just be an ordinary object. We might as well study something else and broaden our horizons."

"If you need any materials that you don't have at home, just tell Parker and he'll go buy them."

"Actually, I already have an idea." Tom smiled and got straight to the point. "I came to see you today to borrow something—that magic communication book."

"Hmm, let me think." Nicolas Flamel frowned and pondered for a long time before remembering what Tom had said, and sighed helplessly.

"Oh, that thing? I haven't used it in ages."

"More and more of our old friends are disappearing. The only ones we can still contact now are Hicks and Albus."

Tom knew that Hicks was the same Professor Ilvermorny who fought against Gellert Grindelwald back then.

He later served as the headmaster of Ilvermorny for a while, making him Gellert Grindelwald's old rival and one of Nicolas Flamel's few old friends.

Nicolas Flamel casually told Tom where the Magic Communication Book was stored, and Tom, no longer wanting to disturb the old man's rest, turned and walked out of the sunroom.

He went back to his bedroom, changed into a suit and vest, and carefully tied a bow tie before leaving the manor with his head held high.

Dressed so formally, it's not for a date, but to meet a group of special guests.

Today is August 20th, the day he and Macduff made their promise.

Tom was certain that Macduff's fervent admiration for Gellert Grindelwald would ensure he would come to the appointment.

Tom wasn't sure how many Acolyte would come, but he hoped as many as possible would.

In the Wizarding World, numbers are power, and this proves that the Acolyte are still a force to be reckoned with.

After leaving the manor, Tom casually left the secret code between the Acolyte on the buildings along the road while looking for a place to meet.