That Dr. Duzem could refine Philosopher's Stones was no secret to many wizards of sufficient standing. Wanderer Wizards had once sold the Doctor's creations in their bars.
However, because Dr. Duzem's method of refining Philosopher's Stones was considered heretical by many old-school Wizard Alliance members, and because his methods were cruel—one of the charges that had led to his complete expulsion from the school—such trade had always been restricted by the relevant organizations to an exceedingly small market.
Only clients capable of providing enough "raw materials" and "supplementary materials" had a chance to go through certain families and have Dr. Duzem help them refine a Blood-colored Philosopher's Stone.
Yes, the greatest difference between the Philosopher's Stones refined by Dr. Duzem and traditional Philosopher's Stones was that his stones were blood-colored rather than the customary gold. Although there was almost no difference in their effects, this flaw in coloration greatly limited their range of use.
No respectable White Wizard Family would use such a creation—one that looked incomparably bloody and was, in truth, incomparably bloody—in a sacrifice or Magic Ritual.
Even so, many powerful Wizard Families continued secretly transporting captured nonhuman races from the New World into that little courtyard, asking Dr. Duzem to extract Philosopher's Stones for them. After all, beyond public occasions, this world had many private settings where such taboos did not apply.
Though the Wizard Alliance and First University were fully aware of this, they turned a blind eye and did not eradicate it completely.
So long as those families did not use wizards as raw materials, they could be considered barely outside the red line. As the saying went, water too pure harbored no fish, and a person too discerning had no followers. Where there was demand, there would be trade. Rather than let those Wizard