*****

As I used my alchemy, following my instincts to find some clue about Magic Equipment, I found myself completely captivated by its sheer depth.

Processing magic ore to craft an arrow, then applying an Enchantment with a Sacred Mana Stone.

It was such a simple process, yet just tweaking the shape of the arrow changed the way mana flowed through it, letting me create something entirely different.

For someone like me, who had mostly spent her time brewing formless things like potions and Holy Water, this was a brand-new discovery.

「This one's different from a Holy Arrow, right?」

「That would be an Arrow of Holy Light. In exchange for boosting its purification properties, it becomes harder to handle, which drops its accuracy.」

Continuing with Enchantment like this made me realize it had a completely different kind of difficulty compared to Formation, where you just mold the mineral's shape. It really drove home how tough it was to create physical objects...

(Hmm, but something about this alchemical reaction feels off.)

Based on my experience brewing EX-Potions, deploying both Formation and Enchantment fields at the same time should have yielded a much higher-grade arrow.

And yet, right now, the results weren't any different from crafting them normally.

「I might have underestimated making Magic Equipment. I thought if I deployed Formation and Enchantment at the same time, I'd get something way better.」

「Well, the quality is stable and consistently high, so there's definitely a point to your dual deployment. Arrows of Holy Light are classified as D-rank items, so your alchemy has grown by leaps and bounds, Miss Mia!」

「...Thank you!」

(Ugh. Is it standard practice for Court Alchemist assistants to use praise to help you grow? It makes working so comfortable. Maybe I should start showering Master Clein with compliments from now on too.)

(Ah, wait, no. Master Clein gets embarrassed easily. It might totally backfire, so I'd better skip that idea.)

Although I kept up my alchemy by trusting Leon's encouraging words, I just ended up mass-producing Holy Arrows and Arrows of Holy Light.

I couldn't tell if I just wasn't used to handling the skills yet, or if there was another issue entirely. But I had a feeling that even if I kept grinding like this, I wouldn't be making any Magic Equipment anytime soon.

「*Yaaaaawn*... My mana control is starting to slip. I think I really need a break.」

「So even you get tired after crafting this many, Miss Mia.」

「I mean, the drive is there, but it's more of a mental drain. Making things that completely miss the mark is just plain stressful. I wish we at least had a sample of the Magic Equipment I'm supposed to make.」

「That's always the most frustrating part of researching Magic Equipment, isn't it? Since you don't know which path to take, you're constantly feeling lost.」

Unlike me, throwing in the towel after just a few hours, hearing this from Leon—who was actually working on the Bracelet of Power—carried a lot more weight. The more I learned about alchemy, the more my respect for him grew.

And looking at the Necklace of Warding that Vanessa had made, I could now painfully understand just how incredible it truly was.

It was more than enough to make me think it was never something meant to be entrusted to an apprentice alchemist like me.

「Can I really do this? The mana in this is intertwined so beautifully and spread out so perfectly, yet it's not even considered Magic Equipment. じゃないんて° If they expect me to make something even better than this...」

As I spaced out, staring admiringly at the Necklace of Warding, Leon looked at me with an expression of pure shock.

「Wait, Miss Mia, can you actually see the mana pathways?」

「...What are mana pathways?」

It seemed my total ignorance as an apprentice alchemist had slipped out again. Leon, who had looked so full of anticipation for a second, noticeably slumped his shoulders in disappointment.

「Mana pathways are basically channels that mana flows through. Normally, since mana just permeates the material, you can tell what's flowing on the surface, but you can't figure out how it's flowing through the inside.」

(Hmm? What does that even mean...?)

As I was puzzling over it, Master Clein approached us holding an apple.

「It seems you're finally starting to notice it, though you yourself are completely clueless.」

「It's the first time I've ever heard the term, so even when it's explained to me, it doesn't really click.」

「I suppose it makes sense if you thought it was just completely normal. Well, this is a good opportunity. Mia, try probing the mana in this apple and tell me what the inside looks like.」

「Huh? Don't spring something so impossible on me out of nowhere!」

「It's just a simple little game. Don't worry about it. Just focus on the mana flowing through the apple.」

Taking the apple from Master Clein, I stared at it intently, just like I would when appraising a potion.

I'd gone my whole life without ever thinking about reading the mana inside an apple before, but... surprisingly, I could actually see it.

Its mana element was water, and it was concentrated right at the center where the sweet core would be. The mana density was incredibly thick, circulating actively as if showing off just how fresh the fruit was.

「It looks like it's going to be super sweet. The core might be absolutely packed with syrupy sweetness.」

「Really? It doesn't look all that red for a sweet apple, though.」

Leon leaned in, sounding skeptical, but at this stage, we were both just guessing. Still, for some reason, I felt completely certain.

(My instincts are definitely right.)

*****

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