Mond kept asking himself: What am I thinking? Why am I being so pessimistic?
There were still so many beautiful things in this world, so many things he needed to do, things worth striving to complete.
Isn't it fun to have a child around? At the very least, isn't it making life feel happier now?
"Noel, listen to me. From today onward, the alchemy lab is open to you. You now have the qualifications to become an alchemist."
"Of course, you still have many shortcomings, but I hope you can fill in those gaps through practice, again and again." Mond finally made his decision.
In Noel, he saw a reflection of his younger self—the look of disbelief on the boy's face was exactly the same as his own had once been.
After all, the alchemy lab was a place of mystery for any apprentice. To have such a sacred place opened to him so suddenly, it was natural to feel surprised.
Yet, Noel felt uneasy. What is this? Is it trust? Am I really allowed to practice alchemy on my own now? But I've only been learning alchemy for a few days… am I really ready for this level of work?
I'm not ready, Noel concluded.
"I don't think I can handle performing alchemy experiments yet. It's too much for me." Noel refused quietly.
"Don't say you can't." Mond's voice was steady. "When you deny yourself, the word 'can't' will echo in your mind endlessly, destroying your confidence. Remember this: an alchemist can lack advanced techniques, or expensive materials, but the one thing they can't lose is confidence."
"Confidence is essential for an alchemist. If you're afraid of wasting materials, afraid of explosions, afraid of failure, those fears will only hold you back."
"When I was learning alchemy, I was lost too. During that time, I wasted days in confusion and constant failure."
"Failure can become a habit, and you shouldn't view success as everything. Without failure, there is no success, so don't skip that process. But I hope you can have confidence beyond the ordinary."
"It's hard to cultivate that kind of confidence, but you need to trust your heart. When a person follows what is truly in their heart, life becomes less burdensome."
These were the lessons Mond had learned through countless experiments. He didn't expect Noel to fully grasp their meaning immediately, but he knew these words were necessary.
It was his duty as a teacher. Besides, he couldn't allow himself to ruin his reputation as an alchemist by failing to teach his own student properly.
Such a fine raw gem, he thought. If I can't polish him, it would be a waste of such talent, and I would be a failure as a teacher.
Noel simply wrote everything down in his notebook, not fully understanding the deeper meaning, but trusting that there was wisdom in his master's words.
Who knows? Maybe one day, these words will save me.
"I've recorded your advice." Noel said, patting his notebook.
Mond gently patted Noel's head. "Today, you're the star of the lab. I suggest you start with the simplest task: iron transmutation. It's the basic training for any beginner. Once you master iron, you'll move on to copper, then silver, and finally gold."
"If you can master this, then congratulations—you'll be a qualified fixed-point alchemist."
"I will do my best." Noel answered with determination.
"I'll go buy you some materials, so while you practice, make sure to watch over the house." Mond said, waving his hand before grabbing his coin pouch and heading out.
As the door slowly closed, Noel turned to face the chaotic lab, letting out a sigh.
"Master really is something else. Leaving all this mess for me to clean up… Are all alchemists this bad at keeping things tidy?"
Still, he started organizing the lab. It was still messy afterward, but at least he managed to clear away the empty containers.
He left the vessels that still contained leftover materials untouched. It wasn't that he didn't want to clean them, but rather that he didn't dare.
Having a spirit of curiosity toward the unknown was important, but when it came to dangerous unknowns, ensuring an alchemist's safety came first.
After tidying up, the workspace was finally usable. He washed a few beakers and placed them on the table, then looked over at the test tubes.
How did Master become an alchemist with equipment this filthy? Isn't he worried that unstable residues could cause an explosion during transmutation? Noel muttered to himself.
Despite his complaints, Noel picked up the test tubes and washed them thoroughly. At this point, he was starting to wonder if he was here to clean the lab or to do experiments.
It was obvious which it was, but he didn't mind. Having such a spacious lab to conduct free experiments in was a blessing.
Everything is ready… but how do I describe what I'm feeling? Am I excited? Nervous? Why don't I feel anything at all?
Is it really that I don't feel anything, or is it that under this pressure, I simply can't respond emotionally?
His hands were shaking—not from fear, but from excitement.
"Let's take a look at the alchemy manual."
He placed the raw materials on the table. According to the book, the next step was to use fire magic to purify them.
Fire magic… I don't know how to use fire magic. But he recalled he could use a magic circle instead.
Would Master scold me if I used magic stones as fuel? They were expensive, and using them for iron transmutation felt wasteful.
But before he left, Master told me to be bold. So why am I hesitating? The pursuit of alchemy is about practice, about seeking truth. If I'm bound by fear, how can I pursue it?
"I'm sorry, Master." Noel apologized in his heart. It might not have meant much, but it gave him a sense of peace.
He sprinkled red powder to draw a magic circle on the table. The design wasn't complicated, but the core was the most important part.
As long as the core was accurate, the peripheral branches didn't matter as much; they only affected efficiency.
It's just iron transmutation. As long as the temperature is stable, it should succeed.
A small flame transmutation circle was completed. However, he felt it was too simplistic, likely to cause problems such as insufficient heat or too short a duration.
What if I use a wind circle around it to feed the flame and make it burn hotter? What if I add a catalyst to support combustion?
Noel was growing more excited. The possibilities of alchemy truly felt endless.
As the ideas came, he acted on them, adding a ring of green wind patterns around the flame core. Just like that, a simple yet functional magic circle was complete.
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