By the time Max finished reading the entire book, which was an introduction to alchemy, the tea he had prepared had already cooled down, and he only noticed it after touching the pot.
Seeing the cooled pot sparked an idea in Max's mind: to draw a magic circle that would automatically heat the tea inside the pot.
However, he had to pause again, realizing he didn't have the alchemy solution or the necessary tools to draw the magic or alchemy circle on the teapot.
Max started wondering if there was an alternative way to initiate the process without using the alchemy solution. He referred back to the book to understand its characteristics and discovered that the alchemy solution is a good conductor of magic.
To qualify as an alchemy solution, it must first be conductive to magical power. The book mentioned that there are many formulas for alchemy solutions, but Max found that the magic core or the monster core, obtained from monsters after they are killed, could also serve as an alternative in times of need.
Max felt happy about his discovery and began to take the monster core and crushed it on the table until it became shiny crystal which then he added some water to make it as paste.
Then Max, as mentioned in the book, gathered some magic power and touched the prepared alchemy paste with his hand. The paste began to absorb the magic power, sparkling as a sign that the solution was ready. It now possessed the necessary properties, being conductive to magic, adhesive enough to stick to surfaces, and quick drying.
Max picked up the teapot, placed it on his lap, and carefully examined its surface, forming a mental image to plan where he would draw the array.
Soon he visualized a mental image and sketched the nodes that needed to be placed. These nodes were later connected using alchemy paste, forming an array that would create the heating area on the teapot.
Max then dipped his finger in to the alchemy paste and then started making nodes on the tea pot surface.
After making important nodes Max then carefully checked for any faults or extra nodes and found he has done it correct without mistakes.
Soon once again max dipped his finger into the alchemy paste and started to connect the nodes.
This time, he moved slowly, focusing entirely on maintaining the continuous flow of magical energy from one node to the next without a single pause. With one hand, he carefully drew the array, while with the other, he applied the alchemy paste to his finger, letting it smoothly transfer onto the teapot's surface.
After an hour of intense focus, Max's forehead and body were drenched in sweat from his concentrated effort.
Finally, he connected the last node, causing the teapot to emit a blinding light. The air in the library rustled as magic power surged toward the teapot. Within seconds, the light faded, leaving the teapot with cracked lines glowing faintly as it rested on the table in front of him.
Max took the teapot into his hand and slowly observed it as it was his first alchemy item, and he gently lower it back onto the table and started to rest for few minutes as he is extremely tired right now.
Soon, he closed his eyes and entered meditation to recover his lost magic. He discovered that the meditation helped him regain his strength effortlessly, which made Max happy.
As soon as Max recovered his magic energy, he placed his hand on the teapot and channeled his magic power into it. The array activated, drawing in the magic and causing the teapot's surface to heat up. The tea inside began to boil, all without the need for fire.
As Max concluded the experiment, he removed his hand from the teapot, as the heat it generated had burned him while he was supplying magic energy.
Max poured some tea into his cup and started to drink, hoping to alleviate his parched tongue and throbbing head from continuous concentration.
While drinking the tea, he started evaluating the teapot alchemy item he had created and noticed several flaws. The first issue was that he couldn't touch the pot while it was operating, as the array caused the entire teapot to become hot. This forced the user to wait for it to cool down before serving the tea, which defeated the purpose of the array.
The second issue could be managed by using a cold cloth to handle the pot, but the first problem definitely needed a solution, or anyone using the pot would end up burning their hands.
Max then thought of how his ship which requires to place magic cores in the groves to supply the magic power it requires to speed and got an sudden inspiration.
Max then closed the teapot with the lid and began drawing an energy supply rune on the lid of the teapot, carefully connecting it to the heating array below. It took some time, but Max successfully completed his work and joined both the rune and the array.
Now Max took a small magic core and placed it on the lid. The rune then began to absorb the magic power from the core, circulating it around the lid of the teapot, which in turn transmitted the energy to the teapot below.
The array, now supplied with continuous power, gradually started to function, heating the teapot and causing the tea to boil once more. Max then carefully removed the magic core from the teapot lid, halting the process.
Max happily conducted a few more experiments and concluded his first alchemy was a success with a satisfied smile. He then noticed it was already afternoon by the time he finished, lamenting how he had lost track of time while deeply focused on his work.
He picked up the books that were stacked on one side of the table, carefully placing them on the bookshelf in their designated spots. After quickly organizing them, he grabbed the teapot and headed back to his room to change into fresh clothes, as his current ones were soaked with sweat.