Re: Tales of the Rune-Tech Sage

CH663 The Intellectual Romantic I

***

Some days earlier...

A couple of days after the raid party ambush—and before the meeting Alex called for with Brock Peyton—he sat with Eleanore inside the Fortuna Mansion after she made her rounds to check on the injured members of the raid party.

After being updated on their conditions, Alex intentionally shifted the conversation to a matter that had been on his mind since earlier that day.

Something connected to their encounter two days prior.

”Can you make the stronger treatment for the divine curse you mentioned?” Alex asked.

”Yes, it should not be too difficult. While it is technically a Grade IV potion, I have been going over the notes I obtained from the Stele Trials, and I believe I have found a way to ease some of the formula’s requirements.”

”You are planning to alter the formula?” Alex raised an eyebrow.

”I do not really have a choice.” Eleanore sighed softly. ”The stronger cleansing potion has both material requirements and technical demands that are currently beyond my reach.”

She paused briefly before adding,

”You do not need to worry about the potion harming the BattleBanes. I will know immediately after refining it whether the result is viable or just a useless/harmful dud.”

She tapped her finger lightly against the table.

”It would help if we make use of the Pill Method you created. By locking in all the efficacy and releasing it at once inside the patient, we can compensate for some of the weaker efficacy of my modified version.”

”That is good.” Alex nodded.

Then he gave her a faintly apologetic smile.

He had signed her up for the task without consulting her first. He had simply assumed that since she could easily refine the cleansing potion he gave to Dalton Asheton—the BattleBane Captain—she would naturally be able to produce the stronger version as well; the Greater Cleansing Potion.

Only after speaking with her later had he realised that assumption was far too simplistic.

”I told you not to worry about it,” Eleanore said with a small smile. ”If I do not challenge myself, how am I supposed to grow? This has forced me to think beyond my usual comfort zone, and because of that, I have been able to digest the gains from the Stele Trials much faster.”

Then her expression sharpened.

”Just do not make rash decisions like that again without consulting me first.” She gave him a hard stare.

”Noted.” Alex nodded immediately.

”That aside, the biggest issue is not the temporary treatment, but the actual permanent cure,” Eleanore continued.

”For divine curses of this magnitude, the treatment usually requires a combination of spells, potions, and formations working together. The greater the disparity in strength between the healer and the patient, the more we have to rely on higher-grade potions and formations to compensate.”

She folded her arms as she thought aloud.

”Since the captains of the BattleBane Guild are Combat Masters, it is safe to assume their Guild Master is either a Combat Saint—or at the very least, a far stronger Combat Master.”

”You are worried your spells will be weakened on him because of the difference in strength?” Alex asked.

”Yes.” Eleanore nodded. ”But it is not only his personal strength. Depending on the severity of the curse, the divine curse itself may also add resistance against my spells.

”So it is safer to work under the assumption that my spellcasting alone will not be enough. That means we will need to lean heavily on potions and formations.”

She exhaled softly.

”I can handle the potion side of things, but—”

”You need me to take charge of the formation side,” Alex cut in.

”Yes.” Eleanore nodded again.

”No problem. Scribble down the formation first, then copy it into OmniRune. I will get to work converting it for practical use here on Verdantis. While I am at it, I will also see if I can optimise and upgrade it further.”

”That would help a lot,” Eleanore said.

”It is the least I can do,” Alex replied.

Eleanore simply smiled.

A moment later, one of the Fury Knights approached and silently handed Alex a report before immediately withdrawing.

Alex quickly read through the paper, then looked back at Eleanore.

”How soon can you finish everything?” he asked.

”At least a day,” Eleanore replied. Then, sensing something amiss, she raised an eyebrow. ”Why do you ask?”

”The BattleBanes have gone all out hunting monster hordes around the BloodIron region over the past few days. We can expect them to deliver the divine statues within today.”

Alex gave her an apologetic look.

”I am sorry, but it seems you are going to have to speed things up.”

”Fine.” Eleanore shrugged, not even bothering to complain. ”But that means you are going to be the one crafting the pills after I finish adjusting the potion formula.”

”Huh? Me?” Alex looked genuinely surprised.

”Yes, of course you.” Eleanore gave him a flat stare. ”I also have to sketch the array formation for the treatment, remember? I am not an Array Master. It will take me time to properly draw out the formation so OmniRune can scan and copy it.

”That is time we would be wasting if we wait for me to finish that first and only then begin crafting the pills.”

”Besides, as the father of this pill method, we are better off having you refine them. It lowers the chances of failure—especially since you possess a Primal Origin Flame.”

Eleanore’s reasoning was valid and painfully logical, leaving Alex with very little room to argue—especially since he was the one who had pushed them into this situation in the first place.

In the end, all he could do was sigh inwardly and accept the assignment.

However, he could already foresee a future where every pill-crafting responsibility would somehow be quietly pushed onto him using similarly reasonable excuses.

’I cannot allow that.’

Alex narrowed his eyes slightly.

’I did not create Pill Alchemy just to give myself even more work. No... I need to find a way to improve her alchemy capabilities and make pill refinement more accessible to her—and ideally, to many more alchemists as well.’

Of course, that was a problem for another day.

Still, in that moment, something suddenly occurred to him.

”Wait. Didn’t you say you were planning to improve the potion formula using the notes you received from the Alchemy Stele Trial—the transmutation of plant essences, was it? I cannot do that. Wouldn’t that mean I would not be able to refine the pill based on the new formula you create?” Alex pointed out.

”Do not worry. I will include the transmutation method directly within the formula notes,” Eleanore replied.

Alex blinked.

”Would that actually work?” he asked.

”Yes. You do not need to study all of Zaxan’s original notes just to use the method. I have already digested enough of it to make the process usable on a per-formula basis,” Eleanore said casually.

”That is... impressive,” Alex admitted.

And he truly meant it.

Contrary to how casually she presented it, what she had just described showed an exceptionally deep understanding of the method—perhaps close to the level of the original creator himself—to be able to break it down and adapt it so efficiently.

”Not really. I am certain you would grasp it faster than I did,” Eleanore said with a small shake of her head. ”Your Pill Alchemy method is far more impressive than my little achievement.”

Alex’s lips twitched slightly.

How exactly was he supposed to explain that he had not truly conceived the method from nothing, but had merely brought to life something that had already existed—albeit only in fiction—in his previous life?

Ironically, he himself had always downplayed the achievement for the same reason. Because of its origin, he often felt as though he had simply copied an idea rather than created something remarkable.

What he overlooked, however, was that knowing something could exist and successfully bringing it to life within an entirely different magical system were two completely different things.

Eleanore suddenly tilted her head slightly.

”Actually, I think it might be a good idea for you to learn [Zaxan’s Transmutation].”

***