Embracing Magic - E.M Chapter 142 (Part 1)

Rodin was a curious person. No, magicians as a whole were bundles of curiosity.

If they encountered something unusual, they couldn’t rest until they had investigated it. If they didn’t understand something, they would instinctively dig into it. And if they were stuck in uncertainty, feeling like they were on the verge of understanding but not quite there, it was enough to drive them mad with frustration.

But at the same time, they were also cautious. Unlike knights, who had a reckless disposition of “Why not just try it and see what happens?”, such impulsiveness did not align with the nature of a magician.

That was why magicians tended to think things through and prepare thoroughly before proceeding with anything. Without doing so, they couldn’t bear the unease that crept over them.

“Cure Poison.”

Rodin, just in case, had prepared a spell in advance. He held the magic at the final stage, just before activation, and uncorked the stopper on the glass bottle.

Pop!

“Let’s take a proper look.”

With his eyes closed, he drank the liquid. He felt the liquid flow down his throat and began focusing on his cultivation technique.

The surrounding mana, drawn by the Rune incantation, was absorbed into his body. The mana coursed through him, scanning his physical form before finally reaching his heart and transforming into a magic circle.

“It’s truly weak.”

At least one prediction turned out to be accurate: this liquid had no effect on those with a certain level of innate talent.

However, it wasn’t a substance that increased mana absorption rates. It simply converted a portion of the surrounding mana into magical power and infused it into the drinker.

“It seems like something created accidentally while working on Magic Stones.”

The mechanism of action was different, but it gave him the sense that it originated from the same research. He speculated that it might have been a byproduct of Magic Stone research.

“Maybe it’s something like a mana supplement?”

It would’ve been better if it had the ability to alter one’s constitution, but unfortunately, this potion was a one-time use. Once consumed, it slightly increased mana or aura, but that was all.

“It doesn’t have much effect on me.”

Rodin, even among Archmages, had an overwhelming reserve of magical power. Such a slight boost in mana was almost insignificant to him.

“Maybe if I drank about 100,000 bottles, it might make a difference. But the mana gained from just ten bottles is still less effective than completing one cultivation cycle.”

This comparison was specific to Rodin. For those with lower talent or cultivation levels, the potion would be quite helpful.

For example, if Larry or Bianca were to drink it, they could expect significant growth.

“The nature of the mana isn’t great either.”

Perhaps because the mana was forcibly absorbed, its quality left much to be desired.

Rodin was so particular about the nature of the mana he gathered that he only used the cultivation chamber once every five days. For someone like Rodin, who insisted on carefully tailored mana, this standardized mana was unappealing.

“Guess I can give it to someone else?”

Rodin considered Larry and Bianca. Between the two, he decided to give it to Bianca first.

Leaving only one bottle of the transparent liquid behind, he stored the remaining eight bottles in his subspace.

Since his subspace froze time, he didn’t need a preservation box enchanted with stasis magic.

“Karis, call Bianca for me.”

“Yes, Young Master.”

He instructed Karis to call Bianca, then stared intently at the potion.

‘It’ll be helpful to her, no matter what.’

Not long after, Bianca arrived. She was holding a book inscribed with Runes in one hand.

“Were you studying?”

“Yeah. Lately, studying has been fun.”

“That’s good to hear. I’ve got something I want to propose to you. Earlier, in a treasure chest I found…”

Rodin explained what he had learned about the liquid without omitting anything. As always, the choice was left up to Bianca.

“What do you think, Big Brother Rodin?”

“It didn’t mean much to me. It was like adding a bucket of water to an already huge reservoir. But it’ll probably be helpful to you.”

“If this bottle is a bucket of water, then how big is my mana pool?”

“A bathtub?”

He compared the mana Bianca could gain from the potion to her current cultivation.

The mana gained from one bottle of the potion was roughly equivalent to what Bianca could cultivate over six months of diligent effort. Drinking two bottles would save her about a year’s worth of time.

“Ugh, a bathtub, really?”

“That just means it’ll help a lot.”

“So, you’re saying it’s useful?”

“Yeah, it will be. But your body might heat up. Also, it’s best to start cultivating right after drinking it.”

This was based on Rodin’s personal experience. The effects of the potion seemed to be fully realized when cultivation was performed immediately after consumption.

“Big Brother Rodin, I’ll drink it.”

“Drink it here. I’ll watch over you.”

“Okay. Make sure I don’t die, okay?”

“Don’t worry. There’s no way you’d die.”

Bianca hesitated for a moment, staring at the potion, before uncorking the bottle. Then, she closed her eyes tightly and drank it all in one go.

“Start cultivating.”

“Got it.”

Bianca began cultivating. The surrounding mana, drawn by the Rune incantation she muttered, was absorbed into her body.

Rodin had seen Bianca cultivate many times before. He was familiar with how much mana she usually absorbed during her cultivation.

‘It’s definitely increased. Drinking the potion and getting this much of an effect… the results are much better than I expected.’

Bianca’s cultivation process took quite a while. Even under normal circumstances, one cultivation cycle for her was relatively long. It was due to her lack of innate talent.

Rodin didn’t take his eyes off Bianca until she finished her cultivation. He kept watching, carefully checking for any signs of problems with her body.

“Whew.”

After a long cultivation session, Bianca opened her eyes and smiled brightly.

“Big Brother Rodin, my mana has increased so much!”

“Right?”

Bianca’s mana had indeed grown significantly. There was no way Bianca, the one experiencing it, wouldn’t notice such growth.

‘She’s grown even more than I expected.’

Rodin had estimated about six months’ worth of growth, but Bianca had gained the equivalent of almost a year’s worth of cultivation in this single session. For Bianca, this potion was practically a treasure.

However, the purity of her mana had decreased. It was as if impurities had been mixed into the mana that had been perfectly aligned with her constitution through her own cultivation efforts.

‘She’ll refine it after a few more cultivation sessions.’

If the amount of mana gained through such methods was excessive, it could pose a problem, but this wasn’t the case here.

The mana Bianca had cultivated steadily over two years was still greater in quantity. With that dominant mana leading the way, the impurities would naturally be purified over time.

Moreover, the cultivation technique Bianca was using wasn’t an ordinary intermediate-level method. It was an advanced technique that had undergone multiple refinements under Rodin’s guidance.

As time passed, her cultivation method would adapt the unfamiliar mana to suit Bianca’s constitution.