Inside the orderly room, the electric lights on the ceiling were not bright due to aging circuits, and the room could only be illuminated by the candlelight of several candles.
Various complex and exquisite instruments were placed on the alchemical table, and an unknown decoction was simmering over a low fire in a frying pan.
Mage Kreslin was busy carefully handling a beautiful, blooming silver-white flower in his hand, its pure white, flawless petals appearing to be creations of pure ice and snow.
Yet, such a beautiful thing was carefully disassembled in his hands, its stamens removed, and its petals separated and stacked one by one on silk.
Durin, standing by, took notes in a notebook with a quill pen, recording every step the mage took.
Although his brows were furrowed, he still persevered in completing this task at hand.
Because pharmacology was a very unfamiliar subject to him.
"If you don't understand the structural characteristics of herbs and the parts used for medicine, haphazardly picking them can easily destroy their medicinal properties, making a rare and expensive herb worthless, not even a copper circle coin.
When I send you to buy herbs later, you must also learn to identify them, as some unscrupulous herb merchants will pass off inferior goods as superior."
Mage Kreslin explained as he worked, "For example, this flower in my hand, the truly useful parts are the pistil and petals; the rest of the plant has no medicinal value whatsoever.
Plants are a form of life and possess a self-preservation instinct.
If subjected to great external force, they will secrete a hormone that destroys their medicinal value."
At this time, Mage Kreslin was refining a recovery potion, which could slightly heal injuries.
According to him, if this recovery potion were sold in the Entresol Level, it would typically fetch 3 silver lun coins.
Each refinement usually produced 3-5 bottles, and the cost of each refinement was controlled at around 4 silver lun coins, meaning the net profit for each recovery potion refinement was between 5-11 silver lun coins.
Durin, while salivating at the speed of this money-making, meticulously recorded in his notebook: after adding a small pinch of salt, simmer for about half an hour over low heat, then add three petals of a Frostbloom flower, mix thoroughly until the medicinal properties are balanced, then add one gobbet of iron thread snake venom, continue simmering until the potion turns dark red, then remove useless impurities, and cool the remaining liquid for a period of time to complete the creation.
[Medical Skill proficiency +1, current proficiency: 9/25]
Seeing the line of text that popped up, Durin was somewhat surprised; he hadn't expected that learning about potions and herbs by Kreslin's side could actually increase his Medical Skill proficiency.
This was an experience he had never had with the previous mage he assisted, although it might also be because the previous mage never conducted alchemy experiments, but this was enough to make Durin extremely excited.
He had to keep this job as a mage's assistant; whether it was the double monthly salary or the ability to increase his Medical Skill proficiency, both were enough to make him persevere.
As Mage Kreslin's hands moved incessantly, he meticulously measured the quantities of materials and the order of addition with machine-like steadiness and punctuality, and fluctuations of magic slowly emanated from the dry pot.
Carefully controlling the time and heat, he waited until the decoction had completely turned dark red before pouring the concocted liquid into pre-prepared crystal bottles.
Only after completely filling and sealing them did he breathe a sigh of relief.
Under the dim candlelight, the potion in the mage's hand appeared even more brilliant, shimmering with a deep, dazzling ruby-like luster.
Kreslin then contentedly placed the potion on the wooden shelf and said to Durin, "The electric lights are broken today, so the experimental movements will inevitably be a bit slow.
However, I've already had Tuls go find an electrician for repairs.
Hmm... the materials are almost used up too.
After work, you can go to the Boundary Markets according to the herb list I gave you; there are a few herb merchants there with whom I have a fixed partnership."