The Bizarre Detective Agency

Chapter 954: Sweet Dreams

“Alchemy trials?”

11:30 PM

The time on Professor Kris’s old, gilded pocket watch marked the hour.

As Professor Kris needed to venture deeper into the Swamps for some business, Lu Li returned to the Academy of Giant Trees alone.

Cain trailed behind him instinctively, though he was still unaccustomed to interacting with Lu Li. His deference and humility were a clumsy imitation, lacking the natural ease of a true servant.

He still had much to learn from the old butler he had consulted on how to be a servant.

Returning to the Academy of Giant Trees, Lu Li inevitably encountered the gatekeepers.

The two vials of potion from Professor Kris spared him the tedious process of interrogation and purification at the hands of the gatekeepers.

From the dark and damp lower levels, he returned to the bright and cozy Crown Level, and then to his room, where Lu Li fell into a deep sleep.

...The morning bell awakened the sleeping Crown Level.

Sleepy junior-course students straightened their collars as they made their way to the assembly hall.

“Mister Lu Li.”

“Your Highness, Lu Li...”

They treated Lu Li like a professor.

Lu Li's black cloak and the book in his hand reinforced this impression.

“...Uk...”

Dogmeat uttered a short, meaningless word before he began to eat.

Staring at the book Lu Li had set down, Dogmeat tried to read the words on the cover but only recognized a single word.

“That's the ‘Illustrated Guide to Basic Anomaly Knowledge’,” Fudot explained, laughing at Dogmeat's ignorance as was her custom, and then she asked Lu Li:

“Are you preparing for the Level 1 Anomaly Knowledge exam?”

“Mhm.”

“I read that book three years ago. My cousin told me that if you just memorize the material in the ‘Illustrated Guide to Basic Anomaly Knowledge,’ you’re already halfway to passing the Level 1 Anomaly Knowledge trial.”

That was why the old professor had recommended this book to Lu Li.

“Can I take a look, then?”

Dogmeat interrupted the conversation between Fudot and Lu Li.

“First, learn to write your own name... no, first learn how to read!” Fudot paused before adding in a shrill, contemptuous voice.

Because Dogmeat actually did know how to write his name.

Obviously. Students, aside from their talent, were divided by their academic progress into three stages: illiterate commoners, literate middle-class, and educated nobles.

Those who came from noble families, bloodline families, or families wielding anomalous powers started at an advantage—they had already been exposed to knowledge of anomalies before enrolling in the academy, though they paid a price for it: “Knowledge is evil.”

After breakfast, Lu Li went to the library to borrow more books before his mysticism class started.

In addition to the books for the Level 2 mysticism trial, Lu Li also picked up introductory books on alchemy, the In-Between, botany, and divination.

Now, Lu Li only needed to memorize all the books he had borrowed to prepare for the respective trials.

In a way, what hindered Lu Li wasn't the speed at which he absorbed knowledge, but the price of failing the trials.

“Anomalous power. That is what those who master this ability subconsciously call it. However, the Academy of Giant Trees prefers the term ‘mystical power’ to distinguish it from anomalies...”

During the mysticism class, Professor Haig was explaining the fundamentals from his lectern.

Lu Li opened a book titled “Advanced Knowledge of Mysticism” and read quietly.

The mysticism class was clearly not keeping pace with Lu Li's learning progress, especially after he had already passed the Level 1 mysticism trial.

What pleased Professor Haig slightly was that Lu Li wasn't reading books from other disciplines during his mysticism class.

After mysticism class, Lu Li followed a group of students to the divination class, which was held in a different area.

The Nameless Lady of the divination class was already used to students with two majors arriving in the middle of her lesson. She would pause for several dozen seconds to let them take their seats before continuing her lecture.

Compared to the other courses, the divination class lacked basic logic and rationality—partly due to the Nameless Lady's unhinged words and actions, and partly because divination itself required a great deal of auxiliary “intuition and subconscious.”

Scientific alchemy is “add two-fifths of a liter of pure water,” traditional alchemy is “nearly a full wooden bowl,” and if that were translated into divination, it would become “half a glass of water, based on your intuition.”

However, the Nameless Lady's madness, combined with divination, produced a surprisingly good effect. At least during this class, Lu Li didn't browse through the books he had brought.

After divination, Lu Li went to botany class, where he spent half the lesson, and then, after an almost half-hour break, he entered the alchemy classroom.

It was the last class of the morning.

On the lectern stood a crucible and alchemical ingredients, and dozens of alchemy tables were set up in the first two rows.

Usually, during practical alchemy sessions, students were chosen to assist in the crafting process—a Level 1 alchemy proficiency was required, which obviously excluded Lu Li.

“Today, we will be crafting a basic support potion, the Potion of Sweet Dreams. Its effect is ‘sweet dreams’,” Professor Ruberhro said without wasting words, explaining and adding the alchemical ingredients step by step. When he finished, he stepped down from the lectern to instruct the students at their alchemy stations.

“The fire is too strong... Vincent, you missed the toad's leg... So many impurities, Dorothea, you added too much resurrection flesh...”

At the fourteen alchemy tables, every student successfully crafted the potion, except for two who failed after mixing up the steps and accidentally knocking over their crucibles.

When the still-warm potion was poured into glass test tubes, Professor Ruberhro lined them up on the lectern and said:

“We all know an alchemical potion is considered successful if its potency reaches 30 percent. To pass the Level 2 alchemy trial, however, you must craft a basic potion with a potency of over 50 percent.”

Professor Ruberhro's gaze lingered on Lu Li for a moment before he began to evaluate the potions the students had made:

“Hmm... Robert and Vincent, your potions have too many impurities. The potency is below 20 percent. Drinking this will give you some not-so-sweet dreams!”

Amid the laughter, Robert and Vincent lowered their heads in shame.

“The most effective one is Mondtreli's. I believe its potency is around 60 percent...” Professor Ruberhro held up a potion that was as murky as sewage but had no visible sediment.

“The impurities are almost invisible to the naked eye. Mister Mondtreli, if your other potions are of this quality, I can congratulate you in advance on advancing to the Level 2 alchemy course.”

“And now, it's time to test the potions—”

Professor Ruberhro selected a few students from the front row to take the potions. Among them was Lu Li, to whom the professor gave the Potion of Sweet Dreams with 60 percent potency.

“You need a good rest, Mister Lu Li.”

“Thank you.”

Lu Li drank the potion. An herbal scent was followed by the bitter taste of almonds spreading through his mouth, growing stronger and stronger...

“Ugh!”

The other students who drank the potion coughed bitterly.

The others drank water, only to spit it right back out.

“Because the Potion of Sweet Dreams contains wormwood. The more water you drink, the bitterer it gets. Only milk and dairy products can remove the bitterness,” Professor Ruberhro's laughter echoed in the classroom.

At that moment, a milk candy was placed in Lu Li's palm.

Professor Ruberhro winked at him:

“Please, pass the Level 1 alchemy trial as soon as you can. I can't wait to see what you can do at an alchemy table.”