Chapter Twenty-One: The Potion of Vertigo

After Professor Cohen’s class ended, Lin Qi immediately became busy. First, he hurried to the logistics department to submit the list of materials requested by Master Kocha. The other items were not much trouble, but gathering three thousand ten-year ten-leaf moonflowers would take some time—about two months, by estimate, to collect them all.

Taking a portion of the available materials from the logistics department, Lin Qi then extorted a protective talisman from Father Balin before nervously stepping into the Master’s Tower. This time, Master Kocha did not act out; when Lin Qi entered his laboratory, Kocha was seated on a wooden stool in the corner, savoring a crystal beaker filled with a ghastly green liquid that bubbled and emitted white vapor.

Upon seeing Lin Qi, Kocha set the beaker down on a black basalt workbench. He placed it with a bit of force, causing the beaker to wobble and a few drops of the green liquid to spill onto the bench, where they sizzled and released a faintly sour scent that quickly permeated the laboratory.

Lin Qi shivered. Only a creature like Kocha could enjoy such dreadful stuff. Judging by its effect, the liquid was at least highly corrosive—if an ordinary person drank it, their insides would surely dissolve.

Kocha let out a peculiar chuckle and muttered, “I’ve had a bit of indigestion lately, so I concocted a digestive potion to clear out my system. Hmm, did you bring everything I requested?”

Carefully placing the dozens of wooden boxes he carried onto a materials table, Lin Qi bowed respectfully. “Honored Master Kocha, it will take about two months to procure three thousand ten-year ten-leaf moonflowers. As for the other materials—the two-headed serpent’s brain, the hot blood from a white-maned winged tiger’s heart, the teeth of the black-toothed venom bat and fifteen others—it will take about one to two months to prepare them all.”

“Useless fool!” Kocha squinted, green light flashing in his eyes. It was unclear whether he meant Lin Qi or the officials in logistics. He pondered for a moment before rising and muttering, “I need these ingredients to prepare a potion; none can be omitted. Since it will take two months…”

Lin Qi recalled his father’s letter and quickly whispered, “Honored Master Kocha, there’s less than a month until the year-end holiday…”

Kocha nodded slowly, fixing Lin Qi with a smile terrifying enough to make children cry. “Very well. You’ve served me for three years—haven’t taken a single holiday, have you? Since the materials aren’t ready, you may go home and visit your family. See, I am a reasonable person.”

His face twitched, and Kocha said coldly, “But before that, prepare two months’ worth of food for me. You wouldn’t want me to starve to death here, would you, Lin Qi? Last time, I nearly had to rely on potions to keep myself going.”

Lin Qi broke out in a cold sweat. He suddenly realized Kocha had complained of indigestion—could it be that after Lin Qi delivered a batch of smoked meats and other provisions yesterday, Kocha, famished, had gorged himself without regard for his digestive limits? Poor master—no wonder he was sipping such dreadful digestive concoctions today.

Forcing a nervous smile, Lin Qi bowed slightly. “That was my mistake, please forgive me.”

His eyes flickered; noticing Kocha seemed to be in a good mood today, Lin Qi cautiously added, “Then, may I return tomorrow to replenish your provisions? Tonight, I have a bit of trouble to attend to.”

Kocha looked at Lin Qi in surprise, tilting his head and growling, “Trouble? What trouble? Who dares cause you trouble? Don’t they know you serve me? Who’s challenging you—who’s challenging my authority through you?”

Three years of servitude, and Lin Qi had never seen Kocha so protective. Did he have a soft spot, or was it merely pride? Either way, it was a stroke of luck for Lin Qi.

Clearing his throat, Lin Qi assumed a pitiable air and whispered, “You know, for three years I’ve diligently served you, and at school, I’m a model student. Every year, my grades rank among the best in the accounting department.”

He sighed deeply, gazing at Kocha with sorrow. “But as you know, there are good people and bad. In Brierly University City, there’s a group of hooligans who live by extortion and bullying, using their strength to oppress us.”

“The Round Table Knights—they’re scoundrels!” Lin Qi shook his fist in anger. “They’re miscreants from the Military Academy, banding together every day to prey on us poor students.”

Tears streamed down his cheeks as Lin Qi gritted his teeth. “My best friend Vik was caught by them today. They demand I pay a ransom at a location they specified tonight. If I don’t bring enough money, they’ll break Vik’s arms and legs.”

Taking a deep breath, Lin Qi wept quietly. “You know we’re all poor students—why else would we risk our lives serving the masters in the Tower?”

Kocha paused, nodding thoughtfully. That made sense. With the Tower’s notorious reputation—dozens of attendants dying every year—only impoverished students would dare serve its monstrous inhabitants.

Lin Qi lowered his head, grief-stricken. “Vik is an honest man. His family’s hopes rest on him, and they scraped together their last coins for him to attend the Fifth University. If his limbs are broken…”

Kocha, eccentric as ever, smacked his lips and strode to his shelf of finished potions. He handed Lin Qi two red and three pale-black bottles. “The red ones are potent healing draughts—if his limbs are broken, he’ll recover in three days. As for the black ones… Stand upwind and open the bottle; you’ll see their effect!”

Lin Qi clutched the potion bottles tightly. The three pale-black bottles were labeled in scrawled handwriting: Powerful Stun.

“Your generosity surpasses the gods, dear Master Kocha. Rest assured, I’ll serve you wholeheartedly!”

Lin Qi bowed deeply to Kocha again and again, his heart thumping with joy.