"All the files were given to him?"

In the Alchemy Academy, the dean of the Crucible Academy with a gloomy expression stared at the wizard who reported to him in front of him, with a bit of resentment in his eyes.

"Yes, according to your orders, we have handed over all the files and account books from four years ago to the present to the wizarding advisors of His Highness Brandon. ”

The alchemist replied truthfully, but his expression was still a little uneasy: "But is this really good? Lord Dean, there are all the records on it, if he really finds something......

"What's the matter, let that black-haired kid go for it, really think he can find any 'evidence'?" A sneer appeared on the corner of the dean's mouth: "That's four years, all the files for four whole years, even if he is given half a month, he will definitely not have time to read them!"

"This isn't some difficult and obscure high-level spell, it's something wizards will never learn in the academy - cold numbers, statistics!"

"Just teach this arrogant boy a lesson. The dean snorted coldly, and the resentment in his eyes was even deeper: "The real problem is not him, but the attitude of His Highness Brandon!"

"Your Highness's attitude?" the alchemist was even more confused: "But during the day, didn't His Highness Brandon reprimand his wizard advisor in order to protect your reputation......

"That's for us to see, brainless idiot!" roared rudely, and the dean glared at his subordinate: "If it weren't for His Highness's intentions, would that wizard advisor be so enthusiastic about helping us 'clear' the accounts?"

"We are under suspicion, understand?!This Highness Brandon, and maybe even the 'Majesty' behind him, suspects us of manipulating the accounts!"

The alchemist who heard the dean's answer was stunned, his shoulders trembled slightly, and the scrolls in his hands fell to the ground.

"Why, how is this possible... We are loyal servants of His Royal Highness Crown Prince Connaught, and we have always carried out His Highness's ......"

"If you don't want to die, shut up!"

"Yes, yes!"

The dean's expression became more and more dull, and when he saw his subordinates trembling, his mood became even worse: "All in all, that kid will definitely not be able to detect anything, but we must not relax our vigilance, we must be cautious." ”

"You mean ......"

"Find someone to keep an eye on this dark-haired kid, and if you see him wandering around town, just arrest him - explain afterwards that you accidentally took him for a thief, a wizard of spells, at most a trickster!"

"Send another trustworthy person to the Broken Boundary Mountain Fortress to contact His Highness Connad and see if there is any news from His Highness. The dean, who looked like a blacksmith, was much more cautious than he looked: "And what about the other wizards who accompanied His Highness Brandon?"

"It's all in the academy and there's no sign of leaving. The alchemist hurriedly replied, "I have commissioned two apprentices to show them around the academy, and now they should be in the underground laboratory." ”

"Very good. ”

Nodding vigorously, the dean still stood up uneasily: "No, you go to see them in person." In any case, there must be no surprises!"

................................................

"It's... It's amazing!"

In the underground laboratory of the Crucible Academy, the little wizard who walked into the door accompanied by two apprentices looked in amazement and excitement at this huge underground space no larger than the size of a football field, made of beams, brick walls, and various metal brackets.

Even the alchemy laboratory at Ebotden is at most the size of a study, with a relatively complete set of tools and parts, and there are nearly a hundred workbenches alone, and the crucibles are placed directly on the fireplaces on both sides......

In a bottle, in a box, in a clay pot...... There are as many cabinet shelves full of these things as there are bookshelves in a library!

No, this is the alchemist's library;

This is the "kingdom of heaven" for alchemists!

"You look surprised, Lord Ain Rand?" an unfamiliar voice approached from behind: "Did our big lab scare you?"

"Alas, yes!" The excited little wizard turned his head and took the initiative to stretch out his right hand: "Alchemist Ain Rand, I don't know what to call you?"

"Just call me Oni. The alchemist, who smiled and flattered him, gently shook the little wizard's hand, casually sent the two apprentices beside him, and greeted warmly: "If you don't mind, I'll show you around here, right?"

"Of course!"

The excited little wizard nodded vigorously and followed the alchemist into the alchemist's "library".

"Our Crucible Academy is fundamentally different from any wizarding academy in the Empire, and here we are not here to search for the truth, to find the truth about the natural world, or even to find the secret to turning lead into gold, as other wizards have slandered. ”

The alchemist walked forward, casually pointing to the apprentices on the workbenches on either side who were still fighting at night: "What we are doing is not so meticulous work. We do not demand theory, we do not seek the truth, we do not search for the truth, but we have been repeating the same work since the sixth generation of His Majesty Brandon I. ”

"Same job?" the little wizard tilted his head in confusion.

"That's right, and it hasn't stopped since the academy was founded. The alchemist's face showed a proud expression: "That's the practice that never stops!"

"The weapons and ordnance made by the Crucible Academy and the Crucible Town will be sent directly to the legions of the Broken Mountain Fortress - that's thousands, if not tens of thousands, of soldiers, hundreds of weapons will be scrapped in a battle, thousands of arrows will be consumed, and supplies will be sent at any time, so we don't have time to be too elaborate!"

"But at the same time, the Crucible Academy must also ensure the quality of weapons and armor - and because it's facing the battlefield, practicality is the most important thing. In addition, it is necessary to constantly innovate. ”

The alchemist stopped, pointing directly ahead of the underground laboratory. The little wizard who looked at him suddenly had his pupils shrinking.

It was a common hammer forged by alchemists, a tool used by alchemists to quench rare metals or to punch runes into alchemical artifacts - at Ebolden, the little wizard also received a miniature version the size of a pendant from the Wizard's Tower as proof that she had been approved by the Wizard's Tower.

And this one of the Crucible Academy... This is a "large machine" that resembles a "forging hammer", and its physique alone is 100 times the size of an ordinary forging hammer!

"This is the gift that His Majesty Brandon I received in the sixth generation when he signed an alliance treaty with the dwarves in the south of the Duchy of Byrne, 'Earthshaker', as the dwarves call it. It was placed here as a symbol of the Crucible Town and the Academy. ”

The alchemist tilted his head slightly, as if to show respect: "The 'Earth Shaker' of the past was almost equivalent to an artifact to the alchemists! It requires hundreds of knocks and tempering, and even more complicated work, and in front of it is only a matter of 'one hammer', worthy of the wisdom of a dwarf!"

"But now...... It is already an outdated design. ”

"Obsolete?!" Ain exclaimed.

"That's right, just over a year ago, we teamed up with the alchemists of the Royal Wizarding Academy in the Imperial Capital to create a 'new forging hammer' that surpasses the Earthshaker – twice as big, three times as powerful, and capable of more complex and sophisticated work. ”

"Every new coin in the Sakran Empire is forged from it today!" said the alchemist's face once again with pride:

"Your Excellency Ain Rand, since you are also an alchemist, you must have a lot of new theories and ideas, why don't we exchange ideas with each other, maybe we can both gain something?"

"Of course, if you don't mind!" Of course, Ain could hear what the other party meant, and was so excited that his eyes kept shining with a light that he couldn't look at directly.

"By the way, what about your other friend?" Suddenly noticing that someone was missing, the alchemist immediately became nervous, "It's the one who had a quarrel with the Dean during the day. ”

"That guy is a nasty megalomaniac. The little wizard who had a headache at the thought of Isaac waved his hand and laughed helplessly: "And he is a wizard who specializes in spiritual mysteries, and he has always been prejudiced against alchemy, you don't have to care about him!"

"Oh... So that's ......"