My Family in the Novel?

I gave Euphemia a condemning look. "Did you seriously try to use me as an experimental subject?"

"Yes, but don't worry. None of my experiments that make it to human trial ever fails, well at least 97% of the time," she said proudly. "And look, you didn't get hurt, right?"

"That's because I used my aura. If I was even a single second late and my finger would've been cut off."

"Don't worry, with this, it'll grow right back to normal. And even if it fails, I have high-grade healing potions at the back capable of attaching it back just in case."

Seriously, what's wrong with this girl? And why did she say 97% of the time? What happened to the other 3%?

I grabbed the vial she was holding and looked closely at it, expanding my mana sense and focusing it on my eyes. I could see the intricate details of mixtures of magical ingredients inside it.

She truly made something special. If what she says is true, this could potentially lead to an entire monopoly of a new type of potion on the market.

If this potion proves successful, its potential to dominate the market is undeniable. The demand for such a revolutionary healing elixir would skyrocket among adventurers, the military, and the general public—particularly those who regularly risk their lives in battles against monsters.

Anticipating the widespread popularity of this potion, I also recognized the potential hurdles it might face, particularly from the church and certain healer associations.

They could attempt to prevent its public distribution or, in more extreme cases, launch attacks against Euphemia herself.

However, considering Euphemia's prominent status as the next Alchemist poised to attain the title of Apothecary, her widespread reputation, and the protection afforded by her kingdom's guards, such interference seemed less likely.

Even now, I could sense a few powerful individuals discreetly stationed a few hundred meters away, their stealth skills impressive—perhaps more suited to the role of assassins than mere guards.

"Is this what you wanted to show me?"

"No, that's just one of them; I've got four more others, hehe. Look."

She handed me another vial, this one glowing in a myriad of colors, and I recognized it immediately.

"Is this?"

"Yes, it's my own version of the Circle Booster potion you made. I call it Circle Booster E," she said with a smile. Did she seriously name the potion Circle Booster and Her's Circle Booster E?

I guess now that I think about it, it's kind of my fault for not naming the potion to begin with, and I guess she has every right, considering it was originally her potion to begin with.

"It pretty much has the same effects as yours but just a longer duration" she said while smiling brightly at me.

I shifted my gaze toward the side, discovering three additional vials radiating distinct colors - orange, red, and, curiously, my favorite, purple.

Curiosity piqued, I picked up the red vial and asked, "What's the purpose of this one?"

Euphemia, with her trademark nonchalance, replied, "Oh, nothing particularly special. It's just an aphrodisiac."

"Excuse me?" I arched an eyebrow, surprised.

She regarded me with an amused expression, as if I were missing the point. "As I mentioned, it's an aphrodisiac. It induces—"

I interrupted her mid-sentence, placing a finger on her lips. "I know what it does. What I'm asking is why you, of all people, concocted something like this. Who knows how potent this thing is?"

'Especially considering you're the one who made it.'

Euphemia paused for a moment, her eyes appearing a bit hazy. I couldn't help but wonder why she kept touching her lips.

'Was my touch unpleasant for her?'

"Euphemia?" I prompted, seeking an explanation.

She looked at me again for some time and shook off her momentary stupor. "...Oh, that's because the Principal asked me to make one for her. She talked about seducing someone in case things go south or something," Euphemia explained.

'Why did that old hag suddenly request Euphemia to make something like this?' Knowing her personality, I was certain she was up to something, but I couldn't imagine it leading to anything serious, as the principal was known for her playful pranks.

I sighed, "Haah…." and put the vial back down. "What about this one?" I asked, picking up the orange vial this time.

"Viagra," she replied immediately.

"The principal again?"

Euphemia nodded, confirming my suspicion. "Yes..."

Looking at how serious she was, it seemed she was speaking the truth. Honestly, the principal was the only person I could imagine asking for something as random as this.

Although requesting things like aphrodisiacs and Viagra from an alchemist was not prohibited in the academy, that rule only applied to certified alchemists.

Even though Euphemia surpassed most alchemists, possibly ranking in the top 5 in the entire continent, she was still just a student. Why did the principal make a request that might endanger her alchemical career?

Sighing once again, I discharged small mana bullets at the two vials, shattering them.

"Why did you do that?" Euphemia asked, looking puzzled.

"Just tell the principal I broke them; she'll understand, won't she?"

"But she already paid me," Euphemia protested, holding out a merit coin.

'Wtf?'

'Why is she giving you a merit coin for making these kinds of potions?' I questioned.

The unfairness of the situation struck me. If word got out to the alchemic department students, it could lead to a riot. Even though Euphemia made them, students who could create a straightforward potion like this might find it unjust.

As soon as my eyes landed on the purple vial, Euphemia quickly grabbed hold of it and concealed it behind her.

"So, what does that thing do?" I inquired with a slight edge in my tone.

Euphemia avoided making eye contact and didn't bother to answer, intensifying my curiosity about the nature of that potion. In response, I coated my finger in mana, concentrating it on the tip. A small glowing purple ball of pure mana manifested on my index finger.

Witnessing the absurd density of my mana bullet, Euphemia gulped audibly.

…..

He actually came, huh? Considering how many times he's been trying his best to ignore me, the fact that he actually came…. feels weird for some reason.

After exchanging greetings, I felt the mischievous urge to play a little prank on him.

I grabbed my magically enhanced scissors and attempted to playfully cut his finger off as a lighthearted punishment for ignoring me all this time.

Besides I have a bunch of potions to heal him anyway.

However, the moment I tried to execute my mischievous plan, his dense purple aura suddenly enveloped his finger, and with a distinct cracking sound, my scissors broke.

Wow! I stared at the density of his aura and couldn't help but be impressed.

I thought he was only an alchemist like me; sure, we can use a bit of mana and aura, but not on this particular level of density and control.

His control over his aura seems on par, if not stronger, than some of my family's knights.

Is it because he's a Tellus, so something like this is to be expected from a Ducal family? Now that I think about it, except for his sister and brother, almost all the Tellus that entered the Academy became top-ranked students in their specific departments.

After he kept reprimanding me for trying to cut his finger, I presented him with my personal version of the potion he created to win the top rank in the alchemy department.

However, he only stared at it.

Except for the slight amusement in his eyes when he first saw it, his expression didn't change one bit, and he just continued to stare at it.

He looked at me slightly before paying attention to the other potions I created.

'Can't he at least praise me or something?'

It took me quite a while to reverse engineer the potion he created, as he didn't give me any formula to begin with.

What I did was almost impossible even for some known alchemists throughout the continent, yet he just continued to stare at it.

Does he even realize the amount of detail and intricate brewing required—the precise amount of mana to release and the duration it needs to rest in order for it to become perfect?

He basically created a miracle by making that potion, and I copied it, if not made a better version, by just taking a small sample of what he gave me.

'… I should be praised, right?'

Suddenly, he grabbed the red vial and asked me what it was. The moment I said it was an aphrodisiac, his face was full of confusion.

Does he not know what an aphrodisiac is? I tried to explain, but he just covered my mouth with his finger.

'How rude! Can't he realize just how disgusting it is to put your hands on someone else's lips? I thought he was raised in a very high-class noble society, but doesn't he lack basic manners?'

'But his finger is quite firm and warm'

'It seems he doesn't use a sword, considering he has no calluses whatsoever'

'It feels warm and comfortable for some reason'

The moment he removed his finger, a part of my body wanted to grab it back for some reason.

'What the hell is wrong with me?'

"Euphemia"

Startled by his voice I looked at him again.

Observing his sharp ashen gray eyes, his well-toned physique, and the black hair that adds to his deep sense of mystery, I can kind of understand now why that girl Louise fell for him.

Even though she consistently tries to change the subject or denies it immediately whenever I ask her about it, it becomes pretty obvious every time she looks at Adrian…. 'I'm kind of annoyed for some reason'

Coming back to my senses, he asked why I had made such things.

And his face contorted the moment he heard the request came from the principal.

Although there was a general rule not to expose your customers, I didn't care, as I didn't like the principal to begin with.

I even wanted to throw a potion bomb at her face when she came to request such things from me, but the merit coin she offered was too much to deny.

Suddenly, he destroyed the aphrodisiac and Viagra potions.

'What the hell?'

I watched in shock as he focused his attention on the last vial. Panic surged through me as I attempted to conceal it, but the intensity of the mana bullet he wielded made me rethink my actions. A sense of foreboding gripped me.

'He won't shoot me, right?'

…..

"Elena," Bishop Austin's stern voice echoed in the room.

Elena, startled, turned to face him. "Bishop Austin?"

The bishop entered her personal office without the courtesy of a knock. "Where were you yesterday?"

"After class ended, I went back to the dorms. Why do you ask?" Elena inquired, a hint of confusion in her voice.

Sighing heavily, the Bishop took a seat and positioned himself across from Elena, his eyes carrying a weight of concern.

"Elena, I know it's hard, but you need to break up with him."

"W-what are you talking about?" Elena stammered, a mix of surprise and disbelief on her face.

"Adrian Vulter Tellus. Please, for the sake of the world, leave him," the Bishop urged, his expression grave.

Elena could only stare at him in shock.

'How did he find out?'