Chapter 1160: Chapter 1159: First For Everything (1)


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    "-s how you would go about improving the quality of the potions you brew. Really, it''s far simpler than you were trying to make it out to be, and that isn''t a jab at you. Just... sometimes the basics really are that basic, and they usually can improve the results by manyfold if done correctly."


    The three other Caninekin all nodded at Leone''s words, with two of the three looking relieved while thest one looked very frustrated, though that seemed to be directed inwards instead of towards us.


    "Go and give it a try again, and this time go over the steps one at a time and make sure you do everything as I said you should. The batch of potions you brew should be twice, if not thrice as strong as the previous one."


    They split off from us right after that, going to put her advice to the test and making the most of the time we had as they prepared more potions for tomorrow, hoping to save one more life with each potion they brewed.


    With them heading off towards their own cauldrons and workstations to resume brewing, Leone guided me towards the extra avable alchemical set and sat me down beside it, the Vampire looking over the herbs we had on hand and consulting the book beside it to better formte an ideal recipe.


    "Wouldn''t my time be best spent with the other enchanters getting the shields ready? I''m not saying I don''t want to spend time with you, but..."


    "This isn''t ying to your strengths and seems rather out of ce considering tomorrow is potentially the beginning of a multi day long war against an unknown number of Fiends as well as their contracted partners?"


    Leone briefly looked up from the book in her hands to sh me a smile before returning to her skimming, finding the entries she needed and beginning to sort through the herbs as she created a form for the potions we were about to brew.


    "Yes, that''s pretty much what I was thinking. I mean, seriously, I don''t doubt that I could concoct a vat of potions before the day is out, and I might even be able to get some pretty decent ones out of it, butparatively... this just feels out of ce..."


    "Well, just know that it''s not that out of ce at all. Firstly, I need someone to keep supplying me with a good amount of high quality Mana Water to ensure I can even make potions. Secondly, this is a skill I would appreciate sharing with you, Kat, since healing spells can only take us so far.


    When they areplimented by a potion, they tend to work even better, and in the amount of recurring events where we don''t have the mana to spare for healing spells, they are exactly what we need. If you can brew a decent potion without needing too much input on my end, that would be great for all of us."


    The Vampire''s reasoning was - as usual - filled with logic that was rather irrefutable, so I just smiled wryly at her before getting up to fill the cauldron with water, getting the first step of manypleted now so that I could observe the rest of them freely.


    "Besides, there were a few things that I needed you to be here for. The first was a bit more... selfish, I''ll admit. Would you mind filling a ss for me, Kat? It''s been awhile now, and I''m feeling a tad parched..."


    If anyone else had asked I would have just waved a hand and provided them a ss of cool water to quench their thirst, but obviously Leone was looking for something else, so instead I conjured up a ss of ice before unsheathing my knife, listening to her even as I slid the de across my wrist.


    The sharp kiss was followed by a blossoming of heat as my blood dripped down into the ss, each droplet staining the crystalline structure of the cup with a faint whisper brushing against my ears, though they were drowned out by Leone''s voice as she continued speaking.


    "The second was simply thepany provided; why work alone and be bored with the repetitive tasks when I can have someone I love with me? Thirdly, I''ve been thinkingtely about some new ideas for magic, and having someone to discuss them with was one of the main reasons."


    "Oh? And what new ideas have youe up with, Leone?"


    Taking the ss from me, the Vampire shed me a smile that showed off her elongated fangs before taking her first sip, the crimson liquid almost seeming dullpared to her ruby eyes as she narrowed them in glee.


    Her relieved and enthusiastic sigh after enjoying that sip conveyed her emotions perfectly, followed immediately by the smacking of her lips as she nodded, acting like she had just tasted a fine wine and not my blood.


    "Unsurprisingly, at least to me and funnily enough, to Anput too, I''ve been thinking about my other magics. Blood Magic in particr, and the application I could put it too, at least in theory. It''s been awhile now since I was told I had it, and yet I''ve done little with it... Anyways, in thesest few days I''ve been reading through my books and I stumbled across a peculiar herb called ''Maiden''s Blood Lily''. Fascinating herb with particrly intriguing properties, but the name was what got me thinking. What if I began to use my Blood Magic in my alchemy?N?v(el)B\\jnn


    Because my Fire Magic is used to an immeasurable degree throughout all steps of making a potion, but it''s purely ''external'' in use. There are cases where I can use the mana itself to influence a potion, like with fire resistance or amplification potions, but they are few and far between. So what if I started using my Blood Magic to imbue potions with a little more... kick?"


    She had put the book down and was instead staring at me with that all too familiar, almost childish enthusiasm as she prepared to go deep into a discussion about how she would use blood to make potions stronger.