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Chapter 640 140.4 - Concocting

Astron gave her a brief, knowing nod. "You may, Senior. You may."

A pleased smile crossed her lips as she took the lead, guiding him through the lively streets and weaving through smaller alleyways until they arrived at a polished building tucked just out of sight of the busier market paths. The shop was unassuming from the outside, its sign discreet, but the faint scent of rare herbs and the hum of magic in the air marked it as a place of exceptional quality.

Inside, the shop was immaculate, with shelves organized by alchemical category and equipment displayed in neat rows, each piece crafted with precision. Glass containers of rare ingredients lined the walls, and well-lit workstations showcased an array of finely honed alchemical tools, each one gleaming under carefully placed lights.

As they stepped in, a few staff members glanced over, their expressions shifting from polite professionalism to recognition as they spotted Maya. One of the shopkeepers, a tall, poised woman with silver hair, stepped forward and offered a courteous bow.

"Lady Evergreen," she greeted with a respectful smile. "It\'s an honor to have you here again. How may we assist you?" n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om

Maya returned the smile, her presence calm yet carrying an unmistakable authority. "Thank you, Selenia. My friend here needs access to some of your finest equipment—a workspace with quality instruments for brewing."

The shopkeeper\'s gaze flickered over to Astron, assessing him briefly before nodding. "Of course, Lady Evergreen. We have a few private setups available in the back, equipped with our highest-grade apparatus. You\'re welcome to inspect them first."

She gestured for them to follow, and Maya led Astron through the rows of pristine equipment, her quiet pride in the shop evident. As they reached a secluded workspace outfitted with the most precise tools and enchanted instruments, she glanced at him, a glimmer of satisfaction in her eyes.

"Will this do?" she asked, tilting her head slightly, her tone light.

Astron stepped forward, his gaze sweeping over the equipment before giving a small nod of approval. "It\'s perfect," he said, a subtle weight to his words as he met her gaze.

Maya felt a quiet thrill of satisfaction knowing she had guided him to exactly what he needed. And as they settled in, the familiar scent of potent herbs and the hum of magical energy in the air reminded her of the influence and resources she possessed—an advantage she was more than willing to share with him.

he attendant looked to Astron, her expression polite and professional. "Do you require any materials, sir? We can supply almost anything within immediate reach. However, if it\'s a rare item, we may need to place an order from the storehouse."

Astron turned to her, his gaze steady. "I only need high-quality Aetherial Water."

The attendant\'s eyes lit up with understanding. Aetherial Water was widely used by alchemists to boil concoctions, favored for its stable magical conductivity and purity, which allowed ingredients to meld seamlessly without destabilizing the mixture. While it wasn\'t the rarest of items, the high demand meant it was usually stored with priority.

With a respectful bow, the attendant replied, "Of course, sir. I will bring the Aetherial Water shortly." She paused, then inclined her head further. "Was there anything else you required?"

Astron shook his head, his voice calm. "No, that will be enough."

The attendant nodded with a courteous smile, disappearing from the workspace to retrieve the water. As they waited, Maya observed Astron with quiet admiration, noting the calm precision with which he prepared the workspace, each movement as deliberate as if he\'d done this a thousand times.

In this rare moment, she felt she was glimpsing a side of him few others had the privilege to see.

Maya watched as Astron moved around the alchemy lab, his steps unhurried yet purposeful. The room was a blend of ancient magic and modern science, each piece of equipment meticulously arranged on counters that hummed with a faint arcane glow. Glass beakers and crystal vials lined the shelves, enchanted burners beneath them pulsing with magical energy instead of flames. Above the central workspace, a shimmering crystal panel displayed an overlay of the ambient mana levels in the room, adjusting automatically to maintain balance—a feature Maya had only heard about.

Astron slipped a hand into his spatial storage and began withdrawing a series of small containers, each holding rare ingredients with potency that Maya could sense even at a distance. A few were marked with the sigils of distant lands, and one, a faintly glowing herb, radiated an energy she couldn\'t quite place. He arranged them on the table with practiced ease, his attention sharp, his every movement as precise as if he were on a battlefield.

Unable to resist her curiosity, she leaned in, her voice light yet inquisitive. "What exactly are you planning to make, Junior?"

Astron\'s gaze didn\'t waver as he began sorting through the ingredients, his violet eyes reflecting the faint, otherworldly glow of the equipment.

"It\'s a specially created concoction targeted a certain enemy," he said, his tone matter-of-fact.

Maya\'s curiosity sharpened as she watched Astron arrange the ingredients, her gaze lingering on the rare plants and roots. His response had been cryptic enough to stir her intrigue, so she leaned in slightly, unable to resist asking, "What kind of enemy are you targeting with this?"

Astron\'s gaze shifted briefly to her, his expression unreadable. "An adversary that requires... particular preparations," he replied, his tone distant, as if he were weighing how much to reveal.

The words hung in the air, leaving her with more questions than answers. But as she observed his unchanging expression, she understood that it wasn\'t a subject he wanted to delve into. Respecting his privacy, she offered him a slight nod and turned her attention back to the array of ingredients spread across the table.

Her gaze fell upon the plants, her eyes widening slightly in recognition as she picked out two of them. "Celial Nightshade…" she murmured, her fingers brushing just above its dark petals without touching. "And Voidroot… I didn\'t think anyone could get these so easily."

Both plants were nearly impossible to acquire, even for her family, whose reach extended across the continent. The Celial Nightshade, a striking bloom known to appear only under the rare light of a blue moon, possessed an essence potent enough to disrupt mana flow in any creature. Voidroot, on the other hand, was a dense, dark root that grew deep in desolate wastelands, its nature capable of absorbing and nullifying surrounding mana. The presence of these rare specimens hinted at an enemy of considerable power.

As she moved her gaze to the remaining three, her curiosity deepened. The plants were unfamiliar, their properties unknown to her.

She glanced up at him, her tone soft but filled with awe. "These ingredients… I\'ve only ever seen two of them, even in my family\'s reserves. The others…" she trailed off, a mix of admiration and bewilderment flickering in her eyes. "I don\'t even recognize them."

Astron\'s gaze remained steady as he looked at the ingredients, each rare component laid out with purpose. He turned to Maya, his voice calm but carrying a depth of knowledge that caught her full attention.

"Hernetrgrass," he began, gesturing to the shimmering silver plant, "resonates with dimensional magic. It\'s a catalyst for spells that distort or fold space. In this mixture, it will amplify the radius of any effect without weakening it. Useful for handling evasive or multi-dimensional foes."

Maya\'s eyes widened slightly as she nodded, absorbing the information with interest.

He moved to the next plant, his fingers brushing near the Dokebloom. "This one\'s called Dokebloom. Its petals contain faint traces of dragon\'s blood, making it especially potent against draconic creatures and any beings with scaled resilience. It heightens the mixture\'s potency and penetrative power, breaking through tougher defenses."

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Her eyes lingered on the vibrant petals, marveling at the subtle glow within. This was beyond anything she\'d encountered in her family\'s collections, a realm of expertise that spoke to battles far beyond the usual.

Finally, he gestured toward the blue moss, its cold aura almost palpable in the alchemy lab\'s warm atmosphere. "Rostglow Moss," he said, his tone as cool as the moss itself. "It\'s able to slow down regenerative abilities—most effective against creatures that heal unnaturally fast. In the right doses, it can suppress healing without harming the host body itself, allowing the other ingredients to work effectively."

She felt a ripple of awe as she listened, each ingredient unveiling the precision of his intentions, tailored for an enemy unlike any she could imagine. This concoction was a weapon in its own right.

Just as he finished, the door opened quietly, and the attendant stepped in, carrying a carefully sealed bottle filled with Aetherial Water. She approached Astron with a respectful bow, holding out the bottle.

"Here is the Aetherial Water, sir," she said, her voice courteous. "Is there anything else you need?"

Astron accepted the bottle with a nod. "No, this is sufficient. Thank you."

The attendant offered another brief bow before leaving them alone once more. Astron uncorked the bottle, carefully pouring the water into the beaker. As the liquid settled

Astron adjusted the burner beneath the beaker, his focus sharpening as he carefully raised the temperature. The Aetherial Water shimmered, its surface rippling with a faint, silvery glow as it began to heat up. Maya watched, noting how the liquid maintained its stability, adapting to the precise adjustments he made.

She recalled that Aetherial Water was highly valued not just for its purity, but because it buffered errors—ensuring that if an ingredient was added at the wrong moment, its properties wouldn\'t degrade, preserving the potency and essence of each element.

Astron\'s gaze remained steady on the beaker, his hands moving with calm precision as he reached for the Celial Nightshade first. His expression was completely focused, his normally composed demeanor taking on a fierce intensity as he worked.

Each of his movements was deliberate as he added the Nightshade with a controlled pour, watching as it melted seamlessly into the shimmering liquid, turning it a shade darker.

Maya felt her pulse quicken, mesmerized by the shift in his expression. She had seen him calm and composed many times before, yet this focus was different—unyielding as if he were holding each second in his control, ready to confront whatever enemy awaited.

The sharp lines of his face, highlighted by the light above, seemed more defined, his features taking on a lethal edge that sent a subtle shiver through her.

\'Sigh…..It really is something now….\' she wondered, unable to look away. There was a strength in his expression that felt almost tangible, a force she could sense even from where she stood.

He continued, adding the Voidroot with the same exacting care, the liquid deepening to a murky.

And well….The glow of the burner cast shadows across his face, emphasizing the intensity of his gaze.

Making her forget the purpose of the concoction altogether, lost in the dangerous allure of his focus.

His face, hardened by purpose, looked as though he belonged on a battlefield—yet here he was, wielding knowledge and precision like a weapon, crafting something as deadly as any blade.

And in that quiet space, as the concoction continued to take shape, Maya felt herself drawn deeper into this unexpected side of Astron.