The Tempering

Within the city of Lancea, there were a great many secrets, some of which were whispered and some kept in absolute silence for fear that the speaker might never speak again. The ritual called the 'Tempering' was a secret belonging to the latter.

Even so, secrets have a way of reaching the ears of others one way or another, and bits and pieces of details were eventually spread amongst the whispers of the populace of Lancea. As per usual when the Circle of Mages wanted their secrets kept, spread along those fragmented details, were truths, half-truths, and outright falsehoods to throw off anyone reaching out to the truth. The rumors of a potion, made from the roots of the Dandelion Mandragora, capable of drastically increasing one's Aether density was one of said misinformation.

The truth was, while a potion that made use of the Dandelion Mandragora roots did exist, it was but a part of something called the 'Tempering Ritual.' Even if someone had gotten their hands on the recipe of said potion, they would simply die from the abundant amount of Aether invading their body, experiencing petrification via Aether crystallization, multiple organ failures due to Aether incompatibility, and spontaneous mutation also due to Aether incompatibility.

There were procedures required before the ingestion of the potion. Firstly, the apprentice that would be drinking needed to have an Aether density above a certain level. This was to ensure that they'll have sufficient magic resistance against the effects of taking in a large amount of foreign Aether.

Secondly, in order to lower the risk of organ failures and mutations, the Aether within the potion, typically belonging to plants and a few species of insects, depending on the ingredients available, needed to be adapted to the human body. To do this, a master with adequate control over Aether would ingest the potion beforehand, keeping it within their bodies from a week up to a month, depending on the amount, to gradually adapt the Aether within the potion for human compatibility before spitting it back out.

That being said, the Aether would typically still not be fully compatible with the participant of the ritual as there would still be some difference between the Aether within each individual's body. As such, though the Aether had been adapted to a human body by a master, the apprentice might still suffer the effects of Aether incompatibility. This would be where the apprentice's own magic resistance would have to come in.

There was also the problem of crystallization to be solved. For this, upon ingesting the potion, a master adept in healing magic would aid the apprentice in controlling the explosive amount of Aether that would be flowing within the apprentice's body as the result of the potion. Once the flow stabilizes, the apprentice would be left on their own to maintain it for however long they'll be able to do so.

Upon being judged that they've reached their limits, the apprentice would then be given another potion that would drastically raise the activity of Aether within the apprentice's body, not only to increase the dissipation rate of Aether from the body but also to cause the Aether to run amok.

For the duration of the effects of the second potion, the apprentice will have to wrestle control over their Aether against the effects of the potion. Failure to do so could result in internal injuries as well as a heavy loss of Aether within the body, both of which could potentially lead to death. Naturally, a master would be nearby to render assistance, but it would be best if the apprentice manages it themselves.

Once the effects of the second potion wear off, the Tempering Ritual would be completed. The apprentice would then be allowed to recover with various supplements provided to aid in said recovery. Once recovery is complete, they will go through the same ritual once more. The full ritual takes up to about a week to complete and the process shall be rinsed and repeated for three years, with roughly a three-month interval between each ritual. By the time the three-year period is over, the apprentice should come to possess the Aether control and density that are but a step below that of a master. Of course, it takes more than control and density of Aether to call oneself a master. Rather, this would be but the first step in the long journey to obtain the much-coveted rank.

***

"So... you vomit it back out? Isn't there a better way to do this?"

With a disgusted look on his face, Theodore sat crossed-legged, with one arm below his chin. Even as he made idle conversation, his mind was busy organizing the information he had just been given.

"Still hung up on that part?" Kalman said with a raised eyebrow, uttering something akin to 'youngsters these days,' under his breath. "It's not that strange if you think about it. The human body, after all, is in and of itself an alchemical cauldron of a sort."

"I'd rather do it in an actual cauldron."

"Well, not everyone has the luxury of being born with the 'thread type' Aether-form and the control they grant over Aether. For some of us, the adjustment is better done within one's own body, where we have full control."

"Still... Ugh..."

"How curious. It appears that even after having inherited the memories of the Demon Lord, there's still a childish side to you."

"It's not as if the memories directly take over. It's more akin to a gradual recollection. Speaking of gradual, the more I think about it, the more this 'Tempering Ritual' sounds like intensive training than anything else."

"It is how it is. What, did you expect to become instantly powerful just by drinking some plant juice?"

"Plant juice? That's a very non-alchemist way to put it."

"Trust me, when you get to my age, you'd become jaded too. It's not just a spiritual thing either. You simply have less energy to expend on pointless things as your body becomes older. Then again, it's not as if you Demon Lords age like humans do, so I suppose you're not going to understand."

"Isn't that a shame? Well, everything aside, I would still like that recipe. Useless as it may be on its own, I might still find some use for it somewhere down the line. Unless, of course..."

Theodore turned his sight towards Kalman, an alchemist he might be, he could still have a trick or two up his sleeve.

"Don't look at me. Let alone the elders, even amongst the masters, my Aether control could only be considered average, so I can't help you with the Tempering even if I am willing. You're going to have to find someone more specialized, an enchanter perhaps, someone like Master Annaliese perhaps."

"Easier said than done. I'm still confined to these grounds, in case you forget. If anyone has a chance of finding another collaborator here, it's you, *Elder* Kalman."

Kalman shook his head.

"I am afraid my chances are as good as yours. Remember, I'm a hermit. I don't have many friends I can call on and the other mages would get suspicious if I were to suddenly reach out to someone important. Besides, the deal was that I'll give you the recipe, nothing more. Here, I'll write down the recipe for Aetherburst Nectar and Berserk Potion both. I'm sure you can figure out which is which based on their names."

"Two for one? Are you sure?"

"Consider it a commemoration for our newfound alliance. Just make sure you burn the paper after you've memorized it. It'll be bad for both of us if you're caught with it."

***

End of Chapter 73

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