The Alchemist's Guide to Flesh and Blood Ascension

"Oh? You're back... How was the practical class today? Did Lorenz give you any trouble?" Ionevo put down his notebook and turned around.

"Well... anyway, it was a success! A resounding victory!" Iseria practically rushed to Yunevo's side, her eyes filled with stars.

Her cheeks were flushed slightly from running and excitement, and her eyes, filled with pure joy... Yunevo smiled.

"You're really amazing, Iseria..." He patted the girl's head—in fact, he had been standing in the Third Experiment Tower for almost half an hour.

He took a packet of fruit-flavored powder from a cabinet on the side, poured it into a beaker, then dissolved it with hot water... and pushed it in front of Iseria.

"Sit down and tell me slowly?"

The lighting in the Eunicev Laboratory was the same as that in the Third Experiment Tower, but the girl felt neither glare nor coldness...

Stars twinkled among the crystal towers of Starmock, gently watching over the city, the academy, and the laboratory.

Iseria nodded, holding the warm cup, and for the first time recounted her independent thought process to Juniper—from her initial failure, to her memories with Juniper, and finally to her realization…

Yonivore knew that at this moment, his role was more that of a "listener".

However, Iseria's choice of words is more anthropomorphic... and closer to my own.

Most of the time, Yunevo would rest his chin on his hand, listening quietly, or refilling Iselia's drink after she finished it.

"Yonev," the girl suddenly put down her cup, her voice gradually lowering.

"When I see those instruments and magic arrays in the laboratory, I always think of things from the past, or rather, things that happened not long ago."

"church?"

She nodded, her fingers tracing the inside of the cup as she stared at the rising steam.

"When I was inside the 'glass ball,' I could hear people outside talking about things like 'carrier,' 'purity,' and 'compatibility'... and then they put those children into those 'capsules.'"

She paused for a long time, so long that Eunicev thought she wouldn't continue.

"The children were sobbing and crying... their voices grew weaker and weaker until I couldn't hear them anymore," Iselia said, raising her head with slightly red eyes, but her voice remained steady.

"I still can't understand... what death is, but when those children went mute, I felt so cold."

The laboratory was completely silent, except for the low hum of the alchemy equipment that Yonevo had started.

"I thought... becoming 'cold' would be my end."

Iseria took a deep breath and suddenly smiled, a smile that seemed to dispel all the previous gloom.

"But Eunice brought me out of there, took me to see fireworks, took me to eat frothy pudding, and took me to see the noisy 'reality'."

"Even now, some people are surprised by my ideas, and some people seriously discuss things with me..."

She stood up, walked over to Ionevoy, bent down, and looked at him very seriously.

"I really enjoy my life now. I can learn something new every day and see a different kind of 'reality'."

"And... I can eat creamy milk pudding with you every day."

Iseria's eyes were clear and bright, and they held more than just gratitude; they were like a lone flower in the desert finding an enduring oasis.

That is hope and stability, a blossoming future.

Yunefu was filled with mixed feelings... He opened his mouth, but didn't know what to say. He simply took out the cream jelly that he had prepared for Iseria for a long time.

"Now, it's time to celebrate," he said, his voice a little hoarse.

Iseria seemed to have thought of something, and lowered her head to poke her fingers again.

"I just drank hot fruit juice and then ate creamy milk pudding... Won't that give me diarrhea?"

"That's true... Let's go back to the pharmacy for dinner then, I'll cook it myself."

"Yay!"

……

Iseria's report was submitted to the Academic Affairs Office three days later.

She was clearly unaware that the report had gone viral within the professor's inner circle.

The most striking point was that the mage is not the master, but the architect and communicator...

Lorenz's red pen annotations at the end of the article remain vivid—the method is not to be commented on, but the result is irrefutable, and it is recommended to file it as a "special teaching case" for detailed theoretical research.

In the history of Tus, very few students have received this evaluation, and their future is obvious... they are all renowned mages.

The name Iselia Thor spread throughout the entire academy almost overnight!

"Have you heard? That auditor completely stunned Professor Lorenz..."

"I've seen a copy of her report...it's something a first-year student couldn't possibly write!"

Praise and curiosity flooded in like a tide. Whenever Iseria walked around the campus, unfamiliar students would always greet her.

When Iseria goes to the library, there is always a good window seat reserved for her... and all sorts of academic invitations follow.

She was somewhat taken aback, but Ionevoy told her that she deserved such respect and applause that she had earned herself.

But Iseria would ask the seemingly unknown black-robed alchemist.

"And what about you? You're the one who deserves all of this more..."

"Truth, as long as it is not deliberately distorted or altered, is the same regardless of who spreads it..."

Even in a brightly lit college, shadows inevitably grow in places where the light doesn't reach.

Many people's eyes naturally focused on the black-robed youth who was always next to Iseria... He seemed to have done nothing, yet he could be so intimate with Iseria.

The pure black teaching assistant badge pinned to the pure black gold-plated robe was like a drop of water falling into the sea, completely invisible... inevitably leading to misunderstandings.

Rumors began to circulate.

Some say... it's because Iseria is too kind. When Marcus recruited her, she insisted on a "buy one get one free" offer, and the old professor, feeling sorry for her, let Ionevo in.

Of course, some sharp-eyed people spotted his teaching assistant badge—come on, where's the black badge? That's only for non-magic users!

Marcus was both angry and shocked, and couldn't sleep for three days. If it weren't for the person who made the rumors stopping him... he could have really kicked those gossipy guys out of Tus.

Yoniv remained as self-centered as ever, saying things like "let the bullets fly a little longer," and went about his daily routine.

Iserlia first heard these discussions during a break in her "Element Geometry" class.

"...So, that Yunevo is completely unworthy of Iserlia! She's just too kind, that's why she's been carrying that burden all this time!"

"Poor Iseria... She's so talented, yet she's being dragged down by someone with no talent and no background."

Iselia remained silent; she trusted Yonevo completely.

Since this guy has said he will handle it, then this matter will definitely be resolved.

Iserlia felt a tightness in her chest, and forced herself to finish the entire class before turning around and running out of the teaching building.