The most shameless alchemist in history

"Heyber, what's going on here?" Jet could only hope to get an answer from Heyber.

“I’ve already inquired. There was a serious incident at Maple Leaf Academy before, which was caused by the mismanagement of the Magic Power Association. It was that boy who helped the Magic Power Association quell the incident. So, regarding the taboo… it was probably violated at that time.”

Haibo explained softly.

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668 Sleeping Worms

Grenier excitedly dragged Dure off to drink at a small tavern on the street outside the academy.

“I’m telling you, Grenier, I’m still a student, I can’t drink alcohol, and it violates the academy’s rules,” Dure said, waving his hands repeatedly in response to the offer to drink.

"Oh, why can't you drink? If anyone gives you trouble, just tell me, and I'll reason with them. Come on, we've finally reunited, what's wrong with having a couple of drinks? I can't even get a drink when I'm back in the Land of Time." Grenier kept urging them to drink, and he himself was busy too.

In just a short time, he had several empty wine bottles in front of him, which clearly showed that his alcohol tolerance was astonishing.

"The Land of Time... is it the headquarters of the Magic Power Association?" Dure asked, pondering the location.

"Yes, it's headquarters. I used to work at the branch in the Snow Country. Thanks to you, Du Lei, for your clean and efficient elimination of the parasites caused by the internal loopholes in the magic energy simulation system, I was transferred to headquarters because of this achievement. Otherwise, I would still be standing guard in this freezing cold."

Grenier was very grateful to Dure. After all, at that time, everyone thought it was all over, and the Magic Power Association was prepared to suffer huge losses. But in the end, Dure cleanly and efficiently got rid of the parasites, which saved them a lot of trouble.

"At that time, I was just trying to protect myself. If I hadn't dealt with it, I wouldn't have been able to get out alive." Du Lei's words were not untrue. At that time, he was trapped in the room where the termites were. If he hadn't dealt with Xiao Hei earlier, with the help of Xiao Hei and Xiao Bai, he would have survived.

He finally got rid of the woodworms; otherwise, if they had broken through the room's boundaries, the consequences would have been unimaginable.

"No matter what, you've helped me a lot. By the way, what's up with that Jet guy? Why is he always picking on you?"

Grenier patted Dure on the shoulder. He had come to Maple Leaf Academy as a representative of the Magic Power Association to resolve this matter.

"Ignore him. By the way, who was that woman last time?" Dure waved his hand, too lazy to waste time on Jet's matter.

“Last time? You mean Mela? Dure, it’s only been a little over a month, and you’ve completely changed. You couldn’t even win Mela over. You should know how ugly she looked when she returned to the Land of Time, like she was about to eat someone alive,” Grenier said with some pride.

"She was just holding back. If it really came down to a fight, I wouldn't be able to beat her," Du Lei said, shaking his head.

"Durey, don't be modest. Do you think I don't know what kind of person Mela is? If she hadn't lost so badly, would she have slunk back to the Land of Time with her personality?" Grenier didn't believe what Durey said.

"This... was just a fluke," Du Lei said, offering a different explanation.

"Alright, Du Lei, we're practically brothers who've been through thick and thin together, so don't give me that fake talk."

Grenier knew that Dure's words were exaggerated and that he was clearly trying to hide something.

"To live and die together? I remember some people slipping away beforehand," Du Lei said half-jokingly.

"Oh, let's not talk about the past. Mela is a six-star fire-rank magic user. Even within the association, she is outstanding among the younger generation. And she's not the only one who came. Strictly speaking, they can capture anyone below the Dou rank."

Grenier gradually became serious, because his visit to Maple Leaf Academy this time was not just to catch up with Dure.

He needs to figure out the cause and effect of the matter so that he can report back to the Magic Power Association.

“They are indeed formidable opponents,” Dure nodded in acknowledgment.

"But no matter how powerful they are, you subdued them in an instant, right? Du Lei, you have to tell me the truth. What exactly happened? The association takes this matter very seriously. I only came to handle it because of our friendship. If it's not handled well, they will send more people over. Du Lei, you need to know that if more people come over, they won't be as easy to talk to as I am."

Grenier earnestly reminded Dure that when he learned that Mela had been humiliated, he originally wanted to see her make a fool of herself. However, when he learned from Mela that the person who had broken the taboo was Dure, a comrade-in-arms who had fought against the parasites with him, he took the initiative to request to come to Maple City.

"This matter... well, Grenier, you're not exactly an outsider, so I won't hide it from you. I'll tell you the truth." Dure sighed softly. He knew that if he didn't give Grenier an explanation, he wouldn't be able to finish his job, and the Magic Power Association would definitely hold him accountable.

No matter who it is, once the Magic Power Association takes notice, they will definitely have sleepless nights.

"What? Dure, you're saying the taboo you touched... was brought about by the termites?" Grenier was taken aback after hearing Dure's account.

“Yes, I haven’t said this before, but the reason I was able to deal with the termite was because I made a deal with it. I used my body as a shell, and it lived inside the shell and couldn’t do whatever it wanted.” Du Lei nodded in acknowledgment.

“No wonder. I was wondering why the termites had disappeared. They were living inside your body! But, but Dure, doesn’t that make you a walking time bomb? You could explode at any moment?” Grenier said worriedly.

“Don’t worry, the termite has entered a dormant state. As long as I’m not in mortal danger, it won’t wake up. I was able to defeat Mela and the others because of the termite’s power,” Dure explained.

“That’s right. I was wondering how you managed to beat Mela and the others. It turns out you were relying on the power of the parasites. But Dure, this makes things a bit tricky. According to the association’s rules, I have to take you back.” Grenier said with some difficulty.

"Grenier, don't forget, this is a mess your association created. If I hadn't done this, you know what the consequences would have been, don't you?" Dure was a little angry.

“Durey, don’t be angry. I know our association was in the wrong first. You’ve made great contributions to our association, I know all that. But... I’m just worried about your health.” Grenier said with a smile.

"What's this, Grenier? From what you're saying, does your association want to get rid of me?" Dure raised his voice.

"No, no, no, Dure, what are you thinking? We're brothers, who would dare to touch you? I, Grenier, would be the first to object. I'm just thinking of a compromise." Grenier reassured Dure.

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669 Evaluation Badge

Although Grenier was ordered to Maple Leaf Academy to investigate the matter that had been reported earlier, he couldn't actually bring Dure back to the Land of Time after he learned that the target of the report was Dure. After all, just as Dure had said before, the reason he had violated the taboo was entirely to take the blame for the Magic Power Association. Their association was in the wrong first, so naturally they dared not do anything.

After some haggling, Dure and Grenier actually came up with a compromise. Although Dure was taking the blame, he and Grenier still had some friendship, and given Grenier's persistent pleas, he couldn't let him be too embarrassed, so he accepted Grenier's proposal.

Grenier's proposal was simple: he asked Dure to go to the Snow Country branch of the Magic Power Association for a preliminary inspection. The core of the inspection was to determine whether the parasites he carried would pose a threat to the Snow Country or even the continent. If the inspection results were within a controllable range, the Magic Power Association would turn a blind eye to the matter. However, if the results were very bad, Dure would have to return to the Time Country with Grenier and accept the protection of the Magic Power Association.

Of course, "protection" is just a nicer way of putting it; in reality, it's no different from house arrest. Grenier was initially a little apprehensive, thinking that Dure was unlikely to accept such an agreement, but in fact, Dure readily agreed.

"Let me make this clear first, I only agreed to this because of you. If it were anyone else trying to persuade me, I would have broken off all ties with them, no matter who it was," Du Lei said solemnly.

"That's right, that's right, we're brothers, after all. Dure, you're really a good friend. You helped me this time, and I'll remember this. In the future, if you ever need my help, just ask. Even if it means going through fire and water, I'll do it without hesitation!" Grenier patted his chest, speaking with an air of certainty and an unquestionable tone.

"By the way, Grenier, your Magic Power Association's branch in the Snow Country is located in Winter City, right?" Dure asked after thinking for a moment. He knew that the Magic Power Association was a huge force with branches in various countries across the continent.

“That’s right, Dure is in Winter City, not too far from Maple City. It only takes a day to get there by train.” Grenier nodded and said. As long as Dure accepted his agreement, nothing else mattered.

"When should I set off for Winter City?" Dure asked.

"Well, as long as it can be done within a week, that's fine," Grenier gave a rough timeframe.

“I understand. By the way, at your branch in Winter City, can I take the ranking badge exam?” Du Lei suddenly thought of this question and asked.

“Yes, yes, it was in Winter City. Oh, right, I remember about two weeks ago, our Magic Power Association branch sent people to Maple Leaf Academy to conduct unified assessments for the students. You weren’t at the academy then, Durei, right?” Grenier also remembered this and asked.

"I was in the Mountain Kingdom on some business at the time and wasn't at the academy, so I missed this ranking assessment." Du Lei nodded, confirming this.

"Then Dure, you can take care of this matter while you're in Winter City. By the way, Dure, you should be at the Steel Rank now, right?" Grenier asked curiously.

"I'll only know my true level after the test. By the way, I remember the Alchemist's Guild is also in Winter City, right?" Dure remained noncommittal to Grenier's question, and soon he remembered something else.

“That’s right, the Alchemist Association’s building is right next to the Magic Power Association’s branch building. In fact, in most countries, the Magic Power Association’s territory and the Alchemist Association’s territory are adjacent, very close.” Grenier nodded and said.

"What? Do you have a cooperative relationship with the Alchemists' Guild?" Du Lei asked, feeling quite curious.

"On the contrary, we are not only not brotherly partners, but our relationship is extremely bad, almost to the point of irreconcilable differences," Grenier said with a shake of his head and a smile.

"That's strange. There's no conflict between the Magic Power Association and the Alchemist Association, so how can their relationship be so bad?" Dure became increasingly curious.

"This is a very historical issue, going back over a hundred years to ancient times. It's hard to explain in a short time." Grenier chuckled and cried. In fact, he had only heard it from his predecessors. If he had to give a reasonable explanation, he couldn't come up with one either.

“I see. I thought most magic users would need alchemists’ help, and the relationship between the two should be quite friendly.” Dure nodded thoughtfully.

“Durey, you’re only half right. Alchemists are incredibly powerful; they can not only concoct a variety of highly effective medicines, but they can also create magical weapons. Most magical users do need the help of alchemists, but this is merely an exchange between their identities, not the same as the relationship between the association,” Grenier said with some helplessness.

"So, magic users and alchemists have a good relationship in private, but at the association level, the relationship is very bad, is that right?" Dure asked, having sorted out his thoughts.

"That's about it. Why are you suddenly asking about the Alchemist Association, Dure? Weren't you going to our Magic Power Association's branch for a level assessment and a comprehensive check-up? What does that have to do with the Alchemist Association?" Grenier was a little confused.

“It’s nothing, I was just asking casually. So, how many days do you plan to stay here?” Dure shook his head; he didn’t tell Grenier about alchemy.

“I should probably head back now,” Grenier said with a smile, glancing at the time.

"What do you mean, go back now? It's already evening. You came all the way from the Land of Time, aren't you going to rest for a bit before leaving again in such a hurry?" Du Lei was a little surprised. He originally thought Grenier would stay for a couple more days, this was really too rushed.

“There’s nothing I can do about it. I need to get back as soon as possible and get this sorted out. If I don’t report back in time, they’ll send other people to look for me. Besides, I also need to go to Winter City to tell them about your checkup,” Grenier said earnestly.

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670 I need to ask for leave

"I see. Well, I'm sure you've gone to a lot of trouble for me." Dure nodded thoughtfully, his impression of Grenier had changed considerably.

"Durey, don't say that. No matter what, you've helped me a lot. I'm just repaying you in any way I can." Grenier smiled gently and immediately got up to leave.

"In that case, we shall part ways here." Dure stood up to greet Grenier and escorted him out.

“I really hope we can have a proper drink next time we meet. You can’t try to fool me with these juices then,” Grenier said with a smile, patting Dure on the shoulder.

"No problem. If there's a next time, I promise you, we'll definitely have a good drink together." Du Lei readily agreed.

Under the moonlight, Grenier walked further and further away, his figure soon disappearing into the dark night.

“Winter City? That sounds like a good next stop.” Dure pondered the name. The moonlight and the night were perfect.

The night passed quickly. Although the arrival of the Magic Power Association members caused a minor commotion, their quiet departure suggested that everything was normal and nothing major had happened.

Three or four months ago, Maple Leaf Academy started experiencing a series of incidents, with earthquakes occurring every few days, which terrified the students.

The students had expected something big to happen with the arrival of the Magic Power Association, but nothing did, which relieved them somewhat.

Lance went to the training ground as usual that day, but he was surprised when he learned of Dure's plans before he left.

"What did you say? Dure. You're going to Winter City? You've only been back for less than two weeks, and now you're going to such a far place again?" Lance wanted Dure to stay longer, especially since he was lacking a training opponent after Sterling left, and Dure was undoubtedly the best candidate for that. But his training hadn't even started yet, and Dure was leaving, which meant that his list of training opponents was one less person.

“Because I wasn’t there when the people from the Magic Power Association came to our academy for a unified magic power level assessment, I didn’t get the magic power badge. I’ve been resting for so long now, so I might as well go to Winter City to take care of the assessment.” Dure nodded twice as he spoke. He didn’t tell Lance about his trip to the Magic Power Association for the assessment, because he and Grenier had agreed that only the two of them would know about it.

"I see. How long will you be gone this time?" Lance asked with concern. After all, it had taken him almost a month to get to the Rock City of Dure, and the journey was extremely arduous and dangerous.

“There’s a direct train from Maple City to Winter City, which only takes a day. I think it will take at most four or five days this time,” Du Lei thought for a moment and gave a rough estimate.

"Four or five days? That's not a long time, but did you ask the academy for leave?" Lance nodded and then asked.

"I haven't asked for leave yet; I'm on my way to ask for leave right now," Du Lei said, pointing to the college's office building.

“Alright, then Dure, be careful on the road,” Lance said with a hint of caution.

“Winter City isn’t far, and it’s not like I’m going to do anything dangerous, so it’ll definitely be fine. I’ll go ask for leave now.” Dure patted Lance on the shoulder and smiled as he said goodbye to his best friend.

After saying goodbye to Lance, Dure headed straight for the office building. After all, he was a student at Maple Leaf Academy and couldn't just wander around without permission. Otherwise, he wouldn't be able to graduate smoothly if he didn't meet the school's attendance requirements.

Charlotte's career can be described as smooth sailing. In just two months, he was promoted from the original head teacher to the current third vice principal. Such speed is simply like taking a rocket.

His rapid advancement was largely due to two reasons. The first reason was that a serious incident had occurred in the magic energy simulation system. Maple Leaf Academy had handled the incident well, preventing it from escalating. This earned high praise from the Magic Energy Association and the Snow Kingdom.

Another reason is that when the royal capital sent an envoy to Rock City, two students from Maple Leaf Academy participated in the mission, joining the escort team and demonstrating outstanding performance, which once again earned Maple Leaf Academy praise from the royal capital.

This earned Charlotte a lot of points, since he was in charge of both matters, and becoming the third vice principal was just the beginning for him.