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"Thank you for this, the holy water will come in handy. I'll be able to make amazing things." I said with a smile, just thinking about the possibilities got my heart racing.
"We've brought you a gift as well, but it was too heavy so we left it outside." Eric's uncle said.
"Want to come see it with us?" Asked her aunt.
"Big!" Said their little daughter, named Elayne.
"Sure?"
Eric's family guided me outside, as they quickly showed me something covered by a large piece of leather. When they took off the leather cloak, an enormous cauldron was revealed.
"This is…?"
The cauldron wasn't a normal one. It was imbued with several magic crystals, spirit stones, several runes, and made up of special magic-conducting metals. It was an advanced Alchemist Cauldron, an amazing one at that.
"We recently bought a new one, so we thought that after repairing this one, we might as well gift it to you." Eric's uncle said.
"Yeah, do you like it? We felt very grateful for everything you've done for our son all these days.. You've been someone very important to him." Eric's aunt said.
"Important!" Little Elayne said while raising her little arms.
"Aw come on, don't embarrass me like this now…" Eric sighed, feeling embarrassed. "This is my family's gift, but I've got you something else. Here."
Eric gave me the small wooden box, as I quickly opened it.
Within it, I found a small ring. It was completely gold, with a red jewel on top.
It seemed only like a luxurious ring, however, to my eyes, this was the fruit of Eric's research for these last five years.
"This is…?!"
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[Lesser Elixir Ring (Unique-Grade): Lv1]
[Effects]
[Health Points]: [+250]
[Mana Points]: [+250]
[Strength]: [+50]
[Agility]: [+100]
[Vitality]: [+50]
[Intelligence]: [+200]
[Dexterity]: [+100]
[Abilities]
[Secret Knowledge]: Enhances the effects of Alchemy-made items when used by the wielder by +50%. This includes both damage dealt if they're Attack Items or Healing/Buffing Effects if they're consumable items.
[Sage's Strategy]: Reduces Exhaustion when overusing Mana while doing Alchemy greatly and hasten MP Recovery by x3. Alchemy-made items tend to be of higher quality.
[Alchemist Atelier]: Creates a Pocket Space where any Alchemy-related items can be stored. Total size is of 50 x 50 meters.
[Description]
An impressive Ring made by an aspiring Alchemist's dreams. It was made specifically for the enhancement of an alchemist's abilities and to facilitate their lives. Nonetheless, it provides an incredible enhancement to stats. However, all of such effects can only be activated if the wielder has an Alchemy-related Skill. If worn by anybody else, the ring will lose its powers.
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"An Elixir Ring?!"
I remember having given Eric the recipe and its concept long ago, around four to five years ago, when it was his birthday. I never thought he would secretly modify the recipe with available materials until one day being able to actually make it.
This ring is supposed to be something only Alchemy Gods, who can even use stars as ingredients are able to make. How come Eric used this recipe's concepts and simply… remade it and made something similar? Its effects are amazing too… this only means one thing, aside from Eric's amazing talent, this world's materials, even the ones found in here are of incredible quality compared to the materials of my previous life's memories.
"A Lesser One. The one that you gave me the recipe for was too crazy… But I did what I could. I also made another one for me!" Eric said, showing me he also had this powerful item. "With this… let's become the best alchemists!"
Eric's dreams were rather simple, he wanted to explore the world, find all its secrets, and collect its wondrous materials, to improve his alchemy talent and become the best alchemist. It might seem as childish back then, but now that he recreated such a powerful item, I can already tell he is serious about this.
"Very well, that's what we'll do."
As I walked back home, mother and grandmother brought the birthday cake, placing it over the table. The white cake was decorated with colorful fruits, and it was perfectly made, resembling something only nobles would have for teatime.
"T-This looks amazing!" Said Erika. "It is bigger than the one for my birthday!"
"That's mostly because you requested it to have bananas and chocolate, those things are very expensive so we couldn't make something bigger." I told Erika.
"Oh…" Erika said, as she was drooling while seeing the cake. "It was very tasty too; I wonder how this one is…"
"Erika, calm down for now. This cake will be eaten after we all enjoy the other food outside." My mother said, as she walked to my side and hugged me. "Happy birthday dear."
"Thank you mom…"
"Your journey is finally about to begin. Don't you feel excited?" She asked. "You've always wanted to explore the outside world, didn't you? Since you were a kid that you always admired the horizons…"
"I did…" I said. "Yeah, I am happy. Thank you for raising me all this time and being so patient with someone like me."
"Aww, it's nothing… You'll always be my beautiful son, no matter what shenanigans you pull off here and there…" My mother giggled, kissing my forehead.
Much like father, she was always there for me, since I was a baby. She helped me grow and incentivized me despite her worries and concerns about my safety and my health. I am thankful of having her as my mother.
"Little Blake, give your grandma a hug, won't you?" Grandmother dragged my clothes down to hug her. Without realizing it, I had already grown taller than her and my own mother too, and I was only 13, the genes of my father must have given me this stretch, as mother had said he was just as tall at my age.
Grandma had been with me since I was a child as well, she was the first one to show me the outside world, and was always there to support me, trusting on my strength and my abilities.
"Grandma, thanks for everything too." I hugged her tightly.
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