The Way of a Demon Lord
chapter-20

Three months later. Four months had already passed since Adrian admitted himself into the Academy.

He was absorbing magical energy when an excited voice woke him up.

"Young master! I have reached level 3!" Isabella shouted with joy. She was sitting cross legged a bit away from Adrian.

"Calm down, girl. It's just level 3." He responded casually.

This caused Isabella to feel a bit dejected. The instructor had said that even a tier 5 talent could not reach level 3 under six months, unless the person practice and absorbs magical energy all the time along with consuming high quality potions.

But that was exactly what Isabella did. She practiced like a maniac. She slept not more than four hours every night and spent the rest of the time practicing. She absorbed magical energy while attending classes, preparing her young master's bath, doing the laundry. It was hard multitasking at first but soon, it became a second nature to her.

But still, it was impossible to reach level 3 in four short months with only hard work. That is where potions come in. Potions were expensive commodities; not only were the raw materials rare and expensive, there were too few potioneers. The Academy did not provide potions to the students- the students had to earn them through various events and achievements; the initiation potions were an exception of course.

But that was not a problem for her great young master. Adrian chose potioneering as his advanced course. Once he started attending potioneering classes, it did not take long for him to become an adept. His potioneering instructor happened to be Alesha- the one who tested his heat sensitivity in the entrance examination.

Alesha was so engrossed in teaching him that she disclosed all of her secret techniques; it was not necessary for Adrian though. When it comes to theoretical knowledge regarding potioneering, it would be difficult to find one in the entire continent who could reach half his level. But he did not mind her excitement; rather, he used that excitement and his charm to fish in some extra ingredients- which was not in accordance with the rules.

But he did not disappoint anyone. His growth was fast enough to attract the attention of the whole potioneering department. He was able to concoct low level healing and recovery potions despite being a low level circler and having not even a half year of experience. He was termed a prodigy by the department and professor Midsley even wanted Adrian to be his successor. But Adrian politely declined stating that potioneering was just a side hustle for him.

He applied to the principal for setting up a potioneering lab in the Fredrick House. He also stated in the application that he would provide the Academy with potions provided that he gets raw ingredients. The principal was happy to oblige; though ingredients were rare, potioneers were even more so. Even though setting up a potioneering lab was expensive, they were more than ready to support a budding potioneering expert.

But little did everyone know, that he was also capable of concocting low level energy potions; energy potions were the most difficult to make in their respective levels. Low level energy potions could be compared to mid level potions of other categories. The ingredients required were even rarer, but not for Adrian. He had developed a recipe where those rarer ingredients were substituted with the only shortfall being more energy required to concoct it.

He began to concoct low level potions once his personal lab was set up a month ago. He gave away the healing and recovery potions to the Academy and kept the energy potions to himself, for Isabella to be precise. He gave one to Isabella every three days. He himself did not need potions because he had other plans.

Due to these potions, along with her own hard work, Isabella reached level 3 in just four months- a levelling speed unprecedented in the history of the continent, Adrian being an exception of course. Now, hearing what implied 'it's normal' from her young master, she felt a bit dejected. But when she remembered how much of a monster her young master was, she calmed down.

She took four months- practicing all day and night and taking in ten or so energy potions which could only be afforded by count families and above- to reach level 3. While her charming young master reached level 3 with normal practice and as far as she knew, without taking any potions; that too, half a month before she reached level 3.

"Young master, you said that you will gift me a property better than most other properties stored in the library, remember?" She got back her excitement.

"What? You are doubting your young master now?" He flicked her forehead and smiled.

"No, I just…" she almost panicked.

"Relax. I was joking. Besides, you are a demon; why are you afraid of hurting someone's feelings?" He shook his head.

"But, you…" She failed to find any words to continue.

"Anyways, I have already readied the core circle design. You know what to do, right?" He decided to change the topic; he already knew what she was trying to say.

"Yes! I know what to do." She got back her excitement yet again.

"It's on the desk. Be careful. It won't matter if you fail. Just make sure it's perfect at the end. Okay?" He advised.

"Thank you, young master." She got up and rushed to the desk.

Core circles are the magic circles drawn inside a circler's magic core itself. These circles are the ones that provide the circlers with special 'properties'. These circles are drawn at the very centre of the spherical magic core. For instance- a level 3 circler has a 3 millimetre radius and thus, it can support a magic circle of 3 millimetre radius which would be drawn inside of it.

Core circles can't be smaller than 3 millimetres. Hence, only level 3 circlers and above could have properties. They are drawn by shaping strings of magical energy in the designated place through magical energy. That's what she was about to do.

She opened the scroll and saw an intricately designed complex circle. She stared at it for a few minutes without making a sound, burning the image into her memory. She did not understand anything, nor did she bother to. Unlike the essence which needed to be understood, properties did not.

Of course, one needed to have a very high level of knowledge, understanding, intelligence and skill to design a core circle and properties; but she did not need to as she had something more- her young master.

Once she was confident that she memorised everything, she tried drawing it on a parchment and then compare it to the original. She attempted it a few more times until it was perfect. She drew it a few more times on paper and finally, she was ready.

She sat cross legged on the spot she always sat on, closed her eyes, took in a deep breath, cleared her mind and began. She started to control the magical energy and refine them into a delicate string. Months of hard practice had given her a strong control over magical energy- strong enough to draw a complex circle enclosed in a space whose radius was not any more than 3 millimetres. She began to draw the circle.

When almost one-third was complete, she realised that she had made a mistake. So, she destroyed everything and started from scratch. In the second attempt, she made it further but made a mistake nonetheless. She opened her eyes, grabbed a recovery potion, drank it and closed her eyes again. The recovery potion recovered her mental strength and concentration.

She tried a few more times, getting further and further every time. She took in a recovery potion ever few attempts. She had them prepared beside her before sitting for the attempts, they were concocted by Adrian of course.

Finally, in what felt like the 30th attempt, she succeeded. It happened this fast because of the recovery potion; students, without recovery potions, normally needed a week or more to complete their core circles.

She stood up and jumped, shouting in joy.

"YES!" She had just officially become a mid level circler- that too, only at the age of 16.

"Congratulations." His praise made her even merrier, this was his first praise to her ever.

She finally calmed down after jumping a few more times. She suddenly remembered something.

"What is this property, young master?" Due to either excitement or concentration, she was not able to ask this before.

"<Lethality>" He replied.

"Lethality?" She tilted her head.

"Let's say that it is a combination of <Sharpness> property and <Corrosion> property. It will let your attacks- be it arrows or daggers- be more sharper, give them the ability to negate your targets magical defence, and corrode your target's body once hit." He explained.

She gasped in surprise.

'Isn't that a bit overpowered?' She thought.

"Thank you, young master." She kneeled.

"Get up. You are a competent maid, that's the least I can do." He gestured her to get up.

She got up, a smile still on her face.

"Besides, are you ready?" He asked.

"For what?" She asked.

Adrian smiled in response,

"What else, silly? Your first kill."