CHAPTER 15: EXPERIMENT

Faculty Quarters - Midnight.

The academy was quiet at this hour, the usual chatter of students and faculty replaced by the occasional echo of boots against stone. Perfect.

I stepped out of my quarters, carefully locking the door behind me. My newly acquired ingredients were tucked securely inside my coat. Now I just had to get to the alchemical lab without drawing attention.

Easier said than done.

I moved quickly, sticking to the less-traveled halls. Most of the faculty quarters were empty at night, but there were always a few wandering souls—late-working professors, night patrols, and the occasional student sneaking around. If anyone asked, I could just say I was taking a walk. Professors did that, right?

After a few turns and a short detour to avoid a group of first-years daring each other to sneak into the restricted archives, I reached my destination.

After a few turns and a short detour to avoid a group of first-years daring each other to sneak into the restricted areas, I reached my destination.

The alchemical lab was tucked away near the east wing, past a hallway that smelled faintly of herbs. The heavy wooden door had an old brass handle, its edges worn from years of use. A rune was etched into the wood—basic security, nothing complicated.

I placed my hand over it and channeled a small pulse of mana. The rune flickered before dimming, allowing the door to creak open.

Inside, rows of workbenches stretched across the room, cluttered with vials, beakers, and old alchemical texts. The scent of dried herbs and burnt reagents lingered in the air. A few unlit lanterns hung from the ceiling, casting long shadows as I stepped inside.

I moved toward an empty workbench near the back. It was far enough from the entrance that no one would notice me unless they were actively looking.

Now, time to get started.

I set the ingredients down and unwrapped them carefully. Crying Flowers Ash—dark gray with a faint shimmer. Ground Mandrake Petals—deep crimson, fine as dust. Honeyroot Syrup—thick and golden. Morning Glories Dew—stored in a small glass vial, barely enough to fill a thimble.

Mixing these together wasn’t difficult. The real challenge was balancing the proportions. Too much Mandrake, and the effects would last too long. Too little, and it wouldn’t work at all.

I worked quickly, crushing and mixing with steady hands. The Crying Flowers Ash needed to be dissolved first. I poured a few drops of Morning Glories Dew into a glass bowl and stirred in the ash until it turned a murky blue. Next, I added the Ground Mandrake Petals, watching as the color shifted to a deep purple. The Honeyroot Syrup went in last, thickening the mixture into a smooth paste.

Now, the fun part.

I then used the remaining crying flowers Ash and ground Mandrake Petals to thicken the paste in order to mold them into cookie shape.

Once the mixture was thick enough to hold its shape, I carefully molded it into small, round cookies. They weren’t perfect—some were slightly lopsided, and the texture was rougher than I expected—but they’d do the job.

The scent was... strange. A mix of earthy herbs and something faintly sweet, like burnt honey. Not exactly appetizing, but not immediately suspicious either.

I set them on a metal tray and glanced around the lab. There was an old heating rune carved into one of the workbenches, likely used for potion brewing. I pressed my hand against it, channeling a small amount of mana. The rune flickered, then hummed to life, radiating a steady warmth.

Good enough.

I placed the tray over the rune and waited. The cookies needed just a little heat to solidify properly. Too much, and the Mandrake’s properties could weaken. Too little, and the Crying Flowers Ash might not bind correctly.

As they cooked, I leaned against the workbench, arms crossed.

This was technically a potion. A very solid, very edible potion. Alchemy wasn’t just about liquids, after all. There were tonics, pastes, even crystallized elixirs. These cookies? Just another form of alchemical application.

That’s what I’d say if anyone asked, anyway.

After a few minutes, the faint scent of herbs filled the air. The cookies darkened slightly, taking on a deep, rich color.

Perfect.

I picked one up, rolling it between my fingers. It was firm but not too dense. The properties should be intact.

Now, the real question—who was going to eat one first?

I smirked, placing the cookies into a small container and sealing it shut.

Tomorrow was going to be interesting.

___

I woke up early,which was unusual for me. Normally, I’d drag myself out of bed at the last possible moment, but today was different. Today, I had a plan.

After getting dressed, I grabbed the container of cookies and tucked it into my coat before heading out. The morning air was crisp, and the academy was just starting to wake up. Students shuffled through the halls, some still half-asleep, others already deep in conversation.

My destination? obviously the poor souls in my classroom.

___

Class C - Early morning.

By the time I reached the classroom, most of my students had already dragged themselves in, some more awake than others.

Mira was lounging in her seat, absently twirling a quill between her fingers. Julien was leaning back, feet kicked up on his desk, smirking at something Felix had said. Felix, as expected, looked like he’d rather be anywhere else. Wallace was hunched over a notebook, sketching something. Leo was slouched in his chair, half-asleep, while Garrick sat with his arms crossed, awake but unbothered.

And then there was Cassandra. Silent, still, watching.

Perfect.

I stepped inside, placing the container on my desk with a casual thud. The sound was enough to make a few heads turn.

"Alright, future corpses," I said, leaning against the desk. "Before we start today’s lesson, I have a special treat for you."

Mira’s eyes narrowed immediately. "You? Giving us a treat?"

Julien grinned. "This feels like a trap."

I smirked. "If I wanted to kill you, I’d be more creative about it."

Leo groaned. "That’s not reassuring."

Ignoring him, I popped the lid open, revealing the neatly stacked cookies. The faint herbal scent drifted through the air. Not strong enough to be immediately suspicious, but noticeable enough.

Garrick leaned forward. "What’s in them?"

"Cookies," I said while gently smiling.

Felix flinched, "I’m scared of that smile"

Mira crossed her arms, eyes locked onto me like a hawk spotting prey. "You made these?"

"Obviously."

"And you’re giving them to us. For free."

"Yes," I said, keeping my expression neutral.

She turned to the others. "This is a trap."

Julien had already snatched a cookie. "Eh, if it’s a trap, at least it’s a tasty one." He took a bite.

Everyone held their breath.

Julien blinked. Chewed. Swallowed. Then grinned. "Huh. Not bad."

Felix looked between Julien and the cookie like he was deciding if life was still worth living. "You’re sure it’s not poisoned?"

Julien wiggled his fingers. "I still feel alive."

Wallace was sniffing a cookie, eyes narrowing in thought. "It smells sweet."

Mira hesitated, then sighed and took one. "Fine. If I die, I’m haunting you."

Leo, grumbling under his breath, grabbed one as well. "Not like I have a choice."

Garrick took his with a shrug. Cassandra, as expected, took one without a word. Felix, the last holdout, groaned before finally relenting. "I hate all of you."

One by one, they took their first bites.

And then—

Mira’s eyes widened. Her fingers clenched around the cookie as she swallowed. "Honeyroot Syrup..." she muttered, voice tight. "You used Honeyroot Syrup?"

A heavy silence fell over the room.

Julien, mid-chew, suddenly swayed. "Whoa..." His grin flickered. "Why does the floor feel so far away?"

Leo turned pale. "Did the walls just move?"

Garrick’s head snapped up. "I can... hear colors."

Wallace, staring at his hands, let out a quiet gasp. "I just caught a thought... and it slipped through my fingers..."

Mira gripped the desk, her pupils dilated. "Prof... professor, did you actually use the ingredients that we brought?"

I clasped my hands together, watching the chaos unfold with barely concealed amusement. "Of course," I said smoothly. "Why wouldn’t I?"

Mira groaned, pressing her palms against her temples. "Oh, you bastard."

Julien started giggling—actual, honest-to-gods giggling—as he leaned back in his chair, swaying dangerously. "Mira, your hair is glowing," he said, voice full of wonder.

Mira buried her face in her hands. "I hate this. I hate him."

Wallace, meanwhile, was watching his quill twirl in the air like it was the most fascinating thing he’d ever seen. "Did you know ink sings when you write?"

Leo, pale and sweating, pointed at the wall and shouted, "stay still you son of a wall"

Cassandra, as always, remained unreadable. She had taken a single bite and then simply... sat there. Watching. While Garrick started to punch the air like he is doing an exorcism.

And Felix? Poor, unfortunate Felix? He was sprawled on the floor, limbs twitching as he murmured, "I am one with the wind."

I quickly struck behind the neck of everyone to knock them out, if they were concious it might become a little dangerous (dangerous to my job).

I sighed, rubbing my temples as I surveyed the unconscious heap of students before me.

Well, that escalated quickly.

I hadn’t expected that strong of a reaction. Sure, Crying flowers Ash and Ground Mandrake had mild hallucinogenic properties when combined, but I had calculated the dosage to be just enough for a mild effect. Apparently, I had misjudged their tolerances—or maybe one of the ingredients was more potent than expected.

Either way, I needed to fix this before someone walked in and questioned why half of Class C was unconscious on the floor.

With practiced efficiency, I moved each of them back into their seats, making sure they were positioned in a way that wouldn’t raise suspicion. I even went as far as adjusting Julien’s posture so he looked like he had simply dozed off rather than collapsed into a fever dream.

Cassandra was the only one still technically awake. She had barely eaten a fraction of the cookie, and while her pupils were slightly dilated, she seemed...fine.

"Impressive," I muttered, crouching down beside her. "Did you suppress the effects?"

Cassandra’s eyes flicked to me. For a second, I thought she wouldn’t answer, but then she whispered, "Mind over matter."

...Creepy.

I glanced at the others, making sure none of them were about to wake up in the next five minutes. Felix was mumbling something about being a leaf in the wind again. Leo, despite being unconscious, was still frowning, which was honestly on-brand.

"Right," I muttered. "Time for damage control."

I reached into my coat and pulled out a small vial of Mistleaf Essence that I stole from professor Elizabeth’s lab. Put a few drops of this under the tongue, and they’d snap out of it within ten minutes. I moved quickly, administering it to each of them in turn. The downside was that the essence left a bitter aftertaste, so I’d probably have to deal with their complaints later. But that was a future problem.

Once I was done, I took a step back and leaned against the desk, waiting.