bookandnovel Chapter 24 Accepting Commissions
Chapter 24 Accepting Commissions
Li Ang squeezed to the front of the task board and carefully peeled off the task sheet for copying the "Level 1 Spellbook".
He took the quest sheet and walked to the desk of a wizard's follower next to the quest board, whose expression was blank.
The attendant didn't even look up. He took the task sheet, glanced at it, and then handed over a book with the title "Collection of Level 1 Spells" on the cover, a gray quill pen that looked very old with sparse feathers, a bottle of ink, and a stack of parchment.
The attendant's voice was weak and listless. "Parchment, 1 copper coin for fifty sheets. Minimum order of 50 sheets. Ink and quill set, 1 copper coin. Payment can be made after the commission is completed."
Li Ang took the item, inwardly complaining about the Wizard Tower's stinginess. A spellbook was about ten pages long, and with the wear and tear of ink and quills, the cost of copying it alone was considerable.
So, if you calculate it this way, an ordinary apprentice wouldn't earn more than a few copper coins a day copying.
This was completely different from the magic academy he had imagined when he first transmigrated; it was more like a black-hearted workshop that exploited its apprentices for cheap labor.
Back in his dorm with his books, paper, and pen, Li Ang glanced at the clock on the table. Although it was still a little while before lunchtime, the hunger rising in his stomach from missing breakfast urged him to eat quickly.
"Never mind, let's go eat early." He put down his things and headed towards the cafeteria.
Perhaps because he arrived early, there weren't many people in the cafeteria yet. Li Ang stood in front of the price list, his eyes darting back and forth between the "simple meals" and "premium" options.
Two thoughts were clashing fiercely in my mind. One was shouting, "Li Ang, Li Ang, didn't you say you'd only splurge on one meal?"
Another person enthusiastically advocated that life is too short to enjoy it while it lasts, and that there is no problem that a good meal cannot solve; if there is, then two meals will do.
Ultimately, the desire for food and drink prevailed once again.
"A set menu," he said to the chef behind the window, almost with a sense of despair.
This time, the wooden tray that was served contained a steaming hot pizza topped with thick slices of cheese and ham, accompanied by a small portion of fresh vegetable salad, and the drink was still that bright green, chilled fruit wine with an enticing fruity aroma.
He carried his plate and looked for a seat. His eyes swept across the area and he spotted a familiar figure in the corner of the cafeteria: Lottie.
She was looking down, taking small bites of the cheapest piece of black bread, with only a glass of water in front of her.
She seemed to be trying to avoid the crowd, but unexpectedly bumped into Li Ang, who had arrived early for dinner.
Li Ang walked straight over and sat down opposite her.
Lottie noticed someone was there and looked up in surprise. When she saw that it was Li Ang and the still excessively lavish lunch on his plate, her eyes widened instantly, and her face was full of embarrassment. She seemed not to have expected to run into him after arriving early, especially since he was eating so well.
"Mr. Li... Mr. Li Ang." She greeted him softly, subconsciously pulling her black bread closer to her chest.
Looking at her like that, Li Ang sighed inwardly. This scene was damn familiar. He didn't say anything, but took two slices from the six-slice pizza and put them on Lotte's empty plate.
"Too much... just give me one piece..." Lottie's face flushed red, wondering what she was saying.
"Eat up, I ordered such a big portion, one person can't finish it all." Li Ang interrupted her with a smile, trying to sound casual, "Don't waste it."
Lottie looked at the fragrant pizza with its stretchy cheese on her plate, then at Leon's unyielding expression, and finally blushed as she said "thank you." She then carefully picked up a slice and began to eat it with a happy expression.
Li Ang also began to enjoy his lunch, the delicious food easing his guilt about wasting money.
After finishing his meal, Li Ang did not immediately begin the task of copying the book.
The afternoon was free time, and he planned to visit his mentor Eve's workshop first, leaving the book copying work for the evening.
Using the badge, he once again opened the wooden door at the end of the corridor, carved with vine patterns, stepped onto the strange floating platform, and arrived once more at Master Eve's potion workshop.
The workshop was quiet; it seemed that Instructor Eve was not there.
Li Ang first walked to the request board on the wall, which had many requests posted on it, all of which were requests for various medicines issued by the tower.
His gaze quickly settled on a familiar task: Tranquilizing Potion, 20 bottles required, reward: 1 silver coin per bottle.
Below is a smaller note: If materials from the workshop are used, 80 copper coins will be deducted for the material cost for each bottle produced.
Li Ang quickly calculated in his mind that even after deducting the cost of materials, he could still make a net profit of 20 copper coins for every bottle he successfully refined.
This job pays twenty times more than the tasks of copying books and organizing warehouses in the main hall. That's the huge advantage of becoming a personal apprentice.
After confirming the potion he wanted to refine, he walked to the row of medicine cabinets and used his badge to unlock the cabinet containing the ingredients for the calming potion.
The materials here are not pre-processed like those in the herbal packs; they are left in their original shape for Li Ang to process himself.
He first took out three portions of the material, then his gaze fell on a grinding tool in the workshop. It looked like a stone mortar, but its surface was engraved with simple energy-conducting runes.
【Black Stone Grinding Bowl: Lv0】
[Status: Bindable]
[Binding Cost: 1 Spirit Points]
After a moment's thought, Li Ang looked around at the other tools and facilities.
After comparing various options, he found that this was the most suitable facility to bind to at the moment. Others were either impossible to bind to or not very useful for this alchemy.
"Binding".
[Binding successful]
[Blackstone Grinding Bowl: Current Level Lv0]
[Current effect: Improves grinding efficiency]
[Level 1 Efficacy: Grinding efficiency +10%, Powder quality +10%]
[Upgrade Requirements: 1 Magic Stars in the Spirit World, 5 Spirit Points consumed]
"Upgrade." Without hesitation, Li Ang upgraded it to Lv1. A faint spiritual energy was drawn away, and the runes on the surface of the grinder seemed to flow more smoothly.
Then, he began processing the materials.
With the blessing of the [Black Stone Grinding Bowl Lv1], the roots and stems of the Stone Root Grass were easily ground into a fine and uniform grayish-white powder, and the white crystal block was also ground into crystal clear fine sand.
After processing the materials, the next step is the formal refining process. Once you are proficient with Instructor Eve's huge crucible, you can prepare multiple portions of the same potion at once.
However, the mental strength and control required also increase exponentially, and Li Ang dares not attempt it lightly now.
Otherwise, producing a pot of useless waste is a minor issue; if things go wrong, they might blow up Instructor Eve's workshop, and that would be the end of them.
Of course, this crucible is not only large, but its performance is also excellent. If it weren't for the fact that binding this crucible requires a full 10 points of mental energy, Li Ang would have wanted to bind it directly.