Overlord: Welcoming the Birth of the King
Chapter 78: Surprise, How About the Title "Genius Alchemist"?

The dim and cluttered mage's room.

Master Belorui sat alone on a dusty yet exquisitely crafted and plush sofa, his hands clasped over his knees as he leaned back with closed eyes.

The room was silent, Tang Zheng's figure having long departed.

Knock! Knock!

The sound of knocking came through the wooden door.

Master Belorui didn't react at all. After waiting briefly, the figure outside pushed the door open and entered.

This behavior alone indicated this person held no ordinary status.

"Master, where is your newly accepted disciple?"

"I heard you personally brought someone here. What kind of genius could make you take such initiative? Our guild hasn't had any magic chanters join for quite some time."

This was a robed mage holding an ebony staff, his brows carrying a slightly neurotic air. He appeared about forty but was actually only thirty.

This was none other than Tikuhiru, the guildmaster of E-Rantel's Mage Guild.

"Your standards are just too high."

Master Belorui kept his eyes closed, not even lifting his head as he spoke indifferently.

Guildmaster Tikuhiru now noticed Belorui's unusually low spirits and the slightly strange atmosphere.

"What happened?"

Tikuhiru's smile faded as he approached, sitting on the opposite sofa.

This time Belorui didn't respond verbally, merely pointing to a small bottle of blue solution placed on the table - an ordinary transparent potion vial.

Guildmaster Tikuhiru looked surprised as he picked up the unfamiliar potion. "Is this your new creation?"

While puzzled, he channeled mana and murmured: "Item Appraisal!"

The vial emitted a faint glow.

"A paralyzing alchemical potion?" Being no fool, Tikuhiru quickly grasped something. "Is this why you were rejected?"

That someone would reject a master scroll crafter - he couldn't believe the traditional Belorui would remain so calm without a compelling reason.

The crystal-clear blue liquid in the vial.

It resembled natural spring water more than any manmade solution.

Knock! Knock!

Suddenly, another round of knocking sounded.

"Enter." Master Belorui straightened from the sofa.

Creak.

The door opened.

Grandmother Lizzy entered, wrapped in a pale green headscarf with hands behind her back, her face expressionless.

After glancing at the two present:

"Guildmaster Tikuhiru."

She nodded briefly at the guildmaster before turning to Belorui, her voice laced with impatience and subtle mockery:

"Why summon me? What could a mere apothecary like me possibly have to do with an exalted master scroll crafter like you?"

"Madam Barayalev." Guildmaster Tikuhiru looked surprised, shooting Belorui a sidelong glance.

These two had never gotten along.

"Show her the potion."

Belorui's cheek twitched as he spoke impassively.

Though intrigue flashed in Tikuhiru's eyes, his expression remained neutral as he handed over the alchemical potion.

After examining the crystal-clear liquid:

Lizzy's eyes lit up before she too cast "Item Appraisal."

Soon,

her face cycled through surprise, doubt, and other unsettled emotions.

"Well?" Belorui inquired.

Ignoring him, Lizzy opened the vial, placing a few drops on her hand before tasting them with her tongue. She closed her eyes in contemplation.

Seeing their intense focus, Tikuhiru grew even more puzzled.

He'd already examined the potion - its effects were merely average.

In his experience, alchemy was typically supplementary. That a youth could independently create potions indicated considerable alchemical talent.

Under such circumstances, rejecting scrollcraft made sense - one's energy was limited after all.

Yet!

Observing Belorui and Lizzy's attitudes, Tikuhiru realized something was amiss.

"Where did you obtain this potion?"

"The effects are ordinary, but the production method is problematic!"

Lizzy looked up at Belorui with astonishment. "What I mean is - I've never seen techniques like this."

"Using magical creature materials to create special items or potions isn't remarkable, but such products inevitably retain characteristics from their source creatures."

"Using apothecary terminology - these are 'impurities' that cannot be removed."

Here Lizzy raised the perfectly clear potion before them:

"But compared to that!"

"What's more fascinating is this wasn't achieved through enchantment."

"Just as I thought." Belorui nodded slightly, understanding flashing in his eyes.

He'd already noticed this issue but wanted Lizzy's expert confirmation regarding potions and alchemy.

"What do you mean?" A confused Tikuhiru interjected.

With one master scrollcrafter and one potion/alchemy expert conversing, he found himself lost.

Lizzy gave Tikuhiru a dismissive glance, seemingly unwilling to explain.

"Since the era of the Thirteen Heroes over two centuries ago,"

"With the gradual loss of Dwarven Rune technology, human enchantment techniques became dominant."

"Simply put - whether weapon enchantments, scroll creation, or various potions - all rely on enchantment techniques."

Belorui's face showed complex emotions as he spoke softly.

"Where is the creator of this potion?"

Lizzy's entire demeanor became animated.

"Left. His name was..." Belorui suddenly stopped.

He realized he'd never actually asked Tang Zheng's name - perhaps never considering someone would refuse a master scrollcrafter.

"A dark-haired youth. With such techniques, you may cross paths. Keep an eye out."

Belorui looked at Lizzy as he rephrased.

Dark-haired youth?

Lizzy froze, Tang Zheng's image surfacing in her mind.

"I'm taking this potion." Without waiting for consent, Lizzy turned and left.

Watching this,

Belorui could only sigh helplessly.

"Capable of independently creating alchemical solutions and developing such techniques... no wonder he dismissed my scrollcraft."

Belorui sighed deeply.

Alchemy demanded exceptional mana control - likely why he could produce "Papermaking Technique" matching my own level.

"Master."

Tikuhiru now looked concerned.

"At least we've confirmed one thing - he's definitely not from the Slane Theocracy." Belorui reclined again.

"You're certain?" Tikuhiru's eyes grew solemn.

"He took a second-tier "Angel Summoning" scroll from me." Belorui waved a hand.

"If he were from Slane, that would be utterly redundant."

Meanwhile,

Tang Zheng was already returning to his inn, eager to experiment with scrollcraft techniques that might determine his next course of action.

"A master scrollcrafter?"

"That title sounds dangerously conspicuous, don't you think, Xiao Hei?"

Tang Zheng looked at the lively little hellhound trotting beside him. "How about 'Genius Alchemist' as a title?"

"Paired with a non-threatening faith-based magic chanter identity - seems fitting."

"Arf!"

The little hellhound yipped softly. While it didn't understand, that didn't stop it from responding.