Reincarnated as the third son of the Duke-Chapter 123 - The Scholar’s Obsession

Ian, in his excitement, tripped over a chair leg and tumbled to the floor.

But he barely seemed to register the fall. Scrambling to his feet, he bolted toward the stairs, completely ignoring his visitors.

William watched him disappear upstairs, then let out a sigh, shaking his head.

"We should follow him."

"Are you sure we should just barge in? This is someone else’s house."

"Scholars are hopeless when they get like this. If we just wait, we’ll be standing here all night."

William had met enough true scholars to recognize the pattern.

When a discovery took hold of them, their hunger for answers overrode everything else—sleep, food, even common courtesy.

If no one stopped them, they would work themselves into exhaustion without even realizing it.

William stepped onto the second floor and immediately froze.

"…Well, that’s something."

The room before him was a chaotic mess.

Every available surface was covered in scribbled notes, parchment stacked into precarious towers. Some piles were thick enough to rival entire books.

Bottles of ink lay discarded on the floor, alongside broken quills and a heap of crumpled research papers shoved into the corners.

And yet, despite the overwhelming clutter, one thing stood out—

The potion ingredients.

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Unlike the rest of the room, the herbs and vials were meticulously categorized, each labeled and stored with the utmost care.

William let out a low whistle.

’Unbelievable. Who would believe this is the workspace of a seventeen-year-old?’

Even among formally trained alchemists, few showed this level of dedication.

William skimmed through the research notes while surveying the laboratory, his gaze eventually settling on Ian, who was moving about frantically.

"Please, please... just work...!"

Ian murmured his desperate prayers as he watched the glass vial heat up before him. The liquid inside began to boil, releasing a sharp, pungent scent that quickly spread through the room. It was the same reaction that had occurred when William had attempted to create an inferior version of Nectar.

’Yes, if the scent grows stronger and the potion turns red—!’

William, who had been watching with a faint smile, suddenly widened his eyes in alarm. The acrid smell that had filled the room abruptly vanished, replaced by a crisp, refreshing aroma. At the same time, the liquid that had been on the verge of turning red instead began shifting into a deep blue hue, faintly glowing as it swirled.

’What the hell? Shouldn’t it be turning red?’

"It worked! It really worked! I did it!"

Unlike William, who was thrown off by the unexpected reaction, Ian let out a cry of triumph and jumped in place, tears welling in his eyes. He quickly removed the heated vial and cradled it in his hands, gazing at his creation with dazed, exhilarated eyes.

While William remained still, overwhelmed by the intensity of the moment, Raymond stepped forward and whispered urgently.

"Young Master, what exactly did that man just create?"

"What are you talking about?"

"Look closely. Magic is resonating around that liquid."

Startled by Raymond’s words, William focused his mana into his eyes. As he peered at the potion, his breath caught in his throat. Waves of magical energy pulsed outward from the vial, rippling through the air like invisible tides.

’Impossible...!’

A potion that exuded mana before even being consumed? He had never heard of such a thing. The potential effects of drinking something so potent were beyond his comprehension.

Then Ian, seemingly oblivious to the tension in the room, lifted the vial to his lips.

"Are you out of your mind?! Stop!"

William moved before he could think. His hand shot out, striking Ian sharply on the back of the neck.

"Ack!"

The vial was snatched away in the same motion, and Ian turned toward William with a wounded expression.

"Why—why would you do that!?"

"Why? Why would you suddenly decide to drink that without any tests!?"

"It’s an experiment! A new potion must be tested firsthand to confirm its effects!"

William scoffed at Ian’s confident declaration. "Are you seriously suggesting that a scholar—no, not even a trained warrior—should recklessly chug an unknown potion?"

A potion of this magnitude was not something an ordinary person could handle. Without proper control, the overwhelming effects could just as easily backfire.

’At the very least, a knight who has opened their mana pathways should be the one to test it.’

"Give it back! I need to verify its effects!"

Ian lunged to reclaim the vial, but William shoved him aside effortlessly.

"If you insist on testing it, then I’ll do it myself. You just watch. If a body as frail as yours drinks it, you might die on the spot."

"W-Wait, are you serious?"

"Young Master!?"

Raymond paled, his hands twitching as though he wanted to shake some sense into William.

"Have you lost your mind!? Stop this! If you truly wish to verify its effects, then allow me to take it instead!"

"No."

"Why not!?"

"Because I know I’ll survive. You, on the other hand, I’m not so sure about."

Raymond bristled at William’s blunt words, but the young noble offered no further explanation. This wasn’t something he could articulate with logic—it was simply a matter of innate constitution.

’If I surpass my limit, any excess mana will naturally be expelled. But Raymond? No matter how long he’s trained, his pathways could never be as clear as mine.’

Mana overflow and rejection occurred when one’s body failed to regulate excess magical energy. William’s body, however, was uniquely suited to avoid such dangers. His mana pathways were so vast and refined that, even if an anomaly occurred, the excess energy would dissipate harmlessly.

’Call it arrogance, but this might be a potion that only I can consume in this entire world.’

A thrill coursed through him as he stared at the glowing liquid. A substance beyond human capability—and the one person who could withstand its effects. What would happen when the two finally met?

"Young Master!"

Raymond, realizing that words alone wouldn’t deter him, lunged forward to stop him. But William had already made up his mind. Without hesitation, he tilted the vial and let the shimmering blue potion slide down his throat.

By the time Raymond snatched the bottle away, only a few stray drops remained at the bottom.

"You reckless fool! Spit it out! Do you even know what that potion does—?!"

Before Raymond could finish, a blinding explosion of magical force erupted from William’s body, shaking the entire laboratory.