Chapter 722: A Fine Line
Chapter 722: A Fine Line
Many spectators looked at Albert with schadenfreude, whispering among themselves and wondering if he had already been eliminated.
Some went as far as to mock him for his perceived incompetence, though few could understand their sneering words.
Albert, who was talking to Isabelle, chose to ignore the idle gossip, projecting an air of nonchalance as if to say, "As long as I'm not embarrassed, the embarrassment falls on you."
At that moment, the judges had made their way to the workbench of the Ilvermorny School contestant, crowding around the crucible to inspect Williams' freshly brewed potion. They quietly discussed their opinions while occasionally stirring the concoction or leaning in to smell it.
"This batch of Vitality Tonic has excellent appearance and aroma."
The judges murmured as they perused the ingredient list, occasionally stirring the potion gently or leaning in to catch a whiff of its fragrance.
Finally, they exchanged glances and scooped a spoonful of the potion into their mouths, swishing it around to taste the Vitality Tonic.
"However, the effect of the Vitality Tonic seems to be..."
In fact, everyone had been so focused on watching Albert brew the Befuddlement Draught that they had neglected to observe the other contestants' potion-making processes. This made it challenging for the judges to assess the other contestants' performances accurately based on the order of ingredient addition and the number of stirs. They also struggled to pinpoint the strengths and weaknesses of Williams' improved Vitality Tonic.
Therefore, the simplest way to judge was to taste a bit of the Vitality Tonic.
As for why the judges didn't taste the Befuddlement Draught, well, it was safer and easier to gauge the quality of the Vitality Tonic. Even if there were issues with it, the consequences wouldn't be too severe. The Befuddlement Draught, on the other hand, was a different story. No one wanted to risk their brain functioning to test it, and even if they did taste it, it would be challenging to provide an accurate evaluation. Most Potion Masters intentionally avoided dealing with such a potion.
Of course, they knew how to brew it, but achieving a perfect brew was another matter.
No one would complain about having too much money to spend.
People were busy, and no one wanted to waste time on a potion destined to fail.
Naturally, the judges could discern whether a brew was perfect, but unfortunately, they had never laid eyes on a perfect Befuddlement Draught, let alone tasted one. Even if they dared to give an evaluation, how accurate could it be? The judges refrained from making rash judgments, fearing another blow to their reputations.
"The effect of the Vitality Tonic seems slightly diminished, but when it comes to replenishing energy, it's gentler than the usual Vitality Tonic."
"Indeed."
Williams nodded and explained, "This improved version of the Vitality Tonic is designed to be milder. It can be mixed with Stamina Potion to enhance the drinker's endurance and quickly replenish their physical and mental energy, allowing for prolonged performance."
With this explanation, the judges understood the purpose of the modified Vitality Tonic.
Some potions could be consumed together, while others could not. Just as some spell combinations could lead to undesirable outcomes, mixing the improved Vitality Tonic with Stamina Potion yielded positive results.
To verify Williams' claim, the judges mixed the Vitality Tonic with Stamina Potion and soon discovered its extraordinary effects. They felt an instant surge of vitality, as if they could run circles around the village without tiring.
After some discussion, the judges gave their scores one by one. When someone announced that Williams from Ilvermorny School had received a final score of 90, the surrounding area fell eerily silent. There was no applause or cheering, as everyone noticed that Judge Bernard and several other judges had given Williams high scores.
No one was satisfied with this score, except for Williams. With a score of 86 in the first round and 65 in the second, he had a total of 241 points.
While this total score was not particularly high, Williams knew he still had a chance at the ultimate championship.
The remaining contestants secretly calculated their scores, mentally estimating how many points they would need in this round to surpass Williams from Ilvermorny and claim the top spot for themselves.
The last two contestants had an advantage, as their scores from the second round far exceeded Williams'.
After giving their scores, the judges moved on to the cauldron of the Mahoutokoro School contestant, Fujii Hiroki.
The Love Potion he brewed had a decent quality, exhibiting a unique pearlescent sheen on its surface, but... the fragrance was faint.
Most Love Potions were known to fill the air with the scent of the drinker's beloved, but the potion before them fell short in that aspect.
If one wasn't discerning enough, they might not even notice it.
This wasn't a mistake in Hiroki's brewing process; instead, it was a result of his unique modification to the Love Potion.
However, what troubled the judges was that they had no idea how the potion was supposed to turn out after Hiroki's adjustments.
When in doubt, the best course of action was to take a sip.
Thus, an unfortunate, reluctant judge was nominated to cautiously sip the Love Potion from the cauldron, eyes closed, to experience its effects.
"Mr. Fujii Hiroki, the effect of your Love Potion seems to be... well, rather weak. It barely induces a strong obsession or infatuation in the drinker, but there's an indescribable feeling associated with it." The first male witch who tasted the Love Potion offered a peculiar conclusion.
In the interest of fairness, the second judge took a sip as well, this time without the same level of apprehension as the first. He concurred with a similar assessment.
The third judge's evaluation echoed that of the previous two.
And so, all eyes turned to Hiroki, awaiting an explanation.
"Yes, this is intentional."
Fujii Hiroki nodded.
"Intentional?"
"This Love Potion doesn't make the drinker 'look pale and sickly' or cause their temper to become irritable and explosive." Fujii Hiroki explained, "Its infatuation effect is very weak and will only make the drinker develop a slight fondness, like the kind of illusion one experiences when falling in love. It won't raise any red flags, nor will it lead to embarrassing behavior. So, it's perfect for Valentine's Day, allowing lovers to express their mutual admiration."
"As we all know, no Potion Master has yet been able to create a truly unbreakable, eternal, and unconditional emotion that can be called 'love'," Fujii Hiroki continued. "But why can't we shift our perspective? Love between two people is never created out of thin air; it needs a process. Why can't we use a Love Potion as a catalyst for mutual 'love'?"
The judges exchanged glances, finding Fujii Hiroki's argument novel.
Since they knew that Love Potions couldn't directly create love, why not try to create it indirectly? However, the judges felt that Fujii Hiroki's idea was too idealistic.
After all, the judges present were experienced and realistic, having long passed the age of idealism.
"How do you feel?"
Albert felt like he had gained new insight. Indeed, the Far East had come up with something unique.
"It's suitable for those who are shy and lack the courage to express their feelings yet share a mutual affection. If it works as he described." Isabelle raised an eyebrow as she noticed Albert's interest in the Love Potion and asked, "Aren't you worried about being eliminated at all?"
"Not at all. They didn't say my Befuddlement Draught was unqualified." Albert suddenly asked, "Do you know the formula for this potion?"
"You can trade it for a Golden Cauldron."
"I will."
Finally, the judges gave their scores one by one. When someone announced that Fujii Hiroki from Mahoutokoro School had received 83 points, sparse applause broke out, with quite a few girls clapping for him. They were evidently intrigued by this improved Love Potion.
Although it was 7 points less than Williams', Fujii Hiroki's total score was still one point ahead of Williams', with a total of 242 points.
Poor Williams was now completely out of the running for the championship due to a one-point difference, and the cruel reality turned his face as dark as the bottom of a pot.
Williams had won the last round but lost the championship, and the one-point difference felt like someone was constantly shoving gold nuggets into his mouth.
The contestant from Ilvermorny School now hated Bernard, the judge who had wronged him in the second round. If not for him, he would have been the champion.
No one cared about Williams' changing expression.
However, they all noticed the glum-faced Fujii Hiroki. Although his total score was one point higher than the Ilvermorny School contestant, it was almost certain that he, too, had missed out on the championship.
Everyone's gaze followed the judges as they moved to the last cauldron.
The judges gathered around the cauldron and the ingredient list, perplexed by the viscous purple potion within.
Finally, one of the judges asked, "Miss Daniela, could you tell me what this potion is?"
"A Protective Potion," Daniela explained as she stepped forward.
"Protective Potion?"
"As the name suggests, drinking it will grant some magical resistance, similar to how a dragon's hide can withstand most spells, including the Stunning Spell. Of course, its effect isn't as strong as one might imagine."
The judges exchanged glances, as they had heard of similar potions before, but most of them turned out to be scams. If Daniela's potion truly had such an effect, it would be an impressive achievement.
Unfortunately, things didn't always go as planned. The Protective Potion's effect fell short, and one unlucky judge who drank the potion was hit with a Stunning Spell and immediately collapsed, indicating that the potion hadn't provided any protection.
An awkward silence ensued, and Fujii Hiroki breathed a sigh of relief, clenching his fists in encouragement: There's still a chance.
"This Protective Potion can only resist spells with weaker power," Daniela explained, slightly embarrassed. "Spells like the Tickling Charm or the Leg-Locker Curse."
Everyone looked at the judge who had just been revived, and he shook his head repeatedly, indicating that he would not participate in further testing.
Well, it was later proven to be somewhat useful.
However, it was too insignificant to be of much value.
In the end, it received only 76 points.
Although it was the lowest score among the three, Daniela was satisfied because her total score surpassed that of the other contestants, reaching 243 points.
Yes, one point higher than Fujii Hiroki.
The moment the final score was announced, Fujii Hiroki's smile froze, and his face turned gloomy, as if he were about to drip water.
He felt like he had been played.
There was nothing he could do. Fujii Hiroki now personally experienced Williams' changing emotions, and the feeling of having gold nuggets shoved into his mouth was unpleasant.
Just as everyone thought Daniela had won the championship, a staff member approached with a house-elf, and upon seeing this, Daniela's expression froze, a bad premonition welling up inside her, erasing the joy of her previous victory.
Headmaster Castelobos and the students, who had been clapping enthusiastically, also stiffened, their faces as if they hadn't relieved themselves in days.
(End of Chapter)
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