In the alchemy classroom of the Arcane Academy, sunlight shines through the windows onto rows of neatly arranged tables and chairs. The students have different expressions, expectant yet nervous. Today's class seemed different from the past. The teacher stood on the podium, smiled slightly, and glanced at every student present.
"Students, today we are going to learn how to make a small alchemical prop - a lighter." As soon as the teacher finished speaking, the classroom suddenly exploded.
"Lighter? I've never heard of this alchemical tool. But why do we have to make one after we've only had a few theory classes?" A student raised his hand in dissatisfaction.
"Yeah, we don't even have a solid foundation in alchemy, so how can we get started right away?" The other students echoed, their faces filled with confusion and anxiety.
The teacher smiled and shook his head. "This is to help you better understand the principles of alchemy and deepen your knowledge through practice. Although the production of a lighter is simple, it is a good opportunity to practice your alchemy skills."
After that, the teacher wrote down today’s lesson content on the blackboard: Small Alchemy Props·Lighter, and then listed the required materials and diagrams of small alchemy circuits.
"First of all, the materials we need are kerosene, metal shell, fire element burning stone, sealing ring... Next, I will explain the production steps in detail to you." The teacher took out a piece of chalk and wrote and drew on the blackboard, and began to explain.
Ed sat at the back of the classroom, listening carefully to the teacher's explanation. He had always been interested in alchemy, and entered the Alchemy Academy without hesitation after school started. As for Konan, he went to the Fighting Academy.
The teacher explained in detail the components of the lighter, including how to mix the forging materials, the techniques for carving the magic circuit, and how to quickly fill the kerosene into the device.
"During the production process, everyone must pay attention to the installation position of the flint, which is crucial to the ignition effect of the lighter." The teacher emphasized.
Following the teacher's explanation, the students prepared the materials on the table and started making the works. The classroom was filled with a busy atmosphere, with students whispering and discussing their ideas. Ed picked up a metal shell and carefully observed its structure, thinking about how to combine kerosene and flint through a magic circuit.
"A very simple magic circuit..." Ed picked up the magic engraving knife and drew the magic circuit on the metal casing.
"This is the first time I've discovered that alchemy is so simple. Look, I've finished carving! I just need to put the flint in a fixed place, fill it with kerosene and a sealing ring, and it's done."
The students nodded one after another. They had always thought that alchemy was a very difficult thing and never thought it was so simple.
The sound of metal colliding could be heard in the classroom, and the students were busy and excited with laughter. Someone accidentally cut his finger while carving the magic circuit, and blood dripped onto the metal shell, and everyone exclaimed.
"My fingers! My fingers!"
The teacher glanced at him calmly and said, "Don't worry, it's just a minor injury. If you keep shouting for a while, the wound may heal. Don't delay making the lighter."
After some effort, the students gradually completed their own lighters. The teacher walked to each table, carefully checked their work, gave guidance and suggestions from time to time, and the atmosphere in the classroom became more and more lively.
"This is the charm of alchemy. By doing it ourselves, we can truly understand every detail." The teacher nodded with satisfaction, watching qualified products being placed on the table one after another. All of these would become gold coins in his pocket.
Ed has completed the second lighter, and he always feels something is strange. This alchemy method is only a little difficult when depicting the magic circuit. For the rest, he just needs to follow the teacher's steps to assemble it. Can this method really be called alchemy?
However, behind the classroom, Merlin was standing in the corridor observing all this. This teaching method was carefully arranged by him, with the aim of allowing students to learn through practice, and at the same time cultivating a group of capable "ox and horse laborers" for his Chamber of Commerce.
The finished lighters will be sold in Merlin Shopping Mall, and the sales of the props will bring teachers a considerable share of the profits.
Ever since Merlin reformed the research funding system, the teachers in the Alchemy Department have been desperate for money. Alchemy is a money-burning profession, and in order to make money, teachers are naturally enthusiastic about this kind of money-making course.
But these students don’t know that the profit sharing has nothing to do with them. What? Some people say that this is too much, and that no benefits are given to students at all. Please, what benefits do students need? Besides, don’t they earn anything? Don’t you know that knowledge is priceless? Learning how to make lighters is a skill, which will make it easier for you to work in a factory in the future.
The teacher casually picked up the assembled lighter, pressed the ignition button, and the flame shot out instantly. He nodded with satisfaction, thinking that it was a really exquisite gadget. A simple magic circuit plus basic alchemical materials could make a small thing that could light a fire anytime and anywhere. This thing might not be of much use to a magician, but for ordinary people, it was definitely a good prop to facilitate life.
Since Merlin's reform, the Steam and Star Alchemy Workshop has focused its research on "usefulness". All those fantastic alchemy ideas have been eliminated and replaced by visible and tangible alchemy ideas. There is no way around it. If the alchemy direction has no future, the academy really will not approve it.
Seeing that most students had completed one or two lighters, the teacher began to give the final explanation: "Students, the core of a lighter lies in the linkage between kerosene and flint. Only by connecting the two with a magic circuit can the normal use of the lighter be ensured."
"Okay, I see everyone has made a lighter. Now let's try out the fruits of your labor." At the teacher's command, the students lit their lighters one after another.
With the sound of "crackling", the classroom was filled with the glow of flames, and the students cheered and celebrated their success to each other. Ed looked at the lighter in his hand, his heart filled with pride.
"We did it!" he shouted, and the students around him agreed.
"This is the charm of alchemy!" The teacher looked at them with a smile and then clapped his hands.
"Today's homework is to complete one hundred lighters. I believe this is not difficult for you. You must hand it in before class tomorrow. Remember to check it carefully and make sure there are no defective products." The teacher held up a finger and said a number that shocked the students.
The assignment is to complete 100 lighters? The students were dumbfounded. Although this thing was simple to make, it would take a lot of time to make 100 pieces.
Merlin, who was standing in the corridor at the entrance, rolled his eyes. He held his forehead and thought, these teachers are really cruel. They demand 100 pieces each. But I like it! Isn’t all this for the students?
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