Chapter 175: A New Laboratory

"I heard that you have finished reading all the books they sent you?"
In the basement of Malfoy Manor, Comrade Voldemort sat at the end of a long table and spoke softly. In front of him was a perfectly cooked steak, just cut into a small piece, not yet taken a bite. Please note that the translation of "Comrade" is used here as a form of address, but it may not accurately reflect the original meaning intended by the author.
"I've finished reading." Eck took a bite of the stewed rice, wiped his mouth with a napkin, and replied.
"Such vigorous energy." Comrade Lao Fu said calmly, it was unclear whether it was praise or something else. "Do you understand everything?"
"Hmm." Ack nodded.
These pure-blooded family books were still very helpful to Ack, but with his current level of magic, they were not considered difficult. At least they didn't provide Ack with much inspiration, leading him to find a way to advance to level 7 spellcasting.
"I heard about what you did in the second event of the championship. For someone like you, who can already use the Art of Sea Control, those skills are indeed of limited help." Comrade Lao Fu put down his knife and fork and looked at Aike with his red eyes. "But you should know, little Aike, knowledge can be cheap or expensive." Translation: "
"Are you ready to embark on a quest for the true essence of magic?" "
I am ready." Eck's gaze was intense, filled with a thirst for knowledge. This passionate and intense emotion pleased Comrade Old Fu, who nodded in approval.
"Don't worry, Xia Ai Ke, you will get what you want. The Dark Lord never mistreats those who have helped him." Comrade Lao Fu Jun said with a meaningful tone, then picked up his cutlery and started enjoying the food carefully prepared by Malfoy in front of him.
Okay, teacher.
Eke was not in a hurry, he was confident that Comrade Lao Fu needed him now.
As long as he is valuable, he will definitely get what he wants...
In general, Aike does not dine with Comrade Laofu, but today is a special occasion. After finishing the meal, Aike slightly bowed to Comrade Laofu and left the basement that is essentially exclusive to him.
Walking up the stairs, Lucius, Crabbe, Goyle, and Wormtail were standing outside the door when they nodded towards them. Immediately, Lucius and the others quickly bowed slightly.
Within the ranks of the Death Eaters, Aike's position is special.
There is a fundamental difference between students and servants, and with Comrade Lao Fu's support, the Death Eaters like Lucius never dare to show a hint of disrespect.
It is obvious to anyone how kind Comrade Lao Fu is to Eck.
"Mr. Malfoy, there is something I wanted to ask for your help with," Eik paused, and Lucius quickly asked, "Young master, what is it? Please give your orders."
"I want a quiet room to conduct some magic experiments, preferably in a secluded location, ideally in the estate but not inside this castle," Eke said. "You also know the dangers of magic experiments."
"No problem, this is a simple matter," said Lucius.
"Thank you, Mr. Malfoy. If it's convenient, please prepare a crucible, a quill pen, a carving knife, and some magical materials for me, just the common ones."
“好的，当我准备好了，会通知你的。”
卢修斯的效率很高，第二天一大早就带着艾克来到了庄园北方靠近树林的一处小瓦房里。推门进来，很明显是经过整理了。四面墙便都有柜架，上面放满了各式各样的魔法材料，无论是魔药的还是炼金方面，除了少数极为珍稀的外，基本上都有。
“辛苦了，马尔福先生。”艾克平静的说道，卢修斯连忙躬身回礼，却没有立刻起来。
“有一件事，希望您能答应。”
“You said.”
“I want to have Draco come over and be your assistant before school starts…”
Erik looked at the somewhat humble Lucius and nodded in agreement. He was well aware of what Lucius had in mind, and he didn't expose it or refuse it. After all, no matter how you looked at it, having Draco around would only bring benefits.
But obviously, Draco doesn't think so.
Ever since Comrade Voldemort and Aunt Bellatrix moved into the Malfoy Manor, Draco's days have been difficult. Besides not being able to act as freely as before, every day and every moment, Draco actually lives in fear.
Although he used to scare Harry with the old Voldemort in school, no one would willingly want to be around such a dangerous character.
"Wolfsbane potion, you know, right?" Eik casually said while picking out magical ingredients from the shelf, challenging himself with Draco standing next to him.
"I know," Draco's mood wasn't very high and Eck could tell, but he ignored it and instead ordered in a commanding tone, "So what are you waiting for? Help me prepare the materials. By the time school starts, you should at least have brewed one yourself."
"This... can't be true..."
"Nothing is impossible, Draco." Eik placed a list into Malfoy's lap, staring intensely into his eyes, his tone grave. "Now, it is impossible for you to continue as you did before..."
Draco remained silent for a long time, but eventually nodded. He began preparing the potion ingredients for Eke, following the list provided. Eke didn't pay much attention, taking the ingredients he had just found and bringing them directly to the cauldron. With a flick of his finger, he ignited a fire and started brewing the Wolfsbane potion.
"Do you remember Lu Ping? In third grade, Snape used to brew a dose of Wolfsbane potion for him every month." As Eek rhythmically placed magical ingredients into the cauldron, he casually remarked, "It's actually not difficult, just very tedious. Just like Snape once said in Potions class, it is a precise, meticulous, and marvelous process that allows no room for error..."
Draco stood by and watched silently as Ike, resembling a flawless machine, steadily placed material after material into the crucible. The entire process continued for over an hour, yet not a single hitch occurred.
Just like that, I watched for a full four hours, with Draco remaining silent, just standing there, until Erik finally closed the lid of the crucible.
"When will it be ready, do you know?" Erik asked.
"I know, you wrote it on the list you gave me," Draco replied.
"So, I'll leave the job of opening the lid to you," Eke said, "And then you can start trying..."
Giving up the position of the potion workstation to Draco, Eck moved to the other side of the room. He picked up a carving knife and a piece of obsidian, sat on the chair, and carefully carved magical runes on it.
In terms of magical potions, Eak has already reached a point where there is no room for further improvement without obtaining new potion recipes. Indeed, he can try to invent a new potion, but it would be a thankless task and not in line with current needs. Instead, Eak has some new ideas he wants to try regarding ancient magical texts and ancient magical formulae, thanks to the extensive collection of pure-blood families' books.
For example, build a bridge connecting ancient magic and modern magic...