If I had been capable of serious thought the previous night, I would have bet on waking up feeling like hell. After what I put my body through, it only made sense. I had already felt terrible and would assume it would not change much, even with a healing potion and good night's sleep.

But when my eyes popped open, I realized that I felt...fine? Great, even. My mouth was dry, my stomach growled, and there was a slight headache behind my eyes, but besides that, there was no hint of soreness or sensitivity.

I sat up in bed, rubbing my eyes and cursing under my breath. There was a mess to be cleaned in the other room, and putting it off any longer would only make it worse. At least I had managed to aim for a section not covered in a rug. Small miracles, I suppose.

After a half-hour of scrubbing, using towels, hot water, and soaps, my floor looked shone, appearing the same as before. I had a new appreciation for maids and the like, who cleaned as a profession. That, and I felt an interest in self-cleaning spells or enchantments. Founders, this was a miserable task I would rather not repeat.

Rather than jump right into testing my improvements, I took a long bath, letting the hot water sink into my body. After two months of regular herbal treatments, training, and exertion, I damn near fell back asleep while floating in the tub.

After cleaning myself off, I stopped by a dining hall and grabbed an actual meal before returning to my room. I had put off examining the changes, partially out of fear of what I might find, but delaying any longer was unacceptable.

First, I began stretching and warming up, feeling my joints open up, and my muscles relax. Nothing felt off, so I moved into exercises, pushing, pulling, squatting, and twisting as I progressed through calisthenics.

Strangely, not only did I feel fine, I would swear I was a touch faster and stronger than the previous day. But why?

The first possibility was that those impurities purged from my channels had weakened my body somehow. I doubted it was good to have debris floating around my flesh, and it seemed entirely possible they had hindered more than just my magic. But if it was that easy, every noble should be superhuman.

That led me to conclude it was the second, far more logical explanation. I had beaten the hell out of myself these past two months and overtrained. The higher-grade healing potion and a good night's sleep had repaired accumulated damage that gradually added up and weakened me.

While a nice side-benefit, that was not my primary goal, and so I settled onto the ground, crossing my legs and pushing my awareness inward. I could not help the smile that bloomed over my face at what I found.

Every inch of my channels looked notably thickened, with walls that seemed to thrum with power. Nearly all of the black impurities had been stripped away and pushed out by the torrent of energy, leaving only unblemished flesh behind. There were still a few remaining spots in my head, but those should only take a few weeks to remove.

I pushed mana down both arms, laughing as two orbs appeared in an instant. It was fast, smooth, and best of all, without any hint of discomfort. I usually felt a twinge, the sort of sensation that told me if I pushed harder, I would go too far, but now there was none of that. In fact, I suspected I could cast without issue, at least until the next rank.

And that was far from the extent of it. Both my core and channels looked notably expanded. I suspected this was due to the sheer volume stretching both and leaving them permanently enlarged. While I was already well above the norm in both regards, this would only improve that advantage.

Lastly, my core had been around a third full before, leaving me on pace to hit Haze by the time the spring semester began. Fast for a commoner, but still well within the norm. Now, I had twice as much, putting me in a position to push for Haze before winter break. While still not as fast as true prodigies, I was much closer to the front of the pack.

With my memories from the previous night still fresh and my observations finished, I grabbed a notebook and wrote down notes on everything I could recall. If I had any similar opportunities in the future, I wanted to be ready to take full advantage and do a better job the next time.

First, an array to capture lost mana would be a good idea. If I had thought of that before, I might be ready to push for Haze now, but no use crying over it. And a potion to numb pain seemed wise, though it might bring up the danger of too many mixtures in my body at once. When the memories of the agony I felt flashed in my mind, that risk seemed much less pressing.

Of course, this was all theoretical, and such a jump in power was not repeatable any time soon. Simon's creation was one thing, but the strengthening elixir provided by Duke Estton was on another level. At the rate I earned gold, it would take a year or so of saving to afford one by myself, something entirely unfeasible. Even if I hit Haze and could hunt more dangerous creatures and earn more, it would still take months.

That reminded me of the debt still owed to a certain young noble for his assistance. True, Leon had done so with the assumption my service would repay it, and he had offered freely, but still. Maybe it was thanks to my training with Girem, which stressed the idea to avoid owing others when possible. Or perhaps it was my own ego, a trait dangerous but present despite my best efforts; The distinction was often hazy and unclear.

Regardless, it would not do to let it stand. Leon had done me a favor, and it seemed prudent to return it in kind.

After finishing my notes, I copied them onto another page, taking care to write them as theories and concepts rather than first-hand experience. I included the Arcane Blood Elixir formula, making sure to comment on its 'possible' synergy with other potions and resources. Once that was done, I stood, noting that it an hour or so past sunrise, and walked out, making my way to Leon's room.

Leon answered, looking a little tired, and said, "Vayne? It is a bit early for company, you know."

"Apologies, sir, but I wanted to give you this." I replied, holding out the pages of notes with a smile, "A show of gratitude to you and your father."

Leon took the sheets, scanning them for a minute with raised eyebrows before saying, "This is...fascinating, Vayne. How did you come to these conclusions?"

"A mixture of alchemy training, personal studies, and speaking with other apprentices more knowledgeable than me, sir."

"Sounds reasonable. But it seems a touch too convenient that you come to me with this information a few days after I handed off a potion to you to assist with your development." Leon remarked, looking up from the papers and staring at me.

"I..." I trailed off, not expecting that sort of perceptiveness. Most nobles would not look so deeply into a gift freely given.

He sighed, shaking his head, and responded, "In the future, refrain from doing anything so reckless, please. I would rather not have you wind up dead from testing such risky theories."

I smiled and bowed my head, replying, "Of course, sir, but I must tell you that the results were quite impressive. And I did take some precautions, which I noted here and here," pointing to the paper in his hands. He raised an eyebrow, and I blinked, continuing, "But your warning is taken in full. My apologies for overstepping,"

Leon stared at me for another moment before saying, "As long as you are more careful in the future. And thank you, Vayne." as he held up the papers.

"It is the least I can do," I said, bowing my head and rising before turning to leave.

"Wait a moment, please." Leon called after me, stepping into the hallway and closing his door, "I actually wanted to speak with you about something."

"Yes?"

He gestured down the hallway, and we began walking as asked, "Tell me, how much do you know about celebrations in Volaris?"

"I...am afraid I do not follow."

"Every winter, during the Founder's Days, the capital hosts many events to celebrate our ancestors. Fairs, traveling performers, and so on."

Ferren calenders used ten months of thirty-five days each, with an additional fifteen-day period at the end of the year. According to legends, this chunk of time, called the Founder's Days, was the days in which the seven mythical figures turned from ordinary men and women into unmatched paragons of magic.

I personally suspected it was a way for our ancestors to make a somewhat neat and pretty calendar, but that was beside the point. The fact remained that this fifteen-day stretch celebrated both our founding and ushered in the new year.

"I see. Though that does sound intriguing, it is several months away. I am afraid I still do not understand." I responded, speaking honestly.

"Well, the celebrations include a banquet held downstairs in the ballroom. My father, my sister, and I plan to attend and nearly every important person in Ferris. I want you there with us. It would do to get you used to such events now rather than later."

"Thank you, sir, but I am afraid I lack the proper attire. And I do not have the gold to-ahh, I think I see now," I cut myself off, nodding once.

Leon smiled, patting me on the shoulder and saying, "Exactly! A good suit can take a few months to create from start to finish, including all those convenient enchantments you might not consider. It wouldn't do to have a priceless set of clothing ruined by a wine stain or a clumsy dance partner. Sophia and I planned to head into Volaris this weekend, and you could come with us. I will pay, of course."

"Are you sure, my lord? I do not wish to impose, and frankly, do not know why you would want me there with you." I said, wondering why I was protesting.

If I was charismatic or had a family name, I would gladly attend those sorts of celebrations. It provided ample opportunity to make new allies, something that could prove invaluable. But I was a nobody, with a tenuous connection to nobility at best. They would see me as an outsider not worth their attention or a usurper trying to rise above his station.

Then again, it might give me a chance to learn more about possible rivals, grow closer with Leon and Sophia, and maybe have some fun for a change. I was not blind to the fact that my breakneck pace could become a hindrance in time. After a point, training became torture, and rest was the only cure to that particular ailment.

"Of course, I am sure, and for the ten-thousandth time, call me Leon. Do I need to order you to call me that? I will if I must, but I would rather not." he shot back, actually glaring at me.

"I-yes, Leon. My apologies," I replied, bowing my head a fraction.

He sighed, muttering something under his breath that sounded suspiciously like, "Baby steps," before shaking his head and continuing, "Have you eaten yet? I am starving and could do with something to eat."

"Yes, si-yes, I have."

"Well then, I suppose I will go and drag my loving sister out of her den and see if she wants to eat with me. I will see you tomorrow, Vayne."

We went our separate ways, and I considered returning to my room before altering my path and heading downstairs. Rest could come next weekend, but I had magic to learn and spells to perfect for now. After all, that dueling competition was in a few days, and it would be poor form to arrive unprepared.