The disassembled and suspended Fountain of Beauty, meticulously strung together by countless threads of Magic, gradually stabilised its initial magical glow, softly illuminating the surrounding area.
Faced with Fleur's groundhog-like scream, Lucien gently soothed her while tapping his wand to fine-tune the fountain's components.
"Don't be nervous. It can be put back together."
Fleur looked so graceful, so why was her scream so sharp and piercing?
Caught unprepared, he felt his eardrums ache.
Hmm. He had heard that when Veela became angry and transformed into their bird-headed forms, their screams could also be soul-stirring, comparable to a mature Mandrake.
Could it be an inherited racial talent?
After a pause, Lucien added,
"I discussed this with Madame Maxime beforehand."
This sentence was more effective than any explanation, and the tension on Fleur's face quickly eased.
At Beauxbatons, Maxime commanded absolute prestige. Her permission was the highest directive.
Since the Headmistress knew about it and had allowed it, this seemingly destructive act must have a legitimate reason.
With her mind calmed, Fleur's curiosity completely overshadowed her unease, and her gaze followed Lucien's every movement.
Lucien lightly tapped his wand, and the lids of the suspended containers opened simultaneously.
Fleur could easily identify the materials that flew out first: shimmering moonstone powder, concentrated essence of Beauty Roses, Dragon Gold Silk thinner than hair yet incredibly tough... These were all classic materials used in Alchemy.
However, those containers seemed bottomless, as a continuous stream of various items and materials poured out.
Gradually, Fleur could no longer keep up with identifying them. Some things she had only seen as blurry images in ancient texts, such as pearlescent paste made from ground merperson scales.
By the time the final few materials appeared, Fleur was completely bewildered.
A slowly flowing shadowy substance, several strange seeds with swirling clouds inside them, a small bottle of constantly shifting coloured gas...
She widened her beautiful blue eyes, completely unable to name them.
It was not until the containers stopped releasing materials that Fleur asked with a hint of uncertainty and anticipation,
"Lucien, are you going to adjust the Fountain of Beauty?"
After receiving Lucien's affirmative nod, pleasant surprise instantly burst forth in Fleur's eyes, and her voice quickened with excitement.
"Did Nicolas Flamel ask you to..."
The Fountain of Beauty was Nicolas Flamel's masterpiece, and Lucien was his personal student.
Fleur naturally assumed that Nicolas had taught Lucien the Alchemical principles behind the Fountain of Beauty, and the thought of witnessing what that Alchemist had passed on filled her with joy.
In the Magical World of France, Nicolas Flamel's name itself was a myth that had lasted for six hundred years.
However, Fleur immediately became conflicted.
If Lucien was going to perform secret Alchemical techniques, was it appropriate for her to stand by and watch?
Should she avoid it?
But then she thought that she could not even recognise all those materials, so there was no suspicion of her trying to steal his skills...
"Um, do I need to leave first?"
Lucien was quickly tallying the materials suspended in the air. Hearing Fleur's hesitant voice, he glanced sideways at her.
The girl's eyes were darting around, and her fingers were unconsciously twisting the corner of her robes. The faint silver halo around her flickered as if it had short-circuited.
Does the light around Veela fluctuate with their mood? Is it the same for part-Veela?
Looking at the Alchemical materials spread around them and the suspended fountain components, Lucien roughly guessed what Fleur was thinking. His hands did not stop moving.
"No need. It's fine for you to stay here. If you have any questions, you can ask."
Fleur said, "Hmm... huh?"
She had not expected Lucien to answer so directly and failed to react for a moment.
Lucien's wand tapped continuously, and several materials that required highly time-sensitive processing immediately flew to their designated positions, beginning preliminary smelting and fusion.
"My teacher said that the knowledge and techniques he taught me can be passed on to others as long as someone wants to learn and is capable of learning," Lucien said in a normal tone, as if stating the most natural thing.
At Nicolas Flamel's level, he no longer cared about sectarian views and was happy to see someone inherit his knowledge.
Of course, Nicolas had also solemnly warned Lucien that Alchemy was a profound and dangerous subject, and when teaching it, one had to consider the learner's talent, ability, and character.
As for Fleur, Nicolas's evaluation had been: excellent Alchemy talent. As for her personality, aside from being a little proud, everything else was quite good.
The implication was that if Lucien was willing to guide her, this girl was a good prospect.
Fleur, of course, understood who Lucien meant by "my teacher." Her beautiful azure eyes widened slightly, filled with disbelief and a hint of flattered excitement.
Before she could organise her words, Lucien had already begun the next step.
He shook his wrist, and vast, pure magical power surged out, transforming into countless finer control threads and shining runes that precisely merged into every suspended component and material.
At the same time, on the fingertips of his right hand holding the wand, the Elemental Magic Patterns of water, fire, and earth lit up simultaneously, complementing one another.
In an instant, whether it was the elements contained within the Fountain of Beauty's components and the various materials themselves, or the free-floating elements in the surrounding environment, all of them became active as if they were cheering, moving in an orderly fashion to their respective positions under Lucien's will.
Fleur once again felt that strange resonance from Lucien, clearer and stronger than before, carrying an indescribable warmth and pull.
Under the dual effects of vast Magic and active elements, the diverse materials began to undergo wondrous changes. Some merged with one another, forging brand-new components; some transformed into streaks of light, etching complex magical scripts into the fountain's interior; others directly replaced certain original parts of the fountain...
A comprehensive "surgery" on the Fountain of Beauty was proceeding in an orderly fashion.
What Lucien displayed was not only boundless magical power far beyond common sense, but also an affinity and control over multiple basic elements as if they were extensions of his own limbs.
This groundbreaking Alchemical scene made Fleur, who prided herself on her extensive knowledge, completely forget how to ask questions.
She was completely immersed in this art composed of Magic, elements, and material transformation.
The light slowly converged inward and settled.
The countless components suspended in the air, guided by the threads of Magic, seamlessly reassembled and merged.
The familiar, elegant Fountain of Beauty once again stood complete in the night, quietly situated in its original place.
The gurgling sound of water resumed, and clear spring water flowed along the newly formed pool walls, which bore faint magical patterns. Under the moonlight, it rippled with a more vibrant and dreamlike lustre than ever before.
Just as the spring water resumed flowing...
[Ding! The Fountain of Beauty has been improved!]
________
(^///^) Please support this fic and also read 12 chapters ahead at Patreon.com/DrakDevil1