Tale of the Red Dragon Without Dragon's Might-Chapter 12 - Who Do You Underestimate?

"Good morning, Teacher."

"You're here..."

"I am."

"You finished the book so quickly?"

"I read quite fast."

Leon said this as he placed the book with a thick cover on the desk in the corner of the laboratory.

Since he had learned enough Universal Language to satisfy his reading needs, and incidentally found out that this world was not any he knew but a new world based on DND, he couldn't wait to borrow books from Edwin, hoping to understand this world more through reading.

Regrettably, Edwin didn't have any history books or travelogues to satisfy his curiosity. Regardless of why Edwin kept fairy tales, picture books, novels...alchemy notes did fit his profession, he accepted them all as a pastime.

As for the term "Teacher," he had started using it actively to build a closer relationship between them, but so far it was just a title. Edwin had never acknowledged him as a student, simply because he had no talent for magic.

Nevertheless, Leon kept calling him "Teacher," and it was clear that Edwin had become more earnest in instructing him, even taking the initiative to ask about his Flame Breath progress. When he found out Leon still couldn't use Fire Breath, he comforted him by saying that a giant dragon's sharp teeth and claws were stronger than flames.

But by now, Leon wasn't too concerned about his inability to breathe fire. Sword Control Technique and immobilization spell were sufficient for him, and he was sure to master more spells in the future.

"Books are meant to be digested, not just read and forgotten." At this moment, Edwin glanced at Leon and then looked away.

"You can test me." Leon plopped down on the laboratory floor.

After transforming into a Red Dragon, his memory had improved a lot; he could remember words after just one glance, unlike before when he had to review them every day.

"I'm not interested in testing you... You're not studying for me, but for yourself. Take responsibility for your own learning, so you won't blame me later." Edwin walked to the window, leaning tiredly on the windowsill, looking particularly weary today.

"The books are over there. Take whichever one you want. The same rule as always, only one book at a time." He lifted his finger slightly.

Leon returned to the desk, stood up, lifted his claws to the edge of the desk, and rested his chin on his hand, eyeing a stack of thick books. He then pulled out one that interested him. Just as he was about to say goodbye, he noticed Edwin still in the same position and asked with concern, "Teacher, have you encountered a difficult problem?"

The morning sunshine streamed into the laboratory from the window.

Edwin crossed his arms, opened his eyes to look at the ceiling, then closed them again, saying, "It's been half a year... your mother wants to see the results of my experiments."

If Edwin hadn't mentioned Mother Dragon, Leon might have forgotten his irresponsible mother.

Dragon Sister still came to look for him from time to time, but his mother had not visited him even once. According to Dragon Sister, apart from regularly patrolling the territory and bringing some food back, she mostly just lay there.

"Then show her the results of your experiments..." Leon said it as if it was obvious, then quickly realized he was being presumptuous, "You can also show the intermediate results of your experiments."

"The results aren't so easy to come by," Edwin added, "You wouldn't understand."

Who doesn't have days immersed in the lab?

Maybe I know even more than you do.

Thinking thus, Leon curled his lips, revealing half of his teeth curiously and said, "I know you are researching explosives, alchemy explosives... What kind are they? Explosives with huge power, or something else?"

Leon had heard about Edwin's identity and past from Dragon Sister. As to whom Dragon Sister had inquired from, he had no clue, but aside from Mother Dragon, there probably wasn't anyone else.

Edwin was previously a professor at a school within the Empire. After causing the death of several noble young masters and daughters in a laboratory accident, he fled for fear of punishment and is now a fugitive wanted by the Empire.

It was then Leon first heard of the Empire and gradually learned about the country composed of a dozen provinces. In the entire political system of the Empire, the highest representative was the Emperor, nominally the Emperor but in fact produced by an electoral system.

"What else can explosives do besides creating huge blasts?" Edwin retorted.

"For instance..." Leon organized his language, considering how to reasonably convey the knowledge from the world before his transmigration, "I saw in your alchemy notes that explosions need air, is there a possibility to create a type of explosive specifically designed to consume air?"

"What's the use? Air can be replenished anytime."

"For targets inside underground caves." Leon paused, "Air is not easily replenished there."

Edwin nodded thoughtfully and said, "Continue."

"White phosphorus ignites at a very low temperature and will burn upon contact with oxygen... Creating explosives with white phosphorus, if it sticks to the skin after an explosion, it's quite difficult to remove promptly, and with a high burning temperature, it can burn down to the bone. The smoke it produces is also highly irritating to the eyes and nose," Leon said, "Just think about it, it's really cool, right?"

"Typical of a Red Dragon." Edwin commented, "Only you guys would think it's cool."

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Leon humphed; he didn't believe the other party was any paragon of kindness.

"How about creating a smoke bomb specifically to produce smoke?" Leon got excited, gesticulating as he spoke, "Or a flash bomb that generates blinding bright light and loud noise upon detonation, temporarily blinding and deafening the target. Isn't that an awesome idea?"

At this, Edwin's pupils dilated, and he looked at the eloquently speaking Leon, shocked, "Could it be that you're actually a genius?"

It indeed felt great to be revered in front of others. Leon looked around, smugly boasting, "I saw saltpetre, sulfur, and charcoal in your laboratory. Those are the ingredients for making black gunpowder. But I noticed that these materials have hardly been touched, which means you are not researching black gunpowder..."

Flame Amber Ash, night lights, Little Magic Demon Tail, Night Orchid Solution... Leon wasn't very familiar with the unique materials of this world, but some were too familiar, like distilling saltpetre to get aqua fortis, also known as nitric acid, and distilling green vitriol to get Green Sulfate Oil, which is sulfuric acid.

"How about trying to treat glycerin with aqua fortis and Green Sulfate Oil?" Leon chuckled, thinking that using nitric acid and sulfuric acid to process glycerin into nitroglycerin, which is highly unstable and prone to dramatic explosions with massive destructive power—just a small bottle could shatter rocks in the movies.

"I don't remember where I read about it," Leon thought for a moment as an excuse.

"Aqua fortis, Green Sulfate Oil..." Edwin murmured to himself, "It's worth a try."

"You can try, but be careful," Leon kindly reminded.

"I do not need your reminders," Edwin scoffed coldly, "I study fire, and when I study explosions, Fireball Technique is the most perfect spell... You weren't even born yet."

Leon couldn't retort, given that he truly had only been born a few months ago.

Not daring to be too reckless, before long, Leon hastened to leave, clutching the book as he returned to his lair.