Rising from the Ashes (Andrew and Lauren) novel Chapter 1367

"Then I'd love to see if your ending is really any better than mine!" Thomas snapped, his defeat fueling the bitterness he now hurled at Andrew. The sting of failure had clearly twisted his mood, and Andrew became the target of his frustration.

Meanwhile, Mosby stood with his hands behind his back, beaming toward the judges' platform.

He said proudly, "Clifford, Preston, my fellow peers in medicine. You've all checked this kid's so-called elixir by now, haven't you? If my guess is right, what he made isn't even an elixir—it's just trash, plain and simple."

He followed it up with another burst of arrogant laughter. He had noticed earlier that Andrew's cauldron had not released even a trace of medicinal aroma. It was like cooking a meal with no smell coming out—there could only be one conclusion: total failure.

Just then, startled voices rose from behind, followed by the sound of hurried shuffling and clattering.

"Huh? W-What is this…"

Suddenly, Mosby's brow furrowed, wondering what Preston and Clifford were doing. Were they really that shaken by Andrew's failed elixir?

He turned to look, just in time to meet their eyes. In that instant, Mosby's heart skipped a beat. Their eyes were filled with something akin to horror, pure disbelief like they had just seen a ghost.

Then, chaos erupted. The expert panel and high-ranking medical professionals all surged forward at once, shouting over one another.

"My god! That fragrance—so concentrated it's contained—and its surface is gleaming!"

"This… this is a seventh-grade Imperial Pill! It completely outclasses any sixth-grade Royal Elixir!"

"You know what this means? Andrew… Andrew must be a seventh-grade alchemist—an Imperial Alchemist!"

"It's over! Dr. Lake has been thoroughly crushed! Andrew is the real winner—we have to revise the results!"