Chapter 15
Chapter 15
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 15
Chapter Title: I'll Just Do It Now
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“I have a question.”
If an annoying presence keeps catching your eye, how would most people react?
They'd avoid it.
That's only natural. If it wasn't visible to me alone, I wouldn't care what anyone else did. Most people would agree.
But there are always situations where you have to see it.
This is one of them.
Me, a student.
And Pelliana Miron, a professor.
A professor has a duty to resolve a student's curiosity.
Of course, they could dodge it by saying no questions or to ask after class.
“...Go ahead.”
Pelliana wasn't the type.
“You called healing potions the popularization of talent.”
“That's right. Curious why I phrased it that way?”
“That's part of it.”
But I couldn't ask anything pointless.
Even Pelliana would stop answering if she deemed it worthless.
So, I needed a more thorough question.
“On what principle does 'talent' become popularized? Is it just by spreading widely?”
Rational.
Something others might wonder too.
And upsetting to the one answering...
Such a question.
“...”
Pelliana fell silent for a moment. Her steady gaze felt like a glare.
The silence broke quickly.
“I'll answer.”
Pelliana set down her textbook and stepped forward a bit.
“Talent doesn't have to be limited to just a few.”
I sat back down and listened.
“If everyone can use a 'product' that fully embodies someone's talent...”
Pelliana addressed the whole class.
“That's what we call popularizing talent.”
But it felt like she was talking to me.
“Then, let's continue the lecture.”
And the 'first' answer ended.
Professor.
My questions aren't done with one.
I've prepared plenty.
Pelliana's lecture continued.
“Professor, I have a question.”
My questions too.
“Professor? I don't get this part.”
Kept coming.
“Professor!”
Without rest.
“A question!”
I hounded her.
“Here!”
Until the lecture ended.
“...Time's up. That's all for today's lecture.”
Lecture time: 1 hour 15 minutes.
I asked 18 questions in total.
By the end, Pelliana looked utterly drained.
Doing something you hate but have to do always wears you out like that.
“And Rain Ortiz.”
Of course, the plan wasn't over yet.
“Follow me.”
That's human psychology.
When someone wrongs you, you want payback.
In a way, my plan was just starting.
I was pissed.
No, beyond pissed.
I was furious.
“I have a question.”
That damn question.
The surprisingly rational one I couldn't refuse.
“...We'll continue the lecture.”
At some point, it even fit the lecture flow, making it impossible to block!
Pelliana endured questions for the full 1 hour 15 minutes.
Normally, she wouldn't call it enduring. Students rarely asked questions in her class anyway. If anything, she welcomed them.
But because the asker was Rain Ortiz, it counted as torment.
That bastard.
He's definitely...
“A question! Here!”
Doing it with impure intent.
All those questions had a clear purpose.
A purpose designed so only Pelliana Miron and Rain Ortiz would understand.
That's why she couldn't snap, even if she wanted to.
To justify her anger, she'd have to explain the reason.
A professor getting petty to fight a student? Absurd.
“...Time's up.”
So she waited.
Until the lecture ended.
“That's all for today.”
Finally, the lecture was over.
“And Rain Ortiz.”
“Follow me.”
Alone, she'd worry less about face.
No need to justify.
She could vent 1 hour 15 minutes of built-up emotion.
Pelliana walked briskly. Toward her lab.
“Where are we going?”
“No more questions.”
“Why?”
Damn it.
Even now, that bastard was screwing with me.
Bang.
The lab door slammed shut. Locked immediately.
Entrance and exit vanished, but no issue. She had no assistant, so no one to let out.
“Rain Ortiz.”
“Yes, Professor.”
No eyes on them now.
She calmed instead.
Pelliana Miron was a professor.
No matter what others thought, her position stood firm.
She had to treat students as a professor should.
Venting wildly here would just play into his hands.
“How was today's lecture?”
“It was good.”
“Too easy?”
“It was easy.”
Of course.
She'd been furious at the question barrage, but also assessing.
Genius is genius.
Every question from Rain Ortiz proved he'd listened properly.
Some even pierced lecture gaps, turning answers into extra explanations.
Undeniable fact.
Even dragging him here, she had no right to scold the questions themselves.
“I'll ask one too.”
But she lacked scolding rights, not others.
“What do you think of alchemy?”
For instance, the right to question.
Questions aren't just for students.
Professors can question too.
Rain pondered briefly before answering.
“I think it's an essential field.”
“Don't want to learn more?”
“I do.”
Their exchange felt hollow.
Pelliana's sudden question was unnatural, Rain's rote reply hiding something.
Both knew, but neither pointed it out.
Similar aims.
Thinks he's got this.
Pelliana acknowledged Rain's genius. But not defeat.
Ironic. No promises made, yet they were competing.
Fine by her.
She didn't like geniuses.
Hated them, really.
In that sense, Rain Ortiz was the worst.
She wanted to crush him.
Make him admit talent meant nothing.
You threw down the gauntlet first, Rain Ortiz.
Pelliana flashed her signature smile.
The kind that froze opponents.
“Rain Ortiz.”
“Yes.”
“Think your talent works here too?”
An obvious ploy.
Affirming meant starting a duel.
“It's a field of study, so yes.”
Rain accepted.
“My lab has various potions.”
Confirmed, Pelliana moved. To the bookshelf.
No books there. Just potions instead.
Pelliana took two vials of the same potion.
“This is the healing potion from today. See the difference?”
“...No.”
First denial.
Fair. They looked identical.
“One's mine, one's a student's. Now?”
Rain Ortiz denied again.
“Can't see it.”
Pelliana was a bit surprised. Expected a different answer this time.
“Correct. Same maker or not, same ingredients.”
Whatever.
Not the real point anyway.
Back to the shelf.
“That's alchemy. Match ingredient ratios right, anyone gets the same result. No magic engineering hand skills or swordsmanship physical talent needed.”
This time, healing potion 'ingredients.' For Rain.
“Here, only effort matters. Your talent? Useless.”
“Is that so?”
“Here's an assignment.”
Pelliana wrote on a slip. Assignment details.
“Make one healing potion in a week. If yours outperforms the standard even slightly, I promise top marks.”
Impossible task.
Healing potions were already optimized by countless studies. Better ratio in a week? No way.
Pelliana was confident.
Sure she wouldn't lose.
“No.”
And that confidence.
“I'll just do it now.”
Shattered in exactly '29 seconds.'