Episode 1185
Episode 1185
"Hmph. Wardanaz, I know your skills are exceptional, but did you really make it properly?"
'Why are you talking like some Baldrogard villain?'
Lee Han gave the suddenly awkward-acting professor a strange look.
It was the kind of forced villainous line straight out of the casebook compiled by seniors titled <The Underhanded Atrocities Committed by Baldrogard Students>.
Honestly, Lee Han had always thought that casebook was a bit too exaggerated whenever he read it...
"If I didn't make it properly, I'll just have to remake it. It's a difficult assignment after all."
"Don't talk so reasonably when you live so unreasonably!"
Professor Thunderstep flared up in anger.
It was especially irritating precisely because the student who was the farthest from common sense was acting so reasonably.
If you're going to act unreasonably, at least speak unreasonably too...!
"The energy seems fine at least. Let me check the incense."
With a light hand gesture, the professor examined the Insight Incense Lee Han had completed.
There was no need to deeply inhale the incense to activate its effects. A skilled alchemist could discern its true value through mere contact.
"...You made it well."
"Thank you!"
"How did you handle the cinnabar? Separating its components shouldn't have been easy."
Professor Thunderstep was by no means a kind professor.
He had told students they'd be dealing with Insight Incense for their midterms and even provided the recipe in advance, but this was closer to a "you won't be able to make it easily even if you know how" kind of move.
If alchemy were so easy that you could make something just by being given one recipe...
For example, the Insight Incense recipe simply said "combine eaglewood and cinnabar," but normally these didn't combine well.
You needed to fully understand the properties of cinnabar and master multiple handling methods before you could find a way to combine them...
"Actually, I didn't use cinnabar."
"What?!"
"I used gold instead."
Professor Thunderstep hastily inhaled the Insight Incense.
Separate from the strong premonition effects flooding in, he could feel the energy of gold, not cinnabar, spreading through the incense like heat haze.
"Gold?! Expensive but... acceptable... no, even exceptional."
The professor muttered to himself.
Hearing about the gold made him wonder why he hadn't thought of it himself.
Of course, there was a reason. Gold was fundamentally too expensive.
Perhaps a Baldrogard professor might consider it, but for Professor Thunderstep who had to distribute reagents to students while working at Einrogard, such extravagance was unthinkable.
But that didn't lessen the sting of defeat. Professor Thunderstep trembled as he grabbed his beard.
"Imp... impressive work."
"Thank you. Actually, the one who taught me this was..."
As Lee Han seemed about to shake his composure again with reasonable words, Professor Thunderstep ignored him and moved on.
If Wardanaz had said something pretentious like "The one who taught me this was you, Professor," he might have really grabbed him by the collar.
"Don't tell me you... used a wicked dragon's bone instead of a magical beast's bone?!"
While analyzing the incense, Professor Thunderstep looked at Lee Han with disbelief.
He'd clearly instructed them to use a magical beast's bone, yet the dark element was this pure.
Reagents containing dark element at such high natural concentration weren't common. Especially not in bones.
At this level, it would have to come from something like a fallen dragon, wouldn't it?
Of course, a dragon's bone wasn't something an ordinary student could use as a reagent. But Wardanaz wasn't an ordinary student, was he?
Whether he stole it from the Headmaster's storage, or from some big shot's storage during vacation, or from his family's vault, or even got it by asking His Highness Jowurin to steal it for him...
'This guy has way too many ways to obtain things when you think about it.'
Professor Thunderstep stared at Lee Han as if he were looking at a madman.
Of course, Lee Han was also staring at the professor as if he were looking at a madman.
"It's just a regular bone fragment infused with dark element."
"...Ah."
Professor Thunderstep suddenly felt a deep sense of shame as his intelligence returned to him.
Come to think of it, Wardanaz had an affinity for dark element, so he was capable of such DIY modifications.
Given his immense mana capacity and top-tier purity, it was even more plausible...
"Why do you waste gold like it's nothing but scrimp and save so stingily when it comes to bones?! You're confusing people!"
"Actually, the one who taught me this was—"
"Since when did I teach you that?!"
Professor Thunderstep finally threw dignity aside and began hopping mad.
Frankly, it would have been more satisfying if he'd just said he'd figured it out through his own genius.
"No. I wasn't planning to say you taught me."
"...Oh?"
The professor immediately felt awkward.
And even a little disappointed.
'Couldn't he have said he learned at least a little from me?'
After all, he was still a professor of the school...
"Then who... Wait, hold on. Don't tell me it was that hamster?!"
"What kind of nonsense is that? That's impossible."
-......
The hamster glared at Lee Han's forehead in disbelief.
He could've just said no—why go out of his way to deliver such a lengthy insult?
"I heard it from the Young Headmaster."
"......"
Professor Thunderstep momentarily lost his soul. That was a name he truly hadn't expected.
"...By any chance, did the Young Headmaster write this down?"
"Huh? Uh..."
"Let me see it."
Lee Han recalled the hamster's warning and tried to hide the crumpled paper tucked in his side, but the professor was a step faster.
Swiftly snatching the paper, Professor Thunderstep began reading the Young Prince's sharp annotations as if entranced.
"This... I could've thought of gold too, but you didn't give me money... You're the one who uses expensive reagents anyway... It's not like acquiring a demon beast's bone is easy... Any proper alchemist should be able to handle that much..."
Muttering to himself, Professor Thunderstep began arguing with an imaginary Skeleton Principal.
Watching this, Lee Han panicked and turned to the hamster.
"The professor's malfunctioning."
-I definitely told you not to show him that.
"You didn't say it that strongly—just told me not to show him. Don't exaggerate."
-......
The hamster considered yanking Lee Han's hair out but stopped himself.
If they started attacking each other, he'd be the one at a greater disadvantage.
"Honestly, by your standards, what alchemist would even catch your eye—"
"Professor?"
"...After sweet-talking me into working for a year because there was no alchemy professor... Full support? I almost sued you in the Imperial Court but held back..."
"Professor!"
"Huh? Oh, oh."
The malfunctioning Professor Thunderstep barely regained his senses.
Lee Han, who had been considering calling Professor Lightning Step for help, let out a sigh of relief.
"Are you alright?"
-Does this look alright to you?
The hamster scolded him disdainfully. Professor Thunderstep also scolded him in the same tone.
"Do I look alright?"
"...M-my apologies."
"Forget it... It's not your fault. It's the Headmaster's fault."
"That's true."
Lee Han readily agreed.
If the Skeleton Principal hadn't tormented Professor Thunderstep so much in the first place, he wouldn't have snapped like this.
"Full marks. From now on, just ask me before going to the Young Headmaster. Please."
"Thank you."
"But what kind of request caused all this chaos?"
Professor Thunderstep asked, masking his bitterness.
At least hearing the name of the request would make him feel slightly less wronged.
"It's not just because of the request—I was also trying to look into Professor Bagrak a bit."
"......"
The professor remained silent.
Slowly relighting his pipe and exhaling a deep puff of smoke, he finally managed to speak.
"...If I ever flee this school, for heaven's sake, just let me go..."
Lately, Professor Verdus was the most miserable person in Einrogard.
The reason was simple—he had taken over a lecture he was originally supposed to teach.
"This is too much! Assigning me this many lectures?!"
"...Professor, you still have the lightest workload... don't you?"
Professor Garcia, who happened to be sitting beside him in the faculty lounge (and was already deeply regretting it), couldn't hold back and answered.
Professors Yonlamo and Paselet watched the scene with pity in their eyes.
'Still a long way to go.'
'Why even bother responding to that?'
Professor Verdus was like a cracked jar—no matter how much water you poured in, he'd still whine.
If he wanted to complain alone, they should've just left him be. There was no need to engage.
"Comparing me to others doesn't change how miserable I feel, does it?"
"......"
Professor Garcia nearly flared up in anger.
Unaware that he had almost gotten himself punched, Verdus kept rambling.
"I was this close to ditching Einrogard, just like Professor Bagrak."
"...Are you seriously equating yourself with Professor Bagrak, who went alone to settle past grudges to avoid dragging his students into danger, just because you want to skip lectures and run away?!"
"Huh? Yeah."
"......"
A murderous aura radiated from Professor Garcia's eyes.
Terrified, Professors Yonlamo and Paselet quickly grabbed their teacups and plates and retreated to a corner of the lounge.
There had once been a bet among the faculty on whether students would bother searching if Verdus ever ran away. But now, it seemed that bet was pointless.
A bloodbath was about to erupt in the faculty lounge today!
The one who saved Professor Verdus from his impending doom was Professor Thunderstep.
When he entered, the dwarf looked as though he had aged a decade.
"P-Professor!"
"Did His Excellency the Inspector implement some new policy?"
The other professors asked in shock.
This dwarf, who usually remained composed unless it involved the Skeleton Principal or Professor Lightning Step, looked utterly drained.
"Wardanaz..."
"???"
"Beware of him..."
With those final words, Professor Thunderstep staggered to a corner and collapsed into an armchair.
Too stunned to ask what had happened, the professors could only stare—except for Verdus.
"Why?"
"...That brat crushed the exam content trying to leave early..."
'Wasn't that always the case?'
Some professors thought to themselves.
It wasn't the first time Wardanaz had bulldozed through an exam. Why the fuss now?
Professor Thunderstep immediately sensed their thoughts.
"Of course, you might think that. 'Wasn't Wardanaz always like this?' Right?"
"!"
Had he drunk a mind-reading potion or something?
Just in case, the professors fortified their mental defenses.
"If that were all, I wouldn't be saying this... Somehow, he's gained wisdom from the Young Headmaster—no, he's grown stronger by one, no, two or three levels. ...Can't we just lump him in with the fourth-year graduates?!"
At Thunderstep's blunt suggestion, the other professors almost nodded unconsciously.
Whether he graduated or moved up to fifth year, teaching him would become far less of a hassle.
But Professor Verdus firmly objected.
"No. That'd make it harder for me to use him."
If Wardanaz graduated, Verdus would lose a valuable asset.
"......"
"......"
"...When's Verdus' next lecture again? No particular reason, but I might sit in."
Professor Thunderstep smiled gently as he spoke.