Episode 1230
Episode 1230
"Hoho. Princess Jowurin's abilities aren't that extraordinary after all."
As expected, Jowurin's mood visibly improved.
Though her words claimed it wasn't anything special, her sparkling eyes clearly demanded more praise.
"Gainando, that's enough compliments."
"What compliments?"
"...Never mind. Show me the soil."
Lee Han examined the quality of the soil Gainando had dug up.
The black mages of Einrogard's Black Magic School often utilized plots near Black Rock Hall to procure various reagents.
Especially for black magic reagents, making them yourself was crucial.
While it was true that most black mages were broke... the main reason was that black magic reagents generally didn't sell well in markets.
Who would want to buy things like rotting soil saturated with strong Yin magical energy?
"Oh. What's this? Not bad."
Lee Han was surprised upon checking the quality. The purity of magical energy was better than expected.
Had Gainando been tending to the soil intensively lately?
"Did you spend extra time managing the nearby soil recently?"
Gainando laughed as if the question was ridiculous.
"What nonsense. Lee Han. Why would I do that? I'm not Senior Diret."
"......"
Lee Han immediately decided to report Diret the next time he saw him.
That arrogant bastard!
"Professor Mortum mentioned getting new fertilizer from somewhere. Seems it's working well?"
"New fertilizer? That's suspicious."
Lee Han felt something was off about his friend's words.
Of course, it was possible Professor Mortum had created new fertilizer to strengthen the plots near the magic tower.
He certainly had the capability.
But Professor Mortum would never waste time on such things.
While not as bad as Professor Verdus, Mortum was quite proactive about pushing troublesome tasks onto his students.
"Could it be..."
"Lee Han. Don't worry."
Gainando patted his chest confidently.
"Some friends and I already checked the vault first."
"Gainando...!"
Lee Han felt slightly moved.
This imperial friend of his had grown to reliably pull his own weight.
"If he didn't buy it with vault money, then he made it himself. That's even stranger... You don't think he made Senior Diret do it?"
"N-no way. Senior Diret's been so busy lately."
"Exactly the kind of person Einrogard professors would assign extra work to."
Behind them, Professor Voladi's shoulder twitched slightly.
Unnoticing, Lee Han continued.
"Really strange. It's not like the professor kidnapped a black mage from somewhere."
Amazingly, that was exactly what had happened, though Lee Han didn't realize it.
Currently, a black mage from the Descendants of Ahrag was imprisoned in the Black Magic School's basement.
"...I think that might actually be it!"
Gainando's eyes lit up at his friend's words.
Indeed, Professor Mortum's recent behavior had been suspicious.
Always going down to the basement, personally making and delivering magical supplies students needed...
"No. That was a joke. He probably just ordered Diret to do it. Your Highness, behold! While you lose motivation, these wicked elements run rampant."
Lee Han seized the opportunity to tattle to Prince Uman.
Still unconvinced, Gainando asked:
"But couldn't he have imprisoned a black mage in the basement?"
"I told you no. Gainando. Bringing a competent black mage to school would be work itself. Where would he even find one?"
"Hmph."
Despite being completely defeated in the logical argument, Gainando still couldn't let it go.
'I'll sneak into the basement at night and check later.'
"Indeed! You're absolutely right. The evil is already rising!"
Uman became indignant at Lee Han's words.
What a wicked professor this is!
Lee Han, playing the role of a sycophantic courtier, flattered him further.
"Heh heh heh. Your Highness should punish this wicked professor severely. Since the Black Magic department has the duty to submit a curse-neutralizing agent anyway, why not assign this task to the professor?"
"Excellent idea! We shall do just that!"
Yoner and Gainando's eyes widened in shock.
They knew their friend had been acting as the Inspector's right-hand man, but seeing him manipulate things so effortlessly was a different level of shocking.
'It's really this easy?!'
At this point, isn't he basically a shadow headmaster?
Flustered, Yoner turned to Jowurin and asked,
"I-Is this really okay? Surely this can't be—"
"Jowurin agrees. Uman is taking too much from Jowurin's contractor."
"N-No, that's not what I meant."
Anyone listening would think Lee Han was some kind of plaything. Yoner, rarely seen flustered, was at a loss for words.
"Gainando. If His Highness Uman stays until next semester, I really don't know what will... Gainando?"
Yoner realized Gainando had disappeared from beside her.
Looking ahead, she saw Gainando had already rushed over to Uman and started flattering him too.
"Your Highness! The reagent garden I'm supposed to manage should also be given to the professor...!"
"......"
Fortunately, Gainando's attempt failed. He grumbled in disbelief.
"Why is my suggestion being ignored?"
"......"
"......"
His friends knew the reason all too well but chose to remain silent.
Lee Han focused on preparing the <Purification of Kinis>, following the reagents and reaction formulas organized by Yoanen and Professor Voladi.
No matter how difficult the magic, having everything prepared to this extent significantly lowered the difficulty. Lee Han worked smoothly, feeling the ease of the process.
'The progress isn't bad.'
Yoanen's softened gaze suggested she too felt the flow was good. Seeing this, Yoner secretly sighed in relief.
She really didn't want to see her cousin unleash her madness in front of their friends.
"Shall we take a short break?"
"???"
Jowurin looked around in confusion.
The flow was good, so she couldn't understand why they were stopping.
"Jowurin doesn't understand why we're stopping."
"Ah. Now that we've made it this far, we need to research what comes next."
Lee Han moved the completed intermediate product aside and explained.
Such high-level alchemy couldn't be finished in one go.
They had to divide the work into stages, set goals for each, and proceed step by step.
Now that they'd successfully completed one stage, it was time to prepare for the next.
"What do we need?"
"We have to find a reagent that reacts appropriately with this intermediate product."
The mages present launched into a lively discussion.
Which reagent would produce an active purification effect when combined with this ashen mass?
Professor Voladi recommended things like the digitalis flowers from snowy mountains or peyote cacti, but Yoanen replied that she'd already tested them and the side effects were too strong.
Yoner, true to her status as Professor Thunderstep's student, suggested Red Sandalwood Incense. Yoanen rejected it, saying its effects would be too weak in this season.
Jowurin, who had been listening blankly, became lost in thought as she stared at the ashen mass.
...Dragon blood would probably work well with this?
"Uman. Uman."
"Yes, Sister."
"Jowurin thinks adding a drop of blood there would work quite well."
"Indeed... Dragon blood is a powerful reagent. Combined with Sister's intuition, the chances of success would be very high."
"I wish to borrow a drop of Uman's blood!"
Uman willingly extracted a drop of blood and offered it. This much was hardly difficult for him.
Yoanen swiftly placed the blood droplet onto the ashen mass. A powerful magical reaction ensued as mana began to stir.
"?!?"
The mages engaged in discussion turned their heads in shock. To anyone's eyes, it was unmistakably a purification effect.
"What is this? What did you add—"
"...Yoanen!!!"
Lee Han instinctively sensed something from the dragon's expression as she peeked from the corner.
That was the look of someone who had acted recklessly and was now checking for reactions!
"You!"
"Yoanen didn't extract a single drop of blood! Uman did it!"
"?!???!"
Uman's eyes widened in disbelief.
He never imagined his revered elder sister would do something like this.
"E-Elder Sister. Did you... tell me to do it...?"
"Yoanen knows nothing! Check the blood droplet if you don't believe me!"
While the two dragons bickered, Professor Voladi silently began his work, suppressing the reacting ashen mass and recording the results.
Lee Han, ignoring the commotion, glared at Yoanen. She, in turn, tried to shift the blame onto Uman before sulking.
Yoanen was simply overwhelmed by this surreal spectacle.
'Does Wardanaz always receive reagents from dragons like this when conducting alchemy?'
If so, he would undoubtedly be the most extravagant alchemist in the Empire.
How could anyone...!
"Lady Maykin? It seems the process is nearly complete..."
"Ah! Yes! Dragon Alchemist!"
"...Pardon?"
"My words slipped. Lord Wardanaz."
"......"
Lee Han shot Yoanen a deeply suspicious look.
"Thanks to the assistance of everyone present, <Purification of Kinis> was completed much faster than expected. I am truly grateful."
Yoanen spoke with satisfaction, holding the finished product and a significantly thicker notebook.
Lee Han nodded beside her before speaking up.
"And? Have you forgotten something else?"
"...Now. To the dragons present here. No matter how useful it may be for alchemy, recklessly using one's own flesh is never the correct approach to—"
Lee Han nodded approvingly. Meanwhile, Yoanen thought to herself:
'Using a little bit isn't really a problem.'
If she had dragons this close to her, she would've extracted reagents from them every single day!
The Maykin family's brilliant alchemist never imagined that this very mindset was why dragons avoided her.
"Now. Both of you. Understood?"
"I understand."
"Yoanen didn't extract any blood."
"Then—"
Yoanen, about to move on, hesitated upon seeing Lee Han's hand gesture.
He silently signaled:
—Too short. Make the lecture longer.
"......"
'This feels more like something Headmaster Einrogard should be handling...'
Yoanen wasn't skilled at lecturing. She was usually on the receiving end.
Still, she somehow managed to resume scolding the two dragons.
...Honestly, she was afraid Lee Han's friend might take offense and cancel the request midway.
Normally, the client held the upper hand in a request, but sometimes the tables could turn.
For instance, when the other party traveled with two dragons and received lavish support without hesitation.
"Now. Both of you, please leave."
"...?!"
"?!!"
Yoanen and Uman were utterly shocked.
"W-Wait! There's still one left!"
"Yes. But we'll handle that among ourselves."
Yoanen choked on her own breath at the words, but Lee Han ignored her.
Uman cried out indignantly.
"I, Uman, merely... merely—"
Uman hesitated, unable to bring himself to say it was Yoanen's doing out of respect for his elder sister.
Seizing the moment, Yoanen quickly interjected.
"Then Uman can leave, and Yoanen will stay!"
"Elder Sister?!"
Uman's pupils dilated in shock.