Episode 1248
Episode 1248
Yoner poked Lee Han and whispered.
"Hey. What's the point of hiding it?"
"No choice. Nilia has lots of friends, so information might leak."
"I see... Wait a minute."
Yoner felt puzzled by her friend's words.
...So does that mean Gainando and I have few friends?
It wasn't exactly wrong compared to Nilia, but for some reason it felt unpleasant.
"And strictly speaking, it's not wrong either. We just need to not get caught."
Even if they secretly followed, as long as they weren't caught, it was practically the same as getting permission.
It was the kind of Einrogard logic that would make outsiders think they were crazy, but unfortunately, Yoner was an Einrogard student.
"Well, I guess that makes sense."
"Right? Let's not worry Nilia for no reason."
The moment Lee Han finished speaking, Nilia spoke up.
"Then I want to come too."
"......"
"......"
Yoner and Lee Han's faces turned pale. Unaware of their inner thoughts, Gainando excitedly shouted.
"Haha! What an idiot! No take-backs! Now you have to take the final exam first!"
"I know that."
Nilia looked at Gainando as if he was ridiculous.
She had just witnessed this prince getting attacked.
"Huh, what? You still want to come along?"
Gainando made a face like he couldn't believe what he was hearing.
Why on earth?
"I might want to come along. Why? Is there a problem? Am I not allowed to come? Or is it because I'm from Black Turtle Tower?"
Nilia deliberately brought up the tower issue even though she knew it was petty.
Friendship sometimes makes people act petty sometimes.
Having missed out on recent activities with her friends, Nilia was practically burning with frustration.
"Well... um..."
Lee Han exchanged glances with Yoner. Yoner's eyes accused him, 'See, this is why you shouldn't have lied.'
'Not helpful.'
Lee Han inwardly grumbled at his friend who was making pointless accusations instead of forgetting the past and focusing on solutions.
At this point, there was only one way forward.
"Of course it's no problem. Let's go together."
"!"
Nilia's expression brightened considerably. The angle of her ears also shifted from worry to joy.
Seeing this, Lee Han and Yoner forced wry smiles. They realized they hadn't been paying enough attention to this friend lately.
"Lee Han. Quickly attack with a Water Orb! For the exam!"
"No... Nilia's exam is for Alchemy and Enchantment Magic, so she doesn't need to. It's not a memorization test like yours."
"...But wouldn't attacking with a Water Orb help her learn faster?"
Ignoring Gainando's words, Lee Han called Nilia.
"Nilia. Let me explain the alchemy exam first."
"Okay!"
"The alchemy exam is about completing the formula for recreating <Purification of Kinis> as much as possible. Here's the completed formula and research materials, so read through them."
"?"
Nilia, who had been full of enthusiasm, froze.
Did I hear wrong?
"You said... the exam is about completing the formula as much as possible?"
"That's right."
"But you have the completed formula and research materials?"
"Yes."
"?????"
Nilia couldn't comprehend this at all.
Was Professor Thunderstep perhaps insane?
'No. That can't be. There must be a reason.'
Regaining her composure, Nilia began speculating.
What possible reason could Professor Thunderstep have for giving an exam where students already had the answers?
'...D-did Wardanaz blackmail him!?'
Nilia's eyes widened as she stared at Lee Han.
It was hard to believe, but with this friend, it was entirely possible.
If he was going to fight an Evil God's true form, what's so difficult about blackmailing a professor?
Moreover, Wardanaz was a student favored by the Skeleton Principal too.
"Hmph. Professor. You'd do well to consider what will happen when I become the next headmaster. Do you truly believe you'll remain unscathed when that day comes?"
"Sniff. Fine. I'll prepare the exam as you demand."
...Such a conversation might have taken place.
"Nilia? Nilia?"
Lee Han grew puzzled as he noticed his friend staring blankly.
Had she been overly shocked by the idea of recreating the Purification of Kinis through alchemy?
"The concept of reproducing the Purification of Kinis through alchemy is certainly astonishing. Lady Maykin truly is an exceptional alchemist."
"Huh? Who?"
"Lady Yoanen Maykin. She was the one who authored it."
'What thorough preparation!'
Nilia shuddered at the meticulous and detailed setup.
Even if the Skeleton Principal were to investigate, they had already created an escape route.
"...Are you perhaps still tired from your trip to the mountain range?"
"Ah, no? Not tired at all?"
"Really? That's good then."
Lee Han felt slightly concerned seeing his friend struggling to focus.
The Northern mountain range was harsh and treacherous even for the hunters who roamed its peaks.
If she hadn't fully recovered from exhaustion yet...
"Lee Han, Lee Han. Water Orb."
"Just memorize it. You'll retake the test in ten minutes."
Lee Han shooed away Gainando, who was peeking into the detention room.
"And next is Enchantment Magic, right? 'Intermediate Essential Enchantment'?"
"Right. Ah— Wait, did you take it last year?"
"What nonsense are you spouting, Nilia?"
Lee Han gave her a bewildered look.
They were both first-years—how could he have taken a second-year course?
Nilia muttered under her breath.
"Well, since you're taking third and fourth-year courses now, I thought maybe you took second-year ones last year..."
Honestly, both scenarios were equally bizarre.
"Huh?"
"Ah, never mind."
"I haven't taken 'Intermediate Essential Enchantment' myself, but I know all the material. The seniors designed the lectures and exams."
"......"
Hearing this secret about the Enchantment Magic faction, Nilia once again felt relieved she had chosen alchemy as her major.
Had she picked Enchantment Magic as her focus, she would've had to keep facing those lunatics!
"Wait. If the seniors designed it, how do you know the content?"
Nilia spotted the flaw in her friend's words.
Had this guy secretly attended second-year lectures even as a first-year?
"Professor Verdus made me learn all the spells used in the lectures when I was assisting him with his work."
"......"
"......"
A heavy silence fell over the detention room. Nilia hesitated, then awkwardly apologized.
"Sorry..."
"Why apologize? It was Professor Verdus' order. Anyway, you just need to learn a few spells for the exam. Since they pick one from the list, it's easier than alchemy in a way."
"How many is 'a few'? Three?"
"A bit more."
"Four?"
"Almost. Twenty. If you master twenty, acing it will be easy."
"......"
For a moment, Nilia wondered if her friend was actually from the Shadow Patrol of the Northern mountains.
No, even Shadow Patrol members weren't that extreme.
The most drunk patrol member could still tell the difference between four and twenty!
Professor Paselet muttered curiously.
"Why is Wardanaz suddenly asking to take the exam early again?"
"Huh?"
Professor Verdus, deeply engrossed in fine-tuning an artifact on his sofa, belatedly lifted his head.
"Ah, no need to worry about that, Professor. It's not your concern."
"Mm."
Professor Verdus was about to dive back into his adjustments when Professor Paselet changed her mind and called out to the beaver beastman professor again.
"Wait a moment, Professor Verdus."
"Huh?"
"By any chance, did Wardanaz submit his final exam to you early too?"
"No idea."
"......"
Professor Paselet realized she'd asked a foolish question.
If she wanted to know, she should've asked students from his faction—there was no way Verdus himself would remember.
This eccentric mage's intelligence plummeted dramatically regarding anything outside his magical interests. Sometimes he even forgot his own name.
"Wait. Is Wardanaz submitting his finals early?"
So when Professor Verdus was the one to ask first, Professor Paselet couldn't help being startled.
This professor showing interest in someone else first?
"Yes. He seems to be."
"No! I need him to submit <Ahrag's Eye> and <Living Wall> for the exam!"
"?"
Professor Paselet felt something was off.
She wasn't well-versed in black magic, but weren't those clearly black magic spells?
"Aren't those black magic?"
"Huh? Yeah."
"But is it acceptable to assign those for an Enchantment Magic final exam?"
"As long as Gonadaltes doesn't find out."
Seeing Professor Verdus answer so innocently, Professor Paselet smiled deeply.
Foresight told her that as soon as this conversation in the faculty lounge ended, an anonymous tip would fly straight to the principal's office.
"More importantly, if you wanted to do that, you should've shown interest earlier..."
"How was I supposed to know the finals were being prepared?!"
"......"
Professor Paselet was grateful Professor Garcia wasn't present.
Lately, Professor Garcia's temperament had been stormy—even a minor slip of the tongue could lead to bloodshed.
Hadn't Paselet himself nearly died just for trying to exploit her student a little?
Now, so many of her personalities were too terrified to even consider coming out.
"What's this compass? Looks like you're tracking someone?"
"Don't worry about it. It's nothing, rea—"
Before she could finish, the needle trembled violently and jerked. Professor Paselet hurriedly hid the compass.
Thud!
The faculty lounge door opened, and Professor Garcia stepped inside.
Seeing only the two of them, Professor Garcia nodded coldly.
"Good day."
"Professor Garcia! I don't usually say this, but you seem to have an extraordinary aura about you. This is the sign of great fortune flowing through your entire being—"
Professor Paselet even brought out her fawning personality, desperate to placate Garcia's wrath, but the professor didn't even glance her way.
"I'll be away briefly for meditation. Until then, don't approach the Professor's Punishment Room recklessly."
"I absolutely won't. Trust me, Professor Garcia. I swear on my soul and honor—"
"If another professor seems likely to approach, report them immediately. Then I'll take my leave."
Professor Garcia grabbed a few belongings and swept out. Returning to her original personality, Professor Paselet felt like she'd aged years.
"Ugh. If it weren't for those Oculogard bastards...!"
Grumbling resentfully, she glanced aside and saw Professor Verdus already pulling something out of thin air.
It was Wardanaz's early-submitted final exam answers.
Confirming that his student had indeed submitted early, Professor Verdus looked disappointed and was about to toss them aside.
"I was going to ask about <Ahrag's Eye> and <Living Wall>."
"...Aren't you going to grade it?"
"Huh? I already did."
Professor Verdus pointed at the "Perfect Score" notation written on the exam.
Professor Paselet couldn't believe it and pressed further.
"You didn't even open it!"
"If it's going to be perfect anyway, why waste time?"
"......"
For a moment, Professor Paselet was faintly impressed by his genius.
Truly, this mage really was brilliant!