Episode 179
Episode 179
Snap!
Another quill pen broke. Lee Han paused and raised his head.
'There really are so many subjects to study.'
Contrary to what his friends worried about, Lee Han wasn't suffering from despair or frustration, thinking, 'How did I end up like this?'
His mind was far too resilient and steadfast to be shaken by such things.
He was the type who would rather spend time reading even one more character to prepare than waste it on regrets.
...That being said, it was still an overwhelming amount.
Do you need help...?
"?"
Lee Han lifted his head.
All his friends were too absorbed in their own studies in the lounge to notice. Even Gainando was stuffing his face with custard pie while reading.
Who had spoken to him?
It was I, young one...
Surprisingly, it was the helmet that had spoken.
The helmet he had picked up from the underground dungeon!
'An ego artifact?'
High-level magical items crafted by exceptional mages could possess their own consciousness and intelligence.
If the mage's skill was truly extraordinary, the artifact could even become wiser than a human.
"I didn't realize you were an ego artifact."
Lee Han set down his quill.
Originally, he had planned to examine it thoroughly after the exams, but now that it had spoken to him, he couldn't just ignore it.
"What's your name?"
I am the Helmet of Wisdom.
"I see. The Helmet of Wisdom..."
Lee Han subtly gripped his wand under the table.
Just because it was an artifact didn't mean he could let his guard down.
After all, it had come from the underground dungeon.
And that dungeon was managed by Professor Voladi, while the magic school housing the dungeon was under the Skeleton Principal's control...
He had to be suspicious by default.
"Are you connected to Os Gonadaltes or Voladi Bagrak?"
No. I was not created by the headmaster. I am a helmet forged outside this place. A student smuggled me in decades ago to prepare for exams.
"I see. Though I don't entirely trust your words."
......
The Helmet of Wisdom was baffled.
Had this kid been deceived so often in life that he was this distrustful?
"So what exactly can you do?"
As my name suggests, I am the Helmet of Wisdom. Within me lies the knowledge left behind by my previous owners.
"...!"
Lee Han's eyes widened.
Knowledge left behind by previous owners?
For a student of the magic school, that was information of immense value.
How much effort had he spent trying to uncover secrets like escape routes or hidden spaces within the school?
Even just a few pieces of such information could...
"Alright. I'm ready. Tell me everything!"
Lee Han quickly pulled out fresh parchment and shouted. He intended to jot down everything immediately.
Calm yourself, young one... I do not function in that manner.
"Then how do you work?"
I can answer one question per month. Using the accumulated knowledge within me, I can provide answers to anything.
"Can you predict the midterm exam questions?"
That is impossible.
"Then 'anything' isn't accurate, is it?"
...Among all my previous owners, you may be the most finicky. I am not an all-powerful helmet.
The helmet replied, sounding flustered.
"I see..."
Lee Han now had a rough idea of what kind of artifact this Helmet of Wisdom was.
It was somewhat like the spirit Perkuntra—an entity that could disappoint if expectations were set too high.
'I'll have to choose my question carefully.'
If he asked carelessly, he could waste his one monthly question.
"By any chance, is there a way to blackmail Os Gonadaltes?"
...Perhaps I should try predicting the midterm exam questions after all. There's a good chance I'll be wrong, but...
"Never mind. I was just asking."
Lee Han carefully wiped the helmet with a cloth and set it aside.
It wasn't entirely useless, but it was still a rather awkward item.
'If it's an ego artifact, it should fetch a decent price. Maybe I should take it outside and sell it?'
Wait, is this really it? Why aren't you asking...
"I'll ask if I think of something later."
The Helmet of Wisdom was baffled.
Among all the magic school students who had ever possessed the helmet, there had never been one like this.
The mage who created the Helmet of Wisdom had placed two enchantments upon it.
One was to periodically answer its owner's questions.
The other was to continuously strive to grow wiser.
If it kept wandering the world, changing owners while accumulating more and more knowledge, might it not eventually become a helmet even more brilliant than the mage who made it?
That had been the very purpose for which this artifact was created.
That nameless mage had long since died of old age, yet the Helmet of Wisdom still roamed about, functioning as intended.
'This isn't how it's supposed to be.'
The Helmet of Wisdom grew anxious.
There was an unforeseen phenomenon even its creator hadn't anticipated—the helmet had begun trying to manipulate its owners.
How could the helmet continue growing wiser?
It needed to constantly seek out new things it didn't yet know.
For that, it was better if the owner became dependent on the helmet. They would then go searching for new experiences exactly as the helmet directed.
And until now, every single owner had indeed depended on it.
Students would gasp in admiration and practically worship the helmet each time it answered their questions.
-"So it's true... everything I needed was written in this <Introduction to Wide-Area Fire Magic>! Thank you, Helmet of Wisdom!"
-"It was nothing difficult... Though I do think you might benefit from studying fire magic a bit more."
-"You think so?"
-"Absolutely! Now, how about we go explore the underground lava flows beneath the mountain range?"
-"That seems a bit dangerous..."
-"You'll be fine!"
Of course, these dependent relationships never ended well.
Students usually only realized the Helmet of Wisdom had been manipulating them after suffering major setbacks.
By that time, naturally, the helmet would have already abandoned its former owner. It needed to find a new one.
But this new owner who'd picked up the helmet was... unusual.
Almost as if he wasn't interested at all...
'It must be a misunderstanding. He'll approach me soon enough to try extracting something from me!'
Yet Lee Han simply tossed the helmet into a corner of his private room and became so absorbed in his studies that he soon forgot about it entirely.
The fourth-year magic school student Diret, a crow beastkin, stifled a yawn as he retrieved a potion from inside his coat.
'Relying on anti-sleep potions all the time isn't good... really not good...'
But what could he do?
He had to drive away the drowsiness before him first.
"Ahem. Ahem. Are you here?"
"Has the professor arrived?"
Diret bowed his head respectfully.
Theirs was no ordinary professor-student relationship.
Diret was a sort of apprentice studying black magic under Professor Mortum.
"But are you sure it's alright for me to help? This won't get me sent to the Punishment Room, will I?"
"Ahem. It's authorized."
There was only one reason a fourth-year—who normally wouldn't be caught dead near first-year areas—was here doing this.
To assist with Professor Mortum's black magic midterm exam.
While professors skilled in education could create and grade their own exams, not all professors were so capable.
That's when outstanding apprentices had to step in.
Apprentices like Diret.
"Ahem. Take these."
Professor Mortum handed over a heavy pouch of silver coins and a reagent box.
This was Diret's compensation for participating in the midterm exam.
By fourth year, the costs of one's magical research became astronomical.
Helping professors was quite lucrative even for upperclassmen like Diret.
"Thank you."
Diret pocketed the silver pouch.
"Ahem. Mustn't speak in front of first-year students."
"Understood."
"Mustn't make eye contact either. No gestures, hand signals, coded messages, mana transfers... ahem. In short, nothing of the sort. Stand still as a statue."
"...Perhaps it would have been better if the professor had handled this alone..."
Diret was already regretting his decision.
Had he stepped forward to help for nothing?
"Is the poison prepared?"
"Yes. But professor, you do remember that first-year students haven't learned about poisons yet, correct?"
"Cough. Of course. Why do you ask?"
"It's nothing."
Diret smiled gently.
Even during his own first year, Professor Mortum had been a creative mage who enjoyed springing unexpected ideas on students.
So creative, in fact, that he often tested them on material they hadn't even studied.
-Professor, I've been curious since my first year... May I ask why things I clearly never learned keep appearing on exams?
-Cough, you should naturally know what you've studied. A student's true skill shows when solving unfamiliar problems.
-...I see!
If he'd known this back in his first year, he might have changed his Black Magic specialization...
But it was too late now.
'Juniors. Forgive me.'
Diret prepared the poison.
First-years interested in Black Magic would now experience having an untested field appear on their exams.
Rustle— Thud!
Professor Garcia approached from afar. With a wave of his staff, the lecture halls in the corridor transformed.
Diret bowed respectfully with a face full of admiration.
"Good day, Professor."
"Good morning, Miss Diret. You're working hard."
"Not at all."
Diret turned his gaze to survey the lecture halls.
True to lectures that introduced various imperial magics to spark interest, the exam spaces were divided accordingly.
A hall for Black Magic exams, another for Summoning Magic, and so on.
After greeting the other professors, Professor Garcia spoke.
"I'll instruct arriving students to attempt the exams in their preferred order."
"Cough. Do as you see fit, Professor Garcia."
"Some may arrive late from taking other exams, so please account for that."
"Understood."
Diret rose from his seat after speaking.
'Are there such students?'
One exam was normal. Two marked you as a top student in your year.
Three...
Meant you were insane.
"!" Lee Han, who entered the Black Magic hall first with Gainando, was startled by an unfamiliar face.
"Cough. This is my disciple, Diret."
"H-hello, senior!"
Gainando greeted cautiously. Diret didn't even glance his way.
With a wounded expression, Gainando whispered to Lee Han:
"Is...is he ignoring me because I'm bad at Black Magic?"
"More likely due to the headmaster's rules, I think."
"!"
Diret was slightly surprised.
For a first-year to deduce the circumstances before even being told...
"Cough. Correct. Normally I shouldn't even face you, but I came specially to assist with this exam."
'How unfortunate.'
Lee Han looked at Diret with pity.
The professor could've handled this alone—why drag a student into it...
'That sympathetic look can't be for me, right?'
Diret found it hard to believe.
If anyone deserved pity here, it was Diret—not the freshmen.
And...
'That voice...why does it sound so familiar?'
Before he could ponder further, Professor Mortum cleared his throat.
"Cough. Then we should begin."
"Yes! Professor, I'm ready!"
Gainando gripped his staff.
Whether curses or Undead Summoning, he'd practiced hard yesterday.
Having abandoned other lectures for Black Magic, Gainando's face overflowed with confidence.
"What should I do?"
"Poison."
"...Pardon?"
"Cough. Today's exam is on poison."
"......"
Gainando stared at the professor with a face mixing indignation, betrayal, and hurt.
Yet Lee Han simply nodded without blinking.
"Understood."
'Is he really a freshman?'