Episode 402
Episode 402
"It will take some time."
When the alchemists from the Paragranum Guild returned with that answer, Professor Thunderstep asked back as if he couldn't believe what he was hearing.
"What... are you trying to summon that it's taking this long?"
"After hearing Lady Yoanen Maykin's words, we calculated that even if we reduce the pressure, lower-tier spirits might still be crushed outright."
"That shouldn't be the case... Probably."
Lee Han timidly refuted.
He had yet to see a spirit get crushed in his presence.
"Since it will take time, it would be better to check other things first."
"Other things?"
"Please wait a moment."
One of the alchemists stood up and went outside.
Lee Han and Professor Thunderstep exchanged glances.
What are they up to?
"What's going on?"
"Well...? I'm not sure either..."
After a few minutes, the alchemist returned with Professor Voladi in tow.
"This professor has agreed to assist with the verification. Thank you once again."
"It's part of my duties as a professor."
"......"
"......"
Lee Han and Professor Thunderstep sighed in unison.
Out of all the countless professors in the academy, why him of all people?!
A mage always left traces when casting magic.
The moment they wove mana with their will to alter reality, mana radiated around them.
This radiated mana lingered to some extent even after the spell ended, and sharp-witted mages could detect such traces.
One of the goals the Paragranum alchemists aimed to achieve with this potion was concealing this mana radiation.
"This would be useful in combat."
Professor Voladi's voice carried a rare hint of satisfaction. Lee Han felt a chill.
"Why would you even make a potion like this?"
"There are rare flora and fauna that react when they sense magical resonance. This potion will be a great help when handling such creatures."
"It would also be useful for training students."
Though Professor Voladi added that remark, the alchemists didn't seem to grasp his meaning.
'This is insane.'
Up until now, Lee Han had roughly three ways to anticipate Professor Voladi's attacks.
Mana radiation, the killing intent he exuded, and visible movements.
However, when it came to killing intent, not only was Professor Voladi adept at controlling it, but he also used it to feint, putting the inexperienced Lee Han at a disadvantage.
At least he could somewhat rely on mana radiation and visible movements to get a sense of things—but now one of those was gone.
Thwack!
As Professor Voladi took a sip of the potion and swung his staff, Lee Han barely managed to block it. It was only because he was hyper-focused that he managed—it was several times trickier than usual.
Professor Voladi seemed to notice this too, nodding in approval before making a request.
"I'd like a few bottles of this potion."
"We'll send them to you once they're complete."
"......"
Lee Han decided he should stock up on some for himself as well.
Who knew when he'd have to fight other peop—no, when he'd have to fight others?
What he had learned from sparring with Professor Voladi was that exploiting the openings of seasoned combat mages was incredibly difficult.
'Conventional ambushes don't work on them.'
Under normal circumstances, there was no way an ambush using invisibility magic wouldn't work.
But with combat mages, things were different.
Since the tactic of using invisibility magic for ambushes was so well-known, they all had countermeasures prepared.
To exploit a combat mage's weakness, one needed a creative method that surpassed their expectations.
The [Paragranum's Veil] could be one such method.
If an opponent standing right in front of them suddenly launched an ambush without any telltale signs, even a seasoned combat mage would be caught off guard.
"The spirit is ready!"
"Finally?"
Lee Han grumbled as he rubbed his sore arm.
If it had been summoned just a little sooner, they wouldn't have had to call Professor Voladi in the first place.
"Now, this way..."
As Lee Han opened the door and stepped out, a crisp breeze brushed past his face.
Looking up at the sky, he saw the flickering form of a spirit shaped like a bird. Anyone could tell it was a wind spirit at a glance.
"Ah! If we get close, would it be possible to form a contract?"
Lee Han asked eagerly.
The only spirit Lee Han could currently summon was Perkuntra, notorious in Einrogard for being the worst cost-performance spirit.
Summoning him was like using a last-resort ability—once called, he couldn't be summoned again for a long time, making him unreliable when actually needed.
And even when summoned, whether he'd actually be useful was questionable.
But this wind spirit looked genuinely useful.
If he'd had a spirit like that back when the White Tiger Tower guys disappeared, he could've asked for help to find them—
Flap-flap!
The moment Lee Han appeared, the wind spirit suddenly flapped its wings frantically and vanished back into the Spirit World.
"......"
"......"
An awkward silence fell.
It was Professor Voladi who finally broke it.
"Couldn't fool even the spirit's eyes, I see."
"We'll keep improving it!"
The alchemists declared enthusiastically.
Failures like this didn't faze alchemists in the slightest.
New discoveries only came after hundreds of failures.
If anything, minor setbacks like this right before completion were something to be grateful for—they only meant the final product would be even better.
"......"
Of course, that didn't mean it didn't wound one particular student.
Though it was the weekend, Lee Han chose to study outside rather than return to his tower.
In the main garden, groups of first-year students were scattered about, chatting and relaxing.
"Wardanaz. Aren't you going back to the Phoenix Tower?"
"Don't ask stupid questions. It's obvious who Lee Han really considers his friends, right?"
Gainando answered proudly on his behalf.
'I just feel bad watching the priests fight.'
Right now, the priests of the Phoenix Tower were gathered in the lounge like some kind of conclave, arguing with the determination to settle things once and for all.
—The next divine magic should be from our sect...
—No! We must respect the individual's will! Since he's learning Enchantment Magic, it should be our sect!
—But he's also learning Divination Magic, so shouldn't it be ours?
—I heard he wants to raise a basilisk, so our sect would be...
Watching that, even Lee Han couldn't help but feel pressured.
What if those two instances of divine magic were just luck, and from now on, he couldn't awaken any more?
The priests wouldn't show it, but wouldn't they be deeply disappointed inside?
"I don't really feel like going back to the tower right now."
"See?! Told you!"
"But hey, Gainando. Are you keeping up with your assignments? Open your Advanced Geometry and Arithmetic book."
"I... didn't bring it."
"Go get it."
Gainando hung his head, muttering under his breath as he trudged back toward the tower. The Blue Dragon Tower students hastily opened their books and lowered their gazes.
Of course, not everyone did.
The Princess, for instance, was glaring holes into her open book, completely indifferent to whether Gainando left or not.
"What's wrong with her? Does she have overdue assignments?"
"Ah. It's because of the Paragranum Guild's alchemists."
"We just got rejected, but Her Highness got specific feedback and had to resubmit, apparently."
Lee Han had already passed, but most other students hadn't.
Many had given up after the merciless evaluations, but a few were still stubbornly revising based on the detailed critiques they'd received.
'Wait. Those guys are like Professor Voladi types—did they even explain properly?'
To Lee Han, the Paragranum Guild's alchemists were just the alchemist version of Professor Voladi.
If those people were a bit more aggressive, wouldn't they turn into Voladi?
"...It's a good concept, but there are still many unresolved details. You should refine the method to completely conceal energy. As it stands, this method can't hide energy. If you revise the energy concealment method and return..."
"......"
Lee Han was utterly astonished when he saw the potion the Princess was working on.
Incredibly, she was researching a potion similar to the <Paragranum's Veil>!
Of course, given the difference in skill, there were many gaps, but the fact that she had completed it to that extent was still impressive.
Lee Han cautiously asked,
"Did the alchemists... not say anything about this?"
"??"
The Princess, who had been deeply focused, didn't initially notice Lee Han calling out to her. Only belatedly did she snap out of her concentration, looking flustered.
"What... are you talking about?"
'They really didn't say anything.'
Given the alchemists' personalities, it was unthinkable that they would offer advice like, "Actually, we're in the process of perfecting this ourselves—why don't you try it this way?"
But at the very least, they could have said, "This potion has too many gaps and is too difficult for a first-year student to complete. How about trying a different one?"
Even Professor Thunderstep would have shown that much consideration.
Yet they just silently went along with it—"Oh, keep at it."
'Yep, they're just slightly less aggressive versions of Professor Voladi.'
Feeling sorry for the Princess's continued struggle, Lee Han subtly hinted,
"Weren't the alchemists acting a bit... odd?"
"...?"
The Princess tilted her head in confusion.
Honestly, all mages were odd. Compared to the professors here, the alchemists weren't particularly strange.
'I phrased that poorly.'
Lee Han regretted his question.
She was an Einrogard student too—of course she wouldn't find them unusually weird.
"Like... the alchemists seemed to know too much about this potion..."
"They answered right away...?"
The Princess stared blankly at Lee Han, unsure what he was getting at.
She could tell he had something in mind, but she couldn't quite grasp it.
"Doesn't their behavior remind you of something?"
"...Ah! The Paragranum alchemists are highly skilled? So... with the current potion supply contract for the Capital Knights, their chances of securing it are high... which might shake up the power structure of the Capital's alchemy guilds in the future!"
The Princess looked at Lee Han with admiration.
Lee Han had a lot to say but held back and simply replied,
"...That's true, but just try adding waterweed, golden pheasant flower, and white spar to this."
Too lazy to beat around the bush, Lee Han just gave her the immediate ingredients she needed.
They were part of the <Paragranum's Veil>'s formulation.
"!!!!"
The Princess stared at Lee Han, now several times more shocked than before.
To deduce the formula just from reading it once—
It was the same kind of brilliance as the Paragranum alchemists!
A realm of innate talent so far beyond her own that she couldn't even dream of catching up!
"How on earth did you—"
"Guys! The professor's calling for us! Let's go!"
Someone suddenly ran in shouting, and the Blue Dragon Tower students immediately threw down their books and jumped up.
Students from other towers nearby also scrambled to gather their things before breaking into a run.
Still not fully grasping the situation, Lee Han ran along with them and asked,
"What's going on? What's happening?"
"We're helping the professor prepare for class!"
"...And everyone's voluntarily running for that?"
"He gives out food!"
"Ah..."
Lee Han marveled at the sight of the Blue Dragon Tower students, all racing ahead without hesitation.
If this were the first semester, they would've just lazed around, saying, "We've got plenty of food anyway..." Seeing them like this now made him oddly proud.
"Maybe I should just stay in another tower next year too..."
"?!?!?"
The Princess, who had overheard Lee Han's muttering to himself, paled and frantically waved her hands.
The one who had called the students was Professor Thunderstep.
"Dig a trench and path from here to here—and make this part deep. Whatever comes out, it shouldn't be able to escape."
"Yes, Professor!"
Watching his friends cheerfully comply, Lee Han was stunned.
"Do you guys even realize what this preparation means...? Never mind. Forget it."
Lee Han decided to keep it to himself.
What good would it do if they knew some terrifying creature was going to appear in next week's <Advanced Mount Training> class?
"Professor Millay will also be using this area, so dig it well."
"......"
Even for Summoning Magic class?!