Episode 759
Episode 759
Clutching at the Bronze Golem Senior who was about to coldly reject him, Lee Han whined and poured out just how difficult and miserable his situation was.
However, perhaps thanks to his cold metallic heart, the Bronze Golem Senior remained unmoved.
Attempting to interfere after glimpsing just a bit of the future could invite even worse outcomes.
"Junior. I understand you're struggling, but all students at Einrogard have it tough."
Having said this much, the golem senior belatedly remembered that the junior before him was currently enrolled in every single academic department.
Considering that, he supposed some students might indeed have it harder than others—yet the senior didn't relent.
"That doesn't mean everyone tries to change the future. Rash attempts to alter it are far more dangerous."
"I'm talking about concrete danger here. You know what I went through this week, don't you?"
"I don't?"
"Excuse me?"
"Not really. What did you do?"
The golem senior stared at Lee Han as if he were some newly popular minstrel from the imperial capital.
Such minstrels often deluded themselves into thinking everyone in the empire knew them, only to face reality when leaving the capital—arriving at provincial inns to jeers like "What pig-slaughtering noise are you making?"
Lee Han's face flushed slightly with embarrassment.
Hearing seniors constantly refer to him with pronouns like "that kid" had made him assume everyone knew about him, but upon reflection, that wasn't the case.
Everyone was too busy with their own affairs to pay attention to each individual.
"My apologies."
"No need for apologies. I rarely go outside anyway."
"But you have to attend lectures, don't you?"
"I skip as many as divination magic allows me to."
"......"
Lee Han was aghast.
Just how vast was the world of divination magic?
"So? What happened to you this week?"
The golem senior pressed his junior with disinterested impatience, assuming it was just some troublesome assignment professors had given during lectures.
"I was kidnapped by the Headmaster's insane doppelgänger and barely escaped."
"......"
Hearing his junior's far more serious reply than anticipated, the golem senior's eyes widened in shock.
It was a terrifying enough story to make even a cold metallic heart tremble.
"S-so then..."
"Yes. That's why I couldn't attend lectures."
"I was going to ask if that's why the prophecy said you'd encounter an ancient being and should avoid going out day or night... but I see."
"......"
"More importantly—after something like that, you came here to make up missed lectures?"
"But if I don't catch up, next week will be even harder, won't it?"
"Hmm... Right. I suppose so."
Lee Han nodded, thinking the senior understood.
Of course, the senior hadn't understood—he'd simply let it go. There was no point arguing with crazy people. 'Well, he is taking every department's courses after all.'
"Senior. Please help me. I need to avoid the future foretold in the prophecy!"
"Ugh. Trying to forcibly change things is truly unwise... Fine."
After much deliberation, the golem senior finally relented to Lee Han's plea.
Under normal circumstances he'd tell him to endure it, but when the Skeleton Principal's insane doppelgänger was involved, some intervention seemed necessary.
"As I said earlier, predicting the future is an act that increases that future's likelihood. Trying to avoid an avoidable future might actually bring it closer. The same goes for constraints of fortune and misfortune. Overconfidence and reckless abuse could invite even greater misfortune. Understood?"
"I'll keep that in mind."
"Good. Then..."
With metallic clanking sounds, the golem senior prepared his divination magic.
Apart from his arm completely detaching during the process (which he reattached with his other arm while saying it was fine), the ritual proceeded rather smoothly using several reagents (primarily meteorite-based stellar reagents) and incantations.
"...Show me how to avoid misfortune!"
Starlight shimmered in the senior's eyes as a voice deeper and weightier than before flowed forth:
-Should you avoid physical contact with imperial royalty, you may suppress misfortune!
As the prophecy ended, the senior's gaze returned to normal. Curious about what prophecy the junior had received, the senior asked in a voice tinged with curiosity.
"What did the prophecy say to avoid?"
"It said to avoid physical contact with imperial royalty."
"Not bad! You're lucky to get an easy restriction."
Avoiding contact with imperial royalty was indeed one of the easier restrictions.
Especially since this was the closed-off Einrogard—there weren't many chances to meet royalty anyway.
"Hmm. But among my classmates, there are some from imperial families."
"Oh dear."
Hearing this, the Golem senior made a suggestion.
"How about framing them and getting them sent to the Punishment Room?"
"...I think I'll just avoid them myself."
Fortunately, the lecture <Instead of Complex Magic, Just One Drop of Potion> was for second-years.
Spotting Yoner and Siana working in Professor Thunderstep's Alchemy Hall, Lee Han spoke in a moved voice.
"A second-year lecture. Isn't everyone just thrilled?"
"......"
"......"
The two exchanged glances, unsure how to respond.
-What should we say in this situation?
-Let's just pretend we didn't hear anything and stay quiet...
"So, Lord Wardanaz. What brings you here? I thought you were resting?"
Priestess Siana, who was grinding insect husks into powder in a mortar, asked in puzzlement. Yoner answered for him.
"Here to catch up on missed lectures, right?"
"Lord Maykin. Don't say such ridiculous things. It hasn't even been that long since he was kidnapped."
"......"
Lee Han hesitated, unable to speak. Siana quickly changed the subject.
"But a true mage shouldn't neglect their studies even when kidnapped... I'm sorry."
"Enough, Priestess Siana. You can speak casually."
"Then why don't you just go back and rest?"
Regretting that he should've asked her to be a little less casual, Lee Han posed a question.
"I'll leave once I hear the material. What did you cover this week?"
"We studied reagents first before starting complex alchemy."
"I see..."
Lee Han picked up his quill, focusing on the two honor students' words.
The quality of an alchemical product depended not only on the mage's skill but also greatly on the reagents' quality. Naturally, they had to study and verify various reagents first.
'Fortunately, it's standard. Lectures should be like this.'
If someone asked for an evaluation of Einrogard's lectures, Lee Han would've rated Professor Thunderstep highly.
Unlike certain magic school lectures where students had to steal the professor's work to verify it, this was proper teaching.
"Would you like to see my notes?"
"Thank you, Priestess Siana."
<List of Required Reagents and Collection Methods for the Year>
-Snow Pine Flower
-Sleep Mugwort
-Lava of Einrogard
-Manabane Mushroom, Mist Cloud Mushroom
-Dwarf Willow
-Wizard's Tears (must have lived for at least 100 years)
...
Collection methods are as follows...
-Manabane Mushrooms and Mist Cloud Mushrooms are in the 7th-floor mushroom farm. Seniors have occupied it, so steal them secretly.
-Lava of Einrogard must be stolen from Death Knights.
-Snow Pine Flowers can be found in the glacier region of the domain or the Frozen Hell section between the 7th and 8th floors of the main building...
-If it seems too difficult, steal them from seniors.
"...Priestess Siana. Are you by any chance in the Teleportation Club?"
"What kind of club is that? A teleportation magic club?"
Siana tilted her head at the peculiar club name.
She'd heard there were all kinds of clubs, but this one was especially odd.
"No. Never mind. It's just that the collection methods here seem a bit... biased. Who recommended these?"
Wondering if Ratford had suggested them, Lee Han cautiously asked.
"Lee Han. The professor did."
"Professor Thunderstep did."
"......"
Lee Han quietly rescinded his earlier high regard for Professor Thunderstep.
This alchemy professor didn't deserve such praise.
"Was there no other way besides stealing?"
"He said we could trade if possible, but since the prices are all steep, it's better to learn how to steal."
"...Right."
Lee Han noted down the collection methods for now.
If all else failed, those methods might become his last resort.
Crash!
The loud noise from the inner workshop made Lee Han freeze.
Lately, with so many attacks and battles happening, he couldn't let his guard down.
-You ■■■ bastard!
-May you be cursed! ■■■■!
-You ■■■■■...
The curses were spat out so rapidly and fiercely that he couldn't even make out the exact words, but it was clear someone was fighting.
Lee Han wondered who would dare fight inside Professor Thunderstep's workshop and asked,
"Who in the world is attacking the professor inside the Alchemy Hall?"
"Huh?"
Yoner looked at his friend in confusion.
He'd naturally assumed Lee Han would know...
"It's Professor Bendozol. Lee Han. He's helping with Professor Thunderstep's work in your place. Didn't you know?"
"......"
Before he could answer, Professor Thunderstep came storming out amidst a stream of curses.
"Get lost!"
-You get lost!
"That insane barbarian is going to make my beard fall out at this rate! You lot, unless it's urgent, come back another day! Even if it ruins my work today, I'm going to shove that beast into a cauldron!"
"If it's alright with you, I'd love to watch!"
While Siana eagerly replied, hoping to witness a professors' brawl, Professor Thunderstep noticed Lee Han belatedly.
Lee Han, who had his own sins to bear, flinched. 'Oops. Should I have run away first?' But instead of attacking him, Professor Thunderstep's eyes welled up with tears as he shouted,
"What did I ever do to you to deserve having Professor Bendozol sent in your place? Huh??"
He was deeply hurt that a student he'd trusted had sent Professor Bendozol instead.
Sure, taking care of the hut was tedious grunt work, but sending Professor Bendozol as a replacement was downright cruel.
"It wasn't me, Professor! What power do I have to manipulate you?" 'Though I might have been able to manipulate a few professors...' Yoner thought privately.
"Professor Bendozol acted on his own. I truly wanted to do the work myself."
"Oh really?! That crazy barbarian bastard...!"
Professor Thunderstep stormed back inside.
Exchanging a quiet glance with Yoner, Lee Han stealthily slipped out of the Alchemy Hall.
"Priest Siana. Let's get out of here quickly."
"Can't I stay just a little longer to watch?"
Despite Professor Thunderstep's teachings, Lee Han didn't follow them right away.
Wasn't it too extreme to resort to theft without even attempting negotiation first? 'Is this the mushroom farm?'
A field far to the south of the 7th-floor students' village.
The sign reading "Mushroom Cultivation in Progress" and "Do Not Steal" confirmed it was the right place.
Mushroom Cultivation in Progress
Do Not Steal
"......"
Pretending not to notice the partially erased letters, Lee Han looked around to find the owner tending to the field.
Just then, he spotted an upperclassman practicing magic on a nearby rock.
"Senior. Good day. Are you the owner of this field?"
"Mmm. I am. What do you need?"
The senior eyed Lee Han with deep suspicion.
"I'd like to buy some mushrooms..."
"Really?!"
The senior forgot all decorum and jumped in excitement. He was that overjoyed.
"You're really here to buy?! Not to steal?!"
"...Yes. Um, are the mushrooms... very expensive?"
"They're not that pricey. Three baskets for one Imperial Gold Coin."
"!"
Summoning the same mental fortitude he'd had when first mastering 5th Circle Magic, Lee Han barely suppressed a groan. 'By Einrogard standards, it's not expensive. By Einrogard standards, it's not expensive. By Einrogard standards, it's not expensive...' Gritting his teeth, Lee Han forced out the question.
"At that price... I think... I can... afford it..."
"Hold on. I'll pick out the best ones for you."
"Senior. By the way, who are those people?"
While they were talking, Lee Han noticed several upperclassmen glaring at him from near the field.
The senior waved dismissively.
"Ah, them? They're just delusional lunatics who think they own the field. Ignore them."
"...So, do I have to pay them too?"
"Nah. Nah. Just pay me. If they demand money, just walk away."
"......"
"No! Don't go!!"
As Lee Han quietly stepped back, putting distance between them, the senior called out desperately in a heartbroken voice.