Chapter 103

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Translator: Ebonarch

Chapter: 103

Chapter Title: Blank Canvas

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In the communal workshop inside the Enchantment Department's main building,

cadets were engrossed in their work, engraving enchant spells onto their canvases and exchanging ideas with one another. But one person alone sat in a dim corner.

"……."

Leah, arms crossed, stared at her blank canvas.

Apart from ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠her eyes blinking slowly, she showed no sign of movement at all—like a statue had been placed there.

The bizarre sight drew sidelong glances and whispers from the Enchantment Department cadets using the workshop.

"How many days has it been now?"

"Over a week, I think."

"Preliminaries are in less than a week, and she's like that? She's done for."

They marveled at how she could sit so still day after day, yet pitied her for accomplishing nothing.

It was a far cry from the days when they'd looked up to her—the former top student—with respect and envy.

The old Leah would have found this atmosphere suffocating and never shown up here.

'I'm screwed…….'

But now her head was so full of other thoughts that she couldn't have cared less.

'It seemed doable somehow…… If I'd known it'd turn out like this, I never would've touched mass-producing sword auras……!'

To be fair, it was her own fault for trying to tackle both the Ivory Tower's special cadet selection tournament and sword aura mass production at once. But she had one excuse.

'Even now, for the entry…… Wait, since I'm stacking enchants anyway, if I make ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠it double-sided to boost mana output…… No. The entry first…… Right! If I make the white light enchants collide to refine the mana…… Aaaargh!!'

Her head knew the special cadet tournament entry was due in a week first, but her heart only wanted to refine the sword aura mass-production enchant.

As Leah trembled, glaring at the pristine white canvas in her deadlock,

"Still blank?"

a concerned voice came from beside her.

Blue-tinged hair, tall stature. The young man who gave off a mature yet chilling vibe—Howard Grant—looked at the canvas in front of Leah.

"If it's this tough, why not ask around? That's what communal workshops are for, right?"

"……."

"Tell me where you're stuck, and I'll help. Advice for the special cadet tournament should be fine."

"……."

Howard spoke softly, but Leah just kept staring at her canvas, blinking.

She didn't reply or even glance his way, drawing sharp looks from the other cadets.

'Then why come to the communal workshop at all?'

'Does she still think she's top student……?'

Leah wasn't the most sociable. Howard, on the other hand, was Borsippa's third-year top student and the pride of the Enchantment Department.

It was obvious whose side people took, and a hostile atmosphere formed naturally.

Amid it all, Howard sighed inwardly as he stood by Leah.

'Getting kinda tired of this.'

Leah, who usually holed up in her personal workshop outside of classes, had shown up here, so he'd come over. But with no reaction, it wasn't fun anymore.

Wondering how to prod her, Howard's eyes gleamed as he slowly spoke.

"Is it because of that 'incident' from before?"

"……."

"That's all in the past now. Focus on your own work……."

"Haa……."

A sigh leaked from Leah's lips. Her first reaction. Howard looked on expectantly.

"Haven't done a thing, and I'm already hungry."

Grumbling in dissatisfaction, Leah pocketed her canvas in her subspace pouch and brushed past Howard.

For a split second, her gaze had brushed him. But it was no different from glancing at scenery or dodging roadside pebbles.

Beyond ignored, she hadn't even registered him properly. Howard's eyes narrowed.

'Annoying bastard…….'

Her attitude screamed she only cared about enchants, nothing else.

Disagreeable as ever. But at the same time, her reaction was somewhat satisfying.

'Heard she was hanging with that Lee Se-hun guy and thought she'd changed. Guess not.'

Probably just met a few times over enchant-related stuff. Leah's core hadn't budged.

As Howard relaxed,

Swish.

a young man appeared at the workshop entrance.

Jet-black hair, fierce features. The ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠cadets' eyes widened at the unmistakable face.

"Lee Se-hun……?"

"What's he doing here……?"

"Rumors said he's close to Leah. Probably that."

The rumors swirled endlessly, so everyone watched with interest. Spotting Leah inside, Lee Se-hun called out.

"Senior."

"Hm?"

Leah, unresponsive to anyone else, snapped her head up. Seeing Lee Se-hun, her eyes went wide.

"Uh…… um…… that is……."

Trembling eyes, stiff face. Watching calmly, Lee Se-hun nodded as if he understood everything.

"Let's talk outside first, Senior."

"……Okay."

Leah bowed her head deeply and left with him. The remaining cadets looked intrigued.

"What? They really close?"

"Heard he's been crushing it lately…… Leah's got skills too."

"Must've sweet-talked the old top student. But once her limits show, it's over, right?"

How long could a has-been last beside a genius? They laughed at Leah as they chatted.

"……."

Howard silently stared at the door they'd exited.

At Cafe Lilac with Leah, Lee Se-hun ordered sandwiches and drinks before sitting.

"Alright. Let's hear how far along you are."

"Well……."

"You're not about to say you blew through over 800 million credits with nothing to show, right?"

The card he'd given her for research funds. Kim In-cheol topped it up monthly from Meister, but it was still a hefty sum.

'Say nothing, and see what happens.'

He didn't care how much she spent as long as she didn't go into debt. But zero results? Unforgivable.

Under his ominous gaze, Leah quickly replied.

"O-of course there is! What do you take me for?!"

"Then show me. Or explain."

"W-well, yeah. I should……."

Rolling her eyes and fidgeting, Leah sighed deeply and pulled an item from her subspace pouch.

A 30cm black ore, shaped like a short club. Lee Se-hun looked intrigued and checked its info window.

"So that's where the money went."

"Starlan Stone's best for experimenting with mass-production enchants."

Any tech meant for mass production prioritizes universality for wide use.

Enchants especially—made of mana spells—must account for material properties, artifact circuits, user traits, and more. Starlan Stone was key for verification.

"Compatibility 50% on second activation, 70% on third, right?"

"Yeah."

A verification method exploiting Starlan Stone's trait: unique structures reduce reuse count.

Mass-production enchants needed at least 70% compatibility—three activations minimum.

"So, how many times did it activate?"

"……Once."

Under 50% compatibility. Unusable for mass production. Lee Se-hun pondered briefly before asking,

"You put the enchant inside, right?"

Leah nodded cautiously. He immediately infused mana into the stone.

Vmmm.

As his mana seeped in, the stored enchant recreated and activated.

Shhh.

Pure white light enveloped the stone's surface.

Unlike the blurry white light dagger before, the edges were sharp now. Lee Se-hun's eyes lit up.

'Real sword aura.'

As mass-produced, it paled against heroes' auras, but it could withstand clashes a few times.

An enchant that shattered sword aura superiority. Made far earlier than in his past life. As he watched fascinated,

Whoosh.

The enchant evaporated from the stone. He set it down.

"……."

Leah tensed like awaiting judgment. He gazed steadily before speaking slowly.

"You did good."

"Sorry…… What?"

Leah's head snapped up in shock, staring at him.

"What did you just……."

"I said good job. It's proper sword aura."

"But…… it only activated once on Starlan Stone."

What good was sword aura mass production if it wasn't mass-producible? At her question, Lee Se-hun looked exasperated.

"That'd be a problem if we were selling mass-produced sword aura 'enchants.' But I asked for mass-produced sword aura 'artifacts.'"

Enchants' goal was producing sword aura. He'd just design mass-producible blueprints around it.

"Ah…… Ugh…… Krk……."

Realizing her mistake, Leah's face twisted through emotions.

Emptiness from shredding dozens of blueprints for universality. Lament for her sleepless, coffee-guzzling nights.

And rage, resentment, embarrassment at this rotten junior spilling it now.

"You should've said that earlier……."

"I figured you'd report once the aura worked. Who knew collaboration meant no progress checks?"

"……."

She wanted to complain, but every word rang true.

"Ah…… Augh…… Eugh……."

Stuck, Leah made weird groaning noises before slamming her head on the table.

Thud—

She lay motionless, like she'd passed out.

Her self-loathing vibe made Lee Se-hun chuckle unwittingly.

'Anyone'd think her life's over.'

It wasn't necessary, but higher compatibility would've eased blueprinting. Not bad.

'This is fine. A bit regrettable, but tweak blueprints as enchants improve.'

Prototypes didn't need perfection from the start. Sorted, he looked ahead.

'Now, the remaining issue: her.'

Leah still hadn't budged, head down, lost in thought. He silently watched, then grabbed his sandwich and drink.

"Stop moping and eat."

"……."

Apparently hungry, she peeked up, then stared at the sandwich like a deflated balloon.

"……Tension's gone; I feel weak."

"So?"

"Feed me."

"……."

He considered grabbing his food and leaving, but it didn't seem like a joke. Sighing, he picked up knife and fork.

"Open up."

He cut a bite-sized piece and fed her. She chewed slowly.

Weird stares poured in, but he ignored them and asked Leah,

"So, what's the big worry?"

"……What worry?"

"No way you'd freak this much over a bit more work. Something else bothering you?"

Leah swallowed her bite and replied in a drained voice.

"Know the Ivory Tower special cadet selection tournament?"

"Yeah."

A tournament by the foundation 'Ivory Tower'—owners of Ur's 30-story building—to scout magic cadets.

He knew it well: Louise had clashed with Gerwin Kruger over a spot, suffering mana crystallization.

"I'm entering. Entry's due in a week……."

"And you haven't made anything yet?"

"……Yeah."

Leah deflated again. Lee Se-hun eyed her puzzled.

'Just skip it, no?'

Ivory Tower support was nice, but mandatory?

Then a past conversation surfaced.

'I won't interfere whatever you do, but don't forget our promise. Got it?'

Rebecca Professor—Leah's grandmother—had mentioned the tournament while making the Dream Circuit.

Now he got it. He looked at Leah.

"What'd you promise Rebecca Professor?"

"Well……."

She hesitated, then mumbled awkwardly.

"If I don't make special cadet, I drop out."

"……Drop out?"

"Yeah."

"……."

Lee Se-hun sipped his lemonade, winced at the sourness, and muttered,

"You're fucked."