Episode 401

Episode 401

“Come to think of it, that’s not what’s important right now.”

“Then what is important…”

Professor Thunderstep grumbled unhappily, wanting to hear exactly what had happened directly from his student.

“When we heard Lady Yoanen Meikin’s words, we had this conversation. We wondered what it would be like to attempt the -Paragramnum’s Shroud- with this person’s help. But we didn’t know he was a first-year student.”

“Is that so?”

“Of course, it is.”

Professor Thunderstep grumbled.

Who would think this was coming from a first-year student just by hearing that?

“Will you help us?”

“Of course.”

Lee Han had come to curry favor anyway. He had no reason to refuse.

“Professor, may I borrow the workshop for a moment?”

“Do as you wish.”

The alchemists bowed their heads with very grateful expressions.

Then they got up with Lee Han and headed to the workshop.

“…?!”

Professor Thunderstep realized it belatedly.

‘That’s learning a secret technique, isn’t it!?’

Just like that, so smoothly?!

• * *

“By the way, I’m not that experienced in alchemy.”

“Is that so? We thought you had a lot of experience since you said you worked in Lady Yoanen Meikin’s workshop.”

“About half a year…”

At Lee Han’s answer, the Paragramnum alchemists stared at him in shock as if they’d heard something unbelievable.

There had been no particular emotional change in the alchemists until now, but seeing their reaction, Lee Han felt a slight pressure and said,

“…Maybe a bit longer than that.”

“Is that so? About how much?”

“About one more month?”

“……”

The alchemists suddenly started murmuring among themselves. Lee Han suddenly regretted having said anything.

“Mr. Lee Han, are you perhaps interested in the Paragramnum Guild?”

Fortunately, the alchemists made no particular remarks and purely offered the suggestion. Lee Han answered with relief.

“I’ve always respected the Paragramnum Guild. Of all the Empire’s alchemist guilds, aren’t you always devoted to new discoveries? I still remember when you made the cure for blue blood sickness two years ago.”

“That’s too high praise.”

The alchemists, though not easily swayed by mere compliments, nonetheless took Lee Han’s favorable view of the Paragramnum Guild quite highly.

If he held a favorable view of the guild, there was also a high probability he might try to join after graduating.

“However, it’s hard to deny that our guild has some advantages that other alchemist guilds don’t possess.”

“Is that so?”

Lee Han suddenly grew interested.

After all, assessments from insiders are more accurate than any outside rumor.

What did these alchemists see as their strengths?

The Paragramnum alchemists spoke with a faint trace of pride.

“First of all, once research begins, we don’t stop for excuses like breaks.”

“…?”

Lee Han sensed something odd, but the alchemists continued.

“And we also conduct dangerous research that other guilds avoid.”

“Oh… And do alchemists here receive less pay than other guilds?”

“You know well? That’s right. Instead of pointlessly taking gold coins, we can use them for research.”

“That truly sounds like a wonderful guild.”

“It is.”

With the conversation ending, Lee Han nodded with a smile.

And he thought to himself.

‘I ought not to go anywhere near the vicinity of the Paragramnum Guild’s building.’

The guild was crazier than he had imagined.

“So, what kind of potion is -Paragramnum’s Shroud-? I don’t recall ever hearing about it…”

If it were a potion released publicly, there would at least be a chance Lee Han had heard the name, but this name was strangely unfamiliar.

“You haven’t heard of it because it’s never been released.”

“I see… Wait. Then it’s a secret technique, isn’t it?”

Lee Han was flustered.

If the potion hasn’t been made public, it’s the guild’s secret, so is it okay to just share it like this?

“Yes, that’s right.”

“Is it okay for me to know?”

“It’s necessary for research, isn’t it?”

The alchemists looked at Lee Han as if to say, ‘Why ask such an obvious question?’

Lee Han felt as if he had become the strange one.

‘Hmm. Maybe I should have brought Professor Thunderstep.’

“…I understand.”

“I thought you would. -Paragramnum’s Shroud- is a type of invisibility potion.”

“Invisibility… potion?”

Lee Han was surprised.

Invisibility-type potions generally had fairly limited effects.

‘Aside from the principles of transformation or enchantment magic, is there any more? It can be improved, but…’

You could change the method and principle, increase the duration or effect, but for research from the Paragramnum Guild, this seemed surprisingly trivial.

“Yes. But it may be a bit different from what you’re thinking. What we aim to conceal isn’t form or shape, but a specific energy.”

“!”

The energy a being exudes.

That could be the pressure from magical power, the attribute energy released by a spirit, or the killing intent of a knight.

Cutting out such a specific energy was a novel idea that hadn’t crossed his mind.

“Is that possible?”

“In theory, it’s nearly complete. All that’s left is to experiment. There are two things we’d like your help with, Mr. Lee Han. One is magic power. We’ve heard you infuse materials with an abnormal amount of magic power during magical processing.”

“…I wouldn’t say it’s abnormal…”

Lee Han mumbled, but the alchemists ignored him.

“Generally, it’s not a commonly used method in alchemy.”

Alchemy is a field of strict calculation without any margin for error.

So as long as one calculated correctly, there was no reason to excessively infuse magical power abnormally as Lee Han did.

Moreover, done that way, the alchemist could collapse before the potion was even finished.

“But in the case of this -Paragramnum’s Shroud-, things are different. We anticipate that excessive magical power infusion will complete the potion’s effect.”

“I see… Wait. If there are two things, what’s the other one?”

“We heard that you exude an aura so oppressive it frightens spirits. When the potion is completed, we’d like to see if it can erase that oppressive aura. Would you permit this?”

Of all energies, the ones sensed by highly sensitive beings like spirits are the hardest to hide.

If the potion worked successfully on someone who frightened even spirits, then the potion could be considered a success.

“…I don’t mind, but where did you hear that?”

“Lady Yoanen Meikin told us.”

‘Lady Yoanen!’

Lee Han inwardly cried out to Yoanen’s sister.

Why did she have to mention even that…?

• * *

“Again.” “Again.” “Again.” “By the way, you really do have a lot of magical power.” “Again.” “Again.” “Again.” “Again.” “Again.”

Professor Thunderstep, having come to watch, was amazed by Lee Han’s patience.

Back in his own apprenticeship days, if taught like this, five out of ten would give up, three would run away, one would punch their master in the face, and one would stick it out to the end.

And Lee Han was that last case.

Even though the Paragramnum Guild’s alchemists were crazily shouting “again” repeatedly, Lee Han, without changing expression, measured the ingredients, swung his staff, and adjusted the fire’s intensity.

“How’s everything going?”

“Yes. Thanks to Mr. Lee Han’s exceptional talent. Hold on, please do that again.”

Professor Thunderstep glanced at Lee Han. Thankfully, he wasn’t clenching his fist.

Having heard from Professor Ingeldel about Lee Han’s swordsmanship skills, Professor Thunderstep couldn’t help but keep an eye on things.

“Still, since it’s the weekend, wouldn’t it be better to take a short break?”

Although he had told his students to work hard and learn, Professor Thunderstep still had a conscience.

You couldn’t help but pity a student who stood at the cauldron listening to “again”s repeatedly for nearly twelve straight hours.

“Professor. Do you know what point Mr. Lee Han rates most highly about the Paragramnum Guild?”

“…Uh… That they set the capital on fire?”

“No. He said he highly admires that you never stop research for excuses like rest, once started.”

“……”

Professor Thunderstep saw that, for the first time, Lee Han’s fist tightened as he stirred with the ladle, his face expressionless.

…He’s not about to hit someone, is he?

“Uh… Right. I definitely warned you. Okay? I definitely warned you.”

“??”

The alchemists, not knowing who Professor Thunderstep was talking to, tilted their heads.

Just then—

“Aaah!!”

As one alchemist screamed, Professor Thunderstep quickly turned his head.

He was worried that perhaps Lee Han had finally lost patience and pushed the alchemist into the cauldron. That had happened from time to time in the past.

But thankfully, it wasn’t such an accident. From the cauldron, silvery smoke was rising.

“Is it complete?”

“Yes! At last!”

Professor Thunderstep, with the keen intuition of an outstanding alchemist, sensed that the potion before his eyes was finished.

He didn’t yet know what kind of potion it was, but this was something to celebrate.

“Congratulations. After all that hard work.”

“No. We couldn’t have finished it by our own strength alone.”

“To think that excessive magical power infusion was the answer. Everyone will be surprised to hear. Isn’t that right, Mr. Lee Han?”

It was only natural for the alchemists to be amazed.

They had kept failing right before completion, and the answer was to madly increase the magic poured into the ingredients.

Not just a normal amount, but so much that you’d wonder, ‘Do I really have to pour in this much magical power?’ That was the hidden solution.

“You must be exhausted from using so much magic power.”

“I don’t think that’s…”

Professor Thunderstep tried to disagree, but Lee Han said nothing, just stood there with a tired face.

‘I am tired, indeed.’

Standing through a tremendously long and unbroken process of potion-making without rest—it was impossible not to get tired.

No matter how much the alchemists helped, the strain was bound to build.

Still, it was definitely a good opportunity. Lee Han now understood why Professor Thunderstep had invited outside alchemists.

‘Starting from the way they handle ingredients, down to what magic they use. It was different from the Einrogard way.’

Just watching other alchemists work made him feel his horizons broadening.

Even recipes Lee Han already knew—if he rebuilt them mixing in a few Paragramnum Guild secrets, the results would probably improve over what he could make now.

Maybe that’s why guilds kept their know-how strictly as secrets.

‘Yes. I should really be grateful for learning things like this…’

“Mr. Lee Han, are you all right?”

“Yes.”

“And your magical power?”

“Yes.”

“See? What did I tell you?”

Professor Thunderstep replied, as if to say, I told you so.

“Then let’s summon a spirit for potion testing.”

“……”

While Lee Han was left speechless, the alchemists made their decision among themselves and headed out.

It was so they could summon a spirit in a large space and have it face Lee Han.

Left alone with Lee Han, Professor Thunderstep made excuses again, almost unconsciously.

“…Next time, I’ll never call in the Paragramnum Guild alchemists again.”

“No. Please be sure to call them if you can.”

“Really?”

“Yes. Wouldn’t it be wrong to deprive juniors of such learning opportunities?”

“……”

For some reason, to Professor Thunderstep’s ears, ‘learning opportunities’ sounded like ‘opportunities to be punished.’