Episode 674
by Cristae“Professor?”
At Lee Han’s call, Professor Vendosol spoke through tears of frustration.
“The unicorn’s wound still hasn’t healed. Don’t make her use her strength.”
“Understood.”
Obeying, Lee Han allowed the unicorn to lead him wherever it wished.
The full-grown unicorn was gentler than expected—whether it was the wound, Vendosol’s presence, or maybe a little intimidation from Lee Han, it showed no temper, just guided him onward.
“!”
The unicorn led him to a small pond. Perched atop the mountain, the cloud-fed water brimmed with strange color and mana.
“This is…”
“Unicorns can change the places they stay, molding them to fit. You could call it an alternate dimension.”
Just like how the Frostgiant King, just by descending, invaded and reshaped the reality around him as his own domain, the unicorn had the same ability.
Only then did Lee Han realize who had summoned the strange mist around the mountaintop.
It wasn’t Professor Vendosol’s magic, but the unicorn’s own power.
“Scoop water from the pond and wash the unicorn. Since it’s a unicorn-made pool, it’ll help heal her wounds.”
“Is that why the unicorn hasn’t left the Bitong Mountains?”
“Exactly. Creating a new alternate world takes a terrible toll. For a unicorn still wounded and with a foal to care for, it’s too risky to try to move and build a new home elsewhere.”
“I see…”
“Hmph! Maybe you’re not so dumb after all.”
Professor Vendosol wiped blood from his eyes, repairing the burst vessels.
Lee Han was a jealous, infuriating brat—but smart. No wonder Lightningstep brought him along.
Splish, splish—
Gently, Lee Han brought water from the pond to wash the unicorn, who nodded gratefully.
Then, the baby basilisk, drowsing in Lee Han’s sleeve, awoke to the unicorn’s presence.
-……
It glared at Lee Han with betrayal—but, tragically, from within the sleeve, the deadly gaze went unnoticed.
Taptaptaptap!
Lee Han felt something hammering his wrist and looked down, puzzled.
“What’s wrong?”
“Hmph! After all, to be loved by a basilisk and now a unicorn as well? You think the world will forgive you?”
Professor Vendosol grumbled, his face twisted with scorn.
He was desperate to see Lee Han both bitten by a basilisk and trampled by a unicorn.
Regardless, Lee Han ignored him and spoke soothingly to his baby basilisk.
“Can’t help it, can you see it’s hurt? I’ll make you something tasty next time, promise. Good boy. Good. Honestly, you’re kinder than Fongrif.”
“…”
Satisfied, the basilisk curled up and dozed. Professor Vendosol was appalled.
T-to trifle with the pure heart of an innocent basilisk with a cheap line like that!
“To—to toy with the pure heart of a basilisk…! You! You dare…!”
“Professor, this flowerbed behind the pond—are those medicinal?”
“Yes! After you’ve washed her with water, use the herbs to make a remedy.”
At least, when asked about animal care, Vendosol always answered, despite his rage.
That was the most important thing: keeping the unicorn alive.
“Can you do alchemy?”
“A little.”
“Ever made Dobruk’s Soul-Restoration Elixir?”
“I’ve helped a friend make it before.”
Really, Dobruk’s Soul-Restoration Elixir was much too difficult for someone at Lee Han’s level.
But he’d helped Yoner’s sister Yoanen and assisted enough to know the process.
At this, Professor Vendosol sent him an appraising look.
“So your house must deal with alchemy?”
“Uh… not exclusively, but a bit…”
“Makes things easier. The principles are about the same. Here, come here!”
Vendosol set down a cauldron and kindled a fire to prepare the potion.
Just then, the unicorn whinnied faintly. The fire’s heat was too close.
The professor sprang away, apologizing.
“Sorry! Can’t believe I made such a mistake. All these noisy, annoying people…”
“Can’t we just tell her to bear with it?”
“You… you… can’t you for once keep that mouth shut!”
Vendosol looked at Lee Han as if he were the roughest brute in the Empire.
There are limits to barbarism—who would say that?
“Keep an eye on the fire. After 30 minutes, take it off and rest a bit.”
“Is a break necessary?”
“Got to prep the draphila root.”
Draphila’s fluids were locked tight within; extracting them took finesse. If you rushed it, you’d break the root and ruin the mixture, so the professor insisted on doing it himself.
“I could do it—”
“Ha! If you can do it perfectly, I swear by the unicorn’s name I’ll crawl and teach you on all fours!”
“What next?”
“Wait a bit. I can’t see.”
Vendosol, still on all fours before the cauldron, craned his neck to look.
“Wouldn’t it be easier to stand up?”
“Are you mocking my vow by the unicorn’s name?!”
‘Or do you just like crawling?’ Lee Han eyed the professor skeptically.
Vendosol, unaware of the suspicion, continued explaining the next steps.
“Just wait now. Your blade work is quite good. Ngh.”
“Thank you.”
“But I don’t recall anyone like you… Did you not take Mount Training?”
“I joined last year, so I haven’t met you yet.”
“…”
The professor dropped his coffee cup.
“…You’re about to be a second year?!”
“Yeah. Professor Lightningstep said as much.”
He’d clearly explained that he’d recruited first-years to help.
“Might have said so… I don’t really listen to that guy.”
“…”
“Shocking… Just first year, huh.”
“Thank you.”
“And such a kid, loved by a griffon and basilisk… Damn. The world’s so unfair…”
“…”
Lee Han almost blurted he hadn’t asked for it.
He remembered how the professor had almost thrown dirt at him earlier, so he held his tongue.
“Fine! Your skills are recognized. Though you need to stop deceiving innocent beasts with slick lies…”
“I haven’t lied.”
“…You have the basics, anyway.”
“!”
Rather than pleased, Lee Han felt uneasy at the professor’s approval.
Being recognized by a professor was, he knew, often as much a burden as a benefit.
Especially with someone like Vendosol.
‘What kind of nonsense will he have me do?’
“No, I’ve still got a lot to learn.”
“You’ve got the basics.”
“I really don’t, professor. You’re mistaken.”
“…Who’s the professor here, you or me?!”
Vendosol growled, but even as he raged, Lee Han wouldn’t yield.
When you’ve dealt with enough crazy teachers, you learn not to give ground so easily—even on vacation.
“I said you do!”
“No, I don’t!”
“Fine! Whatever you say!”
Vendosol pounded the ground—still on all fours, it looked more ridiculous than threatening.
After a long pause, he spoke.
“Brush the unicorn’s mane.”
“Yes.”
Annoyed or not, given that the unicorn trusted Lee Han, he was the one best able to soothe her.
“Be careful!”
“Of course. I’ll make sure not to lose a single hair.”
Unicorn hair was a rare and valuable reagent—if it fell out, never waste it.
But at this, Vendosol’s face twisted.
“You ass, I meant so you don’t hurt the unicorn!”
“Oh. Yes, I’ll be gentle.”
Relaxed, the unicorn let Lee Han brush her.
To his surprise, she pressed her head to his palm and left a tiny sliver of a horn.
“!!”
Lee Han was stunned.
But not as shocked as Professor Vendosol.
His cherished unicorn, getting soft for this suspicious, charlatan pupil?
The professor pleaded urgently,
“Don’t fall for that kid! He’s only seeing you as a payday!”
‘How did he know…?’
Lee Han winced. He was wondering how much unicorn hair or a sliver of horn might fetch…
KRRRRRUMBLE!
Suddenly, thunder rumbled above. Professor Vendosol leapt to his feet, grave-faced.
“It’s here!”
“What…”
“The Taotie! It’s headed this way. What’s Lightningstep doing?!”
He flailed his staff; through the mountain-mist, a sinister black shadow circled.
“That’s the Taotie?”
“Yeah. It can slip through magic as a shadow.”
Monsters driven by terror streamed up the slopes—chased by the Taotie.
Lee Han realized the beast was herding all the mountain’s monsters toward them.
‘…My friends below should be able to hold out.’
Trusting his camp mates to defend the base, Lee Han turned back.
“Can’t we strike first?”
“No! It’s cursed with Retribution. Any attack is returned upon the caster!”
A Taotie wasn’t just physically powerful—it was loaded with innate, malicious curses.
Retribution: whatever you dish out, comes back to you!
“A curse?”
“Yes! It’ll avoid us and just target the unicorn. Don’t show any opening!”
“Understood. Strike! Lightning of Perkuntra!”
“?!”
At Lee Han’s thunderbolt, Professor Vendosol thought, for a second, that the kid was mad.
As expected, the black shadow hit by lightning howled slyly, intent on rebounding the curse.
The returning curse was so fast and precise, no chance of blocking or dodging it.
Professor Vendosol nervously watched, sure the little first-year was about to get roasted.
“Strike! Lightning of Perkuntra!”
“!?”