Episode 179

Snap!

Another quill broke. Lee Han looked up and paused.

‘There really are a lot of subjects to study.’

In fact, unlike his friends who were worried, Lee Han wasn’t tormented by despair and frustration, thinking, ‘How did I end up like this?’

His mind was simply too solid and steadfast to be shaken by such things.

He was the type to read even one more letter and prepare rather than waste time regretting.

…But even so, it was a lot.

Do you need help…

“?”

Lee Han looked up.

All his friends were busy studying in the lounge. Gainando was reading a book while eating custard pie.

Who had spoken to him?

It is I, boy…

Amazingly, it was the helmet that spoke.

The helmet he had picked up in the underground dungeon!

‘Was it an ego artifact?’

Items made by outstanding wizards sometimes possessed their own consciousness and intelligence.

If the wizard’s level was truly exceptional, an artifact even wiser than a person was possible.

“I didn’t know it was an ego artifact.”

Lee Han put down his quill.

Originally, he had planned to examine it carefully after the exams, but since it spoke to him, he couldn’t ignore it.

“What’s your name?”

I am the Helm of Wisdom.

“I see. Helm of Wisdom…”

Lee Han gripped his staff under the table.

Just because the opponent was an artifact didn’t mean he would let his guard down.

Wasn’t it something that had been in the underground dungeon?

Besides, that dungeon was managed by Professor Voladi, and the magic school with the dungeon was managed by the skeleton principal…

He had to be suspicious no matter what.

“Are you related to Osu Gonadaltes or Voladi Baegrek by any chance?”

No. I am not a helmet made by the principal. I was made outside. Decades ago, a student secretly brought me in to prepare for exams.

“I see. Of course, that doesn’t mean I completely believe you.”

……

The Helm of Wisdom was dumbfounded.

It wasn’t like he’d been deceived his whole life, but why was this kid so suspicious?

“So, what is your ability?”

As you can guess from my name, I am the Helm of Wisdom. Inside me is the knowledge left by previous owners.

“…!”

Lee Han’s eyes widened.

To think it contained the knowledge left by previous owners.

As a student of the magic school, that was information of tremendous value.

How much trouble had he gone through to obtain information like ways to get outside or hidden spaces within the school.

If he could get just a few of those…

“Alright. I’m ready. Tell me everything!”

Lee Han quickly pulled out new paper and shouted. He planned to write down everything for now.

Calm down, boy… I am not a helmet that works that way.

“Then how?”

I can answer one question per month. I can answer anything using the knowledge accumulated inside me.

“Can you predict the midterm questions?”

That’s impossible.

“Then it’s not ‘anything,’ is it?”

…Of all the owners I’ve met, you seem to be the most particular, boy. I am not an all-powerful helmet.

The helmet answered in embarrassment.

“I see…”

Lee Han got a rough idea of what kind of helmet this Helm of Wisdom was.

It was an artifact somewhat like the spirit Perkuntra.

A being that could actually disappoint you if you expected too much.

‘I’ll have to be careful with my questions.’

If he asked the wrong question, he could waste the one question allowed per month.

“Is there a way to threaten Osu Gonadaltes?”

I’ll just try to predict the midterm questions. I might get a lot wrong, but…

“No. I was just asking.”

Lee Han wiped the helmet clean with a cloth and set it aside.

It wasn’t useless, but it was a rather ambiguous item.

‘If it’s an ego artifact, it should fetch a good price. Should I take it outside and sell it?’

Wait, is it over like this? Why aren’t you asking…

“I’ll ask if I think of something later.”

The Helm of Wisdom was flustered.

There had never been a student like this among those who had picked up the helmet at the magic school.

The wizard who made the Helm of Wisdom had placed two spells on it.

One was to periodically answer the owner’s questions.

The other was to keep striving to become wiser.

If knowledge kept accumulating as it wandered the world and changed owners, perhaps a helmet wiser than the wizard himself could be created.

It was an artifact made with just that goal in mind.

That nameless wizard had died of old age long ago, but the Helm of Wisdom was still wandering and functioning.

‘This isn’t right.’

The Helm of Wisdom became anxious.

There was a phenomenon the creator hadn’t anticipated: the helmet tried to manipulate its owner.

How could the helmet keep getting wiser?

It had to keep seeking out new things it didn’t know.

For that, the more the owner depended on the helmet, the better. The owner would move and experience new things as the helmet directed.

And up until now, all owners had depended on the helmet.

Students had admired and worshipped the helmet every time it answered their questions.

-Indeed… What I wanted was written in this ! Thank you, Helm of Wisdom!

-It wasn’t a difficult task… In my opinion, you might want to study fire magic a bit more.

-You think so?

-Of course! Now, how about exploring the underground lava zone of the mountain range?

-That seems a bit dangerous.

-You’ll be fine!

Of course, such dependent relationships didn’t end well.

Only after being badly burned did the students realize the Helm of Wisdom had been manipulating them.

Naturally, by then, the helmet would leave its old owner. It had to find a new one.

But this time, the new owner who picked up the helmet was a bit strange.

As if he wasn’t interested…

‘It must be a misunderstanding. He’ll talk to me soon to get something out of me!’

But Lee Han soon forgot about the helmet, throwing it in the corner of his private room and focusing on his studies.

• * *

Direte, a fourth-year student at the magic school and a crow beastkin, stifled a yawn and took out a potion from inside her coat.

‘It’s not good to keep relying on anti-sleep potions… It’s not good, but…’

But what could she do.

She had to drive away the drowsiness in front of her for now.

“Cough. Cough. Are you here?”

“Professor, have you arrived?”

Direte bowed her head politely.

The two were not in an ordinary professor-student relationship.

Direte was a sort of apprentice to Professor Mortum, majoring in black magic.

“But are you sure it’s okay for me to help? I’m not going to the punishment room, right?”

“Cough. I got permission.”

Normally, a fourth-year would have no reason to be anywhere near the first-years, but there was only one reason she was here.

It was to help with Professor Mortum’s black magic midterm.

Professors who were excellent at teaching made and graded their own exams, but not all professors were excellent.

In that case, outstanding students had to step up instead.

Just like Direte.

“Cough. Take this.”

Professor Mortum handed over a heavy pouch of silver coins and a box of reagents.

This was the payment Direte received for helping with the midterm.

By fourth year, the money needed for one’s own magic research was beyond imagination.

Helping professors was a lucrative job even for upperclassmen like Direte.

“Thank you.”

Direte took the pouch of silver coins.

“Cough. Don’t open your mouth in front of the first-year students.”

“Yes.”

“Don’t even look at them. Any glance, gesture, signal, or mana transfer could be a sign… Cough. Anyway, nothing at all. Stay still like a statue.”

“…Maybe it would have been better if you just did it yourself, Professor…”

Direte was already regretting it.

Should she not have volunteered to help?

“Is the poison ready?”

“Yes. But, Professor, you do remember that first-year students haven’t learned about poisons yet, right?”

“Cough. Of course. Why do you ask?”

“It’s nothing.”

Direte smiled kindly.

It had been the same when she was a first-year, but Professor Mortum was a creative wizard who enjoyed coming up with unexpected ideas.

So creative, in fact, that he often put things on the test that students hadn’t learned.

-Professor. I’ve been wondering since I was a first-year… I’m sure I never learned this, so why does it keep coming up on the test?

-Cough, you should obviously know what you’ve learned. A student’s true ability comes out when solving what they don’t know.

-…Ah!

If she had known this in her first year, she might have changed her black magic major…

But it was already too late.

‘Forgive me, juniors.’

Direte prepared the poison.

First-year students interested in black magic were about to experience being tested on black magic they hadn’t even learned.

Clatter—thud!

Professor Garcia approached from afar. When she waved her staff, the classrooms in the hallway changed shape.

Direte greeted her with a respectful expression full of admiration.

“Hello, Professor.”

“Good morning, Miss Direte. Thank you for your hard work.”

“It’s nothing.”

Direte turned her gaze to the classrooms.

As befit a lecture that covered various imperial magics and sparked interest, the exam spaces were also divided.

A classroom for the black magic exam, a classroom for the summoning magic exam, and so on.

After greeting the other professors, Professor Garcia said,

“When the students arrive, tell them they can take the exams in whatever order they want.”

“Cough. Please do so, Professor Garcia.”

“Some students may come in late because they’re taking other exams first, so please keep that in mind.”

“Understood.”

With that, Direte stood up.

‘Are there really students like that?’

One exam was normal, two meant you were one of the top students in the year.

Three…

You were crazy.

• * *

“!” Lee Han, who entered the black magic classroom with Gainando, was surprised to see someone he didn’t know.

“Cough. This is my apprentice, Direte.”

“Hel-hello, senior!”

Gainando greeted her cautiously. Direte didn’t even look at him.

Gainando spoke to Lee Han with a hurt expression.

“Is she ignoring me because I’m bad at black magic?”

“I think it’s more because of the principal’s school rules.”

“!”

Direte was slightly surprised.

For a first-year to figure out the situation before even hearing it.

“Cough. That’s right. Normally, I wouldn’t even meet you, but I came especially to help with this exam.”

‘Oh dear.’

Lee Han looked at Direte with pity.

At this point, it seemed like the professor could just do it alone, so why make the apprentice do it…

‘Is he looking at me with pity? That can’t be, right?’

Direte couldn’t believe it.

The one who should be wearing a pitiful expression was Direte, not the first-year.

And then…

‘Strangely, that voice sounds familiar.’

The voice sounded very familiar, though she couldn’t place where she’d heard it.

Before she could think further, Professor Mortum coughed and spoke.

“Cough. Then let’s get started.”

“Yes! Professor. I’m ready!”

Gainando gripped his staff.

Whether it was curses or undead summoning, he had practiced hard yesterday.

Having given up other lectures to focus on black magic, Gainando’s face was full of confidence.

“What do I have to do?”

“Poison.”

“…Pardon?”

“Cough. This exam is about poison.”

“……”

Gainando looked at the professor with a mix of resentment, betrayal, and hurt.

But Lee Han nodded without batting an eye.

“Understood.”

‘Is he really a first-year?’