Episode 318

‘Is it really okay?’

Yoner couldn’t understand.

Her older sister, Yoanen’s specialty, was driving alchemists who were doing just fine to the brink of mental collapse.

The more ridiculous part was that Yoanen herself bore no ill will.

She was simply devoted to alchemy.

Yoner had expected that, upon her return, Lee Han’s expression would be twisted in pain or discomfort.

As the top student who had shown madness like taking all-school magic courses even at Einrogard, perhaps he wouldn’t run away—but…

Even so, it shouldn’t have been possible for him to endure Yoanen’s obsession-fueled madness in its entirety.

But Lee Han’s expression was so calm. It was like a lake with not a ripple.

“Have you started yet?”

“Here. -Dovruk’s Soul Reincarnation Potion-.”

Yoanen gazed lovingly at the potion in the flask, shaking it gently.

Even though Yoner had seen this potion before, she could sense this one was different.

‘That deep color… is it mana? If so…’

Her friend, brought in to help with a more difficult magical potion than usual.

Yoner couldn’t help but think of Lee Han.

“Did you help with the work?”

“Yeah.”

“Wasn’t it hard?”

“I just played the assistant.”

“Huh… huh??”

Yoner was flustered by Lee Han’s words.

Not even doing assistant work or other simple tasks—she’d been Yoanen’s assistant.

Yoner knew just what being Yoanen’s assistant meant. There was no way her sister had let it go easy.

“Are you really okay…??”

“It was hard, sure. But most of the work was done by Lady Meikin here.”

“No need to be so modest. Thanks to you, a fine potion was completed.”

Yoanen’s face was full of satisfaction. Yoner was honestly shocked to see her like that.

She almost never made that face.

It was the kind of expression that only came out after grinding down dozens of alchemists…

“Are you really okay? No, just tell me what happened, step by step.”

“Let’s not talk here, let’s have lunch while we chat.”

Yoanen gave her sister and her sister’s friend a break.

Yoner was once again surprised at that generosity.

“Is it really okay to eat lunch?! Even though you’re working?”

“Don’t be like that in front of guests. People will get the wrong idea.”

“…!!!!!!”

Yoner just blinked, feeling wronged.

Who was it, after all, who ignored both lunch and everything else to focus on work when things weren’t finished?

If the lead alchemist Yoanen didn’t eat, naturally the assistants couldn’t either.

Though there were many seasoned alchemists here, not one volunteered to act as Yoanen’s assistant.

Usually, an unlucky newbie took the job, only to end up running away in tears…

“…Fine, let’s eat, Lee Han.”

“I suppose I’ll have to go back to the mansion for lunch.”

“Meals are provided here at the workshop. They don’t charge working alchemists a single coin, so don’t worry.”

Lee Han stopped and nodded.

“A nice workshop, then.”

“…How can you say that after what you saw when you first came in…”

• * *

Pahuseok, an alchemist who’d worked at the workshop for eight years, didn’t pay much mind even when Yoner Meikin brought a friend.

Whether it was Yoner’s friend, the Emperor’s friend, or anyone else, if they ended up acting as Yoanen’s assistant, they would never last long.

Last time, the new record for lasting was about 23 minutes, so in about 15 minutes, he’d be heading back out with an excuse.

That’s why Pahuseok was so shocked to see the red-haired girl and black-haired boy sitting at the table having a meal.

‘No way!?’

It seemed he wasn’t the only one surprised. Other alchemists whispered and looked at Lee Han as well.

“What’s going on?”

An alchemist at the front spoke quietly as he dipped flatbread in a spiced bean soup.

“…Looks like the new assistant survived.”

“What?!?”

“Shh. Keep it down.”

“S-sorry. I was just so surprised.”

Pahuseok almost dropped his bowl of fried rice.

How could anyone last the morning as Yoanen’s assistant?

And to his amazement, they were now out here eating lunch.

That had to mean Yoanen herself had permitted him to go eat.

“How? Is it because he’s the younger sister’s friend?”

“Lady Meikin isn’t that kind of person.”

“True, she isn’t.”

The workshop alchemists accepted it quickly.

Yoanen was not someone who’d go easy on a friend of her younger sister.

If she were, the dozens who’d tried for assistant wouldn’t have been driven out so easily.

“Could it be… just maybe, is there a possibility…?”

“What are you trying to say?”

“He passed as an assistant…?”

“That makes no sense!”

The workshop alchemists firmly denied it.

No way would Yoanen pass an assistant so easily.

There had to be another reason.

“But if not, then… besides, as far as I know, that boy from the Wardanaz family won a duel against a mage from Baldrogard and a basi—”

“Whether he beat another mage or even defeated a basilisk is beside the point.”

“Oh? You knew? Word travels fast.”

“What are you talking about? Anyway, that’s not the issue. As you know, being an alchemist is a completely separate skill. Judging hastily as an alchemist is a bad habit. We’ll just have to wait and ask Lady Meikin herself. I doubt it was regular assistant work.”

“Maybe so…”

Not long after, when Yoanen emerged, several alchemists quickly approached to ask questions. Pahuseok was among them.

“Lady Meikin, that guest is still here—did he do well as your assistant?”

Even as they posed the question, the alchemists silently expected another reply.

Maybe he’d been doing inventory or checking equipment…

But Yoanen, looking satisfied, held up the potion and showed them.

“…!!!”

“I-I don’t believe it!”

“Does the blood of the Wardanaz family even endure Lady Meikin’s madness?!”

The alchemists tried to accept the reality, but it wasn’t easy.

How could such a young student manage that?

“He really is something… Is it because he’s from Einrogard?”

“You know it’s not related to Einrogard. The last mage who ran away was from Einrogard too.”

“Right. But this isn’t the time for this.”

One alchemist snapped out of it and began to gather food.

On top of some well-seasoned, fresh oysters, the alchemist poured a vitality-restoring potion meant for himself.

Another brought out smoked eel and sprinkled his mental restoration powder—meant to eat himself—instead of regular spice.

Pahuseok added his concentration potion to the pumpkin porridge. He’d been saving that potion, but this student deserved it.

Clack—

“??”

“Please have this as well.”

“This too.”

“And this.”

“…???”

Lee Han, busy talking to Yoner, was bewildered at the alchemists adding food and then walking off.

‘Is this some kind of initiation for welcoming a newbie?’

“What’s the meaning of this?”

“It means they want you to keep working and not collapse.”

Yoner sighed as she replied.

Given how Yoanen’s assistants dropped out like autumn leaves, it was only natural the other alchemists had high hopes.

As a friend, though, she found their behavior pretty unpleasant.

In other words, they were telling him to eat potions and keep working as long as possible.

Lee Han looked a bit moved at the explanation.

“This really is a good workshop.”

“Lee Han. I think your standards for ‘good’ are way too low, you know…”

• * *

Even after lunch, Lee Han worked splendidly.

No matter what kind of job he was given, he completed it in one go, and Yoanen didn’t seem willing to send him back to Einrogard.

“You’ve really worked hard.”

“No, it’s been a great learning experience.”

When everything was done, Lee Han shook hands with Yoanen.

It wasn’t that the work wasn’t hard, but the silver coin pouch Yoanen handed him made all that fatigue disappear.

If she assigned work like the professors at Einrogard but actually paid in silver coins, wasn’t she a way better person than them?

“Sister. Let go.”

“…When do you think you’ll come again?”

“Let go.”

Yoner whispered. Yoanen was not letting go of Lee Han’s hand.

“I have a lot of appointments this week, so it’ll be hard to come.”

“How about next week?”

“I think I’m free on Wednesday next week, if I remember right.”

“Then would you come and help on Wednesday?”

“I’ll try.”

“In case you forget, shall I send someone to the Wardanaz family?”

“No, I’ll remember.”

It wasn’t until Yoner stamped on her foot several times that Yoanen let go.

As Yoanen waved and went back inside, Lee Han muttered, sounding slightly worried.

“Lady Yoanen is a little like an Einrogard professor.”

“A little? A little??”

“Oh, right. Yoner.”

Lee Han took out the ring and helmet he’d brought. Yoner looked intrigued by the unfamiliar artifacts.

“What are those for?”

“To sell.”

“…Huh?”

Lee Han explained where he’d gotten them and why he wanted to sell them.

If other friends had been around, they might have said, ‘But we’re wizards. Isn’t it a bit much to sell artifacts just for money? Shouldn’t we study or break them down together?’ but…

Yoner agreed immediately.

“Of course. If that’s the reason.”

“Right? I thought I’d check out some stores in the central district.”

Since the central district of Granden City was where the nobility lived, there were also shops trading in rare artifacts.

Lee Han intended to visit those stores and try his luck negotiating prices.

“Want me to introduce you to a shop I know?”

“I’d appreciate it, but are you sure?”

“Sure. After what my sister did to you, I owe you at least this much.”

“I wasn’t really ‘done in’…”

Ignoring him, Yoner led the way.

‘Grinbell’s Rare Finds? Is that the Greenbell Family’s store?’

Lee Han grew interested at seeing the name of a family he’d met at the Dalkard Family mansion last time.

Although it was getting dark, the inside glowed brightly from the windows.

You could judge a store from the color and brightness of its mana lighting—as well as whether they used pricey artifacts or cheap ones.

‘No doubt this is an expensive place.’

“Welcome.”

A dust-free attendant greeted them with such etiquette that his forehead nearly touched the floor.

Given the caliber of the customers, it was only natural.

Inside, some customers were already browsing and listening to other attendants explaining various artifacts.

“So, you’re saying this is a bracelet that increases luck?”

“That’s right, sir.”

“How much luck does it increase? Can I draw the card I want?”

“I’m no wizard, but as far as I know, luck can’t be quantified in that way, sir.”

“Hm… You don’t have something else? Something that lets me win for sure… like, shuffling the deck the way I want… or seeing what cards my opponent has… that kind of thing…”

The attendant’s eyebrow went up a little.

Even though it was a store that sold artifacts, not every artifact was for sale.

As a store with dignity, they didn’t carry obvious cheating tools.

The attendant’s expression looked like he was thinking, ‘Are you really trying to find an artifact for cheating as a noble?’

“N-no, I’m not planning to use it for cards or anything.”

“Gainando?”

“?!”

Gainando turned around and, seeing his two friends, flinched in surprise.

Then he quickly covered his face with his cloak.

“I’m not Gainando.”

“……”

“……”