Episode 564

Episode 564

“No. He’s never pushed me into a pit.”

“Phew. That’s a relief.”

Professor Garcia was relieved by the answer, but then paused.

‘Didn’t he just say -into a pit-?’

Then could it be that he’s been pushed somewhere else before?

“Lee Han, stude–…”

“Then what’s this pit for?”

When Lee Han asked with obvious wariness, Professor Garcia felt pained.

She thought that more than anything else, she needed to resolve this excellent student’s suspicions as soon as possible.

“It’s for the final exam.”

“I see.”

“?”

Professor Garcia was puzzled.

Lee Han’s reaction was just too calm.

Of course, the boy from the Wardanaz family wasn’t very emotional or jumpy, but still, such a calm reaction?

“Then are there monsters hiding at the bottom of the pit?”

“There aren’t any??!”

Without meaning to, Professor Garcia raised her voice.

“You don’t think I’m like the headmaster, do you, Lee Han?”

“How could I think something so impolite? Never. But since it’s a final exam, I thought there might at least be some monsters hiding…”

Professor Garcia sighed heavily and spoke.

“I prepared it so you can test the magic we learned this semester. There are no monsters.”

In the first semester, Professor Garcia had introduced the various schools of magic and taught the fundamentals.

And this second semester, she was teaching -Basic Practical Magic-, giving students many useful practical spells.

Such as -Underwater Breathing-, -Undead Repulsion-, -Undead Detection-, -Lesser Undead Banishment-, and others.

‘There sure are a lot about undead.’

One way or another, there were quite a few spells about dealing with undead, but Professor Garcia’s class was the most practical of the term. Above all, it stood out because it was a class by an Einrogard alum who truly cared about the students. She only chose magic the students could immediately use in daily life.

“Oh, but you taught us spells related to undead. Aren’t there any undead?”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about. When did I ever teach spells related to undead?”

“-Undead Repulsion- and -Undead Detection-, -Lesser Undead Banishment-…”

“I don’t know what you mean? Ah, you must be mistaken because you take so many classes, Lee Han.”

“……”

Lee Han was dumbfounded, but he understood what Professor Garcia was saying.

If the skeletal headmaster found out who had taught it, he might pull even more twisted moves, so she was keeping it a secret.

‘You could just say so…’

But Lee Han felt a little hurt. Among other things, being jabbed about taking too many classes stung.

“Understood. Leaving out the undead-related spells… Then does that mean -Underwater Breathing-, -Lesser Detoxification-, -Waterproof Enchantment-, -Vision Enhancement-, -Lesser Lockpicking- are included?”

“Exactly.”

Cautiously, Lee Han approached the pit and looked down.

Casting -Gonadaltes’s Darkvision-, then infusing his eyes with magic to strengthen his sight, he could see the structure at the bottom.

‘So when the professor fills it with water, the students have to swim and dive deeply, I see.’

At the bottom, there was a small side corridor to escape into.

There would be simple poison or locks in that passage.

Once water fills, visibility would drop even more, so the final exam would be about overcoming that environment with magic and finding the tunnel to deal with the poison and locks.

Thinking this far, Lee Han suddenly felt a question arise.

“Professor, if you fill this with water, is the goal to dive down, find that hidden passage? There are traps inside?”

“Oh, that’s right, Lee Han. Good observation.”

Professor Garcia replied with satisfaction at Lee Han’s quick analysis.

“But why are you standing like that?”

“I’m being careful not to fall in.”

“…Lee Han… I told you, I’m not going to push you…”

“I’m not sure what you mean.”

Despite her words, Lee Han lowered his stance and kept his balance, observing the bottom of the pit in case someone pushed him from behind.

“Well, professor, I get the structure, but…”

“?”

As Lee Han trailed off, Professor Garcia was perplexed.

She couldn’t understand what such an excellent student might want to ask.

“…Is it okay for me to know the final exam in advance?”

Just asking made Lee Han a bit nervous.

Professor Garcia might later say, “Ah! Lee Han, I revealed it by mistake. I’ll have to prepare a harder test just for you.”

Although Professor Garcia was kinder than the other professors, she was still a professor.

“Oh. It doesn’t matter.”

“…It doesn’t matter?”

“Lee Han is going to get a perfect score anyway. That’s why I called you.”

“……”

Lee Han was at a loss for words for a moment.

No…

No…?

‘Really?’

It felt like it made sense, but also didn’t, so Lee Han asked again.

“But still, shouldn’t you see me take the test?”

“I’ve seen you use magic plenty of times… it’s fine. I’m sure even without seeing it. Aren’t there other professors who think like me?”

Professor Garcia waved her staff and created a space for students to sit while taking the exam.

She also added warmth to the area so they could warm up after finishing.

“Well… I have met some.”

“Right? Didn’t those professors also tell you to just do something else instead of wasting time on a meaningless test?”

‘They gave me a harder one instead, though.’

Lee Han recalled Professor Alpen saying at midterms, “It’s too easy, so I made something harder,” and presenting him with a tough test.

But he thought mentioning that to Professor Garcia wouldn’t be wise.

If he did, she might go, “Oh, is that a method?” too.

“It was similar.”

At Lee Han’s answer, Professor Garcia nodded knowingly.

While preparing the second-semester finals, professors had all been complaining their own way.

-Transformation potions are too hard after all. But I used firework potions last year… This is annoying, should I just call Wardanaz and have him make the exam?

-Professor!

-I’m joking, joking. How’s Professor Verdus preparing?

-Me? I’m going to make them craft artifacts out of scrap materials.

-Well. Isn’t that a decent test? Looks like a good plan.

-Yep. Gonadaltes told me to do it.

-……

-……

-Oh right. I should ask Wardanaz to prepare something. Almost forgot.

-Professor Verdus, could you come behind the staff lounge for a moment?

Of course, there were a few shameless professors too, but most professors also thought, “Why make a student who will get a perfect score take the test at all?”

When Professor Garcia had been a student herself, an understanding professor had once told her:

-Garcia, you don’t have to take this test. Focus on your other tests. And if you must hit your friend, could you please use your palm instead of your fist?

“So, Lee Han, you should spend the time you’d use preparing for a test you’ll ace on other exams. Not every professor will let you pass, after all.”

“Thank you, Professor.”

Lee Han sincerely thanked Professor Garcia for her consideration.

Of course, the main reason Professor Garcia made this suggestion was because Lee Han was skilled enough to get a perfect score…

… But more than that, she simply wanted to let Lee Han, who was taking way too many classes, take a break from even one.

If he didn’t have to worry about her test, he’d have a little more breathing room.

‘I definitely must never tell them about Professor Alpen’s way.’

“In return, Lee Han, check the difficulty of this final exam site for the sake of the other students. It’s more accurate to view it through a student’s eyes than a professor’s.”

“Professor Garcia, you are truly an outstanding person. I am fortunate to have met you.”

“Wh-why are you saying that all of a sudden?”

When Lee Han spoke in a voice choked with emotion, Professor Garcia was bewildered.

The compliment was just too sudden.

“I’ll do my best to check.”

“You can take it easy though…”

Seeing her student prepare so fervently, Professor Garcia, a bit worried, filled the pit with water.

She had just wanted an easy review, but feared she was burdening her diligent student unnecessarily.

• * *

Splash!

Lee Han hadn’t been in long when he climbed back out.

Shaking off the water from his waterproofed cloak, he reported to Professor Garcia.

“I think the water should be darker.”

“Oh. Really?”

Professor Garcia took out a quill and made a note.

Normally, when water collects, it gets dark below, so she hadn’t cast any special spells; but it seemed it was still a bit too bright.

‘Is the light source too strong?’

“Yes. Should I call on dark-elemental energy?”

“What are you saying. There’s no need for you to do that, Lee Han. That’s my job to prepare.”

Professor Garcia waved her hand.

She’d just called for a simple assessment, but the student was much too earnest.

“Understood. Then, for a moment, I’ll…”

“Ah, you don’t have to go in ag–”

Splash!

A moment later…

Lee Han was back up.

“Professor, the tunnel entrance is small, but since there’s no other entrance nearby, it’s easy to find if you stay calm. How about making some fake tunnels?”

“Hmm… Alright.”

Professor Garcia noted it again.

Before she could stop him, Lee Han went in and out, in and out, in and out.

-The poison seems to be the sight-blocking type, but wouldn’t a breath-blocking poison be better?

-I tried opening the lock myself, and a dexterous student could open it without magic. Maybe make it tougher?

-I was surprised there was nothing on the way back up. How about adding undead after all?

“……”

Professor Garcia closed her notebook and asked Lee Han,

“Lee Han. Have your friends treated you badly lately?”

“Sorry? Not really?”

• * *

Leaving Professor Garcia’s classroom, Lee Han felt a bit uneasy.

He was worried he hadn’t lived up to the professor’s expectations.

‘Was my feedback not useful?’

Professor Garcia thought about Lee Han, excused him from the test, and asked for input—yet he hadn’t offered any good suggestions.

Worried that she might be disappointed, his chest felt heavy.

‘I’d better come next time with better ideas.’

“Lee Han, don’t bring revisions next time!”

Professor Garcia stuck her head out the classroom door and shouted, and Lee Han, startled, shouted back,

“Did you see that with divination magic?”

“No, I saw it with the eyes of a professor. Anyway, you really helped a lot, so don’t bring any revisions, alright!”

“Yes, understood.”

Frankly, Lee Han wasn’t sure if he had really helped, but he could feel Professor Garcia’s sincerity.

Once again, Lee Han descended the stairs, quietly moved.

“Ah. Wardanaz! Over here, over here!”

A walking beaver called out to Lee Han, but he pretended not to hear and kept walking.

Professor Verdus lightly flew over and blocked Lee Han’s path.

“Are your ears blocked or something?”

“Ah, Professor Verdus!! When did you get here? You startled me!”