Episode 72

“Still, since we’ll be in the same group from now on, maybe we should clear up any misunderstandings.”

“No!”

Dergyu understood now.

Ihan talked about it being a misunderstanding, but it wasn’t actually a misunderstanding.

Ihan was someone who was always ready to stick it to Giselle whenever the opportunity arose.

Of course, he would claim it was self-defense…

“It’ll be fine. …Probably. I’ll relay words between you two… That would be best.”

“Oh. Dergyu. Did you end up enjoying being the go-between?”

“……”

Dergyu didn’t even have the energy to reply.

• * *

A few Blue Dragon Tower students showed up sheepishly in front of the swordsmanship classroom.

The White Tiger Tower students said with displeased expressions,

“What brings you here?”

“We’re here to keep you lot from ganging up on Wodanaz!”

“…W-what? That’s our line!”

The White Tiger Tower students felt genuinely aggrieved.

Sure, they’d thrown the first punch, but if you compared the actual fighting, Wodanaz was the one who overwhelmingly beat them down.

But the Blue Dragon Tower students didn’t listen to those excuses. They talked tough, but as soon as Ihan appeared, they hurried over, grabbed his arms, and pulled him away.

“Let’s go! Who knows what tricks those guys might pull?”

“It’ll be fine though.”

“It’s already dangerous enough with the summoning beasts loose, Wodanaz! We’ll protect you!”

Ihan got dragged off without even saying a proper goodbye to Dergyu.

‘It really is fine though.’

The Blue Dragon Tower students repeatedly threw wary glances.

“You have to be careful, Wodanaz. Those White Tiger Tower guys are like animals.”

“The next class is alchemy, right? Let’s head over together.”

Yoner watched Ihan being dragged by his friends and looked puzzled.

“Why are they dragging you off grabbing both your arms?”

“Meikin! You can’t be so unaware of safety! You have to assume off the Tower is completely dangerous!”

‘Ihan could probably beat all of you even if you came at him together…’

Knowing how skilled Ihan was, Yoner looked on with a strange expression.

“That’s right. This is a very dangerous situation.”

“The peerless genius of the Flemeng Order, the master of alchemy, Priestess Siana. It’s been a while.”

Ihan spoke while both arms were still pinned by his friends.

‘Peerless genius?’

‘Master of alchemy?’

The Blue Dragon Tower friends tilted their heads.

They knew Priestess Siana was good at alchemy, but to that extent?

Priestess Siana smiled warmly and handed over a flask.

“This is an anti-monster potion I made. Lord Ihan of the Wodanaz family. Please take it and try it out. If you spray it around, it releases a scent that monsters dislike.”

“I’m deeply moved by such a wonderful gift.”

Nilia, who arrived a bit later, whispered curiously.

“Why do you speak so grandly in front of Priestess Siana?”

“Nilia. If you want to make a living in society in the Empire, you’ve got to do at least this much…”

“??”

Nilia didn’t understand. Ihan didn’t expect her to get it right away either.

‘Anyway, thank you.’

Ihan received the anti-monster potion gratefully.

If summoned beasts were already wandering the campus in week 3, by week 5 they might start coming into the dorms.

By week 7, demons might show up on campus…

“Everyone, take a seat.”

Professor Thunderstep yawned as he opened the door to the Horned-Lodge Hall. The students greeted him, barely suppressing their resentment.

“Did you all finish the potion?”

“Yes (it was tough, thanks to you).”

“Of course (we’ll get you back someday).”

Even though Ihan didn’t have telepathy, he felt like he could hear the true feelings hidden in the students’ words.

“What? You all finished? Did you check it properly?”

Professor Thunderstep asked in an utterly disappointed voice. Priestess Siana answered in a blunt tone.

“Everyone got together and worked through the problem, as the method you taught seemed to have issues, professor.”

“…Why would you do that? You lot don’t even get along!”

“……”

“……”

Even students who didn’t like each other couldn’t help but group up when he said things like that. Professor Thunderstep grumbled.

“Anyway, well done everyone. Having made a from start to finish, you can say you’ve taken your first step as beginner alchemists. Of course, the results won’t be perfect.”

Professor Thunderstep grabbed one of the flasks on the table submitted by the students and uncorked it.

He grabbed a strangely moving twig and shook it over the flask.

A faint, candle-like flame briefly flickered on the twig.

“See? The potion’s power is weak, right?”

Professor Thunderstep blew out the flame.

He opened the next flask and shook the twig again. The same faint flame flickered. He put it out with a satisfied expression.

Fwoosh!!

“……”

But from the next flask, a violent flame shot up strong enough to burn the twig completely. Professor Thunderstep barely pulled his beard back to avoid it and glared at Ihan with blameful eyes.

Ihan felt deeply wronged.

‘It’s not my fault he didn’t read the name on the potion…!’

“Of course, some potions were well made, but don’t get cocky yet. If you act arrogant just because luck’s on your side, you’ll pay the price.”

Asan seemed genuinely moved by the professor’s words and nodded. Ihan wanted to warn him not to be fooled, but didn’t get the chance.

“Now then…”

Professor Thunderstep waved his staff, popping all the flask stoppers and checking each flame. At the same time, a quill floated by his side, quickly writing down numbers.

Ihan could see the full score ‘10’ marked by his name.

-10. Boring guy.

“……”

Is a professor allowed to do that?

“Today we’ll practice with spirits, which are an important element in alchemy. A great alchemist must not only finish potions, but also be obsessed with ways to improve the effect of those potions. And the easiest method among them is… spirits.”

Professor Thunderstep clenched and opened his fist. In his palm, a cute rabbit made of gathered snow appeared.

All the students in their seats gasped in awe.

Ihan suddenly remembered and glanced at his belt. The skeleton summon tied to it rattled as though asking what he was doing.

‘Huh. There’s a reason why necromancy is unpopular.’

“This is the cold spirit I use often, Mr. Rabbit. He’s small and cute, but don’t take him lightly. He’s a spirit that could wipe all of you out on his own.”

Mr. Rabbit nodded with pride. The students looked extremely flustered.

He didn’t look like that at all…

“I’m not telling you to make contracts with spirits like this from the start. That’s too much at your level.”

Making a contract with a spirit was like getting a loan from a bank.

First you needed to befriend lesser spirits and raise your credit score in the spirit realm before you could contract with stronger spirits.

“Don’t even think about trying to contract all at once. Focus on befriending spirits first. You need true sincerity to befriend them. If you approach with arrogance, spirits will notice right away.”

Students diligently took notes and listened.

Honestly, it was the most fascinating lesson so far.

Compared to other assignments like gathering materials from the mountains at risk of dying, tossing ingredients into an exploding cauldron with precise timing, and so on, “meet and befriend a spirit” was incredibly interesting and romantic.

Yes, this is what I wanted!

Professor Thunderstep drew magic circles by tossing gems and reagents around the classroom.

When connecting to the spirit realm, wizards should choose places blessed by nature, where the spirit’s energy is strong.

Throwing these gems and reagents while drawing the magic circle was an attempt to amplify the spirit energy.

“Drink your potions.”

Students drank the potions with eager eyes, and so did Ihan.

“Now, go and meet the spirits.”

Thunderstep swung his staff. Ihan’s vision went dark instantly.

• * *

Ihan had seen scenery like this before.

It was similar to the view the black book from the skull principal had shown him.

The difference was, whereas the black book dragged Ihan’s mind into an imaginary landscape and forced him to train magic, Professor Thunderstep simply sent him to the spirit world and forced him to meet spirits.

‘A surreal sight.’

On one side was a blazing lava mine, on the other a snow-blasted mountain in a blizzard.

He’d clearly fallen near the territory border between fire spirits and ice spirits in the vast spirit realm.

Not bad.

Both fire spirits and ice spirits were useful.

Fire spirits were helpful for boiling soup or frying eggs, while ice spirits were helpful for keeping fresh meat…

‘What kind of crazy thought is that.’

Ihan shook his head to clear his mind.

Being good with spirits wasn’t about bloodline or magical talent.

Only sincerity.

Like Professor Thunderstep had said, Ihan didn’t even think of trying to make a contract right away.

If he tried sincerely, steadily, someone among the spirits would reach out to him someday.

“!”

Ihan blinked. On the charred earth, a puppy spirit made of flame was happily bouncing along.

Ihan called out to the puppy carefully.

“Are you the great fire-puppy spirit gentleman, perhaps?”

Ihan knew that when you don’t know who someone is, it’s safest to just pile on the most impressive-sounding titles.

The fire puppy spirit looked over at Ihan with a look that said ‘What is this lunatic saying?’

Yipe!!!!!! Yelp!!!

“??!”

Then it bolted away at furious speed. It looked terrified.

“……”

Ihan was taken aback.

What did I even do?!

“Mr. Puppy Spirit! Come back, Mr. Puppy Spirit!”

No matter how desperately he called, the spirit didn’t return. Ihan wondered if his titles had been too much.

‘Well, spirits might prefer humble things.’

When Ihan spotted the fire pigeon spirit, he tried a more modest approach.

“Mr. Fire Pigeon?”

The fire pigeon spirit wailed like a madman and fled.

At this point, Ihan started to feel something off.

…Huh?

• * *

Students returned one by one from the spirit realm. In reality only a few seconds had passed, but everyone emerged chattering excitedly.

“Did you see it, too? I made eye contact with a carp spirit in a lake! I kept talking to it, and it didn’t run away, so I think we connected a little!”

“If I could pet it and it didn’t run, isn’t that a good sign?”

Professor Thunderstep stuck his fingers in his ears at the loud students and frowned.

“That’s enough! Save the chatter for your own towers. Anyway, you all learned how hard it is to meet and befriend spirits in the spirit world. Outside of class, make time to keep trying to connect and befriend spirits. If you can get help from spirits, it’ll be a big help in alchemy.”

“Yes!”

The students got up with satisfied looks and filed out, but Thunderstep called Ihan over.

He was curious how his experience in the spirit world had gone.

‘No matter how talented you are, before you befriend spirits, they won’t listen to you easily.’

“How was it?”

“It was bad.”

Professor Thunderstep smiled contentedly.

Yes!

That’s the spirit of a novice alchemist!

“How so? The spirits wouldn’t listen to you?”

“They just ran away whenever they saw me.”

“…?”