Episode 759
by CristaeClinging to the bronze golem senior, who tried to refuse coldly, Lee Han poured out just how hard and painful things were for him.
However, perhaps thanks to his cold metallic heart, the bronze golem senior was unmoved.
If you try to interfere just because you foresaw a bit of the future, you could bring about even worse results.
“Junior. I know you’re struggling, but all Einrogard students have it rough.”
At that point, the golem senior belatedly remembered that the junior before him was taking all the schools’ courses.
Considering that, some students could certainly have it tougher, but the senior stuck to his guns.
“But not everyone tries to change the future. Trying to change it recklessly is even more dangerous.”
“I mean, I’m specifically in a dangerous situation. Don’t you know what I went through this week?”
“No.”
“Pardon?”
“I don’t really know. What did you do?”
The golem senior looked at Lee Han as one might a bard who’s gained a little popularity in the imperial capital.
Such bards often thought everyone in the Empire would know them, but once they left for an inn in the countryside, they’d be jeered with “What’s that pig-slaughtering sound?” and realize the truth.
Lee Han blushed a little in embarrassment.
He’d assumed everyone would know him since all the seniors called him “that kid” or “that one,” but on second thought, of course not.
Everyone was busy with their own lives—who would care about everything?
“Sorry.”
“No need for that. I don’t go out much anyway.”
“You still have to go to lectures, don’t you?”
“For any lecture I can skip with prophecy magic, I do.”
“……”
Lee Han was appalled.
How vast was the world of prophecy magic, really?
“So? What exactly did you go through this week?”
The golem senior pressed his junior indifferently.
He assumed it was just a hard assignment that professors handed out in class.
“I got kidnapped by the principal’s mad doppelganger and barely managed to escape.”
“……”
The golem senior’s eyes opened wide in shock at a situation much more serious than expected.
It was a terrifying tale enough to make even a cold metallic heart tremble.
“S-so…”
“Yes. That’s why I missed class.”
“I meant, is that why the prophecy said you’ll face an ancient being and not to be outside day or night… I see.”
“……”
“But you came to get the missed lecture after all that?”
“But if I don’t keep up, it’ll be even harder next week, won’t it?”
“Hm… I see.”
Lee Han thought his senior understood and nodded.
In fact, the senior hadn’t understood at all—he’d just let it go. There was no need to argue with a crazy person.
‘Well, he is the kid taking every school’s classes.’
“Senior. Please help me. I need to avoid the future I was shown in the prophecy!”
“Ugh. Trying to change things rashly really is a bad idea, but… fine.”
After much thought, the golem senior finally acquiesced.
Normally he would just say to endure it, but if it involved the Skull Principal’s mad doppelganger, something had to be done.
“As I said before, predicting the future is also an act that increases the likelihood of that future. Trying to avoid a future could actually bring it closer. Same with constraints of luck and misfortune. If you become overconfident and abuse them, even worse misfortune could befall you. Got it?”
“I’ll keep it in mind.”
“All right, then…”
With a clank, the golem senior prepared prophecy magic.
Aside from having his whole arm blown off (to which he calmly reattached it with his other hand, assuring Lee Han that he was fine), the process—using several meteorite-based star reagents, some spells, and incantations—went smoothly enough.
“…Tell me a way to avoid misfortune!”
Starlight filled the senior’s eyes, and a much deeper, heavier voice than before emerged.
-If you avoid physical contact with the imperial royal family, you will be able to suppress misfortune!
When the prophecy ended, the senior’s eyes returned to normal. Curious what prophecy the junior had received, he asked in a curious tone.
“What did it say to avoid?”
“It told me to avoid touching the royal family.”
“That’s not bad! That constraint is on the easy side.”
Avoiding contact with the royal family was, in terms of constraints, a simple one.
Especially in closed-off Einrogard—there were few chances to meet royalty.
“Uh… I have some friends in my year who are royal family members.”
“Oh.”
At his junior’s words, the golem senior made a suggestion.
“How about framing them for something and getting them sent to the punishment room?”
“…I’ll just steer clear myself.”
- * *
The -Instead of Complex Magic, a Drop of Potion- lecture was, thankfully, a second-year lecture.
Happening upon Yoner and Siana working in Professor Thunderstep’s carved office, Lee Han spoke with emotion.
“A second-year lecture. Isn’t everyone truly happy?”
“……”
“……”
The two exchanged glances, not sure what to say.
-What are you supposed to say in times like this?
-Let’s just keep quiet and pretend we didn’t hear…
“So, Wardanaz, what brings you here? I thought you’d be resting?”
Priest Siana, grinding insect husks into powder in a mortar, asked curiously. Yoner answered for her.
“Didn’t you come to catch up on missed lectures?”
“Don’t say such ridiculous things, Meikin. It hasn’t even been that long since he was kidnapped.”
“……”
Lee Han hesitated silently, unable to answer, and Siana quickly changed the subject.
“But to be a true wizard, you shouldn’t stop studying even when kidnapped—sorry.”
“It’s all right, Priest Siana. Speak comfortably.”
“Then, why not just go back and rest for now?”
Lee Han regretted not asking her to speak a little less comfortably and asked his question.
“I’ll leave as soon as you tell me. What did you do this week?”
“We studied reagents before starting complex alchemy.”
“I see…”
Listening intently to the two honor students, Lee Han picked up his quill.
The quality of alchemy depended not just on the capability of the wizard but also greatly on the quality of reagents. So reviewing and learning about them first made sense.
‘Thankfully, this is textbook. This is how lectures should be.’
If someone ever asked Lee Han to evaluate Einrogard’s lectures, he’d rate Professor Thunderstep highly.
A lecture where you just stole the professor’s project, like certain magic schools, was not a good one.
“Want to see my notes?”
“Thanks, Priest Siana.”
-List of Required Reagents for the Year and How to Gather Them-
-Snowpine flower
-Drowsy reed
-Einrogard lava
-Mountain ring mushroom, fog cloud mushroom
-Dwarf willow
-Wizard’s tears (must be over 100 years old)
…
…
How to gather:
-Mountain ring mushroom, fog cloud mushroom: on the 7th floor mushroom field. Seniors have occupied it, so steal them covertly.
-Einrogard lava: steal from the death knights.
-Snowpine flower: in the domain’s glacier area or on the 7th–8th floor of the main building in the ice hell section…
-If it seems too difficult, steal from seniors.
“…Priest Siana. Did you join the Shift Club?”
“What kind of club is that? Spatial Magic Club?”
Siana tilted her head at the unusual club name.
There really were clubs for every conceivable purpose.
“No, never mind. It just seems the collection methods are a bit… skewed. Who recommended this method?”
Wondering if maybe Ratford suggested it, Lee Han asked cautiously.
“Lee Han, the professor recommended it.”
“Professor Thunderstep.”
“……”
Lee Han silently rescinded all the high marks he had given Professor Thunderstep.
A professor who taught alchemy had no right to be well regarded.
“Wasn’t there any option besides stealing?”
“He said to trade if we could, but since the prices were all so high, it’s better to learn how to steal.”
“…Fine.”
Lee Han copied down the collection methods for now.
If all else failed, those methods could be a last resort.
Crash!
A thunderous sound from the inner workshop made Lee Han freeze.
There’d been so many raids and battles lately, he couldn’t let his guard down.
-You ■■■ bastard!
-Curse you! ■■■■!
-You little ■■■■■…
It came so fast and fiercely he couldn’t even tell what was being said, but it was definitely a fight.
Lee Han wondered who would dare fight in Professor Thunderstep’s workshop and asked.
“Who’s fighting the professor in his workshop?”
“Huh?”
Yoner looked at his friend in puzzlement.
He’d thought Lee Han would already know…
“It’s Professor Bendozol. Lee Han, he’s helping Professor Thunderstep with his work instead of you. Didn’t you know?”
“……”
Even before he answered, Professor Thunderstep stormed out amid curses.
“Get lost!”
-You get lost!
“That crazy barbarian is going to make all my beard fall out! You lot, just go home unless you have to! Even if I ruin today’s work, I’ll throw that beast into the cauldron!”
“If you don’t mind, we’d like to watch!”
As Priest Siana eagerly requested to watch the professors fight, Professor Thunderstep finally noticed Lee Han.
Startled by guilt, Lee Han flinched.
‘Oops. Should’ve fled first?’
But instead of attacking him, Professor Thunderstep welled up with tears and shouted,
“What did I ever do to you for you to send Professor Bendozol instead? Huh??”
He was hurt that the student he trusted sent Professor Bendozol instead of coming himself.
Sure, taking care of the hut was a chore, but sending Bendozol to do it was just cruel.
“I didn’t send him, Professor! What could I possibly do to control the professors?”
‘He seemed able to control some professors though…’ Yoner thought to himself.
“Professor Bendozol acted on his own. I really did want to do my work.”
“Really?! That crazy barbarian…”
Professor Thunderstep rushed back inside.
Lee Han and Yoner exchanged a quiet glance and snuck out of the carved office.
“Priest Siana, hurry up.”
“Can’t we just watch a little longer?”
- * *
Despite Professor Thunderstep’s lesson, Lee Han did not follow it immediately.
Wasn’t resorting to theft without even trying to negotiate a little too much?
‘Is this the mushroom field?’
A field far to the south of the seventh floor student village.
The sign said “Mushrooms under cultivation” and “Do not steal,” so this must be the place.
Mushrooms under cultivation
Do not steal
“……”
He pretended not to notice some missing letters, and looked for the field’s owner.
Nearby, he saw a senior practicing magic atop a boulder.
“Hello, Senior. Are you by any chance the owner of this field?”
“Yes, I am. What brings you here?”
The senior looked at him warily.
“I’d like to buy some mushrooms…”
“Really?!”
The senior forgot her composure and jumped up in excitement.
“You really came to buy?! Not to steal?!”
“…Yes. Uh, are the mushrooms very expensive?”
“Not that expensive. One imperial gold for three baskets.”
“!”
With the discipline he’d first mustered learning fifth-circle magic, Lee Han barely held back a groan.
‘For Einrogard prices, this isn’t expensive. Compared to Einrogard prices, it isn’t expensive. By Einrogard prices…’
Gritting his teeth, Lee Han asked,
“At that rate… I think… I can… pay…”
“Wait. I’ll pick out the best for you.”
“Senior, then who are those people?”
While they conversed, Lee Han noticed a several seniors near the field glaring at him.
The senior brushed it off.
“Oh, them? They’re crazy folks who think they’re the field owner. Just ignore them.”
“…So do I have to pay them too?”
“Nope. Just me. If they ask for money, just ignore them.”
“……”
“No! Don’t go!!”
As Lee Han quietly shuffled backward to increase the distance, the senior called out in misery, desperate to keep him from leaving.