The students of the Black Tortoise were genuinely perplexed, even Salko from the Tutanta family. They had been certain that Wardanaz would be pleased with the forbidden book of dark magic.
"Why not? Wardanaz?"
"Ah! Is it because you've already read it and it doesn't appeal to you? Oh no!"
The Black Tortoise students questioned among themselves, seeking answers.
Watching them, Yi-Han thought to himself, "Those from the White Tiger spreading rumors must all be locked up in the punishment room."
The rumors were tainting the sacred ground of magic learning, the magic academy
"Where did you find this book?" Yi-Han asked, curious. He knew the Black Tortoise students were actively searching for useful items, but he didn't expect them to find a dark magic book emanating curses.
"We found it in the Bottomless Hole area on the fourth floor of the library."
‘Just the name gives me chills,’ Yi-Han thought. The library at the magic academy was far from a peaceful repository of knowledge. The floors above the second were more akin to dungeons or labyrinths.
A Bottomless Hole area... one can imagine what sort of place it was.
"Why the library, of all places?"
"We're trying to complete the map of the academy. It would be convenient to have one."
"Oh..." Yi-Han was impressed. While the students of the Blue Dragon were eating, sleeping, and playing cards, those from the Black Tortoise were engaged in such constructive activities.
‘I wish I could swap our students with them.’
"I was looking for a book with the academy's map, but it's disappointing that it's not up to your level," one student lamented.
Yi-Han was about to clear the misunderstanding but then gave up, thinking it pointless as they wouldn't believe him anyway.
"Wardanaz, couldn't you at least read it once?" a Black Tortoise student asked with a voice dripping with regret, pained by the book's useless treatment.
Yi-Han might have read it under normal circumstances, but...
"Didn't the book emit a curse when you opened the box just now?"
A cursed book was a different story. It wasn't worth enduring a curse just to read an unknown book.
"Can't someone like you counter the curse and read it?"
Yi-Han looked at them suspiciously for a moment, wondering, ‘Are these guys plotting to assassinate me, instigated by the White Tiger?’
"I'm sorry, but I'm not at that level."
"Wasn't it so..." The Black Tortoise students were disappointed, having thought Wardanaz could handle it despite the curse.
"How do we lift the curse of magic absorption?"
"It seems impossible at our current level. Maybe if we ask a professor..."
"Do you think the professor would just let this be?"
"Wait a minute," Yi-Han interjected, having overheard the Black Tortoise students' conversation.
"What curse are you talking about?"
"The curse of magic absorption. The book absorbs mana."
The book with the blood-red cover absorbed mana from anyone nearby. Several Black Tortoise students had already collapsed from mana exhaustion, indicating the curse's complexity.
"Give it to me. I'll give it a read."
"See, Wardanaz, there's no need to be falsely modest. We already know your capabilities."
"We don't like it when someone with abilities is unnecessarily humble."
While listening to the nonsensical chatter of the Black Tortoise students, Yi-Han opened the box. Indeed, the blood-red book emitted a curse of magic absorption. Yi-Han felt his mana being slowly drawn into the book. And then, nothing happened.
'As expected.'
Wearing a bracelet and belt for absorbing mana, there was no change, so why would holding one more blood-red book make a difference?
Yi-Han was not surprised in the least.
<Basics of Blood Magic and Its Applications>
The importance of reagents in magic is undeniable. As the level of magic increases, so does the importance of the reagent, the price of magic. Among the various complex and diverse reagents, a mage's blood is considered the most powerful and ancient. Blood magic uses this blood as a reagent to amplify mana, enabling the use of powerful spells that are otherwise unattainable. Before beginning, it's important to mention safety precautions. The survival rate for novice mages practicing blood magic is less than 5%, but by following these safety rules, it can be increased to 7%. Before using blood magic, eat a hearty meat meal and get plenty of sleep the previous night, and drink as much water as possible before casting...
Yi-Han was surprised for two reasons. First, this wasn't a book of dark magic, but of blood magic. Both sounded sinister just by name, but there was a difference. Dark magic held a respectable place among the empire's famous schools of magic (though it wasn't popular), while blood magic was more a secret technique, a mere auxiliary to magic.
It was a technique that used blood to amplify the amount of mana. Of course, it was quite dangerous, but it was still a legitimate technique. Very dangerous, but… The second reason for Yi-Han's surprise was that the typography of this book was identical to <Basic Lightning Element Magic and Its Applications>.
'Now that I compare them, even the titles are similar.'
Both <Basic Lightning Element Magic and Its Applications> received from Professor Boladi and this book shared similar titles and identical typography.
'At first, I thought Professor Boladi wrote it, but he would never write in such detail. Who then? A disciple?'
"How is it? Wardanaz? Does it interest you?" The Black Tortoise students asked, their expressions anxious. It seemed they were quite concerned about whether the magic book appealed to Yi-Han.
"It's fine."
"!"
"Of course...!" One of the Black Tortoise students nodded happily. They had thought that Wardanaz wouldn't dislike such a dark magic book.
'They're making unnecessary assumptions again.'
Yi-Han's interest in the book was for a simple reason. It was certainly not because of a sense of challenge towards blood magic, a dangerous secret frowned upon by imperial mages.
Yi-Han had no interest in blood magic. Why would he amplify his mana with blood magic when he already had sufficient mana?
His interest lay elsewhere.
Here, the book introduced several spells that were usually difficult to use due to their high mana requirements, but could be executed under the assumption of using blood magic. Most of these spells required so much mana that they were rarely used in the empire, but their effects were undeniably powerful...
Magic, too, had its trends and popularity.
Magic that other mages didn't use would soon be forgotten and disappear.
And spells requiring a lot of mana were bound to be unpopular. After all, who would favor spells that consumed excessive amounts of mana?
But Yi-Han was different.
'I might actually be suited for spells that consume a lot of mana.'
Spells with high mana consumption often didn't require fine control.
He had little interest in blood magic; his curiosity lay in the spells that could only be cast using blood magic.
"Alright. I'll join you."
Yi-Han tucked the book into his cloak. The Black Tortoise students inwardly marveled at how casually he stored the cursed book.
'Truly a scion of the Wardanaz family!'
'Was the rumor true that they train from a young age by enduring curses?'
"But I have a few conditions."
"Speak. If it's within our ability, we'll agree."
"I, too, am exploring the academy, and I need the help of experienced thieves... I mean, friends."
"Did you just say thieves?"
"Wait. Wardanaz."
Salko interrupted his comrade's question.
"The Blue Dragon students are available, aren't they? Do you really need our help?"
Yi-Han was incredulous.
'Well, they can't compare in skill...'
The students of the Black Tortoise, hardened by various criminal activities, versus the Blue Dragon students, who had only lounged around commanding servants! The former was obviously more adept. However, he couldn't say that, considering his friends' pride.
"It might be dangerous."
Salko nodded, as if he expected such a response.
"Not calling your friends because of potential problems. I respect that."
Getting caught roaming the academy at night meant a trip to the punishment room. Wardanaz knew that, so he didn't call his friends from the Blue Dragon.
'But that's not it.'
"If you need help during your exploration, I'll assist."
"Secondly, I would like you to share the map’s information that you have gathered with me."
"..."
After a moment of consideration, Salko nodded. Sharing the map's information with another tower's student was regrettable, but Wardanaz deserved it. And the most important thing now was to serve priest Muhaddin.
"Lastly..." Yi-Han hesitated slightly, causing the Black Tortoise students to tense up. They wondered what the boy from the Wardanaz family might ask, hesitating like this.
"...I'll also take a share of the ingredients found in the kitchen."
"..."
"..."
Was that all he was waiting to say??
As evening fell, the thieves, or rather the students, gathered in front of the main building. Everyone present had roamed the academy at night at least once. Their attire and movements exuded ease and experience.
"Please to meet you, Mr. Wardanaz," Ratford, the most professional thief among them, greeted Yi-Han warmly. It was obvious that the Black Tortoise students would call Ratford for such an occasion.
Yi-Han, returning the greeting, paused.
"Didn't Nilia come?"
"You didn't call her, did you?"
Ratford looked at Yi-Han as if he was making no sense. Yi-Han thought he would have to clarify later.
"Let's go."
Yi-Han didn't want to inflate the Black Tortoise students' fantasies further, but only he and Ratford had been to the underground kitchen before. Naturally, Yi-Han ended up explaining. Even the roughest Black Tortoise student looked at Yi-Han with a slight expression of admiration.
In that brief span, how had they managed to explore the extents of the academy?
"Underground, starting from the food storage, there are various facilities, but a storeroom keeper guards the place."
"The storeroom keeper?"
"A blindfolded blind man, but with exceptional detection abilities. Once you encounter him, evading or hiding becomes nearly impossible."
Salko nodded, focusing intently on Yi-Han's words. Then a question struck him.
'But how did Wardanaz escape?’
If it was impossible, what method did he use?
"When you guys roam around the library or other places and get spotted, how do you shake them off?"
Yi-Han asked, seemingly curious. Yi-Han himself had various methods, starting with a belt of invisibility, but the Black Tortoise students probably didn't have such options.
Did they have a special way?
"One of us would draw their attention and get caught. The rest of us used that moment to escape their sight."
"..."
Yi-Han marveled at the crude method.
It was unsophisticated, but he had to admit, it was effective.
'I should try this if I'm ever with the White Tiger students.'
