With a darkened expression, Salko slowly opened his mouth.
"The magic I intended to teach you is the <Tutanta Family's Rock Disintegration>."
"No. If such magic existed, why didn't you tell me earlier?"
"..."
"Why is that?"
"It's nothing."
In that moment, Yi-Han seemed to hear the sound of teeth grinding.
Anyway, the <Tutanta Family's Rock Disintegration> was renowned for its efficiency and exceptional effects among other disintegration magics.
Even if magic produced the same result, it varied greatly depending on its structure, process, and incantation.
As such, choosing the right magic for the same outcome was an important matter. One had to consider how it matched their aptitude, in which situations it would primarily be used, and so forth.
In relatively simple lower circle magic, such considerations were unnecessary, but they became essential as one advanced to higher levels.
-In this situation, you must use <Wardanaz Family's Water Hydra Summoning>!
-You fool! Your magic skills bring me to tears! There's no need to use such expensive magic! A simple <Giant Water Serpent Summoning> would suffice!-
-With such a level of magic, it's impossible to resolve this burning lava crisis!-
"Is that so? I've heard of the Tutanta Family's reputation. To be taught magic from such a family. Is that alright?"
"...Yes."
Salko replied after a long silence. Yi-Han wondered if he was so troubled because he was teaching the family's magic.
'After all, teaching a family's magic wouldn't be a pleasing task.'
Though he had decided to teach it, his concerns were unavoidable.
Yi-Han nodded, understanding Salko's dilemma. Of course, Salko didn't notice this at all.
"Now, the incantation goes like this."
Salko detailed the incantation, movements, and necessary materials (a handful of the rock to be disintegrated) of <Tutanta Family's Rock Disintegration>, as well as the detailed process.
The elves of the Tutanta Family had memorized it far more detailedly and thoroughly than any magic tome. Thanks to this, Yi-Han easily understood what this magic was.
...Of course, that didn't mean mastering the magic was easy.
'What is this?'
Yi-Han felt a throbbing pain in his head.
Apart from his mana, it was a headache akin to the exhaustion of concentration after using complex magic repeatedly.
This <Tutanta Family's Rock Disintegration> was of such high difficulty.
Despite several attempts, the headache was too much to bear. Yi-Han paused for a moment.
"Tutanta. How long did it take you to learn this magic?"
"I haven't learned it yet."
"...?"
Yi-Han was momentarily baffled.
This guy?
'No. That can't be right.'
"So, this magic isn't that difficult, is it? What circle does it belong to?"
Yi-Han expected it to be about 2nd circle, or at most 3rd circle, being very generous.
"..."
However, when faced with Yi-Han's question, Salko hesitated.
Then he replied.
"It's... 4th circle."
"..."
Yi-Han looked sternly at Salko.
Was this guy trying to assassinate him in a different way since he couldn't defeat him head-on?
Salko truly had no intention of assassinating Yi-Han.
It would be inhuman to do such a thing after leading the students of the Black Tortoise through the labyrinth.
‘Why would I do that?’
...Salko had simply failed to consider the danger of teaching Wardanaz a 4th circle magic.
He himself couldn't understand why.
Why indeed? Before pondering whether it was appropriate to teach the family's magic, he should have first considered whether it was suitable to teach such magic to a first-year student...
"Yes, Salko."
To alleviate the growing tension, Yi-Han spoke up.
"Perhaps this <Tutanta Family's Rock Disintegration> is on the easier side among the 4th circle magics? That's why you taught it to me."
Not all magic of the same circle had the same difficulty level.
If this magic was considered among the easiest in the 4th circle, then his decision to teach it made sense.
"No, Wardanaz. <Tutanta Family's Rock Disintegration> is among the hardest in the 4th circle. I've even heard it's harder than some 5th circle magics..."
"Uh, Tutanta. Maybe now's not the best time to say that."
Nillia advised cautiously. Tutanta also realized his mistake and closed his mouth.
Of course, the atmosphere had already become more awkward.
"..."
"..."
As Yi-Han and Tutanta fell into a silent impasse, only Nillia felt terribly uncomfortable in their midst.
"...Look! The stairs to the 4th floor! Over there!"
"The stairs to the 4th floor."
"Stairs to the 4th floor."
"Speaking of 4th floor, it reminds me of 4th circle magic... Oops. Nevermind."
"...I'm sorry, Wardanaz."
Salko apologized.
He never imagined that teaching the Tutanta Family's magic would require an apology.
"No, Tutanta. It happens."
'Have they become a bit distant?'
Nillia felt like the space between Yi-Han and Tutanta had slightly widened.
Whoosh!
"!"
As soon as they reached the 4th floor corridor, a ghost monster emitting a sharp cry charged down the hallway.
The students were all startled and tried to flee back down the stairs.
"Go down..."
Bang!
But there was no need.
A blazing white beam of light flashed and struck the ghost monster, causing it to vanish instantly.
Yi-Han could hear faint voices from afar.
-Quick, get away! They're freshmen!-
-This one escaped...! Why did they come up to the 4th floor?!-
-It's midterms period!-
'They could've hidden better.'
The senior students of the magic academy had come up to the 4th floor to catch the escaped ghost monster.
The incident had happened so quickly that the other students seemed unaware.
"Is... is it gone?"
"Are we safe?"
The 4th floor corridor, now ghost-free, was quiet and peaceful.
This was, in fact, how a normal academy corridor should be.
'The Beetle Classroom, that was it.'
Yi-Han walked slowly, checking the classrooms along the corridor.
The Griffin Classroom, the Maykin Family Classroom (it was evident they had generously sponsored its construction in the year it was built), the Beer Candy Classroom, the Burning Red Flag Strike Team Classroom...
And the Beetle Classroom.
"!!!"
The students' eyes widened in surprise.
They had struggled to make it up to the 4th floor, but none had expected to find the classroom so quickly.
"Is it... this easy?"
"Honestly... it wasn't easy."
The students cautiously opened the door to the classroom.
Inside, an undead summon awaited them, ready to welcome the students.
-Welcome! Please take your seats.-
"...Who are you?"
-I am a summon serving the principal. Please, take your seats.-
Yi-Han and his friends hesitated before dispersing to take their seats. Then, papers and quill pens appeared before the students.
-Now, please solve the problems. Once you are done, you may submit your work and leave.-
'This is surprisingly normal, shockingly so.'
Having encountered nothing but abnormalities thus far, the appearance of a normal exam was startling in its own right.
Yi-Han gripped the examination paper.
His mind had been preoccupied with reaching the 4th floor, but in reality, the true test was not in finding the exam location but in solving the problems it presented.
The first question. Write the full name of the principal.
The second question. In what year did the principal develop the magic <Glory of the Dead Sun>?
The third question. In what year did the principal expand the Black Darkness Hall of the magic academy...
"..."
Nillia bit her quill with a look of headache.
'Do I really need to memorize everything the principal did? How is that related to character education?'
Though internally she grumbled, what choice did she have as a student but to solve the problems.
"Can't we just research this and come back?"
"If you revisit, the questions will be different."
"..."
The Black Tortoise students returned to their examination papers in silence.
Nillia inadvertently glanced towards Yi-Han, curious about how Wardanaz was faring.
Shasha-shasha-shak!
"...?!"
Nillia was astonished.
Yi-Han was relentlessly moving his quill pen.
'Did he get a different exam from me?'
But that couldn't be the case.
Astonishingly, Wardanaz was unwaveringly writing down the correct answers to such an absurd exam.
His continuous movement of the quill without a single pause was almost miraculous.
'Wardanaz... Did I just not study enough?'
Feeling suddenly anxious, Nillia looked around.
The other Black Tortoise students were staring at Yi-Han with similar expressions of disbelief.
'How could he...?'
'He studied even this? There's only so much time...'
'How much did he study?'
As all the other students paused their actions to stare at Yi-Han, the undead summon spoke up.
-Students. Cheating is…-
"No, it's not that."
"It's a misunderstanding."
The students quickly averted their gazes.
Nillia returned her focus to the exam paper. The questions were as daunting as before, but she felt somewhat relieved.
'It's not just me who doesn't know!'
Yi-Han finished his answers and stood up.
About half of the students who came with him had already disappeared.
'I'm later than I thought. Well, the questions were easy.'
Of course, those who had left earlier had decided to give up on the questions and come back after further study.
No one else, except Yi-Han, had completed and left.
However, Yi-Han could not have known this.
Descending from the 4th to the 3rd floor, and then to the 2nd, he opened the door to the 1st floor main building and stepped outside, where darkness had already enveloped the surroundings.
In the distance, an ominous bell tolled.
Though he had heard the bell announcing the time several times before, today's bell sounded somewhat different...
“Students. Welcome to the examination period! May you all have a painfully challenging week! And those who are drunk had better sober up quickly!”
"..."
At the sound of the skull principal's voice echoing throughout the academy, Yi-Han sighed.
He had finished one exam, but it seemed like a hellish week was still ahead.
"Perfect score."
"..."
Yi-Han was surprised to find himself feeling relieved at the sight of Professor Boladi's face.
Could it be a case of Stockholm Syndrome?
‘Damn. The other professors have been so crazy that Professor Boladi seems like the better option.’
As hoped, Professor Boladi didn't assign any complicated exams or tasks.
He simply asked Yi-Han to cast a few water elemental spells, then cleanly awarded him a perfect score.
...In reality, Yi-Han had completed these spells through hard work before the midterms...
Unfortunately, Yi-Han failed to realize this.
"Mage Eumidiphos spoke highly of you."
"Yes. It seems she thinks too kindly of me."
Yi-Han wasn't surprised.
Given the relationship between Eumidiphos and Professor Boladi, it would have been strange if they hadn't exchanged information about him.
"She said you defeated Ogonin."
"...Did she mention that?"
Eumidiphos wasn't even there, was she?
"Professor Kirmin Ku told her."
"Ah."
Yi-Han inwardly cursed Professor Kirmin.
He had helped a friend, only to be repaid in this manner.
He was disappointed that his relationship with Professor Boladi, which he had thought was a positive one, was being viewed in such a light.
"Illusion magic is a tricky opponent in magic combat. It's good you won't have to waste time learning how to counter it."
"Thank... you?"
Professor Boladi's words were a confusing mix of praise and a possible insult to illusion magic.
"Let's go."
"Excuse me? Where to?"
At Yi-Han's question, Professor Boladi looked at him as if he had just asked the world's most foolish question.
"The dungeon."
"..."
