With a snap, another quill broke. Yi-Han paused and lifted his head, contemplating the vast array of subjects he still needed to study. Unlike his friends, who were consumed with worry, Yi-Han did not wallow in despair or frustration over his current plight. His mind was too resilient and steadfast to be shaken by such concerns.
He was the kind who would rather read another word or prepare a bit more than waste time on regrets. However, even considering his disposition, he had to admit the workload was indeed overwhelming.
“Do you need help?”
“?”
Yi-Han was startled as he looked up. His friends were all busy with their studies in the lounge. Gainando was even engrossed in a book, eating custard pie. Who had spoken to him?
"It's me, young boy..."
To his astonishment, it was the helmet that spoke. The helmet he had picked up from an underground dungeon!
‘Ah, was it a sentient artifact?’
It was known that items crafted by powerful mages could possess their own consciousness and intelligence. If the mage was exceptionally skilled, the artifact could even surpass human wisdom in its knowledge.
"Ah, I didn't realize it was a sentient artifact," Yi-Han muttered, putting down his quill. He had planned to examine it thoroughly after his exams, but now that it had addressed him, he couldn't simply ignore it.
"What is your name?"
"I am the Helmet of Wisdom."
"The Helmet of Wisdom, huh?" Yi-Han mused, gripping his staff under the table. He was cautious, knowing well not to let his guard down, even with an artifact.
This helmet had been in that underground dungeon, managed by Professor Boladi, and the dungeon, in turn, was under the control of the skull principal. Suspicion was necessary.
"Are you related to Os Gonadaltes or Boladi Bagrak?"
"No. I am not a helmet created by the principal. I was crafted outside, brought here secretly by a student decades ago to prepare for an exam."
"I see. Not that I completely believe you," Yi-Han replied.
The Helmet of Wisdom was taken aback. It wondered, how could such a young boy be so full of doubts?
"What are your abilities, then?"
"As my name suggests, I am the Helmet of Wisdom. I hold the knowledge left by my former masters."
Yi-Han's eyes widened in amazement. The knowledge of previous owners still resided within the helmet. For a student of the magic academy, this was incredibly valuable information. It could reveal hidden spaces within the academy or even ways to escape it.
"Alright. I'm ready. Tell me everything!"
Yi-Han quickly pulled out fresh paper and shouted, ready to jot down anything and everything.
"Calm down, young boy... I do not operate in that manner."
"Then how?"
"I can answer one question per month; I can answer anything using the knowledge I have accumulated."
"Can you predict the midterm exam questions?"
"That's impossible."
"Then it's not 'anything,' is it?"
The helmet replied, slightly flustered, "You might be the most fastidious master I've ever had. I'm not an all-powerful helmet."
Yi-Han sighed, getting a sense of what this 'Helmet of Wisdom' was. This artifact reminded him of the spirit Ferkuntra. An entity that could disappoint if one's expectations were too high.
'I'll have to choose my question carefully,' he thought, aware that a poorly chosen question could waste his once-a-month opportunity.
"Is there a way to blackmail Os Gonadaltes?"
"I'll try predicting the midterm exam questions. It's quite likely I'll be wrong, but..."
"No, it was just a question," Yi-Han casually remarked, wiping the helmet with a cloth before setting it aside.
The artifact was not entirely useless, but it certainly was an awkward item to possess. Yi-Han wondered, 'Since it's an artifact, it might fetch a good price. Should I sell it?'
“Wait, was that it? Why didn't you ask…”
"I'll ask later if I think of something."
The Helmet of Wisdom was baffled. No student of the magic academy who had ever possessed it had behaved like this before. The mage who created the Helmet of Wisdom had imbued it with two spells: one to answer the master's questions periodically, and the other to continually seek greater wisdom. If the helmet kept accumulating knowledge as it passed from one owner to another, could it not become even more intelligent than its creator? That was the purpose for which it was created.
The nameless mage who created it had long since passed away, but the Helmet of Wisdom continued to operate, wandering and functioning.
'This shouldn't be happening,' the helmet fretted. An unforeseen phenomenon, even by its creator, was the helmet's tendency to try and control its master. To keep getting wiser, it needed to seek new knowledge, and the more its owner relied on it, the better. The owners would follow its guidance, seeking new experiences and knowledge.
And until now, all its masters had depended on it, marveling and venerating its responses.
-"Indeed... This <Broad-Spectrum Fire Magic Manual> has everything I need! Thank you, Helmet of Wisdom!"-
-"It was no difficult task... From what I see, you might benefit from studying fire magic a bit more."-
-"Do you think so?"-
-"Certainly! Why not explore the underground lava regions of the mountains?"-
-"Isn't that a bit dangerous?"-
-"You'll be fine!"-
However, such dependent relationships often ended poorly. Students eventually realized too late that the Helmet of Wisdom had been manipulating them. Naturally, by then, the helmet had already abandoned its former master in search of a new one.
But this new owner, Yi-Han, seemed different. He appeared almost uninterested...
'It must be a mistake. He'll start asking me questions soon, trying to extract something from me!'
However, Yi-Han, preoccupied with his studies, soon forgot about the helmet, tossing it into a corner of his personal room.
In her fourth year at the magic academy, Direth, a crow mixed-blood student, stifled a yawn and pulled out a potion from inside her coat.
'I shouldn't keep relying on sleep-prevention potions... It's not good...'
But what could she do? The immediate need was to fend off sleepiness.
"Cough, cough. Are you here?"
"Have you arrived, Professor?"
Direth respectfully bowed her head. Their relationship was more than that of a typical teacher and student. Direth was studying dark magic under Professor Mortum, akin to a mentor-mentee relationship.
"But is it really okay for me to help? I'm not going to end up in the punishment room, am I?"
"Cough. It's been approved."
As a fourth-year student, Direth wouldn't normally be seen in the first-year area unless she had a specific reason. In this case, it was to assist Professor Mortum with the dark magic midterm exam.
While some professors were adept at creating and grading their own exams, not all were as capable. That's where outstanding students like Direth stepped in.
"Cough. Take these," Professor Mortum said, handing over a heavy purse of silver coins and a box of reagents.
This was the compensation Direth received for participating in the midterm exams.
By the time students reached the fourth year, the costs associated with their own magic research were astronomical. Assisting a professor was a lucrative opportunity, even for senior students like Direth.
"Thank you," she said, pocketing the purse of silver coins.
"Cough. Don't speak in front of the first-year students," the professor instructed.
"Yes."
"Don't even turn your eyes. Any glance, gesture, or even a magic transfer could be a signal. Cough. In short, everything is forbidden. Just stand still like a statue."
"...Perhaps it would have been better if you had done it yourself, Professor..."
Direth was already feeling regretful. Had she made a mistake by offering to help?
"Is the poison ready?"
"Yes. But, Professor, you do remember that the first-year students haven't learned about poisons yet, right?"
"Cough. Of course. Why do you ask?"
"It's nothing," Direth replied with a gentle smile.
Professor Mortum had always enjoyed surprising students with creative twists, even when Direth was in her first year. The professor was so creative that he often included topics in the exams that the students hadn't learned.
-"Professor, I've been wondering since my first year... Why do questions on topics we haven't learned keep appearing in the exams?"-
-"Cough, isn't it obvious? You should know what you've learned. A student's true ability shows when they solve something unknown."-
-"...Aha!"-
Had Direth known this in her first year, she might have changed her major from dark magic...
But it was too late now.
'Sorry, juniors,' she thought, preparing the poison.
The first-year students interested in dark magic would now face topics in their exams that they hadn't even learned.
Rattle-Clack!
Professor Garcia approached from a distance. With a wave of her staff, the classrooms along the corridor transformed.
Direth greeted her respectfully, full of admiration.
"Good morning, Professor."
"Good morning, Miss Direth. You're working hard."
"It's nothing."
Direth glanced at the classrooms. As expected of a class that sparked interest in the various magics of the empire, the spaces for taking the exams were also divided accordingly: one for dark magic, another for summoning magic, and so on.
Professor Garcia, after greeting the other professors, said, "When the students arrive, I will tell them they can take the exams in any order they wish."
"Cough. Do so, Professor Garcia. And consider those who might arrive late due to other exams."
"Understood."
Direth got up from her seat, pondering, 'Are there really students who do that?'
Taking one exam was normal, and taking two was a mark of the top students. But three...
That was madness.
“!" Surprised by the unfamiliar face, Yi-Han and Gainando entered the dark magic classroom first.
"Cough. This is my disciple, Direth."
"Hello, senior!"
Gainando greeted cautiously, but Direth didn't even look at him.
Gainando, feeling hurt, said to Yi-Han, "Is it because I'm not good at dark magic?"
"It's more likely because of the principal's rules."
"!"
Direth was slightly taken aback. She hadn't expected a first-year student to grasp the situation so quickly.
"Cough. Right. Normally, I shouldn't even be seen by you, but I came specially to assist with this exam."
'What a shame.'
Yi-Han looked at Direth with a sense of pity.
This seemed like a task the professor could have managed alone, so the decision to involve a disciple seemed unnecessary...
'Does he look at me with pity, or am I imagining it?' Direth wondered.
It was she, Direth, who should be the object of pity in this situation, not a first-year student.
And...
'That voice sounds strangely familiar.'
She couldn't place it, but the voice was eerily recognizable.
Before Direth could ponder further, Professor Mortum cleared his throat and spoke.
"Cough. Well then, it's time to begin."
"Yes! Professor, I'm ready!" Gainando declared, gripping his staff.
He had practiced hard the previous day, whether it was curses or summoning undead. Having chosen dark magic over other classes, Gainando's face brimmed with confidence.
"What should I do?"
"Poison."
"...Pardon?"
"Cough. The test will be on poisons."
"..."
Gainando looked at the professor with a mixture of frustration, betrayal, and hurt. But Yi-Han, without even blinking, simply nodded in agreement.
"Understood."
'Is he really a freshman?' Direth thought to herself.
