"I said beef. Beef, Professor Garcia!"
"...Have you really changed your personality?"
Before Professor Garcia's eyes could shift to contempt, Professor Parsellet swiftly and frantically explained the recent events.
Consequently, Professor Garcia's expression changed as well.
"Really? That's impressive!"
"Why such a reaction?"
Professor Parsellet was slightly flustered. The response was too mild for her liking.
"Ah... I'm sorry."
Professor Garcia looked embarrassed.
Having seen other professors react with astonishment numerous times, Garcia's reaction was not as surprised as Parsellet had anticipated.
While Parsellet might think, 'What is this? A genius?!', Garcia's reaction was more like, 'Oh, so it happened again...'
"I've heard a few times in other lectures how impressive it was."
"This is different from that!"
Professor Parsellet spoke with a voice full of injustice, so much so that another personality almost burst forth.
"It's different from just starting a fire well or casting curses well..."
"Was it not the same in other classes... Is there a problem?"
At Professor Garcia's words, Parsellet hesitated.
Separate from her feelings of injustice, there was indeed a problem.
"There is one."
"What kind?"
"I'm not sure how to deal with it."
"Ah."
Professor Garcia immediately understood what the other was saying.
Professor Parsellet was known among the faculty for her laissez-faire teaching style.
The students she had taught divination magic to had chosen to study under her after they had discovered their talents on their own, rather than being directly nurtured by Parsellet.
"Ah. Well, divination magic is especially hard to spot talent in... Maybe you could pay more attention to it?"
"How?"
"Teach more powerful and complex divination spells..."
"No. It's dangerous."
Professor Parsellet replied irritably.
There's an adage that a talented mage is more dangerous.
This was especially true in the realm of divination magic.
No matter how strong one's intuition and inspiration, or how well one pays the magic cost, danger never completely disappears.
Even if only once in a thousand attempts, paying a different cost could be fatal for a mage.
Even experienced and skilled mages make mistakes, let alone the younger ones.
"That makes sense. Then how about treating him like you usually treat your other students?"
"What if he loses interest in divination magic and stops caring?"
"Uh..."
Professor Garcia was at a loss for words.
Not because it was hard to answer the statement, but because it was surprising to hear such a thing from Parsellet.
Normally, Parsellet would have coldly said, 'If they lose interest or stop caring, then that's the end of our connection.'
"Isn't that how it should be?"
"How can you say that, Professor Garcia? Even if he stop learning divination magic, how could you?"
"...I, I'm sorry."
Professor Garcia apologized, feeling unjustly accused.
'To think she always says that...'
"I may seem indifferent, but I don't completely neglect nurturing my students."
"I know."
Garcia knew that although Parsellet appeared indifferent to taking on or seeking new students, once she accepted a student, she took very good care of them.
Parsellet's seemingly indifferent attitude might have been due to the nature of divination magic itself.
"Though I might cause a fuss whenever my personality changes."
"Ah. That's certainly a bit..."
"..."
At Professor Garcia's absent-minded reply, Professor Parsellet's lips protruded in a pout.
"With such talent in divination magic, it's impossible not to refine it."
"That's true..."
"Why?"
"It's nothing."
A thought briefly crossed Professor Garcia's mind, 'Haven't I heard similar things from other professors?' but it quickly faded away.
"How about Professor Garcia teach him in a way that keeps his interest?"
"What nonsense are you talking about?"
Professor Garcia replied sternly.
No matter how indebted she was to Professor Parsellet, that was out of the question.
"But still..."
"Don't worry about it."
Sensing the conversation drifting in a strange direction, Professor Garcia answered decisively.
"Yi-Han is an exceptionally diligent student, so even if he just repeats simple magic, he won't lose interest or discontinue his involvement."
"Really?"
"Yes, really. If Yi-Han ever loses interest in divination magic or stops caring, I'll consult with you about it. Okay?"
Upon hearing this assurance from Professor Garcia, Professor Parsellet's face lit up with relief.
After seeing off the joyful professor, Professor Garcia paused mid-step.
'Oops.'
A realization came belatedly.
'The lecture Yi-Han is currently attending...'
Yi-Han was already involved in a significant amount of magic.
'Sorry, Yi-Han!'
I should have intervened...!
"Professor! Look! The cabbage is alive!!!"
"Yes, yes."
Professor Uregor was overwhelmed by the fervor Yi-Han showed.
The same boy who would leave an exam with a perfect score and a calm demeanor was now joyously exclaiming over a living cabbage in the garden...
"Frost-kissed cabbage tastes better. That's great."
"I thought it was dead after being buried under snow for nearly a week."
"!"
Professor Uregor was startled by this revelation.
Engrossed in Yi-Han's joy, he had overlooked the fact that vegetables buried under snow for a week being alive was extraordinary.
Even with the power of a staff given by a tree spirit...
'Did his magic amplify the staff's life force?'
"Your magic amplified the staff's life force."
"Indeed."
Yi-Han casually responded and continued to brush snow off the vegetables and put them in a basket.
"That's not something to respond to so casually!"
"Oh. Is it not?"
Yi-Han, holding a potato, looked puzzled.
Wasn't it just that his magic harmonized well with the tree spirit's staff, amplifying its life force?
"Technically yes, but..."
Professor Uregor felt frustrated that the student before him was only a first-year.
Any other mage would have reacted, 'You mean I amplified the power of a staff given by a spirit? Even with strong magic, how?'
After all, unconsciously amplifying the power of an artifact given by another being was significant!
"...Fine. Just know that it's impressive. But seeing how much you care for it, Professor Willow must be pleased."
"Professor Willow?"
Yi-Han turned at the mention of the botany professor, Professor Willow.
Professor Uregor was puzzled by the reaction.
"Have you met her? Professor Willow doesn't usually teach first-year students?"
'Oops.'
"I happened to meet her once."
"Yes. Professor Willow is an admirable person."
True to the stereotype of an alchemy professor, Professor Uregor praised Professor Willow.
An alchemist in need of ingredients was inevitably indebted to a botanist.
"It's not just because you've met Professor Willow, but she really is an exceptional person. Her character, her knowledge of trees..."
"I understand, Professor. I'll be sure to convey your message."
Seeing his astute student's response, Professor Uregor wiped under his nose with an awkward expression. It was embarrassing for a teacher when the student was too brilliant.
While Yi-Han was busy clearing the snow from the garden and chopping the harvested vegetables, frying them in oil, and boiling them with broth, Professor Uregor sat at a table in front of his cabin, idly scribbling with a quill.
Yi-Han, who came out with a pot of vegetable soup seasoned with salt and pepper, containing cabbage, potatoes, onions, and carrots, looked puzzled at Professor Uregor.
"What are you doing?"
"Is it ready? Let me see... Ah, you could even become a chef."
"That's too high a praise."
"No, I'm serious."
"Being a chef can't be that easy."
"I really mean it..."
Professor Uregor was indeed sincere. He had noticed Yi-Han's cooking skills improving each time.
"So, what were you doing?"
"Oh, this letter? You'll find out soon enough."
Professor Uregor waved his staff, and the completed letters transformed and started flying towards their respective towers.
"You might have heard, but Professor Garcia had gathered people to catch a monster summoned in the deep parts of the library."
"...Really?"
Yi-Han, taking a spoonful of soup, paused abruptly. A sense of foreboding suddenly enveloped him.
"Now that we can take out the needed books, I've sent messages to the students to fetch them."
"..."
Meanwhile, students inside the tower stared in confusion at the notice pinned on the wall.
A list of books to be fetched from the library:
-Introduction to Basic Mineralogy-
-Edible Plants from the central part of the Empire-
-Mages who Survived Poison-
-Great Alchemical Visions Born from Failure-
…
Signed, Uregor Gumdar
Shockingly, this was just the beginning. Notices from other professors began flying in through the windows.
"Let's... close the windows!"
The students were so flustered that even Gainando's suggestion seemed appealing.
"Still, there's no need for every student to fetch a book. One per tower should suffice."
As Professor Uregor spoke with a benevolent expression, Yi-Han regretted not poisoning the soup he had made earlier.
"...But the books won't be too deep inside, right?"
"Who knows? Normally they're near the entrance, but the Einrograd Library is always changing... If you're unlucky, you might have to go deeper."
"...It won't be too dangerous, right?"
"It's dangerous. Better to go in together."
"...The soup seems to have cooled. I'll reheat it."
"Hold on. You're not planning to poison it, are you?"
"Why would I do that?"
"Stay put. I'll cook this time."
Professor Uregor stood up, blocking his student. He couldn't let his guard down around this unpredictable student.
“Congratulations.”
"???"
“The monster in the library has been captured.”
"Ah..."
The students felt overwhelmed by the skull principal's congratulations.
Such an understatement...
“You must be brainstorming about fetching the books. Let me help.”
"Really? You're going to lend us the books...?"
The student who spoke out of turn was silenced by a spell. The skull principal spoke sharply.
“A mage should teach how to catch a fish, not just give one. Never speak such nonsense again.”
'It seems more like you're tying a stone to our ankles and pushing us into water.'
"How then do you propose to help us?"
“A good question. Today's <Basic Magic Character Education> class is canceled. Instead, everyone should return to their towers and prepare.
"What kind of preparation?"
“Preparation for entering the library. This will be everyone's first dungeon.”
"But that's not true. I went there before with Yi-Han."
Gainando was silenced by a spell. The skull principal glared at Yi-Han.
'It's not my fault.'
Yi-Han felt unjustly accused.
It was Professor Uregor who had instructed him!
“Once everyone is ready, they can enter the library. Hurry, before it gets too dark.”
One student, seemingly confused, raised a hand to ask.
"Are you going to enter with us?"
“Am I the student, or are you? Why would I?”
"...?"
"So, how are you going to help us? Oh, maybe you're providing equipment or food..."
“I'll postpone all the classes scheduled until tomorrow evening. This will allow everyone to focus on the library.”
"..."
The students, perhaps moved by the skull principal's grace, were rendered speechless.
