"Still, if we're going to be in the same team moving forward, it seems we need to clear up any misunderstandings."
"No!" Dolgyu finally understood. Yi-Han was talking about a misunderstanding, but Dolgyu realized it was not a misunderstanding at all. Yi-Han was always ready to give Jijel a hard time whenever the opportunity arose. Of course, he would claim it was self-defense...
"It'll be fine... probably. I'll relay messages between the two of you... I'd appreciate it if you could do that."
"Oh, Dolgyu. You seem to like the role of messenger."
"..."
Dolgyu was too exhausted to respond.
Several students from the Blue Dragon had come to the front of the <Basic Swordsmanship> classroom. The White Tiger students, with displeased expressions, asked, "What brings you here?"
"We've come to prevent you from collectively attacking Wardanaz!"
"What, what? That's our line!" The White Tiger students felt truly wronged. Although they had struck first, if they compared the blows, Wardanaz had overwhelmingly outmatched them.
However, the Blue Dragon students didn't listen to such excuses. They made threatening noises, but upon Yi-Han's arrival, they quickly grabbed his arms and pulled him away.
"Hurry! We don't know what those guys might pull off."
"It should be fine."
"We're here to protect you, Wardanaz, especially with the summoned creatures being loose!"
Yi-Han was dragged away without even properly greeting Dolgyu.
'I'm really fine.'
The Blue Dragon students kept a vigilant eye out as they said, "Be careful, Wardanaz. Those from the White Tiger are like beasts."
"Isn't the next class Alchemy? Let's go together."
Yonaire looked puzzled at Yi-Han being dragged by their friends.
"Why are you being dragged here by the arms?"
"Maykin! You can't be so careless about safety! The outside of the tower is unconditionally dangerous!"
'I think Yi-Han could beat all of you...' Yonaire, knowing Yi-Han's skills, looked on with a mix of amusement and disbelief.
"That's right. The situation is indeed very dangerous."
"The unparalleled genius celebrated by the Flameng Order, the master of Alchemy, Priestess Siana. It's been a while."
Yi-Han spoke, his arms still held by his friends.
'Unparalleled genius?'
'Master of Alchemy?'
The Blue Dragon students were puzzled. They knew Priestess Siana was skilled in Alchemy, but was she that renowned?
Priestess Siana smiled pleasantly and offered a flask, saying, "This is a monster repellant potion I've made. Wardanaz of the Wardanaz family, please take it and use it. When sprayed, it emits a scent that monsters dislike."
"I'm truly touched by such a wonderful gift."
Arriving late, Nillia whispered in confusion, "Why do you speak so formally in front of Priestess Siana?"
"Nillia. To survive in society in the Empire, one must act like this..."
"??"
Nillia didn't understand. Yi-Han didn't expect her to grasp it immediately.
'Anyway, I'm grateful.'
Yi-Han carefully took the monster repellant potion. Considering that summoned creatures were roaming the academy premises in the third week of the semester, they might enter the dormitories by the fifth week. And perhaps by the seventh week, demons might appear at the academy...
"Everyone, take your seats."
Professor Uregor yawned as he opened the door of the Gaksu Pavilion and entered. The students, suppressing their hatred, greeted him.
"Have you completed the potions?"
"Yes (Thanks to you, it was hard)."
"Of course (We'll see about that someday)."
Despite lacking the ability of heart-reading, Yi-Han seemed to hear the true feelings hidden in the students' words.
"What? You've completed it all? Are you sure you're not mistaken?"
Professor Uregor asked in a voice full of disappointment. Priestess Siana responded curtly.
"We had to brainstorm together because there seemed to be a problem with the method you taught us, Professor."
"Why would you do that? You all don't get along with each other!"
"..."
"..."
With a comment that could inadvertently unite even the most discordant students, Professor Uregor grumbled.
"Anyway, you all worked hard. By successfully creating a <Lesser Spirit Affinity Potion> from start to finish, you can now truly say you've taken your first steps as novice alchemists. Of course, the results won't be perfect."
Professor Uregor picked up a flask submitted by the students, opened it, and waved a strangely moving twig above it. A faint, candle-like flame barely caught on the twig.
"See? The potion's power is weak, isn't it?"
He huffed and extinguished the flame. Then, he opened another flask and shook the twig again. A similarly faint flame briefly appeared. Professor Uregor looked very pleased as he put out the flame.
However, the next flask caused a flame so intense that it nearly burnt the twig completely. Professor Uregor, hastily pulling back his beard to avoid the fire, glared at Yi-Han with a resentful look.
Yi-Han felt extremely unjustly treated.
'It's not my fault he didn't check the label on the potion bottle...!'
"Of course, there are well-made potions, but it's too early to be arrogant. Getting cocky just because of a bit of luck could lead to serious trouble."
Asan seemed deeply impressed by the professor's words and nodded. Yi-Han wanted to warn him not to be fooled but had no chance to do so.
"Now then..."
Professor Uregor swung his staff, opening all the flasks' stoppers to check the flames. Simultaneously, a floating quill rapidly wrote down numbers. Yi-Han saw a '10' written next to his name, signifying a perfect score.
-10. What a boring guy.-
"..."
Is it really okay for a professor to be like this?
"Today, we'll practice an important element of alchemy: spirits. A skilled alchemist must not only finish potions but also obsess over enhancing their effects. The easiest way among these methods is... using spirits."
Professor Uregor clenched and unclenched his fist. On his palm appeared a cute rabbit, as if made from gathered snowflakes.
All the students gasped in awe.
Yi-Han suddenly turned his gaze to his waist. The bone summon tied to his belt rattled as if asking what was going on.
'Hmm. There's a reason why true dark magic isn't popular.'
"This is my frequently used ice spirit, Mr. Rabbit. He might look small and cute but don't underestimate him. He alone can obliterate all of you here."
Mr. Rabbit nodded with a prideful emotion. The students were quite flustered.
He doesn't look like that at all...
"Don't think you'll start with a spirit like this. It's too much for your level."
Contracting with a spirit was similar to taking out a loan from a bank. First, one must become friendly with lower spirits and improve their credit rating in the spirit world to contract with more powerful spirits.
"Don't even think about being so presumptuous as to attempt a contract all at once. First, think about becoming friends with the spirits. The only way to befriend them is with sincerity and dedication. If you approach with arrogance, the spirits will quickly realize it."
The students diligently took notes of Professor Uregor's words, focusing intently.
Truthfully, this was the most intriguing lesson they had heard so far. Compared to dangerous tasks like collecting materials in the mountains or timing ingredients in an exploding cauldron, 'befriending spirits' seemed like a very exciting and romantic assignment.
Yes, this was what they wanted!
Professor Uregor drew a magic circle, scattering gems and potions in every corner of the classroom. For mages to connect to the spirit world, it was best to try in places with good mountains and water, where the spirit energy was strong. Drawing this magic circle with gems and potions was an attempt to amplify the spirit's energy.
"Drink the potion."
The students, filled with anticipation, drank the potion. Yi-Han also drank his potion.
"Now, go and meet the spirits."
With a swing of his staff, Professor Uregor initiated the process. Instantly, Yi-Han's vision darkened.
Yi-Han recognized this landscape. It was similar to the scene shown by the black book given by the skeletal principal.
The difference was, while the black book forcibly trained him in magic by dragging his mind into an imaginary landscape, Professor Uregor had sent him to the spirit world to meet the spirits forcibly.
'Such a surreal scene.'
On one side was a blazing lava mine, and on the other, a snowstorm raged in icy mountains.
He had clearly landed near the territories of the fire and ice spirits in the vast spirit world.
Not bad at all.
Both the fire and ice spirits were useful. Fire spirits were handy for boiling soup or frying eggs, and ice spirits helped keep meat fresh...
'What am I thinking?'
Yi-Han shook his head to regain his senses. Befriending spirits had nothing to do with one's lineage or magic prowess. It was solely about dedication.
As Professor Uregor said, Yi-Han didn't even think of forming a contract at once.
If he kept trying consistently with sincerity, eventually a spirit would reach out to him.
"!"
Yi-Han blinked. A puppy spirit made of fireballs was happily bounding across the scorched earth.
Carefully, Yi-Han called out to the puppy, "Might you be the noble Mr. Fire Puppy Spirit?"
Yi-Han knew well that when uncertain of the other's identity, it was best to attach any grand-sounding titles that seemed fitting.
The Fire Puppy Spirit looked back at him with an expression that seemed to say, 'What kind of lunatic spouts such nonsense?'
Kwang!!!!!! Kwakwang!!!
"??!"
And then it ran off at an insane speed, almost as if terrified.
"..."
Yi-Han was baffled.
What did I do?!
"Mr. Fire Puppy Spirit! Please come back, Mr. Fire Puppy Spirit!"
No matter how desperately he called, the spirit did not return. Yi-Han wondered if his titles had been too overwhelming.
'Well, being spirits, they might prefer something simpler.'
Upon spotting a Flame Pigeon Spirit, Yi-Han approached a bit more modestly.
"Mr. Flame Pigeon?"
The Flame Pigeon Spirit, squawking like a mad creature, flew off in a frenzy. By this point, Yi-Han began to feel a sense of alienation.
...Huh?
One by one, the students emerged from the spirit world. Although only a few seconds had passed in reality, they were all noisy, each eagerly sharing their experiences.
"Did you see it too!? I made eye contact with a carp spirit in the lake! It didn't run away even though I kept talking to it, so I think we connected a bit!"
"If it didn't run away while I was petting it, that's a good sign, right?"
Professor Uregor plugged his ears with his fingers, frowning at the noisy chatter of the students.
"Enough, enough! Save the chatter for your towers. Anyway, you all must have realized how difficult it is to befriend spirits in the spirit world. Try to make efforts to connect with spirits in the spirit world whenever you have time outside of lectures. The help of spirits can be a considerable aid in alchemy."
"Yes!"
As the students stood up and walked out with satisfied expressions, Professor Uregor called Yi-Han aside. He was curious about Yi-Han's experience in the spirit world.
'Kid. No matter how talented you are, the spirits won't easily listen to you before befriending them.'
"How was it?"
"It's a big problem."
Professor Uregor smiled contentedly.
That's the way!
Freshman alchemists should be like this!
"What happened? The spirits didn't listen to you?"
"They all ran away as soon as they saw me."
"...?"
