The spirits did not unconditionally welcome guests.
Though they did not speak, spirits had their own personalities and preferences.
Naturally, there were guests that even the spirits feared.
Professor Thunderstep recalled a story he had heard before.
It was about a mage who had no interest in spirits until he became a Grand Mage and decided to summon one by contacting the spirit realm.
While it was easy for him to make contact due to his magical prowess, the spirits did not like him.
The intense aura emanating from his soul frightened them.
Those who had lived tumultuous lives—veteran mercenaries, swordsmen who had defeated dozens of opponents—inevitably had souls that changed in color.
From Professor Thunderstep's perspective, it was hard to understand why a mage who had mastered countless secrets would be treated the same as those people... but what could he do? The spirits disliked him.
That’s why it was better to befriend spirits from a young age.
The older one got, the harder it became to form such bonds.
“But why me?”
“Perhaps the spirits sensed your relentless thoroughness?”
“......”
“Just kidding. It’s probably because of your mana capacity.”
Even if Yi Han were from the Wodanaz family, it was unlikely he had killed someone to get into the academy.
The only thing left to consider was his mana capacity.
A mana capacity so overwhelming that even ordinary spirits couldn’t help but be intimidated!
“Fortunately, there’s a way to solve this. The Grand Mage from the story I mentioned eventually succeeded in befriending a spirit.”
“Oh? What method did he use?”
“He used magic to forcibly capture the spirit and then befriended it.”
“... But aren’t spirits usually stronger in the spirit realm?”
Just as beasts are stronger in their own territory, fighting a spirit in the spirit realm was a life-threatening endeavor.
“There is that minor issue. Anyway, do your best!”
“......”
Yi Han wasn’t disappointed.
Disappointing him would only make Professor Thunderstep happy.
‘Next time I go to the cabin, I’ll steal more food and bring it back.’
Fortunately, his friends worried about Yi Han’s misfortune as if it were their own.
“This is a serious problem. Yi Han of the Wodanaz family.”
“??”
The students of the Blue Dragon Tower were so natural about it that for a moment, Priest Siana thought they were fellow tower students.
‘Since when have you been here?’
‘I don’t know...’
“Sometimes, misunderstandings with spirits cause certain individuals to be feared by them. Our church has had such cases before.”
“Is there no way to resolve this?”
At Yonell’s question, Priest Siana pondered deeply.
“If the spirits avoid you out of fear when you enter the spirit realm... one method is to meet and befriend them in the real world first. If you gain their recognition or friendship and receive a mark, their wariness may ease.”
Yi Han looked at the wooden staff he was holding.
...
Come to think of it, this is a staff imbued with a wood spirit, isn’t it?
Yi Han sighed inwardly.
It seemed the wood spirit’s staff wouldn’t solve the problem.
“Is there no other way? Does the Flameng Church have any...?”
“Our church often uses potions to resolve such issues.”
As a church of alchemy, the Flameng Church relied on alchemy for solutions.
Yi Han’s face lit up at Priest Siana’s words.
“Can potions really solve this?”
“Of course.”
The potion he had drunk during Professor Thunderstep’s lecture was also a spirit affinity potion.
It made it easier to contact the spirit realm and allowed one to stay there longer.
Since that was a low-grade potion, using a more potent one could erase the spirits’ fear and even make one appear more attractive to them.
“Ohh...!”
“I can’t believe that’s possible!”
The Blue Dragon Tower students were amazed.
The Flameng Church’s reputation was well-deserved.
Yonell also spoke with eyes full of anticipation.
“I’ve heard that among the Flameng Church’s secret potions, there are some specialized for spirits...”
“You’re very well-informed, Yonell of the Meikin family. I’ve helped create one of those secret potions before. If you wish, I can make it for you.”
Priest Siana spoke kindly.
Though it was a secret of the Flameng Church, they were willing to share it with those who respected the church’s greatness, like the boy from the Wodanaz family.
That was the Flameng Church’s philosophy.
“If it’s completed, could we also...?”
“Of course.”
Priest Siana nodded at the Blue Dragon Tower students’ cautious request.
Once completed, sharing it with other students wouldn’t be difficult.
“However, a significant amount of materials is required. Here, take a look.”
Priest Siana took out a piece of paper and began writing down the necessary materials with a quill.
Even as she wrote quickly, the list filled up in no time.
Galphirinaycin flowers, Dung Beetle Ruby, Transformed Jade...
“Can we really gather all of this?”
“It might be difficult to find them directly, but there’s a way. Professor Thunderstep’s laboratory on the upper floor of the Horned Hall should have everything listed here.”
“......”
“...?”
Yi Han, who had been quietly listening, was stunned for the first time.
...
What does this mean?
‘Ah, she must mean to get Professor Thunderstep’s permission.’
Yi Han reflected.
Priest Siana wasn’t Yi Han, so she wouldn’t suggest stealing, right?
“If you’re all determined, I’ll sneak into the laboratory with you and bring out the materials.”
“......”
Yi Han was horrified.
No... no...!
But the other Blue Dragon Tower students were deeply moved.
“Priest Siana!”
“I used to wonder why the Wodanaz family praised you so much, but now I understand!”
“You are the light and salt of the empire!”
Yi Han, trying to calm his frenzied friends, asked,
“Priest Siana, I’m grateful for your words, but isn’t that method a bit... dangerous?”
“But Yi Han of the Wodanaz family, this is something even the school encourages.”
“......”
That’s true!
Yi Han couldn’t refute it.
It was a fact that the Skeleton Headmaster had encouraged such actions.
Priest Siana smiled, her snake-like pupils narrowing.
“Oh dear, you’re worried about me, aren’t you? But it’s fine. Yi Han of the Wodanaz family, you’ve wandered the school at night countless times and never been caught, right?”
“That’s true for Wodanaz.”
The Blue Dragon Tower students were as proud as if it were their own achievement.
Asan wiped under his nose, feeling embarrassed on Yi Han’s behalf.
“Even if we’re caught, we won’t resent you at all.”
“We feel the same, Wodanaz.”
“... Thank you so much.”
“What’s there to thank for?”
Aside from his friends’ camaraderie, Yi Han had to admit that Priest Siana’s suggestion was tempting.
Why did the bank robbers in stories always insist on one big score instead of retiring? Because one big score could make life easier.
Professor Thunderstep’s laboratory was the same.
‘Looking ahead to the semester, alchemy class is likely to become a hell of assignments.’
Not just alchemy, but other classes could also turn into assignment hell at any moment.
If they secured a large amount of alchemy materials, they could handle such assignments more flexibly.
One big score...!
Poke poke
“?”
Yi Han turned his head.
Nillia was poking his side.
Seeing her, Yi Han snapped out of it.
‘Ah, was I getting carried away with crazy thoughts?’
“What is it, Nillia?”
“... This time, don’t leave me out and only take Rathford, seriously.”
“......”
Yi Han looked up at the sky.
Regardless of Yi Han’s complicated feelings, the magic school’s sky was clear and blue, without a single cloud.
Even if summoned creatures escaped within the school or professors pondered how to torment students with assignments, some things never changed.
One of them was Professor Voladi’s teaching style.
Thud!
‘Ugh.’
Another ball pierced his defense and struck his back.
Yi Han gritted his teeth.
Though Yi Han had grown accustomed to it, he couldn’t keep up with Professor Voladi’s control.
The unpredictable paths created by twisting the ball left, right, up, and down, followed by precise strikes at weak points, carried a terrifying pressure only those who experienced it firsthand could understand.
Moreover, the penetrating power was extraordinary.
If Yi Han loosened the water ball’s cohesion even slightly, Professor Voladi would notice instantly and attempt to pierce through.
“You’re not focusing.”
“I am.”
Yi Han was focusing.
It was just that Professor Voladi kept raising the difficulty.
It wasn’t that his skills weren’t improving, but every time they did, Professor Voladi raised the bar even higher, making failure inevitable.
However, Professor Voladi didn’t think Yi Han had been pierced because he had given his all.
‘Why is this?’
Professor Voladi was puzzled.
Yi Han, who had been doing well until now, was suddenly struggling.
If it were a student who had given up or run away from the start, it would be understandable, but this boy from the Wodanaz family had been doing well so far.
Of course, what Professor Voladi considered “doing well” might make other professors think, “Shouldn’t we report this to the Emperor along with the Skeleton Headmaster?” But to Professor Voladi, it was acceptable.
Plop
The ball stopped in mid-air.
“?”
Yi Han was wary, thinking it might be a trap.
‘A new pattern?’
Pretending to pause for a break, then attacking again... it was exactly the kind of thing Professor Voladi would do.
“I see why you’re not focusing.”
“!”
Yi Han was startled.
Could Professor Voladi have figured out that Yi Han was planning to raid Professor Thunderstep’s laboratory?
“Are you trying to add a rotational attribute to the water ball, like when you defeated the golem last time?”
“......”
Yi Han had a feeling he knew where the story had leaked from.
‘The Skeleton Headmaster...!’
Professor Thunderstep wasn’t close to Professor Voladi, so the only person who could have blabbed to him was one person.
“No, I don’t have such ambitions...”
“It’s overambition.”
‘I know.’
Yi Han sighed inwardly at the absurd misunderstanding.
Just because he had luckily defeated a mud golem didn’t mean he was delusional enough to think, “I’m a genius, I should add rotation to my water balls from now on.”
“Don’t be anxious.”
Anyone who knew Professor Voladi would be shocked to hear advice like “It’s overambition” or “Don’t be anxious.”
Professor Voladi was fundamentally a person devoid of the concept and common sense of teaching.
-If I can do it, you should be able to do it too.
Why can’t you? Do it.
He was someone who sincerely believed in such principles.
For him to say “It’s overambition” or “Don’t be anxious” was like the sun rising from the west.
But Yi Han, of course, didn’t understand the weight of those words.
‘I’m not doing it...’
He really had no intention of doing it, so Professor Voladi’s words were just baffling.
Professors, after all!
“Wait.”
“?”
But Professor Voladi extended his hand and fell into thought again.
For the first time, Professor Voladi considered the student’s perspective.
It was a great step forward, though he didn’t realize it himself.
-If I were that boy from the Wodanaz family...
Hearing “Don’t be anxious” wouldn’t have reassured him.
If the path was ahead, not taking it meant one wasn’t fit to be a mage.
“I see.”
“What... do you mean?”
Yi Han felt a sense of foreboding.
Usually, when professors came to such realizations on their own, it didn’t lead to good outcomes.
“From now on, it’s okay to be anxious. I’ll make you focus.”
“Wait...!”
Before Yi Han could say “Wait,” Professor Voladi’s storm began again.