Chapter 10

Chapter 010

"Is that so, Professor?"

Lee Han did not show any emotion on his face.

Having dealt with crazy professors before, he was not going to act like a rookie.

"Indeed, it seems that with passion and affection, one can achieve good grades in alchemy lectures."

'I should probably not take this lecture again after it ends.'

"Indeed, that's what you think, right?"

Uregeum smiled contentedly and wiped his upper lip.

"Then listen up."

"...I haven't heard any other lectures yet..."

"Oh, forget it. Listen. The other lectures won't be better than this, right?"

"No, I should hear them all..."

"No! You have to listen!"

Lee Han started to feel that he had made a mistake.

The other students nearby were looking at him with envious expressions.

-Indeed, the Wodanaz family...

-They have great talent...

'This is making me even angrier.'

Uregeum looked around and said,

"Today's lecture will end here. Unfortunately, the other group didn't encounter any pigs."

"......"

"...Professor, did you deliberately make them encounter pigs?"

One of the students said in a shocked voice.

They were talking about pigs, but they were practically monsters.

If they were unlucky, they could have broken bones or had their internal organs ruptured and died.

Uregeum answered as if it were obvious.

"Of course not. Why would I just have them pick herbs? They should also face situations that can happen while picking herbs."

"Th-That's..."

"Indeed. Look, do you think the professor sent you without any preparation? He probably followed you from behind."

"Ah..."

When one of the students said this, everyone agreed.

Indeed...

"But? Why would I follow you?"

The dwarf professor looked at them as if they were saying something ridiculous.

"I came here because the pig fell."

"But... What if a major accident happens?!"

"Then you don't have the talent for alchemy."

"......"

"......"

Lee Han felt as if he could hear the thoughts of the students gathered there.

'Fucking...!'

"Whether you catch them, avoid them, run away, or hide, handling all kinds of sudden situations is the talent of an alchemist. Got it, ironheads?"

"Yes!"

"Um... Is the Toad Herb not necessary then?"

Yoner cautiously raised his hand and asked. Uregeum looked surprised and said,

"Did you find the Toad Herb?"

"Yes."

"Wow. I didn't think you'd really find it. You pass! Come here. You have to take this lecture."

"......"

Yoner was dragged along unexpectedly.

"Um, I didn't find it alone. Nillia found it with me."

"Is that so? You pass too! Come here!"

Uregeum pulled Nillia this time. Nillia had a look on her face as if she didn't know whether to be happy or not.

"And here, Wodanaz..."

"You really have to take this lecture!"

"......"

Lee Han had almost given up.

At this point, running away was impossible.

'Fucked.'

No matter how many lectures he skipped, it wouldn't be good to be marked by the professor.

If he didn't take this lecture, this dwarf professor might even come to other lecture rooms.

"...I will listen with all my heart. Alchemy has been my dream!"

"Kid...!"

Uregeum smiled. He had read Lee Han's emotional changes.

Among the freshmen, Lee Han was the most mentally mature.

Even though he clearly didn't want to take the alchemy lecture, once he realized he couldn't avoid it, he quickly accepted it and changed his attitude.

Nobles from noble families were not good at hiding their true feelings.

They had never had to hide their emotions, so they had no practice in restraining themselves.

In that sense, Lee Han was truly interesting.

"Don't be too disappointed. There are privileges in alchemy lectures."

Uregeum decided to console Lee Han.

It was a world where it was hard to find disciples.

Just as students evaluated lectures, professors also evaluated students.

If a professor found a student they liked, they had to hold onto them tightly like Uregeum.

But if they held on too forcefully, it could backfire and the student might run away.

The best approach was to offer a carrot.

"What kind of privileges?"

"I have a cabin near the forest. Normally, you can't approach it, but since you caught a pig and found the Toad Herb, I'll let you access it freely this semester as a special favor."

"...??"

Lee Han thought it was a strange privilege.

A privilege to visit the professor's house?

'Is this a privilege to clean, do recycling, or do slave work?'

"...Ah. I didn't explain enough."

Uregeum noticed what Lee Han was thinking from his expression and quickly added,

"Do you know what ironheads want the most?"

"An easy-to-pass lecture, right?"

"...Are you really from the Wodanaz family? That's not bad, but the correct answer is food. Now, you might just look pale, but after a week, you'll be trying to eat each other."

"......"

Uregeum's words were convincing.

Over 80% of the students gathered here had been well-fed and well-off.

If they were given only hard black bread and cold rice balls, they would naturally be miserable.

"But my cabin has meat and fish from the forest, and spices and vegetables from secret places I know. Do you understand what this means?"

"...!"

Lee Han finally realized.

It was like a buffet pass!

"Professor!"

"Kid, I like you more and more."

The two master and disciple shook hands and exchanged warm friendship.

* * * *

After the lecture ended and the students moved to their next lectures (some students were muttering, "I'll never take this again"), Lee Han stayed in place.

Yoner and Nillia asked curiously,

"Aren't you going?"

"We're going to dissect the pig."

"......"

"......"

"Excellent!"

Uregeum marveled alone.

He had never seen a freshman adapt so quickly.

"Professor, is this edible?"

"It's only aggressive, but there's no problem eating it."

"I see. Can you lend me some equipment to dissect and smoke it...?"

"Kid, are you starting to like alchemy?"

"Yes, I really love alchemy."

Lee Han, who had adapted to reality, decided to love alchemy.

'If what the professor said is true, this is not a problem to be passive about.'

Thinking about it, there were hints.

From the principal's words, "The answer is in this school, so find it," when he entered, to the rules that gave nothing and prohibited outings.

The freshmen had to find their own food and survive!

'This school is so weird, but... Honestly, it's not that surprising anymore.'

In a school where people could die without anyone knowing, taking care of one's own food was not that surprising.

Lee Han carried a pig to the stream.

It was better to have water when draining blood and dissecting the organs.

"I'll help."

Yoner rolled up his sleeves and approached.

"Are you okay with this?"

"In the future, we'll have to handle much more dangerous materials. Instead, will you share some meat?"

"......"

Lee Han thought he heard Yoner's stomach growling.

Nillia, who had been standing behind, said in disbelief,

"Are you two really going to dissect it!?"

"Yes."

"But... Why at school?"

"Are you not hungry?"

"...Okay! I'll help!"

Lee Han had learned hunting and dissection from Alarrong, and Nillia was a literal expert.

Yoner, who had practiced handling materials several times, was not an amateur.

"Here's the equipment. This should be enough."

Uregeum brought the necessary equipment. His eyes were full of interest, as if saying, "Let's see what you can do."

Lee Han pulled out a dagger and started to skin the pig.

Swoosh-

'You're doing well, aren't you?'

Nillia was honestly surprised.

She didn't expect Lee Han, from a noble family, to be as good as Nillia.

The three worked hard together to skin the pig and hang the meat on branches.

Since the pig was so large, there were many edible parts, but Lee Han didn't discard the organs.

'The organs should be made into sausages.'

Not knowing how long this hellish freshman year would last, it was better to make as much food as possible.

"Are you going to smoke it?"

"Yes."

"Quite impressive...!"

Uregeum marveled.

There was no way to leave so much meat as it was. Even if the weather was cool, it would eventually go bad.

But if the meat was smoked, it would last much longer. It was a good method for the freshmen.

"Professor, I'll use these logs."

"Wait... Wait."

When Lee Han touched the logs stacked near the cabin, Uregeum was flustered.

Smoking wasn't done with just any wood. The better the wood, the better the flavor.

'These are high-quality apple wood logs I prepared... '

Lee Han, who had a good eye for quality, took them again. Uregeum smacked his lips in regret.

"Nilia, is this enough?"

"More than enough. It's overflowing."

The smoke rose thickly, and the smell of meat tickled their noses. Sweat formed on the foreheads of the three who were working hard.

Rumble-

Lee Han turned his gaze. It wasn't Yoner or Nillia.

It was the dwarf professor.

"...Are you hungry?"

"Yeah, I'm a bit hungry."

Lee Han stood up. When the professor is hungry, a graduate student moves automatically.

'There's plenty of meat, so I should grill some.'

"Professor, some bread and butter..."

"...Take what you need..."

Uregeum grumbled but didn't say anything more since it was his meal too.

Lee Han placed the meat on an iron frying pan. He didn't just place it; he seasoned it properly with salt and pepper.

Sizzle, sizzle-

"What are you doing?"

"I'm preparing."

"?"

Uregeum thought Lee Han was preparing in a very unique way.

He could have just grilled it...

But Lee Han didn't stop there. He made cuts in the meat, oiled the frying pan, and placed the meat on it.

The sizzling sound and the smell of cooking meat spread. Lee Han also placed the vegetables he had brought from the cabin on the frying pan.

"Why are you stopping??"

When Lee Han stopped grilling, the dwarf professor was flustered. The meat was not fully cooked yet.

"Adding butter like this makes it better."

"Are you trying to say you don't have the talent for alchemy?"

Uregeum cast a suspicious glance. He had no intention of letting him off.

"Try it and then say that."

The meat was grilled to a golden brown, and a decent meal was ready.

Pork steak and grilled vegetables. And thick bread and butter from the cabin.

It wasn't freshly baked bread, but for freshmen who had only eaten black bread, this was enough.

Chomp, chomp-

Suddenly, it became quiet.

All four were focused on eating.

Uregeum was the best eater.

The dwarf professor tore a chunk of bread, placed a large piece of grilled pork in the middle, and ate it heartily.

Then he walked to the cabin alone and came back with a jar of jam.

"......"

"......"

"...I'll share a little, so don't look at me with those eyes, ironheads."