Chapter 93

Chapter 093

"You seem to be mistaken..."

"You did use lightning magic, didn't you?"

'Damn.'

Professor Volody couldn't have missed the signs.

The professor had already figured out the situation from the traces of the fallen monster and the faint residue of lightning spirits on Han's arm.

"Hmm, interesting..."

The way Professor Volody nodded slightly and muttered to himself was more terrifying to Han than any monster.

"Wait, wait."

Professor Garcia interjected.

Han felt a lump in his chest at the sight.

Professor!

"Professor Bagreg. Why are you asking about lightning magic? What are you planning to do?"

"It's necessary for teaching."

"Teaching? What do you mean... Wait. Han, you... No, you're taking Professor Bagreg's class!?"

Professor Garcia was about to say 'that professor' but quickly changed his words.

However, Han could easily tell what he was trying to say.

"Yes..."

"......"

Professor Garcia rubbed his forehead.

Professor Garcia was a true gentleman who respected everyone in the magic school, but not to the extent of his lectures.

Some lectures by some professors always made Professor Garcia uncomfortable.

One of those lectures was Professor Volody Bagreg's.

To Garcia, it was an excessively harsh and cruel lecture!

It was not a lecture that freshmen should learn, no matter how you looked at it.

Rather than teaching them how to avoid fights, teaching them magical combat techniques to maintain composure and fight in extreme battle situations to freshmen...

The only fortunate thing was that students didn't attend that lecture.

Due to its difficulty, students who came to listen once would run away every year.

So Professor Garcia had been reassured, thinking 'Professor Bagreg will eventually realize and change his lecture.'

But surprisingly, there was a student who was attending the lecture.

Professor Volody said as if explaining.

"I remember you saw it last time."

"What do you mean?"

"The fight with the anti-magic activists. I told you I taught it then."

"...!"

Professor Garcia felt a lightbulb go off in his head.

The iron balls Han had used.

At the time, he was so preoccupied with the anti-magic activists that he didn't think deeply about how to handle the iron balls...

...But now, thinking about it, it was Professor Volody's method!

-You have a talent for magical combat. Did Professor Volody teach you? Amazing.

-Not really.

Thinking back, the conversation between the principal and Professor Volody after that was very meaningful.

He thought it was just a few lucky words of advice, but it turned out Han had been receiving focused instruction in the lecture!

"Are you okay????"

"......"

Han hesitated at Professor Garcia's question.

'Are you okay?' was a phrase with so many meanings.

How should he answer?

"I'm fine."

"......"

Professor Volody answered for him. Both Han and Professor Garcia looked at Professor Volody with a stunned expression.

"Wodanas is successfully following the teachings."

"Following...?"

At first, Professor Garcia was shocked, but then he understood.

Sometimes, exceptional talent can be a curse.

This was true in the current situation.

Han's exceptional talent was what kept him from giving up and following the class!

'Such a tragedy...!'

Professor Volody tried to be as kind as possible.

"I believe you now understand why I confirmed the manifestation of lightning magic."

"Wait, wait. I understand that he's following."

Professor Garcia made a final attempt to resist. It was a genuine act of kindness.

"But now, just because his control over low-level telekinesis spells has improved, isn't it too hasty to move on to lightning elemental magic? At least, shouldn't he learn other safer elemental magic first...?"

As he spoke, Professor Garcia stopped, his face filled with fear.

Professor Volody was smiling faintly.

What is it???

"So, I had him learn water elemental magic first."

"Already?"

"Yes."

Professor Volody's 'yes' was filled with a faint confidence.

Professor Garcia could feel that emotion as a fellow professor.

-Seeing that a student is following, I must be teaching correctly.

...That was the confidence.

'No!!'

Professor Garcia screamed inwardly. Why, of all times!

Even if Professor Volody's twisted world could be changed later, he had to protect this outstanding student first.

Professor Garcia persisted.

"In fact, quite a few students find it easy to give form to water, don't they?"

'Is that it?'

Han was surprised, not knowing Professor Garcia's true thoughts.

Somehow...

"Probably due to the nature of water as an element, right?"

"Not really, I don't think... "

"Considering that, wouldn't it be better to expand the range of forms and get more familiar with the element rather than moving on to the next level just because he succeeded in giving form?"

Professor Volody nodded.

"So, I had him discover the water shield spell on his own."

"......"

Professor Garcia looked at Han in shock. Han felt a bit guilty.

It wasn't just learning the water shield spell; discovering it on his own meant he had almost mastered elemental form-giving.

If he could understand the principles and discover them on his own, he could create other forms as well.

That level of self-discovery was crucial.

"But... even if he has mastered form-giving, the path of elemental control is long and arduous... At the very least, he should be able to control the water element as naturally as he controls the iron balls..."

As Professor Garcia spoke, he felt his heart sink when he saw Han bow his head deeply.

Surely not?

"I had him learn what you just mentioned. When he tried to add a rotational attribute, I stopped him."

Professor Garcia had never imagined in his worst nightmares that Professor Volody would say something like 'I care about my students this way.'

This was more terrifying than any nightmare.

And the most terrifying thing was that Professor Garcia had no more ways to persuade him.

With a gloomy voice, Professor Garcia said sadly.

"...Please take good care of Han... "

"I always teach consistently. Professor Garcia."

As the two professors' conversation ended, Han came back to his senses.

"...?!!"

Is this it?

No more persuasion?

"Professor...!"

"Han. Work hard."

Han felt like a cow being led to the slaughterhouse.

Whatever happens next week...

It's ominous!

'...From now on, when I ask a professor for help, I should check if there are other professors around... '

* * *

Ahsan walked towards the black market with his friends.

"Let's treat everyone this weekend."

'Must we?'

Gayan wanted to complain but had to keep his mouth shut. He had already complained once and received continuous scolding.

The current food situation for the freshmen in the magic school was roughly as follows:

Thanks to Han, who secured a large amount of supplies from outside, the students of the Tower of the Blue Dragon could eat the most luxurious and abundant meals.

The students of the Tower of the Phoenix accepted whatever meals were served without complaint.

The students of the Tower of the White Tiger, holding weapons aggressively, were gradually succeeding in hunting by patrolling the nearby forests, fields, and mountains.

The students of the Tower of the Black Turtle supplemented their insufficient food through regular foraging and occasional hunting, as well as bartering with other students.

Among them, the students of the Tower of the Blue Dragon were very aware that they were absolutely dependent on Han's help.

Although Han had considerately said that he would pay for the food to ease their minds, they couldn't just sit idly.

The students of the Tower of the Blue Dragon were also trying various methods to find food.

One of these methods was the black market.

The barter place set up by the students of the Tower of the Black Turtle near the tower!

"There wasn't much to eat the last time we went..."

"No, I went a few days ago, and the items had increased a lot. There's quite a bit of food."

"I heard they traded with the students of the Tower of the White Tiger?"

Ahsan nodded at his friends' words.

"As time goes on, more items will appear in the market. I'm not going for nothing. And..."

Ahsan carefully took out some glass bottles from his pocket.

These were the spoils obtained from the Thunderstep Laboratory dungeon.

All the participating students had shared the potions and reagents.

"...The students of the Tower of the Black Turtle will know how valuable these are. It's better to exchange the extras now before they become less valuable."

"Of course, Dalkard!"

The students of the Tower of the Blue Dragon smiled and headed towards the black market.

A student of the Tower of the Black Turtle, who was standing at the entrance, changed his expression as if he recognized them.

"Nice to see you. Can we come in?"

"S... Sorry."

"??"

"There's a new rule. You can't come in."

Ahsan was more bewildered than surprised.

"You're only trading among yourselves? The market will shrink!"

"It doesn't matter."

A deep, resonant voice came from behind the student of the Tower of the Black Turtle.

A figure appeared.

He was short, like a dwarf, but more muscular than the students of the Tower of the White Tiger.

Even a loose coat couldn't hide his muscles.

'Not a dwarf...'

Ahsan was confused. He thought it was a dwarf, but upon closer inspection, it was an elf.

A short, very muscular elf!

"I am Salco of the Tutantha family."

The Tutantha family.

A well-known stonemason guild family in the empire.

A family of excellent dwarf craftsmen...?

"Tutantha. Why are you blocking us? Is it because we're from the Tower of the Blue Dragon?"

"No. Of course, I don't like you students of the Tower of the Blue Dragon... but..."

"......"

"......"

"...This rule doesn't apply to my mentor. You can't come in because of the rule."

"What rule?"

"You can't bring in items that you didn't earn through your own work!"

Students of the Tower of the Black Turtle gathered behind Salco.

They varied from rough-looking to well-groomed, but it was clear that Salco had leadership.

Ahsan, taking out the reagents, flared up.

"These are things we earned through work!"

"Really? Where did you get them?"

"......"

Ahsan was speechless. He couldn't say they were from Professor Thunderstep's laboratory.

Gayan tried to explain.

"We foraged them outside!"

"Collected in the fields and got this much? You must have stolen them. If you can't provide a source, I'll consider them stolen goods. And as long as I'm in the Tower of the Black Turtle, I won't allow stolen goods to be traded in the market. It's not only a disgrace to people's sweat and effort but also disrupts the market."

The students of the Tower of the Blue Dragon were speechless, as his words were too true.

Gayan shouted, feeling wronged.

"But where should thieves trade their stolen goods? What should they eat?"

"Hey... Gayan... Lower your voice, it's embarrassing...!"

The students of the Tower of the Blue Dragon, realizing their embarrassment, covered Gayan's mouth.

At that moment, Han appeared with a basket.

Han was puzzled to see his friends gathered at the entrance.

"What are you doing? Not going in?"

"Han!"

Ahsan explained everything in detail.

Han, listening, asked Salco.

"I grew these in my vegetable garden. Can I go in then?"

"......"

Salco looked at Han in surprise and nodded.

"See you later."

Seeing Han go in, the friends of the Tower of the Blue Dragon finally came to their senses.

"?!?"