Chapter 62: The Reincarnated One Does It All

Ding!

The loud alarm clock rang on the desk.

The blanket covering the bed twitched, and a hand emerged to forcefully slam the alarm clock's button.

Clang!

The enchantment engraved on the alarm clock lightly repelled the hand, and the alarm turned off. A moment later, Lea, with her hair sticking out in all directions, crawled out from under the blanket.

"...I don't want to go."

Her face was more haggard than when she had worked all night. She had tossed and turned, thinking about the enchantments she had to do today, and her body ached, with goosebumps breaking out all over.

'Should I just say I'm too sick to do it?'

Lea hesitated for a moment with the excuse that came to mind, then sighed deeply and got out of bed.

"What's the point of running away?"

No matter what the outcome, she had to try.

With her resolve set, Lea quickly washed up, tied her hair back, and inserted a hairpin with a red gemstone.

Whoosh!

The moisture evaporated instantly due to the enchantment on the hairpin. After confirming that her hair was dry, Lea changed into her student uniform and inserted a hairpin with a purple gemstone.

Swoosh

The enchantment on the hairpin flowed through her hair, and a moment later, her hair began to braid itself as if it were alive.

"Hmm... It's time to adjust it."

Lea, who noticed that her hair was braiding more slowly than usual, waited for it to finish and looked at the photo frame on the table.

A long-haired man with round glasses was smiling, and a child was playing with the man's braided hair while sitting on his lap.

"..."

Lea's gaze naturally turned to the white hand that was gently wrapped around the man's shoulder. However, the owner of that hand was missing from the photo.

"Huff..."

After staring at the photo for a long time, Lea exhaled, and her anxious eyes sank deeply.

"I need to pull myself together."

There was no time to linger here.

Repeating the words she had often recited to herself, Lea inserted the remaining hairpins into her braided hair. She then put on a white doctor's coat instead of an outer garment and picked up the subspace pocket containing her equipment.

Bang!

She kicked the door open with all her might and stepped out of the workshop.

* * *

"Wow..."

The workshop in the main building of the Alchemy Department. Kim In-cheol, who had accepted I Se-hoon's intermediate alchemy application and arrived first, looked at the list of materials to be used and was surprised.

'Mengxiang and Nanhua Feather... He managed to get these items.'

These were rare materials that were hard to obtain even with money.

Especially the Nanhua Feather, a feather of the Vermilion Bird, was a material that even some professors coveted.

'Where did he get these... Could it be the Dean?'

While he was looking at the list of materials with a disbelieving expression, a soft voice came from beside him.

"The freshmen these days are really fearless. They think they can handle such rare materials."

A woman with a gentle appearance, her brown hair neatly braided and a brown shawl draped over her shoulders.

She looked to be in her mid-30s but exuded a more mature aura. Kim In-cheol answered calmly.

"Anyone else might, but Professor Rebecca is not in a position to say that."

"Oh, me? Why would I?"

"Because you wasted all the legendary-grade materials you searched for six years to find."

"..."

At Kim In-cheol's reprimand, Rebecca Clovel's eyes twitched.

"I didn't waste them; I used them for research. It's the foundation for the next success."

"Is that so? I hope to hear good news in six years."

"..."

Rebecca's eyes flickered at Kim In-cheol's words, which struck her sore spot. She then sighed and said:

"You must really care about your student to be so aggressive."

She was still in a slump, and he was responding so harshly to a little complaint about her.

Rebecca, surprised by the unexpected reaction, asked:

"Do you care that much?"

Kim In-cheol answered calmly:

"I care as much as you do about your granddaughter."

"Really that much?"

Rebecca looked at Kim In-cheol in surprise.

She had heard from her granddaughter that this year's Borshipa department head was extraordinary, but she hadn't expected Kim In-cheol to care so much.

"Have you met her yet?"

"I had personal matters, so I entrusted her to Lea for the first class. After that, I was hospitalized due to an injury and couldn't meet her."

At Rebecca's answer, Kim In-cheol nodded as if he finally understood.

"That's why."

If he had met her, he would have recognized her, he said with certainty. As Rebecca watched him, she asked:

"Excuse me."

"Excuse me..."

I Se-hoon and Lea entered the workshop, and Kim In-cheol stood up, saying to Rebecca:

"Judge for yourself."

"Alright."

Kim In-cheol introduced Rebecca, who was standing next to him:

"This is Professor Rebecca Clovel from the Enchanting Department, who will be supervising with me today. Please introduce yourselves."

"Nice to meet you."

"Pleased to meet you. I should have met you earlier, but our schedules didn't match up until today."

"No, but... by any chance..."

I Se-hoon glanced at the tense Lea and asked Rebecca:

"Are you Lea's grandmother?"

"Grandmother?"

Rebecca looked puzzled at I Se-hoon's question.

"Did you just call me grandmother?"

"Yes, aren't you?"

"No, it's true, but..."

Rebecca was taken aback by I Se-hoon's puzzled expression.

'Lea didn't mention anything about me...'

If not, wouldn't he have asked if she was an older sister, aunt, or even a mother?

Lea, confused, asked I Se-hoon again:

"How did you know?"

"Just by looking at you, I knew."

It wasn't a lie. I Se-hoon had immediately recognized her age when he first saw her.

He had naturally learned to distinguish the differences after meeting heroes who aged slowly or examining their bodies before his reincarnation.

'The eyes, the aura of mana, and the overly developed physique are hard to hide.'

These were signs of age rather than talent. They were hard to discern, but once you caught on, it was a useful skill for uncovering those who tried to hide their identity.

"..."

Rebecca, who was stroking her face at I Se-hoon's answer, was slightly stiff. Lea, who had been watching from behind, interjected:

"Why are you here? Didn't you say you had something to do on the weekend?"

"..."

"I was surprised when you suddenly shouted and ran out after being cooped up in the workshop for a month, so I stopped by. Then I received an application for intermediate enchanting and took it."

Rebecca, with her arms crossed, looked at Lea with a slightly stern expression.

"The special student selection for the Ivory Tower is only two months away. Have you finished making the items you need to submit?"

"..."

Lea averted her gaze, and Rebecca sighed.

"I won't interfere with what you do, but don't forget your promise. Understand?"

"..."

"Alright, then."

Rebecca stepped back, as if there was nothing more to say. Kim In-cheol continued:

"If you encounter any problems, let me know immediately. I'll help you right away."

"Understood."

"Good luck."

Kim In-cheol and Rebecca returned to their seats, and I Se-hoon looked at Lea.

"..."

Lea, who was already quite nervous, seemed even more subdued after their conversation. I Se-hoon thought for a moment and then spoke:

"Seems like you have some issues."

"No, don't worry. It's not that serious."

Lea forced a smile, but I Se-hoon shook his head.

"I'm not worried, but if you can't do it, say so in advance."

"What?"

"If you can't focus properly, forcing you to do it will just waste my materials."

"..."

Lea, taken aback by I Se-hoon's cold words, stared at him, her eyes trembling.

They weren't close enough to worry about each other, but there was no need to be so cold.

"Then why did you assign it to me and not someone else?"

When you were forcing it on her, you didn't hesitate, but now you're telling her to stop. Lea, who grumbled in frustration, heard I Se-hoon respond calmly:

"Because you're the best at it."

"..."

"Is there any other reason to ask for collaboration?"

If he wanted stability, he should have chosen someone else, as Lea was still in a slump. However, I Se-hoon believed his choice was right.

Not only because of their connection, but because Lea's enchanting was the most suitable for the materials they would be using this time.

"..."

Lea, sighing deeply, rolled up her sleeves to the elbow and secured her braided hair with a purple gemstone hairpin.

She then neatly pinned her bangs and glared at I Se-hoon with a disgruntled expression.

"If you're going to say something nice, at least use a better tone. Got it?"

"..."

"Let's start. I'll get ready too."

Lea, who had said her piece, began setting up the tools from her subspace pocket. I Se-hoon smiled at her back.

'She's still not normal.'

I Se-hoon, who had selected the necessary ignition stones from the material box, activated the furnace and threw them in.

Whoosh!

The flames in the furnace, fueled by various ignition stones, burned wildly. Rebecca, who was watching, looked puzzled.

'What is he trying to do with such chaotic flames?'

She glanced at Kim In-cheol, wondering if he had made a mistake, but he was watching with anticipation.

Unable to understand the situation, Rebecca was taken aback.

Snap! Crack!

The dry sound and brilliant flames from I Se-hoon's palm. Realizing that these were created by the collision of ignition stones, Rebecca's eyes widened.

Clang!

A clear sound, and a red ignition stone was thrown into the furnace.

Boom!!!

A terrifying explosion from inside the furnace shook the entire workshop. Rebecca, startled, jumped up.

"What...!"

"Calm down."

Kim In-cheol, who had stopped Rebecca from pulling out a palm-sized emblem, said calmly:

"It's just the process of creating fire."

"That's ridiculous! Can't you see the cracks in the furnace?"

If such flames burst out, it would be like a bomb. Rebecca, who was about to stop the alchemy, sighed.

"Don't be so surprised. Look closely, and you'll understand."

"What do you mean, look closely...?"

At Kim In-cheol's repeated words, Rebecca looked back at the furnace, and her eyes widened.

The furnace, which had just exploded, was now calm, and inside, a 'white' flame flickered as if it were about to go out.

"A white flame...?"

The flame, which looked as if it had been bleached, felt no heat and looked like a model, but it was clearly a real flame, as it flickered and received mana from the furnace.

"What... is this...?"

Rebecca, unable to understand the scene, was stunned. I Se-hoon, who was examining the flame, frowned slightly.

'They said it was a modern furnace, but it can't even make a Bai Lan Flame properly.'

The flame should form a circle, but due to the furnace's limitations, the top part was not closing.

I Se-hoon, seeing the cracks and creaking of the furnace, clicked his tongue.

'I'll have to do it myself.'

After taking off his work shirt and draping it loosely around his waist, I Se-hoon picked up the Nanhua Feather from the side.

A red gemstone stored in a blue crystal. It looked intact, but if he took it out carelessly, it would immediately burn and disappear.

'Let's see...'

I Se-hoon, who had adjusted the furnace to bring the Bai Lan Flame close to the opening, held the crystal with his left hand and took out a black flame hammer with his right.

"Hmm..."

I Se-hoon, who was examining the crystal with one hand, was watched closely by Rebecca, who asked Kim In-cheol:

"Is that a Raphs crystal?"

"Yes."

Rebecca, hearing Kim In-cheol's answer, looked incredulous.

"Are you going to break it with a hammer?"

Raphs crystals, used to preserve special materials, were not very strong before processing, but became extremely hard when a preservation spell was cast.

Therefore, to remove the material without damaging it, the permanent preservation spell had to be removed first. I Se-hoon, however, was trying to break it with a hammer.

'Even if the material isn't damaged, it seems hard to break...'

A situation that seemed impossible by common sense. However, I Se-hoon showed no signs of anxiety, and Kim In-cheol, who was watching, still looked expectant.

Even Lea, who was his granddaughter, didn't pay attention, making Rebecca feel like the odd one out.

'What's going on...?'

As Rebecca watched in confusion, I Se-hoon's eyes lit up after examining the crystal for a while.

"I found it."

I Se-hoon pressed a part of the crystal with his thumb and immediately used Bai Guang Liu to draw out the spell.

Whoosh

A white spell formed on his thumb. I Se-hoon placed the tip on a part of the crystal and lightly tapped it with the black flame hammer.

Crack!

The Raphs crystal, which covered the Nanhua Feather, split instantly.

"Is that...!"

"What...?"

Kim In-cheol and Rebecca, who were watching, were shocked.

This was a skill that even the two professors, who were known in Babel, found astonishing. However, I Se-hoon, the one who performed it, didn't pay any attention and quickly moved.

Whoosh!

The Nanhua Feather, which began to burn as soon as the crystal broke and the permanent preservation spell was removed, was quickly placed inside the Bai Lan Flame.

Whoosh!

The Nanhua Feather, now inside the Bai Lan Flame, glowed red and began to emit a strange vibration.

Kim In-cheol, who was carefully observing the vibration, soon realized the cause and opened his eyes wide.

'Is the Nanhua Feather resonating with the white flame and becoming stronger?'

Considering the role of alchemy in maximizing the properties of materials, this was a good sign. However, Kim In-cheol, recalling the characteristics of the Vermilion Bird, the source of the Nanhua Feather, urgently shouted:

"Student I Se-hoon! Take it out immediately!!"

Among the monsters, the Vermilion Bird, a notorious S-rank monster, was known for its high intelligence. It could speak naturally and avoided killing, often letting heroes who attacked it go.

However, this mercy led to a more terrifying outcome, as the Vermilion Bird's flames could burn a person's 'mind.'

'With this level of vibration, it could turn someone into a vegetable or a plant...!'

As the two professors, realizing the severity of the situation, were about to act.

"It's fine."

I Se-hoon, who answered calmly, covered the Bai Lan Flame with both hands.

Rustle

The white flame, which felt no heat, slowly closed around I Se-hoon's touch, transforming into a white egg and enclosing the Nanhua Feather's flame inside.

Whoosh!

The Nanhua Feather, now inside the Bai Lan Flame, burned fiercely and struggled.

If it were an ordinary flame, it would have been consumed by the Nanhua Feather's properties and broken through, but the Bai Lan Flame created by I Se-hoon was different.

'A pure flame that has expelled all impurities.'

A shell to contain a fierce flame rather than to smelt metal. That was the purpose of the Bai Lan Flame.

Swoosh

I Se-hoon, shaping the Bai Lan Flame like pottery, began to refine it, and the Nanhua Feather inside gradually calmed down.

When the intense vibrations