Surviving as a Mage in a Magic Academy

"Come to think of it, that's not what's important right now."

"Then what's important..."

Professor Uregor, who was about to listen, grumbled dissatisfiedly.

He wanted to hear from his student's mouth exactly what he had done.

"When we had a conversation with Yoanen Maykin, she said this: ‘What if we tried manufacturing <Paragranum's Veil> with his help?’ But I didn't know you were a 1st year student."

"Is that so?"

"Of course it is."

Professor Uregor grumbled.

What kind of guy would think he was a 1st year student just by hearing that?

"Will you help?"

"Of course."

Yi-Han had come to flatter anyway. There was no reason to refuse.

"Professor, may I borrow the workshop for a moment?"

"Do as you please."

The alchemists bowed their heads with a very grateful expression.

And they got up from their seats with Yi-Han and headed to the workshop.

"...?!"

Professor Uregor realized belatedly.

'Isn't that learning the secret method!?'

Just like that, as if water was flowing?!

"But I don't have much experience in alchemy."

"Is that so? I thought you had a lot of experience since you said you worked at Yoanen Maykin's workshop."

"About half a year..."

At Yi-Han's answer, the alchemists of Paragranum looked at Yi-Han with a shocked expression as if they had heard something unbelievable.

When the alchemists, who had shown no particular change in emotion until now, did this, Yi-Han felt a bit of pressure and said,

"...I think it was a bit longer than that."

"As expected? How much longer?"

"About 1 more month?"

"..."

The alchemists suddenly started whispering among themselves. Yi-Han suddenly regretted saying something unnecessary.

"Yi-Han. Are you interested in the Paragranum Guild by any chance?"

Fortunately, the alchemists made a pure proposal without saying anything else. Yi-Han answered with relief.

"I have always respected the Paragranum Guild. Isn't it the guild among the empire's alchemist guilds that is always dedicated to new discoveries? I still remember when they developed a cure for the blue blood disease two years ago."

"That's an overestimation."

The alchemists were not the type to be swayed by a few such compliments, but they took the fact that Yi-Han had goodwill towards the Paragranum Guild quite highly.

If he had goodwill towards the guild, there was a high possibility that he would try to join after graduation.

"However, it's hard to deny that our guild has a few advantages that other alchemist guilds don't have."

"Is that so?"

Yi-Han suddenly became interested.

Isn't the evaluation of those working inside more accurate than the rumors heard outside?

What advantages did these alchemists think of?

The alchemists of Paragranum spoke with a faint sense of pride.

"First of all, once we start a research, we don't stop with excuses like rest."

"...?"

Yi-Han felt something strange, but the alchemists continued.

"And dangerous research that other guilds don't do is conducted in our guild."

"Oh... By any chance, is the compensation the alchemists receive also less than other guilds?"

"You know that as well? That's right. Instead of unnecessarily taking gold coins, we can use them for research."

"It's really a great guild."

"Indeed."

After the conversation ended, Yi-Han nodded with a smile.

And he thought inwardly.

'I shouldn't even go near the Paragranum Guild building.'

It was a crazier guild than he thought.

"So what kind of potion is <Paragranum's Veil>? I don't remember hearing about it..."

If it was a potion released to the public, there was a high possibility that Yi-Han would have heard the name, but strangely, it was a name he heard for the first time.

"Since it has never been released, of course you haven't heard of it."

"I see... Wait. Then isn't it a secret method?"

Yi-Han was startled.

If it's a potion that hasn't been released outside, it's a guild's secret, but is it okay to reveal it like this?

"Yes. That's right."

"Is it okay for me to know?"

"Isn't it necessary for research?"

The alchemists looked at Yi-Han as if saying, 'Why are you asking such an obvious question?'

Yi-Han had to feel like he had become a strange person.

'Hmm. I should have brought Professor Uregor.'

"...I understand."

"I knew you would. <Paragranum's Veil> is a kind of invisibility potion."

"An invisibility... potion?"

Yi-Han was amazed.

Invisibility-type potions were quite limited in their effects.

'Other than the principles of transformation magic or enchantment magic, is there more? Improvement is possible, but...'

Although the method and principle could be changed and the duration or effect could be increased, it was quite a trivial potion for the Paragranum Guild to research.

"Yes. But it will be a bit different from what you think. What we want to hide is not the form or shape, but a specific energy."

"!"

The energy emitted by an existence.

It could be the pressure from mana, the energy of attributes emitted by spirits, or the killing intent emitted by knights.

Cutting off only this specific energy was an idea he had never thought of.

"Is that possible?"

"Theoretically, it's somewhat completed. All that's left is experimentation. There are two things we want help from you, Yi-Han. One is mana. We heard that you inject an abnormal level of mana when magically processing ingredients."

"...I wouldn't say it's an abnormal level..."

Yi-Han muttered, but the alchemists ignored it.

"Originally, it's not a method commonly used in alchemy."

Alchemy was a discipline of thorough calculation without a single error.

If the calculation was accurate, there was no reason to over-inject mana at an abnormal level like Yi-Han.

Moreover, if done that way, the alchemist might collapse before the potion was completed.

"However, the case is a bit different with <Paragranum's Veil> this time. We expect that over-injection of mana might complete the effect of this potion."

"I see... Wait. What's the other thing if there are two?"

"We heard that you emit an overwhelming pressure from mana and scare spirits, so we want to erase that pressure when the potion is completed. Will you allow it?"

Among various energies, the energy sensed by sensitive beings like spirits was the most difficult to hide.

If the potion successfully worked on someone who scared spirits, this potion was practically a success.

"...I don't mind, but where did you hear that?"

"Yoanen Maykin told us."

'Yoanen!'

Yi-Han inwardly called out to Yonaire's sister.

Why did she have to say such a thing...

"Again." "Again." "Again." "But you have a lot of mana." "Again." "Again." "Again." "Again." "Again."

Professor Uregor, who came to watch, was impressed by Yi-Han's patience.

In the old days when Professor Uregor was learning, if taught this way, five out of ten would give up, three would run away, one would punch the master in the face, and one would endure to the end.

And Yi-Han belonged to the last case.

Even though the alchemists of the Paragranum Guild shouted 'again' like crazy, Yi-Han measured the ingredients, waved his staff, and adjusted the intensity of the fire without any change in expression.

"Is everyone doing well?"

"Yes. Thanks to Yi-Han's outstanding talent. Wait a minute. Please do it again."

Professor Uregor glanced at Yi-Han. Fortunately, he wasn't clenching his fists.

Since he had heard about Yi-Han's swordsmanship skills from Professor Ingurdel, Professor Uregor couldn't help but be concerned.

"Still, it's the weekend, so wouldn't it be better to rest a bit?"

Although he told the students to work hard and learn, Professor Uregor also had a conscience.

He couldn't help but pity the student who stood in front of the cauldron for about 12 hours without rest, listening to 'again' and repeating.

"Professor, do you know one of the things Yi-Han highly values about the Paragranum Guild?"

"...Uh... Setting fire to the capital?"

"No. He highly values that once research starts, it doesn't stop with excuses like rest."

"..."

Professor Uregor could see Yi-Han, who had been stirring the ladle with a blank face, clenching his fist for the first time.

...He won't get hit, right?

"Ah, I see. I did try to warn him. You know that, right? I definitely tried."

"??"

The alchemists, who didn't know who Professor Uregor was talking to, tilted their heads.

It was at that moment.

"Ahhh!!"

When one of the alchemists screamed, Professor Uregor hurriedly turned his head.

He was worried that Yi-Han, unable to endure it, had pushed the alchemist into the cauldron. It was something that used to happen often in the old days.

However, fortunately, it wasn't such an accident. Silver smoke was rising from inside the cauldron.

"Is it completed?"

"Yes! Finally!"

As an outstanding alchemist, Professor Uregor felt with his intuition that the potion in front of him was completed.

He hadn't figured out what kind of potion it was yet, but this was something to celebrate.

"Congratulations. You worked so hard."

"No. It would have been difficult to complete with our strength alone."

"I can't believe over-injecting mana to this extent was the answer. Everyone will be surprised to hear it. Don't you think so, Yi-Han?"

It was natural for the alchemists to be surprised.

The potion kept failing just before completion, but the answer was to crazily increase the mana put into the magic on the ingredients.

Not just at a normal level, but injecting it to the point of thinking, 'Do I really need to pour this much mana?' was the hidden answer.

"It seems you're tired from consuming too much mana."

"I don't think that's the case...?"

Professor Uregor denied it, but Yi-Han didn't say anything. He just stood there quietly with a tired face.

'I am tired.'

It was impossible not to get tired after repeating the manufacturing of a potion with an incredibly long process without rest.

No matter how much the alchemists helped with their best efforts, the burden was bound to accumulate.

But still, it was definitely a good opportunity. Yi-Han could understand why Professor Uregor invited external alchemists.

'From the way they handle ingredients to the magic they use. It was different from Einroguard's method.'

Just watching other alchemists work made him feel like his boundaries of thought were expanding.

If he remade some of the potion recipes Yi-Han already knew by mixing in a few of the Paragranum Guild's secrets, he would probably get a slightly better result than now.

This might be why guilds kept their know-how strictly as secrets.

'Yes. Since I learned this, I should definitely be grateful...'

"Yi-Han. Are you alright?"

"Yes."

"What about your mana?"

"Yes."

"I told you so."

Professor Uregor retorted as if to show him.

"Then we will call a spirit and proceed with testing the potion."

"..."

While Yi-Han was at a loss for words, the alchemists made a decision among themselves and headed outside.

It was to call a spirit in a wide space and have it face Yi-Han.

Left alone, Professor Uregor made an excuse again without realizing it.

"...I will never call the alchemists from the Paragranum Guild next time."

"No. Please call them as much as possible."

"Really?"

"Yes. How can I take away the opportunity for juniors to learn?"

"..."

In Professor Uregor's ears, for some reason, 'learn' sounded like 'suffer'.