Break time.

The mages were each busy replenishing what they had spent.

Sigunting drank a mana potion, then inspected the tips of his crossbow bolts and reinforced any enchantments that had weakened.

He sprinkled a small amount of crimson powder from his reagent pouch into the grooves carved along the crossbow, then sprayed it with a specially prepared solution...

‘I see.’

Lee Han watched from the side with interest, learning as he observed.

In truth, he had learned more in the enchantment magic school by watching the upperclassmen work like this than he ever had from being taught directly by Professor Verdus.

“Senior Sigunting.”

“What?”

When Yukbeltire spoke to him, Sigunting would curtly reply, “What, Senior?” but since Lee Han was still his junior, he at least didn’t ignore him.

“I’d like to learn some magic.”

Each of the enchantment magic school upperclassmen had a distinct strength of their own.

In Sigunting’s case, he had performed excellently in the earlier battle in the southern cave with nothing but a crossbow.

Even Lee Han, who had initially thought, Did he open a general store inside that thing?, had become somewhat interested after watching him fight.

If he made a weapon like that, he could simply pull it out and fire instead of having to cast spells one by one to create ranged attacks.

“I see. That makes sense.”

With an expression that seemed to say, I knew it, the dwarf upperclassman pushed his crossbow aside.

Then he pulled out a rusty, cheap-looking crossbow.

“You want to implement a crossbow like this as a disposable artifact, don’t you?”

“...????”

Lee Han was taken aback when his senior brought up something he had never even said.

“A disposable artifact?”

“Isn’t that your research topic?”

“...?”

Lee Han fell into even deeper confusion.

Research topic.

He was even more baffled because he had no memory of choosing one.

‘Did Professor Verdus secretly register a research topic under my name and receive funding from the Imperial capital?’

Professor Verdus was certainly capable of doing something like that, but Lee Han trusted the Imperial officials more than he trusted Professor Verdus.

Surely, if Professor Verdus had been involved, they would have checked two or three times.

“You made one last year too.”

Sigunting looked strangely at his confused junior and explained.

Since last year, while learning under Professor Verdus, Lee Han had shown deep interest in disposable artifacts.

When Professor Verdus told ✧ NоvеIight ✧ (Original source) him to use aquamarine or spirit-whale leather to make a leather water pouch artifact, hadn’t Lee Han insisted there was no need for expensive materials and made one with only deer leather, koyak thread, and a copper ring?

He had somehow compensated for the lacking performance by pouring in a massive amount of mana.

The artifact’s lifespan would be shortened, but since the goal from the beginning was to create disposable artifacts rather than permanent ones, that hardly mattered.

Since it was closer to a simple artifact anyway, there was no need to worry too much about such things.

“I think it’s a rather interesting topic myself. You chose well. In fact, that’s why I’m willing to explain it like this...”

Sigunting liked his junior’s research topic.

Artifact craftsmen were always obsessed with permanence and eternity, but sometimes stepping away from that opened up a broader world.

If something only had to be used once, one could break free from various artifact limitations and create tremendous firepower and output.

It was a bold, ambitious research topic that only a noble from a great house could come up with, not something a poor artifact craftsman would ever consider.

“...”

Lee Han was more shocked than he had been when he blocked the rushing enemies alone in the cave.

‘I was just trying to make it cheap so I could sell it cheaply. What is he talking about?’

Lee Han had made the leather water pouch artifact to secure initial funds for outings.

Naturally, Professor Verdus’s advice to use aquamarine or spirit-whale leather had been useless.

Famous Imperial craftsmen could use such materials because they received sponsorships, support, and expensive commissions, but Lee Han was still an unknown mage.

He had simply chosen a realistic method, so what was all this about a bold and ambitious research topic that only nobles from great houses could conceive?

“But how did you know about that? Professor Verdus... no. Professor Verdus wouldn’t talk about things like that.”

“As expected, you’re sharp. Of course not. Professor Garcia told us.”

‘...Professor Garcia didn’t secretly attach eavesdropping artifacts to the students’ clothes, did she?’

Lee Han unconsciously looked around.

“Now, look. To implement my crossbow as a disposable artifact...”

“But Senior. What if my research topic isn’t actually this kind of disposable artifact?”

“Huh?”

Sigunting stopped mid-explanation and looked up at Lee Han.

Then he glanced at Yukbeltire.

The meaning was clear even without words.

—I treat seniors like stones on the roadside if they aren’t doing research I’m interested in!

Not wanting to become like Yukbeltire and be ignored by Sigunting, Lee Han immediately answered.

“Actually, my research topic is disposable artifacts. Please continue.”

“I knew you weren’t an ordinary junior. Very impressive.”

Sigunting proposed a method for implementing his crossbow as a disposable artifact.

The materials should prioritize explosive force, firepower, output, and instability rather than stability, durability, and permanence.

“...Are there no cheaper materials?”

“What? Why? If you use materials cheaper than these, it’ll become even more unstable and dangerous.”

“...I enjoy that kind of danger. I feel my magic boil when I control instability and risk like that.”

“I knew it. You crazy bastard!”

Sigunting laughed, sounding even more pleased.

It seemed he had completely understood his junior.

In accordance with Lee Han’s supposed preferences, Sigunting adjusted the magic and spell composition.

He removed every stability function and every adjustment that assisted the mage...

“Whew. If used incorrectly, this thing would tear the mage’s face off. Wardanaz, I’d truly like to hear your impressions after you make and use it later.”

Sigunting made the request sincerely.

Though he lacked both the ability and family background to handle it himself, he was deeply curious about how his junior would develop this research topic.

“Yes... thank you...”

Perhaps it was just his imagination, but his junior seemed slightly less energetic than before.

Sigunting assumed it was because of Senior Yukbeltire.

Because Lee Han had wasted time on Senior Yukbeltire for no reason and even shared potions...

“Is there any final advice you could give me?”

“There is.”

“Oh. What is it?”

“Don’t share potions with Senior Yukbeltire. It’s a useless waste.”

“...I meant magical advice.”

***

“Advice?”

Anpagon, who had been building small towers out of mud on the floor, looked puzzled.

“Yes.”

“Don’t share food with Senior Yukbeltire. It’s a useless waste...”

“I already heard that. I meant magical advice.”

“Hmm.”

The third-year boy from the same tower as Lee Han fell into thought.

As the most sociable student in the enchantment magic school, and as someone from the same tower, he wanted to help.

Yukbeltire was excluded from that evaluation.

“My research topic is too different from yours.”

“...By any chance, disposable artifacts?”

“There were other topics besides that? Impressive. As expected of someone who attends every school...”

‘No. Weren’t these people supposed to not talk to each other?’

Lee Han was dumbfounded.

They usually avoided even necessary conversations, so why did they all know ridiculous rumors like this?

“You said your topic is different from mine, Senior. Ah, are you perhaps talking about what you tried to summon during the battle earlier?”

“That’s right.”

Anpagon’s specialty was architecture.

However, unlike Salco, he did not specialize in permanent structures. Anpagon was skilled at summoning magical buildings from other dimensional spaces and sending them back again.

The temporary fortress he had attempted to summon during the earlier battle, though Lee Han had finished everything before he could complete it, was one such structure.

As such, it should have been quite useful to a junior researching disposable artifacts...

“Ah. No, wait. Now that I think about it, there may be ways to simplify those structures and make them nearly disposable.”

“You don’t necessarily have to make them disposable.”

Lee Han was more curious about proper structure-summoning magic, but Anpagon chose to modify it anyway.

From the junior’s perspective, he had no choice but to grumble inwardly while listening to the lecture.

***

Yukbeltire had to eat chocolate cream wafer cookies instead of meal-replacement potions.

Although she thought it was somewhat inefficient, Yukbeltire obediently ate them to supplement her nutrition.

“...”

“Do you have something to say?”

Lee Han asked in confusion as his senior stared intently at him.

Just in case, he did not forget to grip his staff tightly.

If she said something like, “Meal-replacement potions were better,” he would have to restrain himself.

“Which family made these?”

“Pardon?”

“These cookies. Are they a new product from House Meikin?”

“I made them myself.”

“...!”

Yukbeltire was shocked.

A mage of that caliber spent his spare time putting butter-mixed flour dough into an oven and baking it...

...She could not quite imagine what came after that.

Yukbeltire had no particular interest in cooking.

“You wasted time on something like that?”

“After that, you spread cream or coat them in chocolate. Usually. Why? Do you have a complaint?”

Lee Han’s voice brimmed with murderous intent, dissatisfaction, threats, and menace.

Yukbeltire shook her head and answered.

“I thought it seemed like a rational method of consuming sugar, so I was considering purchasing some separately later.”

“...Please have more, Senior!”

Lee Han smiled brightly, as if his murderous mood from moments earlier had never existed.

However, Yukbeltire answered immediately.

“I’m full.”

“...Are either of you interested?”

“I’m fine with potions.”

“I don’t like snacks.”

“...”

Lee Han suddenly missed his friends.

***

Osu’s disciple.

It has been a while.

There were not many beings who called Lee Han by such an insulting title.

It happened during a brief dream while he was resting.

By the time Lee Han came to his senses, he had already arrived at the Serpent King’s Palace.

“...”

Lee Han glared at the black book.

Was this bastard now sending him directly to the Serpent King’s Palace instead of separate dimensions?

The black book jumped as if protesting that this was a misunderstanding.

This time, it wasn’t the book’s fault.

Seeing as this world called for you, Osu’s disciple, you must have been accumulating good karma.

“...Huh? No, I haven’t.”

Lee Han answered as if asking what nonsense that was.

“Right now, some crazy senior discovered an orichalcon vein, and I’m trying to steal it from him with other seniors...”

What appears on the surface is not what matters, Osu’s disciple.

“...”

The Serpent King spoke with an air of profound insight, but it did not move Lee Han, who had already grown cynical.

‘Isn’t this just a trick where he spouts nonsense, makes it sound plausible, and slips away smoothly?’

The world does not distinguish between the ten directions and the three times. Do not trust your own eyes. Trust the world.

“May I go back?”

When the time comes to return, you will naturally be able to return. Hmm. Osu’s disciple. You seem especially displeased today because of the rudeness this king showed your master, don’t you?

“...”

But it was unavoidable in order to stop Osu’s madness. Your attitude of respecting your master is admirable.

Lee Han gritted his teeth.

There was no point denying it, since the other party would obviously distort his meaning with intention-distorting magic.

To think such a terrible enemy existed.

“What magic do I need to learn to go back?”

Revealing your true nature—your ambition and greed for magic, are you? Osu’s disciple.

“...Yes. That’s what I am. A bastard crazy about magic.”

Lee Han answered half in despair.

After giving up in front of Sigunting, doing it the next time became easier.