Ch.23Episode 6. The First Turning Point (3)

“Huhuhu! You’re always late! That’s why you can’t defeat me, the Dark Wizard Magician! The instructor and I have already made a fateful pact! Today, the instructor belongs to me!”

There were too many irritating words, but I pretended not to hear them since pointing them out one by one would be exhausting on a weekend morning.

“Come on, quit the nonsense and get out.”

I said, pushing Gu Yeonhwa away.

“How dare you call human speech nonsense! King Sejong would be crying!”

“King Sejong is already sobbing at your usual way of speaking, so hurry up and leave.”

Do you think King Sejong would approve of you attaching the word “dog” to everything?

“In-Instructor Yujin!”

“Hmm?”

“D-Did you perhaps…?”

…Did I what?

“Yeonhwa just got here too. Don’t misunderstand, just take her away.”

“Right? Ah, really. Don’t make people misunderstand, Yeonhwa.”

“Don’t address me so casually! I’m not Yeonhwa, I’m the Dark Wizard Magi—”

Thwack!

“Ow!”

Yeonmuhui hit Gu Yeonhwa’s head with her scabbard.

“Wh-What was that for?!”

“You’re being insolent.”

Her voice was expressionless and emotionless as usual, but somehow her displeasure was palpable.

“Follow me. I’ll kill you. Before you fight with the instructor.”

“K-K-Kill me?!”

“Go easy on her.”

“Okay. I’ll try.”

Gu Yeonhwa gets dragged away by Jeong Iyeon and Yeonmuhui.

Watching them, Bin Yuni quietly handed me a piece of paper.

“So, Instructor, could you help me with this? I can’t figure out how to improve the efficiency.”

I took the paper and examined her attire. Bin Yuni was wearing a white coat over her school uniform despite it being the weekend.

Don’t tell me she slept at school again?

“You’re better at potions than I am. Would my advice even help?”

“Sometimes an ordinary person’s opinion can provide unexpected solutions.”

“Ah, I see.”

When I responded indifferently, she added:

“I want to reduce trial and error. I want to ‘prove’ my competence as soon as possible.”

Prove, huh…

I examined the contents of the paper.

This time it was a healing potion.

Is she already trying to upgrade beyond what’s sold on the market?

Her growing competence was admirable, but I thought it was premature.

“If you want to prove yourself, wouldn’t it be better not to take my help?”

“Hmm… I suppose you’re right?”

“Yeah. But if I could give one piece of advice: with potions, the ratio is important, but the order of ingredients and how you combine them in stages can also increase or decrease effectiveness. Consider that too.”

“I already know that.”

“Then you’ll be fine. Just believe in your abilities.”

Might as well boost her self-esteem too.

“I guess so… Oh, speaking of which, I made an acceleration potion using your previous advice. Would you like to try it?”

“…You didn’t put anything weird in it, right?”

“No. I made it exactly as you instructed. If you’d prefer something I made on my own, I have this…”

A polystyrene tube containing purple liquid peeked out from her white coat. Getting goosebumps at the sight, I quickly took the tube with the white liquid instead.

“No thanks. I’ll take this one.”

Even if Bin Yuni made a mistake, she wouldn’t create poison, but I didn’t want to risk any side effects.

She blinked in surprise, as if she hadn’t expected me to actually accept it.

“Are you really going to drink it without clinical testing?”

“Yes. This one seems like it will definitely work.”

“Th-The effect is just temporary acceleration.”

She looked back and forth between me and the potion with a troubled expression.

“I know.”

“There might be side effects.”

There won’t be any side effects. I’m certain.

That’s how it was in the novel, and if she mixed it according to the ratio I gave her, it’s impossible.

“I’ll trust that there won’t be any.”

“But what are you going to use the acceleration potion for? You’re already fast, Instructor.”

“I think I’ll find a use for it soon.”

“…?”

She tilted her head in confusion.

“If it has acceleration effects without side effects, I could publish it right away.”

I debated whether to give her advice on Bin Yuni’s comment.

If I advised her, it might seem like I was meddling too much, but if I let it slide, I was afraid things would unfold just like in the novel.

After contemplating for a while, I sighed and spoke up.

“That wouldn’t be a good choice.”

Just instilling a bit of caution should be enough.

Well, she probably already has some caution after being ‘used’ once…

“Why not?”

“You don’t have the power to protect your copyright. Someone could see it, copy it, publish it, and steal the copyright from you.”

“…You seem to know quite a bit about this?”

“Someone I know experienced that.”

“Ugh… that must have been really unfair.”

Being an alchemist herself, she grimaces in sympathy.

For reference, that “someone I know” was Bin Yuni from the novel.

She had developed a drug on her own and presented her research findings to the Academy for help with clinical trials, only to be backstabbed.

She desperately tried to reclaim it, but it was natural for copyright to go to whoever published first.

If she had conducted her research in the Potion Research Department, people around her could have been witnesses, but she always researched alone.

There was no one in the story who would take her side.

Of course, that’s not the case anymore.

This incident became the first catalyst for Bin Yuni’s change in mindset, leading her to join Akcheon.

That’s why I intended to protect the copyright of all the drugs she would develop in the future.

“Protect your research yourself. If you think you can’t protect it, tell me. I’ll help you somehow.”

I said this, but I wasn’t actually going to do anything myself.

I planned to use the Association Chairman.

The Chairman was a trustworthy person.

Since he favored mutual benefit, if we negotiated well, we could make him completely our ally.

Even if the Chairman refused or betrayed us, I was prepared to kill him and become a villain to take responsibility.

I had no intention of committing indiscriminate crimes like Akcheon, but I planned to go around punishing those I deemed evil.

After all, what mattered to me was preventing the protagonists of this world from turning to darkness.

“So try to document your formulas and print them out. Digital records can be hacked. Keep the printed formulas somewhere others can’t easily see.”

“Ah, yes.”

“I’ll help you with the timing later. If you find it hard to trust me, you don’t have to tell me either. But please don’t blindly request help from the Academy, okay?”

“Yes… I understand. Thank you for telling me.”

She bowed sincerely in gratitude.

After straightening up, she immediately began rummaging through her pocket.

“Ah, as a token of gratitude, would you like to try this one too, buy one get one free—”

“I’m not interested, so you can leave now too.”

I forcibly showed Bin Yuni out as she tried to take out the purple liquid, then locked the door.

I guess I’ll take a shower now…

* * *

Weekend training ground.

Despite being the furthest training ground from the main building, it was quite crowded. Everyone was busy developing their abilities. Some were receiving advice from instructors.

This would be the perfect place to get caught if I used my abilities.

I should avoid using Lightning Release if possible.

I stretched while staring at Gu Yeonhwa, who was about ten meters away.

She trembled while muttering something, then suddenly pointed at me.

“Huhuhu! I haven’t forgotten the past humiliations.”

Humiliations…?

“I still can’t sleep at night when I recall the days when you forced me into a straitjacket and violated me!”

“You’re lying.”

“At the time, I was gripped by fear, terribly frightened, and felt as if I were alone and isolated from the world.”

Shouldn’t you feel a sense of belonging since you’re wearing the same uniform as everyone else?

I really can’t understand the thinking of abnormal people.

“But! You couldn’t extinguish the spark in my heart! Now that I’ve broken free from my restraints, I will inflict terrible revenge upon you!”

“Ah, that’s your setting? Fine, come at me with everything you’ve got.”

When I responded nonchalantly, Gu Yeonhwa stomped her feet in frustration.

“How dare you call my sincere feelings a ‘setting.’ Indeed, you are the demon I must defeat!”

As she spread her arms wide, numerous black spheres formed in the air.

“Repent in my black flames! ‘Fireball’!”

Who actually announces their skill names out loud?

The numerous spheres rushed toward me like bullets at high speed.

I pretended to leap toward the spheres but subtly dodged them. The flying spheres curved, changing direction.

I already knew that Fireballs could be guided.

Just as I was about to extend my hand toward the approaching Fireball to use Nullification, another sphere flew in and detonated the one in front of me.

“What!”

Boom!

“Ah, hot…!”

My skin began to tingle from the intense heat. Then, seeing Fireballs pouring in from all directions, I let out a short sigh.

I can’t avoid this without using Lightning Release.

Crack!

Boom! Boom! Boom!

With a thunderous roar that shook the training ground, vast amounts of smoke began to fill the area.

“That was really… trying to kill me, wasn’t it?”

Then I’ll proceed with self-defense.

Having escaped danger with Lightning Release, I was about to rush toward her when I couldn’t help but chuckle at the words coming from outside.

“Did I get him?!”

Isn’t that line a survival flag?

Cutting through the smoke, I tried to close the distance between us instantly.

“So you’re alive after all! You dog of this vile institution!”

“What did you call me?!”

“Don’t come any closer! ‘Dark Barrier’!”

She hastily spread flames around herself, but I dove into her arms before she could complete it.

“Would I really go all out?”

“Ah! Instructor!”

Only now you call me Instructor?

“Should you grit your teeth? You’ll lose them.”

Seeing her actually gritting her teeth, I gave her a light tap on the head.

Thunk!

“Ow!”

She crouched down, holding her head. Tears were even welling up in her eyes.

“Hng… It hurts…!”

“I was gentle.”

“My skull is caved in.”

“Don’t exaggerate.”

I crouched down in front of her and gently rubbed the spot I had hit.

“Still, that was quite a fresh attack. Without using my ability, I couldn’t have avoided…”

Oh… wait, I wasn’t supposed to use my ability!

I hastily looked around.

Students were already watching me and Gu Yeonhwa intently. They had clearly seen our brief exchange.

This… I’m screwed, aren’t I?