episode_0057

“What… is all this?”

Ji-yoon stared blankly at the glass bottles pouring out of her bag.

I faintly smile at her reaction.

“It’s nothing. Just our potion ingredients.”

My eyes twinkle cheerfully.

Making cocktails is always enjoyable.

“In fact, I’m a magician.”

From the blue curaçao to the chocolate Baileys.

The unfamiliar ingredients caught the attention of other students.

Especially the elite girls in the class had bewildered expressions.

They were taken aback by Ji-yoon’s practice that seemed doomed to fail.

Seeing the full bottles in my bag, they started to regard me with caution, almost like a witch.

Being surprised only by this much—.

These high-volume potions are on a different level from those tasteless substitutes.

What cocktail should I try?

Red Eye is perfect for boosting stamina, but…

Right now, there are no tomatoes.

Maybe someone else has them.

I slowly scanned the other lab stations.

Suddenly, my eyes met with one of the elite girls.

She was a student with a vacant expression staring at her phone.

She pierced me with sharp eyes.

“You.”

What…?

Suddenly, the girl’s voice echoed in my head.

“Why are you helping that girl?”

Soon, I realized that the voice belonged to the student who had locked eyes with me.

Every time she moved her lips, the girl’s voice played in my mind.

“Do you know what ability she has?”

Is there any clue?

She’s been diligently attending classes without using any abilities so far.

I turned my head slowly towards her.

The elite female student pointed to her head with her finger, forming a horn shape.

“She can transform into a monster.”

Transform into a monster?

My eyebrows twitched.

It’s the first time I’ve heard of such an ability in my life.

“She has the ability to turn into a werewolf as she pleases.”

I cautiously turned my head away.

Ji-yoon looked at me anxiously.

It seems she noticed my telepathic communication with the elite girl.

“Each transformation comes with a smell, and sometimes she sheds fur, causing quite a nuisance.”

“And recently, she transformed suddenly, causing startled students to get injured.”

I looked down at the girl.

Ji-yoon, who had lowered her head deeply, mumbled.

“So-hee told you? About my ability…”

“Yeah. She was blabbering about it with telepathy.”

I shrugged as if it was nothing.

“Yeah. I can transform like a werewolf.”

Ji-yoon slowly raised her head.

Unlike before, her pupils had turned yellow.

“Sometimes only ears and a tail come out, but when excited, I can completely transform…”

The girl’s pupils were murky, like the monstrous creatures seen in past raids.

But I wasn’t particularly surprised by that sight.

I just gazed blankly at those beautiful hues.

“Aren’t you scared…?”

Ji-yoon asked, puzzled by my calm reaction.

I raised the corner of my mouth slightly.

“Not at all. It’s a pretty shade of yellow, isn’t it?”

I smiled faintly with narrowed eyes.

Compared to wolf eyes, which I’ve seen countless times and are more eerie.

From the crimson eyes of the enemy to the corpse-like white eyes of Anna.

Ji-yoon is at a puppy-like cuteness level in comparison.

Like a cute little puppy.

“Even though I could hurt you if I get too excited?”

The cute wolf girl clenched her hands tightly, growling softly.

I approached her slowly and whispered.

With narrow eyes.

“So, are you excited right now?”

Ji-yoon paused as if glitching for a moment.

She covered her mouth with the back of her hand as she suddenly started whimpering.

“Oh, no…”

Blushing, Ji-yoon covered her face with both hands in embarrassment.

I chuckled at her reaction and gently stroked the girl’s head.

“You’re trying to control it somehow, right?”

As I asked, I felt a slight discomfort in my palm.

It was because a wolf ear had slightly popped out from Ji-yoon’s trembling lips.

“Uh… Lately, I’ve been taking my medicine well and training every day.”

Contrary to her words, the wolf ears were gradually perking up.

I forced a smile and slowly removed my hand from her head.

Seems like the effects of the medicine have already worn off.

“Well, it’s fine. Being able to transform into a wolf is really cool, you know?”

“But if you hang out with me for no reason, you might get ostracized too…”

Is she being considerate by worrying about me first?

It’s hard to believe that such a person hurt other students.

“It’s okay. They’ll deal with it themselves.”

After all, I’m not even a student here.

I relaxed my tense shoulders due to telepathy.

Then, I slowly listed the cocktail ingredients I had prepared.

The elite female student started to grumble once again, full of spirit.

“Hey! Are you ignoring me? Don’t help me! How dare a remedial class student…!”

I gazed at the girl from a distance.

Her face contorted, hurling insults at me with her expression.

I ignored her grumbling.

Simply plugged my ears lightly.

“You’ll see after this. You might really die!”

Well then.

Since I’ll be leaving school after this practical session anyway.

I casually turned my head.

And looked at Ji-yoon, who seemed anxious.

She grabbed her head as if in agony.

“I’m sorry, it’s because of me…”

Ji-yoon is clearly the victim here.

But somehow, she was apologizing to me.

“Why are you apologizing?”

“We got caught together because of a troublemaker like me.”

Ji-yoon sighed as if exhausted from self-blame.

I looked at her like that.

And raised my head so that the girl faced me.

The beautiful eyes of the wolf girl soon met mine.

“Ji-yoon.”

“Huh…?”

“Don’t be disheartened. People can’t all be the same.”

I cleared the flask from the experiment table.

And took out a shot glass I had prepared.

“We were all born different. Just because we wear the same uniform doesn’t mean our abilities are the same.”

I calmly explained to her.

…

Yet, Ji-yoon still looked melancholic despite my words.

It seems that the disdain and ostracism she has experienced cannot be easily overcome with just one statement.

I firmly held her hand, which was reaching out for help.

And spoke softly.

“I’ll make you a cocktail.”

“A cocktail…?”

Ji-yoon pondered my words absentmindedly.

“Yes. A cocktail just for you.”

I gently released her hand.

And carefully selected four cocktail ingredients.

Because I had decided on what cocktail to make for her.

In a small shot glass…

A fragrant and transparent peach tree 1/2 ounce (15ml).

On top of that, vodka 1/3 ounce (10ml).

A beautiful blue liqueur, Blue Curacao 1/3 ounce (10ml).

I poured these three in order, slowly.

Soon, a clear liquid with a blue layer on top emerged.

“Wow… It’s amazing.”

Ji-yoon marveled at the liquor with distinct colors that didn’t mix.

“Isn’t it? Due to the difference in density, they don’t mix and float on top of each other.”

The wolf girl stared blankly at the beautiful blue color.

Indeed, just looking at this visual alone, it could easily be called ‘Blue Sky.’

However…

“Would you like to try making it yourself from now on?”

I handed her the spoid on the experiment table.

Taking it, the girl hesitated, looking flustered.

“M-me? How should I do it?”

Finding her confusion adorable, I pointed to the milk on the table.

“Sprinkle milk into this beautiful sky?”

Ji-yoon asked, unable to comprehend.

Putting milk in alcohol, it’s an expression never imagined.

“Wouldn’t it ruin everything if you put milk in here…? Seems like it might curdle a lot…”

Ji-yoon cautiously asked me.

For her sake, I gently held the hand of the girl holding the spoid.

“That might happen.”

The two girls’ hands gradually rose towards the blue sky.

The Spoide, filled with milk, arrives in the blue sky.

“If something disrupts this harmonious picture, it will surely not look good.”

I slowly pressed the Spoide.

Then, milk droplets gently fell onto the surface.

“But sometimes…”

The murky milk slowly seeped beneath the surface.

Jiyoon anxiously watched the scene.

“Thanks to that unique individual, everyone could shine.”

The blue sky remained untouched by the milk, neither blending nor fading away.

And then…

Milk droplets rose above the sky.

Gradually unfolding into beautiful clouds.

“Like this Blue Sky…”

It was finally complete.

The blue sky adorned with clouds.

Rating: ★★★★★ (Legendary)

Effect: Immediately restores 70% of health.

Information: Transparent alcohol below, blue sky and clouds above. This cocktail presented by a Korean bartender won first place at a major competition in London.

All of this was completed with just a few drops of milk, not expensive liquor.

“This is not the end here.”

I took a pinch of sugar.

Slowly sprinkling it over the Blue Sky.

Soon, snow began to fall from the sky.

The beautiful sugar powder slowly settled under the glass.

“Ah…”

The young wolf girl’s eyes sparkled.

Like a puppy happy to see snow for the first time.

I smiled warmly at her innocent face.

“I’ll root for you, Jiyoon. You’ll become an amazing hunter.”

…

Jiyoon’s mouth slightly agape at my words.

Her lips, once downturned when we first met, were slowly turning upwards.

“And with that ‘ability’ your friends disliked, you’ll save many people.”

I gently pushed the completed Blue Sky towards the girl.

“Believe me.”

“I’m a magician, after all.”

Soon, the beautiful blue sky took the stage.

Amidst numerous potions, our Blue Sky stood out.

Compared to the potion size of 1L, ours was a mere 50ml shot glass.

“Shall we begin the evaluation?”

The professor prepared paper and pen.

Tasting each potion slowly to grade them.

Jiyoon nervously clasped her hands together.

I stood close beside her for support.

“You made it well according to the recipe.”

The professor sipped each intermediate potion.

Just a little.

Soon, she reached us.

The elite girls’ turn.

“Oh.”

She tasted the notably rich white potion.

Then nodded in satisfaction.

“You’ve used a lot of ingredients. The effect is excellent, and the taste isn’t bad.”

The elite girls chuckled confidently, thinking they would rank first as usual.

Not having prepared a single ingredient themselves.

I observed them with a keen eye.

Soon, I locked eyes with another male student nearby.

He quickly looked away upon meeting my gaze.

What’s wrong with him…

“But…”

The professor set down the elite girls’ glasses.

And noted their scores on paper.

“The cost-effectiveness is not great. Pouring in too many ingredients might enhance the effect, but it’s too expensive and burdensome.”

The telepathy user’s face twisted at the professor’s cold evaluation.

Striving for perfection, she bit her lip.

“Now, shall we try a ‘beautiful potion’ that catches the eye?”

Our small cocktail captured attention.

The professor held the glass delicately, admiring it like a piece of art.

“Jiyoon and… What was the name of the student who was late earlier?”

“It’s Siho.”

I raised my hand with a grin.

Other students murmured upon hearing my name.

“I’ve never seen such a small portion before. What are the ingredients?”

“Peach tree and vodka, Blue Curacao, and milk.”

I recited ingredients that ordinary students wouldn’t understand.

The professor, too, looked puzzled by the unfamiliar names.

“If you take out the milk, all that’s left is alcohol?”

“Yes, but in this potion, ‘milk’ is the star.”

An unnamed female student placed her hand on the wolf girl’s shoulder.

With newfound confidence, Ji-yoon boldly declared, “That’s right. Milk is the protagonist!”

The professor chuckled briefly at Ji-yoon’s bright demeanor.

Then slowly sipped from the glass.

Elite girls observed the scene.

As Ji-yoon and I looked on, all the students in the lab anxiously watched.