"Apa maksudnya ini?"
Mendengar suara es dari sang senior, Yi-Han langsung menjawab.
"Senior kelihatan kedinginan."
"Kau sebut itu jawaban?"
'Hah?'
Yi-Han sedikit terkejut.
Itu pasti sudah berhasil kalau pada Profesor Verduus...
Rupanya Yukbeltire memiliki kecerdasan sosial lebih tinggi dari Profesor Verduus.
'Kalau begitu kenapa orang seperti itu bertingkah seperti Profesor Verduus?'
Sementara Yi-Han memikirkannya, Yukbeltire menyingkirkan jubah itu dan menatapnya. Tatapan itu setengah acuh tak acuh dan setengah meremehkan.
"Letakkan tangan di jam itu lagi."
"...?"
Yi-Han kaget lagi.
Hebatnya, pihak sana masih belum mengenalinya!
'Apa ini? Keberuntungan pemula di awal tahun kedua?'
Memang ada alasannya orang bilang ada keberuntungan pemula.
Mungkin keberuntungan mengasihani Yi-Han yang baru saja menjadi siswa tahun kedua, lalu mengulurkan tangan.
'Belum berakhir. Keluar dari sini dengan sesedikit mungkin kecurigaan.'
Sementara itu, Yukbeltire mengeluarkan kaca pembesar kecil dan melihat juniornya.
Itu adalah kaca pembesar yang dilengkapi lensa pengenalan mana tingkat tinggi yang dibuat sendiri oleh Yukbeltire.
Seorang mage adalah seseorang yang menangani mana, tapi itu tidak berarti setiap mage bisa merasakan aliran mana dengan sempurna.
Bahkan ruang yang terlihat damai tanpa gerakan yang tampak pun dipenuhi arus dan perubahan mana yang tak terhitung jumlahnya.
Aliran mana begitu kompleks sehingga bahkan seseorang yang terlahir dengan kepekaan bawaan terhadap mana akan kesulitan memahaminya hanya dengan indra semata.
Artefak sederhana buatan Yukbeltire ini memungkinkan pengenalan presisi terhadap aliran mana seorang junior.
Tindakan bodoh macam apa yang dilakukan junior ini sampai membuat artefak berhenti? Yukbeltire bermaksud mengonfirmasinya secara langsung.
KRAK!
Begitu diaktifkan, lensa kaca pembesar itu pecah di tempat.
"......"
"......"
Yukbeltire memiringkan kepala sedikit. Lalu merapalkan mantra pada mata sendiri.
"Tembuslah."
Saat <Mata Biru Baquantala> diaktifkan, informasi dari ruang yang diperluas membanjiri langsung ke otak Yukbeltire.
Yukbeltire mungkin tidak ingat wajah dengan baik, tapi sangat ingat mana. Tidak butuh waktu lama untuk menarik mana junior itu dari ingatan.
"Siswa tahun kedua dari Keluarga Wardanaz?"
"...Mungkinkah Anda salah orang?"
Dengan suara yang bercampur pasrah, Yi-Han melakukan perlawanan terakhir.
*****
Begitu Yukbeltire mengenali juniornya, sikapnya menjadi jauh lebih ramah dari sebelumnya.
Tentu saja, itu tidak berarti teh disajikan atau camilan ditawarkan.
Menurut standar Yukbeltire, sekadar berbicara lebih dulu dan mengajukan pertanyaan kepada junior yang duduk di depannya sudah merupakan sikap yang sangat ramah.
"Apakah kau sudah memikirkan soal penelitian?"
'Datang juga.'
Mendengar pertanyaan senior itu, Yi-Han bersiaga.
Untungnya, dia punya jawaban yang sudah disiapkan untuk situasi seperti ini.
"Saya merasa terhormat, tapi sayangnya saya sudah punya komitmen sebelumnya. Dan orang itu bilang kalau saya mengerjakan penelitian lain secara paralel, saya tidak akan dimaafkan..."
"Sungguh orang yang tidak sopan."
"Itu Senior Direth."
"......"
Yukbeltire menunjukkan ekspresi sedikit kecewa.
Sama seperti sulit membayangkan Profesor Verduus terlihat kecewa, hal yang sama berlaku untuk senior di depannya, jadi Yi-Han cukup terkejut.
"Mengatakan hal seperti itu padaku lalu mencoba memonopolimu sendiri. Direth mengecewakan."
'Jangan membantah. Jangan membantah.'
Yi-Han memaksa menahan dorongan untuk membela Direth.
Bagaimanapun, Direth sudah memperingatkannya.
—Junior, karena kau di Menara Naga Biru, ada kemungkinan kau akan bertemu Yukbeltire.
—Apa yang harus kulakukan kalau bertemu orang itu? Pura-pura mati?
—Itu metode yang bagus juga, tapi tidak akan berhasil. Yukbeltire akan memeriksa nadimu segera. Gunakan aku sebagai alasan saja.
—Maaf? Bilang Senior membunuh saya?
—...Bukan! Buat alasan bahwa karena aku, kau tidak punya waktu untuk berpartisipasi dalam penelitian lain!
—Itu... bukankah itu terlalu merugikan Senior?
—Hidupku sudah merugikan sejak saat aku memutuskan tahun kelima. Tidak akan terlalu berbeda kalau sedikit lebih buruk di sini.
—......
—...Maaf. Itu bukan sesuatu yang seharusnya kukatakan di depan junior. ◈ ◈ (Lanjut membaca) Bagaimanapun, menggunakanku sebagai alasan adalah satu-satunya yang akan berhasil dengan Yukbeltire. Oh, benar. Apa pun yang Yukbeltire katakan tentangku, tetaplah diam. Jangan membantah. Begitu kau membantah, kau akan terseret masuk.
Teman-teman sekelas melekatkan julukan menghina seperti murid langsung Verduus pada Yukbeltire, tapi sebenarnya, Yukbeltire sangat berbeda dari Profesor Verduus.
Jika Profesor Verduus sama sekali tidak punya kecerdasan sosial, Yukbeltire punya dan hanya memilih untuk tidak menggunakannya.
Dan jika perlu, Yukbeltire akan menggunakan cara atau metode apa pun tanpa ragu, itulah sebabnya Yi-Han sama sekali tidak boleh lengah dan mendekat sembarangan. Tutup mulut adalah yang terbaik.
'Aku akan bertahan.'
Sementara Yi-Han bertahan, Yukbeltire tersenyum dingin.
"Tapi ini memuaskan. Jadi akhirnya Direth memutuskan untuk berhenti mengurus junior-junior di bawah standar dan fokus pada sihirnya sendiri... Sekarang Direth sudah tahun kelima, mungkin sudah ada perubahan hati."
'...Kalau aku menantang orang ini berduel, apa aku akan kalah?'
Untuk sesaat, Yi-Han hampir menantang senior di depannya.
Bagaimana bisa seseorang menghina Direth seperti itu?
Tanpa menyadari apa yang Yi-Han pikirkan, Yukbeltire berkata dengan suara dingin,
"Kalau itu karena penelitian Direth, untuk saat ini aku akan mengalah."
"Benarkah?"
"Tentu saja. Aku bisa membujuk Direth nanti."
"......"
Yi-Han tiba-tiba sangat khawatir dengan Direth.
Gaya persuasi Profesor Verduus, kurang lebih, adalah menyiksa pihak lain sampai mereka benar-benar muak hidup...
...Seberapa berbeda muridnya bisa?
'Mungkin aku benar-benar harus menaklukkan orang ini di sini!'
Tanpa tahu bahwa seorang junior jauh sedang serius mempertimbangkan pembunuhan, Yukbeltire mengalihkan tatapan kembali ke artefak.
"Jadi kalau begitu, junior dari Keluarga Wardanaz... Aku sudah memikirkan mengapa artefak itu tidak bisa beroperasi. Kau bilang kau mengambil cukup banyak sekolah, benar?"
"Ya."
"Itu mungkin penyebabnya."
Memandang artefak jam-kuliah raksasa itu, Yukbeltire memberikan perintah.
"Singkirkan kuliah yang bisa digantikan!"
Jika seseorang mengambil banyak sekolah, jumlah kuliah terkait tentu saja meningkat.
Yukbeltire memerintahkan artefak untuk menghapus kuliah yang isinya tumpang tindih dengan kuliah lain atau bisa digantikan oleh kuliah lain.
Dan kemudian...
TING!
"......"
"......"
Jam itu bergetar, lalu berhenti. Alis Yukbeltire sedikit berkerut.
Kebanggaan sebagai seorang penguat telah terluka.
"Tak kusangka aku tidak mengantisipasi kasus seperti ini."
"M-Maaf."
"Ini bukan salahmu. Ini salahku. Aku seharusnya mempertimbangkan preseden Profesor Garcia."
"......"
Yi-Han terdiam dengan ekspresi rumit.
Dia tidak tahu apakah dia seharusnya senang atau sedih.
"Kalau begitu... mari kita cari sekolah yang bisa disingkirkan."
"Itu juga bisa?"
"Ya. Aku memasukkan beberapa sihir ramalan juga."
"!"
Mendengar kata-kata senior itu, Yi-Han terkejut.
Dia sudah mengira ini artefak yang kompleks, tapi ternyata jauh lebih luar biasa dari yang diharapkan.
Tak disangka bahkan mengandung sihir ramalan.
"Bagaimana jam ini berfungsi?"
"Jam ini punya prioritas. Aku sudah menyebutkan sekolah, minat, dan kemampuan, kan? Setelah itu bakat dan profesor."
"Bakat dan profesor... profesor?"
Merasakan sesuatu yang aneh, Yi-Han bertanya balik.
Bakat dia mengerti, tapi apa maksudnya profesor?
"Kau bisa menganggap bakat sebagai kemampuan yang kau sendiri tidak tahu kau miliki. Jika kuliah-kuliah aneh atau tidak biasa muncul, anggap saja kau punya bakat di arah itu. Yang terakhir adalah profesor; sederhananya, itu seberapa cocok kepribadian kalian. Tentu saja, jika kau tidak akur dengan gurunya, akan sulit untuk belajar."
"Benar-benar ada fungsi seperti itu?!"
Yi-Han memandang kagum.
Dia hampir merasa bahwa daripada menggunakan sihir besar Kepala Sekolah Tengkorak untuk menemukan siswa baru Einroguard, lebih baik mereka menggunakan sihir seperti ini.
"Bukankah prioritas profesor seharusnya dinaikkan?"
"Omong kosong apa yang kau bicarakan? Dalam sihir, kecocokan kepribadian dengan guru adalah bagian yang paling tidak penting."
Yukbeltire memandang juniornya seolah dia menyedihkan. Yi-Han layu.
KLAK, KLAK, KLAK... TING!
"......"
"......"
Saat mereka berbicara, jam itu berhenti lagi.
Kerutan di antara alis Yukbeltire sedikit lebih dalam dari sebelumnya.
"Kenapa berhenti lagi kali ini?"
"...Tampaknya tidak ada sekolah di mana bakatmu kurang. Mengejutkan..."
Yukbeltire memandang Yi-Han dari atas ke bawah lagi.
Yukbeltire mengira Yi-Han memiliki bakat luar biasa dalam sihir enchantment, dan afinitas roh di atas itu, tapi melihat sekarang, keserbagunaannya sungguh absurd.
Bagaimana bisa seseorang punya bakat yang begitu merata di setiap sekolah?
"Maaf tidak ada sekolah di mana bakat saya kurang."
"Tidak. Seperti yang kukatakan, ini salahku. Jangan minta maaf."
Seorang penguat yang unggul tidak takut menemukan kekurangan.
Semakin banyak kekurangan ditemukan, semakin baik artefak meningkat.
...Meskipun sepertinya tidak mungkin junior seperti ini akan muncul lagi...
"Baik. Kalau begitu... mari kita sekali lagi cari sekolah yang bisa disingkirkan. Kali ini fokus pada profesor yang paling tidak cocok!"
"!"
Ketika Yukbeltire memberikan perintah baru untuk mencari sekolah yang bisa disingkirkan berdasarkan prioritas paling terakhir, kecocokan dengan profesor, Yi-Han terkejut.
'Siapa profesor yang paling tidak cocok denganku?'
Sejujurnya, dia penasaran.
Ada terlalu banyak kandidat yang masuk akal, yang entah kenapa justru membuatnya semakin penasaran...
TING!
Jam itu berhenti lagi.
"......"
"...Tampaknya tidak ada profesor yang bermusuhan denganmu."
"Benda ini rus
“What is the meaning of this?”
At the icy voice of the senior, Lee Han answered at once.
“You looked cold, Senior.”
“Do you call that an answer?”
‘Huh?’
Lee Han was slightly flustered.
That would definitely have worked on Professor Verdus...
Apparently Yukbeltire had more social intelligence than Professor Verdus.
‘Then why does someone like that act like Professor Verdus?’
While Lee Han was puzzling over it, Yukbeltire moved the cloak aside and looked at him. That gaze was half indifference and half contempt.
“Place the hand on the clock again.”
“...?”
Lee Han was startled again.
Amazingly enough, the other side still had not recognized him!
‘What is this? Beginner’s luck at the start of second year?’
There was a reason people said beginner’s luck.
Maybe fortune was pitying Lee Han, who had only just become a second-year, and lending a hand.
‘It isn’t over yet. Get out of here with as little suspicion as possible.’
Meanwhile, Yukbeltire took out a small magnifying glass and looked at the junior.
It was a magnifying glass fitted with a high-grade mana-recognition lens personally made by Yukbeltire.
A mage was someone who handled mana, but that did not mean every mage could perceive the flow of mana perfectly.
Even a peaceful-looking space with no visible movement was filled with countless currents and changes of mana.
The flow of mana was so complex that even someone born with an innate sensitivity to mana would find it hard to grasp by sheer sense alone.
This simple artifact Yukbeltire had made allowed precise recognition of a junior’s mana flow.
Exactly what kind of idiotic stunt had this junior pulled to make the artifact stop? Yukbeltire intended to confirm it personally.
CRACK!
The moment it was activated, the magnifying lens shattered on the spot.
“......”
“......”
Yukbeltire tilted the head slightly. Then cast a spell on the own eyes.
“Pierce through.”
As <Baquantala’s Blue Eyes> was cast, information from the expanded space flooded directly into Yukbeltire’s brain.
Yukbeltire might not remember faces well, but remembered mana very well. It did not take long to pull the junior’s mana out of memory.
“A second-year from House Wardanaz?”
“...Couldn’t you possibly have the wrong person?”
In a voice mixed with resignation, Lee Han made one last attempt at resistance.
*****
Once Yukbeltire recognized the junior, the attitude became far friendlier than before.
Of course, that did not mean tea was served or refreshments were offered.
By Yukbeltire’s standards, simply speaking first and asking questions of the junior sitting in front was already an extremely friendly attitude.
“Have you thought about research?”
‘Here it comes.’
At the senior’s question, Lee Han braced himself.
Fortunately, he had a prepared answer for just this sort of situation.
“I would be honored, but unfortunately I have a prior commitment. And that person said that if I worked on any other research in parallel, I would not be forgiven...”
“What an impolite person.”
“It’s Senior Diret.”
“......”
Yukbeltire showed a faintly disappointed expression.
Just as it was hard to imagine Professor Verdus looking disappointed, it was the same with the senior in front of him, so Lee Han was fairly startled.
“To say something like that to me and then try to monopolize you personally. Diret is disappointing.”
‘Don’t argue. Don’t argue.’
Lee Han forcibly held back the urge to defend Diret.
After all, Diret had warned him.
—Junior, since you’re in the Blue Dragon Tower, there’s a chance you’ll meet Yukbeltire.
—What do I do if I meet that person? Pretend to be dead?
—That’s a good method too, but it won’t work. Yukbeltire will check your pulse immediately. Just use me as an excuse.
—Pardon? Say you killed me?
—...No! Make excuses that because of me, you don’t have time to participate in other research!
—That... isn’t that far too disadvantageous for you, Senior?
—My life turned disadvantageous the moment I decided on fifth year. It won’t really matter if it gets a little worse here.
—......
—...Sorry. That wasn’t something I should say in front of a junior. ◈ ◈ (Continue reading) Anyway, using me as an excuse is about the only thing that will work with Yukbeltire. Oh, right. No matter what Yukbeltire says about me, just keep quiet. Don’t argue. The instant you argue, you’ll get dragged in.
Classmates attached insulting titles like Verdus’s direct disciple to Yukbeltire, but in truth, Yukbeltire was very different from Professor Verdus.
If Professor Verdus had no social intelligence at all, Yukbeltire had it and simply chose not to use it.
And if necessary, Yukbeltire would use any means or method without hesitation, which was why Lee Han absolutely could not let the guard down and approach carelessly. Keeping his mouth shut was best.
‘I’ll endure it.’
While Lee Han endured, Yukbeltire smiled coldly.
“But this is satisfying. So Diret has finally decided to stop taking care of juniors beneath the standard and focus on the own magic... Now that Diret is in fifth year, perhaps there has been a change of heart.”
‘...If I challenge this person to a duel, will I lose?’
For a brief moment, Lee Han nearly challenged the senior in front of him.
How could anyone insult Diret like that?
Oblivious to what Lee Han was thinking, Yukbeltire said in a cool voice,
“If it is because of Diret’s research, I will yield for the moment.”
“Really?”
“Of course. I can simply persuade Diret later.”
“......”
Lee Han suddenly became very worried about Diret.
Professor Verdus’s style of persuasion was, more or less, to torment the other side until they were completely sick of living...
...How different could the disciple possibly be?
‘I may really have to subdue this person right here!’
Having no idea that a distant junior was seriously contemplating assassination, Yukbeltire turned the gaze back to the artifact.
“So then, junior of House Wardanaz... I have been thinking about why the artifact became inoperable. You said you were taking quite a few schools, correct?”
“Yes.”
“That is probably the cause.”
Staring at the gigantic lecture-clock artifact, Yukbeltire gave an order.
“Exclude replaceable lectures!”
If one was taking many schools, the number of related lectures could only increase.
Yukbeltire ordered the artifact to remove lectures whose content overlapped with other lectures or that could be substituted by other lectures.
And then...
TING!
“......”
“......”
The clock rattled, then stopped. Yukbeltire’s brows furrowed very slightly.
The pride as an enchanter had been wounded.
“To think I had not anticipated a case like this.”
“I-I’m sorry.”
“It is not your fault. It is mine. I should have considered Professor Garcia’s precedent.”
“......”
Lee Han fell silent with a complicated expression.
He had no idea whether he was supposed to be happy or sad.
“In that case... let us find schools that can be excluded.”
“That is possible too?”
“Yes. I included some divination magic as well.”
“!”
At the senior’s words, Lee Han was startled.
He had already thought it was a complex artifact, but it was far more incredible than expected.
To think it even contained divination magic.
“How does this clock function?”
“It has priorities. I already mentioned schools, interests, and ability, yes? After that come talent and professor.”
“Talent and professor... professor?”
Sensing something odd, Lee Han asked back.
Talent he understood, but what was professor?
“You may think of talent as abilities you yourself do not know you possess. If strange or unusual lectures appear, assume you have talent in that direction. The last is professor; simply put, it is how well your personalities fit. Naturally, if you do not get along well with the teacher, it becomes difficult to learn.”
“There is really a function like that?!”
Lee Han looked over in admiration.
He almost felt that instead of using the Skull Principal’s grand magic to find incoming students for Einroguard, they should use magic like this instead.
“Shouldn’t the professor priority be raised?”
“What nonsense are you saying? In magic, personality compatibility with the teacher is the least important part.”
Yukbeltire looked at the junior as if he were pathetic. Lee Han wilted.
CLACK, CLACK, CLACK... TING!
“......”
“......”
While they were talking, the clock stopped again.
The crease between Yukbeltire’s brows was slightly deeper than before.
“Why is it doing this this time?”
“...It seems there are no schools in which your talent is lacking. Surprising...”
Yukbeltire looked Lee Han up and down again.
Yukbeltire had thought Lee Han possessed exceptional talent in enchantment magic, and spirit affinity on top of that, but looking now, the sheer versatility was absurd.
How could someone have talent so evenly spread across every school?
“I’m sorry there are no schools in which my talent is lacking.”
“No. As I said, this is my fault. Do not apologize.”
A superior enchanter did not fear discovering flaws.
The more flaws were discovered, the more an artifact improved.
...Though it did not seem likely that another junior like this would ever appear again...
“Good. Then... let us once again find schools that can be excluded. This time focusing on the most incompatible professor!”
“!”
When Yukbeltire gave a new order to find schools to exclude based on the very last priority, compatibility with professors, Lee Han was startled.
‘Who is the professor I’m least compatible with?’
Honestly, he was curious.
There were too many plausible candidates, which somehow only made him more curious...
TING!
The clock stopped again.
“......”
“...It seems you have no professors who are on bad terms with you.”
“This thing is broken!”
Lee Han flared up and shouted.
What kind of insane clock was this?
Or else Yukbeltire had clearly made a mistake in the divination magic. What would an enchanter even know about divination magic?
“Do you have any idea how much I hate Ver... anyway, certain professors?”
“I am sure you do. But it appears those professors do not hate you. Since this is the result.”
“......”
At the senior’s blunt explanation, Lee Han felt a chill run down the spine.
Come to think of it, considering the personalities of certain professors, even if he avoided a lecture, it would not be strange if that lecture were forcibly added anyway.
And if this clock had foreseen even that...
‘Terrifying...!’
“It cannot be helped.”
After thinking for a moment, Yukbeltire spoke.
“There is a method?”
“Exclude easy lectures that can be self-studied, and focus on difficult lectures.”
“No, what kind of...?”
CLACK!
With a puff of smoke, the clock finally completed a one-day lecture schedule.
It was a packed schedule with almost no empty space visible from morning to evening.
Yukbeltire nodded as if telling him to write it down. Lee Han copied it with an extremely dubious expression.
“The lecture <Wand Materials and Magical Amplification> is worth learning. Once you learn it, the margin of error when conducting research will become much smaller. Before attending the lecture, bring the following materials...”
After Lee Han finished writing down the schedule, Yukbeltire gave additional explanations about several lectures.
Before taking <The Tragic History of Ancient Relics and Summoning Magic>, one had to prepare at least three mental-defense artifacts...
As he busily took notes, Lee Han felt a flicker of gratitude.
“Thank you, Senior. I didn’t expect you to explain things in such detail.”
“I am spending time explaining it so that you will feel grateful. So, do you now want to help with my research?”
“No?”
*****
Even after the explanation ended and evening came, Lee Han and his friends were not able to rest.
Before visiting the new spaces of the tower, they had to deal with the smuggled goods first.
‘You do not put all your eggs in one basket.’
Some would go in their private rooms, some in the secret base, some in the hut, some in the second-year lounge...
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