Chapter 499

Leaving the crestfallen Ratford behind, Yi-Han stood in front of the mirror.

[Are you the new owner?]

'Hmm.'

Yi-Han recalled what he had learned from Direth.

How should one act when conversing with an anonymous Einroguard senior?

[Of course I'm the new owner. Did you think I had it for several years and just remembered to open it now? Why are you asking such a thing? Geez. If this were a guild instead of a school, I would have immediately turned you upside down.]

[Are you from the Black Tortoise Tower?]

'Oh. Is it working?'

Seeing that his disguise was working, Yi-Han pushed forward.

Ratford, who was peeking at the letters Yi-Han was writing on the mirror from afar, made a very dismal expression.

'Isn't that just a crazy person?'

It seemed like there was no one that violent even in the thieves' guild...

[Don't you dare impudently try to probe me. I'll send my subordinates to throw you into the punishment room.]

[Alright. Let's proceed with the deal.]

Although they were communicating only through text, the impression of the other party was surprisingly felt.

Yi-Han got the impression that the other party was quite cold and composed.

Even when the person he was meeting for the first time was rampaging without restraint, he didn't care and only said what he had to say.

'A senior, probably from the Blue Dragon Tower or the Immortal Phoenix Tower?'

There was a possibility of being wrong, but Yi-Han thought it was quite plausible.

[I need Twilight Dawn Grass. At least three pouches. Do you know where to get it?]

The person on the other side of the mirror waited for a reply with a cold gaze.

Twilight Dawn Grass was not an herb that was impossible to obtain, but it was not a common herb either.

Moreover, it was a reagent frequently used by seniors, so 2nd or 3rd-year students didn't have it readily available.

The reason the person on the other side of the mirror brought up Twilight Dawn Grass was not only because they needed the herb, but also because they could gauge the other party with this simple question.

If the other party had the information, there was a high possibility that they were at least a 4th-year student, or at the very least, a 3rd-year student.

Judging from the rough way of speaking, it seemed highly likely that they were from the Black Tortoise Tower, and specifically from the Stonemason Guild.

[I know.]

'It is indeed a Black Tortoise Tower student in their 3rd year or above.'

The person on the other side of the mirror quickly organized their thoughts.

Although the Black Tortoise Tower student's way of speaking was rude, they didn't mind.

In the first place, when using such artifacts, one didn't expect a dignified and polite conversation.

What mattered was usefulness.

Moreover, people who were rude and arrogant like the current Black Tortoise Tower student tended to make mistakes more frequently.

As a trading partner, they were even more attractive.

[If we match, let's exchange. What do you want?]

[I need magic that can effectively subdue the giants of the mountain range. Do you know any?]

'...A 4th-year or above? Surely not a 5th-year.'

The person on the other side of the mirror was honestly surprised.

To think they were looking for a way to subdue the giants of the mountain range.

What were they aiming for?

'Is there an escape route near the mountain range? No matter what, there's no reason to target that area.'

Beings with strong magic resistance like giants were always a nightmare for mages.

Even if one poured all their magic into confronting them once, it would not be enough, so it was best not to get involved with them at all.

And honestly, the person on the other side of the mirror couldn't think of any magic that could effectively subdue giants. Giants were not opponents that could be dealt with using tricks.

[Unfortunately, I don't know.]

It was slightly humiliating, but they had no choice but to admit it. The Black Tortoise Tower student was silent for a moment before replying.

[Incompetent. In our guild...]

The person on the other side of the mirror's eyebrows furrowed slightly.

They knew that students from guilds had a strong sense of belonging, but directly facing it like this was extremely annoying.

What meaning did such a sense of belonging have for a mage?

There was not enough time to focus on one's own path...

[Anything else?]

[Among the golems in the school, there is a golem that uses spatial movement. I need magic to subdue it, do you know any?]

"..."

The person on the other side of the mirror stared at the letters with surprised eyes.

Each question asked was surprising.

Originally, they wouldn't have asked such a question, but because they were so surprised, the person on the other side of the mirror unintentionally asked.

[Wouldn't it be better to avoid a golem that uses spatial movement if there is one?]

[This is why those who haven't worked hard in the guild... Do you run away and avoid it when there's a challenge?]

"..."

The Black Tortoise Tower student delivered a few more lines of speech after that.

The person on the other side of the mirror acknowledged their own mistake and endured it.

[Alright. If you don't know, it can't be helped. Do you know how to obtain the following materials?]

'Somehow managing to deceive them.'

Yi-Han let out a sigh of relief.

Fortunately, it seemed that the other party had not realized that Yi-Han was a 1st-year student.

Now that it had come to this, he absolutely could not be caught.

When he became a 2nd-year later and met the seniors, he didn't want his school life to be twisted from the 2nd year onward.

'Twilight Dawn Grass...'

A reagent that appeared more frequently in high-difficulty magic rather than low-difficulty magic.

It was mainly used in enchantment magic, alchemy, and so on.

The person on the other side of the mirror didn't realize that they were gradually revealing traces of themselves.

They didn't expect the other party to be a crazy person who was taking all the schools of magic.

'A senior in enchantment magic, alchemy... If we broaden it a bit more, even transformation magic...'

Since he had originally assumed they were a senior, the fact that they were requesting Twilight Dawn Grass gave considerable strength to Yi-Han's speculation.

The luckiest thing today was that Yi-Han knew a thing or two about Twilight Dawn Grass.

The chances of a 1st-year student knowing the location were slim, but Yi-Han had seen a box containing Twilight Dawn Grass on the 3rd floor of Gaksu Pavilion, Professor Uregor's magic tower, before.

3rd floor labyrinth, experiment room 17!

The very experiment room where space was distorted, and water falling from the desk flowed to the ceiling.

Among the reagents stored there, he had clearly seen Twilight Dawn Grass.

Professor Uregor would never have imagined that his 1st-year disciple would remember a reagent in the corner of his 3rd-floor experiment room.

'But is subduing giants or golems such a difficult task?'

Yi-Han became slightly dismal.

Of course, it was a question he had chosen in order to leave a strong impression on the other party without being caught as a 1st-year.

But the other party's reaction was a bit different from what he had thought.

It was as if Yi-Han was asking absurd questions.

'I knew Professor Bagrak was making me do absurd things, but seeing the reaction like that...'

It was a little, no, very bitter.

[Blue myanil flower, donghaso... I know how to obtain them.]

"!"

Yi-Han's face brightened.

The ingredients the other party had just mentioned were the ingredients for the foresight-enhancing potion that Yoanen Maykin had told Yi-Han about.

He couldn't make it before the midterm exam because he didn't have the time, but he was planning to challenge it again this time.

'Considering the difficulty of the midterm exam, foresight is a must at this school.'

It didn't seem easy for even Yi-Han to continue enduring barehanded. He needed an emergency measure.

[Let's exchange.]

[You go first?]

[Alright.]

Yi-Han decided to take the risk of the other party running away.

If they ran away, he was planning to immediately report them to Professor Uregor.

However, to the person on the other side of the mirror, Yi-Han's bold attitude left a different thought.

'Bold and fearless. If there's a new student making potions among the cheerful and daring Black Tortoise Tower students...'

Originally, the person on the other side of the mirror did not show unnecessary curiosity in this regard, but this opponent was a bit different.

They were curious about what kind of student would ask the things they did earlier.

[What you want is in the 17th experiment room of the 3rd floor labyrinth in Gaksu Pavilion.]

"...!"

The person on the other side of the mirror was even more surprised.

By what means did this Black Tortoise Tower student secure the location of the herbs deep on the 3rd floor of Gaksu Pavilion?

'It must be a student who deeply studies the alchemy school.'

[A professor's disciple?]

[Think whatever you want. Now. Tell me what you promised.]

The person on the other side of the mirror thought that this Black Tortoise Tower student, whoever they were, was truly persistent.

Persistence was a basic quality that Einroguard students naturally had to possess, but even considering that, it was rare for a professor's disciple to readily sell information.

They were definitely a cold-blooded person who could do anything for what they wanted.

"It's all done. I'll have to pick it up later."

Yi-Han, who had finished communicating with the mirror, got up while organizing his notes.

Unlike the conversation with Direth, the conversation with this unknown person was tiring and full of tension.

However, there was a gain worth that much. The preparation for making the foresight-enhancing potion was complete.

'It will be finished before the final exam.'

"Mr. Wardanaz. I have a question."

Ratford, who had been openly watching from the side since the middle of the conversation, asked carefully.

"What is it?"

"Where did you see and learn that way of speaking earlier? I don't think even the people in our guild spoke like that... Didn't the other person suspect you?"

"I saw Salko and imitated him?"

"..."

Ratford was horrified.

Was that the image Tutanta had?!

'I should never tell him.'

What was even more surprising was that it worked on the other person.

"I'll have to ask my friends from the White Tiger Tower to bring it."

Yi-Han prepared to entrust the request to the White Tiger Tower students, just in case.

If there was a trap or false information, the White Tiger Tower friends would willingly sacrifice themselves.

After finishing all the work and leaving the base, he saw friends loitering on the 1st floor.

Although those on duty could go outside, originally, wandering around at night and getting caught was the perfect behavior to go to the punishment room.

Yi-Han asked in puzzlement at the sight of his friends loitering too openly.

"What are you doing there?"

"Eek! ...Ah, it's Wardanaz. ...Gasp!"

'Didn't this guy get surprised one more time just now?'

He understood getting surprised thinking it was a ghost or an attacker, but why did he get surprised one more time after knowing it was Yi-Han?

"We came out because of duty. Don't suspect anything strange."

"If you were assigned a task, you should do the task, so why are you here? It doesn't seem like it's because of duty?"

"..."

"..."

The students exchanged glances with very guilty expressions.

Finally, a White Tiger Tower student who had given up whispered to Yi-Han.

"Wardanaz. Keep this to yourself. Today... a guest is coming."

"What?!"

Yi-Han was genuinely surprised.

A guest was coming on the weekend.

Of course, quite a few outsiders visited Einroguard, but if it was a guest that the students were waiting for like this, there was only one person, wasn't there?

"Is it an Imperial bureaucrat who came to investigate the reality of Einroguard?"

"...No? Why would we wait for that?"

The White Tiger Tower student looked at Yi-Han as if asking what he was talking about.

There was no reason to loiter here all night when an Imperial bureaucrat was coming, was there?

"Then who is it?"

"Ipadour!"

Not only the White Tiger Tower students but also the Blue Dragon Tower students all threw very expectant gazes at Yi-Han.

As if they were expecting Yi-Han to be surprised and say, 'Gasp! That person is coming?!' after hearing the name.

Unfortunately, Yi-Han couldn't do that. Yi-Han was perplexed.

"Who is that?"

"..."

"...That... minstrel... Ipadour... You don't know? He's famous... He appears in the Imperial newspapers..."

"I don't really read that section. Sorry."

Yi-Han comforted his crestfallen friends. Asan said with a very expectant face.

"I'm going to show him a song I wrote."

"...?"

Yi-Han tilted his head.

The song Asan had written...

[Einroguard. Einroguard. It's so great. A place with warm meals and soft beds. Einroguard.]

'Isn't that a rumor song that should be banned by Imperial law?'