TRS 6

Chapter 6

“Yes… Well, he suddenly insulted my grades, then said he’d teach me Potion Making… I couldn’t even voice another opinion and got kicked out just like that.”

“What? Your grades are good.”

Senior Belinda stopped wiping the workbench with a wet cloth and turned around, her eyes wide.

“I thought so too, but I guess that Senior’s standards are up in the sky…”

Rosia sighed as if the ground were sinking beneath her. Just thinking about having to go meet him in a few hours made her good mood plummet instantly. Her head ached just recalling that handsome face full of mockery toward her and his detestably sarcastic tone.

What did he say again? ‘Make a list of potions you want to learn from me?’ Her Acorn-colored eyes narrowed. She had indeed huffed and puffed her way to the library this morning to rifle through various books.

She worried he would mock her again if she named undergraduate-level potions, so she deliberately piled up several advanced books meant for researchers and agonized over them all morning… But then she suddenly felt skeptical.

After all, even if she filled the list with difficult and complex things just to screw with the Senior, she would be the one actually making the potions under his instruction.

So, she hesitated to readily choose high-difficulty potions. It was truly a dilemma. No, is this an elective class or an advanced major class? It looked like she wouldn’t be able to escape from standing in front of a cauldron for the rest of the year…

“Hmm, interesting.”

Senior Radion muttered to himself with his arms crossed. Seeing his slightly strange expression, it seemed her situation looked quite odd even to him.

“Anyway, if I don’t graduate this year, I’m going to smack Senior Hayworth in the back of the head and go to prison for assault.”

At her resolute declaration, the two Seniors burst out laughing loudly. She was the only serious one here. Rosia stirred the potion with a sullen face and turned off the heat.

“No, Rosia. I actually think you’ll overcome this hardship well. You’re secretly not normal either.”

“What the hell. Choose one, comfort me or insult me.”

She grumbled lightly at Senior Belinda’s ambiguous words, unsure if they were sincere or a joke.

“Right. You look soft and squishy like you’d cry if someone just poked you, but your mental fortitude is strong and you’re stubborn.”

Even Senior Radion joined in to support the claim. No, even Alina told me I have a psycho side. Why does everyone around me see me as strange?

“In professional terms, it’s called a madman with clear eyes.”

The two Seniors looked at her and snickered.

“What did I…”

“You, last year, you said ingredient costs were too high, so you tried to buy a male and female Mask Beetle to raise them yourself. Even if they cost money, how could you plan to raise those gross things in the dorm…”

Senior Belinda shuddered as if just talking about it gave her goosebumps. Rosia’s cheeks reddened slightly. She certainly had intended to do that, but everyone who heard the plan freaked out, so she couldn’t execute it.

 She scratched the back of her neck slightly.

“…Really? Rosia, you’re amazing. You’ll definitely do well against Hayworth.”

Senior Radion, mouth half-open, shook his head from side to side as he spoke.

“Anyway… I’ll go apply for a Practice Room rental later. If there’s a good spot, please save one for me as if you’re helping out…”

Even while replying with a gloomy expression, her busy hands carefully transferred the finished Sleep Potion into a bottle and closed the cork. Senior Radion, who had been staring blankly at her, took a step closer and lowered his voice.

“If you’re really worried, ask Hayworth to teach you the ‘Dreaming Potion’. I’ll secretly help you later.”

“Gasp, really?”

Her eyes sparkled with hope.  Rosia thought to herself that it was truly fortunate to have someone as kind and friendly as the Senior around her.

*

From the end of the hallway, the faint sound of small footsteps plodding toward him could be heard.

Noah reflexively glanced at the pocket watch placed on his desk. It was already past 5 o’clock. It was time for the incredibly annoying Group Project.

 He lifted his head to look up and let out a deep sigh. Because of the magnifying glass, the plain white ceiling looked as close as if it were right in front of his eyes. Suddenly, he felt skeptical. It was because he didn’t like the unfamiliar thing that had abruptly intruded into his peaceful daily life, which had been continuing similarly day by day.

To be honest, he hated change. Almost never had anything good happened when a major fluctuation occurred in his life due to reasons like a twist of fate. As a result, acting defensively became a sort of habit. The ‘misanthropy’ that Professor Sidfell mentioned half-jokingly was also a part of that defense mechanism.

 He muttered inwardly.  Regardless of his attitude, people eventually kept their distance from him anyway.

Being superior to ordinary people meant exactly that. Whether it was appearance or magic. And there were always more disadvantages than advantages to standing out. So, in truth, he was sick of it. It would be more accurate to say he was exhausted.

At that moment, the sound of a cautious knock was heard, and wheat-colored hair resembling an autumn field popped out through the gap in the door. It was a color that seemed like it would smell of late afternoon sunlight if one brought their nose close to it.

Rosia hugged her bag, gauged his reaction, and then hesitantly approached the opposite side of the workbench. As soon as she pulled out the chair, an unpleasant screeching noise echoed through the research lab.

As Noah, frowning fiercely, looked up, shoulders stiff with tension came into his view. Holding her breath and glancing at him, she reminded him exactly of a small animal consumed by fear.

“You’re really doing all sorts of shit.”

“S-Sorry.”

 Noah kept his mouth shut tight for a while and focused on his work. It was because he didn’t have a clue what to say or how to treat her.

Having lived avoiding people for so long, he was extremely clumsy with human relationships, and it had been ages since he forgot how to converse normally. Just as the silence flowing through the lab began to weigh heavily on their shoulders, fortunately, Rosia spoke first.

“Um, Senior. I have a question I’d like to ask…”

 His gaze sharpened instantly. Had he ever received a welcome question starting like that? Most were rudely digging into his personal information or demanding he do this or that. He had even heard much dirtier words.

For instance, bullshit like offering to pay him a high price to ‘hire’ him to help cheat on every exam. That was right after rumors spread that he was actually an orphan with a wandering mercenary for a stepfather.

Although the face had become quite faint after trying hard to forget, that mocking voice throwing a few gold coins at his feet remained vivid. His mood plummeted to rock bottom in an instant. He took off his gloves and firmly pressed his temples, which were starting to throb.

“Don’t ask.”

“Huh? No… Well, it’s not a weird question…”

Rosia mumbled discontentedly and then trailed off. Her large chestnut eyes blinked harmlessly. She looked a bit aggrieved, but that was all.

 Noah propped his chin on his hand without realizing it and stared intently at her. Whether it was for a Group Project or girls from other departments boldly rushing in to ask him out, it was standard for them to leave crying and wailing after experiencing him.

Rosia, uncomfortable with his gaze, looked down and fidgeted with her fingers. Then she raised her head to face him. It was a straight, unwavering gaze.

“W-What are you looking at?”

 He leaned his body back against the chair, slightly curling up the corners of his mouth.

“You should have looked funnier, then.”

She opened her eyes wide for a moment and glared at him. He could clearly see what she was thinking.  or maybe  Something like that, right?

“I just wanted to ask why someone who already took ‘Understanding Others’ applied for it again. That’s all.”

“Ah, that.”

 He glanced at the badge placed on one side of the desk. The numbers floating beneath two names were blinking rhythmically. March 5th, 27 minutes.

A sigh escaped him automatically. It was because the past suddenly came to mind. Even when he took Understanding Others with Declan, he was tired of seeing that crazy bastard’s face, who acted like a wild foal.

 Noah lifted both hands and dry-washed his face. Should he consider it fortunate that at least the summer break months of July and August were excluded?

“That’s none of your business. Take out the homework I gave you yesterday.”

At his gruff voice, Rosia made a sullen expression. Yet, she obediently rummaged through her bag and handed over a notebook. Not stopping there, she even placed the advanced Potion Making books she had borrowed from the library on the desk as if to show them off. Like a child boasting about how hard they studied.

 He looked over the familiar covers and smirked. In the meantime, she must have taken that as mockery, as a displeased look flashed across her face for a moment.

Noah pretended not to notice and cast his eyes on the round handwriting in the notebook. About ten potions with familiar names were listed in a row. They were all things he had made at least once and finished applying when he was a Potion Making major.

So, teaching them wasn’t a problem. The key would be whether she could keep up. While it was annoying and irritating, he felt slightly interested imagining her fuming beside him, unable to contain her anger.

“Oh, and do you happen to know how to make the ‘Dreaming Potion’? If possible, I want to learn that too…”

Rosia, observing him looking into the notebook, asked cautiously. Noah’s face hardened coldly. It felt like cold water had been dumped on his somewhat improved mood. He put down his pencil with a clatter and spoke.

“Why do you want to learn that?”

“Well… I heard a Senior from the same department developed it, so I got curious.”

A chilly silence settled in the research lab. Surprised by the suddenly changed atmosphere, Rosia rolled her eyes and gauged his reaction.

“You, are you close with Sempland?”

“Senior Radion? He’s sociable, so he’s close with almost everyone at Genios, right probably?”

 He heard her asking after a short hesitation, but he didn’t answer. Instead, he stared quietly into the void, then put on the gloves he had taken off and wore his glasses. It was close to a Dismissal order signaling the end of the conversation.

“You, stay there until the hour is up, then leave.”

“Huh? We haven’t even decided what potion to make yet.”

“I’ll call you again later, so just stop talking and get the hell out of here when the time is up.”