TRS 5

Chapter 5

“What does that mean?”

Being told things like “a kid like you” and having her grades insulted chipped away at her mental state until her vision grew dizzy. Since she was considered an honor student in her major’s lecture halls (excluding the monsters), she certainly wasn’t used to this kind of treatment.

“What do you think it means? It means I’m going to spend a year teaching a dimwitted, clumsy kid like you.”

“I know you’re smart, Senior, but you’re going to teach me, a major, about Potion Making?”

 Potion Making was an incredibly tricky field of study. Not only did you have to prep ingredients and adjust the heat perfectly, but you also had to delicately control the strength when stirring. In other words, the knack and experience gained from endless practice were crucial. Did he think the introductory knowledge from the first and second years would cut it?

Rosia crossed her arms and gave him a haughty look, mimicking him. She felt that if she didn’t strike back now, opportunities would be rare. The Senior, who had been staring at her with his chin propped on his hand, narrowed his eyes. Then, he curled up one corner of his mouth and smiled menacingly.

“Look at this. You think I can’t do it?”

“Huh? No, well… I just meant it might be hard since our majors are different…”

Rosia quickly lowered her tail and retracted her words. For some reason, she felt an unusual aura coming from him. She swallowed dryly and gauged his reaction.

“Come back at this time tomorrow.”

 Was he planning to have a real duel this time…? She inadvertently recalled the joke Alina had made. She was terrible at combat magic like that.

“Write down a list of potions you want to learn from me and come back.”

“Huh?”

“I hate repeating myself, so try to remember it.”

He sighed and put his gloves back on. Then, with a face that said he was dying of annoyance, he pointed at the door and issued a dismissal order.

“Right, it’s been an hour, hasn’t it? Now get lost.”

*

“Oh my. Hayworth used to be a Potion Making major. You didn’t know?”

Senior Belinda Brodel, who always walked around with deep dark circles under her eyes, glanced back at Rosia. Her blue eyes blinked blankly.

Having become quite close with Senior Belinda after taking the Advanced Potion Practice course together last year, they had become friends who often chatted during class. Having failed the graduation exam twice, making this year her last chance, she added the explanation that she had often taken classes with Hayworth, who was in the same entering class as her.

“Well, it didn’t really have anything to do with me, and I never thought I’d get tangled up with that Senior…”

Answering sullenly, Rosia put two spoonfuls of Drowsiness Spider extract into the Sleep Potion, which was puffing out thin smoke from inside the bronze pot. Immediately, the transparent potion turned a clear indigo. It was the color of the dawn sky.

Now she had to raise the heat and wait for it to boil for a bit. She sat on a folding chair and tapped her stiff lower back. Standing for two full hours made her whole body ache.

The classroom was filled with misty steam. About thirty Potion Making majors were standing in front of their workbenches, moving their hands busily. Someone’s pot boiled over ominously, and at the same time, a gasp was heard as someone realized they had measured incorrectly.

Spiders that had escaped their fate of becoming ingredients could be seen crawling here and there, hiding in corners less likely to be noticed. It was a peaceful scene, just like any other day.

Rosia, who had been sitting blankly staring into her pot, suddenly turned her head. It seemed Senior Belinda had reached the same stage, as she was sitting up on her workbench massaging her shoulder. Rosia looked at the senior and asked abruptly.

“By the way, why did Senior Hayworth switch majors in the middle? That’s usually hard to do.”

Most students were reluctant to change majors. It was natural. Since they would have to retake courses from the third to fifth year from scratch, it was daunting and overwhelming. Theoretically, it might be possible within one or two years if one filled their schedule solely with major classes. It’s just that it wasn’t something a human should do…

Taking that many classes alone would be exhausting, but if you added assignments, all sorts of quizzes, end-of-term exams, and advancement exams, it wouldn’t be surprising if a person dropped dead. Well, at least for normal students.

“Well, no one knows the detailed circumstances except him, but back then, we used to guess it was just the whims of a genius.”

“Huh, whims?”

Rosia furrowed her brow. He switched majors abruptly for a reason like that? She couldn’t really understand. Senior Belinda rolled her eyes for a moment as if recalling the past, then spoke.

“Well, maybe he found it boring or something? Because he was even recommended to participate in the Academic Conference for Potion Making majors in Orchen, but he came back without presenting.”

And right after that, he moved to Magic Tools. That was late in his fourth year, wasn’t it? She nodded and added.

“Wow, changing majors in the second half of the fourth year…”

“He still filled all the required credits and graduated on time. He’s really not human.”

“He was even the top student in Magic Tools. Hello, guys. How is the Sleep Potion making going? Any questions?”

A friendly voice naturally cut into the conversation. Senior Belinda glanced over her shoulder and waved her hand weakly.

“Senior Radion!”

Rosia welcomed him happily. Senior Radion Sempland sat on the edge of the workbench and greeted them with a bright smile. Just as he was about to say something, four or five students flocked over and started asking various questions, complaining about their potions which were in terrible condition.

Being called over constantly, one might show signs of displeasure, but he went straight to their workbenches and peered into their pots. Then, in a gentle voice, he kindly explained what had gone wrong.

As expected of the ‘Angel of the Potion Making Lab,’ true to his nickname. As an Apprentice Researcher, it was said he volunteered to be a teaching assistant solely out of a desire to help his juniors.

To willingly volunteer for work everyone hated because they were busy with their own research was incredibly impressive. Furthermore, the Senior, who had a record of winning first prize at the Academic Conference, was a promising talent in the potion world.

The Dreaming Potion, which he created by improving the Sleep Potion, became a huge hit after the Academic Conference, and rumor had it that the money he earned from the rights was enormous.

Not only that, but he also had several private patrons supporting him. So, the Senior was truly the idol of many majors dreaming of entering the Genios Potion Making Lab.

It was surprising that such a person was still an apprentice entering his second year. According to rumors, he had received an offer to become a full researcher long ago but gave a humble reply that he would wait until he produced results he was satisfied with.

Since he was such a respectable Senior, it was only natural that everyone liked him. His popularity knew no bounds across faculties, so wherever he went, one could often see him surrounded by a group of followers.

 Rosia admired him inwardly while watching Senior Radion pat the juniors on the shoulder. This was especially true since she had just met someone yesterday whose personality was so shitty you’d believe a passing dog chewed it up, despite his outstanding skills.

“Oh right, Rosia. I heard the news. Your partner for Understanding Others is Hayworth?”

The Senior, having returned after reviving several failing potions, asked with a face that seemed on the verge of laughter. Rosia, who had been finely chopping chamomile roots, looked up while gripping the knife tightly.

“Whoa, your expression is murderous.”

“I’m screwed, seriously…”

The ordeal facing her had already spread widely within the Faculty of Magic, so she often heard words of sympathy from people she met on the street.

“It is a bit strange. He definitely took Understanding Others, didn’t he?”

Senior Belinda looked back at him and asked.

“Right. He was partners with Declan Meliode from the Faculty of Swordsmanship, probably? I was always curious how the two were close, but nobody knew.”

“I heard Meliode has an affinity comparable to yours, so maybe that’s why?”

Rosia blinked and fell into thought at the somewhat familiar name.

“Is he perhaps related to the Meliode Merchant Guild?”

At her question, the two nodded simultaneously.

“Yeah, the only son. I heard he graduated two years ago and is learning the business at the Genios branch.”

The answer came from Senior Radion.  The Meliode family was incredibly wealthy, but just how good was that rich young master’s personality to be able to endure Senior Hayworth?

While continuing her stray thoughts, she unconsciously glanced into the pot. The potion, which had boiled down appropriately and darkened in color, was bubbling. She immediately added 13 grams of finely chopped chamomile root and lowered the heat. It looked like it would be finished in about 15 minutes.

“Anyway, Rosia, have you decided what activity to do with Hayworth? Whatever you do, it won’t be easy.”

Senior Radion, watching the two busily finishing up their work, asked. She nodded with a face that had suddenly gone dark.