Episode 30. A Professor in Each Hand (2)

Whoosh!

I reach my hand toward the roaring flames.

The excruciating pain of flesh burning spreads through my arm and across my entire body.

Grit.

I swallow the groan threatening to escape my lips and endure the pain.

The time I must keep my hand in the blazing flames is about five minutes.

Five minutes might seem short for Magic Power Practice, but when you have to keep your hand in the flames the entire time, it’s a different story.

Even touching a match flame would make a normal person scream and pull their hand away, let alone enduring five minutes of being scorched by fire.

“Ugh. Ah, ugh.”

A suppressed groan escapes through my lips.

Though the flames were not real but a mental construct, the vivid pain of burning flesh was no different from reality.

‘Just a little more.’

There are only four opportunities a day to increase my magic power through the Primordial Flame.

To accumulate more magic power, I needed to gather as much “flame” as possible from within these flames.

“Ugh.”

After what feels like an eternity, the five minutes pass.

I slowly pull my hand out of the fire.

On my palm, a small flame the size of a finger flickers.

‘It’s grown.’

At first, the flame I could gather from the Primordial Flame was no bigger than a candle, but through repeated training, it has grown to the size of a finger.

‘Well… this is still far from enough to control the Primordial Flame.’

I force a bitter smile as I gaze at the massive flame that seems ready to engulf the world.

Even though I’ve been absorbing the power of the Primordial Flame four times a day by risking my life, the Primordial Flame residing in my heart remains unmoved.

‘It’s like scooping seawater with a ladle.’

What difference does it make to absorb a flame the size of a candle or a finger from a fire that could swallow the world?

‘Well, I’ll be able to control it someday.’

It’s not a problem that can be solved immediately, no matter how much I worry about it now.

“Phew.”

I cut off my thoughts and slowly open my eyes.

The excruciating pain that felt like burning my body fades, and my consciousness rises from the mental world.

In front of me is the sight of my dorm room, with only an old bed, a table, and a shelf.

I get up from the bed and stretch lightly.

“Let’s see. How much magic power have I accumulated this time?”

As I activate the mana within the Holy Mark, the magic power coursing through my veins is significantly greater than when I first returned.

‘Good.’

If the magic power of an average Candidate is 10, mine is now around 3.

Even though it’s still less than half of the average Candidate’s magic power.

“Originally, it wasn’t even 10%, so this is a huge improvement.”

In absolute terms, it’s still lacking, but compared to when I first returned, my magic power has nearly tripled in just a few weeks.

At this rate, I’ll catch up to the average Candidate’s magic power in 2-3 months.

‘Maybe even sooner.’

Just like the size of the flame I can absorb from the Primordial Flame has grown from a candle to a finger.

If I can continue to increase the size of the flame I can absorb.

‘I’ll be able to wield an amount of magic power I never even dreamed of in my past life.’

A thrilling shiver runs down my spine as I imagine the future.

“No, it’s not time to celebrate yet.”

The future is the future.

The magic power I currently possess is still less than half of the average Candidate’s.

‘This is far from enough to face Ashtaroth.’

Even though the Devil God’s seal is still intact, and the Archbishop’s power isn’t at its peak.

‘But the Archbishop is still the Archbishop.’

The Archbishops stand at the pinnacle among tens of thousands of Mages, so I can’t let my guard down.

“Ah, right. I forgot to deliver this.”

I click my tongue as I glance at the bag containing the magic-infused Chilseongcho in the corner of the room.

After obtaining the Chilseongcho from the cave with the leyline, I got caught up in other things and forgot to deliver it to Professor Jade.

‘First, I should go find Professor Jade.’

I sling the bag over my shoulder and head out.

* * *

“Here’s the Chilseongcho you asked for.”

The dusty research lab.

Professor Jade lets out a low exclamation as he looks at the table piled with magic-infused Chilseongcho.

“Even though magic-infused Chilseongcho grows abundantly around the school, it’s not easy to find… You’ve gathered quite a lot.”

Professor Jade’s eyes sparkle like stars as he looks at me.

If I were to put that twinkling gaze into words, it would be something like, “You’re the only one fit to be my assistant!”

‘No way, buddy.’

I’ve never been an assistant to a professor before, but whenever I see the lifeless eyes of the assistants I occasionally run into around the school, I know I don’t want to do it.

“Is this amount enough?”

“I won’t know for sure until we start the actual production… but it should be more than enough.”

“Then how long will it take to complete?”

Now that I know Archbishop Ashtaroth has infiltrated the school, I need to get the Holy Mark Amplifier as soon as possible.

“The production method itself is already complete, so it shouldn’t take too long. Probably… it’ll be done before the Sealing Festival.”

“That’s a relief.”

“But where do you plan to use this Holy Mark Amplifier?”

Professor Jade narrows his wrinkled eyes and continues.

“Surely… you’re not planning to use it during the Candidate ranking exam, are you?”

“Huh?”

Did he think I was gathering the Holy Mark Amplifier to use during the exam?

‘Well.’

Professor Jade knows I’ve been at the bottom of the Candidate rankings for three years, so it’s natural for him to think that.

I chuckle and shake my head.

“Don’t worry, I won’t do that.”

“But….”

“If I use the Holy Mark Amplifier during the exam, you can report me for cheating.”

“Hmm.”

Professor Jade strokes his bushy beard and nods.

“Alright. If you say so, I won’t pry further.”

“Thank you for understanding.”

I bow my head and look around Professor Jade’s research lab.

It’s still as messy as a garbage dump.

The environment is so wretched that even a healthy person would fall ill if left here.

‘It’s unsettling to think that the Holy Mark Amplifier I’ll be drinking is being made in this dump.’

Since it’s a potion that affects the Holy Mark, a delicate and clean production process is essential, but looking at this lab, I have zero trust in it.

“Then I’ll start the production right….”

“Wait a minute.”

I stop Professor Jade, who’s about to start the production.

“Let’s clean up first.”

“Clean up?”

“How long do you plan to keep this lab as a garbage dump?”

“Ahem! T-This is not a garbage dump! It’s organized and arranged in a systematic way….”

“Shut up.”

I cut off Professor Jade’s words and immediately start cleaning the lab.

‘Ugh. Even a pigsty would be cleaner than this.’

It looked dirty at first glance, but once I started cleaning, dust and trash came pouring out.

I grab a broom and mop and quickly continue cleaning the lab.

Thanks to the experience of cleaning the school for 8 hours a day during summer vacations to earn living expenses, the lab, which was close to a garbage dump, is transforming into a livable space.

“Uh… do you need any help?”

“Don’t get in the way and stay outside.”

What help can I expect from someone who let the lab get to this state?

I wave my hand dismissively and shoo Professor Jade out of the lab.

After about three hours of cleaning, which felt like a war.

“Phew. Now it finally looks like a place where humans live.”

“O-Oh!”

Professor Jade looks around the now spotless lab and keeps exclaiming in amazement.

“I-Is this really my lab?”

“Whose lab would it be?”

I chuckle and continue.

“I’ve gathered the reagents here, the tools needed for potion-making there, and the research materials are sorted by category, but you should check them later.”

“…You!”

Professor Jade suddenly grabs my hand and exclaims with a passionate voice.

“You’re definitely my assistant!”

“No.”

Since when did I become your assistant?

“Ahem! Since my assistant has worked so hard, I can’t just stand by as a professor. I’ll treat you to lunch today, so come along!”

“Wait, hold on….”

Professor Jade, clearly pleased with the clean lab, drags me by the arm.

The place Professor Jade drags me to is the exclusive dining hall for professors and their assistants.

It’s a step below the buffet-style Main Building Restaurant, but it’s still a high-class dining hall with a decent menu.

“Go ahead and order whatever you want!”

Professor Jade exclaims boldly as we enter the dining hall.

“…Dale? What are you doing here?”

Just as we’re about to enter the dining hall, we run into Professor Lucas.

“You….”

“…….”

An awkward silence falls between Professor Jade and Professor Lucas.

‘Come to think of it, Professor Lucas punched Professor Jade two years ago.’

As I recall the incident between the two professors and take a step back.

Professor Jade steps in front of me and speaks.

“Do you have business with my assistant?”

“Assistant? Since when did Dale become your assistant?”

“He’s not officially my assistant yet, but he’ll join me after graduation.”

Excuse me?

Professor Jade? I told you I’m not going to be your assistant.

Who keeps calling me their assistant without my consent?

“Ha. Dale joining you? What nonsense are you spouting?”

Yes, yes.

Give it to him straight, Professor Lucas!

“Dale will join me after graduation and lead the Warrior Department with me!”

“No.”

Why are you like this too, seriously?