Episode 87. Dropping out
As always, the poker face that hardened like a habit showed no room for the opponent. I just shook my head without a change in expression.
“It can’t be. Isn’t black magic something only mad people learn?”
“well. Didn’t anyone even know that Professor Kyler was a black magician just from the incident that happened this time? And I have no prejudice against warlocks. You’re the same person after all, aren’t you?”
Belial’s slightly open narrow eyes entangled me like a snake’s gaze.
But I still said nothing.
“I see. Right away, I also listened to Professor Kyler’s lecture, but I never doubted it.”
“Student Adrias.”
Burial turned around.
Then he looked around at the tall trees.
After some time passed, Berial continued.
“I don’t care if you’ve mastered black magic or not. It’s not that important to me. Of course, we know that Adrias has not mastered black magic. It’s just a home assumption. I just wanted to tell you that it doesn’t matter if you have flaws equivalent to those.”
“Are you saying that you only see ability?”
“Yes. Even if you break a school rule and get expelled, or if you become a criminal committing a heinous crime, that doesn’t mean anything to me. I just want to see the original magic you will create.”
He turned his head and looked at me again, revealing an emotion that was difficult for a criminal to understand.
It was nothing but madness.
“I saw potential in your magic circle. They say that if you are an Adrias student, you can create original magic.”
“There must be someone better than me. The winner of this tournament alone is the first Magic Faculty winner in 12 years. I don’t know why you chose me over such a talented person.”
“Of course, Diene Alven is an excellent mage. She alone is enough. But you are different. You will need my help.”
I don’t know what you’re thinking.
Diane will take care of it. Will you look after me?
Are you telling me to believe that now?
But it seemed to me that I had no choice.
Besides, Berial’s tutoring was sure to help me, except for the uneasiness. No matter what anyone said, there was no doubt that Burial was a genius enough to be given the title of the youngest Warlock.
Eventually I bowed my head.
“i look forward to. Head of department.”
“Should I say that I am also an Adrias student? Such a cautious personality is not bad.”
Burial raised the corners of his mouth to a smile.
And so the bizarre private lessons began.
* * *
‘failure… ….’
Lucia Everlast has already recorded close to 1000 experiments and chewed on her failures.
The problem is that there was no progress while filling that number.
Lucia pinched her forearm as she held back her sleep.
And I remembered.
‘I think I found a clue when I was with Adrias-senpai.’
She also had her own pride, so she tried to do it alone without saying anything.
However, because of the last conversation with Adrias, he kept coming to mind.
‘Won’t you help me if I ask?’
Adrias clearly said that he was precious.
Wouldn’t you listen as much as it’s a request from such an important person?
“…It’s stupid.”
Suddenly, I felt like my situation had become pitiful, so I laughed out of my strength.
It was these days when I decided not to expect anything from others anymore and visited Adrias whenever I had a chance.
‘Has it become so comfortable before I know it?’
From the time we met and talked last week?
Ever since he was saved from a user who ate a black magic potion?
Going back this way reminded me that it must have been that way from the beginning.
Ever since I was a freshman when everyone thought of me as a geek and kept my distance, I overworked myself to look good and even bought myself a meal.
‘I miss you.’
Lucia realized that she was unknowingly tidying up the lab.
And even though I realized it, I didn’t let go of my hand.
Rather, I wanted to quickly organize it and go to Adrias.
He knew that making his own cure would be next to impossible.
Adrias was certainly gifted, but he never thought that he would be able to create the cure he had been working on all his life, when time was running out. I just wanted to talk to him now. I wanted to talk a little more and make memories.
Knock.
“ah.”
Tears fell drop by drop and landed on the table like stars.
Lucia rubbed her eyes and smiled.
“I’m not dead yet.”
are you okay.
I can still hold on.
For now, let’s go find Adrias-senpai.
And once we meet, let’s flirt.
After tidying up the lab, Lucia immediately picked up the tablet and contacted Adrias. Adrias, who recently had a lot of money, got a new tablet, so I got the contact number first.
‘senior. where?’
After sending a message and waiting for a while, the reply came right away.
‘Lab. why?’
As soon as Lucia read the reply, she headed towards Adrias’ private lab.
It happened to be the same research building, so the distance was close.
Knowing where Adrias’ private lab was, she arrived at the door and knocked on it.
Sigh.
“Lucia?”
The door opened and her long hair swayed.
Seeing the seaweed-like hair, Lucia unconsciously reached out and touched Adrias’s hair.
“What are you doing?”
“Seaweed.”
Adrias stood still for a moment, giving her his head.
Red bloodshot eyes, eyes that look blank somewhere.
In the meantime, after looking at Lucia’s condition for a while, he said.
“I am hungry. Are not you hungry?”
“Suddenly?”
“Let’s go get something to eat.”
Without thinking, she nodded.
The place where Adrias arrived was Alven Street.
It was late at night, so not many shops were open, but Adrias suddenly entered a beer house.
“senior?”
“why.”
“Would you like a beer?”
“It’s not bad to drink once in a while.”
Lucia opened her eyes and glared at Adrias, but he didn’t budge and went into the store. It was a weekday evening, so there weren’t many customers, but there were still enough to feel the warmth.
As soon as Adrias settled down, he ordered lamb skewers and beer and asked Lucia.
“Are you going to drink too?”
“yes? jeon….”
Putting aside the flustered Lucia for a moment, Adrias immediately ordered her share as well.
Lucia, who was about to say something at first, gave up and tapped him with her foot.
“There have been rumors these days. How about private lessons, dean?”
“There is a lot to learn and it is good.”
“It would be nice. the senior. But the really strange thing is, why did you act like an idiot in the past? Right now, it’s to the point where I’m getting private lessons from the dean.”
“I wasn’t acting like an idiot, I was a real idiot.”
While talking, the beer came out first.
As soon as Adrias received the beer, he lunged at her.
“braided.”
“I ordered it for now, so I’m going to drink it, but don’t think it’s strange.”
“what? Great.”
Adrias, who almost burst into laughter for a moment, cleared his throat and shook his head. I didn’t want to fight with Lucia for nothing.
“okay. I’ll be careful.”
As we drank and talked about various things, snacks came out.
As the two of them got away from their busy daily lives after a long time and had a chat and drank beer, Lucia’s face flushed red after drinking several beers before she knew it.
“senior.”
“uh.”
“It’s so nice.”
Lucia muttered, her face dyed red with sleepy eyes.
Then Bashish smiled.
“thank you. senior.”
“okay. I am also grateful.”
Both of them didn’t know what to say, but they just smiled.
I figured it was time to get up from my seat, so I paid my bills and left.
A cool breeze blew and cooled the body warmed by beer.
After returning to the dormitory by train, the two headed towards the dormitory where Lucia was.
Looking at Adrias seeing off from the side, Lucia said.
“senior. Even if you don’t want it every day, I don’t think it’s bad to do this sometimes.”
“That’s right. Would you like to have a late-night snack like this once a week?”
“great! lol.”
Lucia, who seemed a little drunk, looked cute with her half-moon eyes smiling.
It was really worth seeing Lucia, who was originally very cute in appearance, smiling with her face dyed red.
Adrias said, thinking of his sister.
“Lucia. If you have any difficulties, tell me anytime. Because you don’t have to worry.”
“yes.”
Arriving in front of Lucia’s dormitory, they bid farewell.
“Carefully climb the stairs.”
“yes. Don’t worry!”
Adrias waved his hand and turned around.
Lucia stood still and watched until Adrias turned around and disappeared.
It wasn’t a big deal, but something warmed my heart.
And I definitely felt it.
‘I want to live. I want to live and feel this happiness longer.’
I wanted to spend every day with Adrias.
I had to live for that.
‘I need a cure to live.’
There was research I was doing now, but I wasn’t sure.
I could have asked Adrias for help, but I was honestly skeptical.
So the surest way you can choose right now is… ….
‘Salem Yedidiah.’
A demon chasing the truth.
One of the Empire’s greatest wanted criminals and the strongest on the continent.
In the last meeting, I had rejected it because it was a sudden priestly offer.
However, the happiness she felt today made her yearning for life even greater.
Could Salem Yedidiah be able to heal his illness?
‘If you become Salem’s disciple, your chances of surviving will increase. That way, I can stay by Adrias-senpai longer.’
If you become his disciple, you will not see Adrias for a while because you will have to leave the academy.
It was a bit disappointing, but I thought it was a sacrifice to see it longer.
“You will survive.”
Her earnest desire erased her indolent mind.
* * *
[A nameless Neutralizer (Advanced) has been created.]
Finally!
finally made it
Although this could not completely cure Lucia’s illness, it prevented her from getting worse and reduced her pain. And if you make a real cure with the time you earned, Lucia’s troubles will be solved.
[Adrias Cromwell: 76% chance of evolution for potion-making buffs]
[Do you want to evolve?]
In addition, the potion-making talent’s EXP has increased a lot thanks to this research.
If I evolve it this time, it seemed that I would be one step closer to a cure for Lucia.
‘Since there’s not much time left to evolve the dark magic talent, evolve it as soon as it’s over.’
First of all, I have to tell Lucia this good news.
I immediately sent Lucia a message using the tablet.
‘where are you?’
After sending the message like that, I came out of the lab and could see the busy streets because it was lunchtime.
“Shall we have a meal together?”
But why are you replying so late?
I checked my tablet, but there was no reply.
Then, I came across a phrase that caught my attention.
All sorts of gossip happening within the academy were also covered on the tablet, but there were unexpected contents in the place where the eye accidentally landed.
‘Special scoop! Lucia Everlast dropped out!’
