Monday.

Students emerged from the dormitory tower, each burdened with a mix of emotions—nervousness, despair, fear, regret, resignation, and anticipation.

“Nilia, are you actually excited?”

“Oh, come on. How confident can she be…”

“No, no, I was just looking forward to the end of the term after this week!”

“No need for humility, Nilia. We’re the ones who didn’t study, so if anyone should feel confident, it’s you.”

“I told you, I’m not confident...!”

As if to celebrate the final week, thick snow began to fall from the sky.

“Look, snow.”

“It actually looks kind of pretty, now that we’re all dressed warmly.”

“Yeah, it could snow more, for all I care.”

The students were a bit more relaxed this time.

When wearing old, worn-out coats, no matter what magic they used, the chill still seeped in. But now, clad in thick, warm gear and with heating potions tucked in their pockets, they stood resiliently amidst the heavy snowflakes.

“Don’t even joke about that,” Nilia said, her face dead serious.

After spending nights in the coldest parts of the northern mountains, she knew all too well the terror of snow.

“Let’s all pray it doesn’t get worse by next week. Got it?”

“S-sorry, Nilia.”

“We messed up...”

Her friends from the Black Turtle Tower glanced at her warily, looking sullen.

They had only thought the white snow looked pretty, but Nilia was too strict about it.

---

I-han was the first to arrive at Professor Garcia’s classroom.

He had woken up early, visited the stables to calm a sulking Ponrig, and returned to the dormitory to prepare breakfast. Thanks to some early-rising novices who helped out, he’d finished much sooner than expected.

“Good morning, Professor.”

“I-han? Why are you here so early?” Professor Garcia, who was doing a final check of the materials for the end-of-term exam, looked at him curiously.

“I wanted to help.”

“I thought I gave you some time off. What are you doing here so early?”

Professor Garcia waved him off and motioned for him to sit nearby.

“Focus on preparing for your other exams. The final for this class is all set.”

“Yes, but if you need an extra hand, please let me know.”

As I-han walked past, he glanced at the exam setup.

Professor Garcia’s final would test all the survival magic they’d learned that semester.

Using <Water Breathing> to dive deep underwater, <Basic Detoxification> to neutralize poison, and <Sight Enhancement> to navigate through the murky depths…

I-han had already learned what to expect, as Professor Garcia had demonstrated the techniques last week.

However...

“Professor, shouldn’t the water be darker?”

I-han asked, a bit confused.

He remembered mentioning to Professor Garcia that the water should be darker for the test.

“Oh, that? I figured this level of darkness should be challenging enough.”

“Is that so...?”

‘But it really should be darker,’ he thought.

Even though it didn’t seem quite right, I-han decided to accept it for now, trusting there must be a reason if Professor Garcia was certain.

“Oh, Professor, were the fake passages added?”

“No, I didn’t think it was necessary to go that far.”

“Ah, but wouldn’t adding fake passages make it more interesting?”

Although darkening the water had been ruled out, I-han thought the addition of fake passages would add some excitement to the test.

“It’d make it too hard.”

“I see…”

I-han grew a little nervous.

Just like before, he felt that despite Professor Garcia’s kindness, he hadn’t contributed anything valuable in return.

‘I have to find some way to improve this...’

“What about poison...?”

“I-han, focus on studying something else, please.”

“Yes…”

Reluctantly, I-han took a seat and pulled out a book to read. After a while, Professor Garcia, seemingly reminded of something, called out to him.

“I-han.”

“Do you need help with something?”

“No, no. I just wanted to ask—are you raising giants?”

“?!?!!”

---

“Am I the only one who finds it strange that I-han is just sitting over there?”

Gainando asked his friends as they prepared for the test.

Since entering the classroom, I-han had been sitting by the professor’s side, reading a book from another faction.

“It’s not strange.”

“He probably just got here first.”

“Or he just breezed through. Pay attention, Gainando. Have you cast Water Breathing correctly? Don’t go spitting water like last time.”

“That was a one-time mistake!”

“Once becomes twice, and twice becomes three times. Now, go on.”

Splash!

One by one, the students dove into the water to begin their test.

While others busily worked through the <Basic Principles of Waterdanaz’s Waterworks>, I-han paused his own work.

Spotting Nilia as she surfaced after completing the test, he approached her.

“Phew... That was intense...!”

“Nilia, Nilia.”

Nilia beamed at I-han as he walked over.

Professor Garcia’s final exam was far more exhausting and concentration-demanding than she had expected.

Navigating through the dim, murky water without triggering any traps and finding the correct path had kept her on high alert the entire time.

Exhausted and tired, seeing her friend come over to cheer her on, she felt this must be what friendship was all about.

“Here, drink this.”

“...Thank you.”

Feeling a little touched, Nilia softened her usually sharp demeanor.

Sipping the hot coffee, I-han casually asked her, “Didn’t it feel a bit too bright underwater?”

“Huh? What do you mean?”

“I mean, did you find the passage too easily...?”

“No, it was dark and hard to navigate.”

Nilia shivered, recounting how cold and energy-draining it had been underwater.

“Really? You didn’t miscast a spell or something?”

“...Waterdanaz, what’s going on here?”

Nilia gave I-han a suspicious look.

At first, she’d felt grateful, but the longer they talked, the more it felt like there was something sinister behind his questions.

“Oh, nothing. Here, have another snack.”

“You’re trying to placate me with snacks, aren’t you...”

“Oh, by the way, I noticed there was a lot of snow falling today. Does the Shadow Patrol still go out on days like this?”

“Yeah, that’s just how it is.”

“Wow, that’s amazing.”

“It’s nothing. It’s standard. People living in the northern mountains are used to the snow. I once got stuck in a small ranger’s cabin during a weeklong blizzard; there was no way to get out...”

I-han nodded as he spotted another friend surfacing.

“Yoner! Yoner! Here’s some coffee.”

“Huh? Thanks…”

“By the way, didn’t it feel too bright underwater?”

“......”

Yoner paused, sipping his coffee while considering I-han’s question. Then he narrowed his eyes and asked, “Did you suggest to Professor Garcia to make the test harder?”

“...?!”

I-han’s eyes widened as he looked at his friend.

Yoner simply shook his head in exasperation.

---

**Alchemy Final Exam.**

Professor Thunderstep watched in exasperation as students lugged in bags full of alchemical ingredients.

“In all my years teaching, I’ve never seen students prepare so casually for an exam.”

“Thank you, Professor.”

“That wasn’t a compliment.”

“In that case, no thanks, Professor.”

Thunderstep continued, holding a now-upside-down Ratford as he spoke.

“Typically, the exam starts with gathering the ingredients, but you’re all bringing everything pre-prepared...”

“Preparation is a skill, don’t you think, Professor?”

“This is all your doing, Waterdanaz!”

Thunderstep couldn’t believe the audacity of his cheeky apprentice.

The one who had led his friends outside to collect every possible ingredient!

“Fine. Preparation is part of the skillset, so I won’t complain. Unlike the Principal, I don’t mind you going outside for materials.”

“Then, could you put me down...”

Thunderstep promptly dropped Ratford with a thud.

Then, he moved to the blackboard and wrote down the exam topic.

**Potion of Resistance**

‘Perfect!’

I-han sighed with relief upon seeing the topic.

Even the most prepared students reacted similarly, having expected this to be one of the final exam topics.

“What’s a Potion of Resistance?”

“......”

Not everyone had studied as thoroughly.

Professor Thunderstep shot a disappointed look at the questioning student before explaining.

“I’ve mentioned this several times: the Potion of Resistance works broadly. Sometimes, inept alchemists make it effective only in one area and misunderstand its purpose. Don’t make that mistake.”

The Potion of Resistance bolstered the drinker’s endurance, enhancing a sort of defense.

It wasn’t called a defense potion for a reason: it worked differently.

When an arrow flew at someone, defense potions hardened the skin, causing the arrow to bounce off. But the Potion of Resistance reduced the pain even when a powerful impact rattled the body internally.

Certain unique monsters could inflict damage just by sight or sound.

Some could make you vomit blood just by looking at them or collapse just from hearing their cries.

And even without those extremes, illusionists could cast spells that affected the senses.

Such situations required a potion like the Potion of Resistance.

‘Crush the purified stone three times with a bronze mortar, stir it twice with a staff, and

 when the liquid bubbles golden…’

The more experienced alchemy students, including I-han, worked confidently on their potions.

Professor Thunderstep observed them and said, “Seems you forgot to measure it beforehand?”

In response, students took out a scale artifact they’d bought, which adjusted itself for accurate measurements.

Seeing his novice students make potions so effortlessly, Thunderstep couldn’t help but feel a pang of annoyance.

‘I’m beginning to see why the Principal hates them leaving the academy.’

Watching these freshmen concoct potions with artifacts made him want to criticize something, anything.

“Hmph. The Potion of Resistance is no easy feat. If you rush, it’ll surely…”

Boom!

A burst of flame erupted from Nilia’s cauldron.

Thunderstep’s expression softened, finally pleased.

“There, see? Rescuing that potion will be quite the challenge.”

But Nilia remained unfazed, dumping the cauldron’s contents and quickly drawing fresh ingredients from her supply.

With plenty of extra materials, she wasn’t worried about a few failures.

“......”

Thunderstep resolved that next year’s freshman final exam would use ingredients unobtainable outside.

“Waterdanaz, any recommendations for testing the potion?”

Bartrack turned to I-han, volunteering to verify his fellow students’ potions.

“You’d typically cast a spell after drinking it, but if that’s not possible, use something that stimulates the senses.”

Loud noises, strong smells, or spicy foods would help verify if the potion worked.

Bartrack fell into thought.

“Something stimulating…”

“Here, I have an onion. How about this?”

“That’s actually a good idea.”

“Did you drink the potion? Try a bite.”

I-han handed Bartrack a slice of onion, and he grimaced.

“This one’s no good.”

“Oh, too bad. Here, try the next one. Drink up. Here.”

“Ugh.”

Bartrack drank another potion, ate another onion, and repeated the process, tears welling up in his eyes.

“Bartrack! I finished another one!”

“This one seems fine. The onion doesn’t sting.”

“Really?!”

Watching nearby, I-han tilted his head.

“Wait, but isn’t the color off?”

“Oh, thanks, Waterdanaz. Almost missed that.”

“No problem.”

I-han supported Bartrack’s efforts, admiring his helpfulness to their fellow White Tiger Tower students.

“Waterdanaz, you’re done. You can leave now.”

“I was going to filter it once more for higher purity.”

“Perfect score. Leave.”

“But you haven’t even checked it!”

“It’s a perfect score. Move aside. Yep, it’s perfect.”

“But I worked so hard on it…”

With a ladle, Thunderstep nudged the reluctant I-han out of the classroom.