Unfortunately, Professor Verdus’s lecture was still a long way off.
The professors present gathered closely around the timetable posted on the noticeboard and checked it.
Which unfortunate professor would become the next target of the venomously determined Wardanaz?
"......"
Professor Yonramo’s expression immediately darkened.
Why did fate torment the good and allow the wicked to prosper?
"...Professor Rzhi. Stay strong."
"Y-yes. Professor Verdus will suffer soon enough too. The professor will pay for that karma."
Even with the consolation of the other professors, Professor Yonramo remained dejected.
"What is the midterm examination for transformation magic this time? The lecture Student Lee Han is taking is definitely..."
"It is <Practical Self-Transformation>."
If transformation magic were broadly divided into two categories, one involved changing another existence, while the other involved changing the mage.
Naturally, the latter was more difficult.
Since the mage had to change only the form of the body while preserving the identity possessed by the mage’s own soul, it could not help being difficult.
For that reason, instead of immediately having the students of the school learn full-fledged transformation magic, Professor Yonramo had steadily made them practice transforming individual parts of their bodies first.
And <Practical Self-Transformation> was the lecture that examined the tangible results of that practice.
A lecture in which they would finally transform their entire bodies rather than merely one part!
The gap in difficulty was greater than that of the magic of other schools, certainly not smaller.
"Is that not a lecture a second-year should be taking?"
"Why act surprised now?"
Professor Thunderwalk muttered weakly. At those words, Professor Garcia unconsciously nodded.
Indeed, it truly was far too late to be surprised now.
"But if it is the <Practical Self-Transformation> lecture, there is actually an advantageous aspect."
As befitted an outstanding foresight mage, Professor Paserlet discovered an advantage in the current situation.
"No matter how much Wardanaz can borrow the young principal’s wisdom, it will not be easy to surpass the professor in a lecture like that."
"Ah. That is true! Look, Professor Rzhi!"
It was not a lecture like Professor Thunderwalk’s, where the production method was written down and handed over, and this was not a lecture where the young principal could make written corrections.
At the consolation of the colleagues, Professor Yonramo’s face brightened slightly.
"Now that I think about it, there really is not anything in particular to criticize about this lecture..."
"Right?!"
"And Student Lee Han might actually make a mistake and fail to pass. Perhaps there is no need to worry so much already."
'I do not think that will happen.'
'Do we have to force ourselves to agree with this too?'
The professors hesitated.
Even unconditional agreement had its limits.
No matter how hard they tried, they could not imagine Wardanaz failing any lecture. Even Professor Paserlet, who could seize the faintest possibility in the future, shook the professor’s head slightly.
'I cannot see it. I cannot see it.'
"Y-yes. A mistake could prevent him from passing. In any case, the important point is that he will not be able to surpass the lecture itself like he did in Professor Thunderwalk’s case, is it not?"
"Must you mention my name?"
Professor Thunderwalk grumbled plaintively from the side.
It was miserable enough to have corrections made to a production method at this age, yet the colleagues were faithfully using the professor as an example every time.
While they were speaking, Professor Verdus, who had been quietly listening beside them, opened the professor’s mouth.
"Wait. Perhaps Wardanaz might be able to surpass Professor Rzhi’s lecture!"
"Please remain quiet instead of talking nonsense."
Professor Garcia whispered sharply.
Professor Garcia did not know what the other professor was about to say, but it would not be helpful in the slightest.
However, Professor Verdus was someone who could not endure knowing something others did not without pointing it out. With a cute face, the professor spoke seriously.
"The situation would be different if Wardanaz succeeded in transforming into a dragon. Professor Rzhi cannot transform into a dragon, can you?"
A mage’s self-transformation followed the rules below.
The more complex and advanced the creature one transformed into, the greater the difficulty of the magic became.
And when it came to a dragon, the most complete of all creatures, the matter was not determined merely by the difficulty of the magic.
Since ancient times, the entire dragon race had been protected by powerful magic.
Astonishingly, this protection also applied to the laws governing transformation by an entirely unrelated mage.
Without the recognition or permission of a dragon, even imitating part of its body was practically impossible.
"Please remain quiet instead of talking bullshit. No one can do that."
Professor Garcia’s voice vibrated at a low pitch after sensing an ominous feeling. It was like the infrasonic growl emitted by a beast of prey.
"It was only one part, but Wardanaz has constructed a dragon’s body through magic before. That means there is also a possibility that Wardanaz can transform into a complete dragon."
"What do you know about Student Lee Han that makes you say something like that? You normally have no interest whatsoever!"
Professor Garcia was genuinely aggrieved.
The professor did not ordinarily know whether Student Lee Han ate bread or rice, whether he was outside or inside, yet somehow remembered something like this.
Moreover, that had been a momentary transformation that appeared almost in passing by coincidence while Student Lee Han practiced during a lecture last year.
Even Professor Yonramo, who had mentioned it at the time, had probably forgotten, yet Professor Verdus remembered it.
The professor truly had a tenacious memory for anything related to magic.
Unable to keep watching, Professor Paserlet intervened.
"It must have been a wyvern. There are quite a few people capable of transforming into lesser dragon species mixed with dragon blood."
"But it could have been a dragon. Wardanaz is close with a dragon."
This time, Professor Thunderwalk stepped forward. The professor could simply have watched, but Professor Verdus was somehow irritating.
"Being acquainted with a dragon does not mean one can transform into one."
"But Wardanaz is a dragon’s contractor."
"......"
"......"
All the professors were sunk.
Professor Verdus stared blankly, not even realizing the professor had won, then asked.
"Right? Is the possibility not fairly high?"
Professor Garcia’s fist was coldly loaded. Noticing it, Professor Paserlet took one step backward.
They did not know whether Wardanaz could transform into a dragon, but Professor Verdus might transform into a corpse today.
***
Jarun of House Ironshoe had originally never intended to graduate.
While the other ordinary students complacently obsessed over graduation, Jarun had resolved to dig deeper beneath Einroguard and find something more valuable than graduation.
However, that thought had changed slightly.
It was absolutely not because a junior from the same school had even stolen Professor Verdus’s artifact and encouraged Jarun. It was a decision Jarun had made solely through personal choice.
'It is absolutely not because of that bastard. Now that I think about it, I can graduate and still search for what I want. That is why I am preparing my submission.'
Jarun muttered alone underground while preparing the submission.
This small, cool, mold-scented room underground was Jarun’s hiding place and forward base.
Jarun’s sacred worksp..., a place no student could ever find...
Bang, bang, bang!
"Senior! Are you there!"
"......"
Jarun turned the head in horror at the familiar junior’s voice.
The paper-bird terrorism was one thing, but Jarun had never imagined the junior would find this place too.
"...It must be an evil spirit of the underground. One that imitates voices..."
"I am not an evil spirit! I can break down the door to prove it!"
Jarun trembled with anger.
What wrong had Jarun committed for this damned junior to keep tormenting Jarun?
'I suppose I will have to change locations.'
Crash!
"It should have been enough after the work last time, you bastard who ought to be dragged away by mole monsters! Why do you keep coming to find me!"
When Jarun opened the door, the familiar junior from House Wardanaz was standing there, along with Karnella of House Hormasi from White Tiger Tower.
Jarun asked in confusion.
"Hormasi, what are you doing here?"
"Perhaps I should say there are profound circumstances behind this..."
"......"
Jarun looked behind them. Even though Karnella was only one year below, a member of White Tiger Tower was never an easy opponent in a fight.
Where had Jarun put the hammer enchanted with attack magic...?
"Senior! I told you we did not come here to fight! Listen to what I have to say!"
"Did that cursed bastard not bring you here! Who do you take for a fool?!"
Jarun angrily blamed the junior.
No matter how extraordinary that Wardanaz bastard was, there was no way a mere second-year had found this place alone.
Karnella had clearly coaxed Wardanaz and brought him here.
"I did bring him, but I told you there are profound circumstances behind this."
"You are trying to make me take on work again. You despicable bastards! Do not try anything foolish!"
Lee Han, who had merely listened to the seniors’ fiery exchange, asked in puzzlement.
"What do you mean by making you take on work?"
"Once someone reaches the fourth year, they normally act as a senior of the school. But Senior Ironshoe is exceptionally good at becoming impossible to contact."
The tall, slender dark elf senior shrugged while explaining.
Normally, once someone reached the fourth year, they would take charge of several matters as a senior of the school and help their juniors.
With the exception of a certain Student Y, no matter how lazy or eccentric someone was, they would still help to some extent.
However, Jarun, who belonged among 'those insane seniors,' struggled not to take on any work for the school even if it meant being dragged to the punishment room several times.
It was perseverance that Princess Yukbeltire would have rated extremely highly.
After hearing the circumstances, Lee Han looked at Jarun with contempt. It was the same gaze he used when looking at a certain Student Y.
"W-what is that look?"
"It is nothing."
"No one, not even a professor, can make a dwarf do anything! Remember that!"
"Yes."
"......"
When Lee Han silently condemned Jarun with his gaze, Jarun began to feel increasingly uneasy.
Jarun did not realize it, but this was a pang of conscience.
It was an emotion any person should naturally feel when standing before a junior more diligent and hardworking than oneself!
Jarun hesitated, then changed the subject.
"...What is it? You two. Why did you come here?"
"This junior is going to practice transformation magic, but I thought it would be a little too much for me to supervise alone, so I brought him here."
The short dwarf senior’s face twisted fiercely.
To think they had disturbed Jarun for such a pointless reason.
"Practice while looking at a book!"
"He has already passed that stage and is now at the stage of transforming completely!"
"...!"
Even Jarun was slightly surprised by those words.
A mere second-year was already attempting a complete transformation?
"Even so, Hormasi, can you not simply teach him yourself!"
"If I could have, I would have done it already! Do you think I wanted to come to this mold-scented place! I brought him because it seems he may transform into several fairly rare animals!"
"!!"
Jarun was even more surprised.
It would have been surprising enough if a second-year transformed into something ordinary and easy, yet it seemed the junior might transform into rare animals?
"If he transformed into something like a Cerberus, I could help him by myself, but it seems several rarer animals may appear. I need someone to consult."
"...Come inside."
In the end, Jarun gave up the stubborn resistance.
To be honest, Jarun was also slightly curious about just how rare the animals this second-year junior intended to transform into would be.
Once Lee Han and Karnella entered and stood inside(there were no chairs for the two of them), Jarun asked a question.
"What do you think he will transform into? Do not make a fuss."
"In this Hormasi’s opinion... there is a fairly high possibility of a basilisk."
Karnella spoke in a serious voice.
A mage’s intentions were important in transformation magic, but the unconscious was also extremely important.
Otherwise, why would something like a mage’s aptitude exist?
It was a fundamental formula of transformation magic that one could more easily transform into a subject one had been familiar with since childhood.
And this junior was a reptile enthusiast who carried a baby basilisk around every day.
-What a wonderful person!
The baby basilisk cried out excitedly.
How could anyone offer such a wonderful opinion?
"But if we consider only practicality, I think a unicorn might be better."
-What is wrong with that person?!
The baby basilisk immediately reversed its opinion as easily as turning over a palm and became indignant.
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