Chapter 31 – How to Become an Alchemist
So, three days after Seongil took the first test, when the first grader’s first test results were posted on the notice, a great upheaval broke out in the school.
“Eh… That’s ridiculous.. That… That idiot from the east is number one…?”
“Oh my god…”
“There’s a perfect score there, right? Does this make sense?”
“I’m sure… I saw you left the test center in less than 10 minutes…”
Male voice
When the test results came out, the students panicked and made an uproar. Of course, the reason was because Seong-il, who came out of the exam in an instant, won first place.
And as Seong-il made his way through the crowd to the bulletin board to check his grades, the crowd around Seong-il started to move away like the sea parted.
“Hmm. A perfect score? Well… It wasn’t particularly difficult…”
After talking to himself like that, Seong-il left the place ignoring the people around him.
“Ah… You said it wasn’t difficult?”
Ignoring someone whispering behind his back, Seong-il walked to his dorm.
‘Hmm! Seeing this kind of gaze for the first time in my life, I feel strange and happy~! Hmmmm…’
Although it is fraudulent, three male students blocked Seongil’s way back to the dormitory, intoxicated with the euphoria of achieving the overwhelming first place.
“?”
‘What are these guys.’
“You… You’re the guy from the east who is said to be the number one Han Seong-il this time, right?”
Seong-il replied, annoyed at the rudeness of a male student who belittles himself and digs up his personal information.
“By the way? What’s the matter?”
“How did you get first place this time? Didn’t you come in last place when you entered the school?”
Seong-il was slightly stung by the male student’s words, but before she cheated, she thought of the scenario she had envisioned countless times in her head, and answered him with a shameless face.
“…? What does it matter to you, you ask me about that? Is there any reason why I should answer you?”
“What? This bastard…”
The male student was annoyed at Seong-il’s answer and said while holding Seong-il by the scruff of the neck.
“This baby. Honestly. You didn’t get the score by using a mean number? Can’t you say right now?”
Seong-il smiled at his anger and grabbed his arm and twisted it.
As he steadily practiced the color ball and used his stronger body, the boy’s arm twisted like a toy, and he screamed as he couldn’t stand the pain.
“Kkeaaak! This bastard… Can’t let go?!”
“That’s fucking shit. Who dares to argue with you first? Do you want to go after them?”
After saying that, Seong-il put more strength into his hand and brought him to his knees, causing him pain.
Seeing Seongil like that, another male student next to him swung his fist at Seongil.
However, Seong-il casually blocked the student’s fist with the palm of his hand and began to squeeze his apple as if crushing it.
“Well ah ah ah!”
The man fell to his knees as his fists were crushed, and he started screaming.
Seong-il said, looking at the male student who was standing there blankly, not knowing what to do.
“Why? Do you want to fight? If you want to search, swing your fist.”
At the threat of such a sad day, the man trembled and said nothing.
Laughing at the male student, Seong-il kicked the stomachs of the two students who were being held onto the hallway wall with his foot.
“Kuhh!!”
Unable to withstand even Seongil’s light kick, the male student collapsed against the wall.
Seongil looked at the sane male student and said.
“Hey.”
“…?”
Shocked by the scene unfolding before his eyes, the male student couldn’t even answer Seong-il’s question and just stared blankly at Seong-il.
“Hey bastard. Do you want to be slapped backwards too? Won’t you answer?”
The male student, who finally regained his consciousness, responded in a terrified tone.
“Yes?”
“Take these two bugs and get out of here. And you guys raised the fight first, so don’t think of playing around behind your back. At that time, I’ll be expelled from school and I’ll go find you and break your head. Do you understand?”
Seong-il’s bloody threat, the man did not even respond, shuddered and only nodded his head, supported his fallen friends and left the seat.
“Star worms bastards…”
The moment Seong-il entered the dormitory after organizing the situation, someone knocked on Seong-il’s door.
“Are you in the Seongil student seat?!”
‘What is it… Do these bastards really have to break their heads? I said let’s move on quietly, but he informs me right away?’
When Seong-il, who was so annoyed, opened his door roughly, he could see the assistant professor in charge of the first year standing in front of him.
“Why? What’s going on?”
Seong-il’s voice was filled with poison, and the teaching assistant replied, taken aback.
“Uh..? Uh uh… Professor Devon asked for an interview regarding this first place…”
‘Oh?!’
Seong-il realized that she had misunderstood her assistant, and later apologized after changing her tone to a more polite one.
“Ah! I’m sorry.. During the day, I was even caught by the collar, saying that my grades were not cheating.. I wondered if that was the case.”
“What?! There was such a guy?!”
‘It was exactly three, but…’
Rather, when Seong-il was taken aback by Seong-il’s words, as if he had never heard of it, the teaching assistant asked Seong-il, and Seong-il answered calmly, as if it was nothing.
“Well… Anyway, I did. Professor Devon, by the way, about me?”
“Yes. The professor wants to see you right now. Is it possible now?”
“Sure.”
After answering that, Seong-il immediately moved to the professor’s office to meet Professor Devon.
“Welcome.”
Professor Devon greeted the holy day with a strange expression. He took out a chair, brought his tea and put it on the desk, inviting Seong-il.
“Sit down. And have a cup of tea.”
“Thank you professor.”
Seong-il savored the tea Devon made and was surprised by the strange scent.
‘Ho.. What’s this? It smells like jasmine flowers and is delicious..’
The moment Seong-il admired the taste of Devon’s tea, Professor Devon opened his mouth.
“Seongil-kun. Didn’t you say that this semester you would focus on culture rather than classes?”
To Professor Devon’s sudden question, Seong-il pretended to be innocent and answered.
“Yes, it was.”
“But how did you get that score?
To his question, Seong-il started to answer according to the scenario he had prepared.
“After the Liberal Arts class, I studied at the library every day as the professor said.”
“But I didn’t know what to do, so I checked the list and found ‘Basics of Alchemy’.
“I gave up on the grades for this quarter anyway, so I thought I should study the basics properly, so I only dug up that book.”
“After finishing the theory study, I started experimenting in the dormitory, but there were many accidents because there were many parts different from the theory. I studied.”
“By the way… It came out as a test subject? I was also surprised.”
Devon, who had an absurd expression at Seongil’s words, said.
“So you’re saying it was all luck?!”
At Devon’s words, Seong-il replied with a smile.
“Yes. It was luck. Couldn’t it be that our ancestors, who were moved by walking the right path, gave blessings?”
“Joe.. Blessings of the ancestors?”
When Seong-il suddenly made an excuse that didn’t sound like words, Devon stuttered and said, flustered.
“Yes. In the East, we believe that if we live honestly, our ancestors will bless us.”
At Seongil’s words, the script with a desperate expression said.
“Haa.. You say something like that. I wondered if you did some prior study and hid it.”
“Sometimes there have been cases of high-profile freshmen who like to be in the spotlight, deliberately ruining the entrance exam and showing unconventional results in the first exam.”
At Devon’s words, Seong-il raised a counterargument as if it were nonsense.
“Impossible, Professor. I really came here to study alchemy for the first time. You must have graded my exams, you know. Didn’t my skills suck?”
“Hmm.. Certainly, compared to the answer of the perfect theory, the item I made was very clumsy.”
Convinced that Seong-il was right in his words, he slowly advanced his aim and said.
“Yes. That’s because I only studied theories at school. Originally, I should have done an experiment, but I couldn’t do it because it wasn’t a comfortable environment to do it.”
“What do you mean? Our school’s one-person dormitory system provides a place for experiments, so there shouldn’t be a problem with that part?”
Seong-il replied to his words, expressing denial with his whole body as if it was absolutely not.
“Not at all. The students’ rooms are attached to the upper floors on both sides, so if there is an accident, it will damage the nearby students.”
“Besides, I can’t even do experiments unless it’s morning and daytime. If the incident happens even late at night, the students won’t be able to sleep…”
“Honestly, I was too self-conscious, so I couldn’t do the experiment properly.”
“In the midst of such restrictions, all classes are in the morning and afternoon, so there was not enough time to experiment.”
Devon was speechless and unable to say anything at Seongil’s well-thought-out objection.
“Hmm…”
Seong-il, who saw Devon’s expression as if he understood his situation, sharply began to unfold the requirements he had prepared.
“In that sense, Professor, can you help me to live outside?”
“What?!”
Devon, taken aback by Seongil’s request, answered in embarrassment.
“Honestly, I’m confident in learning theory. The problem is an experiment place for practical practice. I need my own workshop where I can comfortably experiment.”
“But… The external studios have already been distributed to the 3rd and 4th graders…”
At his words, Seongil smiled and replied.
“I thought that would be the case, so I already sought help from the elders of my family and set up my own studio in Adenheim.”
“?!”
Looking at Devon, who was taken aback, Seong-il continued.
“What are you surprised about? My family is a fairly wealthy merchant family in the East. My son is going to study, but can’t my parents find a house like that? Huhu…”
“Couldn’t the professor allow me to move?”
Devon shook his hands and expressed his disapproval, as if he was embarrassed by such Seongil’s words.
“As a rule, freshmen must live in a dormitory.”
“Then what is Erisha? She has lower grades than me, but she doesn’t even have enough to live outside. Didn’t she even give me a workshop at school?”
Devon, who was at a loss for words at the sharp unexpected question raised by Seong-il, stammered.
“That… That’s because Elisha’s t… Special situation.”
At his words, Seong-il said with a look of nonsense, as if defiant.
“That’s a ridiculous excuse. If Elisha can live outside, shouldn’t I, who has achieved better grades, give permission? Didn’t I even use my own money to set up the workshop!”
“As you can see from the results of this test, I need experimental experience as much as the theory. In the first year, you just have to complete the combination, but from the second year, quality is also reflected in the grade!”
Devon, who had no excuses for raising the issue of Sungil, eventually expressed his intention to surrender.
“Whoa… I see. I’ll make a direct suggestion to the dean and try to reflect your opinion.”
“Thank you!!”
Afterwards, after hearing some good words from Devon, Seong-il moved to his dormitory.
Although it was a holy day with only half the permission from Devon regarding moving, he intended to leave the dormitory unconditionally regardless of the outcome of the discussion.
‘If anything, after saying yes, I leave the dormitory empty, and I’m stuck in my studio..’
Seong-il, who was so courageous, started to pack his things in his dormitory.
Knock Knock
“Hey~ Are you at Seongil-gun’s seat?”
‘Hmm..? Isn’t this voice Erica?’
Admired by the character of her voice, Seong-il quickly went out to meet her.
“Oh Erica. What’s going on..?”
With an awkward expression on Seongil’s words, Erica immediately started to praise Seongil and began to enter Seongil’s room.
“Sungil-kun! Why did you hide that you are a genius?”
Erica stormed into her Holy Day room and she shouted in a bit of a sarcasm.
Seeing Erica’s cute appearance, Seongil unknowingly replied with a smile on her lips.
“Haha.. What a genius..”
“No! The appearance of Seongil-gun that I saw for the past three months was clearly a novice alchemist himself.
Cried Erisha, excited even though it wasn’t her job.
