Chapter 67 - Alchemy Department Class (2)

Author: Dawn

“Did you hear the news? Teacher Hassen Rittle has resigned?”

“Huh? Out of nowhere? What happens to Teacher Hassen’s class then?”

The students of the Magic Department buzzed with questions.

Hassen Rittle’s Potion Manufacturing class was one of the foundational courses in the Magic Department.

While not a mandatory major, it was a skill that every mage should know, and thus the class was consistently full.

Of course, there were students who found it uninteresting or too challenging and dropped out, but they were quickly replaced by others.

One of the reasons for this was that the dedicated instructor, Hassen Rittle, possessed considerable skill.

As befitting an alchemy teacher, Hassen Rittle was well-versed in various herbs and could answer students’ questions with ease.

Moreover, his explanations were so well-delivered that they made grasping the complex Potion Manufacturing class somewhat easier.

So, when it was revealed that Hassen had submitted a resignation, the Magic Department students couldn’t help but chatter.

“If it’s Teacher Hassen who applied, why would he resign? What could be the reason? Is he feeling unwell?”

“Wait, then who’s going to take over this class? We don’t have any predicted instructors. Could they be assigning it to a new teacher?”

“Oh no! C-Could it be, by any chance, Teacher Graham? I’d want to drop the class immediately if it’s him.”

“He makes it too complicated. Just because he thinks we’re all geniuses.”

Everyone speculated about who might take over the class.

Particularly, everyone hoped it wouldn’t be Teacher Graham.

“Quiet!”

Creak—!

The door opened, revealing the entrance of the Magic Department’s Dean. All fifty students in the classroom turned their attention toward the entrance.

As the Dean, with his distinctive gait, entered, the students’ expressions turned desolate at the realization that the Dean would be taking over this class. However, another person followed behind him.

“Huh?”

“What?”

“What’s going on!?”

Everyone was taken aback by the faces they saw.

“Isn’t that Teacher Ethan?”

“From the Swordsmanship Department?”

“What on earth?”

“Teacher Ethan isn’t going to teach this class, is he?”

Confusion spread across the students’ faces.

“Settle down, everyone!”

Standing at the podium, the Magic Department’s Dean was accompanied by Ethan, standing beside him.

“Teacher Hassen Rittle has submitted his resignation and retired. The reasons are personal. Therefore, starting today, this Potion Manufacturing class will be taught by none other than Teacher Ethan Whiskers.”

“What!?”

“Dean! What are you saying!?”

“But Teacher Ethan is from the Swordsmanship Department!”

“He’s a knight!”

As soon as the words left the mouth of the Magic Department’s Dean, strong objections erupted.

“You’re making too much fun of this!”

Among them, the second-year students of the Magic Department were the most resistant.

“Are you saying that a teacher who isn’t even a mage will be teaching this class? Well then, we won’t take this class.”

“Us too.”

“Count me out!”

The Magic Department’s Dean let out a sigh, as if he had anticipated this. No matter that they were students, they were still magicians. 

Such dismissive behavior towards magic couldn’t be tolerated.

Even the Magic Department Dean had a similar reaction when Ethan initially approached him about taking over the class. 

If it weren’t for the presence of the Principal, he might have exploded on the spot.

“Alright! If you don’t want to attend the class, you don’t have to. But still, shouldn’t you at least listen to how Teacher Ethan plans to conduct the class? And let me remind you, I’m a mage too. I’ve been exploring magic far longer than all of you. So, I understand what worries you.”

The Dean’s earnest words caused the departing students to pause for a moment.

“It was I who personally brought Teacher Ethan here. Remember just that and try to listen to Teacher Ethan’s first class.”

At that moment, Ethan signaled to the Dean.

As the Dean stepped back, Ethan positioned himself at the front of the class, scanning the students all around.

“First of all, I didn’t take on this class to belittle magic.”

Despite his words, the students’ expressions remained grim.

Being a teacher from the Swordsmanship Department while taking on a class in the Magic Department was seen as belittling magic itself.

Explaining otherwise wasn’t resonating with them.

As Ethan began to speak, the Dean completely left the classroom.

His part was done now. Convincing the students and preventing them from leaving was solely Ethan’s responsibility.

Now alone, Ethan faced the students’ icy stares.

While the Dean was around, he had to consider the Dean’s reactions to some extent, but now there was no need for that.

“Why did you decide to teach this class? You’re a teacher from the Swordsmanship Department.”

“Is it true that the Principal pushed you into this?”

Awkward and impolite questions were thrown at him.

“What can we possibly learn from you, Teacher?”

“We don’t want to learn about swordsmanship, Teacher Ethan Whiskers.”

Moreover, just like the Swordsmanship Department, there were elite students here as well.

“Swordsmanship Department might be easy enough for a teacher from a rural area to handle, but we’re different here in the Magic Department.”

If the Swordsmanship Department had Mason Yeld representing the upper echelons, the Magic Department had someone equivalent in Grandel Torf.

The current Marquis Torf was considered one of the top Archmages.

He was known as the Archmage of the Red Flame, a title he earned as a combat mage among the Archmages.

‘There are quite a few familiar faces here.’

Certainly, the Magic Department had more familiar faces than the Swordsmanship Department.

Having often collaborated with the Mage Tower and the Royal Magic Corps, the sharp expressions from those who knew Ethan and the tales associated with him in the Magic Department came to his mind.

“To be honest, I believe I have a talent for potion brewing that’s superior to Teacher Ethan. In reverse, it means I could teach Teacher Ethan a thing or two.”

Grandel’s words were met with silent nods of agreement. 

The students gathered here were exceptional mages, to the point that even bringing other mages wouldn’t make them feel inferior.

That held true for potion brewing as well.

“Most likely, you all have reasons to doubt my skills. But to prove myself to you, I need to demonstrate my skills, as you suggested.”

Ethan had anticipated their resistance. He had dealt with plenty of stubbornly proud mages; that included students as well. 

So, the only way to pacify their complaints was through his abilities.

Ethan spread various herbs on the long table in front of him.

-Casting the Decoction of Herbal Essence!

He immediately started brewing the decoction.

The students watched Ethan’s every move, plucking herbs, grinding, adding at precise timings, and mixing. 

It seemed like a routine potion-making, but there was something different.

“How were your previous Potion Manufacturing classes? They were quite challenging, weren’t they? Despite being foundational, these classes were difficult. Students who didn’t resonate with the basics had a tough time attending.”

Even with difficult classes, the students would only acquire foundational potion-brewing skills.

“Moreover, the rewards seemed too basic for the effort, leading many to think it wasn’t worth it. Yet, this class still holds value. So most of the students will eventually want to take it.”

It took about three minutes.

Ordinarily, making a single potion would take at least ten minutes. Ethan had managed to craft a potion in a remarkably short time.

As Ethan swiftly finished making the decoction and poured it into a glass bottle, the students who had been pouring out complaints were now focused on his every move.

He had introduced himself as a Swordsmanship Department teacher, but the way he handled potion-making resembled a mage to the core.

Before sealing the finished potion, Ethan raised his hand.

In truth, merely brewing a potion didn’t make one a mage.

Hence, to convert their interest into assurance, he needed to become a mage at least for this moment.

“Blessing of Nature.”

Ethan cast the ancient spell he obtained from the trials, the Blessing of Nature.

Of course, the Blessing of Nature didn’t add any extra effects to the potion, but it had a definite impact on students unfamiliar with ancient magic.

“Whoa!?”

“Th-The Blessing of Nature?”

The students were taken aback by the unfamiliar magic. Slowly, their expressions changed.

At that moment, Ethan ceased being a Swordsmanship Department teacher.

From potion brewing to magic—wasn’t this the perfect demeanor of a Magic Department teacher?

A situation completely different from what they had thought.

With a light toss, Ethan closed the decoction bottle.

Thunk!

As Grandel caught the potion, his expression stiffened.

“Drink it. Then you’ll know. Whether I pretended to make it or actually produced a proper potion.”

Grandel immediately drank the potion. And he immediately understood.

Vitality surged through his body, especially enhancing his senses.

Swish.

He waved his hand once and understood.

This potion was real. It was almost equivalent to a high-end potion, without even considering its taste.

Creating such a high-quality potion in a matter of moments was astonishing beyond words.

“Alright, this is where I want to stop. Thanks for your attention. If any of you want to leave, feel free.”

The implication was clear. Having closed his eyes, Ethan wouldn’t know who left.

Ethan nonchalantly closed his eyes.

The meaning was evident.

He was leaving the choice up to the students.

Another two minutes passed.

When Ethan opened his eyes again, he grinned.

“Now, may I talk about the class?”

Not a single person left.

* * *

“Half, no, even a third remaining, would still be considered a success. I doubt there’s any mage as discerning as our students in the entire school.”

The Dean’s office.

Magic Department’s Dean believed that about a third of the students would remain in Ethan’s class.

Their earlier reactions were disheartening. Indeed, a Swordsmanship Department teacher taking over a class in the Magic Department faced considerable resistance.

If he were an experienced teacher who had proven his abilities, he might have been able to quell some of that resistance. But Ethan was a rookie.

For a rookie teacher who had shown promise in the Swordsmanship Department, the Dean thought that even having a third of the students stay would be a success.

“Dean, the class has ended.”

Dean sent Ethan a look that was a mixture of pride and sympathy upon hearing the results.

“I’ve witnessed Teacher Ethan’s skills earlier, so I know. But students will always start with skepticism. If they don’t like it, they won’t stay. Still, don’t worry too much. This will be a significant learning experience for a teacher.”

It was quite rare for a rookie teacher to handle classes from two different departments simultaneously.

Even just the experience of managing two different classes at once was meaningful. Ethan would probably see it that way too.

“Thank you for the advice.”

“So, how many are left? It might sting a bit, but I still have to hear it.”

The Dean asked as if trying to provide more comfort.

Meeting the Dean’s gaze, Ethan replied casually. 

“There are 50 students.”

“Oh my, that’s significantly fewer… Huh? 50?”

Dean’s eyes widened dramatically for a moment.

“No one left the class.”