I wondered when the professor had started watching. Was it while I knelt? When I stroked the dirt floor? Or worse… when I knocked on my shadow like it was a door? No matter the timing, my actions must have appeared completely unhinged to any observer. I glanced at him sideways but couldn’t decipher his subtly distorted expression. Quickly standing up to dispel the awkwardness, I spoke.

“I thought something had fallen on the ground, but I guess I was mistaken.”

I tried to appear casual while dusting off my soil-stained clothes. Silently, I prayed my flimsy excuse would work. But his narrowed golden eyes slowly scanned me from toe to head, brimming with suspicion. I forced an unnatural smile, feeling the tension comparable to undergoing strict airport security.

Soon, the intense gaze dropped with a quiet sigh.

“There are many watching eyes within the university, so be careful.”

“Yes, sir.”

“…Of course, I won’t stop you if you enjoy the attention.”

“What? No. That’s absolutely not it. I’ll be more careful from now on. Yes.”

While I was fortunate he didn’t press further, I seemed to have left quite a strange impression on Asrein. Why did it have to… Had it not led me toward where Asrein was, I wouldn’t have aroused such suspicion. Moreover, it simply escaped into the shadow on its own, leaving me to be treated as the weird one. Swallowing my feelings of unfairness, I spoke up.

“Are you heading to the lab now?”

“Hmm, no. I need to stop by the greenhouse first. There are some herbs to move.”

Asrein shook his head firmly and started walking toward the greenhouse. Why did he have to be so tall? Even following a few steps behind him was exhausting. I struggled to keep pace beside him, resembling a wagtail trying to match a stork’s stride while risking splitting its legs.

“Then I’ll help you!”

“It’s not particularly heavy.”

“But wouldn’t it be better to use my hands than to dirty your gloves, Professor?”

He glanced at me briefly and shrugged.

“Do as you please.”

“Thank you!”

The greenhouse I entered after receiving permission was, predictably, heavy with humidity. I had hoped to greet Dandel while we were here, but Asrein walked pointedly in the opposite direction.

In the corner of the greenhouse where he headed stood a small room decorated with vines. Upon opening the door, storage cabinets lining three walls created an atmosphere reminiscent of a traditional herbal medicine shop. The subtle blend of oak and freshly picked grass scents naturally drew out a comfortable smile.

“I didn’t know there was such a place inside the greenhouse.”

“It’s where we prepare medicines needed for magical creatures. Feel free to use it when no one’s around, but…”

“I remember not to take anything out.”

“Good. I’m glad I don’t have to waste breath repeating myself.”

Letting out a quiet laugh, Asrein quietly walked to the drawer cabinet. Then, without even checking the names on the front, he skillfully opened drawers and took out herbs. The flowers and leaves that began to pile neatly on thick paper were immaculate, without a single insect-eaten spot. I watched in silence as he folded the paper with precise movements and sealed it with string.

Afterward, Asrein placed two bottles of what appeared to be distilled water and a glass bottle filled with unknown brown powder on the desk. Just as I approached to help, thinking he was finished, he suddenly began studying my face intently. Finding his gaze quite uncomfortable, I let out an awkward laugh and asked,

“Why… are you looking at me like that?”

Though I asked the reason, Asrein didn’t answer. Then, seemingly remembering something forgotten, he turned back to the drawer cabinet. He quickly pulled out herbs with swift movements and began making something at the preparation counter. His movements displayed mechanical consistency as he poured yellowish liquid into a flask-like bottle and added herbs without any measuring tools. Indeed, a genius never excels in just one area.

While I watched absently, one potion was completed. Along with a pungent herb smell, the thick liquid was poured into a small glass bottle. It was an unpleasantly dark green liquid that defied description. Could it be a deadly poison used to paralyze dangerous magical creatures? With such a scent, it must be effective. While I frowned deeply at it, Asrein suddenly thrust the liquid toward me.

“Here, drink this.”

“…Pardon?”

…Surely he must be joking? Even if I had acted strangely, it wasn’t bad enough to deserve deadly poison. Swallowing dryly, I quietly took a step back.

“Why are you giving this to me…”

“It’s a potion to replenish magical power.”

“Magical power?”

“Your already sparse magical power has decreased even further than before. Did you touch something you shouldn’t have?”

Before he finished speaking, I suddenly remembered the magical creature hiding in my shadow. Could it be because there were two tenants in one home? If it was not only parasitizing my shadow but also draining what little magical power I had, this would be a serious problem. Trying to hide my pale face, I hastily denied it.

“Ah, nothing at all.”

“Really?”

“Haha, of course. I’ll gratefully accept this potion.”

I quickly took the medicine to avoid suspicion. Though I needed to drink it, the creeping smell made me hesitate. After alternately looking at the cold Asrein and the strangely glowing potion, I shut my eyes tight and downed the liquid. The moment the subtly warm liquid entered my mouth, I felt like gagging.

“Urgh…”

“Hmm?”

“Ugh, the taste is quite… unique, isn’t it? Haha, ha…”

Ah, damn. It’s such a horrible taste that I want to stick my fingers down my throat and empty my stomach right now. It’s exactly like that time I threw up all my stomach acid after drinking too much. The taste resembled a mixture of every bitter flavor with a drop of fishy anchovy sauce.

“Thank you for caring enough about my lack of magical power to give me this pois… I mean, medicine.”

Though the taste made me suspect there might be some ill will mixed in, I decided to be grateful for the gesture of concern for my health.

Speaking of which, a potion to replenish magical power… Could it be that if I endure drinking this awful medicine enough times, I might eventually be able to use magic? I stared at the remaining half of the liquid while letting my imagination run wild. But a cold voice shattered my pleasant dream.

“Don’t harbor false hopes – drinking more won’t accumulate magical power. It’s just a temporary stimulant effect.”

“I wasn’t thinking anything so foolish…”

“Then you must be smirking because it tastes good.”

My expression must have revealed all my vain fantasies. I cleared my throat unnecessarily and changed the subject.

“What are the ingredients?”

“It’s made by brewing eucommia bark with dried artichoke and sarracenia flower powder. While the other ingredients are common enough, sarracenia is particularly difficult to obtain from ordinary apothecaries.”

“Is it very precious?”

“Sarracenia grows by consuming magical power instead of fertilizer. Due to this unusual characteristic, commoners must spend an entire month’s wages just to buy a single flower.”

Wait. A month’s wages? Professor, you should have mentioned that first. My intention to pretend to drink it and throw it away vanished completely. One flower equals a month’s salary. Though I haven’t earned money in this world yet, in modern terms that’s 1.8 million won at minimum wage! It would be terribly rude to secretly dispose of an herb that some people can’t even afford to buy. Yes, absolutely.

“To maximize the draw on magical power, it’s best to eat fresh sarracenia straight off the plant.”

Ignoring his continuing words, I put the bottle directly to my lips.

“But the taste is so harsh that most people wouldn’t dare…”

They say bitter medicine is good for the body. Knowing it was worth 1.8 million won made the bitterness seem less intense. After downing all the remaining liquid, I let out a satisfied “Ahh!” resembling someone who’d just had a refreshing drink. The sudden silence that followed felt strange, so I turned to find golden eyes filled with surprise bordering on incredulity staring back at me. With his face twisted oddly, Asrein blinked a few times before speaking.

“You really are… something else.”

***

Though I had boldly drunk the potion after hearing how expensive it was, my throat and esophagus burned like acid flowing back up. I wanted to stuff three or four chocolates in my mouth and hold my breath. While fighting alone with the medicine’s effects and opening the lab door, I saw a familiar face.

“Ah, you came together?”

Jin, who had come to the lab for some reason, greeted me cheerfully. After exchanging nods of greeting and finding my place, Jin, who had been peering at the bookshelf, asked,

“Professor, did you take the letter from Count Ameli?”

“Hmm? I haven’t checked it yet.”

“Really? I tucked it between some books yesterday so it wouldn’t blow away in the wind, but it’s gone. I’ll look again.”

Jin searched earnestly between the books with a rather flustered expression. At that moment, I alone hunched my shoulders, feeling guilty. That letter isn’t in the books – I’m carefully holding it close to my chest. Feeling that Jin might be wrongly blamed if I delayed any longer, I quietly pulled my chair back and stood up. Then, like a student being dragged to the faculty office, I shuffled over to Asrein.

“Is this… what you’re looking for?”

As I pulled out the letter from my chest, two pairs of eyes shot like arrows and pierced my cheeks. They seemed to be demanding, ‘Why do you have that?’ Placing the letter on Asrein’s desk while nervously scratching the back of my neck, I said,

“I found it earlier while organizing your desk, Professor. I meant to bring it right back, but…”

It was an excuse that anyone could see through, but Asrein seemed unconcerned as he took the letter. Using a paper knife from the corner of his desk, he lightly broke the seal and immediately unfolded the letter. Within seconds, a voice sharp with edge cut through the air.

“Ha. This is nothing short of a declaration of war.”

Asrein threw the elegant letter onto his desk like discarding worthless trash. The atmosphere instantly turned cold, comparable to being doused with ice water.