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They were the same.

Although Grandel was not a professional appraiser mage, he couldn’t discern the minute details of the appraisal, but at the very least, the appraisal magic had determined that the grades of the two potions were the same.

Intermediate.

The potion made quickly was intermediate, and the potion made with time was also intermediate.

So, wasn’t the answer already clear?

“The quicker approach is more efficient.”

It was a shocking result.

Certainly, everyone saw it with their own eyes, yet it was almost unbelievable.

“After graduating from the academy, you will each choose a class that suits your path and live accordingly. During that process, you will make numerous potions. At that time, those who can make potions quickly and those who take longer. You will be divided into these two categories, and you will become mages who can make high-quality potions quickly.”

It was so shocking that everyone had forgotten to speak.

“Grandel.”

“Yes, Teacher.”

“It was an excellent analysis.”

“…!”

Perhaps not expecting praise, Grandel blushed slightly and smiled.

“It-It’s not big of a deal”

“Teacher! I can also use appraisal magic!”

The students no longer saw Ethan as just a new instructor, nor even as a teacher of the Swordsmanship Department. He was an exceptional mage, more precisely, an extraordinary mage.

With such knowledge, he was bound to stand out in Ethan’s eyes.

Indeed, the atmosphere among the students of the Magic Department was different from that of the Swordsmanship Department.

‘Scholarly. Very much so. They are interested in potion-making but seem more interested in the line I showed them, the brüle.’

And there were students who seemed to be recalling how Ethan had drawn the runes.

‘It’s fun. Teaching has a different taste.’

Especially Grandel was a student who could use the lesson effectively.

His reactions were quick and responsive.

‘I could consider him as an assistant.’

“Today’s lesson is about this brüle. I will teach you how to make potions quickly using the brüle. It might be difficult for you to use two lines, a 2nd equation, like I did to cast a fireball. However, since this is a Potion Manufacturing class, I will teach you how to use this 1st equation line, the brüle, to quickly make potions.”

Ethan spoke.

“To make potions quickly using the brüle, I will teach you this 1st equation line, the brüle, thoroughly.”

* * *

What had occurred in the Swordsmanship Department was now unfolding in the Magic Department.

“Grandel, tell us.”

“What’s the big deal? Why do you keep reacting like this?”

“You’re trying to tease us, right? Isn’t that it?”

“You said you won’t lose to anyone in potion-making skills. Yet today, practically the only proper lesson was on the first day?”

“What did you learn?”

The students of the Magic Department who had talked to Grandel before looked at him with anticipation.

What they were expecting was not a story about how incredible Ethan’s lessons were.

After all, there had never been a competent teacher who spoke so confidently.

“Since you made such a big deal about it, he must have taught something amazing, right?”

“No way! He didn’t just casually teach the class like other instructors who are reluctant to reveal their true abilities.”

“But well, even if he taught something about potion-making, isn’t it all the same? If you use good ingredients and take your time, you’ll get decent results anyway.”

Since they were students of the Magic Department, they had a fair amount of knowledge and experience in potion-making. So, they knew even better. No matter who teaches potion-making, the result would be roughly the same.

Saying he taught something great was just like saying to use good ingredients; it was only stating the obvious.

Suddenly, Grandel spoke up.

“How do you use a fireball?”

“What are you talking about? Out of the blue.”

“Just tell me how!”

When Grandel raised his voice, the upper-class students were surprised and looked at him.

What’s with this guy? Their expressions showed their skepticism, but soon they began to talk.

“Use the 4th equation.”

“I use the 3rd equation.”

“You use the 3rd equation, Grandel? But why are you suddenly asking about this?”

Grandel clenched his teeth.

He had experienced something unbelievable during the class. He knew they wouldn’t believe him even if he told them.

“Do you all know who my grandfather is?”

“Of course. If we mention the Red Flame, your grandfather is the first one that comes to mind.”

Archmage of the Red Flame.

Just like the name implies, Grandel’s grandfather was a master of fire magic, an Archmage among mages.

His grandfather could cast fireballs even without the need for a magic circle, his skill was that advanced.

“When we were listening to the explanation about the line ‘brüle,’ it seemed to overlap with my grandfather’s teachings. It was the same then. Even though I don’t quite understand it in detail, I instinctively know it’s something extraordinary. Don’t you all feel the same way?”

As Grandel imagined the previous class, he got goosebumps on his back.

“What did you hear?”

“Brüle.”

Grandel explained the story about Ethan’s class on brüle mixed with potion-making.

It was an entirely new method of potion-making that shattered all the common knowledge so far. It was such an astonishing content that they doubted if it was even appropriate to learn something like this in the academy.

“This can’t be true.”

“He makes potions like that? If he makes them like that, they’ll turn out to be a mess, won’t they?”

“But, if that’s truly possible, shouldn’t he be presenting it at the magic society? Why is he teaching it here?”

If Grandel’s explanation was correct, this wasn’t just something any teacher at Ivecar could solve. If formally presented at the Magic Society, Ethan’s method could gain recognition as an exceptional innovation.

However, the students didn’t know.

They didn’t know that Ethan couldn’t officially present it.

“But, it turned out exactly as the Teacher said. There was no difference between the one made with time and the one made quickly using the brüle. I confirmed it with appraisal magic, so I’m sure.”

Everyone fell into a stupor.

What was a potion?

Wasn’t it something that required time and effort to make? If you made it too quickly, wouldn’t the effects be lacking?

At least, that was how potion-making had been taught until now.

“When I had a personal tutor, they also emphasized spending a lot of time.”

“I did that too. And it wasn’t just listening, I actually tried it out.”

The students couldn’t believe Grandel’s words.

Amidst the silence, rough breathing was heard.

“Huff, huff.”

The practice room they were in was shared by both the Knight Department and the Magic Department.

In a building specially designed for training, the practice rooms of the two departments were connected.

A student, drenched in sweat from training until just now, was looking in this direction.

“Mason Yeld.”

“Grandel Torf.”

A famous figure from the Swordsmanship Department and a famous figure from the Magic Department locked eyes.

Both knew how they were labeled in their respective departments.

It wasn’t a coincidence that Mason passed by here. Grandel’s voice had reached his ears, despite being spoken in a low tone.

It was about the stories of Teacher Ethan Whiskers.

Grandel also remembered seeing Mason attending Teacher Ethan’s class.

Meeting each other’s gaze, they nodded slightly.

The two troublemakers who attended Teacher Ethan’s class were sharing emotions they had never felt in the academy before.

“Were you two close?”

“No.”

Grandel shook his head.

“Just something like that. Nothing special.”

“Perhaps because of the shocking class, you seem somewhat different, Grandel. Can’t you attend the additional part? It seems like a loss if you don’t. It might be something really valuable.”

“I’m sure Teacher Ethan won’t open it up. He’s quite intimidating. If you make one wrong move, you might get kicked out of the class.”

At Ivecar Academy, instructors rarely remove students from classes. Unless the students pick fights, they generally won’t be removed.

But somehow, Grandel had a feeling that if he made a small mistake in Ethan’s class, he might be kicked out.

“He’s a real iceberg.”

With these words, Grandel got up from his seat.

“Where are you going!? We were supposed to have the Crans Gruttire wine tonight.”

“You guys enjoy. I need to go practice. We don’t have an observation class, and there’s a break next week. Then, it’s the exam after that.”

The midterm exams were coming up, so there was no time to relax.

In Grandel’s mind, there was only brüle right now.

If he didn’t master this brüle and use it effectively in potion-making, he wouldn’t be able to get the top grade in the next class.

“If I fail the midterm, I won’t be able to learn more about using brüle. He said he would only teach those with good grades.”

Everyone watched as Grandel hurriedly left.

Something was changing.

Because of the newcomer teacher, Ethan Whiskers.

* * *

That night.

Ethan was once again moving in the shadows.

‘There were so many achievements at the academy.’

Particularly, the most common ones were the Grinding Achievements.

The Academy’s backyard.

‘Just like how most of the academy had one huge mountain attached to it.’

Memories of Ivecar’s school anthem came back to him.

‘I remember now. Our school was supposed to grow by receiving the energy of Grand Horn, just like most schools do.’

As with most schools, Ivecar also received the energy of Grand Horn, located in the rear of the Marquis’ territory.

‘Since there are many mountains and rivers here.’

With a smile, Ethan entered Grand Horn.

Although this Grand Horn was within the boundaries of the Rond Marquis’ territory, it was so vast that it extended beyond the Marquis’ territory.

Once, the marquis had attempted to subdue the monsters inside this Grand Horn to completely eliminate the threat to Ivecar Academy. However, he almost lost his life in the process, it was said.

This showed how powerful the monsters of Grand Horn were.

‘And they don’t tend to leave their territories.’

That was a characteristic of the monsters in Grand Horn.

Because they were monsters protecting the territory, they didn’t venture far from the mountains.

‘So, even if the subjugation failed, he didn’t keep trying.’

But still, the marquis had put in some measures.

[Danger! Golden Wolf Territory Ahead.]

[Danger! Mountain King White Tiger Territory Ahead.]

These were signposts.

It was said that they had installed artifacts at one point, but the monsters in the mountains wouldn’t leave them alone.

Hence, there was no choice but to put up these signposts.

Since these signs were quite large, it meant that entering was at your own risk.

“It’s quite ironic. The most powerful monsters are in the rear mountains of Ivecar Academy, which should be the safest.”

Though it wasn’t an ordinary rear mountain.

Ethan turned onto a path that the signposts weren’t indicating.

He wasn’t here to challenge those powerful monsters.

‘I can’t achieve those named monster achievements right now.’

The Blue Wolf and the Mountain King White Tiger were fighting for the position of the master of Grand Horn.

Even when Ivecar Academy was on the brink of collapse and the followers of the Moon were attempting to enter Grand Horn, these two beasts were fighting.

‘But the followers of the Moon wiped out all of them.’

Before that, Grand Horn had been dominated by monsters for quite a while.

‘I don’t know what happened after that.’

As Ethan took a deep breath, Hero’s Breathing filled his body with vitality.

Today, he came to hunt a monster slightly above the middle of the food chain in Grand Horn.

“I have to complete the 75th duel.”

He had casually mentioned this to his students, but it wasn’t an easy task.

Despite his class growth and using status stones to greatly enhance his stamina, 20 duels wouldn’t be an easy feat.

“As I’ve pierced the original limit of my stamina stat with the status stone, I can further enhance my stamina.”

This was the reason he came here.

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