Chapter 108
Han Si-hyuk sat with his fingers interlaced, keenly listening to Han Siha’s presentation.
The final snide comment from their last encounter still echoed in his mind.
‘This is better than that paper you submitted to the Ministry of Magic last month that got rejected.’
He was determined to make sure Han Siha wouldn’t get through this unscathed.
*‘I’ll point out every flaw.’*
Han Si-hyuk was mentally preparing to throw out a single question that would undoubtedly leave Han Siha flustered.
The thought of watching his younger brother struggle was a satisfying one. After all, Han Siha had never shown any particular skill in this area.
Surely, he was relying on his teammates’ work to get through this.
But then…
“…What?”
Han Si-hyuk found himself questioning his own ears.
While others in the audience were casually listening, Han Si-hyuk, who knew Han Siha better than anyone, was utterly shocked by what he was witnessing.
The same shock that Adela had felt a few days earlier now washed over him, but it was magnified tenfold.
Why?
Why is he doing so well?
Han Siha was currently elaborating on the initial ideas he had developed regarding the relationship between white magic and black magic, explaining them with confidence.
“Drawing from the principle of dwarven poison resistance, we see that dwarves utilize stored mana in their bodies to counteract toxic magic, similar to the effects of an antidote potion. If we can similarly counterbalance toxic magic with purification magic, it’s possible to create an artifact that stores concentrated purification magic, which could be deployed whenever needed.”
It sounded plausible, at least on the surface.
No, it actually seemed possible.
This wasn’t the kind of idea a mere second-year student would typically come up with.
Han Si-hyuk briefly suspected that Han Siha had borrowed the idea from someone else, but quickly dismissed the thought.
He had reviewed countless papers while working at the Ministry of Magic, and none had proposed an idea quite like this.
Han Si-hyuk instinctively realized that Han Siha, who was confidently continuing his presentation, had come up with this concept on his own, even if it was somewhat rough.
“Antidote potions are expensive and single-use, but using an artifact changes the equation. It becomes far more economical and efficient, don’t you think?”
This was unbelievable.
Just moments ago, Han Si-hyuk had been eager to pick apart Han Siha’s presentation. Now, he was excited for an entirely different reason.
‘What on earth happened?’
Han Si-hyuk was aware that the troublemaker, once thought to be irredeemable, had changed. But he had assumed it was just a minor improvement, like trash being slightly repurposed.
But now… it seemed more like trash that had been fully recycled.
Or maybe not.
‘Why do I keep thinking of trash metaphors?’
Han Si-hyuk tried to clear his head as he gaped at his brother.
It was a strange feeling. He had always wished for Han Siha to self-destruct, yet seeing him actually perform well didn’t feel as bad as he had expected.
Despite his earlier resolve to sabotage Han Siha, he found himself almost wanting to cheer him on. This duality in his feelings made him chuckle to himself.
Then Han Siha pulled out an artifact with a confident smile.
“This is the artifact the three of us have created. While it’s still unstable, it does partially function.”
“What?”
Han Si-hyuk’s head snapped up in surprise.
As Han Siha had said, the artifact looked rather crude. But seeing it in person made it feel more real, more significant.
Even those who had dismissed the presentation as childish fantasy began to shift in their seats.
Han Si-hyuk and the other judges began to feel a growing sense of unease.
“Is that real…?”
“Did they actually make that?”
“I doubt it works, though.”
The artifact was a small necklace, no larger than two fingers’ width.
Han Siha, holding the gleaming necklace in one hand, casually dipped his other hand into a container filled with a dark, murky liquid.
“Allow me to demonstrate its functionality.”
“No, don’t!”
Sploosh.
The liquid bubbled and made an ominous noise as Han Siha’s hand disturbed it.
If it had been ordinary wastewater, no one would have batted an eye, but Han Si-hyuk instantly recognized what it was and jumped to his feet.
“Stop! That’s dangerous!”
“Could it be…? Is that what I think it is?”
The liquid was from the Ridiva River, a toxic waste created by dark mages long ago as part of their experiments with poisonous magic.
It was so dangerous that it had never been successfully detoxified, and it had been left untouched for decades.
How Han Siha had gotten his hands on a sample was a mystery, but it was far too hazardous for students to be handling.
The liquid contained lethal toxins, and there was a risk of unknown poisons that even antidote potions couldn’t counteract.
The Duke of Becken, seated beside Han Si-hyuk, clicked his tongue.
“I agree. Boldness is fine, but if you end up getting yourself hurt, we won’t be able to proceed with the competition.”
“It won’t work.”
“Put it down. That’s far too dangerous for kids to be playing with.”
Han Si-hyuk sighed and gestured for Han Siha to stop.
‘He planned this from the start.’
Of course. There was no way that the troublemaker had actually reformed.
Everyone would stop him from proceeding. Whether the artifact was real or just some necklace purchased from a shop wouldn’t matter.
After all, this was a student presentation, not a formal academic paper that would be rigorously tested.
It was just a show. Clever, but who would fall for it?
The judges and audience alike were already smirking, prepared to dismiss it.
But then…
Swoosh.
“No, what the hell!”
Han Siha plunged his hand directly into the liquid.
Gurgle, gurgle.
The black water churned and wrapped around Han Siha’s arm, causing the moderator to leap out of his seat, his face pale with fear.
The other professors weren’t far behind.
“What are you doing, student? Stop this at once!”
“Someone get a healer—huh?”
But Han Siha simply smiled and shook the water off his hand.
Han Si-hyuk, who had risen from his seat, stood frozen in place, his eyes wide with disbelief.
“What’s going on? Kid, are you okay?”
The other professors rushed to check on Han Siha, grabbing his arm to inspect him.
In the brief time they had, one of the professors even checked his health, but it wasn’t necessary. Everyone could tell just by looking.
“I’m fine, really. We’ve already tested it dozens of times.”
Han Siha was perfectly fine.
The sinister aura emanating from the liquid was unmistakably from the Ridiva River.
Yet Han Siha stood there, completely unharmed, as if he truly possessed poison resistance.
“How did you do it?”
“Is that artifact really functioning as you claimed?”
The only known method to acquire poison resistance was to introduce the toxin into the body gradually.
However, this usually resulted in death before any resistance could develop. Consequently, mages had yet to find an alternative to antidote potions.
This was precisely why dark mages exploited poison magic to incapacitate their enemies so effectively.
If this artifact could be developed further, it would be a game-changer—not just against dark mages but also against similar types of monsters. In the midst of the audience’s astonishment, Han Siha calmly continued his explanation.
“The purification capability is real, but it’s not permanent. The artifact’s duration depends on the amount of mana infused into it. With our rudimentary skills, it lasts only about three minutes, but with more research, we could extend that time significantly.”
“This has potential.”
“It’s worth investing in.”
It wasn’t just showmanship anymore.
“This kid is seriously something else…”
The Ministry of Magic officials, impressed by the unexpected innovation at what they thought would be a mere student-level research presentation, began to praise Han Siha.
“Wow! You’re quite the remarkable young man!”
“What’s your name? Would you consider joining our lab?”
“What? Wait your turn, buddy.”
“Hold on, everyone! We’re still in the middle of judging. Please calm down!”
Han Si-hyuk observed the scene quietly.
He would have been impressed if Han Siha had merely managed to act like a decent person. But the thoughtless troublemaker he once knew had seemingly transformed into a genius.
“This is… astonishing.”
Han Si-hyuk wasn’t sure whether he felt pride or bitterness. As a seer, he had witnessed countless lives unfold. And one thing he knew for certain:
Geniuses don’t live long.
* * *
I could see the expressions on their faces change.
People who had been shaking their heads in disbelief were now looking at me with excitement. Some of them even openly called me a genius.
But the real genius is over here.
I glanced at Yoon Haul, who was flipping through his notes with a bored expression.
Currently, Yoon Haul was primarily known for his abilities as a seer. But to be honest, he was too talented to limit himself to just that.
He excelled at swordsmanship, magic, divination, and even crafting. He was good at everything.
But since I came up with this idea, maybe I’m a genius too.
In the original story, the principle behind antidote potions was briefly mentioned.
It was no different from the mana system of dwarves. That was the only hint, but it sparked an idea in my mind.
‘The dwarves’ mana system. I don’t get it, but surely you can see something in it, right?’
‘Yeah, I think so?’
‘Can you replicate something similar? We’ll engrave it into this artifact.’
This artifact was the result of several sleepless nights leading up to the presentation. Adela had tried to stop us, calling it madness, but there was no way I was going to give up.
Having such an artifact on hand, even if it was imperfect, could be useful. In fact, it might become essential one day.
The Light and Purification mage Solia doesn’t die in battle.
After surviving a grueling fight, she succumbs not to her injuries but to a poison embedded deep within her body—left behind by a dark mage’s blade, tainted with the deadly toxin from the Ridiva River.
Her unexpected death at the beginning of the second act shocked everyone.
If I could save her, Solia would become a powerful ally.
That was my plan.
Even if our rudimentary skills could only produce a crude version of the artifact, I believed that the true geniuses among the professors here could perfect it. At least, I had successfully captured their interest.
I smirked at Yoon Haul, giving him a thumbs up.
That’s when it happened.
Duke Becken, who had been sitting next to Han Si-hyuk with an inscrutable expression, finally spoke.
“I have a question.”
Unlike the others, his tone was cold and measured.
* * *
“I believe everyone here is giving this crude artifact far too much credit.”
Duke Becken’s comment felt more like a challenge than a question. Han Si-hyuk raised an eyebrow, looking at him curiously.
“I suspect that what we’re seeing might be an illusion created by a temporary shield spell.”
“Should I dip it in the water again?” Han Siha responded with a smile, dismissing the duke’s skepticism.
“…That won’t be necessary.”
Most of the audience felt that Duke Becken was simply nitpicking. No one here was foolish enough to be deceived by a cheap trick.
The purification magic Han Siha had demonstrated was real.
“Even if it’s not an illusion, it’s still just a three-minute result. Can you really guarantee that you can extend its duration? This seems more like the wishful thinking of a second-year student than a practical solution.”
The mood darkened as Duke Becken’s words hung in the air.
“Sure, it might turn out to be a decent result, but do you understand that in the real world, resources are only invested in things that are profitable? That’s the way adults operate, isn’t it?”
It was clear now that Duke Becken was simply trying to undermine the presentation. Han Si-hyuk realized what was going on.
He’s Solia’s sponsor, isn’t he?
‘He’s just trying to push his own protégé forward.’
This man shouldn’t be judging.
Han Si-hyuk murmured to himself but remained silent.
But the next thing Duke Becken said crossed a line.
“And I question how a mere student like you could understand the workings of an antidote potion. I’ve heard you’re quite interested in black magic. Have you, by any chance, practiced toxic magic yourself…?”
“That’s enough.”
Han Si-hyuk cut Duke Becken off.
Unlike earlier, his gaze was sharp and cold, a tone of warning clear in his voice.
“Do not cross the line.”
Rate us on NOVEL UPDATES