Chapter 361

“Sir Carr!”

“Hello.”

Carr stepped out of his personal workshop and smiled warmly at Juen and Luke, who had come looking for him.

“Oh! Juen, Luke. What brings you all the way out here?”

“We just wanted to have dinner with you, Sir Carr. Treat us!”

Juen’s eyes sparkled as she spoke in a playful, sweet voice.

Carr laughed brightly at her.

“Shall we?”

As Carr laughed, Eliza—who had been sitting in the dormitory garden grooming her nails—let out a quiet snort.

“He doesn’t even realize he’s being taken advantage of.”

Eliza cast her usual condescending gaze toward Carr.

“You must be exhausted, looking after a mentee who’s far too good for you, Carr Thomas.”

“What was that?”

Juen bristled at Eliza’s mockery, but Eliza only shot her a sidelong glance.

“Did I say something untrue, Juen Torbina?”

Her cold voice sent a shiver down Juen’s and Luke’s spines.

Overshadowed by Leo, it was often forgotten, but Eliza herself was once a powerful candidate for grade representative.

The golden generation in Lumene’s history.

If she had been born in any other generation, she would’ve secured both grade representative and student council president without question.

Most first-years, still green, were terrified of even making eye contact with Eliza’s icy gaze.

“Why is our dorm leader acting like some delinquent upperclassman extorting juniors just because she’s in a bad mood again?”

Carr slipped in with his characteristic sly smile.

“Are you calling the future heir of the Hergin family a delinquent?”

“You are a delinquent. Bossing your classmates around, skipping classes. That’s what a delinquent is.”

Eliza’s eyes sharpened.

“If you don’t want to be called that, how about you stop threatening my mentee?”

Carr stepped in front of Juen and Luke.

“S-Sir Carr.”

Juen stared at Carr’s back with a slightly moved expression.

“Juen is definitely too good for me.”

“No! You’re an amazing mentor!”

“Thanks. And I’ve never once thought I was being taken advantage of.”

Eliza watched Carr with mild amusement.

‘Playing the dignified senior in front of your juniors, are we?’

“That’s because Juen pays for the expensive stuff!” (T/N: HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA.)

“……”

“She’s the daughter of the Southern Tower Lord! She’s loaded! A junior who knows how to buy a meal for her poor senior is amazing!”

Juen’s face instantly cooled, and Eliza let out a long sigh.

“I actually thought you were demonstrating proper seniority for once. I feel like an idiot now.”

“And she’s so generous that she’s satisfied even if I treat her to cafeteria food! Right? Jue— kahk!”

Without hesitation, Juen drove her fist into Carr’s side.

“Let’s go, Luke!”

Juen stormed off, face completely red. Luke panicked and hurried to support Carr.

“S-Sir, are you alright?”

“Y-yeah. Can you help me up?”

“Yes.”

Luke lifted Carr with ease and followed after Juen.

“You’re pretty strong.”

Luke smiled awkwardly at Carr’s praise.

“Is she upset? She’s upset, right?”

“I don’t know!”

“Come on, don’t be mad.”

Carr snickered.

“If you upset Eliza, I was worried your school life would get harder. Ideally, I’d protect you as your mentor… but I can’t stop her. What I did back there was the best I could manage.”

Carr gave a bitter smile.

“Even so, don’t belittle yourself. I think you’re the best mentor.”

Juen’s face remained stern.

“I won’t allow my chosen mentor to look down on himself.”

“Thanks. You’re the best. In that case, I’ll treat you today!”

From a distance, Eliza blew lightly on her nails and muttered.

“Seeing things like that… having a mentee might not have been so bad.”

It was the first time she’d ever felt regret about not having one.

She wore a slightly bitter smile when—

“And don’t hate Eliza too much. If you show her proper respect, she treats you well. She’s not the type to hold grudges.”

“Hmph. Listen to him talk.”

Eliza scoffed, but she didn’t look displeased.

“And honestly, I feel a little bad for her. You know this, but not a single first-year wanted Eliza as their mentor. I mean, I wouldn’t choose her either if I were them. Wahahaha!”

Snap—!

Eliza pulled a whip from inside her coat and stretched it taut.

Murderous intent glimmered in her eyes.

“You’re dead.”

Moments later, Carr’s agonized screams echoed through the dormitory.

—

“Love potion?!”

On their way back to the dorm after dinner, Juen’s eyes widened at Carr’s words.

“There’s no way something that only exists in fairy tales could really exist!”

As Juen wore an incredulous expression, Carr grinned.

“It’s recorded in Dweno’s alchemy book. There’s no way it’s fake.”

“D-Dweno’s alchemy book?”

Juen’s eyes went wide.

‘Right. Sir Carr did obtain Dweno’s alchemy book before.’

“That’s insane.”

“Yeah, totally insane.”

“Huh?”

A voice came from beside them, startling Juen and Luke.

“Hello, Chelsea.”

Carr greeted her, and Juen and Luke hurriedly bowed.

“H-hello, Lady Chelsea.”

“Mm. Hi.”

Chelsea waved to them, then folded her arms and faced Carr.

“You got dragged to the student council before for making weird potions. And now you’re making something weird again?”

“Hey, calling something made by Dweno weird is too much.”

Carr shrugged.

“The effect only lasts for about a day anyway.”

“A day?”

Chelsea tilted her head.

“Yeah. And like you said, I got in big trouble last time. Do you think I’d sell it or anything?”

“Then what?”

“Publicity.”

Carr grinned.

“Imagine it. An alchemist who created a mythical love potion! My future career is set!” (T/N: It’s not actually a bad idea. )

“And you can actually graduate?”

“Excuse you, can you stop poking at wounds out of nowhere? Anyway!”

Carr puffed his chest out.

“I’m submitting the love potion to the student council tomorrow. There’s no way they’ll let me sell something like this. I just need the title of having made one! So you two, spread the word!”

As Carr laughed, Chelsea folded her arms and gave him a flat look.

“Pathetic.”

‘A love potion, huh.’

Even though she acted unimpressed, something about the words stirred her.

Especially to a teenage girl, it was a provocative phrase.

The next day was the weekend.

When Carr opened his door to head to breakfast, he froze.

A group of Noble dorm girls were standing outside his door.

“W-what? This early in the morning?”

“Carr.”

One of the Magic Department girls spoke with a serious expression.

“Sell me the love potion.”

“What?”

Carr stared blankly at the sudden request.

The rumor about the love potion had already spread through all of the second-years.

“No! Sell it to me!”

“I won’t complain even if it barely works!”

“How much do you want?!”

“Don’t sell it to her!”

After the first girl spoke, they all began reaching toward Carr desperately.

Carr panicked and darted back into his room, slamming the door shut.

Even while closing it, he had to push back the girls trying to force their way inside.

Clack! Clack!

“Carr! Open the door!”

“Sell it!”

Bang bang bang—!

As they pounded on his door, Carr’s face turned pale.

“Hey! If you buy that and give it to someone, you’ll get hauled to the student council!”

“The effect only lasts a day!”

“We can take a little punishment!”

“Hey! I’ll get in trouble too!”

Carr shouted, but the girls didn’t listen.

His complexion went even paler.

He had underestimated the word “love potion” in a school full of teenagers.

Especially Lumene—a place filled with boys and girls studying together.

Naturally, romantic feelings were bound to develop.

And like any school, Lumene wasn’t short on couples.

The problem was…

Even in Lumene, there were people completely out of reach.

‘There are two in our dorm alone! Abad and Duran!’

Prestige.
Skill.
Even looks.

The most popular second-years, receiving letters and gifts daily.

Yet despite that popularity, neither Abad nor Duran had ever accepted a confession.

Naturally so.

Starting a fight you already knew you would lose was pointless.

People probably gave up before even trying.

But if a love potion existed?

Even one day of a sweet dream might be enough.

Normally, they’d laugh off the idea.

Lumene students weren’t idiots.

‘But this is from the great hero Dweno’s alchemy book.’

With a source like that, someone was bound to want it—even if it meant getting punished.

‘I… I definitely messed up.’

If the potion worked, the one who made it and the one who used it would both face punishment.

Carr recalled the last time he’d been dragged to the student council.

‘If you get caught making strange potions again, prepare yourself.’

He shuddered.

“Force it open.”

“Yeah. Whoever gets it first owns it.”

Sinister voices came from the other side of the door.

Pale-faced, Carr grabbed the golden potion bottle from his desk and tucked it into his clothes.

‘Run.’

He flung open his window.

Using the window instead of the door was worth penalty points—but who cared now?

‘Better than being dragged to the student council!’

If things got too loud, the on-duty professor would notice. He only had to escape until then.

‘Who was the on-duty professor today?’

—

“Love potion?”

The rumor that spread among second-years quickly reached the on-duty professor.

On weekends, professors often left the academy for personal time.

Still, one professor remained behind to monitor for emergencies.

They also had authority to summon other professors if needed.

Normally, even if trouble occurred, it would resolve quickly.

“A love potion.”

The on-duty professor, Len, stroked his chin.

“Carr has created something truly remarkable!”

Anna sighed at Len’s shining eyes.

“I’ll go seize the potion before the students do something reckless.”

She was about to leave when—

“Wait, Professor Anna.”

“Yes?”

A gray-haired elf with deep dark circles stopped her—Professor Tina.

“I think this is quite an interesting experiment.”

Anna covered her face.

Tina Tingel, Lumene’s invited professor.

Anna knew her personality all too well.

A mad scientist.

An elf who couldn’t rest until she dissected, tested, or studied anything that piqued her curiosity.

And for Tina, a love potion—and whoever drank it—would be irresistible research material.

‘This one’s just as bad!’

Anna let out a deep sigh as she saw Ren wearing the same expression as Tina.

“Even if we confiscate it, you can still experiment on its effects all you want!”

“That would mean experimenting under restrictions!”

Len shouted.

“A love potion! Something straight out of a story! A miracle of magic created by my student! We must thoroughly test its effects!”

“You insane man! What kind of professor experiments on students?!”

Anna’s blood boiled.

But no one here sided with her.

“I agree with Professor Len.”

“As expected, Professor Tina understands me.”

‘Wasn’t this the same elf you cursed as a conniving ear-fiend when sending Leo to Seiren for exchange studies?’

Anna could only stare helplessly at the professors, both drunk on magical curiosity.

If she went alone, Len would stop her.

‘Another report I’ll have to write.’

As always, she was the only one suffering.