Potion Class , Again

Kyel took a shower, found some clothes in Redderen's closet, and left the apartment. He had been in seclusion for four nights, and now, being outside, he wanted to see what had changed over the past few days.

There was only a subtle shift in the general atmosphere; things had mostly returned to normal. But Kyel knew something was lurking beneath the surface—they were still searching for him. Let them search. Kyel was no longer there; now, Malzar Redderen had taken his place.

It was midday, and a few classes were still ongoing before the day ended. For the first time, Kyel decided to attend one—not just any class, but Professor Megan's.

It was a risky move, yet he thought he might find something exciting in the danger, that thrill of potentially being discovered at any moment. He also wanted to check on a few individuals—students Arlott had reported on, the top talents in magical potions and alchemy.

Redderen was an honor student specializing in Arcane Knights, from the ninth division. Normally, a regular student couldn't attend Professor Megan's class since it was reserved for the tenth division and above.

However, as an honor student and, more importantly, the heir of the renowned Malzar family, with his father being the Duke of Archdeacon, Redderen could attend any class he desired.

With his quiet yet antagonistic nature, his social circle was limited. He wasn't interested in forming close relationships—not out of arrogance due to his family's status, but because he hadn't found any real benefit in making friends. This suited Kyel perfectly. However, like any young man, Redderen had feelings for two women: one within the magic tower and one outside of it.

The first was Professor Megan. He had been attending her classes occasionally for the past two years, observing her from afar, hoping she might notice him, though he knew she never would. The second was his stepmother.

After the death of his mother during his childhood, his father remarried. As he grew older, Redderen's feelings stirred whenever he saw the beautiful woman in their home at the duchy.

Kyel thought, He loves older women, huh?

Kyel entered Professor Megan's classroom, where a few students were already present, though the professor had not yet arrived. When the students noticed the red-haired figure standing there with a cold, indifferent gaze, they fell silent, worry flickering in their eyes.

Kyel slowly walked to the back of the room and took a seat, allowing the students to resume their murmurs. However, silence swept over them again as Professor Megan entered.

She wore a burgundy, form-fitting dress made of silky fabric that clung to her body gracefully, accentuating her curves. A high slit on one side revealed her toned leg with each step, while a daring neckline added a touch of allure and mystery.

Some students swallowed nervously, feeling the tension. For them, it was almost a kind of sweet torment; many attended her classes just to see her bold attire, her captivating femininity combined with her commanding strength and the mystery that surrounded her.

In a voice as cold as it was out of place with her appearance, she said, "Let's begin. In the last lesson, we experimented with the venom of certain magical serpents, like the Noctura snake, observing its paralyzing and corrosive effects. Today, we'll discuss how to craft an antidote—one capable of neutralizing that venom in under a minute."

She scanned the room with a piercing gaze and a half-smile, a blend of charm and mockery, as if amused by the students' uncertainty. "Does anyone have any ideas?"

At first, no one dared respond. Then, from the back of the room, a hesitant voice spoke up—a student with brown hair. "I think... we could use the venom itself to create the antidote, as it contains the substance Vitralis, which has inverse effects when combined with Nitrine acid."

Professor Megan's eyebrows raised slightly, and she asked, "What's your name?"

"N-Name's Kevin... Kevin Fisker," he stammered.

She smiled again. "Well done, Kevin. A correct answer—I didn't expect any of you to respond. Since you seem to know so much, Kevin, why don't you tell us how to combine Nitrine acid with Vitralis? Particularly since Vitralis contains high amounts of oils and Nitrine is very dense. Do we use heat, a specific distillation process, or is there a third substance to add?"

"Surely you know, given your confidence?" She fixed her gaze on Kevin with a captivating smile.

Kevin began to sweat, clearly uncertain of how to respond. He was nervous and intimidated. During his time at the magic tower, he'd been a shy student, attending classes but avoiding participation. He'd never felt confident in himself.

Even now, he hadn't wanted to answer; he'd just wanted a change. He didn't actually know how to answer Professor Megan's question. He'd simply cheated. He'd placed his trust in that young man—the one with the blood-red hair, Redderen Malzar, who had given him the answer on a slip of paper. Without thinking, Kevin had repeated the answer. He was thrilled it was correct, but he hadn't expected her to press him with more questions he couldn't answer.

Terrified of the heir of the Malzar family, he now feared Professor Megan even more. Without hesitation, he pointed to Kyel and confessed, "This young man gave me the answer. I'm sorry, Professor Megan. I just wanted to participate," then showed her the slip of paper with the answer.

He returned to his seat and held his head in embarrassment.

Kyel thought to himself, Really? How ironic.

Her eyes were now fixed on Kyel. In a cold tone, she said, "Well, well, well, what do we have here, Malzar? If you actually have the answer, why don't you say it? Actions like this make it difficult for me to assess everyone's knowledge level accurately, resulting in misleading reports. So, Mr. Malzar, why are you trying to cause such trouble for me?"

Kyel, staring back at Megan despite feeling a strong aura pressing down on him, replied in an indifferent tone, "Alright, forgive my thoughtlessness. I didn't expect that something as trivial as a student knowing the answer would—"

Megan interrupted, "So you admit your mistake. You have a chance, Mr. Malzar. Tell me the correct method, and perhaps I'll forgive you—who knows?"

Kyel began his explanation, "We could use blood to—"

Megan cut him off once again. "Leave my class, Mr. Malzar. I don't want you in my classroom ever again." The students were stunned; was all this truly necessary? Knowing Malzar's nature, it seemed things might not end well.

Kyel forced a smile and muttered under his breath, "Women's hormones, I suppose." Megan heard him but said nothing in response. Kyel rose from his chair and made his way toward the door.

Then, a deafening sound erupted—Boom!