ISMFF59

Chapter 59

Malice (6)

The students hesitated, unable to respond immediately. Seeing this, Lowell’s voice sharpened with irritation as he repeated the question.

“What is this? A class full of students who can’t even remember last week’s lesson? Let me ask again—this is the practical session for the Advanced Fatigue Recovery Potion, correct?”

That crazy wizard didn’t even bother with an introduction and started scolding the kids right away—!!!

Watching the scene, Temia bit down on her lip with pity. Somehow, this moment overlapped with the memory of her own first encounter with this man…

Still, his cold tone proved oddly effective. The students hurriedly straightened their backs and answered in unison.

“Y-yes, that’s right, Professor!”

“Good. Then no need for unnecessary chatter—we’ll begin at once. Everyone received the handout earlier, yes? Go through it quickly. Today’s lesson may be practical, but you can’t perform the exercise unless you understand the theory perfectly. I’ll give you five minutes.”

Unlike Professor Amberton, who always warmed up the room with light conversation, this guest professor dove straight into the material without even a proper greeting. Silence blanketed the hall.

Exactly five minutes later, Lowell fixed his gaze on the student seated at the very front and began testing their grasp of the theory.

“Viego, tell me—what properties do the feathers of the Horned Duck possess?”

“Uh—ah! Yes! The feathers reduce the effect of water-element spells. That’s why they’re often used as robe material. But when ground and added into potions, their magical structure…”

Nervous under his piercing gaze, the boy stammered but managed the correct answer. Lowell’s lips curved in faint approval before he immediately fired off the next task, giving the class no time to breathe.

Soon, the students found themselves bent over their sheets, desperately cramming the material.

Normally, when students were given time to skim documents, most would slack off—chatting or dozing. But here, under Lowell’s unseen pressure, even the laziest felt cold sweat trickling down their necks as they memorized furiously.

Especially Viego, seated directly before Lowell, was nearly trembling as he read, astonished that the professor somehow knew his name.

Wait… how does this new professor already know who I am? Did I do something wrong?

Of course, he didn’t realize Lowell had already memorized all twenty names from the roster before class even began.

Lowell then tapped Temia’s desk.

“Temia?”

“……”

“Temia. Hello?”

“H-huh?! What? What is it?”

“You’re not even a student here, so why are you studying that handout like your life depends on it? Relax a little. If you’re that curious, I can give you a personal lecture later. For now, help me out.”

“Ah—yes! What should I do?”

“Check the equipment and ingredients listed here. Walk down the rows and make sure nothing’s missing. Split it into groups of ten.”

She nodded quickly, setting her papers aside. Smiling faintly, Lowell strode off to inspect the opposite side.

Thankfully, all the prepared tools and materials were in order. Even after double-checking, nothing was amiss.

Returning to the front, Lowell glanced at the clock before addressing the room.

“I accounted for those who read slowly and gave twenty minutes—plenty of time. If you still struggled, focus only on the pages marked with labels. Any questions before we begin? I’ll explain briefly before we enter practice.”

No hands rose, so he continued.

“The Fatigue Recovery Potion is one of the most commercialized potions. It’s common in the market and not particularly difficult to make. Many of you may have brewed it before. But remember—its effectiveness varies drastically depending on the brewer’s skill. That difference is precisely what sets one product apart from another in the marketplace.”

He flipped through the sheets as he explained with ease.

“As always, fundamentals are crucial. Focus on learning the process step by step. On page three, I’ve noted my own modified recipe. That’s what we’ll use today.”

A hand went up hesitantly.

“Um… Professor? In the textbook, it says to boil mandragora sprouts together with fire-lizard scales. But your handout says to grind them separately into powder, then roll them into a pellet before boiling…”

“Yes, and?”

“I-I just wanted to ask about the difference…”

Lowell nodded approvingly.

“Good question. Following the textbook method works too. However, mandragora sprouts and fire-lizard scales release their properties at different rates. By binding them together first, you ensure they infuse simultaneously, which increases purity when you inject magic.”

“Ah—I see!”

“Think of it like making tea. Loose leaves versus powdered ingredients steep differently. Does that make sense now?”

The student nodded, satisfied, and the practical session began.

Lowell instructed them to bring their completed potions to him at the front and raise a hand for questions. Soon, the room filled with the sounds of clinking glass and bubbling mixtures.

But while his attention drifted elsewhere, one student furtively sprinkled a suspicious powder over their potion and stirred.

Temia noticed. Narrowing her eyes, she quickly whispered to Lowell, who gave a slight nod.

“The student at the far end? Yes, I saw they seemed distracted earlier. Looked like they even drank a strange potion themselves… Alright, leave it to me.”

He strode purposefully across the room.

“Plumen?”

“Y-yes, Professor?”

“It’s nothing serious. I just want a word with you after class. If you have another lecture, I’ll speak to your professor for you. It won’t take long.”

“Ah… understood.”

Without allowing protest, Lowell smiled serenely. Watching him, Temia rubbed her forehead. No wonder students might run away in fear with that approach.

Still… what had Plumen added to his potion? It didn’t seem dangerous, but clearly it wasn’t part of the assigned recipe. Her curiosity itched, but she held it back—now wasn’t the time to disrupt class.

The lesson soon concluded. Thanks to Lowell’s brisk, no-nonsense pace, the exercises finished quickly.

One by one, students lined up to have their potions inspected before leaving. Though some grumbled at the harshness of a guest professor testing them more rigorously than their regular instructors, no one could deny his expertise.

Just by glancing at a potion, Lowell could pinpoint flaws immediately.

“The color’s a bit pale. Did you use slightly less scale than required?”
“The balance faltered during magic infusion—quality drops sharply when that happens.”
“Excellent measuring. Very precise. Though your pace is slow—you’ll improve with practice.”

Students who thought he was barely paying attention realized, to their shock, that his feedback was deadly accurate.

And yet, oddly enough, his eyes sparkled brighter when looking at potions than at people. His tone turned unexpectedly kind when giving potion feedback, in stark contrast to his earlier coldness.

By the end, both diligent and half-hearted students left with their own sense of accomplishment—whether pride in their result or relief at finishing early.

Finally, when the classroom emptied, only one student remained—the one he had singled out.