SMMA 82

Chapter 82

Ihan looked at the burning puppy with a distressed expression. However, the burning puppy had already fled far away.
The White Tiger Tower students watched with expressions that said, “I knew that would happen,” whispering among themselves.
Ihan felt a bit annoyed.
“Cheer up, Wadanaz! Just because the puppy’s scared doesn’t determine that person’s character!”
“That’s right, Lord Ihan of House Wadanaz!”
Friends from other towers cheered him on, but it didn’t improve his mood.
‘Either the puppy’s temperament is so bad it would try to kill you, or it’s undead. If neither, it runs away.’
With this sad realization, Ihan put his hand in his coat pocket and rustled something. The burning puppy barked.
“?”
Professor Lightningstep wondered what Ihan was doing.
Surprisingly, Ihan took out a sweet potato. Gainanado started to step forward but was stopped by friends.
“Come here.”
Ihan beckoned with a finger and shook the sweet potato. The burning puppy stopped barking, sniffed the potato, and slowly approached.
‘Not bad.’
Lightningstep smiled.
Although the lesson wasn’t about luring with sweet potatoes but about surviving a fiery dog, Ihan’s idea was clever.
Instead of forcing a monster’s reaction or stubbornness, understanding and responding flexibly to its desires was the first step to taming.
The Wadanaz boy knew this even without being told.
Clack!
While the burning puppy was distracted by the sweet potato, Ihan quickly lunged, grabbed it, and laid down to prevent it from escaping.
“Caught you.”
“……”
Lightningstep was baffled.
Hey!
—Bark! Growl! Bark! Bark bark! Whimper… Whimper…
The initially startled dog soon surrendered out of fear, turning into a tame lamb looking up at Ihan.
Lying down, Ihan scratched the dog’s belly. The dog panted happily, wagging its tail.
Although different from the intimacy Lightningstep imagined, this was still taming, albeit by fear and trickery.
“Professor, look. It’s befriended.”
“Yes. Well done. Hold it tight for a long time.”
Rapadel of White Tiger Tower looked disgusted as he watched Ihan hugging the dog without getting up from the dirt.
He was really a ruthless guy.
Not even a knightly family, but from a great noble house!
Could such ruthlessness be necessary to wield black magic?

“Howrrn.”
Someone yawned; a few others followed.
Then Lightningstep realized something strange.
‘Has quite a bit of time passed?’
The fire resistance potions he prepared each lasted different durations to prevent students from predicting.
But no potion lasted this long.
‘What…?’
He stared at Ihan closely.
He realized the potion’s effect had ended some time ago. No trace of fire resistance remained in Ihan’s body.
Ihan was simply releasing vast amounts of mana to push back the puppy’s flames.
The dog whimpered but could not let the flames approach Ihan; they faded to the ground.
It wasn’t a magical barrier nor another spell—it was pure mana release defending against fire.
That wasn’t a mage’s skill, but a swordsman’s.
‘What a brute!’
Ihan misunderstood Lightningstep’s gaze.
‘Professor, I have to survive too.’
Ihan had his own methods to protect himself beyond relying on potions, even if unconventional and impossible for others to imitate.
He hadn’t realized the potion’s effect had ended; he assumed even with mana protection, the heat would be felt once it wore off.
‘But stroking this dog feels oddly comforting.’
A kind of delusion took root, a growing confidence he could better wield fire magic.
It was like the confidence after nearly dying by Volady’s attack, feeling mastery over the water orb.
While the former had some basis, the latter had none.
‘…Is this a trap?’
Ihan studied the dog carefully. The burning puppy wagged its tail, panting softly.
He seriously wondered if the puppy was tricking him to get back at the sweet potato deception.
“The potion ended ages ago.”
“Really?”
Startled by Lightningstep’s words, Ihan regained focus.
Thinking to himself, Lightningstep mused,
‘Next time I’ll bring a monster that mana alone can’t withstand.’
Unaware he was digging his own grave, Ihan asked,
“Professor, can the fire puppy hypnotize?”
“…Did you drink liquor instead of fire resistance potion?”

After hearing Ihan explain, Lightningstep said nonchalantly,
“That’s not hypnosis or trickery, it means you really improved your understanding of fire elemental magic.”
“Ha ha. Is that so?”
Ihan replied with disbelief. Lightningstep nearly smacked him.
“It’s true. You’re learning basic elemental magic, yes? What’s important? Familiarity with the element.”
A student raised in a hot climate naturally bonds with fire element.
Waves at a seashore nurture affinity with water element.
Their life environment inevitably shapes their elemental affinity.
Conversely, constant contact raises understanding.
“Theory is important, but never lose your instinct. Your understanding of fire element has actually increased, Wadanaz.”
Lightningstep said seriously.
Though skeptical, Ihan felt it was not bad news.
Just by holding the burning dog, his grasp of fire magic grew.
“Does that mean you have talent for fire element?”
“Um? My talent lies with water.”
Ihan answered curiously, as usually simultaneous talent for opposing elements is rare.
Lightningstep looked incredulous.
“If you lacked fire talent, you wouldn’t gain understanding just by holding a burning puppy for half an hour.”
“!”
In fact, Ihan had few chances to test fire talent, as Garcia had warned against danger, and past reckless use nearly killed him.
Did I actually have talent for fire element?
Maybe his anger fueled by Volady’s attack ignited newfound fire affinity.
Water element mastery came more from Volady’s torment forcing adaptation.
“Wadanaz. Don’t limit yourself. Try and learn through experience.”
“Thank you.”
“You’ll learn how to use fire resistance potions later. I’ll prepare a fitting monster for you.”
“Thanks… wait, professor!”
Ihan tried calling Lightningstep, but the professor passed coldly among students being attacked by burning puppies.

Evening.

Ihan and Nillia worked hard sewing. Other friends sat around, mending needle in hand.
Their clothes and coats bore scorch marks—the burns left by the fiery puppies.
Nillia eyed the fabrics Ihan brought with delight, as a master watching a promising disciple.
“You have an eye, Wadanaz. You chose well…”
“All thanks to your guidance.”
“Strong, durable, and water-resistant fabric. Exactly what a good outer garment should be.”
“By the way, we should prepare for camping too.”
To complete the Skull Headmaster’s assignment, they had to cross the lake and possibly spend a night outdoors.
“I! I know camping well!”
Nillia raised her hand enthusiastically at Ihan’s words.
Blue Dragon students admired her, and Ihan felt a pang of sympathy seeing Nillia’s tall ears perk up.
‘The Black Turtle students are too harsh with praise for her.’
Such a kind friend…
“What should we prepare, Nillia? Tents for camping?”
“It’s fine. Just an outer garment is enough.”
“Then what about blankets for the ground?”
“It’s fine. Just the coat.”
“…Don’t we need something like a blanket?”
“It’s fine. Just the coat.”
Eager to share the Shadow Brigade’s wisdom, Nillia was thrilled.
The coat alone could keep them warm in the cold valley.
Yet the Blue Dragon students’ faces darkened.
Ihan interrupted,
“That was a joke, don’t misunderstand.”
“Hahaha! A joke! Haha!”
“I thought it was definitely a joke!”
Nillia looked at Ihan confused.
“It’s no joke! The luggage is just the coat… umph.”
Yonellia quickly covered Nillia’s mouth.
Though a minor problem, the friends finished mending and preparations.
They crafted cloaks and masks from dark fabric for protection.
Ratford smiled warmly.
“Everyone’s like excellent thieves.”
“Haha, not so much.”
“Too shy to accept compliments.”
The Blue Dragon students didn’t know how to respond to Ratford’s praise.
Were they really that cool?
“It’s time. Let’s go.”
Ihan and his friends stood up.
Tonight, they would break into Professor Thunderstep’s laboratory!

The students split into two groups.
Those who had snuck out several times at night, and those who never had.
Ihan was obviously the former.
He felt no hesitation wandering the school at night now.
It was as natural as a stroll.
“Lord Ihan Wadanaz, do you know how to open the gates of the Artificers’ Hall?”
Ihan nodded.
Physical locks were handled by Ratford.
Magical locks by Ihan.
The inspection is done.
Because the hall was used often for classes, checking the first-floor door was easy. Ratford had already made a fake key.
“Follow quietly.”
Ihan said to his friends as he and Ratford approached the hall’s main door.
The friends cautiously followed.
“!”
Surprisingly, a large hole had been smashed in the door, as if a huge creature had charged through.
The students gasped in awe.
“You prepared this in advance! Amazing!”
“…What is this?”
“???”
Hearing Ihan’s bewildered voice, the students were startled.