READ NOVEL ONLINE Chapter 86
Almost a week has passed. Course registrations start next week. Since that period lasts about a month, I needed to submit a rough plan in the middle. That way, I could attract students.
Of course, I had only sketched out the framework of the proposal, with no details written down at all. But what could I do? This lecture wasn’t just my concern. I needed to seek opinions from the treasures too.
After the first warehouse exploration, Kashian seemed quite satisfied with the experience, looking around here and there. From then on, she was the one suggesting we go into the warehouse first.
Was it some sort of connection with Mira? It seemed there were many aspects for her to consider physically. From the standpoint of gathering plenty of treasures, it was good news. Of course, I had no intention of complying with that request.
I had no plans to enter the warehouse until her body was completely stabilized. At that time, she was still affected by the aftermath of the first exploration. With my firm refusal, Kashian left with a slightly gloomy expression.
Her body was the most precious thing to me. Even more than my own.
Just think of how much information was contained within it, and the potential for that body to grow. There was no need to waste it with a short-sighted mindset. It was a decision made with that judgment in mind.
Carefully and sparingly, I had to make lifelong use of it as research material.
Sure, one day she might leave too. After all, a university was ultimately a place for graduation. With her talent, she would probably graduate before me. So, I needed to keep her around for now. Quite efficiently, I must say.
Anyway, Kashian was lounging around and relaxing in the tower. When her body fully recovered, we visited the warehouse once more. The body, imbued with Mira, was still useful. That way, we continued to note the grades of treasures in the Mirror Bug.
And now we’ve arrived at this moment. Kashian appeared through the mirror, lying on a huge recovery bed I prepared for her, rolling around with a Bear Doll. Many restoration spells poured down upon her.
Professor Ilian gently stroked her chin. Right now, I was in her room, quietly watching as she observed Kashian’s figure through the mirror.
I stood silently beside her, glancing at the tray in my hand. It held the lunch menu I had prepared for her, steaming with fragrance.
Carefully, I placed it in front of her. She glanced at me while still looking at the mirror, then smiled softly and leaned back. The butler began preparing dishes for her.
“You plan to use that girl as an assistant?”
“Yes, she’s a student named Kashian. She also received her certificate from the last lecture.”
“Well, I don’t mind.”
Professor Ilian nodded readily. Just as I expected. She zoomed in on Kashian and began scrutinizing her. Occasionally, she glanced at the Mirror Bug next to her, where the previous warehouse exploration was being replayed.
“Hmm, I see why you want her as an assistant. She’s the complete opposite of you.”
She brushed the mirror aside, clearly losing interest. The Mirror Bug stopped the video and flew back to me.
She looked at the lunch laid out in front of her. Upon inspecting its contents, her brow slightly furrowed. With a vague expression, she sent me a somewhat skeptical glance.
It was understandable. Today’s menu wasn’t very appetizing, even to me. A somewhat wide bowl was filled with a transparent liquid, with just a few eggs floating around. There was nothing else.
A very simple meal indeed. But with a confident smile, I accepted her gaze head-on. This egg soup was the essence of flavors crafted from my long culinary experience.
Those eggs were leftovers from the Tentacle Eggs that Kashian had hunted before. Back then, we grilled them at Kashian’s request. I still remembered how atrociously lacking in flavor they were.
But that wasn’t the natural taste of the ingredient. While disposing of the remnants of monsters, I became captivated by the aroma emanating from the Tentacles. I tried it raw once, and it pleasantly enveloped my mouth.
It was an incredibly alluring taste. So why had it been so terrible last time? It was due to the heat applied. The moment this unknown Tentacle touched fire, its flavor transformed.
So I used pure magic to endlessly soften it. In the end, the Tentacle morphed into something egg-like. Only the core remained.
And that broth, that was crucial. It contained not just the Tentacle but also various other ingredients. During the softening process using magic, they lost their form and color, turning so transparent.
It wouldn’t be an exaggeration to say that hundreds of monsters melted away to create the broth in that tiny bowl. Through that process of softening, I gained profound insights.
Cooking monsters like this had no limitations. The only limits existed within my own fixed notions. If I broke those, limitless possibilities would be revealed.
This egg soup was the essence of rejuvenation. I even shared some with Kashian, who was rolling around on her bed. It would surely help with her recovery.
“Today, I’ve prepared something that won’t burden your body. First, have a sip of the broth, and then you can eat the egg together.”
As I said this, I gestured towards the soup. She picked up her spoon and cautiously nudged the floating egg. The egg responded, wiggling slightly. It was still a bit alive, just as I intended.
She watched it and took a little broth. The liquid slightly gelatinized like jelly, then climbed onto her spoon. She carefully fed it into her mouth.
And then she closed her eyes, savoring the taste. As her initially furrowed brow began to relax, warmth and comfort started to fill her expression.
I laughed at that. Anyone would wear such a face after that broth. I did too. The warmth from the soup spread throughout her body, enveloping her in pleasant comfort.
She ladled the broth a few more times before she nudged the egg again. It wiggled slightly on the spoon. She popped it into her mouth and began to chew it, somewhat mumbling.
Eventually, she looked at me and smiled lightly. Her eyes curved into crescents, filled with joy.
“This is pretty good.”
“Thank you.”
I lightly bowed my head. I had put quite a bit of effort into resurrecting that. The Tentacle Egg had been hit by Kashian’s sword. Then it died just like that. But at least I managed to retain its core.
I had once implanted one of its Tentacles, aiming to keep the flavor intact. The Tentacle absorbed that core, coming back to life vividly. Thanks to that, I could serve a perfect dish in front of the professor now.
Professor Ilian swiftly spooned up the entire soup. After finishing it all, she clutched her stomach and let out a small cough. An expression of utmost satisfaction had arisen on her face. This serving was once again a great success.
I collected the bowl and quickly prepared tea. A sour aroma began to rise, gradually pushing away the heavy scent of the soup that filled the room. The professor lifted her teacup to savor the aroma for a moment.
With that, her expression began to relax slightly. The soup had a very deep taste. But because of that, it might have felt a bit overwhelming. Just like how she had felt a moment ago.
To counter that, I had added a slightly tangy tea leaf to refresh her palate. She took a sip, smiling softly. She began sipping the tea, lightly rinsing her mouth.
Now she should have some time to spare. With that feeling, I quietly took out a few sheets of paper from my pouch and placed them in front of her. It was a list of treasures I had organized this week.
“Hmm, when you mentioned taking on a lecture last time, I was wondering what to do. Is organizing the warehouse really meaningful?”
She said, tilting her head. Then she set down her teacup and began to read the contents written on the paper.
“It’s not just for the lecture. You appointed me as the warehouse custodian, so how could I just leave it be? I’m organizing this list to make it easier for you to verify.”
As I said that, the professor nodded lightly. In front of her, I presented a Mirror Bug.
It looked just like the one provided to the treasures. Sending a signal to it, it began displaying the bulletin board on the screen. A bulletin board exclusively for treasures.
This week, two treasures had joined. Combined with the initial three, a total of five were bustling on the bulletin board. The professor, upon seeing that, began to show a look of great interest.
“It’s a conversation space for the treasures. I’ve prepared it so you can also check it out. It’s connected to the treasures’ Mirror Bugs, so if you want to observe them, you can check that video.”
With that, I activated the screen. The Mirror Bug shimmered briefly before projecting the image of a giant lake. It was connected to the Mirror Bug on the other side.
At the center of that lake, there was a mass of flickering phantoms. Eyes detached from stars, commonly referred to as Star Eyes. Perhaps sensing our connection, it glanced at the Mirror Bug.
It was also able to see us through that connection. Upon seeing the professor, it trembled in horror, causing bubbles to arise in the lake.
The professor chuckled gently at it. I too bowed my head towards the Star Eyes on the other side of the screen. It was initially flustered but then sagged in defeat. Watching that, my heart swelled with satisfaction.
This was a sort of safety mechanism. If the professor became interested in this bulletin board, those guys wouldn’t dare to act recklessly. With that in mind, I presented the Mirror Bug to the professor. Naturally, it was also to alleviate her boredom.
The Mirror Bug’s screen soon turned off. For now, the connection was unstable. It was likely because we were crossing through a door. It needed a bit more tweaking.
“This is kind of fun. I liked it. I got a better understanding of why you want to mess with the treasures.”
As she spoke, the professor glanced at my chest. Her gaze drifted beyond my body towards the Tree within me. Yes, she knew my Shadow Tree very well.
So she must have instantly realized what I meant by sharing the Mirror Bug. There was no need for me to hide that from her. After all, she’d figure it out soon enough.
“But how do you plan to conduct a lecture with this?”
Her eyes sparkled as she asked. I shook my head slightly, scratching my cheek.
“It’s still not finalized. Once everything is confirmed, I’ll explain it along with the course plan.”
My ambiguous answer seemed unsatisfactory to the professor. She puffed out her cheeks and squinted her eyes. A gaze filled with suspicion shot towards me.
“Something feels off. You’re scheming something weird again, aren’t you?”
“No way. When have I ever done such a thing?”
I waved my hand dismissively. She glared at me without saying a word, but soon her expression softened. Then she resumed sipping her tea.
“Well, you should know by now. I suppose waiting like this could be interesting. I’ll be going now.”
She gestured. I deeply bowed in response.
“Then, I shall take my leave.”
With that, I stepped back and carefully exited the room.
The following days repeated very regularly. Kashian lounged on the bed, rolling around in the tower, stabilizing her body as much as possible. Mira stuck close by, treating her.
Kashian’s body began to change during that process. Greater strength and potential began accumulating within.
I blinked as I checked the data provided by Mira. It seemed the changes were slightly beyond human standards.
It must have been due to Mira’s influence. Well, as long as she was growing, it shouldn’t matter. I thought quietly as I let it slide.
Kashian would manage on her own, wouldn’t she? Mira cared very much for that body, so it was clear she wouldn’t suffer any loss.
As they focused on stabilizing their bodies, I delved into continuous research. It was all in preparation for newly decorating the treasure-exclusive Mirror Bug. The safety mechanism became even more fortified during that process.
This connection transcended the doors of the treasure storehouses. Those doors were sealed tightly with powerful barriers. Without a key, I wouldn’t have been able to conceive of such a connection.
Anyway, it was necessary to use that barrier. Every signal they sent was first blocked by the door’s barrier for a censorship check.
To see if there was any malice or magic involved, or if fragments of will were mixed in. Only after confirming the absence of those possibilities would the signals be posted on the bulletin board.
Sometimes treasures requested something. They might ask for simple monsters or just want to hear about current events. I spent time diligently responding to their requests.
Then I entered the warehouse. That was my week’s routine. And so, two weeks passed.
During that period, we managed to explore three more rooms. The total count of treasures contained within was 22.
Among them, five treasures had enough intellect to join the bulletin board. Thus, a total of ten treasures gathered on the bulletin board. That was the minimum number I aimed for.
I engaged in profound conversations with them. I dug a separate secret bulletin board that the professor couldn’t see. It was for outlining the lecture framework and also for their benefit.
These treasures could now be considered a kind of clientele who would accompany my growth. Therefore, it was only natural to listen to their opinions and accommodate their requests. I proceeded with the discussions, thinking that their satisfaction was my satisfaction.
And thus, we completed the course plan.
I stood in front of the professor, clutching it closely. She was savoring the aroma of her tea held in her teacup. Before her, I laid down the course plan along with ten sheets of paper.
The ten sheets emitted a very powerful magical aura. It derived from the blood-red writing inscribed on the paper. Whether she sensed it, the professor glanced at the sheets.
“What’s this?”
“It’s a declaration from the treasures. Ten treasures wrote it on behalf of thirty-nine treasures across five rooms.”
The main entity of this lecture was indeed the treasures. They would assess the students and in return grant their strength. I would mediate between them, gathering scores and information.
It was a construction of a world where everyone was happy. And the first step towards that was this declaration.
Upon hearing that, she tilted her head in curiosity. As I met her gaze, I boldly opened my mouth. I was now the agent of the treasures. For the sake of future lectures, I had to fight for them.
“Just as students have their rights to survival and property, treasures must also have their minimum rights guaranteed. That is the will of the treasures.”
With a puff, the professor spat out a bit of her tea. She coughed lightly and looked at me. The surprise in her eyes was conveyed to me without filter.