Lee Han quickly gave up.

Come to think of it, he had been far too careless in front of someone like Yoanen.

Damn. Imitating Gainando really is too difficult.

Strangely enough, pretending to be Gainando felt harder than even imitating the Skull Principal.

Giving up, Lee Han pointed at Yoanen’s amethyst glasses.

“Did you use those to confirm my identity?”

“No. Mr. Wardanaz’s mana interferes too much. It’s not easy to observe anything clearly through them.”

“...Then how did you figure it out?”

“Logical deduction.”

Yoanen’s sister gave a light shrug.

Mages who were completely absorbed in magic always tended to overlook obvious things.

There weren’t many intelligent people around Yoner. Among them, only Wardanaz would be bold enough to borrow Gainando’s name.

“Mr. Wardanaz should keep that in mind as well.”

“Thank you. I’ll remember what I learned today.”

Both of them dropped the disguise without further resistance.

Then Lee Han suddenly paused, sensing something odd.

“But what brings Ms. Meikin here...?”

This was Prince Bogajun’s workshop, not Yoanen Meikin’s. There was no reason for her to be here.

Yoanen and the other alchemists hesitated. A few of them even avoided eye contact.

“I came for alchemical reasons. Isn’t exchange between alchemists something truly wonderful?”

“Then where are the alchemists from this workshop...?”

“Mr. Wardanaz. That’s not what’s important right now.”

Yoanen smoothly changed the subject with a level of elegance that students of Einroguard could never imitate.

Even Lee Han and Yoner unconsciously let it pass.

“Mr. Wardanaz, you brought reagents from the Nago family, correct?”

“...Ah. Yes.”

“You knew Mr. Nago personally?”

“...Uh, yes.”

Both of them answered cautiously, glancing sideways at each other.

Strictly speaking, it wasn’t a lie.

“A /N_o_v_e_l_i_g_h_t/ new professor?”

“That... might be the case.”

Yoner added that while thinking privately. 𝙛𝓻𝒆𝒆𝒘𝙚𝓫𝙣𝙤𝒗𝙚𝓵.𝙘𝙤𝙢

Her friend would surely become a professor at Einroguard someday anyway, so it wasn’t exactly wrong.

Unaware of the dangerous thoughts forming beside him, Lee Han continued.

“Do you know Mr. Nago as well, Ms. Meikin?”

“It’s more widespread than rumors of merchant ships sinking off the coast of Granden City. Of course I’ve heard of it.”

Then she tilted her head slightly.

“But... are those reagents by any chance salt wood roots?”

Something’s wrong. Something’s definitely wrong.

Unlike Lee Han, Yoner suddenly felt a chill crawl up her spine.

Something was off.

Very off.

Unfortunately, the person beside her still didn’t sense the danger at all.

“Yes. They are salt wood roots.”

“May I take a closer look?”

“That won’t be a problem.”

Since it wasn’t a difficult request, Lee Han handed one over immediately.

Normally they would have kept them hidden and shown them only during scheduled visits, but each of them had brought a sample for demonstration.

The alchemists around them gasped in admiration.

The salt wood roots were clearly different from ordinary ones—far more refined, more concentrated, more complete.

A satisfied smile deepened on Yoanen’s lips.

“Excellent.”

“Indeed. As expected from the Nago family...”

The surrounding alchemists nodded in agreement.

Coincidences rarely occurred alone.

The recent rumors of a peculiar mage appearing in Granden City... and the simultaneous appearance of rare reagents.

The two must be connected.

They had found it.

Just as expected—this was the work of a mage’s family.

The alchemists exchanged triumphant glances.

At last, they had discovered the truth.

“Mr. Wardanaz,” Yoanen said, smiling gently. “May I ask one more thing?”

“Go ahead.”

“Why didn’t you bring these salt wood roots to my workshop first?”

Her smile remained elegant, but her voice carried quiet pressure.

Behind her, the alchemists also spoke up, sounding slightly wounded.

“We’re disappointed, Mr. Wardanaz. Didn’t you work with our workshop before?”

“What mistake did our workshop make?”

Lee Han hesitated, slightly flustered.

Beside him, Yoner was visibly panicking.

Why is she acting like this...?

Since his companion was of no help, Lee Han answered carefully.

“I was planning to visit soon...”

“...You were planning to visit later, weren’t you?”

Before he could finish, Yoanen continued smoothly.

“Let me confirm something. The workshops that have already received visits related to Nago family reagents are as follows. Is there any reason you would deliberately skip my workshop on your route?”

Cold sweat began forming on Lee Han’s back.

It felt almost like standing before the insane doppelganger.

I was careless. Even if she’s Yoner’s sister, she’s still a professor-level mage... and probably on Professor Verdus’s level.

She had likely been gathering information from nearby workshops for quite some time.

No—why would she even do that?

Does she... have nothing else to do?

“I wanted to prepare properly and visit the most important place last,” Lee Han said carefully.

“I see.”

Yoanen smiled softly.

But her eyes sharpened ever so slightly.

“Mr. Wardanaz. I had a thought just now. What if someone spread rumors about my workshop? False rumors suggesting it is not suitable for trading reagents...”

Yoner suddenly started hiccuping nervously.

Lee Han struggled to keep his expression steady.

She’s already halfway convinced...

“That’s not true,” he said quickly. “I was genuinely planning to visit.”

“I see.”

Yoanen’s smile remained gentle.

“I also never spare money for good materials. You remember when you worked at our workshop before, don’t you? Did I ever underpay you?”

“No.”

“Exactly.”

She nodded calmly.

“But reagents are a different matter,” Yoner interjected weakly.

“In the case of reagents, they can always be replaced. There’s no reason to overpay unless they are truly exceptional.”

Yoanen explained as if teaching a lesson.

“However, if they are truly excellent reagents—and especially if they are limited—then the situation changes.”

She placed gold coins onto a balance scale.

The amount was twice what other workshops had discussed.

“...You’re really paying that much?”

“Because they are worth that much.”

Her tone was simple, absolute.

“I always pay the proper price for valuable goods.”

The two students exchanged a glance.

At this point, there was no reason to hesitate. If anything, the concern was whether Yoanen was underpaying herself.

Still...

“If someone offers you a higher price, tell me immediately.”

Her calm voice carried an unmistakable edge.

Yoner whispered quietly.

“She really likes the reagents...”

“I didn’t expect it to be this much,” Lee Han murmured.

“...Is it because flame root is scarce in Granden City right now?”

Even accounting for that, the reaction was excessive.

Then realization dawned on them.

These reagents were far better than expected.

Yoner muttered under her breath.

“Maybe you could become Granden City’s top merchant...”

“I’m not quite that ambitious,” she replied.

Yoanen had been listening quietly the entire time, still smiling.

Then she spoke again.

“Just one last question.”

“Yes?”

“Who exactly spoke ill of my workshop?”

The atmosphere shifted instantly.

Yoner stiffened.

It felt as though Yoanen already knew the answer and was only confirming it.

I’ve been caught...!

Lee Han sighed.

“No one can hide anything from Ms. Meikin. However, you must keep this confidential.”

“Of course.”

“It was Gainando.”

“....”

For once, even Yoanen looked genuinely surprised.

So it really wasn’t Yoner after all.

***

“Fighting spirit wave... fighting spirit wave...”

“You were so focused when watching performances at the palace. Why can’t you remember this now?”

Salko looked at Angrago in confusion.

“How can that even compare?! I was shocked back then—my memory practically left my body! And I still wasn’t paying attention to fighting spirit waves! I was thinking about the treasure map!”

Angrago snapped, still furious at the memory.

That “Stedal Nago” story had turned out to be completely fictional.

The charming tale of Stedal and Lee Han’s forced studies had nothing to do with reality. Compared to that, this felt like actual Einroguard torture.

Strange guy...

Salko shook his head and knocked on the alchemy workshop door.

“Excuse us? Is anyone inside?”

No response.

Light was visible through the window, but no one answered.

Salko and Angrago exchanged looks.

“...Hello?”

Knock. Knock. Knock.

After repeated knocking, a voice finally came from inside.

“S-sorry... I was asleep.”

“In broad daylight? Did something happen?”

“It’s nothing. A few alchemist colleagues stopped by earlier and... we may have had a drink or two.”

The door opened.

Inside, several alchemists lay scattered on the floor, completely drunk.

“...We’ll come back later,” Salko said slowly.

“Yes, apologies...”

The man immediately staggered back inside.

The two stared at the scene in silence.

“Do alchemists in Granden City usually drink during the day?” Angrago asked.

“Of course not. Don’t say strange things.”

They moved on.

Knock knock.

At the next manor as well.

“The master is currently intoxicated. Please return another time.”

“...Excuse me?”

“He had a small gathering with alchemists earlier. We apologize.”

“......”

The same situation repeated everywhere.

Drunk alchemists.

Drunk merchants.

Drunk workshops.

The two gradually slowed their steps.

“...Was there some kind of festival in Granden City that we didn’t hear about?”

“It can’t be. Don’t say something so ridiculous.”

And then—

Knock knock knock.

They knocked again.

And again.

Somewhere deep inside the city, something very strange was quietly spreading.