Chapter 179

Chapter 179

Chapter 179

With a snap, another quill broke. Yi-Han paused and lifted his head, contemplating the vast array of subjects he still needed to study. Unlike his friends, who were consumed with worry, Yi-Han did not wallow in despair or frustration over his current plight. His mind was too resilient and steadfast to be shaken by such concerns.

He was the kind who would rather read another word or prepare a bit more than waste time on regrets. However, even considering his disposition, he had to admit the workload was indeed overwhelming.

Do you need help?

?

Yi-Han was startled as he looked up. His friends were all busy with their studies in the lounge. Gainando was even engrossed in a book, eating custard pie. Who had spoken to him?

"It's me, young boy..."

To his astonishment, it was the helmet that spoke. The helmet he had picked up from an underground dungeon!

Ah, was it a sentient artifact?

It was known that items crafted by powerful mages could possess their own consciousness and intelligence. If the mage was exceptionally skilled, the artifact could even surpass human wisdom in its knowledge.

"Ah, I didn't realize it was a sentient artifact," Yi-Han muttered, putting down his quill. He had planned to examine it thoroughly after his exams, but now that it had addressed him, he couldn't simply ignore it.

"What is your name?"

"I am the Helmet of Wisdom."

"The Helmet of Wisdom, huh?" Yi-Han mused, gripping his staff under the table. He was cautious, knowing well not to let his guard down, even with an artifact.

This helmet had been in that underground dungeon, managed by Professor Boladi, and the dungeon, in turn, was under the control of the skull principal. Suspicion was necessary.

"Are you related to Os Gonadaltes or Boladi Bagrak?"

"No. I am not a helmet created by the principal. I was crafted outside, brought here secretly by a student decades ago to prepare for an exam."

"I see. Not that I completely believe you," Yi-Han replied.

The Helmet of Wisdom was taken aback. It wondered, how could such a young boy be so full of doubts?

"What are your abilities, then?"

"As my name suggests, I am the Helmet of Wisdom. I hold the knowledge left by my former masters."

Yi-Han's eyes widened in amazement. The knowledge of previous owners still resided within the helmet. For a student of the magic academy, this was incredibly valuable information. It could reveal hidden spaces within the academy or even ways to escape it.

"Alright. I'm ready. Tell me everything!"

Yi-Han quickly pulled out fresh paper and shouted, ready to jot down anything and everything.

"Calm down, young boy... I do not operate in that manner."

"Then how?"

"I can answer one question per month; I can answer anything using the knowledge I have accumulated."

"Can you predict the midterm exam questions?"

"That's impossible."

"Then it's not 'anything,' is it?"

The helmet replied, slightly flustered, "You might be the most fastidious master I've ever had. I'm not an all-powerful helmet."

Yi-Han sighed, getting a sense of what this 'Helmet of Wisdom' was. This artifact reminded him of the spirit Ferkuntra. An entity that could disappoint if one's expectations were too high.

'I'll have to choose my question carefully,' he thought, aware that a poorly chosen question could waste his once-a-month opportunity.

"Is there a way to blackmail Os Gonadaltes?"

"I'll try predicting the midterm exam questions. It's quite likely I'll be wrong, but..."

"No, it was just a question," Yi-Han casually remarked, wiping the helmet with a cloth before setting it aside.

The artifact was not entirely useless, but it certainly was an awkward item to possess. Yi-Han wondered, 'Since it's an artifact, it might fetch a good price. Should I sell it?'

Wait, was that it? Why didn't you ask

"I'll ask later if I think of something."

The Helmet of Wisdom was baffled. No student of the magic academy who had ever possessed it had behaved like this before. The mage who created the Helmet of Wisdom had imbued it with two spells: one to answer the master's questions periodically, and the other to continually seek greater wisdom. If the helmet kept accumulating knowledge as it passed from one owner to another, could it not become even more intelligent than its creator? That was the purpose for which it was created.

The nameless mage who created it had long since passed away, but the Helmet of Wisdom continued to operate, wandering and functioning.

'This shouldn't be happening,' the helmet fretted. An unforeseen phenomenon, even by its creator, was the helmet's tendency to try and control its master. To keep getting wiser, it needed to seek new knowledge, and the more its owner relied on it, the better. The owners would follow its guidance, seeking new experiences and knowledge.

And until now, all its masters had depended on it, marveling and venerating its responses.

Direth greeted her respectfully, full of admiration.

"Good morning, Professor."

"Good morning, Miss Direth. You're working hard."

"It's nothing."

Direth glanced at the classrooms. As expected of a class that sparked interest in the various magics of the empire, the spaces for taking the exams were also divided accordingly: one for dark magic, another for summoning magic, and so on.

Professor Garcia, after greeting the other professors, said, "When the students arrive, I will tell them they can take the exams in any order they wish."

"Cough. Do so, Professor Garcia. And consider those who might arrive late due to other exams."

"Understood."

Direth got up from her seat, pondering, 'Are there really students who do that?'

Taking one exam was normal, and taking two was a mark of the top students. But three...

That was madness.

!" Surprised by the unfamiliar face, Yi-Han and Gainando entered the dark magic classroom first.

"Cough. This is my disciple, Direth."

"Hello, senior!"

Gainando greeted cautiously, but Direth didn't even look at him.

Gainando, feeling hurt, said to Yi-Han, "Is it because I'm not good at dark magic?"

"It's more likely because of the principal's rules."

"!"

Direth was slightly taken aback. She hadn't expected a first-year student to grasp the situation so quickly.

"Cough. Right. Normally, I shouldn't even be seen by you, but I came specially to assist with this exam."

'What a shame.'

Yi-Han looked at Direth with a sense of pity.

This seemed like a task the professor could have managed alone, so the decision to involve a disciple seemed unnecessary...

'Does he look at me with pity, or am I imagining it?' Direth wondered.

It was she, Direth, who should be the object of pity in this situation, not a first-year student.

And...

'That voice sounds strangely familiar.'

She couldn't place it, but the voice was eerily recognizable.

Before Direth could ponder further, Professor Mortum cleared his throat and spoke.

"Cough. Well then, it's time to begin."

"Yes! Professor, I'm ready!" Gainando declared, gripping his staff.

He had practiced hard the previous day, whether it was curses or summoning undead. Having chosen dark magic over other classes, Gainando's face brimmed with confidence.

"What should I do?"

"Poison."

"...Pardon?"

"Cough. The test will be on poisons."

"..."

Gainando looked at the professor with a mixture of frustration, betrayal, and hurt. But Yi-Han, without even blinking, simply nodded in agreement.

"Understood."

'Is he really a freshman?' Direth thought to herself.

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