Chapter 270. Ishan Rau’s Laboratory (1)
The one who ca looking for Radel was a Lizardman senior.
To begin with, there was only one Lizardman senior Radel knew.
Ishan Rau, a mber of the academy’s research year.
Radel was now seated inside Ishan Rau’s laboratory.
True to the reputation of a research-year student, Ishan Rau’s laboratory was nothing like the workshop of an ordinary alchemy major.
It was far more spacious, filled with strange and fascinating tools, and even had a section where herbs were being cultivated.
And there were beings tasked with managing this vast laboratory.
Whirr.
Small golems swept and polished the floor as they tidied the laboratory.
They resembled the principal’s flying golems in certain aspects.
‘They must be golems Senior Ishan made himself.’
Radel watched the cleaning golems with interest.
Senior Anesha had once said she had taken apart a flying golem, but it seed Senior Ishan Rau had gone a step further and made his own improvents.
That made sense. As a research-year student, he was bound to be more skilled than current students.
The fact that he had already graduated from the academy yet chosen to remain to continue his research ant he was anything but ordinary.
Whirr.
Another golem approached, carrying a tray on its head.
Clack, clack.
On the tray were a teapot and a set of teacups.
As the golem approached with the teapot balanced on its head, Ishan Rau naturally poured tea into a cup and handed it to Radel.
Radel accepted the teacup and spoke.
“I was quite surprised earlier. I did not expect you to co so suddenly.”
“I was surprised as well. To think there was soone who looks exactly like you.”
After savoring a sip of tea, Ishan Rau continued.
“It must have been the 9th Prince of the Cretian Empire. Were you in the middle of a sibling quarrel?”
“Pardon?”
Radel recalled the mont when Ishan Rau had co looking for him.
Leon had indeed lost his temper, but that was such a common occurrence that Radel had not even considered it a fight.
In fact, Radel thought Leon had beco much gentler lately.
He did not hurl spells out of nowhere, did not radiate killing intent, and did not even threaten to kill him.
Leon had snapped irritably when Radel suggested talking about setting up an Integrated Major booth, but still…
“He seems to be in a bad mood these days. He is a bit sensitive by nature.”
Ishan Rau found it curious how casually Radel spoke of Leon.
He, too, knew of Leon Silvert Cretian, the Empire’s 9th Prince.
A mber of the imperial family who possessed Dragon’s Blessing, an Ability coveted by every mage.
A powerful candidate for the throne and a prodigious magician, Leon had been a well-known figure in the magic world even before enrolling in the academy.
‘I heard he was cold and sharp-tempered.’
Yet the 9th Prince he saw around Radel did not seem that way.
If anything, seeing him lose his temper made him seem emotional.
Perhaps it was because they were twin brothers bound by blood.
At the very least, it seed difficult for the 9th Prince to remain cold toward Radel.
And Ishan Rau had once felt sothing similar himself.
“…There was a ti when my elder brother and I fought fiercely as well.”
Ishan Rau began to share his story.
“It was when I said I wanted to go to the academy and beco a magician. My brother strongly opposed it. He raged, asking if we had not promised to protect the tribe together. He accused of abandoning the path of a warrior and leaving our people, even saying that I would no longer be his blood brother from that day on.”
“That must have been serious.”
“It was even worse because the oasis was drying up. I thought there was no future for the Lizardn if things continued as they were, while my brother believed that, even so, we had to share the tribe’s fate. The future of the desert was that uncertain.”
Ishan Rau closed his eyes briefly, recalling the past.
The oasis shrinking year by year.
The worried gazes of the Lizardn.
The eyes of his brother, filled with anger.
The red desert.
His holand, to which Ishan Rau would one day return.
He had not sought out Radel without reason.
Just as his father had repaid Radel, Ishan Rau intended to do the sa.
Ishan Rau bowed deeply toward Radel.
“I know that you saved our people. Thank you.”
Radel was flustered when Ishan Rau bowed, but Ishan continued without pause.
“I have heard everything from my father and my brother. I wish to offer you my personal thanks as well. That is why I invited you here.”
At those words, Radel finally understood the true reason Ishan Rau had co looking for him.
The dream Ishan Rau had pursued even at the cost of fighting his brother and leaving his tribe—
the problem of the desert oasis drying up—had been solved by Radel.
“The purpose for which I ca to the academy has been fulfilled by you, Radel, and no one else. You deserve my gratitude.”
Radel, who had already received compensation from the Great Chieftain, tried to refuse.
Thanks to the Dragon Flute the Great Chieftain had given him, he had discovered hidden ruins in the desert and gained no small profit.
He had obtained a dragon’s reverse scale and even a manticore’s fang.
He had also discovered traces left by his ancestor Hayden.
Excessive compensation often invited trouble.
“No, I really—”
“You may take whatever you wish from this laboratory.”
…But would taking just one thing really be a problem?
“If you insist, Senior… then I will accept.”
The laboratory of a research-year student was far too tempting for Radel to refuse completely.
***
“You like space expansion pouches, do you not?”
“Yes, I do.”
“I thought so, so I prepared one. It is smaller than the one I gave you before, but it should be able to hold an entire bookshelf.”
As Radel looked around Ishan Rau’s laboratory, he experienced firsthand what it ant for one’s eyes to spin.
Ishan Rau was continuously offering magical tools that Radel would clearly like.
He must have figured out Radel’s preferences during their ti in Raviedel.
“This is a shovel that increases the user’s Strength.”
“That is incredible.”
“I made it lightweight so it could be used in the Carmine Desert.”
Ishan Rau was remarkably proactive about supporting Lizardman labor.
It seed he was creating magical tools suited for desert use to assist his people.
“The Kau tribe has been using this shovel for so ti now. They say their work efficiency has improved significantly.”
“The Kau tribe… you an Geheram’s tribe?”
Hearing news of the Lizardn he had t with the Horizon Knights made Radel feel warmly nostalgic.
He had grown attached to them while digging for water together.
When they parted, he had even felt a sense of loss at leaving behind such capable laborers.
“Yes. I have heard that no one can match them when it cos to digging water sources.
That is thanks to what you taught them. Now all tribes, centered around the Kau tribe, are fully devoted to digging water sources.”
“Taught them? I rely showed them a little of the joy of labor.”
Radel smiled awkwardly.
But Ishan Rau, who had grown up among the Lizardn, knew exactly how difficult that truly was.
Lizardn were warriors who never let go of their swords from birth to death.
Even in death, they were buried with their blades.
Though he himself was a Lizardman, Ishan Rau had never imagined that they would one day hold shovels instead of swords.
That was why he had been so shocked when he went to Raviedel.
There, even Lizardn fard and swung pickaxes.
All of it had been the result of Radel’s teachings.
And Radel had accomplished the sa thing in the Carmine Desert.
A prince with no foundation had brought about change among the Lizardn.
Ishan Rau looked at Radel anew.
‘I thought he was extraordinary from the start, but I never imagined it was to this extent…’
Ishan Rau’s elder brother, Ian Rau, had even said this.
‘Ishan, I have placed my bet on that prince.’
Had that not been the case, Ian Rau would never have revealed the location of the desert ruins.
Ishan Rau could only nod quietly at his brother’s words.
Perhaps…
his brother had seen a future even further ahead in Radel.
‘Yes. Perhaps even the future of the Empire.’
That would have a profound impact on the future of the Lizardn as well.
And if that ca to pass…
“Senior.”
Ishan Rau snapped out of his thoughts at Radel’s call.
“Senior, what is this?”
Radel was pointing at a prototype magical tool Ishan Rau had been researching recently.
Though he had devoted great effort to its creation, it was rely a product of personal curiosity, and even Professor Cailin had judged it to lack comrcial value.
Not expecting Radel to take an interest, Ishan Rau answered.
“It is nothing special. It is a disguise item I made while researching sli tissue. The only things it can change are the length of your hair or the wrinkles on your face.”
Ishan Rau picked up the bottle Radel had indicated.
Inside the transparent container was a writhing liquid.
“As you know, magicians can simply use Transmutation Magic or Illusion Magic, so it does not have much practical value. Its duration is about five hours. I am continuing the research out of personal interest, but in terms of actual usefulness—”
“I will take this.”
“…What?”
Ishan Rau doubted his own ears.
“You want this?”
To choose such a prototype over space expansion pouches and valuable magical tools…
Thinking he must have misheard, Ishan Rau asked again, but Radel nodded with eyes full of certainty.
“Yes. By your explanation, that ans even non-magicians can use it, correct? It allows transformation without casting magic. How is that useless? If this is developed further, it could help people with physical disabilities. It is truly remarkable.”
Ishan Rau’s vertically slit pupils trembled slightly.
Radel was absolutely right.
In truth, the reason he had begun researching slis was precisely because of people with physical impairnts.
The Lizardn were constantly at war, and injuries were commonplace.
Losing a tail or a finger was not unusual.
Yet they regarded such losses as the glory of a warrior and never sought to fix them.
There was another problem as well.
Lizardn born with physical disabilities.
Because they could not beco complete warriors, they were often ostracized from childhood.
After much deliberation, the solution Ishan Rau had conceived was this very magical tool.
If it could be taken out and used when needed, would it not alleviate so of their difficulties?
Ishan Rau’s heart wavered.
‘To think soone would see through my intentions.’
Of course, Radel knew nothing of Ishan Rau’s intentions.
When he spoke of people with physical disabilities, he was referring to himself.
Because of the inconvenience caused by Status Effect Nullification, he could not use Illusion Magic or disguise artifacts.
This magical tool was perfectly suited for him.
‘Even a basic disguise is possible. This is absolutely the one.’
mories flashed by of the days when he had to rely on Armandy to cast omnidirectional Illusion Magic or wear masks.
No matter how much he hid behind a rabbit mask, his identity was always discovered quickly.
But that would change now.
‘As long as I have this sticky stuff.’
As Radel rejoiced, a familiar notification sound rang in his ears.
Ding.
[The target’s Affinity has surpassed 20.]
It was the sound of Ishan Rau’s Affinity increasing.
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