Ach, what a mistake I've made.

Yi-Han regretted his response immediately.

Perhaps still fatigued, his words had come out before he fully thought them through.

Have you ever worked as a professor? What a demeaning question to ask.

-I'm not that wise,- the giant answered, slightly embarrassed.

"...Ah, I see."

Fortunately, the matter passed without issue.

"Understood. Shall we play another game of chess then?"

Even if the opponent seemed a bit professorial, what could Yi-Han do? Grateful for the help he had received, he decided to respect the other's slightly unreasonable requests.

And the giant did seem quite powerful.

-No. A wager must be fair.-

"A game as fair as chess, where else would you find it..."

The giant ignored Yi-Han's comment as if he hadn't heard it.

-I'll need to find another wager. What would be a good one-

"...This seems like a bad bet."

Yi-Han whispered to Jijel, who nodded slightly in agreement.

"Is there no way to overpower him?"

"Moradi. Can't you see his size?"

Yi-Han was incredulous.

Asking if there was a way to overpower such a powerful giant.

Was he being told to simply die?

"The King of the Frost Giants was bigger, and you attacked him."

"...Then why did you move the rook earlier?"

Cornered, Yi-Han changed the subject cunningly. Caught off guard by the sly attack, Jijel was at a loss for words.

"You call that a conversation...?!"

-What would be good... A ball game wouldn't have enough players, riddles were done last time... A drinking contest?-

Jijel, unable to hold back, sharply retorted.

"If a wager must be fair, how can a drinking contest be considered a fair duel?"

-You misunderstand. It's not about drinking the most.-

"Then what?"

-Alchemists often engage in this kind of wager, but of course, you wouldn't know, being only a first-year.-

The giant kindly explained what the drinking duel entailed.

Once the contest began, alchemists would use various ingredients and potions to create a drink for their opponent.

The receiving alchemist would drink it, then create a new concoction for the other to consume.

-The one who collapses first loses.-

"...Wait. This isn't about drinking, it's about potions?"

Yi-Han hesitated upon hearing the explanation.

Using ingredients and potions meant it was essentially a potion, right?

-Right? It's a metaphor. And as I said, if you think it's unfair, you don't have to accept it.-

"Uh... No, it sounds quite interesting."

-Really?-

The giant looked at Yi-Han with a puzzled expression.

In fact, as the student beside Yi-Han had implied, this contest was in the giant's favor.

While a magic-wielding mage might have strong resistance to potions, a giant inherently had even greater resistance.

-I'll give you another chance to choose.-

"No, thank you. Even though I look like this, I took the top spot in the Alchemy class."

"..."

"..."

Jijel and the giant exchanged glances, unsure what to say.

'Wardanaz, this guy... Is he still half-asleep?'

-Hmm. Being top in a first-year class doesn't mean you've learned everything in Alchemy.-

The giant voiced his concern.

Of course, Yi-Han had a different strategy in mind.

'If it's a contest of resistance, I surely won't lose.'

Based on his past experiences, Yi-Han was confident.

Great mana equated to tremendous resistance.

But revealing this to his opponent could change the nature of the wager. So, Yi-Han tried his best to appear like a clueless first-year student.

'Ill just act like Gainando.'

"For a genius like me, almost everything can be understood just by attending the first-year classes. Why bother studying more?"

"..."

-...Yes, right. I understand. Still, objectively speaking, it's an unfavorable wager... If you win, I'll allow an additional reward. You may take anything you want from my house.-

"!"

Yi-Han's eyes sparkled.

'...No, it's not that great of a deal.'

At first, he was intrigued, but a glance around revealed the giant's home to be modest and disordered.

What use would Yi-Han have for a rusted, oversized weapon...

"Hey."

Unable to hold back any longer, Jijel jabbed Yi-Han's side and whispered.

She tried to keep her expression neutral, but she couldn't stand it anymore.

"Are you doing this on purpose? Why are you acting like this?"

Yi-Han was about to explain, but stopped, fearing the giant might overhear.

"Moradi. Who do you think I am? I'm a genius of a different level compared to other geniuses."

"..."

Jijel seemed on the verge of losing her mind.

The giant indeed had a profound understanding of alchemy.

He rummaged through the mess and the pile of junk, seamlessly grabbing and pouring ingredients. His movements were unhindered.

Like Gainando's private chamber appeared as a junkyard but had its own order to Gainando, so did the giant's cave.

Of course, this was disadvantageous to Yi-Han.

A contest between an alchemist familiar with all the ingredients and one hastily creating potions in an unfamiliar place.

It was obvious who had the advantage.

'Maybe I should just leave.'

Jijel thought quietly.

No matter how she looked at it, it didn't seem like Wardanaz would win.

And above all, his current antics were very unsettling...

Thud!

-It's done! I call this the 'Giant's Honey Brew.'-

After an hour, the giant finally completed the potion.

"May I ask about the recipe?"

Yi-Han asked, thinking it might be useful later. Jijel was beyond speechless.

-I can't tell you everything, but here's a brief idea. Honey and rose petals. The herb of sleep and the blood of a two-headed snake. Mud from an acidic swamp. You get the gist, right?-

"...Ah. Yes."

Yi-Han's expression soured at the mention of these seemingly toxic ingredients far from anything drinkable.

At this point, calling it the 'Giant's Honey Brew' was almost a misnomer. It might as well have been 'Giant's Poison.'

'I have to trust my constitution.'

With that thought, Yi-Han gulped down the large cup of brew.

Gulp, gulp-

Surprisingly, the Honey Brew was tastier than expected. The sweet and refreshing taste flowed down his throat.

And simultaneously, an immense drowsiness surged within him, ready to burst forth.

"!"

It was unlike any status ailment he had experienced before.

Previous ailments had been nullified before he could even become aware of them...

'So that's it. The potion was consumed directly...!'

Naturally, the effect of a potion ingested directly would be stronger than that of an external attack. Yi-Han concentrated his mind and gathered all his mana.

A torrential flow of his vast mana suppressed the drowsiness induced by the Honey Brew and extinguished its spark.

Once.

Twice.

Three times...

'Huh? Is it over?'

Startled, Yi-Han was slightly confused when the effect of the Honey Brew vanished so suddenly.

The sudden onset had alarmed him, but it ended much easier than expected.

'Hmm. Feels like I lost out due to being scared.'

It was clear the potion relied entirely on its initial effect. Once that was overcome, its strength was not so formidable.

With the thought that the giant would weep in humiliation if he knew, Yi-Han spoke.

"Then it's my turn."

-...-

The giant blinked, scanning Yi-Han from head to toe, too flabbergasted to respond, merely nodding.

'How is this possible!?'

He couldn't believe it.

That this student remained unaffected even after drinking his own concoction, the 'Giant's Honey Brew'.

He wasn't some undead or a mage with the power of a dragon...

There was only one plausible explanation.

The student must have prepared an antidote in advance to withstand the 'Giant's Honey Brew'.

'But how could a magic academy student be this advanced?'

Yet, that too was astonishing.

A mere first-year student had created an antidote on the spot for a potion he had never seen before, and in a strange place, not his own workshop.

The giant recalled Yi-Han's words.

-No, thank you. Even though I look like this, I took the top spot in the Alchemy class.-

-For a genius like me, almost everything can be understood just by attending the first-year classes. Why bother studying more?-

Initially, the giant had dismissed these as the impetuous words of a young student. But now, a chill ran down his spine.

Arrogance backed by results wasn't arrogance but justified confidence.

Could he be the most exceptional alchemist he had ever encountered...

"It's ready."

-What!?-

"What!?"

Both the giant and Jijel were astonished.

It seemed to have taken less than ten minutes to complete.

"Wardanaz. If you have a complaint, speak up! Don't act dumb like those in my tower! I'm already at my wit's end!!"

Jijel, unable to contain herself any longer, exploded, grabbing Yi-Han by the collar. Yi-Han thought to himself.

'Students of the White Tiger Tower must be quite stressful.'

-The potion has been declared as done, so theres no going back. What is the name of the drink?-

"Uh... something like 'Giant's Slumber Potion', I suppose."

-A straightforward name. Let's give it a try.-

The giant, brimming with confidence, gulped down the entire cauldron.

Then his expression changed.

-...!!!-

An unbearable drowsiness began to overwhelm him.

Despite his best efforts to resist, his instincts told him.

He wouldn't be able to stay awake for long.

Staggering, the giant looked at Yi-Han and spoke in a faltering voice.

-Such... a genius...! What is your name...?-

"Moradi."

"Not me. He asked you, didn't he?"

Jijel looked at Yi-Han as if to say, 'What are you talking about?'

It seemed to her that he was still not fully recovered from his fatigue.

"Ah, right. I am Yi-Han from the Wardanaz family."

"I see. I am Ikurusha, the giant Ikurusha."

When Yi-Han had previously asked for his name, the giant had deftly changed the subject.

Giants typically do not reveal their names to those they do not acknowledge.

He had switched topics out of consideration for a mage's pride...

But a genius of this caliber deserved to know his name.

-...You win... Take... whatever you want and go-

Thud!

With a snore that shook the cave, Ikurusha fell backward.

Yi-Han sighed in relief.

"Thank you, Bartreck."

The 'Giant's Slumber Potion' diligently concocted by the students of the White Tiger Tower in their hideout.

Yi-Han had been nervous, uncertain if the students had made it correctly and whether it would work.

"Bartreck of the Bark family? Why is that name coming up now?"

"That friend made the potion."

Yi-Han pulled a potion bottle from his pocket and shook it as he replied.

"...!!!!"

Jijel, who had just been thinking, 'To create such a powerful potion in less than ten minutes, that's... truly an unbelievable talent!', cursed herself for her thoughts.

Such a trickster...!

"Ah, I'm sorry for not explaining earlier. I was worried Mr. Ikurusha would hear and change the wager."

"...Let's just leave."

Jijel no longer had the energy to be angry.

"Wait. We won the wager, so we should take our reward."

"Did you see something you wanted...?"

Jijel asked, frowning. To her, it seemed there was nothing of value in this mess.

Snick!

Yi-Han gently snipped off the tip of the giant's hair, who was still asleep.

He had been thinking about it ever since the topic came up.

"This should finish one of my final exams."

"You're... really crazier than me..."

"Why suddenly curse at me?"