Research Life of a New Professor at Magic University

It was the third Friday after the semester started, the day of Professor Atwell’s experimental class “Practical Use of Magical Materials.”
While it was the 3rd week according to the schedule, it was only the second class since he had canceled the 2nd week’s class.

Professor Atwell conducted the class in the same lab as before, with his teaching assistant Arien beside him.

The students looked at the two of them differently from the first class.
While Atwell didn’t notice, Arien felt quite uncomfortable as many students gave them strange looks, glancing back and forth between the Professor and her.

‘Why are they looking at us like that?’

Many students observed their figures as if appreciating artwork, some even with satisfied expressions.
There were also faces suppressing envy.

Regardless, Professor Atwell proceeded with the class without paying attention to the students’ changed gazes or his assistant’s flustered state.

“I’ll hand back your reports.”

It was the report from the first week.
Students’ names were called one by one as they received back the reports they had submitted.
Only one student did not receive their report back, letting everyone know who got a perfect score last time.

Most students felt relieved seeing their bonus points, but one student discovered a large X marked on their report. Professor Atwell explained:

“Reports lacking this much effort cannot receive bonus points. Since I said I would only check if it were submitted, some students really just submitted something. From now on, I will grade the reports in more detail.”

Of course, Atwell had originally planned to grade, or rather have the reports graded, from the start.
But since he forgot to announce it in the first class, it became awkward to say so directly.
In the end, he had to act as if he was changing the policy after receiving the first reports.

Human minds are complex.
If presented as a bonus opportunity, they gladly do the work.
But if made into an assignment, they become resentful.

From now on, all students will put more effort into writing their reports.
This also made it more difficult for Arien to grade them.

“Today’s class is somewhat related to the previous experiment.”

Professor Atwell handed out worksheets as he spoke.
Apart from one thing, the composition and length were similar to last time’s.
This time, the quantities of materials were included.

“You may recall testing the potions you made by dipping toxicity test strips in them.”

The quick students felt uneasy hearing this, and their unease was justified.

“Today, you will be making those toxicity test strips.”
“The strips?”
“Not strips of paper. Those will be provided.”

The special paper used to make toxicity test strips is not something students could produce themselves in just a few hours here.
Atwell took out a stack of the special paper to show them.

“You only need to make the test solution well. Then, dip this paper in the solution you made and let it dry, and it’s complete.”

The students’ unease did not subside since none truly believed they would be learning papermaking skills here.

Professor Atwell began his full explanation.

“Wizards often need to gather materials from their surroundings. If you are stranded, the biggest issue is not mana crystals but food and water. Medicinal plants are the same. You may need to urgently prepare and consume potions.”

Gathering surrounding materials to make emergency medicines or replenish mana is common.
For this, toxicity detection kits are used.
Any adventurer would obviously carry them, but just because it’s obvious doesn’t mean it’s always followed.

There are cases where they aren’t refilled after use or where you get separated from the person carrying them.
However, the students felt Atwell’s premise was too contrived.

“Some of you may be thinking, ‘Does it make sense to find all these materials and make toxicity test strips when stranded?’ That’s not my intention. Recall the previous experiment.”

The topic of the first week’s experiment was a cheap antidote potion.
Professor Atwell had said it was more about learning potion-making basics than the antidote itself.

“For ease of understanding, I used the example of being stranded on an adventure, but it’s more useful in a laboratory setting. It would be more efficient for adventurers to be more careful with supplies.”

“Whether you join a workshop, enter a magic tower, or set up your own lab, you should assume it is impossible to obtain ‘completely pure’ materials when manufacturing something.”

‘Pure materials’ are difficult to obtain and, more problematically, difficult to verify their purity.

“That is ‘impossible for me’ as well.”

Professor Atwell placed special emphasis on the last part.
The emotion conveyed was not humility but arrogance.

He did not say it was impossible for a professor-level mage. He said it was impossible even for himself.

The students who caught that subtle nuance understood.
It was not the teaching of the professor of this subject but the view of the highest authority in arcane studies. The students who caught that subtle nuance understood the gravity of the statements.

“In that case, excluding materials that ‘must not be included’ is much easier. Yes, this experiment is not simply about being stranded. It is the first step in learning to detect impurities. Whether or not those impurities are toxic is not that important.”

Even so, the reason he assigned toxicity test strips was because toxic substances are relatively easy to detect.
Ingredients toxic enough to harm the consumer generally produce more dramatic reactions when tested.
In his own way, Atwell had considered the students’ level.

“In a laboratory, you will often need to detect specific substances. But do not assume everything will be provided in the lab.”

Atwell spoke from experience, with a slight emotional tinge that few could detect.

“Surprisingly, such convenient items are not that common unless they are extremely frequently used. You may even have to manufacture ingredients due to budgetary constraints when selling them.”

Atwell went on to say there were cases where they had to directly gather and use materials themselves.
He ignored the “Surely not…” looks from the class and continued his explanation.

“However, distinguishing them by appearance alone is not easy. There are many cases of substituting with similar plants, and even the same species has many subspecies. Subspecies may have the same effects, but some may also produce toxins.

Atwell took up two similar-looking leaves.

“Even completely identical plants can have different appearances or properties depending on the environment. Ordinary botanical knowledge is not enough to identify all of these. In the end, the conversation keeps circling back to square one.”

As Atwell reminisced, Arien worried about her own future.
Some students interpreted her expression differently, though.

After a brief pause to collect himself, the professor continued calmly.

“Yes, but you need to make toxicity test strips today. Here are six toxic poisons. All of them can be found in the flora around Rainplan.

“You must be able to detect all six of these toxins. You will be deducted for each type you fail to detect.”

The students felt despair. If detecting just three toxins last time was too difficult, how could they detect six this time?

“Ah, you have three attempts.”

If he definitively gave three attempts, it was more generous than last time when the number of attempts was not specified – realistically, it had been two or three attempts at most.

“And this time, you can divide them up as well. So if making a single solution that detects all six is too difficult, you can make three solutions detecting two each.”

Professor Atwell shared one more reassuring fact. He had lowered his expectations of the students after the first class.

“However, I will not give any additional attempts beyond that. Those making a single solution will have two additional attempts, as mentioned.

“But for those planning to complete it over three attempts from the start, even one failure will put you in quite a predicament.
You’ll get a perfect score if you can detect all six toxins within three tries.”

Again, the students had to weigh the pros and cons.
Professor Atwell did not give chances for free.
To gain additional attempts, they had to sacrifice something else.

“Of course, it must not react negatively to any extraneous substances. I will test with several solutions to see if it only reacts to these materials or if it will change color regardless.”

Atwill showed more than ten vials. Mostly clear liquids, but with various colors.
The contents ranged from water, salt water, juices, potions, base solutions, other poisons, and more.
In fact, some were just prepared to scare the students.
Indeed, upon seeing the numerous test solutions, the students wisely gave up on any thoughts of cheating.

“Then begin.”

The students looked at the handouts distributed by Professor Atwill.
And they could see why the quantities were given this time.
For a simple pass/fail detection, the exact quantities would not be that important.

Moreover, simply mixing all the detection components in the stated amounts could not be the solution.
Magical ingredients often react when mixed together.

Annoyingly enough, the handout had kindly listed all the abnormal reactions when mixing the ingredients.

Translator’s Corner

Sorry for those who have enjoyed so far, but I’ll be dropping the novel for now. With the other series I’m translating coming to an end, I found some other novels to translate. Since it hasn’t been doing well, I’ll focus on the new ones and see how that fares.

-Ruminas