“Everyone calm down!”

Yonair hurriedly tried to settle his panicking friends.

“Let’s read the exam properly first. It’s too early to despair. What exactly is the test?”

All students taking the lecture must each receive a wooden box containing 【Thunderstep’s Purple Sandalwood Incense】 and complete an incense analysis by next week.

—Thunderstep

“...Has he lost his mind?!”

The moment he read it, Yonair exploded and hurled the paper into the air.

The students who didn’t know what purple sandalwood incense was still looked confused.

“Meikin. What’s purple sandalwood incense?”

“Remember the flower incense we worked with during class?”

“Yeah. Ah, if it’s something like that, maybe we can manage in a week...”

“It’s dozens of times more complicated than that.”

“...Has he lost his mind?!”

The students immediately descended into chaos.

Some shouted curses, some ran around in panic, and some looked ready to faint.

Lee Han was equally bewildered and fell deep into thought.

What? Why did the exam suddenly change? Did the upperclassmen guess wrong from the start?

No matter how much of a top student he was, there was no way Lee Han could have predicted that the professor had specifically designed the exam with him in mind.

Meanwhile, his friends had already moved on to criticizing both the professor and the useless upperclassmen.

“They told us to trust them!”

“They didn’t even investigate properly!”

“I knew we shouldn’t have relied on the upperclassmen!”

“...Uh... what’s going on...?”

Jowrin, who had been peacefully dozing in front of the fireplace, slowly opened her eyes at the commotion.

The Blue Dragon Tower students were waving their staffs around with murderous expressions.

Did intruders break in again?!

“No, Your Majesty. The professor just assigned an exam.”

...Ah.

Still half asleep, Jowrin blinked slowly before asking carefully.

They’re making this much noise over that?

“Shh. If my friends hear that, even Your Majesty could end up in danger.”

Lee Han quickly pushed Jowrin’s snout shut.

The students’ eyes were already rolling back from the unexpected exam difficulty. Provoking them now would be dangerous.

They’re making this much noise over that?

“It really is quite difficult.”

The moment Lee Han admitted that, Jowrin looked shocked.

If even this boy from House Wardanaz was saying that, then the exam really had to be difficult.

Then it really is difficult!

“...It is. But why are you suddenly convinced?”

Jowrin wants to see the exam too!

Just like when she had excelled in <Magical Algebra and Arcane Geometry>, Jowrin wanted another chance to shine.

She excitedly tapped the floorboards with her front paws.

Lee Han narrowed his eyes suspiciously.

“...Why, why are you looking at Jowrin like that? Did Jowrin do something wrong?”

“No... it’s nothing, Your Majesty. I just remembered that time when Your Majesty suddenly breathed fire and charged forward...”

...

Jowrin grumbled inwardly.

At this rate, Lee Han was going to bring up the breath incident every single time she did anything.

That was a mistake!

Since it had been a mistake, he should forget about it already.

“I understand. Come to think of it, I also remember when Your Majesty secretly entered the greenhouse and breathed fire there too.”

...

Jowrin puffed up her cheeks and clamped her mouth shut.

When a large dragon sulked, nearby furniture inevitably suffered for it.

As her tail swept back and forth, smashing chairs apart, Lee Han finally gave up and tried to soothe her.

“I’m sorry, Your Majesty. You really did mean well.”

That’s right!

“Then you won’t secretly do anything reckless if I show you the exam, correct?”

Of course not! Lee Han can trust Jowrin!

Jowrin flapped her wings proudly.

This time, she genuinely had no intention of secretly disobeying him.

“Look. This is the exam.” 𝐟𝚛𝕖𝚎𝕨𝗲𝐛𝚗𝐨𝐯𝐞𝕝.𝐜𝗼𝗺

...Uh...

The moment she saw the contents, Jowrin became flustered.

This was far harder than she had expected.

Arithmetic and geometry were her specialty, but alchemy was a field that depended heavily on accumulated knowledge and experience.

She sniffed the purple sandalwood incense leaking from the wooden box, but the composition was so complicated she couldn’t identify anything.

“Gasp... hallucinations...”

“Your skin’s turning to stone!”

And unlike the other students, Jowrin faced an even greater disadvantage because of her resistance.

Ordinary students could immediately feel the incense’s effects and analyze them in reverse through those reactions.

But people with overwhelming resistance like Jowrin and Lee Han barely experienced any symptoms at all.

Normally that would have been an advantage.

Here, it worked against them.

“Hm. As expected, no effect.”

This is unfair! Only Lee Han is disadvantaged!

Jowrin shouted indignantly at the unfairness of reality.

Nearby students—one still trapped in flickering hallucinations and another whose skin had partially petrified—stared at her in disbelief, but Jowrin didn’t notice.

“If there are advantages, there are disadvantages too. Anyway, Your Majesty. That’s the kind of exam this is.”

Hmm... Hmmm...!

“Your Majesty. You don’t need to help me with every exam. This is my test. I can handle it myself.”

Lee Han spoke gently, slightly worried after seeing Jowrin think so seriously.

Do I really look that overwhelmed?

Perhaps, coming from outside Einroguard, Jowrin saw his schedule as impossibly harsh and felt the need to help.

Of course it was harsh, but Lee Han didn’t want the still-young dragon to worry too much.

No! Jowrin wants to solve the exam magnificently too and brag about it to everyone! Especially to Lee Han!

“...”

Lee Han was left speechless by the unexpectedly self-serving reason.

Nearby, Gainando—who was busy repairing a smashed chair—looked mildly impressed.

“That girl’s annoying, but she’s got spirit.”

“Hey. I’ll fix the chair myself, so go study.”

Lee Han immediately chased him away.

Gainando retreated while grumbling things like:

“You’re always telling us to devote ourselves to the tower!”

Jowrin, who had been deep in thought, suddenly widened her eyes.

A brilliant idea had just struck her.

Lee Han!!!

“...What is it?”

Why are you suspicious already?! Jowrin hasn’t even done anything yet!

“Haha. I’m not suspicious. I’m just asking. So what is it?”

Jowrin is a dragon.

“I suppose that’s true.”

A dragon’s body is an extremely powerful reagent.

“Wait.”

Lee Han immediately cut her off.

After dealing with various members of the Imperial Family, he had learned to recognize the warning signs that appeared whenever royalty was about to say something outrageous.

“You’re not suggesting we use Your Majesty’s scales or claws for incense analysis, are you?”

“Uh... well... partially... maybe... What do you think, Lee Han?”

“Well. Since dragon materials are overwhelmingly powerful reagents, the process would become much simpler. It would save a lot of time too.”

That’s right! Jowrin thought so too!

Lee Han smiled faintly.

Jowrin giggled proudly beside him.

And afterward, she spent an entire hour getting scolded.

***

It’s not over yet...!

Late that night.

Jowrin pretended to sleep in the common room while keeping one eye barely open.

Among the students constantly moving back and forth, Lee Han stood out clearly.

So did the reagent pouch hanging at his side.

Jowrin will prove her power!

Before coming to Einroguard, Jowrin would probably have obediently stayed put after being told not to do something.

But Einroguard had changed her rapidly.

And along with that growth, her stubbornness had grown too.

Yes, she had been scolded over the demon monster incident and the forced mandragon growth incident.

But that was that, and this was this.

This time, Jowrin was right.

If Lee Han had known what she was thinking now, he would have deeply regretted ever bringing her around Einroguard.

I raised a dragon brat...

There won’t be many chances. I need to move carefully.

Using the magnificent intellect of dragonkind, Jowrin carefully reviewed her plan.

Under normal circumstances, she would have tested multiple dragon-derived reagents first.

But after Lee Han forbade it and scolded her, there was no time for leisurely experimentation.

She couldn’t properly analyze the incense.

She couldn’t test reagents either.

At first glance, every path seemed blocked.

But in reality, they weren’t.

—Meikin. Meikin. Jowrin is curious. What’s the strongest reagent that can come from a dragon’s body?

—...Did someone ask Your Majesty for something? And is that professor perhaps a beaver beastman?

Yonair had immediately grown suspicious, but Jowrin kept pestering him until he finally answered.

Most dragon byproducts were incredibly powerful reagents.

But under the current circumstances, the strongest one was undoubtedly dragon stone.

A small stone naturally formed within a dragon’s body, capable of instantly neutralizing any fragrance.

—Hehehe...

—...Your Majesty. Nobody really asked you for this, right? It’s not Professor Ber, is it??

It didn’t matter that she couldn’t analyze the fragrance or test reagents herself.

Jowrin planned to solve everything in one move by using dragon stone.

—Um... excuse me?

At the timid voice of the baby basilisk, Jowrin opened her eyes from meditation.

A wise dragon never acted alone.

Naturally, Jowrin had already recruited accomplices.

The baby basilisk and Eandurde.

Two loyal comrades bound together by friendship.

Or so Jowrin claimed.

“...”

“...”

The two who had been dragged here against their will looked deeply displeased.

—Last time you breathed fire inside the greenhouse and caused a disaster!

That was the old Jowrin! The current Jowrin has grown and changed!

“This still sounds reckless...”

Does Eandurde not trust Jowrin!?

“Huh? No. I don’t.”

Eandurde answered immediately, looking at her like the answer was obvious.

Jowrin was deeply shocked.

Wasn’t I trust you the natural response here?

...If you refuse to help, Jowrin will tell everyone you helped during the greenhouse incident too!

Having immediately switched strategies, Jowrin threatened them viciously.

Thanks to learning from an excellent teacher, her intimidation skills had improved dramatically.

The baby basilisk flinched in terror.

—Th-th-that’s not fair...! Hic...!

Hmph. Instead of crying, decide whether you’ll help before Jowrin exposes you.

Eventually, the baby basilisk tearfully agreed.

Next came Eandurde.

Jowrin stared directly at her.

Jowrin is disappointed in Eandurde.

“Okay.”

Eandurde answered flatly, completely indifferent.

You’re always talking about wanting to become stronger, but when it matters most, you back away!

“...What?”

Think about it, Eandurde! Why is Lee Han so strong? Because he steps forward even when things are dangerous and reckless! Unlike Eandurde, he doesn’t hide behind excuses!

“...”

Eandurde’s face stiffened instantly.

Jowrin had struck directly at her pride.

Almost growling, Eandurde snapped back:

“...Fine!”

Jowrin knew she could trust you!

Once both companions had finally agreed, Jowrin nearly burst with excitement.

—So what’s the plan?

Very simple.

Jowrin proudly explained.

Steal Lee Han’s reagent pouch.Put the dragon stone inside.Return it.Lee Han opens the pouch during the exam, realizes Jowrin was right all along, and reflects deeply on his mistakes.The end! Long live Jowrin!—Uh... why wouldn’t Lee Han get angry?

“...?”

Because there’s no evidence! No evidence that Jowrin did it!

“...”

“...”

The other two privately thought that if an ultra-rare reagent like dragon stone suddenly appeared inside the pouch, there was only one possible culprit.

But neither bothered pointing that out.

If they did, this dragon might invent an even stranger plan.

Besides, they wouldn’t be the ones suffering afterward.

—I like it!

Excellent! Then go steal the pouch!

—I suddenly hate this plan.

The baby basilisk grumbled miserably.

She never imagined she would be the one sneaking ❀ Nоvеlігht ❀ (Don’t copy, read here) around and stealing things.

Though considering size alone, she was the ideal candidate.

Eandurde has to distract Lee Han!

“...”

For a brief moment, Eandurde seriously considered reporting everything to a senior immediately.

But Jowrin, perhaps sensing danger through dragon instincts, hurriedly shouted:

If you back out now, it means Eandurde got scared and ran away!

“...Fine already.”

In the end, Eandurde accepted the role while grumbling under her breath.