Chapter 20: Bernie and the Fifth Magic Workshop

"Lis, why did you take so long to arrive?"

Hearing that voice, Lis immediately knew who it was. A handsome youth emerged from the doorway of the magic workshop, his short, wavy brown hair accentuating the gentle expression on his face.

"Long time no see, Bernie. I ran into a bit of trouble on the way, just finished dealing with it," Lis said with a shrug.

Bernie frowned, looking puzzled. In his eyes, Lis was a modest man who also held a noble title; he couldn't imagine who would be foolish enough to cross him.

"A minor matter. But since you were waiting for me, does that mean this invitation has something to do with you?" Lis didn't mention Camus and the others; he was still waiting to see what their next move would be.

Seeing that Lis didn't want to talk about it, Bernie didn't press the issue, though he kept it in mind.

"You guessed it?" Bernie smiled. "I’ve been studying under Master Dahel, and he finally secured the rights to use the Academy’s Fifth Magic Workshop. Since he needed some help, I put in a good word for you."

Bernie spoke with casual ease, but the opportunity to study in the Academy’s Fifth Magic Workshop was incredibly rare. For students from humble backgrounds, this might be their only chance to receive top-tier magical instruction. A workshop ranked among the top five at the Fess Royal Magic Academy was, in a sense, one of the top five in the entire Kingdom of Fess.

The Fess Royal Mage Corps was stationed at the Academy, and its commander was none other than the legendary mage, "Flame of Judgment" Lord Fran Stephens, which spoke volumes about the Academy's power. Bernie had indeed secured a precious opportunity, but Lis didn't stand on ceremony; while it might be invaluable to others, it wasn't a major burden for Bernie.

If Camus, who had bothered him earlier, was among the top ten students of their year, then the man before him was a genius who ranked in the top three of all students at the Academy over the last decade. As the prize pupil of the magic-rune master Yousef Dahel, Bernie had already broken through to become an intermediate mage, and his talent for runecraft was breathtaking—he had become an intermediate rune-master at a very young age.

Despite his commoner origins, Bernie had never indulged in self-pity or resentment; instead, he had worked hard to improve and had reached where he was today. It was a source of mystery to others in the Academy why Bernie Bevan, the commoner, Morra Carl, the second son of the Golden Vine Merchant Guild, and Lis Kane, a noble court viscount, had been as thick as brothers since the day they enrolled.

If it weren't for the fact that Morra preferred business to magic, Bernie would likely have secured a spot for him in the workshop as well. It was the same with Lis; in his memories, he had often provided Bernie with precious resources, and Bernie had even been free to come and go from his private underground laboratory. Thus, Lis saw no need for formal expressions of gratitude.

"Where is Master Dahel?" Lis asked as he followed Bernie into the workshop. The wall closed behind them, hiding any trace of the entrance.

"Since the Master just secured the workshop, there’s still a lot of prep work to do," Bernie said, gesturing to the various boxes scattered near the walls. "He just finished calibrating the workshop’s magical intelligence and is currently at the Academy administration office applying for resources."

"Oh, right." A magical glimmer flashed in Bernie’s hand, and a cool, feminine voice spoke up.

"Mr. Bernie, how may I assist you?"

"This is Lis Kane, our new assistant. Please register his information."

"Understood, Mr. Bernie." As the voice faded, a white light scanned Lis from head to toe.

"Registration complete. Welcome, Mr. Lis. You have been granted Level 3 clearance for the Fifth Magic Workshop."

Although the Lis of his previous life had seen many magical intelligent entities in games, this was his first time encountering one in this world, and he couldn't help but feel curious.

"This is the Fifth Magic Workshop's intelligent entity; the Master hasn't gotten around to naming it yet. With this clearance, you can come and go, though you still can't enter sensitive areas like the Master's private lab or the storage vault."

Bernie explained as he led Lis on a tour. The interior was more opulent than it appeared from the outside. Though sparsely decorated, the floors were laid with exquisite Fess carpets, and the dark gray walls were etched with glowing magical runes that emitted a dreamlike light. It was simple yet grand. With the intelligent entity present, Bernie didn't have to worry about cleaning or maintenance; simple, pre-set cleaning spells handled those tasks perfectly.

The first and second floors were public lounge areas and general laboratories, while the third floor housed large-scale labs equipped with precious instruments.

"The Master intends to use the third floor for rune research. The fourth floor and above are his private labs and quarters, so I don't go up there unless necessary," Bernie said, gesturing upwards. "But I’m primarily responsible for this lab on the third floor. If you like, you can conduct your magical research here with me."

Lis examined the space carefully. The general lab on the second floor alone was comparable to the laboratory he had spent most of the Kane family’s savings on at his estate, not to mention the advanced equipment here on the third floor. The elemental stabilizer to his left was twice the size of his own and was clearly capable of stabilizing high-level spell elements.

As for the rune-engraving device on the other side, something felt off to Lis—that silvery-white glint on the engraving stylus surely couldn't be mithril, could it?

Noticing Lis’s curiosity, Bernie explained, "This set isn't lab property. It was Master Dahel’s personal equipment. He’s applying for an upgrade from the Academy, so he gave this one to me."

Lis was speechless. "Master Dahel treats you well—he’s willing to just give you this equipment?"

Yousef Dahel was one of the top three rune-masters in the kingdom; the equipment he used was incredibly valuable. Giving it to Bernie meant he truly viewed him as his successor.

"The Master is very kind to me," Bernie nodded with emotion. "I've been helping him organize the workshop lately, so I even missed Morra's birthday party. It’s a pity."

"Don't worry about it. You know that guy; he won't mind," Lis said dismissively. "It looks like your lab is almost ready. What are you researching right now? Is there anything I can help with?"

"Oh, I've been studying enchantment solidification. I’ve made a bit of progress."