One-Eyed Monster

”I refuse to become an Alchemist!”

Although Igor had hesitated before, his ultimate response was utterly decisive, showing no uncertainty or regret.

”Oh, you don’t want to?” Master Guzan was a little surprised, though not entirely.

Master Guzan hadn’t expected his prestige to be insufficient to attract Igor. However, upon further contemplation, it seemed reasonable. The young man had his own personality; it would indeed be unusual if his choice mirrored that of the masses.

”Yes, I do not wish to.”

Igor repeated his answer once more, still as resolute, without any hesitation.

”You do know who I am, right?”

”I do. You are a legendary figure from the Kayne Empire’s Imperial Alchemy Workshop—Guzan. Every Adventurer with Class aspiring to become an Alchemist wishes to receive your guidance. People respectfully call you the Great Mentor,” Igor answered, his demeanor calm and self-possessed.

He had heard many stories about Great Mentor Guzan, so he was no stranger to his fame.

”Knowing that, why do you still refuse? You must understand that many people yearn for such an opportunity yet never obtain it,” Great Mentor Guzan spoke lightly. He wasn’t infuriated at all; on the contrary, he felt relieved. If Igor had been constantly fawning over him, he would have felt that he had misjudged the young man.

”Each person has different aspirations. Although I admire you greatly, my ambition is not to become an Alchemist,” Igor also responded calmly. He in no way regretted skipping this opportunity, nor would he give ambiguous answers out of fear of offending Grand Master Guzan. He believed that such ambiguity would be disrespectful to the Great Mentor.

”Quite true, a melon picked reluctantly isn’t sweet. I won’t force you, but I still hope you might agree. Perhaps take some more time to think about it?” The Great Mentor kept his tone even, still wanting to provide Igor with another opportunity. This clearly showed his deep desire to accept Igor as his student.

If word of this situation got out, others would surely find it unbelievable. The highly respected Grand Master Guzan, making an exception to take on a disciple, was actually being met with resistance—this was simply ludicrous, utterly unlikely! Consider that those eager to learn from Guzan could have worn down the very threshold of the Imperial Alchemy Workshop in the Imperial Capital Xinbal. How, then, could someone possibly reject Master Guzan? It seemed implausible. The only feasible explanation for such an occurrence was that the student was an utter fool.

Only a fool would reject such a fantastic opportunity. Only a fool would so blatantly spurn an invitation from Grand Master Guzan. This would be the only way to explain the current situation.

But was Igor a fool? He didn’t appear to be; in fact, he often seemed quite clever. Yet, he had declined the Great Mentor’s invitation so explicitly and firmly, without a hint of regret. It was hard to understand what was going on in his mind.

”I will not consider becoming an Alchemist. I’m sure of it. Thank you for your kindness, Great Mentor, but I truly don’t need to consider it.” Igor rejected the Great Mentor’s proposal once again.

If Kevin, Xiso, Simon, or any of their group had been present at this moment, they would have cursed aloud. They might have even lashed out in their agitation. In their eyes, Igor’s reaction was a blatant insult to the Great Mentor—something they would never tolerate.

But that was the reality. Igor had, time and again, rebuffed Grand Master Guzan’s enthusiastic proposals, and the Great Mentor’s staunchest admirers were not present.

”Fine, your intentions are clear. What about you, Kadi? Are you willing to become my student and inherit all I have to teach?” Unable to persuade Igor, Grand Master Guzan no longer insisted. As he had said, a melon picked reluctantly isn’t sweet, and there was no use insisting when Igor had already made up his mind.

”Ah?” Kadi was clearly taken aback. He had always considered himself a simple sidekick to Igor, believing that Guru Guru wouldn’t be concerned about his choices. Since he had never been summoned by Guru Guru during his extensive stay at Guru Mountain, he assumed he was unimportant in Guru Guru’s eyes, thus seeing himself as a mere sidekick.

Being a sidekick, he should act the part and not overstep. He was already satisfied by Guru Guru answering his questions, despite not understanding most of the answers. Now, when Guru Guru suddenly asked him a serious question, he wasn’t sure how to respond as it was completely beyond his expectations; he hadn’t rehearsed for such a situation.

Originally, he intended to follow Igor’s decisions, sparing himself from any deliberate thinking—a decidedly exhausting task. He trusted Igor implicitly and knew that Igor would never deceive him, as past events had proven, although they were not too far in the past.

Kadi, stammering and unsure how to reply, turned his gaze towards Igor, seeking help. He truly had no other options, as he hadn’t considered such a situation, thus leaving him uncertain about an appropriate response.

”What are you looking at me for? Hurry up and answer the Great Mentor’s question. Only you can answer this question; no one else can answer on your behalf,” Igor reminded the puzzled Kadi. He hadn’t imagined Kadi would be in this predicament; why was he so apprehensive about such a simple question?

Kadi wasn’t actually timid; he was merely unprepared for the importance placed on his decision. But regardless of the circumstances, he had to answer the question and not make Guru Guru wait. If word of this reached Kevin and the others, he would likely end up locked in the Slumber Room as punishment.

”I, I’m also unsure. I don’t know if I should learn from you. I’m still processing what you said about the six major Classes; I can’t accept it so soon, so I’m really not sure.” Kadi’s answer was clever yet clearly non-committal. Igor, at his side, couldn’t help but clutch his head, which felt ready to explode.

Kadi’s response was genuinely unhelpful. It would be a blessing if the Great Mentor wasn’t angered, Igor silently prayed, hoping Kadi’s answer hadn’t offended the legendary Great Mentor.

”Oh, you’re unsure?” Great Mentor Guzan did not react as angrily as Igor had imagined. Although there was a slight disappointment in his tone, it was fleeting and nearly imperceptible.

”Yes, I’m unsure. I don’t know if I should learn from you.” Kadi tried to mimic Igor by scratching his head. He found the gesture quite effective, as his mind felt less burdened.

”Heh heh heh... Ha ha ha...” The Great Mentor laughed after listening, his smile carrying a hint of bitterness, yet also a touch of relief.

Kadi and Igor looked at each other, unsure of how to react. Their consistent refusal to become Alchemists seemed to have left Grand Master Guzan puzzled.