The Academy's Terminally Ill Side Character-Chapter 312: The Crimson Alchemist [1]

The group exchanged uneasy glances at Rin's words.

The reward room.

A normal dungeon run would have made that word sound exciting — a well-earned promise after hellish battles. But right now, it felt different. Heavy. Uncertain.

Professor Lena's brow furrowed. "Rin, you should rest first. We don't even know what kind of mechanisms or traps are left active." 𝐟𝚛𝕖𝚎𝕨𝗲𝐛𝚗𝐨𝐯𝐞𝕝.𝐜𝗼𝗺

"I'll be fine," Rin said, his tone calm, almost detached. "You know as well as I do that the dungeon doesn't end until someone opens the last door. If we leave it unchecked, it'll just reawaken eventually."

That silenced everyone. She knew he was right — the mana in this place was still too dense, too alive.

"…Alright," Lena conceded after a pause. "But you're not going alone."

Rin smiled faintly. "Didn't plan to."

The group moved together through the wide stone hall, their footsteps echoing against the walls. The air grew colder the deeper they went, the scent of blood and burnt flora lingering faintly from the earlier fight.

Ryen walked beside Rin, his eyes darting between him and the corridor ahead.

He wanted to say something — anything — but every time he opened his mouth, the words died on his tongue.

He almost died. And I wasn't there.

The thought stuck like a thorn in his chest.

"…Rin," he finally said quietly, "next time, don't run off alone like that."

Rin blinked, glancing sideways at him. "…I didn't plan to."

"You always say that."

Rin chuckled softly under his breath, though the sound carried an edge of fatigue. "And yet I always end up doing it anyway."

Ryen frowned. "You think that's funny?"

"No." Rin's smile faded, replaced by a quiet seriousness. "But I think it's necessary."

That answer made Ryen's stomach twist, but before he could press further, the faint glow of runes ahead caught their attention.

The door.

Massive, ancient, its surface carved with looping symbols that pulsed with soft blue light. It looked dormant now, but the mana around it was unmistakable — thick, potent, and almost oppressive.

Leona drew a sharp breath. "So this is it… the reward room."

Professor Lena stepped closer, examining the runes. "The sealing formation's been weakened. Someone already tampered with it."

Everyone froze.

"Wait," Nora said, looking around. "Then… someone opened it before us?"

Rin didn't answer. He stepped forward, brushing his hand against the runes. The carvings responded to his touch with a faint, almost familiar hum.

Ryen stared. "Hey… be careful—"

Click.

The sound was soft but clear. The door trembled, then slowly began to part down the middle, stone grinding against stone as cold air rushed out.

A pale light seeped through the opening, washing over their faces.

...And door to reward room opend.

---

Rin POV:

There was one unspoken rule in dungeon exploration—those who cleared the dungeon had the right to claim the rewards.

But special dungeons were… different.

In rare cases, if a dungeon was under state management, the explorers might have to hand everything over for research or containment. But this place wasn't one of those. It was privately discovered, unregistered, and untouched. The kind of dungeon that existed outside official records—both a blessing and a curse.

The Crimson Alchemist.

That was the name of the figure who once owned this place. An otherworldly genius who devoted his life to alchemy, and whose creations blurred the line between life and art. His treasure vault—no, his sanctum—was a reflection of that obsession.

"Whoa…"

Even Professor Lena couldn't suppress her quiet gasp.

Usually, when people thought of an alchemist's hidden room, they imagined something dark and grimy—shelves collapsing under the weight of dusty tomes, half-broken tools, and spilled reagents staining the floor.

But this place was nothing like that.

The Crimson Alchemist had been meticulous to the point of madness. The room was spotless, every surface gleaming as if constantly polished by invisible hands. The air smelled faintly of roses and old parchment, perfectly balanced—not too sharp, not too sweet.

Golden ornaments lined the walls, each engraved with runic sequences. Intricate arrays pulsed with faint light, preserving the reagents and tools like precious works of art. The glass containers shimmered softly, and each one held something unique—liquid gemstones, preserved flowers glowing faintly from within, even fragments of what looked like crystallized mana.

Leona let out a low whistle. "This guy was an alchemist or a royal interior designer…"

Kiera nudged her. "Keep your hands to yourself. We don't know which of these could explode."

"There don't seem to be any traps," Professor Lena said after a careful scan. She lowered her staff and glanced around. "No residual mana distortion either. It's safe to enter."

The others hesitated for a moment, then followed her in. The floor tiles gleamed with a mirrored sheen, reflecting their figures as they stepped inside.

Well, there weren't any dangerous items here.

The Crimson Alchemist — poor guy — had gone mad after that accident in his later years, but before that, he'd actually liked humans. His craftsmanship showed it too; even the smallest trinket seemed to carry some kind of warmth beneath the layers of alchemy.

Most people who came to a place like this would be dazzled by the glittering gold and ornate decorations. They'd grab whatever looked the most expensive and call it a day. But the main cast — my people — they were different. Each one of them was carefully studying the relics, not for their shine, but for their value.

Ryen was standing near the wall, examining a sword and shield adorned with white rose engravings. The faint glow along their edges hinted at a restoration enchantment — elegant but deadly. A few steps away, Nora was fixated on a tiara shaped like entwined rose vines, clearly made as a matching set with Ryen's gear.

I couldn't help but feel a quiet sense of satisfaction watching them. It was subtle, but I had already planned for those two to get those items.

Ryen had the instincts and potential, sure, but his equipment had always lagged behind. He needed something balanced — something to bridge that gap until he found his true weapon. The sword and shield were perfect for that.

And Nora… she was a natural fit for that tiara. The way it pulsed faintly with life energy told me it resonated with her magic. Together, the two items almost seemed like they were made for them.

I watched as Ryen ran a hand along the blade's smooth surface and Nora's eyes softened when the tiara's vines glowed faintly at her touch.

Yeah. For once, things were going exactly as I'd hoped.