Ian stood before the door.
He took a deep breath, feeling somewhat nervous.
Mainly because he had spent some Magic Stones along the way to inquire about Augustus's project team.
The news gave him quite a fright.
This wartime project team had been established by the Academy specifically to deal with Crimson Eye. It focused on the various tactical problems encountered on the front lines, cracking new alchemical defenses, developing specialized weapons, and so on.
It was currently the most core team in the Alchemy Department.
The requirements for joining were also extremely high. At the very least, one had to be a First Ring Junior Alchemist, or even higher.
Yet he had somehow been assigned as an intermediate researcher.
But he was not even a Zero Ring alchemist.
Ian's teeth ached just thinking about it. He had never expected Kieran to arrange such a position for him.
It was certainly a core position.
But...
All he could say was that Kieran truly trusted him.
Still, since he was already here, there was nothing he could do. Preparing himself mentally to be kicked out on the spot, he slowly pushed open the door.
Behind it was a small room.
The room was filled with gears and machinery, while behind a massive silver-white metal table sat a Wizard.
He appeared to be around fifty. His gray hair was impeccably combed, he wore a simple black robe, and his gaze was razor-sharp.
Gears seemed to turn within his eyes. No—not seemed. Gears really were turning there, while the pupils at their centers had been replaced by lenses that emitted an icy glow.
Clearly, the Wizard before him was Ian's group leader, the Alchemy Department's deputy minister, Wizard Augustus.
A Second Ring alchemist.
"Lord Augustus, Ian Green, reporting at the order of Academy