Episode 291

‘What a shame.’

Lee Han felt regretful upon realizing the Skull Principal had read his mind.

Despite being in a situation where he could spread rumors, there was only one suspect, so he couldn’t even talk.

The Skull Principal narrowed his blue glowing eyes at Lee Han.

Looks like you’re plotting something suspicious…

“No, I’m not.”

Well, you probably won’t have any time to spread useless rumors anyway. Have a good break.

When the Skull Principal gave up neatly without lingering, Lee Han felt strangely uneasy.

‘What is this? Is he planning to send undead after me during vacation?’

Within the magic school he could attack towers at night and get away with it, but doing such a thing in a large city could get him branded as an imperial criminal.

Still, you could never let your guard down with the Skull Principal.

Lee Han backed away, still feeling off.

‘Surely not…’

• * *

After spending the weekend preparing for break, the students carried their loaded bags toward the main gate.

Though it was heavy and uncomfortable, all the students wore cheerful smiles.

“Fongrif. Thanks.”

Lee Han thanked Fongrif, who had loaded up a bundle of books on his back. Fongrif tapped his hooves, as if to say it was nothing.

“Oh, right. I need to take these too. Is it okay if I pile more books up?”

-Neeiiigh.

“Thank you. Wait. This book, too…”

-……

Fongrif glared at Lee Han a little.

Meanwhile, singing came from nearby.

“Einrogard, Einrogard. It’s so great.”

Ahsan was humming a tune. It was a song he composed for the -Basic Music- class assignment.

“A place with warm meals and soft beds. Einrogard.”

“A place with warm meals and soft beds. Einrogard.”

Normally, students from other towers would have jeered, “Blue Dragon Tower guys, stop singing fake songs,” but they were in such good moods that they all joined in.

“The juniors will be joining soon to enjoy this paradise. Einrogard.”

“Just thinking about it lifts my spirits.”

“No new juniors are coming in the second semester.”

“Damn. Why not?”

‘Are these the same people who cursed at the seniors yesterday?’

“There once was a noble prince…”

“……”

“What? I’ll sing whatever I want to sing, too.”

At Gainando’s remark, the students looked at each other.

Come to think of it, this was fair too.

“One spirit, two spirits, three spirits, four spirits…”

“There was an honorable mage who always prepared our meals…”

“When the evil lich attacked, the knights blew trumpets…”

‘It’s a complete mess.’

What had been a group chorus moments before quickly devolved into a jumble of songs and mismatched tempos.

Lee Han patted Fongrif and hummed along.

“Einrogard, Einrogard. It’s so great.”

“A place with warm meals and soft beds. Einrogard.”

The professors and the Skull Principal watched the first-year students make their way to the main gate, singing, with affectionate expressions.

Professor Garcia, eyes glistening slightly, glanced at the Skull Principal, who was chatting with Professor Verdus.

“Why won’t you tell me?”

If you promise to listen to me in the future, I might tell you where he’s staying.

“I promise!”

Don’t just say it—mean it!

“Um. Principal?”

Oh. Professor Garcia.

When Professor Garcia approached, the Skull Principal paused his conversation.

“What were you just talking about…?”

Nothing of importance.

“He’s telli—”

As Professor Verdus tried to speak, the Skull Principal summoned a huge piece of tree bark and clamped it over the professor’s mouth.

So, what is it?

“Ah. I just wanted to say, thank you for all your hard work this semester.”

The Skull Principal’s eyes softened.

How could it possibly be just my own accomplishment? All the other professors…

He stopped talking as he spotted Professors Verdus and Voladi.

…Well, not all of them, but anyway, Professor Garcia, you’ve worked hard, too.

“That’s right. Everyone put in a lot of effort this time.”

This was echoed by Iunrade, the imperial bureaucrat who had come for the final exams.

When he was a student, he only ever wished the professors would drop dead, and now, even after graduating, though that wish hadn’t really changed, he felt the effort that went into maintaining Einrogard.

Maybe reading Iunrade’s thoughts, the Skull Principal gave a faint smile.

Thanks for thinking that way.

“Oh, right. Principal.”

Watching the Principal’s good mood, Iunrade hesitantly brought up an issue.

Must be something important?

“Um… I got word yesterday. His Majesty the Emperor wishes to meet with you privately. You’ll need to head to the capital as soon as possible.”

……

As the Skull Principal’s soul trembled, the temperature around them dropped sharply and frost started to form in an instant.

Iunrade frantically made excuses, fearing he might get hauled off and buried somewhere in Einrogard’s back mountain range by the mad archmage.

“I… I really didn’t say much, Principal.”

Why would he want to meet me if you didn’t say anything? I don’t understand. This isn’t the right time to meet, either? Tell me honestly. You really didn’t say anything?

“I honestly don’t know… Principal! It’s been years since I graduated—you can’t put me in the punishment room! Please!”

Haha. I think there’s some misunderstanding. I’d never put an imperial bureaucrat in the punishment room.

Despite the Principal’s kind words, Iunrade did not let down his guard.

“It’s not settled yet! Maybe he just wants to give you a reward!”

A reward, huh. No way.

The Skull Principal was exceedingly realistic.

Generally, when meeting the Emperor, it was only about one of two things: a wizard who graduated from Einrogard caused trouble, or a currently enrolled wizard caused trouble.

So what’s this about a reward.

The Skull Principal let out a deep sigh.

He already felt a chill in his soul, thinking of what incident had happened this time and by whom, or how much budget would be cut.

“I-I’m sure it’ll be fine.”

Seeing that the Principal seemed to have calmed down a bit, Iunrade spoke carefully.

Do you really think so? Then if the budget gets cut, donate your salary to Einrogard.

“M-my salary is a drop in the ocean…”

Forget it. It wouldn’t change anything anyway.

The Skull Principal clicked his tongue.

Seeing how upset Iunrade looked, it likely wasn’t because of the report…

Maybe while no one was paying attention, an Einrogard alumnus caused a scene somewhere. That seemed most likely.

Guess I’ll have to meet His Majesty the Emperor.

“In that case, please put in a word for my school’s research funding, too.”

“Me too! I need gems for my new artifacts…”

“We need monsters for combat training…”

……

Seeing professors care mostly about their own magic even now, the Skull Principal was appalled.

Who had taught them to be so totally selfish?

• * *

The Skull Principal’s undead army followed, escorting the students on their way out the main gate.

Their aim was to safely guard the students all the way to Granden City.

Given the distance, traveling without a guard would be impossible…

…but as it happened, there were others waiting at the gate.

“Young master, this way!”

“You’ve worked so hard! Goodness me, you’re dressed in such rags despite your frugality!”

“Your face is half its usual size!”

Bodyguards from each Blue Dragon Tower student’s family rushed forward to greet them.

They washed, stripped, changed their clothes, and even handed out snacks so quickly that students from other towers could only shake their heads.

“What’s the point of attending Einrogard if you’re going to do that?”

“Seriously. That goes against everything Einrogard stands for.”

“Young master Lee Han, I’ve come to fetch you.”

The old Knight Allarlong approached with the guards and called out for Lee Han, who pretended not to hear.

“Young master?”

“Shh. Don’t call out so loud, Sir.”

Lee Han covered Allarlong’s mouth. Behind him, other recognizable family knights waited on horseback.

“Did you bring the carriage, too?”

“The carriage, sir? I thought it’d be too much, so I didn’t. I’m sorry. I can get it right away if…”

“No, it’s fine. Thank you for not bringing it.”

They’d be traveling all the way to Granden City in this train, and holing up in a carriage would only stand out even more.

He didn’t care about his friends from his own tower, but…

“Lee Han! Want a ride?”

Gainando was already lying back on a bright, extravagant carriage brimming with cushions, beckoning him over.

Lee Han pretended not to hear.

“Isn’t he your friend, young master?”

“I’ve never seen him before. I heard the mansion we arranged in the village was moved to Granden City, right?”

“That’s right. Someone from the school came by.”

Allarlong twirled his mustache as he spoke.

Einrogard’s considerate gesture—moving all the student mansions from the towns to the city so they couldn’t sneak off and earn pocket money!

“Would’ve been nice if we’d been told ahead of time.”

“…Indeed. That’s so typical of Einrogard. Can I see the mansion?”

“I’m sorry to say, it’s not that great a place.”

Allarlong spread out a city map and pointed to a spot with his finger.

It was a mansion in the middle of the city’s noble district, occupying a large plot even at a glance.

‘If that’s not a good place, what exactly does Allarlong mean by good?’

Lee Han held back from asking if they could just give him the money instead of spending it on this mansion.

It wasn’t Allarlong’s fault.

“How was school life?”

“It was pretty different from what I expected.”

At Lee Han’s words, Allarlong laughed heartily.

“Anywhere you learn, it’s always like that, isn’t it?”

“I suppose so, but…”

Einrogard was different—far too different.

Lee Han couldn’t say he knew every educational facility in the Empire, but he doubted there was anyplace more eccentric than Einrogard.

“Was there any class you especially liked?”

“Hmm. Many I took half against my will.”

“Hahaha… It was the same when I was in the knighthood. I wanted nothing but to swing a sword, but to maintain the dignity and pride of a knight, they made us study the Seven Arts.”

“It’s a bit different than that…”

Lee Han trailed off.

Studying poetry, music, and dance as a knight was different from being forced to learn magic at Einrogard.

“By the way. Thanks to being taught by you, I was able to take a swordsmanship class.”

“There was a swordsmanship class? Well, that makes sense. Children of knightly and other noble families typically learn swordsmanship as part of their education…”

‘Everyone except me was from White Tiger Tower.’

“With so many from knight families, I’m sure it was tough for you.”

“No. It was actually fine.”

“I see… Well, I suppose with so many knight families, they must have been considerate.”

“…?”

Lee Han paused.

Were they considerate?

“……”

“……”

The White Tiger Tower students passing by also paused, having overheard.

That wasn’t the case…

“Hmm. If you insist, I guess you could say they were.”

“Splendid. That’s what a knight should be. If you use your superior skills to trample others just because you’ve learned more swordsmanship, you haven’t learned properly.”

Lee Han stared closely at the passing White Tiger Tower students. They hurried away.

“Are they your friends?”

“No. Strangers.”

“Is that so. Do you have any plans to specialize in a particular school of magic in your first year?”

“…I haven’t decided yet.”

Allarlong, misunderstanding that Lee Han simply hadn’t made up his mind, replied kindly.

“That’s fine. You’ve plenty of time left, so after taking a few more classes you haven’t yet, you’ll surely make a decision.”

“Do I really need to…?”