Episode 327

Of course, the compensation for black mages working at the cemetery was by no means bad.

Black mages were only magicians plagued by baseless… no, founded rumors and prejudice, but they were never pushovers.

If the pay weren’t good, what black mage would take on this kind of work?

However, Han held the philosophy that “even if you do the same work, it’s good if the pay increases.”

“No, Lord Dalkard. We only dedicated ourselves for the sake of the city, so such…”

“If there’s no reward for those who devote themselves, who will devote themselves? I’ll firmly tell the city council and get the budget increased.”

As he got the answer he wanted, Han coughed again.

“Cough, cough…”

“Oh dear. Say no more and get some rest. You probably haven’t even recovered the mana you spent on the last subjugation.”

“Thank you…”

Han staggered and placed his arm over Gainando’s shoulder. Caught off guard, Gainando playacted at supporting him.

“They truly are admirable magicians.”

Feeling Daihal’s gaze, Han left the cemetery.

Direte, who hadn’t been able to bring himself to interfere with his junior’s performance, spoke up quietly.

“So, junior. What did you mean by “last subjugation”?”

“Cough, cough, cough.”

“Cut it out.”

“Yes, sir.”

• * *

“…So that’s why some crazy apprentice knights, not knowing their place, are talking about going after such a monster again. Aren’t they totally insane? I don’t understand why the order doesn’t do character education like they do at Einrogard.”

Han raged critically about the apprentice knights, but Direte wasn’t listening.

The previous story had been too shocking.

“No, why wouldn’t you run away from that…”

“I’m telling you, it was because of those White Tiger Tower guys??”

“Y-yeah. Sure.”

Han looked so indignant that Direte couldn’t retort any further.

‘If Professor Mortum finds out, it’ll be a hassle…’

So he’d met an ancient evil entity not even in the records.

If Professor Mortum learned about it, she’d no doubt conduct all manner of investigation in excitement.

And all the prep would be done by her student, with the main subject of investigation being the person with the closest experience…

His junior fit both.

“Senior, thank you so much for your help today. Would you like to have a meal with us before heading off?”

“Mmm.”

Direte hesitated for a moment.

Normally, he didn’t like visiting noble estates because it felt uncomfortable, but if his junior was asking, that was another matter.

“Fine. If you put it that way, I can’t refuse. By the way, junior—”

“Yes?”

“Isn’t that your professor over there?”

Seeing Professor Verdus sitting absentmindedly waiting in front of the mansion gate, Han felt just a twinge of guilt.

• * *

“W-Why isn’t Wardanaz eating?”

“Han’s always liked studying more than eating meals.”

Gainando replied to Imirg’s question, trying to sound knowledgeable.

Of course, if Han had been next to him, he’d have knocked him upside the head.

“…Juniors. Why is Professor Bible here anyway?”

“Huh? He just came looking for us.”

“He just showed up?”

“Yes.”

“That kind of arbitrary behavior is… well, it’s possible.”

Direte immediately accepted it before he could even finish feeling suspicious.

If it was Professor Verdus, he very well could.

“But even so, I feel like we should give him some time to rest at least.”

Direte spoke as he set down his strawberry madeleine.

He thought it was too much to whisk off a student who’d just worked hard catching an undead chimera without even a break.

“Right? Even if he waited a long time, it’s only been a few hours, right?”

“Uh… no?”

“No?”

“He’s been waiting since last night.”

Since it was already evening, that meant he’d been waiting almost a full day.

“He’s been here since last night… Wait. Just a second.”

Though it was odd he’d come by at night, that could’ve just meant the professor and student were close.

“But if he’s been here since last night, why did you guys go to the cemetery?”

“Han wanted us to run away this morning…”

“……”

Direte was speechless and set down his coffee cup.

…Was this just self-inflicted?

• * *

“Did you wait long? I’m sorry.”

Han apologized with a fake expression.

After all, the person was a professor.

But as expected, Professor Verdus didn’t care at all.

“Huh? No. Let’s just get to work. Oh, I changed the helm.”

“Ah. Thank you!”

Han sincerely rejoiced at Professor Verdus’s words.

‘I can sell it!’

“How much will this fetch now?”

“Price?”

“Yes.”

“Who’d buy that? It’s a dangerous artifact.”

“…Uh… but now that it’s repaired, as long as the user is careful, isn’t it safe?”

“That’s true. But if they’re not, it’s dangerous. No one buys things like that.”

“……”

Han glared at the helm. The Helm of Wisdom spoke cautiously.

Having come this far, maybe he should draw out some wisdom from within…

“Shut up.”

Han tuned out the helm. Now that he realized it couldn’t make money, he had no reason to care anymore.

“Professor. I have a question.”

“What is it?”

“Could I make and sell artifacts?”

“Not likely?”

Professor Verdus answered immediately.

Artifacts were expensive items, so the maker’s credentials mattered greatly.

As a rookie artisan, you had to consistently assist with other artifacts, build your resume, expand your network, and then get the chance to debut your own piece—only then could you make your name known in the Empire.

‘Sounds familiar.’

Every industry is harsh to newcomers. Hearing it takes over ten years as a matter of course, Han frowned.

“Wait. How about this? I’ll make them cheap and sell them cheap.”

Even in Einrogard, there were failed, incomplete artifacts lying around.

They were the detritus cast aside by seniors trying and failing to create their own pieces.

You’d get a bounty on your head if you sold those at full price, but they weren’t completely useless.

At the very least, adventurers would be interested if they could get artifacts—even defective ones—at a lower price.

“What? That’s a waste of mana.”

Professor Verdus was negative toward Han’s business idea.

A mage’s mana was a finite resource.

You should conserve every handful to create masterpieces—why waste it like that?

And looking at it money-wise, selling one masterpiece was better than selling dozens of cheaply-made duds.

“I see. So aside from mana wastage, there’s no other issue?”

But Han only filtered Professor Verdus’s words as he pleased.

So what if you waste a little mana?

So what if the cost-effectiveness wasn’t great?

‘It beats grinding for ten years. Besides, failed products are bound to come out while practicing anyway.’

Han quickly drew up a blueprint in his head.

If he wanted to consistently sell artifacts with at least usable functions…

“All right. Let’s begin!”

Professor Verdus, oblivious to Han’s intentions, started laying out equipment.

Chisel, punch, hammer, plane, saw, a small welding wand enchanted with extreme flame magic, glasses fitted with lenses for every purpose, and so on.

“Professor. There’s something I want to try.”

“Oh! What? What is it??”

Professor Verdus got excited as Han showed motivation.

“I want to try making a water-creating artifact or a dark vision artifact.”

“What? Why make garbage like that? Waste of time, waste of mana, waste of materials!”

But being excited didn’t mean Professor Verdus would listen well. When it came to artifacts, he was ruthlessly strict.

Water-creation or dark vision artifacts were simple, boring creations that any mage could make with enough time and effort.

No way Professor Verdus would endorse wasting materials like that.

“Professor. I’ve realized something while studying magic lately.”

“??”

“Since I have so much mana, wasting some actually helps me warm up my hands.”

“Really??”

“Yes. But if I try with another type of magic and switch to imbuement magic, I can’t adjust right away. I need practice with imbuement specifically to get my hands warmed up.”

“How could you be so untalented?”

“Ugh, I know…”

Han answered, feigning sadness. Professor Verdus was genuinely lamenting his student’s lack of talent.

“What now, then? Can you even do imbuement well?”

“Ah. Should I stop, then?”

“No, don’t do that!”

‘Damn.’

Han clicked his tongue inwardly at how completely unpersuaded Professor Verdus was.

“All right, then. They’re boring, unrewarding, time-wasting artifacts, but…”

Grumbling, Professor Verdus began taking out materials from his pocket.

A blue gemstone, aquamarine, placed atop spirit whale leather. Han paused at the sight.

Even if he didn’t know every material, Han knew those two were terribly expensive.

“Hold on. Wait. Professor.”

“What?”

“You’re using aquamarine and spirit whale leather?”

“Yeah.”

“Uh… are those essential for water-creating artifacts?”

“Absolutely.”

Han realized again that you had to phrase things differently with Professor Verdus.

“So without them, the water creation magic wouldn’t function at all?”

“That’s not it. But the efficiency would be trash. It’s already a trash artifact—if even the efficiency is trash, it’s truly pointless.”

“But it’s a waste to use those materials just for practice.”

‘And I wouldn’t even break even.’

Trying to develop an optimized crafting method, Han could never justify using aquamarine or spirit whale leather.

“But if you leave them out, the efficiency becomes really trash.”

“How bad?”

“If you had a leather water skin this size, it’d take a week to fill it.”

“!”

Professor Verdus had a point.

‘A week… way too slow.’

A water skin hung at your waist taking a week to fill?

Han was reminded afresh that magic was indeed a miraculous power to those who couldn’t wield it.

Those who couldn’t use magic needed all sorts of preparation just to enjoy a sliver of that power.

“There’s no other way? Like infusing a lot of mana?”

“Well, you could… but the artifact’s lifespan would shorten.”

On top of being made with cheap materials, overcharging with mana would only shorten its lifespan.

And it’d waste mana.

“That’s fine! As long as the efficiency improves, right?”

“Well, that’s true…”

Professor Verdus watched his eager student with a puzzled look.

Why was he so happy about this?

‘Does he like making trash?’

• * *

Deer leather, koyak thread, copper ring.

These materials went into the water-creation artifact, a portable leather water skin.

Han wasn’t the type to be particularly proud or boastful of his skills or talent, but when he finished this, he couldn’t help but feel satisfied.

‘I did it!’

With inexpensive materials, he’d managed to make an artifact that produced water.

Next to him, Professor Verdus was yawning with boredom and asked,

“Finished?”

“Yes.”

“Hands all warmed up? All right, then.”

Professor Verdus finally spread out the long-awaited blueprints across the table.

So big and complex, the long rectangular table was covered edge to edge.

“…What’s this?”

“An aerial sailing ship.”

Looking at Professor Verdus outlining a project so ambitious that Han reckoned it would take a hundred years, Han seriously considered pretending to faint again.