Episode 338

Lee Han almost questioned why he was the only one excluded, but held his tongue.

It was absurd, but honestly, if asked whether he wanted to participate in that event, the answer was no.

‘I don’t want to get mixed up in that.’

Of course, his friends would want to overcome the surprise trial with Lee Han, but…

Lee Han just didn’t feel up to it.

“What should I help with?”

“See, look at this.”

“?”

Professor Ku exclaimed in admiration, and Lee Han was puzzled.

Why is he like this?

“Ah. The principal said that Wardanaz, you’d be happy to help.”

“……”

Lee Han felt conflicted after realizing the Skull Principal had read his mind.

“To have such a diligent student. As I said before, you’re too good for Professor Baegrek.”

“Haha. Not at all.”

“Voladi probably thinks the same. Though that shouldn’t be the case.”

‘That sounds about right… and it scares me.’

While Lee Han pondered this, Professor Ku waved his staff.

A huge flame beast appeared.

A massive burning beast glared menacingly, and any normal person would have screamed, but Lee Han didn’t even blink.

“That doesn’t seem appropriate for a ballroom.”

“Indeed. A sharp student would catch on.”

Professor Ku acknowledged his mistake and promptly removed the illusion.

Lee Han spoke slowly.

“If you need an illusion that would surprise the students, I think you need a plausible monster, not just a threatening one.”

“Plausible?”

“Yes. A monster that wouldn’t seem out of place appearing in a ballroom.”

“Is there such a thing?”

Professor Ku looked flustered.

He figured any monster would seem odd in a ballroom.

“With a reasonable explanation, even a strange monster would seem plausible. For example, if you say the principal released the monster, most students would believe it.”

“Indeed…”

Hearing this, Professor Ku secretly wondered.

On some level, wasn’t this just an event to torment Wardanaz’s friends—was there a need to be this sincere about it?

‘As expected of Voladi’s apprentice.’

Seeing Wardanaz’s refusal to compromise when it came to magic—even if it meant making things difficult for his friends—reminded Professor Ku of Voladi.

A disciple inevitably resembles their teacher to some extent.

Unaware that Professor Ku was thinking along those lines, Lee Han pulled out a list of monsters.

“What do you think of demon-type monsters? It would be very believable that the principal summoned them.”

“How about this one?”

A demon with four wings appeared, exuding a breath of flames and sulfur.

“That seems good. Its threatening appearance goes well with the principal.”

“Alright. Let’s get ready.”

“Yes. …Wait, ready for what?”

Lee Han was flustered by Professor Ku immediately saying let’s prepare with no explanation.

Ready for what?

“Obviously, the demon illusion!”

“I haven’t learned that spell yet.”

“Oh. It’s fine if it doesn’t fully move on its own or control senses. Just the appearance is enough.”

“…I mean, I haven’t learned how to do even that yet.”

Lee Han was starting to be afraid of what Professor Ku thought of him.

Was he mistaking him for a fourth-year student?

“What?!”

Professor Ku was startled.

And then, as if realizing afresh, said again,

“Right. You’re only a first year, Wardanaz. Makes sense you wouldn’t know.”

Lee Han almost asked, ‘You only figured that out now?’

But the other party was a professor.

“Yes… No matter how crude it is, creating a demon-class monster illusion isn’t something I can do at my level.”

“But Professor Verdus said you’ve learned the 4th circle spell, -Azirmo Summon Imbuement-. That’s in the illusion magic category too, right? If you can do that, a demon illusion should be….”

A magic for summoning the illusion of a dragon made of light.

Even with the help of a magic circle, it was certainly an impressive feat.

It was enough to make trying a demon illusion plausible.

Cornered, Lee Han feigned ignorance.

“So what should I help you with?”

“If you could conjure the demon illusion, I was going to support you from the side… but how about learning it now? I think you could do it, Wardanaz.”

‘Mm. You really are Professor Voladi’s friend.’

Birds of a feather flock together, as the saying goes.

If a madman’s friend seems too normal, you should reconsider—it probably just means the madness is well hidden inside.

Still, Lee Han’s rude thoughts aside, this really wasn’t Professor Ku’s fault.

This all started because, from Professor Verdus onward, the other professors raised the bar with “Wardanaz can do this much” and “Wardanaz should be able to do that.”

After hearing that, no wonder Professor Ku suggested learning a demon illusion spell.

A suggestion made with only pure good intentions, no malice at all.

But even if a stone is thrown with pure intent, it can still kill if it hits someone.

“I’m practicing a lot of spells right now…”

Lee Han was starting to get the hang of dealing with Einrogard professors.

With Professor A, use Professor B as an excuse; with B, use C, and so on—a kind of rotation.

It might get troublesome if he was found out, but what could he do?

Any other way and he’d really die.

“I see.”

Professor Ku wasn’t surprised at all.

Given the classes Lee Han had taken just in the first semester, it was clear he’d have a lot of spells to practice by now.

“What are you practicing? I’m curious. Any illusion spells?”

“I’m… practicing Lord Ogonin’s illusion magic.”

Lee Han paused after speaking.

Professor Ku was listening with great interest.

“Lord Ogonin’s? Which spells have you learned?”

“Not anything that impressive.”

“If it’s Lord Ogonin’s illusion magic, it’s different. It’s classical and orthodox. These days, not many people study it because of the difficulty, but I’m glad to hear you’re practicing, Wardanaz.”

“I mean, it’s not that…”

No matter how much Lee Han tried to explain, Professor Ku didn’t listen.

He even called over a passing wizard.

“Darachi, my student here is practicing Lord Ogonin’s illusion magic personally—as a direct transmission!”

“What? Weren’t all the students here first years?”

“They are. Isn’t it amazing?”

“That’s just not possible.”

As a wizard Lee Han had never seen before came over, Lee Han wanted to hit Professor Ku.

What’s so great about learning from Ogonin that he has to call strangers over?

“Professor, why did you bring someone else over…”

“Ah. This is Darachi of the Beller Family. He’s another magician here today to help out.”

Unlike Professor Voladi, Professor Ku had wide connections. The other magician also seemed to be his friend.

‘Beller Family?’

Lee Han was surprised the family name was familiar.

Where had he heard it?

“Nice to meet you. I’m Darachi of the Beller Family.”

“I’m Lee Han of the Wardanaz Family.”

“…?”

Darachi stopped mid-greeting and stared at Lee Han.

“What is it?”

“Ah… I heard rumors, but didn’t think you were actually a first-year.”

“……”

“Sir Doin owes you a debt.”

“!”

Only then did Lee Han recall which family the Bellers were.

Sir Doin of Baldrogard, whom Lee Han had dueled at that gathering—the Beller Family was his family.

‘They’re from the same family!’

“What happened at the gathering—Sir Doin only made a mistake, and I didn’t really win…”

“No need to be so tactful. To make such a mistake while dueling a first-year is simply foolish.”

Lee Han wanted to recover Sir Doin’s honor, but it was impossible.

And it was hard to believe that his opponent lost to exhaustion simply because Lee Han had too much magic.

As Lee Han inwardly apologized to Sir Doin, Professor Ku and Darachi continued chatting.

“If the rumor’s true, then it’s not unbelievable that he’s learning Lord Ogonin’s magic.”

“Darachi, it’s not just because he’s my student—Wardanaz never lies about magic.”

“It’s not that I don’t believe you. It’s just, Lord Ogonin’s illusion spells are so difficult that even trying to learn them isn’t easy, let alone getting good. Even with motivation, there’s no guarantee of results.”

“Well, we can hear the results. Have you learned any spells?”

“I’ve learned the -Ogonin’s Empathy- and -Ogonin’s Swelling Anxiety- types, and now I’m practicing -Ogonin’s Thin Mist-…”

“Oooh!”

“Incredible!”

The two illusionists were shocked.

Already practicing -Ogonin’s Thin Mist-!

Any proper illusionist in the Empire would know the spell -Ogonin’s Thin Mist-.

A defensive spell that spread a fog of illusions to make precise aiming impossible for external enemies.

Of course, there were plenty of other illusion spells with similar effects. Some were easier to learn than -Ogonin’s Thin Mist-.

But -Ogonin’s Thin Mist- was so highly rated for its completeness.

Illusions made with heat couldn’t be cast properly in cold places, and illusions using hallucinogenic clouds lost effect if the target’s sense of smell was blocked.

But pure traditional illusion magic like -Ogonin’s Thin Mist- had no such weaknesses.

It took a long time to master and wasn’t efficient, but once learned, it was a well-crafted spell with no weaknesses.

That’s why Professor Ku and Darachi held it in such high regard.

“To have already mastered -Ogonin’s Empathy- and -Ogonin’s Swelling Anxiety-. Amazing.”

“See, Darachi?”

“With that, he seems more than ready for -Ogonin’s Thin Mist- too.”

“That’s right. Wardanaz, you said you’re practicing it? Try it again. We’ll watch.”

“But… Professor… shouldn’t we be getting ready?”

“That can wait.”

“Professor Ku is right. What’s the point of a childish prank? Let’s watch -Ogonin’s Thin Mist-.”

“……”

Is this really okay…?

• * *

“Something’s strange.”

The Skull Principal frowned.

Professor Verdus next to him brightened and asked,

“You’ve finally realized the pointlessness of this useless nonsense…?”

“That’s not what I meant.”

“No?”

“Why are the illusionists decreasing in number?”

The Skull Principal hadn’t left everything to Professor Ku.

Given the size of the hall and the number of freshmen, it was impossible to rely on Professor Ku alone. The magic of Einrogard’s professors wasn’t cheap like that.

Including Darachi, he had called several illusionists from Granden City to stand by…

But illusionists at the ball were decreasing, one by one.

At first, he thought they were shirking their duties, but even so, this was strange.

Unless someone was kidnapping them…

“……”

The Skull Principal tore his gaze away from Gainando, who was rampaging through the center of the ballroom, and stepped out into the hallway.

Then he walked toward the source of the gathering vitality.

‘No way…’

If vital energy was gathering, there was only one answer, but the Skull Principal denied it.

No matter what, illusionists wouldn’t be so irresponsible as to leave their posts and act on their own.

“It’s difficult, but…”

“No! Wardanaz, just a little more!”

“That’s right! -Ogonin’s Thin Mist- is too good a spell to give up on. I tried to learn it once, but failed in the end. If it’s you, Wardanaz, you can do it!”

“I agree. I don’t wish to glorify failure, but getting this far is impressive in itself. It’s a shame to stop here.”

“Come on. Just one more time!”

“One more time!”

“……”

Surrounded by illusionists clapping for Lee Han, the Skull Principal truly felt a headache coming on.