Episode 348

Episode 348

30 minutes later.

Professor Garcia returned, panting for breath.

“S… Sorry, everyone. You all waited a long time, didn’t you?”

“???”

Lee Han started to feel something was off.

Professor Garcia was panting as if he had been in some sort of altercation with someone.

‘Could it be that he beat up the people who picked a fight earlier?’

But Professor Garcia’s personality was simply too gentle for that to make sense.

“Pr- Professor. At least have some of this.”

When the students offered him a teacup, Professor Garcia gulped it down. He seemed parched.

“Phew. Sorry, everyone. Did you order any snacks while waiting?”

“Tea was enough for us.”

“No, the snacks here are delicious too. The fruit slices are good…”

In the midst of speaking, Professor Garcia paused.

The students thought, ‘No way.’

“…I’ll just step out for a moment.”

Whoosh!

As Professor Garcia hurriedly left again, Lee Han’s expression tightened as he spoke.

“This won’t do. I’ll go check for a bit.”

It wasn’t just once—he kept doing this, so as a student, it was impossible not to worry.

“Wait a second. Isn’t it dangerous? If you go and just end up in the way…”

Nillia wondered if she should follow.

She understood the desire to help.

But the help from someone lacking ability could end up being more of a hindrance.

Nillia knew that well from her experiences among the hunters.

Even the students now going to help Professor Garcia could be…

“No. Professor Garcia isn’t good at fighting, so in case something happens, he’ll need help.”

“…????”

“???????”

Her friends were so flustered by Lee Han’s words that they couldn’t react.

Meanwhile, Lee Han turned around and quickly ran toward the door.

“Wa… Wardanaz! What on earth is that supposed to mean?!”

• * *

Of the professors at Einrogard, Professor Alcassis Lagrinde, who taught healing magic, was relatively easy to find.

If you saw a group of people passing by with equally pale and tired faces, they were usually either undead or students of Professor Alcassis.

Professor Garcia, catching his breath, spoke.

“Lagrinde… Professor.”

“Professor Garcia.”

Professor Alcassis greeted with a curt nod.

But Professor Garcia wasn’t planning to exchange pleasantries with the other.

‘How many professors are out here, exactly?’

He had just sent one away, and yet another new professor had appeared.

It almost seemed as though there was a professors’ gathering nearby that only Professor Garcia wasn’t aware of.

“May I ask what brings you here?”

“I came because I’m looking for a student.”

“Is it by any chance Lee Han of the Wardanaz Family?”

At Professor Garcia’s words, Professor Alcassis’s otherwise expressionless face moved as if slightly surprised.

“That’s right. If you already know, that will make things go faster.”

“Um, but Mr. Lee Han is a first-year, right? Also, since he’s learning so many majors, he’s not yet skilled enough to be directly studying healing magic…”

“The knights who were attacking Scarlet Lotus Forest last time flew in because of an accident. He singlehandedly did emergency care for them. Wouldn’t you say that’s qualification enough?”

“……”

Professor Garcia cried inwardly toward Lee Han.

‘Where on earth did the warnings I gave you during the semester go?’

No matter how basic healing magic is, if it becomes known that a first-year can use it, trouble is sure to follow—he’d emphasized being careful about that!

Professor Garcia let out a sigh.

But it wasn’t something he could blame his student for.

If someone was hurt right in front of you, how could you stay put just to protect your own comfort?

Seeing Professor Garcia’s anxious demeanor, Professor Alcassis let out a harsh sigh. It was a sigh full of deep fatigue.

“Professor Garcia. I know Mr. Lee Han is a cherished student of yours. But look at my own students.”

Unconsciously, Professor Garcia turned his head, and instantly regretted it.

There were the souls of the world’s most pitiful magicians.

The students specializing in healing magic under Professor Alcassis shook their heads awake after nearly dozing off on their feet.

“My students have only slept one hour in the last three days. Magicians of other schools can make plans. But my students can’t do that. You know this.”

“I mean… That’s…”

Professor Garcia was lost for words at such a sound argument.

Unlike the other professors with selfish motives, Professor Alcassis’s reasoning was one hard to refute, even for Professor Garcia.

She was saying it was to save lives…

“Just let us borrow him for five days. That should be enough to handle the urgent patients.”

“But even after that, if it’s urgent, you’ll come borrow him again, won’t you?”

“Yes. I’m sorry. But if an accident happens, we have no choice. We need as many hands as possible.”

Professor Alcassis spoke, her waist adorned with clattering swords. The dark elf professor’s voice was heavy with resignation and fatigue.

“So where is Student Wardanaz?”

“…I don’t know.”

“Professor!”

Professor Alcassis glared in plea.

Since Professor Garcia usually understood, unlike the other professors, this was quite a shock.

“What am I supposed to do if I don’t know?”

“Is that so… Very well. Find him.”

“Yes…”

The students in the healing magic track went out with conflicted expressions, torn between ‘is it really okay to drag in a freshman’ and ‘if they’re truly talented, maybe we can finally get some rest.’

“……”

Professor Garcia was getting ready to send a note to the tearoom.

He planned to tell the students to lock the tearoom door and not to come out under any circumstances.

‘They’ll never fin—’

“Oh! Found him!”

“…Ah, what are you doing!!! Student Lee Han!! Are you crazy!?”

Professor Garcia spotted Lee Han making eye contact with a healing magic student just beside the alley, and burst out in anger.

• * *

“…I’m sorry.”

Lee Han apologized.

But there was nothing he could do. The situation had come on too suddenly.

Just as he was listening to the conversation between Professors Garcia and Alcassis, the search had started with no warning…

‘I guess I’ll need to get in the habit of being ready to cast an invisibility spell at all times from now on.’

Lee Han reflected bitterly.

Einrogard wasn’t the only battlefield.

Even outside Einrogard was a battlefield.

A careless moment could cost your life on the battlefield!

“At last, we meet.”

Professor Alcassis spoke in a slightly hoarse, rough voice from fatigue.

“Last time, because of Professor Verdus, I couldn’t finish speaking, but now, grasp my hand. I’ll unlock your potential.”

“……”

Lee Han debated whether to trust Professor Garcia and escape, or obediently follow Professor Alcassis.

If he tried to escape and failed, he risked being cut down by Professor Alcassis’s sword; if he followed, he might end up coerced into grueling healing magic training until the end of vacation.

‘The latter is my only option.’

Lee Han decided instantaneously.

The moment Professor Alcassis’s focus wavers, he’d cast every spell he had and then run away!

“You…”

Professor Alcassis’s gaze narrowed. Even without words, Lee Han’s thoughts were clear.

At Einrogard, the headmaster skeleton was the best at catching runaway students, but Professor Alcassis was a hidden powerhouse too.

A professor specializing in healing magic had to be capable not just with healing, but also of catching students trying to flee.

So she could tell just by looking at his stance.

‘Is he really a first-year?’

Professor Alcassis was internally shocked at Lee Han’s flawless posture.

He wasn’t a student from the White Tiger Tower, yet he had a thoroughly solid stance without a single gap.

She had heard that he showed talent even outside the healing magic field, but not to this degree.

With his presence alone, it wouldn’t be a surprise if he were already an experienced battle mage.

‘Even so…’

Professor Alcassis calmly readied her magic.

No matter how talented an opponent is, they are still an inexperienced beast.

In mage duels, the veteran always had a decisive advantage.

Professor Alcassis conserved her mana, preparing to subdue him as quickly as possible.

‘With so much mana, direct suppression spells likely won’t work. Summon restraints from outside.’

‘I’ll spread mist, cast invisibility, buff myself, then run.’

The two magicians stared each other down silently. Tension wound tight in the air.

Lee Han instinctively realized he was at a disadvantage.

‘Damn. I can’t tell what she’s trying to do…’

He couldn’t guess what spell the other would use. And Professor Alcassis already knew about Lee Han’s vast mana.

“…You idiot! What are you doing? Run! Don’t look back, just go! Arm, wither!”

“!?”

At that moment, two students, Professor Alcassis’s disciples, sprang up from the side and cast spells at their teacher.

They were upperclassmen Lee Han knew: Phil and Chil.

Professor Alcassis was not surprised or angry even when her students attacked.

As if it was a bother, she simply flicked her staff, deflecting their magic.

“Run! Spirit… guh!”

Phil was subdued in a single motion from the professor.

She over-regenerated the flesh of Phil’s airway, blocking it temporarily.

Phil tried to undo it somehow, but the professor’s deftness was as firm as the needlework of a master tailor.

“When you get up, go study the neck again, idiot.”

“Eyes, block the light!”

Despite Phil collapsing, Chil was unfazed and targeted her teacher’s eyes again.

After all, healing magic students had so much work that even if they tried to escape or rebel, they weren’t sent to the punishment room.

Professor Alcassis understood this well and neither grew angry nor punished them.

Smack!

With a simple and annoyed gesture, the professor blocked Chil’s magic.

It was a simple motion, but Lee Han and Chil could fathom the advanced skill behind it.

In that brief instant, she had analyzed the arriving magic’s structure, channeled mana into her fingertips, and unraveled it in reverse.

Chil gritted his teeth and shouted.

“Aren’t you guys ashamed! You’re going to drag a freshman and grind him down just like us! Aren’t you ashamed!?”

“…Damn it, you’re right, Chil!”

The upperclassmen, who had been hesitating nearby, threw off their cloaks and picked up their staffs.

They had wavered between selfish gain and their conscience, but upon hearing Chil, their faces grew hot with shame.

As Einrogard students, they couldn’t ask a first-year freshman to go through such a thing.

Professor Alcassis’s gaze deepened, growing darker and sharper.

“Attack if you must, but waste mana needlessly and I’ll kill you.”

“That’s a lie! Teacher, you never kill us; you just give us more work!”

“Bring it on!”

“Which formation?!”

“This time, number 11! Move into formation 11!”

‘Just how many times have these upperclassmen rebelled?’

The healing magic students sprang into formation and charged at Professor Alcassis—it clearly wasn’t their first time resisting.

‘Good! This much should…!’

Chil breathed in relief.

Of course, the students would be soundly beaten, but at least they’d buy their junior time to escape.

But Lee Han didn’t run.

“…??!?”

When Lee Han ran over and stood next to Chil, Chil was astonished.

“What are you doing! Are you crazy!”

“Senior. How could I run away and leave just you upperclassmen behind?”

“…You…!”

Chil’s eyes grew hot. Tear welled up before he realized it.