Episode 423

Professor Ingeldel, feeling awkward, changed the subject.

“Still, since Sir Jeancliffe is an excellent knight, his teachings will be of great help. By the way, when did you become able to draw out mana at such a high level?”

“It’s not high level, I’m just using mana wastefully, knowing I’ll lose some…”

“…Anyway, since Sir Jeancliffe is an excellent knight, the technique you just learned should be helpful!”

Lee Han glanced at Professor Ingeldel with slightly suspicious eyes.

He felt like the professor was just glossing over things because he didn’t know how to explain.

“He was really strong indeed.”

“There’s a lot of talk that the Beechwood Knights care too much for pomp and circumstance, but Sir Jeancliffe is an exception.”

“?”

Huh?

‘Didn’t you just insult them really naturally?’

It seemed Professor Ingeldel wasn’t aware that he had just badmouthed someone. Lee Han, out of respect as a student, decided to just let it go.

“Besides, since he’s knowledgeable about all sorts of swordsmanship in the Empire, surely he’ll be of help…”

“But not as much as you, professor.”

“Ah, that’s not the case.”

To Lee Han’s surprise, Professor Ingeldel denied it rather firmly.

He never talked empty words when it came to swordsmanship, so Lee Han was startled.

“Is that so?”

“I’m not as sociable as Sir Jeancliffe, you see.”

“…Ah.”

Lee Han understood instantly.

Of course, someone who went around visiting sword masters in the Empire and researched each of them would have a broader perspective than someone simply swinging a sword around on the battlefield.

‘Though he did make a mistake about my level.’

Lee Han was unsure if the technique Sir Jeancliffe had taught would really help.

He’d had enough of forcing himself to learn high-difficulty magic above his level.

Was he really ready for this?

“…That’s why I’m worried.”

Lee Han confessed his concerns honestly to Professor Ingeldel.

It was better to ask an expert than to get hurt by acting rashly.

“Is that so? I understand. I’ve felt that way, too.”

Professor Ingeldel accepted Lee Han’s worries amicably.

“You, too, Professor?”

“Yes. It was tough when my skills didn’t improve as quickly as I’d hoped.”

“?”

Lee Han wondered what he meant.

“No, Professor. I mean, it’s not that I’m upset because my skills aren’t improving fast enough to use the technique, but whether it’s okay to force myself to learn something above my level…”

“But you know, skills don’t rise fast just because you’re impatient. I do understand wanting to use the technique as soon as possible, though.”

Professor Ingeldel laughed heartily.

Lee Han regretted asking now.

“It seems like there’s really only one answer in the end.”

“Diligent practice?”

“That’s too obvious. I meant a life-or-death duel…”

“……”

“You’ll probably get to experience it enough as long as you’re in Einrogard, so don’t get too anxious.”

“Hearing that just makes me more anxious.”

• * *

Finishing his delightful conversation with Professor Ingeldel and returning to the tower, Lee Han realized the priests had already headed out to the lecture.

‘Shoot. I’m a bit late.’

The priests usually arrived before other tower students ahead of class.

To catch up, Lee Han grabbed his books and left the tower.

‘What’s today’s topic in healing magic—was it the liver? No, the stomach?’

All magic lectures had important academic content, but healing magic was especially so.

He had to understand the various bodily structures of all kinds of races, memorize possible diseases, and learn the most effective healing methods ahead of time.

Even White Tiger Tower students, who were determined to learn healing magic to help the knights, wavered and wondered, ‘Can’t we just hire a healer?’ given the sheer amount of knowledge to master.

For students like Lee Han who had little time, he had no choice but to carve out every spare moment to study.

Lee Han organized his thoughts as he hurried on.

But…

“?”

There was no one in the classroom.

‘What is this?’

For a moment, Lee Han wondered if he’d gone to the wrong place.

Supplemental Healing Magic, Advanced—walk about fifteen minutes southwest from the main building, you’ll see two rock pillars, turn right there and follow the path to the Dogyukan (Do-Gye Hall).

‘This is right?’

Looking at the note the skull principal gave him, Lee Han tilted his head.

He’d followed the directions he received from the principal when first coming to Einrogard.

‘Strange. The principal may be a crazy wizard, but he’s not the type to pull pranks like this.’

“Take your seat.”

“!”

Lee Han was startled by the rough, hoarse voice coming from the back of the classroom.

Professor Alcassis Lagrinde stood inside, leaning on a sword as a cane.

“Uh… Have the other students not arrived yet?”

“They’re all seated over there.”

The dark elf professor, wearing an exhausted expression, sat back down and gestured with his sword sheath.

“You just can’t see them.”

“…???”

For the first time in a while, Lee Han got goosebumps.

What in the world was this…?

‘It’s not good to have a one-on-one lesson with a professor.’

From experience, professors who insisted on one-on-one instruction without other students around tended to be a bit insane.

Lee Han wondered if Professor Alcassis was feverish and sliding into a state of mania.

“…You can’t see them because they’re seniors. Sit down. Don’t make me repeat myself.”

“……”

Lee Han finally realized what was going on.

Meaning, this place was…

‘This isn’t the first-year classroom!?’

Amazingly, it was a class for upper-year students, not for first-years.

Lee Han stared dumbfounded at Professor Alcassis.

Even Professor Voladi hadn’t pulled a stunt like this.

‘Or maybe it’s just because he doesn’t have second-years or higher…’

“Professor, actually, I’m a first-year…”

“Should I sew ‘First Year’ onto your coat? Sit down.”

There was a heavy threat in Professor Alcassis’s tone, as if to say if Lee Han made him weary any further, he’d use him for dissection practice.

Lee Han sat down for the time being.

Looking around again, the classroom felt creepy in a whole new way.

There was a lump of meat at every seat, each moving around and serving as a practice target for magic. The invisible wizards were practicing.

-Nice to meet you, junior.

As Lee Han took his seat, words appeared carved into his desk. Lee Han accepted it, half resigned.

“…Nice to meet you, too…”

He thought he was getting used to Einrogard in his own way, but who would have thought he’d take a lesson in a ghost classroom like this.

“Sorry to stop the lecture in the middle. Keep cutting as you listen.”

Swish, swish—

Lee Han sighed as he listened to the sound of slicing meat.

“You might find it weird that a first-year is taking this class… What? You all know this already? You heard? Good. Glad I don’t have to explain…”

Professor Alcassis spoke sincerely.

But Lee Han had no choice but to be flustered.

‘How do they all know?’

He couldn’t help but wonder what the senior healing magic students had discussed that he didn’t know about.

“Then I’ll just explain it to you alone. As you probably realized, you don’t need to learn with the first-years.”

“No…”

“Quiet. Don’t make me repeat myself.”

“……”

Lee Han cursed Professor Alcassis on the inside.

“It’s a waste to group you with first-years. From now on, do practicals with your seniors.”

“What about the parts I haven’t studied yet?”

“Keep up by self-study. You’re top of your class—you can handle that much.”

“……”

Lee Han was speechless.

This was not why he’d become top of the year!

-Sorry the professor is an asshole.

Words appeared on the desk next to him.

• * *

At first, not being able to see or hear the seniors was a bit creepy, but considering how much he complained, Lee Han adapted quickly.

Thinking about it, this kind of class wasn’t necessarily bad.

‘Just having no desks or chairs thrown at me is already enough.’

Other than hating repeating himself, Professor Alcassis was a pretty decent person.

He answered when asked, and didn’t get angry for mistakes.

Thud!

The sword sheath flew past Lee Han and slammed down hard on a desk before returning to the professor’s hand.

Afterwards, the sound of slicing from the meat lumps got much faster and more precise.

‘He doesn’t attack students directly—he’s considerate.’

Lee Han decided to see things as positively as possible.

Today’s practical lesson was about finding and extracting a hidden tumor inside the meat lump, which was a slime made for healing magic practice.

There were all kinds of methods for finding tumors.

He could use detection magic, rely on touch sensitivity, or even search by cutting it open.

The important thing was not to kill the slime.

‘Did the sheath fly earlier because the slime died?’

“I told you not to kill it! Focus!”

Professor Alcassis yelled and threw his sword.

‘Hmm. If you kill it, the sword flies at you.’

Lee Han’s hand movements became even swifter and more precise.

The tension of knowing he could die if he failed pushed him to use everything he knew.

• * *

“He seems like he’ll give up and run away soon…”

“I think so, too.”

The seniors whispered, mindful of the professor.

There’s an old saying about the carrot and the stick.

Reward and punishment, taking turns to motivate.

…Professor Alcassis preferred stick and stick.

Just look at the first-year junior!

Sitting alone in an invisible classroom, dissecting slimes by himself.

They felt they’d develop trauma just imagining themselves in that situation.

“Shouldn’t you get permission from the headmaster to lift the magic only during lectures?”

“As if he’d agree. Why don’t you ask for open gates and outing passes, too.”

“You punk…”

Thud!

The sword sheath flew in. The seniors hurriedly focused again.

-Still, shouldn’t we at least give him some advice?

-True.

They weren’t students of Einrogard for nothing. Avoiding Professor Alcassis’s eyes, they communicated with magic letters.

Dab ink on the desk and write, and the words would wriggle and fly to the other person—a convenient spell for secret conversations during class.

-I’m close by, so I’ll do it.

-Thanks, Phil.

Phil turned to help the junior.

Thankfully, the slime he got was easy, so he had time.

• Disease Detection or Life Assessment… Is that too hard? Something easier… If there were a life amplification potion, that would help, but there isn’t.

Wondering what would help, Phil suddenly sensed something odd and looked up.

Lee Han was already slicing the slime with his knife.

“!??!?!”

Phil almost screamed on the spot.

The junior was going at it way too boldly.

‘No!’

That mistake was one many students had made before.

Trusting in the slime’s vitality, roughly finding the location and then boldly cutting to remove the tumor.

But most failed and got a tongue-lashing from Professor Alcassis.

It wasn’t so easy to succeed by just estimating the position. These slimes died more easily than one might think.

Squelch—

But Lee Han reached the tumor with no trouble. At the same time, he tossed colored stones with his other hand.

“Hm.”

Then he adjusted his direction and cautiously began extracting the tumor.

“……”

Phil was shocked.

Using divination magic for a slime?

It’s not like you’re hunting a dragon with a dragonslaying sword…!