Episode 443

Episode 443

“What did you just say?”

Lee Han, sitting atop Tanjuo, asked in confusion.

I said perfect score…

“That’s not a perfect score! It’s not a perfect score, so everyone come inside!”

Professor Rosine hurriedly blocked the demon’s mouth and called the students in.

How could he just declare a perfect score before the test even started!

Why would he do that?

“That’s my line! The test hasn’t even started yet!”

But at this level, there’s no point in even holding the test…

Oriphulas was genuinely indignant.

He had tried to help Professor Rosine out of consideration by reducing her workload!

“You have to take the test.”

Surely, mage. Are you also one to keep needless formalities merely out of custom?

“…There are still many parts that haven’t been confirmed.”

Professor Rosine did not waver.

Of course, she could understand to some extent why Oriphulas had shouted “perfect score” just then.

Just being able to control Tanjuo so smoothly and arrive at the classroom was already quite impressive.

But the evaluation items for the midterm were not limited to just one; a variety of criteria had to be assessed in combination.

“First, from where and in what situation did you encounter it…”

Where did you meet it?

“Lee Han summoned it with the priests… with the priests.”

Perfect!! Perfect!!!

Oriphulas applauded in admiration.

He had been working for imperial mages for over a hundred years, but this was a rare sight to behold.

“I told you to be quiet!”

Professor Rosine clenched her teeth as she blocked Oriphulas’s mouth. The contract binding the demon activated, sticking Oriphulas’s tongue to the roof of his mouth.

Mmmmp! Mmmmp!

“…How did you all form the contract?”

Professor Rosine was about to move on but couldn’t help asking.

Honestly, she was too curious.

She could understand if they’d managed to summon it just by luck.

Though, even that was hard to grasp right now…

But how had they managed to contract with it?

‘If it’s a contract that allows Tanjuo to be controlled like that, what sort of contract is it?’

“Lee Han asked, ‘Will you attack the principal’s room, or help us instead?’ That’s when they said they’d help us.”

Clap clap clap clap clap clap clap!

With his mouth blocked, Oriphulas gave an emotional round of applause.

A student who had studied for just one semester pulling off such an advanced technique.

A high-level method: offering a dangerous, unattractive option to a summoned being, then guiding them to the real choice.

After being caught out by this once, inexperienced otherworldly beings supposedly developed a deep aversion to mages.

“…Lee Han, you can skip the midterm and just stand by and observe.”

“What? Did I do something wrong?”

Lee Han, who had been wiping off water, was bewildered.

Professor Rosine, who usually praised students with such enthusiasm, was looking so exhausted.

‘Did I make some kind of mistake?’

• * *

Fortunately, he hadn’t.

After assessing the situation, Lee Han could sympathize with Professor Rosine’s stance.

“The principal is really too much sometimes.”

“O-of course, I’m sure the principal has his reasons!”

Exhausted, Professor Rosine regained her wits at Lee Han’s words.

The professor’s role was to stop students from complaining about the principal, not encourage them.

“I’m sure he has reasons. For wanting to cause pain to the students, that is.”

“……”

Professor Rosine wondered if Lee Han had been punched by Skull Principal.

-Grrrrr Mage! Grrrrr I’ll kill you!

“I… I didn’t lock you up! I-I’ll call Lee Han!”

Gainando cried out, his face ashen, at the monster locked in the cage.

Of course, the monster didn’t recognize the name Lee Han and just howled violently.

Hmm… threats are a good choice, but you should have used a name they’d recognize.

Oriphulas offered points and advice from the side.

If it’s a name they don’t know, you at least need to give enough hints for them to guess.

“B-behind me is a crazy friend who takes every magical course in Einrogard!”

-Grrrr, I’ll kill you! Grrrrrr!

Unfortunately, the monster didn’t understand. Oriphulas, disappointed, ceased scoring.

Next!

“Judging by your appearance, it seems you like gems, so I brought a few with me. If you contract with me, I’ll bring the same amount again next week…”

Quickly discerning the other party’s likes and dislikes is also important. You’ve improved.

“Th-thank you.”

Though, such beings are so greedy they don’t like promises of periodic tribute. Of course, sometimes they’ll accept, but in those cases it’s actually more dangerous. Some might kill the contractor and cut open the goose’s belly to get all the gold at once.

“……”

While the students took the test, Lee Han approached Tanjuo, who was drinking water with a splash in the hallway outside the classroom.

And asked,

“Are you all right?”

……

Tanjuo did not answer. It seemed to be slightly sulking.

“Uh, we’ll have to move to the next class location after this test is over.”

…Power… I need to recover my power…

Tanjuo spat water to the side with a grudging sound, clearly unhappy.

There was an awkward sense that, though it wanted so badly to rest, it hoped Lee Han would understand that desire.

“Recovery? Oriphulas-nim, is there any way to restore the Swallower of ships?”

Oriphulas, who had been evaluating the students, rushed over at Lee Han’s summons.

Most requests from imperial mages were boring, so he had to enjoy himself when something fun happened.

When would he next see a young mage bossing Tanjuo around by contract?

As a demon, these were the kinds of comical moments that brought him sweet happiness.

Recovery! It’s easy and hard at the same time. A corpse from its lifetime would work, or maybe there’s some of the reagent left over from the summoning?

“We used it all during the summoning.”

A pity. But it can’t be helped.

If there were leftover reagents after summoning a massive monster like Tanjuo, that would be even more surprising.

Oriphulas was not surprised.

‘Huh?’

Professor Rosine, listening from the side, grew doubtful.

Where had the first-year students obtained the reagents to summon Tanjuo?

‘That’s not easy to get…’

It’s a bit delicate to mention, but… what about mana? I remember you had a lot.

Oriphulas, true to his gentlemanly demeanor, was careful.

To a mage, mana is life itself.

Even with a lot of mana, it wasn’t easy to restore the power of a colossal monster like Tanjuo.

“Mana will do?!”

Lee Han was startled.

Such an easy method?

I don’t see why you’re so surprised. If the quality and quantity are sufficient, it’s possible.

“Could you restore it any further? From this incomplete spiritual state…”

Suddenly, Tanjuo coughed, spewing water from its mouth and back.

As a remarkable spiritual beast, it instinctively sensed danger.

That’s impossible. Recovery beyond the state in which it was summoned would break the laws.

“That’s a shame.”

That aside, are you really all right? I feel like we should be talking about normal recovery, not surpassing the limits…

Even standard recovery didn’t seem easy, so to speak of such things…

Oriphulas was worried.

If this young mage collapsed and Tanjuo was freed from the contract, how regrettable would that be?

“I’m fine. Swallower of ships, I thank you for your service, and to help you recover, I’ll offer you my mana.”

Don’t…

Before Tanjuo could finish its words, mana started to move.

Tanjuo’s bones, previously exhausted and drooping, began to shine, and the color of its spirit-formed body regained vitality.

……

“Is it recovered?”

Tanjuo did not answer. Instead, Oriphulas answered for it.

You’ll be a splendid summoner. May you torment other beings for a long time to come.

• * *

When the test ended, students lined up to ride Tanjuo.

Weary as it was, Tanjuo did not respond to their words of gratitude and kept its mouth tightly shut.

“You all did really well!! To accomplish this much in such adversity, I’m sure you’ll do even better in other situations!!”

Professor Rosine sent the students off with spirit once the test was over.

Struggling students deserved such encouragement.

Professor Fliework, by any chance did you take the box from the 47-Spirits Storage?

“Yes, I needed it to cage the Heart-Eater…”

Did you really need to use such an expensive one for those Ironheads…?

Skull Principal, floating down, was shocked to see Tanjuo summoned and forlornly waiting in front of the classroom.

Skull heavens! What is that!!

“???”

“??????”

The students in line were startled by the principal’s scream.

“Principal. That’s… It’s Tanjuo. Don’t you know Tanjuo?”

With a look, Skull Principal hung Gainando upside down. Hanging upside down, Gainando screamed in grievance.

Who on earth got Tanjuo, and where?!

“…We don’t know!”

“We don’t know anything!”

The students stood firm.

One thing they’d learned at Einrogard was ‘If there’s no evidence, stand your ground.’

But Skull Principal hadn’t asked because he didn’t know.

Wardanaz!

“Yes?”

How did you get it?

“I don’t understand what you mean.”

……

Skull Principal almost broke the rule he’d preached countless times—‘If they don’t catch you, you’re innocent’—by grabbing his disciple by the collar.

Who else’s disciple would act like this…

I’m not angry, so just be honest. I’m asking out of pure curiosity.

“I don’t understand what you mean. I just found Tanjuo drifting.”

…Bible, right? You had Bible get it for you, didn’t you?

Skull Principal asked as if fishing for an answer.

But the disciple before him was not easily shaken. He replied as expressionlessly as ever.

“I don’t know what you mean…”

……

Skull Principal glared at Lee Han suspiciously.

It wasn’t because he was angry about losing Tanjuo.

Well, admittedly, that was a bit much…

‘How did he get into the professors’ lounge to steal it?’

What Skull Principal wanted to know was the method.

If he couldn’t figure it out, the lounge could be breached again.

Bible… It must have been Bible. No one else but Bible.

He spoke, half certain, half testing.

Lee Han said nothing. At times like this, it was best to remain silent.

Truly impressive. But remember—Tanjuo is a very ferocious beast…

Skull Principal, about to curse him out of spite, saw Tanjuo waiting, dejected.

It appeared to be ordered around for all sorts of chores, properly bound by contract.

That idiot! And you call yourself a spirit beast of the sea?!

Tanjuo, at the insult from the archmage who suddenly appeared, sprayed water sadly.

As if it wasn’t already miserable…

Fine. I’ll let it slide this time. But someday… someday you too will fall into a trap. Got it?

“I’ll keep that in mind.”

Hmph. We’ll see then. I’ll be saving the dullest, most boring spot in the punishment room just for you!

Skull Principal vanished off into the distance with a gloomy sound.

The students in the back thought to themselves.

‘…the professors’ lounge…’

‘…did you steal it??’

As they reeled in disbelief, Oriphulas spoke up.

Twenty points! Twenty points…!

“Shhh. Be quiet.”

Professor Rosine hushed him, watching after the departing Skull Principal.

It was never a good idea to provoke a sulking Skull Principal.

‘So that’s where they got the ingredients for the Tanjuo summoning…’

Professor Rosine quietly added another plus next to the A+.

A mark of respect for an outstanding student.