Episode 454

Episode 454

‘He must be preparing some wicked exam.’

Lee Han didn’t trust the skull headmaster one bit.

If he had to believe that the skull headmaster was sympathizing with the students’ suffering while surveying waterlogged Einrogard, he’d sooner believe that Gainando studied every day for a week.

What sort of exam was he preparing?

Crackle crackle crackle—

…What are you doing?

The skull headmaster looked incredulous as he watched his student break through several layers of magical barriers he had put up.

Lee Han having just said goodbye but immediately swimming back to approach him was absurd enough, but…

‘What a brute.’

But what was more shocking was how Lee Han had just battered his way through the intricately crafted magical veils with sheer brute-force mana.

With that much mana, even a crude approach was effective.

Surely none of the Einrogard professors taught him to do things this way, so he must have figured it out himself (if someone had taught him, they deserved the punishment room). Truly absurd.

Was he really from the Wardanaz family?

“I just went for a swim since the night air was nice.”

Destroying my magic in the process?

“There was something in the way, so I used a bit of force, but I didn’t realize it was your spell, Headmaster.”

Lee Han poked his head out of the water and shamelessly replied.

Unfortunately, the skull headmaster was far more thorough than he appeared.

He had put up several magical veils spanning quite a wide area around himself to prevent any intrusion.

You could sense the meticulousness—he wouldn’t even allow distant surveillance.

Isn’t it too soon to try and ambush me? Then again, with you, maybe you’d try it already.

“What are you saying? I’ve never even thought of attacking you! What kind of student would attack their master?!”

Your second-greatest strength is that loyalty, that respect for your mentors. And true, if you were going to ambush me, you wouldn’t be this sloppy.

The skull headmaster nodded as if he were convinced.

You’re after the treasures hidden in my storeroom, right? Students are all thieves—turn your back for a second and they’re plotting to rob me!

‘Well then, provide us with at least steady meals, beds, and lab materials…’

Lee Han cursed silently.

After all, he half led me into this!

Not that it mattered, since he wasn’t here for the storeroom today.

“So what brings you here, then?”

I told you. Einrogard’s all flooded, and I feel for the students’ plight. I’m here to help them.

“……”

Lee Han had to grit his teeth to keep from bursting out laughing.

‘That’s the laziest lie I’ve ever heard.’

“Then I’ll help you as well.”

Really?

The skull headmaster turned to Lee Han as if surprised by his words.

Lee Han, probing, asked,

“Am I a bother to you?”

You’re not a bother, but sometimes I want to hit you.

“……”

Just kidding.

It didn’t sound like a joke, but Lee Han nodded.

If it were anyone else, he’d say, “Stop messing around and study,” but you… Fine. Go ahead and help.

The skull headmaster easily agreed.

Thinking about it, Lee Han didn’t really need to study now, so getting a preview of what was happening wouldn’t be bad.

He was a bit surprised at how easily that acceptance came.

‘What is this? No resistance at all?’

At the very least, Lee Han expected the skull headmaster to grumble about being interrupted.

But to so readily accept it…

‘Is there an extra trap? Is it the kind of thing I couldn’t understand even if I watched? Or maybe something that means nothing even if I figured it out…’

As Lee Han puzzled over it, the skull headmaster said dryly,

Aren’t you going to help, then?

• * *

The skull headmaster attached an eldritch telekinetic hook to the ferry Lee Han was riding, making it quickly follow behind him.

A ferry that should have moved by oars now sped after the skull headmaster on its own.

People in the Empire think this estate is protected by a mighty magical barrier.

“Isn’t it?”

Not a completely wrong thought.

Einrogard is itself a massive magical phenomenon.

It’s a source and linchpin of ancient magic, older than the Empire, and in one of the densest mana flows on the continent.

Given that it had never fallen in its long history, it was only natural for the people to have illusions about it.

But if magic were really so easy and convenient, wizards wouldn’t dedicate their lives to it.

The array of spells woven over Einrogard is so vast, intricate, and powerful that even the skull headmaster can’t fully grasp them all.

Magic like this sometimes collides and creates unexpected effects, and sometimes leaves holes.

Nothing works well unattended. Everything must be maintained. If you don’t polish a sword it rusts; clothing wears and frays if you don’t care for it. Einrogard is no different.

That’s why part of the headmaster’s job is to patrol all corners of sprawling Einrogard and fix things before they become problems.

Sometimes that means capturing runaway students…

And after a massive elemental event like this flood, Einrogard’s magical order gets even more chaotic and unpredictable.

So these patrols and repairs were especially crucial.

If you spot a damaged or cracked building or anything unusual, say so.

“……”

Lee Han looked at the skull headmaster with great suspicion.

The explanation was so plausible that it was even more suspicious.

‘It’s logical. But fishy.’

Could it really be coincidence that, during midterm week, he was floating around menacingly with that look in his eye?

Lee Han didn’t think so.

Is there a problem?

“I just found myself moved by how devoted you are, Headmaster, and it’s a shame how little outsiders appreciate that dedication.”

You are absolutely right. Those fools don’t know what’s really important.

The headmaster nodded, his eye sockets flashing.

At that, underwater, bricks began snapping together, instantly forming a tower.

Idiots—third-years summoned a dark-elemental being and couldn’t even contain it. It escaped.

“……”

Lee Han doubted his ears.

Can’t blame them. Pity to lose a good building, but… next year’s class will make good use of it. Oh, right—if you ever want to lock up a summon, remember this sealing tower.

The skull headmaster offered fatherly advice in return for helping.

Though the contents weren’t all that fatherly.

But don’t trap anything too feeble in there. Something with four wings, six legs, about the weight of eight fortress cornerstone blocks? Anything less isn’t worth it.

“Ah, yes.”

That one, you can fix. Go ahead.

“?”

Lee Han blinked, looking where the skull headmaster indicated.

But there was nothing there.

“What was here originally?”

Oh, sorry. You wouldn’t be able to see it yet.

The skull headmaster spun three times in midair and shouted, “All students are Ironhead!”

Just then, an empty patch of air took form, revealing a vintage, flat-looking stone house.

See that crack? Try repairing it.

“What building is this?”

Lee Han drew the ferry close to the stone house and asked.

The structures most often seen around school were either towers (built by professors) or huts (built by students).

Low, material-heavy buildings like this weren’t fashionable in Einrogard.

Though quaint and lovely, practicality was more important here.

Even a ramshackle wooden and leather hut worked fine for a wizard who knew magic.

Some smart student built this back in the day, wanting to raise monsters…

“Hm, doesn’t seem great for a monster.”

It was a pretty house, but what monsters really needed was space to run around.

Exactly. So it didn’t see much use once built.

‘Not such a smart student, huh?’

After that, later students repurposed it for other uses. Several times, probably. Ten years ago, the polo club used it as a clubhouse; five years ago, maybe the wizard’s card club held a tournament… or did it burn down before the tournament? Doesn’t matter. Right now, it’s used as quarters for ‘properly invited’ guests from outside.

The skull headmaster emphasized “invited.”

He really didn’t like outside visitors.

Anyway, since it’s used as a guesthouse, the repairs need to be good. You’ve mastered earth, wood, and stone magic, right?

“No?”

Lee Han was floored.

How could he ask that—knowing Lee Han’s still suffering with lightning, darkness, fire, cold, and so on?

Hmm. I’ll have to talk to Baegrek about this.

“……”

Don’t glare; I’m joking. You probably haven’t studied wood or stone magic in depth. No need for first-years. Earth?

“I only know the basics.”

Shape transformation, sustain… Can you do decomposition? That’s vital.

“Yes.”

Thankfully, Salko had once taught him -Tutanta Family’s Stone Decomposition-.

He hadn’t fully mastered it, but with mana, he could use it.

That’s not basics, you Ironhead.

The skull headmaster scolded him.

Humility’s not a virtue for wizards.

Sure, you’re busy gobbling, sleeping, and playing like an animal now, but as a second-year you’ll do plenty of construction. Good to get it down. The thing is, you also need some knowledge of transformation magic for this… Ah. Never mind. I forgot who I was talking to.

He recalled Lee Han’s list of school specialties and dismissed his own concern.

“Uh, transformation magic I’m still not confid—”

Just listen.

The headmaster decided to treat 95% of Lee Han’s future comments as mere moaning.

• * *

Earth-element magic was relatively easy.

Any wizard lived with their feet to the ground, after all; you couldn’t not be familiar.

And unlike fire or water, earth was the easiest to summon at hand.

Summoning earth, shaping it, fixing it—such spells were within reach of other students, too.

But to repair a structure made with composite materials, you couldn’t just control earth; you needed to command various components.

The headmaster pressed Lee Han to transform stone to sand, and sand to stone.

Lee Han had managed to learn how to turn cloth into steel, but turning a solid rock into sand was still tough.

The headmaster tossed rocks and scattered sand to help his student stuck at that wall.

Feel it! You have to feel it! That transformation was too slow. That one—you lost your focus! Use more mana. This is one spell where using extra is fine!

In desperation to avoid rocks and sand being pelted at his face, Lee Han threw himself into learning the magic.

And he finally succeeded.

“…!”

Transforming the shape of the damaged stone house and making the crack disappear, Lee Han suddenly felt a wave of self-doubt.

Why do I only succeed after getting beaten?

‘Is this really the right way to succeed? It sure is efficient, but…’

Well done. Those spells are handy. Stone is a pain to mold as it is…

‘At least I’ll always be able to make pocket money at any mason’s guild.’

The two wizards had different thoughts.

“Where to next?”

Hmmm. There’s a dock by the lakefront—I suspect there’s damage. Let’s go there next.

“Yes. …?”

As Lee Han nodded and went to leave, something felt off.

Huh?

‘Are we really just doing repairs?’

Is there really no evil plot or test preparation going on?