Episode 471

‘No way… right?’

The imperial princess tried to deny reality.

But the signs were clear.

Thinking back, how Wardanaz had always offered her food whenever he saw her—even more than seemed normal.

Originally, she had passed it off as ‘Wardanaz respects me like everyone else,’ but now that she thought about it…

Where could this misunderstanding have started?

Adenart furrowed her brow, deep in thought.

Of course, she had coincidentally done a few things that might be misunderstood. And she’d thoroughly enjoyed the breakfasts, lunches, and dinners Wardanaz had prepared.

But that was simply the self-restraint of a royal who treasures ingredients and doesn’t waste food, not greed! The misunderstanding was truly infuriating.

‘Is this because of Gainando?’

Adenart, who had never blamed others in her life, found herself pointing fingers for the first time today. It was that shocking.

As Adenart stayed silent with a slight frown, Lee Han nodded as if he understood everything.

“No need to say anything. I understand. Don’t worry—I’ll pack up some things for you before you go back. Your followers really have no sense in these matters.”

Lee Han was quite generous when it came to Adenart.

Since the imperial princess’s followers were scattered across every level of the Empire, it never hurt to be on good terms with her.

In the future, if he found employment as an imperial bureaucrat, it would be better to hear, ‘Ah, you’re the one the princess praised!’ rather than, ‘Gasp! That Wardanaz of all people, as the princess mentioned…! What are you even doing here?!’

And frankly, the princess’s followers really were clueless.

If the princess was starving, shouldn’t they think ‘we should bring her some food’ instead of staring blankly and going, ‘Her posture is unwavering even now’…?

‘Honestly, the princess’s followers get a little Gainando-like when it’s about her.’

“What should I pack as the focus? The butter cookies and tart I brought last time were pretty good.”

Adenart, who had been determined to clear up this misunderstanding and regain her dignity, hesitated.

As a royal who excelled in everything, she couldn’t resist the temptation of curiosity.

“What kind of tart…”

Ding—

Without hesitation, Lee Han released the princess’s hand and took the next friend’s hand.

Raphaedael of the Gral family from the White Tiger Tower took Lee Han’s hand and hesitated.

Then he stomped his foot.

Lee Han was confused, unable to understand what kind of bizarre stunt Raphaedael was pulling.

“What are you doing? Warm-up steps to stomp my foot?”

“N-no. It’s just, the princess… Isn’t this what I’m supposed to do?”

Raphaedael looked around nervously and stopped stomping.

The princess, beside him, had just stamped her foot as if in a rage. He had wondered, ‘Is this a new dance step?’ and imitated her since it was the princess, after all…

Apparently not.

Lee Han smirked.

“You fell for it, Raphaedael. When dancing, you have to use the steps you know. If you just follow what others are doing, you’ll get tricked. The princess was trying to trick people like you who just copy others.”

“Grr…!”

Raphaedael ground his teeth at the brutal truth.

Those great noble brats from Blue Dragon Tower, every single move they made was wicked and full of schemes, so you could never let your guard down.

“Wardanaz. Just you wait. Maybe I’m not strong enough yet, but sooner or later I’ll break your dark magic and take you down.”

“Sure. Work hard and take the principal down, too.”

Nillia, who was dancing with the princess, tilted her head.

“And what about summoning magic, illusion magic, imbue magic, divination magic, transformation magic, and healing magic? No countermeasures for those?”

“Shut up!”

“What? Why don’t you shut up? You want an arrow in your back?”

Ding—

“Ah. Priestess Siana. You’re quite skilled at dancing. I need to file a complaint with the Fleming Order.”

“Huh? Why?”

“They’ve stolen away a dancer of the Empire.”

Few friends reacted as well to flattery as Priestess Siana. Lee Han was pleased to see her face brighten.

Though in the meantime, Siana stepped on Lee Han’s foot twice…

‘If it were one of those White Tiger Tower brats, I’d never forgive it, but she’s from Phoenix Tower, after all.’

“Did you hear about the new storage room discovered on the third floor of the main building?”

“Oh my! What kind is it?”

“It seems like some kind of potion storage, but it doesn’t belong to the principal. It looks like seniors use it. So I’m a bit worried…”

“No worries. The seniors will understand.”

“Really?”

“I met and talked with some of them recently—they all said so.”

Lee Han lied with a straight face.

Whatever, senior storage or otherwise, didn’t everyone need to survive their first year?

“If you ever have trouble among the priests, please, make sure to tell me. I’m very devout, so if any of the priests have issues, it pains my heart.”

Priestess Siana was the most sociable among the generally quiet and unsocial Phoenix Tower priests.

Since she always delivered useful information, Lee Han was happy to flatter her as much as needed.

“You still prefer the Fleming Order, right?”

“…Well…”

Ding—

“Priest Sharkal.”

Shark beastkin priest, Sharkal, was the only one who liked the spirit flood.

Besides species characteristics, serving Agltakwa, god of the sea and storms, was a big advantage in such circumstances.

“Wardanaz. Thanks to this flood, our order has gained five more believers!”

“Oh… I see.”

“It’s all thanks to you, Wardanaz.”

“?”

Lee Han was puzzled.

If people gain faith because of the spirit flood, fine—but why thanks to him?

“What did I do? You don’t—don’t tell me you think I started the spirit flood…”

“What kind of fool would think that?”

Priest Sharkal grinned, baring sharp, shark-like teeth.

Lee Han glanced over at those White Tiger Tower brats across the way.

“Anyway, so why is it thanks to me?”

“Everyone is very interested in divine magic. Like, can they learn it, or how long does it take, etc. So I mentioned your example, Wardanaz.”

“……”

Isn’t this a scam??

Ding—

“Priest Tijilling. Are you eating properly? What did you have for breakfast? What about dinner last night? You’re not trying to be ascetic and skip meals again, are you? I’m a Prisinga Order follower myself, but you know there’s nothing in the doctrine about fasting, right?”

“…I-I ate well. No need to worry.”

Tijilling was flustered by Lee Han’s motherly worry.

True, among the priests, Tijilling was the most ascetic, but why was Lee Han behaving like this…?

“Mehred was really worrying about you the other day. Honestly, I don’t want to worry either, but apparently you skipped dinner again to focus on prayer.”

“How did you… Siana!”

But Siana, far away, was innocently stepping on Angrago’s foot and didn’t hear.

“I’m not a person who nags or pesters too much, Priest Tijilling. Just, let’s take care of the basics.”

“It was just one time…”

Tijilling tried to protest for once, but Lee Han ignored it and continued.

“Eating breakfast, lunch, and dinner isn’t that hard. There’s even a story about this. While the fasting priest fainted from long-term abstinence from grains, the one beside him who ate regularly attained enlightenment…”

“……”

Priest Tijilling learned two things.

First, never skip a meal again.

And second, that once a boy of the Wardanaz family makes up his mind, it’s best not to argue and just listen quietly.

Ding—

“Shyles.”

“Wardanaz. Thank you again.”

“The Richmond family won’t forget their debt, right?”

“…Huh? We don’t really have a family motto or anything, but… isn’t it normal not to forget a favor?”

“I’m not saying this just to show off, but I invested a lot last time to bring Fongrif over. That curse was not easy to break…”

“T-thank you? Wardanaz, unless I’m misunderstanding, are you reminding me because you’re afraid I’ll forget…”

Ding—

“Rowena. This is a light question, but have you missed any meals recently?”

“No. As a knight, it’s also my ability to ensure I get the nutrition I need.”

Rowena, from White Tiger Tower and one of Adenart’s followers, answered with confidence.

Lee Han patiently probed again.

“Have you ever dined with the princess?”

“No. Royals typically don’t eat with others often because it exposes them to potential danger.”

“……”

Lee Han considered stamping on Rowena’s foot, but held back.

‘Sure, it’s not the job of followers to feed the princess.’

Followers had their own lives, after all.

Still, if they weren’t going to help with meals, what’s the point of following…?

“Ah, I see!”

Rowena called out brightly as if a lightbulb had gone off.

Lee Han asked, deadpan,

“What did you realize?”

“You want to dine with the princess! Isn’t that right? Heh. You must be impressed by her talents. As one would expect from the Wardanaz family… ouch!”

“Sorry. That was an accident.”

Lee Han gave Rowena’s foot a stomp.

Ding—

“Priest Nigisor, you don’t look well.”

“It’s the prolonged spirit flood…”

Nigisor, who usually shone so brightly, had grown visibly gloomier these last few days.

‘He’s affected because he’s part spirit.’

Having spirit blood meant more than just unusual looks and being a neuter being.

Even if the spirit traits were diluted, a being with the spirit’s sensitivity to magic would be affected by environmental changes like this.

“But thanks to you, Wardanaz, I was comforted.”

“Huh? What did I do?”

“You beat up the sirens and made fire underwater.”

Priest Nigisor had never liked water-related beings much.

But that was beside the point; Lee Han had never beaten sirens.

“I didn’t beat anyone?”

“Really? The White Tiger Tower students said so…”

“I see. Do you remember who?”

Lee Han made a mental note of some folks to dunk head-down in the water.

“I hope the spirit flood ends soon… Oh. Do you have a plan?”

“?”

Lee Han was slightly startled by the natural way the question was asked.

“What plan? For dinner?”

“No. I mean a plan to end the spirit flood.”

“How am I supposed to end it?”

Priest Nigisor gave Lee Han a look as if to say, ‘You’re playing coy again, huh?’

“Didn’t you resolve the last blizzard incident, too?”

“No, that was just coinc—”

“Right. Coincidence this time too?”

“……”

Ding—

“Did someone piss you off? Why the face?”

“Yoner… Priest Nigisor is truly a fire spirit half-blood after all.”

He was truly good at setting fires in people’s hearts.

Yoner spun Lee Han around. His graceful skill took Lee Han by surprise.

“You’re good at this.”

“…Of course I am. What did you think I was? Did you think I’d be bad at dancing?”

Yoner was incredulous.

He was of Meikin blood, after all.

“I figured you’d never been to a ball and just read the business section of the Imperial newspaper.”

“…Not entirely wrong, but I did attend now and then.”

Stung by the truth, Yoner lightly pinched the back of Lee Han’s hand.

“And besides, you have to attend things like this if you want to get investment or support, right?”

“Well, that’s true. Hmm. Maybe I should just have Gainando go and be my face?”

“It’d be better for you to just practice and do it yourself.”

Yoner gave a firm answer to his friend who wanted to coast by.