Episode 522

“Put me in the lead! I’ll bring us victory!”

Angrago shouted energetically.

Lee Han, suffering from muscle pain, looked at Angrago as if he were crazy.

‘What kind of confidence is that?’

Judging by what he’d heard, the opponents were polo fanatics who did nothing but play polo, while here, the students were wizards who naturally prioritized magic.

He had no idea where that confidence came from.

“Angrago. How do you expect to win in this situation?”

“Wardanaz. I’ve played polo every single day without a break. Sometimes I’d play more than ten matches in a row.”

“……”

Lee Han looked at Angrago with a look of scorn.

‘No wonder this guy always seemed to doze off when studying…’

No matter how he thought about it, sports like polo ought to be banned by the school rules.

If they did, the average grades of the White Tiger Tower students would go up by at least 20 points.

“Professor! Please let me lead…”

“Wait. Alpha. Didn’t you get thrown off your mount in the last race?”

“Yes? Yes, but that was just a mistake…”

“Then you’re a backup.”

“…N-no! Professor! You can’t do this! You can’t!!”

Unlike his usual lack of interest in academics, Angrago protested fiercely, but Professor Lightningstep was cold.

Things were already tough; he could not trust someone who only talked a big game.

What was needed was pure skill.

“Wardanaz. Richmond. The others are important, but you two are especially important. Understand?”

“Professor. I haven’t fully recovered from the rock-throwing festival yet.”

“Rock-throwing festival? Oh, St. Iactus Festival? Wait. How did you— Never mind. Professor Verdus must have taken you.”

‘That’s not right.’

Lee Han almost said ‘It was Professor Lagrinde,’ but let it go.

He felt no need to correct it.

“Are your muscles really sore?”

“Yes.”

“Hmm.”

Professor Lightningstep rummaged through his bag and pulled out a potion.

“This should do. It’s a potion not covered by the regulations. Drink it.”

“Thank you… Is it a healing potion?”

Lee Han opened the lid and drank the potion, puzzled.

All his pain vanished almost instantly.

It was even more effective than the acceleration potion he got at the infirmary.

“No. It’s a potion that makes it so you can’t feel pain.”

“……”

While Lee Han was reeling in shock, Professor Lightningstep gathered the high-achieving students and gave instructions.

“You’re lacking both in team tactics and individual skill. Even your mounts are a bit lacking.”

Nillia raised her hand and asked incredulously.

“Can’t we at least swap out our mounts?”

The opponents had ostriches, goats, wolves, turtles, and so on. All they had were horses.

But Professor Lightningstep slowly shook his head.

“For you, that’s actually an advantage. Unusual mounts have pros, but they’re also trickier and wilder. Your horses, on the other hand, are loyal and steady. Especially if you’ve looked after them well all year.”

The students couldn’t help but look proud.

They remembered the time and effort put into the stables over the past year.

Sweat and time never betrayed you.

Grumbling, Gainando picked out some remaining straw from his hair.

“Loyal and steady… They always try to bite my head anytime I’m near.”

Ignoring him, Professor Lightningstep continued.

“Your only viable tactic is a battle of endurance. If you drag it out, the other side’s stamina will give out first.”

Shyles, a Black Turtle Tower student, asked suspiciously, well-versed in mount characteristics due to his family’s carriage business.

“Their mounts aren’t really any less enduring than horses, though?”

“Oh, but the horses I’ve raised are special. Their endurance is much greater. Just don’t let the other side know.”

“……”

“……”

“Alright, now get in a defensive line, don’t lose your reins, don’t cry if you get hit… Wardanaz. Come here.”

“?

Lee Han was perplexed at being called over privately by Professor Lightningstep.

“Are you about to give me another potion? I think that would be a foul, but as long as I don’t get caught…”

“What? No. That’s a foul. I wasn’t planning to go that far.”

‘Wouldn’t even be surprised if you did…’

“Actually, one reason I expect to win this friendly match is you.”

“Excuse me?”

Lee Han hesitated.

Unable to use magic or magical attacks, Lee Han’s options were limited.

No matter how well he rode or how skilled he was with a sword, could he really overcome experienced polo players?

“What are you riding again?”

“Fongrif?”

“Right. And Fongrif is…”

“Oh.”

Lee Han realized what the professor was getting at.

‘Aha!’

“So, if I release Fongrif’s transformation and let it wipe out all the other players’ mounts, we win?”

“…Are you upset at being forced to play? If you are, please say so now.”

• * *

Having finished his preparations, Professor Lightningstep stood with his arms folded, frowning at the field.

Next to him, the city-noble-born captain, Bulpard, smiled and spoke.

“Thank you for giving us this opportunity.”

“Not at all.”

“What greater honor is there than to face the famous Einrogard students? By the way, I heard the Einrogard Polo Club did well recently?”

“If they didn’t win the championship, it doesn’t matter…”

“Oh, but isn’t the journey what really matters?”

“Hmm.”

Professor Lightningstep furrowed his brows, anger bubbling up.

Truthfully, the opponent had done nothing wrong.

They had merely accepted a good offer and showed up.

But when you’re in a bad mood, overly cheerful people just grate on your nerves even more.

Moreover, several of the main players, including the captain, were missing from the Polo Club lineup, which further infuriated Professor Lightningstep.

Of course, they’d done it to give inexperienced freshmen a chance, but when it comes to a favorite sport, people get very petty.

After the recent poor results from Einrogard students, Professor Lightningstep was starved for a win.

“Hopefully today’s friendly match will inspire many students to join the Polo Club next year.”

“I’m going to join!”

Angrago shouted loudly from the stands. Bulpard nodded with a bright expression.

“Maybe we’ll meet and play together someday! But, Professor, why is that student sitting out? He seems to love polo.”

“He broke his leg.”

“Oh dear…”

Bulpard looked at Angrago with pity—he seemed fine but apparently had a broken leg.

Meanwhile, the students and players faced each other and exchanged greetings.

“Let’s have a good match.”

“It’s an honor to play a friendly against Einrogard’s students.”

The Granden City players spoke sincerely.

Curious, Lee Han asked a question.

“But among you, there must be some who are also in the school Polo Club. Has there never been a friendly like this before?”

“Oh, usually Einrogard students play with other magic schools.”

“That’s… No.”

Lee Han was flabbergasted.

‘Then why are we…’

If the other magic schools’ students are busy, can’t we just wait for them? Why bring in a hard mode opponent like this?

“I see…”

Seeing Lee Han was interested, the opposing player got excited and started explaining the joys of polo.

“The Einrogard Polo Club is a truly historic club. The imperial prize money record it set ages ago still hasn’t been broken.”

“Prize money?”

“Yes.”

“Even polo has prize money?”

“Of course.”

Lee Han was surprised.

Shyles, who was standing next to him, was shocked too.

‘How does he not know that…?’

From money collected from spectators to prizes pledged by various celebrities.

If you could win, there was no limit to what you could earn in polo.

And above all, Shyles couldn’t figure out how Wardanaz didn’t know such a thing.

“Magic school students usually put their winnings into magic research.”

“Oh, right. That makes sense.”

Lee Han started fantasizing about siphoning off the polo club’s prize money into business expenses, but snapped back to reality.

There wouldn’t be any money in today’s friendly anyway.

‘Focus.’

“Huh, are you from the Richmond family by chance?”

“Ah. Yes.”

The players also spoke to Shyles, who was nearby.

Their previously friendly eyes became sharp as they whispered to each other.

“Keep an eye on that student first…”

“We can’t let our guard down around him.”

“……”

• * *

Beep!

As soon as it began, dust flew up across the wide field.

Players riding ostriches and wolves charged fiercely, dribbling the ball with their mallets.

Shyles, who took the right flank, shouted urgently.

“Everyone, keep formation, don’t—k-cough!?”

The wolf blocked Shyles’ movement, and the ostrich quickly delivered a kick.

Shyles was flung off and rolled across the ground.

White Tiger Tower students couldn’t help but cheer.

“Such advanced techniques!”

“That’s a perfect -knocking the player off- technique!”

‘What kind of technique name is that…’

“Everybody hold out! I’m coming!”

Lee Han realized the skill gap between his friends and the players was bigger than he’d thought.

At this rate, they wouldn’t be able to hold out—they’d just get breached and lose a goal.

Right now, the only one who could buy time was Lee Han, riding his griffon.

“Fongrif. Let’s do this.”

For the first time in a long time, Fongrif heard affection from his master; his eyes glowed red and he snorted heavily.

Bang!

“Careful! Right side!”

“Block him!”

When Lee Han, who was on the left, suddenly swung to the right, the other players moved to block, protecting the ball handler.

Lee Han clenched his teeth, bracing for the collision.

Direct hits above the shoulder were forbidden, but, as seen earlier, attacks using mounts or lower-body charges were open.

He couldn’t take out seasoned players in one hit, so he trusted to Fongrif’s mass to break through.

-Gak gak gak!!!!

“?”

The goat in his path suddenly shrieked and turned aside, the player on it startled.

Their teammate’s unexpected reaction was surprising.

The wolf beside them reacted the same.

When Fongrif approached, it recoiled and widened the gap.

With a breakthrough suddenly open, Lee Han dashed ahead. Professor Lightningstep punched the air.

“That’s it!”

“H-how?!”

Bulpard shouted in confusion.

What just happened?

‘That’s proving much more effective than I thought!’

Professor Lightningstep suppressed a smile, delighted.

He wanted to declare a perfect score on the spot.

“That horse was originally a griffon.”

“Excuse me? But…”

The opponent stammered, but Professor Lightningstep spoke first.

“Of course, it may seem dangerous for a first-year to handle a griffon. But with solid preparation, managing one isn’t that risky.”

Professor Lightningstep lied shamelessly.

In fact, from an objective perspective, no matter the preparation, handling a griffon was extremely dangerous.

“No, it’s not that.”

“?

“We actually practiced for games against griffons. But why are they so scared right now…”

“…?!”