Episode 571

He doubted his own ears, but what he heard didn’t change.

Well, come to think of it, hadn’t Professor Voladi been singing this tune for a while?

Saying he would ask the giants for help when preparing the exam.

‘I just didn’t think it would be a fight…’

There were various possibilities for a test with the giants.

Carrying out an errand for them.

Having a riddle contest with them.

Having tea time together, and so forth.

Out of all those options, it turned out to be a fight.

A very simple, easy-to-understand, classic Professor Voladi-style exam.

“Is that really true?”

Lee Han asked, more out of polite refusal to accept reality than anything.

“Are you talking about how much giants love dancing! Of course they do! Who in the Empire doesn’t love dancing! Anyone who says otherwise simply lacks cultural sophistication!”

‘I actually don’t like it…’

Lee Han, suddenly feeling like a person with less culture than a giant, was rather bitter.

“I’m not talking about that, but the weird thing the giants said.”

“Well, they did say they’d dance a humorous piece instead of a waltz, which is a bit odd, but I wouldn’t call it weird…”

“I meant when they said they’d fight me.”

“Ah!”

Professor Crinbal, who had been chattering about what kind of dances the giants liked and what would suit them, suddenly recalled and nodded.

“It’s true! I double-checked several times!”

“Did they also say what weapons they’d bring or strategy they’d use?”

“Th-they didn’t go that far…”

Normally, Professor Crinbal spoke in a lively, bouncy tone, but this time he seemed flustered.

The first-year’s question was just too desperate.

“The giants didn’t want to fight, so I gave them some advice!”

“What advice…?”

Lee Han felt slightly afraid.

Advice from a professor didn’t always mean it would benefit Lee Han.

If it was advice like, “To lessen the student’s pain, use a sharp weapon”…

“Just hide!”

“Excuse me?”

“If you don’t want to fight, just hide! If you stay hidden during the exam period, everything will be resolved!”

“No, Professor. Can such a temporary fix… would it really work?”

Lee Han was confused by Professor Crinbal’s words.

Strangely, it sounded plausible.

Or maybe it only sounded good because he might have to wrestle giants for finals.

‘Still, good idea.’

The giants hide -> Professor Voladi can’t find them -> the final automatically passes -> perfect score

Everyone could be happy.

Professor Voladi might be a little sad, but Lee Han believed in him. Surely, he’d overcome it.

“Thank you, Professor! To give such advice…”

“Ah! It’s not over!”

“??”

“Take this!”

Even though you’re hiding, have this

-From the Strong Ones

Professor Crinbal handed over a letter written by the giants themselves.

It seemed hiding was not a habit for their kind.

Especially when their opponent was Einrogard’s mad killer.

“What did you just say?”

“Excuse me? I said the professors of Einrogard…”

“R-right? Maybe I misheard!”

Professor Crinbal wondered if he’d misheard himself.

‘Can I really hide the giants?’

Lee Han pondered.

The weekend started tomorrow, and after that came the final week, including finals.

Of course, the weekend had to be spent preparing for finals.

Could he hide the giants and still study for exams?

‘Hm. But thinking about it, all the review and prep I did until now should be enough for finals.’

Lee Han calmly, and to the horror of other tower students, reasoned it out.

If you prepared and reviewed properly, you didn’t need to cram the night before an exam.

‘If things go wrong with the giants, I might spend all week in bed regardless…’

“Thank you, Professor. I’ll go hide the giants.”

“Good luck, Student Wardanaz! I won’t tell the principal!”

Professor Crinbal winked and took off.

Lee Han realized a bit late he could say, “It’s not the principal’s exam,” but the professor was already gone.

‘Doesn’t matter, I suppose.’

The principal usually liked being cursed anyway, so this much was probably fine.

• * *

Even in Einrogard, which was like a slaughterhouse from hell, Friday afternoons had a slightly more relaxed atmosphere.

After lectures, students would lounge about, waiting for the weekend.

Some sat on the main building’s lawn, playing wizard cards or chess, others played barehanded hurling in the clearing.

Some brought a chair and read -Toberiz: Exposing the Wicked Plans of the Evil Black Mage-, while another fought through Einrogard’s curses just to get a letter written.

But this week was different.

With finals looming, there was a sense of grim determination on the students’ faces. Even those usually indifferent to study could be seen carrying several books.

“Let’s go.”

“Yeah.”

Thud, thud, thud—

As the Blue Dragon Tower students approached with serious faces, Tijilling, who was quietly praying, looked up in confusion.

“What brings you here?”

“Priest, could you call Wardanaz for us?”

“Ah, yes. And what should I tell him the message is?”

“Please ask him to help us study…”

“…Ah, understood.”

The priest’s gaze shifted slightly, as if looking at someone pitiable.

The Blue Dragon Tower students blushed at that look.

‘Is she looking down on us?’

‘Must be your imagination. The priest wouldn’t do that.’

Of course, the Blue Dragon Tower students had their reasons.

It wasn’t because they hadn’t studied or were hoping to slack off by relying entirely on Wardanaz.

They’d studied, but wanted to check for any gaps or mistakes with the class head.

“So there’s nothing to be ashamed of. Got it?”

“Right. Well said.”

“…?”

Adenart, in their midst, tilted her head.

She’d been coaxed into joining, but as she listened, she wondered if this really was a good group.

Wouldn’t it look like she was among the non-studiers if she stayed?

“Uh, did you all study except me? I haven’t yet, actually??”

“Shh. Shut up, Gainando.”

“We need to maintain dignity in front of students from other towers. Honestly.”

“Even if you didn’t, just say you did. Say you’re just here to double-check.”

“……”

“Majesty, where are you going?”

“…There’s something I left in my room.”

Adenart tried to quietly slip away.

She could study alone and didn’t want other students looking at her funny.

Of course, her followers wouldn’t let her escape so easily.

“Should I go for you?”

“No…”

“What did you leave behind?”

“Well…”

“Probably snacks.”

Gainando stuffed the remaining cookies in his mouth as he spoke.

Once studying began, he’d be scolded with, ‘You only came to eat? Work on problems, punk,’ so he figured he’d eat in advance.

He felt deeply moved by his own wisdom.

“What are you talking about!”

“And to whom!”

“Wasn’t it snacks?”

Creak—

“What are you guys doing?”

As the door opened, Lee Han emerged from the tower.

His friends reached out in greeting…

…then paused, surprised.

“Shouldn’t we be asking you that??”

Wardanaz was fully geared up like he was about to head into the mountains.

“Where you off to?”

“I’m going into the mountains for a bit.”

“Why??”

“I have something to do preparation-wise for finals. You all here to study? Good on you. I hope you’ve all read everything I told you to?”

“Uh…”

“Ehh…”

“Um…”

The students exchanged glances rapidly.

“Y-yeah. The first part… at least.”

“Me, too. ‘As I write this tome, I dedicate these words to the future…’”

‘That’s just the preface.’

Lee Han quickly assessed their level and clicked his tongue.

Adenart hid behind her followers out of embarrassment. She didn’t want to be associated with them.

“Sorry, but I can’t help you this time; I have to head into the mountains. Ah, Majesty. Could you help them instead?”

Caught, Adenart looked up in surprise.

She didn’t know why she’d been caught.

‘Was I really hiding?’

Lee Han tilted his head in response to her reaction.

If her followers were around, she’d be nearby automatically—was there any point in hiding?

“With Her Highness, I’m sure you’ll be well-supported.”

“Yes. I’ll do my best…”

“Well, good luck with your studies, everyone.”

As Lee Han tried to say his goodbyes and leave, his friends nearly waved him off but paused.

“Wait! Wardanaz!”

“??”

“You can’t just leave us. We’ll come with you!”

“Yeah. We’re friends!”

As the Blue Dragon Tower students all tried to join in, Lee Han looked at them coldly rather than moved.

“Go study.”

“……”

“Ugh…”

Gainando quietly put the backpack he’d slung over his shoulder back down.

• * *

‘This is a dilemma.’

Climbing up the mountain, Lee Han was lost in thought.

Hiding the giants would not be easy.

It would be helpful if he could get some assistance, but…

‘I wonder if Ikurusha would cooperate.’

Unlike other giants, the wise and intelligent Ikurusha was fairly close with Professor Voladi.

Would someone like that betray his agreement with Professor Voladi and take Lee Han’s side?

He just couldn’t be sure.

-I will help.

“So it really is… huh!?”

-I said, I’ll help.

“Will you be alright?”

-You ask me for help and then ask if I’ll be alright? Is that even a question?

Ikurusha let out a hearty laugh, peering down at Lee Han.

-Are you curious about the reason?

“Yes.”

-Good. Listen closely.

Ikurusha lowered his voice as if to share a secret.

-Normally, if someone suggested a first-year student fight a giant, wise folks would stop it.

“……”

That was true.

“Even so, I thought perhaps your promise to the professor would prevent it.”

-I can’t issue direct orders. But I can help in other ways. Besides, if a -Giant Slayer- archwizard ever shows up, it’ll do the giants no good…

Though he was assisting Professor Voladi and enabling the exams with Lee Han and the giants, Ikurusha was not at all fond of the idea of pitting giants and freshmen against each other.

Pretty much only a crazy wizard like Lord Gonadaltes would enjoy that. And Ikurusha was not insane.

If a badly injured freshman bore a grudge and later came back to take vengeance on the giants, how much blood would be spilled?

‘What’s with the subtext…?’

Of course Lee Han didn’t understand.

-So, have you thought about how you’ll hide them?

“I was planning to check out the topography around here first. If the professor realizes the giants have disappeared, he’ll start searching, so I wanted to identify the hardest-to-find, secret spots first.”

-How about inside the school?

“…Excuse me?”

-Inside the school. The main building of Einrogard. I don’t think there’s anywhere better.

“The main building… does have quite a lot of hiding spots…”

Lee Han was taken aback by Ikurusha’s suggestion.

Certainly, Einrogard’s main building had an endless expanse, just as long a history.

Even the principal himself probably hadn’t mapped it all.

If you searched well, you could surely find more than enough places to hide giants.

‘Can I move them…?’

But the issue was getting them there.

Even if they obeyed Lee Han, guiding impulsive giants down the mountain into the main hall?

“If I practice invisibility magic from now on, could I cast it over all the giants?”

-…That’s not what I meant.

Seeing the freshman trying to brute-force a solution with magic, Ikurusha wore an exasperated look.