Episode 696

“Where’s the senior?!”

Yoner was startled to see Lee Han return alone and quickly asked.

“He got caught.”

“That’s actually a relief! At least Wardanaz didn’t get caught.”

“Lucky break. Let’s get moving!”

“……”

Lee Han looked at his friends with a look of shock.

Did his friends not have any sense of empathy?

• * *

Having escaped safely, the three hurriedly erased the wagon’s markings and detached the cargo compartment.

Then they went to the place where they were supposed to reunite with their friends.

“!”

“They’re not here…”

“Lee Han. We need to move.”

“I know. Let’s go.”

They couldn’t waste time searching just because the others weren’t here.

From the start, this was one of the scenarios they had already planned for.

If they had to scatter, they’d meet again in front of the school’s main gate.

Even as Lee Han drove the wagon, his constant worry was obvious. Yoner tried to reassure him.

“They’ll be okay. It’s probably just because the merchant wagons left a bit early, right?”

“You think? You don’t suppose they ran into the Death Knight patrol?”

“Uh, is that even a thing…?”

“No clue. But it could happen.”

“……”

Yoner was dumbfounded, but Lee Han was completely serious.

He’d learned a lot coming and going inside the school.

There’s nothing strange about running into a Death Knight patrol!

“Wardanaz, I hear something strange.”

Ratford pricked up his ears and signaled.

Somewhere, a ghostly wailing was echoing.

-Uuuu… sob…

“W-what is that? Some kind of monster…?”

Yoner was flustered.

Dawn was breaking and darkness was nearly gone—so how could some ghost-type monster appear now?

-I don’t want to go back to school…

-Fwaaahhhh…

“……”

“……”

Lee Han and his friends spotted the rest of their group bawling their eyes out beyond the hill and put on bitter expressions.

They weren’t monsters—they were friends returning to school.

“Guys.”

“Wardanaz!”

“Stop crying and let’s go.”

“Wardanaz, I don’t know anyone who’s as well-suited to Einrogard as you!”

“…What the hell, you guys.”

Infuriated, Lee Han grabbed his staff.

Normally, he might have laughed it off, but after all the mental fatigue from smuggling, his patience was gone.

Some things you just don’t say, no matter what!

“If you don’t stop crying and run right now, I’ll give you a real reason to cry.”

“You, you jerk!”

The friends swore at Lee Han and scurried off toward the school.

Lee Han glared after them and muttered.

“Unbelievable that they’d say something like that.”

“……”

“……”

Yoner and Ratford kept silent. Lee Han turned and asked them,

“You agree that was nonsense, right?”

“Huh? Uh. Of course.”

“I agree, that was nonsense.”

The closer they got to the school, the more familiar faces began to appear.

Lee Han spotted Adenart and her followers and greeted them.

“Ah. Your Highness.”

“Wardanaz. I received your letter.”

“Mm. I, uh, received yours too…”

While replying, Lee Han trailed off.

He was unsure if it was proper to say he’d received Adenart’s letter.

‘Should I tell her to write less next time? But that might be rude…’

One follower looked at Lee Han with envy.

“You got a letter from Her Highness? Lucky!”

“You could just write one yourself.”

“If you act friendly like that, it’s rude, Wardanaz!”

‘Isn’t it ruder not to send letters as a group…?’

It might be “polite,” but to Lee Han it seemed more like being left out.

Lee Han chose to put it kindly.

“Well, you all must have been close during the break, so I guess there was no reason to send letters.”

Adenart’s face, usually expressionless, brightened with satisfaction.

The followers had all gathered around her after meeting their families, spending the break together.

It was truly a rich and fulfilling winter vacation.

Hunting, exploring snowy mountains, touring the mage guild, joining craft workshops, banquets, and more.

“We had a really good time, too.”

Ratford, wanting to boast a little, spoke up for the first time in a while.

The profits were small, but there was plenty of friendship in their winter vacation.

“Oh? What did you do?”

“We visited the Wardanaz estate and toured the domain.”

“!”

At Ratford’s words, Adenart was surprised and a little jealous.

If you were serious about magic, you couldn’t help but be curious about the Wardanaz estate.

“I’m curious. The Wardanaz domain, of all places.”

“Yeah. Is it anything like Einrogard?”

“You guys, don’t be like that. Haha.”

The followers, surprisingly, seemed genuinely interested. Adenart’s own curiosity was piqued.

If everyone was interested, maybe next vacation…

“You all should have visited too?”

“Oh, that’s no good. If Her Highness visits another noble’s estate, rumors might start to spread.”

“In imperial politics, the order is important. If you visit a loyalist estate, next is a noble family’s, and so on.”

“Our family is neutral, though.”

“Still no. Her Highness is strict about these things.”

Adenart was awkwardly tripped up by her own words.

“What’s next?”

“We visited Lord Gainando’s estate in Flaher City.”

“Not jealous of that.”

“Doesn’t sound fun.”

“Her Highness’s palace would be better.”

Instant, disinterested replies came from the followers.

Adenart also just shrugged, not seeming jealous.

She then nudged her followers, remembering something.

“It looks like now’s the time.”

“For what?”

“…That thing we mentioned before. Don’t you remember?”

“What… ah! Oh!”

The followers suddenly remembered and exclaimed.

“Wardanaz!”

“Huh?”

“We heard you were completely mistaken. Her Highness did not steal bread from the White Tiger Tower students.”

“That’s not exactly—”

“That’s a mistake! Her Highness only reclaimed what we had taken from us.”

“That’s right. Her Highness never took anything first.”

“……”

“……”

Yoner and Ratford looked at the proud followers and Adenart with an air of pity. If nothing else, they didn’t seem skilled in clearing up misunderstandings.

If you confess that blatantly, you’ll wind up branded for sure.

“I did think something was odd.”

Lee Han replied and glanced at his friends. Yoner immediately played along.

“I always said it was weird!”

“Yes, and I insisted being a bread thief isn’t for everyone, haha!”

Adenart and her followers were very satisfied with the trio’s answers and left.

Then a new friend appeared.

It was Ahsan of House Dalkard.

“Ahsan. How have you been? Did you get my letter?”

“I’ve been well. Had a great break. My brother and sister were happy to get your letter.”

“Glad to hear it.”

“They said they’d love for you to be their younger sibling.”

“Haha. Even as a joke, that feels good.”

“They sounded serious? They asked when you’d visit again.”

“……”

Lee Han decided to be more careful about visiting House Dalkard from now on.

He already had enough weird family members and didn’t want to add to the count.

“Lee Han. Over there!”

Yoner whispered joyfully. Nillia and her group were coming in the distance.

“Everyone made it!”

“Thank goodness!”

“…Why does Gainando look like that?”

Lee Han murmured, puzzled.

Unlike the others, Gainando’s face was practically undead, pale as a sheet.

“He’s always like that, isn’t he?”

“Seems so.”

Lee Han wondered if he’d just seen wrong for a moment.

But he hadn’t.

“He is pale!”

“Maybe it’s because he’s learning black magic?”

“That doesn’t cause that, right? Is everyone else all right?”

As the friends approached, Lee Han did a quick check. Apart from Gainando’s pallor, everyone else was fine.

“Gainando, why is your face—”

As Lee Han asked, Gainando immediately grinned.

Even while staggering from his poisoning, he’d been waiting for a chance to brag.

“Well…”

“Where’s the senior?”

“He got caught.”

Lee Han answered with a heavy expression.

Fearing the others would be as cold as Yoner and Ratford, Lee Han quickly explained what happened.

Adding as much heroic color as possible!

“No way…!”

“Incredible! I never imagined he was that kind of senior!”

It worked—his friends reacted differently than before.

Yoner and Ratford, embarrassed, whispered to Lee Han separately.

“I just meant I was glad you made it out. You knew that, right?”

“I thought that senior got busted betraying us.”

Siana spoke up, incredulous.

“To think he drew attention with such magic. Amazing.”

“I agree. He might not be from a knightly family, but his sacrifice was truly knightly. I never thought of him that way before.”

“Wardanaz, your actions changed the senior’s heart. There are hunters in the mountains who are rough at first, but turn out to be good people once you get close.”

Lee Han and his friends nodded solemnly, commemorating Senior Eurde’s sacrifice.

After their conversation, Lee Han turned back to Gainando.

“So, why is your face like that?”

“…Wait. I’ll tell you later. If I say it now, my story will…”

“Why later? Tell us now.”

“No! If I say it now, it’ll sound weak by comparison!”

As they bickered, Lee Han suddenly felt something off.

‘What’s this?’

It was like some giant magic had slipped past his senses, tricking him as it passed.

Flash!

Sure enough, his feeling was right.

When his mind cleared, all the second years waiting outside the main gate had been transported inside.

Welcome!

“…Y-yes…”

“Welcome…”

The second-years sized up the situation and greeted the skeleton principal in gloomy voices.

A year at Einrogard had taught them well.

Are you not happy about the new semester?

“We’re happy…”

Of course you are! You’re no longer Ironheads! After a whole year here, you’ve earned the title of Bronzeheads!

“……”

“……”

The students who had earned the “bronze” honor stared at the skeleton principal with faces showing they might collapse from happiness at any moment.

But that’s not all. Now you have the right to meet and talk with your seniors! Those who entered before you, who studied before you, who are much more vicious and ruthless than you—a true bunch of predators!

“Can we join clubs now?”

Of course! But seeing how you don’t ask about magic research or new classes but only about social activities, your future is clear to me!

A White Tiger Tower student grumbled after being scolded for asking just one question.

Your seniors will explain what classes you’ll take, what research you’ll do, how to get gold coins and join clubs. No need to rush. You’ll see your seniors’ skills at the upcoming inspection.

“Inspection?”

“What’s that?”

Some who didn’t know tilted their heads.

Lee Han’s group kept their composure. There was nothing good in looking like you knew too much.

Now, I’ll be on my way… but there’s one last thing.

The skeleton principal drew up his magic like a waterfall.

Now that you have the right to talk to your seniors, you have the duty not to talk to the juniors. Let this ban protect the innocent Ironheads from you wicked lot!

With this proclamation, powerful waves of green magic rippled among the students.

The second-year ban had begun for all.

The first-years couldn’t perceive it, and second-years couldn’t make direct contact with them!

Having already survived a first year, the students accepted this calmly. Bans, restrictions, and secret oaths were as familiar as breathing at Einrogard.

Meanwhile, Lee Han cocked his head.

No matter how hard he tried, he couldn’t feel any spell on him.

“Um, Principal? I think you forgot to include me.”

You have too much magic for it to work. Just avoid them on your own. You can handle that, can’t you?

“……”