Episode 803

The people, who had been discussing how much imperial gold they would regularly send, were shocked by Intarendals’s bold proposal.

Originally, these sponsorships weren’t just a one-time payment—you had to send money steadily as research progressed, so it required serious commitment.

If you were a high-risk, high-return investor, maybe you’d jump at it, but most of the sponsors visiting Einrogard for this Club Week were doing it purely for honor.

Because of that, even though someone they’d never seen before suddenly declared, ‘I’ll take care of it myself,’ they didn’t get angry or compete.

Rather, they showed respect in turn.

“Amazing—there truly are still people in the Empire who know how to spend gold like this!”

“As expected, an honorable school attracts honorable people.”

Clap clap clap clap—

As people began applauding, Intarendals replied with a bow in the old-fashioned manner.

Though it was a bit different from modern etiquette, people assumed he was just from an unfamiliar region and didn’t mind.

“Then we’ll leave the sponsorship to you.”

“We’ll sponsor other students instead!”

“Thank you, everyone!”

Falkrius discreetly wiped his nose, trying to hide his joy.

He’d thought his junior was a genius, but hadn’t expected it would go this far.

To extract this much gold from one person!

Thanks to this, the other kitchen club students would benefit as well thanks to the trickle down!

“Wardanaz. Thank you!”

“What an admirable fellow!”

“Wait, where did Wardanaz go?”

The kitchen club seniors wanted to toss Wardanaz in the air with joy, but looked around in puzzlement.

He’d been right there a moment ago, but now was gone.

Where did he go?

“What’s the matter?”

Intarendals approached and asked.

Though there was no hostility or suspicion in his words, the noble’s inherent dignity and elegance put some pressure on Falkrius.

People like this were always harder to fool—no, deal with.

Thinking his own slip of the tongue could cost his junior the sponsorship, even the bold Falkrius felt his palms sweat.

“My junior just had something come up. I’ll go find him right away!”

“There’s no need for that. I’ll just leave the gold here. In the name of the Dalkard family, I, Intarendals, hereby…”

Regardless of whether anyone was there, he continued the sponsorship honorably, and Falkrius almost cried.

‘Wardanaz… you punk. Where do you find sponsors like this!?’

If he’d been there, Falkrius would have thumped his back ten times in joy.

“…Alright, it’s done. Sorry if I bothered you.”

“Not at all.”

“By the way, what’s cooking in this pot? Smells delicious.”

“W-wait! That’s what we eat! Here, let me give you the guest meal instead!”

Falkrius hurried to stop Intarendals.

Since outside guests were coming, the kitchen club had of course prepared proper guest meals.

They’d used only the best ingredients from the food storage.

Soft, white bread and pea soup, crayfish soup. Roast spring lamb with garlic, peppers, oil, and spices. Apricot pudding and cheese soufflé.

Of course, there wasn’t just guest food. Club members had to eat while waiting, so there was a members’ meal too.

The members’ meal was just a stew crammed with everything left over from the guest meal prep.

That was it. The members would just eat that with rock-hard bread or rice on the side.

But now, an obviously noble guest was about to eat the members’ meal!

“This is a heartwarming flavor. Wonderful! Very good. No wonder it’s the kitchen club!”

But Intarendals took a bit in a bowl and offered high praise after tasting it.

“……”

“…??”

The kitchen club members looked at each other in confusion.

Had some weird alchemical reaction taken place in their absence, turning that bland stew into something else?

There was no other way anyone would call that delicious…

• * *

“Huff, huff.”

Lee Han was out of breath.

After casting invisibility magic, reinforcing his body with mana, and running full speed without stopping, he was exhausted.

“Welcome, Wardanaz. Are you here to see the guests?”

The head of the Library Club, Illeg of the Shisenza Order, greeted Lee Han warmly.

Seeing the bespectacled bear beastfolk senior, Lee Han realized he’d arrived at the library club’s area.

‘I guess I was so desperate to escape, I didn’t even check where I was going…’

“Hello, Senior Illeg. Is the library club also welcoming guests?”

“Yes, so to speak.”

‘What’s going on?’

The library club felt different from the kitchen club just before.

It was clearly the same—outside guests had arrived—but the atmosphere…

-How to Raise the Royal Thrush, this book! This one’s mine!

-Get back! I’ve been chasing this book for over ten years.

-My family has sought this since my grandfather’s era! You can just go to the Dawn Archive for it!

-Is that even something to say? Go to the Dawn Archive yourself!

“Everyone, please calm down!”

The book-crazed guests were at each other’s throats, battling fiercely to snag rare editions they’d found.

Lee Han asked, flustered.

“Is this really okay?”

“Of course. They do it because they love books so much.”

Here, you didn’t need to serve meals or give introductions like the kitchen club.

A few rare books brought by members were enough. Sponsors threw punches and shouted at each other.

A little while later,

Once the commotion calmed down, the sponsors regained their composure and reverted to normalcy.

“Whew. That was an honorable fight.”

-“Lend me ‘How to Raise the Royal Thrush’ some time.”

-“By the way, aren’t you Student Sevius? How’s that cloak that passes through objects you mentioned last time?”

“……”

Seeing people who had just been brawling act with such poise as if nothing happened, Lee Han was dumbfounded.

But the library club members were unfazed as if nothing was out of the ordinary. They’d seen scenes like this an infinite number of times.

No matter how cultured a high noble family may be, true bibliophiles lose their minds at the sight of rare books.

“Who is this student?”

“Hello. I’m Lee Han of the Wardanaz family…”

“Ah, so you’re Lee Han of the Wardanaz family. The sophomore top student, already acknowledged by outside wizards! You were recognized by Yoanen Meikin of House Meikin and Master Puyo, and already discussed research with fifth-year seniors, I heard? Completing fifth circle magic as a second year—no one would believe it outside Einrogard.”

“…Is there some communication artifact among the Einrogard guests?”

Hearing the rumors spread so precisely and thoroughly, Lee Han was perplexed.

That was exactly what the kitchen club guests had said.

“With a student like this, you can trust him. I’ll sponsor.”

“As will I.”

-“I heard a rock drake’s been appearing in the library lately—think a sophomore could get through?”

“So you’re not going to sponsor?”

-“N-no, that’s not it. I’m just concerned. You can’t discount experience, after all.”

Lee Han listened to the guests with a complicated expression.

Sevius asked in a small voice from beside him.

“Didn’t you say you beat a rock drake?”

“Where did you hear that stuff?”

“Your friends were saying it.”

“……”

While Lee Han was grappling with this, a bang sounded behind him.

A heavy object slammed down—just like earlier.

He could hear the clinking of gold coins inside…

Lee Han suddenly got chills.

No way?

“Is this where Lee Han of the Wardanaz family is?”

“Yes, but who are you?”

“Sponsoring Lee Han alone is more than sufficient for me! The rest of you, please support other wizards.”

“…!”

Amazingly, Intarendals had found his way here again.

Even after spending all that gold earlier!

‘How much gold did that person actually bring?!’

Lee Han couldn’t believe it.

How much Dalkard family wealth had been tucked away to make this possible?

The previous guests, oblivious to Intarendals’s sinister true nature, only expressed admiration for his actions.

“To think there are still such honorable people in the Empire!”

“As expected, rare book collectors are always the most honorable.”

“For you, I’d give up ‘How to Raise the Kingdom’s Warbler!’”

-“That’s a common book, you dolt.”

When imperial gold circulated en masse, the atmosphere naturally became warmer.

The library club members were delighted at the appearance of a bigwig and looked for their junior.

“Wardanaz. Your passion for taking every school of magic has brought in all this gold… Wardanaz? Wardanaz?”

“Where’s Wardanaz?”

• * *

Lee Han fled in terror.

He knew the mad clone of the Skeleton Principal was incredibly dangerous, but never imagined he’d be squeezed so tightly like this.

After all, the evil of ancient archmages was something Lee Han could neither predict nor imagine.

“Junior! I knew you’d show up!”

Carnella, brushing the mane of a horse, spotted Lee Han and waved.

Indeed, as a junior who cared for griffins and basilisks, she’d guessed he’d visit the stables on a day like today.

And besides…

“…Hello, Senior.”

“Right. Are the animals well? There are a lot of people who want to see the animals you’re raising.”

“Uh, isn’t that a bit dangerous?”

“You have to accept some risk. Truly charming animals are always a bit dangerous.”

The young basilisk let out a satisfied hiss at this.

Lee Han glanced uncomfortably inside his sleeve.

“Alright. What can I help with?”

He hadn’t planned on it, but Lee Han was also a member of the polo club.

Since the Imperial Polo Association was already giving grants for rare animals, if anyone had to help the club today, Lee Han would have wanted to chip in.

But Carnella shook her head.

“You don’t have to help.”

“Huh? Really, I don’t have to?”

“Yeah. You really don’t.”

“My griffin can take care of itself; it hardly needs any attention…”

The young basilisk hissed uncertainly.

“…Of course, the basilisk is self-sufficient too.”

-That’s right!

“I mean, even if it’s not my animals, the polo club has a lot of weird—uh, rare—animals, doesn’t it?”

Carnella herself was raising a cerberus, for example.

Even if Lee Han’s animals didn’t require much care, some seniors’ did.

Especially with so many guests visiting from outside, extra caution was needed.

Animals that were usually docile could get worked up at strangers.

“Yeah, that’s true. Honestly, I’d appreciate help. But you already did enough.”

“??”

Lee Han was puzzled, not understanding.

Was she talking about the basilisk and griffin?

But it felt different. She was referring to something else. Almost as if…

“…!”

Lee Han felt a chill down his spine as he asked,

“Did someone strange with a lot of gold show up and sponsor the club before I got here?”

“Hm? Yeah, that’s right. How did you know? Did you know them?”