Episode 804

“…Senior, do you have no pride as a polo player! To accept such tainted gold so readily!”

“!?”

Carnella was taken aback by her junior’s unexpected accusation.

“W-what? Wait. What does getting sponsored have to do with a polo player’s pride? What do you mean, tainted gold? Can gold be tainted?”

“Never mind. Senior, you just don’t understand anything!”

“Wait, junior! Come back! At least explain what you mean before you go! Come back!”

Carnella was at a loss as her normally good-natured, dependable junior stormed off in anger.

Were proud polo players not supposed to accept gold or something??

• * *

‘At this point, I have no choice.’

Lee Han made up his mind.

He didn’t care anymore about how fun or joyful Club Week was supposed to be.

‘I’ll call the death knights!’

The seniors who’d been looking forward to Club Week might be severely disappointed if it turned into a festival of terror and a magical criminal crackdown, but he couldn’t help it.

Lee Han had to survive, too.

At first, he thought he could just dodge and endure, but after seeing Intarendals’ skills, he realized that wouldn’t work.

Look at those absurdly fast and massive sponsorships.

At this rate, in a single day, they might form the -Einrogard Sponsor Guild- and hunt him down.

‘I’ve heard the pen is mightier than the sword, but never thought gold would be mightier than the staff.’

-Is that really true?

-It is, Sir Klenberg.

-A truly astonishing thing!

“Great knights of death!”

Just then, Lee Han spotted death knights patrolling at the far end and rushed over.

-That someone would sponsor the dark magic school… and during Club Week, no less? Sponsoring a school, not a club?

-As wide as the empire is, there are all sorts of unusual people.

-Well, back in the day, the dark magic school used to be quite prosperous and popular.

-Really? I can hardly imagine that!

“……”

Lee Han was shocked by the death knights’ conversation.

While he struggled, the death knights recognized him and greeted him warmly.

-Fuk… Is that Lee Han of the Wardanaz family?

-Fuk… Lord Wardanaz!

The death knights added a peculiar greeting, ‘fuk,’ in front without Lee Han noticing, some strange trend spreading among the Skeleton Principal’s subordinates.

Lee Han, with no time to ask about gossip, got straight to the point.

“Something major is happening! Gather the other knights immediately and surround the school—”

Lee Han, speaking strongly, hesitated.

He couldn’t help but recall the death knights’ prior conversation.

“…Actually, I have a question.”

-Didn’t you just say something major is happening?

“It is, but there’s something even more urgent… What would happen in this situation?”

Lee Han summarized the day’s events as indirectly as possible.

A suspicious magic criminal resurrected a forebear of a great imperial noble house. The revived ancestor used hidden family wealth to sponsor wizards. If this was found out, what would happen to that sponsored gold?

-?

-??

The death knights didn’t understand the intent and were puzzled.

-Lee Han. Resurrection in a non-undead state is simply not possible in general.

-And why would a resurrected person sponsor wizards? Especially if resurrected by some shady magic criminal?

“…Ugh, can’t you just go along with the hypothetical?!”

Lee Han snapped.

If it had been another student, they’d have been hauled off to the punishment room immediately, but the death knights shrank back.

After all, the punishment room would hardly matter for Lee Han, and dragging such a pitiful wizard there would stain a knight’s honor.

-In that case, by imperial law, the assets would be confiscated and returned to the original family.

“Why? Doesn’t a family ancestor also have property rights?”

-In some ways, yes. But the moment you die, the property transfers. There were similar issues in ancient kingdoms, even to the point of rebellion. I suppose His Majesty the Emperor codified it firmly for such reasons.

“……”

Lee Han internally cursed the imperial emperor for being so capable and precise.

You needed some loopholes in the law for human warmth, but everything was so airtight.

-So, why are you asking? Wait. Are you perhaps…

Sir Klenberg stared at Lee Han knowingly.

“No.”

-…You’re planning to resurrect an old noble ancestor and plunder family wealth!

“Definitely not.”

-Oh, not that?

Sir Klenberg felt very awkward.

He’d thought it couldn’t possibly be for anything else.

Meanwhile, Lee Han was deeply conflicted.

‘If I call in the knights right now…’

An image flashed through Lee Han’s mind of Senior Direte bawling because someone snatched his gold pouch.

Of course, Direte would never actually cry over losing a money pouch (if anything, Lee Han was more likely to), but right now there was no Direte beside him to get angry over such a humiliating fantasy.

“Great knights of death.”

-For reference, whenever our master calls us this, it means she’s about to give us something hard and troublesome to do.

“…Death knights.”

Lee Han quickly corrected himself.

As expected of veteran knights, their indirect admonishments were razor-sharp.

“I have a story to tell you, but can you swear on your honor to keep it secret?”

-…!

-!!

The death knights’ gazes became serious.

For the heir to preface something like that, it had to be a major issue.

-Is it something about attacking the master?

“No.”

Lee Han paused after responding.

‘Is it, though? Maybe you could see it that way.’

-Actually, even if it is, that’s fine. Just wanted to ask. I swear on my honor to keep your secret.

-As do I.

The death knights agreed so readily that Lee Han was almost embarrassed.

“Are you sure?”

-Helping a pitiful person like Lee Han is a knight’s duty.

-I agree.

“……”

For the first time, Lee Han realized chivalry could wound a person’s heart.

Still, he couldn’t refuse the help. Lee Han calmly explained the terrifying incidents of the day.

-……

-……

And the death knights were just as horrified.

Such a level of persistence was beyond what anyone could have imagined.

-By the gods, to use such a method?!

-As expected from His Lordship’s leftovers, nothing ordinary about this.

-Quite the public nuisance too.

“Um. Are you listening? Is there any way to handle this quietly, without worrying about the gold? At least the dark magic school sponsorship gold?”

-Lee Han, I completely understand.

-Lord Wardanaz. So do I. Honestly, for the Dalkard family to claim that gold is simply absurd. It was the ancestor’s property! Just because the ancestor died, the heirs can use it without restraint? Such arrogance! Such rudeness!

The junior death knight was fuming so much that Sir Klenberg whispered,

-So he understands. It’s because the heirs already squandered the fortune.

“Ah, yes…”

-Good. Let’s clean this up quietly and not make it a mess.

Buoyed by his battle-hardened knightly allies, Lee Han felt a surge of emotion.

Unlike the Skeleton Principal whom he barely saw these days, these knights really were the pillars supporting Einrogard.

“So what should we do?”

• * *

Thud thud thud!

The death knights used shadow step to surround Intarendals, then stabbed him with swords of darkness, sealing any ability to act.

Then they promptly stuffed him into a sack with a spatial spell and gestured.

-Transport!

“……”

Lee Han was stunned by how they neutralized their target even faster than a blink.

If it had been him, he’d have been subdued instantly as well.

He’d heard often enough that knights were the nemeses of wizards, but had forgotten after seeing so many powerful wizards…

Death knights, empowered by Einrogard’s territory, exerted brutal power against wizards.

No matter what magic you had, they’d subdue you first!

-This way, the stairs.

-Fuk, Lee Han. Jump out this window.

-Then put your foot down deep in this pit!

Lee Han followed the death knights through shortcuts in the main building, memorizing the route as he went.

Might be useful one day.

-Is the first room empty?

-No, it’s occupied.

-Second and third rooms must be full.

-Ah! The seventh room is empty. Perfect!

“?”

Seeing Lee Han’s confusion, a friendly death knight explained.

-This is an interrogation chamber, -The Truth of the Wizards-, personally designed by the master. Exceptional wizards can escape ordinary rooms, after all.

‘Didn’t need to know that.’

Lee Han immediately regretted asking.

As they opened the seventh room and went in, Lee Han was struck by a splitting headache.

There were so many complex magical defenses, it was information overload.

A less sensitive wizard might not mind, but Lee Han’s unrivaled sharp perception made any hope of avoiding the headache vanish.

‘Ugh… What kind of magic is…’

-Bring him out.

Thud!

Dumped out of the sack, Intarendals hit the floor.

Despite being stuck with several dark swords and kidnapped, Intarendals remained perfectly calm.

Truly fitting for one who once served the Skeleton Principal during the wild, ancient times. The death knights were quietly impressed.

-Intarendals. Do you know why you’re here?

“I do not.”

-Because your master and ours are enemies.

The death knights explained the relationship between the Skeleton Principal and the mad clone, and told Intarendals he served the wrong master.

But Intarendals was unmoved.

“How can you prove that your master is the original, not a clone?”

-…Uh…

The death knights hesitated.

That’s a good point?

-He’s way more powerful and evil, so ours is the original.

“You’d have to compare directly to know that.”

-Yours is always disappearing and reappearing, like a spiritual apparition.

“Even so, you can’t just say he’s a clone…”

As the conversation veered into debate, Lee Han sent Sir Klenberg a look.

The seasoned death knight barked at his subordinates.

-No more pointless debate! Intarendals, you have two choices. Leave your gold behind and exit quietly, or die by our hands.

“I have no reason to fear death at this point. However, even if I die, I wish to know why. Why must I not contact Lee Han of the Wardanaz family? Perhaps your master is deceiving you.”

-No tricks. Lee Han of the Wardanaz family doesn’t want to meet you.

Intarendals smiled softly, not believing the death knights’ claim.

As a skillful chamberlain to a prince, he was adept at finding holes in the other party’s words.

“That’s a lie. Lee Han of the Wardanaz family doesn’t even know I’m here. We’ve missed each other due to bad luck.”

“…Actually, I am Lee Han of the Wardanaz family.”

Unable to take it anymore, Lee Han stepped forward and spoke.

For the first time that day, Intarendals looked truly shocked.

“N-no way! How is this possible!”