Episode 813

“J-Junior, is this really okay?”

Direte asked cautiously, still vivid in her memory the time her junior was nearly kidnapped and killed by an ancient being.

Of course, if she had the power, Direte would have gladly driven a cursed dagger into that crazy clone’s back, but when powerless, one had to bow one’s head.

There was nothing to gain from provoking a being on the level of a natural disaster.

“No way. That guy keeps saying crazy stuff.”

Lee Han was rather indignant.

He had already been forcibly coerced into showing off forbidden ancient magic in front of the Kalarogard students, and it still wasn’t enough.

Not even the ruined swords of old tales, said to bring doom upon their wielders, would have gone so openly out of their way to mess with him like this.

“If I just leave him alone, he’ll end up telling me to attack the principal.”

“Well, that may be… but if you just turn it off on your own…”

“Hmph. I just won’t go outside, that’s all.”

With the crazy clone not present, Lee Han grew quite bold.

Anger at his failed attempts to ruin his own relationships outweighed fear!

Disciple.

“!”

Before he even finished speaking, the illusion appeared again.

Instead of being angry or scolding Lee Han for turning off the Echo Stone, the crazy clone stared at him with an expressionless gaze.

Lee Han quickly avoided his gaze and began probing the Echo Stone again.

‘There must be a way to switch it back off remotely. I have to turn that off too.’

Let this royal admit his mistake.

“!”

Lee Han and Direte were startled. Especially Lee Han.

‘No way. Did he have the ability to recognize his own mistakes!?’

If so, he might really be an upgraded version of the skull principal.

Maybe this clone was the main body…?

“Are you talking about giving the order to attack the senior or the professor?”

What are you talking about?

The crazy clone didn’t understand what Lee Han meant.

“…Then what mistake?”

You’re handling the Echo Stone far better than expected. You’re probably blocking access right now.

‘Gasp.’

Lee Han realized he’d been caught and quickly stopped the mana that had been spreading out like tendrils.

To think he could sense Lee Han probing the Echo Stone from such a distance.

Just from subtle changes imposed on his projection, he’d figured out exactly what Lee Han was up to.

Ordinarily this sort of brazen act would have earned one’s head severed several times over like a magical criminal, but perhaps rating his disciple’s antics highly, the crazy clone was lenient.

Now. Set the stone aside.

“No.”

“H-hey, junior…!”

Direte was pale and tried to interject. Lee Han pushed her aside and answered bluntly.

“You keep popping out on your own and trying to kill me.”

The royal tried to kill you? Disciple. Where are you getting such slander…

“When you tell me clearly to take down my senior or professor—what am I supposed to do!? Don’t you know how powerful and wicked my senior is? The professor is even stronger and more wicked!”

“……”

Even though she knew he was lying, Direte was a tiny bit hurt.

So you should find a way to defeat them using wisdom…

“Why do you have to say it so everyone can hear?!”

Anyway, that necromancer is too timid and soft…

“She only seems so to you, master, but she’s actually extremely wicked and persistent!”

The suddenly sparked argument continued fiercely.

Direte made a complicated expression as more and more evil deeds she hadn’t committed were being attributed to her.

And surprisingly, Lee Han began to gain the upper hand in the debate.

It was the party who cut off contact who would feel the loss, after all.

“The original promise was remote teaching, not this kind of arbitrary interference.”

It was you, disciple, who sought my wisdom unprovoked, outside the proper time…

“If it’s going to be like this, I’ll just wait until the end of term to get in touch again!”

The crazy clone stared at Lee Han, filling his eyes with all the emotions—shock, anger, outrage—that any teacher feels at least once while teaching.

How dare you…!

Intarendals couldn’t watch any longer and offered some advice.

-Master. That’s just what disciples are like—ungrateful and shameless, every one of them. No matter how much their master provides and instructs, they forget all grace and act with impertinence.

“……”

“……”

Lee Han and Direte cursed Intarendals equally in their heads.

What’s that old man talking about?

Disgusting…! No matter how ungrateful, how can he…

-Don’t think of him as someone on your level, master! He’s still a half-grown cub, like all disciples. That’s how disciples are.

The crazy clone spat out some dignified ancient curses at Intarendals’ words.

Sensing his master’s mood, Intarendals quickly dragged a magical criminal in. Wails of curses and pain could be heard.

“W-what was that just now?”

“Who knows? I didn’t hear anything.”

The crazy clone barely repressed his anger and spoke.

Fine. You’re forgiven. You may use the Echo Stone as you wish.

“Thank you!”

You’ll regret rejecting your master’s divine appearance so lightly.

Lee Han, getting what he wanted with brinkmanship, became a polite disciple once more.

“What do you mean? I always cherish your teachings deep in my heart. But at present, I can barely handle even a single 5th circle spell, so I need to concentrate.”

“What?”

Direte asked in a dazed voice.

Just what kind of assignment had her junior gotten up to since last she saw him?

…Do as you please. Disciple. You must repay the generosity you received today for generations to come.

“Yes, yes. I will.”

In the end, the crazy clone allowed his disciple to handle the Echo Stone and declared he would not appear unexpectedly with new commands any longer.

It was so magnanimous, even the clone himself was surprised. Intarendals wept with emotion.

-Never before and never henceforth will there be such generosity! What disciple could be so blessed!

Don’t flatter me, Intarendals.

-It’s not flattery!

‘Can’t they both just disappear?’

Lee Han thought to himself as he watched the two so in sync.

-Then, I’ll return the disciple to you, master.

Understood.

“Oh!”

“Master! Please wait just a moment!”

“?”

Just as the perilous conversation ended, Lee Han startled Direte by calling out to the crazy clone once more.

Why?

What is it?

“Could you please explain about the Black Lord one more time? Your disciple is just so slow-witted…”

Such a foolish fellow.

The crazy clone looked at Lee Han with exasperation but began explaining again.

As she listened, Direte resolved inwardly.

‘I’m never asking for magic advice in front of him again.’

To remember which spell she’d asked about and then request an explanation again under these circumstances—it was insane consideration.

• * *

Yukveltire looked around, searching for Direte.

She wasn’t in the usual classrooms or the 7th floor bone-wraith workshop, so the only place left was probably the Black Hall.

Sure enough, upon entering the necromancy school’s mage tower, he spotted the familiar black wings. Next to her was the capable junior of the same tower, Wardanaz.

“So this is how it’s structured… But even if you trace the magic circle exactly, the mana implementation seems difficult…”

“If I can just… like this… infuse mana…”

“Don’t talk nonsense… Yuk—, no, mad mages abound… If they hear… it’ll be trouble…”

“Who are you calling a mad mage?”

“Augh!”

Direte slammed her book shut and screamed, having been so absorbed in recording Black Lord magic that she hadn’t noticed Yukveltire’s arrival.

“W-when did you get here?”

“I said I was coming by a little while ago.”

“No, you didn’t.”

“Direte. Maybe your hearing’s going or your memory’s failing. Probably a curse effect…”

“Hey. What you said was, ‘help with my research, I’ll come soon.’ I specifically said, ‘Don’t come.’”

“?”

Yukveltire tilted his head, not understanding. Direte almost cursed but stopped herself—there was no point, and more importantly…

“Senior, shouldn’t we explain you’ve been wrongly accused?”

“Hmm.”

At Lee Han’s whisper, Direte hesitated for a moment.

Someone had to take the blame for using evil ancient magic on outsiders.

For justice and truth, should she expose her junior’s actions? Or would she sell out her long-time friend in a dirty, base way instead?

Direte made her decision.

“Let’s just say it was that guy…”

“?!”

Lee Han was flustered.

He’d thought for sure she’d clear things up.

“But you said you don’t like being falsely accused…”

“So what. Mages can’t just do only what they like. He needs to do some things he hates too.”

Speaking curtly, Direte cowed Lee Han into silence.

“…Instead, he’ll help with my research. That’s enough.”

“…I’ll help too.”

“Hey, you don’t hav—”

“No, I have my conscience.”

“Junior, you’re too…”

Direte looked at Lee Han with pity, unaware of the spreading nonsense rumors in the Watchmen Club.

Where else in Einrogard could you find someone so soft?

And unbeknownst to Direte, Lee Han thought similarly.

She’s so much more of a pushover when facing Yukveltire.

“We’ll both help with your research!”

“!”

Yukveltire raised his eyebrows in surprise. Direte gave a small smile.

“Surprised?”

“Yeah, so you both finally decided to act reasonably.”

“……”

“……”

The two necromancy students suppressed their resentment and kept smiling.

“So, what help do you need?”

“As you know, there are several people at the school right now who are throwing around gold coins without a care. I plan to convince them to sponsor us.”

“Who, exactly?”

“First, Lagesa, daughter of Torgard. She’s an admiral of the pirate fleet. She invested in Professor Verdus, so she’ll probably invest in me too.”

Lee Han made a complicated face.

Lagesa was a rough pirate, but it stung a bit to see every Einrogard student treat her as an easy mark.

“Next, there’s Duke Ikaldoren.”

“Duke Ikaldoren? Why him?”

“I checked, and he’s in the school now. We have to get to him before others do.”

‘If someone overheard, they’d think he was an item.’

From the duke’s perspective, it was really an unpleasant conversation.

Anyone hearing this would think they were talking about picking up an item lying on the roadside!

“First, we’ll convince Lagesa. The demonstration magic is already prepared. Just needs a little polish. Direte, you check the optimization. Junior of the Wardanaz family, you provide mana.”

“Yes! Understood!”

Normally, the two necromancy students would squabble together.

But both Lee Han and Direte, with guilty consciences, agreed readily this time. They’d simply decided to help for once.

Yukveltire, unaware of their secrets, showed satisfaction with a cool expression.

“Looks like you’ve really learned. Good thinking, both of you. There’s no reason either of you shouldn’t participate in this magic. It’s far more valuable than researching individually.”

Lee Han, seeing Direte clenching her fist out of the corner of his eye, whispered hastily.

“Senior, you have to bear it.”

“Urrgh… That guy, seriously…”

“Senior’s probably just in a good mood.”

“He just always seems to be in a bad mood…”