Episode 860

“??”

But Eandurde, proud Gorgon half-blood, merely stared blankly at Lee Han, unlike Gainando who would do anything for a piece of chocolate.

Lee Han whispered quietly.

“Could you try to be a little friendly with His Highness?”

“……”

Eandurde’s face twisted with conflict and anguish between his sense of duty—listening to the senior he respected—and his hostility toward the devious and savage dragon.

He groaned and struggled so much over it that Lee Han felt sorry for even making the proposal.

“No, forget I said anything, Eandurde. Just let it g—”

“…Friend.”

Eandurde forced himself to swallow the pain and humiliation of his earlier encounter and extended his hand first.

At the sight of his new Gorgon half-blood friend, Joulin was overjoyed.

Lee Han! Joulin has a new friend! See? Joulin has so many friends now!

‘Not really that many, I think…?’

Then again, just as Professor Voladi’s disciples had increased by 100%, perhaps Joulin’s friends had as well.

Lee Han congratulated them with a generous smile.

“It’s an Einrogard miracle.”

Lee Han. Joulin is going to make even more Einrogard friends! Right now!

Joulin pounded the ground with his forepaw, as if insisting Lee Han summon all Einrogard mages to the ruined underground hangar.

Of course, swept up in the mood or not, Lee Han did not agree.

“That’s not possible, Your Highness.”

Why not?! Wa-Wardanaz. Joulin wishes to have more Einrogard friends!

“Saying it politely isn’t going to make it happen…”

Joulin, thinking he’d been refused for speaking too rudely, tried again politely.

Of course, no matter how Joulin phrased it, Lee Han had no intention of giving in.

Even sturdy Eandurde had nearly had bones broken—what would happen to the other students?

Lee Han wasn’t just worried about the students, either—he worried about Joulin himself.

‘There’s no telling what might happen.’

It was terrifying to even imagine if one of his crazier seniors decided to try dragon-slaying.

Not to mention, there was a mad archmage’s clone still somewhere on the grounds.

“Your Highness, you are here for the exam. That means you mustn’t wander about as you please.”

Whine.

Joulin sulked, but—perhaps surprisingly—didn’t insist.

He’d already been told much the same by the Skull Headmaster.

Well, the students might be scared…

“Understandable, with Your Highness’s overwhelming presence.”

You’re not like that too, right, Lee Han?

“I…”

Well, Lee Han had faced monsters far more terrifying.

“……”

Lee Han was left speechless by the absurdity.

Watching Professor Voladi and Eandurde both silently nod their heads beside him made him want to smack them.

“…I’m not afraid of Your Highness.”

Of course! Now, show the way.

“?”

Lee Han was thrown off by Joulin’s ability to change the subject so naturally.

“To where?”

Your dorm room.

“Why?”

So flustered, Lee Han answered without even using honorifics.

Luckily, Joulin didn’t care at all.

That’s where I’ll be staying!

“…Who decided that?”

Gonadaltes did?

To be exact, the conversation had gone: ‘I’ll hide in Wardanaz’s room!’ ‘Your Highness won’t fit in there.’ ‘I’ll use human form!’ ‘It’ll be uncomfortable…’ but Joulin only “remembered” it his own way.

Unfortunately, Lee Han, ignorant of the whole discussion, was unable to retort.

‘This is crazy. Is it time for Einrogard to fall?’

If a royal visited, even giving them Einrogard’s best accommodation wouldn’t seem enough, much less a cramped dorm room.

…Come to think of it, other royals did stay in those same cramped dorm rooms. In terms of consistency, it made sense.

‘Still… this can’t be right.’

Lee Han looked at Professor Voladi pleadingly, but the professor naturally didn’t understand.

“Professor, wouldn’t it be better for His Highness to stay elsewhere?”

Before Voladi could answer, Joulin cut in first.

No! No! No!

…With a tantrum fit for a child.

The enormous dragon rolled from side to side, sending debris flying everywhere. Eandurde shrank back behind Lee Han in horror.

“He says no, apparently.”

“…Yes, I can see that…”

Lee Han sighed and gave up.

Maybe Professor Garcia could’ve soothed Joulin or something, but Voladi was not the man for the job.

‘No choice, then. Let him in for now, and if he complains about being uncomfortable, kick him out right away. …Wait, is it sacrilege to put a dragon in the chicken coop?’

Lee Han hesitated, realizing his plan to move Joulin to a secret base or outdoor shed if he complained might be highly inappropriate.

Was there anywhere at Einrogard fit for a dragon…?

“Wardanaz.”

Professor Voladi called. Caught up in his thoughts, Lee Han answered late.

“Ah. Yes, Professor. May I let you know by the end of this week about the exam?”

He still couldn’t decide what kind of magic would be appropriate for an exam against Joulin, but Lee Han intended to buy time for now.

Thankfully, Professor Voladi agreed readily.

“Do that.”

“Thank you.”

“I will assist with moving His Highness.”

Having granted permission, Professor Voladi now stated the real reason he’d called Lee Han.

Lee Han tilted his head.

“I can handle it, you know?”

He could manage it. Joulin could transform into a human, and then Lee Han could use invisibility to get him to the dorm.

But Professor Voladi shook his head.

“It’s too difficult alone.”

“And why is that…?”

No, just wait!

Joulin confidently tried to transform into a human. The massive dragon’s body rippled and shifted, but after a moment of almost holding the form, Joulin immediately reverted to dragon form. Professor Voladi explained calmly.

“A not-fully-grown dragon finds transformation very stifling.”

“…Ah… wait a second.”

Lee Han was alarmed at the prospect of Joulin entering his room in that enormous body.

…Could he fit?

‘My room can expand, but… does it expand that much?’

“Professor, is it really possible for His Highness to get into my room?”

“Yes. It’ll expand.”

‘How does he know this?’

Lee Han suddenly wondered just what experiments Voladi should’ve done in his own student days, but right now wasn’t the time to ask.

His personal dorm room was about to become a dragon’s lair.

‘Is it… a relief he can go in at all? He’ll only stay a week or two… If he’s uncomfortable, maybe I can get him out faster…’

Lee Han! Joulin will behave!

“Haha.”

Lee Han laughed, glancing behind Joulin at the smashed ruins.

If this went wrong, he could be the first student in Blue Dragon Tower history to bring down the dormitory.

“Alright then, Professor. Thank you.”

Professor Voladi nodded and cast a veil of invisibility and perception distortion over the great dragon. Joulin’s form vanished.

Then Professor Voladi repaired the shattered underground hangar. Joulin, looking sheepish, cleared his throat.

It wasn’t on purpose.

“Your Highness, you must be quiet inside.”

Okay! Trust Joulin, Professor Baegrek!

Joulin nodded deeply and then went ‘aang’ and gently bit Eandurde. Of course, Eandurde reacted with fierce disgust.

Why, why?!

“Wouldn’t it be better to just perch on his shoulder?”

“GRRR! GRRRRRRR!”

Let’s go play with Joulin!

Thunk—

Before Lee Han could say anything, Eandurde stopped barking.

After all, he’d wanted to visit the second-year Blue Dragon Tower dorm where both Yoner and Lee Han lived.

“…Professor, please take care of Eandurde as well.”

Maintaining his deadpan, Professor Voladi nodded and waved his staff. Lee Han felt sudden gratitude toward Voladi.

No other professor would have cut them this much slack.

‘…No, wait. Wasn’t he the one who brought them in the first place!?’

“???”

Professor Voladi looked puzzled at his pupil’s expression.

• * *

In the second-year lounge of the Blue Dragon Tower, Gainando was reading the rare Detective Toberiz series about a dog beastkin he’d managed to get.

Gainando grumbled at the ridiculous tricks.

“Does this even make sense?”

“What’s your problem now? Prince, why do you always whine but still read that magazine?”

“This is just the way it’s done! Look. Just listen to this part!”

Gainando excitedly dragged his friends to sit in front of him and started explaining.

The friends regretted ever speaking to him, but it was too late.

“A wizard sneaks something in his sleeve into the mage tower dorms—guess what it is?”

“What did he sneak in?”

“A dragon! It’s a dragon!”

“Well… I guess it could be a dragon…”

“Hey! How do you hide a dragon up your sleeve! And how do you hide that in a dorm room!”

Gainando was hopping mad at their reaction.

Did these people have no basic common sense for magic!

“Maybe it was transformed small.”

“If you’re transforming, just turn into a person, that makes much more sense! What’s the point of hiding in a sleeve?!”

‘Should’ve put this effort into his regular magic studies.’

‘I’m definitely telling Wardanaz about this.’

The guy barely paid attention to spells or movements in lessons, but gets nitpicky like a professor over stuff like this.

Creak—

Meanwhile, the door behind them quietly opened and Lee Han slipped in. He tried to head up to his personal room like a ghost, not disturbing his noisy friends.

But there was no escaping Gainando’s gaze. Gainando called out in delight.

“Lee Han! …And Professor!?”

At his words, the Blue Dragon Tower students let out brief shrieks and dove aside.

The mere mention of a professor entering the dorm made them react on instinct.

Lee Han quickly calmed his friends.

“It’s not some Headmaster attack, so don’t worry. The professor just came by to help me with something.”

“…W-Why would a professor come to the dorm to help you?”

“Uh… Something to do with class and exams.”

“……”

The friends were aghast.

They knew Professor Baegrek’s classes were brutal, but never imagined he’d chase students into the dorm and torment them there too.

Einrogard professors always exceed your worst expectations!

“Anyway, I’ll head on up. Enjoy yourselves.”

“???”

Gainando tilted his head.

He didn’t hear a sound, but the stairs were being crushed beneath someone’s steps.

What on earth…?

Professor Voladi calmly waved his staff, restored the staircase, and headed up.

“This is just too much—a professor trailing you to your dorm.”

“Terrifying. This is why I’m really scared of Einrogard. Are we going to be like that as third-years?”

“N-No way.”

As his friends shuddered, Gainando nervously climbed the stairs.

He knocked on Lee Han’s door and pushed it open.

“GRRR!”

Sorry! Sorry! Joulin apologizes! He didn’t mean to step on and squash you…

“It’s better to move the books to the left, so they don’t get damaged.”

Gainando blinked at the chaotic scene inside. Lee Han, finally realizing he’d been seen by his friend, panicked and yanked Gainando in.

“Why did you follow me?!”

“Wh-What is this…?”

“…No helping it. Gainando, you’ll help me take care of this too.”

Wow! Is he a servant!?

At the rudeness of the new dragon, Gainando could not contain his outrage.