Episode 878

“Hmm.”

When his friend ran off, Lee Han wondered if he’d sounded too malicious.

Were it not for his ambition to become the next headmaster of Einrogard, he’d be a perfectly fine person…

‘No. That one flaw really is way too much.’

Thinking about it again, he could understand why his friend got scared.

Meanwhile, Professor Zorzik, who had proven he wouldn’t kidnap Lee Han or make him work like Professor Verdus, entered the lounge.

He gazed at Joulin with sparkling eyes.

“Oh! The most eminent Prince Joulin! Your golden radiance shines like the sun itself!”

Eek.

True to her dragon instincts, Joulin instantly recognized a weirdo. She let go of the baby basilisk and quickly hid behind Lee Han and Eandurde.

Eandurde looked at Joulin in disbelief. With that size, how could she even hide behind someone?

“Your Highness! Has this Zorzik of the Benmalpha family done something wrong?”

N-no, nothing like that. Joulin just has a very shy personality.

“?”

“??”

Lee Han and Eandurde looked at her in confusion, but Joulin just shook her head desperately in plea.

Eventually, Lee Han stepped in as mediator.

“Professor, what brings you here?”

“Good question, Student Wardanaz, scion of the Wardanaz family, heir to all schools, and apprentice to the headmaster!”

‘Does he have to tack that last one on?’

Lee Han felt a little put off.

“I’m here, of course, to guard His Highness. Of course all students of Einrogard are jewel-like beings of excellent character, but…”

“?”

“??”

“One of them may, by mistake, bring harm to His Highness!”

“If the seniors are such jewels, shouldn’t you just trust them?”

Gainando, who was gathering up wizard cards, asked with a puzzled expression. Professor Zorzik pretended not to hear.

‘Amazing. Going this far just to become headmaster.’

Lee Han admired him internally.

Having received the skeleton headmaster’s ‘do it if you can’ tacit blessing, Professor Zorzik wanted to gain the support of the students, professors, and emperor and launch a fair coup.

That’s why he talked up even the beastly Einrogard students as gems of character. Lee Han could never manage such a thing.

“So, you’re here as a guard?”

“Exactly!”

“Thanks all the same. Please take care of us.”

It was obvious why Professor Zorzik came like this. Wasn’t it to get on Joulin’s good side and win the emperor’s favor?

Still, it was much better than those who came trying to steal Joulin’s scales or claws.

“By the way, Student Wardanaz. I’ve heard you’re going to professors one by one and clearing your exams early—know that Zorzik is always prepared!”

“…That’s a misunderstanding.”

• * *

Professors who helped Lee Han guard Joulin from the evil Einrogard students generally shared a few traits.

First, they had to be professors teaching Lee Han’s classes—though this was basically the same as saying ‘any Einrogard professor,’ and wasn’t much of a bar.

Second, they needed to have a somewhat free schedule. After all, you couldn’t stand guard if you were busy lecturing.

Of course, there were rare exceptions like Professor Benmo, who would throw away his own class and risk the punishment room, but those were rare.

Given all this, it wasn’t strange when Professor Voladi often showed up.

“Hm.”

When the new arrival, Professor Voladi, frowned slightly at Professor Zorzik, Lee Han asked curiously,

“Did something happen between you and Professor Benmalpha?”

“No.”

“So why?”

“I seem to recall Professor Zorzik’s teaching methods were rather extreme.”

“??”

He looked again, wondering if he was confusing ‘Zorzik’ with ‘Voladi’, but Professor Voladi was dead serious.

‘Ah. Professor Benmalpha did go a bit overboard…’

Zorzik, who was lecturing -Elemental Magic and Its Applications-, took special measures when Lee Han couldn’t control the fire element.

He cast -Bagni’s Flame Bull- on Lee Han.

It sounded dignified, but in truth, it just meant setting a fire and telling Lee Han to survive it.

‘…It was extreme, but somehow it’s not at all convincing coming from Professor Baegrek!’

Everything depended on who said it.

Professor Voladi often criticized other harsh educators—like the one with Mad Clones—and it made Lee Han feel slightly dazed.

“It was a bit extreme when he cast -Bagni’s Flame Bull- on me, but thanks to that, I learned to control fire elements…”

“Professor Zorzik declared that he’ll have you master Blue Flame within this semester. That’s just…”

“Huh?”

Lee Han hesitated.

Wait. Wasn’t he talking about -Bagni’s Flame Bull-?

“No, I meant Blue Flame. Professor Zorzik set that as your semester goal.”

Once you learned to control the basic fire element, the next level was changing or enhancing its fundamental nature. Advanced attributes like this suited fire element naturally.

-No matter how skilled Student Wardanaz may be, altering and enchanting distinct attributes from the start might be too much…

-You’re mistaken, Professor. Wardanaz already knows how to summon White Flame with divine magic.

Last class, Adenart had leapt to his defense and Zorzik got excited.

Lee Han thought,

‘Maybe I should have put rocks in his sandwich.’

Whatever Adenart had meant, Professor Zorzik was truly something.

Trying to have Lee Han master advanced attribute change of fire elements within a single semester!

“That’s too much!”

“I agree.”

Professor Voladi nodded slightly.

Usually, you’d be glad if a professor agreed with you, but Lee Han couldn’t help but feel somewhat wronged.

‘Why do I feel so aggrieved when he agrees with me?’

“You’re learning way too many types of magic at once.”

“Professor, please say something firmly!”

“Hm.”

Professor Voladi considered, then nodded.

Usually there was mutual respect among professors, but Voladi was always up-front.

“Professor Zorzik.”

“Oh, Professor Baegrek! Welcome!”

Zorzik spread his arms in greeting upon seeing Voladi.

After all, if he were to succeed the skeleton headmaster, he’d need excellent combat-magic professors by his side.

Professor Kirmin Ku and Professor Garcia Kim were also formidable, but the vampire before him was the most reliable.

“It was a pity you didn’t come to last time’s meeting.”

“Meeting? What meeting?”

Lee Han, listening, asked curiously.

A conference just for Einrogard professors?

What could that be about?

‘If it’s a -Report the Skeleton Headmaster! Petition Meeting-, that would be nice.’

“-Make Benmalpha Zorzik of the Benmalpha Family the Headmaster of Einrogard- meeting.”

“…Wait, that’s a real meeting?”

“‘Is it real?’ What do you mean?”

“Nothing.”

Lee Han quickly changed the subject.

He never would have guessed such a group existed outside his imagination!

Zorzik himself was even the one hosting it—unbelievable.

“Which professors took part?”

“Ha ha. None of the other professors participated. Seems everyone’s busy.”

“……”

“Instead, students attended.”

“!”

Lee Han was shocked.

True, at first, he once thought it would be nice if Professor Zorzik replaced the skeleton headmaster. That’s where the imaginary -Make Benmalpha Zorzik the Headmaster- club came from in his head.

But those feelings had evaporated once Zorzik forced him to master Blue Flame.

He’d realized all Einrogard professors were pretty much the same.

But students took part?

“And the giants did too.”

“WHAT!??”

“Fine students, aren’t they?”

“…Professor, was there plenty of food at the meeting?”

A sudden suspicion struck Lee Han.

“Oh. You heard about that, too, did you? We specially brought in an outside chef. You can’t be stingy with food at these meetings!”

‘They came for the food…’

Lee Han was impressed with his seniors.

Attending that kind of event just for a hearty meal—no wonder they were seniors.

“I couldn’t participate due to certain reasons.”

“That’s fine, that’s fine. Einrogard professors are always busy.”

Lee Han, hearing this, whispered to Professor Voladi.

“Why didn’t you attend? Because of Prince Joulin?”

“No. I just didn’t want to.”

“Oh.”

A simple “didn’t want to go.” Lee Han could only accept it.

If you don’t want to go, there’s nothing for it…!

“Professor Zorzik. I’ve something to say.”

“Anything! I’m all ears.”

Zorzik stroked his moustache and gazed at the combat mage before him.

If one day he became the headmaster, he’d consider offering him the right-hand position.

“You seem to be teaching Wardanaz something too advanced.”

“Eh?”

At this unexpected comment, Professor Zorzik made a vacuous sound that didn’t fit his usual gentlemanly style.

That’s how shocking this was.

Lee Han interjected adroitly,

“Ha ha. Professor. Professor Baegrek worries about me a lot—he’s such a caring mentor.”

Zorzik did not call out Lee Han’s strange comment—he had something more pressing on his mind.

“No… what…?”

“That Blue Flame stuff. Advanced fire element attribute.”

Like a sneaky operator, Lee Han slipped in next to them. At his words, Professor Zorzik nodded.

“I know, Student Wardanaz. You’re talking about Blue Flame.”

“Yes. But why?”

“No… Professor Baegrek… Weren’t you the one who recommended it? I assumed so?”

“???”

Lee Han stared at Professor Voladi with a thunderstruck expression. Joulin, Eandurde, and even the baby basilisk all turned to Voladi in shock.

Who’d have thought there was such a ridiculous twist to this event?

Expressionless as always, Professor Voladi slowly shook his head.

“I never did that.”

“Uh? Think again! We talked in the faculty lounge.”

Zorzik, thinking Voladi had just forgotten, reminded him of the events.

First episode.

-I’ve completed the Water Orb Projectile.

-…Pardon? What did you complete?

-Next is…

-Next what, Professor!

Second episode.

-I’ve mastered 5th Circle magic.

-Professor…!

-The Ancient Clone’s teachings are dangerous and harsh… You must be careful.

-…It’s lucky you weren’t the one who taught me, but don’t you feel anything at all saying that?

-?

Third episode.

-Hmm. Professor Baegrek. I’ve often mentioned Student Wardanaz’s talent, but isn’t he outstanding?

-He is.

-Mm! Teaching him this semester, I wondered—could this pupil bring even more honor to Zorzik…

-That’s an accurate judgment.

-Indeed! Professor Baegrek, may I ask—won’t the advanced elemental attributes be too much for Student Wardanaz?

-I don’t think so.

-You don’t? Well. He already can handle Lightning, Ice, Dark elements. By the way, how advanced is his mastery of those?

-As for that…

“We had these kinds of talks, remember?”

Now Lee Han, too, looked at Professor Voladi with betrayed eyes.

Even so, Professor Voladi answered calmly, without a hint of disturbance.

“I never ‘recommended’ you teach advanced fire attributes.”

“Is that so? Anyway, if you can work with water or telekinetic advanced attributes—and those tricky elements like lightning, ice, and darkness—surely advanced fire attributes should be fine?”

“……”

Professor Voladi, uncharacteristically, fell at a loss for words and hesitated. Lee Han lamented inwardly.

‘Serves you right!’

One unfair thing: it was Professor Voladi who’d gone around saying things in the faculty lounge, so why was Lee Han the one suffering?