Episode 882

-Wardanaz. Drink this. Your anger will vanish.

The kind giants, wanting to calm Lee Han, handed over a giant jug full of giant liquor.

This liquor, made by fermenting the milk of mountain-destroyer sheep, was so strong and fiery that even a single sip would soothe any rage.

Fwoosh!

“…Unless I’m mistaken, it appears to be on fire?”

-That’s right! That’s what makes it even hotter!

Though he didn’t drink it, hearing about the giants’ ridiculous drinking habits somewhat eased Lee Han’s anger. He collected himself and turned back.

“Thank you all for your concern.”

-That mage is suspicious.

“Giants! This Intarendals would never harm the master’s disciple…”

“She did do a little something wrong.”

“?!”

Intarendals was shocked by Lee Han’s sudden statement.

What had she done wrong?

-Throw her off the cliff! Throw her off the cliff!

“It’s not that bad. You don’t need to get angry on my behalf.”

-Wardanaz, you are generous! So kind!

The giants mimed patting Lee Han’s back (knowing from last time what would happen if they did it for real), praising him.

‘Right. There’s no need to despair already. Prophecy isn’t absolute.’

Lee Han steeled his heart.

Prophecy was not absolute. Rather, blindly letting oneself be led by prophecy could be even more dangerous.

Besides, Intarendals was just a magician like any other. Her interpretation could easily be wrong.

For example, maybe Guest Star Arna had shifted in its path and its rule changed, so it now was a star that helped the good students of Einrogard…

‘Even I can’t believe this nonsense, even though it’s my own idea.’

Learning magic increased intelligence, making it harder to fool oneself.

“Lord Lee Han of House Wardanaz, you must persuade the giants.”

Even though Lee Han had just slandered her, Intarendals did not point it out.

She thought perhaps she had failed to properly serve her master’s disciple. She ought to reflect on herself, she thought.

“Understood. I’ll persuade them with you…”

-Wardanaz! The sheep gave birth! Come see!

-Wardanaz! Got a new pot! Come see!

-I said it first!

-It’s normal for sheep to have lambs! The pot is much more important!

Bang, crash!

When the giants grabbed each other by the collar and started brawling, Lee Han quickly intervened.

“I’ll see both! Both!”

After stopping the fight, Lee Han was swept away with the giants. Intarendals muttered in a belated, flustered voice as she watched his retreating figure.

“No, the persuasion…?”

• * *

While waiting alone at the giants’ encampment, watching over the carts and waiting for Lee Han, Intarendals heard a low, rough voice behind her.

-This is a very special guest. To think someone lived longer than this old one?

‘Yaksha!’

Intarendals saw the old yaksha and gave a light greeting.

“Hello. I am Intarendals, attending in my master Gonadaltes’ name to conduct negotiations.”

-Gonadaltes…? Ah, so that’s it. Please feel at ease.

“I cannot, having come in my master’s name.”

-Then I will also show proper decorum.

The old yaksha surmised that she was not a lackey of the skeleton headmaster, but the Mad Clone’s subordinate.

None of the headmaster’s lackeys were revived seneschals like her.

-But why are you alone here…?

“Well, you see…”

Intarendals began venting about the situation.

She had expected a long, hard negotiation with the giants, but hadn’t expected to just be left waiting like this.

In a situation where she ought to be negotiating, it was natural to feel frustrated at simply waiting.

-Ah, the giants are quite fond of the Wardanaz boy. With his first visit in a while, they must have a lot to talk about.

“Are giants such sociable beings?”

-No. It’s just that the Wardanaz boy is unique.

Intarendals nodded at the old yaksha’s response.

Of course, as a disciple of Gonadaltes, Lee Han had to be remarkable.

…She just hadn’t expected it to show in terms of getting along with giants…

“In any case, we need to negotiate, but I have no idea when he’ll return.”

-Negotiate, you say?

“I told you, didn’t I? To guard the mountain workshop, we need guards…”

-Ah, it’s not that I didn’t understand.

The old yaksha placed down her burden of a carrying frame and basket.

-The giants would do it just if Wardanaz asked.

“Haha, you joke well! …Wait. That wasn’t a joke?”

-It wasn’t.

“No way…”

Intarendals gave a negative response.

Of course, she knew Lee Han was close with the giants, but work was work and friendship was friendship.

The giants weren’t a benevolent race that would take on work for free just because they were friends.

-I mean it, though. See for yourself when they return…

Even before her words had finished, the giants returned to the camp with Lee Han after finishing their last little trip.

-Doesn’t our sculpture look great!

“Yes… Truly wonderful…”

-We made one on the eastern peak too! Let’s go see that, too!

“Let’s save that for another time. You don’t want to see all masterpieces at once. It dampens the impression…”

-That’s Wardanaz for you! So smart!

Recently, the giants had gotten hooked on sculpting, and had placed lopsided giant statues all over the mountain peaks.

That was fine—the tiring part was how they insisted on dragging Lee Han around to see each and every one.

“Oh. Hello.”

Lee Han greeted the old yaksha he spotted at the encampment. Before the yaksha could even reply, the giants erupted with angry accusations.

-Boo! Old yaksha!

-It’s your fault Wardanaz got angry! Wardanaz suffered! Take responsibility!

-???

The old yaksha was baffled by this sudden blame.

The giants were always spouting nonsense, but what did they mean that Wardanaz had suffered?

-What nonsense? What did I do?

-Wardanaz met the Yaksha King! Suffered because of it! Old yaksha must take responsibility!

-…He met the Yaksha King?!

Of all her surprises today, this was the greatest.

Yaksha races existed across various dimensions, but there was only one worthy of being called the Yaksha King.

The wisest yaksha all others revered and served!

-He met that wise king?

“What’s so wise?!” Lee Han grumbled in a sharp voice.

Sensing Lee Han’s deep resentment, the old yaksha asked in confusion.

-You met the Yaksha King, and you still complain? That’s such a glorious event!

The Yaksha King, wisest among yaksha, resided in a palace in a dimension ordinary people could never reach, managing wisdom and secret arts.

There were plenty who’d give everything—eyes, hearts—to meet that king for a sprinkling of wisdom.

-There’s an old yaksha legend: a traveler lost his way, found a house at midnight, opened the door, and inside…

“Legend or not, it didn’t help me at all. I nearly died, you know.”

-Boo! So mean!

-Old yaksha, apologize!

‘Was the teaching maybe a bit harsh?’

The old yaksha mused.

The Yaksha King loved bestowing wisdom upon lost wanderers, but to a young mage, maybe it felt a bit much.

Feeling sorry, she thought,

No matter. In time, he will come to appreciate the king’s lesson.

Lee Han—had he heard—would have thought to have the giants grab her by the collar, but for now, the old yaksha just nodded.

-Hmm. Seems you met a crisis. Still, it’s an opportunity that might only come once in a lifetime…

“He told me to visit again next time.”

-No! Then of course you must! You bratty young mage!

The old yaksha snapped despite herself.

If the king invited him, he should say “thank you” and accept the wisdom. Instead, this youngling didn’t know how to appreciate it!

“What nonsense. I won’t go.”

-Think it over. The king…

-Wardanaz isn’t going! Old yaksha, be quiet!

-…These blasted brats!

The old yaksha, putting all her accumulated merit into it, swung her huge wooden stick. The giants screamed and ran.

-…The king only ever taught you for your own good, you know?

“By the way, the headmaster’s Mad Clone is also teaching me for my good.”

-……

The old yaksha realized anew that the boy had way too many exceptional teachers.

Most people might meet one such master in a lifetime, but here they were, fighting over him. From the disciple’s point of view, it must be exhausting.

The king doesn’t deserve such treatment!

“Um, giants?”

Unable to wait any longer, Intarendals finally coughed and spoke.

“Shall we begin the negotiations? If we start now, it’ll take at least two more days, so…”

-Oh? No, need not.

-We finished all the discussions just now while walking around. We’ll go help right now.

The giants said this, striding off toward the workshop.

Intarendals, unable to speak for a moment from shock, finally managed to say,

“…This seneschal has grown too old to be of use to her master!”

“Please, what are you saying. The giants are just being kind.”

Lee Han hurried to comfort his friend’s ancestor.

• * *

An infamous adventurer group known as the Reflected Shadow of Cangla had long had ties with Antagondals.

No matter how great a wizard, they could not do everything alone. Even Antagondals, the magical criminal, was no exception.

He needed enterprising, clever adventurers to quietly handle requests, and among them, the Reflected Shadow of Cangla was the best.

In return, Antagondals provided the party with powerful magical support.

Every elite adventurer group had a wise mage supporting their ventures; for Cangla’s Reflected Shadow, Antagondals was that wise mage.

So, when contact with Antagondals was lost and a rescue signal was received, it was only natural these adventurers took it seriously.

‘It’s not just the support being cut off. It’s a chance to get more of the magical items he has.’

Frankly, a magic-supporting mage could be replaced.

There might not be another as mighty as Antagondals, but they could find someone else.

But what about all the treasures in his possession?

No one knew better than these adventurers just how many treasures and artifacts he’d hoarded. They’d worked under him long enough.

If they couldn’t rescue Antagondals, they must at least retrieve keys and access rights.

“But will Antagondals hand them over willingly?”

“If it comes to it, we might have to finish him off. He’s been stuck in Einrogard, so he can’t be in top shape. Even the sturdiest types turn soft in there.”

The locksmith, cloaked and masked, said. The adventurers of Cangla’s Reflected Shadow avoided revealing names or identities, for safety’s sake.

The adventurer known as the Swordsman suggested,

“Should we just kill him and carry the corpse out?”

“That’s only if it comes to the worst. If he dies, all his treasures could become locked up with him.”

“Damn. Can’t believe we’re invading Einrogard. My grandfather used to talk about this place…”

“What did he say?”

When the Archer muttered, the other adventurers asked, curious.

“My grandfather once raided Einrogard and got caught. Only just made it out alive.”

“Oh. So it’s lucky for us? Maybe he told you about the place.”

“No. He refused to say a single thing about Einrogard for the rest of his life. Some soul-binding geas must have been placed on him. All he ever said, shaken with fear, was never to go to Einrogard.”

“……”

“……”

Among these seasoned, wicked adventurers, an instinctual fear began to rise.