Episode 902

This exam was to assess mastery over the magic spells -Lesser Internal Time Extension-, -Lesser Time Deceleration-, and -Lesser Time Acceleration- covered in the last class.

-Lesser Internal Time Extension- was a 2nd-circle spell that increased the subjective experience of time for the individual.

It wasn’t flashy, but it was an essential foundational spell in time magic, which was high in complexity and computation.

-Lesser Time Deceleration- and -Lesser Time Acceleration- were 3rd-circle spells cast directly on objects.

Casting time magic on living beings made the difficulty skyrocket, so you had to master casting on inanimate objects first.

“Please check, Professor.”

“……”

And Lee Han succeeded cleanly in all three.

His stable casting was nothing like the previous unstable performance he had shown.

Professor Garcia, trying to hide his discomfort, asked,

“Didn’t you say last time that it was difficult, Lee Han?”

“So I practiced.”

“I see…”

Professor Garcia suddenly recalled his own student days.

He used to look down on friends who were jealous of his magical talent, but looking back, he realized he might have been at least a little at fault, too.

‘Did I come off like this, too?’

“Professor?”

“Oh, it’s nothing. Lee Han, perfect work. I don’t know why you complained about it being so difficult last time when you could do it this well…”

“I really thought it was hard last time, sir.”

“But once you practiced, it became easy, right?”

“Yes.”

“Have you learned anything from this conversation?”

“That the world of magic is vast and boundless, so I should never get arrogant?”

“…Not that… Never mind.”

Professor Garcia gave up on trying to teach his student to have a bit more self-confidence.

This kind of thing was a matter of personality and didn’t change overnight. For a moment he pictured his student as a future professor still griping, “This new spell is so hard.”

“Anyway, full marks. Good work.”

“Thank you, Professor.”

“Wait, that means Professor Lightningstep must still be busy.”

Checking the time, Professor Garcia realized the problem.

Now was when Professor Lightningstep would be teaching his class.

“Then I’ll just wait. By the way, Professor, do you have any advice? You seem experienced with situations like this.”

At his student’s question, Professor Garcia froze with his back turned.

“What do you mean, Lee Han? Experienced? Are you accusing me of bringing a giant rare creature into Einrogard and raising it illegally???”

“Pardon? No… Have you done that?”

Lee Han was caught off guard.

He had no idea why Professor Garcia suddenly turned so serious.

“Of course not! J-just a joke, Lee Han. A joke!”

“Oh, understood. I must not get these difficult jokes. By experience, I meant counseling students.”

“Oh… That experience?”

Professor Garcia’s voice rose and his stiff expression softened. Clearing his throat, the half-troll professor spoke humbly.

“There are definitely professors with much more experience.”

“Who?”

“…Lee Han, it’s rude to ask questions like that one by one.”

Not being able to think of any other such professor, Garcia tried to pressure with authority.

Lee Han thought to himself.

Who could that be? Somebody retired?

“Still… I appreciate you asking for my advice, Lee Han. I’ll try to share what wisdom I have.”

Professor Garcia rummaged through a bookshelf and pulled out a red book.

“Oh.”

He muttered to himself, “I forgot to erase the cover,” and waved his wand. The title -Bulgasari Rearing Diary- faded away.

“Let’s see. Stubbornness, stubbornness…”

“What’s that book?”

“A journal I acquired long ago, written by a wizard who raised a large rare creature.”

“There’s a book like that? Could I borrow it?”

“It’s a bit too advanced for you, Lee Han! I’ll translate what you need.”

‘Is it a book of ancient evil creatures?’

Flipping through, Professor Garcia let out a little exclamation.

“A potion to make them obedient. Someone tried that.”

“Does such a potion exist?”

Lee Han was interested.

Maybe that would work on Gainando too?

“It didn’t work very well. Potions like that are essentially useless for strong-willed creatures.”

“I see.”

“Discipline with electric shock…”

“That seems too cruel.”

Lee Han looked dissatisfied.

Maybe because it was a book on ancient evil beings, the training methods were awfully harsh.

How could anyone zap little Joulin with lightning?

And considering his resistance, it probably wouldn’t work anyway.

At Lee Han’s response, Professor Garcia began coughing suddenly.

“Cough-cough! I’m not telling you to try it, Lee Han. Just a record. Even the author admitted he deeply regretted it. The big rare creature ate his research in revenge, out of pure rage.”

“I see. But Prince Joulin would never do that.”

“……”

There was a certain boastful tone that got under Professor Garcia’s skin.

So then Prince Joulin is good-natured and Bulgasari is not?

‘Hmph! Just a difference of species. If Bulgasari had been a dragon, he’d have been much more docile!’

“Next, corporal punishment…”

“Wouldn’t work anyway, on scales like that.”

“They used a special rod to inflict physical pain on large creatures. But that didn’t help, either.”

Professor Garcia continued to list a few more methods.

Electric shock, rods, meal deprivation, kneeling, copying old texts for character-building…

“Well?”

“They all seem useless.”

Lee Han said honestly.

None of these methods seemed like they’d work with Joulin.

But Professor Garcia nodded, apparently in agreement.

“That’s right, Lee Han. Reading through these, I realized none of them really worked. In the end, the big rare creature came to understand the wizard’s intentions. I think it was because of trust.”

Recalling his memories, Professor Garcia realized something he’d missed back then.

At the time, he was so overwhelmed, he just resented the creature. But in the end, Bulgasari grew up and understood what Garcia had meant.

Bulgasari could have left for somewhere else anytime.

Bulgasari surely felt the trust coming from Garcia, and returned it.

All the trouble and chaos, in hindsight, were just minor. If you had trust, these things would get better.

“……”

“Is it disappointing because it’s not a magical solution, Lee Han?”

Noticing Lee Han’s silence, Professor Garcia asked carefully. But the magic-obsessed student shook his head slowly.

“No. Professor is right. I think I haven’t trusted His Highness enough.”

“It’s not all your fault. Who’d expect a dragon to hand out a dragon stone?”

“Exactly! I told him not to…”

“Still, you’re lucky. At least Prince Joulin didn’t eat all your research or smash your room.”

“Prince Joulin isn’t a slime! He’d never do that. He’s way too smart.”

“……”

Professor Garcia’s fist tightened, then released.

“I’ll apologize for getting angry at him when I get back. I’ll trust his word in the future.”

“So you’re going back together?”

“No. Being grounded is grounded. I’ll keep him on restriction this week.”

At that strict answer, Professor Garcia was honestly impressed.

Who could be so steadfast before a dragon?

• * *

“Thank you, Professor!”

“You all did well. Don’t rest—keep studying for the next exam.”

At Professor Lightningstep’s parting words, the first-years swore at him in their hearts.

“Maybe the old professor was better. Who was it again? Bend… Benderjel? Professor Benderjel?”

“He used to be in the imperial papers as an adventurer—I used to look up to him. What a fraud!”

At their complaints, Alhidle of the Pengerine family spoke quietly.

“We don’t even know who Professor Benderjel is. Professor Lightningstep’s lessons are tough, but to reach Einrogard’s standards, that’s how it has to be. It’s fine to criticize, but after that, we should all work hard.”

Because this top student never put down his books, the others felt ashamed.

If he’d acted arrogant normally, they’d have hit him with their staffs, but Alhidle had never done that.

He was truly a friend to respect.

“Pengerine. Sometimes I think you should’ve gone to the Phoenix Tower.”

“I once heard a rumor Pengerine was arrogant, but who started that nonsense? Look at him.”

Alhidle shook his head at his friends’ compliments.

“No, it’s true. I was arrogant and prideful.”

“This guy..! How can you be so noble?”

“Blue worms, move aside.”

At the words from the White Tiger Tower students behind them, the Blue Dragon Tower students stiffened.

“How dare you?”

“How dare what? Just move.”

“Fine, we’ll move. But let’s see if you can handle this laughter curse—”

“Hey! Ulgan! Ulgan’s coming!!”

At a whisper, the faces of the White Tiger Tower students turned pale.

Even among friends from the same tower, they were clearly afraid.

“You guys aren’t fighting, right?!”

The big friend running over boomed, and the White Tiger Tower students panicked and denied it.

“W-what? Ulgan. Us, fighting? No, of course not. Right?”

“O-of course. We didn’t fight.”

Surprisingly, the Blue Dragon Tower students agreed. All of them knew how dangerous Ulgan could be.

—Stop it! Stop fighting!

—Get lost, Ulgan! Go fight with your tower mates or just disappear!

—Ulgan! Aren’t you going to do something after hearing that?! Help us!

—I said stop fighting! Please, stop! …I said STOP!!!

—ARGH! Ugh!

—Ow! Stop!

Students who got into a brawl in front of Ulgan, who hated fighting, were beaten senseless and learned a painful lesson.

Ah, better not provoke someone who hates fighting!

“Thank goodness. I thought you guys were fighting.”

“H-ha ha.”

“Ha ha ha.”

After an awkward laugh, Ulgan suddenly said,

“By the way, Eandurde is handing out food over there. Go get it fast.”

“What? Again?! Where does all that food come from? Does the Turtle Tower have a secret storeroom?”

“They said a Blue Dragon Tower senior gave it.”

“Who’s the crazy senior giving food to juniors from another tower?”

Despite their suspicion, the students ran to line up.

First-years were always hungry, and if you were late, nothing would be left.

“Hello, everyone.”

“…Priest Carre, please don’t come any closer.”

“Why, what’s wrong?”

“If you come close, you’ll steal from us!”

“What a rude thing to say…! What did I ever do to deserve—”

Like beavers or penguin beastkin, a squirrel beastkin could manipulate people’s guilt with just their expression.

White Tiger Tower students, even after being robbed several times, felt guilty as if it was their own fault.

“I took care of this basket for you. Here you go.”

“Th-thank you…”

“You’re welcome. It’s a priest’s joy to do such things.”

Inside the food basket, a paper magic beetle quietly fluttered its wings.

Carre smiled at the sight.

Finally, he’d be able to unlock the White Tiger Tower students’ storeroom.