Episode 922

Episode 922

‘What the?!’

Bartrek was startled by the sight of his friend bursting from the sleeping bag like lightning.

A movement shot out like an arrow with no preparatory action at all.

It wasn’t the first time Wardanaz, despite being from a wizard family, had overpowered his knight family friends in hand-to-hand combat, but this movement was on a whole other level.

It was something even most knights found difficult—an ability only possible if one could control their mana throughout the whole body with perfect fluidity…

“Everyone, get up!”

Lee Han called out to his friends and seniors collapsed all around.

Now was not the time to be sprawled on blankets and sleeping bags out of exhaustion.

But the Healing Magic School students were already lying there, resolved not to get back up no matter what.

Even if Einrogard was destroyed before the set time, they would not get up!

Only Angrago, who had not yet reached such a state, struggled up on the other side and asked,

“What is it! Why are you doing this!”

“Don’t you see the guest? Angrago!”

“?”

Angrago fought off sleep and rubbed his eyes. Then he looked at the guest standing in front of Lee Han.

“Who is it?”

“!”

Only then did Lee Han realize his friends weren’t used to the human form of the skeletal headmaster.

Normally, students didn’t have many chances to meet the human form of the headmaster.

Maybe once or twice, but the Mad Clone looked completely different in outfit and atmosphere…

“This person is, um… Master. How should I introduce you?”

“Don’t waste your breath on the lowly.”

‘What the hell is that?!’

Angrago cursed inwardly.

The only reason he didn’t curse aloud was because he was too tired.

He hadn’t received help during the exam, having been assigned to a different zone from his friends (specifically Lee Han). He felt he could collapse as soon as he closed his eyes.

‘A…ny…way…’

So thinking, Angrago quickly fell asleep. Lee Han stared at him in disbelief.

‘Why did that guy fall asleep in the middle of a conversation?’

“Mm. What brings you here?”

Lee Han focused on the more important matter rather than his fallen friend.

An in-person visit from the Mad Clone was extremely rare. Especially after his promise not to come.

‘Surely he isn’t using the excuse that his past and present selves are different so he can break his promise. That’d be like Gainando-level logic.’

Lee Han trusted the Mad Clone.

“I’ve come to deliver teachings as a reward for your contribution.”

“Like when you told me about the triple transformation magic earlier?”

The Mad Clone gave a brief sigh at his disciple presenting such a trivial example.

“That was just a trick, not a lesson.”

“But it was a very useful lesson…”

“Silence.”

Lee Han fell silent.

Even though the Mad Clone was back to his senses, Lee Han wasn’t sure how much he had recovered.

If he kept provoking him, the master might attack his disciple.

“You say you’ve fully grasped how to use Fall?”

“I’m not sure about fully, but to some degree…”

“Do you see it?”

The Mad Clone extended just his index finger and pointed at the ceiling.

Most magicians wouldn’t see anything unless they cast a spell, but Lee Han could see the soul formed above.

“Yes.”

“Move it.”

‘I’d rather rest.’

Grumbling inwardly, Lee Han focused.

Then the soul under the Mad Clone’s control slowly moved. Since he’d done the same earlier, it wasn’t hard anymore.

The Mad Clone, silently staring at his disciple, then spoke.

“I didn’t say you couldn’t use your staff.”

“Oh. Am I supposed to move it with magic? With which spell…”

“It’s fine. Continue.”

To move it with pure will rather than casting magic was a far higher realm.

The Mad Clone was fairly satisfied with the ability his disciple had shown—a demonstration good enough to overlook the insolence of cutting off his teacher’s message.

“All done.”

“Not bad. Now you have at least a little qualification to learn secrets related to the soul.”

“Couldn’t I learn after I become even more qualified?”

The Mad Clone ignored his disciple’s nonsense.

“Soul-related magic is…”

“Break’s over! Break’s over! Break’s over!”

All around, students shot up like undead and ran for the stairs.

Lee Han was the same.

“Sorry, master. I have to finish this exam!”

“……”

The Mad Clone silently stood for a moment, then moved toward the stairs.

Despite how short the rest had been, the upper floor was already bustling with patients of all sorts.

-Bark! Bring the potions!

-Y-yes!

-Seriously, idiots like this! Anyone who rides a flying mount without a helmet should be thrown in the punishment room!

-Senior, we used up all the ectoplasm bones! Is it okay to use undead bones instead?

The Mad Clone lightly raised one hand.

It was an ordinary, slow motion, nothing extraordinary about it.

But the moment that motion ended, all the diseases of the patients nearby gathered into one place.

Pop!

It happened so suddenly and quietly that people didn’t even realize what had taken place.

“What, what is it? Mage, sir?”

“My body suddenly feels much better…?”

The fastest to react were, of course, the students handling the healing.

The diseases they’d been observing all vanished in an instant, it was impossible not to feel something amiss.

“It’s gone!”

“How did…?!”

“It’s vanishing!”

“I just said, didn’t I?”

“No! Not the disease, the junior! You maniac!”

Only then, prompted by someone’s shout, did the students realize Lee Han was being dragged outside.

“Wardanaz! What are you doing!?”

“Hck, if I told you, it’d take a while. It’s the Headmaster’s clone…”

Lee Han desperately tried to explain to clear up the misunderstanding and get a proper grade on his exam.

Of course, while being dragged along.

The students, hearing the lengthy, convoluted explanation, didn’t seem shocked but instead interpreted it however suited them.

“Junior! Can’t you call him for us more often?”

“He seems way better than the actual Headmaster!”

“……”

Seeing the seniors react like this as he was being dragged away, Lee Han lamented.

What good is it for Einrogard to teach magic well?

If your humanity is destroyed!

‘Education at Einrogard must change.’

“Professor! Please don’t get the wrong idea!”

“I didn’t particularly misunderstand.”

Professor Alcassis, as always, responded with a tired and weary face.

This dark elf professor was more focused on checking the patients for problems, regardless of whether his disciple was being dragged off.

“By the way.”

“?”

“If you bring the Headmaster’s clone for finals, I’ll give you full marks again.”

“……”

Utterly stunned, Lee Han vanished down the stairs.

• * *

“It was a really tough week.”

Returning to the break room, Lee Han explained what had happened as he tucked the baby Basilisk into his sleeve.

The baby Basilisk, back in its original nest, clung so tightly in delight that blood couldn’t circulate.

-That’s right! It must’ve been really tough. Dealing with those ancient, evil demons!

“That’s not what I meant, I was talking about the lesson I got afterwards.”

Honestly, facing the evil beings in the ancient past wasn’t as exhausting as having to listen to the Mad Clone’s long lecture about what spells to learn next upon his return.

-……

The baby Basilisk silently thought its master’s sense was completely off, but kept quiet.

It had no wish to get kicked out of its hard-earned nest.

-Will His Highness not come anymore?

The baby Basilisk hissed with a somewhat disappointed tone, and Lee Han smiled.

Always bickering when together, now it seemed lonely with Joulin gone.

“He’ll come visit later anyway, so don’t feel too sad.”

-No, His Highness promised today’s pie to me. I already gave him my turn last time…

“……”

Lee Han pretended not to hear it.

‘I should tell Eandurde.’

Just as he headed down to the break room, he spotted a junior glancing around. Lee Han called out to him.

“Eandurde!”

“!!!”

Startled, the junior leaped into the air. Then he looked at Lee Han with a very flustered, guilty expression.

‘What’s this?’

Lee Han was puzzled to see the same look on his junior’s face as his friends from the Blue Dragon Tower when they were caught stealing snacks from the cupboard.

“Eandurde. Were you looking for snacks? I would have given you some if you’d asked.”

“…No, I wasn’t!”

Eandurde jumped again.

Unlike the baby Basilisk or Joulin, Eandurde didn’t have a big appetite.

“Then what is it? Oh. I get it.”

“!!!!”

“It’s the exam, isn’t it? Did you fail? I’ll keep it a secret from Yoner, so…”

Eandurde shook his head again, hard.

He wasn’t stupid—he hadn’t failed!

“His Highness…?”

“Oh. Joulin went back.”

“?!!!!”

Lee Han explained what had happened once more.

Maybe because of Joulin’s display of a strategy beyond even the best, Eandurde still looked confused.

“I understand. Who could have predicted it.”

“Uh… well… I… uh…”

Eandurde wanted to ask, ‘Am I not a suspect in the dragonstone incident?’ but hesitated, too self-conscious.

After Joulin and the baby Basilisk were driven out, Eandurde had realized he’d been caught and had fled in haste.

Yet judging by Lee Han’s reaction, he didn’t seem to suspect Eandurde at all.

…Maybe he wasn’t caught?

“His Highness didn’t say anything??”

“Hm? He left in a hurry.”

“……”

Eandurde belatedly realized Joulin had kept the secret for him.

To show such loyalty in the cold halls of Einrogard.

No, it wasn’t loyalty.

It was friendship.

Clench—

When Eandurde balled up his fist, Lee Han nodded in understanding.

“I get it. Eandurde.”

“It’s just…”

“You were tricked into giving up food to His Highness like the baby Basilisk, right? I’ll look out for you more, so cheer up.”

“…No, it’s not like that!”

For the first time, Eandurde snapped and got angry at his senior.

What he meant was that, for the first time, he was starting to think of Joulin as his friend!

Hearing his junior’s explanation, Lee Han felt very embarrassed.

“This is your fault!”

Lee Han whispered so only the baby Basilisk could hear. He’d misinterpreted the junior’s moving moment because of the baby Basilisk.

-So unfair…!

On top of missing out on pie, the baby Basilisk was scolded for something it didn’t even do. It genuinely felt wronged.

What kind of trouble to experience right after Joulin was gone.

“Well, it’s good. You two became friends. Having friends is a good thing.”

“Friends…”

“Yeah. Friends.”

“But I don’t want to prepare every meal for His Highness.”

“…No, you don’t need to. Who told you that?”

While speaking, Lee Han realized the junior was staring at him in shock.

Wait, was it me!?

“I get paid!”

“I heard it was a pittance…”

“What are you saying? Not true at all.”

Seeing his junior might be getting the wrong idea, Lee Han corrected him firmly.

Eandurde, being inexperienced, was liable to get oddly confused.

“If you ever hear nonsense, explain it strongly. Got it?”

“Yes…”

“All right, take out your exam.”

“…!”

Taken aback by the sudden turn, Eandurde’s face froze.

Even if he’d failed, Lee Han had only promised to keep it secret from Yoner, not not to check the grades!