Episode 924

‘Is the Teleportation Club not actually a secret society like I thought?’

Among unofficial clubs, some were so secret that their very existence was hidden.

A -Professor Assassination Club- (Lee Han had never heard of one, but he was certain it existed) or an -Expose the Truth About Einrogard Club- could never operate openly.

Lee Han naturally assumed the Teleportation Club was one of those secret societies.

They had even deliberately named it differently, and its location was not disclosed externally…

“Is it okay for the professors to know about the Teleportation Club?”

“Well, they probably suspect it.”

Sevius didn’t seem all that concerned. Lee Han felt even more confused.

“Is that okay?”

“As long as the base isn’t exposed, there’s surprisingly little issue. If they don’t catch you in the act, there’s no proof. You won’t go to the punishment room just for having made a Teleportation Club.”

‘Sometimes I really think the seniors are crazy.’

Lee Han thought to himself.

Of course, anyone at Einrogard develops a certain madness, but the seniors’ was a bit more advanced.

“Could I come along too?”

“Hmm.”

At the junior’s question, Sevius frowned.

“Ah. If it’s against club rules…”

“No, the others all want to take you.”

“……”

Contrary to what he’d thought, Lee Han was very popular among the seniors of the Teleportation Club.

It was understandable.

For a skilled thief—no, skilled teleporter—what mattered was ability.

Whether the junior was a second-year or from the Blue Dragon Tower didn’t matter. What mattered was where the junior had hit.

“But these jobs are a bit dangerous.”

“I’m prepared.”

Lee Han said confidently.

Earlier, he might have asked, ‘How dangerous could it be?’ but his experience at Einrogard had made him grow.

Now he first thought, ‘No matter how dangerous it is, it can’t be that bad.’

‘It’s a legitimate chance for an outing. I can’t let it pass.’

“I recognize your skill, but think carefully. If you get caught outside…”

“Will I be locked up in an outside prison?”

“No. The Headmaster will come find you and let you out. Then you get thrown in the punishment room for getting caught outside.”

“……”

It was even more bizarre than he’d thought. Lee Han shook his head and said,

“In any case, I’d like to go.”

“Understood. I’ll put your name on the list.”

As he dipped his quill in ink and wrote down the junior’s name, Sevius had a passing doubt.

‘Wait, doesn’t this kid belong to a lot of clubs? Can he do them all?’

• * *

“Junior. If you can’t play polo because of another club, I’ll assassinate every member of those clubs.”

“……”

“Of course I’m joking.”

‘It doesn’t sound like a joke.’

The dark elf senior’s eyes glinted with unwavering conviction.

It was the look of a madman who could set Einrogard on fire for polo.

“Um, Hormasi senior.”

“Yes, junior.”

“You know that Prince Joulin returned to the capital, right?”

“I heard.”

Carnella sighed heavily with an expression that showed regret, lingering attachment, bitterness, remorse, lament—all at once.

And she said,

“Of course, my suggestion to ride Prince Joulin in the match was a joke.”

“……”

Whatever else, Lee Han swore never to believe this White Tiger Tower third year’s jokes.

“But you have a griffin, unicorn, basilisk, giant, and mountain-breaking sheep, right?”

“I think there are some odd ones in that list.”

-I-I can’t do that!

The baby basilisk cried in a terrified voice.

It wasn’t yet ready to go up against huge monsters carrying Lee Han on its back.

“Odd ones? Well, maybe the unicorn still hasn’t fully recovered…”

“…I plan on riding the griffin.”

“Isn’t that a hasty decision? Being flexible according to what the opposition brings is the mark of a real polo player.”

“I’ll just ride the griffin.”

Carnella was disappointed by her junior’s resolute reply.

With such innate talent, why so inflexible?

“Well, I understand. I always ride my puppy the most, too.”

-They ride a puppy??

“No, the puppy is a Cerberus.”

-……

Soothing the horrified baby basilisk, Lee Han asked,

“By the way, senior, who’s the opponent and where are we playing?”

“The location’s Granden City.”

It was the city closest to Einrogard, and a familiar place to Lee Han.

“The opponent is Baldrogard’s polo team.”

“…Wait! Is that okay?!”

Lee Han was surprised.

Carnella didn’t understand why her junior was asking.

“What is?”

“Don’t Einrogard students attack Baldrogard students on sight?”

“W-well, it’s not that bad…”

Even Carnella was flustered at that.

Sure, students from the Empire’s magic academies had a degree of rivalry, but that level…?

“Won’t it turn into a brawl instead of a polo match?”

“Hang on. Junior. Don’t look down on the honor of polo players like that.”

Carnella sternly admonished her junior’s disregard for the pride and honor of polo players.

But Lee Han was unmoved.

The moment they considered fielding a giant or Joulin, honor was already out the window.

“And Baldrogard’s team is top notch. Don’t let your guard down.”

‘Wait, what?’

Hearing her say that, Lee Han was surprised again.

There was something top-level at Baldrogard?

But it was true.

“Those guys don’t do magic study, homework, or exams, so they use all their leftover time as they please. They can spend as much gold as they want. They can field rare beasts. …Damn it. If I think about how they took my hydra last time…”

Carnella, explaining, suddenly sounded resentful as old grudges surfaced.

The abundance afforded to Baldrogard’s students always infuriated Einrogard students.

‘I hope hydras don’t show up.’

Her grudge wasn’t Lee Han’s concern—what the opposition brought was.

Hearing Baldrogard’s team had once bought a hydra, Lee Han regretted not befriending them.

If he’d known they had one, he would have been more kind!

“Don’t worry too much, though, junior. Hormasi will be right in front, smashing their skulls.”

“I’m sure you mean scoring goals?”

• * *

Beaver-Penguin-Fox: -Urgent- Looking for info on unofficial clubs with outing permission.

Iactus: Mage Card Club.

Beaver-Penguin-Fox: -Urgent- Looking for info on unofficial clubs allowed to go out (excluding the Mage Card Club).

Iactus: ……

“!”

When the Watchman Club members started chatting again, Lee Han took out his artifact.

With all the preparations needed for club outside activities, information was always valuable.

Gonadaltes: Why asking about unofficial clubs with outing rights?

Iactus: Probably wants someone to bring something from outside. Official clubs probably don’t fit the conditions.

Even though official clubs could go out more easily, numbers were small, and times and purposes set, so it was hard to ask for side favors.

Gonadaltes: Why not the Mage Card Club?

Beaver-Penguin-Fox: Those idiots just go to magic card shops and spend the whole day there. Can’t trust them with errands.

“……”

Lee Han sighed.

Not because of the Mage Card Club’s single-mindedness, but because it was a shame Gainando couldn’t even get in there.

‘Such a pity.’

Gonadaltes: Can I ask what sort of errand?

Beaver-Penguin-Fox: Oh, my friend of evil name, interested in a job?

Iactus: Don’t trust it. Who knows what dangerous errand they want done.

Beaver-Penguin-Fox: Shut up. We’re not freshmen, we know how to decide for ourselves.

After shutting Iactus up, Beaver-Penguin-Fox rapidly detailed the job.

Fortunately, it wasn’t difficult stuff—two bundles of ziwon-wood, a crystal-sealed swansong, and three bottles of fairy honey-wine. All easily bought if you had money.

Beaver-Penguin-Fox: I absolutely have no shady use for these, so don’t worry.

‘That just makes it sound more suspicious.’

Lee Han already knew Beaver-Penguin-Fox was Senior Ellendil.

That dryad-mixed senior was the person who most loved and cared for the forest at Einrogard, so this was no doubt about forest restoration.

If they wanted wood, they wouldn’t be up to anything too—

‘…though maybe not this time.’

Beaver-Penguin-Fox: Five times. I’ll pay five times the price.

Gonadaltes: Understood. Just don’t get your hopes too high.

Beaver-Penguin-Fox: Amazing! I don’t know why I thought you were crazy when you joined our club!

Iactus: I do. Just look at the name at the front. By the way, Gonadaltes, which club are you in so you’re guaranteed to go out?

Gonadaltes: One you’ve never heard of.

Iactus: Professor Assault Club?

Beaver-Penguin-Fox: That’s a club?

Iactus: I don’t know. Just seemed likely.

Hello.

“?”

Iactus: ?

Beaver-Penguin-Fox: ??

Iactus: …What?

Hello. U-uh, can’t you see my messages?

For a moment, a chilling silence swept through the Watchman Club chat.

Lee Han’s eyes widened.

‘A new member!!’

The Watchman Club got new members two ways.

One, Baquantalana, who served as administrator, would manipulate the communication artifact to connect someone to the group.

That’s how Lee Han had been invited in.

The other way was for someone to obtain an artifact already connected to the Watchman Club group.

This newcomer was obviously the latter. The Einrogard students were on edge.

If the person was a professor or the skeletal headmaster’s minion…

Hello. Hello. Hello?

Gonadaltes: Whoever you are, identify yourself. Who are you?

Lee Han was first to shake off fear and move his quill.

The other party didn’t seem like the skeletal headmaster or his minion, so Lee Han stepped up.

‘Maybe it’s a first-year?’

If a first-year was wandering around Einrogard and just picked up an artifact, their hesitance made sense.

An upperclassman would have picked up on the silence instantly.

Ah. Sorry. I’m a third-year at Baldrogard… Wait, that was close. How do I know you people aren’t wicked artifacts trying to trick me into giving my name?

Iactus: ……

Beaver-Penguin-Fox: ……

Iactus: Baquantalana!!! Baquantalana!!!

Beaver-Penguin-Fox: Where’s Baquantalana! Hurry up!

Iactus: This is no time to mess around!!! A madman got into the club!!!

The Watchman Club members, shocked by the new recruit’s true identity, frantically called for Baquantalana.

How the hell did a Baldrogard punk get inside the Watchman Club???