Episode 925

What is this? If you’re trying to trick me, just stop! It won’t work!

Beaver-Penguin-Fox: I’m going crazy.

Gonadaltes: Wait. Everyone calm down.

Lee Han tried to calm the confused members.

They couldn’t kick the newcomer out until Baquantalana arrived. It was better to coax the other side and figure out how they’d gotten in.

Iactus: Aha! At last, your true colors show!

Beaver-Penguin-Fox: Staying calm in this situation… that’s something, starting from that alias…

Gonadaltes: Can I cancel the requested errand?

When Lee Han responded sternly, Beaver-Penguin-Fox flinched.

Thinking about it, the one at a loss now was herself, not the other.

Beaver-Penguin-Fox: I only meant it’s impressive to keep your cool, even now.

Iactus: Wow. Hate to say it, but that’s a bit pathetic.

Beaver-Penguin-Fox: Shut up.

Gonadaltes: Okay. Quiet, everyone. New Baldrogard mage, this is a secret club for imperial magic school students to share dignified conversation.

Wow!

The Baldrogard student gasped in surprise at Lee Han’s words.

A secret club for imperial magic school students?

He’d never even seen a place so fitting for mages in his life.

Baldrogard was a good place, but to be honest, it wasn’t very mage-like.

I’m honored to enter a place like this! How many Baldrogard students are here?

Gonadaltes: It’s not very mage-like to pry into each other’s identity.

Ah, sorry!

Iactus and Beaver-Penguin-Fox complained inwardly.

What kind of ridiculous lie was that?

But… it wasn’t entirely a lie…

In fact, even if it was a club gathering of Einrogard students, it could also be called a gathering of imperial magic school students.

Especially now, with a Baldrogard student inside.

‘Maybe it’s better to fool them and then kick them out.’

Rather than reveal this was only for Einrogard magicians…

So is the alias in front of everyone’s name also to hide identity?

Gonadaltes: Something like that.

Really great aliases.

Gonadaltes: Thanks for the compliment.

Iactus: ……

Beaver-Penguin-Fox: ……

The older members grimaced at the childish outsider’s compliments.

New members…

Gonadaltes: So… how did you get in? You need an artifact.

I got a blackboard from Senior Jandanni… Ah, that’s…

Iactus: Not interested.

Beaver-Penguin-Fox: Nobody asked.

‘So cold.’

But even with the cold responses, the new Baldrogard student remained cheerful.

Of course. You’re all hiding your identity and keeping secrets! So cool!

Gonadaltes: Well. That’s basic.

Iactus: Wow. Really, you…

Gonadaltes: What?

Iactus: Nothing…

Lee Han pondered.

Jandanni was a Baldrogard student Lee Han knew about. There’d been that bag artifact incident before.

‘Maybe he figured out the value and gifted it for the junior?’

That seemed unlikely, but Lee Han figured he’d ask.

Gonadaltes: So did that senior give you the blackboard so you could join this club?

Ah, no. He gave it to me to sell. There’s a charity event and I was supposed to sell some decent furniture. We got new ebony furniture, and there’s no room for the old cabinet in the parlor…

“……”

The Watchman Club’s silence was chilling.

Lee Han could feel the simmering hatred of the Einrogard students, even through the page.

Gonadaltes: …Again, don’t forget to hide your identity.

Ah, yes! Understood!

If the Baldrogard student’s identity got out, an attack would become a serious concern.

Beaver-Penguin-Fox: So you just happened to get that blackboard?

Yes. The senior also said he got it from an older senior. A senior named Ipheldrem…

Iactus: Still not interested.

Beaver-Penguin-Fox: Still nobody asked.

Ah, understood!

‘Wait—?’

Unlike the other members, Lee Han only grew more intrigued.

If it was Ipheldrem, that was the creator of the -Sixfold Bag- he owned.

A mage famous for collaborating with Einrogard students, and from Baldrogard.

That such a person held the blackboard was fascinating.

‘Did they use it to communicate with an Einrogard student? Then maybe that student was a club member, too.’

Then, do you want to ask me anything?

Apparently delighted to join such a distinguished mage club, the recruit remained upbeat despite all the cold treatment.

Iactus: What family are you from? Can you give us your address for vacation?

Ah! You’re testing me! I get it. It’s a secret!

Beaver-Penguin-Fox: Do you maybe have any snow yellow elixir? I need some.

Snow yellow elixir, a reagent for controlling ambient moisture, was rather rare and expensive.

The other members thought, of course, he’d refuse.

I do. I bought a whole box last time. If you need some, take as much as you’d like!

“……”

Beaver-Penguin-Fox: Wait. Let’s talk privately.

Iactus: Hey! You can’t scam the new recruit!

What do you mean? I honestly just want to give it as a gift…

Lee Han realized an advantage of Baldrogard students he hadn’t considered.

That was—massive external wealth, available freely.

Members who had just been desperate for Baquantalana’s help now all clamored to win the new guy’s favor.

‘Wait. I shouldn’t be idle.’

Lee Han quickly picked up his quill.

At this point, he had to REMOVE the competition and make himself seem trustworthy. He started to load up on gossip about Iactus and Beaver-Penguin-Fox.

Baquantalana: …What in the world is going on?

Bulgasari: What’s happening? Can someone clue me in??

The belatedly arriving members were bewildered by the club’s chaos.

Beaver-Penguin-Fox: Nothing at all.

Gonadaltes: Yeah. You two must be busy—go take care of your own business.

Baquantalana: A Baldrogard student got in? This… This is a bit unexpected.

Bulgasari: Wait! You can’t trick the Baldrogard student! Everyone stop!!

I really just want to give gifts…

Bulgasari: No mage should accept gifts for nothing. Only fair exchanges! Stop it now! If you don’t, I’ll block the channel!

Baquantalana: What are you talking about, Bulgasari? You don’t have management rights for the club…

Before the sentence finished, the paper turned pitch black, as if ink had been poured on it, rejecting any further writing.

Members, shocked, tried to manipulate the artifact, but nothing worked.

Bulgasari: See? Stop!

Beaver-Penguin-Fox: What the? What kind of magic is that?

Baquantalana: How did you counter-interfere??

Bulgasari: Figure it out yourself if you’re so curious. I won’t allow you to scam the new member!

When control returned, Bulgasari gave a stern warning.

P-please, don’t fight over me! I get it. I won’t just give gifts anymore.

‘Ugh!’

Though they couldn’t see them, it was as if Lee Han could hear the sighs of the other members.

And Bulgasari’s popularity, for interfering, surely hit a new low…

‘I doubt it could go any lower. But still, who are they? An upperclassman I don’t know?’

The magic interference was on a level even older students couldn’t fathom.

It could only be a senior Lee Han didn’t know, or…

‘Surely not a professor. Few professors would have time to hang out here.’

Baquantalana: Fine. Figure it out yourself later. That’s not the issue now.

Is something up?

Baquantalana: It concerns you. We need to vote on whether to accept the new member.

Baquantalana, though administrator, didn’t act unilaterally.

Even if the applicant was a Baldrogard student, the decision was by majority.

Could they keep the secret? Would they act with honor? Might they be a mole for the headmaster…

Trust me! I swear on my family and my name I’ll keep the secret. I’ll keep the honor too!

Beaver-Penguin-Fox: Agreed.

Bulgasari: I agree.

Gonadaltes: Then I do as well…

Baquantalana: Some of you seem a bit self-serving… but rules are rules. Welcome to the new member.

Wow! Thank you so much!!!

Baquantalana: Then you need to pick an alias.

Wardanaz: How about… I use the name of a magician I admire…

Gonadaltes: That’s garbage. Pick another alias.

Iactus: Hey, do you have any right to criticize someone else’s alias?

• * *

‘Phew. That’s a relief.’

Lee Han closed his book with a sigh.

Thankfully, he managed to persuade the new member to use the alias -Ipheldrem-.

Wardanaz: Garbage?! What do you know! That magician is at Einrogard…

Gonadaltes: Not much of a magician, really. And since you’re from Baldrogard, use a Baldrogard name. What about Ipheldrem?

Ipheldrem: …Fine. I’ll give in. But Gonadaltes, you’re really rude!

…Though he did earn a bit of dislike from the new member.

Normally being unpopular in the club was Bulgasari’s role, so Lee Han felt a bit worried.

‘Hope they don’t skip me when distributing gifts later.’

Having handled the immediate problem, Lee Han headed for the Black Dark Hall.

Now that exams were over, it was time to tend the cemetery in the back. Black magic school students were already gathering, shovels in hand.

“Wardanaz, you’re here.”

“Yes. Should I till this patch?”

“Yeah. But be careful, I’ve been hearing sounds from below.”

Soil beloved by necromancers was full of dark, cold energy, so sinister, twisted things often crawled out.

Gainando whispered, looking sick.

“Hope it’s not a banshee?”

“I don’t mind banshees.”

“……”

“Just kidding.”

“That really didn’t seem like a joke?”

The most threatening thing about a banshee was its chilling wail, but Lee Han had already survived much worse status effects.

He wasn’t all that worried.

“There’s a hole below. It’s small. Gonna need to send in a summon.”

“A spirit?”

“Spirits hate going in those places, so no.”

Basically, there weren’t many spots necromancers liked that spirits did too.

A tiny cave under a grave dug deep into the ground was the worst of all.

“Gainando, send your undead.”

“My bramble revenant can’t fit. I already boosted its size again, so…”

“…Gainando, you can’t just make your summons big all the time…”

Lee Han looked at his friend with pity.

Some necromancers only ever focused on their summons’ size, but soon regretted it.

You had to be able to respond flexibly; a single-purpose summon was too inconvenient for a mage.

“Well. Fine. I’ll call Sharkan.”

Lee Han summoned his leopard familiar.

There were other undead, but for a small hole, a flexible quadruped like Sharkan was best.

But Sharkan didn’t appear.

“…???”

Lee Han tried again. Same result. Gainando shouted knowingly,

“You didn’t call it enough! Just like the griffin!”

“Gainando. The griffin didn’t sulk, okay? It’s not like Basil.”

-?!

The baby basilisk, quietly minding its business, suddenly bristled at being insulted.