Episode 935
by Cristae‘I still have a lot more prepared…’
Lee Han clicked his tongue, disappointed by the merchant’s cool-headedness.
He had wanted to tell the story of how Stedal Nago had chosen to invest in a stable miners’ guild after the speculation bubble burst, instead of risky mage towers, and achieved huge success.
The story was meant to show just how wise Stedal Nago was—not foolish enough to trust magicians with his money.
After all, mage towers and mage guilds were never really safe bets!
“We’ll wait here for a bit. Another noble will soon join us.”
“What kind of person?”
“Hmm. This person is difficult to deal with. Arrogant and self-absorbed. It may be better to just offer a simple greeting, then talk to others after arriving at the palace.”
Amur, beside them, asked curiously.
“Why travel with someone like that?”
“A merchant can’t just work with people they like. In this case, the young noble is looking for a patron, and I was asked to help.”
The Kaako Trading Company was quite large in the Empire, and Arian herself managed a wide range of tasks.
One of those tasks was handling requests like this.
Introducing patron-seeking young nobles to social gatherings and smoothing the mood.
In exchange, the company gained connections with noble families—and owed favors as well.
“Oh dear. Sounds like someone with a nasty personality. Could be hard to deal with.”
“As long as we keep to ourselves it’ll be fine.”
“Thank you, Amur. There truly is no one like you…”
At that moment the carriage door opened and a penguin beastman mage clad in an ornate silver snowflake-patterned coat climbed in.
It was Alsicle of the Pengerine family.
“……”
“Greetings.”
“Welcome, Lord Pengerine.”
“Yes. Pleased to meet you. This is…”
“This is Lord Stedal from the Nago family.”
“I see.”
Alsicle answered flatly, then flopped into the long carriage seat.
He kept clacking his beak and muttering,
“Don’t want to go…”
“Lord Pengerine!”
“…S-sorry.”
At Arian’s firm scolding, Alsicle straightened up.
Come to think of it, the gathering was just starting. Everyone in the carriage would be a participant.
“But… these aren’t patrons, are they?”
“True. But you never know where rumors will leak from. These people are discreet, but Lord Pengerine, you must also be careful.”
“…Why do all the patrons gather at theater gatherings? Couldn’t they meet up at a mage tower and watch magic experiments?”
Alsicle sounded truly aggrieved.
The only reason the arrogant and self-absorbed penguin mage Alsicle bothered with this theater event was because that’s where the patrons were!
Alsicle needed to find sponsors for his new research, so even if theater was boring and unpleasant, he was forced to attend.
‘Ugh. I really don’t want to go.’
Amur, next to him, whispered curiously.
“Aren’t magic experiments popular? I thought I saw that in the imperial newspaper?”
Amur remembered reading stories like, -Every patron who visited Rootwood Tower’s magic demonstration had their hair turn into twigs!-
Accidents like that aside, magic experiments attracted a curious crowd.
“They are, in a way, but it depends a lot on the kind of magic.”
“Ah, I see.”
For example, schools like necromancy rarely attracted spectators, even if they promised demonstrations.
Sometimes undertakers or similar people would show up asking for work, but that was about it.
Lee Han thought Alsicle’s research probably wasn’t especially popular either.
For one thing, it was just too cold.
‘Why would rich imperials pay to freeze out in some distant place?’
Snowflakes were pretty from a distance, but watching them up close quickly became tiresome.
Seeing the pair whisper, Alsicle suddenly looked unsure and asked Arian,
“Is Lord Nago… rather wealthy?”
“…Ah, Lord Nago was captured by southern pirates and rescued by Lagesa, the daughter of privateer Torgard, gaining a treasure map while captive and making a great fortune. Afterwards, he turned to alchemy, developed several potions, and…”
“!”
Alsicle’s eyes went round at Arian’s smooth, eloquent explanation.
He’d thought Nago was just a bored noble going to the theater, but apparently this one was loaded!
Alsicle tidied his attire.
‘Should have brought some canned sardines.’
He began hoping the palace would have sardines as he spoke up.
“Lord Nago. I am truly impressed by your natural luck and insight—especially how you gathered wealth during the Boneflesh Flower Speculation Crash. Might you have an interest in funding cold-magic research…?”
“Lord Alsicle, I’m actually Wardanaz in disguise.”
“…HEY!!!”
Alsicle burst out.
How could he trifle with someone’s earnest feelings like that!
“Why the disguise?”
“I’m here to help the Einrogard Theater Club students escape.”
“…I shouldn’t have asked.”
Alsicle genuinely reflected.
While he was twisting himself in knots just to get out of seeing the play, this boy from the Wardanaz family was doing his best for his friends.
“Why does Einrogard torment the students so much?”
“I wonder about that myself. More importantly—Alsicle, do you know much about theater?”
Alsicle’s face instantly darkened at Lee Han’s question.
Alsicle wasn’t someone with a talent for the arts.
“I’m not very confident.”
“That’s fine. I’ve prepared in advance.”
“!”
Alsicle’s face immediately brightened again.
If a boy from a great noble house said so confidently…
“Let me run through a few plays quickly. The heirs of two feuding families fall in love—”
“They both die and then a lich appears and resurrects them, right? I know that one.”
“……”
Lee Han stared at Alsicle in utter shock and betrayal.
So he actually did know about plays—why pretend otherwise?
‘How cowardly can you be?’
“W-wait…! It’s basic culture! Who hasn’t seen that one?”
“…How about this: A poor girl sobs because she can’t get to the ball—”
“You mean the one a lich comes and gives her a dress and a glass sword? She kills the prince, who’s actually a demon in disguise? And later, the real prince recognizes her as she wields the sword—”
“I don’t think you need my help, Lord Alsicle.”
“A-alright, then.”
Alsicle thought it more shocking that a magician like Wardanaz would talk this way.
Even a lumberjack from the northern mountains would have seen those plays…
The destination came into view in the distance.
The -Old King’s Palace-, Granden City’s landmark—once a palace during the royal era, now used for civic banquets.
Several fancy carriages were already lined up. Alsicle whispered to Lee Han,
“If you spot anyone who might invest in my research, let me know.”
“Will you help spring my friends from the club in return?”
The two mages shook hands firmly. Arian and Amur watched with satisfaction.
“Well then, enjoy the event. We’ll wait here.”
With a send-off, the two mages set forth.
Lee Han looked around to spot anyone useful.
“Alsicle, that looks like a mage from the Dreamwork Hall.”
“Wardanaz.”
“Yes?”
“Mages are all broke bums—ignore them! Find a patron!”
‘Unless you’re an exception like Baldrogard.’
Lee Han muttered inwardly but nodded.
There was no point cozying up with mages at an event like this.
It would be hard to get funding, and later those connections might just get in the way when Lee Han got into trouble…
“Lord Clbik, how do you get the timing right for the start of a play?”
“Effort and repetition! All the magicians here have talent, but it takes sweat and perseverance to make it bloom!”
Clbik spoke earnestly as he watched the illusion magicians.
He had come to the palace both to supply magic for the play and to instruct the illusion magicians under his care.
While some mage towers hoard information, there are also groups that travel the Empire, spreading knowledge to strengthen their whole school.
Dreamwork Hall, Clbik’s affiliation, was the latter sort. Ogonin himself was a giant in the illusion field.
Clbik was currently teaching the illusion magicians who had gathered in Granden City, without charging anything—his students looked at him with respect.
“But don’t worry too much. Clbik will make sure everything is checked. Prepare your assigned magic, everyone!”
Lee Han found their talk interesting.
It sounded like they were preparing magic for a play—and if he could join in, it might make it easy to help the students escape later.
“If they’re preparing magic for the play, I’d like to join in.”
“Ugh. No money in it…”
Alsicle grumbled, but didn’t object to Lee Han’s suggestion.
Indeed, to help the Einrogard students escape, it was effective to join the theater preparations.
With such strict surveillance, they would only succeed if they could find a few opportunities.
“Better for Alsicle of the Pengerine family to do the asking than Stedal of the Nago family. By the way, your fake name feels strangely familiar—is it real?”
“No. It’s the headmaster’s name backward.”
“……”
Alsicle made a face like he’d seen all sorts of crazy people and then approached the magicians.
Once they heard his name and family, Clbik welcomed him enthusiastically.
“An honor indeed! Glad to have your help. You may even teach the other magicians here!”
“Thank you. …There, done.”
Alsicle returned to Lee Han.
But Lee Han was staring, shocked and appalled.
“What’s wrong? Is there a problem?”
1 “That’s Lord Baldororn over there!”
Although most of his face was hidden, Lee Han recognized him immediately.
It was the great illusion magician Baldororn from Pillone Village.
“…Huh? Really?!”
Alsicle looked up in surprise.
Alsicle had heard of this famous illusionist—even over break, Wardanaz had mentioned his name.
-So, Lord Baldororn…
-Now that you mention it, Lord Baldororn…
-Lord Baldororn is honestly more impressive than Ogonin, don’t you think?
-You’re free to think that, but you shouldn’t say it in front of illusion school mages.
“Who? Is it that one? Looks so ordinary, though?”
“The extraordinary is always hidden in the ordinary.”
Lee Han’s tone carried a hint of reverence.
A true expert always hid their claws.
“I have a few things about magic I’ve been pondering—I really need a word with him.”
“Wait. Wait. Lord Alsicle, look at Lord Baldororn.”
Lee Han pointed him out.
The man had his face almost completely hidden, as if to avoid being recognized.
That meant he had another purpose.
“He’ll have his own motives, just like us. Let’s not interfere.”
“True… That’s a shame. I would have liked to talk for once. But then, what kind of errand would someone like him be on, doing mundane work like this?”