Episode 945

While Lee Han was regrouping his friends who had scattered across the city, Arian and her staff were inspecting the warehouse building near the North Gate.

“The roof… intact. Any bricks missing? None.”

“Um… Arian, are you sure about this?”

A staff member from the company glanced over nervously as she spoke.

She couldn’t help but wonder if what they were doing was really right.

…Letting those Einrogard students stay in such a shabby company warehouse!

The magician profession was so respected that even wandering magicians would be offered fine hospitality.

But to let not just any magicians, but Einrogard alumni rest in a company warehouse?

From the staff’s perspective, it felt far too rude.

‘Maybe she has some trouble with magicians?’

“Sigh. I wanted to prepare something nicer for them too. But what can you do, when the magicians themselves refuse?”

Arian let out a deep sigh.

Her staff member was taken aback.

“The magicians chose the warehouse?”

“That’s right.”

‘Magicians really are all eccentric!’

The staff member immediately suspected there was some magical reason.

Maybe if magicians stayed somewhere soft and warm, their magic got weaker…

“We’re here!”

While they were talking, the students came through the main gate leading to the cluster of warehouses.

They obviously looked like magicians, and the staff member nervously double-checked the buildings.

‘It’s… really not that bad. No bugs, no leaks. A bit old, but… now that I think about it, no beds, no servants, no bath, no parlor, no music room… um… are there too many things missing?’

Her confidence quickly evaporated.

Despite her recent resolve, these warehouse buildings clearly looked too run-down.

Though the exterior was solid, with wide brick walls and about as big as a two-story home, inside, all that was stacked were the company’s goods and stock in wooden crates.

“Gasp!”

One student let out a quick scream. The staff member reflexively began making excuses.

“I-it couldn’t be helped, being in a rush—”

“C-can we really stay in such a luxurious place???”

“……”

“……”

“Hey. Somebody shut that guy up.”

“Bringing disgrace to Einrogard again…”

“Mmmph! Mmmmph!”

The goat beastkin student, wearing a sword like a knight, was dragged away by friends with his mouth covered.

The staff member asked again, not understanding what she’d just heard.

“Did he… just call this luxurious?”

“Sorry. That friend gets silly after failed magic experiments… No! I mean, can we really stay somewhere this good?”

“Salko, what are you doing now, seriously.”

“Sorry…”

The students carefully discussed which warehouse each would use.

Having just embarrassed themselves, they tried their best to maintain their dignity.

“Can we use this palace—er, warehouse—for alchemy?”

“There should be room for that. That mansion—no, warehouse—over there, let’s keep that to store our incoming goods.”

“Wardanaz, there’s a sleeping bag in this warehouse. Is this actually an inn, not a warehouse?”

“There’s no such inn, man…”

• * *

The regrouped second-year Einrogard students gathered in the building they’d decided would be the dining hall.

All their faces showed the complex feelings of anyone lucky enough to escape Einrogard: happiness, contentment, relief, pride.

Salko, sprawled in a makeshift armchair of straw, earth, water, and magic, spoke up.

“So. What’s everybody’s plan?”

“Uh…”

“About that…”

Everyone looked around awkwardly.

Nobody had honestly expected they’d really manage to escape, so nobody had a proper plan for what to do next.

Excited, sure… but also not sure what to do. Pure, contented blankness!

When his friends drifted, Salko called for Lee Han, the only one who was likely to have a plan.

“Wardanaz!”

“Yeah?”

Lee Han, who’d been tidying up and reinforcing the warehouse they’d use as their lodgings with summoned undead, turned his head.

“Need to ask you something!”

“Alright, gimme a second.”

Lee Han floated orbs of light throughout the warehouse and finished enchanting the floor with a flame-inscription.

Then he cast -Bible’s Mana Dispersion Enchantment-. It was an extra mana source to help maintain magic in the warehouse.

He was using the secrets of artifact-making Professor Verdus had taught him for the sake of their makeshift lodgings, but nobody here was going to call him out on it.

Only Adenart, who also specialized in enchantments, looked on in horror.

-You’re using that spell just for this?!

“Coffee? Tea? Cocoa? It’s nice to have more options on the outside.”

“Do you have ice cream soda?”

“Sure. Here.”

Angrago excitedly received a tin cup—full of boiling water.

“…Cocoa for me…”

“Good choice.”

Angrago learned a valuable lesson.

If you got greedy for the ice cream soda, you might lose the cocoa as well.

After passing out snacks (which Lee Han had paid for) received from the company staff, Lee Han finally sat with the others.

“So, what was it you wanted to ask?”

“What’s your plan? You’re probably the most experienced at going out among us, Wardanaz.”

“Jeez, people’ll get the wrong idea. Anyway, I was gonna help Sir Alsicle find his patron…”

“?”

His friends blinked, not understanding.

What on earth was that?

“Then I’ll pick up the supplies we need, buy more artifacts and books if possible, and if there’s still time, I’ll take on some commissions before heading back.”

“……”

“…Why did you even come out, then?”

Angrago blurted it out.

It was almost the same stuff he did inside Einrogard! What was the point, other than the location?!

Lee Han looked at his friend with a pitying expression.

“You can’t easily get new supplies or books inside.”

“True, but…! Shouldn’t you spend a bit of time for yourself?”

“I said I’d do commissions if there’s time.”

Lee Han frowned as if he had no idea why Angrago was making a fuss.

Was it because he’d refused him ice cream?

But this time, the rest of his friends sided with Angrago.

“That’s not time for yourself, Wardanaz.”

“I… I have to agree…”

“?!”

Lee Han was stunned by the criticism from Salko, Yoner, Nillia, and Ahsan.

He never dreamed they would all join in.

Adenart hesitated; truthfully, she thought it was actually a pretty good plan.

‘It sounds really worthwhile to me…’

“Alright then. Let’s hear your plans. Let’s see how much fun you’ll have.”

With the tables turned, his friends floundered.

“U-uh. I was thinking of going to watch the hurling matches…”

“I wanted to buy a new abacus…”

“Not that impressive.”

Lee Han snorted. Angrago and Ahsan protested indignantly.

“Hurling matches are fun!”

“Every workshop makes different ones!”

“Nillia’s going to the nobles’ ball, and Yoner will work in the shop.”

“?!?”

Nillia’s ears shot up in panic.

No, she wasn’t!

But she never got a chance to defend herself since someone else always answered first.

“Actually, Lee Han’s right. I’ve got a few potions to finish, too.”

“Hmm. I need to look for a grimoire for the magic I’m working on.”

Suddenly, the mood turned solemn.

They all realized what a cursed fate being at Einrogard was.

Even when you left, you could never truly escape your fate!

“But, but still—I mean, we should really make some time for ourselves while we’re out. Next term we’ll get busier, and next year even more so. Think of the seniors—they’re basically slaves!”

Angrago’s words stirred everyone’s hearts.

Especially mentioning the seniors—the mere thought of seeing them ground under the yoke of time brought a sudden, desperate urge for at least one more pleasant day.

“Let’s all find something to—”

“Oh, this is a discarded box, but there are some reagents inside. I’ll ask if we can use them.”

“What? Really? What’s in it?”

“There shouldn’t be any reason to throw out good reagents… what’s the issue?”

“……”

With Lee Han’s words, everyone crowded around to see if ‘if it’s just discarded, can we have it?’

Angrago’s shoulders slumped. He gave up.

‘I’ll just find a few grimoires and head back, I guess…’

• * *

The red, dried, rootlike object called Flamewood Root was a reagent with highly condensed fire energy.

But the pieces of Flamewood Root in the discarded crate no longer felt fiery.

“Ah, those were thrown out after problems during shipping.”

“If you’re throwing them out, may we use them?”

“Huh? Sure, any discarded stock you find in the crates is yours—though I doubt you’ll have anywhere to use it…”

The staff were puzzled.

Magic goods were difficult to handle and ship, so plenty got discarded. Of course, the warehouse had a lot of such waste stock.

But there was nowhere for them to be used. If there were, the merchants would have used them themselves.

“If you need reagents, you could use the untouched stock…”

“No, these will do.”

With permission, Lee Han returned to the group. Yoner asked, head tilted.

“Permission’s good—but is there even a way to use these?”

“Exactly!”

Ahsan blurted admiringly.

“??”

“We’ll disguise them as if the energy’s still intact, then pawn them off on some dumb magicians! Specifically, the ones from Baldrogard!”

“You’re a genius…!”

Everyone but Yoner stared in awe. Even Adenart was impressed.

A trick like that might have been low, but if it was against Baldrogard… it was acceptable.

“…No, that’s a scam. What are you talking about?”

“It isn’t?”

“Of course not. I’ll see if there’s a way to restore them.”

“That’s probably much harder…”

“Wait. Let me check first. If I can’t, then we’ll give up.”

“???”

Everyone looked confused.

Ask who?

Lee Han walked alone behind the warehouse and began talking aloud with his staff. The others thought it sounded like a curse, maybe, but chilly.

A few moments later, Lee Han came back.

“They say it’s possible!”

“What!? Really?!”

Stunned by the good news, no one remembered to ask who he’d spoken with.

And really, was it that important?

• * *

“Alpha, the groove’s off. Rotate it about ten degrees.”

“Erk, messed up again.”

Everyone took up their assigned roles and got to work.

It turned out restoring the lost energy to the Flamewood Root wasn’t all that difficult—just time-consuming.

First, you had to cut it into patterns that allowed it to absorb heat as efficiently as possible, then toss it in a cauldron of special alchemical oil over blazing, concentrated fire.

After that, you had to time it just right and recite the proper chants to avoid breaking or under-restoring the root…

“Meikin, could you check the oil?”

“Looks fine… but the viscosity’s a bit low. I’ll have to reinforce it. Twice.”

-■■ ■■■ ■■■■?

-■■ ■■■■■.

Nillia and Adenart compared their summoned fire spirits, marveling on the inside.

‘Wow. How’d she raise them to that level?’

‘How does she contract so many spirits?’

And Rowena, face gone pale, sweated nervously.

“…Lord Wardanaz… is all this fire really necessary?”

“Of course. Restoring ruined reagents requires this at least.”

Lee Han intensified the pure heat energy boiling in the cauldron.

With blue flames generously poured in, the essence inside roiled with even greater strength.

Rowena at last realized why the technique for restoring reagents had been lost to history.

Surely there couldn’t be a magician anywhere in the Empire wasteful enough to use up this much mana just to restore some reagents!