Episode 961

Episode 961

It took Lee Han about 30 minutes to deal with the gathered people.

Of course, he didn’t deal with them by force or magic. Lee Han had to give each of them his autograph.

“By any chance, do you have thoughts of joining the Imperial Polo Team after graduation?”

“No?”

“Then you must be thinking of joining the Imperial Polo Team before graduation!”

“No.”

“If the traditions of your great noble family oppress you, then cast off those chains bravely!”

“It’s just that I’m not particularly interested in being a polo player…”

“No way! Don’t lie! I’m sure, in the student’s heart…!”

“Pff. If you’ve gotten all the autographs, go away now.”

Falkrius pushed the polo fanatics away with his thick forearm.

Deeply moved by the match, people without exception shouted for Lee Han to join the polo teams they supported or were affiliated with.

“My goodness. What are they talking about?”

“Exactly.”

“Wardanaz, aren’t you going to be a professor?”

“…Excuse me???”

“Disguise yourself again. It seems you’ll have to undo the disguise after entering the mansion.”

“What did you just…”

Lee Han persistently kept asking, but Falkrius was too focused to hear.

“It’s best to visit the Greenbell family later… Hm? What did you say?”

“What did you just…”

“That’s right. Wardanaz. What did you do to win the match that people are chasing after you like this?”

“It was just luck.”

“Pff. If luck strikes twice, those polo club guys will faint with joy.”

Falkrius laughed heartily.

Still, as official clubs of Einrogard, there was a bit of camaraderie, so hearing of the polo club’s big win after a long while was quite pleasant.

Falkrius made a note so as not to forget.

Polo Club double event (Wardanaz excluded)

“What did I do wrong?”

“Hm? What are you talking about?”

“Why am I the only one excluded from the double event…”

Lee Han was slightly flustered.

Why was he the only one excluded from receiving double portions of food to celebrate the victory?

“Wahaha. That’s so like Wardanaz. Do you want to be included equally? Still no. I can’t charge my junior double gold coins.”

“…?!”

Only then did Lee Han realize the true intent of the double event.

Surprisingly, it wasn’t that the amount of food was doubled, but that the price was being charged double!

For those with fat coin purses, even the price of food goes up.

As befits a senior student, Falkrius excelled in such timely shenanigans.

“We’re here. Wardanaz. Do you know where this is?”

“I’m not sure.”

Since the area was the central district lined with elegant mansions, it was reasonable to guess it belonged to a noble, but Lee Han wasn’t originally from Granden City.

Even the nobles of Granden City often needed aides or servants to remind them who lived where, so it was too much for Lee Han.

“It’s Lord Jolbavden’s mansion.”

‘Strange. The name sounds familiar?’

“Pfff. Lord Jolbavden is a famous socialite, bon vivant, and miser in Granden City. If even Lord Jolbavden donates food, other misers in Granden City will feel compelled to donate as well.”

“I see. Am I attacking or are you attacking, Senior?”

“…Wardanaz. We’re here to persuade, not threaten!”

Falkrius was dumbfounded.

If he threatened someone with magic for not donating, ten bodies would not suffice for the punishment room.

“Ah. I see.”

“Pfff. Yes. I’m counting on you.”

“Honestly, besides threatening with magic, no other method comes to mind…”

“No, no. Seeing how the people gathered earlier because of the polo match, I realize, Wardanaz, you have a talent for charming people.”

“If I really had such a talent, I wish my friends would listen better to what I say.”

Lee Han grumbled as he removed his disguise and called for the gatekeeper. The extraordinary appearance of the two made the gatekeeper’s attitude quite cautious.

“What business…”

“Please inform them that the magicians of Einrogard have come due to a serious magical problem within this mansion.”

“…Y-yes!”

The gatekeeper was startled and hurriedly sent word up. Falkrius gave his junior a useful tip.

“Pff. When you come for something like this, never state your true purpose first. Otherwise, they might say the owner is away or try to flee.”

“Should I send in a paper bird to check if they’re present?”

“…Wardanaz. Have you become friendly with some violent senior lately?”

While waiting, Jolbavden came running out in a hurry, dressed up properly.

Seeing Falkrius’s large build even from afar, he had an ‘oh no’ expression.

Having met before, he immediately realized he’d been tricked.

“…Student Falkrius. You said there’s a serious magical problem in the mansion!”

“Yes, Lord Jolbavden. There is a very serious magical problem in this mansion. That is, the food that should be given to the poor is asleep in your storeroom.”

“……”

Jolbavden was dumbfounded but held it in.

Firstly, no one had ever benefited from getting angry at Einrogard magicians (he knew this as well as he loved gossip), and secondly, Falkrius’s fists were powerful enough even without magic.

“The student beside you is… No way!! Is that Lord Wardanaz?!”

“…!!!”

When Jolbavden jumped up and recognized Lee Han, Lee Han remembered as well.

That person is…

“Isn’t that Lord Jolbavden who spread the rumor all over Granden City about my fight with the basilisk last year?”

“Hahaha! Correct! No need to thank me!”

“……”

Lee Han glared at Jolbavden with cold eyes. Falkrius felt a bit worried.

‘Hopefully my junior won’t punch him…’

Thankfully, Lee Han did not attack the counterpart. Of course, inwardly much cursing took place.

‘Should’ve petrified him when the basilisk appeared.’

Lee Han, who had absent-mindedly wrapped up matters back then, bitterly learned how quickly rumors spread in Granden City high society.

If anything was faster than spatial magic, it was rumors.

“…Since we fought the basilisk together last year, how about making a donation?”

“Gasp!”

The noble, hit where it hurt, groaned.

Then the chief servant approached and whispered something.

“Pff. This is ominous.”

Falkrius watched the two’s conversation with a concerned face.

Nobles like Jolbavden didn’t care much about face or dignity. It was entirely possible for him to suddenly grab his chest and pretend to be ill.

“…Is that really true?”

“Yes. I heard it directly.”

Jolbavden, his conversation over, shouted with eyes sparkling like stars.

“Very well! Student Falkrius. I will donate!”

“Are you serious?!”

“With a condition.”

“What…”

“If Lord Wardanaz would personally recount today’s polo match.”

“……”

“……”

Only then did Lee Han realize what the two had whispered.

No wonder the chief servant had mimed swinging a polo stick while whispering…

• * *

Unlike Lee Han, who walked out of the mansion with a tired face, Falkrius laughed heartily.

“You did very well, Wardanaz! Wahahaha! You just had to talk a bit, and we got food, so it’s a win!”

“I didn’t think we’d be persuading people this way.”

Jolbavden, with devout belief in spreading rumors before all else, didn’t mind emptying his warehouse if it meant hearing Lee Han’s first-hand account of the polo match.

-I see. So Lord Wardanaz neither practiced polo nor cared for it, but the moment you got on the griffon, you could see the opponent’s movements and instinctively knew how to win! As if it was in your blood! Truly a genius talent.

-…Not a single thing you just said matches what I said.

-Don’t worry about trivial differences. Stories are meant to be dramatized.

-Did you dramatize the basilisk fight like this as well?

Lee Han felt uneasy, unsure how greatly Jolbavden would exaggerate rumors, but seeing his senior laugh so excitedly, he shook his head.

‘Right. Compared to getting more food aid, a few rumors are nothing.’

Falkrius acted to help others so readily that Lee Han felt it shameful to complain about mere gossip.

Lee Han was reminded again of the young skeleton headmaster.

If he had only Professor Verdus types around, Lee Han would feel no pang of conscience, but with people like the young skeleton headmaster or Falkrius—people of above-average character—nearby, Lee Han was inevitably influenced.

…Let’s act a little more righteously!

Lee Han gave up worrying about the rumors and spoke.

“Where’s next?”

“Next…”

“Lord Wardanaz!”

“?”

A noble who was friends with Jolbavden, Brodon, jumped down from a carriage. Falkrius quickly recognized the man’s status.

“Isn’t that Lord Brodon?”

“Yes. He bought a basilisk egg and hatched it before an audience.”

-Must be crazy.

The baby basilisk muttered. Honestly, Lee Han agreed.

Of course, he himself had been duped by a merchant, but even so, it was hard to look favorably upon.

“Pff. If he was willing to buy a basilisk egg, maybe he’ll donate more food?”

“If his intelligence matched the purchase of a basilisk egg, he might not have gold to donate…”

Brodon didn’t hear Lee Han’s biting mutter and ran over.

And shouted.

“Lord Wardanaz! Is it true that if we donate food for charity, you’ll recount the polo match?”

“……”

Lee Han turned to look back at the mansion with eyes of shock.

How did this get out so quickly??

‘Does he have a communication artifact??’

“Ah, no? Was I mistaken?”

“That’s… not wrong, but…”

“Wonderful! Upon hearing this I rushed to convene a tea party. Every member attending will donate! Please grant me the honor of inviting Lord Wardanaz!”

“……”

Clap clap clap clap clap-

Applause rang out beside him.

Falkrius was looking at Lee Han with a face full of admiration.

“Wardanaz… I should have brought you last year too!”

“Senior. Is it right to receive donations like this?”

“Pff. If you can get them, what’s the problem? It’s much better than chasing them around in a carriage for three days!”

Unlike his skeptical junior, Falkrius was deeply moved by this method.

Instead of chasing and harassing the nobles, they gathered and had donations drawn out of them directly.

Other juniors needed to learn things like this.

‘Doesn’t anyone care for stories about making soup with rocks and dirt in Einrogard?’

“Let’s go, Wardanaz. You just might end up feeding all the hungry people in Granden City.”

“I take no responsibility if the members attending the meeting get mad for being duped…”

• * *

Contrary to Lee Han’s worries, all the members attending the tea party were highly satisfied.

Some even asked Lee Han to visit their other clubs or salons to tell the story again.

“Could we also hear firsthand about the fight with the basilisk?”

“…If you donate double, I’ll come and tell you in person.”

“Wonderful! Let’s do that!”

“……”

Not expecting the counterpart to accept immediately, Lee Han was dumbfounded. Falkrius whispered beside him.

“Wardanaz. Next time, you should charge even more.”