Episode 972

Episode 972

“Senior. Please get up!”

Lee Han was cold.

It seemed the other party was trying to play tricks just to avoid sticking to the five minutes, but he had no intention of letting it go.

The second hand of the pocket watch was already ticking away.

“Thirty seconds have passed.”

“……”

Jarun managed to get up. The dwarf’s short but thick arms and legs were trembling, not just because he was hungry.

“…How much do you know about orichalcum?”

“I know it’s an extremely rare and expensive metal.”

“That’s right.”

“The most recent official imperial auction record was at the West Grand Festival Gallery eight years ago. The price then was…”

“…Why on earth do you remember something like that?”

Jarun was dumbfounded.

Certainly, it was an astonishingly detailed knowledge, but it had nothing to do with what he was about to say.

From the beginning, orichalcum was so rare that you couldn’t simply buy it with gold coins. Compared to those trying to obtain it, there was never any up for sale.

“What I’m trying to say is about the properties of orichalcum.”

“I know that it compresses magic power at a high density at least.”

At the junior’s answer, Jarun slowly shook his head.

“Is that not it?”

“Strictly, that’s just one of its many observable properties, so you’re mistaken. Orichalcum is a mineral, but it has unique properties like a plant. It grows exactly as it is nurtured.”

Lee Han looked at his senior as if feeling sorry.

Traditionally, wandering alone in a subterranean mine made it easy to go mad.

Especially after being trapped in an ore vein…

Noticing the look in the junior’s eyes, Jarun gritted his teeth.

“It’s true! Don’t doubt me!”

“Never heard of that.”

“Of course not! Fully grown orichalcum is already rare enough, and to find records of orichalcum before it matured, you’d have to go back to ancient times!”

Most orichalcum completed its form and properties before coming into human sight.

And such orichalcum usually ended up as the most standard form: a high-density magic power accumulator.

But real orichalcum could be completed freely, with its properties modified to the miner’s desire.

‘Amazing.’

Before he knew it, Lee Han was listening earnestly to Jarun’s words.

There was still a chance it was just a mad senior’s empty babbling, but nonetheless, it was a fascinating story.

“Would it be possible to make a metal that continuously produces gold?”

“…It can’t defy the laws of magic. I suppose.”

“Aw…”

Jarun stoically ignored the junior’s disinterested reaction.

“Listen carefully. I found the location of an orichalcum vein whose crystallization isn’t complete yet. Do you understand now why I ended up here empty-handed?”

“I don’t know. Didn’t you run away to escape trackers?”

“It was because the vein would only allow itself to be approached that way.”

“!”

The orichalcum vein Jarun found wasn’t fully crystallized yet, but unusually, it already had some properties.

One of those was repelling intruders.

“At first, I thought it was a problem with other metals. Since all my pickaxes and tools kept melting away. So I brought some mining artifacts without any metal, but those were destroyed as well.”

“Aha. So you tried to approach it empty-handed.”

It seemed slightly crazy, but from a magician’s logic, it wasn’t all that unreasonable.

You couldn’t do anything without getting close first. Jarun nodded.

“But then…”

“?

“Even approaching empty-handed wasn’t the correct method. When I came to, I was trapped inside this ore vein. The blasted thing moved the surrounding terrain to drive me away.”

At that, Lee Han realized the power of orichalcum was more impressive than he thought.

It might have plant-like traits, but even most man-eating plants had their limits.

He’d seen plenty that moved to devour intruders, but to move the entire surrounding geography to swallow them…

“Is it possible that it gained intruder-repelling properties because of you?”

“…That could… be the case.”

Jarun wilted a little.

The junior’s point was something Jarun himself had wondered internally.

Perhaps his own greedy approach had provoked the pure orichalcum into forming feelings of animosity?

“That’s why I’m telling you this.”

“Sorry? Tell me what?”

“…I think, to approach orichalcum, someone like you—not someone like me—has to go. A good and foolish sort of person.”

“…?????????”

Lee Han looked around, bewildered.

He wondered if his senior was talking about someone else.

“Hang on. Are you insulting me because I gave you a meal while you were on your last legs?”

“Wh-why are you angry? That was a compliment!”

Jarun was flustered at the junior’s fierce reaction.

For Jarun, who rarely complimented his juniors, it had been a significant decision to offer such praise…

“How is being called foolish a compliment? Then saying I’m like Professor Verdus would be a compliment, too!”

“T-tha… that… That’s not the same! How could you say something so offensive?!”

Even Jarun, for all his reputation, was thrown off by being compared to Professor Verdus.

After spending most of his time since entering Einrogard in the underground and mines, Jarun found this junior, whose words could defeat even the headmaster, overwhelming.

-Wardanaz! Let’s get going soon! Iron Shoes senior isn’t threatening you or anything, right?

“Anyway, take this!”

Jarun grumbled, waving one arm. A map appeared drawn on his skin, then popped free.

It was a remarkable transformation magic, one that had even fooled the eyes of Yukveltire and the other students.

“The location’s here, so go find it yourself later. I’ve definitely told you!”

As if he didn’t want to deal with Lee Han anymore, Jarun stomped off. Lee Han, holding the map, stared after him in disbelief.

‘Wait. Am I really allowed to go find it?’

Even putting aside Jarun’s foolish talk, Lee Han felt like his own greed was no less than his senior’s.

If he went, the vein might lock him in, too…

And in a way, the other Einrogard students were more dangerous than the orichalcum itself.

Even if they couldn’t find it, they might lock Lee Han in the vein. He’d need to gather trustworthy people before making another attempt.

“?”

Yukveltire looked puzzled by Lee Han’s blank stare.

“What is it, Wardanaz family junior? Anything you want to say?”

“Haha. Nothing at all.”

‘I’m never coming here with this person.’

• * *

On the way back, the group repeated what they’d done before.

The Enchantment Magic School students pulled out artifacts to light up the way and cleared paths, while Lee Han…

“I’ll handle it, so the rest of you can rest.”

“????”

When Yukveltire stopped him, Lee Han was appalled.

In fact, not just Lee Han but the other seniors were surprised as well.

“Yukveltire senior, please come to your senses immediately…”

“My mind is fine. I can prove it.”

Before the others could start wondering if he’d been attacked by some madness or psychic assault, Yukveltire took out a pendant. The blue gem set in the pendant certified that the user’s mind was perfectly sound.

“……”

“…Alright. Everyone, don’t forget to stay alert. Something’s suspicious.”

Anpagond whispered to the others.

Normally, Anpagond didn’t care about others, but if the senior leading the return started doing anything insane, that was another matter.

“I was surprised too, but isn’t it just because he feels awkward after getting something from me?”

Anyone who’d been served a meal and a potion by a junior might feel a bit awkward.

Unlike Professor Verdus, Senior Yukveltire at least had a kind friend like Direte.

A mage who put a warm heart in even a human-shaped small golem!

“Wardanaz. Are you tired? You’re talking nonsense.”

“Don’t overexert yourself just because you’ve got a lot of mana. If it’s too much, get some rest.”

“……”

When the other two seniors sternly told him not to talk nonsense, Lee Han reflected.

‘I suppose it is strange.’

Consideration and kindness for a junior.

It certainly was odd. Lee Han snapped out of it and raised his guard a little.

While all three juniors eyed him suspiciously, Yukveltire was also observing Lee Han.

‘It’s highly likely that the Wardanaz family junior doesn’t know about Small World magic.’

Given common knowledge, there was no way a sophomore would have initiated Small World magic on their own.

Thus, he must have become involved due to some behavior.

Only meticulous and thorough observation could uncover the identity of that magic.

He wanted to directly explain and ask questions, but Yukveltire held himself back.

If that magic had forcibly possessed the junior, letting him realize its presence might bring unforeseen consequences.

If luck was on his side, the junior would only suffer a bit, but in the worst case, the magic might vanish, making further observation impossible for Yukveltire.

That would be truly terrible. Yukveltire was determined to research Small World magic.

And to do so, he’d have to fool the junior a bit. The junior needed to act as normal, completely oblivious.

‘If I show kindness, he’ll surely be moved and invite me more often. I’ll observe in secret.’

‘…His eyes look just like a supernatural crime suspect.’

Of course, the junior was already on high alert against Yukveltire.

Kindness from a person normally indifferent couldn’t possibly go unnoticed.

“Undead horde ahead. More than ten.”

“Let’s avoid them and move on.”

“Th—that’s… No, it’s Direte.”

“!”

At Yukveltire’s words, Lee Han looked up in surprise.

Sure enough, far in the distance, Dark Magic School students were walking together.

“Senior Direte!”

“…Junior! You’re alive!”

Direte yelled, full of relief. Hearing his voice, Lee Han was a bit flustered.

“Did you worry about me? I was moving around with these seniors.”

“I meant Yukveltire. Junior, I was afraid everyone would explode and attack Yukveltire.”

“……”

Lee Han was moved by such friendship.

Even a golem without a heart could have a friend like that.

“Thank goodness. Nothing happened, right?”

“It’s a long story.”

‘A lot did happen, I see.’

Direte realized at once.

He’d guessed as much when the Transmutation Magic School students came by earlier and reported ‘no orichalcum’…

Lee Han explained what had happened to his respected senior.

And about the orichalcum map too…

When Direte tried to maintain a straight face but broke down instead,

“S-s-say you didn’t tell Yukveltire, right??”

“Ha. Senior. Do I look that dumb to you?”

“R-right.”

Yet Direte still felt a little sad as he replied.

A senior who couldn’t win the trust of his own protégé…

‘Yukveltire, get a grip!’

“I’m thinking about going back later with reliable people—do you have anyone to recommend?”

“Umm… No.”

“So you just can’t think of anyone right now?”

“No. I mean there just isn’t anyone.”

“…I see.”

Lee Han changed the subject.

“By the way, senior. I heard something about Small World magic from that yacha guy.”

“That yacha guy?”

“King Yacha.”

“Didn’t you call him ‘guy’ just… Anyway, that doesn’t matter. You said you heard about Small World magic?”

“Yes. I wanted to ask a few things…”

“Shall I call Yukveltire too?”

“I’d appreciate that.”

Direte called to Yukveltire, who was acting suspiciously (but since he’d always been weird, Direte didn’t care).

“Yukveltire. The junior has some questions about magic.”

“You answer them. I have something to do.”

“What could be so important? Just answer him.”

But Yukveltire shook his head.

He needed to keep watching the junior. There might be another clue about the Small World magic he’d seen earlier.

“Hmph. Don’t blame me if you regret it.”

‘A classic Direte threat.’

Yukveltire ignored it easily.

What possible reason would there be to regret something like that?