Episode 984

Episode 984

Lee Han was surprised.

‘I didn’t think that would work.’

He hadn’t been sure the move would succeed even as he’d tried it, so it was even more surprising when she reacted.

“What are you doing?”

“Oh. Yes. I’ll show you the way right now.”

Lee Han automatically replied to the mad clone and then belatedly realized a problem.

Come to think of it, the mad clone might want to see Senior Catten—but whether Senior Catten wanted that was another matter.

In terms of combat ability, she was one of the standouts among the fifth years, and if she bore a grudge, Lee Han’s life at Einrogard could get even tougher from now on.

‘…I’d better say she forced me to bring her.’

• * *

“H-hoobae!”

Catten, a fifth-year student of the White Tiger Tower, looked at Lee Han with tear-filled eyes.

They were not tears of betrayal or anger, but of deep emotion.

“To think you’d bring such an amazing person here for this poor magician…”

“…You know how much I admire you, senior. Haha.”

Grab!

Catten, unable to contain her emotions, hugged Lee Han.

Cat-type beastkin were by nature smaller than humans, and Catten was no exception.

But her strength was beyond imagination. Even Lee Han, who had endured the attacks of tough opponents, nearly screamed.

“…Ugh! Senior. That hurts.”

“Ah, sorry, hoobae. I got carried away.”

Catten apologized in a rush.

She had been so thrilled to see the skeleton headmaster’s clone that she forgot to control her strength.

“To have a chance to learn from the headmaster’s clone…”

“Why didn’t you just ask the headmaster directly?”

Lee Han was puzzled.

Most Einrogard students didn’t like to question the skeleton headmaster.

No matter how insane Einrogard students might be, there were limits.

Some might question professors, but who would ask the mad archmage directly?

But with Catten’s brand of intensity, it would have made sense to ask the headmaster.

Besides, it seemed even rarer for a fifth-year not to have ever asked the headmaster a question.

“I used to ask often.”

Catten replied, slightly deflated.

“But at some point, she started avoiding me.”

“……”

Lee Han was honestly impressed.

So persistent she could make the headmaster flee out of exasperation.

‘Incredible!’

“She insists she’s not inside, even though I know she is…”

“It’s pretty harsh to lie like that.”

“I figured you’d say that, hoobae. So I broke down the wall to get in, and got sent to the punishment room…”

“……”

“But to have this chance now—I’m truly overjoyed!”

Catten beamed.

But Lee Han grew a little worried.

If even the headmaster had to run away while teaching her, would the clone be any different?

‘She won’t get mad at me, will she?’

“I ask for your guidance!”

Catten bowed politely, unaware of Lee Han’s worry.

“At least you know basic courtesy. Unlike that other wizard.”

‘Maybe it was lucky I met Professor Verdus first.’

Lee Han let out a sigh of relief at the mad clone’s reaction.

Maybe because she’d met Professor Verdus first, all the other wizards were now benefiting by comparison.

“If you want to be taught, show your skills before the royal.”

“Yes!”

Catten answered energetically and drew her sword.

The sword-dance of Einrogard’s most repeatedly-failed fifth-year student began, which Lee Han had seen a few times before.

Truly, it was the compilation of all the magical feats one could pull off with a sword—there was probably no one else like her in the empire.

When she finally manifested a primitive Small World, the mad clone’s eyebrows twitched ever so slightly.

As the reality around the sword changed, the flaring aura turned to water, and the mad clone clicked her tongue in disbelief.

Even in the ancient era, such gifted swordmasters were rare.

It wasn’t the ordinary talent for sensing magic or a keen awareness of one’s own body.

It was the recklessness to throw oneself in, in order to shatter the world itself!

Some might call this brutish or savage, but for a swordsman, it was the right kind of talent.

If a wizard changes the world, a swordsman tears it to pieces.

The problem was…

“Impressive, isn’t it?”

“The waste is impressive. Why do such inefficient things with such talent?”

…The problem was she kept doing strange things with her talent.

If a swordsman has that kind of ability, she should delve inward, not forcibly manifest a crude Small World.

“My senior is very interested in magic.”

“Then people around her should have stopped her.”

“But that’s her choice, isn’t it? No matter how reckless it seems, if she wants to do it… all anyone else can do is offer advice.”

At Lee Han’s words, the mad clone paused for a moment.

Sensing this, Lee Han braced himself for sudden retribution.

‘What defense spells do I have ready right now…’

“I see. That’s a reasonable statement.”

“!”

Instead of getting angry with a ‘What nonsense are you spouting!’, she acknowledged it.

Was she in that good a mood?

Otherwise it made no sense.

“Are you admitting it?”

“Admitting what?”

“Er… I mean, senior’s reckless choice…”

“How should I know? I’m not a wizard’s royal disciple. But as a bodyguard, she’s more than good enough.”

The mad clone rated Catten far higher than Lee Han expected.

Once a wizard reached the highest realm, there was no need for guards, but until then, protection was necessary.

Having a bodyguard like this swordsman wasn’t a bad thing.

“Good. I’ll teach magic.”

“R-really?!”

Catten shouted in a voice full of emotion. The mad clone nodded.

“What kind of magic do you want to learn? Ancient arcana, necromancy, Small World, anti-magic, word-magic, souls…”

“I want to learn -Lesser Flame Wall-!”

“…?”

The mad clone looked at Lee Han as if she couldn’t believe her ears. Lee Han glanced away.

“I want to learn -Lesser Flame Wall-! Please teach me!”

“……”

The mad clone was shocked. She knew Catten had terrific sword skills, but not that her magic was this bad.

As bad as it gets…!

• * *

The mad clone’s teaching was profound and subtle.

And completely beyond Catten’s comprehension.

The more she taught, the more the mad clone realized how much of a genius her actual disciple was.

“Thank you for the instruction!”

“……”

After the lesson, thoroughly exhausted, the mad clone turned away without a word.

Lee Han, watching for a cue, asked Catten,

“Did it help at all?”

“Not in the slightest, hoobae!”

“…Sorry.”

“Why say sorry? I’m happy enough!”

Catten looked at Lee Han as if she couldn’t understand.

She’d failed so many times before that not understanding something new was hardly disappointing.

She wouldn’t get discouraged after all she’d overcome.

Lee Han was quietly moved by the senior’s unshakable attitude.

If it were him, he’d have faltered and crumpled, but she was so resilient.

‘Impressive.’

No wonder she continued training even in the punishment room so steadfastly.

While Lee Han sent her a look of admiration, Catten quickly packed her things: emergency rations, a few artifacts, and more. Lee Han asked curiously,

“Where are you going after class?”

“I’m planning a visit to the Frost Giants’ dimension.”

“Oh. I just visited a dimension where Frost Giants appeared, that’s quite a coincidence.”

To be exact, it was during Professor Millei’s class.

Professor Millei had suggested, as essential practice for summoning magic this semester, that students map out a mysterious dimension…

…Lee Han and his friends easily completed it with Arsil’s help, but in return, they were cursed to fetch an artifact from the Frost Giants.

Dealing with evil and powerful beings was always risky.

Catten planning to visit the Frost Giants was a surprising coincidence.

“It’s that dimension, hoobae.”

“…What?!”

Lee Han was shocked.

Why was Catten going to the dimension he and his friends had visited?

“Professor Ingeldel asked me to check if it’s suitable for the final exam.”

“H-how could a danger-filled dimension overrun by Frost Giants possibly be a safe exam site?!”

Lee Han accused his trusted professor in a trembling voice.

How could even Professor Ingeldel—not just Professor Voladi—assign such a deadly exam?

Seeing this, Catten was a bit flustered.

“I don’t really know either… Professor said the second-years seem to visit other dimensions often these days, so instead of stopping you, he wants to help you prepare.”

“What madman spread such wild rumors?!”

Fuming, Lee Han suddenly had a flash of memory.

Come to think of it, he had himself submitted a report to Professor Ingeldel about visiting the dimension with the Duke of Pride, Mad Tree King, and Arsil as a project.

No wonder Professor Ingeldel had sighed, “Second-years don’t know how dangerous it is and just keep visiting other dimensions…”

Could it be…?

“Hmm. If you’re really curious, I can ask Professor and find out who’s behind—”

“No need. At this point, what does it matter who spread the rumor? Like a true Einrogard student, I’ll just face it bravely.”

Catten was impressed by Lee Han’s response.

Though he was a junior, that poised and daring attitude was admirable.

‘Wait. Maybe this is a good chance to take out that artifact too.’

Lee Han paused in thought.

This week was a mad clone monitoring week, but he didn’t know how long this companion would last.

The skeleton headmaster’s clone was just as capricious and moody.

Wouldn’t it be best to retrieve the Frost Giant artifact while he had the mad clone and Catten with him?

“Senior, I’ll help you out. I have the next period free anyway.”

“No way!”

“Of course, you might be shocked that a second-year’s tagging along. But the teacher will be coming too…”

“No, I’m surprised that you actually have an open slot in your schedule, hoobae.”

“……”

Lee Han was speechless.

“Since you asked earlier, I thought you might want to come too. You like things like this.”

“What second-year likes this sort of thing… Never mind. Thank you for letting me come along anyway.”

Lee Han decided not to waste more time and energy.

He also had to get the mad clone on board.

“Teacher, the lectures are finished but senior here wants…”

When Lee Han brought up the dimension with Frost Giants and its treasures, the mad clone quietly listened.

Then she spoke.

“In fact, when you insisted on attending that fencing lecture, I suspected you of trying to slack off.”

“!”

How did she know?

Lee Han shivered at her sharp deduction.

Showing Catten to the mad clone was, in part, an attempt to ease some of the pressure directed at Lee Han.

“But hearing what you just said, it seems the royal misunderstood. Did you go just for this?”

“…Exactly right. I’ve had this planned for some time.”