Episode 996

Of course, Lee Han did not release the hamster.

Trapped in the cage, the hamster could only pray that Gonadaltes would show mercy to his disciple.

So he managed to subdue the rampage—turns out he mastered the Small World.

The skull headmaster, instead of clicking his tongue, made a clicking noise with his bones, expressing his disapproval.

He wasn’t displeased that Lee Han had mastered the Small World—that was certainly something praiseworthy.

What he resented was that Lee Han was using his Small World for sneaky tricks.

That crown wasn’t handed down nor sacrificed for such a purpose. And you. You little hamster. Egging him on from the side?

-?!

The hamster felt as if his heart had dropped out.

Outside the territory, he had mocked Gonadaltes as a criminal wizard, but actually being face-to-face with a grand mage who could command the world at his will, he was so overwhelmed by the pressure, he couldn’t even speak.

-W-what do you mean…

That one tried to end himself, the attendant isn’t one to refuse, so clearly the only one to reveal the method… is you! He may have mastered the Small World, but to make a wizard’s body bear the world’s catastrophe… just wait until this is over.

The skull headmaster’s deduction was razor-sharp.

In this short time, he had clearly identified the culprit.

Even if Lee Han had mastered Small World and drunk the Wine of Wisdom, the sheer amount of magical knowledge he lacked was obvious.

There was only one little rat nearby who could supplement that for him.

Unable to watch, Lee Han defended,

“Please don’t go too hard on the hamster. I asked him.”

Hmph. You must’ve been fooled by a magical criminal. Have you forgotten how cunning their tongues are, despite all I’ve told you?

The skull headmaster was being unreasonable.

Of course, he knew well his disciple wasn’t naive enough to be taken in by a criminal wizard’s tongue.

Yet when you’re displeased with a situation, the one you dislike will look even worse.

And today, that was the hamster.

Your motives are so obvious, Bat-naz. You just want to save that clone and squeeze more spells out, don’t you? That’s the kind of person you are.

‘What?’

Lee Han was dumbfounded.

To think a grand mage would resort to this kind of petty manipulation?

-R…really?

The hamster squeaked in shock.

If that truly was Lee Han’s motive, then he was far more of a magical monster than the hamster could ever aspire to be.

“Be quiet, before I just toss you forward.”

Squeak…

The hamster shut his mouth.

But you’re wrong. Normally I would respect my disciple’s freedom, but that clone is too dangerous. I’ll teach you more magic, so step aside.

The skull headmaster spoke kindly.

Lee Han ignored him and addressed the mad clone behind him.

“You’re not seriously believing that manipulation, are you? Who would go through all this nonsense just to learn one more spell?”

“Step aside.”

“…What, are you seriously making hamster excuses too?!”

Though his disciple raged, the mad clone responded calmly.

“I didn’t even listen to such nonsense in the first place. The outcome’s decided. Every loser must bear his fate. Even if it is sorrow, you must not resist it.”

“Don’t you think things are messy enough without you adding to the trouble, Teacher?”

Lee Han grit his teeth.

He’d expected help, not sabotage from behind.

But the mad clone seemed to have already made up his mind. The skull headmaster spoke as if he’d known all along.

See that, Bat-naz? He understands exactly what I mean.

The skull headmaster wasn’t surprised at the acceptance.

They fully understood each other’s ways of thinking.

The clone knew how dangerous he was, knew he didn’t stand a chance, and more than anything, realized how disgraceful it would be for a defeated one to hide behind his disciple.

So he accepted his fate of eternal sealing.

But as befits the disciple of such a stubborn master, Lee Han persisted.

“Headmaster. Even here in Einrogard, there are demons walking around. Look at Oriphulas, serving diligently. With appropriate calculation, contract, and preparation, I’m sure even disaster can be controlled.”

Controlled for whom?

“Pardon?”

Bat-naz. You don’t know the real meaning of being rejected by the world. What you experienced was a fraction of a fraction. That’s an eternal punishment. Do you think that’s really something good for him?

“……”

Lee Han found himself speechless at the unexpected point.

He hadn’t thought about the mad clone’s own suffering.

But there was something the skull headmaster also hadn’t considered.

“Don’t worry about it.”

“!”

“I made my resolution and vow long ago. Wishing the path to your heart’s desire to be free of pain—that’s too brazen. It’s not for a disciple to fret about.”

You’re driving me crazy.

The skull headmaster looked at his own clone and shivered.

To think that kind of stubbornness, indifferent to pain since childhood, would drag him down now.

“Still, what you said is not right either, disciple. Binding devils through contract and reigning in royal calamity are a different order of magnitude. There’s no reason to risk casting that kind of high magic. As a wizard, first and foremost, be rational.”

I take back what I said. You really are wise, just like me.

“Then why did you act that way, Master?!”

“???”

?

Lee Han and the skull headmaster turned their eyes downward at the sudden outcry.

Intarendals, the attendant, had approached at some point, eyes burning.

“Attendant. I never permitted rudeness because royalty lost.”

“Please allow a bold remonstration. Master, you are not being exemplary right now. If you can’t do it yourself, why do you expect your disciple to walk such a cold path?”

The skull headmaster watched, unsure whether to silence him or to let this interesting conversation play out.

A clone usually moved purely for its purpose, being a thought-form, not a living being.

But this time, the clone’s behavior was different.

“When did royalty act that way?”

“I sensed something off but my loyalty blinded me. If you really only had your heart’s desire and vows in mind, why give wisdom to the wizards of Einrogard?”

…What? What did I do?

“…It was just a debt left for my disciple’s sake.”

“That is an inefficient method! Who in their right mind would plant a sapling just to eat the fruit? That’s exactly what you’ve done, Master. I could give even more examples. Why did you punish that beaver beast wizard?”

What???

“That’s…”

“Please admit it! It wasn’t for your vow, but because you genuinely care for your disciple. So why say it’s wrong for your disciple to worry about you?”

“Well said!”

Lee Han, newly energized, shouted, bolstered by the attendant’s support.

“Even if it looks inefficient or roundabout—so what? Not everything in life has to be done efficiently.”

“After all that teaching, you still say foolish things?”

“I’m not done yet. If you look from omniscience, everything we do looks foolish. Do you remember Senior Catten?”

“You mean the one who played magic cards during my lecture?”

“…That was Gainando… Not that—I mean the senior who implemented magic with a sword.”

Lee Han was momentarily flustered at Gainando’s abrupt inclusion.

Apparently, his nerve in playing magic cards during a lecture had left quite an impression.

“Everyone else says that senior was inefficient. Honestly, I thought so a few times too. But no one knows the future. That very senior might one day complete a magic no other wizard could imitate!”

Normally, the mad clone would have dismissed his disciple’s words as illogical, but now he listened in silence.

For the first time, he was overwhelmed by his disciple’s drive.

Lee Han felt himself staggering. Given what he’d done today, it was no wonder his body (regardless of magic) was at its limits.

But he couldn’t stop here. Gritting his teeth, Lee Han pressed his case.

“To be honest, I’m not sure if I can achieve your vow, Teacher. But I’ll do my best to the end. Since I’m not as wise as you, I’ll have to seek help, but so what! Senior Catten or Gainando will help me, and Professor Baegrek or Headmaster will help too. I need help because I’m lacking. Please help me too, Teacher.”

“……”

Honestly, I was moved. Much more than I expected.

While the mad clone fell silent, the skull headmaster spoke up.

Lee Han perked up and asked,

“Then, instead of sealing forever—”

No. Bat-naz. You’ve only strengthened my resolve.

The skull headmaster’s eyes flared with fire.

The only thing more dangerous than a thought-form… is a thought-form that’s started to change. Step aside!

Despite the stirring emotion, the skull headmaster had already been preparing magic as Lee Han spoke.

He instantly sent the meddling, ungrateful professor to another dimension, tapped into the large-scale sealing magic prepared below, and began to bend space to push Lee Han aside and immediately throw the mad clone into the void.

If he kept provoking, who knew how that thought-form might change? Now was the moment to end it.

Lee Han shouted curses in betrayal.

What kind of heartless person is this, even for a headmaster?

No wonder imperial officials detest them.

Hmph. Bat-naz, you’re neither the first nor the last of my disciples to curse me out.

The skull headmaster brushed aside Lee Han’s telekinesis, evaporated Water Orb Projectiles, and reversed Lightning strike.

The time of the Small World was over, the power of the Wine of Wisdom was also fading.

It wasn’t hard to push his bat disciple aside.

Then, a brilliant aurora swept through the area.

“…?!”

?!

A beam of light tearing down through a space still awash with Personal World’s residue was no natural phenomenon.

The skull headmaster exclaimed in horror.

Arna!

He couldn’t mistake the star he had contracted with.

It was one thing to master a Small World, but contracting with Arna?!

The light of the guest star aided the hero it had bonded to. Every spell around them was wiped away in a wave of light.

“Is this Arna’s power?!”

Lee Han asked in disbelief, the skull headmaster snapped irritably.

Why not ask later, you ungrateful Bat-naz!

‘So petty,’ Lee Han grumbled inside as he turned away.

He still didn’t know what this power really was, but there was no reason not to seize the moment.

“Teacher. Let’s escape for now! …Teacher?”

Lee Han was shocked.

The mad clone’s form was fading.

Had the skull headmaster’s wicked spell struck before Arna’s radiance blocked it?

“Don’t tell me…”

But the mad clone shook his head.

“The royal family… No. For me, this much is enough.”

The ancient royal spoke in peace.

It was not the face of a wizard tormented by the world’s curse.

It was the face of a wizard who had bequeathed all to his disciple, confident that someday, his vow would be fulfilled.

It was only then the royal realized the painful shackles that bound him were no more. What he’d thought was pride was really a curse.

“I am finally certain. That someday, you, my disciple… will fulfill the vow.”

The royal sensed the end had come.

This was not reverse summoning, to suffer and return again.

Nor was it to be sealed, forever drifting through void.

“…Take care of the world.”

With words of true trust, the royal ascended. The skull headmaster’s burning, trembling eyes only amplified the royal’s fulfillment.