Episode 1037

“What do you mean, basement?”

Professor Garcia asked in confusion.

‘Did he already link to a basement with spatial magic?’

At Lee Han’s current level, that was a tough spell to pull off—but this student was always surprisingly good at sneaking ahead behind the professor’s back.

It wouldn’t have been strange if Lee Han had secretly linked a pocket space and a basement without Garcia’s knowledge.

“Ah, well, the thing is…”

Lee Han, in a voice full of resentment, denounced the mad mage Noenchenf.

Because of that eccentric’s obsession with weird magic, even junior mages who had nothing to do with him ended up suffering.

After listening to the explanation, Professor Garcia was surprised.

“So it wasn’t intentional on your part, Lee Han!”

“…What?”

“Ah, nothing.”

Lee Han glared suspiciously and Garcia quickly changed the subject.

“Then Lee Han, don’t you think it would be better to destroy the villa basement as well…”

“!”

Lee Han shot Professor Garcia a look of incredulity.

Why was Garcia, not even Professor Voladi, suggesting such a violent solution?

-Well. Disciple, that ghost seems to be dwelling in the gap between dimensions.

The young prince in the painting showed a negative reaction to Garcia’s solution.

Given Lee Han’s current state, it wouldn’t be easy for a ghost to possess or curse him.

The most likely scenario was that the ghost was wandering the rift between dimensions and kept leaking out whenever Lee Han cast spatial magic.

Since spatial magic is fundamentally linked to multi-dimensions, a ghost drifting the interdimensional void could cause such a phenomenon.

“Bu-but Headmaster, with other mansions all the problems were solved by destroying the basement.”

-But the other owners didn’t have the same problem as you, did they?

The young prince calmly explained to Professor Garcia.

Other mansion owners weren’t chosen by the ghost, so destroying the basement ended all the issues.

But in Lee Han’s case, the ghost wandered between dimensions and was drawn out again and again.

Even if the basement were destroyed, the issue was unlikely to resolve.

“But… even if Lee Han did nothing, being chosen by a ghost is… actually possible, I guess.”

“……”

Lee Han gave Professor Garcia a look of disbelief.

Come on!

“A-aren’t you supposed to say that’s impossible? Then why do you suddenly accept it?”

“You could be chosen.”

-It’s possible.

With both Professor Voladi and the young prince agreeing, Lee Han suddenly felt lonely.

Alone among great mages, it was hard for any normal wizard to keep up.

“So then, Headmaster, what should I do?”

-I’m fine with the basement. Just hang me up in there.

“What? Shouldn’t we deal with the problem?”

-It’s not a problem you can solve right now. If you can’t stop a disaster, it’s not bad to make use of it. Go on.

The young prince urged Lee Han.

Unhappily, Lee Han reached out and hung the painting on the basement wall. The ghost’s annoyed voice echoed from his backpack.

-What… A painting…

-Oh, so you’re the ghost, I see. Nice to meet you. Mind if I borrow this place for a bit?

The ghost’s answer didn’t really matter.

The prince in the painting acted on his own. He analyzed the spatial distortion in the basement and took full control with his own power.

-Disciple, can you hear me?

“Ah, yes. I haven’t closed it yet.”

-You don’t have to worry much while I’m here.

Originally, that ghost wizard’s plan was to create a space of infinite potential in the basement.

When that failed and the space fell out of control, the result was appearances all over the empire.

That spatial labyrinth was hard for Lee Han to resolve at present, but the phenomenon where one could move to the original basement by being sucked in thanks to the ghost could actually be useful.

Even if it was a “curse of uncontrollability”, if you could control it, it was like having a pocket-space storeroom.

-This way, you can visit anytime you want, Disciple.

-But… the magic… when will…

Even in his insanity, the ghost seemed to realize something was off.

He asked you to break the curse, and now he’s being used as a storeroom?

-Quiet, now.

With a flip, the prince folded the ghost and stuffed him into a basement box.

Seeing that ruthlessness, Lee Han was reminded just whose “young self” this really was.

• * *

After the knight left, Bunarrojo and the Einrogard students resumed their work elsewhere.

When the work was almost done, Bunarrojo praised them, quite pleased.

These Einrogard students had more talent than he’d expected.

“Hmm, not bad at all.”

“Thank you.”

“Priest, if it’s all right, how about selling this painting? Nobles will visit this weekend—I’d like to recommend it to them.”

When Bunarrojo made this proposal to Tijilling, Gainando’s eyes sparkled and he asked eagerly,

“What about me? How’s mine?”

“Ah. Gainando, you…”

Gainando was nervous.

In his mind, he already heard the imperial noble auctioneer’s cry: “The noble prince Gainando’s -My Awesome Undead Minion Crawling Out of the Poison Swamp- has been sold for 1,800 gold coins!”

‘I’ll spend a third on a mage card, a third on snacks, a third buying Lee Han a present, and whatever’s left for my friends.’

While Gainando was making calculations Einrogard-style, Bunarrojo answered.

“…Probably not sellable.”

“What!? Why!?! Why not!??!”

For the first time, Bunarrojo looked awkward.

He didn’t want to hurt the budding artist’s feelings.

“Well, the noble buyers who come here are conservative, old-fashioned types…”

The people who buy art at Petrogarde generally prefer conventional, ‘pleasant’ works.

Petrogarde mages might appreciate bold, innovative pieces, recognizing ‘a new frontier discovered!’, but most people would respond, ‘You want me to hang that in my house? I wouldn’t even put it in the stable.’

“The priest’s painting here inspires piety and faith, suitable even for members of the Prisinga Order.”

As befitted a priest, Tijilling’s work exuded devotion and reverence.

Of course, the depiction of hungry people was a bit too reminiscent of Einrogard students, but no one would notice that.

“My painting’s cool too!”

“It is cool, but… I doubt anyone wants to hang a wicked undead minion on their wall, unless they’re a dark mage…”

Even Rapahdael, listening nearby, grimaced.

“Even dark mages wouldn’t put that up. You think dark mages are all crazy?”

Dark mages drink hot tea and enjoy beautiful paintings at home—they don’t actually drink poison and blood.

Yonere asked slyly,

“What if you changed the title to -Beautiful Moon Spirit Swimming in a Night Pond-…?”

“How could you say that?! And call yourself an artist!?”

“I’m not an artist at all.”

Yonere nearly punched her cousin, but remembered they went to different schools and held back.

Look at him, talking like a master when this is his first day holding a brush.

“Gainando. I understand how you feel.”

Bunarrojo put a consoling hand on Gainando’s shoulder.

“Even if the idiots of the empire don’t recognize your worth, don’t waver. I’ll recommend this painting to the visitors who come by.”

“Bu… Bunarrojo!”

“It’s nothing. Surely someone will see the value in this work.”

‘Not likely.’

‘What lunatic would buy that?’

‘Not even Professor Mortum would buy it.’

All the Einrogard students were thinking the same thing, but didn’t say it aloud.

Meanwhile, Lee Han, the professors, and the red-haired knight emerged from the other side.

Bunarrojo panicked and wanted to run, but the Einrogard students waved a hand.

“No, it’s fine.”

“What do you mean, fine?! That’s the rampaging knight from before!”

“The professor is right behind him.”

“Ah.”

Bunarrojo sighed with relief.

Seeing Professor Garcia behind the knight, he felt secure.

“He really is reliable. Did you say his name was Professor Garcia Kim?”

“Huh? No. We meant Professor Baegrek. Professor Garcia wouldn’t even kill a bug.”

“…Are you making fun of me?!”

As the banter went on, Lee Han’s group arrived.

Ram, knight of the Garihhi family, apologized honestly.

“Sorry. I lost my head and caused trouble.”

“!”

The knight’s behavior was so different than expected that the Einrogard students whispered among themselves.

“Did Professor Garcia use his fists too?”

“Could be…”

They’d expected Professor Voladi had subdued him, but for such a turnaround, maybe Garcia stepped in too.

“Hmph. Rampaging in the sacred estate of a magic school—calling yourself a knight?”

Bunarrojo wasn’t going to let it go so easily.

For an outsider, a knight, to cause trouble—this wasn’t something a Petrogarde student could easily overlook.

And the Einrogard friends he’d grown closer to agreed.

“Right. A knight, not a mage, rampaging here…”

“This knight asked for a portrait of the deceased, but the Petrogarde mage broke his promise and fled.”

Lee Han explained quickly before events could spiral.

His friends immediately changed their attitude.

“How could someone do that?”

“Bunarrojo! I’m disappointed!”

“Even Professor Verdus would… well, yes, but are you really on his level?!”

“A-Actually, the Petrogarde mage wasn’t quite…”

Backed into a corner, Bunarrojo stammered.

He had no idea the great artist had such a situation.

“…Sorry. I was rude and didn’t know…”

“No, I was the one in the wrong. To trouble mages, the empire’s future, like that. If your works were damaged, I’ll pay compensation.”

“No, everything’s fine! Would you maybe like to take one with you?”

Ram smiled gently.

“When it’s finished, I’ll pay a fair price for it.”

Then the knight looked at Gainando’s painting again, carefully.

“It’s a striking piece, even on a second look.”

“…Gasp. Are you interested? Would you like to buy it?”

Gainando was ready to sell for even a single gold coin. The price had dropped considerably by now.

“No, I’ll pass. The servants would be terrified.”

“…Even just in the stable…”

“The horses would be scared.”

“The main gate—”

“Stop it. Enough.”

At last, his friends dragged Gainando away.

Lee Han rather regretted not insisting to the end that they were Baldrogard students.

“At least the knight’s calmed down. I still have so much to ask the artist.”

“…Huh?”

Lee Han stiffened at Bunarrojo’s words.

Did he not know the great artist had already run away?

Looking flustered, Lee Han whispered to Professor Garcia,

“Do you think he’ll come back?”

“No… after getting all the inspiration he wanted from you, I bet he’s gone somewhere else…”

That was it!

Lee Han nodded in acceptance.

‘Why he disappeared must remain top secret.’

He didn’t want Petrogarde students to add his name alongside Professor Verdus to their list of most-hated mages.