Episode 1146
by Cristae“I’m sure something must have come up for Senior Anpagone last year.”
“What could be more important than taking part in something like this?”
“Probably lost an arm, a leg, or a head. Anyway, that’s not the point.”
Lee Han, now annoyed, put less and less effort into his nonsense. Naturally, even Yukveltire was baffled by this response.
“If he lost his head, there’s no way I wouldn’t have noticed…”
“Senior, let me challenge the dream you couldn’t fulfill. Please help me.”
Currently, the magical building’s design was close to a blank slate, and to complete it properly, it was best to get help from at least either Professor Verdus or Yukveltire.
Even for Lee Han, designing this from start to finish by himself was too risky.
Besides, since Yukveltire had attempted a request like this before, she was an even more suitable helper.
Of course, Yukveltire wasn’t swayed by Lee Han’s words.
“If there’s a dream I couldn’t achieve, I should be the one to challenge it. Why does it matter if the Wardanaz junior does?”
‘Tsk.’
Lee Han clicked his tongue inwardly.
If it were a senior from another school, they would’ve gone along with the flow by now!
No wonder no other juniors ever gathered around. She had no personal appeal at all.
“If you help, I’ll engrave your name and put your previous request at the top of my list.”
“I’ll help.”
Yukveltire accepted at once.
She often felt the Wardanaz junior was particularly smart in some ways.
It wasn’t just magical ability—he also knew how to persuade Yukveltire herself in these areas.
If it were any of the other juniors, they would have tried to twist her emotions, gotten stuck, run out of words, and self-destructed.
“But Senior, what kind of building were you planning to construct in Einrogard territory last year?”
“It was a building to implement the Small World magic Pentagrammaton.”
Small World of the Black Magic School, Pentagrammaton.
It might sound strange to express such magic through a building, but for wizards of the Enchantment Magic School, this was their specialty.
Just look at Professor Verdus, who carries around Small Worlds in his clothes and accessories.
Yukveltire hadn’t miniaturized it that much, but at the scale of a building, it was certainly doable. And even this alone was a very impressive feat of magic.
“Oh… wait, isn’t Pentagrammaton a Black Magic spell? Why you, Senior?”
“Because Direte needed it for graduation.”
“Ah. I see.”
Lee Han snorted.
Last year, as a fourth year herself, Yukveltire should have also been preparing for graduation. For her to say she was building something to help Direte instead?
He thought it was more likely Gainando would build something to help Lee Han in his own graduation year.
What kind of nonsense is that…
Einrogard fourth-year student, Jarun from the Iron Shoes clan, opened his eyes.
He was greeted by the chilly, moldy darkness of the underground, devoid of sunlight—perfect for this socially-awkward dwarf.
Strike!
He struck a match, lighting it. Jarun carefully brought the fire to the lanterns hung from the ceiling and walls.
For a wizard, this was quite peculiar. A wave of the wand could produce light or fire, yet he did this manually.
But any wizard with underground experience in Einrogard would know the reason.
There were monsters down here that sensitively detected magic and mana. There was no need to provoke them by pointless spellcasting.
Bubble bubble—
Once light entered the tiny room carved out between bedrock, Jarun brewed tea.
The tea leaves had been steeped maybe thirty times and had lost all flavor, but Jarun sipped contentedly and spread out his map.
‘Hmm. There seems to be a gold vein over here.’
His map included spots he’d checked, not yet checked, newly-dug tunnels, sealed shafts, traps set to block other students, and traps set by other students.
This map was Jarun’s own treasure.
As a fourth year, he should be worried about graduation.
Especially since his current research, -Golden Output At Will-, or, by his junior’s naming, -Dimensional Conversion Gold Detection and Harvesting-, wasn’t going well.
The magic created a spell circle where infinite dimensions flickered in an instant, and tried to collect gold when it was detected—a truly advanced magical feat.
Nevertheless, Jarun’s mind was as calm as a lake. The reason was simple.
‘If I don’t graduate, so be it.’
He’d made his resolution.
Many Einrogard students didn’t realize that fourth years had more choices than graduation or the punishment room.
Surprisingly, “disappearing” was also an option.
Jarun had made his decision. If he failed to graduate, instead of amusing the skeletal headmaster, he’d just settle down underground and keep doing what he wanted.
He was following the path of a few wise Einrogard predecessors. Jarun was not afraid.
Thunk!
There was a sound from what served as a “door” to the room—just a chunk of rock. A paper crane had arrived.
Jarun dragged himself over irritably.
The paper cranes regularly sent by professors and juniors were a nuisance.
He was still in contact with the surface for now to get supplies, but once fully stocked, he planned to hide his location and stay underground until he mined up all the gold…
To the moldy senior underground
Senior. The surface is suffering the tyranny of a crazy royal. If you’re thinking of setting fire to Einrogard, respond.
Master of Cerberus
Whoosh—
Jarun threw the crane on the fire. Thanks to special oil, the fire cleanly devoured the crane’s mana.
The rest of the cranes were no more useful.
One told him to serve as lecture assistant, another said the new Inspector has increased surface prices so he had to pay more ore, another asked how his graduation prep was coming…
‘Nothing but garbage letters.’
Tired of it all, Jarun nearly threw the rest onto the fire unopened.
But suddenly, the flames shot up madly. Jarun, startled, hurriedly put them out.
“W-what!?”
At first, he wondered if some madman had put a trick on the paper crane.
It was easy enough to make a fire flare up when thrown in, using simple magic or a reagent.
But then he questioned how he hadn’t noticed that in the first place.
‘There definitely wasn’t such a paper crane.’
After putting out the fire, Jarun checked the cranes one by one. The reason was quickly clear: only one crane was absolutely overflowing with mana.
Grumbling about which crazy person sent it, he opened the crane and recognized the culprit, shocked.
To Senior Jarun of the Iron Shoes clan
Hello, senior. This is Lee Han of the Wardanaz clan, whom you met last time regarding orichalcum. Now that I think of it, I suddenly remembered helping you out when you were trapped in a crystal vein.
Ah! Don’t get me wrong. It’s absolutely not to boast. Just came to mind.
Actually, I’ve taken on a request. We’ll be building a lighthouse within Einrogard, and I’d feel reassured if you, a stonemason club senior, could help.
Now that I think about it, helping you when you were trapped in that crystal vein was no easy feat. I’m sure the other Enchantment Magic seniors didn’t step in, partly due to how difficult it was.
Ah! Again, don’t get me wrong, it’s not to boast…
“……”
Jarun was dumbfounded.
What kind of guy is this?
‘Giving me the orichalcum map should have finished this!’
True, this junior did rescue Jarun, who was sealed in the crystal vein.
Considering students from other schools just walked by at the time, it was indeed a big deal. That’s why Jarun’s heart was swayed enough to give up the location of the orichalcum.
So wasn’t that enough already?!
After reading the letter, he regretted having done so. Just thinking of orichalcum made his chest ache…
As Jarun grumbled and moved to toss the crane in the fire, another one arrived.
To Senior Jarun of the Iron Shoes clan
Hello, senior. I guess you must be very busy since you haven’t replied. By the way, I also remembered, amidst my own busy schedule, helping you out that time you were trapped in the crystal vein…
“……”
Suddenly Jarun felt a chill down his spine.
Could this junior really keep sending paper cranes until he got an answer??
Catten of the Jahan clan, a proud fifth-year senior of the White Tiger Tower, had felt his heart race recently.
Rumors he’d heard had shaken his mind.
-The Wardanaz junior is leading a request? A construction job, apparently? Inside Einrogard?
-Really? Not Senior Yukveltire?
-They say no. I’ve checked several times.
-It’s the same tower. Maybe they’re just using her name as camouflage?
-I checked that too. Not her.
-Whew. Good. I thought it was Senior Yukveltire’s job.
-Apparently, they even recruited Jarun.
-Iron Shoes?! That’s really impressive.
A bright, smart, and excellent junior he knew, running a big job, and several wizards needed—there could be only one conclusion.
Catten would surely be invited to help!
‘I’m looking forward to it.’
With a pounding heart, Catten gazed at the cliff.
He swung his sword to calm himself, but his heart still fluttered. Thanks to him, the poor cliffs were overrun with slash marks.
“Senior!”
“!”
Catten perked up his ears and leaped down. Seeing the senior hurtle down like he was falling, Lee Han recoiled in shock.
Boom!
With a thunderous sound, Catten landed lightly.
“Welcome! Junior! I’ve been waiting for you! You could have sent a paper crane!”
“Eh? Ah. Well…”
Lee Han was taken aback by such overwhelming enthusiasm. He hadn’t expected this.
And the reason he hadn’t sent a paper crane first was simple.
Catten might have failed to reply.
Naturally, he couldn’t say that, so Lee Han gathered himself and rephrased it.
“When else would I have a chance to meet you in person, Senior?”
“Junior…!”
Catten was so moved, even his long whiskers quivered.
To have such a thoughtful junior.
Even from another tower, Catten was glad to have such a fine junior.
“In fact, I’ve made a lot of magical progress recently.”
“Oh, really?”
“I dare say, I could handle a whole role in any request now. My friends would be shocked!”
He glanced at his junior with a clear meaning:
Go on, invite me to the request!
“You’re impressive, senior. Actually, I came today to ask for your help…”
“Anything! Just say it!”
“Thank you. Actually…”
“Mm!”
“I’m going to hunt down evil god worshipers…”
“…?”
Catten sensed something was off.
Huh?