Episode 1003

“Are there any creditors you didn’t threaten roughly?”

“There are a few I threatened gently.”

“…Are there any creditors you didn’t threaten at all?”

At that, the skeleton headmaster slowly lifted his shoulders.

“You’ve improved in magic, but you’re still asking stupid questions. Who in that situation would willingly hand over gold and cooperate?”

Imperials weren’t fools. No matter if the skeleton headmaster was the Empire’s Spirit Commander and the guardian of the arcane barrier, they wouldn’t just offer up their gold.

Especially when his purpose was to eternally exile his own remnant soul in a dimension, rather than simply reverse-summoning it from the Einrogard domain; it was hard to win support for that.

It would have been easier to find someone to invest in Professor Verdus’s latest artifact…

“This is outrageous! How could they!”

“It’s the truth. Regardless of his personality, Bible is a renowned artifact craftsman in the Empire. What does it matter to those who want a masterpiece if the craftsman has a quirky character? It just makes it more valuable.”

“Grr! These foolish people!”

The headmaster was, for once, pleased to see his disciple enraged at the foolishness of the imperial subjects.

Every great mage ought to feel righteous indignation toward the Empire’s folk.

The Wardanaz boy was merely passing through an essential rite of passage.

“I’ll print and distribute pamphlets. Warn people not to get fooled by Professor Verdus!”

“…Do that later at your own discretion, but first, let’s focus on the creditors.”

“Ah, right.”

Lee Han brought himself back to his senses.

‘Hmm. Maybe something can be done about the noble families.’

Why else do people speak of academic ties?

Fortunately, Einrogard had several noble-born students with whom Lee Han was acquainted.

Granted, these families hadn’t heeded the headmaster’s requests.

But then again, Lee Han might have done the same.

‘I probably would’ve refused such a request too.’

Even normally, the skeleton headmaster’s requests for support and investments were suspicious, so if he suddenly asked for gold coins to eternally imprison a remnant soul, it would indeed be disturbing.

But now, they were asking for an extension of the repayment period, not more gold.

It was a much more persuadable situation.

… Even if the headmaster had threatened them roughly…

“I trust you to persuade the noble families.”

“!”

At the skeleton headmaster’s words, Lee Han realized they’d been thinking the same thing.

“Do you think I can do it?”

“Haha.”

The teacher smiled at his pupil’s question.

Then answered with a serious expression.

“It’s not a question of whether or not you can. You have to. Otherwise your seniors will have to do their magic research next semester with only mud, stones, and sticks.”

Lee Han felt the heavy weight of responsibility on his shoulders.

“……”

And then he paused.

“Uh, but why aren’t any of the other seniors…?”

In Einrogard, higher grades had higher responsibilities.

So why did this responsibility fall solely to Lee Han, a second-year?

The skeleton headmaster kindly explained.

“Should I call Yukveltire? Should I call Catten? Name whichever senior you want. I’ll summon them for you if necessary.”

“…What about Senior Direte or Senior Illeg, at least…”

Grumbling, Lee Han noted the headmaster only suggested useless seniors.

But the headmaster shook his head.

“Those two, because of their kind personalities, aren’t fit for persuading others.”

“I see… wait a second.”

Lee Han felt a sense of wrongness.

So what about me?

“And those two are needed for resolving this incident.”

“True, I suppose. The professors are all busy, too.”

On closer consideration, there really wasn’t anyone else to call upon.

Professors and 5th years were busy or unhelpful, and 4th-year seniors were the busiest grade right now…

“Let’s say I’ll persuade the noble families… but how should I persuade the bureaucrats?”

“I trust you to persuade the bureaucrats.”

“……”

Lee Han wondered if he’d misheard.

But the headmaster was dead serious.

“No matter how cold-hearted and ruthless, if a child—the empire’s pillar—comes asking for help, they won’t just turn him away.”

“…Understood, for now.”

It was a bit exasperating, but not completely illogical.

Just last year, hadn’t Lee Han handled the bureaucrats?

Imperial officials, by and large, didn’t like the skeleton headmaster.

How could bureaucrats like a great archmage who’d yank out the empire’s very foundations for Einrogard?

Even without ever being threatened, some’d practically foam at the mouth and faint at the mere sight of him.

But oddly enough, these same bureaucrats were generous with students.

Unlike the evil skeleton headmaster, Einrogard’s students went on to serve as talents all over the empire upon graduation.

“Persuade the noble families… I do that. Persuade the bureaucrats… I do that. Who else did you threaten?”

“The Mage Towers and several mage guilds across the empire. I needed manpower.”

Great magic wasn’t something achieved with gold alone. Even if all the reagents were ready, a surprising amount of manpower was needed.

It was no wonder mages gathered in towers and formed guilds for mutual improvement.

“I had those I gathered prepare magic separately. Among them, I selected the most skilled and brought them to Einrogard.”

“Huh. I’ve never seen them?”

“They were waiting below. No need to have them face the Mad Clone directly.”

“Ah. So they left while I was unconscious.”

“That’s not far off.”

A Death Knight glanced at his master.

More accurately, after the battle ended and the mages kept nagging, ‘Why aren’t you using the magic we prepared?’ the skeleton headmaster just kicked them out.

And dressed that up like this?

“…Wait. ‘Not far off?’ That sounds a bit odd. Is there something you haven’t told me?”

‘As expected of the disciple.’

The knight was inwardly pleased.

A real mage should be able to find clues even in utter chaos!

• * *

By the time they reached the imperial capital, Lee Han had perfectly grasped the information about the creditors involved in this matter.

First, imperial bureaucrats.

Thanks to the skeleton headmaster’s rough threats, the treasurer and his staff finally opened the vault and handed over the gold coins.

Lee Han would have to persuade them.

Next were the various noble families.

Thanks to the headmaster’s threats, the family heads opened their vaults and handed over needed reagents.

He would have to persuade them, too.

Finally, the mage towers and mage guilds across the empire.

Thanks to the headmaster’s threats, they dropped their research and magic and pitched in.

And he’d have to persuade them, too…

“……”

After finishing this review, Lee Han stared intently at the skeleton headmaster.

‘Isn’t the job division a little weird?’

Shouldn’t the headmaster take on at least one of the three?

“What’s wrong?”

“Wouldn’t it be better for you to persuade the mages, Headmaster?”

To Einrogard students, the skeleton headmaster was a tyrant lord of terror, but to outsider mages, he was the most respected archmage.

Currently, among those called archmage in the empire, none were wiser or more… cunning, no, sagacious.

For such people, it might be better for the skeleton headmaster to approach and use his authority to persuade them.

“How so?”

“You could teach them lost secrets, or offer advice on stagnated magic…”

“I already used all those tricks a long time ago. They don’t work anymore.”

“……”

After such a long history, the headmaster’s tricks had all been exhausted.

Now, even mage towers and guilds were too used to the archmage’s sage advice to be swayed by respect.

“It’s much more effective to introduce them to a brilliant mage. I’ve even taken Professor Garcia in tow before.”

The headmaster reminisced.

Mages from the Jeokyu Tower, Daylily Tower, Greenstone Tower, and others had practically sparkled with excitement at the sight of young Professor Garcia, just like Einrogard students spotting candy.

If a mage working in a Mage Tower didn’t covet a genius who studied every magical discipline, were they even a real mage?

-…Your Excellency! If Kim graduates, please let them join our tower…! No need for coercion. Just say a good word about Jeokyu Tower!

-Lord Gonadaltes! If you send Kim to our tower, we’ll give you all the imperial funding for this year!

The headmaster’s eyes softened with the bittersweet memory.

“Back then, we raked it in quite comfortably thanks to that…”

“…Wait, but Professor Garcia came to Einrogard, didn’t she? Did she visit other towers first?”

“No. She came straight here. She’s smart.”

Professor Garcia had followed the pure Einrogard mage route.

Entered Einrogard, advanced straight to fifth year, graduated straight into professor…

Lee Han felt a pang in his chest for some reason.

“Weren’t there protests from the other towers?”

“Of course they protested. But what could I do? Professor Garcia chose for herself.”

The headmaster shrugged lightly.

Even an archmage couldn’t change a person’s will.

Many mage towers sent gifts and favors to gain favor, but that was their choice.

Any failures were, of course, their responsibility alone.

“……”

Lee Han shot him a look of contempt, but the skeleton headmaster ignored it and continued.

“It’ll work a second time. I think it’ll still work a third.”

“I’m a bit worried if I can do as well as Professor Garcia, though. As you know, I’m much less than her.”

-?

“?”

From the Death Knights to the skeleton headmaster, everyone looked puzzled.

Was there really any area where the Wardanaz kid fell short of young Professor Garcia?

‘Arrogance?’

‘Is it rudeness? But he’s plenty rude already.’

“I’m not a troll half-blood, so my physical strength…”

“…Don’t worry about that.”

The headmaster was dumbfounded at his disciple’s worry about the most irrelevant thing.

Why would you need strength to visit a mage tower…?

“Now, let’s go topp-… I mean persuade the bureaucrats first.”

Once through the city gates, the headmaster ordered the knights acting as drivers. At that moment, Lee Han remembered and asked,

“Will I be able to meet Prince Joulin?”

“No.”

“Ah. He’s under discipline, I guess.”

Come to think of it, Joulin had accomplished the unprecedented feat of deceiving both the Emperor and the skeleton headmaster to escape.

It only made sense if he was confined at home.

“No.”

“Sorry?”

“He’s not being disciplined. He barely goes out unless it’s something important anyway. Don’t judge His Majesty’s pureblood children by the empire’s legal standards.”

“Then why can’t I see him?”

“If you go see him, he won’t let you go until the end of vacation.”

“……”

“He might even keep you longer than that.”

“Aw, he’s not that stubborn or clingy.”

“Haha. Look at the dragon expert. Anyway, if you want to see him, do it after everything else is done. Consider this your warning. Go right at the next corner. It’s blocked ahead.”

-Should we just fly?

“No. This month, I need to be humble and show repentance. Last time, we cut through the city wall because we were in a rush.”

At those words, Lee Han absentmindedly glanced out the carriage window.

A section of the capital’s city wall had been cut clean through, as if by a razor-sharp blade.

He was genuinely curious what happened, but Lee Han used superhuman self-control to hold back.

‘Don’t ask. Nothing good can come of hearing it…’

Lee Han reviewed what he’d say to the bureaucrats. Step one was, “I sincerely apologize on behalf of the headmaster.”