Episode 1004

The skeleton headmaster looked down at his student mumbling over a stack of papers with an expression of reassurance.

He’d thought it before, but perhaps the greatest genius of this Wardanaz mage wasn’t his magical talent, but his powers of persuasion.

Once again, let him charm the Empire’s bureaucrats!

• * *

Silvas, who worked as an examiner at the Imperial Treasury, was shocked.

After returning from evaluating the -Centaur Magical Relay- project out east to see if it had any potential, he found the atmosphere in the palace extremely grim.

-What on earth happened?

-Don’t even ask. Lord Gonadaltes stormed the Treasury. His Excellency the Treasurer ended up hanging upside down.

-No way! Was it over those ridiculous experiments and research?! Isn’t that going too far?!

Einrogard mages were infamous for constantly troubling bureaucrats and demanding gold even for frivolous research.

And it was always the skeleton headmaster who brought those requests.

From Silvas’s point of view, it had to be that way.

-This time it’s different. He says it’s to eternally confine a remnant spirit that invaded Einrogard. But who knows the truth? What if the Einrogard mages are fabricating excuses for more gold?

-Still, would the Lord tell such a thin lie… Well, I suppose he might.

-Be careful. Everyone’s nerves are frayed right now.

Not a single bureaucrat was pleased at being forced to lend a massive amount of gold, halfway through extortion.

The bureaucrats’ nerves were as raw as those of Einrogard students who’d lost access to the food storehouse.

‘Haa.’

Silvas sat at his heavy rosewood desk, deep in thought.

What he’d heard was so shocking, he couldn’t just let it pass.

Gonadaltes, Lord of Einrogard, was greatly trusted as the Emperor’s Commander of Spirits.

To actually come to the palace, hang the treasurer upside down, and forcibly borrow gold was not something just anyone could do. Without the Emperor’s tacit permission, it would have been impossible.

So had something truly dangerous happened in the Einrogard lands?

‘No, still, how could he really hang the treasurer upside down?’

Other bureaucrats were grinding their teeth even now.

If the skeleton headmaster didn’t repay the gold in time, they planned to mercilessly recoup their losses by clawing gold out of Einrogard’s other subsidies.

“Um. Is anyone here?”

“Oh my. Isn’t it Lee Han of the Wardanaz family?”

Silvas was surprised by the unexpected visitor.

And he thought,

‘Huh? Is the semester at Einrogard already over?’

It seemed there were still a few days left, though?

“Here’s a gift. I remember you liked this last time.”

Lee Han produced a coffee and an apple pie from the -Rock Spirit Apple Jam Cafe- near the palace.

Silvas’s heart warmed as much as the apple pie itself at that kindness, so different from the arrogant brats who usually visited the palace.

‘Sniff. I wish the others would learn from him.’

After sharing snacks with his colleagues, who looked at Lee Han with expressions of shock and gratitude, Silvas thanked him again.

“Oh yes. Mage, that -Research on Races Preferred by Trolls as Prey- is already producing results.”

“Excuse me?”

Lee Han was momentarily confused by the random remark, then recalled.

It wasn’t his first time visiting the palace. Last year, he’d come with the skeleton headmaster, spouting nonsense to get ludicrous research topics for his seniors approved.

One of those was -Research on Races Preferred by Trolls as Prey-.

‘What did I say again? That researching which races trolls prefer for prey would help reduce troll-related casualties?’

In hindsight, it sounded like pure nonsense. Lee Han still wondered how it had gotten approved.

“Wait. It’s already showing results?”

“Yes. There’s been a noticeable drop in troll-related damage. Even the -Wasteland Star-Catchers- out west sent a plaque of appreciation.”

“……”

Lee Han reflected on how he hadn’t trusted his seniors enough.

He hadn’t realized it was such a worthwhile study…!

“Einrogard mages’ research is always for the Empire’s benefit. Baldro… ahem. Some outside mages may slander us, but at least you, Silvas, know the truth.”

‘Is that so?’

Silvas wondered silently.

Admittedly, the research Lee Han had brought last year had been surprisingly effective beneath the surface.

But this claim about Einrogard mages being slandered seemed a bit much.

It didn’t really seem like they were being maligned…

“The real reason I visited today is because of the remnant spirit incident at Einrogard.”

“So it really happened!”

“Pardon?”

“Oh, nothing. Never mind.”

Silvas quickly changed topics.

He couldn’t very well admit, in front of a student, to doubting the truth of the skeleton headmaster’s story.

“I heard the headmaster went to great lengths for the students’ safety, inconveniencing the bureaucracy in the process…”

“Oh, no. I understand Lord Gonadaltes’s intentions.”

“Thank you for understanding. He’s usually a cold and rational man, but loses all sense when students are involved.”

‘Is that so?’

Silvas again thought to himself.

Compared with the dark rumors leaking out from Einrogard, that seemed a little off…

“We’d really like the gold borrowed from the imperial vault returned right away, but could you possibly delay it just a bit longer? For the sake of Einrogard’s research, at least.”

“Hmm…”

Silvas showed a worried expression.

He honestly wanted to agree, but wasn’t sure if he could persuade the other bureaucrats.

“I’ll do my best, but I can’t guarantee it. Of course, I too think it’s important to support Einrogard mages for the Empire’s sake, like with this latest research. But the other bureaucrats are so angry right now—”

“No need for that!”

“?!”

A stranger burst into the luxurious guest room.

Thud!

The man was so large he banged his forehead on the doorway as he entered. He grimaced a bit, then ducked and stepped inside.

Lee Han had never seen a human this enormous. Even Senior Falkrius didn’t compare.

“Are you Lee Han of the Wardanaz family?”

Though he sounded casual, his voice made the entire spacious room ring out.

What’s more, his eyes blazed, and an aura of might radiated from his trained body. He resembled the warriors of ancient myth.

Lee Han briefly suspected the treasurer had hired a northern guard to exact revenge.

“That’s right, but… May I ask who you are—”

“I’m the Emperor’s fourth son, Uman. I’ve heard much about you from my elder sister. First, let me thank you!”

“????”

Lee Han’s mind blanked as he tried to figure out who this “elder sister” was.

Then he realized belatedly.

‘…Joulin’s younger brother!?’

Come to think of it, Joulin was the third. If this man was the fourth, then of course Joulin was the “elder sister.”

…He’d never have guessed just by appearance…

“Uh… well…”

“What is it? If you’re curious, feel free to ask! You are, after all, a dragon contractor!”

“Prince Joulin is… still… uh… seems so young…?”

“Ah! My elder sister Uman’s vessel is simply that large.”

Uman explained simply in his resounding voice.

A small vessel is finished quickly, but a large vessel takes a long time.

Uman, being a small vessel, matured quickly, but Joulin, being a large one, was maturing slowly.

‘…Is there any basis for that?’

As a mage, Lee Han wanted to speak of logic and theory, but he didn’t dare object before someone bulkier than even Senior Falkrius or Professor Garcia.

Uman spoke again.

“Actually, I’ve heard of you separately from my elder sister as well.”

“Gasp. What did you hear?”

Lee Han tensed up instinctively.

He’d gotten into so much trouble over the years.

Last year, he’d taken down ghouls, the king of the frost giants, magical criminals, anti-magic fanatics, basilisks, sea serpents; this year, the remnant of an ancient archmage, an evil hamster, a demigod trying to conquer the continent, and in his spare time, did a bit of banditry in Granden City…

‘Which one’s he talking about?’

“I heard you are very righteous!”

“…Could you be more specific?”

“???”

Silvas was flustered by Lee Han’s question.

How could there be so many stories, he’d need to clarify like that?

But Uman shook his head.

“I’d like to talk more, but I cannot. You have your own business, and Uman has his! Anyway, Silvas. No need for you to struggle!”

“Eh? What do you mean, Your Highness…”

Finally coming to his senses, Silvas was baffled.

No matter that Uman was the Emperor’s fourth child, how could he suppress the ire of the bureaucrats…?

“I, Uman, will pay the gold needed for the imperial vault instead! Tell them not to touch Einrogard’s subsidies!”

“…A-are you sure, Your Highness?”

“Of course!”

Silvas sprang to his feet.

Then, overcome with emotion, he hugged Uman tightly.

There was a noble faction in the Empire that disregarded even members of the royal family, numbering over a hundred, but after seeing this, they’d never dare say such things.

How could such a decision come from anyone but someone of noble blood?

As Silvas hugged Uman, he realized there was someone else next to him.

Somehow, the mage from the Wardanaz family was hugging Uman tightly as well.

“Could you both step back a bit?”

“Yes, Your Highness!”

• * *

The Emperor’s fourth child personally saw Lee Han out as he left the palace.

“Thank you so much, Your Highness.”

“No! No need to thank me. You have every right to such help, and Einrogard is certainly a school that deserves it.”

“?”

Listening to Uman, Lee Han felt a sense of incongruity.

Judging by his words alone, this dragonkin could’ve been a loyal supporter and investor of Einrogard.

A dragonkin, who recognized Einrogard’s value…

So how had Lee Han never once heard his name from the skeleton headmaster?

‘Has he only recently become wealthy?’

“Your Highness, but—It’s a massive amount of gold. Are you certain it’s okay?”

“No need to worry about Uman. Every year, I stack the cabinet with the winnings from Mage Card sales.”

“…You sell Mage Cards?!”

“Yes! It’s an honorable duty passed down from my ancestors.”

Lee Han felt as though he’d stepped into a legend.

To meet the current era’s Mage Card creator in person—an enigmatic identity known by none.

“It’s an honor. My friend is an enormous fan.”

“Is your friend young?”

“Ah, but don’t many older people enjoy Mage Cards as well?”

At that, Uman frowned in extreme displeasure.

“That is improper! How can adults take away what’s meant for children and enjoy it themselves?”

“……”

Lee Han resolved to keep secret from Gainando the details about the person he met today.

“Anyway, thank you very much for your help. Since the hardest bureaucrats have been persuaded, surely nobles and mages will be much easier now.”

“You’re persuading them yourself?”

“Uh, yes.”

Uman muttered,

”Another misdeed of Lord Gonadaltes…”

“Pardon?”

“It’s nothing. Oh! I have a favor to ask. Could you keep this meeting between Uman and yourself a secret from Lord Gonadaltes? I know it’s a difficult thing to ask, since you’re his disciple. But it’s truly for a great and righteous…”

“It’s not difficult. I’ll do it.”

“?!”