Episode 1007

The nobles present were even more aghast than before.

Haiden was one thing, but Lady Kraha as well?

It was simply unbelievable. One noble tried to regain composure by gulping down a cup of scalding tea (which didn’t help much) before asking,

“L-Lady Kraha. You just said—even with all Lord Gonadaltes’s devotion to the Empire, you would not let this go easily.”

“How hurtful,” the skeleton headmaster feigned disappointment beside them, but none of the nobles bothered to react.

“I did say that.”

“Then why?!”

“Well… I owe far too much to young Wardanaz here. I simply can’t turn him down.”

‘Wardanaz family?’

Only then did the nobles turn their attention to the headmaster’s disciple.

Honestly, the shock from Haiden and Lady Kraha’s statements was so overwhelming, they barely noticed when the skeleton headmaster introduced his disciple.

But introducing the brightest and most brilliant—practically future archmage—among Einrogard’s students was not a trivial gesture.

And if that disciple was of the Wardanaz bloodline, all the more so. The nobles struggled to digest what they’d just heard.

“I see.”

“If it’s Wardanaz…”

“I heard last year he subjugated the Ghoul King? I assumed he was a graduate…”

“I think I remember a basilisk or sea serpent subjugation too—wait, if he’s a second year now, that means last year he was a first year?”

The skeleton headmaster quickly signaled to the Death Knights.

Before the nobles realized Einrogard’s wicked secret, he signaled to steer the conversation elsewhere.

“Wait, the person mentioned by the dragons this time—”

“Dragons?”

“It’s nothing.”

Among the nobles, there were even some lords who’d received the letter from the dragons.

Recalling it, a head of house quickly understood.

‘I get it now.’

He could see why brilliant operators like Haiden and Lady Kraha had suddenly gone soft.

It wasn’t just because they were the skeleton headmaster’s disciple.

Sure, being the headmaster’s disciple was impressive, but it was actually MORE of a reason to keep distance—not get closer.

Getting close to the headmaster or his disciples usually meant losing resources or being forced to donate. To live a peaceful, comfortable life, keeping one’s distance was best.

But if the person in question was a dragon contractor, that changed everything.

A contractor hadn’t appeared in ages; no matter if he was the skeleton headmaster’s disciple, that was enough reason to show him favor, even if it meant some risk.

‘Of course, the two of them are anything but ordinary.’

“I’ll comply too, if the request comes from the disciple.”

“I’ll do so as well.”

Nobles who’d heard rumors about the youngest Wardanaz and considered investing, or lords who’d received letters from the dragons, or simply quick-thinking nobles reading the room—all agreed in turn.

Still, there were a fair number who refused to give up.

Nobles slow on the rumors, greedy, or especially eager to get Professor Verdus instead of gold, clung on stubbornly.

“Lady Kraha, please reconsider. Delaying such an amount just out of a sense of debt is…”

‘Foolish. Lady Kraha wouldn’t do it just for that.’

The sharper nobles thought to themselves.

In truth, that was the sole reason, but they couldn’t have known.

“It’s not me who’s indebted—Gainando is.”

“Simply because he’s your child’s friend?”

“It’s more than that—truly…”

Even Lady Kraha’s explanation didn’t fully convince the other nobles.

What could a child possibly owe to a school friend? Meals and cleaning were handled by servants, magic was taught by professors.

Haiden’s words weren’t much different.

“Given how my younger sibling’s changed, the Dalkard family could invest several times this gold and it wouldn’t be too much.”

“?!?!?!”

The nobles wondered if the headmaster’s disciple was actually a professor.

Otherwise, nothing made sense for the feats he’d accomplished—even last year’s incidents…

“If Wardanaz asks, I could even consider erasing the Kraha family’s debt entirely.”

Lady Kraha said it with deep affection.

For all Lee Han had done for Gainando, she could have invested ten times as much.

“Is… is that true?!”

The skeleton headmaster exclaimed in shock.

The Death Knights, also stunned, realized at last how their lord’s heir must have dealt with the bureaucrats.

Just having a conversation would have been enough!

‘I didn’t have enough faith!’

‘That’s real magic, perhaps.’

But Lee Han declined.

“No… that would be too much. Just granting the extension is plenty.”

“Come here a moment.”

The skeleton headmaster, about to rejoice, grew serious. He immediately pulled his disciple aside.

“Why are you doing this? Did the Baldrogard folks secretly invite you?”

“Huh? Is transferring to Baldrogard even possible?”

Lee Han asked in innocent curiosity. A Death Knight answered for him.

-He means, did they offer you a professorship, not a student position.

“Enough! Why refuse Lady Kraha’s favor? That’s an insult as well!”

“Well, it’s Gainando’s fortune too. I shouldn’t just wipe it out.”

“……”

The Death Knights clapped silently for this show of friendship.

But for the skeleton headmaster, it was maddening.

“Given the Kraha family vault, it’s an amount they wouldn’t even notice…!”

“Couldn’t you just treat Gainando well and ask for a separate favor from the lady?”

“That would go against the sacred rules of Einrogard.”

The skeleton headmaster firmly refused, but Lee Han eyed him suspiciously.

He claimed it was for equality, but Lee Han suspected he just wanted to keep tormenting students.

“Anyway, I accomplished what you asked. Isn’t an indefinite extension plenty?”

The headmaster grumbled in the ancient tongue instead of answering. Thanks to the Mad Clone, Lee Han could recognize enough to pick out, ‘raising disciples is pointless.’

“Then I’ll get back to persuading the rest…”

“?”

The skeleton headmaster didn’t immediately understand what he meant by that.

There were still holdout nobles, but surely he could just push it through with the current supporting majority.

The knights seemed confused as well.

-How is he going to persuade them?

-Is he planning to give up Professor Verdus?

-No way… but if he is, I kind of want to see it.

“Everyone, though the headmaster has asked something unreasonable, I never intended to simply beg for your favor.”

“!”

Lee Han’s words made the room stir.

“You could just ask…”

“Shhh, Lady Kraha.”

Yoanen covered Lady Kraha’s mouth, curious to hear what Lee Han would say.

“So?”

“In fact, by coincidence, I encountered an ancient undead who told me the locations of lost ancestral tombs for various houses. If you like, I’ll share these, so please consider being generous—”

“Come here a moment.”

The skeleton headmaster grew serious again. Startled nobles tried to listen, but the headmaster was one step quicker.

“What did you just say? How do you know the locations of ancient tombs?”

“The chamberlain wrote them down for me.”

‘Intarendals!’

Realizing the culprit, the skeleton headmaster shut his eyes tight.

Ever since the Three Kingdoms, that old chamberlain, having once sworn loyalty to the Mad Clone, possessed an uncanny talent for driving the skeleton headmaster mad.

He regretted ever tolerating his presence back in the day.

“My disciple, did you perhaps think this: ‘Do those who don’t even know where their ancestors’ tombs are really have the right to tend them?’ Something like that?”

“I hadn’t thought that.”

“Those ancient evil artifacts… Isn’t it a mage’s duty to responsibly safeguard and control them?”

“You could just go together as my witness when I accompany them.”

“……”

Having a clever disciple often tried a master’s patience.

Having a clever and kind disciple made it twice as hard.

Lee Han spoke honestly.

“Actually, I didn’t mention it because the chamberlain left a note for me.”

Intarendals, when handing over the Mad Clone’s book, also organized all leftover reagents and items in the workshop for Lee Han.

Among them was a personal note.

It listed ancient tombs of various families—including an old Dalkard tomb (which the chamberlain said he could use freely).

And at the end, it said:

…Return these to the heirs of each family, but never hand them over to the Lord of Einrogard…

“…….”

The headmaster sighed deeply.

As if truly unable to comprehend, he turned to the knights.

“Was I really that cruel to Intarendals? Is refusing to conquer a continent a crime worth holding a grudge over for all eternity?”

-Well, um…

The Death Knights averted their eyes.

It really was not a topic they could comment on.

• * *

Eurangdam, the archmage and master of Daylily Tower, narrowed his eyes at the skeleton headmaster’s request for a visit.

“What does Lord Gonadaltes want?”

“Could it be an apology for last time’s rudeness?”

For the remnant spirit sealing, Daylily Tower’s mages traveled all the way to Einrogard, only to be kicked out abruptly.

From the perspective of mages who’d undergone a crash course of harsh training for a great spell, such a dismissal was outrageous.

But now the headmaster was coming, disciple in tow; could it be to apologize?

“Not likely from him.”

Except for his clothes, Eurangdam looked like a country elder. His wrinkles deepened as he lit a long pipe.

Like a true archmage, Eurangdam was cooler-headed than his subordinate mages.

“He’s probably here to ask for a delay on repayments. Mages are always strapped for cash.”

In truth, the madmen weren’t only at Einrogard.

There were plenty of mad mages at the towers, which always left them cash-strapped.

It’s just that Einrogard’s needs were on a different scale!

“That’s out of line…! Even after such insults, to come ask that!”

“He’s got a point.”

Eurangdam exhaled smoke and peered into the air with weary eyes.

“But the headmaster never visits without a plan. What’s he thinking?”

“I heard he’s coming with his disciple this time… Does he plan to repeat what he did with Professor Kim?”

At that, every mage present stiffened.

The Professor Garcia incident was still a tender memory.

They’d all been sucked in by the skeleton headmaster’s eloquence, thinking, ‘That professor might join our tower!’ and showered him with favors like madmen.

“…Surely he wouldn’t pull the same trick twice. Unless he thinks we’re fools.”

“But I did hear his disciple is said to be an exceptional mage.”

“Enough. Silence. I don’t even want to hear it.”

“S-sorry.”

Eurangdam’s warning made the mages lower their heads.

A brief silence followed.

The old archmage pondered, then asked quietly,

“How exceptional, exactly?”

‘…We might be fools after all…’