Episode 1010

On their way out of the tower (the headmaster having to set the main gate on fire to distract the mages’ attention), the skeleton headmaster asked,

“What did you mean by handling the Nago family’s reagents?”

“I left school during Club Week and took an outside job for some pocket money. That’s all it was.”

“You’re a diligent fellow. At times, I wonder if you really belong in Blue Dragon Tower.”

To have finished a commission in such a short time—even with a battle against evil god cultists in between.

The headmaster was so impressed, he forgot his original curiosity about the Nago family.

With so many families in the empire, the headmaster could hardly keep track of all of them.

Some of the knights listening in were sweating internally.

Good thing they didn’t have flesh and blood, or they would have been found out by now.

“Let’s head out.”

“You sure? What if the next Mage Towers are like this one…”

“No need to worry.”

The headmaster answered with confidence.

“I may have underestimated how outsiders would perceive your achievements by a bit.”

-By a bit…?

“By a bit?”

Ignoring the noise, the headmaster continued,

“But now I’ve figured it out. I’ll selectively mention just enough to have them grant us an extension.”

What happened at Daylily Tower had been outside the headmaster’s expectations.

He only wanted to fool the mages a little, not drive them crazy.

Feeling deeply repentant, he resolved to more carefully manage information and engineer the effects he intended from now on.

-But, master. After such a ruckus here, won’t word spread to other Towers?

“Impossible.”

The headmaster declared flatly.

“Mages only care about themselves, so such incidents never get spread.”

-Indeed!

“……”

Lee Han was exasperated, but couldn’t quite deny it.

Honestly, he didn’t think the Daylily Tower mages would spill anything even if it killed them.

‘…Wait. How did Lady Meikin know I had learned the Small World?’

On reflection, that was odd.

The Spirit King contract made sense, but he’d only learned Small World magic recently.

‘Did Yoner mention it in a letter? But I don’t recall an opportunity to sneak out a letter lately.’

-What’s the next Tower?

“Greenstone Tower.”

-Ah, the telekinetic fellows.

“Yes. The staff Professor Verdus crafted for them has finally been completed.”

Once in a while, even Verdus’s commissions succeeded.

This time, the lucky client was Greenstone Tower.

“Maybe I won’t even have to mention Wardanaz to persuade them.”

-I don’t think so, sir.

The knights were adamant.

No mage would be so easily impressed just because a long-delayed artifact was finally delivered way overdue.

• * *

“Delay payment on our commission…”

“So be it.”

-!

When Greenstone Tower’s mages accepted so easily, the knights were stunned.

So was Lee Han.

‘No way… That easy?’

For them to grant such favor just because Professor Verdus finally completed the job—what infamy he must have accrued.

Lee Han felt a shiver at the sheer skill of such legendary tardiness.

“It’s all settled, then?”

-That should be fine, disciple.

Even the knights responded warmly to Lee Han’s question.

None of them wanted a repeat of the Daylily Tower Rampage.

As the group murmured, a Greenstone Tower mage pointed at Lee Han and asked,

“Is this Professor Baegrek’s disciple?”

“……”

“…Ah.”

With the headmaster’s words, Lee Han sensed something was going off the rails.

“Headmaster?”

“I’d forgotten these people are close with Professor Voladi.”

“……”

Some things are better left forgotten!

Lee Han was exasperated, but there was nothing to be done. All he could do was adapt.

So right now…

He had no idea exactly what Baegrek had told them.

Probably about the Water Orb Projectile, probably about Wardanaz Telekinesis…

“Our Greenstone Tower inevitably has many battle mages. If we can host a talented young mage like Wardanaz’s Lee Han, so much the better.”

“…May I ask what exactly you’ve heard?”

“About what?”

The mage beamed suspiciously, as if wearing a mask.

The headmaster signaled to a knight, who gave a cough and quietly moved to check the waiting room’s door.

Clack!

-……

The Death Knight, opening the door to peer out, was struck by the sight.

A hush had fallen—Greenstone Tower mages were gathered just outside the salon, dead silent.

-We’re in trouble.

“Yes, I see that.”

The mage who had been smiling just kept on, continuing,

“While the door’s open, permit us to give this small gift…”

“No gifts! The thought alone is enough!”

“Your Excellency, didn’t you so often request donations? Why refuse when we’ve finally prepared something?”

“Take a long look in the mirror before saying that! You people look more deranged than criminals being executed!”

Task complete, the headmaster prepared another strategic retreat.

With this Tower’s many battle mages, escape was several times more troublesome.

“Your Excellency! Your Excellency!”

“Disciple, didn’t Professor Baegrek say anything about us?”

“In fact, I am on very good terms with Professor Baegrek! I have stories about him, so please, at least sit and talk a little!”

“Oh, really?”

“Of course not!”

The headmaster yanked Lee Han’s ear and threw open the window. The knight had already moved the carriage to the window for a quick getaway.

“Baegrek, you useless troublemaker!”

-But Professor Voladi’s closeness with Greenstone Tower is common knowledge, even for us…

The Death Knights tried to defend Professor Voladi.

It was well known that Voladi and Greenstone Tower maintained a strong association, given the need for combat mages whenever force was required in the Empire.

Even the headmaster had cackled, thoroughly enjoying the news that Voladi had written urging stricter training for his successor.

“Silence.”

-Yes, sir.

Their master hated retorts, especially factual ones. The knights shut up.

Even as the carriage took to the air, Greenstone mages chased after, creating telekinetic stairways in midair.

The skeleton headmaster sighed.

“You too, do—no, never mind, just stay put.”

Warding off all the telekinetic obstacles and safely suppressing the chasing mages was a tiresome hassle.

He’d intended to put his disciple to work, but changed his mind.

Letting Lee Han show off more would only whip these mages into greater frenzy.

“They even knew about the Small World…”

The headmaster paused.

Maybe Voladi corresponded about telekinesis magic, lessons and such, but surely didn’t mention the Small World.

“You lot.”

“Yes, sir!”

Those mages paddling through the air at his rebuff answered quickly.

“Do you know about the Small World too?”

“Sorry? The Small World magic? Of course we know about it, but why the sudden question?”

“…Never mind! Move out!”

For the first time in ages, the skeleton headmaster felt chills.

If this is how they reacted without even knowing about the Small World…

• * *

-Master. How about not visiting any more towers?

-Agreed. No matter the results, I’m starting to worry about the disciple’s well-being after this…

“…What specific dangers are you worried about?”

-We recommend you never visit any of today’s towers again.

-And if you do, never consume any food or drink offered inside.

Lee Han took the knights’ warning deeply to heart.

It probably wouldn’t help, but still…

“No! The remaining towers are really fine this time.”

“……”

‐……

Lee Han and the Death Knights looked at him with mistrust. The headmaster consoled them:

“I understand! It’s true, there were more surprises than I could have foreseen.”

“Although, you could have anticipated trouble at Greenstone Tower…”

“Am I supposed to remember every friendship Professor Voladi forms? It’s his fault, for boasting about the disciple to Greenstone like a stage father.”

‘Wow, that shamelessness is almost Professor Verdus level…’

“I’ll really control the information and get the exact results I intend with the rest.”

“It seems every time you deal with mages, the effect backfires…”

‘Impressive insight,’ the knights thought.

Truly worthy of an heir, to realize such things so soon.

-Master, a letter.

The coachman pointed to a paper bird soaring in from afar. The skeleton headmaster spoke dourly.

“Another from Greenstone?”

-No.

“Daylily Tower?”

-No, sir.

“No? Then don’t burn it—bring it here.”

If it was from a Tower, he’d have torched it on sight, but if not, it might be worth reading.

The skeleton headmaster took the letter and read.

“It’s from Erindarbel.”

“!”

This sender was so famous that even Lee Han recognized the name.

“What’s she want?”

“Last time she wrote, it was an apology… Did Yukveltire mess up again?”

“Pardon? Why would Senior be brought up…”

“What, I thought you two were close? Erindarbel is Yukveltire’s mother.”

Lee Han’s jaw dropped.

Even through his surprise, he managed to protest the details:

“We’re not close.”

“…Right, all right.”

If he remembered right, the last letter was an apology for the chaos Yukveltire had caused among the dark magic kids and various mages over break.

Back then, the skeleton headmaster had replied generously, saying that such incidents—space warping, stacking magical fields, the like—were just the stuff of learning.

Of course, the mages involved had thought otherwise, but that wasn’t his concern.

To Lord Gonadaltes, with respect,

I was informed by Yukveltire that your disciple mastered Small World magic as a second-year.

If you permit, I would like to directly observe the future pillar of the empire during your tower visits.

Thank you.

P.S.—Yukveltire is trying to file a lawsuit in imperial court over having his research commitment usurped. Please explain.

—Erindarbel

“……”

As he pondered the note, the skeleton headmaster froze.

If Yukveltire told Erindarbel, and she now knew his disciple had learned the Small World, then…?!

“Turn the carriage around!”

-Master, the mages have already come out to greet us…