Episode 1019

Lee Han was baffled.

The headmaster’s comment was just so out of left field.

“What does Professor Baegrek arriving have to do with me not being here?”

Oh… it has quite a lot to do with it.

As he spoke, the headmaster glared once more at the archmage beside him. The imperial archmage, mother of Yukveltire and Adenart, fidgeted and lowered her head.

You know how Professor Voladi tends to be… overprotective, right?

“What???!”

The comment was so absurd Lee Han almost blurted out, “What nonsense is that?”

If not for the eyes around them, he really would have.

That Professor Voladi was overprotective? Sure, he felt touched when the professor had taken his side for once at the last incident, but come on—there are some truths in the world you just can’t overlook.

Even if Erindarbel had calculated and invited him with perfect precision, Professor Voladi might misunderstand if he heard. There’s no need to needlessly worry him.

‘Something’s wrong.’

Lee Han sensed something off as both an Einrogard student and the headmaster’s protégé.

He felt like there was some sinister plot afoot.

“Excellent. No need to go through any more unnecessary lessons. The more you do, the greater the risk of rampage.”

The evil-god-worshipping elf quickly chimed in.

From the elf’s perspective, Lee Han living a slow, stable life was preferable to getting further lessons from Professor Voladi and growing even more dangerous.

He was already a dangerous monster as it was.

…He seems like a cultist, but the advice isn’t half bad. Who is this guy, anyway? He’s probably not from the expedition party.

To the headmaster’s perfectly reasonable question, the expedition members immediately replied.

“He’s indeed a cultist.”

“He’s a devotee of the Ksasakharigol cult, captured after surrendering himself.”

Those madmen? Why? Oh, I get it. It’s because when Wardanaz loses control, divination is impossible.

The headmaster guessed why the cultist was still chattering near Lee Han, even before the full report.

For divination-obsessed fanatics, an unpredictable protégé like him must truly seem like a monster capable of destroying prophecy at any time.

“That’s right. Magician. Stop fattening up that monster. If the Great Prophet’s prophecy breaks, the world will be thrown into chaos.”

The elf, mad as ever, offered a solemn warning without flinching before the headmaster.

Was it not the headmaster’s fault for raising his protégé so monstrously powerful that all this chaos erupted in the first place?

Of course, the headmaster didn’t pay him any mind.

What does a brat who doesn’t even grasp real chaos think he’s lecturing me about? Get out of here.

With a pop, the elf vanished. Lee Han had a guess where he’d gone.

‘Another prisoner has probably been added to the depths of the punishment room.’

Those types never help and just mutter nonsense, anyway… In any case, you weren’t here today. Got it?

“Ah, yes. Understood.”

Lee Han nodded for now. The headmaster finished his prep and revealed a new grand magic.

For a moment, the characteristic lich darkness faded from around the headmaster and turned into a sacred light.

At first it began as a halo, but in an instant it filled the area, sweeping down even to the deeply-eroded dimensional zone below.

Flame Samadhi!

With the headmaster’s proclamation, the light transformed into flame. Yet the fire miraculously still maintained the properties of light.

Those expedition members who could use magic held their breath and stared at the personal world. For a magician, such a sublime spectacle could not be looked away from.

Lee Han, also caught staring, felt a familiar power in the radiance.

‘Nine Mountains, Eight Seas!’

The light that shone on the very brink of dimensions.

The radiant flame flooding the area now possessed the same energy.

The headmaster nodded slightly at his protégé’s reaction and explained.

You must’ve seen this light in the demon palace. Yes, only the enlightened can summon the eternal radiance of truth.

A personal world becomes light and fire and burns away all things. Even the spider monsters, who’d charged ahead fearlessly before, realized something was different and frantically tried to retreat deeper.

But the radiance didn’t stop, surging in waves. No wall, ceiling, or sewer channel could block its path; the wave surged through obstacles and incinerated every foe.

This fire is my enlightenment. You must infuse your own fire with your own realization.

“Thank you.”

Previously, Lee Han would not have understood such words, but now that he’d set foot into the Small World, he could grasp something of what the headmaster meant.

Even Small Worlds, which could be shared form between magicians, differed greatly in manifestation depending on the individual.

And since a personal world required creating and expanding your own universe, it was basically impossible to merely copy another’s magic.

That’s why the headmaster had emphasized it.

Instead of getting drunk on the power of this grand magic and attempting useless imitation, Lee Han should forge his own.

Thank you?

“Hm? Yes.”

Then you truly weren’t here at all today.

“…Please, just tell me straight. What are you doing with all this?”

• * *

Jinon, Green Jade Tower successor, had a sharp and resourceful mind.

So it didn’t take him long to realize the letters had been mixed up.

-Greetings. I came after receiving Lady Erindarbel’s letter…

-Welcome. Are you an Einrogard student?

-No.

-I see. Please look around and choose any artifact you like… Wait, you said you weren’t?

-I’m from the Green Jade Tower.

-I truly don’t understand! Lady Erindarbel distinctly mentioned an Einrogard student. What could this mean?

-Hmm. I suspect calling it “for an Einrogard student” just means they’re that high-quality…

-Ah! Wait, could the letters have gotten mixed up?

-!!!!!

Jinon, full of sharp intuition, rushed to return at once.

If the letters were mixed, then some unknown Einrogard student might be stuck doing a dangerous expedition in his place.

-We have a problem! The letters must have been switched. I’d better hurry to the expedition party.

-Oh ho. No need to worry.

-Huh? Why not…?

Even as their successor paled, the Green Jade Tower wizards remained composed.

-Think, Jinon. If an Einrogard student took the wrong letter to the expedition, would the party just take them in?

-…Ah!

-If they had, they’d have realized and sent word back by now. The mixed-up letter probably only arrived on our end.

With that advice, Jinon regained his composure.

Indeed, the veteran Green Jade magicians had a perspective the less-experienced Jinon lacked.

-Thank you! I was being short-sighted.

-Haha. No, that’s just youthful energy at work.

-What’s going on?

-Oh, Professor Baegrek! Is that you?

As they were having this pleasant chat, Jinon noticed a welcome guest.

Professor Voladi, important client and steadfast friend to the Green Jade Tower.

-It’s nothing. Just some mixed-up letters—I worried for no reason.

-Hmm.

Professor Voladi read the letter once, then again.

Then with deliberate care, he reread it a third time, made a paper bird, and sent it off.

-I should go.

-To the expedition? If so, let’s go together! We’re involved—letting you go alone would be…

But even before the words finished, Professor Voladi was already on the move.

The tower wizards watched with some confusion.

Surely even if an Einrogard student had gotten the letter, it’s not like they’d be on the party—why the hurry?

• * *

“!”

Arriving at the capital’s outskirts, Professor Voladi stopped at the sight of the expedition outside.

An ordinary magician might have wondered why the party was already out. But as a seasoned battle mage, he checked for the most suspicious thing first.

Just as feared, his protégé was among the party. At least he was in one piece.

Professor Voladi! Well, what a coincidence! Hahaha! I’ve been touring the capital with this promising student here, when we heard about a void-born monster and rushed over to help.

“…Should I just tell him?”

Shh. Quiet.

The headmaster signaled his student to keep quiet.

Lee Han hadn’t quite realized the letters had been mixed, but he sensed the gist of it.

‘He wants to keep my participation in the expedition secret.’

Honestly, he doubted Professor Voladi would be surprised (he’d probably just get even more competitive and insist Lee Han do riskier things), but it never hurt to be cautious.

If Professor Voladi’s competitive side was sparked, it’d only be Lee Han who suffered for it.

Alsicle, confused, asked:

“What brings Professor Baegrek here?”

He’s just here because he cares for the student. Let’s not get into it. This isn’t some fawning, okay?

“What are you even—”

Thud!

Jinon appeared, a step behind Professor Voladi, deactivating his buffs as he did.

“Professor! Really, there was no need to hurry—wait, why is everyone out here?”

“And what brings the Green Jade Tower here?”

Alsicle, even more puzzled, asked first.

The Green Jade Tower’s gentle heir answered, a bit embarrassed.

“There was a letter mix-up, actually.”

“…Mix-up?”

Jinon explained the situation, then added with relief:

“But I guess everything turned out fine. Professor Baegrek was worried enough to come personally, but I, for one, trusted all of you! As if the expedition would let a student wizard join such a dangerous mission. I mean, even from Einrogard, that’s just out of the question.”

“……”

“……”

Alsicle and the other explorers instantly went pale.

Lee Han, realizing the situation a bit late, made a wry face.

So right now…

‘How do I even know who to blame first? There’s just too many options.’

Should he blame Archmage Erindarbel, still bowing her head? Or the headmaster, who boasted “No problem!” without reading the letter? Or Alsicle, who dragged him along saying “Hey, Wardanaz? Come with!”…?

“Wait. Are you Lee Han of House Wardanaz? The student every tower mage has been talking about?”

“Ah. Yes, that’s me.”

“What luck! Now that I think about it, even with all Lady Erindarbel’s care, it’s not like there are hordes of Einrogard students she’d personally write separate letters for! This really is fortunate. If you’d mistakenly joined such a mission, can you imagine how much every tower would have resented both us and the other towers?”

……

The headmaster shook his head at the sight of Erindarbel sweating nervously.

He looked like he was about to scold her, but couldn’t muster the anger.