Episode 1034

“Don’t glare at me like that. Here.”

As the junior glared at him, the great artist pulled a small silver case from thin air.

The surface of the silver box was decorated with beautiful geometric patterns. Lee Han, who enjoyed reading the financial sections of imperial newspapers, immediately guessed the item’s price.

‘Is he going to give me something worthy of being put in that box as a gift? If so, the item inside is probably valuable too. Surely he wouldn’t pull a prank by filling such a box with junk… Then again, he’s also from Einrogard. It’s entirely possible.’

Unaware that Lee Han was rapidly and rudely imagining dozens of scenarios in less than a second, the artist handed over the entire silver box.

“This is a gift.”

“…Pardon?”

“They’re just pieces I made for fun, but they’ll get you a decent price. It’s not easy to get money if you sneak out of Einrogard, so bury them somewhere and use them for travel expenses. Just don’t let that bastard catch you.”

Inside the opened silver case were numerous accessories. They were crafted by the artist himself.

Though not masterpieces destined to go down in imperial history, they were works that would be welcomed at any noble auction house.

Lee Han exclaimed passionately.

“This unworthy junior was truly enlightened today upon meeting you, senior! How could I possibly repay your kindness?”

“T-That’s a bit much…? Calm down.”

The great artist was actually flustered by the depth of gratitude.

-Where is he? Tell me!

“?”

There was a commotion outside.

Shouts and fighting, voices as if someone was searching for someone…

At first, Lee Han thought the Headmaster had come, but that wasn’t it. The Headmaster wasn’t the type to storm in noisily.

“Did the professors explode, by any chance?”

“No… Garcia or Voladi aren’t that kind of people.”

The great artist immediately denied it.

As evil and treacherous as those juniors might be for bowing to power and serving as lackeys to the Headmaster, they weren’t so rude as to cause a public scene like this.

No, rather…

“Oh. It’s Ram from the Garihhi family.”

“Garihhi family… isn’t that a knight?”

“Right.”

The great artist drew a scene out the window upon the stone wall.

There they saw a large knight with a mane of flaming red hair harassing the Petrogarde students.

-Where is he!

-I-I don’t know what you mean…

-Shut up! I know everything. You conniving spell-slinger runts, hand him over right now!

“How dare he?”

Blood runs thicker than water—Lee Han was furious at the knight’s rude attitude.

A knight coming to a magic school’s estate and behaving disrespectfully was another matter entirely.

An Einrogard student could cause chaos in the Baldrogard territory, but a knight couldn’t do that here.

“If he’s from a knight family, he should know the rules and etiquette. I must go stop him!”

“…Wait.”

The great artist quickly grabbed the hem of his junior’s cloak.

The wise and mysterious demeanor he’d shown before was gone, and an oddly familiar vibe came over him.

This was…

‘…Professor Verdus!’

More specifically, he was giving off the same vibe as Professor Verdus when he got caught dodging something the Headmaster had ordered.

It was unbelievable.

Why would the kind, gentle, and thoughtful senior from the Headmaster’s school radiate the same air as Professor Verdus?

“What’s wrong?”

“Well… the thing is…”

The great artist hesitated, not wanting to look disgraceful before his youngest apprentice.

“In truth, I had a contract with that knight, but, well… something unexpected happened…”

“…Don’t tell me you promised to give him a piece and then didn’t?!”

Lee Han was appalled.

Why is it that enchantment mages from Einrogard behave this way, inside or out?

• * *

“Hm.”

“……”

“Hmm.”

“……”

“Hmmmm…”

“Ah! Get lost!”

Gainando finally exploded.

Bunarrojo, constantly going ‘hmm’ behind him while Gainando painted, made him snap.

If he didn’t like the work, he should just say so—why keep making those noises?

“The painting’s pretty good. Have you painted much?”

“…What?!”

Gainando was shocked by the compliment.

Honestly, to Gainando’s own eyes, the painting wasn’t very good.

Coming from a wealthy family, Gainando had seen plenty of famous works, so of course he could tell the gap between them and his own.

“This is good?”

Gainando looked at him with suspicion.

‘Does this guy actually know nothing?’

“Of course your technique is terrible. But I can feel genuine emotion inside. Is this a beautiful moon spirit swimming in a night pond?”

“It’s my cool undead summon rising from a poison swamp.”

“I see. That explains the resentment I felt.”

‘He really knows nothing.’

Gainando’s stare grew more suspicious, but Bunarrojo didn’t care.

Older Petrogarde students just didn’t pay any mind to that kind of look.

“Especially this purple. It’s mysterious… How did you make this color? Which guild did you buy the paint from?”

“Uhh…”

Caught off guard, Gainando looked around and whispered,

“Shh! Nobody else should know.”

“A secret? That’s fine. Everyone has secrets. And the better the paint, the more justifiable the secret. I’m just curious how you made such a good color. A secret will be kept, I promise.”

After much hesitation, Gainando finally spoke.

“Well… I made the color from the poison of graveyard vermin.”

Gainando had his reasons for hesitating.

Last year, when painting patterns on his coat, he’d secretly borrowed dark magic reagents from the Black Dark Hall for use as dyes.

Of course, Lee Han caught him and beat his back furiously.

-Don’t just mix ingredients! Of unknown! Composition! Recklessly!

-Ack! Aaagh! Sorry! Sorry!

“Poison! Amazing…!”

Bunarrojo stared at Gainando in astonishment.

“D-Don’t tell anyone.”

“Tell anyone? Never. Anyway, it seems even Einrogard has someone to admire.”

“Admire?”

“You threw away all hesitation in pursuit of your ideal of beauty.”

“That’s just how we do it in Einrogard.”

Bunarrojo pretended not to hear and instead looked at another part of the painting.

“This blue—also special?”

“…That’s blue pigment made from ground blue bones. Seriously, don’t tell anyone. I’ll have to discard it if they find out.”

“I understand. I understand. Gainando… I’ll remember your name. Go on and finish. This will be a fine work.”

“Wait! Does this mean I pass the test? Tell me about the great artist!”

Gainando, about to return to painting, suddenly realized and called out.

“Ah. The artist. For a mage like you, meeting him might be worthwhile. He’s a great enchantment mage and an excellent artist.”

“Any weaknesses?”

If they had to rescue Lee Han, it was best to learn about weaknesses—Gainando asked bluntly.

“He has none.”

“Liar. No one has none.”

Thud!

As they were speaking, a large knight appeared.

The moment they saw the knight, Gainando and Bunarrojo both strongly associated him with “red.”

Everything about him was red.

A mane of flaming red hair. Crimson eyes, red-stained armor and cape…

“I am Ram of the Garihhi family. Students, I’m a knight of the Fire Watch.”

“H-Hello?”

Ram looked around with animal-like movements.

Then nodded approvingly at Gainando’s picture.

“Not bad. Is that a beautiful moon spirit swimming in a night pond?”

“No… It’s my cool undead summon crawling out of a poison swamp.”

“I see. A Petrogarde native would opt for a double meaning.”

“No…!”

Gainando almost jumped up in outrage at the slight.

But the real explosion came from the knight himself. With a growl, he spoke.

“I hear someone called ‘the artist’ has come—is that true?”

“…Don’t know?”

“You’re lying! You were just talking about him!”

The knight’s voice exploded like a hammer, bearing down on the two.

Threatened, Gainando reacted like a typical Einrogard student.

“Guys!!!”

Poof!

As paralyzing and blinding toxin burst in a mist at point-blank range, Ram was caught off guard.

He hadn’t expected to be ambushed by a seemingly fragile Petrogarde student.

“Who are you?!”

Many Einrogard friends working nearby rushed over.

No matter how much trouble Gainando caused, he was still one of Einrogard’s own.

Blood runs thicker than water, so his friends immediately began pummeling the knight.

“Soil, bind his feet!”

“Light, beguile the eyes—”

“How dare you…! I am Ram of the Garihhi family, a member of the Fire Watch. Do you children realize what you’re doing?!”

Ram swelled with rage and bellowed.

The Einrogard students hesitated.

“…We’re from Baldrogard! If you want revenge, come find us anytime!”

“Hey. Run! Run!”

“Who’s got a smoke potion?”

The Einrogard students swooped Gainando away like the wind.

Ram, strengthening his body with mana, expelled the poison, tore apart the illusions, and broke the binding spells on his ankles and wrists.

“Argh! What are Baldrogard kids even doing here…?”

If he’d been less agitated, he might have realized the spells flew far quicker and more precisely than typical for Baldrogard, but the knight was too riled up to notice.

Instead of chasing the vanished mages, Ram grabbed a nearby student.

“Where is he? Tell me!”

• * *

“…I really didn’t delay on purpose. Please don’t compare me to Verdus.”

The great artist, even as he spoke, felt as if he were sinking deeper into the marsh.

Feeling the scorn of the school’s youngest!

Where the Headmaster enjoyed being despised by his students, the artist certainly did not.

“Believe me!”

“I trust you, senior.”

“…!”

The artist felt tears welling up beneath his mask.

Such kindness was too much even for the Headmaster.

How could the Headmaster have disciples like this, not just once but twice…

Bang bang bang bang bang!

-Senior! Senior!

A panicked voice rang outside—it was Professor Garcia.

“…Wait. I’ll open up.”

The artist gave up and opened the door.

Now that an uninvited guest had arrived, he couldn’t keep refusing.

“A knight has come—what is going on?”

“Well…”

The great artist had to explain again before Professors Garcia and Voladi.

Honestly, it was embarrassing, but there was nothing else he could do. These juniors were old enough to know everything by now.

“I really didn’t delay on purpose…”

“I believe you, senior.”

“…!!!”

At Professor Garcia’s words, the artist felt even thicker tears well up.

Even after tormenting him as a traitor, to be trusted like this…

“Thank you…”

“Well then, we’ll take our leave! Lee Han shouldn’t get dragged into this!”

Professor Garcia quickly pulled Lee Han over and handed him to Professor Voladi.

Whoosh!

Professor Voladi lifted the student onto his shoulder and phased through the wall in escape. Professor Garcia swiftly followed with space magic.

Regardless of his trust for his senior, there was no way he’d let students remain in what was likely to become a battleground.

“……”

The great artist could only watch and feel bittersweet admiration at his juniors’ growth.