Episode 1039

“Aren’t you supposed to be running far away?”

Except for rare cases like Professor Verdus, a mage who can’t keep a promise usually flees to some far, untraceable location.

Naturally, Lee Han had thought the great artist—after vanishing in such a hurry—would already be long gone…

“What are you talking about, Lee Han? If you stray too far from the Empire’s big cities, it’s hard to get the materials you need.”

Professor Garcia explained in his place.

A talented student, yes, but this was where you could see Lee Han’s lack of experience.

Even if you have to run because you broke a promise, if you’re from Einrogard, you grab anything useful on the way.

“Or there’s the reverse-bluff effect.”

“……”

Professor Garcia, absorbed in his explanation, didn’t realize his student was now staring at his senior as if he were trash.

“Tr… I mean, Senior, I understand why you didn’t go far. Anyway, we needed to talk about the portrait, so this works out.”

When Lee Han tried to call him, Professor Garcia quickly stopped him.

“Wait, Lee Han.”

“?”

“Can’t you talk to him later?”

“Huh? Oh, but I think he’d want to know right away. Are you worried he’ll be shocked?”

It would be hard for even a great artist to accept that the portrait he left behind had turned into the prince-era Headmaster.

Still, Lee Han believed.

That someone as outstanding as his senior would face the truth and turn it into nourishment for his art.

‘Senior can handle it.’

“No, that’s not it…”

Professor Garcia hesitated.

Whether or not the artist was shocked by the Headmaster’s portrait was not his concern. The issue was…

“…Urk!”

The great artist, wandering about the hall, locked eyes with Lee Han.

With a strangled yelp, the great artist instantly vanished into the crowd.

“…He might feel ashamed running into you so soon after fleeing Petrogarde, even for someone like Senior…”

“Oh.”

Lee Han belatedly realized.

He personally didn’t mind, but for a senior mage, reputation mattered.

“I didn’t think of that at all. That does make sense…”

As he thought about senior mages, Lee Han felt a vague sense of discomfort.

Like he was overlooking something.

‘What is it?’

But before he could resolve that discomfort, the great artist reappeared.

With her long black hair and noblewoman’s facial features, in place of the former mask, she now evoked an aristocratic lady from a prestigious family.

If the rest of her attire hadn’t been the same, he might have mistaken her for someone else entirely.

‘Oops. I need to respect Senior’s choice.’

Lee Han put on an intentionally clueless act.

“I really don’t know who that is, Professor.”

“…He’s not in disguise to fool you, so don’t bother with that pathetic acting.”

The artist glared at her junior.

Sometimes, misplaced kindness only hurt more.

“Within this hall, call me Madam Azirmo…”

Lee Han was puzzled at the artist’s choice to use one of the most famous dragon names in the empire, when there were so many better fake names available.

“Is there a reason for choosing Azirmo?”

“Excellent question. Yes, it’s because I admire the dragon race.”

The artist, pleased by the question, cheerfully explained.

All the empire’s races claimed to be the best, but if you had to pick a race no one could ignore, it was the dragons.

Ancient beings of the continent, born with perfection.

“Dragons can choose anything. Their own names, gender, color, contractors, even whether to become Headmaster’s apprentice or not.”

‘Isn’t that last one the same for every race?’

Lee Han thought so but didn’t say it aloud, suspecting it would make her angry.

“That’s why I borrowed that name, to declare that, having escaped the madman’s grasp, I would become the master of my own fate, like a dragon.”

Names are imbued with magical power.

Choosing the continent’s most famous dragon’s name to be master of her own destiny made sense for an artist who had shed her old name.

“I see.”

“In a way, you could say the name protects me.”

“But Senior, the painting you left behind transformed into a young prince image of the Headmaster.”

“……”

The artist reeled so hard she looked like the name wasn’t protecting her at all. Her face went pale as lead.

“Are you all right?”

“Are you honestly asking? What mage could hear that sort of thing and be all right?”

“Fair point.”

Professor Garcia nodded without meaning to.

No one from Einrogard could be nonchalant about a statement like that.

To talk about it like you tripped and found a rock on the street…

“How on earth???”

“I’m not sure myself… It just accidentally turned into a living picture, I think. When we were practicing.”

“During practice? But I didn’t sense any change then…”

“You said he wasn’t your disciple, so he sulked…”

Lee Han tried to explain in as much detail as possible.

To be honest, the picture changing was so coincidental that even the professors would have trouble explaining it. There was a definite limit to any explanation.

But one fact came across exactly:

The prince-era Headmaster’s painting was now sulking at the artist!

“……”

The artist looked like she was going to be sick.

Worse than the evil Headmaster was a sulking Headmaster. It was unthinkable.

“Are you all right?”

“No. I feel like my mind is collapsing. I’ll have to check the state after the auction’s over.”

“Maybe just meeting him…”

The artist shook her head at her junior’s suggestion.

She was already too shaken. She couldn’t imagine the result if she actually faced him now.

“Just hearing that he’s changed is useful enough. Thank you.”

“Still, I think seeing him in person would help more.”

“It’s clear your method isn’t wrong.”

The artist pretended not to hear and changed the subject.

She didn’t know what effect practicing magic with the youngest disciple had had, but thanks to that, she felt confident in the overall artistic direction.

If Lee Han changed the picture, the artist figured she could as well.

‘But I would never summon that kind of mage!’

The artist made a firm vow.

Even if she summoned the young Headmaster, it had better be a calm, cold version—not that sort Lee Han described…

…But once you heard it, it wouldn’t leave your head.

“Ugh. Get out of my head, you evil spirit!”

“……”

Lee Han worried as the artist clutched her head as if suffering from a migraine.

Maybe he shouldn’t have said anything…

“Should I have kept it secret?”

“No, you did well. Sooner or later, she’d have had to find out. It’s up to her to get over it.”

Professor Garcia was surprisingly cool.

He didn’t have time to worry about every moody senior—maybe for his students, but not the older mages.

“Anyway, I’d better get going.”

Since he had to meet the Horticulturist Club members, Lee Han spoke up.

He’d said what needed saying to his senior, now it was time to do his job.

The artist, snapping out of her shock, spoke up.

“Wait. You came for the auction, yes? Which one are you attending?”

“I was planning to attend the Horticulturist Club auction, for now.”

Since other auctions weren’t certain yet, Lee Han spoke only of the definite one.

“Excellent. I’m attending that one as well.”

The artist seemed pleased.

She’d come to see a rumored rare plant, and as it happened, her junior was going there too.

“Let’s go together.”

“Uh.”

The sudden proposal startled Lee Han.

The great artist was, of course, a respected senior, but if asked if he wanted them as company at the Horticulturist Club, the answer would be no.

After his Petrogarde experience, this lesson was seared into his bones.

‘It’s never good to hang around with an enchanter.’

If the Horticulturist Club said, ‘Hey! Aren’t you that runaway magician?’ Lee Han would be instantly branded a ‘fellow of that shameless magician.’

Harsh for a newly admitted club member.

“B-but, Senior. You can’t enter the Horticulturist Club unless you have qualifications.”

“I know. Of course I have them.”

Once, after creating a mansion out of a living tree, the artist had received a lavish invitation from the Horticulturist Club.

Of course she could attend.

“…Then let’s go together…”

Lee Han followed, a little crestfallen.

I shouldn’t have greeted her at all!

“Lee Han, going with Senior?”

“Yes…”

Lee Han looked at Professor Garcia with a bit of hope.

Would he save him from this situation?

“That’s great!”

“…?”

Lee Han wondered for a moment if he had done Garcia wrong somewhere.

“Be sure to get lots of goodies.”

“???”

• * *

“What would you like to buy?”

“Everything from here to here.”

At the black-haired noblewoman’s declaration, the attendant looked about ready to faint.

Not just anyone could just toss a fortune around and buy up everything before the auction started.

Lee Han wondered.

‘Is there something she really can’t risk losing in a bidding war?’

Instead of going straight to the Horticulturist Club, the great artist detoured to another auction in the hall.

-Hm. Looks good.

Eastern Gatherers’ Guild potion auction (rare stock in bulk)

And then made a declaration Lee Han doubted he’d ever be able to make in his life.

“Is there something you absolutely need?”

“No. I just don’t want to wait and fight over it at auction. Deliver these purchases to the Einrogard student’s estate.”

“…?!!”

Lee Han was just as shocked as the attendant.

“Senior, I don’t have the money for all that… Actually, that’s not true, but I don’t want to spend it on that…”

“Nonsense. Would I force you to buy it? Use them back at Einrogard. You’re just a second-year, after all—can never have too many of these potions. Hmm… Let’s check out the next one. Didn’t you say you’re learning enchantment magic? You’ll need some expendable gem stock.”

Lee Han couldn’t collect himself and just got dragged along. Hearing the phrase “expendable gem” should have made him comment, but he didn’t even register it.

“I’ll take everything from here to here.”

“B-but this gem has already been claimed…”

“Call them.”

“Pardon?”

“Call them and tell them I’ll pay double their offer as a consolation.”

The matter was instantly resolved.

Lee Han felt the same chill he’d felt when he saw the Headmaster casting a Personal World.

A certain amount of wealth produced the same effect as a Personal World.

‘…Awesome!’

At last, Lee Han understood what Professor Garcia had meant.

A responsible enchanter is the incarnation of immense wealth—without running a school or wasting all their money.

And that incarnation was his own senior. He was infinitely grateful.

“Mage cards, too. I’ll buy them all now.”

“Senior, why those?”

“Hm? Don’t you kids play with them?”

The artist seemed puzzled.

Weren’t second-years still that age?

“…Gratefully accepted.”

Lee Han decided to just take them and give them to Gainando later.