Episode 1065

This g… you’re talking about him?

Even being as generous as possible, Saratan could only admit that the young prince in front of him truly possessed a good heart.

When he was dragged into that soul just now, he’d seen its traces for himself.

As a spirit who’d lived his whole life acting purely on impulse for his own needs, he could not imagine the depth of pain and sorrow he’d witnessed there.

And yet, the prince’s soul pitied and empathized with all of it!

Even Saratan, notorious among spirits for his wild and violent ways, couldn’t deny the goodness inside that young prince.

‘But that bastard’s a different story…’

Saratan shot Lee Han a sidelong glance, masking his distaste.

A guy who’d just beat a spirit thoughtlessly with mana when he didn’t listen—what’s so good about him?

He also didn’t seem to actually empathize with anything.

“I don’t think I have the kind of goodness to reform that spirit…”

-No, Disciple. You must have faith in yourself.

“Uh, Master, believing in myself doesn’t actually make me more virtuous.”

Lee Han, though not as much as Saratan, was flustered as well.

A good heart wasn’t a power-up you could unlock by just deciding on it like a magic spell.

-My disciple already has a good heart. Don’t you agree, Wizard?

“?”

Yukveltire, who had been listening, suddenly found the question directed at her and fell into thought.

Was her junior really good?

‘Hmm. He left instead of helping me with research immediately during break, so…’

Yukveltire quickly made up her mind and replied.

“He’s not…”

-And don’t forget, I’m helping you, Wizard. If I don’t get a satisfactory answer, it’s possible the diagrams could be destroyed or I might refuse to answer any further questions.

“……”

“……”

The young prince was not all gentleness and light.

If he truly was, he wouldn’t have spent ancient times wandering the continent and fighting evil.

Overwhelmed, Yukveltire opened and closed her mouth several times, then finally said,

“He… he’s good, I think…”

-Right? Good answer. Now, tell us specifically what’s good about him.

“……”

Once again, Yukveltire’s eyes shook just as before.

-Quickly!

“Uh… so… um…”

She looked at her junior as if begging for help. Lee Han was incredulous.

‘This person… After demanding snacks just now…’

She could have just listed the snacks he’d made for her, but she couldn’t even remember them.

Even Gainando seemed less shameless than this.

“I made you snacks.”

“He… he made me snacks.”

“And I’m helping with your research.”

“Wait, but that was because you admired my research and volunteered, wasn’t it?”

Yukveltire grew suspicious.

She remembered her junior seeming eager to join in, saying, ‘What an amazing project. I’d be grateful to participate.’

“I never said it like that. And I didn’t grin slyly, either. Just answer, Senior. The Master’s staring suspiciously.”

“I’m helping with research…”

-Heard that? Look how good he is.

I… I guess so.

Saratan didn’t seem fully convinced but pretended to agree for now.

From the look of things, the prince didn’t care what Saratan answered; he would say what he wanted to regardless.

Might as well keep his mouth shut, lest he get another one-sided beating like earlier.

-Then, what must you do to cultivate a good heart?

Uh… I must watch, follow, and learn from this person here?

-Excellent, Spirit.

The prince praised Saratan. It wouldn’t be easy, but the spirit was at least stepping onto the path of self-improvement.

But what, specifically, am I supposed to watch, follow, and learn?

Saratan asked cautiously.

He had produced the right answer, but he still had no idea what exactly he was supposed to do.

‘Am I supposed to learn how to bully spirits? But I already know how to do that…’

-That’s something you must ponder on your own, Spirit.

The young prince rebuked him sternly.

Cultivating a good heart was not a task that could be accomplished through simple instruction alone. He needed to reflect and seek it himself.

U-understood.

Saratan was startled.

Despite that kind and gentle demeanor, this prince was not someone you could trifle with.

If he hesitated, another hammer could come flying at him at any time.

So… what are you going to do now?

Saratan asked, sizing things up. Lee Han pointed to the reagents and diagrams stacked nearby.

“I was preparing for magic research…”

Let me assist you!

“Hm. You saying it so eagerly is kind of irritating.”

‘This bastard…’

Saratan swore inwardly.

Did he think I actually wanted to help?

“Anyway, fine. If you’re going to help. Master, is it all right if I try preparing as you suggested earlier?”

-Go ahead. Try it.

Lee Han retrieved the magic diagrams the young prince had advised him about.

In truth, the young prince had already drawn up a diagram for fusing -Baquantalana’s Dimensional Rod- and -Aximan’s Refraction-.

But after seeing the way he could sub… no, persuade, Saratan by simply summoning him out…

“I suppose the point is to use this spirit, right?”

Yukveltire nodded.

Regardless of that wooden spirit’s character, Yukveltire could certainly feel its power.

“Wood spirits are usually tough and resilient, so it’s best to have them handle the dangerous parts of the circle.”

Currently, -Yukveltire’s Stone Mirror- was installed in the circle to withstand distortion and pressure during spellcasting.

But…

“Exactly. The mirror alone would be insufficient. If the spirit helps bear the burden, it should be safer.”

“……”

Yukveltire’s brow twitched faintly, having already received one round of advice on improving her artifact earlier.

“The stone mirror alone would hold, but I’m using the spirit to be thorough.”

“…I, I see. Of course.”

Lee Han tried to soothe his suddenly prickly Senior.

‘What a troublesome person.’

If he pushed it any further here, she might waste time trying to prove the stone mirror could handle the job, and that would slow down the research.

“In that case, I’ll put the spirit to work.”

“Okay.”

“Saratan!”

While Yukveltire briskly prepared the ritual in the basement, Lee Han called the spirit.

He quickly explained the task.

“My Senior will activate the ritual after finishing the magic circle. We need someone to bear the brunt of the load.”

That’s no problem!

Saratan laughed heartily.

No matter how fierce a magician’s magic looked, to a strong spirit it was child’s play.

How pitiful these mortals, needing a spirit’s help to bear the burden their weak bodies couldn’t withstand!

“Full of confidence. Glad to hear it. I’m counting on you.”

While they conversed, Yukveltire completed over half the magic circle.

Even with a diagram, the speed was impressive. The young prince praised Yukveltire.

-Excellent work, Wizard. Please teach my disciple much while you’re at it.

“Understood.”

Yukveltire’s face brightened a little. Maybe it was her recently recovered pride.

-Oh! But the magic runes there look inefficient. The pentagon two spaces below already covers that effect. There’s no need to add more runes. Aesthete mages love that sort of thing, but you are not one of those, are you?

“…Yes…”

Yukveltire’s expression darkened slightly again.

For -Baquantalana’s Dimensional Rod-, she placed the Baquantalana crystal reagent at the intersection points.

Enchanted crystals resonated in concert, weakening the walls between dimensions and producing power anew.

“…!”

Lee Han shivered at the pulsing power.

‘Amazing!’

He now saw why dimension magic always demanded so many precautions and focus on safety.

Tearing and mixing dimensions with the real world needed enormous energy.

Who would have guessed that the ordinary-looking crystals Yukveltire took from her reagent pouch could contain such power?

‘So you extract and amplify all that power at once. It’s unbelievable.’

Lee Han realized afresh how strong Saratan was.

To withstand those forces and pressure—he really was a tough high-tier spirit.

“Okay, Saratan. Take position—”

…Wa-wait.

Saratan’s expression had completely changed from earlier. He was clearly, visibly frightened.

“What’s wrong?”

This… seems a bit more powerful than I thought…?

“Really? Isn’t dimension magic always like this?”

‘These crazy magicians!’

Saratan swallowed nervously.

The magic’s intensity was far more ferocious than expected.

Watching the swirling resonance surge and clash, he realized: one wrong move, and he’d be swept away.

‘I haven’t even recovered properly, and you expect me to block that…?’

“Is it too much?”

T-too much?! Not at all! Don’t insult me! I’m not some ordinary mortal!

“All right, all right. No need to shout.”

As Saratan puffed himself up, Lee Han waved his hand.

He had the pride befitting a high-tier spirit.

‘If he’s talking like that, he should be able to handle it.’

“First, cast the dimensional rod and lock it in place, then engrave Aximan’s refraction on top.”

“Understood.”

“There will be three major stress points.”

Yukveltire counted on her fingers.

The circle would endure distortion and pressure three times: when casting the dimensional rod, when stabilizing it, and when engraving Aximan’s refraction.

Three times?!

“Hey. Quiet.”

“Please stay quiet.”

……

Between the two of them, Saratan shut his mouth.

‘These mad magicians!’

“And the pressure ramps up as it progresses.”

It gets worse?!

“Are you doing that on purpose?”

N-no. Please go on.

“Should Saratan hold the stone mirror, Senior?”

“Yes.”

Wa-wait. I heard that artifact’s not even fully improved yet!

“……”

Yukveltire’s fingers trembled faintly. Lee Han barked to stop Saratan from delaying the process.

“You gonna keep running your mouth?!”

Ugh…

‘What’s so good about this guy anyway!?’

Saratan couldn’t get it.

• * *

“Begin. A rod sprouted on the rock where Baquantalana planted it, and buds and shoots and flowers bloomed upon it…”

Yukveltire began her chant.

Spells above 5th circle never ended in just a few words. Sometimes, they were designed to be extremely long.

Even if it sounded flowery and verbose, the chant stretched to match the complex steps inside the long ritual.

‘Now.’

Yukveltire signaled. Lee Han poured out his mana. The barren circle seemed to spring to life.

“…The rod devours the rock and the rock devours the earth…”

The inner dimensions began to warp. The spell guzzled the reagent and mana, tearing at the world’s walls and swirling dimensions together.

“Saratan. Here it comes!”

The first shock hit.

Saratan nearly fumbled the stone mirror. The concussive force of layered dimensions tore at the spirit’s very body.

Gakh…!

“…You okay?”

I’m a doormat!

“What?”

I-I said I’m okay.

“You’re not okay!”

Lee Han saw right through him.

What an idiot of a spirit?!