Episode 1068

The prince deeply wished that someone would make a mistake, if only for a moment, but in the end, it didn’t happen.

Pop!

The magic was completed successfully.

Yukveltire was just about to turn and attack the painting when she sensed its aura and hesitated.

Instead, she spun around and dashed toward the plate.

“Senior!”

Startled, Lee Han threw his senior away with telekinesis. Yukveltire rolled backward as though a giant hand had slapped her away.

Her protective artifacts flashed and shielded her, so she wasn’t hurt, but rolling across the basement floor still wasn’t pleasant.

Saratan, still catching his breath, was shocked.

‘Such a cold-blooded kid! Trying to eliminate a teammate the moment the spell ended!’

To be fair, it used to be quite common.

Even if multiple wizards joined together to complete great magic, in the end, only one could be the “owner” of the spell.

They’d always talk about sharing and cooperating, but everyone knew that was wishful thinking.

If wizards were the type to really share, there wouldn’t be so much bloodshed in magical history.

But still, blood is thicker than water.

Saratan decided he’d take Lee Han’s side.

Not just because Lee Han was his staff’s master, but because overcoming hardship together had left him with a little bit of affection.

‘Wait, is this what goodness is?’

Saratan felt an odd confusion welling up.

Surely, attacking teammates right after finishing the magic wasn’t what “goodness” meant…

But the spirit’s doubts didn’t even last a second. It was pointless to expect a spirit like Saratan to ponder deeply on such topics.

Just follow the wizard; that’s fine!

Fine! I’ll finish them off myself!

“You crazy—!”

As the spirit suddenly revealed murderous intent and lunged for Yukveltire, Lee Han was once again so shocked that he blasted Saratan’s back with a spell.

Unlike the physically frail Senior, whom telekinesis could block, Saratan was different. A rotating Water Orb Projectile struck Saratan’s backbone in midair.

Gah…! Wh-what are you doing…?

Toppled onto his back, Saratan looked up at Lee Han with resentment and betrayal.

Of course, those were Lee Han’s lines.

“I should be saying that, you maniac! What are you doing?!”

W-wasn’t I supposed to kill the wizard and take all the credit?

“I blocked you so you wouldn’t get hurt with the spell still unstable!”

Lee Han shouted in utter disgust. Saratan became extremely embarrassed.

H-how should I have known that…

“You don’t know, so you attack her?! Help Senior up, will you?”

Lee Han was still worried about Yukveltire, who was slumped against the wall.

If other upperclassmen from Einrogard got angry about such disrespect to a Senior…

‘Wait, actually, there’s no need to worry.’

Maybe if it was Direte, he’d be worried—but it didn’t seem like Yukveltire had any juniors who’d come get revenge for her.

Get up, please.

“……”

Yukveltire briskly brushed Saratan’s hand away and stood up.

Then, as if nothing had happened, she said,

“Excellent, Junior of House Wardanaz.”

“Dust her off, will you,” Lee Han instructed Saratan.

Yukveltire brushed him aside again.

“Back off.”

Why’s she mad at me…

“Are you angry, Senior?”

“Not at all. I’m expressing thanks that the spell is complete.”

Yukveltire quickly continued, cutting off the possibility of interruptions.

“Junior, you’ve exceeded my expectations. Even if you wasted almost all your break by running off with the Headmaster…”

“Let’s forget about that.”

“…The results more than make up for everything. I’m very satisfied.”

Unless the situation involved Direte or Professor Verdus, it was rare for this fifth-year to show such explicit satisfaction.

She could be as much of a nuisance as about 0.3 of a Professor Verdus, but she was a Senior, and Lee Han felt proud.

“That’s fine. Just let me use Professor Verdus as a mount—”

-Stone Mirror.

“Huh?”

At the prince’s words, Lee Han turned his head, puzzled.

-Give the stone mirror as a reward.

“Who to who?”

-Your Senior to you. You’ve contributed that much. That’s how it was in the old kingdom—Senior wizards properly rewarded their juniors.

“……”

Yukveltire’s face paled.

Despite the criticism, she really cherished this artifact.

She’d started crafting this in her second year, completed it in year three, then reinforced it in year four together with Direte (Direte had followed along without complaint, probably realizing the item’s value).

Now she was told to hand it over to her junior?

“T-t-t-t-that…”

Lee Han realized it was the first time he’d ever seen her stammer so pale.

It reminded him of Professor Verdus in danger of having a prized artifact stolen.

Are all Einrogard Enchanters like this?

‘Senior, really, it’s fine. I’ll just take gold coins instead.’

“Thank you. I’ve always wanted that artifact.”

He’d meant to ask for coins.

No matter how much an enchanter moaned about being broke, they never actually were. Rummage their pockets and you’d always find treasures.

But unexpectedly, that’s not what came out of his mouth!

“???!!”

Lee Han was horrified.

He quickly checked for any spells on himself—but there were none. Nothing could have invaded him.

‘…Personal World?!?!!’

At last, Lee Han realized how the young prince had muted voices so easily.

No need to bother casting spells on each person. If you dominated the entire basement as your own, cutting and changing voices was trivial.

He shivered at the absurd mastery of magic and suddenly felt curious.

‘Wait, then why didn’t he help before?’

If the prince had this level of control, why hadn’t he just fixed things with a snap when the hard spell was going wrong, instead of making Lee Han do it?

Could it be…

‘No, it must have not been a problem worth acting on directly.’

Lee Han shook his head.

This was not the Skeleton Headmaster. He wouldn’t doubt someone so pure and gentle as the prince.

“Th-that…”

‘Oops.’

While Lee Han wrestled with thoughts about the prince’s magic, Yukveltire gazed at her junior with trembling eyes.

She’d never expected even her own junior to turn on her so quickly.

-Wizard, think about it. The magic of inscribing Baquantalana’s Rod and Aximan’s Refraction onto one plate… Did you think you’d learn that for free?

“B-but… last time, my junior…”

Yukveltire recalled the Embodiment of Ambition, who had never demanded payment for sharing knowledge.

She had just assumed this gentle young prince would be the same.

-Wizard! You were furious at your old teacher, remember? Are you going to become just like her?

“!!!”

Yukveltire froze; it was the ultimate attack.

In the Einrogard Enchanters, saying “You’re acting like Professor Verdus” was something no student could easily take.

“I understand. I’ll happily gift the stone mirror to you, Junior.”

“?!”

Lee Han was stunned at her sudden acquiescence.

She must really hate being compared to Professor Verdus.

He never thought she’d so willingly give up a treasured artifact…

“Mmph mmph mmph mmph mmph!”

“……”

Looking at Yukveltire, Lee Han saw the truth.

She waved her hand desperately, as if to say, “Those weren’t my words!”

“Master…”

-Please, hand over the stone mirror.

“Here. Take it, Junior. It’s only right after all your effort.”

With those words, the stone mirror appeared, even though Yukveltire hadn’t actually said them. Lee Han suddenly felt a twinge of guilt and whispered,

“I’ll return it when we leave.”

“If I find that stone mirror gone next time you visit the basement, I’ll confiscate the plate as well, so if you want to take it, just try it, Wizard.”

“…Master, you mixed up whose voice you’re using…”

The prince, tired of going back and forth, went ahead and finished speaking in Yukveltire’s voice,

“Wizard. I can keep lending you wisdom in the future. But you’ll always have to bring payment. You could even bring another wizard thirsty for wisdom. As long as you pay, I’ll grant it. Heh heh heh…”

“Don’t you ever sell out Senior Direte.”

Lee Han glared pointedly at Yukveltire.

Yukveltire felt a terrible injustice.

She hadn’t even thought of Direte!

• * *

Even while staying at the capital villa, Alhidle never slacked.

-Senior. I’d like to ask you about Pahait’s illusion spell.

-Hmm? Okay. Ask away.

Her burning passion and drive for magic didn’t cool off at all during break.

That sincerity was enough that even seniors from other towers answered her questions.

-Senior. I’d like to ask about Bion’s Awakening Potion…

-…But isn’t it 3 a.m. right now?

Still, even her diligence faded quickly.

Alhidle was just too persistent.

-Senior. I’d like to ask about the collection method for Frost Chewers…

-Pengerine! I’m in the middle of a wizard card game!

So, just seeing her adorably penguinesque face, the second-years started running away.

Though Alhidle chased after them, the upperclassmen were no pushovers—using all sorts of tricks to mislead her senses and escape.

“Senior! Please tell me about the Frost Chewer’s collection method!!! Just one question!!!”

“…Was she always like that?”

Out in the courtyard, Alsicle looked at his house junior with a bewildered face.

He didn’t remember her being like this originally.

Eandurde only shrugged. She’d thought Alhidle was always like that from the start.

“When you go to Einrogard, do you really go crazy like that…?”

As Alsicle muttered, Lee Han and Yukveltire came out together.

Seeing the princess’s deeply troubled face, Alsicle was surprised.

“Did the magic fail??!”

“No, it succeeded.”

“So why do you look like that?”

“That’s just her normal expression, Senior.”

“She… she always looked like that?”

Lee Han answered brazenly, and Alsicle was a little shaken.

This boy from House Wardanaz had such a talent for talking nonsense with a straight face—all but the steeliest people would be shaken by it.

“Well, being a fellow Einrogard Junior, maybe you’re right.”

“What’s Alhidle up to?”

“She’s tormenting the upperclassmen.”

“I’m not!”

Alhidle protested.

Interpreting earnest pursuit of knowledge as “torment”?

Hurt by being downplayed in front of a respected Senior, Alhidle jumped to explain:

“Sure, the Seniors are playing wizard cards in the attic, but…”

“What? Gainando’s playing cards in the attic? Good job, Alhidle. If you catch him next time, tell me right away.”

Alhidle beamed at Lee Han’s praise.

‘But I never said any names—how did he know?’

“But the Seniors keep dodging me, so it’s hard to get my questions in. Any advice?”

“Well, I don’t really know. I guess you’ll just have to keep chasing them with devotion, one by one?”

Lee Han turned toward the villa and shouted with magic-imbued force.

“Who wants to watch Professor Verdus crawl on all fours?!”

No sooner had he finished than second-years burst out from all over the villa.

Alhidle felt as if she’d gained a huge insight!