Episode 1099

Ignoring his half-brother’s tantrum behind him, Yukveltire spoke to Lee Han.

“By the way, Junior. You got a letter about a job offer.”

Yukveltire handed over a piece of stationery.

Reading the content at the top, the conditions were very generous. It was a proposal from a magic workshop, but unusually, it required both Yukveltire and Lee Han to attend together.

Yukveltire would take the lead on the work and Lee Han’s role was as an assistant.

Looking at the scheduled list of magic tasks, it didn’t seem like the job would take long or be difficult…

‘For that, the reward is way too generous.’

Puzzled, Lee Han realized belatedly.

‘Ah. The main intent is socializing, not the job itself.’

He could recognize it instantly, having already received dozens of similar letters before even entering Einrogard this time.

There were mainly two kinds of assignments being offered to Lee Han this semester.

One type was a genuine request, valuing his magical ability highly.

Like the jobs sent by Giselle’s father or Yonner’s older sister.

The other type valued his fame, wanting to establish connections with the rising star of House Wardanaz, more than his skill.

Lee Han, opportunistic as he might be, couldn’t accept these easily. In the end, requests like that could be far more of a hassle than straightforward work.

‘If I end up attending social events, balls, socials, mixers, and tea parties back-to-back, it might be better to just work…’

It was obvious the sender of this request picked both Lee Han and Yukveltire to network with them.

Bad personality aside, Yukveltire was the next heir of Einrogard’s Enchantment magic school in terms of magical skill.

“The person who sent this is clever. The odds of success are higher inviting two together rather than separately.”

A junior will try to help out a senior, and a senior will want to save face for a junior—so they’d cooperate, whether they liked it or not.

But if there’s something the sender misunderstood, it was how dry the relationships within the Enchantment magic school were.

Between students there, even a hint of charm didn’t exist.

“I’m going to decline, Senior.”

“Why?!”

Yukveltire actually sounded a little shocked. If it was Direte acting on emotion, she could understand, but this junior would never fail to recognize a good offer.

“I have this many proposals waiting right now…”

Lee Han, genuinely apologetic, unrolled the scroll. Even with just the titles written, it was packed from end to end.

If it had been some garbage request, he’d have just blown them off, but this one actually was half-decent, so he felt a bit sorry.

“…….”

Yukveltire was overwhelmed by her junior’s job offer list.

It was harder than you’d think not to be.

Nodding with effort, she left, walking away unsteadily. Adenart mumbled with concern at her retreating figure.

“She seems quite shocked. I’m worried.”

“She’s probably just hungry.”

“……”

Adenart gave his friend an incredulous look.

To the students of their own year, he was gentle like a nanny, but to Yukveltire he acted as if she were a Baldrogard student.

‘What did he even do…?’

“Wardanaz. Can’t you think of any way?”

As the senior left, his friends urgently consulted Lee Han.

If the dragons had such a powerful artifact as the scales, no lie would work.

“There is a way.”

“!!!”

Lee Han’s answer made his friends’ eyes shake.

Classic Wardanaz. To have a plan in this situation.

“Talk to the seniors and pressure His Highness Uman. If we can just stop him from using those scales…”

“Right! I’ll go right now!”

Gainando and a few others ran off to talk to upperclassmen.

Ten minutes later.

Gainando trudged back, shoulders slumped.

“…Told me to get lost…”

“What? Just like that?”

Lee Han was shocked.

For a fellow tower junior to get such a cold reaction from seniors was shocking.

“All the seniors already knew…”

As soon as Gainando arrived, the seniors had said:

-Wait, Junior! Are you here to ask us to unite against the new rule that forbids making food for other students or helping with assignments?

-How did you know!?

-Haha! Get lost!

-……

They had chased Gainando out mercilessly.

Lee Han closed his eyes tight and muttered.

“The headmaster spread it around.”

“!?”

In fact, the fact that Lee Han kept his friends fed wasn’t that widely known.

From the Kitchen Club on, there wasn’t anyone to gain from spreading it, so Lee Han had never intentionally publicized it.

Most seniors hadn’t realized the hidden meaning in the rule earlier, but for them to react this way now meant…

“That’s just wrong. Ruining the tower’s unity over personal grudges!”

“Yeah! Who’d have thought seniors would act so emotional. I’m disappointed!”

“If you resent it, you should’ve joined a year later! You’re the ones who got in a year early!”

‘Well. Lucky there aren’t any seniors around.’

Yonner observed her friends’ embarrassing behavior and thought this.

If any seniors were here, even if they were from the same tower, they’d instantly attack.

At the same time.

Similar things were happening in other towers.

-Senior! Let’s all work together to weaken those rules…

-Did you get free food last semester too?

-That’s not the point.

-Get lost!

• * *

No matter how much the second years wept, time flowed evenly for all.

The next morning at dawn.

Heading out to lecture, Lee Han looked at Professor Bendozol’s face and wondered.

‘Is there anyone in Einrogard happier than him right now?’

Even the skeleton headmaster, who was getting full satisfaction from his mischief, probably wasn’t really happy.

In the end, everyone was inconvenienced by the inspector’s arrival.

Maybe that actually made him act out even more.

In contrast, Bendozol’s face was pure happiness. If you could distill satisfaction and joy, it would look like him right now.

“Hello, Professor.”

“Ah. Good morning, Wardanaz. Did you sleep well?”

“……”

Lee Han looked at the professor in shock and fear.

Did I come to the wrong place??

‘No, that really is Professor Bendozol, not Professor Garcia, right?’

Normally, Professor Bendozol’s greetings were always, “You’re here,” “Why are you here,” “You again,” “Get lost,” or similar.

But such a kind, warm greeting? Unbelievable, even for a happy Professor Bendozol.

As he hesitated, Lee Han noticed the professor’s eyes tremble almost imperceptibly.

He was smiling with joy, but also holding his feelings back with effort.

“…Professor, are you greeting me cheerfully by force?”

“I don’t know what you mean, Wardanaz. Come on in. You need to get to lecture, don’t you?”

“If you’re only doing this because His Highness Uman asked, you don’t have to force yourself…”

“Shut up, will you? Get in now.”

The real Professor Bendozol showed himself immediately.

To please the dragon, he had been forcing a greeting that didn’t fit his nature, but this annoying kid had spoiled it.

“I’m only saying this because I’m worried about you, Professor. If you keep doing things that don’t suit you, it’ll hurt you in the end.”

“I’m not listening! Go inside!”

Lee Han gave Professor Bendozol a look of pity.

He really thought Bendozol was the happiest, but it turned out on the inside, he was suffering too.

‘How much must you like dragons to go this far…’

Professor Bendozol’s second semester class was -Just Terrible Creatures-. Compared to -Terribly Beautiful Creatures- in the first semester, the change in title showed plenty about the lessons.

Lee Han checked his outfit and spells. Not only him, but the other second years were obviously trying their best to maximize their defenses.

“Damn. Who would’ve thought Barkskin would actually be useful.”

“Could you cast a spell on me?”

“No. What if the inspector finds out? If I could, I’d have asked Wardanaz already. What do you think we’ll get today?”

“I just hope it’s not a big monster.”

Only one day into the new semester and his friends already looked worn out.

Gainando muttered in a doleful voice,

“Breakfast again? That stuff boiled from ground-up demons and chimeras?”

“…That’s a disturbing way of putting it, but cheer up, Gainando. I’m sure there’s a way.”

“What kind of way?!”

Lee Han was a bit startled by his friend’s heated reaction to what was just a casual comment.

He hadn’t really thought it through…

“Well, for example… uh. You could go out yourself and scrounge up supplies.”

“……”

“Or maybe raid the headmaster’s storeroom all over the school.”

“……”

As his gloomy friend looked ready to sink through the floor, Lee Han quickly said,

“Requests! You can always take a job request and get out that way.”

“!”

That actually seemed plausible—Gainando’s eyes lit up.

“Yeah. There are still requests, right?”

“Right, Gainando. It’s too early to despair.”

“…But I doubt I’ll get a request. I’m in the black magic school.”

‘Oops.’

Lee Han realized his mistake too late.

If it were a different school, maybe, but for Gainando it was just a downer.

“And even sneaking around will be hard if that lizard posts more guards…”

“Look, Gainando! Professor’s bringing in a new animal!”

It was a blatant attempt to distract him, but Gainando let it go.

Given the class was called -Just Terrible Creatures-, it was hard not to.

“Oh wow! A Barghest!”

Barghest.

At a glance, it looked like nothing more than a big black dog or wolf, but any mage would recognize the shadowy, sinister magic thick in its fur.

It wasn’t called a death-bringing ominous monster for nothing.

Just touching it unheard could drain your magic or vitality and make you collapse, so to bring in a monster like that…

As expected of Professor Bendozol…

“…It’s a puppy?”

“A Barghest puppy.”

The students were initially frightened by the Barghest, but realizing its tiny, adorably cute size, they went wide-eyed in surprise.

Its sinister magic aura was also very weak, being so young.

‘At that level, you could touch it with no problem, right?’

Lee Han wondered.

If you wanted to learn how to handle Barghests, you needed to see an adult, not a puppy you could just cuddle and roll around with.

Just what was Professor thinking?

“Is there some hidden danger with Barghest puppies I don’t know?”

“I’ve never heard of any…”

“Professor, why did you choose a Barghest puppy?”

At Lee Han’s question, Professor Bendozol’s eyebrows twitched upward.

“What’s wrong with a Barghest puppy?”

“Uh… this is -Just Terrible Creatures-…”

“It’s plenty terrible! Since when are you the imperial official who defines terrible creatures?!”

“???”

As Lee Han wondered at his flustered professor, Uman appeared from behind.

“Ah, so class is underway! Professor Bendozol, it’s an honor to observe your lecture.”

“A-a-an honor, Your Your Your Highness D-d-dragon!”

Professor Bendozol stammered like a boy in love. Uman asked curiously,

“It looked just now like you were angry with Student Wardanaz, is that right?”

“…No! Absolutely not! We’re very close. Wardanaz brat— I mean, Wardanaz, of all my students, holds me in the most respect and affection!”

“??”

Lee Han gave a look that said, ‘What the hell is he talking about?’ Professor Bendozol pleaded with desperate eyes.

Please!

Please!!!

With the look of a cornered, pitiful beast, Lee Han couldn’t help but speak.

“…Yes… Well… In some sense, you could say that. Or maybe not. Or maybe so…”

“That’s the first I’ve heard of it!”

Uman seemed intrigued by this claim and made a note of it.

That of all his teachers, Lee Han liked Professor Bendozol best…