Episode 1109
by Cristae“Oh right. Your Highness, please don’t reveal that you’re a dragon, Student Lee Han.”
Professor Garcia whispered softly.
Royalty in the Empire might be as common as fancy pebbles, but add ‘dragon’ to it, and things were different.
If the already-slightly-mad Daylily Tower wizards found that out, who knew how they’d react.
“Understood. Your Highness, as you just heard, please don’t reveal you’re a dragon.”
“Understood!”
Joulin nodded vigorously.
Staying in human form was stifling, but after practicing hard over break, she’d become pretty used to it. It wasn’t so hard anymore.
“Hehe. I even prepared an alias for situations like this. Please call me ‘Gainando.’”
“…You can just use ‘Joulin.’”
Lee Han felt embarrassed all of a sudden.
There was no need for Joulin to imitate him this much…
“Are you from Einrogard? Please, this way!”
A wizard came running over, breathless.
He looked so urgent that Lee Han asked, startled,
“What’s wrong?”
‘Did we arrive late?’
If they were late for something important, this wasn’t the time to dilly-dally.
Although the tower bore some blame for their weird play acting, too!
“Hurry! This way!”
The wizard yelled and rushed ahead, and the party followed, puzzled.
“This way!”
“So, what’s going on—?”
Lee Han tried to ask, wanting to get his spells ready, but the wizard just ran faster.
‘Wait, is this a trap?’
Lee Han himself had used this tactic at Einrogard: act frantic and confused, and the confusion would affect the other side, too.
BANG!
The wizard burst through broad birch doors leading into the hall, revealing a lavish meal freshly laid out.
From silver platters overflowing with grapes, pears, peaches, cherries, to whole roasted pigs and cattle, to dozens of kinds of fresh and pickled fish, to syrups, sauces, oils, spices…
The tarts still steamed as if just taken from the oven. At a table, a wizard slurped a pasta packed with clams and pepper.
“I didn’t know our tower could come up with meals like this.”
“Shhh. Just between us—hired an outside chef.”
As Lee Han’s group gawked, the guide wiped sweat from his brow and called out proudly,
“Glad you made it in time for the meal!”
“……”
“…That’s…good, then.”
Lee Han managed to compose himself and reply.
But Professor Garcia couldn’t resist and asked,
“If it was just for a meal, couldn’t we have come a bit slower?”
“What are you saying, Professor! The joy of eating fresh-cooked food cannot be underestimated! At Daylily Tower, we never forget the little pleasures of daily life.”
‘And you call yourselves magicians…’
Professor Garcia screamed internally.
She wasn’t from Daylily Tower, but she knew: real high-level mages never ate this well.
They’d toss cheese, ham, and figs in a bowl and call it lunch if that.
“Please, Your Highness, eat slowly.”
“Mm—mmph?”
“Haven’t been eating well lately?”
Lee Han watched, puzzled, as Joulin devoured her food more eagerly than she had during break.
Joulin, as a dragon, had no reason to obsess over meals like Gainando did.
“Lately, I’ve only had what Wuman prepared…”
“…Eat as much as you want. Try this tarte tatin…”
Lee Han looked at Joulin with sympathy.
‘Maybe… Having Prince Wuman at school long-term isn’t a good idea after all.’
It was nice for Lee Han, but seeing Joulin like this made him feel bad.
Who’d have thought even Joulin would end up starving, not just Gainando.
Lee Han filled the professors’ plates as well (Professor Garcia slapped his hand and insisted on serving herself), then bit into a meat pie and surveyed the room.
Daylily Tower wizards had quickly abandoned any charade and simply enjoyed the feast. In a way, it was a positive side effect of their visit.
“So, what happens after this meal?”
Lee Han asked the wizard who’d led them in.
He got the hospitality, but wanted to know the commission.
“After this meal?”
“Yes.”
“Next… Music appreciation.”
“…Music magic?”
“No, just listening. We at Daylily Tower often invite top performers from the capital to hold recitals.”
‘That’s one shameless lie.’
Lee Han thought.
Who in the Empire could believe such transparent nonsense?
“Lee Han! Daylily Tower is much better than Einrogard!”
Joulin’s eyes sparkled as she burst out.
The skull headmaster might be a bit hurt, but Joulin felt that couldn’t be helped.
Gonadaltes was a wise archmage, after all. He’d manage fine on his own!
“And who is this wise and noble lady?”
Nearby wizards looked at the golden-haired girl with eyes of awe and joy.
How could she say exactly what they wished to hear?
“Joulin… Her Highness.”
“Ahh! Royal blood! No wonder nobility oozes from every word and gesture!!”
“I-it’s not that much…”
Joulin was shy.
She’d been praised before, as a dragon, but praise while in human form was new.
The praise of Daylily Tower wizards turned Joulin’s heart.
“Lee Han, you really don’t need to go back to Einrogard!”
“Did Your Highness already forget what we talked about?”
Lee Han was a bit dumbfounded.
Watching this awful play, how could she think that way?
But Joulin was dead serious.
“Of course I heard it was a big act. But even so, it shows how much Daylily Tower wants Lee Han, so it’s clearly worth choosing over Einrogard!”
“…!”
Lee Han was stunned.
Who knew Joulin could argue so logically?
And he couldn’t rebut her, which made it worse.
“What’s going on? Why is everyone… looking at Her Highness like she’s about to become the new Empress?”
Professor Garcia, carrying an entire roast pig, looked around at the strange mood.
Why were the wizards viewing Her Highness with such reverence?
“She just recommended the tower, Professor.”
“What?! Why?!”
Professor Garcia was more shocked than her student.
Lee Han explained. She was left speechless and panicky.
“No, that’s wrong, Your Highness.”
“What’s wrong?”
“Well… um…”
Having felt sure Daylily Tower wizards couldn’t possibly lure Lee Han away, Professor Garcia was all the more shocked.
Could it be…?
No way…!
‘No, surely even as a dragon’s contractor, he wouldn’t be swayed so easily?’
She looked to Professor Voladi for backup.
‘Professor! Help!’
But Voladi didn’t notice a thing, calmly sipping tea and perusing a grimoire for the next spell to teach.
‘Argh!’
Garcia resolved to bring another professor along next time.
“You can’t trust Daylily Tower wizards! All magicians are liars!”
“Gasp…! I-I didn’t know that!”
“……”
The Daylily Tower wizards stared pointedly at Professor Garcia.
She’d rejected them before to stay at Einrogard, and now it was clear—
‘She really is Gonadaltes’s loyal henchman!’
‘All that gentle behavior was just a mask!’
While Professor Garcia’s reputation tanked, knights in another part of the tower talked.
It was the White Oak Knights.
Rather than staying in one place, these knights traveled the Empire wherever they sensed danger, armed with only a horse and armor.
Even though knights and mages didn’t usually get along, exceptions were made for knights like these. Daylily Tower welcomed them sincerely, instead of turning them away.
…Though they were still told to wait a bit.
“Something must be up in the tower.”
“Indeed. I’ve visited a few times, but it’s never been this hectic…”
The knights spoke in worried voices.
A commotion in the tower was never good. If even experienced wizards were flustered, something major was up.
If they’d known the ‘emergency’ was just everyone dropping everything for a massive talent-scouting play, even the most upstanding White Oak Knights would have been disgusted.
“Sir Bamandam. How’s the artifact?”
“No sign. Maybe it’s losing power.”
Veteran knight Sir Bamandam stroked the surface of the chest he held.
Even though it was chained in dozens of places, powerful energy throbbed inside. This was no ordinary artifact.
Mined from the western mountains, this yet-unopened relic had brought dark incidents with it.
Tunnel collapses, landslides, water contamination…
Miners had quickly contacted the knights in fear—if left alone, it could have ended in disaster.
“And it’s taking quite some time. Looks like the tower’s problem isn’t a small one.”
“…Indeed. Ask if there’s anything we can do.”
-Hey.
“?”
During the lakeshore meditation (the next event after music appreciation), Lee Han looked up, glancing around.
Someone was talking to him?
-…The staff! The staff, idiot!
“Oh.”
Lee Han finally glanced at the staff.
The rude, groveling spirit of the staff only showed up when it wanted something.
“Wait. Where are your manners?”
-…This isn’t the time. There’s something dangerous nearby!
Saratan declared triumphantly.
He was sure giving this information would finally make this arrogant wizard treat him better.
“Something dangerous?”
Lee Han glanced over.
Was he talking about Professor Voladi?
-…Not that mage, you idiot! A spirit! A spirit!!
“Hey, you jerk. Want to meet my master?”
-N-no, I’m sorry, oh mage… It’s just… urgent…
Saratan shrank again, but wondered secretly—
Wait.
‘Why am I the one groveling…? I have the information, don’t I…?’