Episode 1131

Episode 1131

No matter how worried you were, putting a bounty on a fellow school professor was not a wise choice.

He couldn’t even imagine how furious the imperial officials would be if they later found out the truth.

“Then how about asking His Highness Joulin for help?”

“This isn’t a matter for the royal family…!”

Professor Garcia shuddered.

He had actually thought his student was making a slightly self-deprecating joke, but now it sounded quite sincere.

If he didn’t clearly stop him even now, he might actually meet with the emperor directly and put a bounty on him.

“Student Lee Han. Even if you put a bounty on Professor Baegrek, it won’t have any effect. You might just end up helping the enemy for nothing.”

“That’s right, Wardanaz. And what fault do the bounty hunters have?”

Professor Kirmin’s words definitely made Lee Han reflect.

He had wanted to catch Professor Voladi with a pure heart, but what fault would the bounty hunters, who’d be beaten up, have done?

“Phew…”

-……

Apazragon stood blankly and then opened his mouth.

-Can I go back now…

“It’s because of you, you bastard!”

At Lee Han’s growling, the Death Knights and Evenita sighed in relief.

When many people caused trouble, the most important thing was to act a little more tactfully than the others.

Fortunately, this angel seemed to have not even a bit of tact.

‘Thank you. Angel!’

Apazragon, unable to read the mood, objected.

-I didn’t help that mortal’s escape. I’m rather the victim here, shouldn’t you comfort and help me according to this continent’s laws?

Earlier, because things were so hectic, he’d just gotten cursed out, but now that things had settled, Apazragon defended himself logically.

The celestials might live in seclusion in their own dimension, but it didn’t mean they lacked intelligence. Apazragon, too, based on the information about the continent he had researched, laid out a fairly reasonable argument.

But as expected, Apazragon wasn’t originally a mortal, so he missed something.

The continent was a more unreasonable place than he thought.

“Get lost! Go back to your dimension. You’re even less helpful than this demon bastard.”

Several demons inside the Bracelet of Ten Thousand Demons snickered with joy.

Even though their current state was being miserably trapped inside, that didn’t mean there was no joy. Especially, the humiliation of celestials was a very rare joy.

Even being compared to them!

-I can’t accept this…

Apazragon tried to persuade these irrational humans. Lee Han ignored him and called out to the others.

“Professors, knights. Please help with the removal.”

-Understood!

The Death Knights replied immediately.

They had been feeling bashful due to the trouble they’d caused, so the reaction was natural.

While Professors Garcia and Kirmin hadn’t felt as guilty as the knights, there was no reason to refuse a student’s request.

And honestly, their thoughts were quite similar.

‘If it weren’t for that angel, we might not have gotten out.’

“Mr. Apazragon. I understand your feelings, but in fact, following Student Lee Han around is not allowed in the first place? The party involved said no, so please go back now.”

-I don’t understand. The one at fault is that mortal…

-Commence attack!!

The angel could now learn another fact firsthand.

Mortals sometimes communicate with force instead of words.

When the Death Knights threw chains of darkness and both professors unleashed magic, Apazragon had to hurriedly escape beyond the dimension.

‘How could this be. Why?’

A confused Apazragon decided he would have to visit the Yaksha King again.

If he was a wise king, he was sure to give some advice about what the angel had just gone through!

---

After the angel disappeared, the atmosphere became awkward again.

The knights and Evenita were being wary, but those who were the most on edge were the mercenaries and evil god worshippers.

…Are we going to be executed on the spot here?

“Calm down, Wardanaz. As I said, Professor Baegrek will be fine.”

“Thank you… Professor, you’re having a hard time as well because of Professor Baegrek, aren’t you?”

Once he calmed down a bit, Lee Han felt sorry toward Professor Kirmin.

He’d come to help, only to get caught up in Professor Voladi’s indiscriminate escape event.

But Professor Kirmin shook his head.

“Professor Baegrek is my friend before he’s your teacher, Wardanaz. Everyone’s usually got that one friend who makes them suffer.”

Professor Kirmin looked at Lee Han closely, as if to say, ‘Doesn’t someone come to your mind too?’

‘Aha.’

Lee Han realized who he was referring to.

“You mean Senior Direte and Senior Yukveltire.”

“…Uh… well… those two could fit that category, I guess?”

‘I meant Prince Gainando.’

Professor Kirmin thought inwardly.

He was trying to talk about Gainando, who caused unnecessary problems for Wardanaz, to illustrate ‘friendship with troublesome friends’…

…But it was true that Direte and Yukveltire were a sufficient example.

“Come to think of it, even after all that trouble, you didn’t expel Senior Yukveltire, even though Senior Direte suffered so much.”

“You too, Wardanaz… hmm. Never mind.”

“Sorry?”

“It’s nothing. Haha.”

Professor Kirmin did act a bit oddly, but there were too many things that had just happened, and too many things to do, for Lee Han to dwell on it.

Lee Han called for the knights. The death knights, cowed and withdrawn, started with excuses.

-That Professor Baegrek guy had prepared cunningly…

-If it had been a real fight, we would have poisoned his food first… but the opponent was an Einrogard professor…

-Of all things, the angel bastard…

“…Sorry I got angry. You don’t need to comfort me.”

Lee Han, feeling somewhat bad, apologized to the knights. Professor Garcia thought inwardly.

‘Looks more like an excuse than comfort?’

-!

But to the Death Knights, it certainly worked. Their eyes sparkled like bright sapphires again.

-So you don’t think it’s our fault!

“It was the professor who left, so whose fault is it? If anything, it’s that angel bas… Never mind. It’s over now anyway.”

-You’re exactly right. Your judgment is wise.

“And if the professor was determined, you wouldn’t have been able to stop him anyway.”

-…No, well. Strictly speaking, Professor Baegrek escaped by trickery, and if we really fought again, who would win…

The knights, their pride wounded, tried to argue without realizing. The old knight quickly stopped them.

What were they about to say now?

-…That’s correct. He was too much for us to stop.

-Khhhk!

The knights trembled in shame.

‘Just wait, Professor Baegrek.’

“I-I was just trying to do my best.”

When Evenita made an excuse, watching the others, Lee Han nodded.

“Running into an evil god worshipper in the first place was just bad luck. Even if you hadn’t made him confess, the professor would most likely have noticed by himself.”

“…Thank you for recognizing that!”

This former bandit leader was deeply moved, in a way that didn’t fit his appearance.

The mage before his eyes was far more generous than anyone he’d ever met from House Wardanaz. He unconsciously felt loyalty bubbling up from some deep place within him.

“Don’t worry about it.”

“Thank you! Th-then, to Lord Gonadaltes, too…”

“I won’t hold you responsible, so don’t worry.”

“Thank you!”

Evenita gave a big thank you, then hesitated for a few seconds before speaking again.

“Also… to Lord Hierdan of House Wardanaz…”

“…Go away.”

When Lee Han spoke irritably, Evenita quickly retreated.

“First, I think I should report straight to the Headmaster.”

-Yes. I will do so.

The knights replied politely, glancing at each other.

“…Shall I send it?”

-We would be very grateful for that, Heir!

“Please don’t call me heir.”

---

He escaped?!

The skull headmaster who received the paper bird was surprised.

It was honestly unexpected.

The Death Knights standing beside him seemed to feel the same way and nodded.

-It’s unexpected. I thought if Wardanaz told him, even the professor would calmly accept it.

Exactly.

The skull headmaster marveled as he kept reading the letter.

To be honest, the fact that Wardanaz got his name on the Singuiros Order’s assassination list—not even the assassination list, but the recruitment list—he hadn’t expected such an extreme reaction.

He wondered if Wardanaz had made some kind of mistake when conveying the news.

‘He’s not the type, though?’

…Just happened to run into those evil god worshippers in the village, and among them was someone who bore Professor a grudge…

Cough.

The skull headmaster let out a short groan.

The line in the letter was completely unexpected.

What is this…

-What’s wrong?

While helping with the Order’s business, he ran into those evil god worshippers.

-…Wait. Did they lie in ambush on purpose?

He thought so at first, but it didn’t seem so. Supposedly, there were Kraksarikol guys there. They’d sooner die than join in a plan like that.

The skull headmaster knew just how much these maniacs feared anything that would disturb their foresight.

If forced to get involved with an unpredictable factor like Wardanaz, they’d sooner bash in their own skulls.

…That guy had the nerve to say he’d send an assassin, so he escaped to the Fire Giant dimension, so I chased after him and dealt with it (if you’re close with the Frost Giant King, please stop spreading that rumor)… Unfortunately, in the process, Professor found out there are still many with grudges against him in the Order…

‘So that’s how it was.’

Only then did the skull headmaster grasp the situation.

Such people would hold a grudge not just against the professor himself but against his student, too, so the fact that Professor Voladi immediately launched a preemptive strike upon hearing the threat made sense. It was just like him.

…I was a bit surprised that Wardanaz immediately chased after him, insisting he’d handle it himself…

-Student Wardanaz originally enjoyed dangerous fights, didn’t he? Even if it’s evil god worshippers, it would be no exception.

There’s that.

The skull headmaster nodded and turned to the next page.

…If it weren’t for that angel bastard, he wouldn’t have been able to escape via dimension theft. I’m still fuming about it. If you’re still in touch with the Yaksha King, please hold him responsible…

‘The rest is unimportant.’

The skull headmaster skimmed the rest. It was just Wardanaz badmouthing the Yaksha King and Apazragon.

-Do you wish to send a pursuit party?

No. He’s gotten used to avoiding pursuit. It’d be a waste of time.

-The knights wouldn’t fail a second time, either.

Despite the enthusiastic assurance of his knights, the skull headmaster drew a firm line.

The last time he had tried to stop him was because he was afraid the kid would lose his weapon—his cool judgment—due to a desire for revenge. The revenge itself wasn’t the issue. This time, he’d tried to stop him out of concern that he might still be burning with vengeance… But judging by the letter, that didn’t seem necessary.

What the skull headmaster was worried about was his former student losing his reason and running wild; if he acted calmly, there was no reason to stop him.

Orderly, rational revenge was good for mind and body alike.

-I don’t quite understand… How can you be sure of that just from the letter?

The knights asked, bewildered.

If he’d lost his mind, he would have killed all the evil god worshippers on the spot before leaving. If he left them alive and escaped alone, he was being rational.

-I… I see…!

The Death Knights admired their master’s logic. Indeed, not just anyone could be an archmage.

Even if you don’t send a pursuit party, keep your ears open. Leave a sign offering support here and there. He’ll probably ignore it, though.

-Yes. By the way, Heir must be very worried, so I’ll explain the situation.

What a sycophant. Do whatever you l… No, I’d better write a reply myself.

-……

The knights suddenly felt a sense of dread.

What was he going to write?

The skull headmaster eagerly wrote his reply in a single go.

…Isn’t it because your magic is lacking that the evil god worshippers, Baegrek, the Fire Giant, and even the angel all treat you lightly…

The knights were horrified to see their master using this as another opportunity to put his student through a trial for growth.

What if one slip turns this kid into the worst magical criminal in history!