Episode 1134

Due to his sociable and composed demeanor, it was easy to forget, but Professor Kirmin had been close friends with Professor Voladi since their school days.

Professor Garcia blamed himself. To have been at Einrogard for so long and still be this inexperienced.

‘I forgot the basic rule.’

Even someone who seems perfectly normal can have plenty of madness inside.

Because he was lost in self-reflection, Professor Garcia noticed the group of merchants approaching on horseback ahead a step too late.

If he had noticed them sooner, he might have given a signal—‘Run!’

“Are you from Einrogard?”

Naseda quickly signaled the soldiers with him and dismounted from his horse.

Even such a simple gesture, depending on how it was done, could mean that you respected the other party.

Indeed, the burly driver surrounded by knights (whose faces were hidden by helmets) seemed very pleased.

-We are indeed from Einrogard. And who are you?

“I’m Naseda, coming at the command of Count Buyong. I’m here to clarify a misunderstanding!”

“One.”

Lee Han muttered. Professor Garcia felt a moment of curiosity.

‘One of what?’

-Clarify? Do you know what kind of discourtesy your count’s soldiers have committed?

The knights spoke in contempt.

In fact, the knights weren’t really angry. They were just more stern because the heir was right behind them.

If they’d tried to be overly friendly with, ‘Ah, you’re from there? There seems to have been a misunderstanding…’, they might have gotten a ‘Are you an evil god worshipper?’ shout from behind.

Both the merchants and the soldiers were flustered by the knights’ cold reception.

‘What’s this about?’

‘…Did they figure out we stole the relief supplies?’

“Two.”

Lee Han muttered again. Professor Garcia’s curiosity—and faint worry—deepened.

‘Is he counting how many people to kill…? Surely not, it’s not Professor Baegrek, after all…’

Naseda was confused by their prickly attitude.

Maybe the soldiers had been unusually rude, but even then, would the destruction of the checkpoint warrant this anger?

Still, he had to humble himself. If they really were here to check the relief supplies, it would be a disaster.

“Haha… Yes, of course I know. How could I not with the checkpoint in that state? The soldiers made a huge error. They’ll be held responsible, naturally.”

-Hmph!

“The Count will come himself to apologize. Would you mind waiting at a mansion nearby?”

“Three.”

“???”

Now Professor Garcia was simply curious.

What were those numbers?

The answer came instantly. Lee Han spoke in a firm voice.

“It’s all too suspicious. Let’s arrest and investigate them!”

“……”

That’s what it was!

Even as the knights descended with deadly seriousness on the merchants, Professor Garcia’s mind was drifting.

Perhaps it was a way of escaping the current situation.

“W-what! What are you doing…”

-Quiet, you evil god worshipper!

“Evil god worshipper? I… I’ve never even been religious…!”

The merchants and soldiers flailed about in bewilderment at the unexpected ambush.

Especially the accusation of being evil god worshippers—this left them even more confused.

Could the count be secretly worshipping an evil god?

‘That’s impossible!’

‘He’s the type to steal even money that could be given to an evil god!’

“Let go of me! Even if you’re from Einrogard, you won’t get away with this! The Count will officially protest!”

Naseda shouted as loudly as he could.

He had no idea what was going on, but at a time like this, he had to invoke the count’s name to hold firm.

-Are they really not evil god worshippers?

-Getting angry all of a sudden is suspicious.

The knights whispered amongst themselves.

They’d arrested them out of fear of the heir’s anger, but now that they’d actually apprehended them, they did seem a bit suspicious.

Both the soldiers and the merchants acted as if they were hiding something.

And that merchant leader’s sudden change in attitude was even fishier. Was that earlier politeness all an act, then?

“You!”

Evenita shouted loudly.

He felt he ought to do something while the knights were working.

“Do you know who this is! He’s from House Wardanaz!”

“?!!”

Naseda, who’d been shouting, froze at those words.

From House Wardanaz?

There was only one mage of House Wardanaz from Einrogard of that age on the continent now.

“…D-don’t lie! I hear that Wardanaz is the one who will be responsible for the Empire’s future!”

Merchants devoted their efforts to gathering information from all over the vast Empire.

That sort of knowledge was more important in their line of work than anything.

And based on that knowledge, the Wardanaz mage currently at Einrogard was foretold to be an outstanding magician who would shoulder the Empire’s future.

He had repelled several infamous other-dimensional invaders, and even at a young age, had accomplished great feats of magic alongside many mage towers…

…So when he heard the rumors, he’d thought, ‘He’s rather different from the usual Wardanaz magicians—peculiar, actually.’

But now he realized the rumors had been wrong.

He was exactly like the other famous members of House Wardanaz!

“…Evenita, don’t say unnecessary things.”

“Ah. Yes. Sorry.”

Evenita regretted Lee Han’s cold rebuke.

Shouldn’t have mentioned the family…!

---

He had sent his reliable right hand, but Count Buyong felt uneasy.

“Why did the Einrogard mages visit here anyway?”

“They were probably heading for Bephaim City? Crossing the bridge here cuts down the route, and since there’s been damage near Bephaim, they might have summoned mages there.”

“Then why did they respond so violently?”

“The idiot soldiers must have screwed up. You know how greedy they are.”

The count didn’t pay his soldiers at the checkpoint much. It was customary for them to find their own income.

Soldiers like these were friendly for a bribe, rude without one—it was only to be expected.

“That’s it? Those fools. They should have just talked them into turning back…”

Bang!

“?”

The count, frowning, noticed a roar in the distance.

“What was that?”

“Sounds like a carriage accident outside.”

“Idiots! They should drive properly.”

BAM!

A louder roar this time, even closer—the count and butler’s faces tightened.

BOOOOM!

-Aaagh! We’re not evil god worshippers! Really, we have nothing to do with evil gods…

The butler hurried to the window to check. Then the butler’s figure vanished from sight.

“?!?!?”

Startled, the count peered outside. The butler, bound in opaque chains, was being dragged down below. It was an unreal scene.

“Uwah!”

Of course, the count was also dragged out. The Death Knights were just grabbing everyone and hauling them out.

“What are you doing! Do you know who I am?!”

-Explain later. Just bring everyone here! Where do you think you’re running?

Some servants tried to escape, thinking they were under attack, but then returned to their places.

It was as if some invisible illusory maze encircled the mansion.

Count Buyong was dragged, kneeling in the front yard garden along with the others from the residence. The count kept shouting.

“Do you know who I am?!”

“Shut up. Be quiet.”

Lee Han, irritated, warned the count coldly.

He was trying to focus on making sure no one escaped the mansion, and this man’s whining was grating on him.

“I am Count Buyo—”

Whack!

Lee Han knocked the count out with a Water Orb Projectile.

Naseda and the other merchants, captured earlier, were terrified by the sight.

To attack without waiting for an explanation, as if brute force settled everything—he was truly like a madman.

‘The very essence of House Wardanaz…!’

“If the count turns out to be an evil god worshipper, you all…”

“R-really, we’re not! We only stole and sold the relief supplies, that’s all!”

The merchants cried out in tears.

They’d never before seen anyone so disbelieving of the truth.

But Lee Han’s suspicious glare didn’t fade.

Couldn’t there be an evil god worshipper among the count’s staff or retainers?

Even if the merchants themselves had nothing to do with it, it was worth checking anyway.

-We’ve got everyone.

“…Just the stolen supplies, right?”

“That seems to be it. Well, they got what they deserved.”

Professor Kirmin shrugged.

As he said before, when someone’s angry, the one provoking them is at fault.

And after hearing the merchants’ testimony, he felt no sympathy. They’d abused their power to secretly steal and sell relief supplies.

Sometimes fate does the right thing. Perhaps this time, fate had used Wardanaz’s hand to hit back at the count.

“……”

Professor Garcia stared at Professor Kirmin.

Now wasn’t really the right time for such pearls of wisdom…

‘Really should’ve brought someone else.’

The knights were all sycophants and no help, and the trusted Professor Kirmin was being unusually lenient—maybe out of pity for his friend’s student.

A short time later.

The knights, having quickly finished their search, interrogation, and investigation, returned.

-Nothing in the mansion. They stole the supplies and abused their authority, but there’s no evidence of colluding with evil god worshippers.

-The testimonies are the same. The count amassed his fortune by underhanded means, but he’s never met evil god worshippers. Usually just socialized with the merchants…

“T-that’s right! Please believe us!”

“We were only concerned with money. We never had any interest in evil god cults!”

Thanks to the shouting merchants, the dazed count finally began to grasp the situation.

He couldn’t even imagine why he was being accused of being an evil god worshipper.

“Tsk.”

Lee Han clicked his tongue in disapproval.

He’d hoped to catch at least one suspicious character, but they really were just petty criminals.

Count Buyong inadvertently looked at the mage from House Wardanaz.

Of course, whatever explanation he heard wouldn’t change this situation. While not an evil god worshipper, his secret embezzlement of relief supplies had been exposed.

Still, Count Buyong wanted to hear something—anything. Otherwise, he wouldn’t be able to sleep at night.

Wasn’t it the accusation of evil god worship that started this whole mess?

He’d rather they’d said they came suspecting embezzlement.

‘Say something. Say anything!’

“You shouldn’t have acted suspicious.”

With that, Lee Han left at once.

He didn’t provide any explanation, nor any reason why. The knights, after glancing around, quietly trailed after Lee Han.

“……”

“……”

At that moment, the count and merchants swore to themselves,

That they would never go near anywhere a House Wardanaz heir might be—for the rest of their lives!

‘What a mad family…!’