Episode 1136
by CristaeClap clap clap—
Jandanni found himself applauding before he noticed, and the Baldrogard junior beside him spoke up in alarm.
“Wait. Is that really okay?”
“Why wouldn’t it be?”
“……”
When someone does something crazy with confidence, it’s hard to criticize.
Jandanni’s “Why not?” left the junior speechless about something that was obviously not okay.
“Well… By imperial law… uh, isn’t that illegal? Or do I not know imperial law properly?”
Had the law changed recently without his knowledge?
“Of course, the stern laws of the Empire wouldn’t allow it. But do you really think His Majesty the Emperor made those laws to prevent things like this?”
“…What nonsense—ah, pardon me.”
The junior, Jangbire of House Laban, a third-year at Baldrogard, apologized. Luckily, Jandanni was too excited to hear him.
“Of course he made the law to prevent it, so it’s forbidden, isn’t it?”
“No. Law is made to help people.”
“…If you say that, Count Buyong is also an imperial subject.”
“That’s…”
Caught off guard, Jandanni hesitated. Jangbire pressed once more.
“If someone raided your family estate, would you react the same way?”
“My family would be the first to offer up their wealth in such a situation!”
“P-please, you two, don’t argue.”
The priests came to calm them down.
It would be a laughingstock if mages, especially those out here to help, started arguing over something this petty.
Feeling responsible, Jandanni apologized first.
“Sorry.”
“No, I’m sorry as well.”
“But I wonder… Maybe this kind of boldness is the secret to Einrogard’s reputation.”
Jandanni spoke seriously.
Although Baldrogard and Einrogard were twin pillars of magic in the empire, most people considered Einrogard a step above.
Jandanni thought this difference in boldness might be the reason.
While Baldrogard students hesitated, Einrogard students acted.
Even Jangbire, who had been dismissive, was starting to waver from his senior’s continual words.
“…Maybe you’re right.”
“See? Let’s go listen. See what they did. We can steal just the good parts.”
‘How do you steal just the good parts from raiding and confiscating an estate?’
Jangbire had his doubts as they headed down the hill.
No matter how he thought, it didn’t seem easy…
“The healing potions are over here. Please take them!”
“Don’t hand out greasy food right away! It could make things worse!”
By the time the Baldrogard students arrived, Lee Han’s party had already finished their round of work.
With the priests’ help, they’d distributed supplies to the crowd and then slumped right to the ground. Even the tireless Professor Garcia looked exhausted.
“Hello, Professor.”
“Oh, you all are…”
Professor Garcia immediately recognized the students from Baldrogard.
In fact, it was easy to spot the Baldrogard students from afar—their brilliantly shimmering, high-quality clothing stood out.
“You came to help from Baldrogard too!”
“Yes, that’s right.”
Professor Garcia immediately spun around and whispered to the students behind him.
“No asking why they came, no ‘Why didn’t you just send money instead?’, in fact, just don’t say anything.”
“…Professor, we didn’t say anything.”
Lee Han and his friends replied in disbelief.
They were so tired they were just drinking water, when suddenly they got this warning.
Seeing his students feel wronged, Professor Garcia softened and apologized.
“Sorry, everyone. You see, Einrogard students keep picking fights when they see Baldrogard students.”
He had to intervene preemptively, since his seniors had created a legacy of trouble.
Lee Han nodded in understanding.
“The seniors… But we’re different, Professor. Don’t worry.”
Tap tap—
“Wardanaz.”
“?”
Siana poked his side, calling him over. Lee Han turned his head curiously.
“What is it?”
“Honestly, I was going to ask ‘Why didn’t you just send money?’…”
“…Thank you so much for not saying it.”
At his friend’s frank confession, Lee Han nodded deeply.
‘I’ll have to keep a special eye on Siana around Baldrogard students from now on.’
“Ah. Wardanaz!!!”
Jandanni greeted Lee Han with delight.
He hadn’t expected to see the sixth-year Einrogard student here!
“Do you know him?”
“He’s my friend. I told you before.”
“……”
Hearing Jandanni and his junior, the priests all turned to look at Lee Han. He replied, embarrassed,
“That’s a one-sided claim from that side.”
“It’s good to see you, Wardanaz. What are the chances, meeting here?”
“Ah. Yes. Good to see you too, Jandanni…”
“Call me just Jandanni! Hahaha!”
“It’s even better to see you here in person, Jandanni.”
Lee Han never dropped the “Mr.” even once.
With so many eyes watching, if a rumor spread that “Einrogard’s Wardanaz is super friendly with Baldrogard’s House Alzadrk,” he’d really roll on the ground sobbing in frustration.
As Jandanni played up the friendship, Siana whispered snake-like from behind again.
“Should I say it now? ‘Why didn’t you just send money?’…”
“…Go away. Tijilling, Nigisor, please hold this priest.”
The two priests quickly hauled away their friend. Siana kept grumbling as she was dragged off.
You’re going to regret this later!
“Wardanaz, I’ve heard rumors on the road. They say you guys confiscated all of Count Buyong’s property.”
“Ah. Yes.”
“…So it’s really true!!”
At Lee Han’s easy admission, Jandanni shouted in shock.
His junior, Jangbire, was just as stunned.
Hearing it straight from the source was very different from a rumor.
“I was so shocked, but then when I thought about it—no matter how bold, there can’t be many students even at Einrogard who could really do that. As expected of Wardanaz… I’m impressed. I could never have done that.”
“…?”
Lee Han felt an odd sense of discomfort.
It was as if the Baldrogard students were seriously misunderstanding something.
“You don’t think we just barged in and forcibly confiscated everything at the mansion, do you?”
“Huh? Isn’t that what happened?”
“…How could that be!”
Lee Han raised his voice in disbelief.
It’s because of people who don’t use their heads that fake rumors are spreading across the Empire—and even to other dimensions.
“Absolutely not. This was the result of proper procedures.”
Holding back his exasperation, Lee Han explained in detail to the students what had happened.
Originally, the Count was in charge of the relief effort, but after it was discovered he’d been embezzling…
“Do you understand?”
“?”
Now it was Jandanni’s turn to feel awkward. Jangbire asked what was wrong.
“Senior, what is it?”
“Something feels off. That kind of relief embezzlement isn’t easy to spot.”
Count Buyong’s territory was administratively separate from the disaster zone, and supplies hadn’t been mobilized there yet.
So only a patrolling imperial official or investigating church priest might be checking.
For busy Einrogard magicians to detect it was strange.
“Maybe someone tipped you off?”
“If there was a tip, the officials or priests would have heard first. There are so many of them out now because of the crisis.”
“R-right. So what does it mean, then? Don’t tell me…”
“…Maybe they just went in swinging and came up with a plausible reason later.”
Though there were small differences, Jandanni had gotten pretty close. Jangbire shuddered.
No matter how eccentric, to raid a count’s mansion, beat everyone up, then look for a reason afterwards…
What would he have done if there wasn’t a good excuse to find?
“That’s insane!”
“Hm. But it’s an impressive kind of insanity.”
“Insane is insane…! Senior, haven’t you heard the saying: Don’t get mixed up with House Wardanaz?”
“That’s just nonsense from people who don’t know magic.”
“Mages say that too!”
Hearing their conversation, Lee Han could guess the content, but didn’t bother to butt in.
He actually hoped the junior would convince Jandanni.
If a Baldrogard student—let alone a senior—kept following him around, it’d be nothing but a headache.
But Jandanni clung to his odd principles. It wasn’t for nothing that he’d traveled to Einrogard.
“Distancing yourself just because your friend is rough and eccentric isn’t true friendship. Wardanaz is my friend.”
“Well, that’s true, but…”
“……”
Lee Han almost wanted to tell the junior not to give up, but held back.
Instead, he gave up and changed the subject.
“Of course, we acted as quickly as possible due to the emergency, but we had no intention of needlessly tarnishing the Count’s honor. So… please don’t spread this around.”
“Understood. But…”
“?”
Jandanni hesitated, which was odd for such a fearless Baldrogard student.
“Actually, a friend at Baldrogard just sent me a message asking if it’s true that a House Wardanaz mage robbed Count Buyong…”
“……”
Lee Han turned around in horror. The knights frantically waved their hands.
-It wasn’t us!
-Honestly, with all those people in the area, could there not be someone to spread rumors?
“…Still, just please don’t keep spreading it.”
With those last words, Lee Han whipped around. Professor Garcia watched his student’s slumped back and thought,
‘Student Lee Han, you’ve given up…’
He could feel, from the way his student walked, that he was halfway resigned about how the rumors would spread.
Night.
While everyone else slept soundly, Lee Han got up and summoned the knights.
“Alright. I might be giving up on the rumors, but not on the investigation.”
-……
‘He’s still mad about the rumors.’
Apart from his anger about the rumors, Lee Han had no intention of giving up on proactively searching for evil god worshippers wherever he went.
Just let one show up, see what happens!
‘Maybe his anger over the rumors is bleeding into his anger at evil god worshippers…’
If it were Professor Garcia, he would have stopped him. But the knights were different.
When people are angry, they need to get a little revenge. Even Professor Garcia wasn’t in a position to lecture over that point.
He’d lived a wild youth himself…
“Evenita. Show us all the places in Bephaim where suspicious people might gather.”
“Yes! Understood!”
Finally, his chance to be useful—Evenita’s eyes sparkled.
This was what the skull headmaster had assigned him for, but he’d felt he ruined it by getting sidetracked on the assignment.
“But even if we go into a tavern, wouldn’t this group attract too much attention?”
“I’ve got a plan. We’ll disguise ourselves as traveling merchants and split up—wait.”
Lee Han stopped.
He heard the voices of his friends, who should have been asleep in their rooms above the mansion, among the knights.