Episode 1169
by CristaeWhether because Giselle’s plea to consider their year level was convincing, or simply out of sisterly affection, Ziklin ended up nodding.
“That’s too bad. Wardanaz seems like he’d want to participate.”
“……”
Huh?
‘R-really?’
Giselle was thrown into confusion, unable to immediately object.
Come to think of it, had she made a mistake by dissuading them…?
“Isn’t it pretty strange for black magic to turn up in Baquantalana’s ruins?”
“It certainly is, Professor Kim.”
The two Einrogard Professors walked along, discussing their experiences at the ruins.
Discovering an undiscovered magic of Baquantalana was a huge feat, but not enough to completely shock the two Professors.
But the fact that the magic turned out to be black magic was surprising enough to shock them.
“Recently I read several papers from the transformation magic school claiming Baquantalana was a transformation magician, but I didn’t expect black magic to suddenly turn up like this.”
“Now that you mention it, Professor Kim, which school do you think Baquantalana belonged to?”
Professor Kirmin asked out of curiosity.
What would this junior think about the rivalry between transformation and enchantment schools?
“Pardon? Uh, well, does it really matter? She might have just learned all the schools evenly… Why is that important?”
“……”
Indeed, there was something extraordinary about a genius who studied every school.
While the other magicians fought over pride, she could just blithely say, ‘Why not just do both?’
‘At times like this, I’m glad I’m an Einrogard professor…’
If Garcia had worked in the Imperial magic world outside, he might have made a few enemies.
Geniuses had a way of making enemies even by standing still.
“When Lee Han analyzes it, we’ll have to ask him what kind of magic it is. Honestly, I’m quite curious, too.”
Professor Kirmin smiled and nodded at Professor Garcia’s words.
He considered making a playful comment about entrusting analysis of Baquantalana’s magic to a second-year student, but as it was rare to see Professor Garcia so happy, he refrained.
“But Professor.”
“?”
Kirmin flinched, wondering if Garcia had caught his thoughts.
But fortunately, Professor Garcia was worried about something else.
“I’m a bit concerned about the situation in the North—will it be alright for Einrogard not to intervene?”
A skilled magician like Garcia certainly couldn’t miss the abnormalities in the North.
Although there had been no damage as conspicuous as the severe drought and heat in the West, it felt like a bad sign, filling him with unease.
“I understand the feeling, but Einrogard can’t get involved in everything. Local autonomy is important, too.”
Not only could Einrogard not step in for every problem in the Empire, the people of the Empire didn’t want that either.
If magicians from an external school stepped in and fixed everything unrelated to them, it would make the local noble families, knights, and officials look incompetent.
“Lord Ziderf is a wise man—I’m sure he’ll handle this situation well.”
Just then, magicians appeared coming down the corridor from the other side. Professor Kirmin called out in a glad voice.
“Professor Garcia, look! There are magicians. The Patriarch must have called them in to help…”
“Grkkk (Gasp)?”
The black magicians from the Legion of Oondorgu stopped when they spotted the two professors.
Then, they quickly turned as if to escape. Their suspicious behavior did not go unnoticed.
“Wait. Are you from the Legion of Oondorgu?”
“Grkkk (We’re just ordinary ghouls)…”
As the Legion of Oondorgu was made up entirely of undead, it was hard to hide.
Before they could make a run for it, the two professors caught them.
“You really are from the Legion of Oondorgu, right?”
“We met before, remember? I’m Professor Garcia Kim.”
The undead drooped. Unfortunately, they’d been caught by the tough Einrogard professors.
“Grkkk (Nice to see you)…”
“…Is something wrong? You don’t look well.”
“If anyone’s bothering you, just let us know. We’re all magicians here!”
As Professor Garcia raised a determined fist, the Oondorgu undead grew fearful and rolled their eyeballs.
Old black magicians tended to ignore their juniors, but if those juniors walked around with a World of Destruction on their fist, it was a different story.
“Grkkk (It’s nothing).”
“What brings you here? The Northern situation?”
“……”
The undead kept rolling his eyes, then suddenly blurted out,
“Grkrrrrk (Ahrak’s Descendants didn’t invite us)!”
“?!!”
The professors were baffled by the sudden confession.
What on earth was this about?
“Who didn’t invite whom?”
“So the Ahrak’s Descendants are here too?”
Once it started, it became easy. The undead laid out everything that happened.
Black magicians had gathered because the Old Hag was suspected to be behind the Northern anomalies, but those nasty Ahrak’s Descendants sneakily didn’t invite Einrogard…
“Unbelievable!”
Professor Garcia’s eyes flashed.
He couldn’t care less whether Professor Mortum was slighted—but kind student Direte was a different story!
“How could they do that?!”
“Grkkk (Said it’s because of all his bragging about his students)…”
“……”
“……”
Professors Garcia and Kirmin were momentarily speechless.
That was…
It was hard to argue with that reason.
“Wardanaz. I have something to tell you—promise not to say anything after you hear it.”
“Hm. If it were inside Einrogard, I’d have refused such a suspicious suggestion, but… since this is your family’s estate, I have no choice but to accept.”
“……”
Suppressing the urge to hit her friend, Giselle recounted her earlier conversation with her older sister.
“She wanted to send you to the black magicians’ gathering, and I tried to stop her, but… did you actually want to…?”
“Are you crazy?!”
“…So I’ll take that as a no.”
Lee Han heaved a sigh of relief at Giselle’s reply.
The fact that she wondered whether “maybe Wardanaz did want to participate” was shocking.
“Why would I ever want to attend something like that?”
“Alpha.”
Ignoring him, Giselle called Angrago.
Angrago, who’d been checking his horns’ polish for the upcoming audience, turned his head.
“Huh? What?”
“There’s a black magicians’ gathering in the domain. Do you think Wardanaz would want to participate, or not?”
“I think he’d want to.”
“……”
“…Was I wrong?”
Angrago looked flustered at Lee Han’s expression.
A trick question!
“Never mind…”
“Do you mean never mind as in really never mind, or ‘I’ll get you for this later’ never mind?”
“Shut up and let me see your horn. What spell do you want?”
At Lee Han’s words, Angrago’s face brightened.
If Wardanaz was going to cast the spell, his options would widen dramatically.
“Turn it golden!”
“……”
“……”
Lee Han looked to Giselle in horror at his friend’s outrageous sense of aesthetics. Giselle glared back, disgusted.
‘What—am I to blame for his taste?’
‘She’s not wrong.’
“…I’ll just make it smooth and glossy.”
“Why!? Golden—”
“Quiet.”
Thanks to Lee Han’s friendship, Angrago avoided an appearance he’d regret for years.
When all the students gathered in the large, bare audience chamber at the top of the stronghold, the tall, cold-looking elf—Ziderf Moradi, the Patriarch and spiritual leader of the Northern Knights—appeared.
“I’m deeply pleased to have so many excellent Einrogard magicians here. I apologize for not being able to deliver a grander welcome, given the Northern situation.”
“Not at all, my lord! There isn’t a single person here corrupt enough as a knight to expect that kind of reception!”
Angrago cried out vigorously. The others nodded in agreement.
The lord gave a slight smile at the words of these young students, whom he’d seen at other noble gatherings.
Lee Han thought to himself.
‘These are the same people who always beg for delicious food everywhere, and now they’re pretending they’d be fine living on raw grains in frost before a knight they admire.’
Everyone lined up to present their gifts.
When it was Giselle’s turn, as she approached, Ziderf whispered so only she could hear,
“Giselle.”
“Yes?”
“Why did so many other students come?”
“I think it’s because they’re good friends with Wardanaz.”
She couldn’t exactly say it was because they begged to be brought along.
When the gift-giving finished, Ziderf lightly thanked them and got straight to the point.
“Wardanaz. Originally, I wanted you to check the buildings where visiting knights are staying and apply your magic where needed.”
Ziklin said the reason was “to find ways to train the knights even more rigorously,” but the realistic lord didn’t state it so bluntly.
The real reason was to assess the quarters hosting the external knights and redesign the facilities—magically.
…To make them a bit more Einrogard-like.
‘Which does mean, actually, more brutal training is likely.’
Giselle thought to herself.
If the knights found out, some might go anti-magic on the spot.
“However, I’m ashamed to say that things aren’t good in the North. Budgets cuts, and some zones will have to be delayed.”
“Anyone who grumbles about that isn’t worthy to be called a magician.”
Lee Han replied instantly.
Only a madman—or Professor Verdus—would insist on spending someone else’s money on his own magic when the client is struggling.
“I brought a few design blueprints for magical buildings from the capital’s stonemason guild and school clubs. I’ll start as soon as you give instructions.”
“Oh…!”
The White Tiger Tower friends admired Wardanaz’s thorough preparation.
To apply his experience from capital guild commissions so quickly!
Ziderf asked in wonder,
“And why are you all surprised?”
They’d traveled together—so why act like this was news?
“…Wardanaz just always amazes us. Hah.”
“We knew! Really, we did!”
“……”
Ziderf’s smile was still polite, but family like Giselle could sense his true feelings.
It felt like she could hear the students’ evaluation plunging.
Lee Han seemed to notice as well and quickly tried to recover.
“My friends helped in other ways. Also, Patriarch, you needn’t worry too much about the North. I’ve heard the cause of the anomalies has disappeared, so things should settle soon.”
“Thank you, Wardanaz. …Where did you hear that?”
Ziderf hesitated.
The black magicians couldn’t find the source of the problem—yet he said it was already resolved?