Episode 1173
by CristaeThat’s true. No wonder they fell.
Wishing for the chance to mock them someday, the Most Cantankerous Hag feigned civility.
If you want their heads, I’ll chop them off for you. It wouldn’t even be difficult.
If only others were as spirited as you. My contractor will be pleased.
A contractor?
The evil god cult’s bishop was greatly surprised.
For the Most Cantankerous Hag to lend strength to a mortal?
Either she was truly fond of that mortal, or the Sanguiros lot had really offended her.
‘It must be the latter.’
The Hag was a powerful being, but far too cantankerous to take a mortal to heart easily.
She must have chosen them as a chess piece to strike at the Sanguiros.
The bishop surmised that contractor’s fate would end in tragedy. Truly a pitiful destiny.
What, am I not allowed to make contracts?
No.
The Hag was all the more dangerous the kinder she appeared.
Now that he knew his enemy’s name, the Immortal decided not to provoke her further.
You may relay this to the contractor. When it comes to cutting off their heads, I’ll cooperate.
The Immortal couldn’t have guessed that the contractor was a magic school student.
He imagined that to have a contract with the Most Cantankerous Hag, the person must be a magical criminal or doomsayer at the very least.
Having gotten what she wanted, the Hag smiled slyly.
‘What an easy mark.’
So straightforward. Very well, I agree!
What kind of person is your contractor? A doomsayer, perhaps?
The Hag feigned ignorance at the last question and popped the toad.
“But, Junior.”
“Yes.”
After the Hag left, Lee Han was already focused intently back on the blueprints as if nothing had happened.
Catten, marveling at his junior’s focus, continued.
“I heard you intend to keep stealing the evil god cult’s power, is that true?”
“Hmm? Yes. Especially with the Sanguiros cult, I plan to steal about ten of their powers.”
“…R-really?”
Catten shivered at the thoroughness of already having a number in mind.
“Hmm, Junior. You know more about magic than I do. The cult’s power is holy magic, so it would be the same. But I’m a bit concerned about you stealing their power.”
“You’re concerned? In what way?”
Lee Han looked at him, puzzled.
Theoretically, stealing the evil god cult’s power was no different from regular magic for Lee Han, as long as he could manage it.
It required mana as its price, but Lee Han had that in abundance.
“There are times, in wielding a sword, when one becomes obsessed with secret techniques one can’t yet handle.”
Catten recounted a story from the time he had just awakened his aura.
Realizing the aura meant that a warrior could manipulate their mana as naturally as their own limbs.
Naturally, Catten became excited and tried out all sorts of new sword secrets he’d never used before.
But that was too hasty an idea.
Just because you have hands and feet doesn’t mean you can use all movements immediately, and just because you’ve awakened aura doesn’t mean you can master every sword technique perfectly.
Desire immediately returned as tragic consequences. Catten looked regretful.
“I’m still regretting it. I couldn’t control the power in my sword and accidentally…”
“W-wait, did you cut another student?”
“…I destroyed a ranch cared for by giants. The sheep inside ran off.”
“……”
Lee Han, who had been nervous, glared slightly at his senior.
You startled me!
Of course, causing those giant sheep to flee was impressive. The giants would have been furious if you’d acted like it was nothing.
“Everyone makes mistakes in life, don’t they.”
“That’s not where the story ends.”
“Pardon?”
“No matter how much I thought about it, I couldn’t get the sword secret out of my mind, so I went back to try again the next day. But I still couldn’t control it and…”
“……”
“I destroyed the newly repaired ranch. The sheep that had been herded back ran off again.”
Catten repeated this for about a week.
Finally even the giants gave up on the ranch and moved elsewhere.
“Was there a particular reason you had to do it there?”
“To test the secret’s power, I needed two large cliffs nearby, but finding such a place wasn’t easy.”
Catten spoke with regret.
Lee Han held back from asking what kind of swordsmanship required two giant cliffs.
“In any case, Junior. I learned a lesson from those days.”
“Not to practice Grand Magic near ranches?”
“That too, but also that if you get too fixated on power, you can actually become weaker.”
Catten was sincere.
Training your own magic was fine, but stealing the power of the evil god cults was different.
The strength you built up yourself and the power granted by evil gods had clearly different natures.
Even if there appeared to be no downside—was there truly no effect?
That’s what made Catten skeptical, especially lately as his junior focused even more on power.
“…I see.”
Lee Han took his senior’s words seriously. There was a point that gave him pause.
‘It’s true—divine power’s structure is different.’
Others offered faith to borrow its power, whereas Lee Han interpreted it as offering mana instead.
If the first was worship, the second was equivalent exchange.
He couldn’t say exactly why it was possible.
Whether it was because of his amount of mana, his analytical or pragmatic approach to faith, or perhaps innate sense…
But if there was one certain thing, it was that he used mana as the price.
Even if the being had no self and was just a lump of unconsciousness, was it wise to keep pumping mana into an evil god?
On a massive scale it might be like a drop of water in the ocean, but it still felt off.
‘And aside from that, Senior Catten’s words are fundamentally true as well…’
There’s nothing wrong with power itself, but blindly chasing it narrowed your perspective.
Looking back, Lee Han too had almost fallen to corruption a few times.
Mainly when he tried to torment Professor Verdus or Verdus’ prized student…
“I understand what you’re saying, Senior.”
“I’m glad.”
Catten sounded slightly relieved.
He had worried his junior might reject his advice.
Wizards never liked listening to others—especially the competent ones.
“I’ll be careful to only use it when it’s truly necessary.”
“Good thinking, Junior.”
“And I’ll re-interpret the stolen powers into magic again, to cleanse them.”
“I—I’d never thought of that…”
Catten almost looked appalled.
As deeply devoted to magic as he was, he always felt out of his depth talking with his junior.
Only at this level was one truly a magician.
Lee Han asked curiously.
“Isn’t it better to retrieve it as my own magic, rather than seal it away forever?”
“…Yes! You’re right, Junior. Haha.”
Catten almost said, ‘Normal people would just seal it, only someone obsessed with magic would remake it,’ but stopped himself.
He had to encourage his junior—not discourage him.
-Are you inside?
“Come in.”
Recognizing the familiar voice outside, Lee Han personally opened the door. Professor Taswhan of Kalarogard entered, looking grateful.
“Thank you so much for welcoming me.”
“Of course. Kalarogard and Einrogard are comrades in the imperial school.”
At these friendly words, Taswhan smiled faintly.
“Did you bring something you’d like to ask the Most Cantankerous Hag? I’ll tell you in advance—there’s no promise she’ll answer.”
“That’s more than enough.”
Lee Han offered him some warm honey tea as a gesture of welcome. Taswhan, after trying it, could only exclaim.
“I don’t think I’ve ever had tea this delicious!”
“For the first time?”
Taswhan nodded while sipping. Lee Han looked at Catten, then shouted fiercely.
“Senior, attack!”
Like a true fifth-year, Catten didn’t ask questions. He immediately lunged and pounded his opponent fiercely.
He first targeted the throat, wrists, and staff to block any possible magic-casting movement. As Taswhan fell, screaming, he reverted to his true form.
“Wait, stop! Stop! I’m not a suspicious person!”
“……”
“……”
To their shock, it was actually an Heir of Ahrak, nose streaming with blood.
He had impersonated Professor Taswhan to shamelessly sneak in.
“Move and I’ll cut you down, assassin.”
True to his knightly family background, Catten was unfazed by the situation, bristling with killing intent, ears and whiskers raised.
Before his senior reduced the number of imperial black magicians by one, Lee Han quickly intervened.
“Senior, calm down. I think he’s here not to assassinate, but to ask something about the Most Cantankerous Hag.”
“Y-yes! Why would I assassinate you, brat!”
The black magician heir protested at the absurd misunderstanding.
But Catten did not even pretend to listen.
“Junior, you have so many enemies, it’s not strange for anyone to be bought to come after you.”
“…I’d rather not admit that, but… thanks for the concern.”
As they conversed, the black magician wiped his bloody nose with a sniffle.
To think, at this age, he’d be blindsided and beaten up by a child.
“How? How did you see through my transformation?”
This was no ordinary disguise. The Heir of Ahrak knew much more than to use a simple, common magician’s disguise.
Being skilled himself, he knew all the usual ways such things were found out—primarily magical energy patterns, then soul form.
Most magicians just changed the exterior, but advanced ones could see inside.
So this Heir had prepared meticulously.
He forged the magical energy to match the potions and artifacts Professor Taswhan carried, and even altered the soul form so it looked right on the surface.
It could only be exposed by careful scrutiny or emotional imbalance, but those things rarely happened in normal circumstances.
It was truly a feat of over a century of black magic experience.
‘But how was I spotted?’
“The professor hasn’t had honey tea for the first time.”
Lee Han explained calmly.
When Professor Taswhan and the Kalarogard students visited the school before, Professor Mortum had helped himself and whimsically offered Lee Han’s honey tea to the guests.
That tea was meant for Senior Direte and the other seniors.
“Even thinking of it now… To brazenly bestow my things on others like that is truly unbelievable.”
‘…S-so petty!’
Catten shouted inwardly.
He remembered such a trivial event from the start of the year so vividly…!
It was such a petty side for someone with the magical talent he’d just shown.
The black magician seemed equally dumbfounded.
“J-just for that reason you saw through my disguise?! That’s… Wait, if you’re unhappy with the Einrogard Black Magic School, come over to the Heirs of Ahrak! I’ll reward you with enough honey tea supplies to fill a bathhouse!”
If Lee Han accepted, it would be a deal to go down in black magic history.
Switching allegiances over a cup of honey tea.
Catten watched nervously. At last, Lee Han replied.
“No, thank you.”
“Why not?!”
“A group that disguises themselves as other black magicians to steal questions is… a little…”
“……”
At that irrefutable point, the black magician was left speechless.