Episode 118

While Ihan was having the rudest thoughts in the world, Professor Ingerdel was feeling proud of himself.

‘I’ve brought some truly excellent people.’

The order of knights that Ingerdel had brought, the Baekyangmok Order, was among the most prestigious in the Empire.

Instead of being based in a specific region to defend it, this order traveled the entire Empire, seeking out danger on their own.

That was the Baekyangmok Order.

The typical image of a knight involved traveling grandly with servants and slaves, but the Baekyangmok Order was different.

Their knights wandered the vast, harsh lands of the Empire alone, with only a horse and a set of armor.

To do that, it took more than just excellent sword skills.

You also needed the ability to respond to any situation, the ability to improvise, and many other skills.

Because of that, these knights would be able to teach younger students many things!

‘A much better choice than bringing in peer-aged knights…’

While Professor Ingerdel was feeling proud, Bikelintz, a knight of the Baekyangmok Order, was stroking his beard and frowning.

‘I came only as a favor to Ingerdel, but it seems I’ve come to the wrong place.’

Bikelintz did not enjoy dealing with students or young apprentice knights.

He had no idea how to handle them.

The swordsmanship he’d learned had been entirely for real combat, not for teaching someone or imparting lessons.

He owed Ingerdel a favor, so he couldn’t refuse the request and had come, bringing knights with him…

But that didn’t change how lost he felt.

And these weren’t students who had risked their lives for the way of the sword. They were knights who wanted to walk the path of magic too.

‘Knights enrolling in magic school, huh.’

It wasn’t that Bikelintz hated or looked down on magicians.

Every knight, at least once, owed something to a magician, so there was no way he could look down on them.

But at that age, even if they devoted their whole lives to the sword, they still wouldn’t be able to match Bikelintz, and yet these students were trying to learn both swordsmanship and magic at once. He didn’t like it.

It wasn’t as though they had to learn from Bikelintz or the Baekyangmok Order.

They could’ve just invited some friendly knights from other orders, or even peer apprentice knights…

“So, what do you want us to do, Professor Ingerdel?”

“Just like I said before you came, just face them however you like. Just leave them alive.”

“All right.”

With a sigh, Bikelintz walked away with the other knights.

They each spread out to different positions, took up wooden swords, and stood in place, waiting for students to approach.

Ihan, trying in any way he could to persuade Professor Ingerdel, spoke up. If the White Tiger Tower kids wouldn’t step up, he’d have to.

“Professor, fighting those knights one-on-one is a bit…”

“There’s nothing to worry about, Wodanaz.”

Professor Ingerdel smiled. Ihan almost felt reassured at that smile, but snapped back to his senses.

‘No. This is no time to relax.’

“Of course, you’ll be fighting three on one. Gather in your previously assigned groups.”

“……”

So it really wasn’t time to relax.

Ihan cursed Volain–no, Ingerdel–in his mind and walked to his group.

Like him, Giselle was approaching with a deeply displeased look on her face.

Dergyu cleared his throat and said,

“Some might even call it good luck that the three of us are together like this again…”

“Stop saying things you don’t mean, Choi.”

“Good luck? Sure, if you count meeting the skeleton headmaster as lucky.”

Dergyu wilted under simultaneous scolding from both Giselle and Ihan. Feeling sorry, Ihan apologized.

“Sorry, Dergyu. It’s not your fault.”

“No, Ihan.”

Ihan looked at Giselle.

‘Hmm.’

Come to think of it, in just a few short days, he’d managed to make enemies of the Moradi family twice.

Once against the headmaster’s summoned creature.

Once against a Moradi family senior.

Thinking about it, he abruptly felt a little sorry.

This time, Ihan decided to yield, just a little.

“For this test, I’ll follow your lead, Moradi. I’ll let you take command.”

“……”

It was surprising that Ihan bowed his head first, but Giselle didn’t seem happy at all.

On the contrary, she openly looked suspicious.

‘What’s he plotting?’

There are people you can force to submit, and people you can never make submit.

Wodanaz was clearly the latter.

Giselle knew this, so she’d long since given up on the idea of making Wodanaz kneel.

And now he was suddenly being so compliant.

No matter how you looked at it, it was suspicious.

“…What’s your game?”

“What do you mean, game… Moradi, if we don’t yield to each other, we can’t get any points on this test. That’s why I’m yielding.”

When it came to tests, Ihan was always sincere. Giselle wavered slightly at that sincerity.

Was it really true?

“But Wodanaz, you’re the kind of guy who says you’ll listen to my orders and then doesn’t for even a second.”

“That’s just because sometimes your orders are crap… I mean, they don’t make sense.”

Listening to the exchange, Dergyu wondered if he should step in.

Maybe it’d be better if these two just didn’t talk at all…

“…Whatever. Fine. If you say you’ll follow orders. I don’t believe it, but I’ll watch.”

“Count on me. So, Professor Ingerdel, who’s our opponent?”

Ihan looked around as he asked Professor Ingerdel.

Where were the lots for drawing opponents?

Professor Ingerdel kindly replied,

“That’s Sir Bikelintz.”

“…Wasn’t this supposed to be random?”

To Ihan, the knight named Bikelintz looked like the leader.

That probably meant he was the most skilled.

“You three are the most outstanding, so we matched you with the most worthy opponent.”

“Ah… is that so…”

Ihan tried his best to keep his poker face. Without knowing Ihan’s true feelings, Professor Ingerdel encouraged him.

“With three working together, you should be able to put on a good show.”

“Yes, Pro…fessor Ingerdel.”

• * *

When the three students approached, Bikelintz addressed them seriously.

“Use every means at your disposal to attack.”

Dergyu asked, eyes wide with surprise.

“We really can…?”

“It would be more unnatural not to use what you can. If you can use magic, use it. I won’t hold back, either.”

‘He could hold back a little, though.’

Ihan thought as he picked up his wooden sword.

Just exchanging a few sentences, he got a sense of what kind of person he was facing.

Bikelintz was a strict knight, just like Alarllong, the teacher who had taught him.

The problem was, Alarllong had gone easy on Ihan, but Bikelintz would not.

Someone who told students to ‘use every means to attack’ was probably going to use every means possible to defend, too.

Giselle must have sensed the seriousness too; her expression was subtly uneasy.

“Choi family?”

“Yes, that’s right.”

Bikelintz recognized Dergyu’s family name just by his posture.

“Twin swords… Moradi family.”

Giselle nodded.

“And…”

When Bikelintz looked at Ihan, he was perplexed.

Judging by his stance, it was unmistakably the Byogam Sword…

But were there any families that used the Byogam Sword?

As far as he knew, aside from Imperial Knight Alarllong, there weren’t.

He was quite perplexed.

“Which family are you from?”

“The Wodanaz family.”

“Wodanaz… hmm… hng?”

Bikelintz’s iron face contorted in confusion, and Dergyu and Giselle couldn’t help but relate.

‘I feel you.’

“Hm… Well, in swordsmanship, what family you’re from hardly matters.”

Feeling embarrassed about being flustered in front of the students, Bikelintz tried to change the subject and wrap things up.

But the confusion persisted.

…Just what was a student from the Wodanaz family doing here, anyway?

And judging by his stance, it wasn’t like he’d only practiced swordsmanship for a day or two…

“Ihan, I don’t see any openings at all…”

Dergyu gulped as he whispered.

That was how intimidating Bikelintz’s presence was.

He was just standing still, holding his wooden sword with the tip pointed down, yet he exuded such pressure.

It was impossible to guess how strong he truly was.

“If he says to use everything we have, then let’s do it.”

Ihan pulled out his staff.

In truth, even Ihan didn’t believe he could beat Bikelintz.

No matter what method he tried, going up against a hardened veteran who’d survived countless battlefields, it would be hard to have much effect.

But you didn’t get any points for standing still.

If he wanted to at least hear Professor Ingerdel say, “You lost, but you fought well,” he had to give it his best.

“Feet, ripple through the earth.”

Ihan cast .

This time, not only on himself, but also on the other two.

was from the same family of spells as , but more efficient and practical…

‘It does have side effects, but that’s not my problem.’

The post-magic muscle pain his friends would feel wasn’t Ihan’s concern. The important thing was to win.

“Thanks, Ihan.”

Dergyu nodded, recognizing the magic enveloping his whole body. He could feel Ihan’s magic empowering them, even without being told.

“Space, be perceived.”

“?”

But Ihan didn’t stop chanting.

After casting the spell on all three, he went right into the next spell. Dergyu was flustered.

“Hand, cleave the enemy. Heat, distort the air…”

Sharp magic gathered in Ihan’s hand, and shimmering illusions rose up at the same time.

If you didn’t know what would work, the answer was simple.

Just use everything.

Now, not only Dergyu and Giselle but even Bikelintz started to get flustered.

He had thought they’d only use one or two spells at most, but they were using way too many.

‘Shouldn’t someone stop him?’

Bikelintz looked at Professor Ingerdel.

If a young magician tried to use that much magic and ran out of magical energy, it could be dangerous.

Shouldn’t the professor step in?

But Professor Ingerdel was sitting there calmly, as if nothing was wrong. Bikelintz grew more confused.

‘He’s not usually like that.’

“Flash!”

Ihan did not miss the moment Bikelintz glanced away.

He instantly cast a first-circle lightning spell, aiming at Bikelintz. Lightning shot toward him.

Bikelintz dodged it lightly, without even looking.

“Attack!”

Giselle yelled to Dergyu as she charged.

Even without a signal, they both knew now was the time, right after the spells were cast.

‘What is this spell…’

Her legs felt so much lighter than usual. Even Giselle, who disliked Wodanaz, had to admit the spell’s effectiveness.

But Bikelintz seemed totally unfazed by the fact that the two students were a little faster. He simply stomped, then moved even faster than the two of them, wearing a blank expression.

“Ugh!”

Dergyu groaned in pain.

Among the White Tiger Tower students, Dergyu prided himself as the fastest blade, but Bikelintz was on another level entirely.

The moment he thrust toward Bikelintz, the knight’s figure vanished, and an irresistible counterattack came his way.

All Dergyu could do was roll backward across the ground.

Swhik!

Bikelintz was about to finish off Dergyu but stopped. A water orb was flying toward him.

The Baekyangmok knight flicked his head to the side to dodge. Based on all the water spells he’d seen before, he figured dodging once would be the end of it.

But the water orb spun beside his face and then targeted Bikelintz again.

Surprised, Bikelintz batted the water orb away with the back of his hand. The orb was packed with so much magic that even on his magically strengthened hand, he felt a heavy shock.

“Impressive.”

Bikelintz praised them sincerely.

Even magicians much more advanced than these freshmen rarely showed this kind of cleverness.

To so cleverly improve a mere low-grade spell to catch him unawares.

Still, Ihan’s feelings were a bit complicated.

‘Everyone except the professors keeps praising me for doing well.’

It made him happy, but somehow a bit sad…

Now wasn’t the time for pointless thoughts.

Ihan gripped his staff and readied his next spell.