Episode 1180
by CristaeProfessor Garcia wondered where to even begin to correct him.
It wasn’t uncommon for Einrogard professors to go missing or abscond (Professor Bendozol was one such example), but even then, students didn’t post wanted notices throughout the Empire.
If they did, Einrogard’s notoriety would have risen even higher.
‘Then again, would any student even look for a missing professor in the first place…?’
Usually, students would be sad if they liked the professor, but wouldn’t bother to track them down.
“Student Lee Han. Aren’t you… blowing this a bit out of proportion? I understand you’re worried about Professor Baegrek, but the Headmaster is already looking for him. The Headmaster’s informants are spread all over the empire.”
“But they’re not telling me what’s going on.”
—We’ll let you know if we learn anything.
—Please trust us!
The Death Knights riding outside the carriage poked their heads in, demonstrating their loyalty.
Experienced knights were also skilled in politics.
They knew it was prudent to make a good impression in advance with the successor, not just swing their swords—made life easier down the line.
“…Excuse me, try not to butt into this conversation.”
Professor Garcia made a sour face.
She was trying to have a serious talk with her student, after all.
“And Student Lee Han, you know the Headmaster’s informants obviously can’t share information with others.”
No matter how much trust you had, there were some things you were never to reveal to outsiders.
The Headmaster’s skull network spanning the empire, the course schedule for Lee Han in the professors’ lounge—such things were prime examples.
“I know that. That’s why I’m not asking them to share it; I’m just finding out myself.”
“Aren’t the knights too busy to help…”
“As I said, they volunteered to help first.”
“……”
Professor Garcia was once again reminded that having an overly competent student could be a problem.
An ordinary second-year wouldn’t have any way to start a search, but this boy from House Wardanaz had too many.
“Why did the knights offer to help first?”
“Uh… I wonder? I hadn’t really thought about it.”
Lee Han paused.
The important part was that the knights were helping, not why—but now that she had asked, he realized he’d never considered why the knights volunteered.
Imperial knights were anything but idle.
When strange events broke out, they’d be the first to report to the capital. If monsters appeared, they fought bravely. Sometimes, they’d sneak out and avoid the newly built watchtowers.
So why had they offered to help first?
If it were adventurers or explorers, you could just hire them for money; knights weren’t so simple.
“Maybe it’s because of my White Tiger Tower friends.”
‘Definitely not…’
Professor Garcia thought to herself.
No way imperial knights would do this just because a student from a knightly family asked them so kindly.
It was surely because Lee Han had a high reputation among the knights and had helped out with many things.
The problem was, she couldn’t even guess what all those things were.
‘There’s just too many likely things…!’
“In any case, Student Lee Han, even with the knights’ help, finding trace of Professor Baegrek in this huge empire won’t be easy. Don’t get obsessed, just focus on your studies… Wait, what’s that map?”
“That’s a map marking the places where knights testified to seeing someone resembling Professor Baegrek…”
On the map, several places in the empire’s west and north were checked.
Professor Garcia shuddered at the competence of the knights.
The wanted notice hadn’t been widely distributed, but just through the knightly network, they’d already gathered that much testimony.
If more knights got involved, and more sightings spread, Student Lee Han really might go chasing off himself.
Professor Kirmin said she should trust her student and let him grow, but Professor Garcia was not ready for that.
“Student Lee Han. Now that I think of it, midterms aren’t that far off. Are you prepared?”
‘Isn’t that a little cruel?’
One of the Death Knights driving the carriage shivered inside.
It was understandable to worry over a student, but to tie him down by mentioning exams in such a brutal way…
Given how much time Wardanaz had lost due to this commission, there was no way he’d had time to prepare for exams.
“Oh, yes. I’m confident.”
“Confident?!”
“A lot of it continues from magic we learned last term, and I’ve been preparing in my spare time…”
“Student Lee Han, when did you get so bold?!”
Professor Garcia was shocked, remembering her student from before.
No matter how easy an exam was, Student Lee Han was always the one who’d give everything without a moment’s carelessness.
People grow, but her student’s growth was so fast it left Professor Garcia dumbfounded.
‘Well, the pace of the course last term was just too much…’
“But if you count exam season, doesn’t that mean you’ll be at school for a while?”
She tried one last thing.
No matter what, she didn’t want her student leaving Einrogard, so she’d use any means.
But it turned out her student was just as willing to do whatever it took.
“I factored that in.”
“I’m afraid to ask, but what are you planning, Student Lee Han?”
“If I take all my exams early, I’ll make more free time for myself.”
“……”
–……
The Death Knights again craned to look into the carriage.
Their faces begged, please, let us chime in for just a moment.
With a mournful look, Professor Garcia turned to Direte. There was no way she could handle this alone.
“Student Direte? Direte? Could you help?”
But there was no answer from Direte. Professor Garcia, surprised, asked,
“Student Direte? Is something wrong?!”
Direte was, unusually, visibly downcast. Professor Garcia wondered if the other black magicians had spoken ill of him.
“Did the Heirs of Ahrak mock the Einrogard Black Magic School for being poor? Or did the Legion of Oondorgu make fun of the school for being small…?”
“Neither. Wait, have they ever actually mocked us behind our backs?”
Direte paused.
Not only had they failed to invite him in secret, but it seemed like they’d done all kinds of underhanded things he didn’t even know about.
“…Of course not! I was just giving examples!”
Professor Garcia quickly replied, breaking into a cold sweat.
“So why are you so down, Student Direte?”
“Ah, well… This isn’t really my story, but…”
‘It’s Direte’s story.’
‘Definitely Direte’s story.’
Both Professor Garcia and the Death Knights thought the same thing.
“There’s a magician I know whose junior got invited by a rather suspicious magical organization. So the magician stepped in and tried to stop it, but after some time, he wondered if maybe he’d interfered too much…”
He tried to justify it by saying he’d acted because the organization was shady, but maybe it was actually his own selfishness—Direte said the magician was lost in thought.
“Hey. You did the right thing, Student Direte. The Heirs of Ahrak and Legion of Oondorgu aren’t where anyone should go. Same with the Obsidian Tower. If Student Lee Han joined those places, he’d constantly clash with their rules.”
The first were too eccentric, the second too inflexible.
And it wasn’t just because she was an Einrogard professor—there truly was no school better suited for Student Lee Han.
“I said, this isn’t me—it’s someone I know.”
“Sure. Let’s say the magician you know made the right call.”
“……”
Direte shot a slight glare, but even so, he felt a bit cheered up.
Professor Garcia, seeing he’d recovered, asked again,
“Student Direte. I was worried enough about Student Lee Han going out for this commission, but now he’s about to distribute wanted posters and go search himself.”
“Wait. Isn’t it almost exam season?”
“He says he’ll take them before that, then go.”
She tattled on her student.
How could someone even try something so ridiculous?
Direte’s eyes went wide with shock.
“Before exam season?”
“Exactly! Whose student is he, really!”
‘Is she kidding…?’
Direte wasn’t sure how to respond, so he acted as if he hadn’t heard.
“If there’s any way to stop him… What if we just made the exams so hard he couldn’t finish them quickly?”
“I’m actually scared he’d find a way to finish anyway.”
“……”
Even Direte, as a senior, couldn’t deny it.
Looking at how he always pulled it off, sometimes he wanted to just ignore him and toss out a problem that was just ludicrous—even see if he’d solve that.
Maybe this time?
Or this time?
Thunk!
The carriage jolted—unusual, since magic was insulating them from shocks and bumps.
“Is something going on outside?”
–No. Just a big rock on the road.
Satisfied, Professor Garcia went back to the conversation.
But this time, the Death Knights were wrong and Professor Garcia was right.
Someone had secretly attached themselves to the carriage cargo hold.
The Ninth Heir of Ahrak had transformed into a box, carefully packed with cloth.
He wanted nothing more than to turn human right then and burst out shouting, ‘Come join the Heirs of Ahrak with me!’—but Ninth wasn’t that foolish.
There were far too many powerful threats near this caravan.
High-level undead like Death Knights, not to mention Einrogard professors and students.
No matter how skilled Ninth’s magic was, acting rashly here would surely get him caught.
‘I’ll wait for my chance.’
Ninth made a cool-headed decision.
His stubborn pride only burned brighter since the other Heirs had sniped at him that this was impossible.
At this point, it wasn’t about a casual invitation—he’d make that human magician join as a disciple no matter what!
If he pulled that off, none of the other Heirs would ever make fun of him again.
‘Heh. Their movements are getting sloppier. They must be tired.’
Disguised as a cloth box, stashed among other crates, Ninth sensed the carriage’s jostling grow rough.
A true master of magic could sense a situation even without opening their eyes or using a spell.
There was only one reason for a smoothly moving carriage to grow suddenly rough.
Fatigue.
‘They’ve stopped. Resting, maybe.’
Ninth instinctively felt his opportunity was coming.
More than any beast or wild animal, Ninth’s instincts were sharp.
‘When they scatter to rest, I’ll return to normal and make contact.’
“What should we do with these cargo boxes in the carriage?”
—They’re supplies we took just in case. If we didn’t use them, you can go ahead and take them.
“Really!? Guess I’ll share these with my friends…”
The Ninth Heir of Ahrak was a great black magician, but he made one critical mistake.
He had attached himself to the carriage far too late.
What Ninth had thought was rough movement, and what he thought was a stop for a break, was in fact evidence they’d arrived at Einrogard.
“Senior Direte, how about we bring this cloth box to the Black Dark Hall? Professor Mortum will be pleased.”
“Good idea, junior. Professor was looking for cloth just like this.”