Episode 1196

Unable to watch the professors’ undignified bickering any longer, Lee Han spoke up.

“Wouldn’t it be easier to just ask me?”

“That would not be proper.”

Professor Voladi again took the orthodox stance.

When evaluating a student’s progress in magic, you couldn’t rely solely on the student’s own testimony.

Only by gathering objective statements from competent, proven third parties could you get a fairly accurate assessment.

Lee Han continued speaking, pretending not to notice Professor Kirmin raising an additional middle finger behind his friend’s back.

“I think asking the headmaster is even less proper, considering you’re currently a fugitive.”

“How so?”

Professor Voladi genuinely asked back, not understanding.

For a professor to refuse to share information about a student’s academic standing just because she was on the run?

That was irresponsible conduct for Einrogard’s lord.

If she knew the skeletal headmaster, he would clearly separate public from private matters and provide a proper reply.

-Because normally, no one runs off and sends a letter…

One of the knights mumbled.

Einrogard’s long history had seen all sorts of madmen, but none who’d gone AWOL and then sent letters asking how things were going.

“Should I tell her to send a letter, then?”

There was a touch of sincerity to Lee Han’s words.

He wanted the skeletal headmaster to feel at least a fraction of the absurdity he and this group were experiencing.

-We wouldn’t recommend it. Unlike you, successor, the master won’t get offended by a letter like that.

Rather, with the principal’s temperament, she might even reply with information Lee Han desperately didn’t want to receive.

Hearing that made Lee Han shiver.

“The knights are truly veterans of countless battles. You’re much wiser than I am!”

-Not really sure why you’d realize that from this conversation now, but… thank you for the compliment.

The Death Knights responded somewhat awkwardly to the praise.

If they’d been complimented for beheading a monster or seeing through an enemy trap, that would be satisfying, but after warning someone not to write the headmaster and then getting praised, it just felt odd.

What did he usually think of them…?

While Lee Han chatted with the knights, Professor Kirmin summarized what had happened quickly and simply.

“On the northern commission, we ran into dark wizards, and along the way, contracted with the Most Wise and Most Cantankerous Hag…”

“Isn’t that dangerous?”

“You’re the one who went on the run. It was the dark wizards who invited us. The Heirs of Ahrak…”

Professor Voladi shook her head. She wasn’t impressed.

“Not pleased.”

“Legion of Oondorgu.”

“Even less so.”

“I’m not listing this for you to pick, so just be quiet.”

Apparently getting the message, Professor Voladi fell silent.

The story progressed quickly to the topic of midterms.

“Professor Thunderstep, unfortunately, was quite shocked.”

Professor Voladi stared blankly at her friend.

It was the look of someone wondering why you’d mention something so unimportant.

Though usually curt and prickly, even Professor Kirmin admitted this one was a mistake.

“Well, that wasn’t important. I don’t know why I brought it up.”

“When do you plan on talking about the Transformation Magic?”

“Hold on. I’m about to.”

-……

The knights felt deep sympathy for Professor Thunderstep.

These young professors really were too much.

---

“About transforming into a dragon…”

“Professor, at this point, we need to push on without rest. Sir Langbern’s subordinates probably didn’t notice the truth, but if this keeps happening, a sharp enemy might get suspicious.”

“Understood. About transforming into a dragon…”

“Please give us the list of enemies you’re targeting. Let’s all work together to take them down!”

“……”

Arriving at the safehouse, Professor Voladi stared intently at her disciple. In the past, he would have folded immediately, but of late, Lee Han had strengthened his shamelessness.

He gazed back with a sincere, innocent look that suggested he had no idea what the problem was.

“It’s best if you refrain from transforming into a dragon.”

‘Ah.’

But Professor Voladi was still a step above.

She’d found a thin seam of carelessness in her student and struck at once with a lesson. Lee Han realized he’d let himself get complacent and left a tiny opening between breaths.

‘I should have kept talking, without a gap.’

“Your mana may be fine, but there are other burdens.”

“I know. Unless we’re fighting a tough opponent or really need brute strength, I have no plans to transform anymore.”

Right now, the main advantage to Lee Han’s dragon transformation was overwhelming physical strength.

Massive destructive power due to his size, plus species-specific defenses.

But he still couldn’t make much use of the various dragon powers. These required decades of training even for dragons, so this was natural.

Unless a situation called for sheer mass and defense, there was no great reason to transform.

Unless it was to surprise some powerful foe.

‘Surely he doesn’t mean Voladi by “powerful foe”,’ thought Professor Kirmin.

He couldn’t shake the feeling that the “powerful foe” wasn’t the cultists, but Voladi herself.

No, that couldn’t be, right?

-This safehouse isn’t known yet, but we can’t afford to take it easy. Professor Baegrek, state your objectives.

The location they’d arrived at was an external hideout used by the Death Knights.

Since these knights spent more time outside school than inside, they naturally had networks and hideouts throughout the Empire. Not everything could be solved by force.

These safehouses were regularly checked and moved. Even if there were no issues, the knights never got complacent.

This safehouse would certainly be swapped out soon now that it had been used.

‘What a waste.’

Lee Han thought privately.

The two-story building near the city gates seemed obviously expensive.

Above all, it had complex magical wards hidden so well it didn’t even look like magic from the outside.

Required much subtler preparation than a conspicuous wizard’s mansion.

And they swapped this whole thing out after one use?

No wonder the skeletal headmaster always complained about being short on money…

“My next target is the wizard Enster.”

The mage Enster was from the summoning magic school, famous in Alquie city for his skill at crafting mid- and small-sized golems.

He was so skilled that even mages outside the western regions had heard of him.

Hearing this, Amrek, who’d been paying close attention, shouted in shock.

“Wizard Enster… Surely that’s a mistake?!”

The reason the New Moon knight was surprised was Enster’s usual behavior.

Sir Langbern had been shocking, but at least he’d kept to himself and acted suspiciously at times.

In contrast, Enster actively interacted with other mages and freely shared his knowledge.

He was also good to ordinary people. The fact that beggars in the city often visited his workshop showed how generous his reputation was.

Professor Voladi, not angered by the young knight’s protest, explained coolly.

“It’s a front.”

“A… front?”

The old Sanguiros associates all excelled at concealing themselves.

Those who didn’t had been caught and executed during the purges.

Enster’s present lifestyle was a mask; behind it, a sinister mage secretly wielded the knowledge and power gained from Sanguiros.

“He sacrifices victims to transform them into battle golems.”

“……”

Amrek shuddered.

Even if the order covered a huge region, such a monster had been operating right under their noses.

It was enough to make him reflect on their slackness.

“Then… how did you find this out?”

Once the guilt passed, curiosity followed.

How had this professor unearthed a secret even the order didn’t know?

“I heard it from the demon Enster recently contracted with.”

“????”

Amrek doubted his ears.

Heard it from a demon?

“Demons… just tell you stuff like that?”

Demons aren’t known for being cooperative. If they gave answers just by asking, why would demons have such a bad reputation?

“That’s how it tends to go.”

Professor Kirmin hurried to steer the topic away. He could imagine what his friend had done.

She’d probably wrenched the information out of the demon physically.

“There are secret methods used only in Einrogard. Ha ha ha.”

“…Ah! I see!”

Even though it was a total bluff, Amrek gave Lee Han a look of understanding.

The reaction unsettled Professor Kirmin even more.

What does he think he’s understood?

“I heard from my brother! That Wardanaz talked a demon into becoming his servant! Is that the school secret?!”

Amrek’s eyes filled with the light of revelation as an old, incomprehensible story from his brother was finally explained.

“……”

“……”

Naturally, Professor Kirmin and Lee Han bowed their heads in agony.

Lee Han clenched his teeth inside.

‘That brat Bartrek…!’

If Bartrek was like this, the rumors those White Tiger Tower friends had spread to their families must be even worse.

-If Enster is still alive, he must be more careful than Langbern.

One of the Death Knights murmured softly.

Sir Langbern’s biggest mistake had been refusing to give up his reputation and luxury despite his past crimes.

If you’ve got a past like that, you flee far past the western seas or beyond the eastern mountains. You don’t swagger around the Empire acting like a noble.

He died for his arrogance.

Enster, in contrast, was more cautious.

He neither swaggered like a noble nor drew suspicion by secluding himself.

-Is his workshop well-defended?

Professor Voladi nodded. The knights clicked their tongues.

-Then he’s bound to have several escape routes. That’s why mages who are good at running away are such a pain.

“So true.”

Lee Han agreed emphatically.

Professor Kirmin felt there was an extra sting hidden in those words, but said nothing.

-Let’s hear from you first, successor. Even if it’s not a complete plan, do you have any ideas?

Amrek didn’t pay it much mind.

He knew Wardanaz was an outstanding wizard, but wasn’t he just a second-year?

It should be up to a knight like himself to figure out how to breach a fortified mage’s workshop.

‘To trick or lure the guy out…’

“Well, I could give limited orders to some other dark-god worshippers under my control. If we send them in, wouldn’t he lower his guard?”

Crash!

Amrek fell over backward in shock.