Episode 120

“…Thank you.”

Ihan spoke sincerely.

He truly could not help but feel grateful to Bikelintz.

If Bikelintz hadn’t wanted to acknowledge his defeat, he could have easily not done so, but he chose to recognize the defeat out of consideration for the young freshman.

“By any chance, are you interested in the Baekyangmok Order?”

“Excuse me?”

Ihan hesitated.

The Baekyangmok Order was…

‘It sounds like a tough job where all you get is honor.’

The knights of the order would be angry to hear that, but it wasn’t completely untrue.

Since they traveled alone around the Empire for honor and conviction without staying at a headquarters, the hardship was unimaginable.

“I’m still lacking, and I am even more lacking as a knight.”

Ihan politely declined.

However, it seemed Bikelintz interpreted this differently.

The knight of the Baekyangmok Order spoke in a serious, heavy voice.

“You are not lacking. Of course, you still have much to learn, but with only a few years at this academy, you could become a magician better than any magician in the Baekyangmok Order. And no one expects a magician working in the Order to excel as a knight, so you need not worry about that part.”

“……”

Ihan grew flustered, realizing the other wasn’t speaking out of mere politeness but much more seriously than expected.

Uh…

Uh-oh?

“Furthermore… you are not lacking as a knight, either. For a magician, that much is more than enough. Other knights would be put to shame.”

“All right, calm down, Bikelintz.”

Professor Ingerdel tried to stop Bikelintz.

“He’s just a freshman, isn’t he? It’s much too soon to decide one’s future.”

Ihan was moved by Professor Ingerdel’s words.

But then he came back to his senses.

‘Wait, wasn’t he the one who brought them in the first place?’

“You’re right. I got carried away and became too greedy.”

“Not at all. I’m just glad you hold my students in such high esteem.”

While Professor Ingerdel and Bikelintz exchanged warm words, the other Baekyangmok Order knights who had finished their duels approached from elsewhere.

“Are you finished, Bikelintz? How was it?”

“Bikelintz, you didn’t go too hard on the students, I hope?”

“I lost.”

“What!?”

Bikelintz kindly explained in detail to the knights who arrived late what had happened.

Every time he pointed at Ihan and spoke, the knights stared at him with eyes full of awe and admiration, making Ihan sense danger.

‘This is…’

Ihan quietly slipped behind Giselle. She walked away with an extremely displeased expression.

“You all did wonderfully.”

Professor Ingerdel praised the three of them.

Not just Ihan, but the other two had also gone through a lot.

They had fought endlessly, trying to tie up Bikelintz’s ankles while magic was being cast.

“Full marks. This wasn’t a fight I brought you here to win, but for you to actually win…”

‘Ah.’

Only then did Ihan recall that victory was not the purpose of this quiz.

Bikelintz had gone so hard on them that he’d temporarily forgotten.

“But I believe that it’s moments like these, where students exceed expectations, that bring teachers the greatest joy. Thank you all for giving me the greatest joy.”

“It’s nothing!”

Dergyu shouted, swept up in emotion, but Ihan and Giselle were a bit indifferent.

‘The Baekyangmok Order, no matter how you look at it, is just…’

‘Do they not know moderation?’

As soon as Professor Ingerdel brought in the Baekyangmok Order, he became someone who’d really gone too far.

“The Baekyangmok knights said they were very satisfied with the sparring as well. They said they would definitely tell their colleagues about what happened.”

“?”

“So if we have such an opportunity again, be sure to invite them. It’s not just courtesy—they really were satisfied.”

“…Yes. That seems to be the case.”

Ihan grew anxious for no reason.

Were they going to have to fight the Baekyangmok Order’s commander at midterms?

• * *

“……”

“Ihan?”

After class, Dergyu, walking with Ihan, was confused when his friend stopped in his tracks.

“What’s wrong? Is something… are you alright?!”

Thud—

Ihan dropped to his knees.

It was aftereffects from using earlier.

‘…Ugh.’

Ihan wanted to grab Fibliqus, who had labeled this spell as first circle, by the collar.

How could this be considered first circle?

Instead of firing, you compress a huge amount of mana in front of you to induce instability, then detonate.

It was really just collecting mana, but the power and danger were far beyond expectations.

It was basically like dropping a bomb right in front of the mage…

There was only one safety device with this spell.

When the magical energy explodes, the mage has to force it away from themselves with all their strength.

If your control failed?

You just get blown up with it. A truly insane spell.

‘Blood mages… they ought to be banned in the Empire.’

He thought he’d managed to divert the shock by controlling his mana, but maybe something slipped through—his vision spun and he felt dizzy.

But thanks to this, he understood what kind of people blood mages were.

They were the type who removed all safety mechanisms for the sake of efficiency!

Ihan resolved to call from now on.

“Ihan! You can’t die!”

“Dergyu… It’s not that bad, so stop fussing.”

Ihan told the fussing Dergyu.

It seemed like Dergyu was misunderstanding something, but it wasn’t that serious.

He was more worried about something else.

“Dergyu.”

“What’s wrong?! If you need anything, just ask!”

“The White Tiger Tower guys can’t catch on to my condition… so keep your voice down.”

“……”

Dergyu was speechless.

He had the air of a knight commander on the battlefield.

‘You’re a first-year, Ihan…!’

But Dergyu did as Ihan asked.

He agreed that showing weakness in front of the White Tiger Tower would be a bad idea.

“Wait, Ihan. I’ll take you to the infirmary.”

Dergyu supported Ihan and helped him up. One of the White Tiger Tower students saw them and asked, looking curious,

“What happened?”

“…He’s training!”

“R-Really?”

Dergyu desperately led Ihan to the infirmary.

• * *

“It’s a mild case of mana intoxication. Which insane professor set off a mana explosion near a first-year?”

When Ihan opened his eyes, he heard a voice at his ear.

Dergyu was talking with the owner of the infirmary.

“I… can’t say. I’m sorry.”

“Afraid the professor will take revenge? Ha. I don’t know why the rest of the Empire fears us. They should be more afraid of the mages.”

‘Come to think of it, this is my first time at the infirmary.’

Since injuries were so common, there was a place like the nurse’s office at the magic school, too.

The last time he collapsed from that fight with the anti-magic radicals, the skeleton headmaster had directly taken him, so he never had need for the infirmary…

Today, he’d ended up here.

It looked rather ordinary.

Clean, white surroundings, beds neatly placed, and the person in charge of the infirmary was standing next to Dergyu in the form of a book—

‘…?’

Ihan blinked.

The head of the infirmary was, no matter how many times he looked, in the form of a book. The floating book in the air spoke to Dergyu.

“Having experienced a mana explosion up close while already fatigued, you’ve ended up with slight intoxication symptoms. I’ve cast healing; you’ll be fine.”

“Thank you! I really… felt fine for a while after the explosion went off, but then I suddenly collapsed… I was worried it was a severe mana problem.”

The book seemed genuinely astonished at what Dergyu said.

“You still felt fine for a while after the explosion?”

“Yes.”

“What kind of blockheaded… Don’t ever do that again.”

There’s only one reason someone might seem fine after surviving a mana explosion at that range.

Sheer force of will.

Hearing the explanation, Dergyu was also dumbfounded.

“That’s impossible. I can’t imagine Ihan could be so stubborn unless… …Never mind.”

“……”

Come to think of it, Ihan was precisely that kind of person. Ihan felt a little betrayed by Dergyu.

“Thank you for treating me.”

After a cough, he spoke up, and the book fluttered closer. Ihan hesitated, not knowing how to address it.

“I am the demon of the infirmary.”

“…Huh?”

“You seemed to not know what to call me.”

“Ah… I see.”

Even when the talking book declared itself a demon, Ihan wasn’t surprised.

Even if he was surprised, he could now reply with a calm and composed face. The magic school had changed him.

“What’s this? Not fun… Other freshmen are always startled.”

“I’ll take a guess. Was the demon of the infirmary captured and forced to work here by the headmaster?”

“!!!”

The book was visibly shaken.

How did he know!?

“Amazing! You’re no ordinary wit.”

“You flatter me.”

Ihan waved it off.

Anyone who had met the skeleton headmaster a few times would arrive at that deduction.

Of course, Dergyu, who didn’t know the details, was amazed.

“That’s right. I got summoned and caught by Gonadaltes and am forced to work here in book form.”

There was no hint of resentment in the book’s voice. Dergyu asked,

“Since you speak so cheerfully, are you satisfied with working here?”

“No.”

“Huh? But…”

“Just because I’ve got a cheerful voice, do you think I’m not resentful?”

Ihan interjected in their conversation.

He couldn’t just stand by.

“Probably, if you were insincere, the headmaster would punish you, right?”

“Amazing!”

The demon/incarnate book of the infirmary was surprised again.

For a freshman, he understood the situation far too well.

Given Gonadaltes’s eccentric nature, if he grumbled in the infirmary, he’d probably have pages torn out.

“You’re too sharp… Wait a minute. You’re not Gonadaltes in disguise, are you…”

The book trailed off suspiciously, then immediately used magic.

“…Mana Detect!”

Sensing the enormous mana in Ihan, the book was shocked.

“Gonadaltes! You really are—!”

“I’m not.”

“Ihan just has a lot of mana!”

Thanks to Dergyu’s desperate explanations, the living book stopped doubting.

Though it cast all sorts of confirming and detection spells a few more times after…

“I was with him the whole time. He’s definitely not the headmaster.”

“All right. I’ll believe you. But freshman, remember this; Gonadaltes can switch your friends out in the split second your eyes turn away.”

“……”

Dergyu thought the book was joking.

But Ihan took it seriously.

‘I really do have to be careful.’

“If I really were Gonadaltes, I’d have revealed myself the moment you started casting magic. He’s not the type to sit back quietly… Sorry, freshman.”

“It’s fine.”

Ihan got up from his seat.

Thanks to the demon book’s healing magic, his body had recovered—so it was about time to leave.

“Wait. Take this.”

The talking book handed Ihan a small leather pouch as he was leaving.

“What is this?”

“A simple medicine.”

“Ah… But aren’t I all healed up?”

Ihan was surprised.

He felt completely fine—was there still something left?

“No, it’s just a gift so you’ll come back often.”

“……”

Ihan felt grateful and uneasy at the same time.