Episode 1220

Hyerdan really did pull out even more pouches. The Death Knights, hiding their awkwardness, took them all.

This many?

-It says to open this if you ever try to attack your master. What’s written in here, anyway?

-This one says to open if there’s ever a rebellion in Einrogard…

On their way back from the mission.

The Death Knights discussed what might be inside the rainbow-hued pouches.

Pouches labeled “Open if you ever try to attack the Headmaster” or “Open if there’s ever a rebellion in Einrogard” certainly sparked the imagination.

What could possibly be in there?

-What do the other pouches say?

-Let’s see… “Open if you ever enroll in the Black Magic School,” and “Open if you ever make friends who are no help,” things like that.

-Shouldn’t you open that last one now?

-N-no, I don’t think it’s quite that bad.

After perusing all sorts of pouches, at least on one point the knights unanimously agreed.

Now they understood why the successor was wary of Hyerdan!

-He probably avoids her because she makes these pouches.

-Shh. Keep your mouth shut until we get back to Einrogard.

The old knight gestured.

You always had to watch what you said until you made it back to Einrogard.

---

When Lee Han opened his eyes, he realized he was locked up in an unfamiliar cell he’d never seen before.

“…Ugh!”

As he tried to get up from the bed, his whole body screamed. It felt like there wasn’t a single muscle in his body that wasn’t injured.

Lee Han circulated his magic throughout his body. Sure enough, there were traces of unhealed wounds everywhere.

When he opened his sight to inspect his soul, it was in just as bad shape as his body.

Fortunately, the healing had been done properly, but he would need a few more days to recover fully.

‘How long did I sleep?’

There was a sign hanging on the cell door. Lee Han flipped it over and checked the contents.

A heinous criminal who ignored the words of the Headmaster and three professors and acted on his own (Extremely Dangerous)

“……”

Lee Han smashed the sign and threw it into the fireplace next to him. Then he lit the fire.

‘It’s warm.’

The cell was different from a normal punishment room.

It was reasonably spacious and had several pieces of furniture. There was not only the fireplace but also an old desk, a bed, and a bookshelf…

‘Wait. Bookshelf?’

Curious, Lee Han checked the books on the shelf.

Even a punishment room had a bookshelf?

-The Tragic End of a Student Who Defied His Teacher’s Words-

-A Collection of Teachings Left by the Lord of Einrogard-

-Why Magicians Shouldn’t Ignore Their Teacher’s Words and Act on Their Own? Seven Arguments-

“……”

Lee Han threw those books into the fireplace as well. The fire got warmer.

‘Ink, quill, and even paper. There’s a kettle too.’

After hanging a kettle with water over the fireplace, Lee Han mulled things over.

Original punishment cells never had these things.

So students had to bring them in on their own…

Seeing such friendly consideration actually made him uneasy.

At Einrogard, you always had to be most cautious when the school showed kindness.

“Perkuntra?”

Lee Han tried calling Perkuntra.

Since Perkuntra managed the punishment rooms at Einrogard, surely he’d hear if Lee Han called.

But no answer came back.

‘Hmm. It doesn’t work, huh.’

It wasn’t unexpected.

The professors knew about Lee Han and Perkuntra’s relationship; there’s no way they’d leave Perkuntra be when sending Lee Han to the punishment cell.

No guard would ever hand the prisoner the keys, after all.

Or maybe Perkuntra was sulking and refusing to answer.

He had ignored all Perkuntra’s warnings and acted on his own…

‘It was a bit reckless.’

After a good rest, with a cool head, Lee Han realized just how dangerous what he’d done was, and how risky the Small World Dunamis truly was.

Using magic from the future by pulling forward the cost with his present self.

Just got lucky he didn’t collapse then and there—he could easily have coughed up blood and fainted on the spot.

“Is anyone there?”

Ssss—

A person silently appeared in the hallway outside the door.

Where ears should have been, only bandages were wrapped, and empty eyes stared straight at Lee Han.

It was a shocking and bewildering appearance, but Lee Han had seen such people before.

The storeroom keeper with bandaged eyes, the tower keeper with bandaged mouth—these were that type.

The skeleton headmaster’s minions, even more loyal than the Death Knights!

“Umm, excuse me, but who are you? And could you tell me where I am…”

Instead of replying, the figure just stared at Lee Han, as if checking to see if he was okay.

‘Oh. He can’t hear me.’

Lee Han finally realized the other’s ears were gone. Lowering his gaze, he saw a name tag labeled “Warden” at the waist.

After confirming, the warden moved on.

“…Uh. I’ll just guess for myself!”

Feeling awkward, Lee Han called out, then started speculating to himself.

Not the normal punishment room, nor the deeper one…

‘Is this the underwater punishment cell used for aquatic races under the lake? No. I wouldn’t have any reason to be there. Is it the cell in the desert? I always wondered if that one really exists.’

“You’re awake, Wardanaz?”

From a distance, the sound of leather heels approached, and Professor Kirmin poked his head in.

Lee Han called out in delight.

“Professor Ku!”

“Oh. Wardanaz. I thought you hated me since you completely ignored everything I said. This is a surprise.”

“Aww, don’t say that. It’s a misunderstanding.”

“Hmph. What misunderstanding?”

Professor Kirmin grumbled, summoning a chair from thin air. Lee Han, feeling guilty, said,

“If I’m being honest, it’s not just your words I ignored. I ignored Professors Garcia and Baegrek too…”

“…Are you saying that to comfort me?”

Professor Kirmin looked at his disciple in disbelief.

He was so dumbfounded that even his urge to grumble faded.

Did he really just say that?

“Sorry.”

“Yeah… I guess it’s better than only my words being ignored…”

Unlike Professors Voladi and Garcia, Professor Kirmin hadn’t spent as much time with this particular student.

He didn’t have as few students as Voladi, or as broad a reach as Garcia, so it was natural.

Partly because of that, he sometimes wondered if Wardanaz didn’t listen to him more. But honestly, it didn’t feel bad.

Still, should he be happy to hear this?

“Professor Ku, where am I?”

“Punishment cell for seniors and professors.”

“Huh? But didn’t Professor Verdus get locked up somewhere else last time?”

“This is the one for people with lighter offenses. Those who didn’t submit their spell on time, or forgot things they were supposed to do…”

“…???”

Lee Han sensed something was off.

If so, wouldn’t that mean Professor Verdus should have come here? Why the other cell, then?

‘No, probably better not to ask.’

He realized he wasn’t really curious. What good would it be to know why Professor Verdus got extra punishment?

There were more important things right now.

“So that’s why the facilities are a bit nicer. How long was I asleep? What day is it now?”

Professor Kirmin spread his fingers wide.

At being told there was only one month left until finals, Lee Han was aghast.

Had he been asleep for more than ten days?

“I slept that long!? Why didn’t you wake me up?!”

“……”

Professor Kirmin looked around the hall for something to throw.

Unfortunately, being a professor’s cell, there was nothing suitable in the corridor.

“Who told you to get that hurt? How am I supposed to wake up someone who’s recovering from those injuries?”

“I could’ve just woken up and kept healing!”

“…You’re not trying to get me to open the door so you can escape, are you, Wardanaz?”

Now it was Lee Han’s turn to be dumbfounded by the professor’s words.

“Why would I do that? I know I’m not in any shape to do so right now.”

“S-sorry. But Professor Baegrek actually did that once.”

“……”

The mood suddenly sombered. Lee Han blamed Professor Voladi.

‘You really are too much!’

No wonder it made his friends have such distrustful personalities.

“Um, Professor.”

“What.”

“How long do I have to stay in the punishment room? Until the end of term?”

Professor Kirmin smiled. He looked like he’d been waiting for this question.

“Until the end of break.”

“…What?!”

Lee Han was deeply shocked at the much longer period than expected.

If he had to stay in until after break, when would he ever save up gold?

“Professor! I’ll be a third-year next year. I have to accumulate gold!”

“Wardanaz, you already have more than enough…”

Professor Kirmin replied with a jaded look.

He didn’t fully grasp the extent of Wardanaz’s business, but just estimating from what had surfaced, it was by no means lacking.

Even just this semester, in which so much time was wasted over Voladi, he’d earned several dozen times more in commissions than other students.

“Besides, you can handle requests from inside the punishment room.”

“The ones you go out for always pay better.”

“Who told you to not listen and use risky magic?”

Professor Kirmin replied with a tone of delight.

Instead of pleading with this wicked and sly professor, Lee Han decided to seek out a kinder one.

“Does Professor Garcia know about this? If not, please let him know—I’m sure he’ll help.”

“Wardanaz. Professor Kim insisted you be locked up until after break.”

“……”

“See what happens when you make a nice teacher angry.”

Normally, kind people are all the more frightening when they get angry.

He’d earned merit in subjugating the evil god and mastered new magic—so even the headmaster had planned to release him early, but Professor Garcia unleashed a rage that would scare the devils of hell.

Even professors who usually opposed sending Lee Han to the punishment room—saying they needed him for countless errands—had bowed their heads to that fiery anger.

“Can’t I get some leniency for helping subjugate the evil god?”

“You might get your medal by post. You just won’t be able to attend the ceremony.”

Lee Han sighed and gave up.

There was no way out.

With Perkuntra blocked and Professor Garcia that upset, there was nobody left who could help…

He might really have to stay and reflect until the end of break.

‘Still, I have no regrets.’

With the blessings of the countless seniors who’d been caught so far, Lee Han composed himself.

Regretting getting caught was for the second-rate.

A truly great magician had to think about how not to get caught next time.

‘Next time I’ll forge more cleverly…’

“Here, take this.”

Professor Kirmin handed over a bundle.

It contained several difficult illusory spell grimoires and some light snacks.

Lee Han pulled out cheese, butter, jam, and a pale round loaf from it, then thanked him.

“Thank you, Professor.”

“It’s nothing. If there’s anything you don’t get, ask the paper bird. I have to be somewhere.”

“Heading to class?”

“No. Going to visit Professor Baegrek. He’s in the cell next door.”

“……”