Episode 1224
by CristaeEpisode 1224
‘Maybe I should drill a small hole in the wall?’
A full escape honestly seemed unlikely.
While the hallway outside the cell appeared quiet and peaceful, there was no telling what kind of traps an enraged Professor Garcia or the blackmailed Skull Headmaster might have set out there.
Besides, considering the Skull Headmaster had been summoned by His Majesty the Emperor, it wouldn’t be strange if extra security had been added.
‘The Headmaster is quietly petty, so the chances are high.’
Regardless of all that, Lee Han also thought it was safer to stay in the punishment room until Professor Garcia’s anger had completely subsided.
If he got caught by Professor Garcia while attempting to break out needlessly…
From then on, he might really be treated like Professor Verdus.
But a small hole linking to the next cell was a different story.
It was small, convenient, easy to hide, and the chances of being caught were low.
Once he made one, he could pass food through, play mage cards or chess out of boredom, and even exchange magic books if magic was blocked…
‘Hmm. Magic books might be like digging my own grave.’
Still, Lee Han made up his mind.
He had plenty of time, so why not dig a small hole next to him!
Coincidentally, there was something similar in -Toberiz Escapes the Fortress-, which Gainando had given him. It was about Toberiz, who was falsely accused and befriended a wise elderly man in the next cell to plan an escape together.
The very first thing Toberiz did was dig a hole to contact the old man in the next cell.
‘He is clever, for sure. No wonder he’s a detective.’
“Professor?”
“I’m listening.”
“What kind of magic ban is in place here?”
It wouldn’t be easy, but every system had loopholes.
Weren’t his friends in the hallway earlier using magic?
‘If they distinguish between the hallway and the inside of the cell, absorbing mana or interfering with it, then somehow…’
“This place detects the prisoner’s soul and casts counter-magic.”
“…Excuse me?!”
Lee Han was shocked.
‘Did I hear that right?!’
Unfazed by his student’s shock, Professor Voladi continued explaining calmly.
Anti-magic barriers that bothered magicians typically either absorbed mana or disturbed the flow of mana.
Honestly, even just those functions were enough.
Most magicians found it hard to cast spells if the surrounding magic was thin or hard to predict.
But exceptional magicians were hard to block using such methods.
Even if mana was absorbed, they could release it faster than it was absorbed; even if the flow was disturbed, they could control it with ridiculous concentration.
“The latter makes sense, but the former doesn’t seem very common. Are there magicians who do something so reckless?”
Lee Han, growing curious as he listened, asked.
Were there ignoramuses among magicians who used the former method?
Professor Voladi said nothing and just waited. He didn’t want to embarrass his student.
“…Ah.”
Fortunately, Lee Han wasn’t stupid. One second later, he immediately thought of such an ignoramus.
‘Me.’
“I’m sorry. Please continue.”
Since outstanding magicians were hard to block with anti-magic barriers, the Skull Headmaster approached things differently.
Just as ancient dark magicians assembled dozens of spells to create vivid, lifelike golems, the Skull Headmaster also assembled hundreds of spells to create a living, moving prison.
This prison remembered the prisoners’ souls and all the spells those prisoners used.
When it sensed the scent of a spell being cast, it would instantly respond with counter-magic and nullify it.
‘Why in the world go so far?’
Lee Han had to ask himself the question he’d asked countless times since enrolling at Einrogard.
Why go to all this trouble?
Actually, Lee Han himself knew the answer better than anyone. It was because of the many professors who had come before him.
“Ugh. If only the professors and seniors had behaved, it wouldn’t be this thoroughly guarded!”
The truly painful reality was that a lack of trust led even him to suffer the consequences.
Professor Voladi half-heartedly listened to his student’s comment. Wardanaz tended to make pointlessly irrelevant remarks.
“Is it impossible to cast a spell faster than the counter-magic reaction?”
“The chances are slim. The Headmaster assembled this magic himself.”
The required mana was drawn from the land’s source, and the manifold spells were interwoven personally by the Skull Headmaster. It was truly impregnable.
The only way was to use a spell that no previous prisoner had used, and which the Skull Headmaster did not expect Lee Han to know…
Was there such a thing?
‘Hmm.’
Lee Han tried to cast a spell outside the bars.
But as soon as telekinesis manifested without a chant, the prison immediately countered. Before the stone in the hallway could float, it dropped back down.
It was the same with dark magic. Before the bony hand could even rise, it turned back into an ordinary bone fragment.
As befitted a place designed specifically by the Skull Headmaster for imprisoning professors, it was expertly designed to be painful for magicians.
Again, a voice came from the next cell.
“I told you not to use magic until you’re fully recovered.”
“…Ah. Yes. Sorry.”
Lee Han felt sheepish and apologized.
‘Isn’t this much okay to use…’
Usually, he would have muttered, but the cell was so quiet he could only think it to himself.
After some thought, Lee Han spoke up again.
“Alright. Then what about a primitive method that doesn’t use magic?”
“What method?”
“Just focusing pure mana.”
This was the so-called -Baldororn’s Mana Hammer-.
Despite the grand name, the principle was very simple. You simply draw a lot of mana and smash it like a wave.
“If this prison is assembled from hundreds of spells, it should certainly have weak points.”
The more intricate a machine, the greater the impact if one part failed.
This prison was likely the same. If he repeatedly pounded the walls, ceiling, or floor with the mana hammer, surely there would be some kind of malfunction.
“Not until you’re fully recovered…”
“This much is fine! It’s no burden at all.”
Lee Han immediately shouted.
The good thing about solitary confinement was that you could lie without being caught.
Professor Voladi was silent for a moment. It seemed he was considering whether his student was lying.
But Lee Han moved right away. At times like this, you had to act first.
‘Here goes!’
Mana surged like a wave, spreading out from Lee Han’s palm pressed to the wall like a tsunami.
The inside of the wall vibrated greatly. Then the Skull Headmaster’s voice reverberated from within.
Wardanaz. Break your stupid habit of brute-forcing through things. Did you think I wouldn’t have prepared for that?
“……”
“……”
Teacher and student both fell silent at the recorded taunt. Lee Han was grateful his friends weren’t here to witness this.
“It’s been meticulously dispersed.”
Like the lightning rods used to guard against thunderbolts, countless magic circles had been installed near the cell and corridor to disperse powerful mana.
It was all too clear whom this had been designed for.
Kang, kang, kang—
“?”
Professor Voladi was puzzled by the cheerful hammering sound from the next cell.
“What are you doing?”
“I’m making a hole in the wall with my hammer.”
Lee Han spoke through gritted teeth.
The Skull Headmaster’s mockery always fueled his students’ determination.
Let’s see who wins!
Professor Voladi considered telling him to stop, but then shook his head.
Given Lee Han’s exploits in their recent undertaking, it was obvious this student had earned the right to make his own decisions. Needless interference was unnecessary.
Even though that decision was to ignorantly bore a hole in the wall with a hammer and chisel, like some magicless commoner…
‘Let’s respect his autonomy.’
Even without magic, Lee Han still had several weapons.
One of them was his physical ability as a knight. The prison could not counter sudden, momentary bodily enhancements fueled by mana.
Kang, kang, kang!
‘Ugh. It’s disgustingly hard.’
But even with enhanced strength swinging the hammer, the work was slower than expected. The amount of chipped debris was small.
Lee Han realized anew just how dependent he had become on magic.
“!”
When footsteps echoed from farther down the hall, Lee Han hurriedly threw a blanket over the hole he was making and placed some junk around it.
If it were friends, fine; but if it was Professor Garcia…
‘That might double his rage.’
But fortunately, the visitor was just a child with golden hair. Joulin looked on the verge of bursting into tears.
‘Ah. I guess this isn’t fortunate.’
“Waaaaah!”
As soon as Joulin arrived, he began to sob. Lee Han, flustered, tossed the hammer and chisel aside and shouted.
“Your Highness. What’s the matter?”
“J-Joulin thought if Joulin was imprisoned in the dragon court, Lee Han would come to rescue him, but Joulin never thought Lee Han would get imprisoned first…”
“……”
He’d been thinking that?!
Lee Han was shocked at how sharp Joulin was. Turns out this royal could look at situations objectively.
After crying a while, Joulin blew his nose into the handkerchief Lee Han offered and spoke, his eyes red.
“What’s the escape plan?”
“Excuse me?”
“You’ve thought of an escape plan, right? Lee Han must have thought of one.”
“Uh… actually, this time I planned to stay put.”
“!?”
Joulin stared in shock, as if the Skull Headmaster had just declared, ‘I will never torment students again.’
How could this be?!
“Why?!?”
“Well, security is airtight, and professors are angry too.”
“Which professors?”
“I can’t say that.”
“Professor Garcia?”
“…I can’t say.”
“There’s no one else but Professor Garcia…”
Joulin, whose intelligence was increasing by the day, was certainly becoming a formidable opponent.
Lee Han quickly changed the subject.
“I’m fine, so don’t worry too much. If you’re bored, just visit often. You didn’t do anything weird outside because of me, did you?”
“……”
“…Your Highness?”
As Joulin furtively avoided his gaze, Lee Han’s heart sank.
Had he done something strange??
“What did you do?”
“I asked Uman to release you…”
“That’s nothing. It’s fine.”
Seeing Joulin’s downcast face, Lee Han was relieved and comforted him.
That kind of request was just cute.
Of course, seeing no result, he must have been refused. It was nothing strange.
No matter how much Uman wanted to let him go, when the emperor was so enraged he’d summoned the Skull Headmaster to the capital himself…
‘Wait. Was Prince Uman dragged along too?’
Lee Han became worried.
The Skull Headmaster could take the blame, but seeing that diligent Black Dragon get in trouble was sad.
“Hmm. Really?”
“Yes. It’s fine.”
Thanks to Lee Han’s comfort, Joulin seemed to regain a bit of spirit. This Gold Dragon gathered his courage and continued.
“In fact, there’s a bit more.”
“Please, tell me.”
“I got a little angry too…”
“That’s nothing. We can apologize together later.”
“And punched a bit in dragon form…”
“……”
Lee Han’s face went pale.