Chapter Index

    ‘Maybe what I learned from Professor Voladi was for a moment like this.’

    Lee Han looked at the words <Water Orb Dodge> and pondered seriously.

    No matter how much it was for grades, being attacked by Professor Voladi sometimes made him wonder, ‘Why do I have to do this?’

    But seeing the phrase <Water Orb Dodge> now made him think differently.

    Ah, you study because it’s actually useful in life!

    “I’ll do my best.”

    “You must really like festivals.”

    “…Yes, well.”

    Lee Han nodded instead of offering a lengthy explanation.

    Professor Voladi thought to himself.

    He was glad he’d brought Lee Han along, if he liked festivals this much.

    For an outstanding magician, rest was important too.

    • * *

    For Angrago of the Alpha family from White Tiger Tower, it was the first time he truly felt he was in a magic ‘school.’

    The lively, bustling atmosphere.

    The various tents and stalls.

    This was a festival.

    “Are you a White Tiger Tower student?”

    “Yes, priest.”

    “Would you like to try some of this?”

    “Thank you!”

    Angrago gratefully accepted the potato the priest had roasted himself.

    Ever since entering the magic school, Angrago’s picky eating disappeared and he came to appreciate every meal.

    The potato now offered by the priest felt to Angrago as precious as its weight in gold.

    ‘To give out something like this… Priests are truly great people.’

    He even felt a bit of newfound religious sentiment, biting into the potato.

    It was delicious.

    Fluffy and warm, filling his mouth, and with a slightly sweet taste—clearly it was an expensive, well-cultivated variety.

    It was obviously delicious, and yet…

    “What’s wrong?”

    “Ah, it’s nothing!”

    Angrago hastily denied it, shaking his head.

    He couldn’t believe it.

    ‘Didn’t that Wardanaz guy’s cooking taste better than this…???’

    Angrago couldn’t understand himself. It was enough to make him suspect he’d been hit by some Wardanaz family magic.

    “Angrago, look. Professors are over there too.”

    “!”

    At his friend’s words, Angrago looked up.

    It was true.

    It wasn’t just priests—professors he’d seen before were also standing under tents, dressed differently than usual.

    “I’d heard the students were asked to help, but they’re really doing it.”

    “Moradi went too.”

    “I heard a rumor even the headmaster was preparing something. Is that true?”

    “Hey… Don’t say such creepy things.”

    White Tiger Tower students objected in all seriousness to their friend’s words.

    Students from other dorm towers feared the skeleton headmaster, but the fear was even greater among White Tiger Tower students.

    Any freshman who tried running away at night and then saw the skeleton headmaster appear in the dark with gleaming blue eyes was bound to be traumatized.

    “Let’s go check it out?”

    “Let’s go over there.”

    The White Tiger Tower students, full of curiosity, went over.

    And then hesitated.

    “……”

    “……”

    Seeing two master and disciple standing there with stern expressions, the White Tiger Tower students instinctively took a step back.

    Just Professor Voladi or Lee Han of the Wardanaz family, standing still, were intimidating enough to awe anyone.

    “This… Is this Water Orb Dodge?”

    A White Tiger Tower student, who’d heard the rumors about Professor Voladi, spoke in a trembling voice.

    According to rumors, students were beaten and chased away…

    ‘Wait. Why is that Wardanaz guy taking that kind of class?’

    The White Tiger Tower students couldn’t understand.

    It was frustrating, but among the new students, the Wardanaz boy was considered one of the smartest.

    Someone like that didn’t show up in classes like <Basic Dance and Social Skills> or <Introduction to Imperial Masterpieces and Great Works>, so why this one…?

    Maybe those were too easy and boring for him?

    ‘That could make sense.’

    Someone from a great house like Wardanaz must be sick of refined social etiquette by now.

    So maybe he took all the classes except those.

    Looking at Lee Han’s chiseled face as he stood by Professor Voladi, the theory suddenly seemed persuasive.

    “It is Water Orb Dodge.”

    “D-Do we throw water orbs at the Wardanaz guy?”

    A White Tiger Tower student asked with strange excitement. Lee Han thought to himself:

    ‘That jerk.’

    He could see exactly what he was thinking.

    Indeed, there were quite a few White Tiger Tower students who’d jump at a chance to throw water orbs at Lee Han.

    Maybe if he ever got desperately short of money, he could make a business out of that…

    “No.”

    Professor Voladi shook his head.

    “…N-no?”

    “Wardanaz throws, and you dodge.”

    “……”

    The White Tiger Tower students’ expression turned blank.

    No matter how you looked at it, Professor Voladi seemed to misunderstand the concept of a ‘festival.’

    Does he not know what a festival is?

    “So we just dodge… uh…”

    The students hesitated, unable to say outright: ‘Professor, do you not know what a festival is?’

    Gritting his teeth, Angrago spoke up.

    “What happens if we all dodge them?”

    “You get something.”

    “What’s the prize?”

    “Exit permit.”

    “……”

    “……”

    The White Tiger Tower students’ faces instantly changed.

    Lee Han sighed.

    ‘Damn. This is definitely going to become rumor.’

    Why, when there are all these lavish tents, do people feel the urge to visit the shabbiest one?

    They could just go to the fancy ones…

    Once White Tiger Tower students visited, word would spread regardless of who won, and more students would come.

    ‘But I’ll never let it go.’

    Lee Han currently had one exit permit. A real, genuine exit permit.

    But he still felt odd about using it, since he’d stolen it.

    If he ran into the skeleton headmaster while using it, the headmaster might go, ‘Where and when did you get this?’ and track its origin.

    But if he obtained a legal, real exit permit, things would be different.

    He could use the stolen one with that excuse, then use the process to spot loopholes and get another chance at an exit permit.

    ‘Never!’

    Looking ahead, Angrago’s eyes were burning with the same intensity. No doubt Angrago was thinking similarly.

    Since what Angrago held was a forged exit permit, a real one was even more needed.

    ‘I’ll get it—no matter what!’

    “Angrago. Going for it?”

    “Of course. Are you not? You know how much we need an exit permit! Last time… ahem. To use that, it was so risky…”

    “But that professor… you know.”

    The White Tiger Tower students looked at Professor Voladi.

    His vampire-pale face looked even more intimidating today.

    No matter how handsome, once a professor is holding a staff, he looks like a crazed serial killer to students.

    “Wardanaz throws the water orbs.”

    “Oh, really?!”

    “Really?!”

    “Yes.”

    Lee Han answered.

    And took up his staff.

    “Ready to challenge?”

    “O-of course!”

    The White Tiger Tower students, who’d hesitated a moment before, now rushed forward, all trying to go first.

    As if the exit permit would disappear if a friend tried first.

    “Get ready.”

    A water orb floated up in front of Lee Han.

    Having been hit by Lee Han’s water orbs before, the White Tiger Tower students readied themselves with skillful caution.

    “Bring it, Wardanaz!”

    “Understood.”

    With those words, the number of water orbs increased in a rush.

    “……”

    The White Tiger Tower students’ eyes grew wide.

    • * *

    Kendri Baku, friend of Professors Alpen and Knighten, and himself an imperial senior accountant.

    After checking on the festival, Kendri spotted the magicians from Baldrogard and greeted them warmly.

    “You brought students to see Einroguard?”

    Baldrogard didn’t have the same name value as Einroguard, but it was a pretty decent imperial magic school.

    And, in Kendri’s opinion, Baldrogard’s way of teaching was a bit more…

    …reasonable and befitting for nobles.

    By comparison, Einroguard’s methods often seemed a bit archaic and rough to him.

    “That’s correct, Baku.”

    A magician working as a Baldrogard professor replied with a bow.

    The boys and girls behind him voiced their complaints.

    “Why do we have to visit Einroguard but not the other way around?”

    “Is Einroguard looking down on us?”

    “Shh. Show proper manners at other magicians’ schools. Do you want to stain Baldrogard’s reputation?”

    The Baldrogard professor, acting as chaperone, raised his finger with refined dignity.

    The Baldrogard students pursed their lips tightly. Though dissatisfied, Kendri could sense their noble backgrounds from their mannerly demeanor.

    Located in the west, Baldrogard only accepts the scions of the empire’s noble houses who suited its beautiful natural surroundings.

    Students could enjoy the warm, gentle western climate and lovely scenery…

    …but that didn’t mean jealousy or inferiority vanished.

    ‘It’s a pity, that misunderstanding.’

    It wasn’t that Einroguard students refused to visit Baldrogard.

    The headmaster never let them go.

    Kendri thought if he asked the Einroguard students, “Who wants to visit Baldrogard?” they’d fight over it tooth and nail.

    “Who visits first doesn’t determine which school is greater. It simply means Baldrogard is more generous and open-minded.”

    The students brightened at Kendri’s words.

    They were second and third years but still immature enough to be swayed by such talk.

    “If we meet Einroguard students at the festival, we’ll show them what we can do.”

    “……”

    Kendri wondered how to explain, “the only Einroguard students you’ll see at the festival are freshmen.”

    Baldrogard students wouldn’t even understand the fact that first-years were kept separate.

    -Why do you separate first-years? Don’t you want them to socialize? How can there be no club activities or talks with seniors? Why?

    ‘Well. I’ll just leave it to their professor.’

    Kendri gave up quickly.

    “Well then, Baku. Until next time.”

    “Mmm… Take care.”

    The Baldrogard professor said his elegant goodbye, then led the students away.

    Kendri felt regret that his advice hadn’t sunk in.

    ‘Oh well…’

    Almost as soon as he stopped, the Einroguard students appeared in the distance.

    The Baldrogard students grabbed their staves.

    “Let us greet them and compare our skills!”

    “Calm down, everyone. That would be rude—”

    “Out of the way! Move!”

    The Einroguard students ran by with a friend on their back; several were bleeding from the nose.

    “……”

    “…???”

    The Baldrogard students stared in disbelief.

    What on earth had happened?

    • * *

    “Was there an incident?”

    “It was an unfortunate accident. No need to worry.”

    Lee Han answered politely at the sight of a magician and his students he’d never seen before.

    “Baldrogard guests.”

    Professor Voladi said quietly. Lee Han recognized the name.

    “If it’s Baldrogard…”

    “Tr…ash…”

    Before he knew it, Lee Han stomped on Professor Voladi’s foot.

    And even he was surprised at himself.

    “??”

    Professor Voladi looked at Lee Han as if he didn’t understand. Lee Han replied shamelessly.

    “My foot slipped.”

    “Be careful.”

    Note