Episode 148

“I suppose that’s true.”
“?”
Yonere was flustered by Lee Han’s reaction.
It was the first time in her life she’d heard that undead needed to rest.
Had there been some change in the field of necromancy that Yonere didn’t know about?
“If we’re to stand guard, how will it be done?”
Hmm… I’ll have to pick a few from each tower and have them patrol at night.
‘No matter how I think about it, that’s not a very useful method.’
Lee Han didn’t think that having a few freshmen wandering around at night would be able to find and catch intruders.
On the contrary, it seemed more likely they’d get caught themselves.
“Isn’t it a bit dangerous?”
It’s nothing to worry about. Even if something happens, all the summoned creatures can respond.
‘You just said even undead need to rest…’
The Skull Headmaster immediately contradicted what he had just said, but Lee Han answered without wavering.
“I see.”
‘The Skull Headmaster might be even more dangerous.’
He was already someone who made magic fireworks, saying he’d use them on, no, shoot them at the students.
Trying to force freshmen to take a walk at night seemed very suspicious.
“We’d better be careful.”
“Huh?”
After the Skull Headmaster left, Lee Han muttered, and Yonere looked at him curiously.
Of course you should be careful if you’re watching for intruders.
“Right? You never know what kind of people the intruders might be…”
“No. Not the intruders, the Headmaster.”
“……”

• * *
  Nillia gripped her bow and walked on. Her steps were quite lively.
  Surprisingly, students from other towers accepted the Skull Headmaster’s order to patrol at night without complaint.
  A student like Lee Han had the mindset of, “If I want to go out, any time is my outing time,” regardless of permission, but in fact, quite a few students didn’t go out much after evening.
  Rules were rules, so they were reluctant.
  But now that they were allowed to wander around legally, how could they not be excited?
  In contrast, Ratford, who was following Nillia, looked serious.
  “What’s wrong?”
  “You mustn’t underestimate thieves. You never know when or where they might be hiding, waiting for a chance to steal.”
  As a professional thief, Ratford was very sensitive to the Headmaster’s warning that thieves might enter the school during the spring festival.
  Thieves are always ready to use their hands if given the chance.
  “Doesn’t seem that serious to me…?”
  Nillia tilted her head.
  If it were that serious, she didn’t think the Headmaster would have told students to patrol.
  “Isn’t it just in case? To let us enjoy the festival atmosphere too?”
  “Certainly… If that’s the case, that’s a relief.”
  Ratford nodded.
  A festival wasn’t just about laughing, chatting, and enjoying events.
  Preparing for the festival, patrolling, and guarding against thieves were also ways to enjoy the festival.
  It was the same when Ratford was in the city.
  People enjoyed preparing for the festival even more than the festival itself.
  “Right? It probably won’t be that dangerous.”
  “Yes. It reminds me of the old days.”
  “Wow… Have you prepared for a festival before?”
  Nillia looked at Ratford with envy.
  She wasn’t ashamed of being born and raised in the mountains, but sometimes she envied city kids.
  Like now.
  While students born and raised in the city enjoyed all sorts of festivals and city amusements, Nillia had spent her time chasing game up and down the mountains with a bow
  “Yes.”
  “Uh, how was it?”
  “It was fun. By checking for weak points during preparation, I was able to make a big profit.”
  “……”
  Nillia decided to pretend she hadn’t heard that.
  “Hey. There’s a light over there. Let’s check it out.”
  “Yes.”
  Nillia saw a light in the distance and moved to check it out.
  ‘Other tower students?’
  Neither Nillia nor Ratford were too worried just because they saw a light.
  It wasn’t far from the tower, and people who openly showed a light like that usually weren’t intruders. What kind of intruder would act so boldly?
  That was surely another tower’s students…
  -■■■■■
  “Th… griffon Get back”
  “”
  Nillia immediately nocked an arrow and prepared to shoot.
  A griffon
  She couldn’t believe it.
  A monster so rare even in the mountains, right here on the magic school grounds.
  ‘I’d heard all sorts of monsters showed up, but this is too much’
  Nillia didn’t shoot hastily and observed the griffon. Shooting in a panic out of fear would only provoke it.
  If the creature had no intention of attacking, it was better to just let it go…
  “Nillia. It’s me”
  “W-Wardanaz?”
  Nillia was confused to hear a familiar voice coming from the griffon.
  “Yeah.”
  “Did you transform into a griffon?”
  “…Look behind the griffon”
  Flustered, Nillia finally realized there were two friends behind the griffon.
  They had been hidden by the griffon’s large body.
  “Ah…”
  ‘Did she really think I transformed into a griffon? What does she usually think of me?’
  Lee Han thought this to himself as he greeted Nillia. Ratford, who had collapsed from weak knees, hurriedly stood up.
  “Th-that… what is that?”
  “Calm down. I can explain.”
  “Did you transform a horse into a griffon?”
  At Ratford’s words, Nillia looked at Lee Han in surprise.
  No way?
  Lee Han shook his head firmly.
  “No.”
  “Really? I thought for sure…”
• * *
  After the Skull Headmaster left and Lee Han finished checking the area, he brought out Fongrif.
  Then, together with Yonere, he carefully fed it the potion.
  -They said it can’t completely break the curse, right?
  -Yeah. If it turns back after some time, that means the curse’s power is stronger than the potion’s, so it can’t be completely broken.
  -Why would anyone use such a strong curse… Never mind. No point asking.
  Pop
  -……
  With the curse broken, Fongrif turned from a horse back into a griffon and glared at Lee Han and Yonere with a resentful look.
  It was a look that said, ‘I told you so.’
  Yonere whispered worriedly.
  -They say griffons are fierce and savage monsters. What if it attacks?
  -But Yonere, I’ve heard that once a griffon pledges loyalty, it stays loyal.
  -But we’ve been doubting it all along.
  -Hmm. That makes sense. Should we keep some distance?
  -■■■■
  The griffon stomped the ground with its forepaw, howling in fierce protest.
  -Fongrif. It’s a misunderstanding. I believe in you.
  -……
  The griffon glared at Lee Han with eyes full of sorrow and injustice.
  Lee Han had to brush the griffon diligently to soothe it.
  Once the griffon’s sorrow had eased a bit, friends appeared.
  “So… it wasn’t Wardanaz who transformed it, but the professor?”
  “…I don’t even know where to start correcting that…”
  Nillia trailed off, dumbfounded.
  Even Professor Lightningstep, who seemed the most normal, was doing things like this.
  Who could she trust?
  Regardless, Lee Han spoke to the two Black Tortoise Tower students.
  “If the Headmaster says he’s doing something, don’t go near him. Especially if he’s setting off magic fireworks, avoid him at all costs.”
  “What? Okay.”
  “Yes. I’ll avoid him.”
  Having grown up in dangerous environments, the two friends accepted the warning first and thought about the reason later.
  They could always ask why afterward.
  “Are you two on patrol for Black Tortoise Tower?”
  “Yes. We were told to circle around the tower.”
  “That’s a relief.”
  “?”
  Nillia was surprised by Lee Han’s words.
  “Are there really that many intruders that it’s dangerous?”
  “No. I caught one earlier.”
  “?”
  “But the Headmaster is more dangerous.”
  “?”
  “What did you two do during the festival?”
  Nillia was more curious about why the Headmaster was dangerous, but she answered the question first.
  “Helped with alchemy, entered an archery contest…”
  “I was asked about good places to hide treasure.”
  ‘Really, everyone but me is enjoying the festival.’
  Lee Han felt sad, but quickly pulled himself together.
  At least it was good that his friends were having fun.
  “You were asked about good places to hide treasure? Which order did that?”
  Yonere asked curiously.
  “The Headmaster did.”
  “…What?”
  “The Headmaster asked about good places to hide treasure…”
  “Did he say anything else?”
  “He said there would be a treasure hunt.”
  “……”
  Lee Han’s expression grew serious.
  Knowing the Skull Headmaster’s personality, there was no way he’d enjoy an ordinary treasure hunt…
  ‘Just how many traps is he planning to set?’
• * *
  The next day.
  Before the festival resumed, Lee Han went to see Professor Lightningstep early in the morning.
  “Professor. I think the horse I’ve been riding is a griffon.”
  Professor Lightningstep nodded with a heavy expression.
  “You figured it out much faster than I expected.”
  “…Why did you do such a thing?”
  “Isn’t it better to learn how to deal with a griffon that’s turned into a horse now, rather than meeting a real griffon later and having to learn how to handle it then?”
  “Oh…”
  For a moment, Lee Han was about to accept it, but then he came to his senses.
  Come to think of it, there was no real need to learn how to handle a griffon.
  ‘He says nonsense with such a solemn face.’
  Lee Han wasn’t fooled by things like that.
  “I see.”
  “You don’t look convinced.”
  “No. I understand. But I have a question, Professor.”
  “Go ahead.”
  “If I try to fly up on a griffon around the main building, wouldn’t the magic interfere?”
  Being quick-witted, Lee Han had already guessed as much.
  Why else would there be a stable for flying creatures at the top of the main tower of the magic school?
  There were designated routes in the sky above the magic school.
  If you tried to fly out on your own by another route, all sorts of magic would come at you.
  “That’s right.”
  Professor Lightningstep could see right through Lee Han’s thoughts.
  The moment he realized it was a griffon, he was already thinking of escaping on it.
  He was quite something.
  “At my level, I don’t think I can avoid that right now.”
  “That’s right.”
  Professor Lightningstep nodded.
  With dozens of spells in place, it was impossible for Lee Han to break through them all.
  Before that, alarms would sound and other professors would come flying.
  “You’d probably have to find a place like the tower stables, where there’s a route connected to the outside.”
  “…”
  Professor Lightningstep got goosebumps for the first time in a while.
  ‘How the hell?’
  Since it was one of the places where guests from outside entered, the tower stables were connected to an unblocked sky route.
  But still, for a freshman to figure that out already…
  “That’s right. Amazing. You’ve already figured it out…”
  “In that case, Professor, please tell me another route.”
  Lee Han demanded confidently.
  Professor Lightningstep was dumbfounded.
  “What?”
  “I already know about the tower stables, so please tell me another route without interfering magic.”
  “……”
  Professor Lightningstep was at a loss for words.
  What kind of kid is this?
  But being shameless was also a talent for a mage.
  And what the boy in front of him had accomplished was certainly praiseworthy.
  ‘Well, he did figure out the griffon’s identity…’
  Even though he was the one who did it, Professor Lightningstep was honestly still amazed that Lee Han had figured it out.
  Before the professor could speak, Lee Han spoke again.
  “If you don’t tell me, I’ll tell the guests from outside about the griffon.”
  “…Get out some paper. I’ll tell you one place.”
  Professor Lightningstep had no choice but to admit that his student was much tougher than he had thought.