Episode 149

“Usually, guests visiting the magic school enter through the main gate during the day, and through the tower stables after evening.”
“I see…”
Seeing Lee Han immediately taking notes, Professor Lightningstep almost confused whether Lee Han was from the Wardanaz family or the Thieves’ Guild for a moment.
“But there are more ways to enter the magic school than you might think. You went out through the underground once, didn’t you?”
“Yes. I was lucky.”
“If you haven’t tried it again, that’s wise. Gonadaltes isn’t careless enough to leave a path open after a freshman has broken through it once.”
Lee Han nodded.
He had known since admission that the Skull Headmaster was a madman.
“Anyway… one of those paths is here.”
Professor Lightningstep quickly drew a route, pointing to a spot in the huge mountain range behind the school.
It was simple and rough, but clear enough to understand how to get there.
-Rockweed Underground Cave (Beware the cave’s owner)
“Sometimes professors use this cave to sneak out. The underground part of the cave is connected to the outside.”
“?
Lee Han was puzzled.
If that was true, wouldn’t it be easy to enter the school from outside as well?
‘No, that’s not it. The cave’s owner must filter out intruders.’
If there was a place in the magic school that looked sloppy or easy, it meant there was something managing it.
The moment you let your guard down and step in, you’re dead
“Who is the cave’s owner?”
“That’s a secret.”
“……”
Lee Han gave Professor Lightningstep a mournful look.
The carrot and stick didn’t only work on students. It worked on professors too.
With his sculpted face and sorrowful eyes, he looked even more pitiful.
Besides, rumors had already spread among the professors. That he was being tormented—no, taught—by the Skull Headmaster because he was in his good graces…
“…It’s not that I’m trying to torment you, but I made a promise and can’t just tell you. Other professors who have permission to use the cave made the same promise.”
Clever and powerful monsters or spirits didn’t like revealing their identity or location.
Wasn’t it the same with the “Forgotten Beast Statue” on the third floor, guided by Salko last time?
“If that’s the case, it can’t be helped. Can you at least give me some precautions?”
“Search the school and bring as many physical defense-related artifacts as you can.”
“……”
Lee Han paused his note-taking.
‘Maybe I should just break through the tower stables instead?’

• * *
  Seeing the distinguished figures of the Empire gathered here today makes me, a humble mage, even more careful in my conduct.
  Morning.
  The Skull Headmaster floated in front of the guests visiting the magic school and greeted them politely.
  Applause broke out.
  If he wanted something, Gonadaltes could be as cunning as he wished.
  The first-year students from each tower looked on with faces as if they were about to vomit.
  “Th-that disgusting…”
  “Shh. Be quiet. Do you want to end up in the punishment room for saying that out loud?”
  A few White Tiger Tower students gnashed their teeth.
  Some of you may wonder if we ever have enough time just focusing on magic. But Einrogard is not just a place to teach the great discipline of magic, but a place to strengthen both the minds and bodies of students, raising them to become pillars of the Empire
  ‘He must be really good at getting budget increases.’
  Lee Han honestly felt a bit of admiration for the Skull Headmaster.
  If you didn’t know better, you’d think, “People say mages only care about their own magic and don’t care for their students, but this person is really different” and be fooled.
  For that reason, this spring festival will be a great source of energy for the new freshmen.
  “But Headmaster, why are the other year students…”
  Now, I would like to give a gift to the freshmen here.
  The Skull Headmaster ignored the guest’s question as if he hadn’t heard it.
  And the freshmen tensed up at the mention of a gift, looking around nervously.
  “Are undead lying in ambush?”
  “Is the gift an undead attack…?”
  But this time, it really was a gift.
  I’ve hidden treasures all over the school, so enjoy the spring as you search for them.
  “…Really?”
  “No traps at all…?”
  “As if.”
  I’ve prepared a few little pranks as well, so you’ll have even more fun searching for the treasures.
  “……”
  The freshmen could more or less guess what kind of “little pranks” those would be without asking.
  Seeing the lukewarm reaction, the Skull Headmaster smiled kindly.
  Among the treasures, there are also permits to go out.
  “”
  “Permit to go out…?”
  Some students from Baldrogard looked puzzled at the Skull Headmaster’s words.
  -Do you need a permit to go out? Why?
  “…Should I just challenge that guy to a duel?”
  “Hold it in. He’s a guest.”
  Whatever the Skull Headmaster’s real intentions, the mention of permits to go out raised expectations for the treasures even higher.
  The students were already itching to get moving.
  “Let’s go”
  “Even if it’s a trick, let’s try to find them.”
  “Lee Han. You’re going too, right?”
  “Yeah. I…”
  As Lee Han was about to go, someone placed a hand on his shoulder.
  It was Professor Voladi.
  “……”
  “Let’s go.”
  “…Yes.”
• * *
  The professors’ events didn’t end in a day. They continued throughout the spring festival week.
  Which meant Lee Han had to participate in Professor Voladi’s tent every day.
  For the first time, Lee Han resented the emperor whose face he didn’t even know.
  ‘Couldn’t the professor just be left out…’
  If the professor didn’t do it, who would? The disciple had to do it.
  Perhaps because of that sadness, Lee Han’s water orbs became even sharper and more precise. Some moves were good enough for Professor Voladi to praise.
  “Ugh”
  “Isn’t this a bit much?”
  A student from Baldrogard who had come after hearing the rumors protested after seeing his friend with a nosebleed.
  But the White Tiger Tower students, who had already come and were bleeding, got angry instead.
  “Does dodging water orbs look like a joke to you?”
  “We’re risking our lives in this”
  ‘These guys sure learn the worst things fast.’
  Lee Han looked at the White Tiger Tower guys with pity.
  To oppress outsiders like this.
  Of course, Lee Han wasn’t really in a position to talk, since he was beating up outside guests with water orbs…
  “Are you alright?”
  “Y-yeah.”
  “Sorry. I’ve heard so much about Baldrogard’s reputation that I couldn’t help but do my best. Though I’m sure it wasn’t enough.”
  “?”
  Professor Voladi tilted his head slightly at Lee Han’s words.
  But the Baldrogard students were already appeased by Lee Han’s words.
  “If that’s the case, it can’t be helped.”
  “You’re Lee Han of the Wardanaz family? Let’s meet up next time when the third-years gather.”
  “No, wait…”
  Before Lee Han could explain, the Baldrogard students left.
  ‘I’m a first-year.’
  After the Baldrogard students left, a White Tiger Tower student wiped his nosebleed and stood in front of Lee Han again.
  “I challenge you.”
  “…Why don’t you give it a rest?”
  “Hmph. Are you scared?”
  At the friend’s provocation, the other White Tiger Tower students whispered with frightened faces.
  “Hey. Don’t provoke Wardanaz for no reason.”
  “That guy can make even more water orbs.”
  “…Who says I’m scared”
  Lee Han took advantage of the opponent’s carelessness and hit him in the face with a water orb.
  The key to magical combat was always striking first.
• * *
  After beating people with water orbs all morning and having a quick lunch, Lee Han went to see Professor Bible Verdus.
  The beaver beastkin professor was eating tree bark and offered some.
  “I’m fine. I’ve already eaten.”
  “Really? Then let’s get started.”
  Perhaps because the Skull Headmaster had put his foot down, Professor Bible made only very simple and basic magic fireworks.
  He cast ‹Flame Imbuement› or ‹Light Imbuement› and finished.
  After a few mistakes (burning things around him each time he failed), Lee Han got the hang of it. It wasn’t a particularly difficult spell.
  But Professor Bible’s face grew darker and he muttered more and more.
  “I don’t want to make these…”
  “……”
  “I don’t want to make them… It’s boring…”
  ‘Applying pressure in a different way, I see.’
  It was scary when a professor didn’t talk, but it wasn’t necessarily good when they talked a lot either.
  Lee Han focused as much as possible to get out of there quickly.
  ‘Every time I fail, I have to stay here longer.’
  He swung his staff, chanted spells, and completed magic fireworks.
  In the uncomfortable and awkward atmosphere, Lee Han’s concentration was honed even sharper.
  One of Lee Han’s strengths was his nearly infinite mana.
  With that mana, Lee Han made magic fireworks without rest.
  It was a speed that even imbuement mages would have a hard time keeping up with, let alone freshmen. It was only possible because he didn’t need any breaks.
  “It’s all done, Professor.”
  “I don’t want to… Huh? Really?”
  Professor Bible, muttering as he made magic fireworks, looked up.
  “Yes. It’s all finished.”
  Lee Han answered with a faint smile. Professor Bible blinked and checked the number of fireworks piled up. Then his face brightened.
  “That’s really amazing??”
  Any other professor would have focused on the fact that the student made more than the professor.
  Even if the professor grumbled while making them, the fact that a freshman started at the same time and made more was impressive.
  But Professor Bible only cared that this tedious work was over.
  “Great”
  “Yes, Professor. Then I’ll just…”
  “Since we have time left, let’s make something else fun.”
  “…Uh. I’m not confident since I have no talent for imbuement magic…”
  “It’s fine, it’s fine”
  ‘What’s fine about it?’
• * *
  The magic Professor Bible taught was ‹Lesser Fire Resistance›.
  This magic, cast over an entire thick robe, was essential for beginner mages learning various flame imbuement spells.
  As someone who worried a lot about fire magic, Lee Han had to admit this spell was quite useful…
  But Professor Bible’s words made Lee Han uneasy.
  -If you learn this spell, it’ll help you when you practice other imbuement magics in the future.
  -I see, Professor. But I’m not really…
  -I know, I know. You say you have no talent. But don’t worry too much. Other imbuement mages have no talent but still do it.
  -……
  In fact, starting to make magic fireworks with the professor and making even more than the professor, and somehow succeeding at the 3rd circle spell ‹Lesser Fire Resistance› within the set time, would be impossible without talent…
  But Professor Bible evaluated things a bit differently.
  If you’re worse than him, you have no talent; if you’re better, you have talent
  Of course, from Lee Han’s perspective, it was a dilemma.
  Even if someone said he had talent, he wasn’t sure he’d learn properly, and his advisor was unreliable, saying things like, “It’s fun, so do it”
  ‘I don’t think I’m learning magic that slowly. Maybe I should ask Professor Garcia.’
  Lee Han resolved to seek out the half-troll professor, the true teacher and trustworthy adult of this magic school.
  “Let’s just give up on that.”
  “How can you say that? What if that’s the permit to go out? Is there any guarantee we’ll find another treasure?”
  “?”
  As Lee Han walked out, he was puzzled to see students from various towers gathered and chatting.
  What’s going on?
  “Wardanaz”
  “Wardanaz can’t”
  “Just get it out first”
  As he got closer, Lee Han immediately understood what was going on.
  In front of them was a treasure chest made by the Headmaster himself.
  …On top of a huge bonfire several meters high, blazing away.