Episode 156

Episode 156

Lee Han’s expression became serious.

‘Something is strange about this.’

Priest Tijilling found an outing pass?

That could have happened.

If students from another tower, or even from the White Tiger Tower, had found an outing pass?

That could have been accepted as well.

But Gainando…

‘It’s a trap!’

Lee Han’s intuition screamed.

This was definitely a trap!

The Skull Principal was not someone who would hand out outing passes so easily that Gainando could get his hands on one.

‘But… why? Why the outing pass?’

He was sure it was a trap, but he couldn’t guess the reason for handing out outing passes like that.

‘I have no choice but to be even more cautious.’

“Why are you like that?”

Noticing that Lee Han’s expression had become serious, the other Blue Dragon Tower students asked in worried voices.

“Isn’t it suspicious that you can get an outing pass this easily?”

“Indeed…!”

“So you’re saying we should use that as an excuse to take the outing pass from Gainando?”

“What if we take it and say we’ll give it back later?”

“……”

Seeing his friends already so excited, Lee Han shook his head.

‘I guess I’ll have to keep my wits about me, even if I’m the only one.’

• * *

Gainando was sitting in Professor Mortum’s tent, the professor who taught black magic.

Other professors picked passionate and outstanding students from among the students to ask for help, but Professor Mortum did not.

From the start, the number of freshmen interested in black magic could be counted on one hand.

All the freshmen learning black magic had to attend.

Imirg and Raphadael were also sitting next to Gainando, staring blankly ahead.

“……”

“……”

A heavy silence.

With Lee Han absent, the black magic freshmen, who weren’t close to each other, became even less talkative.

All three were from different towers, different backgrounds, different races, different personalities…

Gainando grabbed his collar and flapped it.

Strangely, it felt like the air was suffocating.

‘Isn’t this because of the negative mana?’

To break the suffocating atmosphere, Gainando finally spoke up.

“Hey!”

To Gainando’s sociable greeting, the other two students responded enthusiastically.

“……”

“Don’t pretend to be friendly. Prince. It’s annoying.”

One kept silent and one rebuked him, but Gainando was actually pleased.

“You just called me prince, didn’t you?”

“Wha… what? Why do you like that? You pervert.”

Raphadael, the angel half-blood, looked at Gainando with disgust.

As expected, there was no one normal among those who wanted to learn black magic.

To be happy even when insulted…

“Call me that again! Who am I?”

“Can’t you just get lost!?”

“Uh, um.”

Imirg, the giant half-blood, hesitated and spoke up.

“Shouldn’t we bring in some guests…”

“What? Who would be interested in black magic, such a creepy thing?”

‘You’re learning black magic too…’

Gainando and Imirg looked at Raphadael as if dumbfounded.

But Raphadael remained firm.

“It’s actually a good thing that people aren’t interested in black magic. I…”

“Is it going well?”

When Professor Mortum appeared, Raphadael immediately bowed.

“Hello, Professor!”

“Yes. Cough cough. Is it going well?”

“……”

The three exchanged glances.

The standard for “going well” might differ from person to person, but with zero guests, by any standard, things were not going well.

Professor Mortum’s face became clouded.

“Is no one interested?”

In fact, compared to other professors, Professor Mortum had prepared quite diligently.

A black cloth spread over a wide table.

And on top of it, magic circles, grimoires, and artifacts arranged.

It was a thoughtful arrangement by Professor Mortum, who intended to recommend suitable black magic spells to any guest who came.

Compared to Professor Voladi, who told Lee Han to throw water beads at guests’ faces, it was almost an insult to compare.

…But in life, things don’t always go well just because you put in effort.

Basically, among the guests at the festival, there were very few who would deliberately seek out the gloomy black magicians.

“Professor. I have something to ask.”

“Cough. What is it?”

“Why didn’t you bring Lee Han?”

“……”

“……”

Imirg and Raphadael looked at Gainando as if he were trash, even more so than the professor.

Even though they were from different towers, the rumors about Wardanaz had reached their ears.

-Wardanaz was making a magic circle for Professor Alpen.

-He’s an outstanding guy, so that makes sense.

-Wardanaz was helping Professor Baegrek. Must have been attending the lecture.

-Why…? I don’t get it, but if he’s attending, it’s natural to help. There probably aren’t any other attendees anyway.

-Wardanaz was running errands for the principal.

-He’s an outstanding guy.

-Wardanaz was called in to make magic fireworks, too.

-He’s an outstanding guy… Wait, hold on. Isn’t Wardanaz doing way too much? How is he not collapsing?

Great achievements come with great responsibility, but Wardanaz was a bit much.

Even students from other towers looked at him with worried eyes, so there was nothing more to say.

But for someone from the same tower to ask the professor, “Why didn’t you call him?” instead of worrying…

‘What a piece of trash!’

Raphadael looked at Gainando with a gaze full of contempt.

“Cough. Wardanaz… I left him alone because he had a lot of other things to do.”

“Still, it would be nice if Lee Han were here.”

“He must be really busy…”

“Lee Han will be fine!”

“Cough. Well… I’m not sure.”

Unable to watch any longer, Imirg and Raphadael stepped in.

“It’s, it’s fine. We’ll do it ourselves.”

“It’s fine even without that Wardanaz guy.”

“What do you mean, fine! You guys are no help at all!”

While the two were debating whether to beat up Gainando, Lee Han appeared with the other friends.

“Were you here?”

“Lee Han!!”

Gainando was overjoyed.

Finally, he could escape this suffocating atmosphere.

“Help me!”

“With what?”

“Here, the black magic…”

Before Gainando could explain, the Blue Dragon Tower friends who had followed Lee Han asked first.

“By the way, Gainando, you said you got an outing pass?”

“Yeah.”

A look of pride and arrogance appeared on Gainando’s face. The friends regretted asking.

‘We should have just taken it by force instead of asking.’

“Where did you get it?”

“I found it.”

“…You found it?”

When Lee Han asked again, as if he couldn’t believe it, Gainando protested with a voice full of resentment.

“I really found it! I was walking along and there was a box in the bushes nearby. I opened it… Look! It’s true!”

Gainando took out the outing pass from his pocket with an innocent look in his eyes.

He didn’t seem to think for a second that Lee Han might take it away.

The other Blue Dragon Tower friends looked at Lee Han with tense faces.

-Now’s your chance, Wardanaz!

-Right now!

‘……’

Even though he hadn’t learned telepathy magic, Lee Han could almost hear his friends’ telepathy.

Lee Han checked the outing pass and handed it back to Gainando.

“It’s real.”

“Right!?”

‘This is even more suspicious.’

Now it was certain.

Lee Han resolved never to let his guard down until the outing pass was actually used.

“By the way, Lee Han. Help me.”

“With what?”

Gainando rambled on, explaining what had happened with Professor Mortum.

The professor had called in outstanding students to help, so they prepared various things, but no one came…

‘What nonsense did Gainando say?’

Lee Han wondered inwardly.

Imirg and Raphadael were looking at Gainando as if he were absolute trash.

Raphadael had always been like that, since he hated black magic, but Imirg was actually a pretty decent student.

Unless Gainando had done something wrong…

“I see. Got it. I’ll help.”

“!??”

“!!!”

The two looked at Lee Han in surprise.

They really hadn’t expected him to help.

“Why?”

“We just thought you’d be busy…”

“Ah. I finished my urgent tasks for today. I was actually planning to look around the festival.”

Sensing an ominous sign, Ahsan spoke up urgently.

“Wardanaz. You’re not planning to skip enjoying the festival again today, are you? There aren’t many days left!”

“I can enjoy it tomorrow.”

“Wha… what…!”

The Blue Dragon Tower students glared at Gainando.

Because of that guy, Wardanaz!

‘With Professor Mortum right in front of me, I can’t just leave.’

Of course, Lee Han didn’t stay because of his friendship with Gainando.

It was because Professor Mortum was right there.

Even if Professor Mortum said, “Cough, it’s fine, you go have fun,” professors were untrustworthy, narrow-minded beings.

If he really went to have fun, he might later hear, “Did you really go have fun? Cough, well, good for you,” or something like that.

Now that he was learning black magic, there was nothing good about getting on the professor’s bad side.

“I’ll help.”

“But… why?”

Professor Mortum looked at Lee Han as if he couldn’t understand.

Having heard what the other professors said, Professor Mortum knew well how much Lee Han was suffering.

“I’m learning black magic too, aren’t I?”

“…!”

Not only Professor Mortum, but the other students were moved as well.

Even Raphadael’s heart was shaken.

‘He may be a guy who learns black magic, but his honor is truly impeccable…’

“Lee Han!”

‘Compared to him, that prince…’

Without knowing that Raphadael was cursing him in his mind, Gainando asked.

“So how are you going to bring people in?”

“Do we just need people to come?”

“That’s right?”

Lee Han asked the Blue Dragon Tower students.

“You guys. Line up.”

“…U-us too?”

“Shh. Wardanaz said to line up.”

They had come to hang out with Lee Han, but suddenly found themselves stuck in the black magic tent. Still, the Blue Dragon Tower friends lined up for the sake of friendship.

“Ahsan. If you have any friends from other towers, bring them over.”

“Don’t worry, Wardanaz.”

Ahsan nodded.

Since he owed a debt for the magic circle, he intended to do his best.

A little while later.

Ahsan brought over some students.

There were students from the same tower, of course, but also from other towers.

“Wardanaz. Do we just stand here?”

“Yeah.”

“Wardanaz, isn’t it a bit much to get the princess interested in black magic? I’ll do it instead, so the princess should…”

“Here.”

Lee Han placed a candy in the princess’s palm.

The princess lined up without a word. Rowena was appalled.

“No way…?!”

“Wardanaz. I brought more.”

After bringing some students, Ahsan disappeared and returned again.

This time, he brought guests from Baldrogard.

“…?”

When Lee Han looked puzzled, Ahsan explained excitedly.

“When I mentioned your name, they said they really wanted to help.”

“R-right. Good job.”

Ahsan disappeared again.

Then he brought a few priests and imperial officials.

“…How did you bring them?”

It made sense for the students and Baldrogard guests.

They owed Lee Han a favor.

But priests and officials?

‘Is it the Dalkard Family’s connections?’

“When I mentioned your name, they said they wanted to help?”

“…???”

Lee Han didn’t understand.

Why?

• * *

“I’ve never seen Professor Mortum so happy.”

“You’ve only known the professor for a few months, right?”

“That’s true.”

Lee Han walked back to the dormitory with Gainando. After helping clean up until evening, it was already dark outside.

“Want to play a round of cards when we get back?”

“I’m going to decode magic.”

“After you finish decoding, want to play a round of cards?”

“It’ll probably be dawn by the time I finish.”

Gainando, obsessed with card games, didn’t give up easily.

“Then at dawn… Ugh!”

Something flew out of the darkness and attacked Gainando.

At first, Lee Han thought it was a robber aiming for the outing pass.

“Gainando! Don’t let them take your outing pass… No, it’s a monster!”