Episode 162
by CristaeEpisode 162
“More importantly, could I receive your instruction like last time? Since exams are coming up, I’d like to learn from you.”
At the student’s attempt to gloss over the name he’d just mentioned as if it were nothing, Baldororn was left speechless.
Normally, he would have just let it go, but this time he couldn’t.
“What did you just say?”
“I said I’d like to learn from you…”
“No, no. Before that! You said you met an illusion magician…?”
“It was someone named Ogonin. But Baldororn, that’s not really important right now.”
‘If that’s not important, what is?!’
Baldororn screamed inside.
No illusion magician in the empire could not know the name Ogonin.
He had created masterpiece illusion spells as flawless as jewels, and the magic books he wrote were treated as holy scriptures by young illusion magicians (Baldororn had invested his entire fortune just to get a copy of Ogonin’s magic book last time). Wasn’t he that great magician Ogonin?
If he could obtain even one of the spells being developed by Dream Bubble Shadow, the group of illusion magicians led by Ogonin, Baldororn would gladly sell his soul.
‘Wait. Maybe it’s just someone with the same name? Or an impostor.’
Baldororn came to his senses.
Come to think of it, there was no way a freshman could have survived against an illusion magician like Ogonin.
It was probably someone with the same name, an impostor, or just a misunderstanding!
“What kind of magic did he use? Do you remember the incantation?”
When Baldororn asked urgently, Ahsan was slightly impressed.
“Look at him asking about the magic first. He really is something.”
“Yeah, he must be really serious about magic.”
Ignoring the freshmen’s whispers, Baldororn stared only at Lee Han.
“Well… was it, ‘Let the vision of another devour you!’? I think he also used an incantation like, ‘I shall rule your mind!’.”
Baldororn’s jaw dropped.
‘No way!’
Just from the incantation, Baldororn could tell what kind of magic it was.
Such a specific incantation wasn’t something a freshman could make up. It was a high-level illusion magic incantation.
And a powerful one that even Baldororn wouldn’t dare to use…
‘How… how did he… how did he deal with Ogonin??’
While Baldororn was in a panic, Lee Han asked again.
“Baldororn, if it’s alright, could I ask for your instruction once more?”
“…Uh… Yes… What? Yes?”
“Thank you! Everyone, you can be happy. He said yes.”
“What??”
Baldororn, who had been nodding blankly like a broken person, belatedly came to his senses.
The freshmen were clapping their hands in joy.
“Thank you!”
“No… no… I… I’m not qualified to teach anyone!”
How could he possibly teach a freshman who had beaten Ogonin?
Baldororn’s face turned pale.
Then Ahsan was impressed again.
“And he’s even humble…”
“He’s different from the professors, isn’t he?”
“Right? Extraordinary people really are different.”
‘This is driving me crazy.’
Baldororn wanted to run away, but the Blue Dragon Tower freshmen wouldn’t let him go.
In the end, Baldororn had no choice but to be dragged away like a prisoner to the gallows.
“…You absolutely must not say you learned from me.”
“I wish our professors would learn a bit from Baldororn!”
‘If I hit him just once… I shouldn’t, right?’
Baldororn thought to himself as he looked at Gainando, who was babbling without a care.
- * *
“I see…”
“Thank you. That cleared up my questions.”
The Blue Dragon Tower students ordered a cup of chocolate each at the café and peppered Baldororn with questions.
Baldororn answered desperately to survive.
The students couldn’t help but be satisfied with his sincere attitude.
Ah, this person really is a great teacher!
“I won’t forget what I learned today.”
“I’ll be sure to review when I get back.”
“R-really, that’s great…”
‘Please go back soon…’
Baldororn’s voice was already half drained of energy. It was from being so tense.
Who would have thought he’d end up teaching illusion magic to Einrogard freshmen…
‘The professors aren’t going to come out and kill me, are they?’
While sipping his cup and organizing what he’d learned, Lee Han saw some people passing by and called out.
“Priest Tijilling!”
“!”
The priests from the Phoenix Tower, who were walking down the street, stopped when they saw the Blue Dragon Tower students in the café.
“Where are you all going?”
“We’re going to our respective temples to pay our respects…”
Unlike the other tower students, the Phoenix Tower students didn’t care at all about not having money.
Most of them hadn’t planned to spend any money in the first place, and they could just stay at their own order’s temple in the village.
“Still, since you’re out, have something to drink before you go. Come on, everyone, sit down.”
Lee Han brought the Phoenix Tower priests into the café.
Then he ordered desserts and drinks in quick succession. It was a smooth, natural motion.
By the time the priests came to their senses, freshly baked cheesecake and hot chocolate were already on the café table.
“You really didn’t have to treat us like this…”
One of the priests said in a very apologetic voice. Lee Han waved his hand as if it was nothing.
“It’s my pleasure to treat friends.”
Lee Han didn’t bother to say, ‘Please speak well of me when you go to your order.’
The priests were all so kind that, if you treated them, they’d do even more for you in return.
“And these are just things like tea or coffee. I hear people at the temple drink them a lot to stay awake.”
At Lee Han’s words, the priests replied as if he was talking nonsense.
“Tea and coffee are different from these precious desserts, Lee Han of the Wardanaz Family.”
“That’s right. Thank you, but these precious desserts are different from tea or coffee. If you eat them often, you’ll be criticized for being extravagant and wasteful.”
“……”
Priest Tijilling, who was eating cake next to him, flinched and looked at Lee Han. Lee Han pretended not to notice.
“By the way, who is this person?”
Before Lee Han could answer, Ahsan and Gainando spoke up excitedly.
“This is Baldororn, a master of illusion magic…”
“No! No!!”
“A humble and intellectual person.”
“I said I’m not…!”
“Could we also receive your instruction?”
“……”
Faced with the expectant gazes of the students gathered at the table, Baldororn couldn’t bring himself to refuse.
‘Why did I even go out today…’
One hour later.
“Thank you!”
“I had a lot of questions about this part while learning illusion magic…!”
“…You really won’t say anywhere that you learned from me?? Really…!”
“Don’t worry, Baldororn. We’ll keep your secret.”
While the priests finished their questions, Lee Han, who had finished organizing, spoke up.
“Baldororn, by the way, where were you headed today?”
“I was going to buy something to eat for dinner, and to a shop to buy some artifacts for my workshop…”
Baldororn, who had been speaking absentmindedly, realized he’d made a mistake.
All the first-year students were listening with eager expressions.
“Can we come visit too?”
“……”
‘I should have just said I was going home…’
Baldororn really wanted to cry.
- * *
“…They’re not here.”
“……”
The White Tiger Tower students were the slowest to grasp the situation.
Having finally accepted the reality that there wasn’t a single family mansion, the White Tiger Tower students trembled with shock and anger.
“Why would they go this far…!”
“Are they insane?!”
“Is there any reason to insult knights this much! Just wait until after graduation! Seriously!”
As the White Tiger Tower students trembled, the Black Turtle Tower students appeared.
Surprisingly, the Black Turtle Tower students each held a large lollipop in their hands. It was truly a symbol of luxurious wealth.
“What…?!”
“tsk tsk. I guess you couldn’t get any money.”
Bandur, one of Salko’s gang, clicked his tongue as if pitying them. The White Tiger Tower students’ eyebrows shot up.
“The high family name… shining honor… what use is any of that? If you don’t have money, it’s all meaningless. Hahaha!”
“You bastard?!”
“Hold it. We’re in the village.”
The White Tiger Tower students’ friends stopped one who tried to step forward.
Angrago asked in disbelief.
“How did you get money? Don’t tell me you stole it?”
“What? Stole? Typical White Tiger Tower, always thinking like that.”
The Black Turtle Tower students looked offended.
How dare they start with accusations of theft.
“We got our money through fair and honest trade.”
“Trade?! How?!”
“Why should I tell you? Even if I did, you wouldn’t be able to do it.”
Bandur said proudly.
The Black Turtle Tower students were skilled at running black markets inside the school and finding discarded artifacts.
Bandur had brought those artifacts out and exchanged them for money. Even broken and incomplete artifacts were worth plenty outside.
“D-damn.”
“Don’t fall for it. It’s just a pointless provocation.”
Giselle realized that saying more would only make the other side feel better. There was no need to respond to such provocations.
Someday, the time for payback would come.
“Should I try borrowing money in my family’s name?”
“Angrago. Hold it. That’s what beggars do…!”
Meanwhile, the freshmen surrounding Baldororn appeared from the other side of the street.
“!”
“Blue Dragon Tower… and Phoenix Tower priests?”
Bandur thought it was a stroke of luck when he saw the group of freshmen.
No matter how much of a top student Wardanaz was, there was no way he could get money like Bandur and his friends.
This was something only those not from great noble families could do.
“Wardanaz! Need money?! I could lend you some!”
“No. I’m fine. I have plenty.”
“…?!”
Bandur was shocked.
Looking closely, not only Lee Han but the other students also had lollipops in their hands.
And they were twice as big as the ones the Black Turtle Tower students had.
Gainando looked at the lollipop in Bandur’s hand, then at his own, and grinned. Bandur felt very annoyed.
“How did you…?”
“Where did you get yours?”
At Lee Han’s question, Bandur shrank a little and answered obediently.
“Uh, I exchanged the artifacts I found last time.”
“At which shop?”
“At Yursang’s Dancing Mouse…”
“Oh dear. You got ripped off. Don’t exchange there next time. I heard they buy artifacts a bit cheap. There are better places than that…”
Bandur was drawn in by Lee Han’s words as if hypnotized.
Wardanaz’s voice had the seasoned tone of a guild member who’d been around the village for years.
“…Got it?”
“Y-yeah. Thanks. …But how do you know all this?”
“I looked into it since I was going to exchange artifacts too.”
“……”
‘I lost!’
Even when Lee Han was praised as the top student, or showed magic others couldn’t imitate, Bandur had never felt this way.
Bandur had no choice but to admit it deep in his heart.
‘I lost…!’
“By the way, who is this person?”
Lee Han’s friends answered first.
“The greatest illusion magician.”
“A master of illusion magic.”
“And he said he’d guide us to the artifact shop.”
‘I never said that…’