Episode 202
by CristaeEpisode 202
It was rare even at the magic school for a student to receive such evaluations from their first year.
The magic school was a freer place than one might think.
Even if a student left during the school year to succeed their family, or chose to work in another field without using the magic they had learned, no one said anything.
Because of that, an evaluation like ‘a core talent who will take responsibility for the magic school’ was truly extraordinary.
A talent who would remain at the magic school even after graduation, pioneering the vast unknown field of magic alongside the empire’s greatest minds!
There was no more honorable evaluation for a mage.
If Professor Rogine had received such an evaluation, she would have remained a mage, not a bureaucrat.
‘I should remember this moment well. I might be witnessing the childhood of a future great archmage with my own eyes.’
Unlike Professor Alpen Knighten, who was from a high imperial official background and had a sense of mission to raise students as mages, Professor Rogine, who had been called in urgently, had no such sense of mission.
She just worked as much as she was paid in gold coins!
Of course, she had no intention of pushing students to the extreme like the other professors.
She might meet the students again if they became successful later, so why would she do such a thing?
Only a fool would go out of their way to make enemies.
She taught diligently, encouraged them earnestly, and listened to their various concerns…
If the students later came and said, ‘Thank you for that time, Professor,’ that alone would be rewarding.
Of course, the boy from the Wardanaz Family, who perfectly pointed out the flaws in the contract right before her eyes, didn’t seem likely to do that.
He was just doing so well on his own.
‘I can see why he gets so much praise.’
While other students stopped at stammering, Lee Han read on without hesitation, his eyes burning.
Passion could be felt in his demeanor.
It wasn’t just talent or cleverness, but a passion for scholarship and inquiry.
Isn’t the one who always enjoys it the strongest?
That boy clearly loved studying.
“Well done. Everyone, applause!”
Receiving a round of applause, Lee Han felt proud.
It was the first time since entering the school that he had felt such a strong sense of accomplishment from studying.
‘After leaving a little impression like this, I’ll look for an opportunity to ask for advice. I’ll ask how to become a bureaucrat.’
‘I have to be careful not to force a conversation with Wardanaz, or the other professors might misunderstand.’
The magic school was free, but the professors weren’t so lenient.
Especially those from imperial official backgrounds were even more sensitive.
-How dare an auditor come to my workshop…?
-No, you received His Majesty’s gold coins, so of course I came to check how you’re using them!
-You’re thinking of luring my student into government service again, aren’t you? I will never allow it!
-It was just that one time, 22 years ago! And the student wanted to become an official in the first place!
-Shut up! You degenerate slave of gold. Don’t set foot in the pure Tower of Magic!
The moment a professor’s cherished student was taken into government service, that official became the enemy of not only the professor but also all the mages they were close to.
For life!
It was so dirty and petty that even bureaucrats didn’t bother taking students cherished by professors.
Of course, Professor Rogine, who hated causing trouble, thought the same.
If taking just one student caused such a fuss, what if she took a talent expected by the entire magic school…
‘That would never happen in the first place!’
Why would a boy who loved scholarship so much be interested in government service?
The other professors at the magic school had nothing to worry about.
- * *
“Lee Han. You look like you’re in a good mood.”
“Do I?”
Friday.
The students gathered for the swordsmanship lecture.
Deorgyu realized that Lee Han’s facial expression was softer than usual.
Although the weekend was coming, the other students’ faces were gloomy.
It was because the cold continued.
Even Deorgyu himself felt like his stomach was stuck to his back and his bones were chilled to the core…
“I know why.”
Angrago, who was passing by, answered instead.
“What is it?”
Lee Han thought that if Angrago said something like ‘because Lee Han will soon step up to solve this cold,’ he would hit him.
No matter how good his mood was, he couldn’t forgive that.
“Because you’re looking forward to the snowball fight, right?”
“…What?”
“Snowball fight.”
Angrago pointed behind him.
The students from the White Tiger Tower were walking with Professor Ingeldel, each holding snowballs in both hands.
“…Professor. Is today’s lecture by any chance…?”
“Yes. It’s a snowball fight.”
“……”
Lee Han was dumbfounded.
A snowball fight?
But Professor Ingeldel was serious.
“It’s important to know how to deal with thrown weapons flying from a distance in battle. Especially in many-on-many fights.”
“I-I see…”
Lee Han was convinced.
It was certainly true. Attacks on the battlefield didn’t always come straightforwardly from the front.
Rocks flying from the blind spot were more dangerous than the knight in front.
Of course, seeing the White Tiger Tower students throwing snowballs at each other from behind, he did wonder, ‘Doesn’t the professor just like snowball fights?’
‘Wait.’
Lee Han sensed a suspicious atmosphere.
The White Tiger Tower students were whispering and staring at Lee Han with snowballs in hand.
Their intention was obvious.
‘These bastards…’
Lee Han immediately drew his staff.
If he froze water orbs and threw them, they wouldn’t be much different from snowballs.
“Wait. Wardanaz. Don’t use magic. If you use magic, it’ll be too easy.”
“But… Professor. I’m not that skilled at magic.”
Just like during the last midterm, Lee Han, who was once again banned from using magic, appealed with the most aggrieved expression he could muster.
But Professor Ingeldel didn’t budge at all.
The White Tiger Tower students behind glared at him as if they couldn’t believe it.
‘If Wardanaz isn’t skilled at magic, are we slugs?’
‘Did that guy really think such a lie would work?’
“Still, no. Since it’s a swordsmanship lecture, please learn to fight without relying on magic.”
“Yes. Understood.”
Lee Han agreed for now, but his inner thoughts were different.
‘The moment the professor isn’t looking, I’ll smash them.’
It was no coincidence that Professor Voladi emphasized the importance of speed in magic combat.
He was definitely teaching to strike quickly in situations like this.
“Oh, and I brought a gift for the students.”
“Pardon?”
The students tilted their heads at Professor Ingeldel’s words.
What gift?
-■■■■…
The ferocious enhanced pig they had met in Professor Thunderstep’s alchemy lecture.
That pig was tied to a tree.
“I’ll give it as a prize to the students who win today’s snowball fight.”
“Th-thank you.”
Objectively, the pig was a good gift in this situation.
There was nothing to waste from a pig.
Not only the meat, but pig fat was useful in the cold.
‘But where did the professor get that?’
“Hey. Looking forward to it.”
Giselle Moradi, a White Tiger Tower student with golden hair, looked at Lee Han with a smirk on one side of her mouth.
It was a very unpleasant smile that revealed her true feelings.
How could she not be happy at the chance to legally throw a snowball at Lee Han’s face?
“Professor. Moradi is plotting with her friends to bully me.”
Lee Han responded immediately.
Caught off guard, Giselle stared at Lee Han in shock.
‘That bastard…’
Those from knightly families couldn’t tattle because of their pride, but Lee Han could tattle without hesitation for even a second.
“It must have been a misunderstanding.”
“No, Professor.”
“I said it’s a misunderstanding.”
“??”
When Professor Ingeldel didn’t waver, Lee Han was puzzled.
What was this?
Professor Ingeldel wasn’t a stubborn, closed-minded person. He didn’t expect him to not listen at all.
…Could it be that Lee Han’s tricks had been found out?
“Lee Han.”
Deorgyu spoke in a small voice beside him.
“Why are you calling me?”
“You, Moradi, and I… are on the same team.”
“……”
“……”
Both Lee Han and Giselle stared at each other in shock.
That’s right…!
- * *
Dudududududu!
“Does Moradi not have any friends?”
Lee Han asked, puzzled, as a barrage of snowballs flew at them like crazy.
Right now, Lee Han, Giselle, and Deorgyu were running hard.
No matter how skilled the three were in class, there was no answer to sheer numbers.
All the other students, except for the three, were united in throwing snowballs at them, so they couldn’t respond head-on. The three were retreating for now.
“It’s not that Moradi doesn’t have friends, Lee Han. It’s just that since the three of us are strong candidates to win, everyone is trying to check us first…”
“Choi. Don’t bother responding to that nonsense.”
Giselle snapped sharply.
She was going to ignore it, but because of Deorgyu!
Papapapapapap!
“I see. I was wondering since so many are flying at us.”
“Aren’t you thinking about all the grudges you’ve built up?”
“Honestly, isn’t it about time they forgot? What do you think, Deorgyu?”
“……”
“……”
Giselle and Deorgyu fell silent.
It wasn’t because they agreed, but because they had nothing to say.
‘Seems like the others got hit too many times to forget…’
“Wardanaz, die!”
It looked like the students had tried to ambush them by circling around the hill the three were climbing.
Students jumped out from behind trees.
Lee Han skillfully dodged the snowballs—not magic, but snowballs—and threw the snow he was holding.
Thud!
“Wait. Deorgyu. Isn’t it over if you get hit once?”
Lee Han hesitated at the sight of a student who, even after being hit, didn’t give up and started gathering snow again.
“No? It’s until you declare surrender yourself.”
“……”
It was a more primitive and brutish rule than he thought.
‘But this makes it too disadvantageous.’
If it ended with just one hit, maybe, but if it kept going even after being hit, the three were at a disadvantage.
A White Tiger Tower student hiding behind a tree shouted.
“Wardanaz!!”
“I hear you.”
“Today, I will definitely defeat you!”
“Is today really the only chance? Do you have to?”
“If I miss today, there won’t be another chance!”
‘That guy is bringing shame to the White Tiger Tower.’
Giselle thought to herself.
Of course, Giselle also thought it would be hard to win against Lee Han unless his magic was sealed like today, but saying that out loud was another matter.
“Should we just surrender?”
“Ah, no. That’s a bit… Lee Han. We should try a bit more.”
“If everyone’s targeting us, isn’t it reckless to keep holding out?”
He heard footsteps sneaking up from behind. Lee Han leaned over a rock and threw a snowball.
Smack!
The approaching White Tiger Tower student fell over. Lee Han didn’t stop and threw another prepared snowball.
“Ow! I surrender! Surrender! Wardanaz! That really hurts!”
“What? You barely got hit. Anyway, thanks.”
“You put a rock in there, didn’t you!!”
“Nope.”
Lee Han split open the snowball he was holding. There really wasn’t anything like a rock inside.
Putting a rock in was too obvious a cheat and would get caught easily.
The White Tiger Tower student, face red, tilted his head.
‘What? It really hurt, though?’
It felt like a hard, heavy impact, not a soft snowball.
“Did you really not put a rock in? Be honest.”
Giselle whispered quietly, unable to believe it. For not having a rock inside, the opponent surrendered too easily.
“I told you, I didn’t. I wouldn’t use such an easily caught trick…”
Whoosh!
Lee Han threw another snowball at an approaching student. Since there was some distance, he unconsciously used magic power.
The experience of throwing orbs with full force at Professor Voladi had been very useful.
That experience remained in his body and helped him use magic power.
Crack—
“…?”
Lee Han clearly felt it at that moment.
The snowball, just before flying off, froze solid with cold in his hand!