Episode 225

Episode 225

The next morning.

The Blue Dragon Tower students headed to the lounge with haggard faces.

They had managed to find out which lectures would have pop quizzes by thoroughly questioning the undead…

…but in truth, nothing much had changed.

After all, it was still the students who had to study.

There were so many lectures, and most of them had pop quizzes—what could they do?

They had no choice but to stay up all night studying.

“…Wait a second. Lee Han. What are you eating?”

Yoner sensed something odd and asked.

Lee Han was eating snacks that the undead had brought.

“Don’t tell me…?”

“Snacks the undead brought? That’s right.”

Lee Han answered calmly.

Of course, the best thing to do was not to eat such snacks and just throw them away, but reality didn’t always work out so ideally.

With resources scarce, it felt wasteful to throw away these snacks.

Besides, the snacks had no effect on Lee Han. He had already confirmed this yesterday.

‘Needlessly tasty.’

He didn’t know who baked them, but the snacks from the skull principal were needlessly delicious.

“Wardanaz… They give us decent snacks, but… they take the spoiled ones for themselves…”

Other students looked at Lee Han with teary eyes from behind.

Students who had lived their whole lives in great noble families were not used to someone eating spoiled food for their sake.

“It’s not spoiled. It’s tasty…”

“Everyone saw that, right? We have to repay Wardanaz’s dedication.”

“Gainando. Study! Stop playing with those cards!”

“Ah. I said I’m done?!”

Watching his friends encourage each other among themselves, Lee Han shrugged and grabbed another snack.

• * *

-Basic Imperial Geometry and Arithmetic-.

Professor Alpen Knighten was slightly surprised at the enthusiasm shown by the Blue Dragon Tower students.

Of course, passion and grades were two separate things.

-Gainando, I understand you’re close with Wardanaz, so it would be better for you to learn from Wardanaz and retake the test.

-…Can’t I just learn and leave it at that? I’ll do well on the finals. I promise!

-Basic Imperial Language and Logic-.

Professor Logine Pfluework cheered on the students.

-You’re all wonderful. With such amazing students, the Empire’s future is bright indeed. Richmond, 37 points. Excellent. Jojeon, 33 points. Very good. Wardanaz. Hmm. Well done.

-?

-Why didn’t you say Wardanaz’s score…

The Blue Dragon Tower students, who were wondering, glanced at the three-digit score on Lee Han’s test paper and quietly closed their mouths.

Sometimes, having a friend who was too good at studying could be hurtful.

‘Let’s keep this to ourselves.’

‘The other tower kids should be grateful for our consideration.’

• * *

Evening.

Professor Ingeldel, who was waiting for the students while watching the sunset, looked puzzled as he saw the students running up to him with happy faces.

“What happened to everyone?”

“It’s nothing, Professor!”

“Please begin the lecture!”

The White Tiger Tower students looked at the professor with affectionate eyes.

They were White Tiger Tower students who had been tormented by pop quizzes all day.

It wasn’t strange to feel a halo around Professor Ingeldel, who didn’t give any tests.

“Hah! Haah!”

“Huaaap!”

Leaving the White Tiger Tower students excitedly swinging their wooden swords, Lee Han asked Professor Ingeldel,

“By the way, Professor. I have something to ask…”

“I thought so. You want to ask about the weakness of the Rock Drake, right?”

Professor Ingeldel spoke as if he knew everything.

“…No, that’s not it.”

Lee Han almost frowned.

Anyone would think he had some grudge against the Rock Drake!

“Was I wrong?”

“Why do you keep thinking that…?”

“The principal said that Wardanaz would probably try to catch it alone next time…”

“……”

“So I was wrong, huh. What did you want to ask?”

“Well, actually, while facing the Rock Drake…”

Professor Ingeldel gave Lee Han a look that said, ‘You said no, but I was right.’

Lee Han explained as quickly as possible what had happened.

“…I realized a similar change in the nature of my mana, but I’m not sure if that’s a good thing…”

“It’s absolutely a good thing!”

Professor Ingeldel was delighted as if it were his own achievement.

Even if one learned family secrets from childhood, one couldn’t perform such a change in the nature of mana without talent.

But for a young swordsman to realize how to change the nature of mana on his own was a good sign that he might one day complete his own swordsmanship.

“Geniuses who dedicate their lives to swordsmanship always end up developing their own style. Such swordsmanship becomes not just technique, but the swordsman’s pride and confidence.”

“Uh…”

Lee Han hesitated.

The conversation was getting way ahead of itself.

‘I’m not really interested in having my own swordsmanship.’

Lee Han had no ambition to create his own swordsmanship and make a mark in the history of imperial swordsmanship.

He was only taking the swordsmanship class to get easy grades in the first place.

The Wall Rock Sword he learned from Allarlong was already good enough, so he had no intention of changing or reinterpreting it.

“Wardanaz, try mixing that nature change into your swordsmanship. Then your own sword will naturally emerge.”

Suddenly being forced to incorporate the change in mana nature into his training, Lee Han became even more flustered.

Lee Han’s swordsmanship, the Wall Rock Sword, was already quite complete.

He had wielded it since childhood, so it was only natural.

But now, if he mixed in this newly realized change in mana nature, it would cause a lot of confusion until he got used to it again.

Of course, Lee Han didn’t want to do that.

He just wanted to ask what this phenomenon was and how best to use it…

“Professor. I haven’t even completed my mana circulation yet. If I get greedy and try to change the nature too, won’t my sword become dull?”

“It’s fine, Wardanaz. The path of the sword is not so narrow, and you are not lacking in talent. You can handle both at once.”

“……”

Lee Han clenched his teeth and nodded. Then he turned away desolately.

Deorgyu spoke beside him.

“I heard, Lee Han. You’re going to try applying the change in mana nature to your swordsmanship? Impressive. Even our tower’s students don’t dare think about nature change, only mana circulation.”

“You know how serious I am about swordsmanship.”

“Of course I do. Few in our tower are as dedicated to swordsmanship as you. By now, your friends must be feeling your sincerity too.”

“……”

Lee Han sighed inwardly at Deorgyu’s sincerity in response to a joke.

Well, it wasn’t Deorgyu’s fault…

“I’d appreciate your help in sparring. It’ll take a while to get used to the new swordsmanship, and I doubt the others will go easy on me.”

“Of course, Lee Han. But I think the others would go easy on you too, if you told them.”

‘I doubt it.’

Lee Han clashed wooden swords with Deorgyu.

Since Professor Ingeldel had said all that, he would ask, ‘How has your swordsmanship changed?’ every time they met, so Lee Han had to show results.

‘First goal… is to break balance.’

Fortunately, Lee Han had a reference point.

When the White Oak Knights’ apprentices visited, he had seen a knight use Sword Absorption.

Labda of the Enghe Family lightly wrapped her sword with mana possessing an attractive property, breaking her opponent’s balance with each clash.

Of course, there were more complex techniques at higher levels, but Lee Han didn’t need to go that far.

The important thing was to show Professor Ingeldel enough to say, ‘I practiced like this!’

“What are those two doing?”

“Wardanaz is practicing Sword Absorption.”

“What? Isn’t that a sword style only used by the Enghe Family?”

“Wardanaz, that bastard…”

The White Tiger Tower students looked at Lee Han with amazement.

He already had sword skills that were among the best, yet he didn’t stop there and started researching new techniques.

He was truly greedy for swordsmanship.

“We can’t lose either!”

“Wardanaz, you can’t beat us when it comes to passion for swordsmanship!”

‘I want to hit each of them once.’

Struggling against Deorgyu’s attacks and stumbling, Lee Han fumed inwardly.

He was already annoyed enough from the unfamiliar swordsmanship…

It felt like he was back to his first days of sword training.

“Lee Han. Are you okay?”

“I’m fine. Let’s continue.”

Regardless of how he felt, Lee Han was the type to never hesitate when something had to be done.

He might be frustrated, but if Professor Ingeldel wanted it, what could he do?

He had to produce results.

‘When an attack comes, stop. When another attack comes, stop again.’

Instead of unfolding sword techniques gracefully, Lee Han focused solely on defense.

Since changing the nature of mana was already difficult, he had to give up on other aspects.

He aimed for one thing.

When the opponent attacked, use attractive mana to pull and stop their movement.

Kang, kang, kang, kang—

Deorgyu’s rapid attacks struck Lee Han’s blade in succession, then suddenly his sword paused in midair, unable to return to position.

“Just now! Did you see that, Lee Han?!”

“Yeah. I saw.”

Lee Han sighed in relief inwardly.

‘At least I managed to succeed once.’

There was a big difference between pouring mana indiscriminately into his hands without worrying about waste, and focusing mana just enough so the wooden sword wouldn’t break.

Swordsmen who hadn’t reached the level of circulating mana through their swords as if it were their own body had to squeeze out mana and infuse it into their swords as needed.

Mana waste was severe, but it was something they had to accept.

But people like Lee Han had other concerns.

The worry that if he infused too much mana, the sword might break!

To show Sword Absorption, he had to infuse mana with every clash, requiring even more concentration.

“Your swordsmanship is a heavy, strong, two-handed style. If you can break the opponent’s balance just by blocking, your counters will be even more powerful.”

“Thanks, Deorgyu.”

“Alright. Let’s continue then.”

“…Can’t we rest a bit?”

“Lee Han, what are you saying? If you don’t keep going after an insight, the swordsmanship won’t stay in your hands.”

Deorgyu was surprised that Lee Han, who knew so much, would say such a thing.

Professor Ingeldel chimed in.

“He’s right, Wardanaz. It’s best to continue.”

“Actually, my mana is…”

“?”

“?”

“…Never mind. Let’s keep going, Deorgyu.”

“Alright, got it!”

Lee Han gave up on making an excuse about lacking mana and sighed.

‘Damn. I just wanted to rest a bit…’

Both Deorgyu and Professor Ingeldel knew Lee Han too well.

Knowing he could do more, they pushed him without mercy, even if he wanted a break.

• * *

The next day.

Lee Han loosened his stiff muscles as he headed to Professor Voladi’s classroom.

Because he had practiced unfamiliar swordsmanship the day before, his whole body was sore. Normally, Lee Han didn’t collapse easily, but this time he nearly passed out.

‘I’m afraid to open the door.’

He was scary to meet even in perfect condition, let alone like this.

Thinking so, Lee Han opened the door.

“Hello.”

Professor Voladi, standing like a statue, spoke as soon as Lee Han sat down.

“Have you completed the floating frost shield?”

“Pardon? Uh… not yet.”

“Prepare.”

“Wait a minute.”

“?”

“The Rock Drake…”

As soon as Lee Han started to speak, he regretted it.

Why had he dug his own grave by bringing it up when Professor Voladi hadn’t mentioned it first?

“Do you want to know the Rock Drake’s weakness?”

“That’s not really…”

“So the principal was right. Like I said last time, you’re being too hasty.”

“……”

Lee Han truly felt wronged.