Episode 238

“Honestly, those White Tiger Tower guys really love spreading fake rumors.”

“Sorry, Lee Han.”

“It’s fine. Deorgyu, it’s not your fault.”

At Lee Han and Deorgyu’s conversation, the White Tiger Tower students standing nearby opened their mouths in protest.

No…

No…!

“But you really are making a floating shield…”

“It’s just not permanent, but you are making a simple artifact…”

“Ah. Stop talking nonsense and go work on your own stuff. Don’t you see Moradi glaring at you over there?”

Lee Han scolded his clueless friends.

He didn’t like Moradi, but there was a basic sense of solidarity between people like Lee Han and Moradi.

When there’s a group assignment, they inevitably end up as the group leader!

If their group members listened as well as the Blue Dragon Tower students, the group leader’s stress would be less, but if they were like these White Tiger Tower students, who didn’t make the designs they were told to and just spread fake rumors, the leader could only clutch the back of their neck in frustration.

“So you really are making a floating shield…”

“We weren’t even expecting it to be permanent…”

The White Tiger Tower students grumbled and shuffled back to their seats.

“Lee Han, but… don’t you need to increase the duration too?”

As he was revising his design, Deorgyu asked hesitantly.

Even if it wasn’t a semi-permanent artifact, simple artifacts like these usually included devices or magic circles to increase the spell duration.

The duration of enchantment magic cast with just a wizard’s own power was short, so all sorts of methods had to be used to supplement it.

Otherwise, after all that effort, it would just end up as junk that didn’t even last 20 or 30 minutes.

“Yeah. Once you finish the design, you’ll have to prepare that as well. It’s not that hard. For a light spell… a magic amplification circle and a magic preservation circle should be enough. The ingredients you’ll need are a low-grade mana stone, glow ink, dawn powder…”

‘How does he just rattle that off?’

Deorgyu’s mouth dropped open, just like the White Tiger Tower students earlier.

And Lee Han wasn’t even planning to make a light shield.

Yet he rattled it off as if he’d memorized it.

“Why are you looking at me like that?”

“I’m just surprised you knew that right away.”

“It’s just luck that I happened to know it.”

It sounded humble, but Lee Han was sincere.

Because he’d learned those ingredients when he was forced to make magic fireworks last time.

But Deorgyu, unaware of the circumstances, only saw it as humility.

‘He’s really amazing.’

“Lee Han, you’ll need those materials for your floating steel shield, so I’ll make sure to get plenty for you too.”

Deorgyu thumped his chest as he spoke.

He couldn’t just take all this help and give nothing in return.

“It’s fine.”

“No, it’s nothing compared to the help you’ve given me…”

“No. The floating steel shield consumes so much magical power that what I just said won’t cut it. I’ll need to find a different method.”

Lee Han frowned as he said this.

Deorgyu was a bit taken aback by his expression.

‘He doesn’t seem happy, but maybe it’s just my imagination?’

It must be the agony of a genius.

There was no reason for Lee Han to be in a bad mood.

“So, is there a way to get the ingredients?”

Lee Han asked, puzzled.

From what Deorgyu was saying, it sounded like he’d already gathered quite a few materials.

Did White Tiger Tower students have that kind of resourcefulness?

“It’s nothing special. Just wait a moment.”

Deorgyu stood up, whispered with some other White Tiger Tower students, and approached Professor Bible Verdus.

“Professor Verdus, we need ingredients to make the simple artifact. Could you advise us on where to get them?”

“……”

Lee Han was speechless.

‘R-right. Asking the professor…’

Come to think of it, that wasn’t such a weird method.

If students didn’t know something, it was normal to ask the professor.

It was just Einrogard that was abnormal.

‘I never even considered asking the professor. Will Professor Verdus answer?’

He was honestly curious.

If it were the skeleton principal, he would never have given advice, but Professor Verdus seemed like he might, or might not…

“……”

“Professor?”

“……”

Professor Verdus exceeded Lee Han’s expectations.

No matter how much the students called or spoke to him, he was totally absorbed in the artifact he was making, peering through a sapphire magnifier.

“Professor…?”

“Uh, what do we do?”

“…Oh, Light!”

Lee Han immediately swung his staff and created a massive orb of light.

An orb with an intensity on a completely different level from the other students glowed in front of their eyes, making Professor Verdus startle and look up.

“What?! What’s going on?!”

“Sorry, Professor. That was a mistake.”

“Really? Well, can’t be helped then.”

All the students from the other towers in the classroom looked at Lee Han like he was crazy.

No matter how much the professor ignored you, this was a bold move.

Even Giselle looked at Lee Han like he was crazy.

‘Does that guy have no fear at all?’

Regardless, Professor Verdus tried to lower his head and concentrate again.

But Deorgyu, snapping to his senses, shouted out.

“Professor!”

“What? Why?”

“We need some ingredients to make a simple artifact.”

“Oh? Oh. Okay.”

Professor Verdus lowered his head again.

“Oh, Light!”

“What is it!??”

“Sorry, Professor. My mistake.”

“Really? Well, can’t be helped then.”

“Professor! Professor! Professor!!!”

Deorgyu shouted desperately, unable to let the second opportunity Lee Han had created slip by.

Professor Verdus replied irritably.

“How rude! Why are you raising your voice like that?”

“S-sorry…”

The White Tiger Tower students were dumbfounded.

‘Wardanaz set off a ball of light right in front of you…!?’

‘What even is your standard for rudeness?!’

“We need! Some ingredients!!”

Even the usually gentle Deorgyu’s voice had a bit of force in it.

At last, Professor Verdus understood the question and answered.

“Yeah. I figured you’d need them, so I prepared them.”

“Huh? Really?”

Lee Han, who hadn’t meant to interrupt, answered unconsciously.

He couldn’t believe it.

Not just telling them where, but actually preparing the ingredients?

What was going on?

Was he actually Professor Leuzi in disguise?

“Yeah. Really. How are you supposed to make artifacts without materials? Don’t you even know that?”

“Sorry, Professor.”

Lee Han wasn’t fazed at all by such words.

Unlike the rookie White Tiger Tower students, to Lee Han, that level of provocation was like a gentle breeze.

“By the way. What are you making?”

“I’m still thinking…”

“Lee Han is planning to make a floating steel shield, Professor.”

“A floating steel shield? That’s impressive. Good choice. Very commendable.”

For Professor Verdus, who had little interest in first-year students, that level of praise was close to high praise.

Deorgyu, who answered for him, felt proud. He smiled at his friend.

“…??”

Of course, Lee Han’s expression was twisted like a White Tiger Tower student the day before an exam.

‘Damn. I was going to use the professor to change my project topic.’

“So, Professor, where do we get the materials?”

Lee Han asked, planning to pick up the materials he needed and quietly pocket a few extra as well.

“What time is it? They should be here soon.”

“??”

“Ah. Looks like they’re here. Let’s go outside.”

• * *

“?????!”

The students who stepped outside Professor Verdus’s magic tower were shocked to see strangers who had arrived by carriage.

The strangers looked just as awkward as the students. Lee Han immediately realized why.

‘If you’re calling in outsiders, shouldn’t you at least move the Death Knights out of the way?’

Death Knights were standing right by the carriage, staring in an intimidating way.

“Um… Mage, why are these Death Knights… acting like this?”

One of the guests wiped cold sweat with a handkerchief and asked.

He just couldn’t understand.

Had they made some mistake?

“Oh? Ah. There’s an intruder at the magic school right now, so we’re on alert.”

“N-no! Why would you call us here during such a time?!”

“Why? Isn’t it actually safer?”

-Don’t forget that we’re watching you merchants.

“…Let’s just get this over with.”

It turned out the strangers who had come by carriage were merchants Professor Verdus had called in from outside.

Most great enchanters were close with merchants. Even someone like Professor Verdus was no exception.

No matter how terrible your personality, how could anyone not love a wizard who could make artifacts worth the price of a castle?

“I’ll help.”

“N-no, it’s fine.”

When Lee Han stepped forward, the merchants were at a loss.

No matter if he was a student, he looked like he came from a great noble family, and they couldn’t have someone like that doing menial work.

“What are you all doing? Hurry up and help.”

“…Huh???”

“Help.”

“Uh… but why…”

The White Tiger Tower students stammered as they were dragged over. Lee Han and his friends unloaded the goods from the wagon.

‘Idiots.’

Lee Han was trying to arouse the merchants’ sympathy.

Objectively, Einrogard students looked pretty pitiful.

If he could just push their sympathy a bit further, he’d have a good chance of getting something extra.

So, standing around looking sullen wouldn’t do. They had to act like diligent, polite boys and girls.

“Right, Deorgyu.”

“…Isn’t this… begging?”

“What! How is this begging?”

“Uh. Uh-huh…”

‘It does seem like begging.’

Giselle, helping at the side, thought so to herself but said nothing.

Honestly, from a practical perspective, getting some freebies was good.

…She just couldn’t bring herself to ask directly because of her pride!

‘Just what is Wardanaz…’

“But what are all these goods?”

“They’re the materials the mage asked us to bring.”

“Oh.”

“Aha!”

The students were moved.

Even so, Professor Verdus was still a professor.

Ordering materials from outside for the students.

That put him in the top 5% of professors at Einrogard.

‘Amazing. Is he actually a fake?’

Lee Han thought so as he finished organizing the goods.

“All done.”

“Oh my. Thank you, young mages!”

The merchants thanked them again and again. The White Tiger Tower students also wiped under their noses.

“This is nothing…”

“As a knight, this wasn’t even hard.”

“It’s a knight’s duty to help good people. Wardanaz made a good point.”

“Now then, mage. The payment, please.”

The merchants politely held out their hands.

Though Professor Verdus had asked at the last minute, they had gathered everything in a hurry, but didn’t expect to charge extra for it.

He was an important customer and a great wizard, after all.

Even getting just the cost was enough…

“I don’t have any money.”

“…Excuse me?”

Lee Han could feel the merchants’ voices drop a notch.

“What do you mean? You’re joking… right?”

“I’m not joking. They’ll pay. It’s their materials.”

“Oh… aha!”

The merchants relaxed.

So that’s what he meant!

Of course, Einrogard students would all be rich enough to carry two or three purses of gold coins.

“Young mages, the payment, please.”

“……”

“……”

But the students’ faces were turning pale.

The merchants could sense a growing sense of dread.

…Surely not?