Episode 263

“Ughhh…”

Doig couldn’t believe it.

He was sure they’d moved at the same time, but he and his brother were slower than that wizard.

They’d acted simultaneously, but while the wizard had to focus, wave his staff, and recite an incantation, all they had to do was fire their hidden weapons…

Thud!

The two adventurers collapsed just like that.

Unaware, Lee Han asked Professor Voladi again,

“They must have been wearing defensive gear, but wasn’t it a bit lacking?”

“It was enough.”

In truth, among adventurers, those who had proper anti-magic equipment were extremely rare.

If you had an artifact as expensive as a castle, you’d just sell it and retire—why risk your life on dangerous work?

The -Snake of the Maple Tree- Lee Han had met before was an extremely unusual case, and it was hard to meet an adventurer equipped like that.

Moreover, both Doig and Geido kept themselves as light as possible for speed…

‘What was that? Were they just weirdos?’

Of course, from Lee Han’s perspective, not knowing the circumstances of the adventurers who’d just attacked, it was baffling.

What kind of people attack a wizard and come so unprepared?

• * *

“They were both wanted men. Good work.”

Still, since a fight had broken out in the village, it couldn’t just be overlooked.

Lee Han and Professor Voladi went to see the imperial administrator in charge of Pillone Village.

The administrator didn’t particularly suspect or blame the two wizards. From the start, wizards affiliated with Einrogard and wanted adventurers were on completely different levels.

“They were wanted?”

Lee Han was surprised.

The Empire was unimaginably vast, and when someone caused trouble and fled far away, they weren’t easy to catch.

For such people, the Empire put a bounty on their heads, and of course, not just anyone got a bounty.

‘For wanted men, they were pretty dumb. How did they not get caught until now?’

‘As expected of an Einrogard wizard.’

The administrator tried to keep a calm expression, hiding his amazement.

He knew the students of Einrogard were some of the top geniuses in the Empire, but not to this extent.

He didn’t look that old, but to catch Doig and Geido and act so nonchalant…

Asking why such weaklings had a bounty on their heads was, for a moment, such a confident reply that it was almost admirable.

“That’s right. As expected of an Einrogard student. I look forward to your continued success.”

“Thank you.”

Lee Han answered but then hesitated.

‘What kind of “continued success” is he expecting?’

It was praise, but somehow an unpleasant kind of praise.

Was he cursing him to keep running into criminals?

But when he received the pouch heavy with silver coins, his mood improved again.

Lee Han politely bowed his head and gave a courteous farewell.

“Thank you. Goodbye.”

The administrator was surprised again.

It was the complete opposite humility from the confidence he’d shown earlier.

‘He must be from a great noble family…’

He didn’t know which family, but he was sure Lee Han was from a prestigious, old noble house.

The administrator was deeply impressed without realizing it.

Magic was a complex field that ordinary people could hardly attempt.

A boy so confident in his talent yet never losing his manners—perhaps he truly was meant to walk the path of such a discipline.

‘Hang in there.’

The administrator cheered for Lee Han.

It was his job to let students like that focus solely on magic.

Boring and tedious tasks like being an administrator were for people like him.

• * *

“…Would you like to split it?”

“No.”

Weighing the pouch of silver coins, Lee Han realized Professor Voladi was still beside him and asked.

Fortunately, Professor Voladi had little interest in his student’s purse.

‘He doesn’t seem to be in a good mood.’

Even without using Ogonin’s magic, Lee Han had a keen sense for reading professors’ emotions.

‘It’s not because of the silver…’

“Is it because of the deal?”

Professor Voladi nodded.

He’d received quite a few letters, but all of them had been from frauds.

Professor Voladi, who’d expected at least one decent offer, was bound to be disappointed.

Lee Han tried to keep his expression in check.

‘Don’t smile. If you smile, you die.’

Professor Voladi wasn’t someone who would take emotional revenge like the skeleton headmaster, but it still wouldn’t be good if a student laughed at the professor’s failure.

Especially since Professor Voladi was also a master of close combat.

“It’s fine. If it were so easy to find, it wouldn’t be a rare monster. I’m fine without it.”

Lee Han spoke with kind eyes.

At those words, Professor Voladi’s brow furrowed slightly.

Seeing his student decline so modestly stirred a faint feeling deep within him.

It was frustration.

The frustration of a teacher who couldn’t accomplish what he was supposed to.

Professor Voladi had to furrow his brow even more to control this unfamiliar emotion.

‘…Is this okay?’

As Professor Voladi’s frown deepened, Lee Han grew uneasy.

What if he suddenly said, ‘There’s no monster, so I’ll be the monster myself’?

“Professor?”

“Yes.”

As Professor Voladi’s face returned to normal, Lee Han sighed in relief inwardly.

“But there’s still time until finals, so I’ll keep looking.”

‘Damn it.’

Lee Han cursed Professor Voladi.

Why was he so passionate only about pointless things?

Couldn’t he spend that time wondering ‘Why do I have only one student in my classroom’?

“Are you wizards from Einrogard?”

“!”

Lee Han looked up.

He’d never seen this person before, but could immediately tell he was a high-ranking noble.

From his accent and bearing to his clothes, accessories, and the guards standing nearby.

‘Who is this?’

“Yes, that’s right. Excuse me, but who are you?”

The noble’s guard answered instead.

“This is His Grace, Duke Ikaldoren. Please state your names.”

“Lee Han of the Wardanaz Family.”

“Voladi of the Baegrek Family.”

Unlike the Baegrek Family, the Wardanaz Family was a grand noble house that even imperial dukes could not treat lightly. The guard’s demeanor grew even more cautious.

‘Duke Ikaldoren…’

Lee Han didn’t know all the noble families in the Empire, but famous ones were inevitably known.

He’d heard rumors about Duke Ikaldoren and even seen him in the imperial papers—a rather famous figure.

‘The rumors weren’t exactly good, though.’

Few nobles escaped gossip about being cunning or scheming, but even so, the rumors about Duke Ikaldoren were rather extreme.

Cunning and full of hidden motives, Lee Han couldn’t help but be a bit nervous.

Having Professor Voladi next to him didn’t make him less nervous. In fact, in situations like this, Professor Voladi was even more worrying.

‘Even if Professor Voladi insults Duke Ikaldoren, the skeleton headmaster will take our side, right? We are members of the magic school, after all?’

Thinking about how the skeleton headmaster would react, Lee Han bowed his head.

“It is an honor to meet you.”

Duke Ikaldoren appeared to be in his forties.

His real age was probably twice that, making him look very young for a human. Surely it was thanks to all sorts of alchemical elixirs.

“A few days ago, I heard a wizard would have a fateful encounter—I wonder if this is the meeting that was foretold. To think I’d meet such outstanding wizards from Einrogard in the village.”

One of the duke’s guards glared at Lee Han and whispered to the duke.

“Your Grace, as far as I know, students from the magic school are forbidden from going out. Isn’t this suspicious?”

Guards of nobles were by default paranoid.

They assumed anyone approaching their master was a disguised assassin.

“How can you say such foolish things and not be ashamed? Of course it’s permitted to go out with a professor. I won’t tolerate any more rudeness. Stand back.”

Duke Ikaldoren strongly rebuked his guard. The guard bowed his head and stepped back.

Lee Han felt a prick of guilt.

‘That guard is sharp. How did he know?’

“If I may be so bold, forgive me. But I heard you two wizards are looking for something? I’d like to help if I can.”

“!”

Lee Han’s face stiffened.

‘So the rumors were true!’

He really was as cunning and scheming as they said.

Trying to send an innocent student to their doom.

“We’re looking for a rare monster.”

“Are there any conditions?”

“Immune to fire, water, and lightning, strong magic resistance, speed of at least 60 km/h…”

Even after hearing Professor Voladi’s nonsense, Duke Ikaldoren showed no change in expression.

He called over a guard and asked,

“Can you find one?”

“I’ll look into it.”

“Please do. While you wait, may I offer you something to drink?”

Realizing things had gone wrong, Lee Han held back a sigh and replied,

“If possible, I’d prefer tea.”

“Excellent taste.”

• * *

“Your Grace, isn’t this too much of an investment, even for someone from the Wardanaz Family and an Einrogard professor…”

Duke Ikaldoren lightly tapped his fingers. The subordinate quickly shut his mouth.

No one would keep talking after such a warning.

The duke muttered coldly.

“I know what you’re trying to say.”

The monster the wizard wanted was rarer and trickier than expected.

Compared to that, it was hard to know how important these two wizards were within Einrogard.

One was a professor, but who knew how influential, and the other seemed to be a lower-year student…

At this rate, even if he got close, he might not gain much.

It was unlikely that either the professor or the student was close to the headmaster.

Yet Duke Ikaldoren was willing to make the investment anyway.

Right now, he had to extend his tentacles inside the magic school no matter the efficiency.

‘I have to find out what’s going on inside Einrogard somehow.’

The duke’s face was calm, but inwardly he was conflicted. Recently, one of his most trusted agents had entered Einrogard and then lost contact.

If his agent had been caught by Gonadaltes, he needed to grasp the situation quickly.

With that temperament, if Gonadaltes realized the truth, he’d never let it go.

Even if he didn’t like the two wizards, he had no choice. For now, he had to slowly expand his influence.

“Do you like the tea?”

Duke Ikaldoren asked as he entered the drawing room. Lee Han and Professor Voladi were sipping tea.

“It’s excellent. Thank you, Your Grace.”

Lee Han, who answered politely, and Professor Voladi, who just nodded, contrasted greatly.

The duke let it slide since he was in a position of need, but he couldn’t help feeling offended.

‘Wizards are such scoundrels.’

They were fools obsessed only with their own interests.

In contrast, Lee Han was quite refreshing.

He’d expected someone from the Wardanaz Family to be fundamentally rude…

“I feel bad giving such cheap tea to a student who should be focused on his studies.”

“Not at all. If I could, I’d love to take some with me when I go.”

“Hahaha… I’ll see what I can do.”

“Please do.”

‘Is he really from the Wardanaz Family?’

Duke Ikaldoren had never met someone from the Wardanaz Family who could converse without offending people.

And even joke like that.

It was truly surprising.

“Come to think of it, if you’re studying at Einrogard, you must have met Duke Gonadaltes.”

“Yes, I have.”

“Are you close?”

“How could that be?”

Lee Han answered, appalled.

As if they could possibly be close.

Unless you counted hatred or pain.

‘What a shame.’

Duke Ikaldoren was inwardly deeply disappointed. He’d expected it, but it was still a bitter result.