Episode 265

Episode 265

“Professor. I’m not well-versed in imperial law, but I’m pretty sure kidnapping is illegal.”

“I got their permission.”

“Excuse me??”

Lee Han was appalled.

He knew adventurers were crazy, but agreeing to such a proposal…

‘Ah. That can’t be it.’

From the perspective of the adventurers who were caught trying to scam them, refusing wouldn’t have been easy.

Besides, Professor Voladi probably hadn’t captured them kindly and gently, so the atmosphere must have been quite intimidating.

‘If you ask questions with a sword to their throat, that’s not permission, that’s coercion.’

“But if you got their permission, is there any reason to carry them in boxes like this?”

“If you let outsiders roam free, they might cause trouble.”

“Indeed.”

Of course, Lee Han only replied with “indeed” but was thinking something else inside.

Is that even an answer…!

• * *

Thud!

The Blue Dragon Tower students looked at Lee Han as if he were a god who had descended into reality.

The cake placed in the center of the lounge was so tall it almost touched the ceiling.

“We’ll all eat it together after finals. Got it?”

“My… my goodness…”

“Sharkan. If anyone touches it, bite them.”

Sharkan bit Gainando’s ankle. Gainando screamed.

“I didn’t touch it! I just thought about it!”

Watching Gainando jump, Lee Han added,

“If you fail, you don’t get any.”

“No…!”

Some students were horrified.

How could he set such a cruel condition?

“It’s not a crime to fail!”

‘Isn’t it, though?’

Lee Han ignored his friends’ protests and turned away. Yoner, looking surprised, said quietly,

“I thought you brought it for the festival.”

“What festival? Ah. The Phoenix Festival?”

There were various festivals every season in the empire.

Among them, the Phoenix Festival was a festival that prayed to the phoenix for the proper arrival of early summer.

Long ago, it was said that the phoenix bolstered the power of the sun so that the seasons cycled properly.

‘What a ridiculous superstition.’

If that were true, when the magic school was hit by a blizzard last time, the phoenix must have been asleep.

And aside from the superstition, the Phoenix Festival wasn’t important enough to always make a big deal out of it.

Besides, finals were right after next week.

In that situation, there couldn’t be any students dumb enough to celebrate a festival…

“…What are you doing?”

“Huh? Making decorations?”

The Blue Dragon Tower students, who were making wreaths by weaving red-painted feathers and zinnias, tilted their heads as if wondering why he asked.

Lee Han sighed inwardly.

‘I forgot these guys were dumb.’

In fact, when exams are approaching, even pointless things become fun.

With only assignments and exams left now,

Even a small Phoenix Festival would be wildly fun for the students.

“Wardanaz. Here’s a wreath. If you wear a wreath during the festival, you’ll be more resistant to the heat.”

‘Thanks.’

“Don’t you have to study?”

“…I-I was just about to!”

‘Oops.’

He meant to thank them for their thoughtfulness, but his true feelings came out instead.

Lee Han looked regretfully at his friends running away.

‘Wait. These guys right now…?!’

Looking around, Lee Han belatedly noticed something off.

Everyone was sitting at their desks, but hardly anyone was actually studying.

Ahsan was scribbling with a quill on paper, and Lee Han thought he was doing assignments, but he was actually drawing decorations to wear during the Phoenix Festival. Neblen wasn’t working on the enchantment magic assignment about improving artifacts, but making a ball to play with during the festival.

Lee Han looked at the last bastion, the princess. She hurriedly opened a book and put it on her desk.

“…The Headmaster didn’t create the Phoenix Festival, did he?”

“Th-that’s not it, right?”

Yoner, next to him, was flustered by the absurd conspiracy theory.

No matter how you thought about it, there was no way the Headmaster created a festival celebrated throughout the empire.

“Lee Han. You need to have fun sometimes to concentrate better.”

Gainando said cautiously, glancing at Lee Han’s hand as if afraid he’d get hit.

“Gainando. What’s that in your hand?”

“…A, a spinning top?”

“Is it for an assignment?”

“No… um… maybe I’ll use it for an assignment…?”

Gainando scrubbed off the phoenix pattern he’d drawn on the spinning top.

• * *

Monday of the new week.

Lee Han had hoped that only Blue Dragon Tower students would be especially dumb, but reality was a bit different.

Roll, roll—

“Wardanaz! Kick the ball!”

When a leather ball with a phoenix pattern flew at him, Lee Han kicked it in the opposite direction.

The White Tiger Tower students banged the ground and cursed.

“What are you doing!”

“How disrespectful! Don’t you know it’s the Phoenix Festival?!”

“Go study.”

The students added every excuse to play.

Phoenix Festival commemorative ball games.

Phoenix Festival commemorative spinning top matches.

Phoenix Festival commemorative card games…

‘Whoever made a card game is truly shameless.’

“I put the Phoenix card in my deck.”

“……”

“I-I won’t play.”

When Lee Han glared at him, Gainando quietly put the deck in his pocket.

Since the Phoenix Festival was a celebration not about doing anything grand, but about playing with things decorated with phoenix images, it was an easy festival for students to use as an excuse.

The Headmaster, who entered the -Basic Magic Character Education- classroom, seemed to think so as well.

You’re celebrating the Phoenix Festival?

“H-Headmaster!”

The students who were playing chess with a phoenix piece looked at the Headmaster’s reaction.

But the Headmaster spoke kindly.

You may continue.

“R-really?”

Yes. If you act like fools and fail, you’ll be the ones in the punishment room, not me.

“……”

The students quietly put away the chessboard. The Headmaster was pleased.

As you all know, I didn’t assign extra homework out of consideration for you all. Even though you have so much free time.

“That’s not true! We’re so busy…”

Take off that phoenix decoration and say that, you pathetic fool.

The student who spoke turned red and took off the phoenix badge from his shoulder.

“We’ve actually been pretty busy, Headmaster.”

Who dares say that right after seeing your friend?

The Headmaster turned to find the impudent speaker. Then he paused when he saw Lee Han.

…So. Finals are next week.

“……”

Even the Headmaster couldn’t bring himself to tell Lee Han he had too much free time.

I know you’re suspicious of me, but the finals won’t be that hard.

“Ha!”

“Yeah, right!”

The Headmaster’s eyes flashed, and the students who had just scoffed found themselves hanging upside down from the ceiling.

If you’re going to insult me, do it in your head, you fools. And really, it won’t be hard. I can even tell you in advance.

“What is it?”

A student asked suspiciously.

An imperial official will come to test your character.

“……”

“……”

The students were even more shocked than when their friend was hung upside down.

“We… haven’t really learned anything about character, Headmaster.”

Nonsense. Even if you don’t realize it, it’s all been accumulating inside you. You’d better answer well. If you get marked by an official, life becomes tough.

‘This is a bit scary.’

Even Lee Han, who had more reason than anyone to fear the finals, had remained calm until now.

But that character test was frightening.

Who would come, and what would they ask?

‘Can I report on the school’s current state? No, that’s odd. If reporting were possible, there’s no way the Headmaster would still be in charge.’

There’s no need to be too afraid.

The Headmaster, sensing the students’ anxiety, spoke gently.

I’ll help you practice.

A veil of darkness fell over the classroom, and the students’ vision narrowed to only their feet.

One by one, to the front!

• * *

It was Lee Han’s turn. He walked toward the pair of blue eyes floating in the darkness.

State your name.

“Lee Han.”

Not stating your family name first. 10 points.

“Uh… will the official really do that?”

Silence. I ask the questions. Have you ever thought of attacking someone while attending magic school recently?

“……”

Lee Han was at a loss for words.

‘Damn. Too many times.’

If the Headmaster could detect lies, he’d be caught immediately.

“Saying no would be a lie.”

Honest. 10 more points.

‘Is this legit?’

Shouldn’t admitting you wanted to attack someone deduct points…?

Why did you start learning magic?

“Of all the studies in the empire, I thought it was the most useful and versatile, so if I learned it, I wouldn’t starve for life…”

Is that an answer!?

The Headmaster responded in disbelief.

Lee Han was a bit flustered.

“Shouldn’t I answer differently in front of an official?”

It doesn’t matter. As long as you’re not trying to kill someone or summon a fragment of a forgotten evil god, anything is fine. But what’s with that unambitious goal!? At this rate, you’ll say your dream is to be an imperial official!

“Being an official sounds nice…”

Silence! I don’t want to hear it. Even if you’re trying to flatter, that’s too much. That level of flattery would even unsettle an official!

Lee Han grumbled inwardly.

What’s so wrong with being an official…

Next, state the magic you’re learning and why… Let’s skip this one.

“……”

Lee Han was a bit hurt.

Is there anyone among the other tower students you particularly dislike or find annoying?

“Not really.”

That’s unfortunate. If you had, I’d have given you 10 points.

“What the…”

There were more questions after that. Most were about what you’d do with magic, if you ever thought about using forbidden rituals, and if a rampaging spell was heading toward a village, would you redirect it to another village with fewer people, etc.

Surprisingly, it wasn’t that hard.

“It’s really not that difficult?”

That’s right. As long as you’re sane, it’s not hard.

The Headmaster grumbled, looking very dissatisfied. Lee Han didn’t understand and asked,

“Is there a problem?”

Maybe not for quick-witted kids like you, but every year there are students who spout nonsense! And when they do, I get all the blame.

‘Ah.’

Lee Han understood immediately.

If you ask these questions and get answers like, ‘I want to burn the whole world, so I’m learning fire magic,’ the Emperor would say, ‘Bring me Gonadaltes.’

It was that the students were more innocent than expected and didn’t know how to lie.

If there’s anyone in your tower likely to give a weird answer, make sure to stop them.

“I’ll try my best. But Headmaster, isn’t there something more dangerous than that?”

What do you mean?

“Um, if the official hears about things that happened during the term, wouldn’t they be shocked?”

Thanks for worrying, but it’s fine.

“?”

The official coming is from Einrogard.

“……”

Lee Han couldn’t help but be impressed.

You’re really smart when it comes to the bad stuff!

• * *

In the past few weeks, Professor Voladi’s lectures had become physically much easier.

But mentally, they had become a bit harsher.

With the basic courses over and Professor Voladi trying to complete the Integrated Combat Magic Theory, he began asking one by one what they had learned in other classes.

“In black magic, poison and curses. In summoning magic, skeletons. Next.”

“In illusion magic, we learned about structure analysis.”

“You must have learned something extra from Ogonin.”

“…Oh. I almost forgot about that.”

Lee Han cursed the Headmaster.