Episode 271

“There are countless beasts in the Empire. Some are gentle, some are savage, some are timid, and some are brave… Even the most outstanding mage would find it hard to memorize the traits of all these beasts. But a clever mage acts skillfully, by grasping their habits.”

If you knew the behavior and weaknesses of one monster, you could make a rough guess about other monsters of the same kind.

Skilled explorers would prepare in advance by studying the habits of similar monsters in this way.

‘How am I supposed to figure out Cerberus’s habits?’

Of course, even this method sometimes didn’t work.

Like right now.

‘…Can I treat Cerberus like any other dog- or wolf-type monster?’

The thought that Cerberus might snap at his hand if he tried scratching its jaw crossed his mind.

“Of course, even saying this, it would be unreasonable to expect you all to immediately grasp their habits. But there’s a better method—one that works with most beasts.”

Professor Lightningstep tapped the bottom of a cauldron with the tip of his boot.

“Just feed them.”

Students all over the room drew a sharp breath. It was more out of confusion and concern than joy or enlightenment.

‘Is he telling us to feed Cerberus?’

‘Aren’t we at risk of becoming the food?’

“Feeding them hasn’t been that tough so far, right?”

“Huh???”

Students who had suffered headbutts and spit to the face from horses every time they went to the stables shuddered.

But Professor Lightningstep ignored them and continued.

“Horses are relatively easy and eat almost anything with little complaint. But the Empire has far more than just horses. You’ll have to master animal feeding if you want to handle the beasts you’ll see next semester.”

Lee Han was too afraid to ask what kind of beasts awaited them next semester.

“Well then… begin! When your dish is ready, feed Cerberus in the order you finish!”

At the professor’s command, the students hurriedly ran to the cauldrons.

In the middle of the clearing were several kinds of beast meat, carrots, potatoes, onions, cabbage—various ordinary vegetables. There were also rare fruits and mushrooms and spices that no one could name.

Students buzzed as they each took a basket, wondering what ingredients to choose.

“What kind of dish does a three-headed dog like? I’ve gotten good at onion soup lately, should I try that?”

‘A three-headed dog is still a dog, so is it okay to give it onions?’

Lee Han collected his ingredients with doubt.

For now, Lee Han aimed for the kind of ingredients dogs might enjoy.

Sweet fruits like apples, and meat or fish…

“Got any sweet potatoes? Gainando, have you seen any sweet potatoes?”

“Why are you asking me?”

Gainando tilted his head, unsure why Lee Han was asking him.

“Because you like sweet potatoes.”

“…Wait. Don’t tell me you’re asking because you think I took them all?”

Lee Han didn’t answer and moved away. Gainando, frustrated, followed after him.

“Hm. Looks like there are no sweet potatoes.”

“Hey!”

‘Guess I have no choice.’

Lee Han pulled a paper-wrapped sweet potato from his coat pocket.

He had harvested it from Professor Thunderstep’s garden, baked it well, peeled it, cut it, and dried it.

Watching from afar, Professor Lightningstep asked in disbelief.

“Why on earth are you carrying dried sweet potatoes around in your pocket?”

“In case I get stranded?”

“……”

While the professor was left speechless, Lee Han walked to the cauldrons.

Not knowing what Cerberus liked, it was hard for him to make anything complicated or elaborate.

‘Keep it as simple and straightforward as possible, but try several foods.’

He planned to check which ingredients provoked a reaction when he served them.

While Lee Han ground meat and kneaded it into sticks, some fearless students went first.

“O mighty Cerberus! I’ve brought food for you!”

-Woof!

Cerberus’s left head barked in reply. The students carefully walked over with a plate of grilled pork ribs.

“Steady… steady…”

“He’s really not going to attack, right?”

No matter how prepared they tried to be, it was impossible not to freeze when six huge eyes stared at you.

Trembling, the students offered the grilled meat to Cerberus.

Chomp!

Cerberus’s left head took a big bite. After a few chews, it spat it to the side.

“?!?”

“What?!”

Professor Lightningstep chuckled from beside them.

“You can’t just expect that beast to act like any wild monster. It was raised on only the best food and has a picky palate. Plus, I fed it snacks before coming, so its belly’s half full.”

“…So it won’t eat anything we give it?!”

“Feeding it anyway is what makes you a great mage.”

“……”

Sizzle—

As the conversation died down, the sound of grilling meat suddenly got a lot louder.

Most students had assumed, ‘If I grill the meat just right, it will eat it gladly.’

‘Uh oh. I thought the same thing.’

Various seasonings or cooking methods could actually backfire. If the flavor was too strong, Cerberus might spit it out or not even try it.

A taciturn student, Shyles of the Richmond Family, called Lee Han in a small voice.

“Wardanaz.”

“What is it?”

“I have a tip just for you.”

Shyles looked around and slipped a small bottle into Lee Han’s hand. Inside was a powder with complex colors.

“This is a secret powder used only by our family. Animals love this secret powder.”

As a family running one of the Empire’s prominent carriage transport businesses, Shyles was skilled with animals.

“You helped me before, so now I’ll help you. Take it. Mix it into your dish—they’ll love it.”

“What a rare gift… Thank you, Shyles.”

Lee Han genuinely thanked him.

And last time he helped Shyles, it was only because he’d get a silver coin out of it!

Shyles winked and filled his own bowl with soup before getting up. Other tower students watched, murmuring.

“What’s he thinking? Didn’t you just see Cerberus hate the last one?”

“No, it’s a Richmond. He must have a plan!”

Shyles’s friends peered at him, half-expecting something.

To meet those expectations, Shyles set down his bowl. Cerberus came over and sniffed it.

Ptui!

All three Cerberus heads simultaneously spat on Shyles’s face.

With his face dripping with saliva, Shyles turned to Lee Han.

“…Sorry, Wardanaz. Guess it doesn’t work.”

“……”

With Shyles crushed, no more students stepped forward.

But Professor Lightningstep was strict. When time was up, he started pushing students forward in turn.

“All right. Time’s up. Bring up your dishes!”

“Wa–wait! Professor! Just a bit more time, please!”

As expected, students fell like autumn leaves. Cerberus batted bowls with its paws and upended them with its snout, rejecting them in various ways.

Soon enough, Lee Han’s turn came. As he carried his prepared dishes, he suddenly wondered why he was doing this.

‘This doesn’t feel like a mage’s path…’

-Woof!

Cerberus’s left head barked, showing much the same reaction as it had with the other students. Lee Han reached for his staff.

He was prepared to raise a shield if spit started flying.

Chompchompchompchomp—

“…?”

But Cerberus’s reaction was a little different than expected.

It was eagerly devouring the food Lee Han put out—the dried sweet potato, to be exact.

Because the left head dove in first, the other two heads looked fretful and impatient.

“Wait. Share with the others.”

-Grrrowfwoofwoofwoofwoof!

-Woof!

-Bark!

The deprived head protested furiously, but the other two were absolutely delighted. Lee Han asked Professor Lightningstep,

“Was sweet potato the correct answer?”

“…No??”

Professor Lightningstep replied, bewildered.

There’s no way an ingredient that wasn’t even set out could be the answer.

Cerberus didn’t even like sweet potatoes under normal circumstances.

“Did it finish digesting while we waited? Enough! Raise your head!”

At the professor’s command, all three Cerberus heads suddenly stopped and straightened up.

Lee Han looked at the dish he’d set down. Only the sweet potato was gone.

“That was from the garden, right?”

“Yes.”

“It was tasty, but… was it this good?”

Professor Lightningstep was amazed.

Since it was his nephew’s garden, he’d sometimes been treated to dishes with the vegetables or greens grown there.

They were always fresh and hearty—spirits must have helped, absorbing life force intensely.

Seeing Cerberus react like that, he wondered if there was something else to it.

“Who knows?”

“You must have seen the others’ reaction to it?”

“Uh… They eat anything I give them, really.”

At Lee Han’s words, the Blue Dragon Tower students looked bashful.

In reality, whenever Lee Han boiled things for them, regardless of the actual ingredients, they’d eat like men possessed.

They probably would’ve eaten button and rock soup as happily as potato or carrot soup.

“That’s interesting… All right. Let’s check again—harvest and dry some sweet potatoes after class.”

“…Professor, about finals…”

Ever since Lee Han started living as a student, he had mastered the art of giving a gaze filled with deep sorrow.

Seeing those melancholy eyes, even Professor Lightningstep unconsciously apologized.

“Sorry. I suppose it’d be hard to do now. We’ll try it next semester.”

“Thank you!”

-Woof! Woofwoof!

All three Cerberus heads barked in protest from the side.

It was as if they were complaining about what they’d do during vacation.

• * *

Night.

Lee Han held back his exhaustion and grimaced.

“Is everyone okay?”

“…Ugh.”

“Uhhh.”

“So you’re all fine.”

Hearing his friends’ answers from around the lounge, Lee Han nodded.

For a change of mood, he poured hot coffee into a tin mug and went to the tower window.

When you looked out at the night blackness of the magic school, as if the stars would shower down, all your struggles didn’t feel so bad…

‘…Or not.’

Lee Han blinked as he sipped. Something was odd.

‘…It’s still midnight?’

It was the middle of the night, but everything was getting brighter.

It was like dawn was coming.

Even his zombie-like, sleepwalking friends sensed the light and turned their heads.

“What is it?”

“What’s happening?”

It wasn’t until it got as bright as morning outside that the students figured it out.

The phoenix had come right up to Blue Dragon Tower.

“Whoa… Wow!”

The students exclaimed in awe at the wondrous sight.

Turning midnight into midday.

No wonder it was called a phoenix.

“I was sleepy but now I’m wide awake. Right?”

“A phoenix appearing doesn’t always mean bad things…”

“…Close the window!”

Lee Han shouted urgently. His friends asked in panic,

“W-what?! Why?!”

“Close the window! The phoenix is coming this way!”

The phoenix, having spotted the students inside the tower, was approaching with innocent eyes.

A few feathers floated in through a window that hadn’t yet been closed, and a flame burst out in the lounge.

“…!!!”

“No! My assignment! My assignment!!”

“Your assignment isn’t the issue! Put out the fire first!”