Episode 337

“That’s not bad.”

“?!?”

At Lee Han’s words, Nillia looked up in surprise.

For a moment, she thought her friend was teasing her, but Lee Han’s expression was very serious.

“Sangoria Flower isn’t hard to get outside winter. The Shadow Patrol has comparatively more free time outside winter, too. Good choice. I was thinking about negotiating with guilds so that they could take a vacation period and support wizards, but using the Shadow Patrol seems much better than that.”

“No… why… are you crazy…?”

Nillia wondered if her top-of-the-class friend had lost his mind from excessive labor and training.

To resolve the political instability of the Empire’s southern coast, you should use some kind of clever method—why would you call in northern hunters?

“Yoner. Look at this.”

“Hey!!”

Nillia screamed.

Instead of just looking at it himself, Lee Han called over Yoner.

‘This is why people say you can’t trust nobles!’

“How is it?”

“Not bad. Mobilizing wizards is too expensive, and above all, there’s no guarantee you can do it right away.”

“Right. In comparison, the Shadow Patrol is much more reliable.”

“The activity regions are different, though—do you think adapting will be a problem?”

“If that was an issue, Nillia wouldn’t have written it.”

“True.”

“…Huh?”

Nillia flinched as she listened.

…She’d just written it without much thought…

“That’s not it.”

“Looking at this, I think I was overthinking. The most intuitive way is often the best.”

“Indeed. I agree.”

“Guys? Guys??”

Whether Nillia called out or not, Lee Han and Yoner had fallen into their own world, refining Nillia’s plan.

“When recruiting local guilds, hunters might be better, too.”

“When magic becomes rough and the spirits get enraged, there are a lot of people who feel more uneasy if wizards visit.”

“……”

Nillia was appalled as her two friends continued to add things she hadn’t even said.

“Saw everything. Nillia. You really deserve to be first place at the Meikin Family.”

“I’m proud to be your friend.”

“I… didn’t really do anything…”

The two friends smiled knowingly at Nillia’s words.

“You’re so humble.”

“A drop of humility makes a genius stand out more, you know.”

“But don’t be too humble, Nillia. If the top student is too humble, it’s hard on everyone below.”

At the shameless words from the always-humble top student, Nillia was speechless.

So much so that, before she could respond, the two friends wrapped up the conversation.

“What happens if the Meikin Family adopts this?”

“If it’s this good, there’s a high likelihood it’ll be tried. They’ll probably call Nillia to ask about it.”

“Indeed. I look forward to seeing the results.”

Listening blankly, Nillia growled softly like a beast.

“…You two help.”

“Us?”

“Will you need our help? I don’t think we’d be much help.”

“Right.”

Nillia absentmindedly reached for the bow at her hip, then belatedly realized she was dressed for a social gathering.

‘This outfit is so annoying!’

“It feels really awkward. Am I dressed properly?”

“I’m not sure either. Wow. Wait, look at Nillia. How did she wear it so perfectly like that?”

“Nillia’s got a lot of friends here and there. Since she attends these gatherings often, she must be good at wearing complicated clothes like this.”

“????”

Hearing the Black Turtle Tower friends chat as they walked by, Nillia whipped her head around.

‘What did you bastards just say?!’

• * *

“Huh? Isn’t that a professor?”

Yoner pointed forward in confusion.

Lee Han replied like he didn’t know what he was talking about.

“What are you talking about, Yoner? No, it’s not.”

“Hmm? It’s a beaver beastkin… that’s Professor Verdus, right?”

“Must be someone who looks like him.”

Professor Verdus spotted Lee Han and walked over with a gloomy expression.

Lee Han clicked his tongue openly. Yoner looked at his friend as if dumbfounded.

‘You did recognize him!’

“Professor, what brings you here?”

“Because of an unfair order.”

Professor Verdus swung his staff with a sullen face.

A passing student’s suit smoothed out, and the knot became perfectly tied.

“What do you mean, an unfair order?”

“The principal probably told me to come help the kids.”

Lee Han guessed immediately.

With the principal’s personality, there’s no way he’d leave Professor Verdus idling nearby.

“Why dance… the time… the cost… the artifacts…”

Professor Verdus grumbled as he swung his staff. Lee Han signaled Yoner with his eyes.

‘Let’s get away quickly.’

But the bored and listless Professor Verdus didn’t let Lee Han go so easily.

“Wanna try this?”

“What’s this?”

“Shoes that make you dance well.”

Professor Verdus held out shoes radiating magical power.

Yoner asked in surprise.

“There’s even an artifact like that?”

“Shh. Yoner. If it was a proper artifact, there’d be no reason to give it to us.”

Lee Han saw right through Professor Verdus’s mind.

He must have been so bored at this event that he made the artifact; so, chances are, it wasn’t reliable or normal.

There was probably something strange or a drawback.

“Have you ever made an artifact like this before?”

“Why would I make garbage shoes just to dance well?”

‘Hm. Definitely risky.’

No matter how much the shoes made you dance well, it was dangerous to wear an artifact he couldn’t handle.

It’d be like someone who never wielded a sword using a blade for ancient swordsmanship—just a recipe for injury; those shoes were probably the same.

“What’s that?”

The late-arriving Gainando asked.

Lee Han checked the time and asked.

“Why are you so late?”

“Fufu. I beat three people before coming.”

“Was it a dark magic duel?”

“It was a magician card duel!”

Gainando snapped.

After making a new deck, Gainando was literally drunk on power.

He was even wondering if this was what being omnipotent felt like.

“They’re shoes that make you dance well.”

“Oh. Thank you.”

Gainando gratefully accepted Professor Verdus’s offer.

Lee Han frowned.

“They look dangerous. Isn’t it better to just dance without them?”

“I can’t—I didn’t practice at all.”

Lee Han didn’t say, ‘You should have practiced instead of playing cards.’

It felt like he was nagging too much.

“What about coming up with an excuse to skip?”

“If Mom hears, I’ll get scolded.”

“You should have practiced instead of playing cards.”

One second after deciding not to, his real thoughts slipped out.

• * *

The party was fun not only for the Blue Dragon Tower students who always enjoyed social gatherings but also for students from other towers.

Instead of stifling freshmen with a stiff and formal atmosphere, the people of Granden City welcomed them with a gentle and lively mood.

Thanks to that, even students unfamiliar with such events could joyfully sit, chat, and dance.

“Magician, how is life at Einrogard?”

“Uh… Umm…”

“Hahaha! Seems you’re having a great time! Of course, since you’re studying at the Empire’s best magic school, there couldn’t be any complaints! I’d have no regrets if I could study there too.”

“……”

Of course, sometimes there were people who unintentionally hurt students’ feelings.

‘Not bad.’

Lee Han felt relieved at the atmosphere.

With this mood, even someone as inexperienced at social gatherings as Lee Han could get through just fine…

“Lee Han of the Wardanaz Family. The magic you showed against Sir Doin of Baldrogard was truly impressive. Shall we have a dance?”

“Ah, yes.”

“Lee Han of the Wardanaz Family. I heard praise from Yoanen of the Meikin Family. Shall we have a dance?”

“…Yes.”

“Lee Han of the Wardanaz Family. Prince Bogajun…”

“The basilisk…”

“The King of Ghouls…”

“The undead chimera at the cemetery this time…”

“They say you rescued knights.”

Lee Han thought maybe learning swordsmanship under Allarlong or Ingeldel would have been better.

At least back then, he didn’t have to worry about stepping on his partner’s feet.

‘This is crazy.’

Excuses for dancing at an Imperial ball were like reasons drinkers had to drink.

Dance if the weather’s good because it’s good, and if the weather’s bad because it’s bad, and if your partner achieved something, use that as another excuse…

And Lee Han was a walking excuse himself.

Thud—

Only after dancing to every last excuse could Lee Han finally sit down.

‘What is it?’

When Giselle, already sitting next to him, stared intently, Lee Han was puzzled.

“Did I make a mistake dancing?”

“No.”

“Did you get a good commission?”

“No.”

“May I ask why you’re looking at me?”

“…I heard there’s a freshman claiming to be Gainando of the Moradi Family. I’m wondering if you know anything.”

Giselle spoke coldly. Lee Han immediately replied.

“I’ll set Gainando straight. Mistaking his own family—what a ridiculous blunder.”

“I heard he has black hair.”

“Gainando has been very interested lately in magic to change his hair color.”

“I heard he’s better at magic than the second years.”

“Gainando is talented in magic, isn’t he.”

“Are you confident you’ll never meet him for the rest of your life?”

Giselle asked threateningly.

She meant that she’d bring along Valgaro of the Alpha Family, a second-year from the White Tiger Tower, to make them meet.

But Lee Han didn’t bat an eye.

“I don’t know what you mean.”

‘Just dodge.’

If he was scared by things like this, he couldn’t live as someone’s apprentice.

Even if the lie was exposed later, for now, you had to brazenly insist to survive as a student.

‘What is with this guy, really?’

Giselle was lost for words.

An imperial noble talking more brazenly than any street hustler—there was nothing she could say.

What is this guy?

“Wardanaz?”

“Oh. Professor’s calling. I’ll go now.”

“You little…”

The one calling Lee Han was Professor Kirmin Ku, the illusion magic teacher.

Professor Ku, meeting Lee Han, blinked and said,

“You must be having fun, sorry to call you away.”

“Not at all.”

Lee Han meant it.

In fact, even if Professor Ku sent him back, he’d return to the ballroom as slowly as humanly possible.

“I called because I need help. It’s a bit tough to do alone.”

“Do you need something carried?”

Since it was the same with Professor Verdus, it was no surprise if there were a few more magic school professors at this event.

If there was a chore, Lee Han was thinking of recruiting Professor Verdus, too.

He couldn’t bear to see a bored professor left alone.

“No, no, it’s not that…”

“Then?”

“We need to frighten the students.”

“…????”

• * *

For a moment, Lee Han wondered if this was finally the appearance of a crazy professor (though maybe not the first), but Professor Ku was completely sane.

“It’s an annual event. We scare the students and see how they react.”

“Why in the world would you do that at a ball?”

“Wardanaz. A wizard must always remain alert. …Or so the principal said.”

‘No wonder they can’t raise donations.’

Lee Han realized who the culprit was and sighed inwardly.

“Oh? But I don’t have to participate?”

“The principal specifically said to leave you out.”

“……”