Episode 369

Of course, Lee Han’s question didn’t really matter.

If these people acted according to common sense in the first place, they wouldn’t have dueled at the Duke’s mansion.

“I’ll teach you my secret technique, so compare it to the one you just learned.”

“……”

Lee Han was already starting to feel annoyed about what to say.

‘I really shouldn’t get involved with knights anymore.’

• * *

Annoyance aside, surprisingly, the knights’ secret techniques were more useful than expected.

From drawing a hidden sword from inside a coat to stab quickly (not only quick drawing, but skillfully hiding it in the coat was key), to making a sword whip-like and flexible for a moment to confuse the opponent, the techniques were varied.

Of course, a knight like Allarlong would lament, ‘There’s no need for you to learn such tricks!’ but Lee Han’s way of thinking was different.

Sure, once you reach mastery, you don’t really need such miscellaneous skills, but before that, aren’t they quite useful?

“So whose secret technique was the best…?”

“Hmm. I’d say everyone here is a winner.”

“Oooooh!”

The knights, who had been anxiously waiting for Lee Han’s judgment, applauded and applauded each other with respect.

As things seemed to wrap up nicely, Lee Han finally opened his mouth to really leave.

“Well then, I should…”

“Ah. Please wait a moment.”

“?”

When the knights called for him again, Lee Han hesitated.

He was starting to get scared every time the knights called him.

Now what were they going to say…

“There’s soon to be a gathering of the knightly families, and we’d like to invite Lord Wardanaz. If you share today’s events, everyone will be sincerely impressed.”

“……”

Lee Han had never wanted not to go somewhere this badly.

For a moment, he almost made a face.

‘Why in the world would I go there?’

He wasn’t even from a knightly family!

Of course, the knights purely wanted to spread the word among other knights about what happened today, out of sincere goodwill…

But for Lee Han, it was a nuisance.

“Oh dear. That’s unfortunate. I’ll be inside Einrogard at that time.”

“Oh no!”

The knights were truly disappointed.

If the others could hear this, the knights from the other families would want to meet Lee Han in person…

“Ah! I’ll ask Lord Gonadaltes directly for permission.”

“Haha. Good luck.”

“What did you just say…?”

“If you actually get permission, of course I’ll be grateful. As a student, I can’t just say I’ll leave whenever I want, but if an outsider recommends it, the principal might feel differently.”

“Understood!”

The knights promised to speak with him again next semester.

Finally freed from the knights, Lee Han let out a deep, dark sigh. Giselle, watching beside him, asked, puzzled.

“You really don’t want to go to the gathering?”

“…?”

Lee Han stared at her, wondering what she was talking about.

Why would he want to attend that event?

At worst, the Beechwood Knights could be lying in wait, saying, ‘Heh, looks like you haven’t studied enough at Einrogard if you fell for such a trick!’

“Is there any reason I should want to go?”

“…It’s a chance to build connections with the families, isn’t it?”

The Beechwood Knights weren’t the strongest, but they had other advantages.

Given the names of the knightly families hosting the event, there was no harm in getting acquainted.

On top of that, from what the knights said, it sounded like Lee Han would be the star of the night, not just another attendee.

If it were a place where he’d get that much attention, Giselle would crawl out of magic school on two broken legs just for a shot.

“What would I even do if I went?”

“If you need something someday, you could leverage those connections.”

“…And what would I even use that for?”

If it were a mage family, or even something like a construction, transportation, or baking guild family, Lee Han would have been interested.

-A family reputed for their baking… Is there any short-term job for a top Einrogard mage with credentials from the Afha Order, especially if you need someone with expertise in firepower?

But for knightly families, Lee Han really saw no use.

He didn’t need swordsmanship teachers, and they weren’t especially wealthy…

Giselle was rare to be flustered by Lee Han’s question.

It was so obvious to her that she couldn’t understand why he was asking.

“What…? When there are empire-wide issues or if you need certain privileges, you can step in politically, can’t you?”

“T-that much?”

“……”

She’d thought he was on the same page, but when he played dumb, Giselle grew angry.

“What’s with the clueless act?”

“…Just messing with you.”

Lee Han let it go, figuring she wouldn’t believe whatever he said anyway.

“Knew it.”

‘What do you mean ‘knew it.’’

As Lee Han walked back to the banquet hall with Giselle, he suddenly remembered to ask,

“By the way, do knightly gatherings also give out commemorative gifts that can be cashed in, like here?”

• * *

“Thanks for all the hard work, everyone.”

“Hard work? What are you talking about.”

“We ate well and got gifts. Where’s the hardship in that.”

“Wardanaz. You ought to run a merchant guild.”

The Black Turtle Tower students praised Lee Han with happy faces, satisfied for the first time in a while.

Then they handed him a silver coin each.

“All right. Good night, everyone.”

Having eaten their fill and received gold ornaments, the Black Turtle Tower students left, happy.

“……”

“……”

The Phoenix Tower priests, watching, said sheepishly,

“We… don’t have any silver coins…”

“I’m not sure what you mean. I just invited you.”

“But you just received silver coins?”

“You must have been mistaken.”

“There’s a pouch of silver coins…”

“Maybe you’re thinking of some money I just paid back? All right. Time to head out, now. If you come back late, the temple will worry.”

The priests hesitated, wondering if they were the only ones treated to a completely free meal, but Lee Han quickly hustled them away.

‘That was a good score.’

Not just from the Black Turtle Tower students, but with the golden souvenir as well.

Lee Han raised his evaluation of the duke.

He was quirky and odd in many ways, but he didn’t forget to be generous to visiting students.

‘Maybe I was too harsh. He might actually have some decency.’

“Lord Wardanaz.”

“Ah.”

Spotting Rowena, Lee Han immediately held out his hand.

“???”

The black-haired elf cocked her head, but shook his hand.

“Thank you for your hard work…?”

“No, hand over what you got from the Duke.”

“Ah.”

If you solved the riddle, you’d get a gold coin presented by the Duke to the princess as a gift.

Rowena had only joined because the followers agreed to split the prize. Otherwise, there was no reason for her to be involved.

“But the princess was wondering why you called for her earlier…”

“What? I don’t remember, did I?”

“You called for her a bit ago—”

“Hold on. Let me check something.”

Lee Han focused all his concentration on the pouch Rowena handed him.

It was a concentration rivaling his efforts to avoid Professor Voladi’s attacks.

‘That’s enough to melt away any resentment.’

Riddles or bothersome formalities—he could respect all that as ‘traditional imperial custom’ for this much money.

Lee Han put the pouch inside his coat and nodded.

“Thanks. You worked hard too.”

“I didn’t do much. But, why didn’t you ever pull out this staff…?”

Not wanting to upset the followers with the truth, Lee Han lied.

“His Grace the Duke has developed a staff phobia. So I just explained what kind of staff it was.”

“…That’s incredible!”

“Isn’t it? Things in the world tend to go like that.”

“I did think His Grace looked a little pale earlier… yet you still finished things so calmly—really impressive.”

“The Duke is a bit embarrassed, so don’t spread rumors. Got it?”

“Of course.”

Rowena nodded, moved that Lee Han had confided in her.

That he’d only told Rowena among all the princess’s followers must mean he found her the most reliable!

• * *

“Do we really have to wear this?”

Gainando asked with a tearful face.

Professor Mortum had invited them for the Undead Realm ‘Overlap Phenomenon.’

The upperclassmen, anxious about first-year students joining in, offered some advice.

• Dress like this. What else do you need… a backpack, and lots of fresh water.

-(Can’t Lee Han just summon water?)

-Not likely—he’ll run out of mana, and the ambient mana in that realm will ruin the water quickly. Purifying it will take a lot more mana.

-Oh. Then maybe we don’t need to pack it after all.

-Are you talking back to your upperclassman right now?

-?!

There was a lot of useful advice, and one was about what to wear.

Specifically…

“I look like a farmer.”

“That’s not a bad thing.”

Honestly, walking around the city, it was better to look like a farmer than a necromancer.

If a farmer was seen, people thought, ‘He must’ve brought rice and wheat to town,’ and felt pleased, but if a necromancer was seen, they’d think, ‘He must have brought corpses to town,’ and react in horror.

“There’s a reason for this outfit.”

Direte yawned, walking up behind them.

With a shabby hat and dragging a magically propelled cart behind him, he looked like a farmer with twenty years’ experience.

“If you look like a necromancer inside, the undead will attack you immediately. We’ll use necromancy only when absolutely necessary.”

The undead in the realm hated intruders.

Therefore, necromancers had to hide their identity as much as possible until it was time to act.

The reason for entering the undead realm was to collect useful materials and reagents, not to wage a life-or-death battle.

“But why as farmers?”

Lee Han asked, puzzled.

Surely there were other harmless-looking costumes?

“Clothes are cheap. Easy to carry heavy things, and it doesn’t matter if they get dirty.”

“I see.”

“What do you mean, you see!”

Gainando grumbled, but Lee Han and Direte ignored him.

“Listen up. It’s an exception you’re allowed in at all… so you’re only going into Zone 1 to collect things, got it?”

“Yes.”

First-year students were generally not allowed in when the Undead Realm opened.

Professor Mortum had granted special permission, but they couldn’t be taken too far inside.

“How big is Zone 1?”

“Hard to explain… you’ll know when you get there. As a mage, you’ll be able to feel it clearly.”

According to Direte, mages would know instinctively.

The difference in atmosphere when passing from the outermost area of the dimension inward.

Necromancers conveniently classified these as Zone 1, Zone 2, and so on.

“Not scared, are you?”

In response to Direte’s question, Gainando answered confidently.

“Lee Han is here.”

“……”

“…R-right. Oh, wait. This junior will be allowed into Zone 2 as well.”

“What?”

Gainando was startled.

“Lee Han is a first-year, right? Wait, does that mean…?”

No wonder he was so good at magic!

“This junior got special permission from Professor Mortum.”

“So what about us?”

“That’s why I said only Zone 1 for you…”

“……”

As Gainando looked at her with teary eyes, Direte sighed.

“All right. I’ll keep watch until you leave.”

“Thank you!”

Watching, Lee Han handed Direte some boxed chocolates.

“…?”

“Here. You must be working hard.”

“…Just this once, so don’t expect it again.”

‘Somehow I doubt that.’