Episode 42

Episode 042
The explosion of unrefined magic dealt a fatal blow to Garakse, who took a direct hit, but at the same time, it also shocked Ihan.
Ihan was hit by a shock that shook his whole body and was blown backward.
‘Ugh…!’
It was a much stronger impact than when he had taken Alaralong’s sword strike head-on.
Ihan regretted it.
‘Did I put too much magic into it?!’
He thought he needed to finish his opponent off for sure, so he put all his power into injecting magic, but an unforeseen result occurred for Ihan as well.
Because of the shock, he couldn’t move his body.
Fortunately, all the enemies had collapsed, but…
“Ihan!”
Professor Garcia hurried over from afar.
Ihan found it odd.
‘Weren’t the remaining attackers supposed to be attacking the professor?’
He was able to find the answer to that question right away.
Around Professor Garcia, the attackers were crumpled and sprawled on the ground as if they’d been struck hard with a giant hammer.
Professor Garcia’s fists were also stained with blood, but it clearly wasn’t his own blood no matter how you looked at it.
‘Ah… right… he’s a troll half-blood…’
Ihan felt a bit of regret.
Had he not gotten involved, Professor Garcia might have just beaten the attackers with his fists anyway.
Being of troll descent, a race known for strength, meant he had an amazing physical spec even without using magic.
How dare those punks!
A giant skull flew from the direction of the school in a green glow.
Normally, the sight of the headmaster would have sent chills down his spine, but Ihan felt relieved.
‘I guess I can rest now.’
Ihan lay down and closed his eyes. His whole body ached and all he wanted was a good rest.

• * *
  The skull headmaster hurried over with Professor Voladi.
  The Imperial anti-magic faction were creeps who grew in shadows like mold and poison mushrooms.
  That such creeps would attack the school’s professors.
  I apologize, Professor Garcia Kim. Because of my lack of ability, I put you in danger.
  The skull headmaster bowed his head after seeing the scene of battle.
  “No, not at all, Gonadalthes. Since they were from the Imperial Anti-Magic faction, and especially the Twilight Dawn group, it would have been impossible for anyone to stop them in advance.”
  Professor Garcia was actually flustered by the skull headmaster’s rare sincere apology.
  Professor Voladi, standing beside him, opened his mouth.
  “I don’t think that’s true. If you’re the headmaster of this school, you should have been able to prevent this.”
  “……”
  ……
  Professor Garcia glanced at Professor Voladi in disbelief.
  As if he really was a professor with absolutely no social skills, to say that in this situation…!
  The skull headmaster wanted to give him a slap too, but held back. This time, it really had been his own fault.
  He should have carefully scanned the area. How shameful. That over there… is that an ancient artifact?
  “Yes. It was a powerful artifact that absorbed all the surrounding magic.”
  They really prepared thoroughly.
  The skull headmaster clicked his tongue.
  There was no one as skilled at fighting mages as the anti-magic faction.
  To think they’d even found and brought such an ancient artifact.
  “This person is Garakse.”
  Professor Voladi spoke as he saw the knight on the edge of death.
  This person was famous even among the Twilight Dawn group.
  With a nickname like ‘Mage Slayer,’ he was renowned for fighting mages…
  He’s still breathing. I’ll take him to my prison. I’ll dig up his brain and extract information about the Twilight Dawn group. By the way…
  The skull headmaster suddenly swept his gaze over the battlefield again.
  With a glance, it was obvious that Professor Garcia had roasted and fried most of the attackers with lightning and other magic.
  Even though he wasn’t a professor skilled at magic combat, it was impressive that he managed to use magic efficiently without unnecessarily wrecking his surroundings.
  Yet, there were other sights that caught his eye.
  Some had been cut and stabbed with swords, or taken down by telekinesis magic.
  Anyone could tell who had done it; it was the young heir of the Wardanaz family, who now lay knocked out as if fainted.
  ‘Why is the Wardanaz kid so good at swordsmanship?’
  To take on Garakse and bring him down, no matter how lucky, you needed real skill.
  The skull headmaster found it odd but didn’t bother to wake him up and ask.
  After all, not all mages just practiced magic. Everyone had their own hobbies.
  Some rode horses, some knitted…
  Maybe his hobby was swordsmanship.
  Sensing the skull headmaster’s gaze, Professor Garcia spoke up.
  “If student Ihan of the Wardanaz family had not helped, things would have been truly dangerous. Thanks to him, none of the other workers got hurt.”
  Right. He’s talented. In that situation, to not panic and cast magic successfully… He’s got a talent for magic combat. Professor Voladi, did you teach him? Impressive.
  “I don’t find it strange. The Wardanaz boy is the type who shows great focus in a crisis and possesses a huge amount of magic power. It’s only natural he would show his abilities in a fight like this.”
  ‘I shouldn’t have brought that guy.’
  The skull headmaster regretted it.
  He was a superb combat mage, so the headmaster brought him just in case, but every time he opened his mouth, he annoyed the headmaster.
  That vampire professor was acting as if ‘for someone like Ihan, this is to be expected,’ but the skull headmaster didn’t agree at all.
  Even for a headmaster sparing with praise, this was an achievement that couldn’t go without recognition.
  A mere freshman, who had just entered school, fighting so hard against the infamous Imperial anti-magic faction.
  What’s more, based on Professor Garcia’s report, every move he made was impressive.
  If he had won simply by being strong, or by knowing many spells, it wouldn’t have been surprising.
  But this Wardanaz boy had been weaker and at a disadvantage, yet still thought his way to victory.
  That was a talent only a good mage could possess.
  I want him!
  The skull headmaster suddenly felt a phantom itch in his nonexistent knuckles.
  If he could, he’d like to drag the kid to his workshop the old-fashioned way and personally make him his disciple.
  In the old days, mages used to pass on their knowledge to a single gifted apprentice in the style of “one-man succession.”
  Of course, in these times, you couldn’t do things like that.
  If he tried something like that with the Wardanaz boy, not just the professors, but his family and even the emperor would complain.
  -Headmaster! There’s more to being a mage than just learning magic. Don’t you know how dangerous it is for a mage to be twisted and eccentric just because they learned nothing but magic and didn’t learn life skills?
  -Gonadalthes. If you could teach magic like that, I would have done it already. Is that all you can do? Useless brat.
  -Gonadalthes. I give funding to this school so you’ll nurture and care for the future pillars of the empire, not to raise damned lunatics! What on earth are you doing with such a precious student? Are you defying me?
  …After all, having an archmage as your private tutor was too likely to destroy and twist the pupil’s character.
  ‘This era really makes my life complicated.’
  The skull headmaster sighed with regret.
  But what can you do. They were his own rules.
  Anyway, since the Wardanaz boy had entered the school, there would be plenty of opportunities to bump into him and teach him in the future.
  The skull headmaster earnestly hoped that this boy of the Wardanaz family would come under him in a few years.
  If that happened, he could research and pass on all kinds of forbidden spells and knowledge!
  Start cleaning up the scene. Award the workers involved with a bonus. They deserve it. And don’t forget to secure that ancient artifact too.
  The skull headmaster gave orders to his summons.
  They had to clean up all traces thoroughly so the villages around the magic school wouldn’t be uneasy.
  Professor Voladi. What are you doing?
  The skull headmaster asked curiously.
  Professor Voladi was carefully observing the fallen attackers.
  “I was examining these few attackers who were felled by unusual forms of attack.”
  Hmm. Indeed… What method did that Wardanaz kid use to take them down?
  Professor Voladi and the skull headmaster pondered together.
  It was easy to distinguish the wounds left by swords, stabbing, or iron pellets.
  But a few attackers had wounds as if struck by a giant hammer.
  What on earth…?
  ‘Did he perhaps control rocks? With a spell?? Even with excess magic, that should be impossible… Did he really do it?’
  “…Uh, I was the one who knocked those out with my fists, everyone.”
  Professor Garcia sheepishly raised his hand.
• * *
  When he awoke on a soft, fluffy bed, the first thing Ihan saw was the skull headmaster’s skull.
  ‘A nightmare?’
  “Student Ihan. You really went through a lot.”
  Professor Garcia was there as well.
  “Ah, no. I only did what needed to be done.”
  Even so, credit’s due. Well done.
  “Thank you.”
  Of course, trying to escape the school was another matter.
  ‘Damn.’
  Ihan clicked his tongue inwardly.
  Suddenly, his resentment toward the Imperial anti-magic faction surged again.
  If it weren’t for those bastards, he’d be in the village by now!
  Professor Garcia spoke with an apologetic expression.
  “I’m sorry, Ihan. Even though you did so much…”
  No need to be sorry. Rules are rules. Reward is reward. Punishment is punishment. Rather, how did you break through the basement storeroom passage? It’s not a place you can get through after just a week.
  The skull headmaster genuinely asked in curiosity.
  The storeroom behind the central staircase on the main building’s first floor was a place many freshmen challenged.
  It wasn’t just about escaping; for hungry students, the food storeroom was a place worth selling one’s soul to reach.
  The skull headmaster knew this, so he would scatter keys that could access the area behind the central staircase.
  But to break through directly to the basement storeroom from there—
  Even the headmaster hadn’t expected that.
  Even if he had exerted iron willpower and touched nothing in the vast warehouse, how had he shaken off the warehouse keeper?
  “I’m not sure what you’re talking about.”
  Ihan clammed up, feigning innocence.
  Since he was caught anyway, he had to deny it to the end no matter what.
  The skull headmaster read Ihan’s mind and grinned.
  You’re really not an ordinary kid. But sorry. You won’t be able to use the basement storeroom passage anymore.
  ‘Damn it!’
  Suddenly, the skull headmaster’s tone turned serious.
  Listen. Ihan of the Wardanaz family. In recognition of standing up against the Imperial anti-magic faction to protect the workers and professors, I sincerely thank you on behalf of the school.
  “…!”
  As a token of gratitude, I bestow upon you the treasured sword, ‘Morning Star.’
  “Thank you… Wait, isn’t this the sword the enemy was using?”
  Ihan was so flustered that he didn’t think to ask, ‘Should you really give a real sword to a hot-blooded student?’ In fact, that’s what he should have asked first.
  Then should I break it?
  “Well, that’s true. I’ll use it well.”
  Ihan accepted it without hesitation.
  ‘I’ll have to sell it later.’
  Professor Garcia seemed a bit flustered. He accepted it far too quickly.
  If Ihan had refused to the end, Garcia had been planning to persuade him by saying, ‘It’s not the sword’s fault, it was just wielded by a bad person. Please use the sword properly and lead it onto the right path, Ihan.’
  And take this as well. It’s an outpass.
  “…!!”
  Ihan was much happier than when he got the sword.
  The boy, always expressionless and poor at showing feelings, looked so delighted he practically leaped, and the skull headmaster was taken aback.
  That sword is much more valuable!
  “Thank you! Headmaster, I will serve you with all my loyalty!”
  Uh, right.
  Even the skull headmaster was slightly overwhelmed by the intensity.