Episode 439

“As expected… so it’s true.”

Lee Han, misunderstanding the skeleton headmaster’s gaze, nodded as if he’d known it all along.

No, it’s not!

“Pardon?”

Do you think all the Empire’s magical criminals are graduates of Einrogard?!

“Oh? They aren’t?”

……

The skeleton headmaster momentarily lost his words.

It was even more dumbfounding because he could tell his student in front of him was speaking sincerely, not joking.

What the…!

Seriously, no.

“Is that so… Uh, is it just because there are knights outside that you’re saying no?”

I swear on my magic, no. Are you satisfied?

“Ahh…”

Only then did Lee Han accept it.

The skeleton headmaster wanted to give him a good smack, but held back, thinking about the donation his student had just secured.

“If they’re a magical criminal, then…”

Yes.

There were enemies in the Empire whose very name invoked fear and hostility.

Anti-magicists, evil god-worshippers, separatists, dark magi—no, not dark magi. That was a slip of the tongue.

“……”

Not a dark magus, a magical criminal. I meant to say magical criminal. Anyway, considering the level of these wanted men, no matter how much trouble your four predecessors from Einrogard have caused, it’s rare for anyone to be branded a magical criminal.

‘So there are some.’

Lee Han was not surprised.

He would have been more surprised if there hadn’t been any at all.

Anyway, the skeleton headmaster’s logic was sound.

Unexpectedly, not everyone could become a magical criminal.

A mage who failed an experiment and caused the valley to flood, destroying all the village’s crops?

It was strange, but he wasn’t a magical criminal. That fell under the category of “just a crazy mage.”

A mage caught at the scene trying to sneak into another Order’s graveyard to steal corpses?

Also really strange, but still not a magical criminal. That was just a crazy mage—no, perhaps a very crazy mage.

To be branded a magical criminal in the Empire, one had to maliciously cause incidents incomparable to those mentioned and evade pursuit from imperial bounty hunters and knightly orders at least dozens of times.

Only after all that would they finally say, “By order of the Emperor, this mage can no longer be called a mage—eliminate them at all costs, dead or alive.”

It was infamy ranking among the very highest that any imperial mage could receive.

No matter how insane a mage school Einrogard might be, even they couldn’t produce the best of the worst so easily.

And considering that even after graduation, seniors were dragged to the punishment room, the skeleton headmaster seemed to care a great deal about his reputation and standing in the Empire, managing things even after the fact.

“I just thought they were an Einrogard graduate because they were an outstanding mage.”

That’s a common mistake.

The skeleton headmaster nodded as if he understood.

Did every outstanding mage who caused trouble in the Empire have to be from Einrogard?

The more annoying thing was that 95% of the time, this misconception wasn’t wrong.

Back to the story of Antagondals, he wasn’t an Einrogard graduate and hasn’t even lived five hundred years yet, still a fresh and green mage…

‘It’s odd to call a mage over a hundred years old “fresh and green.”’

He’s been consistently infamous in a way that’s grating since long ago.

The skeleton headmaster held up the -All-Seeing Eye of Antagondals- artifact and the black spiritwood bracelet entwined with seven snakes, his voice filled with irritation.

When the Empire’s enemies show up with some shabby artifact, about three out of ten times it turns out to be something made by that guy…

“Does a mage really sell artifacts to anti-magicists?”

An enemy’s enemy is always a tempting partner. And anyway, depraved bastards don’t discriminate about who they deal with. If the profit is right, they’d even swallow their own bodies whole.

The skeleton headmaster’s voice was thick with contempt.

Lee Han understood why the headmaster would feel that way.

Artifacts were items that allowed even those who knew nothing of magic to easily trigger anomalies.

There was no way to think well of a magical criminal who made and sold such artifacts to anti-magicists or other enemies of the Empire.

The most infuriating thing is that he claims to have inherited the titles of former noble houses from the ancient kingdom and mocks me! How dare he!

“…Uh… I see.”

Just as important reasons were being discussed, a petty one popped up, and Lee Han was a little taken aback.

You’re young, so you don’t understand how important that is.

The skeleton headmaster grumbled.

To the skeleton headmaster, who was the legitimate heir to the now-vanished ancient kingdom, every noble house of that kingdom carried its own honorable significance.

And for some cheeky little nobody—not even an Einrogard graduate—to steal those titles and lay claim to them…

“Understood. If I ever meet Antagondals, I’ll be sure to point out the arrogance you just mentioned.”

Good. Remember it well.

Lee Han, seeing the skeleton headmaster take his joking words seriously, was dumbfounded, but then suddenly remembered and asked,

“By the way, why did you bring up Antagondals? Oh, is there a lesson related to these artifacts you wanted to teach?”

Oh. Did you want to learn about these artifacts? Alright. Noted.

Lee Han cursed his loose tongue. He hated himself for it.

“That’s not it?”

I was telling you about Antagondals because, as you said, I think you might meet him in the future.

“……”

He avoids me out of fear, but since he doesn’t know much about you yet, he might approach. Above all, after seeing you cut down all those anti-magicists like that.

“I didn’t cut them…”

If you see a suspicious mage, don’t hesitate—use the ring I gave you before and call me. Got it?

Lee Han stopped himself from summoning him right this instant.

• * *

Thanks to the skeleton headmaster and the Death Knights helping, the camp, which had been a wreck from battle, was quickly restored.

Even the severely wounded knights who had been lying down finished their recovery and stood up to thank the headmaster.

The skeleton headmaster spoke kindly to the students.

If you wish, you may stay a little longer.

“Oh? Really!?”

Angrago was startled.

She hadn’t expected the skeleton headmaster to extend such kindness.

Bartrek was in disbelief too, just blinking at his friend.

Of course! How much merit did you accomplish here? Of course you can stay longer if you wish!

As the headmaster spoke, the knights welcomed them with warm, open-armed smiles.

In this warmly hospitable atmosphere, which could never be found at Einrogard, Angrago and Bartrek already looked intoxicated.

‘The headmaster is human after all!’

‘Right. We fought so hard, it’s only fair to stay a little longer…’

There was no real benefit to heading back right away.

They’d only have to run through the mountains and forests, hunting food with their friends.

Compared to that, here was a place overflowing with food and drink.

“Headmaster.”

Lee Han called for the skeleton headmaster.

The skeleton headmaster looked back at Lee Han with a warm expression, as if to say, “What is it?”

“Are the spirits being rowdy inside?”

I don’t know what you’re on about. Why not stay a little longer before leaving?

Lee Han sighed deeply and called his friends.

“…Hey. Let’s go back.”

It was clear the school had flooded.

• * *

Instead of obediently returning to the tower, the White Tiger Tower friends rolled on the ground, kicking and struggling.

“There might not be a flood!”

“I said, there is.”

“Let’s say, for argument’s sake, there’s a flood! But do we really have to go back? Wardanaz! You honestly don’t want to take care of those guys either, do you!”

“……”

It wasn’t that they didn’t believe Lee Han—but rather a desperate denial of reality to avoid going back to Einrogard.

Things were tough already, and now with a flood, the very thought of returning was exhausting.

Lee Han considered smacking them, but however few onlookers there might be, it seemed improper to beat up noble-borns in front of a knightly camp, so he held back.

Instead, he called Giselle.

“Moradi. It’s your tower, so you convince them to come.”

Giselle glared at her two pieces of tr—no, friends, with an annoyed look and tried persuasion.

“Why don’t you just die right there.”

“……”

“……”

The two of them, who had been rolling on the ground, awkwardly got to their feet. They realized it would be scarier to resist with Giselle acting like that.

But they weren’t standing up fully—they still really didn’t want to return to Einrogard.

Haha. It seems you’re misunderstanding something.

It was the skeleton headmaster who helped Lee Han.

When Wardanaz returns, you come back as well. That’s what friends do.

“What?! We’re from different towers, though?!”

What’s your point? Shall I stamp “Friends though from different towers” on your foreheads?

Hearing that Lee Han would return to Einrogard, the skeleton headmaster was feeling very spiteful.

Sensing the spite in that voice, the two White Tiger Tower students gave up and shot upright.

“Let’s go… we should.”

“Wardanaz… when other friends ask later, can you say we volunteered to head back first?”

Giselle couldn’t hold it in anymore and started whacking her friends with her sword sheath. The two students screamed and ran away.

Lee Han, ignoring all that, started gathering the boxes he would carry back with him.

“Moradi. Stop beating them and come help.”

“…Hold on. Isn’t this too much?”

Catching her breath, Giselle frowned slightly as she counted the number of wooden chests.

No matter how she thought about it, it was too much for four people to carry, even if they had brought a horse…

“Ah. From here to here, I’ll carry.”

“What? How?”

“I’ll carry this myself, put this on Fongrif, and float the rest with magic.”

“……”

The sheer brute force approach left Giselle speechless.

“Hm. I received this box, but… Aren’t the southern spiral clams a luxury? Plus, they spoil fast.”

Seeing the crate packed with premium shellfish harvested from the Empire’s southern coast, Lee Han hesitated.

Giselle nodded in agreement.

“Best to leave those.”

“It’s a shame… Headmaster, would you be interested in bartering?”

Get lost.

Giselle was so shocked to see Lee Han call to the skeleton headmaster that her heart almost dropped.

Giselle was rarely frightened, but the skeleton headmaster was an exception. No matter how much time had passed since admission, the skeleton headmaster was still formidable.

But to address him like that…

‘He really is crazy.’

“Wait just a moment. Folks from the merchant guild—did you bring any extra rations? You did? Would you be interested in a trade?”

Lee Han went to workers from the merchant side still remaining in camp and traded fancy, perishable food for preserved rations they had brought.

Since there were many workers present for the job, the quantity of food turned out to be considerable. What’s more, the food was compact, preserved, and easy to transport.

“Wow, is it really okay for you to just give us these?”

“We value frugality and rarely eat luxury foods like these.”

Lee Han spoke with perfect composure. The workers, having struggled through tough times, gladly accepted, seeing an opportunity for a feast.

“Is that your leftover rations? Looks like there’s still plenty left.”

“Yes. We brought enough for ourselves, just in case things took longer.”

Lee Han worried deeply as he looked at the boxes of canned food that were still left.

How to bring those back?

“Hey. Get the booze.”

“Ah… No! Wardanaz!!”

“This is no time for you to be indulging in expensive spirits.”

“There may never be another chance to drink aged over 20 years!!”

Lee Han snatched the lavishly decorated bottle of liquor from his friends and traded it to the workers. The workers were delighted, while his friends wept tears of blood.

When the trade was all done, Lee Han looked over the supplies with satisfaction.

Setting aside what looked like a small mountain, the overall composition was pretty robust.

‘Even accounting for what was lost in the flood, this should last us at least a month.’

“Excuse me, Mr. Wardanaz?”

Knights approached to call out to Lee Han.

Because of his actions during the attack, their eyes and attitude were full of respect.

“Yes?”

“This is a gift that’s usually given to the knight who brings the most glory to the gathering.”

“!!”

Lee Han widened his eyes.

No way?

‘Gold coins? A golden statue? Or maybe even equipment made of gold?’

“Although this meeting was cancelled halfway, I doubt anyone will ever bring as much honor as you did. By unanimous decision, we’re delighted to present this to you.”

“It’s truly an honor!”

Lee Han gratefully received the gift.

It was a liquor bottle even more lavishly decorated than the one his friends had just lost.

“……”