Episode 44

For a while, there was only silence from the next room.
Wondering if he’d said something wrong, Ihan asked hesitantly,
“Did I say something wrong?”
“No, no. I was just a little surprised. For a freshman… you’re really talented.”
“I still got caught, though.”
‘If you hadn’t been caught, you should be the headmaster, you madman…’
That’s what the other was thinking.
If the imperial anti-magic faction showed up, it was a major incident.
The school’s most talented professors would have gone out to fight.
Under those circumstances, to have fought alongside them and then hoped not to get caught—he was just too shameless.
“So, what did you do to get in here, senior?”
“Don’t call me senior. That sounds embarrassing. Just speak comfortably. We’re all just mages once we graduate anyway.”
“Fine, then. What did you do to get thrown in here?”
“……”
For a moment, the person on the other side of the wall was very curious what Ihan’s face looked like.
What the hell is this kid’s deal?
“I ended up here after a failed experiment.”
“Wait. You get sent to the punishment room for a failed experiment??”
Ihan was shocked.
That’s just going too far, isn’t it?
But the student on the other side of the wall was calm.
“It’s nothing surprising. You’ll understand one day, too.”
The fourth-year began to explain the situation.
He needed special materials for a magical experiment he was working on, but had failed to find them in the allotted time.
So he’d targeted one of the headmaster’s secret storerooms, sneaked in, and taken some reagents.
But he failed to completely bypass the headmaster’s traps, got caught, and ended up in the punishment room.
“…?”
Listening, Ihan paused.
‘That’s not getting caught for a failed experiment.’
That’s just getting caught stealing, isn’t it?
But Ihan didn’t point it out. When you spend enough time in grad school, your sense of what’s normal breaks down.
If a mage school senior loses his sense of right and wrong, it’s on the mage school, not the senior.
“As far as I can tell, with your abilities, multiple professors are likely to want you. Just be careful not to mess up your experiments.”
“I’ll keep that in mind. But honestly, I don’t plan to stay at this school for long.”
“Humble, are we?”
“No, I really don’t plan to stay…”
“Sure, sure. Pretty upstanding for a freshman—are you from the Blue Tower, by chance? No, couldn’t be.”
“……”
Ihan gave up, realizing the other wouldn’t believe him no matter what he said.
Still, he couldn’t suppress a vague sense of foreboding.
“Senior. Can I ask you something else?”
“Go ahead.”
“With the underground passage blocked, is there any other way out?”
The person next door gave a derisive laugh.
“There is, of course. But junior, aren’t you asking for too much? Why should I tell you that?”
Instead of replying, Ihan took his head away from the wall and called out toward the door,
“Guard!”
“!?”
The neighboring student was startled upright.
What is this guy doing!?
Was he trying to bring them both down?!
-What’s the matter?
“Could you please pass this along to the next room?”
-Understood.
He’d tried it on a whim, but the undead summon obligingly agreed.
He figured, since they’d brought the professors’ gifts in here, it might work—and it did.
A basket with cookies, hot tea, and sugar was sent over to the next room.
Clatter!
“???”
“Ah, no, just surprised… how did you get these in here?”
“It was a gift.”
“……”
At this point, the student on the other side was more curious than ever about who Ihan really was.
In just one week since enrollment, he had figured out an escape route (if not for a natural disaster, he would have succeeded), won over tower-mates while in the punishment room and managed to send gifts through the wall, and, above all, had the resourcefulness to get this kind of smuggled treat…
‘Is this guy from a crime guild??’
Sometimes, students with criminal backgrounds got into the Black Tortoise Tower. Now he was beginning to suspect Ihan was one of them.
A big shot, even!
That would explain these unusual abilities.
“So, senior. Will this do?”
“…Yeah. Alright. After receiving a gift like this, I can tell you.”
The neighboring student cleared his throat.
He hadn’t expected a present, and if the other guy really was crime guild, it would be better not to make an enemy.
If he came for revenge later…
“But before I answer, let’s get this straight. Even us fourth-years don’t know all the ways out of this place. There are plenty who never managed it, even once.”
After freshman year, students were gradually allowed out, but among the upperclassmen, many had never managed a successful escape.
Most of them, in fact. That’s how tough sneaking out from the school was.
‘…But that a first-year would succeed.’
“The way I know, I just heard it from an upperclassman; I’ve never done it myself. I don’t even know if it’s possible to pull off.”
According to the student on the other side, one of the towers on top of the main building held a special stable.
A stable for flying beasts!
It was a resting place for the mounts of professors or the eagles that delivered imperial decrees.
Those beasts had received a special blessing that allowed them to fly over the school’s walls.
“The problem is, there’s no way they’d let just anyone ride those animals.”
“……”
That was true.
Just like there was a keeper in the storeroom, there was probably something guarding the stables, too.
‘Still, it’s not bad.’
Just knowing there was another way out was hope enough.
And if that method had been tried before, Ihan had a decent shot at succeeding too.
“Thanks, senior.”
‘…Is this guy serious… he just had to hear that much to think up a method?! What the hell?!’
The misunderstanding from the other side only deepened.

• * *
  -You’re free, Ihan of the Wardanaz family.
  After a day, the undead summon opened the door.
  Before heading out into the corridor, Ihan put a few more chocolates into the next room.
  Thanks to this faceless senior, he’d learned a lot.
  Though his neighbor spoke less and grew more hesitant as time went on, Ihan assumed it was just out of reluctance.
  Who wouldn’t be annoyed if a stranger kept talking to them?
  Still, he was grateful for the answers he’d gotten.
  ‘I should thank him if we ever meet in person.’
  Just as when he’d been brought in, Ihan was led through a winding, complicated route to the outside.
  Beyond the main building, the night was fading and dawn was breaking.
  ‘Hmm. This looks like a kitchen.’
  Returning to his room at the Blue Dragon Tower, Ihan was amazed at the sight.
  It looked just like a neatly organized kitchen or grocery store.
  He’d stashed all the food he’d received so far, and that only made the impression stronger.
  Salt, sugar, tea leaves, all kinds of spices and condiments stacked on the shelves, along with canned fruits like apricots, peaches, and pineapples.
  There were also things that would satisfy hunger better, like canned beans, canned salmon, salt-cured beef…
  Just for himself, it seemed enough to last many weeks.
  ‘I could seriously start a business.’
  He put off thoughts of business for later and exited his room.
  Up early, he planned to visit the stables and try the “Lightning Step” professor’s assignment.
  “Ihan?”
  As he was leaving the lounge, a red-haired girl came down yawning and was startled to see him.
  “Where’ve you been all day!?”
  “Punishment room. Didn’t the professors tell you?”
  “No. Professor Garcia just said you got hurt doing something big and were resting.”
  “……”
  Ihan thought he understood why Professor Garcia had lied.
  For boys and girls from noble houses, reputation was more important than expected.
  Since he too was from the Wardanaz family, it would be embarrassing for word to get out that he’d been sent to the punishment room.
  Especially since it wasn’t even his fault—he’d only tried to help Professor Garcia.
  “No. I got caught sneaking out of the school and ended up in the punishment room.”
  Of course, Ihan didn’t care in the least about such things. Luckily, Yonere didn’t care either.
  “Why’d you go alone?”
  “Wasn’t sure if the info was legit, so I wanted to check myself.”
  “Next time, let’s go together. Two’s better than one.”
  “Shall we bring Nilia too?”
  “Yeah, good idea. Let’s bring Nilia along.”
  Though Nilia was being forced to join without knowing, neither of them cared.
  Yonere cocked her head and asked,
  “So what exactly happened?”
  As they walked to the stables, Ihan began explaining the events.
  His theories on the underground pass, how he got through, and about the storeroom and its keeper.
  Yonere listened in wide-eyed silence.
  “So then you got out, but people were waiting for you?”
  “The headmaster?”
  “No. Imperial anti-magic faction.”
  “!??”
  Yonere was shocked.
  Professor Garcia hadn’t been joking after all—there really were anti-magic faction members lurking around the school.
  “Then you really did accomplish something big?!”
  “And then I went to the punishment room.”
  “…Why??”
  Yonere couldn’t understand.
  What the heck?
• * *
  There were already a few students at the stables—all from the Black Tortoise Tower.
  When they spotted Ihan and Yonere, the Black Tortoise Tower students flinched and discreetly backed away.
  Yonere didn’t seem to mind, but Ihan felt a bit hurt.
  ‘We need to do away with the custom of judging people by appearance or family!’
  Of course, those students actually feared Ihan because of his growing reputation, not his family, but Ihan didn’t know this.
  “Um…”
  “!”
  One of the Black Tortoise Tower students spoke to him, and Ihan brightened.
  Was it Nilia?
  But it wasn’t her. The speaker was a rat beastman, Ratford.
  “Good morning, Lord Wardanaz.”
  His manner was so respectful, as if serving a superior, that Ihan was embarrassed.
  Anyone would think he was using threats and coercion!
  “Hey. Just speak casually.”
  “I find this more comfortable.”
  For Ratford, who’d survived the Thieves Guild by bowing to strength and preying on weakness, speaking informally to a superior was actually hard.
  A strict hierarchical relationship—obedience, that was true comfort.
  “……”
  Seeing the growing fear in the eyes of the Black Tortoise Tower students, Ihan shook his head.
  ‘Hopeless.’
  “Okay, I get it.”
  Half giving up, Ihan stared at Ratford. Truthfully, he’d also been curious about what happened after the fight.
  He’d collapsed right after the battle…
  “So, what happened when it was over?”
  “Yes. I hid as you instructed during the fight. When it ended, the headmaster arrived with some other professors.”
  “Good job. Better than getting hurt stepping out when you didn’t need to.”
  “The workers were distracted, so I took the chance to pick the locks of the chests in the carriage and gathered anything useful. Since I had to hide them on my person, I only took small items—which I brought to offer you.”
  Ratford held out a small box, bottles rattling within.
  “……”
  Ihan was left speechless and amazed.
  ‘A true professional thief really is on another level!’