Episode 45

Episode 045

The real mindset of a professional thief was on a completely different level from ordinary people.
To pick a lock and take things while the headmaster and professors were inspecting the scene…
Inside the glass flasks were potions of all colors. Ihan could feel the complex and diverse magic emanating from them.
“But… what kinds of potions are these?”
“I don’t really know?”
“…I see.”
Come to think of it, Ratford was a professional thief, not a professional alchemist.
He just grabbed whatever looked useful without checking what it was.
‘I have no clue either.’
Ihan, for his part, had read various books and done some advanced study back at the Wardanaz house, but it was impossible to identify potions with no markings just by sight.
“Yonere, can you tell?”
“This one…”
Yonere picked up a flask and studied it with a serious look.
“It seems like alcohol?”
“That can’t be.”
“It smells like wine.”
Yonere carefully popped out the cork and took a sniff, then nodded.
“Yeah, it’s wine.”
“……”
“But I think the other ones really are magic potions. We’d have to check the library to find out what they are…”
“At least that’s something.”
Ratford wasn’t at all surprised to see someone from the Wardanaz family and someone from the Meikin family talking so nonchalantly about potions they’d stolen.
You shouldn’t be insolent and question what your betters are doing.
‘Such a broad-minded master, to use even stolen potions from a subordinate…’
“Thank you, Ratford. I’ll put these to good use.”
“No, sir. It’s an honor to offer them to you. Please call on me whenever you need me.”
“Don’t be so stiff… Actually, want to help look after the horses?”
Since Ratford had come to the stables early in the morning, Ihan thought it would be good for him to get to know the horses.
At Ihan’s suggestion, Ratford bowed his head.
“Yes. It is an honor.”
“Enough with the honor.”
“It’s an h…”
“Stop it.”
“Yes, sir.”
Thud—
“?”
There was a noise of something dropping behind them. Ihan turned to look.
Nilia was standing there, looking stunned.
“…You, you made a new friend…”
Seeing Nilia about to retreat with a betrayed look, Ihan and Yonere hurried over to her.

• * *
  “So that’s all it was? You should have told me. It’s not like I’d think badly of you for something like that.”
  “……”
  “……”
  Ihan and Yonere exchanged meaningful glances.
  ‘She was definitely about to misunderstand.’
  ‘She definitely was going to.’
  Fortunately, the ridiculous misunderstanding—that they’d tried to make Ratford their new Black Tortoise Tower friend instead of Nilia—was cleared up.
  Ratford said seriously,
  “I’m not a friend, I’m a sub… mmph.”
  “Oops, my hand slipped.”
  Ihan covered Ratford’s mouth with the horse grooming brush.
  “Come on, let’s all take care of the horses together.”
  There were a few other students in the stable who had come to bond with the horses.
  The “Lightning Step” professor had told them to “get friendly with the horses,” but there weren’t many diligent students who’d get up early for that.
  And the horses showed no mercy to even those earnest students.
  “Ow! Stop spitting already!”
  “Listen, you stupid animal! What’s your problem! Why are you acting like this!”
  The horses butted them, spat, and tried to bite their hands, snorting and resisting.
  But Ihan wasn’t surprised.
  ‘There’s no such thing as an obedient lab animal, after all.’
  The horses were rough, but not the worst he’d seen.
  At least they weren’t running off or throwing poop around.
  “Alright, let’s brush your coat.”
  -Fhrrr!
  The white horse assigned to Ihan by the “Lightning Step” professor glared at him.
  Its intent to give a kick the moment he got close was blatantly obvious.
  But Ihan calmly stepped forward anyway.
  Whoosh!
  The white horse attempted a headbutt. Ihan dodged backward, as if he’d been expecting it.
  The white horse’s eyes flew wide open. It hadn’t expected Ihan to dodge.
  Ptui!
  The white horse spat this time, and again, Ihan sidestepped as if he knew it was coming.
  “There, there. Good boy.”
  Chomp!
  The white horse tried to bite, but Ihan shifted aside and closed in.
  Still, it didn’t give up. Though its legs were hobbled so it couldn’t kick, it tried every dirty trick it could.
  Ihan dodged, blocked, and endured every one.
  Nilia, watching from behind, could only marvel.
  ‘How does he have that much patience?’
  If it were Nilia, she’d already have cursed at the horse or whipped it by now.
  But Ihan calmed the horse again and again, saying “there, there,” without getting angry.
  Was this the dignity of a high noble…?
• * *
  -Fhhrrufff…
  After a long rampage, the white horse seemed tired and hung its head.
  Only then was Ihan able to brush its coat.
  Even while being brushed, the white horse glared at Ihan, refusing to let up. There was a clear look of intent to run wild again as soon as it recovered.
  ‘Does this horse have some kind of other monster’s blood in it or something?’
  Ihan wondered at how unusually persistent this white horse was.
  The other horses didn’t seem nearly so mean…
  Clunk!
  “There, did it.”
  Yonere, who’d been wrestling at it for ages, came out smiling brightly, covered in mud.
  Nilia and Ratford had also ended up in a rough state.
  “At least it started to listen to me.”
  “I feel like I got a little closer to mine, too.”
  Hearing them, Ihan looked toward his own white horse.
  It turned its head away determinedly, as if to say “not a chance.”
  Normally, a young student would have gotten angry or given up at this stubborn rebellion.
  ‘Well, it’ll give in eventually.’
  Ihan’s heart was as calm as a lake.
  No matter how much trouble the white horse caused, it couldn’t be worse than a professor.
  Ihan simply put aside his emotions and did what had to be done.
  After finishing the grooming, Ihan mixed up some feed and placed it before the white horse. The horse gobbled it up, staring straight back at Ihan.
  As if to say, “Don’t think this means I’ve accepted you.”
  “I’m thinking of taking them out for a walk now.”
  Nilia brushed off some mud as she spoke.
  Regular walks were essential for maintaining a horse’s health.
  They also helped with bonding. If you spent long enough walking together, even the most stubborn animal would have to open up eventually.
  ‘Hmm.’
  But Ihan wasn’t sure his white horse would cooperate calmly.
  It was still attacking him constantly—what attacks would it try in a wide open space?
  “Hm…”
  Ihan looked down at the iron bracelet and belt he was wearing, then gazed at the white horse again.
  Something in his look gave the white horse a sense of foreboding.
• * *
  “I’m here!”
  “……”
  Thunder Step managed his expression and opened the door.
  Just outside, Lightning Step came in holding a tin cup.
  “Make some tea!”
  “You don’t even like the tea I brew…”
  “I’ll drink it anyway, just bear with it!”
  “……”
  Thunder Step boiled water with a sad face. He hadn’t expected to miss Ihan’s presence this much.
  “The freshmen are taking good care of the stables.”
  Lightning Step said boisterously, drinking the hot tea.
  If there was one talent that applied to both alchemy and animal taming, it was diligence.
  There was a reason he’d gathered all the nastiest horses for “Basic Mount Training” class and made the students befriend them.
  To teach the freshmen diligence.
  There were many conditions for befriending an unfamiliar animal, but the most important was diligence.
  Without diligence, you could never get close to any creature.
  “I deliberately made the horses mean, but if the kids work hard and treat them with care, they’ll quickly calm down and open their hearts. But anyone who tries to break them with whip and force will have a harsh lesson coming.”
  When given such an assignment, students split into two types.
  Those who earnestly showed up early to get to know the horses, and those who tried to force them the way they were used to doing everything, spurring and whipping them into submission.
  The horses Lightning Step prepared could not possibly be subdued like that.
  Undedicated students would learn their lesson the hard way.
  “Keh-hahahaha!”
  “……”
  As Lightning Step let out a roaring laugh and set down his cup, Thunder Step shook his head.
  ‘He really does love tormenting students.’
  Thunder Step could never imagine that Ihan compared him to Lightning Step.
  I’m different!
  “How’s Wardanaz doing?”
  “Ah, Wardanaz? He’s a diligent kid, so he should do well. Of course, the gryphon is a bit difficult. But with diligence, brains, and a little luck, he’ll manage.”
  “?”
  Thunder Step looked up from pouring tea.
  What did he just say?
  “What did you just say?”
  “What?”
  “You just said… that thing.”
  “Must’ve misheard. I said the horse.”
  “……”
  Thunder Step eyed Lightning Step with a mix of shock and horror.
  Did he seriously turn a gryphon into a horse…?
  “No, right?”
  “What?”
  “……”
  ‘No… calm down. Maybe the horse’s name is just Gryphon or something.’
  Thunder Step calmed himself.
  A gryphon.
  A flying monster with the head and wings of an eagle, and the claws and legs of a lion.
  Fussy, nasty, and fiercely loyal to its master—a violent beast through and through.
  Depending on their habitat, their personalities and habits varied, but one thing was clear.
  Not something a freshman could ever tame!!
  “What’s the horse’s name?”
  “The gry… phonlig.”
  “…You’ve really lost your mind, haven’t you!??!”
  Finally, Thunder Step couldn’t hold back and exploded.
  Just what kind of crazy thing was Lightning Step doing, pushing such a monster onto a wounded alchemy student who’d just taken a day off?
  “This damn brat’s gone nuts! Why are you flipping out while drinking tea?”
  “I can’t believe you turned a gryphon into a horse!”
  “When did I do that! Got proof? And even if I did, wouldn’t it be safe if it’s a horse now?”
  “You think a gryphon’s got a slime’s IQ or something!?”
  The hut filled with the sounds of breaking mugs, flying chairs, and a splintering table.
  A typical dwarven family spat.
• * *
  -Fhhrrrrrrrrrrr…
  “You rascal.”
  Ihan looked fondly at the white horse.
  All that riotous behavior earlier was gone; the horse now seemed docile and meek.
  To be precise, Ihan had made it that way.
  He’d put all the magic-absorbing iron bracelets and belt he had onto the horse.
  “As expected. Lower its magic power and it gets more docile.”
  Since all living creatures are born with some magic, if that gets drained, you can’t help but feel listless.
  Wearing all the items Ihan had previously kept for himself, the white horse was entirely sapped of energy and no longer had the strength to resist.
  “Right. Let’s get along from now on.”
  -Fhrrff…
  The white horse quietly followed wherever Ihan led it by the reins.
  Seeing it, Ihan suddenly thought of something.
  ‘But even with both the bracelets and belt on, it’s still able to walk—isn’t that a lot of magic power for a horse?’
  Either the bracelets and belt had too little absorption rate, or the horse had a lot of magic.
  ‘Even if a monster’s blood is mixed in, it shouldn’t have that much magic. Are the items weaker than I thought?’
  Ihan walked along, deep in thought.
  Up ahead, some students were sobbing and begging after being foolish enough to try riding a horse.
  -Let me down, let me down!! Please! I’m sorry!
  ‘Isn’t there some way to increase the absorption rate?’
  Just another ordinary day at the magic school, already so familiar to him.