Episode 450

Regardless, Lee Han looked at Anpagon with eyes full of respect.

“The basics are always the most important thing, aren’t they?”

“This doesn’t really have much to do with basics…”

While Anpagon mumbled, Lee Han fixed the magic circle again.

He re-added the inefficient parts he had previously removed and completed the pattern, turning it into a rather easily breakable artifact.

“How is it?”

“Excellent. Keep going.”

The two students resumed their work.

Seeing Lee Han’s speed, Anpagon revised his estimate of the work time.

‘I might finish before nightfall.’

If he didn’t have to stay up all night, he could restart his magic amplification waterwheel artifact work in the early morning. Anpagon’s face brightened.

Bang bang bang bang bang—

“Aren’t you going to rest?”

“Huh? Oh. I still have plenty of mana, so I’m fine.”

“Alright.”

Anpagon thought about telling his junior to take a break, but, not wanting to meddle, he stopped himself.

Still, it bothered him.

‘If you use too much mana, it can be dangerous.’

Bang bang bang bang bang bang bang!

“…?”

His junior, however, cranked out artifacts with tireless stamina.

Anpagon was amazed. He revised his work estimate yet again.

‘…Maybe we’ll finish by evening?’

If they finished by evening, he might be able to stop by the Black Turtle Tower cafeteria for a simple meal before beginning work on the magic amplification waterwheel artifact.

“Senior.”

“Ready to rest now?”

“No. I’ve used up all the materials here—which crate has more?”

“……”

Thanks to Einrogard’s turbulent environment, Anpagon’s rusty heart started to pound a little.

Surely not…

Surely they’d really finish before evening?

• * *

They really did finish before evening.

Anpagon looked not just pleased, but still in disbelief.

“Looks like we’re all done, senior. I’ll be heading out now.”

“Y-yeah, go ahead.”

“But, senior—”

Now that he’d finished more quickly than expected, Lee Han had some time to ask questions.

“Are there no other people studying enchantment magic? Why just you?”

“I’m the most sociable one.”

“……”

For a moment, Lee Han wondered whether his senior was joking and hesitated about laughing.

“…R-right.”

“You can laugh if you want. Our department is the least sociable in Einrogard anyway.”

“Social activities aren’t important. What matters to a mage is magic.”

“What matters to a mage is the ability to get grant funding, isn’t it?”

“What kind of idiot would say something like that?”

“The principal?”

“Knew it. Let’s ignore it.”

Lee Han didn’t miss a beat in his reply.

Anpagon was once again impressed by the wisdom of this first-year who’d already seen through the skeleton principal.

One would think him a fourth-year at least.

“Yeah, ignoring him is for the best…”

“Alright, I’ll be going then.”

After saying goodbye, Lee Han put the two chests from the attic on his back and left. They were full of unused reagents that Anpagon didn’t want.

It was rare to see a first-year junior carefully carrying off two crates, but Anpagon was still too shocked by the day’s events to even register it.

“…Am I dreaming…”

While Anpagon mumbled to himself, the attic door opened again.

Other students majoring in enchantment magic were waiting below.

“All done?”

“Yeah. Finished early.”

The students climbed up to the attic.

There were second-years, third-years, and fourth-years, but they all had one thing in common: they didn’t pay much attention to each other.

Had there not been a recent spirit flood, they wouldn’t even have used someone else’s workshop.

“The reason we finished early is…”

“Don’t care.”

“Sorry, Anpagon-senior. Can I get started working now?”

“……”

Anpagon started to speak, then stopped.

He never liked idle chatter, but being shut down like that made a strange feeling rise in his chest.

That feeling was anger.

“…Alright.”

He decided he’d just be the only one to know the reason.

Somehow, the idea of knowing something amazing others didn’t made him feel good.

“…Wait!! The light!!!”

As Anpagon was about to sit down, he screamed, seeing the orb of light still floating.

The other students stared at Anpagon.

“Anpagon-senior, sorry but…”

“Be quiet.”

“…Alright.”

Anpagon swore he would never tell these guys.

• * *

“Principal, where did Professor Verdus go?”

He’s locked up.

The skeleton principal answered Gainando as if annoyed.

Gainando nodded, then came back and asked again.

“Principal, where did Professor Verdus go?”

I said he’s locked up! You Ironhead! Why do you keep asking the same thing? Are you provoking me?

“N-no. It just feels good to keep hearing the professor’s locked up.”

……

The skeleton principal spun Gainando upside down and left.

After finishing his work, Lee Han returned and saw Gainando hanging upside down.

“But you’re not even taking enchantment magic.”

“I just like hearing about the professor being locked up…”

“R-right.”

Lee Han dropped Gainando, who splashed into the water with a groan.

“And Professor Verdus keeps coming by during breaks and bothering people.”

Lee Han, for once, truly agreed with Gainando’s mutter.

‘He’s got a point for once.’

Thinking of Professor Verdus showing up during the break, Lee Han felt the professor could stay locked up a bit longer.

“Where have you been? Wait. Hang on—I think I know.”

“Oh…”

Lee Han was a bit interested to see Gainando being sharp for a change.

From his current appearance, there were plenty of clues: gloves stained with various reagents, bits of metal stuck to his cloak, and so on.

Anyone could see he’d been working on artifacts.

“You went to rescue Professor Verdus, didn’t you?! Hey! Don’t go! Why rescue him?!”

“…I didn’t. I just helped prep the enchantment magic midterm since the professor’s not around.”

“Oh. Okay.”

Gainando just accepted it.

Other friends might have said, “Hey you idiot, how could you just accept that! Ask more questions!” but Gainando let it pass.

“Don’t rescue Professor Verdus. There’s no benefit to saving him.”

“You’re only saying that because he came to your mansion during break, aren’t you?”

“Yup.”

Gainando nodded confidently without the slightest bit of shame. Lee Han was slightly impressed.

“Alright, don’t worry—I have no plans to rescue him.”

“Even if Professor Verdus promises you piles of gold, don’t go.”

“…Hmm.”

“Lee Han…!”

Gainando looked sorrowfully at his friend’s willingness to forgive a professor who’d ruined his break with gold.

Isn’t pride more important than gold?

Creak—

Back at the library, the two separated to do their own things.

Gainando slipped in among his friends.

They looked like a study group, gathered around thick grimoires, but in fact, they were secretly playing cards beneath the books.

“Where were you?”

“Went fishing, then got hung upside down by the principal.”

“Tough break.”

Other tower students didn’t care much about Gainando being punished.

One of them asked curiously,

“How’d you get down?”

“Lee Han came by and let me down.”

“Don’t you know how to do anything by yourself?”

“Hey. Isn’t having someone to do things for you even more amazing?”

“……”

“……”

The Blue Dragon Tower students threw cards at Gainando’s face. Gainando let out a strangled squeal.

“It really is amazing! It’s amaz—”

“Stop before you get hit again.”

“Why did Wardanaz show up?”

“Came back from helping with the enchantment magic test.”

Gainando answered absently, distracted by his deck.

He needed to complete his deck as fast as possible to play as many rounds as he could before dinner started.

If he brought out his curse deck right away, his friends wouldn’t play, so he had to hide the curse deck under an ordinary one…

“What? He was helping with the enchantment test?”

“Why did he do that outside? He could’ve just studied here.”

The students tilted their heads in confusion, prompting Gainando to reply in annoyance.

“You idiots. He didn’t study, he helped make the exam itself. Quiet, I need to add my mage cards.”

“……”

“……”

Seeing the others fall silent, Gainando smiled in satisfaction and nodded.

At last, his friends had learned to respect royalty.

Bang!

“What kind of nonsense is that?!”

One student shot to his feet, slamming the table so hard the cards flew.

Despite the prince’s outcry, the rest ignored him and carried on.

“Is that even possible? I mean, Wardanaz is ridiculous, but still—he’s our year.”

“I told you so! Wardanaz was handed his family’s secret arts before even enrolling…”

“You’ve scattered my cards! Jerks!”

“Is that what matters right now?!”

“We’ll clean up—just tell us about the enchantment test! We need to take it too!”

Of course, Gainando wasn’t actually capable of giving details. As the hubbub grew, Lee Han arrived.

“What’s everyone doing?”

“Wardanaz! Is it true you wrote the enchantment magic exam?!”

The students stared at Lee Han with trembling eyes.

“What nonsense… My senior wrote it. I just helped out with busywork.”

“…Ah!”

Only then did the students finally believe it and let out sighs of relief.

Thank goodness reality hadn’t completely broken.

“Told you it was just the prince panicking.”

“See? Didn’t I say so?”

It looked like things would wrap up amicably, but unfortunately, they didn’t.

Lee Han looked down at the pile of scattered mage cards and asked,

“What’s this?”

“……”

“…Uh…that’s…”

“Hold up your book.”

Though Lee Han’s tone was mild, it carried a chilling warning.

A White Tiger Tower student froze like a bird under a snake’s gaze.

“Uh… uh… why?”

“Just do it. Before you get hit.”

When they held up the book, mage cards hidden inside the hollowed-out center fell out. Lee Han hit him on the head with his staff.

“Ack!”

“Next. You…”

The next target quickly opened his book. Nothing was there.

“You, take off your coat and open your inner pocket.”

“……”

• * *

After breaking up the illegal mage card group, Lee Han shared exam details with students taking enchantment magic.

When he said the test would involve repairing a broken artifact, the students murmured.

“What kind of break is it, Wardanaz?”

“I’m not sure.”

“How long is the artifact?”

“I don’t know.”

“Don’t bother Wardanaz with stuff like that! As if he’d be allowed to tell you!”

Nillia shouted a warning.

Lee Han was a little touched by his friend’s support.

In the end, what you could rely on in times like this was a friend.

Swish—

Once the students had reflected and backed away, Nillia quickly slipped a chocolate bar into Lee Han’s hand.

And whispered,

“Which artifact would be the best pick?”

“…Nillia…”

“I-it’s just a joke.”