Episode 485

“Piece of garbage!”

“!”

The subordinates thought Pashyer was angry at the other guilds, but in truth, Pashyer was furious with himself.

He had only been focused on winning against the other guilds, while a young student was risking his life fighting monsters.

Pashyer trembled all over and then shouted.

“Let’s go!”

“Pardon?”

“I said, follow me!”

‘What’s gotten into him?’

When the old fisherman exploded in anger, his subordinates grew worried.

There was nothing to be gained by picking a fight with outsiders.

Even if tensions with the other guilds ran high, outsiders would never understand.

Now was the time to be as polite and convincing as possible, not this…

“?”

Lee Han, who was coming off the reef alongside Professor Voladi, looked at the angry group of approaching fishermen with curiosity.

“What is it?”

“Fishermen.”

Professor Voladi answered as if it were nothing.

Lee Han, with a reluctant expression, asked,

“They look really angry… Did something happen?”

There were plenty of reasons to suspect.

As Professor Thunderstep had said, the guilds in the area had been on edge from many years of friction, and it was natural for them to have complicated feelings toward outsiders.

On top of that, the Shadow Patrol hunters were not exactly known as gentle and courteous gentlemen.

‘Did they maybe steal the fishermen’s hunting grounds?’

Given how obsessed they were with hunting, Lee Han worried they might have crossed into a restricted zone and hunted where they shouldn’t.

“Could be.”

“What should we do?”

“Prepare yourself.”

Professor Voladi spoke to Lee Han as if he were about to go up on the reef to exterminate monsters.

For a moment, Lee Han didn’t understand—then he got it.

‘No, this crazy…!’

Was he telling him to prepare to fight the fishermen?!

“…Professor, we can’t fight the fishermen! What would the townspeople think?”

“They’d consider it self-defense.”

“……”

He had a point, but that wasn’t the issue right now.

The situation needed to be resolved quickly, not worsened by unnecessary clashes.

They should avoid even the existing conflicts…

“Be mindful of the fishermen’s nets. Once you’re entangled, you could be at risk.”

“Have you fought against fishermen before, Professor?”

Lee Han asked without much thought, but Professor Voladi nodded.

“Yes. They’re especially dangerous on ships.”

“……”

‘If it’s to this extent, he’s probably attacked people just for making eye contact on his travels.’

While Lee Han was pondering, the fishermen arrived.

The leader, an old fisherman, suddenly bowed and shouted in a deep, resounding voice.

“As the representative of Isran City’s official guild, and as a member of the Isran city council, I sincerely apologize!”

“?”

“?”

Both Lee Han and the hunters were puzzled.

“What’s that about?”

“Are they going to ban hunting starting today? If they do such an outrageous thing, they’ll suffer the curse of the mountains…”

“This is the sea.”

“Then they’ll suffer the curse of the sea!”

While the confused hunters whispered among themselves, Pashyer continued speaking.

“As the guild leader, I was unable to give any help to those who came from outside to solve our city’s troubles. In the meantime, a young Einrogard student put his life on the line exterminating monsters!”

“?”

At first, Lee Han thought the words made no sense, then he realized.

‘Ah, so now…’

Professor Voladi waving a staff and clearing out monsters probably looked like a shortage of people compelled a student to step up.

Of course, it was a misunderstanding.

The Meikin family weren’t fools or poor enough to grab just anyone for labor.

“Accordingly, we will reflect deeply, so I ask for your generous consideration.”

The old fisherman gave his statement in a booming voice, bowed once more, and then boarded his boat and left.

The Shadow Patrol hunters remained confused.

“What does that mean, Mage?”

“So, are they going to punish themselves?”

Where he came from in the northern mountains, a hunter who did wrong atoned by taking on a great ordeal.

For instance, going deep into a snowy mountain with nothing but a single arrow to bring down a set monster…

Is that what this is?

“That’s not it. They just mean they’ll reflect on their actions.”

“Atonement should be more painful than that…”

Lee Han ignored the hunters and turned his gaze away.

Even though the statement was full of political rhetoric, he generally understood the message.

They’ve acknowledged their fault, are reflecting on it, and from now on will unconditionally respect the Einrogard party’s wishes in negotiations.

From Lee Han’s point of view, this was great…

‘What’s gotten into them? Why so suddenly?’

No matter how much he thought about it, he just couldn’t understand.

One of the hunters next to him said,

“Maybe they saw you hunting alone and felt sorry?”

“…No…”

Lee Han thought it couldn’t be.

But on reflection, it seemed plausible.

Nothing else came to mind.

He glanced at Professor Voladi, who looked back at him as if to ask what the problem was.

“Nothing.”

One of Professor Voladi’s best traits was that he didn’t indulge in unnecessary words.

If the Skeleton Headmaster were here, he’d say, ‘It’s thanks to me you could persuade them—be grateful,’ and drive Lee Han up the wall!

• * *

The rumor that Pashyer and the Fishermen’s Guild had met with the Einrogard delegation quickly spread.

The Adventurers’ Guild was flustered upon hearing it.

“The supposedly stubborn guild people already…”

“Shouldn’t we make a move too? Maybe prepare a bribe.”

“Shh! If you mess up and try to bribe one of the Einrogard mages, you could end up a worm.”

In fact, if any guild was distant from the city’s infighting, it was the Adventurers’ Guild.

The Fishermen’s and Alchemists’ Guilds both had high stakes and tried actively to obtain the Sangoria flower collection rights, but the Adventurers’ Guild didn’t go that far.

They weren’t that united to begin with, and as hired hands, their perspective was different.

The Adventurers’ Guild didn’t care who won, as long as they were guaranteed to gather a reasonable amount. That was enough.

But the other two guilds were so fired up that such simple negotiating didn’t work.

The only ones you could even talk to were the outsiders…

‘Still, Einrogard mages are scary.’

‘If we approach them and it backfires…’

The Adventurers’ Guild feared Einrogard’s mages much more than the other guilds.

Unlike city craftsmen who’d lived their whole lives in one place, adventurers, always on the road, had firsthand knowledge of how terrifying mages could be.

And Einrogard mages were in a class of their own.

“We should at least offer our greetings. Leave a good impression.”

The Adventurers’ Guild leader headed to the harbor with the clerks.

Just then, they saw mages and hunters returning from the hunt.

“H-hello?”

They were so nervous that their voice came out hoarse.

Lee Han recognized which guild they were from by their outfits and insignias.

‘So the Adventurers’ Guild is here too?’

Since they had a stake in this conflict, winning them over certainly wouldn’t hurt.

Lee Han smiled and replied brightly.

“Hello! Pleased to meet you. Are you the ones who travel the empire’s remotest and wildest valleys in your devotion?”

“!”

The Shadow Patrol hunters grumbled inwardly.

No matter how polite that was, wasn’t it a bit much?

What adventurer even went to the wildest parts of the empire?

They hardly ever came up to the northern mountains…

“That’s right!”

Hearing the flattery, the Adventurers’ Guild members brightened and the tension eased a bit.

“As expected of mages from Einrogard, you have an air of dignity in your eyes.”

‘Feels more like bloodlust.’

Lee Han glanced once at Professor Voladi and at himself. There was still a bit of blood on their robes.

“May I ask your name and which family you’re from…?”

“Ah. I’m from the Wardanaz family…”

“Gasp!”

Someone sucked in their breath.

Trying their best to keep a straight face, Lee Han could still see traces of fear flickering in their eyes and expressions.

“……”

He had gotten used to meeting people who didn’t care about great families or the Wardanaz name—but it was still more intimidating than he remembered.

‘Was this a mistake? Should I have let Yoner or someone else handle it?’

He was supposed to be winning them over as a friendly mage, but only scared them instead.

If Professor Thunderstep found out, he’d probably shed tears of grief.

‘But this isn’t my fault.’

No—it was the Wardanaz family’s reputation, not Lee Han’s.

“…I’m Lee Han of the Wardanaz family.”

He finished his sentence anyway.

One of the clerks asked in astonishment,

“Weren’t you the one who hunted the King of Ghouls with the adventurers in Granden City?”

“…It’s a little different, but close enough.”

“And I heard you helped investigate the anomaly in the Black Rock Forest…”

“That’s true too.”

“You’re still a student!?”

The clerk was genuinely shocked.

Even though the distance was great, all the interesting rumors spread.

They’d heard stories about a young mage, Lee Han of the Wardanaz family, resolving quests with adventurers, still being young, looking after the adventurers even as a mage, etc.—but they’d thought it was nonsense.

But seeing him now, the rumors somehow felt believable.

“Yes.”

“You’re an Einrogard student… but why would you work together with adventurers…?”

“……”

Lee Han was flabbergasted.

‘For money, obviously…’

Would you ever ask an adventurer, “Why do you do jobs?”

Still, he couldn’t say “I did it to earn a paycheck” to their face. So Lee Han deflected as tactfully as possible.

“I just thought it was something I ought to do.”

“Wow…!”

“Incredible…!”

Adventurers’ Guild people were so amazed they couldn’t even whisper.

But it was a different kind of astonishment from when they heard about the Wardanaz family.

When he felt their eyes soften and fear disappear, Lee Han let out a sigh of relief.

‘At least it won’t be an obstacle when we talk.’

“Lee Han of the Wardanaz family. We have a matter to discuss about this occasion.”

“I’m listening.”

“Oh, in the confusion I forgot to ask this gentleman here. Sorry. May I have your name?”

They turned to Professor Voladi.

Professor Voladi replied flatly.

“Voladi of the Baegrek family.”

“Hiiiiiik!!”

The groan was even more fearful than when they’d heard the Wardanaz name.

“……”

Lee Han looked at Professor Voladi with a look of accusation.

What the hell have you been up to for people to react like that?

• * *

Professor Thunderstep, who had returned to the mansion ahead of time, tilted his head as he looked at Lee Han.

“Did something happen?”

He always looked tired, but today Lee Han looked several times more exhausted than usual.

“Well…”

Lee Han wondered where to start.

Professor Thunderstep asked, with a face as if he was worried,

“Don’t tell me Professor Baegrek wanted to go after a sea serpent?”

“Huh? Are there sea serpents around here?”

“I found some traces earlier.”

“…Please keep that absolutely secret.”

Lee Han said it with all his heart.