Episode 492

“Is that so.”

Professor Voladi didn’t pay much attention to Lee Han’s excuse and took out a glass bottle containing a red potion from his coat, taking a sip.

At first, Lee Han thought it was a mana recovery potion…

‘That’s blood?’

Lee Han realized Professor Voladi had amplified his magic power using blood magic.

Considering the power of the blood sword just displayed, even for Professor Voladi, it would have been difficult to cast such magic so quickly without any cost.

“Are you alright, mana-wise?”

Lee Han asked out of concern for the professor.

It was easy to forget, watching the professors of Einrogard display their heaven-defying abilities, but they, too, were still beings of flesh and blood.

…Of course, there were liches as well…

Magic was not some convenient discipline where you could reap only rewards without cost, and naturally, after such an intense battle, even a mage would be worn out.

“I’m fine. It’s not something you need to worry about.”

It would make sense for a teacher to worry about a student—but not the other way around.

Professor Voladi looked Lee Han over.

Despite having just fought a rather fierce battle, there was no sign of any issues with Lee Han’s mana.

It was, as always, an overwhelming amount of magic.

“Do you remember the spell you just used?”

“Sorry? Do you mean -Elemental Ice Clone of Pengerine-?”

Professor Voladi slowly shook his head.

Succeeding with -Elemental Ice Clone of Pengerine- was impressive, but that wasn’t what the professor was getting at.

“The one you used after that.”

“Oh, the one where I added spinning to the water orbs…”

“Yes. I think it deserves a name.”

“…!”

Lee Han was surprised.

To name a spell was not a light matter.

It was only possible when a spell was distinct and valuable enough to be clearly distinguished from others.

If Gainando saw a magic missile spell described in a book and then declared, ‘Since mine is much slower and weaker than the book’s, I’ll call it ! Something anyone can easily use!’—who would acknowledge it?

Since this wasn’t something that could be forced by a single mage, Professor Voladi saying this was quite surprising.

“Give it a name? I don’t think the spell is quite at that level.”

He couldn’t say he wasn’t proud.

The satisfaction that came from finally casting, in one go, a spell he had previously forced through in pieces was a feeling only mages knew.

It was like fitting together a complex puzzle, scattered into dozens of pieces.

Still, not every difficult spell that you succeed with deserves a name…

“You don’t have to create something from nothing to name it. Improvements can be named, too.”

“That’s true, but…”

As Lee Han hesitated, Professor Voladi explained a bit more.

“The magic you just used is similar to Lord Yumidihus’s Water Prison Bomb, but clearly different.”

Water element spells, often deemed lacking in destructive power, had that reputation overturned thanks to Yumidihus.

A mage who maximized destructive power by combining various advanced traits with the water element!

One such spell, , fused the spinning property with the water element to the extreme.

Its penetrative and destructive power concentrated in a single point was famous in the tale of the spell’s creator, Yumidihus, slaying a demon duke instantly with it.

Given that Professor Voladi, who studied under Yumidihus, instructed this spell to a bright disciple hungry for deep wisdom in elemental magic, it was only natural.

And because this student so greedily demanded, he eventually reinterpreted and improved the Water Prison Bomb in his own way.

Cutting out unnecessary steps from the original and intuitively compensating the missing parts with magic.

Not as powerful as when Yumidihus himself cast it, but this was more than enough. To deal a blow and immobilize a sea serpent was impressive in its own right.

Above all, the reduced casting time left a strong impression.

What was needed in magical combat was the precise minimum force necessary to defeat the enemy—not a demonstration of power.

“It’ll suit duels much better.”

“Isn’t it a bit wasteful with mana?”

Though pleased by the rare praise, Lee Han took a practical view.

In hastily skipping unneeded steps, the magic lost there was almost wasted.

“Every spell has its strengths and weaknesses.”

“…Thank you. I’m honored.”

Lee Han expressed his gratitude honestly and decided to enjoy it.

‘Not bad.’

Of course, Lee Han didn’t think this would become a widespread spell across the empire.

It would be nice if he could live off just one spell for life, but Lee Han didn’t harbor such wild expectations.

‘Objectively, it does have some flaws…’

To begin with, water element combat magic was already pretty niche, adding a spinning trait made it even more niche, and on top of that, inefficient mana use…

In the end, the number of mages who would use it was extremely limited.

Still, he couldn’t help but feel happy his spell received a name.

When submitting a proposal or seeking funding in the future, adding the line, ‘I have completed the 4th-circle spell ,’ would surely make his credentials look all the more impressive.

Professor Voladi, seeing his student’s joy, nodded as if satisfied.

Then he spoke again.

“When we return to Einrogard, organize your insights into water element magic and write a book.”

“…Sorry?”

Lee Han, who’d been delighted, hesitated.

‘Just now, what?’

It wasn’t unusual for mages to organize their magical insights into books, like or .

Even Einrogard students, for the sake of practice and learning, sometimes wrote books summarizing their insights.

…Usually upperclassmen did so!

As Lee Han was wondering if this guy was crazy, the professor continued.

“Ah. Wait. My mistake.”

“I knew you’d say that.”

Lee Han quietly hoped Professor Voladi would have him try again around fourth year.

‘Maybe not? He has no conscience, so maybe third year. Then I’ll just avoid his class in third year…’

“Write two. One about the magic you mastered, one about improvements to it.”

After finishing a summary on the magic, the other would be to consider how to develop it further.

Professor Voladi, seeking to satisfy an endless intellectual curiosity just like his student’s mana, added another task.

Otherwise, who knows what crazy thing he’d rush into next, like jumping at this sea serpent.

“……”

While Lee Han was rendered speechless in astonishment, Professor Thunderstep came running.

He wore a look of utter fatigue, having managed to calm down the Meikin family and townspeople—who nearly had heart attacks from seeing a student leap into battle.

“You lunatic! Why did you rush at the sea serpent!?”

Professor Thunderstep shouted in exasperation, then shrank back at the granite-like rage on Lee Han’s face.

“…W-Was I too harsh?”

• * *

Having finished preparations to show Einrogard’s students his magic, Ianop headed for the harbor with the mercenaries.

The mercenaries asked cautiously.

“Mage, shouldn’t we hurry?”

“A sea serpent hunt doesn’t end so quickly.”

Fighting a large monster with such persistence was typically a test of endurance.

Even going later than now would be just fine.

‘If I just show them this spell…’

What Ianop had prepared was an exquisitely beautiful weakening spell.

Though easily mistaken for black magic, it absolutely wasn’t—once cast, it would dwell in the body and reverse regenerative powers as an endowment spell.

It would be especially effective against targets like sea serpents.

“M-Mage. Look at the harbor…”

“?”

“The harbor is bright!”

“!”

Ianop was stunned to see the dazzling harbor.

Glowing orbs of light, as dense as daylight, were driving away the darkness.

‘Even if you’re an Einrogard mage, isn’t this wasteful? It’s absurd!’

Ianop wondered if some new magic had been developed at Einrogard.

No matter how lacking in light, was it really necessary to waste mana summoning so many orbs for a sea serpent hunt?

“Amazing.”

“Mages really are…”

The mercenaries flattered him, but Ianop was too perplexed to hear it.

No matter how much he looked, he couldn’t figure out the structure of this magic.

Ianop felt a familiar sense of humiliation, much like in ages past.

To not be able to read the structure of even a simple spell like that…

‘I can’t tell at all…! How did they do this all at once…’

“…Mage. Mage!”

The mercenaries frantically called out when Ianop seemed distracted.

“What is it?”

“The hunt…”

“It’s about to begin?”

“They say it’s finished?”

“…What?”

Ianop turned away from the orbs of light.

Surprisingly, the corpse of a sea serpent lay at the pier below.

Anyone could tell with a glance that ferocious magic had raged there.

There was still ice and the uniquely-severed corpse of the sea serpent.

What magic did they use…

“It’s over!?”

“Y-Yes…”

Frightened by the mage’s odd mood, the mercenaries quickly brought over a sailor from nearby.

“You saw for real, right?”

“How many times do I have to say it? I saw it from right below!”

“Alright, alright, just explain it well. This is a very important person.”

“What… One of those mages from Einrogard?”

The sailor, dragged by the mercenaries, looked at Ianop in the carriage and asked with curiosity.

In this town, only mages from Einrogard could dress like this.

“Not your business to ask. Want to lose your silver again?”

The mercenary spoke with irritation, but the sailor—hardened by years at sea—wasn’t easily cowed. He answered gruffly.

“Damn it… Dragged me here in a rush for what…”

Ianop flicked another silver coin instead of replying.

At this, the irate sailor’s attitude suddenly became polite.

“What would you like to know?”

“Who cast that light magic? Do you remember which professor? Did they use special reagents or scrolls?”

“It was a student who cast it. And, um… reagents or scrolls? If you mean those scroll-like things, none were used.”

“…!!!!!”

Ianop groaned in shock without realizing it.

If it was a student, there was only one.

“Was it a student from the Wardanaz family?”

“Oh, that’s right! That was the name.”

“Don’t lie!”

“I’m not lying! Ask anyone else and you’ll see.”

The sailor spoke so confidently, Ianop instinctively knew there wasn’t a shred of falsehood.

‘All at once? How, all at once?’

The truth was that it hadn’t been cast all at once, but Ianop almost unintentionally believed it.

“How was it caught?”

With Ianop too shocked, the mercenaries asked out of curiosity.

“One of them was shot with magic arrows.”

“Was that the work of the Einrogard mages?”

“No. That, too, was the student mage from the Wardanaz family.”

“……”

Even the mercenaries, who knew little about magic, were starting to be amazed and didn’t speak much.

They sensed why Ianop was so shocked.

“What about the other one?”

“That one, the Einrogard mages took down directly.”

“The student you mentioned wasn’t involved in that one?”

“No. They joined in and fought as well?”

“……”

“…Aren’t they twins?”

“Triplets… Maybe quintuplets…”

Only the murmurs of the mercenaries quietly spread through the streets of the nighttime harbor.