Episode 498
by Cristae‘Was it really Senior Direte?’
In truth, Lee Han hadn’t asked the question with any certainty.
He’d just thought of Senior Direte while talking and asked on a whim.
But when the other party didn’t reply, suspicion crystallized into conviction.
Who’s that?
‘So it really is Senior Direte.’
This time, when Lee Han didn’t reply, the other side sent a few more lines. For some reason, it sounded like awkward rambling.
I don’t know who that is, but tossing out random names to probe the other person isn’t a good habit…
-Senior, it’s me, Wardanaz. The Wardanaz who shared commissary food from the punishment room.
Again, there was no reply.
Lee Han slightly regretted saying it.
‘Should I have just pretended to be Moradi?’
In retrospect, pointing out a senior’s mistake as a junior wasn’t such a good habit.
Sometimes pretending not to notice could help you become a well-liked junior.
Why does a first-year have their hands on an artifact like this…
Direte finally accepted it, giving up.
The handwriting on the notebook looked unusually listless.
- * *
Direte then gave Lee Han some additional explanations about the artifact.
It draws a fair amount of magical energy from nearby, so that’s why it can’t be moved, probably… You found it in a storeroom used by graduates?
-Yes.
That’s not an easy thing to find by chance, so how did you find it?
-I asked a graduate who’s stuck in the forbidden zone of the punishment room.
…Just say you don’t want to tell me, junior.
Direte replied, slightly huffy.
‘But it’s true.’
Lee Han felt wronged.
-Actually, I caught and intimidated the Forest Mouse guarding the third-floor Forest of Polymorphs and it told me.
Ah, that mouse…! Clever, aren’t you?
“……”
Feeling wronged, Lee Han threw out some absurd lie, but Direte accepted it without a hint of suspicion, which left Lee Han at a loss.
‘Does he actually believe that?’
Lee Han couldn’t help but wonder what Direte thought of him.
-So, did you really think that made se…
I have to go soon, so I’ll just give you the important info quickly. If you get your hands on another communication artifact like this, don’t approach rashly like today. The upperclassmen here at Einrogard are never kind to juniors.
-You’re so kind, yet so many others are rotten.
Shut up.
Direte cut down Lee Han’s flattery immediately.
Most first-years barely interacted with seniors, so they often harbored illusions.
-Maybe since Einrogard is rotten, at least the seniors will be better?
-Maybe since the professors are such trash, at least the seniors will be better?
But looking at it logically, there were holes in that hope.
After all, what kind of people were the seniors at Einrogard, who survived first year just like you?
If it served their own interests, those people would sell out juniors in a heartbeat.
Naive students who had just become second-years would, after being thoroughly used a few times, finally realize, ‘Ah, here, seniors and professors are all the same.’
So Direte felt a little worried for Lee Han.
Of course, this boy from House Wardanaz was outstandingly talented in many ways, but socially, it was hard to match up with the jaded, high-year students.
And, as seen by just getting hold of this communication artifact, such talent was actually a drawback in circumstances like these.
He’d end up interacting with seniors way more than was good for him.
So here are some rules—remember them. First, approach strongly. No need for honorific speech.
-Should I try swearing like a back-alley thug?
Not a bad idea. It’ll help you hide your origins.
‘Huh.’
Lee Han had just been joking, but Direte answered thoroughly seriously.
Nodding, Lee Han wrote notes to himself at his side.
- Swear like a back-alley gangster.
“…???”
Ratford, tidying up beside him, glanced curiously at Lee Han’s notes before turning away.
Never let on it’s your first time using an artifact like this. The ones who use them often are quick to notice.
-I’ll keep that in mind.
This was certainly good advice.
He was just lucky it was Direte—but if it had been someone with malicious intent, Lee Han could have been fooled easily.
It’s fine not to say much. Just ask what you want, and what they want. If you have experience, the other party will get what you mean.
Lee Han added another note.
- Speak little.
“???”
People rarely go all-out to cheat you. But no one never cheats, either. Remember that.
Since these communication artifacts are hard to find, there aren’t many who would outright break their promises.
Even among thieves there’s honor, and even in the most chaotic alleys, there are rules.
But ambiguous wordplay is considered within bounds.
Don’t believe everything, and don’t use this stuff too often. Otherwise your grades will drop. Gotta go now. Any last questions?
-Senior.
What is it?
-I’m going to take black magic in second year, too. I look forward to seeing you.
…I only asked so I’d know—if you couldn’t take it thanks to a monster wave or just didn’t want to, I’d understand. I just wanted to know in advance so I could wish you well and not burden you. Once again, I’m not pressuring you—if you don’t want to, you don’t have to, okay? Are you listening?
‘Was he always this talkative?’
Lee Han felt a little overwhelmed by how fast the notebook filled up compared to before.
-I just really enjoy black magic, that’s all.
When he laid ink on the paper again, there was silence for a while.
Thinking Direte had left, Lee Han was about to close the notebook.
Then, another line appeared.
That’s good, then. See you next year.
-Yes.
When Direte truly left, Lee Han closed the notebook.
Ratford, tidying up nearby, approached and asked cautiously.
“Uh, Wardanaz, do you actually need to act like a back-alley thug sometime soon?”
- * *
After clearing up misunderstandings, Lee Han and Ratford finished tidying up together.
After sending the hard-working Sharkan and Gonadaltes away for the day (Gonadaltes looked at Lee Han with mournful eyes every time he moved one big load), they shoved the trash out and at last had some usable space.
“Was there a window here?”
“Yes. There were so many scribbles above, I think people forgot about it.”
Looking up through the tiny roof window, Lee Han saw the stars already twinkling.
With a sigh, he placed the needed books on the long, heavy table at the center of the storeroom.
“The day’s already over. I should really get started.”
“Huh? You have homework?”
Ratford, slicing cheese for the two of them to eat, looked puzzled.
This week’s classes were canceled, and last week was midterm, wasn’t it?
No matter how many lectures Wardanaz attends, how did he have time for homework…
“I got a separate assignment last time I went out. I have to write two books.”
“Oh, you got a separate assignment. So you have to read two books. Tough.”
Ratford nodded and walked away.
Lee Han sat down at the table, opened a book, and prepared to concentrate.
“…Wait, you have to write them?”
“Huh? Yeah, I said I have to write two.”
“…….”
Ratford started to say something, then gave up and changed the subject.
He was so sorry he couldn’t help but change topics.
“By the way, since you’ve basically taken possession of this place, shouldn’t you name it? Like ‘Wardanaz’s Secret Base’?”
“How about Moradi’s Secret Base?”
Lee Han preferred a name that didn’t point to himself, just in case he ever got caught.
“Why Moradi…?”
“Fine. Let’s go with Wardanaz’s Secret Base. The name doesn’t really matter.”
Ratford’s eyes were so innocent that Lee Han changed his mind immediately.
“By the way, Ratford. Are you busy right now?”
“Hmm? No, not really.”
Ratford replied carelessly, munching on a thick chunk of cheese.
“Then take a seat and open an alchemy book. We can study together.”
“…Ah, right. Actually, there’s still a lot of junk left over. Can I go look through a bit more?”
“Hm. Isn’t that a bit much? You can’t expect to do everything in one day…”
“You have to give your best to make just a bit of progress!”
Ratford darted off into the junk piles. Lee Han just shrugged and turned back to his book.
-On the Basic Principles of Wardanaz’s Death Orb-
Water-elemental battle magic is often underestimated, but no imperial wizard could easily deny its true strengths. Imperial wizard Yumidihus organized the classic water-elemental battle spells…
-On the Limitations and Potential Directions for the Death Orb Spell-
What is death orb magic? To explain it, we must first touch on the underestimated water-elemental battle magic… Imperial wizard Yumidihus…
‘Hmm. Still got it.’
Lee Han was slightly impressed with how skillfully he packed the same content into two different books.
While Professor Voladi or the Skull Principal might not care for such unnecessary introductions, real books are supposed to have these prefaces.
You should be considerate of your readers.
…First, the following prerequisites are needed… The high mana cost is a drawback… To compensate, you could use magic amplification methods such as blood magic…
‘Is this too much?’
While writing his introductory treatise on -Wardanaz’s Death Orb-, Lee Han hesitated, feeling that listing the high mana cost as a flaw and suggesting blood magic as a fix seemed overly extreme.
“Wardanaz?”
“Ah, Ratford. Are you ready to study alchemy?”
“…No. That’s not why.”
Ratford felt a bit scared of Lee Han.
“There’s a strange artifact here.”
“!”
Lee Han put down his quill and walked over to Ratford.
Once the huge pile of junk was cleared away, a mirror fastened to the floor was revealed.
The bronze mirror’s surface was so scratched it barely reflected an image.
But having just played with the notebook, Lee Han instinctively recognized what this artifact was.
The mana wavelength was similar.
‘A communication artifact!’
It wasn’t the only thing in the storeroom.
Lee Han approached the mirror with curiosity and activated it, just as he’d done with the notebook.
“……”
“……”
But unlike before, nothing happened.
‘Maybe the paired artifact has also lost its owner?’
It was quite possible.
Einrogard had many abandoned places, and if so, all paired artifacts connected there would be abandoned too…
Earlier, he was lucky that Direte still had the connected artifact and was nearby when he linked up; otherwise, it would have been hard to get any answer.
“Hmm. Too bad. I thought I might get to talk with another senior.”
“I’ll keep watch.”
“No, only the paired owner can see it. Let’s just tidy up and study.”
“…Okay…”
Ratford sullenly sat down across from Lee Han. He instinctively sensed that no more excuses would work.
‘Is it true that learning alchemy can help you become a great thief? Or is it a lie? Do I even need alchemy?’
As he cracked open the alchemy book, all the skeptical thoughts trapped inside began to stir up boredom and torment Ratford.
Vrrrm—
“!”
Startled by the vibrating sound of the mirror, Lee Han, who’d been writing with his quill, jumped.
“It’s here!”
“Let’s go look!”
“No, you keep studying.”
“……”