Episode 519

Having reached his conclusion, Lee Han replied.

-I’m already taking it.

You’re taking it?

Though he couldn’t see the other’s face, he could feel the other’s surprise.

Lee Han typed out his response decisively.

-Wherever you heard that, check your information again.

Understood. I’ll check again.

The fact that the other dropped the subject without pressing further suggested they were either cool-headed or just didn’t trust the one who gave them the info.

‘Or possibly both.’

Lee Han carefully fired back a question of his own.

-But why are you asking?

Are you asking about the reason?

‘Oops.’

Lee Han realized he’d made a mistake.

Since they didn’t know each other, asking unnecessary questions was taboo.

To smooth things over, Lee Han quickly improvised.

-I was just asked the exact same thing recently. Given what I’ve offered you, I think I deserve to know at least that much, right?

I see.

The one who speaks with confidence has the upper hand in negotiations.

Lee Han had just tried it, and fortunately, the other accepted it without complaint.

That first year seems talented at enchantment.

-That’s right.

If he’s taking enchantment, I’m planning to have him help with my projects next year.

“……”

Lee Han was appalled.

‘Are there only bastards in this school?’

He couldn’t tell if bastards were already enrolling, or if Einrogard simply turned all the students into bastards.

Wasn’t it normal to feel sorry for a junior who’d suffered at a barbaric festival?

And yet, to see that and think “That kid’s talented—have him help with my work”?

No wonder they were Verdus Professor’s disciples.

‘Birds of a feather, indeed.’

Lee Han resolved that, even next year, he’d keep his emotional distance from the enchantment school seniors.

If he got too close, who knew what work they’d dump on him?

• * *

The person beyond the mirror wasn’t surprised when Lee Han didn’t answer for a while.

‘Was it too shocking?’

Surely the unnamed Black Turtle Tower student must have guessed he wasn’t a lower-year.

No matter how much they tried to hide it, low-year students at Einrogard gave themselves away with the things they said.

So it was only natural for someone to be shocked to hear that the new Wardanaz freshman would, upon becoming a second-year, be invited to a senior’s personal project right away.

It was an enormous privilege.

A student, fresh into their second year, getting the chance to take part in a senior’s individual project!

Anyone at Einrogard would be astonished.

But the peer beyond the mirror was no ordinary person shackled by common sense and rules.

If necessary, they could break any rules—a wizard in the purest sense.

Having seen several students borrow freshmen strength at this festival, it was clear first-years were worthy of being called upon.

Bzzzt—

While lost in thought, another message came on the mirror.

-What if the junior refuses the offer?

That won’t happen. There’s no reason to.

‘Now they’re just picking a fight.’

The peer beyond the mirror sighed softly at the Black Turtle Tower student’s way of nitpicking.

A talented magician always encountered such jealousy.

Surely, the Black Turtle Tower student was envious of this enormous privilege.

Anyone at Einrogard understood what it meant to be invited in their second year.

-…I’m saying this out of goodwill. As I said, that junior is studying multiple schools. Isn’t it possible another senior might invite him first?

“!”

The peer beyond the mirror was surprised.

Frankly, they’d underestimated the Black Turtle Tower student but hadn’t expected such a sharp observation.

It was true.

If there was an excuse, it was just that the idea of attending several schools at once was so foreign that they’d overlooked the possibility…

That’s a good point.

-Right?

I’ll have to negotiate schedules in advance.

They planned to secure favorable time slots by preemptively contacting—or strong-arming—the other upperclassmen likely to do such things.

It was helpful. I consider this a favor owed.

-…Sure…

For some reason, the other student’s handwriting seemed a bit shaky.

The peer beyond the mirror wondered if something was wrong.

• * *

‘I should just stop talking now.’

With a sigh, Lee Han set down his quill.

Truly, Einrogard seniors were no less formidable than the professors.

Trying to manipulate them with shallow tricks only resulted in getting hurt even more.

‘I’d better ask for my reward…’

-So what’s the compensation?

Ah, right. I nearly forgot. Open the third haystack in the Starcatcher Shed on the fourth floor. The professors are apparently preparing the finals there.

“…???”

The other person didn’t respond after that.

Lee Han wore a bewildered look, trying to process this information.

‘The Starcatcher Shed on the 4th floor… it’s not impossible to get there.’

He’d had to go to the fourth floor for exams before, and even aside from that, he’d visited a few times already.

It wasn’t out of reach.

But he didn’t understand what was meant by the professors preparing for finals.

‘It’s probably the entrance to somewhere else.’

Lee Han thought that was the most likely answer.

Didn’t the professors favor shortcuts, like the -Spiderweb Lake- in the main building’s lower-level depths?

The fourth-floor Starcatcher Shed probably had a shortcut connected somewhere as well.

‘I’ll have to gather my friends and check.’

• * *

Ratford set down a crate, dusted it off, and sighed.

Imirg, who had just cleaned out a White Tiger Tower student’s bread rations in a dice-and-cup game, asked curiously.

“What’s wrong?”

“Lord Wardanaz got badly injured.”

“Wha… What? No way! By who?!”

If Lee Han were here, he’d probably have said, “Can’t I get injured too? What am I, the skull principal?” But Ratford agreed with his friend’s reaction.

“Yeah. Hard to believe, right? Same for me. The festival must’ve been really intense.”

“No, I can’t believe it…”

While they were talking, a White Tiger Tower student, who’d somehow gotten his hands on a bar of chocolate, yelled.

“Rematch!! Imirg! This time, card game! I’ll find the Queen for sure!”

“Can’t we just stop?”

“Ha! Chickened out? But you can’t run away! Didn’t you Black Turtle Tower scoundrels put in the black market rules that you never dodge a challenge?”

“You really should quit while you’re ahead…”

Imirg put down three cards and began shuffling.

The surrounding Black Turtle Tower students watched with pleased faces.

Imirg, true to his gambling-guild roots, had a knack for making opponents keep challenging him, no matter how often he won.

He was a master at triggering the “just one more try!” trap!

As Ratford watched Imirg shuffle, he whispered softly.

“What I mentioned is a secret. Lord Wardanaz has a lot of enemies.”

“What? Wardanaz?”

The White Tiger Tower student, so focused his head was nearly on the table, perked up at the familiar name.

His friends in the back screamed.

“How could you fall for that trick!”

“No, no! This round doesn’t count! It doesn’t count!”

“Says who? This is the end!”

While the Black Turtle Tower and White Tiger Tower students swarmed and argued, a paper bird fluttered in from afar.

Ratford quickly snatched it up.

‘Maybe Lord Wardanaz needs help!?’

-Ratford. There’s something I need checked on the 4th floor. Can you bring some trustworthy friends?

“……”

For a moment, Ratford considered whether he should tie Wardanaz to the bed with the help of those trustworthy friends.

• * *

Ratford, Imirg (sent in Salco’s stead because Salco had something important to do), Nillia, Ahsan, Yoner, and Gainando gathered on the third floor.

“Hm? Where’s Deorgyu?”

“He’s White Tiger Tower. Don’t tell him.”

“Yeah, Wardanaz. You’re being reckless. You should consider your condition. If the White Tiger Tower scum find out, there’s a 100% chance of an ambush.”

Ahsan said firmly.

“Not 100%. That’s…”

“I’m with you. 100% chance. Actually, more like 120%.”

“Gainando, there’s no such thing as 120%…”

“Everyone, quiet.”

Lee Han tapped the floor with his staff.

“Where we’re headed today isn’t exactly dangerous, but we can’t let our guard down either. None of us want to get lost and stuck at school for the weekend, right?”

Friends nodded.

Barely having reached the weekend, getting lost in a maze and wasting it was a nightmare.

“Then… to your positions. Let’s go.”

Having raided the school more than a few times, Lee Han and friends split up to their assigned spots right away.

Ratford and Nillia at the very front and back.

Ahsan and Imirg next…

“But Imirg, I get why you substituted for Salco, but are you okay with this?”

Lee Han found it odd Imirg had come.

Though his giant blood made people wary, Imirg was actually among the most moderate in the Black Turtle Tower.

He didn’t even really like these kinds of school explorations…

“I… I owed him.”

“To Salco?”

Imirg fished around his pocket, then pulled out a chick.

Seeing it, Lee Han nodded as if understanding.

“You’re raising chickens for eggs.”

“No, it’s just… they’re cute.”

“……”

Lee Han almost said “Cute things won’t fill your stomach,” but one look at Imirg’s fists and he thought better of it.

Given how weak he was feeling, there was no need to get on a friend like Imirg’s bad side.

“I see. Raising them for cuteness. Reasonable.”

“…?”

Gainando stared at Lee Han.

He was sure Lee Han had smacked him when he tried to raise a pig in the dorm lounge…

“But why did Tutanta send Imirg? He doesn’t really fit this stealthy stuff.”

“Oh, this is why.”

Imirg gently picked up Lee Han and set him on his shoulder.

“To be honest, it’s comfortable. Thanks, Imirg.”

It looked a bit silly, but it was comfortable too. Lee Han thanked him honestly.

“Hey, can I get on the other shoulder?”

“Uh? Oh… sure, go ahead.”

Whack!

Just as Gainando happily started climbing on, Yoner smacked him in the head with a metal spatula.

• * *

“Starcatcher Shed… Starcatcher Shed… this is the place.”

The first-year students carefully climbed the stairs and walked the hallway.

It may have been broad daylight, but they couldn’t let their guard down. In fact, at Einrogard, daylight didn’t make a place any less scary.

Creak—

“There’s nothing here?”

“Look for the haystack. There’ll be a passage underneath.”

Ahsan and Gainando floated orbs of light and searched the room.

“Found it! There’s really a hidden entrance!!”

“!”

Lee Han was delighted things were going more smoothly than expected.

“Good job! Let’s go!”

“If it really is the finals…! I might become this year’s top student…!”

Though Gainando boasted, his friends didn’t bother pointing it out.

They were getting tired of correcting him.

The passage under the haystack was long and dark but straight, without any notable traps.

After some time…

When Lee Han saw a faint end to the passage, he knew they’d found the exit.

“Everyone, check your invisibility spells. Still active? Good. Let’s go.”

Creak—

The friends opened the door and peeked outside.

Before them was a dense jungle, thicker than any seen around Einrogard.

And in the center of that jungle was…

-That creature. Rampaging again.

-I told you to hold back until exams!

…A hydra, flaunting its massive form, paid no heed to the dense jungle.

Death Knights were running this way and that, desperately trying to appease it.

Thud!

The group quickly scrambled underneath.

They glanced around at each other in bewilderment.

“…?”

“????”

Lee Han was just as shocked as the others.

Seeing the Death Knights, it looked like this was one of the Skull Principal’s exams…

‘Isn’t a hydra a bit much?’

“Lee Han. Lee Han.”

Yoner whispered.

“What?”

“Um, the other person said they didn’t know you were a first year.”

“Yeah.”

“…But… didn’t they say the test was for you?”