Episode 538

“Music magic?”

Professor Voladi looked at Lee Han and asked.

His face was expressionless, but, surprisingly, a quiet shock could be felt within.

It was as if he were saying, ‘You’re actually learning such trash magic? What did I do wrong to deserve this rebellion?’

A similar thing had happened at the Blue Dragon Tower.

-Gainando! Th-that blood on you! Don’t tell me you turned to wicked sorcery because we banned card games…?

Of course, what was all over Gainando’s clothes was jam, not blood, but the emotions shown by both his friends and Professor Voladi were similar.

“Professor, let me explain.”

Lee Han spoke as quickly as he could.

Just as explaining that it was jam and not blood prevented Gainando from being dragged to the punishment room, Lee Han had to explain fast to avoid being assaulted by Professor Voladi.

“Music magic isn’t likely to help you much.”

“…That was actually the weak point!”

Lee Han described everything that had happened today in as much detail — and embellishment — as possible.

Pressed by desperation that, if he couldn’t properly convey music magic’s merits, he might be attacked by Voladi.

Ifadur looked at Lee Han with eyes full of admiration at this lengthy explanation.

‘For the Wardanaz family to care so much about music magic…’

The Wardanaz family was known for having little interest in art forms like music, but this boy was clearly different.

Ifadur resolved to do his utmost to support this Wardanaz boy’s passion for music.

If other famous performers and bards in the Empire heard about a Wardanaz boy so passionate for music, they would also be intrigued and lend support.

“…So, that was the reason!”

“I see.”

Professor Voladi nodded as if convinced.

‘Did I manage?’

“Why not just learn -Speech-Word- magic, then?”

‘Guess not.’

Lee Han berated himself for his arrogance in thinking he’d managed to get out of it.

A remnant of forbidden arrogance that shouldn’t exist in Einrogard had remained within him.

“Professor Principal said that -Speech-Word- magic could take this long to learn.”

Lee Han held up one finger. Voladi didn’t react with surprise.

“Indeed, -Speech-Word- magic, if mastered properly, can take nearly a thousand years.”

“……”

Lee Han was shocked to realize a zero had been added.

The skeleton principal had subtly tried to deceive him.

“But if you can just imbue words with mana, then the story changes. Not full-fledged -Speech-Word- magic, but a simplified, battle-specialized form…”

“That’s why I’ve been studying music magic!”

Sensing danger, Lee Han interrupted Voladi’s speech.

“I’ve been trying to overcome the limits of -Speech-Word- magic, in my own way, through music magic!”

“Hm.”

Professor Voladi fell silent.

Lee Han couldn’t tell what he was thinking and became extremely nervous. The baby basilisk in his sleeve hissed quietly.

‘Stay calm. If you lose your cool, you’ll lose this.’

Unfortunately, even a mature basilisk probably wouldn’t be any match for Professor Voladi.

“I still think -Speech-Word- magic is the better choice, but I won’t stop your attempts.”

In Professor Voladi’s view, a good teacher supported a pupil as much as possible.

Though still skeptical about music magic, he had no intention of stopping Lee Han from trying.

Who knew if a new type of magic unknown even to himself would be discovered?

“Thank you, Professor. I will give my all to live up to your trust.”

“I understand. Did you rest well outside?”

“Yes, I enjoyed it.”

Any normal student would stop there, but as a professional student, Lee Han added one more line.

“But even then, I was anxious, thinking of the spells I need to practice.”

Ifadur, not knowing Lee Han’s real thoughts, was once again deeply impressed.

How could there be such a diligent genius!

“Really?”

“Yes.”

“Hm.”

“…?”

When Professor Voladi briefly checked the time, Lee Han felt a sense of foreboding.

Come to think of it, Professor Voladi wasn’t just any professor — he was a professional himself.

“There’s still time before curfew. I’ll help you practice.”

“……”

For underestimating a professional professor, Lee Han bit his lip.

“But, Professor, dinner with Ifadur…”

“Nonsense, nonsense. Don’t mind this old man, Wardanaz. Focus on your magic. I am already grateful enough for your help today.”

‘Are all bards bastards?’

Lee Han thought he finally understood why the Wardanaz family was never interested in music.

• * *

Professor Voladi was deeply interested in every magic Lee Han learned, but lately he was most obsessed with altering the form of the lightning element.

The lightning element was one of the stranger ones — with uncontrollable destructive power and indefinite form.

But conversely, if he could control it as easily as the water element…

“It would give you a combat edge.”

Professor Voladi spun a spear made of lightning. The baby basilisk whimpered.

Clearly, it had lost all confidence against this wizard.

“By the way, Professor, do you really need lightning element for ordinary combat?”

Even the water element, thought to be less destructive, could become devastating if used creatively.

Look at -Yumidihus-, who did everything from steam explosions to body fluid control with water element magic.

“Good question. Normally, lightning form-change spells are useful against powerful mages.”

Voladi explained calmly.

Some mages, adept at defensive magic, could block all of Lee Han’s water magic or any other projectile spell.

At times like that, surprisingly, old-fashioned close combat worked well.

Plus, lightning element magic was uncommon and even harder to prepare against.

‘…But if they can block all that, aren’t they way beyond my level? Shouldn’t the professors handle those?’

Lee Han wondered, but kept quiet.

“Here, take it.”

The professor handed him a solid silver ingot.

Surprised by the unexpected gift, Lee Han blurted out,

“Thank you!! I will cherish and put it to good use!”

“…?”

Professor Voladi looked at Lee Han as if wondering what he was talking about.

Lee Han, realizing he’d misunderstood, felt sheepish.

“You don’t need to conserve it. You should use it for form transformation practice.”

“Oh.”

Lee Han understood what the professor meant and felt awkward.

Trying to form lightning from nothing was truly hard.

It required the mage’s will to tame a thunderbolt.

But pure silver had a solid form, and was relatively compatible with lightning.

Getting used to shaping silver infused with lightning would help with forming the lightning itself.

“Thank you. But where did you get this silver?”

“From the Principal’s quarters.”

“……”

Lee Han didn’t ask whether it was borrowed or stolen. It wasn’t the type of thing he wanted to know.

• * *

BZZZZZT!

‘Torture!’

Lee Han thought as he watched the lightning spark across the floor.

It wasn’t because his spell had failed.

His practice itself was going well.

But every failure caused the silver to evaporate, bit by bit.

CRACK!

The silver, transformed into a spear, couldn’t withstand the power of the lightning, warped, and then fritzed out of shape as the lightning scattered and the ingot was battered.

Because the condensed lightning was so strong, even a minor mistake meant the hard metal warped and changed at will.

Some of it vaporized in the process…

Seeing Lee Han noticeably distressed, Professor Voladi spoke.

“You’re doing well. You’re maintaining the changed form.”

“Thank you.”

Lee Han stood, wearing a sour expression.

Thinking about how much silver he’d use up before mastering this spell already made him feel down.

As the sky darkened and it was time to go in, Professor Voladi checked his pocket watch and spoke.

“By the way. Can we start tomorrow’s lesson a little early?”

“How early?”

“About two hours.”

“……”

He had class scheduled at 9am on Monday, so starting two hours early was in no way “a little.”

But Lee Han was a professional student.

‘I’ll just think of it as getting out two hours early.’

“Haha. Of course, that’s fine. But why? Is there anything I need to prepare?”

“No. I have to meet with the giants.”

“……”

• * *

-Human wizard! It’s the human wizard!

-Good to see you, good to see you!

It was early morning.

With the end of the second semester coming, every day was getting colder.

If he didn’t cast a spell on his outerwear, the chill would seep into his bones.

Lee Han greeted the giants with visible breath.

“Nice to see you all.”

-Want to see magic, magic!

“Sorry?”

Lee Han wondered what kind of spell he should show.

If pleasing the giants was what mattered, maybe he could just throw a Water Prison at Professor Voladi?

-That’s it. That’s it!

A giant banged a thick wooden bowl with a spoon.

“…You meant cooking.”

Pushing aside the expectant giants, the smartest one, Ikurusha, came forward.

-Good to see you, Professor Baegrek. How have you been?

“I’ve been well, thank you.”

-As the final exams approach, professors must all be busy. How do you have time to visit like this?

“It’s fine.”

“……”

Lee Han almost unconsciously blurted, ‘I’m your only student, Professor,’ but came to his senses just in time.

Badmouthing your professor in public was madness.

“As the exams approach, I want to become closer to the giants. I’d like to help out.”

-Go ahead. To be honest, when the professor first told us, I wondered what he meant.

Ikurusha remembered Professor Voladi’s mad plan: ‘Test the freshmen with the giants’ strength.’

Back then, it sounded so crazy that Ikurusha argued, ‘Even if there’s a test, it’d be better after befriending the giants, right?’

There was no upside to making a young mage fight giants.

Otherwise, you might someday get an archmage with the title -Giant-killer-…

Since it was hard for outsiders—especially mages—to befriend giants in a short time, Ikurusha had planned to persuade the professor to delay with that excuse if Lee Han failed.

But to his surprise, the Wardanaz boy had befriended the giants quickly.

He had helped tend sheep and studied cooking diligently, earning their favor.

He became so popular that the giants came to Ikurusha asking,

-When’s that wizard coming again?

-I don’t know.

-Go down and ask.

-I did, but they said they didn’t know.

-Then go ask again! Again!

It was rare for giants to show this much fondness in so little time.

With things as they were, Ikurusha had no choice but to accept Professor Voladi’s plan.

If Lee Han was this close, he had every right to be tested against the giants.

-To think he bonded so quickly…

“It was only natural.”

Ikurusha nodded, watching Lee Han get tossed in the air with Professor Voladi by the giants.

Lee Han, oblivious to the grave he had dug for himself, was being cheered by the giants.

-Long live the wizard! Long live the wizard!

-Our friend!

“Haha. It’s all thanks to your kindness. I am always grateful.”