Episode 546

“What? You’re all acting pitiful after you’ve already done this kind of thing?”

Lee Han, the only one here not from a knight family, asked as he looked at his friends.

“No… Wardanaz, you maniac. We do training like camping, but not like this.”

“Yeah. At Einrogard, we basically do it empty-handed with nothing at all.”

The typical image of the Empire’s knight families was that they were ignorant and simple, but that was just prejudice.

Knight families were actually very clever and systematic in their fields of expertise.

Camping training was the same.

When they trained to live and move in the deep mountains, at least several dozen people would move together, and they’d fully prepare supplies and gear before starting.

Unless you were from a truly eccentric knight family, no one ever really trained for being stranded in the mountains alone and empty-handed.

That was what vagrant mercenaries did. Knights were the ones who went in with squires and guards, not those who were tossed in to roll around alone.

‘Huh?’

Lee Han recalled how Allarlong once took him up the mountain with nothing.

Wait?

“Don’t… we?”

“We don’t.”

“Wardanaz, I know you’re good at swordsmanship, but we’re the knight family kids here. Why are you doubting us?”

“Y-yeah. Sorry.”

Lee Han decided not to say more, as it would only make his friends look at him strangely.

Returning, he found Deorgyu and Giselle already making simple plans.

“Hide supplies in advance?”

“Yeah. The professor will probably restrict how much we can carry up. We need to stash things in the mountains now.”

“But doesn’t that break the rules?”

“Choi, what kind of nonsense is that? This school itself is one big rule-breaker.”

“Moradi is right.”

Lee Han agreed and joined in.

“We need to prepare caches throughout the mountain range. And it’s two weeks from now. The weather could get worse. Remember when the Frost Giant King turned up? What if it’s a king of the Frost Giant Kings next time?”

“Is that even a thing?”

Deorgyu asked in surprise. Lee Han brushed it off.

“I don’t know. It might exist. What’s important is to prepare. Let’s build some cabins in the mountains.”

“Not a bad idea.”

Giselle agreed.

Wardanaz wasn’t a guy he liked, but when it came to planning and preparing, he was right on point.

“Moradi, do you think the professor will release extra monsters?”

“Umm… maybe…”

“What are you all chatting about so happily?”

Professor Ingeldel approached, looking at them curiously.

Lee Han quickly replied.

“We were just saying how excited we are for the finals and that we wish it would come sooner.”

“That much anticipation?”

Professor Ingeldel felt a little embarrassed by Lee Han’s reply.

“I wasn’t sure you’d all be so enthusiastic, but hearing that makes me happy. Haha. I was worried it’d be too hard, but if you’re looking forward to it, then I’ll definitely do it.”

“……”

The other White Tiger Tower students glared at Lee Han, but he didn’t bat an eye.

‘Professor would’ve done it anyway, even if I complained.’

Lee Han didn’t feel even a little guilty, because he knew professors always did what they wanted regardless of what students said.

“By the way, Wardanaz, your sword movement looks a little different. Did you have some kind of realization?”

“Oh. I got a bit more used to the absorbing principle you taught me last time.”

The elf swordsman smiled brightly, as if it was his own accomplishment.

“Is that so! That’s wonderful. It can’t have been easy.”

Lee Han was about to say he only figured it out in order to survive a giant wrestling match, but felt it was too weird and held back.

“How many forms of the Wall Rock Sword are you using now? Five forms?”

“That’s right.”

Professor Ingeldel knew more about Lee Han’s swordsmanship than Lee Han expected, but he wasn’t surprised.

The professor was personally close with Allarlong and knew virtually every sword technique in the Empire.

“Didn’t the Wall Rock Sword seem strange to you when you first learned it?”

“Excuse me?”

Lee Han didn’t know what he meant.

He only ever thought he shouldn’t mess around near Allarlong, who could wield a sword, cut trees, cut rocks, and was incredibly strong.

“The Wall Rock Sword looks simple, doesn’t it?”

“Oh.”

The Wall Rock Sword was a heavy, powerful middleweight sword technique among the Empire’s schools.

Each strike hit like a giant rock.

The moves weren’t very intricate or flashy—in fact, the style was quite simple.

To enthusiasts, a straightforward sword style could seem like a low-level art.

But Lee Han was different.

‘I just learned it for self-defense…’

He wasn’t training seriously or seeking depth or brilliance; he just wanted to get in shape and protect himself. Complaining that it’s not refined or profound would be crazy.

“I just did it as is…”

“Excellent.”

“?”

Professor Ingeldel looked so moved that Lee Han was a bit bewildered.

Was there anything to be moved about in what he just said?

“They say a swordsman picks their sword art, but I think it’s the sword art that chooses the swordsman. Just like Einrogard chose you, Wardanaz.”

‘How can you deliver such a terrifying metaphor so earnestly…’

Lee Han was disgusted, but Ingeldel didn’t realize.

“The Wall Rock Sword looks simple, but the more you train, the more profound it becomes. But you won’t see that depth if you only chase flashy or beautiful techniques. Only those who quietly sweat and persevere can find it.”

Lee Han, who simply learned it on a whim and still swung it, grew increasingly embarrassed.

‘I didn’t really mean for any of that…’

Professor Ingeldel pointed toward a distant cliff with his finger.

It was a sheer drop, probably dozens of meters high.

“Sir Allarlong only taught you the first five forms because you’re not ready yet. After that, you need to use Aura. But given your progress, I’m confident it won’t take long.”

“You’re too kind.”

“I should have made you consolidate your realization back on the ship. Even by force if needed…”

“……”

Lee Han, growing uneasy, changed the subject.

“Seeing that cliff makes me realize how far I have to go. I’ll keep trying my best.”

“Ah. That’s a good attitude, but that’s not why I pointed it out. Wardanaz, I wanted to tell you: Sir Allarlong once sliced the head off a monster that size with a single stroke of the Wall Rock Sword.”

“I—I see.”

“I’m sure you’ll be able to do it, too, Wardanaz.”

“Yes…”

At first it sounded terrifying, but the more he listened the more it sounded like a normal pep talk, so Lee Han relaxed a little.

“Now. Let me explain in detail how you can achieve it.”

“??”

“You were quite lucky to reach another level of the absorbing principle this time.”

Professor Ingeldel sat Lee Han down and spoke extremely specifically and earnestly.

He was so serious, it honestly felt like he was determined to make Lee Han break through to Aura within a few years.

“Even on the ship, I felt your path lay in that direction.”

How does a swordsman reach mastery?

Unlike wizards, who had access to the structured academic legacy built by predecessors, the swordsman’s path was intensely personal and lonely.

Their moments of breakthrough were similarly personal.

A swordsman who simply repeated the exact moves taught by their master for a lifetime could never reach mastery.

True mastery only came by evolving what you’d learned, using everything you’d personally experienced and realized.

You only reached mastery in the moment you successfully accomplished that evolution.

And in Ingeldel’s view, Wardanaz’s most promising route was the absorbing principle.

Lee Han had dug deep into changing the nature of magical power, and now could maintain balance even in a crisis.

Besides, seeing how he nearly reached the wall of mastery while using the absorbing principle frantically on the ship proved he had a high chance of breaking through.

“Use the absorbing principle as a core, and blend into the Wall Rock Sword everything new you’ve learned and realized.”

“I—I see.”

Lee Han thought, ‘If I could do that, I should just join the Imperial Guards, not stay at Einrogard,’ but he pretended to agree.

What he’d learned so far…

“Besides the absorbing principle, what else comes to mind? Don’t think—just say it.”

“You taught me how to imbue willpower recently?”

“Good. Next?”

“Tricks I learned from the knights?”

“Hmm. I’m curious to see how you’ll blend those in, but sure…”

Professor Ingeldel relentlessly pressed Lee Han, forcing him to spit out all his thoughts.

“Right, now mix all this in.”

“Uh… Is there a method?”

“There’s no shortcut, but you do have people who can help.”

Professor Ingeldel called Giselle and Deorgyu over.

“Wardanaz, just defend—don’t attack at all.”

If people are forced into a disadvantaged situation, they develop new skills.

Professor Ingeldel knew exactly how to help people improve as a master swordsman.

“Wait, Professor. Can’t I just spar with one…”

“Just one is not enough pressure, especially since Wall Rock Sword is strong for defense.”

Giselle politely raised her hand and asked,

“Professor, what if we blindfold Wardanaz?”

“Good idea. Moradi, if Wardanaz blocks well, we’ll try blinding him next.”

Professor Ingeldel, pleased with Giselle’s concern for their friend, nodded with satisfaction.

Gone was the prejudice against students from other towers—now everyone looked out for each other.

• * *

“Hello, Professor Fliework.”

“Hello, everyone. Nice to see you.”

“Good day, Prosecutor Oriphulas.”

Greetings, little wizards. Be careful not to sign any contracts recklessly, or you’ll end up as miserable as me.

The demon following behind Professor Rosine winked as he gave the warning.

For the -Imperial Language and Logic Foundations- class that taught dangerous magical contracts, there was hardly a better textbook.

While dyeing his pants, Gainando glanced over and asked,

“Wardanaz, why do the White Tiger Tower kids look so happy? Did they find secret snacks or what?”

“No, it’s something else.”

Lee Han rubbed his aching arm and replied.

He felt like it was the first time all year those White Tiger Tower punks looked so happy.

All this from getting hit once.

‘If they got hit twice, would those punks throw a festival?’

“Alright, everyone got one, right?”

Professor Rosine waved her staff and handed each student a thick stack of paperwork.

“What’s this?”

“Common request forms used in the Empire. I gathered actual documents to show you.”

“!”

Lee Han, curious, read one.

Urgent!

Monster hunt, southwest outer region of Granden City, payment subject to negotiation…

“Trash.”

Lee Han glared at the document with contempt.

The fox beast professor clapped admiringly at Lee Han’s comment.

“Good point! As you can see, there’s no specific information about the monster, nor any description of the local area. This kind of commission is very dangerous. Now, everyone, a round of applause!”

As his friends applauded, Lee Han thought to himself.

‘I only complained because the pay wasn’t specific.’