Episode 547

Episode 547

“Today’s task is to read these request forms and sift out the good from the bad.”

Wizards thought of themselves as bright lights leading the forefront of imperial intellect, but in reality, wizards weren’t always smart.

Especially when it came to contracts or commissions, this was even more true.

If you happened to fall for one of the seasoned con artists who had made a living cheating others all their life in the Empire, even a wizard from Einrogard could be taken down in an instant.

“Since these are actual request forms, if there’s something you like, you can apply for it!”

“Is this for the vacation?”

“Yes, yes. Normally it’s during vacation! There are students who do it during the semester, too, but academics come first, after all.”

After the professor’s explanation, the friends buzzed in conversation.

“Someone does it during the semester?”

“Are they crazy?”

“It could happen, you guys.”

Lee Han, without realizing, defended it passionately.

Given he was currently taking on a commission Professor Alpen forced on him, it hurt to just listen in silence.

“Do you know how much lectures, experiments, and research cost? We need to earn even a bit more. Even during the semester, it’s possible to take requests.”

“Al, alright. Wardanaz. We were wrong.”

“Why are you so angry? You’re not mad just because we cheered when you got hit on the arm earlier, right?”

The friends recoiled in surprise.

They hadn’t expected Wardanaz to defend it so strongly.

‘But no matter how urgent, a commission during the semester is too much.’

‘It’s already hard to keep up with classes.’

Staff wanted!

Must be human!

Must have no drinking habits!

Must be healthy with no special chronic diseases!

Must not have ever undergone magic experiments!

…

“Wow. Lee Han. Lee Han. This looks like free money!”

Gainando was excited, feeling he had found the perfect commission matching Lee Han’s often-spoken desire to “get something easy.”

Lee Han carefully read Gainando’s request form and then called for the professor.

“Professor. I think we need to report this to the guards.”

“?!”

Interested in working at the Meikin family’s alchemy workshop?

-Preference for those from the Alchemist Guild

-Night shift available, preferred

-Preference for those able to go without sleep for over a week

Long-term employees will be offered the following benefits…

‘Shouldn’t I also report this?’

Lee Han hesitated slightly.

No matter how one looked at it, this was obviously a notice posted by Yoner’s older sister, Yoanen.

‘I might have to work there again during vacation, so I should let it slide.’

The students checked the request forms with great interest.

Most had worked during summer vacation before, so they were interested in good commissions.

“This one looks good.”

“I’ll take this one.”

Unlike the weird requests, the popular commissions among students were all similar.

Magic book translation!

Request to translate a magic book found in ruins. If it sells for a high price, we will pay an additional bonus.

Regarding magic education

Looking for a wizard to teach 1st circle magic, such as -Light Generation- or -Flame Generation-.

If you don’t have the skills and pretend to be a wizard, we politely decline your application (if unsuccessful, there may be retribution).

‘Wait. There are more good commissions than I thought?’

Lee Han looked at Professor Rosine with eyes full of respect.

Lee Han, who had struggled to find worthwhile work during vacation, immediately recognized the high quality of these commissions.

As a professor with a bureaucratic background, the level of requests Rosine brought in was on a different scale from what Lee Han could get.

Of course, there were many strange commissions, but it was obvious those were brought on purpose for teaching…

‘I respect you, Professor.’

Professor Rosine, who had been sitting and talking with Oriphulas, was baffled when Wardanaz suddenly sent her a gaze full of respect.

“Did something happen while we were talking?”

You’re just admiring the wizard’s lecture. You should be proud.

“What nonsense are you saying? With how many lectures there are to take?”

Professor Rosine was someone with excellent self-awareness.

There’s no way Wardanaz, who was taking all the top lectures at Einrogard, would look at a lecture just about request forms with such eyes.

“I think translation or interpretation of magic books is a good commission.”

“I’d like tutoring. I feel like I could teach this much.”

Requests for dungeon or ruins expeditions that risked one’s life weren’t really attractive to wizards.

There were so many places that craved a wizard’s talents that there were plenty of safe and comfortable commissions.

Among them, translating or interpreting magic books, or magic education jobs, were golden opportunities that easily filled the empty wallets of Einrogard students.

“By the way, who gave this commission?”

“Maybe a merchant?”

“Might be a wizard too…”

Unless a wizard personally rewrote it plainly, a magic book couldn’t be easily understood by outsiders even if it wasn’t written in cryptic characters.

However, to sell or appraise it, the contents had to be analyzed or interpreted.

This was when orthodox wizards like Einrogard students became popular.

“All right. These translation commissions are generally good! Everyone selected well. But one thing to remember, if a merchant or collector made the request, that’s fine, but if another wizard made it, decline! Most wizards are all personality disasters!”

“…?”

“???”

The students tilted their heads in confusion at something that felt off.

Of course, most wizards in the Empire couldn’t interpret those magic books.

That was because wizards who hadn’t received proper magical education and learned on their own only knew how to use their own magic.

And such wizards, aware of their lack of skill or knowledge, obsessively clung to interpreted magic books—to the point of paying any price.

Naturally, there was nothing good about getting involved with such wizards, so declining was the right call…

But somehow, hearing it like that made it feel a bit weird?

“How about these tutoring commissions?”

“Oh, those are good! It’s great that there are so many people in the Empire interested in magic.”

Wizards had an honorable image that matched their intelligence.

Of course, among the imperial noble families and wealthy new families, there were quite a few who hoped their children would become wizards.

However, there were always people who felt uneasy sending their bloodline to a boarding school.

For those people, wizard tutors sometimes emerged.

They would stay at a mansion or estate and teach magic to the family members.

“These commissions are also generally good! You all chose well. But note—you have to check the reputation of the client family first. What might happen if you take a job from a family with a bad reputation?”

“Gasp. Will they shirk the gold payment?”

Lee Han asked in a trembling voice.

Professor Rosine shook her head.

“Of course, they might not pay, but that’s a minor issue.”

‘How is that a minor issue?’

“If you’re unlucky, you could be forcibly kept at the mansion, forced to keep teaching magic. So be careful! People wanting to learn magic are usually pretty intense.”

The professor’s explanation left the students chattering in surprise.

It was so hard to find a great wizard to teach that, once they did, there were always people determined to keep them at any cost.

But hearing it directly was shocking.

“L-Lee Han. What if I get stuck there while visiting?”

“Hm. Gainando. Usually, people don’t ask for black magic…”

Lee Han was about to say, “People don’t usually ask you to teach black magic,” to calm Gainando’s fears.

“What if they lock me up and only give me chocolate? Should I pretend to give in to intimidation??”

“Well, if you don’t return by the end of vacation, wouldn’t the principal come looking for you…”

Having selected as many weird request forms as possible with his friends, Lee Han collected several seemingly worthwhile magic book interpretation and tutoring commissions.

‘Heh. I’ll have to deal with them during vacation later.’

But Lee Han’s expression soon hardened.

Other friends had started picking up the exact same commissions as Lee Han.

Naturally, good commissions were bound to overlap.

“…Should I submit my application first…”

“Huh? What did you say?”

“Nothing. Gainando.”

After snatching the -Looking for Master of Mage Card- commission from Gainando’s grip, Lee Han lightly tossed it away.

• * *

As Wednesday passed, the snow began to fall even harder.

Students’ expressions became more complicated as they watched the snow pile up quickly.

Having already experienced it in the first semester, they knew how miserable it was when the school was buried in snow.

“Get the sleds out from inside!”

“One, two! One, two!”

Fortunately, thanks to working hard during the enchantment lecture, Lee Han and his friends were prepared for winter in various ways.

But none of the students thought it was enough.

“Why are the White Tiger Tower guys taking out their sleds? Don’t tell me they’re going to hitch horses to pull them?”

“It’s dangerous for horses in this weather… Wait, those guys! They’re pulling them themselves!”

From the White Tiger Tower students, who divided into teams to ride or pull the sleds, to the Black Turtle Tower students, who connected ropes and poles outside the dorm to make paths.

Having gone through several ordeals, the students may have wavered or cursed, but they didn’t break down.

“Good job. Good job.”

Professor Thunderstep slid down on his long skis, looked around, and clicked his tongue.

“I should cut back on the lectures a bit. You won’t have time to study, having to do all this work.”

“Professor…!”

Lee Han looked at Professor Thunderstep with the same eyes he’d given Professor Rosine earlier.

Is a person’s true worth revealed in a crisis?

“By the way, some uninvited guests keep coming to the garden, so you’ll have to help out, Wardanaz.”

“…But Professor, you just said a moment ago that the students don’t have time to study.”

Lee Han protested in disbelief.

He’d just shown concern for the students and then asked Lee Han for extra work.

Was Lee Han not a student?

“Oh. That’s right. Sorry, Wardanaz. I absentmindedly thought of you separately.”

“……”

“I got some food ready for you.”

“So what’s the problem?”

Rather than quibbling, Lee Han got straight to the point.

Lately, thanks to the heavy snow, the amount of food harvested from the garden was decreasing.

Some cold-resistant vegetables and eggs were fine, but everything else was cut off.

If Professor Thunderstep, who always supplied ample food to the kitchen from the outdoors, helped, it would be a big boost.

“Calling them uninvited guests… If they’re too strong, I can’t handle it alone.”

“It’s not a strong one.”

As he walked, Professor Thunderstep suddenly seemed curious and asked again.

“By the way, what do you mean by ‘too strong’? My standard might differ from yours, so I’m asking.”

“…Just tell me what it is.”

“It’s a spirit. Elemental spirit. Ice spirit.”

“!”

Lee Han’s expression brightened at those words.

They said spirits would come riding the snow as the cold energy grew in winter.

An actual ice-type spirit was appearing nearby!

Back in the spirit realm, spirits ran away when Lee Han visited, but reality was the opposite.

Since the spirit was coming to him, it wouldn’t be easy for it to run even if it noticed him late.

“If it’s an ice spirit, is it like the ones you showed us, Professor?”

“That’s right.”

“They always seemed so capable.”

“Yes.”

“Is there any chance I could make a contract with one this time?”

“That would be difficult.”

“……”

Lee Han glared at Professor Thunderstep.