Episode 577

“Wardanaz.”

The students taking Imbuement Magic spotted Lee Han and approached him.

The students were carrying large crates in their hands.

“How about this?”

“I told you before, but now it should be enough…”

“No, Wardanaz. You never know what you’ll end up needing!”

Professor Verdus had already told the students how the final exam would go.

Create the best-performing artifact possible on the spot from discarded materials.

That was the theme for this final exam.

The problem was that, to regular students, that sounded totally crazy.

-How could you maybe manage with proper materials, let alone with discarded ones? Are they insane?

-Isn’t Professor Verdus refusing to hand out good materials and making up excuses?

‘It seems perfectly doable with discarded materials, though.’

In truth, Lee Han’s thinking was a bit different from his friends, but he felt like he’d get cursed at if he said so, so he joined in on trash-talking Professor Verdus.

-Professor Verdus must have embezzled, that’s for sure!

-N-no, Wardanaz, I didn’t mean to go that far.

-Really?

Einrogard students believed that if a professor gave an unreasonable assignment, it was self-defense to respond accordingly.

Of course, the students fought back fairly in this final exam too.

By stocking the storage for discarded materials ahead of time with perfectly fine materials!

Thanks to a buying spree outside, they’d been able to do this.

But even after stuffing the warehouse with decent materials, they didn’t stop.

Their anxiety about the exam made them keep trying to add more materials.

“I think we can stop adding more now. That’s blue sapphire, right? You’ve got three whole boxes, that should be more than enough.”

“But what if they all get used up while making stuff?”

“How would you use up all three boxes…? And phosphorescent ink is in the discarded materials anyway? I checked, it was fine. Don’t worry.”

“It might break in the meantime. We need to add more.”

‘Imbuement Magic isn’t an exam to be this nervous about.’

So thought Lee Han.

Unlike other lecture exams, the Imbuement Magic exam was unexpectedly safe.

Not because Professor Verdus was kind and loved the students, but because he just wasn’t very interested.

The more attentive professors who cared about the students ended up making the exams dangerous, but Professor Verdus, lacking such care, was why this exam was safer.

“Alright, alright. Just put them in the warehouse. You guys know this is a waste, right? If you don’t use it all during the test, it’s wasted.”

Lee Han felt bad as he watched his friends wastefully haul in so much stock.

It’s not like they’ll finish school this year—how hard would it be to get those materials again next year?

But his friends just ignored Lee Han’s words and dragged in the crates.

‘Blue Dragon Tower kids really waste too much.’

Lee Han clicked his tongue to himself.

Students from the other towers would have acted more rationally rather than letting unfounded fears control them.

Tap—

“……”

“……”

At the warehouse, Lee Han ran into Salko.

The Black Turtle Tower students, who were stacking crates inside, spoke a bit awkwardly.

“We, we thought the amount was a little lacking.”

“With that much you could build a fortress.”

Lee Han shook his head and started to turn around.

“……”

“……”

This time, White Tiger Tower students appeared carrying crates.

“We left something behind last time…?”

“Hey. Be quiet. Your excuses just make it more embarrassing.”

“Shut it. Just get in there, you wasteful punks.”

“It’s not waste!”

• * *

The skeletal principal gazed at the snowy courtyard with a heart as soft as down.

The Death Knights watched their master with satisfaction.

Usually, as the year neared its end, their master would get very sharp and fierce.

This was because the imperial auditors, as always, would latch onto the smallest details and sour his mood.

-Hold on. Lord Gonadaltes. These students received 383 imperial gold coins in support, but only 382 coins seem accounted for. Where did the last coin go? Surely you didn’t use it for another magical experiment?

-Let’s let that tiny detail slide! Students can make mistakes, you know!

-How is 1 coin out of 383 just a small detail?!

But not this year.

Stories of acts of goodwill outside the school had melted even the icy auditor’s heart.

Thanks to that, the auditor declared the inspection over by their own authority, the skeletal principal was satisfied, and the Death Knights could be at ease.

If only every year could be like this!

-How about next year letting wanted criminals loose in town and having the students catch them?

-Hmm. The students would probably just use it as an excuse to escape to town.

As the Death Knights chatted, suddenly the door swung open.

Bang!

What’s going on?

The skeletal principal glanced reproachfully at the Death Knight who burst in.

To disrupt such hard-won peace of soul—what is this?

-Sir… Something terrible has happened.

!

The principal’s gaze changed.

If the Death Knights serving under him said something terrible had happened, it was hardly trivial.

What… Could it be those Imbuement school kids caused trouble? Didn’t I tell them to make things in the desert for a reason? Do they have any idea what kind of building that old schoolhouse is?! It’s expensive!

-No, sir. It wasn’t the Imbuement school students.

Then what? The outing club—did they put a hole in the wall? They’ve been knocking on it since a while back…

-The outing club students are all locked in the punishment room.

Then what could be so terrible? The one locked in the punishment room causing trouble?

-Well…

The Death Knight dared not look at the principal and hung his head in fear.

Then, squeezing his eyes shut, he spoke.

-Lady Iunrade has returned.

……

Magician Iunrade, an Einrogard graduate accompanying the inspector this time.

Iunrade wasn’t particularly evil or dangerous.

But the fact that Iunrade, who was supposed to leave with the inspector, had come back like this was incredibly, incredibly foreboding.

Why?

-Well… I should… report it to you directly…

Objects around the skeletal principal vibrated and began to tremble upside down.

If left alone, expensive furnishings would get smashed, so the Death Knights hurriedly cried out.

-Sir, it could be another matter!

-Yes sir, might just be a routine courtesy call…

Yeah, sure, as if.

The principal regained his composure.

It wasn’t because his anger had faded, but because smashing the furniture would only hurt himself.

Let them in. Let’s hear why they’ve come back.

Soon, Iunrade entered, opening the door like a criminal.

Iunrade was even more humble than the Death Knight earlier, about to press her forehead to the floor.

Raise your head, Lady Iunrade.

“C-could you just speak to me informally, Principal?”

Sensing her life in danger, Iunrade tried to bring up school days nostalgia.

Nonsense! I can’t be rude to someone visiting as an imperial official.

“Still, I did learn as a student under you, so…”

Enough. State your business. What is it? Another inspection? A special audit? Or did the budget or grants get cut?

“None of those, Principal.”

This slightly softened the principal’s gaze.

Then what? You just missed your school days and came back?

“That’s not it… Um… His Majesty the Emperor wishes to meet with you in private. After the semester ends.”

Why? What did I do now?

The principal was outraged at being summoned again after the first semester—and twice now!

The Death Knights, afraid the imperial official might end up locked in the deepest part of the punishment room, hurried to make excuses.

-A reward, maybe it’s a reward!

-Right!

‘Grr…’

Iunrade silently wept inside at the Death Knights’ words.

Back in the first semester, she had used that excuse and been spectacularly cursed out for it.

Reward, my foot. Do you know how many times I’ve been rewarded running Einrogard?

“I-I’m not sure.”

Fewer than the times you ranked top in your year!

“Well… I… never ranked top…”

Right. You know it well.

The principal could feel a headache coming on.

What crazy student has caused trouble this time?

“Um… Principal.”

There’s more? Just spit it out all at once! Drag it out again and you’ll end up in the punishment room!

Iunrade held back tears and said,

“His Majesty also asked you to bring Student Lee Han of the Wardanaz family along… Really… This isn’t a slip of the tongue.”

……

-……

At such an unexpected statement, both the skeletal principal and the Death Knights fell silent.

Iunrade glanced at the window.

She wondered if it might be better to jump out than end up in the depths of the punishment room whose name was long forgotten.

Hmm.

The principal fell into deep thought instead of getting angry.

Take a seat.

“Yes, sir.”

What do you think His Majesty is planning?

The principal gestured to hear what the Death Knights and Iunrade thought.

-Maybe he just wants to meet Wardanaz once. I think Wardanaz is one of the most extraordinary talents among the Einrogard students.

Indeed. That wouldn’t be so bad.

At least it was better than hearing about alumni turning forests into demon realms, or current students busting up a mercenary company while out on a guild mission.

Even in the first semester, the Emperor was interested in Wardanaz, so wanting to see him in person was perfectly plausible.

-Sir, I think it could be risky. After the first semester, as soon as His Majesty said so, Wardanaz caught the King of the Ghouls again.

That should be taken into account!

The principal felt truly wronged.

How was he supposed to stop him from running off with adventurers to hunt the King of the Ghouls while discussing matters with the Emperor?!

-And in the second semester, there was the Sea Serpent…

-I see your point. His Majesty may have called him after hearing only good stories, but if he hears the details in person, the blame could come back to you.

How unfair. Good people always get the short end of the stick.

The principal lamented.

But the Death Knights’ opinions had merit.

Think of a reason not to bring him. Normally, during winter break, students go back to their clans. What about that?

Iunrade answered carefully.

“I don’t think that will work if it’s just after meeting His Majesty.”

…He was going to have him help with freshman search after the semester ended, what about that?

“Uh… In this situation, wouldn’t that be even worse?”

The principal glared at Iunrade. Iunrade hung her head low.

“Umm, Principal. There’s one more thing I forgot to mention…”

Didn’t I just tell you to say it all?! Now I see why you never ranked top.

“…His Majesty also left a postscript: ‘Don’t make up weird excuses, just bring him.’ I’m sorry! I’m sorry!”

Iunrade ran for the window. The principal sighed and caught her.

It’s fine. What can we do now. It’s not your fault.

-But isn’t it partly her fault?

“Please…!”

-No, but honestly…

Iunrade truly hated the Death Knights.