Episode 649

“W… a… r… d… a… n… a… z… for… the… br… oo… ch… of… m… a… g… i… c… r… ec… o… v… e… r… y…”

“I… d… o… n… t… t… h… i… n… k… i… t… w… o… u… l… d… e… v… e… r… b… e… u… s… e… f… u… l…”

To Lee Han, it felt like about five seconds.

During those five seconds, everything around him sounded slow. Lee Han realized that, centered around the watch, the time in the surrounding area had sped up to nearly double.

‘A time magic artifact!’

Time magic, along with spatial magic, was ranked as the highest level of difficulty of all Imperial magic.

The talent and effort required to learn it, the magic power and reagents consumed at casting, the unavoidable risks, and so on.

All these drawbacks had prevented space-time magic from developing into a separate school of magic.

Even divination magic, for all its problems, had at least gained some collective organization, but space-time magic was only attempted by an extremely rare few life-risking geniuses.

‘Who could have made something like this? And how did Baldororn even know about it?’

As he quickly thought it over, the five seconds ended.

At that moment, Lee Han felt a heavy blow. His whole body felt as if every muscle was screaming.

“Kgh!”

“What about the letter opener for magic recovery?”

“I really don’t think anything with magic recovery is ever useful.”

Alsicle and Yoner’s conversation came through normally again. Lee Han, wracked with pain, collapsed to his knees.

Thud!

“Everyone back up!”

Alsicle, alarmed, jumped and waved his staff. As an experienced senior wizard, he understood what had happened.

Clearly, someone had touched a dangerous artifact!

“Don’t come closer! It could be poison or a curse!”

“B-but… Poison or curses don’t really work on Lee Han, do they?”

“……”

Even as he erected a barrier, Alsicle admired such a sharp observation from a close friend.

“I suppose that’s true. But there are always exceptions! And Wardanaz has way too many artifacts from insane wizards!”

“Insane wizards?”

“I mean Gonadaltes! I knew someday Gonadaltes would cause a disaster!”

A wizard lived with risk, and Alsicle himself was willing to risk much for results, but even for him, the skeleton principal crossed the line.

He had always suspected that some of Wardanaz’s shady and vicious artifacts, like the Behemoth necklace or the Bracelet of Ten Thousand Demons, might turn on their owner.

“That bracelet is suspicious. What a wicked power it gives off!”

“T… time magic.”

“What was that, Wardanaz? What did you say??”

“That pocket watch… there’s time magic cast on it… I was just accelerated…”

“!!!”

Alsicle understood what Lee Han meant immediately.

Time magic!

The rarity of it was surprising, and that it was embodied in an artifact even more so, but that wasn’t the main concern.

Just as strong enhancement magic brought side effects, time magic was the same.

If the user’s surroundings were isolated and the time axis twisted, a rebound was inevitable when the magic ended.

Even with very brief time magic, if you weren’t prepared, your body could be ripped asunder.

“Get the healing potion!”

“I thought you said the bracelet was suspicious!”

Gainando shouted in outrage.

His eyes now had the look of someone sizing up a quack doctor.

He’d already been wrong once—if he was wrong twice, Lee Han might die for real.

“Anyone can make a mistake! Hurry up and bring it!”

“Here!”

“And mana recovery potion too! Get the demon—no, is it a golem? Get a golem and have it bring every healing potion in the mansion!”

“Mana recovery potion too?!”

“Don’t talk nonsense! If you don’t know time magic, stay out of it, rookies!”

Alsicle shouted as he laid Lee Han down.

The rebound from time magic didn’t end with the physical burden as slowed time snapped back.

When the isolated world collided with the outside world again, the wizard’s magic power could wildly rampage.

There was nothing more dangerous than a wizard losing control of their magic—Alsicle knew that well.

‘If we’re lucky, it’s just magic depletion; if not, an explosion!’

Knowing Lee Han’s magical power, Alsicle gripped his staff, sweating coldly.

“Wardanaz. Are you listening? From now, no matter what, your magic power—”

“Hu. I’m fine now. Thank you.”

“……”

“……”

As Lee Han sprang up from where he’d been lying down, Alsicle had the urge to grab this genius by the collar.

• * *

Still, just in case, Alsicle ran a thorough check.

“Really, there’s nothing wrong?”

“Just some muscle pain…”

Alsicle closed his eyes tight.

Too many eyes were watching here. He didn’t want to get nicknamed -Alsicle the Junior Jealous- or -Alsicle who Grabs Juniors by the Collar- among Imperial wizards.

“That’s not even a real symptom…”

“How is that not a symptom!”

Gainando protested at the top of his lungs.

He didn’t know if he could trust this wizard’s abilities, between suspecting the bracelet and all.

“Lee Han. Didn’t you hear just now? Pengerine said the bracelet looked suspicious, and then immediately changed his mind!”

Alsicle summoned a snowman and set it loose on Gainando, chasing him out of the mansion with a yell.

At last regaining his composure, the penguin beastman wizard took a deep breath and spoke.

“Alright… muscle pain is a symptom too. It’s probably the rebound from time magic.”

“Ah. Like how some enhancement spells cause pain if you leave out the body protection process?”

“Exactly. It’s much more advanced, but the principle’s no different.”

“Still, the rebound was less than I expected. From what I’ve read in grimoires, time magic seemed far more dangerous.”

“……”

Alsicle silently stood and walked outside.

He unleashed a barrage of snowballs on Gainando, who had just finished off the snowman.

After venting his anger, Alsicle returned visibly calmer.

“It is more dangerous. I think your rebound wasn’t that bad for three reasons: first, the magic’s duration was short and its intensity wasn’t strong. Second, you’ve trained your body to the level of a knight. Third, you have a great deal of magic power.”

“So the short duration and low intensity kept it from being worse.”

“…Look, forget about the first and second. From what I see, the third is the real reason.”

“?!”

Fed up with his junior’s nonsense, Alsicle spoke plainly.

“Look here. See this snowflake? If you open a window, the snowflake blows away instantly. But this big table? Doesn’t budge. You’re the table. Got it?”

“Yes. But then why are you angry…”

“I’m not!”

At Alsicle’s shout, Yoner and Nillia whispered.

“Feels like it’s because of Gainando.”

“Right? Maybe messing up earlier hurt his pride.”

“……”

Deciding nothing good would come from continuing, Alsicle changed the subject.

“More importantly, you bought an artifact like this in town? And not just any shop, a second-hand dealer?”

“Yes. I think Lord Baldororn might have recommended it to me on purpose…”

Lee Han explained how Baldororn had recommended the watch in the village near school.

Alsicle listened with interest.

“Could be.”

“Should I write and ask what he meant?”

“It wouldn’t do you any good. I wouldn’t answer either. If you go and ask right after an elder wizard gives you a hint, instead of figuring it out yourself, you just look lazy—and they might even be offended.”

‘Why are all wizards like this?’

Lee Han thought so to himself, but couldn’t really deny Alsicle’s point.

If someone gives you a riddle wrapped in meaning and you go ask immediately, you really do look lazy.

“And I do think I know what he meant. Since it’s an artifact with time magic, it’s probably advice to research time magic.”

“Isn’t that overthinking it? You’d really expect a student who’s only finished first year to research time magic?”

“Hmm. You’re right, Wardanaz. That’s about as impossible as a first year conjuring a domain effect. Don’t you think?”

“…You’re really not angry, right?”

“I told you I’m not.”

Lee Han resolved to put special effort into making a sardine dish for tonight.

“More than that, I’m curious who made this artifact. You said it triggered when you touched the escapement? Definitely a peculiar wizard.”

Most artifacts are made to leave no doubt that they’re magical.

After all, if someone carelessly triggered a spell, the repercussions could be serious.

But this pocket watch felt extremely perverse and even maliciously intended.

From the outside, it looked like an ordinary, magicless item, but if you probed deep enough, a secret was revealed.

And that secret could cause serious harm to the caster!

Artifacts like this were usually called cursed artifacts.

‘That’s exactly right.’

Lee Han agreed with Alsicle’s assessment.

A trap-type artifact like that…

“Couldn’t it be something the principal made? It was in an antique shop near the school, and not many people deal in things like this.”

“As much as I’d like to blame everything on Gonadaltes, I have to admit that I’m suspicious too. There aren’t many at Einrogard who can use time magic. Gonadaltes, Professor Garcia…”

“Oh, I think I’ve heard that about Professor Garcia.”

Lee Han nodded.

He’d heard that Garcia’s main field was space-time magic research.

No wonder he was called the weirdo who enrolled in every department at Einrogard.

‘Maybe Professor, too, was crazy when he was young. How could anyone enroll in every department by choice?’

Lee Han was forced, but Professor Garcia had chosen it. Only a madman would do that.

“Baegrek as well.”

“Huh, Professor Baegrek can use time magic too?”

“Well not really. He uses a very simplified form, just for combat.”

“No, but what if he made it and left it outside on purpose? For the day I discovered it, I mean.”

“…Did Baegrek ever do anything to you?”

Alsicle was bewildered by Lee Han’s suspicion toward Professor Voladi, even more than the skeleton principal.

That logic was truly conspiracy theory-level.

“Wait a second. I think this thing just opened up.”

The pocket watch was glass-covered with no lid, but now its back had popped open.

It had originally been tightly sealed, so the magic must have triggered it. Lee Han carefully opened the back.

Congratulations, my foolish and naive junior. If you’re reading this, you must have experienced a great magic.

If you master the magic engraved in this watch, come find me. Then I’ll teach you the true secret!

—Your Great Senior

‘Wasn’t this Gonadaltes?’

Alsicle tilted his head.

It looked like it was written by an Einrogard student. That means the skeleton principal just became less suspicious.

Or perhaps the skeleton principal slyly pretended to be a senior from Einrogard?

“Hmm. Doesn’t it seem even more likely to be Professor Baegrek?”

“…Wardanaz. I may not be close to Baegrek, but I’m pretty sure I can swear he’s not the sort of person to do something like this.”