Episode 659
by CristaeEandurde nodded excitedly, but his friends—each hoping to recruit him into their own specialty—of course objected.
“Why not?”
“No, Mr. Wardanaz. We have to show him the joys of alchemy!”
“I think Eandurde would suit being a knight better…”
“It’s the Black Turtle Tower—how could you talk about knights? If he just learns to disarm traps and pick locks, he’ll never have to worry about making a living.”
“Hey, isn’t that Professor Baegrek over there?”
Everyone immediately shut their mouths and looked ahead.
Standing there was the martial arts professor they’d sometimes seen at Einrogard.
Having caught Lee Han’s meaning, all the friends instantly turned around.
“Let’s hurry back!”
“Wow, seeing an Einrogard professor roaming the streets in broad daylight. Is this allowed?”
“Is any of this about Flaher City’s ‘good public order’ just lies?”
‘?’
Siana tilted her head.
It’s not like professors are criminals—they ought to be allowed to walk around…
Hastily dragging their junior with them, the friends only caught their breath three blocks away in front of a toy shop.
“Let’s go inside for now.”
“Why a toy shop?”
“It’s the place a professor is least likely to enter.”
The friends were impressed at Lee Han’s reasoning.
An observation truly worthy of Einrogard’s most beloved student.
Clang—
The bell above the door rang as Lee Han’s group entered the huge toy store.
The five-story shop was full of well-dressed teenage boys and girls talking with careful expressions.
“So the Gonadaltes Duke card is out of date these days…”
“That’s precisely the hole you aim for…”
“Wouldn’t the old festival-edition Gonadaltes Duke card work better…”
“Is that card even real? I’ve never been sure it even exists.”
In one corner, they sold mage cards collected from all over the Empire.
“Wow, look at this! It’s a new Einrogard snow globe.”
“It’s beautiful.”
Elsewhere, they sold snow globes depicting snowfall over Einrogard within large glass balls…
The Einrogard students backed away with expressions like they might throw up any second.
“Different toys. Let’s look for different toys.”
More hawk-eyed than Nillia, Gainando scanned the store and whispered to Lee Han.
“Lee Han, could you lend me some money? I’ll pay you back as soon as my allowance comes back.”
“Gainando, didn’t you say last summer you were going to earn your own money instead of getting allowance?”
The memory suddenly came to Yoner, whose friend had said—moved by Lee Han and friends scraping together silver coins—that, “I’ll earn my own too!”
“Lee Han, could you lend me some money? I’ll pay you back as soon as my allowance comes back.”
“……”
Seeing Gainando pretend not to hear what didn’t suit him, Yoner considered using a toy iron cauldron to give him a whack.
“Earning it yourself will probably be quicker than waiting for allowance to return.”
“W-what are you talking about? My mother will definitely give some next week.”
‘Not likely…’
From Lee Han’s view, Gainando’s stopped allowance was mostly his friends’ “fault.”
If he had no friends to hang out with, at least he’d need allowance to have fun, but with friends, he could have fun without money too.
Lady Kraha had probably thought as much.
“…You really think she won’t?”
Gainando asked cautiously. He could sense from his mother’s tone.
“I don’t think so.”
“Ugh. So I have to earn it myself? Why do people have to work, anyway?”
“Yoner already said, but last summer break you wanted to earn for yourself. Why the change of heart?”
“When you buy toys with your own money, you can only get a few. It’s infuriating.”
“……”
“……”
The two stared at their friend as if in disbelief.
Lee Han pulled out a few of his leftover commission slips and handed them to Gainando.
“Just do some of these in your spare time.”
“Thanks! Wait, these are alchemy!”
“Can’t help it if alchemy pays well.”
“But I’m not good at alchemy…”
“It’s just basic stuff. You can learn from Yoner.”
Yoner smiled and waved him away. Gainando grumbled at his stingy cousin.
Clang—
Professor Voladi entered as the door swung open. The students in the store froze in shock.
“Professor, welcome!”
“Mm.”
Apparently on familiar terms with the shopkeeper, Voladi was greeted with a broad smile.
The professor took some mage cards out of his coat pocket and handed them over.
The goblin half-blood confirmed the cards and was amazed.
“Incredible! Such rare cards… Young Bakwantala and The Scream! Collectors will weep for these!”
Professor Voladi said nothing and waited silently.
Gainando was on the verge of fainting.
“What’s wrong, Gainando? If it’s about the professor, calm down. He’s only interested in Lee Han anyway.”
“…Hey.”
Lee Han felt a little prickly at his friends’ words.
It was true, but did they have to say it out loud?
“T-the Young Bakwantala and The Scream cards disappeared centuries ago… so rare…”
“What’s he saying?”
“I think he means they’re treasures.”
“Those cards are treasures? Are they crazy?”
The friends murmured, but Lee Han understood Gainando’s reaction.
Because mage cards were an even older game than the Empire itself, rare cards could be worth a king’s ransom.
No wonder Gainando was about to have a heart attack.
But…
‘Where did the professor get those, anyway?’
Clearly, since he barely cared for what he was selling and tossed them on the counter, the professor didn’t like mage cards.
The goblin half-blood, Tatabatz, crossed his arms, pondering deeply.
“Ummm… But Professor, unlike the other items you’ve brought before, there’s a problem with these.”
“What is it?”
“They’re so rare there maybe no buyer right away.”
Sometimes treasures are so rare and expensive, the seller ends up bankrupt just waiting for a buyer.
Old mage cards were in steady demand as a regular ruin find, but these were rarer still.
Tatabatz would have to commit some serious capital to buy them.
“Please take off 20%. I need the cushion for the risk.”
“Very—”
Professor Voladi, not interested in haggling, started to agree immediately.
Lee Han shouted without thinking.
“Wait!”
“?”
“??”
“??!”
The shopkeeper, Professor Voladi, and even Lee Han’s own friends stared at him like he was crazy.
What are you doing??
Professor Voladi spotted Lee Han’s group and cast them a meaningful look.
“What are you all doing here?”
“We were considering researching magic through toys.”
“????”
The other boys and girls picking their toys gave Lee Han bewildered looks.
There were plenty of enchanted toys here, but magic research…?
Mages really are different!
“Professor, that’s not important. The -Young Bakwantala- and -Bakwantala’s Scream- cards are legendary cards gone for centuries—far grander than the Gonadaltes Duke. If you’re selling them at that price, you’d do better to sell to a collector. Gainando of the Kraha family would want those cards!”
“!!!”
Tatabatz was astonished.
The name –Gainando of the Kraha family– was already well-known.
He was a top client for mage cards in Flaher City!
Whenever Kraha family servants shopped for cards, Tatabatz was more thrilled than when meeting his first love.
“You— you’re Gainando? Why didn’t you say so!”
“S-so scary. That man.”
Gainando slipped behind Lee Han.
The deadly fire in Tatabatz’s eyes was horrifying.
“Mr. Gainando! Allow me the honor of shaking your hand!”
“Isn’t it more important to agree about the cards right now? Give them up.”
“!”
Tatabatz came to his senses and began to consider.
‘If even a client like Gainando of the Kraha family wants to buy immediately…’
Once word got out, others would rush to get them even faster.
It was definitely worth securing them. Securing such rare treasures was the pride of a merchant.
“Is it true? Do you really want to buy them?”
“Lee Han, I have no money… If I buy, Mother will kill me.”
“Don’t worry. Trust me.”
“You’re going to buy them for me?!”
“Don’t be ridiculous.”
Noting their whispered conversation, Tatabatz was convinced.
They’re serious buyers!
Tatabatz spoke urgently.
“Mr. Gainando, I’ll offer 5% more! Please, grant me this one mercy! The honor of obtaining such cards means everything to this old Tatabatz. If you yield, I’ll owe you forever…!”
“G-go ahead.”
Peeking out from behind Lee Han, Gainando nodded.
The shopkeeper’s intensity was truly frightening.
“Professor, I apologize for my ignorant mistake in not recognizing the value of these cards…”
“Very well. Is that all?”
Professor Voladi, uninterested in haggling, swiftly concluded the deal.
Tatabatz, relieved, offered a pouch of gold coins.
“Thank you, thank you!”
“Thank you, all of you.”
The professor approached Lee Han’s group and expressed his thanks.
He was far from clueless—he knew the price shifted from -20% to +5%.
With a hand on his shoulder, Voladi thanked Gainando, who looked as if he were being strangled.
‘Save me, Lee Han. Save me.’
But Lee Han had naturally slipped behind the other friends. It was his instinct when faced with Professor Voladi.
At any moment the professor might ambush, so best to maximize distance and obstacles!
“Not at all. I’m glad we could help.”
“…Mr. Wardanaz. You stepped in just because you thought the professor might take a loss?”
“Yep…”
“……”
Seeing Lee Han answer so blankly, Siana lost the will to say anything.
She couldn’t even scold him…
“I should offer you some reward.”
“It’s alright, professor. Haha.”
“Let me buy you all a meal.”
“……”
“……”
A moment of silence fell.
The friends exchanged looks: ‘Someone try refusing, I dare you.’
“Thank you very much!”
When nobody spoke up, the junior answered brightly.
Everyone looked in shock at Eandurde, who simply tilted his head.
Wasn’t saying “thank you” the right thing to do when offered a meal?
“And this student is…?”
“A new student this year. The principal asked me to teach him for a bit.”
“Planning to bring him to my lecture?”
“?”
Lee Han didn’t get it right away.
Then he realized Voladi meant his own lecture.
“That’s up to the junior…”
“What do you teach?”
“‘Repetitive Study of Basic Magic Combat’…”
When his junior’s eyes lit up with interest, Lee Han panicked.
“Junior, it’s really not that fun of a lecture.”
“Lee Han, Lee Han. The professor’s right in front of you…”