Episode 697

Lee Han hesitated for a moment in shock at the utterly unreasonable demand he’d just heard.

“Wait, are you seriously telling me…?!”

Telling him to “avoid them yourself”—without the skeleton principal’s magic, avoiding contact with first-year students wouldn’t be easy at all.

In overly crowded Einrogard, he’d have to sense first-years before they approached, and if there were a lot of them, he’d have to stay invisible at all times.

Normally, Lee Han would just swallow reality and accept it with ‘Dang, professor, this is a bit much, but I’ll do my best since you’re the professor and I’m just a student and I respect your authority.’ But this was a challenge so daunting even he felt overwhelmed.

Poof!

However, just as he was about to protest the absurd difficulty, the skeleton principal finished his spell and vanished.

-He speaks less than last year.

-What did the principal say to you, senior?

-Said those who fail to graduate will be locked up forever in the punishment room.

-…T-That has to be a joke, right?

As the 2nd years stood bewildered, students from other years began to materialize in their current space.

The skeleton principal had split the overlapping spaces kaleidoscopically, superimposing multiple grades in a single location so he could simultaneously address all of them.

Then he’d made a duplicate of himself and delivered speeches tailored to each year.

‘He really wastes magic on the stupidest things!’

Lee Han forgot his urge to complain, dumbfounded by such ludicrous magical waste.

“Lee Han, it’s the seniors!”

“Look at their eyes—they’re trying to fool us!”

“Gainando, isn’t that a bit much…”

“You’re just saying that because you showed up late after winter break! All seniors are thieves!”

As the 2nd years found themselves face-to-face with 3rd and 4th years, the group buzzed.

Those like Lee Han and his friends, who’d experienced the seniors’ true wickedness during smuggling, watched warily; but the rest acted like baby birds meeting a mother for the first time.

“Senior, please take care of us well this year!”

“Ha ha, of course. By the way, are you familiar with smuggling?”

“Huh, what’s that?”

“You can still do it! Just–“

“……”

As the upperclassmen persisted in trying to improvise bait even at Einrogard’s entrance, Lee Han just shook his head.

“Blue Dragon Tower this way!”

“White Tiger Tower over here! No need to be friendly with other tower seniors. Gather with your own!”

“Don’t be tempted by any offer—even if it’s from a senior in your own tower! Do not make any trades today. I repeat, do not make any trades today!”

Still, not all seniors were unscrupulous.

Those 3rd and 4th years who knew how the system worked actively moved around, sorting 2nd years by tower and warning them firmly.

Angrago asked Lee Han,

“Wardanaz, what do you suppose those warnings mean?”

“Angrago, that warning means…”

“That’s right. Those seniors have sold out to the principal.”

“……”

Lee Han gave Angrago a look he usually reserved for Gainando.

But, surprisingly, Angrago wasn’t alone in thinking that way.

“Hey, so smuggling really is possible?”

“What? I’ve got some food. Can I get it in?”

“This auto-quill artifact could work, right…?”

The rumors that smuggling was possible spread quickly among the 2nd years.

Human greed is never easily stemmed.

Lee Han and his friends moved from tower to tower, trying their best to talk sense into the students.

“Friends, listen to me. Those seniors are just trying to use you.”

“Don’t go along with their words! Never trust the seniors!”

“Everyone, listen! Seniors are–“

But the response wasn’t as strong as expected. About half believed Lee Han, but the other half didn’t.

That’s how powerful the lure of temptation is.

“Maybe Wardanaz is the one trying to trick us?”

“Wardanaz is the principal’s favorite, you know. Maybe he’s spreading rumors on the principal’s orders so we can’t smuggle…”

“…Hey. Who said that? Step forward now.”

There are some things you just don’t say!

Furious, Lee Han called out, and the White Tiger Tower student quickly ducked away.

-Quiet! All years, move to your own areas!

-Silence! Making noise will bring consequences!

“Hey, are you interested in smuggling—”

Even when Death Knights appeared, one senior whispered from the edge of the 2nd-year area and was immediately sent flying backward.

His body was peppered with over ten pitch-black arrows.

“Gak!”

The Death Knight who’d fired the shadow element arrows shouted fiercely.

-Until inspection, do not make a fuss or move unnecessarily!

“Tsk tsk. That fool.”

“Should’ve used some sense.”

“……”

As the mood grew cold, Death Knights formed a perimeter around all the students at the main gate.

This was to guard against any surprise attacks, riots, revolts, ambushes, terrorism, and so on.

-There may be some who don’t understand, so let us explain. Einrogard is a sacred school of magic, protected by the strictest rules from ancient times! These rules must be observed as seriously as the most sacred laws!

“What utter nonsense.”

“That undead bastard’s lost his mind.”

All sorts of harsh curses were muttered among the 3rd and 4th years.

How can a rule against bringing in sugar and butter be an ‘ancient, strict tradition’?

-Therefore, no outside goods may be brought in without special permission. If caught, confiscation and even a trip to the punishment room may follow, so be warned!

“Yeah, yeah, just get on with it!”

“You call yourself a knight, robbing kids of their treasure? Is this what knighthood’s about?”

“Was there a clause about robbing the young in the Knight’s Oath?!”

-Enough! No more outbursts!

-Do not approach, student! If you move closer, we will regard that as a hostile act!

“Tch. Too bad.”

“……”

Lee Han realized just how varied the group of students gathered here truly was.

Some were clearly planning to sneak goods past the Death Knights’ eyes, while others just looked ready to outright bolt for freedom.

Even now there were a few approaching, provoking the Death Knights.

They truly were Einrogard students—anyone who survived their first year here was considered a proper mage outside, and those with even more experience were enough to keep even the Death Knights tense.

‘So. In this setup, maybe a revolt really is worth considering.’

If everyone here rebelled, surely it would be hard to stop them all.

If only it weren’t for the inevitable fallout afterward, it would be a tempting option.

-We will now begin inspection. Sixth-year and fifth-year students, step forward!

Lee Han watched some seniors he recognized—and some he didn’t—step up.

Being beyond fourth year, their numbers were noticeably small.

-Is that all your baggage?

“Yes.”

-You may go.

The Death Knights didn’t do a thorough check for fifth- or sixth-years.

The warehouse supervisor didn’t come either—they just went through the motions and waved them on.

A third-year tried to provoke them.

“You’re discriminating against students! Investigate them thoroughly!”

-Shut up! Do you not have a heart? Don’t you feel sorry for those poor seniors entering fifth-year?

“That’s harsh. Regardless, asking for extra scrutiny on a fifth-year is cruel, isn’t it!”

“Trash, that’s what you are!”

But surprisingly, this provocation backfired.

Not only the Death Knights but also the students all turned to scold the one who spoke.

No matter what, trying to torture someone who’s made it to fifth-year was going too far!

“……”

“……”

Of course, the fifth and sixth-years themselves didn’t look moved by the gesture.

Lee Han spotted Direte, after his inspection, looking quite bitter. Most other fifth-years seemed the same.

-It’s finished.

-Good. Do not lower your guard. From now on, second- through fourth-years will be inspected! Students who are done may return to their towers now!

‘Now the real test begins.’

With the fifth- and sixth-years gone, the grades most likely to try smuggling were left.

These students, even under the watchful eyes of the Death Knights and other upstanding seniors, managed to send covert messages to the second-years.

Interested in smuggling? If you’ve got stuff to move, sign up now!

There were message birds, telepathy, even notes floating in the air or on the floor.

Anyone serious about protecting their property, head northeast!

Lee Han exchanged glances with his friends.

“Ready?”

“Yeah.”

The most important goods had already gone underground, but at Einrogard, the most important thing was always the cleanup.

Confuse the enemy and make sure nothing can be traced.

To that end, Lee Han and his friends had prepared humble bags.

A few unimportant magic books, coffee, tea leaves, sugar, chocolates.

Even if those were confiscated, it would throw off the skeleton principal’s suspicions.

“Good luck, everyone. I’m off to meet some seniors.”

With his bag, Lee Han started contacting the seniors he’d arranged to meet.

“…Okay, so this box…”

“Right… Just put the box in your bag and carry it… They won’t check every single box, so at least one will get through…”

Finishing their whispered meeting, Dehumcha watched Lee Han leave, feeling satisfied.

Other less-prepared students scrambled to find second-year bait even now, but it wasn’t easy under so much surveillance.

With so many spoilers and Death Knights around, it wasn’t easy to persuade juniors and order them about.

You really had to prepare these things back in the city.

‘The early mage steals the most from the principal’s warehouse.’

“Then I’ll be off.”

“Yeah, yeah.”

Dehumcha’s plan was simple.

When commotion broke out in one line of the inspection, it would be easier to slip through others.

Of course, the one caught would be a junior!

-Step forward.

“Y-yes.”

Dehumcha crammed several boxes into his bag with magic and approached.

Ahead, one senior was already being caught and complaining.

“What do you mean I can’t bring my gold coins? I need them! I need tons of gold to test my plague to see if it really turns gold to lead!”

-You can earn it yourself. Gold from your family is not allowed.

“Why not?! Bring out the principal!”

-This gold will be confiscated and used as research funds for your whole year.

“Thieves! You vile undead!”

‘Tsk tsk.’

Dehumcha clicked his tongue inside.

People said seniors often lost their minds as the pressure to graduate mounted in fourth year, but getting busted so blatantly…

Sneaking in family gold only made the skeleton principal happy.

Dehumcha remembered seeing a senior caught with gold last year getting mocked every time the principal saw him: “Are you back to donate, benefactor? When’s your next donation?”

-Bonehead principal! Bonehead principal!

‘It’s starting!’

Hearing the bonecatcher parrot’s shriek, Dehumcha steadied his voice and began his performance.

“What! What’s this?!”

Dehumcha tried to push in with his bag extended.

But from Dehumcha’s bag, an unexpected squawk erupted.

-Bonehead principal! Bonehead principal!

“……”

-What do you think you’re doing?