Episode 704

“R-right, this is it… Wait, so the warehouse you said you got from a graduate was this one?!”

Last time, when talking through the artifact, Direte had dismissed it with, “Don’t be ridiculous,” so he was surprised again.

Lee Han just looked at him, as if to say, “Why are you surprised now?”

“I told you earlier, didn’t I?”

“Yeah, that’s… right.”

Seeing his junior act like this was all perfectly normal actually helped Direte calm down a bit.

For this junior, meeting a graduate in the punishment room and getting a secret base as a present was just another day.

So Direte tried to remain calm, too…

‘…No. HE’S the weird one.’

He tried to manage the weird feeling inside.

Direte examined the artifact.

The senior who had installed this notebook-style artifact clearly did so to secure a stable supply of mana.

Magical artifacts were convenient tools for mages, but no tool could use magic without cost.

The most important thing was securing mana. The more powerful the artifact’s effects, the greater the mana required.

This communication artifact was simple—just exchanged written messages.

But that alone took a fair bit of mana—especially since it lacked its own mechanisms for collecting or generating magic.

Direte himself periodically charged it up with mana, even submerging it in reagents…

‘So the old senior must have tied it into the magic flowing through the base.’

Watching how another senior did things, Direte realized something.

“Wait, there’s no real reason you have to keep this fixed here, is there? If you just carry it, it’ll charge by itself.”

“Huh?”

“This artifact—he fixed it here just to draw from the room’s mana, that’s all.”

“Oh, you can do that? I just left it since it was stuck in place…”

“If you’re okay with it, I’ll detach it for you.”

With Lee Han’s approval, Direte began working with his wand and a paper knife, etching a simple sigil.

Unlinking an artifact anchored to a room’s mana wasn’t trivial. It needed both enchanting expertise and precise awareness of the local magical flow. Otherwise, you could fry the artifact or splash mana all over, causing weird effects.

Lee Han watched Direte work with admiration.

“Amazing. Did you study enchanting magic too?”

“Not formally. I just picked up what I needed. If you study black magic, you run into so many cursed items, so you gotta learn how to use enchanting magic at least a bit.”

“……”

Completely unaware he’d just said something that would make black magic less popular, Direte kept working.

Ssssh—

With a burst of energy, the notebook was free. Direte, after carefully checking where it had been connected, handed the artifact to his junior.

“Here. It’s a useful piece, so keep it safe and don’t let anyone steal it.”

“How about disguising it as some other grimoire?”

“Not bad.”

Lee Han picked up a quill and wrote on the notebook: -On the Great Life and Achievements of Gonadaltes-.

Direte, keeping a straight face, advised:

“No one will steal it, but if someone catches you with that, they’ll think you’re insane.”

“I see.”

Lee Han erased the title and wrote -Bible Verdus’ Diary- instead.

Direte silently took the notebook, erased that, and wrote -Whispers of Einrogard-.

“There. Now no one will care about it.”

“Thank you, senior.”

“If you need anything or need help, message me. I can’t always reply instantly, but I check it when I can.”

Lee Han nodded, his eyes glittering with gratitude.

What other senior would help a junior like this? One Direte was worth a hundred Yukveltire-types.

“Wait, this mirror—oh, is this the other communication artifact you mentioned?”

“Yes. That person was completely insane.”

Lee Han grumbled, badmouthing the person on the other side of the mirror.

That person had treated Lee Han as an oddball with bad social skills just because he knew Illendil and took Black Magic.

Direte was indignant.

“Who was it?”

“Extremely rude. They even called me eccentric just because I’m from House Wardanaz!”

“And?”

“…Senior, why aren’t you upset about that part?”

Direte caught himself, realizing he’d been about to brush it off.

“Truly rude!”

“Thank you. Besides that… after hearing rumors, they tried to rope me into their research.”

“Unbelievable. Let’s put a stop to Yukveltire for a while, and now others are popping up everywhere…”

Direte sighed.

Personally, he thought the school’s “First-Year Protection” rule should be extended to cover second-years too.

At this rate, his junior looked like a lamb left defenseless, ringed by senior wolves drooling outside the fence.

“Don’t worry, senior. I can say no.”

“…Right. You are a tough one.”

“?”

“Be careful when talking to others. Don’t give in easily. You still talk to that person?”

“I chatted from time to time last year. The information’s useful…”

Direte nodded in understanding.

At Einrogard, one often had to work with seniors or peers not for their personality, but for survival or research’s sake.

Even if someone was trash, it was worth keeping in touch for information.

“You haven’t been found out, have you?”

“Don’t worry. My act is perfect—they’d never suspect. I posed as a rough, rude third-year… well, now fourth-year. That’s my cover.”

“They probably think you’re from the White Tiger Tower?”

“…I guess!”

Actually, the other side thought he was Black Turtle Tower, but Lee Han kept that to himself for Direte’s sake.

Direte was a Black Turtle Tower alum, not White Tiger.

“Hmm. Not a bad cover, then.”

“Right?”

“Then let me move this artifact too.”

Direte began extracting the core spell from the mirror.

It was more complicated than the notebook, and Lee Han assisted at his side.

“Can you arrange the reagents and stabilize?”

“Yes.”

“Here, magic emission… no, that’s probably too much for you.”

“I can do it. Professor Verdus taught me.”

Lee Han instantly cast -Bible’s Magic Emission-.

The nearly perfect execution left Direte not sure whether to praise or feel bad.

Regardless, Lee Han was an excellent assistant—never asked twice, could find any reagent, and never needed rest.

“This is… odd.”

“?”

“It’s not a very old artifact, but the spells inside are modern.”

At Einrogard, plenty of artifacts were over a hundred years old.

The notebook they used was likely found in some antique warehouse.

Old artifacts had magical “flavors” that experts could read.

But this mirror was packed with current magic, and the craftsmanship was undeniably refined.

Flash!

Lee Han’s notebook flashed, absorbing a new spell. Direte checked the mana demand and clicked his tongue.

“This will use a lot more mana than I thought. Hope you’ll be okay.”

“……”

Lee Han knew he’d be fine, but felt a little let down by Direte’s lack of concern.

‘Isn’t there a chance I won’t be okay?’

If the mana draw was higher than expected…

“Any other artifacts to move into storage?”

“Hmm. There’s a paper artifact I got last year…”

Lee Han took out the paper artifact he’d received for tackling the Tower of Rewards as top student.

It was a message artifact for up to eight people—shared with Giselle, Adenart, Angrago, Salko, Shyles, Tijilling, and Nigisor.

Direte was surprised.

“The more people you add, the harder this gets.”

“I’ve never actually used it.”

Direte nodded, not surprised.

It needed to be charged with magic, but all Lee Han’s friends were first-years, and charging magic could be tough.

“Then…”

“Should I just sell it?”

“…No matter how broke you get, don’t sell something like this. You know how useful it is to keep in touch with your friends?”

“It’s never felt that useful…”

Lee Han recalled last year’s messages—most were annoying or needy requests for help.

“Don’t sell it. I’ll teach you how to charge it. Tell your friends.”

Direte tucked the paper bundle into the notebook and explained.

“First, collect the tainted blood of a Subterranean Corruptor from the dungeons…”

“Senior, I don’t think my friends can get those easily.”

“Yeah, that… That was my mistake. I’ll give you an easier method.”

He explained a simpler way: on a night when the moon’s at its highest, use a silver goblet and pure water and let moonlight charge it for two hours…

‘Or I could just find a Subterranean Corruptor and sell the blood…’

Lee Han mused at how much hassle all this was.

• * *

If there were an “Outstanding Senior of Einrogard” award, Direte would surely be a finalist. He helped with all the leftover chores without a peep.

They tidied up the secret base, hauled goods to the hut outside…

‘How did he get a ghost chicken?’

Direte wondered.

There was no way a first-year could’ve gotten such a beast.

“Who built this hut? It’s so clean.”

“Professor Baegrek.”

‘Shouldn’t have asked.’

Direte regretted it, but as long as he was asking, he ventured more.

“What’s it for? Don’t tell me it’s to ambush people somewhere?”

“Haha. There’s no need to build a new one for that. No one comes to the underground classrooms. This is for raising a basilisk. It’ll sleep here once it’s too big to carry around.”

Lee Han spoke like it was the most normal thing in the world.

For now, it was small enough to fit on a bracelet, but a basilisk was a giant-class monster by nature.

-?!

Of course, to the baby basilisk, Lee Han’s words came as a shock like the sky falling.

Its tail, just poking out of his sleeve, shivered with disbelief. Direte, flustered, said:

“Uh… junior. That basilisk looks traumatized.”

“Huh? It’s probably just hungry.”

“No… I think it’s something different…”