Episode 75

“It’s just pure academic curiosity.”

Ihan was skilled at deceiving professors.

Professor Quickstep was one of the Empire’s most famous explorers, but he never suspected that Ihan was searching for a flying mount to escape the school.

“It can be… arranged, I suppose.”

Professor Quickstep answered cautiously, watching Ihan’s expression to see if he noticed.

Thankfully, the boy from the House of Wodanaz didn’t seem to know.

That the “horse” in the freshmen’s stables was a griffon!

“This school lacks nothing, it’s so vast.”

“But there’s no hot meals, daily necessities, or student accommodations.”

Professor Quickstep pretended not to hear Ihan’s complaint.

“There’s nothing you can’t find—mountains, lakes, underground dungeons, you name it. If you look, there has to be something that flies.”

“If I find one, could I tame it?”

“That would be difficult. Even monster trainers who study for years have trouble with wild monsters, especially flying ones.”

Professor Quickstep spoke sincerely.

If taming were that easy, people wouldn’t choose to fight wild monsters when they run into them.

Besides, flying creatures are almost always temperamental and difficult.

It was hard for any freshman, both in patience and knowledge, to manage them.

“First, you have to know what kind of creature you’re dealing with. General knowledge won’t cut it. If you’re really familiar with its habits, you can slowly make friends and learn its traits… but that takes dozens of failures, even though it sounds easy.”

“Professor, if possible, may I get some instruction during your free time? Of course, I’m not planning anything reckless for now…”

That was a lie.

Ihan was already planning to seize the chance as soon as he was sure he could pull it off.

“…If the opportunity to tame a monster arises in the future, I don’t want to miss it.”

Ihan’s eyes burned with enthusiasm—there wasn’t a trace of insincerity.

Seeing that gaze, Professor Quickstep was suddenly motivated.

If a student’s this interested, then as a teacher, he has to step up.

“Alright! I’ll teach you in my spare time. Don’t regret it—it’s not easy study.”

It would be hard study—memorizing thick tomes about local monsters, then going out and facing them personally—but Professor Quickstep figured that if any boy could handle it, it was this one from the Wodanaz family.

With that kind of passion and enthusiasm, anything was possible.

‘Is he just interested in flying and exploration…?’

‘Find the creature with the most potential, tame it, and escape.’

Teacher and student nodded in agreement, each with different thoughts.

After their talk, Professor Quickstep wandered over to check out the vegetable garden where Ihan had finished his work.

And was stunned.

‘What the…?’

The garden Professor Thunderstep had given to Ihan wasn’t especially big or small. Thunderstep probably figured Ihan would plant a few vegetables and take what he needed.

But Ihan’s garden was packed so thoroughly that not a patch of ground was left bare.

Carrots, onions, potatoes, sweet potatoes, cabbages, and various other edible plants, and even chamomile, basil, rosemary, and other herbs that could be used as medicine—who knew where he’d found them all.

…Planning to start a farm?!

Noticing Professor Quickstep’s gaze, Ihan calmly responded.

“I was worried at first too.”

“…About what?”

“About whether I could plant so much in so little space. But thanks to the wood spirit staff, everything grows just fine. Isn’t that great?”

Professor Quickstep glanced at the jar of milk on the table.

It was set aside to give to Ihan when he left.

Now that he saw all this, that certainly wouldn’t be enough…

“…Wait a bit. You should eat something before going back.”

“??”

• * *

Ihan headed toward the dorm munching on a baked potato skewered on a stick.

If you forgot you were at a magic school, it was a romantic evening.

One arm carried a basket loaded with that day’s harvest, the other a skewer of freshly baked, salted new potatoes…

He felt like a prosperous farmer heading home after shopping at the market.

‘If I retire one day, I wouldn’t mind living like this.’

Maybe it was the mood, but the new potato tasted amazing. Just baked with salt, with each bite it melted warm in his mouth.

He understood why Professor Quickstep had grilled and handed it to him.

‘Was it just too good to eat alone? Or did he want to show off…’

Ihan never realized the potato Professor Quickstep grilled for him came from his own garden.

“?”

“Your Highness, I organized these materials from the library for you. Please accept them.”

“I asked other students what was needed for the assignment and made a list! It’ll help, Your Highness.”

“I found a book this time…”

‘What’s this?’

It was the princess and her followers.

Freshmen from every tower gathered to help the princess with her classes, volunteering whatever help they could.

Ihan chewed his potato and marveled.

‘There was a way like that!’

He almost wanted to report to the professors: “The princess is abusing her power and exploiting classmates,”—he felt that jealous.

Even if Ihan and friends spent all night running around the library, it was never enough, while the princess sat quietly and had information brought to her.

‘Is it due to royal blood? But then how does Gaenando explain… How do you even get followers like that?’

While Ihan pondered, the princess thanked her followers and climbed up with them.

From the stairs, chewing his potato, Ihan’s eyes met his friends’.

“Lovely evening, isn’t it?”

Ihan was unflustered. The princess’s followers all recognized his face and quickly bowed.

Wasn’t he the de facto ruler of Blue Dragon Tower from the House of Wodanaz?

If they got on his bad side, the princess’s life at Blue Dragon Tower would get rough—it was only natural to be careful.

“Greetings, Lord Wodanaz!”

When one of them said that, the others looked at her in surprise.

Should we follow…?

“Greetings, Lord Wodanaz!”

“G-greetings, Lord Wodanaz!”

“……”

Ihan glanced around instinctively. Thankfully, no one was watching.

‘Just my luck—get sent to detention for nothing.’

He wasn’t sure why the followers were trying to trip him up, but he stayed calm.

“Nice to meet you all. I see you were just talking with Her Highness.”

“Yes!”

“It is only thanks to Lord Wodanaz’s constant devotion to Her Highness that we remain ever loyal.”

“We look forward to your continued support!”

‘If I don’t take care of these guys, are they going to attack me?’

Fanatics are always scary. And the princess’s supporters existed outside the academy too.

Thinking of having to survive in society after graduation, he had to endure their unfair pressure.

“Of course. Don’t worry.”

He didn’t bother saying he got more silver coins for looking out for the princess.

‘Better change the subject.’

If this talk about tending to the princess went on, his unfair profits might get exposed. Ihan steered the conversation away.

“You all probably haven’t had dinner yet—would you like some?”

“…?”

Only then did the princess’s followers notice he was loaded down with bundles and holding out one of them.

It was a baked potato.

A cold-faced, sculpted aristocratic boy offering a fresh-baked skewered potato was enough to make anyone hesitate.

‘Is this a noble joke?’

‘Are we allowed to eat it?’

‘Is it a test?’

“Not eating?”

“Th-thank you, I’ll enjoy it?”

One of the students, apparently hungry, reached out and took the potato.

Ihan sprinkled salt on top. The student was briefly nervous it might be magic dust.

‘Oh. It’s just salt.’

“Is it okay?”

“It’s… delicious!”

Not just because he was watching the House of Wodanaz, but the skewer really was objectively delicious.

The student ate eagerly, burned his mouth, and started coughing and choking.

“Here, drink some milk.”

“Th-thank you.”

After putting a hot potato in his belly, the student felt like Ihan’s cold face softened.

…Was it a magic potato?

“Could we also…?”

“Sure. Help yourselves.”

The rest of the hesitant followers slowly reached for baked potatoes.

Under the warm evening sunshine, the first-years got a little closer over baked potatoes.

“Her Highness should have some too!”

“What nonsense—what if Her Highness is insulted? What if she’s angry!”

One student tried to offer the potato to the princess, but his friends stopped him and he withdrew his hand.

Ihan sensed that the princess’s expression, usually so stolid, now looked faintly deflated.

Rather like a hungry Gaenando…

‘That’s too harsh a comparison.’

Ihan felt a little guilty.

Come to think of it, the princess hadn’t had breakfast this morning either.

He slipped her some potato, out of sight of the others.

“There’s a bit left—maybe you’d like a taste…”

While the students had their backs turned, Ihan clearly saw the princess, not even cutting it, try to bite the baked potato whole after peeling it.

“Cut it! Cut and eat it!”

“……”

The princess lowered the potato and calmly cut it up before chewing.

The students turned to Ihan and looked, puzzled.

“What should we cut?”

“The potato. Cut it up before you eat it.”

“Haha, Lord Wodanaz. No matter how hungry we are, we don’t just swallow things. Of course we cut them—always.”

“……”

Ihan looked from the princess to the student and thought,

‘That guy’s not going to get ahead in life…’

• * *

Next morning.

Having finished chores at the stables, Ihan set off with friends to Professor Garcia’s .

Ihan yawned. Seeing how tired he looked, Yoner asked worriedly,

“You look sleepy. You didn’t sleep well?”

“I slept fine, but I had a nightmare…”

“What sort of dream?”

“A dream with a professor in it.”

Yoner didn’t ask further for the sake of Ihan’s mental health.

Apparently last night’s Professor Boladi class had left an impression; Ihan dreamed of Boladi riding a wild griffon through flaming hoops, ordering him to control water orbs. A true nightmare.

“Good morning, everyone.”

“Good morning, Professor!”

When Professor Garcia came in, Ihan’s heart felt warm and at ease.

He’d never expected, before enrolling, that meeting a troll would bring peace of mind.

“Last week, Professor Mortum visited to teach us about black magic, right?”

Cries of “gasp” sprang up around the room.

Was it black magic again? Their voices trembled with fear.

“This week, another professor has come to tell us about summoning magic.”

“WOOOOOOOO!”

Ihan suddenly felt sorry for Professor Mortum, who wasn’t even in the room.