Episode 752

Professor Garcia was a little flustered, but soon regained his composure and carefully inspected the artifact.

The important thing right now was saving the student.

The principal had often said, “A great wizard never spares the means for his goal,” so surely he’d understand.

‘…And if he doesn’t, oh well!’

“Wait. An ancient relic, a power that pierces worlds. If it’s a stone in the principal’s collection in the form of a pebble… isn’t this the Stone of Saint Iaactus?”

After inspecting the artifact, Professor Garcia was shocked again.

The overwhelming magic power locked within the stone was not just brute-force mana compressed and crammed inside.

It was a world unto itself.

With immense magic power, an entirely new world had been formed within the stone.

And that world’s only purpose was penetration.

A stone containing a world—a world of order created solely for piercing through, for overcoming any obstacle before it.

Any mage knew how absurd the idea of a “spear that can pierce anything” was, but this stone brought such tall tales to mind.

It was that destructive.

“The principal called it by another name.”

“That’s probably because he thinks, rather than the user’s, the maker’s name should be attached…”

Professor Verdus made a muffled noise of agreement.

Artifacts were usually named for the maker, not the user.

But there were always exceptions to the rule.

If the user was truly legendary, sometimes it was their name that stuck instead.

“You can’t just use this as is, Professor Baegrek. It’ll burn your body away.”

Professor Garcia spoke worriedly.

Even powerful artifacts put a burden on the user; an ancient relic like this, with its own special name, would be overwhelming.

The Stone of Saint Iaactus had felt dangerous even as a legend told by the principal, but seeing it in person made its menace clear.

Neither Professor Garcia nor Professor Baegrek would be exempt from its price.

Such an artifact called for tricks or circumvention…

“There is a way.”

Professor Voladi reached toward Professor Verdus. Professor Garcia, startled, exclaimed,

“You can’t possibly force Professor Bible to use it!”

A kidnapping was as far as Garcia’s conscience would allow, but forcing someone to use an artifact, pushing the backlash onto them, was crossing a line.

At that, Professor Voladi looked at Garcia with the slightest hint of confusion.

“…Is that not it?”

“No.”

Professor Garcia became sheepish.

He hadn’t realized he was the only one thinking of human sacrifice.

Professor Voladi severed the binding magic on Professor Verdus’s arms.

Immediately, Professor Verdus started to perform hand seals to cast a spell.

Whack!

Professor Voladi subdued him again.

“Stay put.”

“Mmmmmm…”

This time, even when freed, Professor Verdus didn’t resist.

Accepting reality, he looked as sullen as a beaver whose den had collapsed.

“Use this artifact.”

Professor Voladi took out another ancient relic and offered it to the beaver-handed wizard.

Seeing the jewel, shining like a bead of water, Professor Garcia screamed.

“A drop of Anabaldada?!”

According to legend, an ancient relic said to protect its owner from any karmic flame—for Garcia to see it himself was truly astounding.

“How in the world did you get this, Professor Baegrek?!”

“Borrowed it from the principal’s office.”

“……”

Professor Garcia was starting to get worried.

He and Professor Verdus didn’t much care whether they ended up in the punishment room, the deep punishment room, or the eternal punishment room, but Professor Baegrek—he was the one who’d dragged him along.

And how trashed was the principal’s office after obtaining those two artifacts? The more damage to the office, the angrier the skeleton principal tended to get.

“Let’s proceed.”

“Ah, yes. Let’s wait until the students are gone before going in.”

Professor Garcia planned to handle things as quietly as possible.

Usually, Einrogard professors didn’t go searching for missing students themselves.

For three professors (one of them still bound, no less) to show up to rescue Lee Han was a little embarrassing in front of the other students.

But Professor Garcia had an excuse of sorts.

‘No student who’s ever gone missing in Einrogard was kidnapped by the principal’s crazy doppelgänger…!’

All Einrogard’s students were unlucky, but some were a little unluckier than others.

Professor Garcia thought exceptional rules should apply for such students.

“Now.”

The three professors cast invisibility and quietly entered the campground.

It being a weekday afternoon, there were no students around. They’d left their projects behind and returned to school.

Professor Garcia, feeling guilty for skipping his own lectures, looked a little ashamed.

“Sigh. I feel bad for the other students…”

“?”

“?”

Professor Verdus and Professor Voladi looked at Garcia as if they didn’t understand.

Professor Garcia realized these two were the last people he should be sharing his guilty conscience with, so he changed the subject.

“…Shall we get started?”

“This spot looks good.”

Professor Voladi pointed to the magic tent the fifth-year students had used.

The enchantments securing a wide space inside the tent were positioned right in front of the weakened spot in the archmagic—perfect for their work.

Professor Garcia entered, grateful for the students’ excellence. The three professors dispelled their invisibility and looked around inside.

“This is…”

“Mmbbb?”

Professor Voladi removed Verdus’s gag.

Professor Verdus looked at the magic arrays and work ongoing in the tent and said,

“This looks like Yukbeltire’s work?”

“Don’t be ridiculous, Professor Bible. There’s no way Student Yukbeltire would come here just to help Lee Han.”

“B-but it really does look like her work… what the?”

Professor Verdus was baffled.

Yukbeltire wasn’t the sort to come help a junior.

But the magic in the tent was hers.

The contradiction short-circuited Professor Verdus’s logic.

“And that’s not important right now. What matters is whether we can borrow this.”

“Exactly.”

“Right. We can start right away.”

“Let’s do it then.”

Professor Garcia picked up the pebble and the drop of water.

Just then, the tent flap opened and Direte entered alone.

“That jerk. Not even a real friend. Running off to check her own research at a time like this…!”

Cursing his anonymous Blue Dragon Tower friend, Direte was surprised to see three professors inside.

“…What are you all doing here?”

“Uh… well…”

The three professors were just as flustered as Direte.

“We’re working.”

“Preparing a rescue.”

Actually, only Professor Garcia was flustered.

Professors Verdus and Voladi were perfectly composed.

Fortunately, Direte realized the situation instead of causing a ruckus about “the professors only rescuing a Wardanaz” or “Principal! Look what the staff are doing!”

“You came to help my junior?!”

“Shh, shh… Student Direte, keep your voice down.”

“I didn’t think all three of you would come…!”

Direte was genuinely moved.

Unlike seniors and friends, to see even professors appear like this…

And it was even Professor Voladi and Professor Verdus.

“I’m not—! I was kidnapped—ack.”

When Garcia gently slapped his back, Professor Verdus went limp with a last gasp.

“That’s right, Student Direte. The three of us came. Of course, if it were any typical Einrogard student, they’d have to find their way out on their own, but against the principal’s doppelgänger…”

“I agree completely!”

Direte cried out passionately.

After talking to a cold-blooded, anonymous Blue Dragon Tower friend, talking to someone normal like Professor Garcia felt wonderful.

Rules could always have exceptions.

No matter how he thought about it, this was an exceptional case.

“But professor, my friends and I hit a wall at this point. Do you know of any way to break through, or any counter-magic?”

“There is a way.”

“!”

Direte was impressed.

As expected, the depth of the faculty’s magical knowledge was beyond comprehension.

Even as a fifth-year, Direte couldn’t imagine ever having such wisdom.

“We’ll use an ancient relic to pierce it.”

“……”

Direte was a little bewildered by the unexpected method, but took it positively.

As expected of professors—they had ancient relics ready to use.

“That’s incredible, to make artifacts like this.”

“We stole them from the principal’s office.”

“……”

The mood turned awkward after Professor Verdus’s comment.

Direte replied with an awkward laugh.

“I—I steal stuff when I need it too.”

“So do I.”

“…Let’s just get to work.”

“Ah, just a second. Let me contact my junior. He must be having a tough time holding out right now.”

• * *

Lee Han laid bacon on a hot frying pan with telekinesis. The sizzle sent fat spattering.

Crack—

The eggs behind him floated up into the air, broke themselves, and dropped gently into the pan. Lee Han allocated half the precious oil for eggs, and saved the rest for toasting bread.

Spend any length of time in Einrogard and you learn to conserve even oil.

“……”

Antagondals looked at Lee Han as if he were the most pathetic and idiotic wizard in the world.

If he didn’t hide behind a silver mask, the look of utter contempt would have been obvious.

“Would you like some?”

“No. I don’t need food. More importantly, what are you using telekinesis for?”

“Excuse me? Don’t other mages use it for chores?”

“Yes, but not for cooking!!”

Antagondals spoke in a tone as if witnessing an insult to magic.

Using telekinesis for alchemy or preparatory magical procedures, sure—but there wasn’t a mage alive who’d use a 5th-circle spell just for frying eggs and bacon.

If you could, you’d just employ a servant or a slave.

“I’m not an archmage, so it’s fine.”

“What nonsense—”

Before he could finish, the crazy doppelgänger suddenly strode in.

After putting his own share on a plate, Lee Han turned to the doppelgänger and asked,

“Would you like some?”

The truth was, he didn’t really want to share—but when dealing with someone you disliked, it was best to be overly polite and avoid complaints.

Otherwise, he could have lost his meal.

Antagondals stared at Lee Han in horror.

‘Is he fearless?’

At a time when he should’ve been extra cautious before escaping, he was babbling nonsense even to the crazy doppelgänger!

But the doppelgänger, instead of getting angry, gave a sign of acceptance.

“Bring it here.”

“Yes.”

Lee Han set the freshly made coffee and food before him.

The crazy doppelgänger calmly reached out with his bare hands and started to eat.

‘…Am I the one who’s gone insane?’

Antagondals was genuinely scared—these surreal goings-on were beyond his comprehension.