Episode 761

Feeling that the Kalarogard professor found him strange after their long-overdue meeting, Professor Mortum hurried to clarify.

“He’s a second-year, but not just any second-year. He’s like a third, no, a fourth-year in a second-year’s body!”

“……”

Professor Taswhan was bewildered by Professor Mortum’s unconvincing claim.

What had happened to this Einrogard professor since they’d last met?

To think he would so seriously insist that 1+1=3…

“It’s true. Please, believe me.”

Professor Mortum wanted to reveal to his colleague that Lee Han was the Skull Principal’s disciple, but held back, fearing the opposite effect.

It wasn’t wise to mention a disciple to someone still under the principal’s curse.

“Hm… If you say so with such sincerity, I’ll accept it…”

Moved by Professor Mortum’s heartfelt attitude, Professor Taswhan had no choice but to accept.

Since he was a guest at Einrogard, it would not do to disregard the host’s goodwill.

Still, he could not help but think privately:

‘Could it be that Einrogard’s dark magic school is short on students too?’

A surprisingly accurate suspicion from Professor Taswhan.

• * *

“The seniors are really no joke.”

After climbing the embankment to scout around the field, Lee Han clicked his tongue.

A lion goes all out, even when hunting a rabbit.

And their current opponents weren’t underclassmen or even peers—they were seniors at Einrogard.

Any wizard who had survived an extra year or two in this hell could reasonably have all sorts of tricks up their sleeve.

‘The best plan would be a blitz attack.’

Professor Voladi’s doctrine of magical combat was always about speed.

No matter how powerful the wizard, if you strike first before they can cast grand spells, they’re forced into a corner.

That’s why a mage’s magical prowess did not directly translate to combat power.

Maintaining concentration and casting magic flawlessly under the chaos and urgency of battle required regular magical combat training.

He didn’t know how much the seniors were used to magic combat, so he wanted to ambush as quickly as possible…

But not a single one left the mushroom field, so it looked impossible to take them all out by surprise.

“Failed. I thought at least one or two would leave, but they’re all toughing it out with sleeping bags and blankets.”

“Amazing! That’s what makes them seniors.”

Siana set up a portable cauldron and placed an alchemist’s smoke screen on top. This was to keep the colored smoke that came up while making potions from alerting the seniors.

“What are you making now?”

“-Arekan’s Ferocious Beast Potion-.”

Yoner answered for her.

Holding a Meikin family-crest book in one hand, Yoner focused on the cauldron with a level of concentration that permitted no error.

“Arekan…?”

Arekan Meikin.

A great alchemist, famous centuries ago, and one of Yoner’s ancestors.

“You mean the great alchemist who created the prototypes for -Meikin Family’s Sweet Chocolate Bar- and -Meikin Family’s Magical Chocolate Éclair-?!”

“W-well, yes… but why those, out of all the great potions?”

Siana sounded embarrassed at Lee Han’s examples.

Of all the legendary potions the alchemist had made, why mention the chocolate bar and éclair?

“What are you talking about, Priest Siana? Do you have any idea how much those two bring into the Meikin family?”

“How would I know?”

“It says it in the imperial newspapers?!”

“The Meikin family’s profits are in the paper?!”

“No. Not directly, but if you look at the financial section, and do some calculating…”

Yoner cut in, irritated.

“Both of you, quiet.”

“Sorry.”

“Sorry.”

The two lowered their voices and whispered.

“So that book is like Arekan’s book of secrets?”

“Yes. He seems to be studying it in earnest this year. I brought a few Fleming Order secret books myself.”

Siana waved a small booklet engraved with her order’s mark.

Even within the alchemy school, the wizards’ paths splintered into hundreds of branches.

Yoner was following his family’s secrets, Siana her order’s techniques, Ilendil and other seniors were making artificial spirits and creating Death Forests…

‘No, that last example might’ve been a bit odd.’

Either way, as Lee Han saw his fellow second-years so quickly preparing their own research agendas, he felt a bit anxious.

“Am I being too passive, just following the lectures?”

“What nonsense… S-sorry.”

“……”

Seeing her friend’s hurt expression, Siana apologized again.

“Everyone else brought family or order secrets and is doing their own research, but I’m just…”

“You’re taking every school’s lectures.”

“…Yeah. I guess I put my foot in my mouth.”

“If you’re uneasy, why not learn -Arekan’s Ferocious Beast Potion- with me? Meikin is a good teacher.”

Siana assumed Lee Han would refuse.

He should be resting right now, but was pushing himself with the alchemy class.

He was already taking a ton of other lectures; there was no need to learn a non-required potion as well…

“Can I? Thanks.”

“……”

Siana looked at her friend with the pity of a priest staring at a terminally ill patient.

“What is it?”

“Haha. Nothing.”

Shhhk—

A bone rat suddenly scurried up, transformed into a sliver of bone before Lee Han. It was a message.

Guest from Kalarogard has arrived. Need a trustworthy dark magic school student. Please return.

Professor Mortum

“??”

“What’s up?”

“They say a guest from another school is here.”

“Wow!”

Siana’s eyes sparkled with excitement.

A visitor from another magic school!

“Wait. It’s not from Baldrogard, is it?”

“No. Kalarogard.”

“Phew. As long as it’s not Baldrogard…”

Lee Han wanted to ask what that meant, but there was something more important.

“Why are they calling me?”

“Hm. Since it’s a dark magic school… maybe they’re gathering all the dark magic students so you can exchange ideas?”

Siana reasoned from her own experience at the temple.

When priests from other orders visited with baskets of gifts, even the junior priests came out to talk about faith.

-Hehe. So this is how it’s completed.

-Amazing, Priest Siana of the Fleming Order! To know so much about alchemy at such a young age!

-Let me write a recommendation for you. To Einrogard! Priest Siana should learn at the Empire’s top school!

-But our Priest Siana is still so young, and the path of a mage is harsh…

-It’s fine! I’m sure I’ll manage!

‘…Now that I think about it, that was a mistake.’

Siana smiled bitterly.

Forgotten, painful memories returned.

She’d shown off too much after so much praise from visiting priests of other orders—and in the end, that had led her to be admitted to Einrogard…

Siana comforted herself, thinking she would’ve ended up at Einrogard anyway.

“What is it? You look upset.”

“I’m remembering the day I got into Einrogard.”

“Oh, that’s rough.”

“How did you end up at Einrogard?”

“I volunteered after graduation, planning to become an imperial official.”

“Aha.”

The snake-priest nodded.

Then, she thought to herself:

‘What kind of bizarre lie is that?’

If he didn’t want to talk, he could have just kept silent—not make up such an obvious story.

• * *

At the mention of an exchange, Lee Han brought Gainando, Imirg, and Raphadael with him.

“Gainando, I can’t make contact with you because of the prophecy. Got it? If you come near, I’ll attack.”

“You’re not saying this because I slacked off and played instead of studying, right?”

Gainando, unsure if it was a real prophecy or just a lecture scolding him, was bewildered.

Raphadael nodded as if he expected it.

“Keep provoking him and this is what happens. Hey, prince, you should’ve studied more instead of goofing off when we told you.”

“Y-yeah.”

Even Imirg agreed, making Gainando so aggrieved he nearly collapsed.

“I just played a little!”

“All three of you, enough. It’s not because you didn’t listen; the prophecy says misfortune will come if I touch the royal family.”

Lee Han briefly explained what he’d learned in prophecy magic class.

Hearing about one of the most unusual and bizarre branches of magic, everyone was amazed.

“I shouldn’t touch the royal family?”

“I get it! It’s Adenart!”

Gainando clapped as if he’d realized.

“Adenart brings misfortune to Lee Han! Not me!”

“H-how would the princess…”

“Who knows? Maybe she eats all of Lee Han’s food.”

“That’s more something you’d do.”

Raphadael and Imirg’s gazes were increasingly skeptical.

No matter how you looked at it, it seemed this prince would be the real harbinger of Lee Han’s misfortune.

“No, it’s not…!”

Cough “What’s all the commotion? Why are you all here?”

Seeing the group of second years flocking to the Black Vault, Professor Mortum was surprised.

“You said a guest from Kalarogard arrived? I brought friends since it’s an exchange meeting.”

“What? Cough It’s not… Well, there’s an exchange, but that’s only the wizard card club, and mostly it’s for reagent trading and a few book exchanges.”

Lee Han was even more confused at the professor’s explanation.

“Then why did you call me?”

“Cough I need someone to show our guests around Einrogard.”

“……”

“……”

“Shouldn’t a senior do that…?”

Imirg, in a small voice unfitting for his bulk, asked. Professor Mortum sighed.

“Right. It should’ve been Direte. But she’s in fifth year now, isn’t she?”

“Could… professor not know how to count to 3 and 4?”

Gainando muttered.

No one who understood the numbers 1, 2, and 5 would do this.

Instead of getting flustered, Lee Han took the task list from Professor Mortum and checked.

A seasoned Einrogard student gets to work instead of wasting time in shock.

‘Oh. The mushroom field is on here too.’

While pondering how to complete the errands quickly, Lee Han spotted ‘wizard card club exchange’ and called Gainando over.

“Gainando, good news. The guests are apparently interested in wizard cards this time.”

“Yeah…”

Gainando responded gloomily, shocking the others.

“What’s wrong with the prince?”

“S-some sort of terminal illness…”

“Is he acting sad so he won’t get hit if he expresses his excitement?”

Amazingly, Gainando remained sullen. Lee Han, perplexed, asked,

“Isn’t the wizard card club exchange your dream opportunity? What’s wrong?”

“Lee Han, actually… I’m not in the wizard card club.”

“???”

The three tilted their heads.

If the kid who’s always sung about the wizard card club since first year wasn’t a member—where did he end up?

“So what club did you join?”

“The wizard card collecting club.”

“Isn’t that the same?”

At Raphadael’s question, Gainando snapped.

“No! One is a club to enjoy wizard cards, the other is…”

“The what?”

“…A club that collects expensive wizard cards and resells them for even more…”

“……”

“I joined the wrong club…”

“Oh. That’s nothing.”

His friends lost interest right away.

While Gainando cussed behind them, Lee Han continued to hear out Professor Mortum.

“Cough This is the -Scepter of the Dark Magic School.- A useful artifact to use in battle.”

The scepter-shaped bone artifact was radiating powerful negative energy.

Some parts were cracked or broken, making him wonder if it was safe to use…

“And here is the school vault key. Cough If you need anything, use it. And this is the safe key. What’s inside is your reward.”

“Thank you.”

Even if Professor Mortum couldn’t count to 3 or 4, he wasn’t the kind to work a student for nothing.

Satisfied, Lee Han opened the safe with the bony key he’d just received.

Click!

Inside was a handful of imperial gold coins. Lee Han, about to scoop up his reward, hesitated.

“…Professor. Does our school have any other safes?”

“Cough No. Why?”

“……”

Lee Han, gathering up the school’s entire fortune, squeezed his eyes shut so he wouldn’t have to see the spider webs in the corner of the safe.