Episode 762

“Is this really okay?”

“Are you sure there isn’t another safe?”

The other dark magic school friends muttered to each other, evidently having similar thoughts as Lee Han.

No matter what, was it possible that the safe for an entire Einrogard school could be so empty?

“Cough. Dark magic is a poor man’s magic by nature.”

“…”

“…”

Now that they were all second-years, Professor Mortum spoke the raw truth without hesitation.

It was normal for the safe of the dark magic school to be empty.

Generally speaking, magic school safes were filled with donation fees paid in gratitude when students completed outside requests, or with additional research support funds for submitted research plans.

Sometimes sales from magic-related items crafted within the school would help too…

…But the dark magic school lost out in all those ways.

Requests?

The Empire’s requests fell into lucrative or non-lucrative jobs, and the dark magic school mainly only got non-lucrative work.

‘The paying requests usually go to nobles or merchants, and those are hard to land here.’

From consultations about magical items, tutoring, to magical services for banquets.

Such things were no harder now, and the pay was generous.

…And those requests rarely went to the dark school.

Most dark magic school requests were from poor villagers asking for undead to be cleared from graveyards, or for curses running rampant in polluted swamps to be handled.

Rewarding, maybe, but not profitable.

Research support?

Research plans submitted by dark school students usually didn’t win much funding.

-I’m developing a low-circle spell for carriage wheels to improve the Empire’s transit network.

-That’s a good idea.

-I’m researching prophecy magic to predict the weather for suffering eastern farmers.

-Risky, but worthwhile.

-I developed a poison that instantly kills a blade demon in my last study. Next, I want to make one that instantly kills a bronze demon.

-Do you think the empire’s treasurer hands out money for any proposal you throw in?

‘Definitely a disadvantage.’

Having met imperial examiners with the Skull Principal over winter break, Lee Han knew well how hard it was to get funding.

Officials basically favored magic that benefited running the Empire; ultimate spells or legendary poisons held little appeal for them.

And magical item sales? Dark-magic items weren’t very popular either…

“Cough. Still, don’t worry.”

At Professor Mortum’s words, Lee Han’s friends brightened a little.

Maybe there was a source of cash coming in after all.

“Does the principal ever donate to the dark school?”

“What are you talking about?”

“You said not to worry…”

“Good grief. Cough. I just meant it’s fine since dark magic gets by even when we’re poor.”

“…”

Now second-years, they were hearing Professor Mortum’s raw, unfiltered truth.

All the students looked appalled, but Lee Han remained calm. He’d seen glimpses of this even as a first-year.

‘Things were a mess then too, all because of no supplies.’

Indeed, the dark magic school was good at coping with nothing.

Even just looking at the enchanters, that professor would toss ingredients on the floor if he didn’t like their quality.

If you did that in the dark school, even as a professor, Direte senior might beat you up.

“Professor, then where did these gold coins come from?”

Lee Han, curious, asked. Professor Mortum, his memory fuzzy, thought it over.

“Direte brought them… was it from a request? For funding? From a sale?”

‘…I’ll just have to do something myself.’

Hearing Professor Mortum, Lee Han was wracked with guilt.

Whether by running requests for donation fees, submitting grant proposals in the school’s name, or just selling magic items, he felt he ought to gather up some extra funds.

Gainando, uneasy, asked, “Professor, if we’re this poor, won’t we have trouble getting new juniors? Did any join this year?”

At the prince’s question, Professor Mortum made a circle with his fingers. Gainando sighed in relief.

“Thank goodness. At least they came in.”

“Cough. What? That means there are still zero.”

“…”

“…”

The second-year students suddenly felt a powerful sense of duty as dark school students.

• * *

“Greetings, Professor Taswhan. I’m Lee Han. These are my friends, Gainando, Imirg, and Raphadael.”

“Cough. Nice to meet you all.”

Professor Taswhan responded warmly to the Einrogard students’ welcome.

Gainando said sadly,

“Is your health suffering because of your dark magic studies? All those curses and poisons…”

“…You could say that.”

‘What?’

Lee Han felt the professor was hiding something.

It wasn’t clear there could be anything to hide in this situation.

“This is my disciple, Agdung. A fourth-year from Kalarogard.”

“???”

The dark-magic-student called Agdung bowed politely.

With a clatter of bones, the skeleton mage lifted his hat and bowed, confusing Lee Han’s friends.

‘Why’s he a skeleton??’

“Professor Taswhan, may I ask something?”

“What is it?”

As Lee Han spoke, his friends nodded. Evidently they too sensed something strange.

“Where are the other students?”

“They’re resting—the journey triggered some poisons. Looks like Agdung will have to handle everything here alone.”

“I see. Understood.”

Lee Han nodded, accepting that the others were resting.

A long journey was tough on fragile wizards.

“…Wardanaz!”

“What is it, Raphadael?”

“Is that it?!”

“??”

Lee Han looked at his friend as if to say, ‘Why are you acting up?’

“Are you telling me to ask for the reward already? That feels a bit out of line, Raphadael.”

“…That’s not it! Look! Isn’t it weird that Senior Agdung is a skeleton?!”

“Oh.”

It was then that Lee Han finally got what Raphadael meant.

“I mean, it can happen. One of the Einrogard seniors walks around in golem form.”

“…”

“…”

His friends were baffled.

Was that… was that normal?

‘Is it just me who’s being narrow-minded?’

“Don’t fight over me, please. Hahaha. I see you’re all flustered because I’m transformed into a skeleton mage, right?”

Agdung stepped in to reassure the Einrogard students.

“It’s because of some dark magic research—don’t overthink it.”

“What are you researching?”

“Oh! Turning the human body into an undead. See, it’s too risky to just become a lich and toss your mortal flesh, so I’m aiming to keep some permanent human organs, and turn the rest undead—”

“Ah.”

Quickly reaching a conclusion, Lee Han and his friends quietly stepped away.

He’s insane!

It was a moment to remind themselves why dark magic wasn’t so popular in the Empire.

• * *

But Agdung turned out to be a sociable, friendly skeleton mage.

He was so witty and fun, he made the students almost forget about his crazy research.

“You’re into wizard cards? What kind of deck do you like, Gainando?”

“D-dark magic curse deck…”

“Hm? What deck did you say?”

“D-dark magic curse deck.”

“Ah, that’s a great deck! Lots of people at Kalarogard are trying to build that one.”

“Really?!!”

Gainando’s eyes went wide with excitement.

Could a school this wonderful exist?

“Of course! Some people who don’t know any better say it’s a cheap deck, but there’s no such thing as cheap when it comes to winning. Otherwise, what’s the point of playing wizard cards at all? We’ll have a club exchange match soon—want to join?”

“…I’m not actually in that club…”

“Oh, what a shame.”

“C-could we duel separately…?”

“I can’t do that, Gainando. Can’t use time for things off the schedule.”

Gainando cursed himself for not double-checking the club name.

This could have been his chance to find a kindred spirit for his wizard card philosophy!

“Raphadael. The Gral family is a famous knight house for anti-dark magic, right? So why learn dark magic?”

“…Right. To be honest, I don’t actually like dark magic—I want to learn its weaknesses…”

“I respect that attitude, Raphadael! Only true knights make sacrifices like that.”

“…Y-yeah?”

Raphadael was delighted at praise from dark mages for the first time.

His friends always taunted, ‘Admit it, you love dark magic’—but this!

“Imirg, can I ask why you study dark magic?”

“U-um, lots of undead spawn on the outskirts of the city, so I wanted to stop them…”

“Admirable, Imirg. Not many study dark magic for such noble reasons.”

Imirg blushed at the compliment.

Most dark magic mages seemed to have loftier goals, so providing service to the Empire’s towns sounded a bit modest.

“Lee Han. I didn’t get to ask your background—which house are you from?”

“Wardanaz.”

Crunch-crash-bam!

“?!”

The skeleton mage fell over, scattering a few bones, startling Lee Han.

“Are you all right?!”

“Y-yeah. Just tripped on a stone.”

Agdung assembled his shinbone, inwardly shocked.

‘Shit!’

When Professor Taswhan had first said, “This year, the second years are doing the guiding,” Agdung had wondered, “Does the Einrogard dark school have no one?”

But it turned out to be the Wardanaz heir.

It made sense. He was the Skull Principal’s disciple.

‘Wait, he’s only in second year?!’

When he’d heard last winter that Lord Gonadaltes was seen with a Wardanaz disciple, he’d assumed it was a fourth- or fifth-year, but only a second-year?

‘I’ve met the Skull Principal’s disciple face to face…’

Heart or no, Agdung was about to faint with nerves.

Just seeing the effect the Skull Principal had on Professor Taswhan was proof enough: getting tangled with the Lord was never wise.

And being tangled with his disciple was just as bad.

“Here. Let me help you up.”

“Yes! Thank you so much!”

“…?”

Lee Han sensed something off in Agdung’s reply.

“What did you just say?”

“T-thank you.”

“Do you have any bad memories involving the Wardanaz family?”

“W-what? Why would I, Lee Han? Who could have anything but good feelings for the pillar of the Empire, the Wardanaz house?”

‘He’s hiding something!’

Lee Han was not oblivious to his reaction.

The guest clearly had some bad memory involving the Wardanaz house.

‘Damn. Did he run into demons visiting Udumhwa Village? No, it wouldn’t be the estate…’

While the other dark magic school friends got on well with the guest, Lee Han found himself ostracized for his family name alone. Too unfair.

“A-Anyway. Lee Han. About the mushroom field—I know where it is, too. I’ll just go get what you need, so you and your friends can rest here! Sorry for such a trivial errand!”

“Pardon? Enough time has passed that the map probably isn’t accurate, and I need to gather some things myself at the field. Let’s just go together?”

“T-then how about this?”

“?

“I’ll get what you need too, so you won’t have to bother.”

“…”

Seeing Lee Han’s suspicious look, Agdung realized he’d said something wrong.

Sure, it was odd for a fourth-year guest to offer to run errands for a second-year.

“K-just kidding! Haha.”

“…”