Episode 763

Feeling the weight of all the stares, Agdung hastily changed the subject.

“Well then, why don’t we all head out to the mushroom field together? Haha! What lovely weather!”

“There’s no sunlight here, though?”

It was the first time Gainando had heard anyone call it “lovely weather” near the Black Vault.

Even upbeat people said they got depressed near the Black Vault…

“By dark mage standards, it’s lovely!”

“???”

“Let’s go! Let’s go!”

As Agdung dashed off in the lead, Gainando whispered to Lee Han.

“Lee Han, people from Kalarogard are a little weird.”

“That could be…”

• * *

Having finished their potion and waiting, Yoner and Siana were startled by the Kalarogard student’s arrival.

“You say you planted spores here at this mushroom field eleven years ago?!”

“Shouldn’t you ask about him being a skeleton first…?”

Siana murmured that, but the topic quickly shifted.

“That’s right. My professor and some seniors found this field while scouting for a good spot back then.”

Lee Han and his friends murmured among themselves at the upperclassman from another school’s story.

“Then, in effect, ownership of this field should go to them, right?”

“You think our seniors will listen?”

“He’s a guest from another school—surely they won’t just ignore him. He even brought some evidence.”

Lee Han pointed to the scroll Agdung presented.

It detailed the field’s location, species of mushroom spores planted, dates, etc.

“We just finished -Arekan’s Ferocious Beast Potion-. Should we use it? If we don’t use it today, the effect will wear off.”

Siana seemed reluctant to not use the painstakingly finished potion.

But her friends (including Yoner) voted for peaceful negotiations first. Siana grumbled.

“You people seem to have no idea how hard it is to make a potion!”

“Truly sorry, Siana of the Fleming Order. But since you’re here as a guest from Kalarogard, I’d really like to avoid conflict if possible. Your priestly potion does look amazing and I’d love to try it just once, but…”

“Well, can’t help it.”

Siana quickly forgave him at the compliment. Yoner, listening, asked curiously,

“Are there any rules against fighting other schools in Kalarogard?”

“Oh, nothing like that. It’s just if you get into fights with Einrogard students, you usually get ruined.”

“……”

“……”

Lee Han and his friends all felt needlessly sorry for the sins of their seniors’ seniors.

“Uh, sorry.”

“No need to apologize! It’s not like you did it!”

Agdung waved off their apologies and stepped up. Yoner, following, whispered,

“He’s kinder than he looks.”

“Yeah, but his attitude’s different just with me. Guess something happened with the Wardanaz house.”

“That’s too bad. Wish there was a chance to talk.”

Lee Han nodded at Yoner’s words.

If only he got a chance to really talk, he was ready to explain the Wardanaz name’s reputation.

After all, demons were really just like laborers…

“What’s with all these people…?”

The senior guarding the mushroom field was bewildered to see the group coming en masse, especially since one looked like a student from another school.

“Are you from Kalarogard, by chance?”

“Yes, I’m Agdung from Kalarogard.”

“Uh… Welcome. Judging by your appearance, you must be doing research on turning human bodies undead.”

“?!!”

Lee Han’s friends were shocked.

‘Is that research famous enough you can tell at a glance?!’

“Exactly. Quite pleased you recognized it.”

“I read about it in the -Empire Magic Journal-. So, what brings you here?”

“It’s about this mushroom field.”

Presenting the evidence like a proper skeleton gentleman, Agdung explained his claim.

The senior’s face grew unsettled at the powerful argument that could upend the whole ownership debate.

“T-this… I didn’t know there was such backstory!”

“Please make a wise decision.”

“Let me call the others nearby and discuss this. Would you come along?”

The senior wanted to gather the students waiting around the field to re-discuss ownership.

“Sure. These juniors helped me, too…”

“I can’t allow that.”

The senior firmly refused.

“Why?! These students brought me here—otherwise, I wouldn’t have found it—”

“That aside, we can’t divulge field information to outsiders.”

True to Einrogard standards, the senior was thorough.

Even if the Kalarogard student was a direct party, there was no reason to let unrelated juniors in—otherwise, they might just collect information then use it for theft.

“Come on! At least give me—after all, I’m only here temporarily. Once it’s done, the dark school will hold the rights and manage it.”

“Then once the rights are passed after today, please explain it directly. No one without rights may attend.”

“What’s going on?”

Hearing the commotion, two or three seniors came over curiously.

Agdung appealed the situation, not being able to bring along his junior helpers.

“Isn’t this ridiculous?”

“Hmm. Sorry, but we only let rightful parties attend…”

“What if you steal or attack us outside our notice?”

‘Sharp fellows.’

A couple of Lee Han’s friends looked sheepish.

They had, in fact, been planning to do precisely that.

“Senior Agdung. We’re fine. Please go ahead and claim the rights. We’ll get our share later.”

Lee Han whispered from behind, but Agdung shook his head and refused to back off.

“Please.”

“No. We have enough trouble with theft and attacks already.”

“Please!”

“No means no.”

As Agdung insisted, even Lee Han’s friends began to wonder what was up.

Why was he so persistent?

“Is there some special reason we really have to be there?”

“Beats me…”

Even the mushroom field seniors were looking vexed at the continued pleading.

“Bring us a real reason at least, not just a plea!”

“This…”

“This…?”

“Do you have any idea who this person is!!!”

“????”

“????????”

Everyone, including Lee Han and his friends, turned to follow Agdung’s pointing finger.

The seniors also followed it.

‘…Wait, he means me?’

It was only belatedly that Lee Han realized Agdung was pointing at him. The seniors looked just as startled.

“Who… who is he?”

“A royal…?”

“What’s so special about royalty? Surely it’s not just royalty, is it?”

As the seniors murmured, Lee Han hurried to stop Agdung.

“Agdung, what are you doing? What do you think you’re doing right now?”

“Just give me a moment. I’ll persuade them!”

Frustrated by their resistance, Agdung loosened his tie and made his declaration.

Watching, Lee Han felt like dying.

‘Is he an assassin—socially?!’

Going in front of the seniors and saying “Do you know who this is, from the Wardanaz house!” was a catastrophic blow.

From the seniors’ point of view, what were they supposed to do—so what?

“This is the disciple of the Empire’s Lord Magician! Are you going to leave him out!?”

“……”

“……”

Everyone fell silent, stunned by the unexpected intervention—Lee Han included.

‘Isn’t it because of the Wardanaz name?’

He had thought it was all about the Wardanaz family, but it was because of his connection to the Skull Principal.

‘No, it’s all equally disastrous!’

Bringing up either one in front of seniors was never a good thing.

Lee Han tried to recover as quickly as possible.

“Just wa…!”

“Huh… Did we mess up?”

“!”

The mushroom field seniors lost some of their confidence and began to look anxious.

Einrogard mages didn’t care about royalty or empire-noble heirs, but the Skull Principal’s affiliates were a bit different.

If it was really the Skull Principal’s disciple, even a junior couldn’t be treated lightly.

Not because they feared the Skull Principal, but because they worried the disciple himself might take revenge one day.

If that disciple was anything like the Skull Principal, who knows how long they’d hold a grudge before paying it back?

“Well, if he really is the principal’s disciple… But is he really?”

“Would someone from Kalarogard get it wrong? Wait, isn’t he the all-schools student?”

“…That would make sense!”

As the seniors talked it through, they convinced themselves.

If it were just the Skull Principal, it might be a false rumor, but if he’s taking every school’s classes, he does seem the type.

“Seniors, this is a misunderstanding. I just traveled with the principal a few times, but technically—”

“You traveled together?”

“Well, by chance—”

The seniors all nodded.

And each thought to themselves:

‘Definitely a disciple!’

Given the Skull Principal’s infamous temperament, if he traveled with you, you must be a disciple.

It was truly astonishing.

“Please attend, junior!”

“We hope this doesn’t make you hold a grudge from today! Ha ha!”

“……”

Lee Han realized new rumors would soon be layered atop his “all-schools student” infamy and felt tormented.

“That’s grea— No, that’s great. Haha!”

Having resolved the issue, Agdung clapped his bones together in delight.

It meant he’d managed to seat the Lord Magician’s disciple without damaging his prestige.

Lee Han glared at Agdung with frosty eyes. Feeling something off, Agdung flinched.

“…Did I take too long?”

“……”

• * *

In the end, Lee Han couldn’t bring himself to get angry at Agdung.

He couldn’t get mad at someone trying to be kind, thanks only to the Skull Principal’s reputation.

Instead, he did his best to explain and persuade.

-So I just traveled with him a few times, but I’m not really a disciple…

-…Isn’t that exactly what being a disciple is?

‘Damn. My excuse doesn’t even sound convincing to me.’

Lee Han lamented inwardly.

Even to himself, the words lacked persuasiveness.

He did feel, to a point, that he was the Skull Principal’s disciple, so it was strange to try to deny it.

“In that case, we’ll unify and transfer the rights to the mushroom field.”

Seeing Kalarogard’s evidence, the seniors had no rebuttal and conceded ownership.

Lee Han asked carefully.

“Is that all right? Isn’t it a loss for you?”

“It hurts, but in Einrogard, this level of loss is routine.”

“Yeah. I’ve conned people selling this kind of thing before. You just have to accept it when you buy.”

“……”

Lee Han resolved that if he ever bought property from a senior, he’d inspect it a hundred times.

“We’ll have the dark magic school handle this on Kalarogard’s behalf.”

At the mention of a new, unfamiliar school, the seniors murmured.

“If the dark magic school manages it, what happens to the mushroom prices?”

“Well, if the school’s broke, they might raise the prices… sounds like they’re poor.”

“…We’ll keep the current prices. The dark magic school is plenty rich.”

“Oh!”

Lee Han’s friends threw him bewildered looks at his confident declaration.

…Were they?