Episode 775

‘Ah.’

Seeing the little tail trembling with sadness from his sleeve, Lee Han finally realized there was a basilisk inside.

It had always coiled around his arm like a bracelet so naturally that he’d forgotten.

‘My mistake. I should’ve been more careful with my words.’

A magician is supposed to be careful with words even in front of monsters.

Just like in old imperial fairy tales, where the wizard who commanded the Yellow Demon and Black Demon muttered, “The Yellow Demon works harder!” and was then attacked by the furious Black Demon, powerful monsters often have high intelligence.

“…I just thought, for a highly intelligent monster like a basilisk, wouldn’t it be better to first learn easier monster languages before attempting that one?”

There’s no need to worry.

Imperial Law Officer—and demon who had been working for 132 years out of contract—Oriphulas appeared and advised him.

Basilisk language is definitely among the hardest, but it’s an isolated language, so learning other monster languages first doesn’t make it any easier. If you need it, just practice basilisk language directly.

“……”

Lee Han looked around him.

His friends, of course, were choosing to learn relatively easier and more useful monster tongues from the recommended lists.

“Moradi, isn’t it simpler to just learn the wolf dialect?”

“Certainly. The monsters in that family’s languages are quite similar.”

“Priest Tijilling, should I go for nightjar or cuckoo dialect?”

“Since most bird-shaped monsters near Einrogard are more cuckoo-blooded, I think that’s better…”

Wolf tongues were useful if you ever had to deal with wolf monsters, and there was so much variety in birds that knowing a few key types had great utility.

“I want to try something a little hard.”

“!”

Lee Han brightened at Shyles’s comment.

As expected from the second seat of Black Turtle Tower, such intelligence and drive!

“Shyles, what about basilisk tongue?”

“That’s a bit…”

Shyles declined flatly.

He wanted a challenge, but not to throw himself into the fires of hell like Wardanaz.

“Hmm. I should learn wyvern tongue. That’ll come in handy after graduation.”

“Good idea, Richmond.”

“Wouldn’t basilisk tongue be better? It’s rare.”

Lee Han tried to bait him further, but Shyles ignored him.

As the heir of a major coach guild, mastering the tongue of transportation beasts like wyverns was a practical necessity.

Besides, wyvern tongue helped with other dragonlike or serpentine monsters, so there was no need to learn basilisk tongue.

With even Shyles refusing, Lee Han gloomily looked back at the basilisk language description.

‘Does basilisk tongue have any pros at all?’

“As isolated as it is, wouldn’t there be at least some similar snake-type monsters that use it…?”

“No, Wardanaz-nim.”

Siana, ever the snake beastkin, answered confidently.

The basilisk’s bloodline was so mixed that the tongue it used differed greatly from ordinary snake monsters.

“…Thank you, Priestess Siana.”

“Hehe. You’re welcome.”

Siana turned away, proud at helping a friend.

Of course, she herself planned on learning cuckoo tongue, not basilisk tongue.

Lee Han sighed and looked again at the recommended languages on his list.

Basilisk tongue

Griffon tongue

Frost giant tongue

Demon tongue (Pride domain)—Oriphulas especially recommends!

…

Next to him, Yoner’s list had:

Owl tongue, nightjar tongue, waterfowl tongue

Fire spirit tongue (sphere spirits domain)

Cat tongue

Pegasus tongue—high difficulty, caution!

…

‘…Are they bullying me?’

The contrast made Lee Han shiver.

When he glanced at the professor and law officer, they both looked puzzled, as if they didn’t see the issue.

“Why’s Student Lee Han doing that?”

I think I know. He must be agonizing over whether to pick basilisk tongue or demon tongue. I told you he’d like it.

“Kgh. I have to admit it.”

Professor Rosine grudgingly admitted the demon was right.

To think he’d actually fret over which evil tongue to learn!

• * *

“Krrk-krrk. Krr-krrrk.”

“Kyaeck. Kyeek! Kyeek!”

“Kiit-kiit?”

For a while, the classroom was as noisy as an animal den.

Professor Rosine and Oriphulas watched with satisfied looks.

“Ugh. I just want to learn this with one magic spell…”

“Me too.”

Tired complaints drifted from all around.

Even this, the two adults watched contentedly. Young magicians always moaned in the face of obstacles.

-Ugh. Why do I have to study geometry? Why learn these theorems? Can’t I just use magic to skip it?

-Ugh, why do I have to learn ancient runes? Can’t I just use magic to skip this?

Incidentally, older students heard saying such things would end up in the punishment room for ‘the crime of foolish talk about low standards.’ It was that silly a question.

There was no magic spell to instantly learn things you didn’t know or master things you couldn’t do.

“Shh, shh, shhiit, shhh?”

-……

The baby basilisk eagerly tapped its tail, waiting for Lee Han to start learning.

‘Damn. This is really tough.’

Lee Han prided himself on being no dummy at Einrogard, but basilisk tongue was trickier than expected.

When Lee Han groaned and clutched his head, Oriphulas came over.

Don’t worry too much.

“Lord Oriphulas.”

If it gets too hard, you can always try practicing demon tongue too.

“Lord Oriphulas…”

Joking. Actually, speaking monster languages is more like a primitive and simple magic. It carries a trace of magic power, faint as it is. Have you learned speech-magic?

“…What?”

I thought Lord Gonadaltes said you’d get to it soon… Maybe not?

“Hah. The principal does love spouting nonsense.”

Lee Han suppressed his outrage and dismissed it, figuring that must be just how imperial law officers acted.

Once you understand the structure of speech-magic, it’s a lot easier. You project your will directly to resonate with the other’s soul. Of course, it’s so simple and crude it’s barely magic at all, so you have to pronounce the tongue precisely.

Oriphulas thought Lee Han, as a magician, didn’t need to agonize too much.

He’d heard some from the skeleton principal about speech-magic, and he had a real basilisk in front of him.

So, practicing directly with the basilisk would be the fastest way.

Monster languages were highly academic fields, but fundamentally still fell in the realm of magic.

‘That’s true enough.’

Lee Han thought so himself.

While Oriphulas’s comments on speech-magic bordered on nonsense, since Lee Han was studying music magic, there was a relevant analogy.

In music-magic, it all started from embedding magic in phrases.

Of course monster languages were much more primitive and simple, but there were certainly underlying similarities.

‘That does give me an edge.’

Learning while conversing, not alone.

At first he’d rely heavily on magic, but repeated practice would soon make it natural, and the magic would become unnecessary.

“Are you awake? Can you help me?”

-!

The baby basilisk popped out eagerly at Lee Han’s call.

But Professor Rosine and Oriphulas intervened coolly.

“Wait, hold on!”

You go practice in the next classroom. And don’t forget to lock the door.

Even as a hatchling, if a conversation let out toxic breath or flashes, cleanup would be too much trouble.

“……”

-……

Looking glum, the baby basilisk and magician moved to the next classroom.

• * *

“Hello? Hello—hello? I greet you?”

About thirty minutes of hissing passed.

“Hello?”

-!

The basilisk seemed happy for the first time, as if it actually understood Lee Han.

Lee Han, too, felt the joy of truly being understood.

‘So this is what it’s like!’

-Master, Master?

“Yes. Nice to meet you.”

-Waaah… Did I do something wrong, is that why you hate me?

“……”

Lee Han, who’d been sticking to simple vocabulary, was caught off-guard by the sudden phrase.

Huh?

“I think you’re misunderstanding a little. I don’t hate you.”

-But just before, you said you’d learn other monster languages…

Lee Han realized he was learning fast.

Now he could even understand the fussing, childish complaints.

“…Basilisk tongue is hard. I didn’t understand.”

-You want to learn a different monster’s language! You don’t like basilisk!

The baby basilisk thumped its tail on the desk in protest.

It really wanted its master to understand.

“I like basilisk very much. It’s a misunderstanding. Basilisk tongue is hard.”

As Lee Han repeated it, the baby basilisk’s anger faded.

Relenting, it presented its demand proudly.

-…Then punish the griffon for me.

“Griffon?”

At Lee Han’s question, the little basilisk nodded and tattled about what had happened.

Back when it was with Fongrif, the bored baby basilisk once sneaked out of his sleeve, plucked a feather, and stuck it in its tail for decoration. Fongrif had grabbed it with its beak and shaken it fiercely left and right.

The baby basilisk thought it was going to be eaten.

‘So that’s what happened.’

No wonder Fongrif seemed particularly angry when they went camping; there’d been an incident.

“Don’t worry. I’ll punish the griffon for you.”

The baby basilisk was delighted.

Of course, Lee Han had no intention of doing anything.

He didn’t even know griffon tongue…

-Then give me a name too.

“Name?”

-“A cool name. I’m the only one without a name.”

“Oh.”

Lee Han realized it meant Fongrif’s name.

“But I didn’t give that name, and… is that even a good name?”

-You’re very good with words, master.

The baby basilisk tilted its head.

Somehow, the hissing that came out of Lee Han’s mouth was now flowing with natural ease.

“Want a snack?”

-Yes, please!

As the baby basilisk munched on its treat, Lee Han pondered.

‘Wasn’t there something in the book about names basilisks like?’

Mess up here and the basilisk might sulk for real. It was more important than he thought.

–Professor Voladi’s Assassination Attempt>, hmm. Too long, and not good. -King of Snakes-… something like that could seem arrogant when filing for grants. Maybe just copy something like -Fongrif-?

When the baby basilisk finished its snack with a satisfied voice, it said,

-Oh, and I don’t want a name like Ksiryshilba.

‘As expected of a powerful monster. Such intelligence…’

Lee Han shuddered at the creature’s wit.