Episode 800

Episode 800

The members of -Einrogard’s Sentinel- who had been watching the conversation all thought the exact same thing.

…Isn’t this guy really the Skeleton Principal?

But Lee Han wasn’t flustered. He had already been suspected like this several times before.

Gonadaltes: Why do I know? Because I care more about the school and am more active than you all.

Iactus: For example, like sending students to the punishment room?

Gonadaltes: Iactus. Stop talking nonsense. If I really were the Principal, why would I keep doing this here? I’d just take you all away. Have I ever asked to meet up with you?

Baquantalana: That’s a reasonable point. I have to admit, we’re being overly suspicious because of Gonadaltes’s alias.

The members honestly admitted it.

If the new member’s alias wasn’t Gonadaltes, but something like -Cool Fourth Year-, it seemed like they’d have been less suspicious.

However, as long as the name Gonadaltes was attached, even ordinary words inevitably sounded suspicious.

‘Damn. This is tough for me too.’

‘Is he really not the Skeleton Principal?’

‘What kind of crazy student is this?’

Rationally, everyone knew that the Skeleton Principal wouldn’t bother with such troublesome things.

There were a few contradictory circumstances as well, if you assumed the Skeleton Principal was undercover.

But still…

Any student of Einrogard felt this painfully.

The madness of the Skeleton Principal was something utterly beyond their comprehension!

If all of this was some huge plan the Skeleton Principal was unfolding and they were just being manipulated?

Who could say that wasn’t possible at all?

Gonadaltes: Honorable Sentinel members! As wizards, shouldn’t we judge calmly and rationally rather than be scared by an extremely slim possibility? If we keep cornering each other like this, only distrust will linger in the club and valuable information won’t be shared.

Iactus: You’re right… Sorry. That was unnecessary.

Bulgasari: Yeah. I agree. And there’s no way a professor would be here. That’s just nonsense.

Once everyone seemed to calm down, Lee Han drove in the wedge.

Gonadaltes: This year, I happened to spot Duke Ikaldoren. Apparently, he was caught trying to steal Einrogard’s treasure.

Baquantalana: The possibility that it was someone else? No matter what, imprisoning an imperial high noble and a duke at Einrogard is…

Bulgasari: If it’s the Principal, it could happen… it could.

Iactus: I agree. I can’t believe it, but that’s weirdly why I trust it more. So, does that mean Duke Ikaldoren is participating as a guest? Why?

Bulgasari: As far as I know, it’s as atonement, by spending gold coins.

‘Wait. Who is this senior?’

Lee Han was pretty surprised by Bulgasari’s information.

Although other seniors didn’t notice, Lee Han knew well that the information about Duke Ikaldoren was quite a secret even within Einrogard.

Even if there really was a senior who happened to see the duke trapped as Lee Han claimed for his excuse…

…Could they also know the reason he was participating as a guest?

‘Is this senior perhaps in ongoing contact with Duke Ikaldoren? It’s not impossible.’

Lee Han himself built rapport with the punishment room’s warden spirit and secretly got an unlimited use pass.

Einrogard’s rules were strict, but if you befriended a guard, there were always exceptions.

If this senior also found out where Duke Ikaldoren was being held and figured out how to approach…

‘An impressive person. If it’s a duke, the Skeleton Principal would have set serious security. How did they approach him?’

Iactus: If it’s atonement…

Baquantalana: Probably spend money on the students instead of reducing his sentence. Classic Principal move.

Gonadaltes: Thank you for the compliment.

Iactus: ……

Baquantalana: ……

Gonadaltes: Just joking. Sorry.

Iactus: Don’t ever make such shitty jokes again.

‘These humorless seniors.’

Lee Han grumbled inwardly.

To react so excessively to a light joke meant to change the mood…

Baquantalana: Thanks for the good info. So the duke is participating.

Bulgasari: Everyone, since you’re honorable Sentinel members, you’re not going to kidnap the duke or use violence to persuade him, right? Promise me.

Iactus: Bulgasari. Even if you don’t say that, since we’re going to kidnap him, there’s no need to tell us.

Bulgasari: Hey!

Gonadaltes: Should I kidnap him too?

Iactus: What did the Principal mean by letting him out briefly?

Einrogard students had an exceptional talent for understanding the true intentions of the Skeleton Principal.

As soon as they heard that Duke Ikaldoren was participating atoning for his crime, members immediately interpreted it as, ‘Ah, the Principal is allowing us to thoroughly squeeze the duke dry.’

Of course, who could say for sure what the true intention was…

‘In that case, I can’t just sit this out.’

Lee Han made a note to himself not to forget to kidnap Duke Ikaldoren too.

He couldn’t just do good deeds for the seniors only.

• * *

“Senior, is it true that you invited the people from the capital’s Bakery Guild and Butcher Guild to the kitchen club?”

“Puhuh! How did you find out?!”

The big, pot-bellied senior, Falkrius, looked around in surprise.

“It’s a secret. If the others find out, they’ll try to snatch them up before they even get to the 7th floor!”

“Is there a chance my research could also get some support?”

“Hmmm.”

Falkrius, laughing heartily while boiling plain water soup, pondered his junior’s question seriously.

“That’s… hard for me to say. Squeezing, uh, rather, getting gifts of someone else’s gold coins is always hard.”

Falkrius was cheerful even when throwing punches and swinging kitchen knives at seniors from other clubs, but when it came to gold coins and support, he became very serious.

As a wizard, the issue of obtaining support was a lifelong problem for Falkrius, too.

“I once thought it was a sure thing and didn’t get the gold, and another time I was totally convinced I was wrong and got the gold anyway. The mind of someone with gold coins is just too hard to read. Harder than grand magic.”

“I agree, senior.”

Lee Han nodded deeply in agreement.

Getting support from others as a researcher was truly hard.

Money was limited, and would-be researchers were overflowing, so fierce competition was inevitable.

“Puhuh. There’s only one thing I can say. If you prepare your research sincerely…”

“…The people who come visiting would surely understand, right?”

“Huh? No. If you sincerely prepare your research, people won’t care, so you need to fool them with dazzling tricks.”

“…Thank you. I learned something.”

“Puhuhu. That’s good!”

Falkrius’s words brought Lee Han back to his senses.

Come to think of it, it really was stupid to use a direct approach against those holding the gold.

‘He’s right. I need to sell some flair.’

Lee Han fell deep into thought.

How could he, Lee Han, who was still learning magic through pure effort and didn’t have any substantial research yet, put on a dazzling trick?

Lee Han, scribbling with his quill at the kitchen club’s dining table, drew curious glances from his classmates.

“What’s Lee Han doing?”

“He says he’s getting ready for next week.”

“Ah. Club Week!”

Gainando’s face brightened a little, then darkened again.

Having outside guests was nice, but the club Gainando currently belonged to wasn’t the club he wanted.

“Gainando, who’s coming to your club?”

“I heard some famous collector is coming… I don’t care. Not interested.”

“Why not interested? Wouldn’t it be good to get close and get magic research support?”

“Ugh. I don’t want to take dirty money made with magician cards…”

“……”

“……”

The Blue Dragon Tower friends exchanged glances. One of them tapped his head with his finger.

‘Isn’t he crazy?’

‘Leave him. Wardanaz will take care of it.’

Ignoring Gainando, the friends approached Lee Han.

“Wardanaz, what are you doing right now? Want help?”

“Ah. I was getting my self-introduction ready to use when the outside guests come next week. I’ve pretty much finished it, want to listen?”

“Ooh…!”

“Self-introductions are important.”

The friends nodded.

When meeting someone for the first time, a wizard had to introduce themselves. Even more so if there was gold to take from that person.

Which school they belonged to, who they trained under, what accomplishments they had…

Imperial people ultimately liked numbers.

‘I studied skin color changes while casting troll transformation magic all month!’ was less effective than ‘I’m second in the Transformation Magic School!’

As expected from Wardanaz, he was already prepared before the weekend started.

“I am Lee Han of the Wardanaz family…”

-I’d give extra points for that.

-But doesn’t the Wardanaz family sound a bit risky?

-It’s risky, but it’s worth mentioning. There are definitely people who expect great things from a renowned magical family name.

The friends rated him coldly. Yoner thought inwardly.

‘He never even used his family name usually.’

Seeing his friend, who never cared about his family name, suddenly bring it up when gold was involved, made him sad.

He clearly intended to use any means necessary.

“I am the top second-year student of Einrogard.”

-It’s a little annoying but I’ll give extra points for this too.

-No one can argue with that.

The Blue Dragon Tower friends nodded and added points with a hint of jealousy.

“Not only that, but I’m taking every school of magic at Einrogard.”

-Doesn’t that sound a bit unrealistic?

-But there’s plenty of evidence for that. It might seem unrealistic to wizards, but to regular people it’ll be convincing.

-I see.

“I was also top in every school…”

-……

-……

“Last year, I assisted at workshops like Master Puyo’s staff workshop, and Yoanen Meikin’s alchemy lab, etc.”

-…Meikin. What did you make him do? If it’s Yoanen Meikin, isn’t that the guy who drove thirteen alchemists insane…

-That’s a bit mistaken. First, it was fourteen, not thirteen, and Lee Han was…

Lee Han frowned at his friends’ needless commentary.

“Could you concentrate?”

-S-sorry.

-We’ll focus. Go on.

“Last year, I faced the following enemies. Rock drake, the Frost Giant King, the Ghoul King, Basilisk, sea serpent, and so on…”

-……

-Wait. Wait a minute.

“Huh?”

When his friends stopped him, Lee Han was puzzled.

“Is there a problem?”

“That just now was kind of…”

“…Unrealistic? Sounds like a lie? Exaggerated?”

“Y-yeah. Might sound weird.”

“But I really went through all that.”

Lee Han felt a bit wronged.

He hadn’t even started exaggerating, but was already being told this.

“We—we believe you, Wardanaz. We do!”

“Honestly, hearing it summarized like that, I can’t believe it either, but anyway, it’s going to sound pretty shocking to outsiders.”

With his friends seriously saying he should tone it down, Lee Han was shaken.

“Really? Then what part should I change?”

“Rock drake, Ghoul King, Basilisk, sea serpent.”

“Just keep those?”

“No. Take them all out. Just the Frost Giant King alone is enough to shock people.”

“……”

Lee Han made a dissatisfied face, but took them out per his friends’ advice for now.

“I faced the Frost Giant King last year and passed the ordeal. Here’s the proof.”

-Good!

-Clean and excellent!

“And this year, I met the magic criminal Antagondals and the crazy clone of an ancient grand magician…”

-……

-……