Episode 815

“No. It’s fine. I said I’d help, so I should go with you.”

“He says he’s fine.”

“Shut up, you.”

Already feeling uneasy, Direte’s voice naturally sharpened as her so-called friend needled her.

But it was hard to argue with Yukveltire’s point that a battle mage like Lee Han was needed.

Neither Direte nor Yukveltire were properly trained battle mages.

Of course, not being a trained battle mage didn’t mean they were weak. One only had to look at the Einrogard students to know that.

Basically, if given time and space, mages could cast powerful attacks, and Direte and Yukveltire were no exception.

Direte would use necromancy.

Yukveltire would use enchantments.

Both were excellent mages in their own schools, making it easy for them to repurpose learned spells for combat.

But that didn’t mean there were no weaknesses. The biggest difference between a battle mage and a regular mage was being able to handle unexpected situations.

Could you stay calm and cast the necessary spells even as attacks came from all sides and threats specifically targeted mages?

Einrogard students, trained in harsh conditions, could fight much better than most mages, but even they had their limits.

Very few students prioritized training for battle spells over research goals.

Of course, there were some unfortunate students who did both…

“If you classify us, I’m more of a long-range summoner. Direte is similar. We need someone who can handle mid- and close-range. There are limits to what summoned creatures can do.”

“Especially with Einrogard kids—they exploit such gaps well.”

Whether non-living summoned constructs with preprogrammed routines or extraplanar summons, their behavior tended toward certain habits.

Outsiders who knew nothing of magic might not notice, but Einrogard students, who jostled against each other regularly, were adept at exploiting these gaps.

Ultimately, the most stable solution was having a mage capable of adapting flexibly to every situation.

“I understand. I’m not sure how well I’ll do against other seniors, but I’ll try.”

“Junior of the Wardanaz family, you’re Professor Baegrek’s star pupil. You’ve beaten the Ghoul King, Basilisk, Sea Serpent, Frost Giant King, magical criminals, and more. Of course you’ll do fine.”

Yukveltire encouraged his junior with all the gravitas of a senior.

Impressed by this support, Lee Han retorted bluntly.

“You’re Professor Verdus’s star pupil, but you still haven’t finished the artificial dimension, have you?”

“…What an utterly illogical, unreasonable analogy.”

Yukveltire ignored him with his usual cool composure.

But Direte could see her friend’s fingertips trembling ever so slightly.

Normally, Yukveltire ignored what other students said as he would a comment from Professor Verdus, but he couldn’t dismiss the words of a junior he rated highly.

“Yukveltire. If you want your juniors’ respect, treat them better.”

“What am I supposed to do beyond this?”

“…Forget it. Just keep living this way!”

Direte gave up immediately.

She figured that feeling injustice and grief might fix her friend.

Though, maybe it never would…

• * *

Duke Ikaldoren believed he knew Einrogard fairly well.

Ancient documents and books, testimonies from visitors and alumni, study of other magic schools.

Having prepared so thoroughly, he figured it would be easy to pinch a treasure from Einrogard.

The duke also possessed the pride and arrogance of a man who hadn’t lost in ages.

A member of the Empire’s high nobility, he’d toppled rivals with plots since his youth.

But Einrogard was nothing like the duke expected.

In this storied school of magic, Duke Ikaldoren experienced his first defeat.

-I was wrong. What do you want? I’ll pay whatever ransom you ask.

-Please be quiet.

-…This is Duke Ikaldoren admitting his fault.

-I understand. Now, please be quiet.

-At least provide accommodations suited to a duke’s dignity.

-If you keep talking, we’ll throw you in the underground prison.

-Is this how you treat an imperial duke?

-We have permission for all of this. If you’re so wise, why did you try to steal from Einrogard?

-I won’t deny I ordered my men, but all this ultimately stems from the arcanist’s arrogant refusal to share ancient lore with the honorable nobility—Pah! How dare you throw wastewater at an imperial duke?!

-Seems you like wastewater. Pour more.

-W-wait! I yield! Enough, enough.

-One more outburst and we’ll dump magically contaminated toxic waste on you.

-At least serve meals dignified enough for—alright, I’ll stop! I’ll really keep quiet!

The death knights under the director were viciously barbaric and violent.

Faced with this rude, harsh treatment for the first time in his life, Duke Ikaldoren’s spirit was broken and he caved.

So the duke passed his days with a hard bed, scratchy blankets, tasteless food, and boring books (-The Life and Times of the Great Mage Osu Gonadaltes- 1, 2, 3), until one day, news came.

-Your Grace. Do you still wish to pay the ransom you mentioned?

-…Finally! Can I finally pay it?

Usually, the duke would have said, ‘How dare you kidnap an imperial duke and then demand ransom?! I’ll never allow it!’ But his time with the death knights had changed him.

-Yes. You can pay it now. Well, not pay exactly, but…it’s about the same!

The death knights explained.

During Einrogard’s Club Week, external guests would visit, and it was traditional for donations and investments to be made.

The duke just had to sponsor the student of his choice—and that would settle the ransom.

‘Much better than I thought!’

He’d been tense, expecting who-knows-what from these death knights, but it was much more normal than feared.

He’d been doing sponsorship at such events even before being locked up in Einrogard.

-Oh, and don’t say anything unnecessary to outsiders. If you do, you may spend the next 300 years as a boneless worm.

-I-I understand.

The duke shrank back, his spirits dashed. Any thoughts of calling for help vanished immediately.

-So I just go out now?

-Yes. Go explore as you please.

-Thank—

-Hey! Are you Duke Ikaldoren?

No sooner had he stepped into the hall than some students cheerfully called out to him.

Hearing someone address him by his title made the duke’s eyes mist up a bit.

-That’s right. I am—

-Found him! It’s the duke! Get him!

A third-year from Blue Dragon Tower, Erde of House Marcan, and friends gave wicked laughs and brandished their staffs.

All his protective artifacts had been confiscated on entry, so the duke was subdued with little trouble.

-Why are you doing this? What are you doing to me?!

-Your Grace, sorry! But we need your sponsorship!

-You could have just asked!

-Then someone else might steal you! You have to stay with us until Club Week ends!

Einrogard students knew very well the difference between guest and “skull principal’s detainee.”

You couldn’t attack the former (except Baldrogard students), but the latter could be assaulted and shaken down at will.

Of course, talking it out was an option, as the duke suggested.

But then you’d have to share him with others.

Kidnapping meant exclusivity; no need to split.

-That illusion spell working? To others, he looks like Senior Perse, right?

-Yes! He looks just like Senior Perse!

-How dare you… Let me go!

-Keep quiet, your grace!

-Mmph!

The duke still hadn’t learned enough about Einrogard.

Anyone who thinks they know Einrogard well, actually knows nothing at all.

-Stop right there.

-Ivanna…! What are you doing here?

-That Senior Perse you’re holding looks odd.

-What’s odd? She’s just flailing because she misused a glowing potion!

-Sorry, but I saw Senior Perse 30 minutes ago at the polo club track. And I see you didn’t check the shoes—she’d never wear those rags for shoes!

-Damn, busted! Get them!

-We should be saying that. Time to settle the old smuggling score!

White Tiger Tower third-year Ivanna’s gang charged, fierce as always.

Still salty from a smuggling bust gone wrong at the start of term, they were eager for payback.

Reinforced by defensive magics, the White Tiger Tower students advanced in formation like a fortress, while the Blue Dragon Tower students hurled curses.

-Bunch of meatheads!

-You just want to fight with the magic you learn! Why are you even in magic school?!

Ivanna didn’t reply.

Those were fighting words, especially risky against the illusion school.

But one of her friends got hot under the collar and answered back.

-You little punk, you’ve got worse grades than—urk!

-Got him!

Illusion magic is extremely vulnerable when a mage’s defense slips.

When emotions flare or when sensory links form.

And right now, both had happened.

‘Don’t look, don’t look…’

Ivanna bowed her head low so as not to see the chaotic scene or the enemy.

A few spells flew her way, causing dull aches, but she endured with reinforcement magic. Whether real or illusion didn’t matter much.

-Got him! Let’s get out!

-Mmph!

-Change his form! So others won’t notice! A barrel! Turn him into a barrel!

The duke, under an illusion spell to appear as someone else, shook his head desperately as he was transformed into a barrel.

But the merciless White Tiger Tower students dragged him along and turned him into a barrel outside.

-Retreat! Leave the collapsed ones!

-We’ll get you for this, White Tiger Tower! This isn’t the end!

• * *

“There they are.”

At the seniors’ words, Lee Han cocked his head.

Under the big spiral staircase on the 6th floor, seniors carried a barrel.

“What is there?”

“Duke Ikaldoren.”

“…Did they stuff him in a barrel?!”

“No, they transformed him.”

Direte handed Lee Han a pair of glasses with purple lenses. Lee Han looked through them.

Amazingly, the barrel appeared as Duke Ikaldoren.

“……”

Lee Han was speechless. No matter how great a sponsor, was kidnapping really okay?

“Wouldn’t forcibly shape-shifting him like that be uncomfortable?”

Yukveltire tilted his head, betraying the classic attitude of Professor Verdus’s disciple, not understanding Lee Han’s question at all.

Lee Han realized he’d posed the question to the wrong person.

“Direte, senior. Transforming someone like that…”

“Hmm?”

Direte, in the midst of summoning a giant toad-like demon, turned with a nod.

“…What’s that?”

“Need someplace to confine the duke.”

“Ah. Understood. Let’s begin!”