Episode 828

At those words, Yukveltire was uncharacteristically flustered and grabbed Lee Han’s wrist.

“What are you doing?”

“I’m just going to do something else.”

“Why? Are you trying to run away?”

Desperate, Yukveltire tried to provoke Lee Han’s pride.

She didn’t admit it, but she really was quite interested in this black magnetite staff.

‘…I want to see it completed.’

But Yukveltire still didn’t quite get her junior.

He didn’t have any pride to provoke.

“Yes.”

“……”

Yukveltire was at a loss for words.

“A wizard’s pride… sense of worth… And you, as Direte’s junior… shouldn’t you act with honor…”

‘Wow. She really doesn’t know how to provoke someone.’

Proper prodding requires some genuine understanding of the other person.

Yukveltire’s attempt was so clumsy because she lacked that.

“Senior Direte would probably applaud if I just ran away.”

“That’s true. Direte’s needlessly too soft.”

“And you’re pretty soft with her, too, Senior…”

“?”

Yukveltire had no idea what Lee Han meant by that.

Direte, soft with her?

“Direte has been really rude to me…”

“Yes, yes, anyway, Senior.”

“……”

Yukveltire’s fingertips trembled yet again at the rudeness—just like Direte’s.

“So when you said ‘king-class spirit,’ you meant an actual spirit king, right?”

“Yes.”

“How am I supposed to get a branch from a spirit king?”

“Isn’t that lightning spirit you contracted a spirit king?”

“……”

Now it was Lee Han’s turn to be speechless.

That…

She was right?

‘That’s true. Perkuntra did have the title Thunder Emperor.’

Among beings from other dimensions, a king or noble title symbolized true strength.

On the continent, kingdoms and royalty were decided by blood, but a spirit couldn’t hold a king’s title without being powerful.

“So… Um, yes. I see. But I contracted with a lightning spirit, so can I get a branch?”

“No. You’ll have to look for a tree-type spirit. Ask around for introductions.”

‘Should I write a letter to Brother Arsil or something.’

Lee Han wondered if he ought to swallow his pride and send a letter to his brother.

Reluctant as he was to admit it, Arsil would probably introduce him to a high-level wood spirit with a title like Forest King or Divine Tree King.

“Alright. I’ll ask the lightning spirit, and I’ll also send Brother a letter. Not sure when I’ll get a reply, though.”

Normally, sending letters outside from Einrogard was no easy feat, but for Lee Han, it was actually relatively simple now.

If he’d taken dozens of people out, a single letter was nothing!

“Then I guess we wait until you figure out how to get the material.”

“Tell me more about the Echoing Stone.”

Yukveltire gently prodded.

It wasn’t that there were no artifacts of this kind for communication, but the Echoing Stone was peculiar in appearance and motif, so as a member of the Enchantment School her curiosity was piqued.

From what she’d heard, it sounded like it had some connection to an ancient being…

“I already told you about it.”

“Tell me the origin of the stone.”

“Why do you need to know that?”

“It’s important for perfecting the staff.”

“Why?”

“…If you don’t want to talk, then don’t.”

“Wait… Are you angry right now?”

“I’m not angry. It just annoys me that you keep trying to claim I’m showing such irrational emotions.”

‘She definitely is interested in this staff…’

Lee Han could feel his casual suspicion turning into certainty.

• * *

After the lecture ended (and in the end, Lee Han did tell her about the Echoing Stone), Lee Han stood to leave and suddenly thought of something.

“By the way, senior.”

“What is it?”

“There’s no quiz for this class?”

“Nope.”

“I see.”

If Professor Verdus’s flaw was that he wasn’t interested in students, his merit was also that he wasn’t interested in students.

Lee Han smiled at the news there’d be no quiz.

“How about a midterm, then? Any sort of test?”

“Nope.”

“…Wait, not even a midterm?”

At this point, Lee Han began to worry.

Not because having no midterm was great, but because the Skull Principal might show up, toss Professor Verdus in the punishment room, and randomly add a midterm.

“This class just requires you to make your staff. As long as you finish your staff, that’s enough.”

“I see…”

Nodding at the bold policy of evaluating everything with a final, Lee Han hesitated.

“So what do we do with the time left if we finish early?”

“Skip class and do whatever research you want.”

“…!”

At first, it sounded like nonsense, but then Lee Han found it made sense.

Attendance wasn’t checked anyway.

‘If I finish early, I really am free to do whatever I want the rest of the class time?’

He considered what he could do if he freed up that time.

He could preview the lecture -Poison, Bone, Blood-, prepare -Viciously Beautiful Creatures- ahead of time, or work more on his garden for -Potions Instead of Complicated Spells-.

‘Huh. Even after imagining that, I don’t feel happy…’

“Understood, senior. Thank you. I’ll let you know if there’s any news about the materials. Say hi to Senior Direte for me, remember to eat, and stop bullying other people…”

“You done? Let’s go,” called Lagesa from behind. Lee Han left mid-sentence.

“See you next time.”

“I never bullied anyo—”

Regardless, Lagesa and Lee Han were already far down the hall.

“What’s our next class? Please tell me it’s one of the fun ones without Bible.”

-“Magic Algebra and Esoteric Geometry”…

Lagesa let out a pirate’s shriek, as if stabbed in the heart.

Of all things, math!

Lee Han realized his mistake and hastily corrected himself.

“Ah. Wrong class.”

“……”

–“Spirit, Energy, Body.” Professor Ingeldel’s class.

“Oh!”

Lagesa let out a pleased gasp at the combative class.

But then she tilted her head, puzzled.

“Come to think of it, kid, why’s a Blue Dragon Tower brat taking a White Tiger Tower-only class?”

“…To get an easy grade?”

“Kihihi! Not bad, you can joke.”

“It’s not a joke… Rafadael. Angrago!”

Spotting his friends, Lee Han waved.

His two White Tiger Tower friends, deep in conversation, turned at Lee Han’s call.

“Oh. Wardanaz.”

“I missed last class—was there anything important?”

“…Here, take this.”

Angrago handed him a slip with the pop quiz contents written on it.

Survive in the most dangerous place you can reach, for at least two days, and submit a journal report. Weekend recommended, place with different time flow recommended.

Professor Ingeldel

“……”

“Hah. As expected, Professor Ingeldel knows how to teach right.”

Lagesa, satisfied, nodded at the class task.

Indeed, Ingeldel, worthy of her fame, knew how to temper students like steel.

Lee Han and his friends glared resentfully at the wicked pirate. Lagesa paid no mind and asked,

“What better test to hone a swordsman’s skill?”

“Can’t we do something more normal? I want to enter the Imperial Swordsmanship Tournament.”

“Bah. That’s for hothouse flowers. Maybe if it was an underground illegal pit-fighting tourney.”

“……”

Lee Han apologized with his eyes to his friends.

He was sorry he brought Lagesa along.

Angrago groaned.

“They should just pick a place for us. I don’t even know where to choose. If you pick somewhere too easy, that’s worse than not doing it at all.”

In the worst case, they’d suffer but still hear, ‘So you went on a picnic to an easy spot?’ from the professor.

“Finding the right place is part of your skill, brats.”

“…We’ll handle it!”

Finally Rafadael burst out in protest.

Lagesa grinned, evidently anticipating this, and whipped out her staff. Rafadael tried to resist, but the pirate crone was much too fast.

Chrrrk!

Rafadael was wrapped up in chains and hung upside down in the air.

“Let me down!”

“If you want free, get free with your own skill! Brats, remember this. If you show off in front of a wizard stronger than you, this is what you get.”

Lagesa then turned to Lee Han.

“Oh, for a test like this, why not take your White Tiger Tower friends to the spot together?”

“Excuse me? Um, isn’t that dangerous?”

After this class, Lee Han planned to visit the punishment room to meet Perkuntra.

He needed to ask for a branch, so it was something he had to do himself.

Now that Professor Ingeldel’s class had shifted to homework, he’d have to visit anyway…

‘Isn’t it dangerous?’

Even as second years, he felt bad dragging his friends to the punishment room—especially to see Perkuntra.

“What do you mean, Wardanaz?”

Angrago’s eyes sparkled. Come to think of it, few people understood “most dangerous place” as well as Wardanaz.

And the fact that Wardanaz was reluctant just made it more intriguing.

How dangerous must it be?

“I’m ready. Don’t tell me you still think I’m the same Angrago as last year?”

‘You are the same Angrago as last year. You’re not from another dimension.’

Rafadael, hanging upside down, thought to himself.

Still, following Wardanaz sounded pretty good.

He really was the king of finding dangerous places!

“Fine, whatever… let’s all go together.”

“Bring the others too, kihihi.”

Lagesa urged Angrago. Angrago, not wanting to give up sole claim to the dangerous spot, made a troubled face.

“Don’t we have too many already…”

“Or is the so-called knight planning to steal all the glory for himself?”

“…I’ll go get them right now!”

Watching Angrago dance in Lagesa’s palm, Lee Han felt uneasy.

‘He won’t get mad about being duped, will he?’

• * *

“I’ve been tricked!”

Angrago cried out before he knew it.

Giselle and Dergeu beside him looked at him as if he’d lost his mind.

“What are you yelling about?”

“Lee Han didn’t trick you, Angrago.”

“N-no. The punishment room… I never thought he’d bring us this deep in…”

“You thought Wardanaz would lead you to a warm, cozy study with a fireplace?”

“You were the first to ask for it, Angrago.”

Suffering his friends’ scoldings, Angrago had no response.

‘Urgh. It’s not fair.’

“The punishment room… well, this isn’t even that bad,” Giselle said, looking at Lee Han.

Honestly, she’d braced herself for somewhere even worse.

“Oh. Moradi. I need to say something to you privately.”

“…I have a bad feeling about this.”

When Lee Han called her aside, Giselle suddenly grew uneasy.

No good news ever came by being called out alone.

“Well, actually. The reason we’re going deep into the punishment room isn’t to tough it out in the dungeon, but because I have a request to make.”

“To whom? To a prisoner?”

“No. A high spirit. He’s the current warden here.”

“…Wow. Not surprising at all.”

“Really? That’s a relief.”

“It’s sarcasm, you idiot.”

“Anyway, I just need to ask for something pretty valuable. Which might make things tougher. I figured you ought to know in advance.”

“Why did that idiot drag all the other friends along, then?”

“I tried to stop him.”

“……”

Giselle cast Lee Han a slightly suspicious look.

Given Wardanaz’s skills, it seemed perfectly possible that he’d both ‘try to stop’ and brainwash Angrago at the same time.