Episode 833

‘A trial would almost be better.’

Usually, a trial might be difficult and dangerous, but at least it had an end.

No matter how hard, you could at least roughly guess what to do to reach the conclusion.

But the Sacred Grove was now simply telling them to just find a branch that suited themselves, with no beginning or end.

Magicians might be a profession that makes the impossible possible, but to just pull this off with no clue at all…

“Isn’t there anything that could help?”

“I told you, wander around until you’re chosen.”

“Hm. Understood.”

Lee Han ignored Lagesa’s words and pondered which of the divinatory magics he’d learned he should use.

Stone casting seemed a bit weak, so he’d need to try something like the Spirit Coin Divination or the Five Demons Divination.

‘Spirit Coin Divination isn’t possible.’

He needed five coins specially processed by magic (and even then, any facing heads had to be offered to the spirit), so using Spirit Coin Divination was tough.

The Five Demons Divination seemed the best he could do. If he failed to identify the two fakes among the five predictions, he’d suffer a powerful curse of misfortune, but it was still better than the Spirit Coin Divination.

“Divinatory magic? That’s dangerous, brat. So many seers have been destroyed, addicted to the thrill of glimpsing the future…”

“Hm. Understood.”

Lee Han ignored him again and checked his reagents.

Wide mushroom harvested during the Gloom Moon, a bone fragment obtained from the demon realm between dimensions, dice, and so on.

Lagesa realized Lee Han was letting his words go in one ear and out the other and grumbled.

“He’ll only stop doing that once he really gets hurt by divinatory magic. Arrogant brat!”

“No, please don’t misunderstand. I’m not saying I’ll use it right now, I’m just checking.”

Lee Han wasn’t fearless. In fact, he was probably more cautious than most students.

Who wouldn’t be afraid, knowing that a misstep would bring terrible misfortune for a while?

He was so careful about divinatory magic that, whenever Gainando got close, he’d wave his staff to chase him off just because of a previous prophecy.

It’s just that there simply seemed to be no answer for how to find the right branch in this forest!

‘I’ll just watch how the others do it first.’

With his reagents checked, Lee Han watched what his friends were doing.

If anyone got lucky and obtained a fitting branch, he meant to learn from that.

Swish!

The student who’d grabbed the mirage earlier was actually in a better state.

The students wandering around looking for a suitable branch soon realized just how bizarre this forest was.

Pop!

Some weren’t just unable to snap a branch—they found themselves suddenly teleported elsewhere in the woods as soon as they touched one.

Splash!

Suddenly, the cloud collapsed beneath them, and they’d drop into a huge puddle below.

“I just… I just went somewhere weird. Did you see that? Some spirits led me into a labyrinth, I swear!”

Or they’d fall into illusions, endlessly wandering within a maze.

There were no hostile monsters, but this forest was filled with labyrinthine mysteries rarely seen even near Einrogard. No wonder it was tended by a mad Spirit King.

“…Everyone, rope yourselves together. Don’t stray too far apart. Engrave -Ally’s Mark- on your hands.”

Unable to watch further, Giselle gathered the White Tiger Tower students who’d been wandering the forest at random.

Even for magicians, controlling this forest completely was impossible, but there were countermeasures.

They linked each other together with endlessly lengthening magical rope and engraved -Ally’s Mark- on their hands, a spell to let them know each other’s locations until it wore off…

“I see. This method favors long-term exploration.”

“What are you judging for!? You come in here and give orders too!”

Giselle shouted in exasperation.

The sibling who should have been issuing orders sat on the cloud, watching with interest, saying ‘So this is how the White Tiger Tower students move’—it was absurd.

Lee Han, wanting to observe a little longer, quickly made an excuse.

“I’m Blue Dragon Tower, so I thought it best to just observe instead of interfering.”

‘Huh. Is that so?’

Angrago, who was listening, thought it sounded plausible.

If you were from another Tower, you might hesitate to take the lead and give orders…

“Is that really something you should say?”

“Lee Han, even I think that one’s a stretch…”

Even Deorgyu, who normally supported Lee Han, wore a troubled expression along with the sneering Giselle.

“Boo!”

Some White Tiger Tower students outright booed.

“Wardanaz, stop talking nonsense and make the calls like you usually do! We want your orders!”

“That’s right! Wardanaz, just like always—argh!”

Giselle kicked the friends who shamelessly shouted.

No matter how used to obeying another Tower’s orders, this was just embarrassing.

“Hey, come on over.”

“Okay, okay. Let’s split up into groups of three. I’ll enchant -Underwater Breathing- and -Light of Truth- for you… What else do we need? I guess there’s no need for -Contaminant Protection-?”

Lee Han cast a comprehensive set of enchanting spells from the lower circle.

Noticing the mood, Angrago raised his hand.

“Wardanaz, I have something to say.”

“Oh? What is it? Magic advice?”

“No. He said to call your friends. Maybe we should quickly call friends from the other Towers too…”

“……”

Lee Han and Giselle looked at Angrago with eyes full of disdain.

“N-no, I didn’t mean it in a bad way, I just meant we should share this opportunity with friends from the other Towers!”

“I’m sure that’s it.”

“Ha. Next time I’ll make it a competition to bring your friends in, then.”

“Aren’t you your Tower’s runner-up, Angrago?”

“Shut up.”

• * *

The White Tiger Tower students spread the news to their friends in all the Towers.

-Oh, friends! While helping Wardanaz, we happened to meet the benevolent Spirit King of the Tree! The Spirit King said, ‘Call your friends and break off branches!’ I hope you’ll also come and break off a branch! This place is truly beautiful and mysterious!

“Isn’t this something to be happy about!? The Spirit King has invited us and opened his domain for us!?”

Gainando looked at Yoner, as if he couldn’t understand.

Yoner tried to explain calmly.

“So…”

“Guys! Yoner says he’s not happy at all! He’s so much of a genius he doesn’t even need a gift from the Spirit King!”

“Boo! Boo!”

Yoner pulled out a potion bottle and swung it at his cousin’s head.

A short scream, and Gainando, struck by the -Vocalization Ban Potion-, flailed around.

A few friends who’d been mocking quickly shut their mouths.

“I was teasing Gainando.”

“Me too, Meikin.”

“…I just wanted to say, maybe it isn’t something to just be happy about.”

“Why not?”

Salko asked, and Yoner replied with a worried voice.

“The Spirit King isn’t the sort to give gifts for nothing.”

“That’s true… But that doesn’t mean this isn’t luck. Maybe we’re just so marinated in Einrogard we’re ignoring the spirit’s goodwill.”

‘…Is that so?!’

Yoner was briefly shaken.

Even the most self-assured student can be thrown off by the magic words, “maybe you’re just too much of an Einrogardian.”

“That’s right, Meikin! When else will we get a chance like this? Besides, Wardanaz gets along well with spirits.”

“???”

“????”

Yoner and a few others who knew the truth wore question marks on their faces.

Get along well with spirits?

“You’re here. Welcome, everyone.”

“I wanted to show you all this view. Haha.”

As they passed through the rift into the King of Broadcloth’s domain, the waiting White Tiger Tower friends welcomed them with fake smiles.

Yoner’s wariness shot up even more at the sight.

…This is weird.

“What’s up with that prince?”

“No idea. Probably ate something weird again. Last time he picked up a Hiccough Mushroom, remember?”

“Mmm mmmm!”

“Now, everyone, follow us! We’ll explain everything!”

Calling to friends from other Towers as they marveled at the strange view, the White Tiger Tower students quickly led them to the Sacred Grove.

They finished explaining and then scampered off.

“…So that’s how we got this chance. See you! We have to look too. Good luck!”

‘Strange. I feel like a lot of the story was skipped.’

Even Salko was feeling something was off now.

The Spirit King’s invitation and the opportunity were real enough, so why did it feel like so much of the story was missing between?

1 hour later

“Where did those White Tiger Tower brats go!?”

The furious Black Turtle Tower students roamed the forest looking for the White Tiger Tower students who had guided them and disappeared.

Having spent some time dangling from the treetops, everyone looked a mess.

Of course, the White Tiger Tower students had long since disappeared into the Sacred Grove to look for their branches.

“Damn. We’ve been tricked! Wardanaz’s name—don’t tell me that was a lie too?”

“That can’t be.”

“Why not?”

“I mean, would anyone dare lie using Wardanaz’s name? He’d get a terrible payback later.”

Faced with Ratford’s sharp logic, Salko had to concede.

“…That makes sense. Damn, this is bleak. Even divination magic barely works… Oh, Wardanaz!”

The Black Turtle Tower students spotted a tired-faced friend in the distance and called out.

“Wardanaz, even for a good opportunity, that was a lie!”

“What do you mean?”

“You should have told us the place was like this!”

“I said to explain everything.”

“……”

“……”

Salko vowed to hang those White Tiger Tower brats upside down the next time he saw them.

Lee Han replied in a weary voice.

“Sounds like the White Tiger Tower brats left out a few key facts. Silly of them. You’d all have come anyway; no magician would let an opportunity like this slip by.”

“?”

A few students tilted their heads.

…Really?

If I’d known in advance, I might have thought about it…

“That’s right, everyone, right?”

“Uh, uhh? Of course, right.”

“Everyone’s thinking the same thing, Wardanaz!”

The Black Turtle Tower students and Salko exchanged looks and quickly agreed.

“If you split up, I suggest setting up a tracking method and communicating regularly. There’s no danger, just very tiring. Who knows how long you’ll be wandering.”

“Wardanaz, did you try divinatory magic? We tried on our side, but no luck.”

Salko, depending on the head of the Divination School, asked his friend.

Lee Han nodded slowly and replied.

“I did. I tried the Five Demons Divination.”

“!”

The Black Turtle Tower students were shocked.

A second-year already using such advanced divinatory magic?

But less than a second later, they quickly accepted it.

‘Well, Wardanaz was always like this.’

‘Jeez, why did I even get surprised?’

Seeing his friends drop their surprise so fast, Lee Han felt a hint of confusion but continued.

“I tried, but failed.”

“Of course, it must be difficult magic…”

“No. The magic succeeded, but the demon returned the dedicated reagent. Said it couldn’t say anything because the grove was covered in the Spirit King’s madness.”

“……”

“……”

The students’ mouths dropped at this never-before-heard case of an offering being rejected.

Then—

-The prince found a branch! The prince found a branch!!

-But that guy didn’t even walk around—why!? What did he do right!?

“!”

“!!!!”

Everyone was shocked as someone acquired a branch from the forest for the first time.

“Over there! Let’s go!”

Everyone, Lee Han included, hurried over.

A few Blue Dragon Tower students were already gathered, gawking at Gainando. Gainando clutched a wriggling branch and shouted.

“Lee Han! Look! I got a branch!”

The branch, the size of a person, wriggled and smacked Gainando on the head.

Flustered, Lee Han called for Lagesa.

“Is that thing all right?”

“Materials like that always choose their owner carefully. It’s fine. If it wasn’t for him, it wouldn’t have chosen him. As long as you endure, you’ll be recognized. By the way, wasn’t that brat a prince? He’s got noble blood, yet he found his branch first.”

“Isn’t being first good?”

Lagesa grinned and finally revealed the truth.

“Where you search in the forest doesn’t matter. How much you wander does.

“…?”

“A magician with a narrow heart gets found quickly by the forest. The forest just sends a tree to grab the hand of someone who’s quick to give up. But the broader a magician’s heart, the more the forest watches. It’s curious how long you’ll walk and wait. Heehee. That’s why I told you to keep wandering until you’re chosen.”

“Ah. I see.”

Lee Han opened the Stone of Echoes and prepared to summon the Mad Clone.

Looks like he’d need to ask advice about how to threaten a mad forest.