Episode 859

Contrary to Lee Han’s prejudice, the Skull Headmaster was not at all keen on the Emperor’s young child visiting Einrogard.

Einrogard students, like most wizards, were unpredictable beings (something the Headmaster understood well since he himself egged them on), and if such students were to attack a dragon, a tragedy could befall both sides.

The students could be smashed to pieces, and Joulin could suffer emotional scars—a tragedy for all!

At least, smashed-up students could be remedied. But if Joulin were emotionally hurt, not even the Skull Headmaster could fix it.

Unfortunately, dragons were creatures on whom magic didn’t work well, much like the boy from the Wardanaz family.

Fortunately for the Headmaster, Joulin was still a young dragon.

A young dragon’s whims were as fickle as boiling soup.

So, when Joulin, after meeting the boy from the Wardanaz family last winter break, excitedly declared “Joulin will visit Einrogard!” the Skull Headmaster didn’t much care.

He figured this declaration would be forgotten soon, like “I won’t be picky with food anymore,” or “even if I lose at chess I won’t send the chessboard flying with my paw.”

But sometimes, even the Headmaster’s predictions were wrong.

Joulin’s passion for visiting Einrogard was just such a case.

The wild and uproarious tales of Einrogard life told by a certain boy from a certain family sounded tremendously appealing.

Of course, the boy had sugar-coated things for a royal audience, but the embellishments only backfired.

No matter how much the Skull Headmaster tried to dissuade him, Joulin didn’t listen and insisted all the harder…

-Joulin WILL visit Einrogard!

-…Your Highness. Might you sleep on it and reconsider?

-No! Joulin will go to Einrogard! Gonadaltes is just hoping Joulin will forget, isn’t he?!

-Of course not. There seems to be a misunderstanding.

‘Tsk. Ever since he talked to Wardanaz, his intelligence has shot up.’

-Then Joulin will visit Einrogard!

-…His Majesty won’t like this.

-I got permission!

-Sorry? God… Has the Empire gone mad?

-What?

-No, it’s nothing, your Highness. The students will be terrified.

-Who cares! I just won’t get caught! I’ll hide in Wardanaz’s room!

-There’s no way Your Highness could fit.

-I’ll just stay in human form!

-It’ll be uncomfortable.

-I can endure it!

-You won’t even get proper meals there. No knights, no servants, you have to leave all your toys. The conditions are terribly harsh!

-That’s fine! …But isn’t Gonadaltes lord of the domain? Why leave the environment in such a bad state?

-Haha. The students are so rough and rowdy, it’s all I can do to try and guide them. There are limits, your Highness.

-Anyway, Gonadaltes! I will visit Einrogard, so be prepared! Any more excuses, and I’ll take it you’re trying to stop me!

-Understood, Your Highness.

The Headmaster, realizing he couldn’t argue further, retreated meekly.

But that didn’t mean the Headmaster was defeated.

Back in his office, the Skull Headmaster simply started ignoring and defying Joulin’s letters.

Ignore him until he forgets!

If the Headmaster didn’t respond or reach out, what could Joulin do?

But what the Headmaster failed to account for was how resourceful Joulin could be.

When the Headmaster ignored his letters, Joulin began writing to Einrogard’s professors.

The sharp-witted Einrogard professors, thinking ahead, promptly feigned ignorance and burned the letters, but among them were some weak-hearted professors.

Lee Han Wardanaz definitely invited me to visit, but Gonadaltes and the other professors are blocking me! Professor Baegrek, if you care for your disciples, help me!

-Hm.

Professor Voladi couldn’t bear to harshly refuse the request, especially since it came from one of his one, no, two disciples.

After much agonizing, Voladi wrote back:

As a Professor, I do not have the authority to invite Your Highness as a royal guest. If you wish to visit, please come as a party to the exam.

That sounds super, totally, really fun! I love it! I accept Baegrek Professor’s suggestion!

Understood.

Oh! Make it a secret from Wardanaz! I want to surprise him!

But thinking about your abilities, Your Highness, you should be warned…

No! Wardanaz can handle it just fine!

-Correct.

“And what exactly is correct about that?”

Lee Han snapped as he listened to the story.

He couldn’t believe Professor Voladi had been tricked by Joulin!

Even now, he found it hard to believe.

‘To think someone could be fooled by Prince Joulin…’

Lee Han blamed himself.

It was practically a force majeure disaster, but still, he should have prepared better.

He should have been on guard at least when Joulin started showing interest in Einrogard…

‘Damn it. It’s all the Headmaster’s fault.’

No matter how he looked at it, half the blame fell on the Skull Headmaster.

It was that careless remark—“His Highness will probably forget after a nap”—that made Lee Han let down his guard.

“Professor, when is His Highness arriving?”

Lee Han didn’t give up and pressed on.

It might not be over yet.

He could send Joulin another letter before he arrived and try to stop the visit.

‘I’ll say I’ve been kidnapped by a mad clone and am in no state to meet His Highness.’

It wasn’t even a lie—a message that just might work.

“Next Monday.”

“There seems to have been a misunderstanding. I will write to His Highness again.”

“Misunderstanding?”

“In truth, I didn’t actually inv—”

KURURUNG!

With a roar, something massive crashed beneath Professor Voladi’s underground classroom.

Lee Han jumped and asked,

“What was that?!”

“The underground airfield.”

Even setting aside the spire stables, Einrogard had several landing strips for flying vehicles from outside.

The underground airfield was a place preferred by those who wanted to arrive discreetly.

Huge tunnel-like caverns stretched out, and with a magically-concealed entrance nearby, even dozens of carriages could fly through at once.

Normally, Lee Han would have been excited to discover a new part of the school…

…But not now.

“…What just landed in the underground airfield?”

“Seems like a huge, heavy living thing touched down.”

“How likely is it that that’s Prince Joulin?”

Professor Voladi merely looked at Lee Han in silence. Lee Han could read the answer in that gaze.

“…Let’s go greet His Highness…”

“You just said it was a misunderstanding.”

“The misunderstanding was a misunderstanding.”

Lee Han replied, his voice filled with sorrow.

At this point, there was nothing to be done.

• * *

Following his senior, Eandurde’s eyes sparkled with anticipation and excitement.

“Eandurde. Don’t attack His Highness when we meet.”

“Why not?”

‘Because you’ll get wrecked, that’s why…’

Eandurde was a born fighter, but he was no match for Joulin in either age or power.

Even though Joulin lacked malice, a swipe or two of his paw would send Eandurde flying.

“His Highness is my friend.”

“Oh!”

Eandurde nodded, though he secretly felt disappointed.

He wanted to try fighting a dragon at least once…

“But Professor, is it okay if Eandurde hears things about Prince Joulin?”

Technically, this was an imperial secret—was it okay for Eandurde?

In response to Lee Han’s question, Professor Voladi replied calmly.

“If you are an Einrogard student, it’s fine.”

“I see. Einrogard must really have that much authority.”

“?”

Professor Voladi glanced over, wondering what his disciple was talking about.

“…Uh, doesn’t being an Einrogard student grant special clearance to such secrets?”

“I meant there would be a prohibition placed.”

“Ah.”

Lee Han understood immediately.

The Skull Headmaster would just handwave it for him, but for other students, a restriction spell would be placed.

As they walked through the deep underground passages, Eandurde couldn’t hold back and asked Lee Han,

“How will you fight?!”

“Uh…”

His junior’s innocent question made Lee Han recall unpleasant facts.

Since Joulin had come for the midterm, the exam really would involve him.

‘If I pick Telekinesis, do I have to lift Joulin and throw him? If I pick Alchemy, do I have to brew a potion that could defeat Joulin?’

Regardless of success or failure, he was worried he’d be arrested once he stepped out of school.

Ng!

From a distance, the familiar voice of a dragon resonated. Lee Han called out.

“Your Highness?”

…J-Joulin is not here.

“???”

Lee Han, thinking it was absurd, focused his magic on his vision.

Sure enough, ahead in the underground airfield space, Joulin was stuck in the wall.

He’d probably flown in excitedly and crashed straight into the airfield wall without slowing down.

He himself wasn’t hurt, but the surrounding walls of course didn’t hold. They had collapsed, burying Joulin.

“Are you alright, Your Highness?”

Mmm…

“You said you weren’t here, didn’t you?”

“Shh, Eandurde. When someone makes a mistake, sometimes they pretend they aren’t there.”

“??”

Eandurde looked puzzled at Lee Han’s words.

Weren’t dragons the wisest and most noble creatures in the Empire?

Was this one really hiding in the debris like a five-year-old after screwing up?

“Your Highness, please come out. That’s easy to repair. It’s just a scratch.”

R-Really?

At that, Joulin crawled out from under the ruins. Despite not being fully grown, the large gold dragon blinked and showed himself.

As soon as his eyes found Lee Han, joy radiated in them.

Wow! Lee Han!

Joulin accurately grabbed Lee Han with a huge forepaw. Having suffered before, Lee Han cast a wordless telekinesis spell in time, putting up a barrier.

Professor Voladi, watching from the side, was quietly pleased with his disciple’s improvement.

“Ugh. Your Highness. You’re going to kill me.”

Ah, no! Lee Han! Don’t die!

“You’re squeezing too hard…”

I let go! I command you to live again!

“Thank you. I have returned to life.”

Lee Han dusted himself off.

Eandurde, watching all this, was torn between attacking the evil dragon assaulting his senior or keeping his earlier promise to stand aside.

“???”

Who is that?

Joulin looked at Eandurde and asked.

While he knew Professor Voladi and Lee Han, this was a magician he’d never seen before.

“He’s my junior, Eandurde.”

Nice to meet you, Eandurde!

Hearing that he was Lee Han’s junior, Joulin happily tried to give Eandurde a hug.

Even with far less strength than before, the pressure was suffocating. Eandurde struggled, letting out a croak, and thrashed about.

Why, what’s wrong? Is there a problem?

“You need to ease up a bit more.”

Startled, Joulin loosened his grip further, and Eandurde clawed savagely at his foreleg (Joulin didn’t even notice), broke free, and retreated to a distance, growling.

Seeing someone seemingly dislike him, Joulin’s eyes filled with tears.

L-Lee Han! Does Eandurde hate Joulin?

“Uh… well…”

Lee Han glanced at his junior. Eandurde was growling as if determined not to say he liked Joulin.

“GRRRR!”

“…Eandurde. Would this change your mind?”

Lee Han tried negotiating, handing his junior a chocolate.