Episode 871

Episode 871

If you exclude cases like students at Bal Mo School who learn magic as a hobby, basically, a magician was someone who pursued the truth.

From the very beginning, walking one’s own path and chasing that ultimate end was not easy on the path of magic, so with a light, hobbyist attitude, it was hard to endure for long.

This dimension was among the strongest of many dimensions.

The myriad things at the pinnacle of that dimension would not differ much from the truth itself.

…Of course, people who picked up a staff for riches and leisure like Lee Han were a bit of an exception.

“I said it wasn’t a wounded soul, but it just looked too dangerous. And, we can’t really know for sure that everything you want is up there, can we?”

That’s true.

The Yaksha King surprisingly accepted Lee Han’s point.

The light spot shining at the top of that dimension had always been said to be everything and the wish itself, but it had never actually been proven.

In the first place, those who attempted to climb up there and returned alive were extremely rare. The Yaksha King himself only knew of Osu, no other beings.

But most magicians don’t judge so calculatingly. Every magician except you showed their desire as soon as they heard the rumor.

“I must have received good lessons. Showing greed wherever you go is bad manners, after all.”

Hmm. Did Osu learn a lesson from his own failure? Even though he himself begged with tears like that.

“I’d love to hear that story in great detail.”

Lee Han spoke immediately.

The shameful past of the Skull Headmaster was much more fascinating than the light point above.

It’s not an important story.

‘What?!’

Lee Han was enraged by the suggestion to skip the useless story and return to the main point.

What does some Yaksha know about human society!

Your teacher Osu heard the rumor of the truth and visited the dimension. I respected Osu’s merit and magic, so I helped him as much as possible. He stayed in the kingdom for a while, recuperated and investigated… then left. According to rumors, after leaving the kingdom, he seems to have wandered around the dimension for quite some time.

“Did the teacher reach the top?”

Hmm.

The Yaksha King, unusually, looked troubled.

In fact, I haven’t met Osu since then. There was a rumor that a human magician got what he wanted and left, so I just thought it was Osu. So, I don’t know for sure. But the fact that he lived well and raised a disciple like you could be proof that he reached the top, no?

“He might have given up halfway and spread a fake rumor about gaining the truth, right?”

Hmm. Because of your emotional stance about your teacher, the story about Osu’s change I mentioned earlier starts to lose credibility.

“……”

Lee Han was dumbfounded.

But if we’re just talking about possibilities, you’re right. That could be.

Though he said that, it seemed the Yaksha King was convinced that the Skull Headmaster had gained the truth and left.

The Yaksha King himself didn’t seem to want to hide it and spoke on.

Osu was a magician who would never have left before getting what he wanted, not even if he was reduced to remnants and shattered soul.

“That’s certainly true.”

Hmm. Are you now forcing yourself to compliment your teacher because I just pointed out your irrational attitude toward him?

“…No.”

Alright. We’ve arrived.

The Yaksha King reached out to the sky and grabbed a planet flying through the firmament.

At the surreal scene, which ignored perspective, Lee Han opened his eyes wide.

When the planet he grabbed was pulled and thrown forward, the planet soon transformed into a royal palace. The Yaksha King split into dozens of Yaksha Kings, and then split again into hundreds.

And those Yaksha Kings each became gatekeepers, servants, palace attendants, and music officers.

“As the king of Yakshas, where are the other Yakshas?”

Down below. For someone who can set up a palace alone, forcing underlings is something only those lacking confidence in their authority do.

Lee Han restrained himself from saying, ‘The Skull Headmaster also endlessly exploits Death Knights.’

He thought that whatever he said, the Yaksha King would accuse him of being a mischievous disciple.

The Yaksha King offered Lee Han a chair of magma and a chair of blades, and only after he declined both did he finally bring out an ordinary chair.

Like I said, I don’t see humans often, so I don’t clearly remember what kind they sit on.

“Is there a race that likes sitting on the blade chair?”

Osu sat on that chair.

“……”

After giving Lee Han enough time to be taken aback, the Yaksha King got to the main point.

Alright. Osu’s disciple. Honestly, I’m a bit confused. You entered the dimension with qualifications, you accumulated immense merit, and you’re also Osu’s disciple. That’s why I’ve come here to help you fulfill your goal. But if you weren’t sent by Osu, and didn’t come after hearing the rumor of the truth either…

The Yaksha King murmured with a deeply troubled face.

The Yaksha King had lived for such a long time that he could hardly remember, yet the way of life he maintained was very simple and straightforward.

He helped those with qualifications and expelled those without.

But never did he expect a magician to show up for no reason, just out of boredom.

“It’s not that I came out of boredom, I was kidnappe—…”

Hmm. If you’re Osu’s disciple, you could’ve avoided a dimensional gate pulling you in.

“…That black book tricked me!”

Lee Han pointed at the black book fluttering beside him in anger.

The black book quickly flew behind Lee Han to avoid his gaze.

“Rather, if you’re troubled by that kind of thing, just send me back?”

Since he was dragged here by force, Lee Han had no reason to stay long in the dimension.

From what he’d heard, it was a vast and extremely dangerous place, so the longer he stayed the more the black book would enjoy it, but for Lee Han, it would only get harder.

The black book fluttered, insisting he should take the opportunity to learn more, but Lee Han ignored it.

‘By that logic, I’d have to visit everyone from the King of Ghouls to the Frost Giant King’s dimension.’

No. That’s not possible.

“…Why not!? Is it impossible to return?”

Hmm. That’s not it. The gate returning to the original dimension is easy enough to find. But I’m a stickler for principles, so I can’t send back a guest who came with the right qualifications without helping him get what he wants.

“…I just said I wanted to go back.”

Since you came with the right qualifications, of course you are qualified to return. That can’t be your wish.

‘It’s really fortunate that this person isn’t a professor.’

Lee Han felt a chill.

If the Skull Headmaster had scouted the Yaksha King before returning, Einrogard would’ve become even more hellish.

It can’t be helped. Osu’s disciple. Bring out your wish.

“I just want treasure. Let’s go with treasure.”

Hmm. You’re bad at lying. Knowing you’re Osu’s disciple, there’s no way a lie like that works.

When he saw Lee Han’s fist clench tightly, the black book fluttered as if to stop him.

The Yaksha King reached out again to the faraway tower of the palace and grabbed it, just as before. The massive tower shrank as if it would fit in his palm.

Then from within the tower, a black rat came out and squeaked, whispering to the Yaksha King.

Hmm. Hmm… I see, I see.

Returning the rat and the tower, the Yaksha King turned to Lee Han and spoke.

Osu’s disciple. It looks like you have an exam soon. Is it a very important exam?

“…Just a school exam…”

• * *

After that, Lee Han had to explain for another thirty minutes.

The Yaksha King couldn’t understand how a magician of Osu’s disciple’s caliber could be focusing with all his might just for a mage tower’s exam.

If you fail, it’s not like magicians will be executed or the mage tower will be burned down, right?

“There’s a chance of the punishment room…”

Hmm. I don’t know why you volunteered to be Osu’s disciple.

“I didn’t volunteer!”

In any case, I understand. I’ll help you with the mage tower’s exam.

The Yaksha King bent his huge body and sat at a table. On the table, as large as its owner, books sprouted.

Among them were books from other dimensions whose characters Lee Han couldn’t read.

Let’s see… -Staff Materials and Magic Amplification-. Hmm. The blood silver extracted by melting the regicide from eight hundred years ago should be here somewhere. It’s a rather evil material, but as Osu’s disciple, you should be able to handle it, right?

“No?”

Lee Han answered immediately.

He was certain from his experience in front of the professors of Einrogard that if he acted confident in situations like this, he could actually die.

The Yaksha King pointed out as if telling him not to pretend to be falsely modest.

Osu’s disciple. Of course, this blood silver is a rather strong material. It’s driven more than dozens of owners insane. But as Osu’s disciple…

“I have a staff here.”

Black magnetite?

For a magician, it was an unusual staff metal, and the Yaksha King looked intrigued.

“Yes. Somehow…”

I see. Was it made specifically to deal with magicians? Very fitting for Osu’s disciple.

“……”

Lee Han was now too tired to even bother explaining.

Understood. Then the next test… -Terribly Beautiful Creatures-, right?

“That one, Professor decided to skip for me.”

Hmm. It’s an easy exam to skip, so why are you so anxiously worried?

“There are so many exams.”

Well. Whether it’s one subpar exam, or ten, there’s not much difference. Maybe…

“?”

…You might just be unnecessarily anxious by nature. Interesting.

“…Let’s do the next test.”

Next is -Poison, Bone, Blood-.

“That also got skipped.”

Hmm.

‘He’s a king. He’s a king.’

Lee Han used superhuman patience seeing the Yaksha King nod as if to say, ‘I knew it.’

-Mad Prophecy Magic for Going Crazy-… Demons are good at that.

“By any chance, Your Highness, do you also catch demons and use them as slaves?”

No. I don’t do things like that. As king of Yakshas and other races, wouldn’t that be vulgar?

“Haha. Of course.”

But didn’t you just say ‘also,’ referring to me?

“I’m rather emotional, irrational, a bad liar, and my soul is badly wounded so I sometimes say things wrong.”

It sounds like there’s a hidden metaphor in your words…

Though skeptical, the Yaksha King let it go.

Something else was more important right now.

You were wondering about the test using this -Star Guide-.

“Yes. Do you know by chance?”

It’s not hard. If a human magician uses a star, that’s self-evident.

Magicians weren’t the type to roughly change the world; they were clever and cunning in how they did it.

Of course, borrowing the power of other existences was also one of those clever, cunning methods.

Spirit power, demon power, the power of beings residing in other dimensions…

And among them was the power of the stars.

A symbol of something far more stable and unchanging than dimensions.

Lee Han nodded, since he had heard of it before.

“I do know that high-level magicians also use the power of stars…”

Using the power of stars for prophecy magic, or borrowing star power through contracts with spirits, etc.

Lee Han already knew such things.

But what he was curious about was the test using this -Star Guide-.

Like I said, it’s obvious. Use the artifact to find a star, then contract with that star and borrow its power—that would be the test.

“I see… Uh, but isn’t that a bit too much? Shouldn’t it be easier?”

Lee Han suddenly felt puzzled.

For a third-year test, it sounded much too difficult.

A star wouldn’t be as easy to contract with as spirits or demons…

At this, the Yaksha King gave a serious lecture.

Osu’s disciple. I have lived countless ages I can’t even remember, met countless magicians, and heard the arcana of magic from them. For you to so lightly question my wisdom. Immaturity is a natural feeling, but you must also learn to control it.

“Um. Sorry.”

Lee Han’s slight doubt was overwhelmed by the authority the Yaksha King exuded. He was persuaded on the spot.