Episode 891
by CristaeEpisode 891
But Saratan did not complain, “What did I tell you?”
He would have immediately struck his subordinate spirit if it had blurted out, ‘Didn’t I tell you so!’ in such a situation.
The opposing sorcerer was just as temperamental and ruthless a tyrant as Saratan. Caution was warranted when at a disadvantage.
-Hehe. I am glad… such a misunderstanding has been cleared up.
Enduring humiliation, Saratan flattered.
At that flattery, Lee Han got angry instead.
“Why did you waste everyone’s time by not explaining yourself properly?”
“Yeah. Yeah.”
“Lecture him more, Wardanaz!”
The friends shamelessly blamed the spirit. This level of evasion of responsibility was standard after living in Einrogard.
-……
Saratan was furious once more but had no choice.
“If you had made the new bud more quickly, there wouldn’t have been this misunderstanding.”
-This authority is not so easy to use… I haven’t fully recovered yet…
At the tyrannical order from the sorcerer, Saratan protested in frustration.
The new bud Saratan had crafted overnight, imbued with authority, was by no means an easy feat.
Although Saratan regained consciousness thanks to switching to the powerful Divine Tree, it was not as if all power had returned.
Normally, it would have taken a few more days, but the master’s fuss made him hurry. He needed to rest for a while to recover his strength.
“Hmph. For all that, you tried to kill me far too easily last time.”
-That… was a slightly different situation… it was in the Consciousness World…
Saratan shuddered.
If he dared to mess with this sorcerer a second time and got caught, he couldn’t even imagine what would happen then.
“Ah. Junior! Welcome.”
The ever-polite fifth-year senior, Catten of the Jahan family, greeted Lee Han.
A cat beast-person who removed his hat to greet people had a disarming effect, just like a penguin beast-person or a beaver beast-person.
But Lee Han, trained in Einrogard, was not fooled by such appearances.
‘Remember the last time he challenged me.’
Recalling Catten pressing forward with only his swordsmanship, even when Yukveltire and Direte were present, sent chills down his spine.
As Professor Ingeldel had said, if he had focused only on swordsmanship, this senior would have achieved far deadlier heights.
“Hello. Senior. How will next week’s -Sword and Life- class exam be conducted?”
“Oh. I can’t tell you that.”
“Is it something I shouldn’t know?”
It was Saturday now and the exam was next week, but some professors kept the content of tests a secret.
If Catten was such a person…
“No, because I haven’t decided yet.”
He answered, scratching the back of his head with a slightly embarrassed expression. Joulin, who had been watching from behind, was flustered.
Is that really okay?
Coming from seeing another fifth-year just before, Joulin found it refreshingly novel that Catten hadn’t even decided on the exam with only a few days left.
Is that allowed?
Of course, it was not.
“It’s not supposed to be like that, Your Highness. Hmm. How embarrassing!”
Joulin thought deciding should come before being embarrassed…
“Shh. Your Highness. All fifth-year seniors have their own circumstances. Please be understanding.”
As Joulin launched another attack, Lee Han quickly intervened.
Fifth-year seniors were basically pitiful people. Mercy should be shown when dealing with them.
“Junior, don’t misunderstand. It’s not like I haven’t thought about it at all. Traditionally, -Sword and Life- exams have always had a set idea.”
“Oh? What is it?”
“The student teaches me a spell.”
“……”
Lee Han was speechless at this exam goal, even more shameless than Professor Verdus’s.
Of course the reason Catten conducted the -Sword and Life- class was to find someone who could teach in return, but could the exam be this blatant?
“Doesn’t the Headmaster get angry? He’s strict about these kinds of things.”
“He does. That’s why I always end up in the punishment room.”
“……”
Joulin started backing away.
He was starting to feel the madness from his opponent.
‘Hmm. Someone willing to go to the punishment room is truly terrifying.’
Professors Verdus and Bendozol were strong because both were prepared to go into the punishment room.
Catten was a step above. He enjoyed going into the punishment room.
“…So if that was always the exam, why did it suddenly become undecided?”
“Junior, there’s a reason for that.”
Catten nodded and began.
Since entering Einrogard, Catten had always focused only on his own work.
Whether friends were caught trying to escape to the punishment room, or bringing out ancient evil monsters to fight other tower students, he had silently studied magic alone.
Even when the innocent juniors from the White Tiger Tower wanted to take -Sword and Life-, Catten refused for a similar reason.
He needed students who could teach him magic, not those who would only learn swordsmanship.
But recently, Catten’s thoughts had shifted a little.
“Other professors told me this: Studying magic alone isn’t the only way to improve. Teaching and helping someone can also lead to enlightenment. Even if what you’re teaching is swordsmanship, not magic.”
‘Is that so?’
Lee Han wondered if the other professors were tricking Catten.
Looking at Catten’s current situation, teaching swordsmanship to other students didn’t seem likely to improve his magic skills.
He couldn’t even imagine what should be done to make improvement possible…
“Hmm. I used to think that was a trick.”
“!”
Apparently Catten thought the same as Lee Han.
“I’ve heard that countless times since long ago, but I never really believed it.”
“Why not?”
“Because it was the Headmaster’s suggestion, and I thought he was sweet-talking me to force me into teaching.”
“……”
Catten truly had a sharp instinct.
He immediately sensed the cunning lure just by looking at who was speaking.
“Wait. Then why did your thoughts change? It sounds reasonable otherwise.”
“For two reasons. First, look at you, Junior. You teach students and even do chores for everyone, but you’re still top of your year.”
“……”
Indeed!
Joulin was impressed.
According to dwarven proverbs, diamonds are made in the deepest and harshest mines.
Perhaps Lee Han’s magic had also been crafted in the harshest environment in Einrogard…
“What do you mean indeed, what?”
Lee Han. You’re angry…?
“I am not angry.”
Joulin shrank under Lee Han’s gaze. Lee Han’s heart softened and he patted Joulin’s wing.
“Anyway, Senior, the first reason seems odd, but what’s the second?”
“Professor Baegrek who is standing behind you, is the second.”
“??”
Lee Han, grumbling, was surprised and looked at Professor Voladi.
“Did the Professor give you any advice?”
“Oh. No. Junior. I always thought the reason Professor Baegrek was strong was because he never wasted time looking after his students.”
“……”
“That’s a misunderstanding.”
Professor Voladi spoke briefly, and Catten nodded.
“Yes. Professor. I realize now I was mistaken. When I heard you were increasing your students, I was convinced.”
“Hmm.”
Professor Voladi expressed his agreement with pride once more.
‘Isn’t it only a doubling…?’
Of course, strictly speaking, it was a 100% increase, but there were truths in the world numbers alone couldn’t reveal. The number of Professor Voladi’s students was just that.
“So I also reflected and decided to change the exam content, Junior.”
“I see. So the exam will be for the benefit of the listener, not just for you.”
‘Lee Han is actually pretty biting.’
Joulin thought to himself.
Polite as he may be, this Wardanaz boy never left anything unsaid.
But Catten was a step above Lee Han. He said, with a slightly embarrassed look,
“Is that what it sounds like? Hmm. Junior, that’s not what I meant.”
“Huh? Then what do you mean?”
Lee Han was puzzled as to what other answer could possibly come out in this situation.
“No… I was considering exams with more audience members. The more people who listen, the more you’ll get a real feel for teaching.”
‘He’s embarrassed but is basically saying the same things as Professor Verdus!’
Even though he showed embarrassment, logically, it was no different than ‘students don’t matter; I’ll draw in as many with a plausible exam next semester as I can.’
If Professor Verdus had said the same thing, it would have sounded far more evil. Attitude is truly important.
‘But it’s not a bad deal for me.’
It was also an appealing prospect from Lee Han’s side.
It was much better than having Catten say, ‘Let’s reach the heights of swordsmanship this time, Junior.’
“Junior, will you help me set up an exam so more students will attend in the future?”
“Of course!”
“If you don’t mind, would you help as well, Professor? With Professor Baegrek’s help, I’d feel more confident.”
“I will.”
“With the best in the field aiding us, I feel reassured! Isn’t that right, Junior?”
“……”
Lee Han felt ever so slightly wronged.
“Surely, targeting the White Tiger Tower students is the best approach.”
Aside from his slight wrong, Lee Han gave a reasonable opinion.
Given the respect Catten had in the White Tiger Tower, drawing them in with a class probably wouldn’t be so hard.
Even Giselle or Deorgyu had loved it when Lee Han had dragged them along like a drowning man.
“Hmm. Junior. There’s one concern. There are always juniors every year who want to learn swordsmanship from me, but fewer stick with it than expected.”
Some persistent White Tiger Tower juniors would chase Catten around, begging him to teach them, but most didn’t last long.
“If it goes on like this, even if White Tiger Tower students come, the dropout rate will be high.”
‘Isn’t that a bit too greedy?’
Lee Han was a little flustered by Catten, who seemed to be aiming too high from the start.
The professor next to him was satisfied with one to two students, but…
Catten posed a question to Professor Voladi.
“What do you think, Professor Baegrek? You’re tough on your students too, so your dropout rate must be high. How did you solve that…”
“I simply trust my students.”
“Indeed!”
‘Indeed what?’
Lee Han was speechless, but the two were serious.
“Trusting… the students… Maybe that’s better than unnecessary tricks.”
‘Is it zero? No, with me, Giselle, and Deorgyu, that’s three… That already surpasses Professor Baegrek. Yes. That’s a relief.’
Listening to the conversation, Lee Han tried to estimate how many students his senior would have next semester.
It didn’t seem likely to increase beyond three, but, compared to Professor Voladi, this was something to be proud of.
Thinking of how to later persuade Catten that ‘even three is impressive,’ Lee Han heard Catten’s voice in his ear.
“Junior? Junior?”
“Ah. Sorry.”
“You seem tired.”
Lee Han had too much to do.
“…That’s not the reason… anyway, what is it?”
“I was thinking of asking Professor Ingeldel as well.”
“Not a bad idea. The professor should know exactly the right difficulty for the exam.”
“Hmm. But Professor Ingeldel is already troubled because of you, Junior. Wouldn’t we just be bothering him…?”
“…Huh?”