Episode 92

Episode 092

‘Maybe they’re not okay?’

While Tijilin was worrying about that, Professor Garcia kindly replied.

“As long as your mana is unharmed, you’ll be fine. Everything can be recovered.”

“Ah… yes…”

Professor Garcia gave a pure smile, not noticing that Tijilin had subtly taken a step back.

“I’m really glad. Even if you get struck by lightning, it’s okay, but if your mana gets hurt inside…”

“Yes…”

“Oh dear, Tijilin, it’s alright to come closer. Everyone’s safe.”

• * *

“Is everyone alright?!”

Ihan released his invisibility and rushed over in a hurry.

The moment he cast the lightning spell, Perkuntra’s feelings were conveyed to Ihan as well.

Just as Perkuntra could read Ihan’s emotions, Ihan could also read Perkuntra’s emotions.

-We’re screwed!

It was a short, simple emotion, but the moment the lightning spell exploded, Ihan knew something had gone wrong.

That senile old spirit Perkuntra had cast a spell so strong he couldn’t control his power and burned everything!

Ihan didn’t even think it was because his own mana overflowed.

Since Perkuntra possessed Ihan’s arm and helped with the spell, clearly it was Perkuntra’s fault. Whose else would it be?

And it wasn’t entirely wrong.

Fortunately, Professor Garcia arrived belatedly. Seeing Professor Garcia safely receive the students, Ihan was relieved.

‘Truly the only conscience…!’

As Ihan hurried toward them, Professor Garcia gave him a kind smile.

He had wondered who used that spell, and as expected, it was student Ihan.

“Everyone is okay.”

“That’s a relief!”

“We did get a little shocked by the lightning, though.”

“…?”

Ihan reacted much like Tijilin. The two students both showed flustered reactions, but Professor Garcia didn’t waver.

A real educator should always give the same answer—even when students ask the same question repeatedly.

“As long as your mana is safe, you’ll be fine. You just need to recover.”

“…Ah… Yes.”

Ihan took a step back, just like Tijilin had earlier. Tijilin, who had already stepped back, nodded.

Welcome!

“Uuurrgh…”

“Ugh…”

The students who had been captured looked terrible, as they’d had their mana drained and then been shocked with electricity on top of it.

Seeing several White Tiger Tower students’ muscles twitching because of the lightning, Ihan sighed.

‘Damn. I’ll probably get cursed even after saving them.’

Even Ihan himself would probably complain.

-I saved you.

-Th-thanks… Wait a minute. If you had enough power to defeat the vine monster, why did you shock us along with it?

-The famous spirit helping me turned out to be stupider than expected and couldn’t control its power.

-Expect me to believe that!?

If you told people you had the power to one-shot the vine monster but couldn’t control it, Ihan himself would think it was nonsense.

“Now. Everyone, try to stand up.”

Professor Garcia waved his staff, relaxing the students’ cramped muscles and restoring their lost mana.

Watching from behind, Ihan was once again surprised.

‘Professor Garcia knows how to use healing magic too?’

Judging from the magic he’d seen so far, the fields of magic Professor Garcia used were really broad.

Most professors just cared about their specialty, but Professor Garcia’s range was unusually wide.

Why was that?

“Th-thank you, Professor Garcia.”

“Thank you so much.”

“Give your thanks to Ihan here. He bravely defeated the vine monster and saved you all.”

“……”

The White Tiger Tower students gave Ihan complicated looks.

Angrago spoke up as a representative.

“Thank you, Wardanaz.”

“If you’re bitter…”

Ihan almost replied, ‘Then you shouldn’t have gotten caught in the first place,’ but stopped.

He received a different response than expected.

‘Hm?’

He’d expected something like, ‘You almost killed us, you evil black magician bastard,’ but the White Tiger Tower students just honestly thanked him.

Ihan wondered if they were just minding their manners in front of Professor Garcia.

But that wasn’t it.

Angrago looked at Ihan with an expression mixed with resentment and gratitude.

“…It really pains me to say this, but as a knight, not properly thanking someone for a favor means you aren’t a true knight. Thank you.”

“So does that mean you’ll forget about all the grudges we have now?”

“That’s not it. Don’t get the wrong idea, Wardanaz.”

“……”

Ihan was a little hurt by the cold answer.

If you’re grateful, couldn’t you let go of a little resentment?

Well, a lot had built up, but still…

“But for what happened this time… I really am grateful. I can see a bit why Deurgyu trusts… no, why he believes in you.”

Starting with Angrago, other White Tiger Tower students sincerely thanked Ihan.

“Thank you, Wardanaz.”

“We’ll probably never be close, but I won’t forget the honor you showed this time.”

“We’ll probably never be close, but I’ll cooperate with you as much as I can on this lake assignment.”

Deurgyu, who’d been captured but regained his strength, belatedly approached.

Deurgyu was genuinely happy to see his friends thanking Ihan.

“See! Didn’t I say, like Moradi said, that he’s not such a bad person?”

“Hmm… He really might not be.”

“So, are we now ready to forget our grudges and build some friendship?”

“Not at all. Don’t cross the line, Deurgyu.”

“With all that’s happened, how could we just forget?”

“……”

Deurgyu was a bit hurt by his friends’ cold answers.

He thought the good atmosphere would make it okay…

“Hey! How could you zap us so hard! You did it on purpose because those White Tiger Tower guys were here, didn’t you?!”

And finally, Gynando, now recovered, staggered up.

In Gynando’s eyes, Ihan was absolutely not someone who’d make that kind of mistake.

He was sure Ihan used this as a chance to give the White Tiger Tower kids a rough time.

That was fine and all, but did it have to happen while Gynando himself was captured?!

“What a ridiculous accusation… Prince. Apologize.”

“Prince Gynando. As a member of the royal family, do you have no pride or honor? How could you say such things to your rescuer?”

It was only now that Gynando realized the White Tiger Tower students were there.

The unexpected rebuke from the White Tiger Tower students left Gynando feeling wronged.

Even if he was closer to Ihan, the others should have been way friendlier, given how they usually ignored Ihan’s kindness!

“What do you guys know!”

“We don’t have royal blood, but we know honor.”

“Apologize, Prince.”

Gynando felt wronged, but at the same time, was a little happy to be acknowledged as royalty.

Ihan noticed this and looked incredulous.

“You’re not happy just because they called you prince, right?”

“…No! But you guys really don’t treat me like royalty!”

The Azure Dragon Tower students were all from such prestigious noble families that they had no reason to bow to a triple-digit prince.

But instead of saying that, Ihan decided to be considerate to Gynando.

“It’s because they all consider you a friend, Gynando.”

“Well, that’s true…”

Even then, the White Tiger Tower students didn’t wait for Gynando to savor the compliment.

“No matter how close we are, we should be polite. Even we thanked Wardanaz.”

“Just apologize, Prince.”

Whether they cared or not, the White Tiger Tower students pressured Gynando.

There are few who can withstand the pressure of armed knights.

Ihan thought, once again, how remarkable it was he’d survived facing those thick-headed guys.

“I-I’m sorry. To criticize you after being rescued…”

“Please be more careful in the future.”

“Prince. One’s own honor is made by one’s own actions.”

The White Tiger Tower students acknowledged the apology with knightly nods.

And then, just like that, they left.

Ihan was dumbfounded.

‘Did you three forget you all tried to gang up on me?’

Ihan tried to bring it up, but the satisfied White Tiger Tower students had already walked away.

Gynando, still feeling wronged, asked cautiously.

“But, it really wasn’t on purpose?”

“It wasn’t on purpose.”

“Ugh…! I was sure it was…!”

It really wasn’t on purpose.

Though it was close!

• * *

After tidying up and finishing post-incident matters, Professor Garcia called Ihan over. His face looked worried.

Ihan could easily guess what would come next.

-Perkuntra. You have to explain this.

If Perkuntra didn’t explain, Ihan could be treated as a ‘crazy guy who casts spells without regard for his own safety’ in front of Professor Garcia.

That was a dangerous misunderstanding in more ways than one.

-Strictly speaking, it’s your fault.

-Okay. Okay.

Perkuntra was just as wronged as Gynando, but decided to accept it.

He wasn’t blameless, after all.

Once he possessed Ihan’s arm, he should have made sure the magic was under control until the end.

However…

-…Wait a minute.

-?

-Time’s up…

Ihan felt Perkuntra’s avatar in his arm fade away.

On top of that, Perkuntra himself was returning to the punishment chamber where he’d originally been.

Ihan was appalled.

-Say it’s not true.

-…I’m really sorry. It wasn’t on purpose.

-Say it’s not true! Quickly!

-Seriously, next time I’m summoned, I’ll show my real powers…

-You want me to summon you again after this disaster?!

Though the novice wizard said that, Perkuntra couldn’t argue.

Not a word he could say in his own defense!

-I’m really sorry, but next time…

Pop!

Perkuntra disappeared.

Professor Garcia, eyes mixing worry and strictness, spoke as he looked at Ihan.

“Ihan, I couldn’t say it earlier in the confusion, but I have to say something now. Lightning magic, like fire magic, is an intense and dangerous type of elemental magic that’s difficult to control. The fact that you learned it on your own is truly impressive and astonishing, but as your professor, I can’t help but worry about you.”

“Professor, actually, there’s a deeper story here.”

Ihan recounted Perkuntra’s story in detail.

Of course, he left out anything about robbing Professor Uregorum’s greenhouse and embellished the rest as needed!

But even as he spoke, Ihan worried.

‘Will he really believe such a ridiculous lie?’

“What incredible bad luck you had!”

‘He believes it?!’

Amazingly, Professor Garcia believed him. Truly a real professor.

“I see. Well, I figured you weren’t reckless enough to do something that dangerous without a good reason.”

‘I already understood just fine, you don’t have to keep emphasizing it…’

“That spirit is a bit…”

“Scatterbrained and unreliable, you think?”

“Pardon? No, there’s no way a spirit of that level is untalented. It was probably just that you’re such an unusual contractor, so various mishaps happened.”

“……”

Ihan respected Professor Garcia, but couldn’t respect that opinion.

‘You’re just too kind.’

“Of course, there are evil spirits who try to drag their contractors to ruin, but from what I’ve heard, that spirit doesn’t seem like one. Just be careful from now on and, above all, think of your own safety before using magic.”

“Understood.”

“Did you use lightning magic?”

At the familiar voice, both Ihan and Professor Garcia turned their heads.

Professor Voladi looked this way, his ice-cold, emotionless eyes glimmering with faint curiosity.