Episode 931

Chapter 931

‘With this much, I could check in advance and escape if needed.’

Lee Han calmly checked the energy outside the window and below the stairs, as well as the presence of the café patrons sitting nearby.

There didn’t seem to be any Einrogard spies, just in case.

Ting—

With a clear sound, Lee Han spun a small top made of crystal. The top spun round and round as his magic power was consumed.

This was one of the new divinations he had learned as a second-year student, called -Crystal Top Divination-.

If the top kept spinning, it meant things were relatively safe, and if it stopped, it meant danger was approaching.

It had to be paid with its own price, and because the results were vague and its uses were limited, the seniors of the Divination Magic school didn’t think much of this method, but Lee Han memorized it anyway thinking he might need it later.

Above all, the fact that it required only magic power and no separate reagents was very appealing.

‘Safe… for now.’

Inside Einrogard, there were many magicians more skilled than Lee Han, so he rarely had a chance to use it, but things were different outside.

If spies bought by Einrogard approached, there was a high chance Lee Han could catch them by divination.

“Young master of the Wardanaz family. For what club business have you gone out?”

“Well, I went out for something related to the Theater Club and associated clubs…”

“Ah. Theater Club. It suits you well.”

“After that, Kitchen Club, Stonework Club, Polo Club, Library Club…”

“……”

Arian almost spit out the coffee she was drinking, but maintained her composure with the skill of a seasoned merchant.

Come to think of it, this young master of the Wardanaz family truly lived up to the family’s fame in his eccentric and unique ways.

For someone like that, joining so many clubs and enjoying social activities wasn’t all that strange.

‘The Wardanaz family isn’t usually very sociable, but you truly are unique.’

Lee Han, oblivious to the unjust suspicion on him, cautiously spoke.

It was a situation where he had to ask for help from an outsider, but at the same time hide his purpose from them.

He had to choose his words carefully.

‘Hmm. The first collection item is…’

Retrieve the -Polarizing Lens of Asen- held by the magician Wuap and deliver it to Professor Verdus.

Wuap was confirmed to be at the workshop -Oath of the Dwarves- in the west district of the city.

‘Makes me not want to start right from the beginning.’

Lee Han frowned after checking the paper.

He had to steal the belongings of a good citizen of the Empire for Professor Verdus.

No matter how much the professor asked, he didn’t want to do it.

“Do you, by any chance, know about the magician Wuap?”

“Yes. Ah. Young master, are you collecting Einrogard items by any chance?”

This time, Lee Han nearly spat out his coffee.

How could someone he met today know Einrogard’s deepest secret?

“…I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

“Ah. Oh my. I was so tactless. I apologize.”

Arian sincerely apologized.

It was tactless to ask this outright in front of an Einrogard student.

“…But I’m curious why you asked that question.”

“Well… Young master of the Wardanaz family. You see, item retrieval from Einrogard is more famous than you might think.”

Arian wondered where to begin as she carefully explained.

She was worried she might hurt the pride of this proud Einrogard student.

“…Excuse me?”

“Think about it. Valuable magical items keep disappearing without a trace, and those who lost them remain silent. There aren’t many places where such things can happen.”

“……”

Lee Han felt deep shame.

‘Did I really make a mistake coming to Einrogard?’

He thought he hadn’t been found out, but it turned out even outside merchants knew.

Maybe in the capital, he’d overhear people whispering, ‘That magician’s from Einrogard, right?’ ‘Shh, hide your purses.’

“…But really, even if Einrogard magicians live outside imperial law, does that make sense? For victims to remain silent?”

“Yes? I think you’ve misunderstood. Do you think Einrogard magicians just snatch the belongings of innocent imperial citizens?”

“Yes? Yes.”

“…Ahaha! What a joke!”

Not only Arian, but Amur also burst into laughter.

That statue-like boy’s joke hit just the right note.

A joke, in this situation!

“…Wait, isn’t it true?”

“Hahahahaha! You can stop joking now. Of course, that’s not it.”

Arian laughed so much her eyes watered. Wiping away tears, the merchant explained again.

Because of how often they were mentioned in imperial newspapers and rumors, it was easy to mistakenly think only Einrogard magicians were especially evil, but that wasn’t the case.

Einrogard magicians caused bigger incidents because of their ability, not because they were particularly evil among magicians.

Most of the Empire’s magicians were basically on the evil side.

People who only cared about themselves and their own magic!

“Among magical items, there are also many dangerous, tainted, or illegally obtained ones. Einrogard’s magicians retrieve those. Naturally, the magicians who lose them know they’re in the wrong and can’t report it.”

Arian was an experienced merchant and well-versed in rumors throughout the Empire.

So sometimes, when evil or notorious magicians lost or got their artifacts stolen, it was easy to connect that to Einrogard.

If only the ones who touched items that Einrogard’s magicians tried to retrieve or buy were robbed…

“When you asked about the magician Wuap from the workshop -Oath of the Dwarves-, that’s why I asked. Wuap is a magician with a lot of bad rumors. Recently, I even heard he stole a professor’s artifact from Einrogard, which is why collection came up in the first place.”

“…By any chance, is that professor Professor Verdus?”

“I think so.”

‘My goodness.’

Lee Han was startled.

An outside magician stealing Professor Verdus’s artifact.

If Einrogard students found out, that person might get a medal, or even a statue inside the school grounds.

‘Honestly, I’d like to set one up myself.’

Lee Han now felt a different sort of pang in his conscience.

He had to punish the Robin Hood who punished Professor Verdus on behalf of the students.

‘But… This is a request.’

Now he finally understood what the seniors meant when they said never to let personal feelings get involved in work.

Lee Han stopped feeling sympathetic and resolved to retrieve the item.

“I understand your anger, young master. Wuap is a thoroughly greedy magician! I hope this incident teaches him a lesson.”

“Yes? Ah. Yes.”

Arian misinterpreted Lee Han’s feelings as righteous anger as a disciple.

Who could possibly imagine he was actually thinking of a gratitude statue?

---

The western guild district of Granden City was filled with noises of a fundamentally different quality than the general street noise.

The sound of failed potions exploding and billowing smoke, the screams of failed herbs escaping from gardens, the clatter of berserk magic needles from the tailor guild breaking down walls…

And now, the workshop -Oath of the Dwarves- rang with the rhythmic noise of hammering.

“Don’t stop, you idiots! This is why those eastern dwarves…!”

The dwarf magician Wuap shouted while swinging a hammer.

In the Empire, eastern dwarves were known for loving drink, food, and feasts, whereas western dwarves were said to love only solitude and gold.

Wuap was a western dwarf embodying all those negative stereotypes.

The dwarf workers cursed under their breath and swung their hammers.

‘Damn magician bastard.’

‘Shh. He’s nothing but trouble.’

“If you don’t finish the ingots before dinner, I’ll cut all your day’s wages, so keep that in mind!”

After shouting, Wuap headed to the basement.

The wide space of the first floor had been remodeled into a workshop with all sorts of facilities and equipment for the workers, but the basement was off-limits and served as the magician’s private workspace.

As he undid three layers of seals and opened the door, a surge of strange, complex magical energy whooshed out. Wuap quickly closed the door.

‘Damn it! A waste of magic power.’

Maintaining the workshop with such dense magical energy was costly.

For penny-pincher Wuap, such expenditures were like a splinter under his fingernail—always bothersome.

‘But it can’t be helped.’

Even though the dark underground workshop was empty, Wuap still looked around before slowly walking to the center.

On the worktable made of pure silver sat a dazzling box inscribed with ancient characters.

It was none other than the -Polarizing Lens of Asen-.

“Beautiful… beautiful. Asen was truly a genius.”

Wauap admired the wisdom of ancient magicians anew, then suddenly scowled.

A face he disliked flashed into his mind at the word “genius.”

“Verdus, you fiend! Just wait and see. I’ll break your fame for sure!”

Many people disliked Professor Verdus, but Wuap’s reason was especially unique.

He disliked him out of jealousy for his genius.

If Einrogard students heard, they would have said, ‘Of all 99 reasons to hate him, why pick that one?’ But Wuap didn’t care about Professor Verdus’s personality or character at all.

“When my magic is complete, his fame, his disciples, and all the magicians who help him will come to me!”

Wuap declared toward the air as if making a proclamation.

In fact, he was mistaken about this as well.

It was one thing to challenge Professor Verdus’s fame, but his disciples and nearby magicians weren’t sticking around out of affection anyway.

Even if Wuap completed his magic and achieved great things, Professor Verdus’s disciples or neighboring magicians wouldn’t flock to Wuap.

Actually, even saying they “gathered” around Professor Verdus wasn’t accurate—everyone just did their own thing.

“…Uh. My head is spinning.”

Peering into the polarizing lens, Wuap suddenly staggered.

Lately, every time he looked into the lens, he felt inexplicable headaches and dizziness.

Rationally, he should have stopped immediately and checked what was wrong, but blinded by jealousy, Wuap couldn’t bring himself to consider it.

‘I’d better go back up.’

After a short rest, Wuap, regaining his senses, was about to go upstairs again.

Since the workers would slack off every chance they got, Wuap had to keep cracking his whip…

Thunk!

Wuap collapsed sideways. It was a flawless surprise attack.

Even as consciousness faded, Wuap was aghast.

‘Impossible! My defensive magic…!’

From the entrance, the underground workshop was protected by all sorts of magic.

The door was enchanted with -Asen’s Soul Scream-, a spell that would separate the intruder’s soul from their body if touched, and the magic circle beneath was loaded with a powerful illusion curse.

Other spells were more than enough to grind any intruder to pieces—so how had such a sneak attack happened?

Clinging to his fading consciousness, Wuap expanded his senses.

Amazingly, every magic from the door right to in front of Wuap had been completely destroyed.

Wuap had prepared elaborate defenses against other magicians, but had never imagined such a brute-force intrusion.

‘A, a monster? A demon?’

He couldn’t even guess what kind of terrifying being had attacked in this way.

“Whew. Thank goodness it’s an illusion magician.”