Episode 95

“I really have no intention of going out at night. But if it will set your mind at ease, I’ll gladly listen to your information.”

Ihan spoke in a serious tone.

With his sculpted face, saying so with not a hint of a joke, Salko found himself confused without realizing it.

‘Did he really never go out at night?’

Salko turned his gaze to another Black Tortoise Tower friend. That friend shook his head.

A warning not to be fooled.

“……”

Salko’s expression grew a little more menacing. After all, nobles who just looked shiny on the outside were too risky to trust.

“…Follow me. I’ll explain.”

Then Salko whispered something to his Black Tortoise Tower friends.

Ihan was curious and quietly asked one of the friends who’d shared his vegetable stew before.

“What did Tutantha say?”

The friend answered with an apologetic look.

“…He said we shouldn’t talk to you alone when he’s not around…”

“……”

• * *

Actually, Ihan wasn’t the only one roaming outside at night. Most students were starting to venture out of their towers.

They’d realized they couldn’t survive at this school by just sleeping passively at night.

Whether for food, assignments, or even escape, they had to wander the school and search for anything they could find.

Naturally, Salko did the same.

“You criticize me for sneaking around at night?”

“…I never criticized you.”

Salko replied incredulously.

Now that he thought about it, he actually hadn’t.

“I see. Continue.”

“……”

Salko continued his story.

Lately, Salko and his friends had been challenging the third floor of the Main Building.

The main building was the biggest of all the magic school’s buildings and housed the most mysteries.

Rumor had it that not even the principal knew everything inside.

And to prove it, every time you went to the third floor, it changed.

Sometimes there would be five hallways; sometimes there wouldn’t be a staircase leading there; sometimes you could barely take a few steps before hitting a wall…

But Salko, with the persistence of a stoneworker’s guild member, had discovered some methods to get in.

“How do you get in?”

“When the hour and the minute are both odd, when there are no clouds over the moon, and when the staff is held in the left hand. If you follow these, the third-floor hallway opens properly.”

“……”

For a moment, Ihan wondered if Salko was making fun of him, but Salko was utterly serious.

“I…I see.”

Well, this was the magic academy.

Ihan found himself grateful that the opening condition for the third floor wasn’t riding a unicycle, roasting peanuts with lightning, spinning around while leaping through rings of fire.

“Thank you. That’s useful information.”

He needed to find the stables on the upper floor of the main building anyway, so third-floor info would be useful indeed.

“The info isn’t over. There’s a presence on the third floor that may help you.”

“It’s not the lightning spirit, is it?”

“?”

“No, just kidding. What kind of presence?”

Ihan grew curious.

Even if it was magical, the school was already bursting with strange beings.

Liches, troll-bloods, vampires, lightning spirits, and so on…

And odds were, most weren’t the types you’d want to have a conversation with. Ihan would bet gold coins on it.

“I can’t say.”

“……”

“I swore not to tell anyone what that presence is.”

“I see. So you want me to go see for myself?”

“No. Finding it is even more complicated and difficult than getting into the third-floor hallway. I have to go with you. If you choose, I’ll guide you to that presence on the third floor.”

Salko spoke steadfastly, like a rock. But Ihan’s reaction was suspicion.

‘Is this a trap?’

After so many unfair attacks from other students, he defaulted to suspicion.

The guy didn’t even like nobles and knights.

Would Black Tortoise Tower kids in masks be waiting for him on the third floor?

Or maybe the presence up there needed a student sacrifice, and Salko had picked him…

“What’s wrong?”

Salko couldn’t even have imagined the disrespectful suspicion Ihan was holding, and just asked back.

“If you swore to that presence, wouldn’t it dislike you bringing me?”

“No. As long as I don’t reveal the identity, it doesn’t care if I bring new students. I double-checked in class just in case.”

‘Tch.’

He was just as diligent as Ihan. Not someone you could toy with, like Gynando.

“Do you really think it’ll help?”

“On my family’s honor, I do. Though my judgment isn’t perfect.”

Salko thoughtfully stroked his beard like a dwarf.

‘I really do need information, whatever it is.’

After a moment’s thought, Ihan nodded.

If he was going to find the way to the upper-floor stables, he couldn’t afford to be picky.

“Alright. When do we go?”

“Tonight.”

• * *

Saturday evening.

While the other students were wrapped in blankets by the hearth in the lounge—

One hand holding a cup of steaming tea or coffee, the other gripping a quill, chess piece, or playing card.

At that time, Ihan and Salko were climbing the main building’s dark staircase.

‘Looks like no one else followed.’

Ihan checked their surroundings for an ambush. But there were no Black Tortoise Tower followers in sight.

Salko had a staff in one hand, and a hammer strapped to his waist.

Frankly, that hammer seemed more threatening than the wooden swords White Tiger Tower kids carried.

“I asked other students about you, Wardanaz.”

Salko spoke with a voice as heavy as granite.

“What did you ask?”

“What kind of person you are.”

“……”

Ihan checked his surroundings again.

He half-expected Salko to shout, “Die, Wardanaz. Your evil deeds end here!” and for a group of students to jump out.

But fortunately, nothing happened.

“They told me you share food with other students. With all the Azure Dragon Tower kids, and even with those from other towers.”

“That’s right.”

“Doing good is worthy of respect, but I advise against it. People who haven’t struggled to get their own food and clothing never appreciate what’s given to them.”

Ihan found himself nodding.

It was just true.

“…?”

Salko was taken aback when Ihan nodded.

He hadn’t expected the son of the Wardanaz family to agree with no objections.

“You…understand?”

“There’s no flaw in your logic. People who never work for something never understand its value.”

“That’s right. What do noble brats or knightlings know of the sanctity of labor? All they know is swaggering around with swords and acting tough.”

“I personally think nobles and knights all ought to spend time working a farm. They learn fencing as culture—why not farming, too?”

The two young laborers found themselves thoroughly bonded.

After the conversation ended, Ihan and Salko shared a look of mutual respect. Salko’s stony face softened a bit.

“I must have misjudged you. I apologize, Wardanaz. Some of the White Tiger Tower lads told me you were a heartless arch-wizard…”

“……”

“…But that was just the arrogant nonsense of knights.”

“Exactly. We must always beware of such rumors clouding our judgment, as fellow mages.”

“Agreed.”

Salko nodded in reflection.

Ihan thought inwardly,

‘Now, no matter what rumors spread, I can just call them baseless.’

Salko eyed Ihan’s hands—hard and callused from working the garden and various chores. Nobles couldn’t have such hands.

Those with the same hands can recognize each other. With that, Salko accepted Ihan completely.

Then Salko grew even more curious.

Why would a student like Ihan look after other lazy deadbeats?

“Wardanaz, may I ask you something?”

“What is it?”

“Why do you take care of students from your own tower?”

“……”

Ihan was startled.

Well, that’s…

‘It’s for the money…’

He only did it for pay—who would go out of their way to make breakfast and feed people for free?

Of course it was for the money.

But, considering Salko thought so highly of him, Ihan didn’t want to say so outright.

He answered ambiguously.

“Because we’re friends.”

“……”

Salko was impressed by the answer.

He’d thought others followed Wardanaz for his magical prowess alone, but perhaps there was more to it.

“I could never do that myself… But I think now I understand just a little what you nobles mean by honor. Maybe it’s not all empty talk after all.”

“……”

Ihan pushed his ledger deeper into his coat.

If Salko found out, he’d never trust nobles again.

Walking ahead down the third-floor main hall, Salko suddenly stopped. He pointed at a statue—a nameless mage’s statue.

A battered, faded, and broken statue, yet breathtakingly beautiful.

Almost inhumanly good-looking.

‘Weird. Why does it seem familiar?’

“See how this statue is damaged, Wardanaz?”

Salko drew his hammer. Ihan took a step back, hand at his waist, and nodded.

“I repaired this statue once before. I couldn’t just leave a broken stone monument.”

‘Workaholic.’

But Ihan understood.

Yonner wants to water any plant, Nillia wants to hunt any prey, and when Ihan sees a professor, he wants to bow—

Salko had a similar professional quirk.

“But now the statue’s broken again?”

“Yes. No matter how often it’s fixed, this statue keeps breaking. And that’s the secret to opening this hidden door.”

With care, Salko repaired the damaged statue.

There came the sound of stone rolling in the darkness as the statue turned around once, and a hidden passage opened.

“Go inside, Wardanaz. From here, you go alone.”

“Tutantha… I trust you.”

“I know. That’s why you’ve made it this far.”

“I really trust you.”

“Why do you keep saying that?”

Having no idea Ihan was reading his true reaction, Salko just cocked his head.

• * *

Is a new student here?

“!”

Inside the passage stood a statue—one that looked like a mix of several beasts.

Welcome. I am the statue of the Forgotten Beast. I’ve been in this school a long, long time. Student, who repaired the statue and came inside—first, will you swear not to tell anyone what I am?

“…I swear.”

As Ihan answered, the dog’s tail part on the statue wagged with joy.

“Forgive me, but what are you doing here?”

Just passing the time. The room I guarded was sealed 187 years ago. Since then, I roam for cool spots in this school.

“Can I ask why you don’t want people to talk about you…?”

If professors hear, they’re liable to assign me more work again.

“How wise you are…!”

Thank you for your understanding.

Ihan was now certain this statue was truly wise.