Episode 958

“Um, Senior. Fongrif seems angry—is that okay?”

“It just means you’re an outstanding baguk player, Junior.”

Carnella, handing a devil bone to the Cerberus, answered instantly without a hint of confusion.

“Excuse me?”

“Look at this enthusiasm. You got the griffon worked up and eager for the match. It means you and your mount are of one mind. Excellent.”

Fongrif clicked his beak with joy.

At least among these crazy magicians, one person understood Fongrif’s true feelings.

But Lee Han looked at his Senior with a troubled expression.

‘Isn’t she just so obsessed with matches, she’ll say anything?’

No matter how he looked at it, Fongrif seemed angry—yet Carnella insisted he was just waiting for the match.

A sane person wouldn’t say something like that.

Come to think of it, Carnella was not the right person to ask such a question.

If he’d asked, “Should Fongrif skip the match?” she’d probably reply, “You can, if YOU turn into a griffon and play instead.”

“Junior, focus. If my dog draws their attention and breaks their formation, you just charge in. Got it?”

“What if Fongrif doesn’t want to run…”

Carnella’s hands gripped Lee Han’s shoulders like iron hooks hanging off the gunwale.

But the real threat wasn’t her hands—it was her eyes.

Carnella’s eyes flashed with madness, in a way only Professor Bur Mo or Professor Vol Mo or Alchemist Yo Mo could manage.

“Didn’t I just tell you to stop overthinking? That’s exactly what you’re doing. That’s a totally pointless thought. Junior, your griffon just wants to run so badly. He couldn’t compete for ages because of the curse. He’s been waiting for the roar of the stadium. Maybe he’ll even imagine the enemy players are Professor Lightningstep and run wild.”

“…Okay…”

Overwhelmed, Lee Han could only nod.

What could you possibly say before a lunatic?

“I’m sorry, Fongrif. If you don’t want to, you can always say so later.”

Fongrif stared stoically ahead, expression transcendent.

He’d just given up trying to express his feelings to avoid the constant misunderstanding.

Please just start, already!

• * *

Before the match started.

Angrago and Salko could have enjoyed the pre-match events from their seats…

…but they didn’t.

“That’s a gargoyle…damn! That’s a bocabat! Tutanta, let’s just get back to our seats!”

“Hm. What metal is that iron gate made from? To safely keep different monsters caged, you’d need…”

“Tutanta, hurry! What if we’re late for the match start?!”

“Relax. There’s a while before it begins.”

Salko wandered around the underground passages nearby, idly waving his hand like he was bored.

Angrago nearly grabbed the back of his own neck.

Even with such rare mounts as bocabats around, this fake dwarf was staring at some ancient building.

‘Shouldn’t have brought him! This guy!’

At a time meant for enjoying the pre-match festivities, this guy had headed underground for building sightseeing.

“Look at that long tail! Do you know what they call a bocabat in baguk? They call it the Strangler!”

“Shouldn’t those be banned at that point?”

A reptilian monster with six legs and a long, snake-like tail, a bocabat was cunning and relentless—perfectly suited to targeting players in matches like this.

They were rarely seen outside eastern parts of the Empire—seeing one here was a shock!

-A bocabat, wow. Didn’t expect to see one here.

-Agreed. Still, it looks a little overshadowed next to that griffon. Who would have thought we’d see such a well-grown griffon?

From seats above, voices could be heard chatting excitedly.

Angrago’s ears perked up at the word.

“T—the griffon! Tutanta! There’s a griffon! We gotta get back to our seats!”

“There’s one at Einrogard, too.”

“That’s not the same!”

Salko wanted to say ‘so what’s the difference,’ but Angrago’s desperate look and expression overpowered him.

“…Alright. You’ve seen enough. Let’s get back.”

“Quick, hurry, hurry, hurry!”

‘Noisy brat.’

The two cursed each other inwardly while racing up the stairs.

By now, plenty of mounts released from their pens were showing tricks in the stadium.

Of course, the griffon with its sheer size and majesty stole every gaze.

“Isn’t that Wardanaz?”

“Did Wardanaz come to catch it?!”

Angrago ducked below his seat and cast a spell. The color of his cloak changed to match the seating as people gasped.

“No, idiot. I mean, the one on the griffon up there—isn’t that Wardanaz?”

“What do you mean? Why would Wardanaz…”

Raising his head, Angrago’s jaw dropped.

Among the gargoyle, hippogriff, and hellhound, Lee Han was atop the griffon performing tricks.

“…Something’s seriously off here.”

“Isn’t Wardanaz in the baguk club?”

“He’s still just a 2nd-year! Where would you find maniacs who let out a 2nd-year?!”

“But Wardanaz learned advanced magic early.”

“That’s NOT the same thing!”

Angrago scrambled for an argument—but even he was starting to falter.

Learning advanced magic early and being put in a baguk match…

“Why’d Wardanaz hide this from me?”

“He didn’t really hide it, you just didn’t ask—”

“Wardanaz! Do your best! You’re the pride of the Einrogard 2nd-years!”

Angrago stood and started yelling his support. Salko stared in disbelief.

‘Does he have no shame?’

But such cheers weren’t at all embarrassing in a baguk stadium. Fierce chants were already erupting everywhere.

-Long live Granden City Baguk Club!

-Einrogard students, use magic! Use it in secret!

-Who dares say such dirty things!

-Stop fighting! Anymore and you’ll be thrown out of the stadium!

In the rowdy sections, dirt and rocks were being thrown over who’d win.

Guards and knights even had to intervene.

“Tutanta, Wardanaz got forced into the lineup even though he’s only a 2nd-year.”

“I don’t think anyone could force Wardanaz to do anything…”

Salko was doubtful.

No matter how pushy the Seniors, he doubted anyone could push Lee Han into the lineup against his will.

But Angrago was convinced.

Given Einrogard’s disastrous record, Lee Han must’ve been drafted against his will!

“It’s obviously because of the griffon. We have to cheer him on! Otherwise, who else will?”

“…Fair enough. You’re right about that.”

Salko nodded.

If he himself were playing, he might have made some mud to toss rather than cheer, but for Wardanaz it was different.

If they didn’t root for him, who would…

-Who is that student riding the griffon?

-Supposedly a direct member of House Wardanaz.

-What! Wardanaz actually interested in baguk?

-Why, can’t a noble like that enjoy baguk?

-You must not know about House Wardanaz.

-Plus, isn’t that student the one who beat the magic criminal last year?

-Wasn’t it a basilisk?

-Oh, I thought he was an anti-magic radical?

“…Looks like he’ll have plenty of support without us.”

“Quiet! It’s starting! Go Einrogard!”

With trumpet and drums, and dragon roars, baguk began.

Granden City Baguk Club formed up with precision that took everyone’s breath away.

The truly skilled emanate pressure just by standing still.

Angrago gritted his teeth.

“How much did they practice? They snapped into formation instantly!”

“Is that impressive?”

“Hugely! With a defense that tight, it’s really hard to attack first!”

“So should we wait?”

“Einrogard’s defense is weak, so waiting is a bad idea!”

“…?”

If offense is weak and defense is weak, doesn’t that just mean they’re weak…

THWACK!

-Student Wardanaz charges in on his griffon!

“That’s—way too reckless!?”

Angrago screamed. Folks all around were murmuring.

If the enemy had no openings, you should wear them down and probe—but charging alone would only get you surrounded and destroyed.

Even Carnella, preparing to coordinate with her Junior, was a beat late out of shock at the sudden rush.

“Junior! Too fast! The back is wide op—”

As Lee Han entered the opposing zone, players swarmed him from all sides. A gargoyle leaped for the now-open rear.

Grrrrrng!

Sparks of menace erupted from the griffon’s eyes.

Not even facing an enemy of centuries-old grudge would he look this murderous. The king of the skies’ presence made the gargoyle hesitate without even realizing it.

POW!

The giant lion’s paw booted the gargoyle flying, bouncing it across the field.

…ROOAARRR!!!!!

The griffon’s rage didn’t stop after one skirmish. A hellhound was catapulted aside by a body check, and the bocabat, seeing the mood and trying to whip its tail, fled in panic after being pecked with the beak.

Clinging to Fongrif’s back, Lee Han could only feel confused.

‘…What’s up with him?’

Thanks to plenty of experience as a swordsman, Lee Han didn’t fall off even as Fongrif rampaged. He stuck close and maintained his posture.

But inside, he was flustered.

Fongrif was way too pumped up.

Was he angry—or did he just really love baguk…?

“…I never thought I’d see such unity between man and mount.”

Defender Haddagak looked at Lee Han in awe and fear.

He thought he’d had their measure, but their formation dissolved instantly at the start.

“My apologies for underestimating you, boy of House Wardanaz. Your bond with your griffon is far mightier than my meager…”

“Out of the way!”

Before Lee Han even finished shouting, the griffon raided the next opponent.

Haddagak quickly maneuvered his hippogriff aside—he had no intention of facing such ferocity head-on.

“…Is he scared?!”

While he was observing his opponent, Haddagak suddenly noticed something strange about his own mount.

“Remember our training! We’ve faced even scarier, stronger monsters!”

-…

But the hippogriff hesitated despite its master’s cries.

They’d gone up against scarier monsters—but never one as intimidating as a griffon carrying such beings on its back.

“No need to face him head-on. Dodge! He won’t be able to follow your moves! He’s worn out, too!”

The hippogriff finally found courage.

The advanced acrobatics and feints practiced with its rider were difficult for dumb foes to follow.

Pretending to sidestep and then using its back spring to change direction was an evasive move a tired griffon couldn’t possibly catch up with—

SMASH!

Determined not to be fooled twice, the panting griffon stopped dead, chased, and rammed it again.

Whatever tricks, the griffon’s sheer physical power overwhelmed the enemy.

Lee Han’s mount was now running the hardest in the Empire’s history!