Episode 962

“…If I get another chance, I’ll keep that in mind.”

“Right. You’ll end up doing this many more times, so remember it.”

‘I was joking, though.’

Lee Han stared blankly at his senior’s large back.

Would such a thing ever happen again?

This strange situation of people promising donations just for hearing a story seemed like it would be the first and last time.

“Anyway, Senior. At this rate, have we covered enough?”

“Pff. Wardanaz. There’s no set amount. Truthfully, we didn’t have to go out of our way to do all this at all.”

“Well, that’s true…”

If they ended up short, they could make do, but wasn’t this all to avoid that and take the initiative?

“Don’t feel pressured—just do what you can. And Wardanaz, you’ve already done more than several times what was expected. You’ve got your hands full with other club matters, too.”

Lee Han couldn’t say that he’d ended up helping out by chance, while running from Professor Garcia. Instead, he shifted the credit.

“If we’re talking about hardships, you’re having it tougher, Senior. Aren’t you a 4th year now?”

“Wahahaha. Wardanaz. Don’t fall for other seniors’ whining. It’s just those who didn’t study beforehand who complain—if you were prepared, being a 4th year isn’t all that tough.”

“……”

Smiling as he spoke, Falkrius made Lee Han feel two things.

First was, ‘If Senior weren’t so big, he’d have gotten hit a few times.’

The second was a sense of déjà vu.

Why did Falkrius’s words sound so familiar?

‘I really have no idea.’

There was no mirror around, so Lee Han never realized the true nature of the déjà vu.

“And besides, I have a debt I owe.”

“A debt you owe?”

“It’s an old story. Back during the Southern Spirit Famine.”

Falkrius slapped his firm belly as he spoke.

“Pff. Wardanaz. Now I’m like this, but as a kid, I was so scrawny I couldn’t even get a bowl of porridge.”

Farming always meant farmers struggled against unpredictable weather, but on this continent, there was one more enemy for farmers.

That was magical beings feeding on the continent’s bountiful mana.

To magicians, elementals were negotiable and sometimes obedient, convenient beings, but to most people in the empire, elementals were fearful and unpredictable.

And when those unpredictable, fearful beings combined by chance and necessity into a giant storm, the empire suffered natural disasters.

The Southern Spirit Famine was so large that Lee Han had heard of it as well.

A once-rich and mild breadbasket became devastated, and people from that area migrated in droves to other places…

“It was the priests of the Fleming Order who helped me when I was wandering alone. Back then, I swore a vow inside: I would pass on the kindness I received to others.”

“Senior…”

“And I also swore I’d never go hungry again, but entering Einrogard broke that one. Wahaha.”

“…Senior.”

Lee Han felt the emotion he’d just experienced evaporate.

“Pff. Wardanaz. No need to worry about my vow. It’s for myself. You just mind your own vows. Like dedicating yourself to the advancement of Imperial magic…”

“I never made such a vow?!”

“Oh? Doesn’t everyone in House Wardanaz make vows like that?”

Falkrius was bewildered.

So many rumors circulated about the Wardanaz family that there were still misunderstandings like this.

“Well, close enough, right.”

“It’s not even remotely similar, though.”

Despite his junior’s protest, Falkrius didn’t seem to care as he continued on.

This time, their destination was the home of a traveling merchant associated with the Imperial Western Merchants’ Union.

Knock, knock, knock—

“He’s called Jongsenon, and he brings in wheat on a large scale. He also agreed to donate this time around. Since we have time thanks to you, junior, let’s move it in advance.”

“I see.”

“I should borrow some carts and wagons…”

“I’ll just carry it.”

“Hm? That won’t be easy.”

“I can carry what’s left with magic.”

“Pff. Wardanaz, sometimes you make truly insane jokes.”

“?!”

As they waited after knocking, the merchant appeared, face pale as a sheet.

Falkrius asked in surprise.

“What’s the matter?”

“I… I’m sorry, Priest Falkrius. I can’t deliver the promised wheat.”

“That’s all right. But is there some problem?”

“That is…”

• * *

“That bastard of a man!”

Falkrius walked on, fuming. It was a rare sight, the always-smiling priest truly enraged.

Lee Han’s face was also stiff. The merchant’s plea had made Lee Han angry as well.

The one who took away Jongsenon’s stockpiled wheat sacks was Bardane, a city noble of Granden City.

A branch noble of the powerful Greenbell family, Bardane had lost significant face recently due to an attack by an evil magician.

Aiming to recover his reputation, he’d decided to throw a grand banquet, and in the process, the merchant had suffered.

While nobles laugh and enjoy banquets, the staff below often endure all the hard work behind them.

Even after losing significant wealth to the evil magician’s attack, the banquet had to proceed on the same lavish scale.

Bardane’s servants threatened Jongsenon into selling his wheat cheaply.

Since you couldn’t ignore Bardane’s clout while doing business in Granden City, Jongsenon ended up handing over the wheat reserved for donation.

“Wardanaz. You have something to do.”

“Should I cast Invisibility and pick the lock? Or climb over the wall?”

“…No. If I get worked up, Wardanaz, help calm me down…”

Falkrius was worried he’d get into trouble if too angry, and wondered if he’d brought the wrong junior.

This junior from House Wardanaz might be excellent at causing trouble—not so much at preventing it.

“Me, calm you down, Senior?”

“Yes. I’m counting on you.”

‘Will I be able to?’

Lee Han wondered if, when Falkrius lost it, he’d have to shoot magic at him from behind.

“By the way, this alley is blocked, so we should go around. The last time Bardane’s mansion collapsed, it blocked the alley.”

“How do you know that, Wardanaz?”

Falkrius cocked his head in curiosity. Lee Han replied, keeping a straight face.

“I came out earlier for club matters. I heard a rumor then, that some crazy magician attacked Bardane’s mansion.”

“Ah. Was it Stedal of the Nago family? I heard about that too.”

“……”

Lee Han shut his eyes at the speed of rumors.

“Pff, is the Headmaster’s disciple, by chance?”

“Excuse me????”

“Why so surprised? Sometimes those magicians who wreak havoc end up being the Headmaster’s disciples.”

“Aha.”

Lee Han let out a breath inside.

He’d thought Falkrius suspected him.

“It’s the bastard Bardane who’s mad, using charity wheat for his own indulgence by force. A magician like Stedal isn’t crazy, Wardanaz.”

Lee Han was embarrassed by the compliment. Falkrius, leading the way, didn’t notice.

“Hm. Still, quite a dangerous magician.”

“Pardon? Why now?”

In response to Lee Han’s question, Falkrius pointed.

Bardane’s mansion still hadn’t recovered from the destruction left by the rampaging water elemental.

Even though wizards and the Masons’ Guild artisans had been called in, there were ruins everywhere, showing just how wild the rampage had been.

“Look at that. It was thoroughly destroyed.”

“…Maybe the magician named Stedal just peacefully visited the mansion, but the guardian elemental lost control by accident?”

“Wahaha. Wardanaz, why make such unbelievable jokes?”

‘Ugh.’

Not even Lee Han found his explanations convincing.

If a mansion was decimated after being infiltrated by a magician, anyone would think, ‘Ah, that magician must have wrecked it.’

But he really did feel wronged.

He had just snuck in and spatially moved the requested item.

Well, he had knocked out the owner after running into him…

‘It wasn’t my fault the elemental went on a rampage, right?’

“Is anyone there?”

Falkrius called out loudly.

From inside came the chief servant, who had been harrying the staff to prepare for the banquet, his face full of irritation.

“What do you want?”

“We’re here about merchant Jongsenon’s wheat.”

“Who?”

“This time, the magicians of Einrogard and priests of the temple are distributing food to the poor, but there appears to have been a misunderstanding.”

Falkrius smiled, trying to put it as kindly as possible.

It had been wheat originally meant for donation, and there had been a promise, but it seemed the household staff had taken it mistakenly.

They’d reimburse the money, so if only he’d return the wheat…

But the chief servant was lukewarm.

“No can do.”

“…Excuse me?”

“No can do. We’re busy preparing for our master’s banquet.”

“But we said we’d return the silver.”

“Then our staff have to go out again and buy more. We can’t waste time like that.”

Lee Han stepped forward slightly.

Just in case the counterpart was a polo fanatic.

But the other party only snapped sharply.

“What?”

“Nothing. Um, I’m from House Wardanaz.”

Even as he said it, Lee Han felt a twinge of self-loathing.

He’d never once used his family’s name in his life!

But to help his senior, he could endure a bit of shame.

If polo didn’t work, then at least the family name…

“…Are you threatening me now? A magician of Einrogard, and from House Wardanaz? Do you think our master has no backers?”

If Bardane himself had heard, he would have thought, ‘I often lean on folks I can get away with, but even I wouldn’t mess with House Wardanaz…’ But people are always braver in ignorance.

Used to only lording it over underlings, the chief servant really didn’t understand the difference in strength here.

So the disgrace was all Lee Han’s.

It was shameful enough just to mention it, but for it not to work, the humiliation rebounded double.

“Get lost. There’s no wheat for beggars. You should be grateful we aren’t running you out of the city.”

Just then, Lee Han saw literal fire flash in Falkrius’s eyes.

Recalling their earlier conversation, Lee Han hurried to intervene.

“Senior! Calm down!”

“T-thank you, Wardanaz.”

Falkrius regained his senses at his junior’s cry. He couldn’t cause trouble in front of Lee Han.

“Did I step in for nothing? Should we just raid the place?”

“Pff. No, Wardanaz. If we attacked everyone who acted arrogant like that, a year’s not enough time. Let’s go.”

As much as he’d liked to smash the front gate, Falkrius gave up cleanly.

When doing this sort of work, you couldn’t help but run into people that rude. In fact, this wasn’t even that bad.

As they withdrew, the chief servant muttered from behind the door.

“These priests, you can’t tell them apart from beggars.”

“Let’s go, Wardanaz. We’ve got no time to waste on those guys.”

“You go ahead, Senior. I have somewhere to stop by.”

Lee Han spoke in a cold voice.

He’d been willing to let things go, but with those words, the other party had crossed the line.

…It looked like Stedal Nago would have to appear and wreck the mansion again.