Episode 966

“W-who?”

Lee Han pretended not to know.

Yukveltire, however, asked again as if she didn’t understand.

“Junior, don’t you take Transmutation Magic too? Why don’t you know?”

‘Damn.’

Being called out, Lee Han inwardly clicked his tongue.

Now that he thought about it, since he took nearly all the lectures in every school, it was almost impossible to lie.

Giving up quickly, Lee Han decided to come clean.

“I just wanted to make sure I heard right. Senior Jarun of the Ironshoe family, right?”

“Yes.”

“Why are you asking about him?”

“I’m planning to form a party with other students to catch him. It would be good for you, too, Wardanaz junior, to join us.”

For Yukveltire, who rarely showed warmth, inviting a mere second-year into a party was a tremendous surprise.

It meant she thought highly of Lee Han.

That’s why such a rare gesture could be made.

Of course, by her standards this was a kind invitation—other juniors in the school would find her as cold as usual, and Lee Han felt the same.

‘I REALLY don’t want to.’

Just as he’d thought before, Lee Han wanted nothing to do with exploring the Einrogard underground mines in a party with Yukveltire.

Even in bright, open places, sometimes he wanted to punch her; he couldn’t even imagine what might happen somewhere dark and claustrophobic.

Lee Han decided to just make an excuse and drop out entirely.

If he went separately and ran into Yukveltire’s party, it would just be even more annoying.

“Actually, I’m way behind in lectures because of the club outing week.”

“?”

Next to her, Anfagon looked at his junior as if to say, what are you talking about?

He’d already finished his wand and was basically done for finals. What lectures?

‘Is he talking about another subject?’

“So I want to focus on lectures for a while.”

Anfagon replied instead of Yukveltire,

“Wardanaz. Lectures will be postponed for a few days anyway because of Senior Jarun.”

“…?”

Lee Han was confused.

Lectures postponed because of Senior Jarun?

Did Senior Jarun have the ability to postpone lectures?

‘If such a magic existed, I’d want to learn it too!’

“What do you mean?”

“The professors will all want to get their hands on the orichalcum vein Senior Jarun discovered.”

Anfagon explained it as if it were nothing.

Einrogard’s lectures were frequently delayed, rescheduled, or canceled according to professors’ circumstances.

Sometimes professors were called to the capital, or got sent to the punishment room, or disappeared into the mountains—this was inevitable.

But sometimes, even when that wasn’t the case, lectures got delayed for reasons just like this.

Finding an orichalcum vein was valuable enough to make them stop and send all the students looking for it.

“…You’re joking.”

“It’s not a joke. I don’t like jokes.”

Before he’d even finished talking, a paper bird came flying in.

Notice to students taking -The Tragic History of Ancient Relics and Summoning Magic-.

It appears that Jarun of the Ironshoe family has discovered an orichalcum vein beneath Einrogard.

Class will be replaced by observing the ore prospecting process, so we expect enthusiastic participation from all students.

Professor Millei

“……”

Apparently the rumor spread fast—more paper birds came flying in from different professors, each making clear in their own way that they would forgo lectures to make sure their students got orichalcum.

“Professor Verdus sent one too. Look.”

“What?! Professor Verdus?!”

Lee Han couldn’t believe it.

That Professor Verdus, foregoing a lecture and urging students to go take advantage?

‘Ah. Now that I think about it, she never really liked teaching lectures. She probably just saw a good chance to skip out…’

To students taking -Wand Materials and Magic Amplification-!

Jarun of the Ironshoe family found orichalcum!

Go get your share before anyone else!

Don’t forget to give me half when you’re done!

Professor Verdus

“……”

With a face full of contempt, Lee Han looked away from the letter. It was an even more shameless reason than he’d expected.

Anfagon calmly burned her letter after Lee Han finished reading it. No need to keep trash like that.

“So you can put off lecture studies. Grabbing even a bit of orichalcum ore will help you more, Wardanaz.”

“……”

With even Anfagon saying that, Lee Han wavered.

It’s a rare ore he had no use for now, but who knows what may come in the future.

If even his seniors and professors insisted, there had to be a reason.

After a moment of thought, Lee Han cautiously asked,

“Senior Anfagon, you…are you all right with joining up with Senior Yukveltire?”

“No. Not at all.”

True to the nature of the Enchantment Magic school, there was no respect for seniors whatsoever.

Even though Yukveltire was right there, Anfagon made it clear she did not want to work together.

Yukveltire didn’t care. She didn’t want to work with Anfagon either.

“…So why team up, then?”

“Because Yukveltire has the highest chance to find Senior Jarun.”

“??”

Lee Han didn’t get it.

How could Yukveltire have the highest chance, not even being in the Masons’ Club?

“What kind of special means do you have?”

“Right.”

Yukveltire, now seeing some interest from her junior, explained with some rare kindness.

As with most great enchanting magicians, she had a keen interest in those who produced or harvested raw materials.

A student like Jarun, who always mined gold and ores, fell under that interest.

So Yukveltire secretly planted tracking means in Jarun’s artifact.

“What??????”

Lee Han was appalled.

Yukveltire calmly raised her brow at Lee Han’s sudden outburst.

“What’s wrong?”

“A-aren’t you not supposed to put tracking magic on someone’s artifact…?”

“Senior Ironshoe sometimes steals our artifacts, too.”

Anfagon answered, expressionless. Lee Han was left utterly speechless.

Was this considered self-defense?

He thought he’d understand the inter-school relationships at Einrogard now, but every time a new shock came.

“I-see. So you cast tracking magic…”

“No. That’s separate. That’s just to check the location of ores…”

Lee Han chose to ignore that last part.

If Yukveltire could do such things, it made sense Anfagon would want to join her.

‘Is this really the best option…?’

Tormented, Lee Han finally accepted the truth.

If he wanted to find orichalcum ore now, Yukveltire was by far his best shot.

“…All right. I’ll go with you, then.”

“Good. Wise choice.”

“Finally, you’re making the right decision.”

Just listening to them, Lee Han already felt exhausted.

Yukveltire took a small earring artifact from her table.

“Take this. You’ll need it underground.”

“I see. …Did you make this yourself, Senior?”

“Yes. How did you know?”

“It’s so perfect and pristine, I thought maybe…”

Yukveltire wasn’t interested in flattery, but with those closer to her like Direte or Lee Han, she acted differently.

She tried to hide it, but there was a faintly proud smile as she replied.

“Good eye.”

‘I’ll have to get rid of this right after the expedition and run magic detection.’

Lee Han decided to keep an eye on the earring artifact. If she’d tracked Jarun, she could easily track him, too.

“But Senior Yukveltire. Isn’t Senior Direte joining?”

“Direte won’t participate.”

“Oh, is he busy?”

“No. Direte’s just irrational. He said he wants to avoid going underground with me.”

Yukveltire shook her head, as if she still couldn’t believe it.

What an illogical and absurd reason, she thought.

“……”

Lee Han’s face paled a little.

‘Damn, I should have asked first…!’

• * *

Anfagon, 4th year.

Yukveltire, 5th year.

Sigunting, 3rd year (joined from a lower level hallway).

Lee Han, 2nd year.

The four students from the Enchantment Magic school quickly finished prepping and headed for the closest underground entrance.

“I heard people use the stream forest or shadow forest underground passage?”

Trying to make the most out of the opportunity, Lee Han tried to ask questions.

But there was no answer. All three figured ‘someone else will answer.’

“…Senior Yukveltire. I heard people use the stream forest or shadow forest underground passages?”

“Normally those would be best for getting underground. But when there’s a rumor like now, it gets dangerous.”

Holding a bronze compass artifact to determine Jarun’s position, Yukveltire responded curtly.

The easiest traditional entrances were the spot most cunning and base students would be waiting to follow after in situations like this.

If you waited, you could tail them inside.

Even if it was tougher entry, this time they had to detour.

“This way.”

Yukveltire tapped the ground and chanted. From what was just earth, a stone slab rose up and revealed a door going down.

Lee Han was amazed at the passageway stretching all the way to the underground mining zone.

“Did you seniors build this?”

“……”

“…Senior Anfagon. Did you seniors build this?”

“No. Professor Verdus made it. We just stole it, moved it, and use it.”

Lee Han wondered how you could steal and relocate an underground tunnel, but now wasn’t the time to ask for details.

He gave up and quietly grabbed hold of the ladder to go down.

• * *

The Einrogard underground was full of rumors.

Rumors of mad magicians keeping bulgasaris, rumors of ancient archmages sealed by the skeletal headmaster, even rumors that extra-dimensional monsters had wandered in from somewhere.

And the scariest part was, these rumors were often true.

The mining sector, in particular, was considered especially dangerous among all these underground zones.

Naturally, Lee Han should have been nervous—

—but he wasn’t.

‘…I started visiting the underground too early because of Professor Baegrek.’

Even Lee Han himself was surprised at how unfazed he was.

He’d seen too much rough stuff since first year, apparently.

“Rest.”

“Yes.”

With artifacts to light up every direction and set up defenses, the students stopped in unison and sat on the nearest rocks.

Lee Han, thinking to recover his energy, reached for a snack in his six-sided bag.

But the three seniors all drew out potion flasks and drank, like puppets tied to the same string.

“…What are you drinking?”

“……”

“Senior Sigunting!!! What are you drinking!”

“Hm? Nutrition supplement potion.”

The dwarf senior, with his beard braided geometrically, shook the empty bottle as he spoke.

It tasted terrible, but it was a quick and easy way to get a meal’s worth of nutrients.

“But just a little time could get you something tastier—and warm, too, couldn’t it?”

“Why waste time for that?”

“Hm. Makes sense.”

Lee Han quickly abandoned the thought of making snacks for the seniors.

‘Better just let them eat like they like.’

Unlike with his friends, feeding these seniors would just make Lee Han blow his top.