Episode 1
Episode 1
Never again.
I'll never go back to grad school.
From now on, I'll live for myself!
...That was the vow Lee Han made as he graduated from the grueling ordeal that was graduate school in Korea.
He swore he'd never set foot in any place with the word "school" in it again.
But the world had other plans.
After Lee Han met an unfortunate end in an accident, he was reborn—of all places—into the Wardanaz family, a mage household in another world.
Fifteen years later...
Today was the day Lee Han would enroll at Einrogard, the Empire's most prestigious magic school.
Lee Han, reborn into the Wardanaz family.
At first, he was bewildered. Then, fascinated. Eventually, he accepted it.
Fortunately, the Wardanaz family was one of the most influential mage households in the Empire.
His father, the family head, was an extraordinary figure—so prominent that he was even on friendly terms with the Emperor. The family estate was the very picture of opulence, undeniable to anyone who saw it.
At this point, Lee Han couldn't help but wonder:
'Is this my reward for enduring grad school in my past life?'
A life where he could laze around and live comfortably without lifting a finger...
...Of course, that was just a delusion.
The Wardanaz family was far from being that lenient.
"Lee Han Wardanaz."
"Yes, Family Head."
"What is your goal?"
"......"
'Can I just say "a life of leisure"?'
Lee Han hesitated slightly.
That didn't seem like a particularly good answer.
"Was that an unnecessary question? Well, the answer is already decided, I suppose."
"Huh?"
"You must have sensed your own talent by now."
"Excuse me?"
"You're aware of the Wardanaz family's rule, aren't you? The firstborn inherits everything."
"WHAT?!"
That last statement hit like a bombshell.
Inherits everything?
So the second-born and beyond get absolutely nothing?!
"Family Head... Does that mean I won't receive anything?"
"No, Lee Han Wardanaz."
'Thank goodness.'
"The family will grant you every opportunity. If you wish to become a knight, we'll bring you the finest knight to learn from. If you wish to become an official, we'll arrange for you to study under the Empire's prime minister. If you wish to be a merchant, we'll secure you a position under the Empire's greatest trade magnate. As long as you remain with the family, we'll provide every opportunity you desire!"
'...Couldn't you just give me the money instead?'
If he converted all those "opportunities" into cash, the sum would be astronomical...
The family's rules were utterly unreasonable.
'Damn it. If only I'd been born earlier, I could've coasted through life.'
Lee Han regretted his laziness—or rather, his misfortune of being born as the third son.
The firstborn inherited everything.
The rest had to fend for themselves.
Because of this, Lee Han had to deeply contemplate from a young age what path would ensure a comfortable life.
Official, merchant, knight, adventurer...
The only silver lining was that while the family wouldn't hand down wealth, they would provide full support.
The family head's children had endless opportunities to learn and pursue whatever they desired.
In the end, Lee Han chose to become a mage.
"I knew you'd say that."
His father, the family head, looked immensely satisfied.
"You must have sensed your own talent, didn't you?"
"...??"
'I picked mage because it's the most stable option...?'
In truth, being a mage was an incredibly secure profession.
Respected by all in the Empire, it was a career even nobles wouldn't hesitate to pursue.
And if you had the skills, there wasn't a single place that wouldn't welcome you.
Knight orders needed mages. Adventurers' guilds needed mages. Even the Emperor's officials needed mages...
"Go to Einrogard. There, you'll grow by clashing with countless seeds of future mages. That experience will shape you."
Einrogard was the finest among the Empire's magic schools.
The most traditional, the most formidable—its name carried immense weight.
Simply enrolling and graduating from Einrogard guaranteed at least a minimum level of prestige.
Of course, no one settled for just that.
Distinguishing oneself with achievements, earning a professor's recommendation, building connections with fellow students...
As the Empire's top magic school, Einrogard was also the Empire's premier networking hub.
Even Lee Han, who had sworn never to set foot in anything resembling grad school again, had no choice but to obediently enter its halls.
"Yes. I'll do that."
'Fine. Just endure it and graduate... Think of it as an investment for the future.'
The elderly knight, Alarong, saluted Lee Han with utmost respect.
"Young Master Lee Han Wardanaz."
"Thank you for escorting me all this way."
"It was no trouble at all."
Alarong was a knight of the Wardanaz family.
Normally, he wouldn't have needed to personally handle something like escorting Lee Han, but he had volunteered to accompany the young master all the way from the capital to Einrogard.
It was because of his friendship with Lee Han.
"I never expected you to come all this way just because I learned swordsmanship from you..."
"It's not because you learned swordsmanship from me, Young Master Lee Han. I stepped forward to ensure others wouldn't dare disrespect the Wardanaz family name."
"Right. Whatever the reason."
Though Alarong spoke sternly, Lee Han smiled. He knew the knight's temperament well.
Alarong was strict and serious, yet profoundly kindhearted. His voluntary escort surely stemmed from genuine concern for Lee Han.
As Lee Han chuckled, Alarong cleared his throat awkwardly.
Ahem. "To be honest, I was quite pleased when you asked me to teach you swordsmanship, Young Master."
The Wardanaz family was a lineage of mages.
Few bothered learning swordsmanship under such circumstances.
Yet Lee Han had two reasons for pursuing it.
First—he believed any knowledge might prove useful someday.
Especially something like swordsmanship, which could be vital for self-defense.
The second reason...
Sheer, maddening boredom.
Shockingly, the Wardanaz family had refused to teach him even basic magic.
"Magic is too dangerous before fifteen!"
This world generally treated fifteen-year-olds as functional adults.
Magic was the most complex and perilous of disciplines.
The prohibition against minors practicing it made logical sense.
Though for Lee Han—mentally far older—it felt unbearably unfair...
"Observe. Other young nobles have arrived with escorts befitting their family's dignity."
"That's... excessive, don't you think?"
Lee Han stared incredulously at the imperial highway choked with carriages.
Bringing ten carriages and dozens of cavalry was downright ridiculous.
Noble prestige seemed measured by "who could out-lavish whom," resulting in absurdly extravagant processions even for casual outings. But this spectacle just to deliver one child to school?
And most importantly...
"Can't we bring guards, attendants, servants, or slaves inside anyway?"
"Correct."
Einrogard was a magic school steeped in ancient traditions.
One such tradition was "equality."
Whether royalty or slaves—all must enter alone, with nothing but the clothes on their backs.
That massive entourage would have to wait outside regardless.
"Some will likely take up residence in nearby villages to wait."
"...They'd go that far?"
Lee Han's expression soured.
Fifteen years into this reincarnated life, noble mentality still baffled him.
Students might only leave that colossal magic school once a month—if that. Maintaining a full retinue on standby was absurd.
"I inquired earlier. Several families have already purchased properties. The nearby villages even have buildings specifically traded between noble houses for generations."
"I'll pass on that extravagance, Sir."
"Though we've acquired a modest townhouse ourselves—"
"......"
Lee Han cursed inwardly.
That money could've been saved and given to me later!
Squandering funds on pointless luxuries was permissible, but directly granting him money? Forbidden.
The family's rules were infuriatingly irrational.
"The capital is distant, Young Master. Nobles must prepare for contingencies."
"Right. How reassuring."
Lee Han mounted his horse.
Some arrived by carriage, but riding straight to the gates seemed simpler.
'Waiting for that carriage parade would take till sunset.'
"Once again—thank you for escorting me, Sir."
"The honor was mine, Young Master."
Alarong meant it sincerely.
Of all the family's bloodline, Lee Han was his favorite.
A rare blend of sincerity and humility.
"Even the Family Head praised your talents."
"No need for flattery. But thank you regardless."
"No, truly—"
Einrogard Magic School stood far from the capital where the imperial palace resided.
Rumors claimed its remote location resulted from searching for lands saturated with mana.
True to those tales, the surroundings radiated primal wilderness.
Behind the school stretched endless mountain ranges. Alongside it wound a vast, serpentine river.
Closing his eyes, Lee Han could feel boundless natural mana thick as the air itself.
"Th-this is wrong."
"??"
Lee Han turned, puzzled, toward the boy who'd spoken.
Here, clothing alone revealed social standing.
The outer garment was lavishly embroidered with silk and gold thread. Hands and face without a single callus.
He was clearly from a noble family.
'Should I call someone?'
The boy's face had turned deathly pale, and he was trembling violently—something seemed seriously wrong.
Could it be a magic-related issue?
"What's wrong? Are you okay?"
"I... I..."
"Yeah. What's the problem?"
"If I don't have my servants... I can't sleep..."
"......"
Lee Han barely stopped himself from smacking the boy.
'This little shit...'
The reason for his earlier concern was so trivial it made Lee Han feel almost sorry for worrying.
But to the boy, it seemed like a deadly serious matter.
"Telling me not to bring my servants is absurd. My servants are like my hands and feet. It's the same as telling me to cut off my limbs before coming in!"
"I see. That's logical."
Lee Han half-listened and brushed it off.
But the boy seemed to take Lee Han's casual response as encouragement.
"Right? I should go protest."
"...What exactly are you planning to protest?"
"That we should be allowed to bring our servants! In the name of my family, this is an injustice!"
"Sure. Give it your best shot."
It was unlikely that a tradition upheld for thousands of years would be broken because of one boy, but Lee Han cheered him on anyway.
First, because it wasn't his problem, and second, because he was curious.
How would Einrogard's mages handle this?
The boy scurried off and returned shortly with a dazed expression.
"?"
"I repent, I repent, I repent, I repent, I repent..."
"...!!!"
Lee Han was shocked.
'Mind magic!'
Seeing the boy muttering like a broken doll, it was clear he'd been hit with a charm or domination spell.
The magic itself wasn't surprising—Lee Han had heard of such spells before.
What was shocking was that the mages of this school had casually used such magic on a noble family's heir.
'...Surely the rumor about them burying dead students in the back mountain isn't actually true, right?'
The unsettling rumor he'd heard before arriving made Lee Han feel uneasy.
-Welcome, all, to Einrogard.
It wasn't a loud voice, but one that seemed to pierce directly into everyone's minds.
BOOM!
At the same moment, Einrogard's main gates swung open.
-Get inside, you iron-headed brats!
All the new students frowned deeply.
Not because of the voice's vulgarity.
Every one of them, possessing magical talent, felt the overwhelming pressure of Einrogard's magic.
Was this what it felt like to stare directly at the sun?
Was this what it felt like to try defeating a giant barehanded?
NEIGHHH!
The sound of a horse screaming echoed.
Apparently, among those who had arrived by carriage, some had tried to ride theirs inside.
-And I said to come in on foot...
Along with the voice, those carriages suddenly vanished.
The noble girl sitting inside one shrieked as she plummeted to the ground.
Over a dozen carriages disappeared, followed by the screams of their former passengers.
-Don't worry, iron-heads! Even if you try to break the rules, this school will make sure you follow them.
"......"
A few sharp-eyed students like Lee Han had already realized this school was as terrifying as the rumors suggested, their expressions stiffening.
-Move your asses! Enter! Enter!! Enter!!!
"......"
"......"
Lee Han had always been observant. That habit had only grown stronger after coming to this world.
Everything was new and fascinating, so observation was naturally entertaining.
And right now, over a hundred boys and girls had gathered here.
Royalty, nobles, knights, priests, merchants, adventurers, beggars—their attire was as varied as their backgrounds.
And already, those boys and girls were forming small groups of three to five.
For the long school life ahead, connections were essential.
"Lee Han of the Wardanaz family?"
"Correct. No family crest to go by, yet you recognized me anyway."
In keeping with the tradition of equality, wearing family crests on clothing was prohibited.
Of course, there were still ways to tell.
Lee Han himself had already spotted a few royals and nobles he'd seen before.
"I'm Yoner. Yoner Maykin."
A girl with slightly curly, shoulder-length bright red hair stood before him, her eyes softly curved.
The Maykin family.
The Maykins were another fairly renowned mage family in the Empire.
The main difference was that the Maykins were more actively involved in imperial politics.
In contrast, the Wardanaz family tended to keep to themselves.
Their family head frequently secluded himself for magical research, even ignoring summons from the Emperor...
"Nice to meet you, Yoner. What's up?"
"His Highness the Crown Prince wants to see you."
Maykin pointed behind her.
Among those present, the most lavishly dressed boy was waving his hand at Lee Han.