Episode 1009
Episode 1009
While the Skeleton Principal and his knights were seriously deliberating...
The reason why the mages were reacting so vehemently soon became clear.
"We heard you completed Gawon's spell! Please come to the Daylily Magic Tower and let your gem-like talent shine!"
"Huh?"
Lee Han belatedly recalled last year's exchange meeting.
Then he said,
"Strictly speaking, it wasn't completion but improvement..."
"It was completion."
"Frankly speaking, it was practically completion."
The mages who had been acting kindly to win Lee Han's favor just moments ago showed no compromise when it came to magic. They immediately turned serious and denied that it was merely an improvement.
"......"
Lee Han felt slightly overwhelmed.
The sheer madness they radiated with such determination was extraordinary—truly befitting of mages.
Meanwhile, the Skeleton Principal and the knights wasted time with unnecessary chatter.
"Then how about we just say it's around 4th Circle?"
"What about 3rd Circle?"
"But since 3rd Circle spells are already known, wouldn't that seem a bit odd..."
While this was happening, a new carriage appeared from behind.
Lee Han froze when he saw the familiar family crest. 'The Maykin family?'
"What's going on?"
Yoanen, who was inside the carriage, opened the window in bewilderment at the commotion in front of the tower.
The mages of the Daylily Magic Tower were making bizarre noises as if they had drunk spoiled potions, surrounding the carriage ahead and wailing.
"Ah. Our apologies, Lady Maykin."
"You all..."
Yoanen immediately recognized the Death Knights and the humanoid Skeleton Principal.
Even without their undead forms, the group was so strikingly distinctive that it was hard not to recognize them.
"Lady Maykin. I apologize."
Lee Han also apologized on their behalf.
He would have preferred to open the carriage door and step out to apologize properly, but the mages were prowling around the carriage like zombies, making it impossible.
"Well, you see, the situation is..."
"No need to explain. I think I can guess what's happening."
Yoanen's intelligent eyes flashed behind her amethyst glasses as she spoke.
"You must have gathered here to invite Lord Wardanaz to the tower after hearing about his magical talent."
"How did you know?!"
Lee Han was startled.
Of course, Yoanen was an exceptional mage with sharp insight, but to deduce all this just from the scene before her?
He couldn't even begin to guess how she'd figured it out.
"Well, I heard Lord Gonadaltes did the exact same thing back when Professor Kim..."
"Shh. Quiet."
The Skeleton Principal sent a warning to Yoanen, who was about to expose the mages' trick.
Even if the Daylily Magic Tower mages' intelligence was currently lowered, there was no need to dredge up painful memories of the past.
Yoanen nodded.
As fellow mages, it was customary not to interfere with each other's affairs.
Who knows—someday, Yoanen herself might need to lower the intelligence of other tower mages to achieve her own goals.
"I understand. More importantly, Lord Gonadaltes, isn't there really no need to worry so much? If you can bring a mage who's contracted with the Spirit King into the tower, people would even forgive Professor Verdus, wouldn't they?"
Yoanen's point was accurate.
If it was a mage who had already contracted with the Spirit King by just his second year, the tower members would want to bring him in at any cost, no matter what humiliation or price they had to pay.
Even if it meant forgiving Professor Verdus.
"Huh?"
"Ah."
"What?"
Yoanen tilted her head at the reactions of the Skeleton Principal and the Death Knights.
Why are they acting like this?
"I hadn't heard that he contracted with a King-class spirit...?"
The ancient knight who had weathered countless battles flinched under the dazzling gaze of the magic tower mage.
"I... was going to tell you. Later."
"Later? Were you planning to go to another tower and tell them? Trying to ditch us?"
"Ah, no. How could that be? I was going to tell you everything once we got inside."
"..."
"That's right! Come to think of it, he also subdued the Demon Duke using the Spirit King's power back then."
Gawon finally remembered belatedly and shouted.
The mages beside him spewed murderous reproaches at their colleague.
"Are you an idiot?! What were you planning to do by not mentioning that?!"
"It's obvious this friend Gawon was trying to keep it to himself! As punishment, we should revoke his invitation privileges!"
"N-no! I didn't know either! I thought that other Einrogard student had summoned it through some special method!"
"......"
Watching the scene descend into chaos in an instant, Yoanen realized her mistake.
As a mage, she'd been careless and misspoken.
Who would've thought they didn't know about the contract with the Spirit King?
"I'm truly sorry, Lord Wardanaz. I had no idea you hadn't mentioned the Spirit King. Then did you at least tell them about the Small World?"
"......"
"......"
"..."
"I'm really sorry!"
As Yoanen raised her voice in apology, the Skeleton Principal and death knights quickly boarded the carriage.
When the mages clung to the wheels and doors, the Skeleton Principal coldly commanded,
"Depart."
"Yes!"
The knights shoved off the mages clinging to the carriage and hastily accelerated toward the interior of the magic tower. The mages' desperate cries echoed eerily from behind.
The Skeleton Principal muttered,
"Hmm. The reaction is more extreme than I anticipated."
The knights in the carriage all nodded in unison.
Seeing reactions several times more bloodthirsty than when Professor Garcia was taken, it seemed unwise to simply send a message like "Magician Garcia Kim has been appointed as an Einrogard professor haha" and then go silent like last time.
If they did that, there might truly be a tower-wide riot...
"The reason for today's visit was to request a slight delay in paying the wages of the mages mobilized for the grand magic to confine the thought-form..."
"Very well then."
"......"
"......"
When the tower mages including Eullangdam immediately agreed, the Skeleton Principal and death knights were rather taken aback.
Even though the matter was resolved so easily, they felt uneasy—a first for them.
In truth, they all knew the reason.
The mages who normally would have grumbled or complained were instead nodding with terrifyingly fanatical eyes, not uttering a single word of protest.
A barking dog doesn't bite.
Conversely, one had to worry about dogs that didn't bark. The Skeleton Principal began to worry he might have misjudged the situation.
He'd only intended to handle it moderately like with Professor Garcia, not drive all the tower mages insane.
'This is dangerous.'
Looking at their crazed eyes now, it wouldn't be surprising if a letter arrived saying, "Instead of your student returning at the start of second semester, our academy's student has chosen to join the magic tower—please don't look for them."
In the end, the Skeleton Principal showed kindness he would never normally display.
"...How is everyone's magical research progressing these days? If you wish, I shall provide instruction. Not my usual vague teachings, but something you can immediately put to use—spoon-fed, so to speak."
"So you're aware your usual teachings were ambiguous."
"Shh. Don't even think such thoughts in His Excellency's presence."
Countless mages had sought wisdom from the Skeleton Principal, but only a handful had ever received satisfactory answers.
Whether due to his twisted nature or some philosophy about imparting secrets, the Skeleton Principal had always given only the most ambiguous and incomprehensible teachings.
The fact that the Skeleton Principal was saying, "This time, I'll really teach you the core principles in a simple and quick manner," was something any mage would find irresistibly tempting.
However...
"We're fine."
"That's right. We're perfectly fine. We wouldn't dare waste Your Excellency's precious time."
"......"
The mages of the Magic Tower unanimously and firmly refused.
Their attitude radiated a resolute determination—they would owe the Skeleton Principal nothing and only give, never take.
—So if you have any conscience left, send your disciple to our Magic Tower!
"...Did someone just use telepathy?"
"Huh?"
"No. Never mind."
The Skeleton Principal shuddered at the overwhelming Intent unconsciously projected by the mages. It was so potent that he could practically decipher their exact thoughts.
"Your Excellency, you seemed interested in the artifacts we mages acquired last time, didn't you?"
"'Did I? I don't quite recall...'
"Since you're here, we'd like to offer them as commemorative gifts."
"...That much should be fine. I'll accept your kind gesture."
"Then how about a donation?"
"Einrogard's finances are quite sufficient, so there's no need for that."
With what might have been the most absurd lie in the entire Empire, the Skeleton Principal declined the offer.
"More importantly, you all do realize there's no guarantee my disciple will join your Magic Tower later, right?"
"Of course."
"Your Excellency will surely put in a good word for us. Hey, bring those artifacts. We must present them to His Excellency."
"Enough! I said it's fine!"
The Skeleton Principal hastily stood up.
From now on, he'd have to refuse any gifts from the Daylily Magic Tower, no matter how tempting—lest they somehow turn into a ransom for his disciple later.
Hurriedly dragging his disciple away, the Skeleton Principal ran into Yoanen in the hallway.
"Why did you have to go and say something so unnecessary!"
"I—I'm sorry."
Yoanen apologized sincerely.
Even a mad archmage would eventually inspire fear if constantly exposed to one—and similarly, Yoanen had grown so accustomed to her insane younger brother's friend that she'd lost all sense of caution. That's why the careless remark had slipped out.
"But then... what were you originally discussing?"
"The 5th Circle?"
Yoanen looked puzzled.
If they hadn't been talking about the Spirit King or the Small World, why had they all gathered like lunatics?
"...Apparently, he completed the spell a Daylily Magic Tower mage presented at last year's Exchange Meeting."
"I improved it."
"I said completed."
The Skeleton Principal corrected his disciple with a scolding tone. After hearing everything, Yoanen nodded.
"That is completion."
"......"
"See? Stop being so stubborn."
As Lee Han grumbled, Yoanen thought to herself, 'But if that's all it was, wouldn't the outcome have been the same even if I hadn't said anything?'
"You're not thinking it would've turned out the same even if you hadn't spoken, are you?"
"...Of course not. Absolutely not."
Yoanen hastily waved her gloved hand in denial.
"What brings you here?"
"I received a crafting commission, so I thought I'd visit in person to assess it."
Yoanen had been asked to mass-produce a sublimating compound that reacts to specific mana—a necessity for an ongoing magical research project. Since she was in the capital anyway, she planned to inspect the research and provide an estimate.
"How enviable. No need to deal with insane mages."
"It is enviable. You're already receiving such commissions."
"......"
"—......"
The Skeleton Principal and the knights stared at Lee Han in disbelief.
Was this really the time to feel envy?
But Yoanen, unfazed, smiled and said,
"Wardanaz and Yoner will soon receive plenty of commissions like this too. Didn't they handle the Nago Family's reagents perfectly last time?"
"Haha. Thank you. That was just luck."
The Skeleton Principal, standing nearby, wondered inwardly—What kind of family is the Nago Family? 'I've never heard of them before?'