Episode 1027
Episode 1027
Lee Han spoke with a deep sense of responsibility.
Though unintentional, he had amplified the resentment of the Petrogard mages.
Now that things had come to this, he had to go to Petrogard and do something about it. 'As soon as we arrive, I should start by loudly cursing Professor Verdus before entering.' As Lee Han was making his plan, he suddenly realized something was amiss.
"Eh? Where is Lord Alsicle?"
Among the murmuring group of friends, one particular mage was conspicuously absent.
"I wonder?"
Siana shrugged her shoulders.
Given how spacious the mansion was, it wasn't particularly strange if one or two mages were out of sight.
"Maybe he's swimming in the bath?"
"That can't be. Earlier, contaminated slimes poured out from the water supply facility, so he was in the middle of purification work."
Ratford, who was passing by, waved his arm as he spoke. The water supply connected to the mansion also contained many magical wastes discarded by mages, so cleaning it took time.
"Then perhaps he's in the study, reading while snacking on canned sardines?"
"Why specifically canned sardines...? No. That doesn't seem likely either. Was there anything strange going on?"
Siana replied, 'Because that would be cute,' before falling into thought.
"Ah. It's nothing major, but Professor Bagrak visited earlier."
"...Lord Alsicle!! Lord Alsicle!!!!"
With the fastest movement he'd shown all day, Lee Han dashed into the mansion.
Lafadell shuddered at the sight. 'That bastard's movements have leveled up again!' Originally, he was already unbelievably skilled in close combat for a mage from a magical family, but after going through several recent events, he'd now reached a point where he was indistinguishable from a knight. 'This is bad!'
After quickly checking the first floor of the mansion, Lee Han ran up the stairs, filled with regret.
He had been far too careless.
When Alsicle had whined about being scared, he should have listened more seriously...!
"Lord Alsicle!"
"I'm here. Wardanaz!"
Hearing Alsicle's voice from a corner room, Lee Han kicked the door open in a flash.
In what was likely originally meant to be a study stood Professor Voladi and Alsicle. Lee Han's eyes scanned Alsicle from head to toe. 'He doesn't seem injured. Wait. Professor Bagrak is perfectly capable of beating someone without leaving visible wounds.' "Why are you calling so urgently?"
"What do you mean why? Whenever Lord Alsicle meets a professor, his life expectancy drops to that very day—"
"Hey, hey! What nonsense! Since when! I'm fine! Right? Voladi Bagrak?"
Alsicle flapped his wings frantically, trying to stop Lee Han's words.
What was this idiot trying to say while within Voladi Bagrak's striking range?
Lee Han hesitated, unsure what the penguin beastman mage meant by flapping his wings like that. 'What's this? Is he genuinely fine and saying so, or is he being coerced into saying he's fine?' True to his training at Einrogard, Lee Han broadly and shallowly radiated mana before even casting a soul perception spell.
He needed to check if Professor Voladi was perhaps aiming some magical weapon at the fluffy penguin feathers on Alsicle's back.
"What are you doing?"
"Hey... Wardanaz, you..."
And of course, he was caught.
Neither of them was foolish enough to be unaware of those spells.
Professor Voladi looked puzzled, while Alsicle, having realized Lee Han's intent, was horrified.
"I'm really fine! Truly fine. Forget what I said last time!"
Surprisingly, Alsicle really was fine.
Professor Voladi, who had visited the mansion, hadn't launched any surprise attacks, assaults, or torture.
-Aaaaah! Voladi Bagrak! I'm sorry! I'm sorry! Calm down first!-
-...
Huh, was I not the target?
-Why did you think that?-
-...
Right! The world's just been so dangerous lately. Hahaha.
Professor Voladi's purpose for visiting was to share information about the monsters that had emerged from the void beyond dimensions this time.
The disciple vehemently denied participating, but Professor Voladi wasn't foolish enough to be fooled so easily.
'D-did he not buy it?'
'Should he have?'
'Ah... no. Oh dear. Voladi Bagrak, you've always been sharp since the old days. Come to think of it, so has Headmaster Einrogard.'
'Let's return to the void spider discussion.'
'Shall we?'
Alsicle gave up on his awkward flattery and immediately returned to sharing information.
'Considering the monster's characteristics, there's reason to suspect it may have fled back beyond the dimensional boundary.'
'That's possible. Given its extraordinary regeneration and reproduction abilities, it might have escaped before the eroded dimension burned away.'
'There's also a chance it might target Wardanaz again.'
'Ah, now that you mention it, that's true. It did seem particularly fixated on him, likely due to his mana.'
'But doesn't that raise some alarm bells for you?'
At Professor Voladi's question, Alsicle was startled.
He instantly anticipated the unspoken rebuke: 'And you call yourself a senior mage? Drop dead!'
'Spare me!!!'
'Ah, no. It's just... you're right. I should've been more alarmed... Maybe my mind's been slipping lately.'
'That does seem to be the case.'......
At any rate, there were no surprise attacks, assaults, or torture.
Though mentally, it was quite taxing...
"I see. That's fortunate. Really. You weren't found out, were you?"
"......"
Faced with Wardanaz's innocent question about whether his participation in the Dimensional Erosion subjugation had been discovered, Alsicle struggled to maintain his composure.
"Perhaps...?"
"Hehe. Thank you."
"More importantly, have you resolved the basement issue?"
"Ah. I think I'll leave that alone for a while. It doesn't seem like it'll be easily resolved."
Lee Han relayed what he'd heard from Professor Garcia.
"The Petrogard mages are currently attempting something, but I doubt they'll succeed."
"Petrogard? Why are those eccentrics involved?"
"That's a long story..."
"Then give me a brief summary."
"Right. An old disciple of the Headmaster has appeared at Petrogard Magic Academy and is causing quite a stir. Professor Garcia and I are planning to go persuade them."
"......"
"......"
The two mages fell silent.
Finally recovering from the shock, Alsicle spoke up.
"J-just a bit more detail..."
"Huh? Didn't I explain everything?" 'How is that any kind of explanation?' Alsicle grumbled internally but held his tongue.
When a terrifying mage's master was nearby (especially within striking distance), one shouldn't recklessly provoke them.
"Very well. Have a safe trip."
"I'll accompany you."
"!"
Alsicle was startled by Professor Voladi's words.
Why would the mage least likely to have any connection with Petrogard suddenly volunteer? 'Ah. I see.' Upon reflection, Voladi Bagrak had studied under the Skeleton Principal and, more importantly, was currently Wardanaz's master.
In that case, it made sense that he'd want to accompany Wardanaz on his mission to persuade the Skeleton Principal's former disciple. 'How unfortunate. To suffer like this because of one's masters.' Alsicle looked at Wardanaz with pity.
To have additional hardships piled on simply due to poor choices in mentors.
If Alsicle had to face the Skeleton Principal's former disciple himself, he'd seriously consider desertion.
As Lee Han stepped out of the room first, Professor Voladi spoke.
"Come along."
"?"
Alsicle glanced around the room.
Had someone else been present? But there was no one.
"...!!!"
Me!?
* * *
The Petrogard mages, having failed to resolve the basement issue and been chased out by the ghost, were in a deeply despondent state.
Professor Garcia tried her best to console them.
"L-look, nobody's ever solved the Noenchenf problem before!"
"That may be true... but it doesn't make this any less humiliating."
No matter how positively they tried to frame it, the humiliation of being bested by Einrogard students wouldn't fade.
"By the way, would it be alright if some other students came along?"
"Huh? Um... yes. That should be fine."
Dalser hesitated but eventually agreed.
They couldn't refuse the visit just because they'd been humiliated in front of the Einrogard students.
That would have been even more shameful.
"Can professors or other mages come along too?"
"Yes. That's fine."
After answering, Dalser looked puzzled. 'But aside from Professor Kim, are there any professors who want to visit Petrogard?'
Five minutes later.
When Dalser and Benjamin spotted Professor Voladi, their expressions turned grave, and they began whispering among themselves.
Noticing this, the students asked with worried faces.
"Professor. Are you acting like this because we're tagging along?"
Upon hearing about Petrogard, the students at the mansion showed more interest than expected.
Of course, there were a few who said, 'After visiting, I think I'll be too angry about having entered Einrogard, so I won't go,' but most wanted to visit and see for themselves.
Professor Garcia shook her head.
"No, it's not that. Don't worry about it."
"Professor Kim."
After finishing his conversation with a fellow mage, Dalser asked in a concerned voice.
"Is Professor Bagrak accompanying us for... combat purposes...?"
"No! Persuasion! He's coming along to persuade them!"
Professor Garcia desperately shouted.
But the mages' suspicions didn't fade easily...
Are they really not forming a subjugation party?
Lee Han also stepped in to help Professor Garcia.
"Please believe us. Professor Bagrak is coming to persuade them."
"Not to persuade them with force?"
"The professor isn't the type to make excuses like that...Probably... right?"
At Lee Han's question, Professor Voladi silently nodded.
The Petrogard mages, their faces a mix of worry, distrust, concern, and resignation, eventually had to accept it.
"Understood. Then let's depart."
"How far is Petrogard?"
"It's not too far from the capital right now. Even if we take our time, we should arrive within an hour."
Dalser, trying to forget everything that had happened so far, made an effort to introduce Petrogard to the Einrogard mages.
Though his wounded pride still stung and Professor Voladi was a concern, neglecting guests from outside would be its own disgrace.
Salko raised his hand and asked.
"I've heard Petrogard teaches differently from Einrogard."
"That's right. Petrogard is very free. Our mages come and go as they please, learning from each other when they want. There are no official professor positions either."
"WHAT?!"
The Einrogard students were shocked. Professor Garcia added from the side.
"There are mages who serve as professors, but they just aren't called professors."
"Then what do you call them?"
"Just call them by their names, like Dalser. You can all do the same."
"......"
The cultural difference was so staggering that the Einrogard students were all left speechless.
Someone muttered as if imagining it.
"At Petrogard, can we just say, 'Hey, Gonadaltes!'?"
"Shh. Keep it down."
Lee Han, overhearing this, suddenly grew curious and asked.
"Then do you not evaluate students either?"
"That's not the case. Standards and evaluations are still necessary, after all."
'Thank goodness.' Not just Lee Han but the other students also sighed in relief.
If there was another magic academy like Baldrogard that graded exams so leniently, they wouldn't have been able to contain their fury.
"So, we have the students evaluate themselves. Everyone gets full marks."
"......"
"...Can I go back to the mansion now?"
"Hold on. We've come too far already."
Lee Han grew slightly worried at his friends' intense reactions.
They hadn't even met the Headmaster's former disciple yet, and they were already like this... 'They won't cause trouble when we get there, right? Ah, come on. It's not like my friends are freshmen who'd lose their temper over something like that.'
"I have a question. Are Petrogard students free to go out on holidays?"
"Freedom is our founding principle, so of course, not just on holidays but even on weekdays—"
"Wow! Look at that wyvern-shaped cloud over there!"
Lee Han quickly changed the subject and cut off the conversation.