Episode 1068
Episode 1068
The prince deeply wished that someone would make even a single mistake, but in the end, such a thing never happened.
Pop!
The magic was successfully completed.
Yukveltire, who had been barely holding back from attacking the painting, noticed the change and froze.
Then she turned around and rushed toward the board.
"Senior!"
Startled, Lee Han used psychokinesis to fling the senior away. As if struck by a giant's palm, Yukveltire tumbled backward.
The defensive artifacts she carried flared to life, protecting their owner, so she wasn't injured—but rolling across the basement floor was hardly a pleasant experience.
Saratan, who had been catching his breath, was shocked.
'This cold-hearted bastard! Trying to eliminate his comrade the moment the magic was complete?!'
Truthfully, such things had been quite common in the past.
Even if multiple wizards joined hands to complete a grand spell, the ownership of that magic ultimately belonged to only one person.
Sure, they could claim they'd share it with mutual consideration and cooperation—but how likely was that?
If wizards had ever been capable of such things, history wouldn't have been so drenched in blood.
Still, loyalty tends to bend inward.
Saratan decided to side with Lee Han.
Not just because he was the staff's owner, but also because he'd felt a slight fondness after overcoming hardships together.
'Wait. But is this actually... goodness?'
Feeling something off, Saratan tilted his head in confusion.
Eliminating a comrade right after finishing the magic didn't seem like goodness...
But his dilemma lasted less than a second. Asking a spirit like Saratan to deeply ponder such matters was unreasonable in the first place.
If he was told to follow a wizard's lead, then he'd just follow!
Fine! I'll finish this myself!
"You lunatic!"
As the spirit suddenly revealed murderous intent and lunged at Yukveltire, Lee Han, startled again, slashed Saratan's back with magic.
While Yukveltire, despite being an excellent mage, was physically frail and could be stopped with psychokinesis, Saratan was different. A spinning Water Prison Bomb materialized midair and struck the spirit's spine.
Guhk...! Wh-what are you doing...?!
Saratan, collapsing from the disrupted posture, glared at Lee Han with eyes full of resentment and betrayal.
Of course, those words were what Lee Han should have been saying.
"That's my line, you lunatic! What the hell are you doing?!"
Y-you weren't trying to kill the mage and monopolize the magic?!
"...The magic hasn't stabilized yet, so I stopped you because it was dangerous!"
Lee Han shouted as if utterly exasperated. Saratan grew deeply embarrassed.
H-how was I supposed to know that...
"You just charge in to kill without even knowing? Go help Senior up instead."
Still concerned about Yukveltire, who was still face-first in the corner, Lee Han urged Saratan.
If other high-ranking Einrogard students took offense at this disrespect toward their senior...
'Hmm. Now that I think about it, there's no need to worry.'
If it were Diret, he might have been concerned, but Yukveltire likely didn't have any juniors who'd seek revenge for her.
Get up, please.
"......"
Yukveltire slapped Saratan's hand away and scrambled to her feet.
Then, as if nothing had happened, she spoke.
"Impressive. Junior of the Wardanaz family."
"Hey. Dust yourself off."
As Saratan approached at Lee Han's command, Yukveltire pushed him away again.
"Step back."
Why are you mad at me...
"Senior. Are you angry?"
"Not angry at all. I'm expressing my gratitude for the completed magic."
Before the spirit or junior could interrupt, Yukveltire quickly continued.
"Junior. You've exceeded my expectations. Even though you irresponsibly ran off with the Headmaster and wasted most of the vacation..."
"Let's forget about that part."
"...This result is so outstanding that it overshadows all of that. I'm very satisfied."
It was rare for this usually composed fifth-year senior—except when dealing with Diret or Professor Verdus—to express such satisfaction.
Normally, he'd only been about 0.3 times as annoying as Professor Verdus, but Lee Han still felt a sense of pride at being acknowledged by his senior.
"It's fine. Just grant me permission to ride Professor Verdus around like a mount—"
-The Stone Mirror.
"Huh?"
At the prince's words, Lee Han turned his head in confusion.
-Giving the Stone Mirror as a reward should suffice.
"Who's giving it to whom?"
-That mage lady to your disciple. She did make significant contributions, after all. In the old kingdom era, senior mages would properly reward their juniors for such achievements.
"......"
Yukveltire's face turned pale.
Though she'd received some harsh criticism this time, this mirror artifact was Yukveltire's beloved treasure. She had started crafting it in her second year, completed it in her third, and even during her busy fourth year, she'd made time to enhance it with Diret (who, recognizing the artifact's value, had complied without complaint).
And now she was being told to hand it over to a junior?
"Th-th-that's..."
Lee Han had never seen his senior turn so pale and stammer like this before.
It reminded him of Professor Verdus having his artifacts confiscated.
'Is this how all Einrogard Enchantment Magic practitioners are?'
"Senior, it's alright. I'll just take gold coins instead."
"Thank you. I really wanted that artifact."
Lee Han had intended to ask for gold coins instead.
No matter how much enchanters whined about being broke, they were never actually poor. If you shook them down, expensive reagents or artifacts would inevitably tumble out.
But shockingly, different words came out of his mouth!
"???!!"
Lee Han was horrified.
For a moment, he checked if some magic had been cast on him—but no. No spell had invaded him.
'...'
A Unique World?!?!!'
Only then did Lee Han realize how the Young Prince had so easily muted voices earlier.
There was no need to bother casting spells on each individual target one by one.
If you completely dominated the space of this underground chamber, you could effortlessly cut off or alter things like voices.
Shivering anew at this absurd level of magic, Lee Han suddenly felt puzzled.
'Wait. Then why didn't you help earlier?'
If the prince had complete control over this underground space like it was his own limbs, it made sense that he hadn't interfered during the high-difficulty spellcasting—he must have deemed it unnecessary.
But when problems arose, he could've resolved them with a mere flick of his finger. Instead, he chose to teach Lee Han magic.
Unless...
'Ah, no. It must've been too trivial to warrant his direct intervention.'
Lee Han shook his head.
This wasn't the Skeleton Principal. How could he harbor suspicions against such a pure and kind prince?
"Th-that's..."
'Oh no.'
While Lee Han was lost in thought about the Young Prince's magic, Yukveltire was staring at him with trembling eyes.
She hadn't expected even this junior to demand she hand it over so readily.
-Mage. Think carefully. This magic—engraving Bakwantalana's Dimensional Rod and Ahriman's Refraction onto a single plate. Did you really believe you could receive it without any cost?
"B-but... Last time, this junior..."
Yukveltire hesitated, recalling the Avatar of Desire for Honor.
That avatar had been arrogant, sure, but it had never demanded any price for imparting knowledge.
So she'd naturally assumed this Young Prince would be the same...
-Mage! You were clearly furious at your master's attitude. Do you intend to become just like them?
"!!!"
Yukveltire froze as if struck by a critical hit.
In the Einrogard Enchantment Magic school, no student could calmly brush off being told, "You're acting just like Professor Verdus."
"Understood. I shall gladly gift the Stone Mirror to my junior."
"?!"
Lee Han was startled by his senior's sudden compliance.
Was being compared to Professor Verdus really that unbearable?
But still, for her to so readily part with her treasured artifact...
"Uuuuuuuuugh!"
"......"
When Lee Han met Yukveltire's gaze, he understood the truth.
His senior was frantically waving her hands, signaling that those words weren't her own.
"Master..."
-Here. Present him with the Stone Mirror.
"Here you go. Take it, junior. It's only fitting tribute for your efforts."
The Stone Mirror was handed over along with words Yukveltire hadn't spoken. Lee Han felt inexplicably guilty and whispered:
"I'll return it once we leave."
"Every time you come to the basement, I'll check. If the Stone Mirror disappears, I'll confiscate that painting too. So if you want to retrieve it, just try me. Mage."
"...Master... You must be hearing voices..."
The Young Prince was supposed to speak, but it came out in Yukveltire's voice instead.
Apparently tired of switching back and forth, the prince continued:
"Mage. I can continue lending you wisdom. But you'll have to pay the price for it. Bringing along another mage thirsty for knowledge would be fine too. As long as you pay the price. Hehehe..."
"You absolutely must not sell out Senior Diret."
Lee Han glared at Yukveltire with a stern expression.
Yukveltire felt deeply wronged.
She hadn't even considered Diret!
Even while staying at the monastery villa, Alhidel never rested.
-Senior. I have some questions about Pahait's Illusion Magic.
-Hm? Sure. Ask away.
His burning passion and drive for magic didn't cool even during vacation.
His sincerity was such that even other senior mages from the tower answered him.
-Senior. I wanted to ask about the Awakening Potion of Bion... - ...
Uh, isn't it 3 a.m. right now?
But that endearing quality quickly vanished.
Alhidel was just too persistent.
-Senior. I'd like to inquire about the harvesting method for Ice Chewers...
-Pengerin! I'm in the middle of a Wizard Card match!!
Thanks to this, second-year students started bolting at the mere sight of the penguin beastman's adorable appearance.
Alhidel doggedly pursued them, but the first-year seniors were no pushovers. They deceived his senses with all sorts of bizarre methods and slipped away.
"Senior!!! About the harvesting method for Ice Chewers!!! I'd like to ask!!!"
"...Was... was he always like this?"
Alsicle, standing in the courtyard, looked at his junior with a bewildered expression.
He didn't remember him having that kind of personality before?
Eandurde shrugged. To her, Alhidel had always been like that from the start.
"Do people just go insane when they enter Einrogard..."
While Alsicle muttered to himself, Lee Han walked out alongside Yukveltire.
Noticing the deep concern on the princess's face, Alsicle startled and asked:
"Did the magic fail??!"
"No. The magic succeeded."
"Then why that expression?"
"Senior always looks like that, doesn't she?"
"Uh... did she?"
When Lee Han answered shamelessly, even Alsicle wavered slightly.
This boy from the Wardanaz family had an exceptional talent for spouting nonsense with a perfectly serious face, making it hard for most people to counter him without faltering.
"Well, maybe you're right, being a fellow junior from Einrogard."
"What is Alhidel doing here?"
"Harassing the seniors."
"That's not true!"
Alhidel bristled.
To describe his earnest pursuit of knowledge like that!
Insulted before the senior he respected, Alhidel indignantly explained at length:
"Though it's true the seniors were playing Wizard Cards in the attic..."
"What? Gainando, that bastard. Hiding in the attic playing Wizard Cards? Well said, Alhidel. Report such things immediately if you see them."
Pleased by Lee Han's praise, Alhidel grinned happily.
'But I didn't mention names... how did he know?'
"But the seniors keep avoiding me, making it hard to ask questions. Is there any way around this?"
"Hmm. I'm not sure about that either. Maybe just chase them down one by one with all your sincerity?"
After saying this, Lee Han channeled mana and shouted loudly toward the villa:
"Who wants to see Professor Verdus crawl on all fours?!"
Before the words even finished, second-year students came rushing out from all corners of the villa.
Witnessing this, Alhidel had a great epiphany!