Episode 1108
Episode 1108
"Are you seriously doing this?"
"?"
Professor Voladi looked puzzled at the junior professor's protest.
Seeing his expression, Professor Garcia realized the man hadn't felt even a shred of guilt during their earlier conversation.
'This, this...!'
Professor Garcia gritted her teeth at the shamelessness reminiscent of Professor Verdus.
Strictly speaking, Professor Voladi had indeed followed the rules.
After all, they'd had this exact conversation before setting off:
"But Professor, wouldn't it be too much for Lee Han if we both teach him at the same time?"
"I believe it'll be fine."
"..."
"Let's just take turns. We'll divide the time—when I lecture, then when you lecture. Like that."
"Understood."
Surprisingly, Professor Voladi was quite diligent about adhering to established rules and principles.
That's why he must have been meticulously keeping track of time even while Professor Garcia was speaking, leading to this situation...
'This is downright petty!'
Grumbling internally, Professor Garcia pulled out her pocket watch, determined not to lose even a second of her allotted time.
Tick-tock
—
Having grown bored of watching, Jowurin peeled her face away from the window and returned to her seat.
But when she saw Lee Han and Professor Voladi assuming postures for magic practice, she let out a startled scream.
'Is it really that shocking? Hmm. No, I suppose it is quite shocking.'
Professor Garcia inwardly conceded.
An Einrogard student might not bat an eye, but an outsider—especially someone like Jowurin, raised delicately in the imperial palace—would naturally be stunned.
"Wh-what are you doing?!"
"We're studying magic, Your Highness."
"Why?!"
"......"
"......"
The three mages fell silent. When asked why, they found themselves at a loss for words.
Lee Han forced out an answer.
"Because there's no time to study at school...?"
'Ugh!'
Professor Garcia groaned internally.
Hearing it put like that made Einrogard sound like an excessively harsh magic academy.
"Y-you don't even have time to play with Jowurin...? And yet you claim there's no time? This is utterly absurd, I say!"
"Guhk!"
Professor Garcia let out an audible noise.
Einrogard was starting to seem more and more like an excessively brutal magic academy.
'I need to calm her down quickly.'
Lee Han decided he had to placate Jowurin as fast as possible.
He was worried about how Professor Voladi—whose allocated time had just been stolen—might react.
Surely he wouldn't throw Jowurin out of the carriage, right?
"What can I say? That's just how Einrogard is."
"R-really?"
"Yes. It's not just me—all the other students devote themselves just as intensely to their magical studies."
"......"
Professor Garcia was so flabbergasted that her mouth gaped open as she stared at her student.
How could he lie so shamelessly?
Yet, astonishingly, it seemed to work perfectly on Jowurin.
"The Einrogard students are so pitiful...!"
"Thank you for understanding, Your Highness. Please bear with us just a little longer."
Relieved that Jowurin seemed convinced, Lee Han let out a quiet sigh.
But what he failed to notice—
Was Jowurin's resolute determination!
'This is absolutely unacceptable. Jowurin shall... Jowurin shall...! Reform this rotten Empire!'
For a dragon, who typically cared little for worldly affairs, this was an extraordinarily grand resolution.
—
"These are the spells currently under training."
Professor Voladi took out a small chalkboard and drew a diagram.
Written on it were:
- Wardanaz's Telekinesis
- Water Prison Bomb
- Lightning Transformation
- Blue Flame
- Soulization
- Greater Undead Summoning
- Headmaster's Arcane Secrets
...and more.
Seeing this, Professor Garcia let out a deep, exasperated sigh.
"Gasp!"
"As I mentioned before, both the number and level of spells have increased."
"Sigh."
"We must prioritize."
"Ah!"
"It's not about mastering all of them..."
"Ah."
"...Professor Garcia. Are you alright?"
Unable to bear it any longer, Lee Han cautiously spoke up.
Even Jowurin was looking at Professor Garcia with slight concern.
Though Jowurin didn't know much about magical education, it was clear that having someone constantly making noises beside her with every word would be distracting.
"S-sorry, Lee Han."
"Not at all. It's just... you're not angry, are you?"
"Why would I be angry?"
"I thought perhaps you were retaliating because of Professor Bagrak's preemptive strike earlier..."
"......"
At Lee Han's words, Professor Voladi, who had been silently reading a book, lifted his head and gave a sidelong glance.
Feeling utterly wronged, Professor Garcia jumped so violently she nearly hit the carriage ceiling.
"Absolutely not!!!"
"Ah. Is that so? My apologies."
Professor Garcia felt terribly aggrieved.
It was Professor Voladi who had been timing people from behind while they spoke, yet here she was being lumped together with him. 'Sniff sniff...'
"This time, the magic you'll learn is <Intermediate Magic Storage>."
Professor Voladi had no immediate plans to push his student further by expanding upon the high-level magics he'd already learned.
Just mastering and keeping up with the spells he'd already learned would take considerable time.
Instead, it was better to recommend a few essential magics the student currently needed.
Given how rapidly Lee Han's magical proficiency had risen, there were still quite a few useful spells he hadn't yet mastered. 'Phew. Thank goodness.' Professor Garcia sighed inwardly, careful not to be noticed this time.
"If it's <Intermediate Magic Storage>..."
"It's the advanced version of the <Lesser Magic Storage> you've already learned, right?"
A storage magic that allows pre-recording spells of one's own circle or lower for quick casting, using the body as a sort of makeshift scroll. <Lesser Magic Storage>. <Intermediate Magic Storage> was its upgraded version.
"What circle is it?"
"5th Circle. Lucky, right?" 'What's so lucky about that?' For a moment, Lee Han felt a distance from Professor Garcia.
He couldn't fathom what she meant by 'lucky' at all.
In truth, Professor Garcia had meant, 'At least it's a 5th Circle spell, which Lee Han has some experience with, so it's fortunate it's not 6th Circle.'
Even if Lee Han had understood her meaning, he likely would have felt the same distance.
"Moreover, <Intermediate Magic Storage> is relatively easier compared to the other 5th Circle spells you've learned."
"How wonderful. Truly thrilling." 'Lee Han looks sad.' Jowurin mused while chewing on candy.
Why does my contractor look so troubled?
"If you want to practice <Intermediate Magic Storage>, try storing a 4th Circle spell first. It'll be good practice."
"There's no guarantee it'll work with a 4th Circle spell, is there...?"
"Huh?"
"Never mind."
Lee Han grumbled slightly before preparing the spell as instructed by Professor Voladi.
For a good 4th Circle spell to practice with, <Wardanaz's Water Prison Bomb> was the obvious choice.
Having used it so often, it was perfect for testing other magics.
"O magic, dwell here. I command thee again, dwell here. Like the quiet descent of stillness, like the silent approach of twilight..."
Lee Han threw everything he had into the practice—repetitive incantations, Melody Spells, all the techniques he'd learned.
With high-difficulty spells, it was advantageous to focus on achieving a single successful cast without worrying about speed. 'Thank goodness I learned this. If I hadn't, I can't imagine how I'd even attempt it.'
Meanwhile, the two professors didn't even glance at their student as they discussed what the next spell should be.
"What should the next spell be? I'd recommend <Millay's Summon Paper Bird>."
"I don't see much point in storing summoning magic."
"Yes, I know. But considering the practical benefits, being able to store at least one summoning spell would be quite helpful. Other summoning magics too..."
"Professor. Could you check if I did this correctly?"
Lee Han called out to the two professors. However, they responded dismissively, as if annoyed.
"If it's Lee Han, you probably did well. Just pick any difficult spell and keep practicing."
"You did well."
"That's why I'm asking, Professor. For summoning-type spells, normally..."
"......"
Lee Han was dumbfounded by the sight of the two professors engrossed in their conversation again.
'What kind of people are they?'
Instead, Jowurin clapped enthusiastically beside him.
"Jowurin thinks you did splendidly!"
"...Your Highness is the light and salt of the Empire. Sniff!"
"Wh-what's wrong... Lee Han. Don't be sad!"
Flustered, Jowurin tried to comfort his contractor.
'But what exactly does the Daylily Magic Tower want to entrust to me?'
Lost in thought as he stepped out of the carriage (Professor Garcia gritted her teeth when they arrived just before her personal time began), Lee Han pondered.
"Over there, Lee Han. Quite different from where we visited last time with the Headmaster, right?"
Among the Empire's magic towers, those with considerable scale and confidence in their abilities often erected towers across the Empire, linking the spaces between them.
The Daylily Magic Tower was one such place.
Though its main headquarters was located in Plaha City, separate towers also existed on the outskirts of the imperial capital and Granden City.
Of course, even if the spaces were connected, not everything was identical. This was especially true for the towers' exteriors.
The tower in Plaha City boasted the most lavish and refined appearance, the one on the capital's outskirts—though not quite as grand—had a rather antiquated charm, while the tower on Granden City's outskirts looked somewhat shabby...
"Yes. It's very extravagant."
"Right? Shabby... Huh?"
Professor Garcia jerked her head up in surprise.
Astonishingly, the tower before them was entirely covered in dazzling gold. Professor Garcia had never seen such a magical tower building in her life.
'D-did the Daylily Magic Tower recently make a fortune...?'
She wondered if they had secured some Empire-led magical project.
—The carriage has arrived!!
—Everyone, stop what you're doing and change clothes!
Professor Garcia clearly witnessed two mages, who had been testing alchemical reagents inside a manure pit, suddenly leap out, swiftly change clothes, and cover the pit.
After adorning each other's attire with various decorations and insignias, the mages conjured a tea table in midair with magic. Then, they promptly sat down and tilted their teacups.
"Hmm! How leisurely indeed."
"A refinement unseen in other towers. Wouldn't you agree?"
The two mages spoke loudly, as if hoping someone would hear.
Though Lee Han hadn't seen them jump out of the manure pit, he noticed something odd.
"Why are they doing that when there's nothing in those teacups?"
"......"
While Professor Garcia thought, 'Surely not...', several other mages emerged in front of the tower.
They blatantly pretended not to pay attention to Lee Han's group while loudly conversing.
"Did you hear about our tower defeating the Green Jade Magic Tower this time?"
"Ah, you mean the analysis of plant-type entities detectable in localized dimensions. Of course, the analysis was exceptional, but it's such a common occurrence in our tower that I hardly see the need to mention it!"
"Well said! Hahaha!"
Staring wide-eyed at the retreating mages, Professor Garcia was horrified.
'D-disgusting...!!'
No matter how much they wanted to scout Lee Han after graduation, this absurd charade was beyond reason!
Even Jowurin looked bewildered.
"M-mages seem to be under illusion magic."
"...Perhaps they are, Your Highness."
Finally grasping the situation, Lee Han spoke with pity.
To think the Empire's virtuous mages had fallen so low due to the Skeleton Principal's wicked schemes...