Episode 1110
Episode 1110
Though he felt somewhat wronged, Saratan steadied his mind once more.
Truth be told, he'd developed a certain grudging affection for this damn mage.
To be specific, Saratan had only ever been on the receiving end of beatings, but emotions weren't always logical, were they?
The fact that this mage had personally stepped in to save Saratan when he was in danger last time had left quite a deep impression on the spirit.
Saratan decided that as the superior being, he would endure and warn them of the danger.
'I'll endure. You little brat.'
-Honored Mage. Please listen to me. If a powerful spirit appears, wouldn't you be in danger too?
"Hmm?"
Lee Han glanced at Professor Garcia, who was sulking by the lakeside.
Then he looked at Professor Voladi, then at Jowurin, and finally at the crowd of magic tower mages gathered around.
'Could I really be in danger?'
Frankly, with the forces gathered here, they could probably take on a Demon Duke if one appeared.
Though he thought so, Lee Han pretended to listen attentively.
This spirit had gone out of his way to speak up—if he kept scolding him, Saratan might become resentful.
"Indeed. If a powerful spirit appears, it could be dangerous. Spirits are terrifying beings after all."
-Hah! Finally you understand!
'?'
The baby basilisk listening to the conversation from inside Lee Han's sleeve tilted its head in confusion.
Based on past experience, if asked who was more terrifying between its master and a spirit, the answer was obviously its master.
Hadn't he frightened nearly every spirit they'd encountered...?
"So what kind of terrifying spirit are you talking about?"
-It's probably one associated with darkness, lightning, or flames.
Saratan carefully relayed what he had sensed.
Even though his existence wasn't fully restored and he was trapped inside the mage's staff, the fact that he could sense another spirit's presence to this extent proved how exceptional Saratan was as a spirit.
It wasn't for nothing that he'd earned the savage title "King of Fighting Tree Spirits" after instigating consecutive violent incidents among spirits. A fighter needed brains too.
Of course, from Lee Han's perspective, this report was utterly ridiculous.
'What the hell is this guy talking about?'
If it's one of darkness, lightning, or flames, isn't that practically meaningless information?
Lee Han could probably say that much himself.
"I-I see. Thanks for telling me. Anything else I should know?"
Though Lee Han's voice already carried a hint of disappointment, Saratan failed to notice.
Instead, excited that the mage seemed interested in his information, he continued eagerly:
-It's probably an outcast.
"An outcast?"
-A spirit that couldn't establish itself in any domain and wanders around.
Fundamentally, spirits were beings from another dimension, like angels or demons.
Yet they were familiar presences to the Empire's people because, among interdimensional beings, they tended to be relatively friendly and approachable.
Of course, they sometimes kept their distance from those with overwhelmingly oppressive magical power, but barring such exceptions, spirits were generally quite amicable.
But not all spirits were this friendly and approachable. Take Saratan himself—wasn't he sealed away for being excessively violent?
Typically, an outcast spirit was highly likely to be like Saratan—exiled by other spirits for having committed too many offenses.
-It probably hasn't fully manifested yet, so quickly find its hiding place and finish it off!
"Eh? Finish it off?"
Lee Han was slightly taken aback.
To be fair, Saratan was equally surprised.
-Then what do you plan to do?
"Persuasion... or a contract..."
-How would you contract with an outcast spirit? What part of my explanation did you... I-I apologize.
So flabbergasted, Saratan's true nature slipped out. Lee Han made a wry face.
"You're under contract with me right now, aren't you?"
-...That's not a contract...
"If you call imprisoning and torturing a spirit inside a staff a 'contract,' that's an insult to all spirits."
To compare the great magic of sharing true names and resonating souls to such confinement...!
"Alright, alright. We can just attack and banish it then."
-I'm ready.
Saratan growled aggressively, baring his fangs.
He was fully prepared to strike, whether the opponent was a spirit of darkness, lightning, or flames.
"Yeah. Thanks."
After replying, Lee Han immediately went to consult the professors.
Saratan, who had expected the mage to release him, stared blankly at his retreating figure.
No...!
The Empire's adventurer party, the <Guardians of the Shadow Valley>, hurriedly urged their Pegasus forward.
They had belatedly received news that the artifact they were searching for had fallen into someone else's hands.
Jute, the party's leader and a black mage from Kallarogard, shouted in frustration.
"Damn miners! If it's a magical artifact, they should've called mages, not knights!"
"Calm down, Jute. Other knights might be reckless, but the White Poplar Knights wouldn't do something so foolish."
Iliane, the orc warrior in charge of the party's protection, tried to soothe him.
While it was common knowledge throughout the Empire that knights were ignorant of magic, the White Poplar Knights were different—experienced and seasoned enough to know better.
They wouldn't make such absurd mistakes just to claim credit.
"But they're heading straight for the magic tower now!"
"That's another problem entirely! Are we supposed to just sit back and watch those tower rats take what we worked so hard to track down?!"
Jute roared, unwilling to accept it.
They had deciphered ancient texts, followed hidden maps, fought off bandits and looters along the way—only to arrive and find some miners had coincidentally excavated the ruins and taken the artifact?
No matter how unlucky they were, this was too much. Jute couldn't stop grumbling.
"This is what it means to be a black mage. Cursed from the start. Nothing ever goes right. I knew it ever since Kallarogard."
"......"
"......"
The other party members exchanged glances.
Objectively speaking, Jute was an outstanding mage, but he had one flaw.
The moment things went even slightly wrong, he'd start blaming it all on being a black mage.
Of course, black magic wasn't exactly a welcome school in the Empire. In some remote villages, people would shriek, "Eek! Keep him away from the graveyard!" at the mere sight of him.
But for a mage of Jute's skill and accomplishments, there was no need to regret choosing black magic now.
He was already an exceptional mage...
"Jute, relax. It's just a minor coincidence."
"Right. The idea that black magic brings misfortune is just superstition. You've said so yourself."
"...Maybe. Let's just try to negotiate with the tower first."
Finally calming down, Jute nodded.
Truthfully, the situation wasn't completely dire. By convention, mages often yielded artifacts to those who had pursued them first.
Besides, the White Poplar Knights had the relic—not some lackeys of the Daylily Magic Tower.
The knights had no reason to hand it over to the tower if it would earn them the party's enmity.
But when they arrived at the tower, the response they received was nothing like what they expected.
"...You're busy right now?"
"Yes. Apologies. If you could just wait a little longer..."
The tower mages kept bowing apologetically.
They hadn't yet finished brainwashing—no, persuading—their current guest.
Until that was done, any other visitors would have to wait.
"Wow. What's going on here?"
At the orc's carefree remark, Jute's temper flared again.
"Stop talking nonsense! There's no way all the mages of the Daylily Magic Tower could be busy! It's not like some great demon was summoned or anything!"
"Then what?"
"The Daylily Magic Tower...! I never thought they'd stoop to such tricks to swallow up artifacts?!"
Jute trembled with rage.
Jute had always disliked magic towers (precisely since graduating from Kallarogard without receiving a single invitation from any tower).
Now, with the tower mages making excuses about everyone being busy without even giving a reason, his suspicions were fully confirmed.
"We're sneaking in! Even if we have to use force, we'll meet the knights and persuade them. These cowards. Do they think they can bully us just because we're black mages?"
Though his companions were hesitant, they trusted their leader and followed his lead.
Sure, Jute grumbled a lot, but when it came to magic, he'd never been wrong before!
After meeting with the professors, Lee Han excused himself for a moment and slipped away from the banquet.
Of course, the process wasn't easy.
-You're not leaving, are you?
-No, I just need to check something quickly...
-Did we make a mistake or do something wrong...?
-No, it's not that, I really just need to...
-Please don't go! We still have eight more events prepared!
-......
Lee Han and the professors fell silent. A heavy stillness settled between them.
Saratan, bewildered, asked:
-If you're that scared, why don't you just take me out?
"No. It's not the spirit I'm afraid of—it's the tower mages."
-......
Saratan cursed inwardly.
This damn mage—I open up to him, and he's thinking about something else?!
But Lee Han wasn't the only one. The two professors shared similar thoughts. Professor Garcia cautiously spoke up.
"Um, Professor Bagrak... Just a thought, but... was there ever actually a request?"
Could it be that the so-called "request" from the Daylily Magic Tower was just an excuse to lure Lee Han here, feed him well, and butter him up?
Even in Einrogard's long history, this would be an unprecedented kind of "request," but Professor Garcia's suspicions were growing stronger by the minute.
Lee Han, in denial, suggested:
"Maybe the spirit Saratan mentioned is the actual request?"
"I wish that were the case..."
Meanwhile, Professor Voladi checked the time, regardless of the ongoing conversation.
'About 30 minutes left to teach.'
CRASH!
"?"
With the sound of a collapsing wall, a group of adventurers appeared before Lee Han.
'Huh? Thieves?'
Lee Han immediately regretted the thought.
This wasn't Einrogard—what kind of person suspects others at first sight? That was downright rude.
"Ah. A mage from Kallarogard."
Hearing Professor Garcia mutter beside him, Lee Han felt even more ashamed.
Suspecting a mage from Kallarogard, of all places, when it wasn't even Baldrogard...
'Well, it is a magic tower. Breaking a wall isn't that strange.'
"Do you happen to know where the Hornbeam Knights are?"
Jute, ever the seasoned adventurer, asked calmly without showing any panic.
If he faltered here, it would only make him look more suspicious.
"The Hornbeam Knights? I'm not sure. Are knights even in the tower right now?"
"...Got it. Let's go this way!"
"Ah, wait! That's—!"
Lee Han panicked and tried to stop them.
From the looks of it, these were outside guests, and the direction they were heading was toward the lakeside where the Meditation and Relaxation Society was currently holding their session.
Lee Han had no idea how this event might appear to outsiders.
But given that the tower mages deliberately avoided inviting outsiders to these gatherings...
'They might find it extremely strange or unsettling!'
"You can't go there!"
"Aha! I knew it! The knights must be there!"
"No, that's not the guest area—"
Before Lee Han could finish, Jute and his companions turned and left.
A short while later, they returned with pale, horrified expressions.
"Wh-why are all those mages just lying around relaxing?! Are they under some illusion magic???!"
"...It's... a new kind of event. Hosted by the tower."
Professor Garcia stepped in to explain, though it wasn't very effective.
Jute was now deeply troubled, wondering if the entire Daylily Magic Tower had fallen into worship of an Evil God.