Episode 112
Episode 112
Lee Han had no idea.
Just how incredible an opportunity it was to receive such affectionate loyalty from a griffin.
'This damn kid...!'
Professor Lightning Steps choked in frustration. Lee Han picked up the professor's pipe with a concerned expression and asked,
"Did you swallow it wrong?"
"No!"
Who was worrying about whom here?
Professor Lightning Steps took a moment to calm down before speaking again.
"How about being a little kinder to him?"
"How much more... kindly should I treat him?"
Lee Han replied with a slightly flustered voice.
His tone was so genuinely perplexed that even Lightning Steps had nothing to say.
Though the students didn't know it, Lightning Steps had been consistently keeping an eye on the stables.
After entrusting his horse-like children—no, the freshmen—to these iron-headed brats, this much was only natural.
And truth be told, Lee Han had been sincerely taking care of the griffin. It wasn't easy for a noble-born boy to be that diligent.
While saving its life had played a part, the affectionate devotion Lee Han had shown beforehand must have also helped open the griffin's heart.
...But that was one thing, and not trusting the griffin now was another.
"Is there a problem with how I feed or groom him?"
"No, not that... It's about trust, you know? Faith, that sort of thing."
Snort.
The white horse nodded as if urging Lightning Steps to elaborate.
Of course, Lee Han wasn't easily swayed.
"Being kind and blindly trusting everything are two different things, Professor. Isn't the latter just irresponsible?"
"......"
Today, the boy from the Wardanaz family was making nothing but valid points.
When taming an animal, overlooking its instincts and blindly trusting it wasn't a good habit—that much was true.
Loving and trusting while maintaining a healthy degree of suspicion was the right approach...
It was the right approach, but...!
Snort! Snort!
"See? He's getting angry right now."
"Fine. Do as you please."
As Professor Lightning Steps gave up and turned away, the white horse glared.
Yoner asked curiously,
"By the way, what's that horse's name? I tried giving it a name and calling it, but it wouldn't respond."
The other horses in the stable understood when they were called by name, but the white horse didn't.
To be precise, it refused to understand.
-No matter what name you give it, it seems to hate it.
-Maybe it's just bad-tempered.
-No, maybe it just doesn't like the name we chose.
-Maybe it's just bad-tempered.
-It might have its own original name, so let's ask the professor later.
-It really just seems bad-tempered.
Professor Lightning Steps was slightly flustered.
Thankfully, he had turned his back. At least the two students wouldn't see his expression.
"Pon... Ponlig."
"Ponlig... That's an unusual name."
"Ponlig."
Lee Han looked at the white horse and said,
"Ponlig. Right?"
Neigh-hih-hih!
The white horse shook its head as if displeased. Watching this, Lee Han declared with conviction,
"Yep, it's just bad-tempered."
Thanks to Professor Lightning Steps persuading the River Spirit, the students who arrived later had an easier time fetching water.
Those who had come earlier and struggled grumbled.
"That's not how you fetch water."
"How would they know how hard it is? Fetching water when the River Spirit is angry—that's the real deal."
Lee Han approached Professor Lightning Steps, who was recording grades. The professor fiddled with his pipe and said,
"What? Wardanaz, you got full marks. Nothing to worry about."
"That's not why I'm here. I wanted to ask you something. I came across a monster's name while reading, but it's one I've never heard before."
"Go on."
"Do you know about a monster called Sharkan?"
"The King of Leopards."
Professor Lightning Step tapped his pipe clean and spoke.
"According to the legends of mountain folk, it's said to be born between the rocky mountain range and a leopard. That's why it's a monster worshipped by leopards."
"Is it a dangerous monster?"
Whether it was born between a rocky mountain range and a leopard or between a spirit king and a leopard, that wasn't what mattered to Lee Han.
Just how dangerous was it?
At Lee Han's question, Professor Lightning Step answered with an incredulous look.
"Wouldn't it obviously be dangerous? Even regular leopards are dangerous!"
"...What do you think would happen if someone turned the Sharkan into an undead and controlled it?"
"Why take such a risk? Undead monsters don't completely lose their wild and ferocious nature from when they were alive. If they see an opening or their resentment builds up, they can break free from control and attack."
"Oh..."
Lee Han pondered whether to cast a spell from behind or swing his sword the next time he met Professor Mortum.
'Isn't this worse than the Headmaster?'
Even the Headmaster didn't gift such a monster as a present!
"But why are you asking that? Do you already want to try making an undead monster?"
Professor Lightning Step grinned as he spoke.
Rumors often circulated among the professors about his exceptional magical abilities—talented individuals truly were different in every way.
"No, that's not it."
"No need to be shy about potential failure. Setting arrogant goals is something you can only do as a freshman."
'It's really not that.'
"But even if you do want to try making an undead monster, it's best to research thoroughly and choose a suitable one first. Do you know what was the third most common cause of death among imperial black mages last year? If you try controlling an undead summon beyond your capacity, that's what happens."
"......"
Lee Han unconsciously rubbed his neck.
'I'll have to treat him even better from now on...'
When the time came, Professor Lightning Step stopped waiting and spoke.
"You must have learned a lot from today's exam. Those who usually acted lazily learned how their laziness comes back to bite them, and those who were diligent witnessed the fruits of their hard work."
Lee Han glanced at Ponlig at the professor's words. The white horse blinked with innocent eyes, making Lee Han suspicious.
'This guy's scheming again.'
-Neeeeigh!
As if sensing Lee Han's suspicion, the white horse snorted angrily. Clearly, this had nothing to do with diligence bearing fruit.
"If you've recognized your shortcomings, don't stop there—strive to improve them. It's not just about taming animals. Magic isn't learned overnight either."
Everyone nodded with deeply moved expressions.
But Lee Han thought to himself:
'Aren't the lazy ones not even here right now?'
The students looking moved by the professor's words were the diligent ones, while the lazy ones hadn't even made it to the riverside yet.
Perhaps aware of this, Lightning Step added:
"Pass this message along to the lazy ones. Class dismissed! See you next time!"
"Thank you, Professor!"
The students began heading back while calming their horses.
Just then, Salko of the Tutanta family approached.
"Wardanaz."
"Tutanta."
"Did the carrots work well for your horse?"
"Yeah. He ate them well. Thanks."
"I gave them to you because our horses liked them. Glad it worked out."
"????"
Rowena, who was passing by, stared at Lee Han with a look of shock and horror.
What did he just say...?
"I came to ask you for a favor."
"Is this about the carrots?"
"No. The carrots were thanks for what happened last time. This is something else. I need your skills for something."
Lee Han was slightly surprised.
That prideful Salko would come to him like this for a request?
What could it be?
'Does he want to rob the Headmaster's storage or something?'
"Go ahead."
"I need your cooking skills."
"......"
The Tower of the Eternally Burning Phoenix was where priests from various religious orders across the empire gathered.
Among the towers of the Magic School, it was the quietest and most serene place.
Dwarf Muhadin was a priest belonging to the Sisenja Order.
The Sisenja Order, known as the Order of Knowledge and Academia, was revered by many as it researched, preserved, and passed down various academic disciplines of the empire.
The Tutanta Family was also a patron of the Sisenja Order.
"The problem is that Priest Muhadin barely eats."
"......"
Lee Han was still dumbfounded, unable to process the absurdity of the situation, before finally snapping back to reality.
'Why are they telling me this?'
"I-I see. That's unfortunate. Must be due to the harsh conditions of the Magic School. Have you spoken to the headmaster about it?"
"No. Meals aren't the issue. He's always eaten sparingly. The problem is that while other priests in the order used to look after him, there's no one to do that here. Even if the other priests in the tower try to help, there's only so much they can do."
Lee Han was about to say, 'So why are you telling me this?'
If it were the Blue Dragon Tower, he might have understood, but there was no way there weren't students from the Black Turtle Tower who were better cooks than him.
But Salko spoke first.
"While I was pondering this, I heard about your cooking skills from the Wardanaz family. I asked the other priests in the Phoenix Tower, and they all praised your cooking."
"The priests are just being kind."
Lee Han finally understood what was going on.
His excessive flattery toward Priest Siana had backfired.
Just how much had they praised him...?
"You must've heard it from Priest Siana, right? She's just too kind..."
"I asked Priestess Dijiling too, and the other priests as well. Wardanaz. You're being overly modest."
The Black Turtle Tower students behind Salko nodded in reluctant agreement.
The tomato vegetable stew Lee Han had made at the last black market had been exceptional.
In fact, one of the Black Turtle Tower students was even glaring at Lee Han with visible frustration.
"This guy here, Rendgid, is from one of the empire's top culinary families. But even he admitted he couldn't beat you."
"......"
For a moment, Lee Han wondered if the other guy was insane.
'This isn't even a fair competition...'
Of course, Lee Han had access to all kinds of ingredients, while the other was limited—so such a reaction made sense.
But still, this was ridiculous!
"So you want me to cook?"
Lee Han snapped back to reality and asked.
It was absurd, but it wasn't like he couldn't do it.
Indebting Salko wasn't a bad idea, and serving a priest of the Sisenja Order wasn't a bad deal either.
There was never any harm in befriending someone who excelled in their studies.
"Exactly."
"I see. Did you prepare the ingredients? Or do you need my help? I can get them for you cheap."
Salko shook his head at Lee Han's offer.
"No. We've already gathered the necessary ingredients. We just need you to come with us to get them."
"Oh? Where are they?"
"The kitchen."
"?"
Lee Han paused.
Did the dormitory tower even have a kitchen?
"Which kitchen?"
"The one in the basement of the main building."
"...I see. I just remembered I have something urgent to do. I should get going."
"Wait, Wardanaz! We need your help for this!"
"We can't do it without you! Unless someone else from the White Tiger Tower breaks in...!"
The Black Turtle Tower students rushed forward in a panic.
To navigate the labyrinthine backside of this Magic School, they absolutely needed someone like Lee Han, who was well-versed in magic.
"You said you needed my cooking skills, so why are you talking nonsense? Just bring the ingredients out. I'll cook for you then."
"Wardanaz. Of course, we weren't planning to ask you for free! Seeing this might change your mind."
Lee Han was puzzled.
Was there something that could really change his mind?
'What is it?'
"It's a forbidden Black Magic tome."
A Black Turtle Tower student carefully pulled out a steel case. When the lid was opened, a blood-red book emitted a sinister wave of curses.
"Close it!"
Bang!
The students quickly shut the case. Then, with proud expressions, they said,
"Well? Doesn't this make you reconsider, Wardanaz?"
"...No?"
"?!?!"