Episode 1174
Episode 1174
'He's right.'
Catten absentmindedly nodded. Then the Descendant of Ahrag glared at him.
"People are bound to make mistakes in life, aren't they? And wizards are even more prone to mistakes."
"?"
"??"
Is that so?
Lee Han and Catten exchanged puzzled glances.
No matter how long they lived, they didn't think they'd make such disgraceful mistakes.
"You brats just haven't tasted the bitterness of magic yet! With time, you'll understand what I mean."
"Ah. Yes. Then I'll listen to you again when that time comes."
Saying so, Lee Han tried to usher the Descendant of Ahrag out.
He already had plenty to do and no time to deal with this troublesome black mage.
The Descendant of Ahrag stubbornly resisted with grunts.
"Think carefully! Do you really want to live like a slave in the Einrogard Black Magic School?! There, you'll spend all your time doing menial chores for incompetent seniors! You! You seem to be a senior yourself—don't you feel sorry for your junior?!"
"Hmm."
"...Senior. You're not actually swayed by that nonsense, are you?"
Lee Han, who had been pushing the Descendant of Ahrag away, was shocked by Catten's reaction.
The same person who had warned about being wary of power was swayed by such talk?
"Ah. Junior. I don't think we should join the Descendants of Ahrag. But..."
"But?"
"But his criticism of the Einrogard Black Magic School does seem to have some merit..."
"......"
Being a fifth-year like Diret and Yukveltire, Catten had heard plenty about the Einrogard Black Magic School over time.
Diret's complaints and Yukveltire's one-sided criticisms weren't all that different in content.
In the end, the conclusion was the same.
Just how grueling and harsh the Einrogard Black Magic School was.
The Descendant of Ahrag grinned. Finally, one of these brats had some sense.
"Exactly! At last, one of you youngsters has come to your senses. A talented mage should find a place where they can flourish, not waste time doing chores in some cobweb-covered school!"
"We're not joining a place that extorts answers through disguises."
"Join the Descendants of Ahrag, and you can do whatever you want. No one will interfere. You walk your own path!"
"I'm already walking my own path right now. And Senior. I appreciate your concern, but aren't you also dedicating yourself to magic that others warn against?"
"!"
Catten was deeply shaken by those words.
It was true.
"It's not about how perilous the path is—it's about whether I want to walk it."
"...You're right, Junior. I'm ashamed. You must truly want to walk the path of the Einrogard Black Magic School."
Lee Han paused for a moment.
Catten and the Descendant of Ahrag stared at him intently.
...Did he just hesitate?
"Yes... That's right. Well."
"Don't lie! You hesitated!"
"No, I didn't. And if you keep resisting, I'll have Senior Catten deal with you. Leave now while I'm still being polite."
Lee Han was getting annoyed by this senior mage who kept speaking uncomfortable truths and tried to shove him out.
Whispering truths into someone's ear like that was downright despicable.
Knock knock knock—
"See? While you're making a fuss, the professor has arrived."
"Hmph."
Lee Han glared at the Descendant of Ahrag and opened the door.
It was Professor Taswan from Kallarogard again. The professor smiled warmly and raised a stone tablet.
My apologies. I accidentally inhaled toxic fumes earlier and can't speak.
"......"
"......"
"What an insincere bastard."
As the Descendant of Ahrag muttered, Catten punched the professor in the face.
The undead from the Legion of Oondorgu let out a pained scream in protest.
"Grrrghlghl (That's too much)!"
"You're both here alrea... Huh??"
The mage from the Obsidian Magic Tower looked at the two senior black mages with confusion.
Why were their noses bleeding?
"That's just how it is, kid."
"Grrk (An early-rising black mage gets the freshly buried corpse)."
"Did someone attack you?"
"...I tripped and fell. The castle corridors are uneven."
"Grk (I tripped and fell too)."
The Obsidian Magic Tower mage paid no attention to their half-hearted excuses.
He wasn't particularly interested in them to begin with.
"Lee Han of the Wardanaz family. I've come with an official proposal in the name of the Obsidian Magic Tower. I sincerely hope you'll consider it favorably."
The black mage politely extended the proposal. Lee Han glanced behind the open dormitory door.
"Is there... nothing more?"
"?"
"You can be honest. You know... that."
"???"
The Obsidian Magic Tower mage was bewildered.
'Is he talking about bribes?'
The proposal itself would already be full of special benefits for the mage—was this really necessary?
But if that's what the other party wanted, now was the time to oblige. The black mage cleared his throat lightly before speaking.
"If you insist on hearing it verbally... Our Obsidian Magic Tower this time—"
"W-we're sorry for being late."
Professor Taswan entered, panting.
He had arrived late after comforting his students, who had been feeling down after comparing themselves to students from other magic academies.
Seeing this, the Descendant of Ahrag and the Legion of Oondorgu shouted as if they had expected this all along.
"Aha! Just as I thought! This sly little brat, putting on an innocent face while plotting behind our backs!"
"Grk (I knew it)!"
"...Excuse me?"
"What are you talking about?"
Not only Professor Taswan but even the Obsidian Magic Tower mage was taken aback.
Had madness—a phenomenon any experienced mage would recognize—seeped into their minds?
"Enough! I'll show you with action. Wraith, restore his soul to its original state!"
The Descendant of Ahrag demonstrated black magic as powerful as his reputation.
A well-trained wraith emerged from his sleeve and lunged at the traces of artificially altered souls.
After circling Professor Taswan once, it returned to its master's sleeve.
"......"
"Grk (Are you an idiot)?"
"N-no. That's strange. Wraith, restore his soul to its original state!"
The wraith let out a timid howl from within the sleeve, as if resisting weakly.
It was declaring that there were no traces of soul tampering.
"......"
"......"
"He really does seem to be Professor Taswan."
At Lee Han's words, the two latecomers stared blankly and asked,
"Then is there a real one and a fake one?"
"...By any chance, Wardanaz, have you seen a fake one?"
Given the current situation, the most likely person to have encountered a fake would be...
"Alright. Let's all return to the main topic. As black mages, we should discuss magic—this small talk has gone on too long."
The Descendant of Ahrag suddenly turned serious. Even his undead friend was impressed by such shamelessness.
'It's not easy to be that repulsive.'
"...Yes. It's good that we're getting to the main point. Since everyone is gathered here, I've already made my decision."
Rather than argue pointlessly, Lee Han decided to cut to the chase.
Experience had taught him that there was nothing to gain from long conversations with shameless mages.
'Could it be us?'
'Maybe it's us.'
'Of course it's our proposal.'
While the black mages looked at him with hopeful eyes, Lee Han answered calmly,
"Everyone except the professor should send your proposals officially through the Einrogard Black Magic School."
"......"
"......"
The black mages fell silent at this completely unexpected response.
"Why—why would you do that?!"
"I'm part of the Einrogard Black Magic School."
"That's exactly why you shouldn't do that?!"
'Is he not hearing me?'
Leaving aside the Descendant of Ahrag, who was in denial, the Obsidian Magic Tower mage fell into deep thought.
The suggestion to send a formal proposal wasn't that bad in itself.
As a junior, even if the Wardanaz family mage couldn't monopolize the rewards, he would still get a small share—but ultimately, wasn't that his own choice?
For the Obsidian Magic Tower, it wasn't something they needed to worry about.
The problem was...
"I'm worried Professor Mortum might act a bit irrationally."
"Krrrk-krrrk (If he finds out he wasn't invited, he'll block letters for years)."
The fact that the faction leader was a black mage they had recently snubbed made it even more uncomfortable.
Wouldn't he just burn the letter immediately?
"Right. Instead of proposing it to Professor Mortum, suggest it to Senior Diret."
"Is that acceptable?"
"Krrrk (What a relief)!"
The black mages brightened up.
That student was someone much easier to communicate with.
Even the grumpy Descendant of Ahrag was half-convinced by the suggestion.
"Well... if it's that young friend of yours..."
Seeing this, Catten whispered to Lee Han.
"Did Professor Mortum perhaps... attack these people or something?"
"Surely not... At worst, it'd be theft or fraud."
"......"
Wait, so he might have committed theft or fraud?!
Despite having roughly reached an agreement, the black mages didn't leave the lodging.
The Descendant of Ahrag, lingering with a reluctant expression, spotted the blueprints Lee Han was flipping through and asked,
"What's this?"
"It's a commission for repairing and improving the fortress."
"You're handling both the northern anomaly and this? The Moradi Family Head must be working his people to the bone."
Lee Han almost corrected him that the former wasn't his commission but decided to let it slide.
If he did, it would only add another wound to the black mages' already bruised pride.
Hating Professor Mortum was enough—no need to make them resent Lee Han too.
"But this magic is rather crude and outdated."
"It's an old project. Naturally, since they couldn't hire high-level mages for the commission."
"Nobles, I swear. Instead of saving money for parties and banquets, they should spend it on proper mages."
The Descendant of Ahrag flipped through the blueprint before checking Lee Han's notes on his plans.
From what he could see, the idea was to strengthen the area's defenses and enhance surveillance to detect any potential intruders.
"Isn't this too wasteful with mana?"
"That's just my style."
"Brat, always talking back... Then what about this? If someone breaks through this side path, the surveillance will be disabled."
"Krrrk (Pathetically amateurish)."
Baffled by the senior black mages' criticisms, Lee Han replied,
"I haven't even built that part yet, so of course it's like that."
"Amateurs always make that excuse when criticized. Look. You don't need to make the magic this extensive overall. I'll teach you one grand spell—<Ahrag's Eye>. That single spell can solve everything here."
"Krrrk (That's a good idea)."
The Undead Mage approved of his companion's suggestion.
Not stopping there, he eagerly filled in the gaps with his quill, scribbling away.
"Krrr-krrrk (If we make the outer walls entirely out of high-grade bones, it'll function much better)."
"Your brain's working well today, huh? Then how about this? Let's station a demon here. I happen to have a decent one sealed in a book."
As the two of them unilaterally redesigned an entire section, Professor Taswan was taken aback.
Was this really allowed?
This was Wardanaz's commission, and they were just... doing whatever they wanted?
"U-um, isn't that... not allowed?"
At Professor Taswan's words, the senior mage from the Obsidian Magic Tower nodded.
"This is far too wasteful. Both of you, stop right now. If you build it like that, no authority in the Empire will approve it."
"What? Has this brat lost his mind?!"
"Krrr-krrrk (What do you even know about magical architecture)?!"
The black mages argued among themselves as they arbitrarily completed Lee Han's commission.
Since none of them wanted to be outdone in magical skill, the competition grew even fiercer.
Catten asked in surprise,
"Is it fine to just leave them be?"
"I never said I'd use it."
Lee Han replied coldly.
They had arbitrarily designed it with advanced spells only they knew—why should Lee Han have to build any of that?
No matter how well-made it was, Lee Han had absolutely no intention of doing so.