Episode 1180
Episode 1180
Professor Garcia pondered where to begin her criticism.
It wasn't uncommon for professors at Einrogard to go missing or desert (just look at Professor Bendozol), but students had never before circulated wanted posters throughout the entire empire each time it happened.
If they had, Einrogard's notoriety would have soared even higher.
'Though I wonder if any students would even bother searching for a professor who disappeared in the first place...'
At best, students might feel some fondness, but they wouldn't actively seek out a missing professor.
"Lee Han. Aren't you... taking this too far? I understand your concern for Professor Bagrak, but the Headmaster is already searching for him. The Headmaster's informants are spread across the entire empire."
"But he isn't telling me anything about the situation."
-We will inform you once we know.
-Please trust us!
The Death Knights outside the carriage abruptly poked their heads in to demonstrate their loyalty.
Veteran knights were always skilled in politics as well.
It wasn't enough to just wield a sword—they had to leave a favorable impression on potential successors early to secure their future.
"...Excuse me, please don't interrupt our conversation."
Professor Garcia replied with a bewildered expression.
She was having a serious discussion with her student—what was this...?
"And Lee Han, you know the Headmaster's informants can't disclose information to others, right?"
Some things, no matter how much trust existed, simply couldn't be shared outside.
The Skeleton Principal's intelligence network spanning the empire, Lee Han's lecture distribution chart in the faculty lounge—these were prime examples.
"I know that. That's why I'm not asking to be told—I'm handling it myself."
"But the knights must be busy..."
"As I just mentioned, they offered to help first."
"......"
Professor Garcia was reminded once again that having an overly competent student wasn't always a good thing.
An ordinary second-year wouldn't even know where to begin searching, but this Wardanaz family scion had too many methods at his disposal—that was the problem.
"Why did the knights offer to help in the first place?"
"Uh... Well? I haven't thought that far ahead."
Lee Han paused briefly.
The fact that the knights were helping was what mattered—he hadn't considered why they had volunteered.
Imperial Knights were never idle.
When anomalies occurred, they were the first to rush to the capital and report. When monsters appeared, they bravely fought them. Occasionally, they even had to sneak out, avoiding newly erected watchtowers.
So why would such knights proactively offer their assistance?
Adventurers or explorers could be hired with money, but knights weren't so easily swayed.
"Maybe they're helping because of my friends from the White Tiger Tower."
'That's definitely not it...'
Professor Garcia thought to herself.
Imperial Knights weren't the type to bend over backward for requests from students of knightly families.
It was far more likely that Lee Han had earned high regard among the knights and had done enough favors for them to warrant this.
The problem was, she couldn't even begin to guess what those favors might have been.
'There are too many possibilities...!'
"Regardless, Lee Han. Even with the knights' help, finding traces of Professor Bagrak across this vast empire won't be easy. Don't become too fixated—you should focus on your studies... Wait, what is that map?"
"It's a map marking locations where knights reported sightings of someone resembling Professor Bagrak..."
On the map, checkmarks dotted several cities in the empire's western and northern regions.
Professor Garcia couldn't help but shudder at the knights' efficiency.
They hadn't even begun circulating the wanted posters in earnest, yet just through their internal communications, they'd already gathered this many testimonies.
If they deployed more knights and collected additional testimonies, Lee Han might very well dash off at any moment.
Professor Kirmin had advised trusting his student and letting him grow on his own, but Professor Garcia wasn't quite ready for that yet.
"Lee Han. Now that I think about it, midterms aren't that far off. Are your exam preparations going well?"
'Isn't that too cruel?'
The Death Knight driving the carriage outside shuddered inwardly.
He understood worrying about one's student, but tying him down through such brutal methods...
Considering all the time Wardanaz had spent on requests lately, there was no way his exam preparations were going properly.
"Ah. Yes. I'm confident."
"You're confident?!"
"Many of the spells build on what we learned in the first semester, and I've been preparing bit by bit in my spare time..."
"Lee Han, since when did you become so bold?!"
Professor Garcia recalled her student's former self in shock.
Where had the Lee Han gone who would give his absolute best without a moment's carelessness, even for exams he could ace blindfolded?
People do grow, but this student's growth rate was so rapid it left Professor Garcia flustered.
'Well, the first semester's magic curriculum did progress way too fast...'
"But if you calculate until exam period, shouldn't you stay at school for a while longer?"
The professor made one last attempt.
She was willing to use any means necessary to keep her student at Einrogard.
However, Professor Garcia's student was equally unconstrained in his methods.
"I've already considered that too."
"That sounds terrifying to hear... What exactly have you considered, Lee Han?"
"If I take all my exams before the exam period begins, I can create some free time."
"......"
-......
The Death Knights turned their heads again to stare intently into the carriage.
Their expressions practically begged to be allowed to interject just one word into this conversation.
Professor Garcia called out to Diret with a pained expression. It seemed impossible to handle this alone.
"Diret? Diret? Could you help me out here?"
But no answer came from Diret. Startled, Professor Garcia asked,
"Diret? What's wrong?!"
Diret was uncharacteristically gloomy. Seeing this, Professor Garcia wondered if perhaps other black mages had been badmouthing him.
"Did the Descendants of Ahrag mock the Einrogard Black Magic School for being poor? Or did the Legion of Oondorgu taunt you about the small size of Einrogard's Black Magic department..."
"Neither. Wait, have those two mocked our Black Magic department without my knowledge?"
Diret paused.
Not only had they secretly extended invitations behind his back, but it seemed these black mages had been pulling quite a few underhanded tricks without him realizing.
"...Of course not! I was just giving examples!"
Professor Garcia quickly replied, a cold sweat running down her spine.
"Then why were you looking so down, Diret?"
"Well... it's... this isn't about me, actually."
'It's about Diret.'
'This is definitely about Diret.'
Both Professor Garcia and the Death Knights thought simultaneously.
"There's this mage I know, and apparently his junior received an invitation from some suspicious magic organization. So the mage actively stepped in to stop it, but after some time passed, he started wondering if he might have interfered too much..."
Diret explained that although he'd stopped it because the organization was suspicious, the mage was now agonizing over whether he'd actually acted out of personal desire rather than genuine concern.
"Pfft. You did the right thing, Diret. The Descendants of Ahrag or the Legion of Oondorgu are no places to go. Same with the Obsidian Magic Tower. If Lee Han joined any of those, he'd constantly clash with their rules."
The former were too eccentric, and the latter were far too rigid.
It wasn't just because she was an Einrogard professor—there were few places as well-suited to Lee Han as Einrogard.
"I said it wasn't me, but a mage I know."
"Alright. Let's say that magician Diret knows did the right thing by stopping him."
"......"
Though she gave him a slight glare, Diret managed to regain some composure.
Seeing the student had collected himself, Professor Garcia asked again.
"Diret. Honestly, I'm worried about Lee Han going out for requests, but now he's talking about circulating wanted posters and personally tracking people down."
"Wait. Isn't exam period coming up soon?"
"He says he'll take the exams first and then go."
Professor Garcia was tattling on her student.
How could anyone even think of doing something so absurd?
Diret's eyes widened in shock.
"Before exam period?"
"That's what he said! Honestly, whose student is he?!"
'Is she joking...?'
Unsure how to react, Diret decided to pretend he hadn't heard and moved on.
"If you want a way to stop him... how about this? Raise the exam difficulty so he can't finish quickly."
"I'm scared he'll solve them anyway."
"......"
As a senior, Diret couldn't deny that.
Honestly, seeing Lee Han somehow solve even the most impossible-looking problems made him occasionally want to casually assign questions of unimaginable difficulty just to see.
Could he solve this one too?
Or maybe this one?
Clunk!
The carriage jolted slightly. It was unusual, given the magical protections against shocks and bumps.
"Is something happening outside?"
-No. Just a large rock in the road.
At the knights' response, Professor Garcia paid no further attention and returned to the original topic.
But this time, the Death Knights were wrong, and Professor Garcia was right.
A stranger had secretly clung to the carriage's cargo compartment.
The Ninth Descendant of Ahrag had transformed into a wooden chest neatly packed with fabric.
He wanted nothing more than to revert to human form, throw open the carriage door, and shout, "Join me as a Descendant of Ahrag!"—but the Ninth wasn't that foolish.
This carriage party was surrounded by far too many powerful enemies.
From high-ranking undead like the Death Knights to Einrogard's professors and students.
No matter how exceptional the Ninth's magic was, acting rashly in this situation risked exposure.
'I'll wait for my chance.'
The Ninth made a cold, calculated decision.
The scorn of Ahrag's other descendants had only fueled his determination.
Since things had come to this, it wouldn't just be an invitation—he would absolutely make that human mage his disciple!
If he succeeded, none of Ahrag's descendants would dare mock the Ninth ever again.
'Hmph. Their movements have grown rougher. Fatigue must be setting in.'
Transformed into a fabric chest nestled among other crates, the Ninth sensed the carriage's increasingly erratic motion.
A true master of magic could assess a situation without sight or spells.
There was only one reason a smoothly moving carriage would suddenly grow rough:
Exhaustion.
'The movement has stopped. Are they resting?'
The Ninth's instincts told him the opportunity was drawing closer.
Other black mages might be compared to beasts, but this Ninth's instincts were exceptionally sharp and refined.
'Once they scatter to rest, I'll revert and make contact.'
"What should we do with the chests in the carriage?"
-They're supplies we packed just in case, but since we didn't use them, you can take them if you'd like.
"Really, that's okay!? I'll share them with my friends..."
The Ninth Descendant of Ahrag was an outstanding black mage, but he had made one critical mistake.
He had clung to the carriage far too late.
What the Ninth had mistaken for rough movement and pauses for rest were, in fact, signs they had already arrived at Einrogard.
"Senior Diret, how about taking this fabric chest to Black Rock Hall? Professor Mortum would be pleased."
"Junior, that's a great idea. The professor was actually looking for fabric like this."