Episode 12
Episode 12
"At any rate, I'm glad you iron-skulled bastards came to your senses so quickly!"
"......"
"......"
No one was pleased by the Lich Headmaster's praise. Lee Han felt like he'd just heard someone curse.
'The Blue Dragon Tower was originally the slowest to adapt.'
Yet surprisingly, the Lich Headmaster's praise was sincere.
Every year, new students entered the new dormitories, but among them, those from the Blue Dragon Tower were always the slowest to adjust.
The fastest to adapt were the students from the Black Turtle Tower.
Since they came from merchant, commoner, or even slum backgrounds, their adaptability was exceptional.
The next fastest were the students from the White Tiger Tower.
Being mostly from knightly families, they had good physical abilities and endured hardships well.
In contrast, the Blue Dragon Tower students were mostly from high-ranking noble families.
Having never experienced hardship, it was only natural they adapted slowly.
But to think they'd figured out how to find and prepare food for themselves in just a few days...
Honestly, it was admirable.
'That brat must be the culprit.'
The Lich Headmaster's blue gaze fixed on Lee Han.
A Grand Archmage's intuition was never wrong.
And if it ever was, they made sure to correct it—by force if necessary.
In that regard, Lee Han was fortunate.
Because the Headmaster's first impression of him hadn't changed at all.
'A good mage's qualities aren't determined solely by mana capacity...'
The Lich Headmaster wasn't praising Lee Han just because of his mana capacity.
Of course, that was one factor, but the Headmaster was more impressed by something else.
To think such a free-spirited kid could come from the rigid Wardanaz family.
'Free thought. That is the companion that opens the path of a mage.'
That was precisely what the Lich Headmaster wanted to teach the students here.
Even feeding them stale bread and cold rice was meant to nurture that free thinking.
Sure, he enjoyed watching them struggle, but that had been the original purpose.
'Why do I suddenly feel a chill down my spine?'
Lee Han felt an ominous premonition. The air felt unnaturally cold for spring.
"Headmaster. We understand that we must prepare our own meals to grow as mages. But why must we undergo this character education?"
Indeed, the Blue Dragon Tower students had no fear.
Being high nobles, they spoke their minds even before the Lich Headmaster.
The Headmaster rattled his skull and spoke softly.
"Very well asked. Why do you think you need character education? You tell me."
"...I don't know."
"Because when you damn mages cause trouble outside, the blasted Emperor holds ME responsible!!!"
At the Lich Headmaster's booming voice, the freshmen all covered their ears.
"If your seniors hadn't gone out and caused trouble, we wouldn't be in this mess, you iron-skulled bastards!!"
"......"
"......"
"Why character education?! So when the Emperor's officials come asking for explanations, I can at least say we're educating you to keep you from being rounded up and punished together, you thick-headed morons!! Is that answer sufficient?!"
"Y-Yes, sir!!"
The student who had asked the question was overwhelmed by the Headmaster's intensity and could only nod repeatedly.
"Mages are fundamentally unpredictable in when and how they'll act like dogs. Don't tell me you're different. Such lies only anger me. You'll see for yourselves once you're allowed outside—just how much trouble you mages cause! Open your books! Page one!!"
""I shall not threaten civilians with magic!""
"'I will not use magic to threaten civilians!'"
Lee Han repeated the pledge aloud while thinking to himself:
'Does this actually work?'
If anything, this kind of education seems more likely to make mages cause even more trouble...
All the students had expected the ethics lecture to be boring.
That expectation was wrong.
The ethics lecture was far more boring than they'd anticipated.
"This... is really a mandatory lecture?"
"I think I've read so much that my throat's gone hoarse."
Well then. I hope today's lecture has planted seeds of virtue even in your hollow iron skulls.
"Yes..."
"It truly feels that way..."
And to assist with future lectures, I'll need two volunteers. Any takers?
The Lich Headmaster asked in a deceptively gentle tone—which made it all the more chilling.
"......"
"......"
The students just rolled their eyes and avoided his gaze. The Lich Headmaster smiled in satisfaction.
It'll be far worse if no one steps forward, you know? Are you really determined to stay silent till the end?
"I'll do it."
It was Lee Han who raised his hand. The Lich Headmaster looked almost disappointed he couldn't prolong the suffering.
Ah, the iron skull from Wardanaz. Do you enjoy working, boy?
"Is it not an honor to assist our esteemed professor?"
"Wardanaz...!"
"You really are something else..."
Students from the Blue Dragon Tower gazed at Lee Han with deeply moved expressions.
Just yesterday, he'd filled their hungry bellies with a twilight barbecue party, and now he was stepping forward for his fellow dormmates.
No wonder people said the Wardanaz family was a pillar of the Empire.
Look at that sense of responsibility!
How irritatingly slick you are at lying through your teeth. But fine. Opportunities always favor the proactive.
Lee Han realized his ulterior motives had been seen through by the Lich Headmaster.
A fact he'd learned from Professor Thunderstep:
Helping professors often came with unexpected benefits.
Especially in a locked-down situation like this, any advantage gained from a professor was worth it.
Even if that professor happened to be a deranged skeletal Lich.
"I'll do my best."
'And maybe get some extra credit too.'
"Lee... Lee Han, are you insane?"
Gainando whispered in horrified disbelief. Another student who overheard turned to him.
"If no one had volunteered, we'd all have suffered. Wardanaz isn't crazy—he stepped up for us."
"Th-that... Then I should too..."
Gainando hesitated, trying to rise. But his legs refused to move.
'Move, damn legs!'
To achieve greatness, one had to act in moments like these.
Besides, wasn't Lee Han counting on him?
'I have to help him...'
Ah, the iron skull from Dalkard. Then again, the Dalkards were always good at paperwork.
"Thank you for the compliment."
While Gainando agonized, a second volunteer emerged.
Ashan Dalkard.
A scion of the Dalkard family—and the same boy who'd been sent flying by a violent mutant boar in alchemy class.
"?"
Lee Han gave Ashan a puzzled look. Honestly, he hadn't expected Ashan to step forward.
'Is he after the same thing I am?'
With dignified poise, Ashan adjusted his glasses slightly.
"Of course, Wardanaz, you already know why I volunteered."
"...No, I don't??"
Lee Han replied, baffled.
How was he supposed to know what Ashan was thinking?
"What? How could you not?! It's obviously to repay the favor from last time!"
Ashan looked even more bewildered, as if Lee Han was speaking nonsense.
What other reason could there possibly be?
"Ah... Aah. That. Well, you didn't have to go that far."
"Don't be ridiculous. The Dalkard family always repays its debts."
Watching these two iron skulls share such a heartwarming moment was touching, but there was work to be done.
"?"
Copy these safety guidelines by hand in sufficient quantity to distribute to all your classmates by the next lecture.
"......"
"......"
At the Lich Headmaster's words, Ashan seemed to jolt awake.
"Headmaster."
What?
"I don't understand... Wouldn't it be far easier for you to simply copy these words onto all these papers with a single spell? Having us copy them by hand seems terribly inefficient."
I know. That's why I'm making you do it.
"......"
Lee Han saw it clearly.
Murderous intent surging in Ashan's pupils!
-Sorry, Lee Han.
-I'd help but...
Yoner, Gainando, and the other students left with apologetic looks.
Even if they wanted to help, the Lich Headmaster had blocked them.
Two is enough! Get lost!
As a result, Lee Han found himself copying texts in an empty classroom with Ashan Dalkard.
"Unacceptable... Absolutely unacceptable... Making us do such inefficient labor...!"
'Is he going to break down at this rate?'
Ashan muttered while wielding his pen with furious strokes. Watching this, Lee Han grew increasingly concerned.
He actually had a guess why the Headmaster was making them do this.
'It's probably his way of saying "If you don't like it, learn magic to handle it."'
Once you understood the intent behind them, the Headmaster's insane actions were surprisingly easy to decipher.
...The problem was that it was practically impossible.
They couldn't even properly cast <Light Creation> yet—how were they supposed to cast something like a writing spell?
'Is there any hint around here?'
Placing his faith in the Lich Headmaster's last shred of conscience, Lee Han began rummaging through the empty classroom.
"Wardanaz? What are you doing?"
Ashan tilted his head in confusion as he watched Wardanaz searching every corner of the classroom.
"Just checking if there's anything useful to take here."
"Is that allowed?"
"There's no rule against it."
"That sounds like stealing..."
"This is the Lich Headmaster's classroom."
"...I suppose some theft might be acceptable sometimes."
Ashan sprang up and rushed to help Lee Han.
'People really do break down in an instant.'
Noble family or not, once you enter this school, people start to...
"Find anything?"
"Not sure. There's some paper here. Might as well take it for later. Wait—there's a key."
A jingling sound accompanied the appearance of a key.
Though he didn't know what it was for, Lee Han pocketed it anyway. Ashan asked curiously,
"Do you know what it opens?"
"No. But if I take it now, I can use it later."
"Indeed... That's logical."
Ashan was impressed. It was undeniably sound reasoning.
Thud—
When they opened the last drawer, a voice suddenly rang out along with a surge of mana.
Opening this drawer means you've decided to stop mindlessly writing until your wrists break and actually think. I sincerely hope it didn't take you too long! The longer you kept up that pathetic labor, the more pitiful you'd look.
"......"
"......"
Inside is the 1st Circle Magic <Lesser Manipulation>. Take it and learn it. The faster you learn, the better. Otherwise, you'll be handwriting all semester.
The Headmaster's hidden intent.
Having realized this intent, the students were moved...
...Not.
"Wardanaz. I simply can't understand. Why teach magic like this? There must be far more reasonable methods!"
Ashan spoke with an expression of utter frustration.
The magic he envisioned involved an exceptional master patiently teaching each detail, not being thrown into the deep end to learn just to survive.
What kind of method is this!
Ashan continued with fiery passion.
"Wardanaz. You understand, right? Let's protest to the Headmaster together. If we both seriously object, even that Headmaster might reconsider. ...Wardanaz??"
"Hm?"
Lee Han turned his head.
He was already preparing to learn the magic.