Episode 1226
Episode 1226
Lee Han wasn't surprised. There was no way a mage like Professor Verdus, who had so many enemies, would be taken down by such an attack.
Sure enough, layers of red and blue defensive barriers activated one after another, deflecting the knives. They were the basic defensive artifacts Professor Verdus always wore.
"W-what the?!"
Professor Verdus exclaimed in shock. Seeing his reaction, Lee Han realized the professor hadn't known someone was in the adjacent room.
It was highly likely Professor Verdus wouldn't even notice if every professor except himself disappeared from the academy.
"Well, isn't this part of the prison's functions?"
"It never had this function before?!"
Professor Verdus looked puzzled.
He had been to this Professor's Punishment Room several times before.
Though recently he'd been frequenting either the regular Punishment Room or the Deep Punishment Room, he distinctly remembered there being no trap-like features in this particular punishment room...
"It seems it was added recently. You know how the Headmaster is."
"Yeah, that makes sense."
Professor Verdus immediately understood.
The Skeleton Principal was cruel and petty enough to enjoy tormenting good mages.
It wouldn't be surprising at all if he'd installed a trap connecting this Professor's Punishment Room corridor to an underground pit.
"Anyway, let's quickly cast the mag—"
More knives came flying. This time, there were three.
'Why three?'
At first, Lee Han wondered why Voladi would throw three knives when the first one had been useless.
Was this an expression of hatred toward Professor Verdus?
But no. Professor Voladi wasn't the type to make such inefficient waste.
Lee Han's eyes widened in realization.
The first knife struck directly, colliding with the blue barrier. The blue barrier that deflected the attack flickered and then disappeared.
It hadn't vanished because of the attack.
Normally, such auto-defense artifacts had limited mana supply when maintained continuously, so they were designed to make the barrier disappear after blocking one attack.
A mage like Professor Verdus wouldn't make such sloppy, wasteful artifacts.
But this time, that very efficiency created a vulnerability.
The moment the barrier disappeared, there was a brief gap before it could regenerate when the next attack came.
Professor Voladi's second knife pierced through that gap. Had it been even slightly slower or faster, it would have been blocked by either the regenerated barrier or the first one.
Ting!
This time, a red barrier activated and deflected it. Truly the cautiousness befitting Professor Verdus, who had so many enemies.
But the third knife was already flying in. Arriving just slightly later than the second one, the third knife exploited the moment when the red barrier disappeared to strike through.
"AAAAAH!"
Professor Verdus screamed in panic as he threw himself sideways.
Who would have thought a non-magical attack could breach his defenses!
Lee Han was so impressed he unconsciously clapped. In a way, this felt more magnificent than a Unique World.
To break through an opponent's magic without using any magic oneself in this situation...
'Amazing! This is truly a great achievement.'
He felt like he'd want to announce this as one of his teacher's accomplishments when Professor Voladi retired someday.
Professor Verdus, who had fallen to the floor, stared at the chunk of fur that had been sliced off and shouted:
"This... this is ridiculous!"
"The Headmaster is truly persistent and petty, it seems."
"That does seem to be the case! W-wait a minute! When he ordered me to submit detailed reports about my artifacts' performance... was this why?!"
Professor Verdus shouted with a deeply shocked expression.
Come to think of it, the Skeleton Principal had always been throwing tantrums, saying things like, "If you submit artifacts one more time with just a 'I made it!' report instead of detailed documentation, I'll shove you headfirst into a wooden dam!" Clearly, this had been his goal all along.
He'd been calculating the vulnerabilities in the artifacts to ambush Professor Verdus!
"Um, Professor... Don't you normally have to submit detailed performance reports for artifacts sold outside...?"
"Petty! Absolutely petty!"
"...Well, if that's how you want to take it. Haha."
Seeing Professor Verdus so convinced in his own worldview, Lee Han decided to just let it be.
'Come to think of it, does Professor Bagrak normally memorize all the performance details of Professor Verdus's artifacts?'
That sheer academic passion was truly admirable. Lee Han resolved that he too would remember every single detail about Professor Verdus without missing anything.
"Professor. I think this Punishment Room has been outfitted with particularly vicious traps. Perhaps we should avoid discussing magic."
"Attacked for talking about magic? I can't fathom what Gonadaltes was thinking."
Professor Verdus grumbled as if he found it hard to believe.
But his student's words were undeniably persuasive. Given the Skeleton Principal's personality, it wouldn't be strange at all for him to set up such twisted traps.
This time it was flying knives, but next time a pit of spikes might appear...
"Then we'll have to talk after we get out."
Five more knives came flying. Professor Verdus cried out in disbelief.
"Why this time?!"
"Who can fathom the Principal's mind? Haha."
Watching Professor Verdus tumble head over heels, Lee Han's mood—previously soured by Jowurin—improved dramatically.
Perhaps when people said "a face that brings joy," they were referring to Professor Verdus.
In the end, Professor Verdus left grumbling without achieving his purpose.
Only after the professor had completely disappeared did Lee Han belatedly realize:
'...Wait. That man didn't say a single word about lectures?!'
Normally when meeting a student in the Punishment Room, wouldn't he at least mention something about this semester's lectures?!
As the hallway fell silent again, Lee Han returned to his work.
'Incredible!'
He couldn't help but be astonished as the once-solid wall was sliced away like soft cheese. Was this the power of a dragon's fang?
Perhaps this fang might even become a legendary escape tool worthy of being recorded in Einrogard's annals.
'I'll definitely pass this down to juniors when I graduate.'
Slice, slice, slice—
After some time digging,
Finally, instead of wall, the opposite cell came into view.
Lee Han let out a cry of joy. It felt even more satisfying than mastering a 5th Circle spell.
"Professor! The escape hole is complete!"
"I see."
'Oh no.'
Lee Han grew self-conscious, worried he'd wasted too much time.
Come to think of it, given Professor Voladi's personality, he probably didn't appreciate this kind of stunt.
"Hehe. Now if I have any questions about magic, I can ask through this hole."
"Indeed."
'Oh no. I dug my own grave.'
Lee Han immediately regretted his words the moment they left his mouth.
Why did I say that?!
This wasn't the time to laugh at Professor Verdus's foolish remarks. Lee Han deeply reflected on his mistake.
"...Would you like some tea?"
When Professor Voladi agreed, Lee Han sighed as he boiled water.
I should've just offered this as a bribe instead of talking about magic!
While boiling water, Lee Han glanced at the spellbooks on the shelf and suddenly felt a wave of worries crashing over him.
Could he keep up with lectures while stuck in the Punishment Room for the rest of the semester...
...Actually, no. As much as Lee Han tended to worry, he wasn't afraid of that level of challenge anymore.
"Professor. Professor."
"I'm listening."
"Do you think Professor Garcia is still angry?"
His biggest concern was Professor Garcia's wrath.
If it were Professor Verdus or Professor Bendozol who were angry, he might not have cared as much—but Professor Garcia was different.
After all, she was a respected mentor. It was only natural Lee Han would feel guilty.
"Hmm."
Professor Voladi sipped tea through the hole, lost in thought.
Though there were rumors that Professor Garcia had once been arrogant and rough-tempered in the distant past, to Professor Voladi's eyes, she'd always been a kind and diligent junior.
In fact, he wondered if that era had truly existed. Perhaps it was just another of the Skeleton Principal's mischievous jokes.
"It won't last too long."
"You really think so?!"
Lee Han was so delighted he could have jumped.
If Professor Voladi said so, it must be trustworthy. Indeed, Professor Garcia truly was the most virtuous person in Einrogard.
"About a year."
"......"
Lee Han's jubilant expression froze instantly.
Isn't a year plenty long enough?
"Wait. Professor, how did you arrive at that one-year estimate?"
"She didn't speak to me for about a year last time too."
"...!"
Lee Han was baffled at first, then belatedly realized.
'Last time' must have been when Professor Voladi had gone rogue.
If she hadn't spoken to him for a year back then, she'd probably do the same this time...
'Damn. That actually makes sense!'
Lee Han shuddered at the irrefutable logic. The thought of Professor Garcia ignoring him for a year was agonizing. It almost made transferring to Baldrogard seem preferable.
'...No. There's a flaw in that argument.'
Upon reflection, Professor Voladi had been Professor Garcia's senior, while Lee Han was her student.
Whether that was an advantage or disadvantage remained unclear!
"Does Professor Garcia have any particular likes? Could flattery or bribes shorten the duration?"
"She appreciates diligence."
"...Given that I'm in the Punishment Room, I think that ship has sailed. Anything else? Would gold coins or jokes mocking the Headmaster work?"
Professor Voladi shook his head. Lee Han sighed regretfully.
He actually had a few Headmaster-mocking jokes in mind!
"What if I demonstrate notable achievements in Professor Garcia's specialty, the Space-Time School of magic?"
"Not bad."
Professor Voladi showed his first positive reaction. Lee Han exhaled in relief.
"Great. Then what kind of achievement would be suitable?"
"Hybris."
"Oh? What kind of magic is that?"
"A Space-Time Small World magic. Professor Garcia frequently uses it."
"...Is there something slightly easier?"
Lee Han attempted to lower the bar.
While he genuinely wanted to appease Professor Garcia's anger, he was still a beginner in the Space-Time School.
One couldn't just skip everything and jump straight to Small World magic.
"I can't think of anything easier among high-level magics."
Higher-circle magics demanded exponentially more. Some even presupposed the caster's mastery of one or two Small Worlds, enough to make any mage curse spontaneously.
Of course, these facts were irrelevant to Lee Han's current predicament.
"...I wasn't asking you to introduce high-level magic."
"I see. Understood."
Lee Han shuddered at how his teacher had seized this moment of lowered guard to push advanced dark magic. In some ways, this Punishment Room was more dangerous than the classroom.
'Hmm. I should consult His Highness too.'
Lee Han decided to ask the Young Prince for magic recommendations that might please Professor Garcia. The prince would surely know something suitable.
"Wait. The guard's coming. Closing the hole."
Already acclimated to the Punishment Room, Lee Han followed his teacher's teachings and memorized the approaching footsteps. These belonged to the jailer.
'What now? It's not mealtime.'
The jailer only visited outside meal times if there was something to deliver or announce.
Soon the footsteps stopped—not at Lee Han's cell nor Professor Voladi's, but at an empty one nearby.
With a clatter, the door opened, and someone entered.
'A new prisoner!'
Various possibilities flashed through Lee Han's mind.
"Could it be Professor Ku?"
"Why him?"
"Well..."
Upon reflection, there was no particular reason Professor Kirmin should be imprisoned.
Lee Han brazenly insisted,
"You two are friends, aren't you? If Professor Ku joins us, you wouldn't feel so lonely."
Such diabolical words would have made Professor Kirmin clutch his neck in outrage.
"More likely it's Professor Verdus—"
"Lee Han! Jowurin has arrived in the next cell!"
"......"
"......"
"I think I'll write a letter to the Headmaster."
Lee Han muttered quietly so Jowurin wouldn't hear.