Episode 1239
Episode 1239
Yoanen accepted her younger cousin's advice.
The Einrogard Divination Magic faction was already half-dead anyway. They were walking the path to self-destruction on their own, so there was no need to interfere.
However, this genius from the Wardanaz family once again defied expectations.
"Well... I think I understand what you mean. I get it."
"???"
At this unbelievable statement, Yoanen widened her eyes and whispered to her cousin,
"Are you being serious?"
"Lee Han is probably serious..."
To an outsider's eyes, it might seem strange to sympathize with a professor who told you to throw yourself into a wall and run away.
But to Yoner, it seemed odd.
"Huh?"
"Ah, no. I misspoke. I meant it makes sense from my perspective."
Yoner quickly corrected herself.
She should have said it made sense from an Einrogard student's perspective, but she accidentally said it seemed strange. This definitely wasn't her true intention.
Yoanen peered suspiciously at her cousin over her amethyst glasses.
'Actually, it should seem strange even to an Einrogard student's eyes...'
Hearing her friend's older sister muttering about how odd he seemed, Lee Han cleared his throat and explained.
"While the professor is indeed wicked and underhanded, I meant the method itself makes sense."
Of course, Lee Han himself didn't agree with it...
...but he couldn't deny that to a small group of extreme divination mages, he appeared as a being who twisted divinations.
What a truly unfortunate situation.
'The Empire truly has some bizarre mages. What can you do?'
"Anyway, if the other party believes it, couldn't that be one approach? Have you considered using that for blackmail?"
'T-this guy. Why is he taking this so naturally?'
Golem Senior was flabbergasted.
If he'd overheard juniors at the Magic Tower saying things like "The professor told Senior to throw himself into Baldrogard and run away" or "What? Why Baldrogard?", it would have hurt his feelings quite a bit.
Yet this junior was accepting it all so naturally.
Just how much had he been through?!
Seeing this, Golem Senior felt pangs of conscience. Though his golem body lacked a beating heart, his soul still retained a sense of morality.
'Ugh. To treat such a junior like that...'
No matter how much he wanted to avoid misfortune, that was no way to behave so rudely.
No wonder he got mocked by that alchemist from the Maykin family.
"Junior, I'm truly sorr— what are you doing now?"
Just as he resolved to apologize, Golem Senior paused upon seeing the junior already huddled with others writing a letter.
"Huh? I was writing a letter to send to Oculogard."
"...I see."
Overwhelmed by his quick and capable junior, Golem Senior peeked at the letter.
What exactly was he writing?
...To the mages of Oculogard!
If you ignore our communication one more time, a mad harbinger of the apocalypse and monster that devours divinations will invade your lands...
"......"
This is a blackmail letter!
"Wait. Lee Han. If your handwriting is consistent, they might trace it."
"Oops. My mistake. I should switch to my left hand."
"I'll write some of the characters separately."
"I'll cut letters from magic books and paste them!"
...ifyouignoreusonemoretimeamadharbinger...
"Much better."
Yoanen looked at her cousin with an expression just as troubled as Golem Senior's.
She knew mages shouldn't be raised like hothouse flowers but like wild weeds...
...but wasn't this more like raising poisonous plants instead?
'What on earth has he been doing all this time?'
Jowurin, who had been watching with great interest from the side, spoke up.
"Lee Han. Lee Han."
"Yes?"
"Professor Garcia might dislike this sort of thing."
"Heh. Don't worry, Your Highness."
Lee Han looked at Jowurin with admiration. The dragon had made quite an astute observation.
"...If someone were to find out, they'd immediately invade the territory..."
"This should do it."
"Indeed!"
Jowurin's eyes sparkled like stars. Uman averted his gaze and pretended to look at the prison wall instead.
'Uman saw nothing.'
Though he knew this was necessary for the Empire's future, his heart still struggled to accept it.
"I think we're about done here, Senior. Could you send this letter for us?"
"Wait."
When Professor Voladi spoke up, everyone froze.
Golem Senior inwardly panicked.
Come to think of it, wasn't he the only professor present here?
There was no way he'd let them send such a threatening letter.
"My apologies, Professor. We'll modify the contents a bit..."
"The Oculogard likely won't even read the letter, so we should cast an additional spell on it."
These stubborn divination mages had a high chance of discarding the letter without reading it.
It would be wise to cast a spell that would make the letter shout its contents aloud the moment it's received.
"Thank you. We'll do that."
"......"
Golem Senior remained silent during Lee Han and Professor Voladi's exchange, simply accepting the letter.
He could only hope this method would work.
"Then I'll go send this..."
"Wait, Senior. You can't just leave like that."
"Huh?"
Golem Senior flinched.
What did he mean he couldn't just leave?
A flurry of thoughts raced through his mind.
Had his junior not forgotten his earlier harsh words and was now seeking revenge...?
"I'm stuck in this Punishment Room and missing classes. You need to help me, Senior."
"Ah."
Come to think of it, this junior was still a second-year!
"Huff... Huff..."
"Did something happen?"
When Golem Senior returned to the Void Hall looking miserable, other Divination Magic students looked puzzled.
"No... nothing... I merely barely managed to navigate through the terrifying thorny path of fate."
"Ah. I see."
While the second-years looked confused, the third-years weren't particularly surprised.
When you delved deep into Divination Magic, you became accustomed to such cryptic statements.
This was just how divination mages spoke—like saying 'the satiety failed to suppress my hunger' after skipping a meal.
After a brief rest, Golem Senior gathered his strength and checked Lee Han's courses for the semester.
'Wardanaz... Wardanaz... Third Year, Second Semester: <Avoiding Misfortune and Twisting Fate>...'
It was indeed a necessary course for that junior, but there was some irony to it.
Wasn't it already too late for him to be learning this?
'No. If he's careful from now on, he can still prevent greater misfortunes.'
That thought was uncharacteristic of a divination mage. Golem Senior felt a twinge of remorse.
'<The Book of Misfortune and Omens>, <Signs and Shadows>, <Introduction to Warding Off Calamity>, <Talismans and Symbols>...'
"Why are you gathering those books?"
One of the juniors asked curiously.
These were books Golem Senior had already memorized several times over.
"Well... for a junior from the Wardanaz family. He's in the Punishment Room right now."
"Ah. Because of the Evil God Subjugation, right?"
"...?"
Golem Senior paused while stacking the books.
What did he just say?
"What subjugation?"
"Evil God Subjugation. They say Wardanaz... secretly deserted and joined the Evil God Subjugation expedition this time... You didn't know?"
Not just Golem Senior, but several students who hadn't been outside recently were shocked.
Though none could compare to the shock Golem Senior felt.
No wonder the explanation about him beating up Professor Verdus seemed so strange!
"...Uuuugh. Uuuuugh! Professor Kraer...!"
"Wh-why are you suddenly saying the professor's name? What's wrong?"
He thought he had realized everything back in the Punishment Room, but that had been an illusion.
Beneath that truth lay yet another layer of truth hidden beneath.
Perhaps this was what the truth of the world was really like.
There is no absolute truth, and everything is...
'Oh no. This isn't the time for enlightenment.'
Golem Senior collected himself. Though shocking, he had already endured such a massive shock earlier that he could somewhat bear this one.
"I had no idea. Astonishing."
"That's incredible, Senior. When we first heard that Wardanaz directly confronted and fought an Evil God, we thought it was just a baseless rumor. We were genuinely shocked."
"...Directly? CoughHack"
Golem Senior staggered, coughing up bronze dust. The magic maintaining his transformation seemed on the verge of unraveling.
'<The Book of Misfortune and Omens>... I think I need to reread it.'
As the underclassmen excitedly relayed the detailed story to those who hadn't heard, Golem Senior covered his ears.
Listening to the details now might be too much—he might genuinely collapse.
"...I should just deliver the book and leave."
"Oh, right, Senior. Did you send that letter earlier? I saw a paper bird flying away."
"Yes. I sent it to Oculogard."
The moment Golem Senior said this, negative reactions erupted.
Even the students who had been muttering and casting divinations without joining the conversation spoke up.
"Even without divination, I can guess the outcome."
"Why waste time on those arrogant bastards? Let's just ignore them too."
"This time is a little different."
"How so?"
"Well..."
Golem Senior hesitated.
While Einrogard's traditions never shied away from threats and deception, this was slightly exceptional.
—The professor had suggested throwing a junior into the wall and leaving them there, and the junior had agreed it sounded plausible, so they sent a threatening letter based on that.
'Even I have to admit, that sounds absurd.'
"...I wrote it with utmost sincerity and dedication."
"Senior. Did you drink the wrong potion or something?"
"Golems can't get drunk, right?"
"......"
Golem Senior decided he should just grab the book and leave as quickly as possible.
Once this matter was over, he would seclude himself in the deepest part of the desert where no one would find him until graduation!
Flap!
At that moment, a paper bird flew in through the window. The students, puzzled, checked its contents.
We sincerely apologize for all the rudeness shown thus far.
We have dispatched someone immediately. Please wait just a little longer.
—Oculogard
"Huh? How did you manage that?"
"...Did you threaten to burn down their estate or something?!"
The divination student didn't realize they had inadvertently stumbled upon the truth.
"I should thank Maykin during the break."
"Lee Han, aren't you staying here during the break too?"
"...Then I should thank Maykin next semester."
After Yoanen finished her work and left, Lee Han and his friends examined the alchemy facilities remaining in the private room.
Generously, Yoanen had left behind all the equipment and tools she had brought for her younger sibling and friends.
At this point, it wouldn't be out of place to call it a full-fledged workshop.
"I should take this when I leave..."
"Jowurin could swallow it."
"It's fine. If I take on one more request and lift the magic restrictions, I can just put it in my bag..."
Lee Han waved his staff.
He had assumed that since the request was over, the magic would be blocked.
But the magic wasn't blocked. Psychokinesis activated, and Gainando's arm moved on its own, flipping open a book and grabbing a quill.
Gainando screamed.
"No! No!!"
"It didn't get blocked?"
"Lee Han must be getting special treatment as a model prisoner!"
"...That can't be it. Probably..."
Lee Han was puzzled.
Just then, the door upstairs opened, revealing Golem Senior, looking several times more haggard than usual.
"Senior. Did you lift the restrictions for us?"
"Huh? Ah... Right. Guests arrived. That must be why."
"Which request guests?"
Having taken on so many requests, Lee Han couldn't pinpoint which one.
But these guests hadn't come for a request.
The mages from Oculogard rushed in and immediately prostrated themselves on the floor in full submission.
"......"
"Did they lose a bet like Professor Verdus too?"
Jowurin asked, sounding fascinated.