Episode 1279
Episode 1279
"What's wrong with you?"
"Ah... it's nothing."
Gainando also stared strangely at Salko.
Why was this muscular elf who looked like a dwarf suddenly acting this way?
'Gasp. This bastard. Is he planning to rob me?'
If they arrived at some secluded underground area of Einrogard together with Ratford, he might suddenly turn and say something like 'Hand over your bag!'...
Fortunately, he hadn't brought any valuables for such occasions, but he did have three hidden pan chocolates and a bag of candies. Gainando shot him a wary look.
Regardless, Salko focused on his conversation with Wardanaz.
-Wardanaz, you're definitely not around here, right?
-What? You saw I'm in the Punishment Room.
-I know. But you're good at escaping too, aren't you?
-I don't know what you're talking about. I've never escaped before? What's escaping?
Wardanaz maintained a professional poker face, and Salko found himself nodding unconsciously.
Truly befitting Wardanaz, there were no gaps in his act.
'So he's definitely not around here then.'
-Anything else to tell me? Tch. I heard the prince was selling your name—it's not a forgery, is it?
-It's not a forgery... I've only heard rumors myself and don't know much. That's why I sent Gainando.
-I have one question though.
A third party interrupted their conversation. Lee Han and Salko recognized from the handwriting that it was Adenart.
-What is it?
-If it's about the Blue Dragon Tower, I'm here too—why was Gainando put in charge of this matter?
"......"
Caught off guard by the unexpected question, Lee Han hesitated.
-Well... it's because he finished his exam first.
-I finished my exams too though.
Unable to watch any longer, Salko stepped in to defend Lee Han.
-It's probably because the task was a bit too dangerous to assign to royalty.
-...Salko... you do know Gainando is royalty too, right? You haven't forgotten, have you?
'Ah.'
Salko realized his mistake.
But ironically, Salko's slip-up seemed to have slightly improved Adenart's mood.
-No, it's perfectly understandable to forget.
"......"
Though dumbfounded, Lee Han continued making excuses.
-Actually, we needed a black magic expert.
-Huh? Really? Should I send Lafadell then?
This time, Angrago chimed in.
If they needed a black magic expert, honestly Lafadell would be better than Gainando, he thought.
Then Giselle showed a negative reaction.
-Even so, the Gral family is a bit... what would we do if we sent a mage who hates black magic to study black magic?
-No. Lafadell says that, but in reality he's completely obsessed with black magic. Last time, he stood in front to protect his undead summons from getting hurt.
Lee Han agreed.
-It's true Lafadell does like black magic.
-What? Really?
-Last time, he stayed late at Black Rock Hall talking to his summons alone... Oops. That's a secret. I'd appreciate it if everyone kept quiet.
At Lee Han's request, all the other friends agreed to keep the secret.
Lee Han smiled at their heartwarming friendship. Lafadell would have been happy to see this too.
-Alright. Then let's go down with that prince bastard and chec—
Suddenly, Salko's writing cut off. Lee Han was startled.
'What? What happened?'
They hadn't even properly started their investigation yet, so the chance of being ambushed was low.
Had other students searching for the portrait perhaps ambushed Gainando's group?
-...That prince bastard ran off without me! That crazy bastard! I'm too busy chasing him now—I'll tell you later!
-......
-......
-I apologize...
As a member of the Blue Dragon Tower, Lee Han felt deep shame.
While Salko was talking with the other friends, Gainando had made a decision.
"Light, be sealed here!"
Suddenly waving his staff, he cast a barrier to seal away the light source before dashing off in a hurry.
From Ratford's perspective, who had been waiting blankly, it was nothing short of absurd.
What the hell is wrong with that guy?
"Lord Gainando! Why are you running away?!"
"You think I don't see through your schemes! You two are planning a robbery right now, aren't you?!"
"What kind of nonsense... Wait, do you have something valuable on you?"
"See! Who'd fall for that?!"
Gainando didn't answer any further and simply sped up. Salko, who had belatedly stuffed the bundle of papers into his pocket, gritted his teeth and shouted.
"After him! That half-wit... no, calling him a half-wit is too generous! That crumb of a prince!"
He had told Wardanaz and the others that he'd handle this matter, and if he failed to control even a single Gainando, it would be a matter of pride.
He absolutely wouldn't let him escape like this!
Salko charged into the darkened corridor. Though it was pitch black due to Gainando sealing the light source, Salko was still a mage.
"Four seasons, guide my way!"
Here, trying to break the seal just to restore the light would only waste time.
Gainando had likely cast the spell with that exact intention in the first place.
So instead of playing along, Salko immediately cast a direction-finding spell.
Iron sand in the form of fine particles pointed the exact path even in the darkness.
"This way, follow me, Ratford!"
As he sprinted down the hallway, Salko suddenly halted.
Listening to the echoes ahead, he realized it was a fork in the path.
Which way did the prince go?
"Right! The smell of chocolate is coming from the right!"
"...Good job! Excellent!"
Salko marveled at his friend's skill before dashing forward.
After breaking through another corridor, he finally saw light. It seemed the light-sealing effect didn't reach this far.
"Did he go down?!"
Spotting a spiral staircase leading underground, Salko gritted his teeth. With many places to hide along the way, it was the worst possible spot for pursuers.
Though Salko had always mocked Gainando as a half-wit, facing this kind of counterattack forced him to acknowledge the prince's skill.
Indeed, this dark mage was no pushover. Perhaps because he often accompanied Wardanaz, he knew how to wield even the same spells effectively.
Stealing the light source to buy time, then rushing to the nearest staircase to shake off pursuit...
-Are you still chasing him?
At Wardanaz's question, Salko suppressed his shame and replied.
-Sorry, but I think I lost him. He suddenly blocked my vision and ran off... like he'd eaten something weird...
-My apologies. By the way, are you near a staircase right now?
-...Are you seriously in the Punishment Room?!
Salko jumped in shock.
How the hell did he—?
-Calm down. I really am in the Punishment Room. Gainando often uses staircases when fleeing, so I made an educated guess.
Lee Han reassured Salko as he explained.
Being from the same black magic school, Lee Han had a rough idea of what spells Gainando might use.
And how he would apply them.
Sealing the light and escaping via stairs was something Lee Han had experienced a few times himself.
-Gainando isn't particularly skilled in Enhancement Magic, so he probably didn't go down the stairs. He's likely hiding nearby. Swing a Mana Hammer to break any nearby spells.
-??
-????
-...Wait, do what?
'Ah.'
Seeing his friends' reactions, Lee Han realized his mistake. Upon reflection, this was something only he could do.
-Forget what I just said.
-Wardanaz, you go around breaking magic like that?! No wonder you could bypass our barriers whenever we set them up...
Ignoring Angrago's shocked questioning, Lee Han gave another instruction.
-The invisibility magic Gainando uses is based on a black magic illusion curse. It must rely on either smell or hearing, so block both and look around.
-Wait a minute! Now that I think about it, this damn prince was giving off a chocolate scent while running away! Could that have been the curse's activation condition!?
-No. That's just Gainando's favorite chocolate. I thought he'd eaten it all, but apparently he had some left.
-......
Feeling awkward, Salko blocked both his hearing and sense of smell.
Then, with a faint high-pitched sound cutting off, Gainando popped out from a corner.
"Bone, transform into handcuffs and restrain the enemy—"
"You think that'll work twice?!"
An enraged Salko pulled a stone statue from his sleeve and threw it to the ground. The shattered fragments transformed into giant sand hands that subdued Gainando.
With a thud, Gainando was pinned flat to the floor.
"Guh. I expected this from Tutanta, but Ratford too... I'm disappointed, really!"
"I'm the one disappointed in you, Lord Gainando."
Ratford looked down at Gainando with disbelief.
What kind of person does something like this?
"We weren't planning a robbery—we were just having a conversation with Lord Wardanaz."
"...Don't lie."
"It's the truth."
Ratford took a crumpled paper artifact from Salko and showed it.
-Did you catch Gainando? If he's spouting nonsense, just show him this.
-Gainando? Did you strike first because you were afraid of being robbed? Even if you did, why would anyone rob you when you've got nothing left?
-The lack of response means Gainando is watching this right now, doesn't it?
"......"
Gainando, now grasping the situation, immediately answered.
"Seems there was a misunderstanding between us. Mind letting me go?"
"......"
"......"
The two looked down at the Blue Dragon Tower student with contempt.
"The rumor I heard was about the 4th basement floor. The seniors say there's a hidden passage deep inside the 4th-floor swamp that leads straight down! Isn't that amazing? Interesting, right?"
"I don't really know."
"You're not planning to cast another spell and run away once we reach the swamp, are you?"
Gainando tried to lighten the mood, but the once-chilled atmosphere wasn't easily restored.
No matter what he said, the two from the Black Turtle Tower only gave him indifferent looks. Gainando grumbled inwardly.
'These petty bastards!'
People can misunderstand things—was it really necessary to sulk like this just because of a little chase?
-By the way, when going from the 2nd to the 3rd basement floor, take the railing stairs instead of the main ones.
"...?!"
The three, who were just about to descend the main stairs, froze.
Gainando asked in shock.
"Lee Han, did you put something there?!"
"Why are you, of all people, asking that?"
-I'm not spying—it's just that, timing-wise, you should be arriving soon. There's a contaminated being that escaped from a lab at the bottom of those stairs, so don't pick unnecessary fights. No need to waste time.
"......"
"......"
The group felt chills running down their spines as they obediently followed.
They'd known their magic-obsessed friend could be creepy at times, but they never imagined he could give them chills with just a few words while not even being present.
What kind of nonsense is this?!
"Lee Han, you idiot! Magic tyrant!"
"Huh? What are you doing?"
"Shh. He's checking if Lee Han is nearby."
"No way he could possibly know—"
-If Gainando is insulting me while checking if I'm nearby, tell him no one falls for such obvious provocations, so he should stop wasting his time.
-Pfft. Even Gainando wouldn't do something like that.
"......"
Salko nearly dropped the crumpled paper artifact.
Wardanaz had already demonstrated several high-level spells beyond his grade, but what he was showing now was truly...!
-No response—are you all stunned? Or did you run into someone else? No, probably not the latter.