Episode 129
Episode 129
As the Skeleton Principal faded into the dawn after finishing his speech, the students collectively sighed in relief.
"Wait. What if he's just pretending to disappear and is actually hiding nearby with an invisibility spell?"
"He might still be lurking around! Just in case, let's throw some pebbles to check!"
'This magic school is truly ruining the Empire's brightest minds.'
Lee Han gave his conspiracy-theory-spouting friends a pitying look.
"Anyway, what a shame. Some students from the Tower of the Eternally Burning Phoenix got caught..."
While the Blue Dragon Tower students had achieved a perfect score with none captured, the phoenix tower hadn't been so fortunate.
Several priests had been caught during the escape, inevitably costing them points.
"The teachings are what truly matter, not the scores. It's fine,"
Priestess Dijiling said with devout solemnity. Lee Han was appalled by this attitude.
'Since when are scores unimportant?'
At the end of the day, aren't scores what get recorded in history?
And what kind of "teachings" could possibly matter in a lecture like this anyway?
All that remained were trivial lessons like 'Don't associate with Liches,' 'Don't trust people carelessly,' or 'Beware of undead at night.'
"Mm... Right. The teachings are what matter."
When Lee Han's delayed response came out oddly stilted, Dijiling looked puzzled.
Why did he answer so late?
"Oh, by the way. The priests from the order are visiting the school this weekend."
"!"
Lee Han's face brightened instantly.
When imperial priests visited the school, they never stopped at just distributing food and drink.
Most importantly, it meant the Skeleton Principal's to... no, the Skeleton Principal's challenging teachings would be slightly reduced.
The empire's moral compasses were here to reform the school!
'This weekend might actually be peaceful for once.'
Moreover, Lee Han had resolved to join not just the Prisinga Order but every possible order he could access.
With the priests visiting this weekend, he planned to personally seek out new orders to join.
Considering that...
'Why doesn't the Wardanaz family sponsor orders like all the other noble houses do?'
Lee Han grumbled internally.
Look at Yoner's family, the Maykin Family!
They actively sponsored the Flemeng Order so their bloodline could reap the benefits.
Couldn't they at least sponsor something even if they didn't believe in it?
'No point complaining. I'll carve my own path.'
Even without his family's support, Lee Han would walk his own way.
He turned his gaze to Priestess Dijiling.
Under that charismatic stare, Dijiling tensed slightly.
"Did you... have something to say...?"
"Priestess Dijiling. You've grown terribly thin since I last saw you."
"......"
That's not true?
"It hasn't even been a day since we last met. There's no way I could've—"
"Since we're at the Blue Dragon Tower, we should eat something before leaving."
"......"
Thanks to Lee Han periodically summoning him with excuses like "I brought some tea with meat broth in a pot," Dijiling had no nutritional deficiencies whatsoever.
And no matter how little he ate, it was impossible for someone to visibly wither in less than a day.
"Come. Let's sit."
"It's sinful for a priest serving Prisinga to indulge in lavish meals, but..."
"I see. But if you refuse to eat, I'll have to let Gainando starve with you."
"?!"
Gainando, who had been clearing barricades nearby, shot Lee Han a look of utter betrayal as if hit by stray fire.
Why me?!
"Priest...! I get hungry if I skip even one meal...!"
"......"
Dijiling had no choice but to obediently take a seat. Lee Han nodded with a cold, Skeleton Principal-like expression.
"I'll have to make the other priests sit down too."
"But most priests in the tower live austerely and would consider such meals sinful."
Priestess Dijiling replied in a slightly sulky tone.
"Priestess Dijiling... You're not upset because I used Gainando as leverage, are you?"
"No."
He denied it, but it didn't seem entirely convincing. Gainando looked equally baffled.
"But the meals we eat are truly quite modest..."
"......"
"......"
Students from the Blue Dragon Tower passing by stared at Gainando as if he were insane.
Had this bastard really already forgotten what a truly modest meal looked like?
"I suppose everyone might find this kind of meal burdensome."
Lee Han nodded.
Of course, this wasn't because Lee Han had an excess of ingredients.
With the White Tiger Tower, they had already crossed a river of no return.
His relationship with the Black Turtle Tower students was relatively amicable, but there were times when they misunderstood Lee Han due to the baseless rumors spread by White Tiger Tower students.
But the wise and kind priests of the Phoenix Tower were different.
They wouldn't be fooled by groundless rumors and would trust Lee Han.
And most importantly, if treated to a hearty meal, wouldn't they spread good words about him to the priests who'd visit on weekends?
Whether the Phoenix Tower students liked it or not, they had to eat. Lee Han's eyes gleamed with cold determination.
"Gainando. Come with me. You'll need to help with the persuasion."
"??"
"......"
Gainando didn't understand why Lee Han was calling him, but Priestess Dijiling realized and was horrified.
Lee Han brought out the food he'd stored in the pantry.
Honey and sweet tree sap to dip warm buttered white bread in were placed on the table. Whole roasted, salt-cured, or smoke-smoked pork and beef were laid out beside them. Fish from cans were thinly sliced and arranged on plates.
He also took out the fresh milk jars he'd "borrowed" (read: stolen) from Professor Thunderstep's cabin.
After scooping out various fruit jams from glass jars, he mixed them into cold milk and stirred vigorously to make drinks—precious sweet beverages rarely available at school.
"You had all this?!"
"Don't ask me to make this normally—I won't do it even if you beg."
'How did he know?!'
After slapping Gainando's hand away as he tried to grab a bite and making him retreat, Lee Han checked the soup.
The rich aroma of the boiling broth made the Blue Dragon Tower students happy.
"Sharkan."
Lee Han tossed a chunk of meat to Sharkan. Gainando watched enviously until Sharkan growled and glared, making him lower his eyes.
"Almost done. Tell everyone to take their seats."
Lee Han frugally utilized the meat juices from cooking. He stir-fried vegetables he'd grown himself, then thickened the sauce with flour.
'Not bad.'
After tasting it, Lee Han marveled at his own talent. Who knew meat drippings could be used so skillfully?
This would pair perfectly with the fresh vegetables from the garden...
'...I should stop thinking like this.'
Strangely, his magic skills didn't seem to improve as quickly, but his cooking skills were advancing by leaps and bounds.
Yoner, who was helping with preparations alongside other friends, looked puzzled at the carrot cupcakes and sweet pumpkin cookies baking nearby.
"Where did these come from?"
"I made them with ingredients from the garden."
"......"
"...This isn't particularly professional or difficult cooking, Yoner. It's easier than you think."
'I didn't say anything...'
Yoner was flustered by Lee Han's sudden defensiveness.
"Got it?"
"Y-yeah."
Yoner wasn't sure what exactly he was supposed to "get," but he nodded under Lee Han's forceful presence.
For some reason, Lee Han seemed determined to insist he wasn't serious about cooking.
...Though from Yoner's perspective, he looked very serious...
Though they'd only sat down due to coercion, the young priests who'd fought all night were moved by the piping hot meal.
Lee Han felt proud watching a student stuff his cheeks to bursting with food.
'Wait, no. That's Gainando.'
Upon closer inspection, it wasn't a Phoenix Tower student—it was Gainando.
Fortunately, the students of Phoenix Tower were also enjoying their meal.
The only sounds filling the air were the busy clatter of plates and bowls, not a single word spoken.
"Thank you so much. Lee Han of the Wardanaz family."
"I merely did what was expected."
Though inwardly, Lee Han was silently pleading for them to take care of him over the weekend, he didn't let it show in the slightest.
Instead, he nodded with the dignified grace befitting a noble. The young priests were deeply moved by his demeanor.
"We heard that a priest from the church will be visiting the academy this weekend. We'd really like to tell them about everything Lee Han of the Wardanaz family has done for us."
"I see. I won't stop you if that's what you wish."
"But..."
"?"
Lee Han was taken aback when the other hesitated.
Why?
'Don't tell me the Wardanaz family is on some kind of blacklist??'
Given what the family head had said about the imperial churches, it wouldn't be surprising if the churches disliked the Wardanaz family.
"Then the priest would likely want to meet Lee Han of the Wardanaz family in person to express their gratitude... But I was just thinking that they must already be so busy. Maybe they should rest over the weekend..."
"I'm not the least bit busy. In fact, my weekends are so free that it's become a problem."
"R-really?"
The young priests of Phoenix Tower were stunned by Lee Han's words.
No matter how they looked at it, he seemed overwhelmingly busy...
Yet seeing him say it with such a serious expression made it clear he wasn't lying or joking.
'Is that so?'
'He must really mean it.'
"Black Magic?"
At Professor Garcia's question, Lee Han raised his hand.
"Summoning Magic?"
At the next question, Lee Han raised his hand again.
"Illusion Magic?"
Lee Han raised his hand once more.
Then, his eyes met those of the Phoenix Tower students sitting nearby.
"...I'm not the least bit busy. Understand?"
"Y-you seem really busy, though..."
"Lee Han... you are busy... You should cut back a little."
Not just the Phoenix Tower students, but even his friends from the Blue Dragon Tower looked horrified.
Before the quiz, Professor Garcia had divided the students based on their fields of interest.
And Lee Han had signed up for all of them.
No matter how you looked at it, this wasn't right.
'Is he going to collapse at this rate?'
"Even I think you're being too harsh on yourself, Wardanaz."
"Yeah, even I think so..."
Even students from the Black Turtle Tower and White Tiger Tower chimed in.
But Lee Han didn't waver in the slightest.
"I still have room to spare."
"Lee Han, I think you should... maybe cut back a little..."
Professor Garcia approached, her voice laced with concern.
As the old saying goes, the bird that sings the most beautiful song dies the fastest—a genius with extraordinary talent must be careful not to be consumed by that very talent.
"I'm speaking from experience, Lee Han. Exploring every field of magic is the natural fate of an ambitious young mage with talent and aspirations, but..."
'Every word in that sentence feels like the opposite of me.'
"It's really exhausting."
"Professor, did you also study multiple types of magic like Lee Han?"
"I did, once."
"Then shouldn't Lee Han be able to do it too?"
"Uh... well, yes..."
Professor Garcia was left speechless by Gainando's pointed remark.
Huh?
Was that true?
When she thought back on the grueling path she had walked, she felt she should discourage a student from taking the same road...
But then again, did she even have the right to do so?
Especially for a mage born with talent like Lee Han.
"Hmm... Though back then, there wasn't someone like Professor Bagrak... No, never mind."
Professor Garcia quickly stopped herself, unable to badmouth another professor in front of the students.
But Lee Han immediately understood what she had been about to say.
"Well, Lee Han is better than I was, so maybe it'll be fine. Alright. I won't say anything more."
With that, Professor Garcia clenched her fist encouragingly, shook it at him, and walked away.
Watching her go, Lee Han suddenly felt an inexplicable unease, as if he had just missed some final opportunity.