Episode 1293
Episode 1293
Not only Professor Verdus but even the black mages climbing up from below looked puzzled at Lee Han's shout.
What did he mean by 'now'?
The answer became clear immediately. Gainando began swinging his staff while shouting apologies.
"I'm sorry! I'm sorry! O poison, burn like flames!"
Although Lee Han had said 'that's not quite it,' Gainando moved immediately when the order was given. This wasn't the skill of someone who'd only done this once or twice as Lee Han's friend.
Gainando knew well that in crisis situations, one must act without hesitation.
The highly refined crow poison scattered down the stairs and, with the incantation, transformed into flames that erupted in a blazing inferno.
This was a fire element magic that utilized the poison element unique to the black magic school.
Since it wouldn't easily extinguish through normal means, it was perfectly suited to disorient or annoy mages.
However, the black mages currently climbing up were all veterans with exceptional magical abilities.
They immediately recognized what kind of magic it was and were dumbfounded.
"Does this magic school set its guests on fire?!"
"What the hell has this crazy Professor Verdus been teaching his students?!"
Strictly speaking, Gainando was a disciple of the black magic school, not the enchantment magic school, but the Descendants of Ahrag couldn't have known that.
Cursing, they tried to suppress the flames on the stairs.
Gainando grew restless at the sight. He could already imagine how Lee Han would scold him if they managed to put out the fire.
'Gainando! You can't even set a proper fire?! Now I see how lazy you've been with your studies! This is all because you didn't properly learn the black magic I taught you!'
'Ugh!'
Of course, his opponents were the Descendants of Ahrag, considered among the elite of the Empire's black magic school, but Gainando didn't realize that.
He had to set the fire no matter what!
"Dark spirit, be summoned and blind the enemy's eyes! Revenant, charge and scatter them! Dust, obey my command and form a sigil!"
"Have you ever seen such a clever fellow?"
After extinguishing the flames in an instant, the Descendants looked at Gainando's successive black magic spells not with anger but with expressions that said, 'Would you look at this guy?'
They'd assumed he was just some lunatic because he was Professor Verdus's student, but judging by the magic he used, he seemed quite interested in black magic.
In that case, setting the fire could be excused.
Black mages were allowed to set a few fires anyway. Especially if it was Professor Verdus's magic tower—all the more reason.
"He handles dark spirits quite well! They're such temperamental creatures that it can't be easy to please them."
"Did you see that Thorn Revenant? The luster suggests it's been fed only the most expensive things."
"Wait, that sigil... Amazing! That's a black magic I've never seen before! Did he use poison dust to create an illusion magic effect? That purple is truly mystical!"
After blocking Gainando's trump cards one by one, the black mages began grading them.
While his undead summons like the dark spirit and Thorn Revenant were impressive, what truly astonished them was the technique he displayed last.
Using poison not just as a tool but like paint to create sigils in midair.
It wasn't the most efficient method, but it was original and creative.
"Ah, no! Stop blocking everything!"
"Well, you were trying to set the building on fire, so we had to stop you..."
Cornered, Gainando even pulled out a potion bottle he rarely used (which would earn him mockery if Yoner found out).
Just as he was about to throw the glass bottle with flickering flames inside, the black mages spoke first.
"Calm down. We're not here to kill Professor Verdus."
"Huh? Weren't you invited here by Professor Verdus?"
Lee Han asked from above, his voice tinged with suspicion.
For the Descendants of Ahrag to appear so suddenly...
No matter how he thought about it, it seemed Professor Verdus had sold out his student to uncover the secrets of black magic.
"Why would I invite those bastards?!"
Professor Verdus shouted in a voice tinged with disbelief and indignation.
Why would he invite despicable scoundrels who ambush guests in the dead of night?
Hearing this, the black mages radiated murderous intent.
"You're the one who infiltrated the magic tower to spy on our black magic!"
"We should just kill you right now!"
To have the audacity to spout such nonsense after being chased out for sneaking in to steal magic—it hadn't even been that long since the incident.
They were sorely tempted to retract their earlier statement of "we're not here to kill you" and declare they'd come for exactly that purpose.
'Hmm. I seem to have misunderstood.'
Lee Han let out a sigh of relief.
Of course, relations between Professor Verdus and the black mages had deteriorated further, but that wasn't Lee Han's concern. At least it didn't seem like the professor had intended to sell him out.
"Then what brings you here? No, how did you even get inside in the first place?"
Now that he thought about it, it was strange that the black mages had managed to enter Einrogard.
They should have been lying in wait outside the main gate to ambush Professor Verdus. How had they gotten inside?
"...We swore an oath not to harm Professor Verdus before entering."
"Ah."
Lee Han could keenly empathize with the bitterness lacing the black mages' voices.
Had he been in their position, he would have been just as furious.
To have the thief who infiltrated their tower right in front of them, yet be powerless to exact revenge and forced to forgive—it was infuriating.
'Even I feel indignant. Is there no justice in Einrogard?'
"As for why we came..."
The Descendants of Ahrag pointed at Wardanaz.
No matter how much they despised Professor Verdus, these elderly black mages wouldn't have scaled Einrogard's walls just for him.
Naturally, they had come to reconnect with the prodigy who would illuminate the future of the Empire's black magic faction—to deepen their ties (and, incidentally, extend another invitation to their magic tower).
"Ah. So that's what this is about."
Lee Han immediately understood their meaning.
Given that he'd received invitations from multiple black magic factions during his trip to the North, it wasn't surprising these descendants had come to visit again.
Though he couldn't accept their offer, their sincerity was still appreciated. Lee Han was about to apologize for the misunderstanding.
"I get it! You came to teach me magic!"
"......"
"......"
The atmosphere turned icy again at Professor Verdus's outburst.
Fortunately, unlike last time, the situation didn't escalate into bloodshed.
The Descendants of Ahrag held Lee Han in genuinely high regard and, out of respect for his standing, restrained themselves.
Namely, when Lee Han pleaded, "Please, he's insane—just let it go this once," they held back their attacks and endured.
"Once again, I apologize and thank you."
"...It's not your fault."
The elderly black mages sat around the table, sipping the tea Lee Han had served.
Professor Verdus glanced around, searching for his teacup, but strangely, there wasn't an empty one to be found.
"By the way, where's the Ninth?"
"The Ninth? Who's that?"
"??"
Lee Han's reply gave the black mages pause.
Huh?
"You mean you haven't met the Ninth? He went after you to persuade you!"
"No. I've never seen him."
"?!!"
The old black mages were stunned. And immediately suspicious.
"Did the Ninth put you up to this? That treacherous little bastard! I knew he'd pull something like this!"
"I told you we shouldn't have sent him!"
A person is judged by their usual behavior.
Though the Ninth Descendant of Ahrag was currently imprisoned in the basement of Black Rock Hall after being ambushed by the sinister black mage Professor Mortum, no one suspected this.
Instead, they suspected the Ninth had bribed Wardanaz to pursue his own selfish gains.
"I really haven't met him..."
"And what could he possibly bribe you with? Even we couldn't persuade Wardanaz."
Professor Verdus, standing nearby, pointed out the cold, hard truth. The black mages wanted to kill him.
"Ha ha. Let's talk about something else."
Lee Han hastily changed the subject.
The Descendants of Ahrag also nodded, sensing that continuing the conversation would only lead to trouble.
"That Enchantment School mage from earlier was quite skilled in Black Magic. Did you teach him?"
"Huh? Who... Ah, Gainando? Gainando is actually a student of the Black Magic School."
"!!!"
The elderly Black Mages were startled and turned to stare at Gainando.
No wonder they'd felt some affinity toward him—he was from the Black Magic School after all.
"No wonder! Those from other schools can't wield Black Magic that well."
"I knew he was a good one from the start. His fire magic wasn't something you pick up in just a couple of tries."
"Heh heh heh. Thank you."
Gainando was overjoyed by the rare praise.
He'd thought nothing good would come of this break, but here he was!
"How did you make that purple flame earlier? It was truly mystical."
"Live another hundred years, and I'll invite you to join the Descendants of Ahrag."
'Is that even a compliment?'
Lee Han inwardly questioned, but since his friend seemed happy, he kept quiet.
"To achieve this much at your grade level... You have every right to be proud. But why was a Black Magic School student in such a hideous, disgusting place?"
Though they subtly insulted Professor Verdus's magic tower, Gainando didn't pay it much mind and answered.
"I came to watch Lee Han learn Small World Magic properly."
"WHAT?!?!"
"Small World Magic?!"
Clatter!
The Black Mages shoved their chairs back, slammed their teacups down, and leapt to their feet.
They rushed over and encircled Lee Han.
"You're seriously learning Small World Magic? Don't tell me you're learning it from an Enchantment Magic School mage?"
"Einrogard has more than one or two schools, and more than one or two professors! Why him? You'd be better off learning from that bastard Mortum!"
'Shouldn't they be shocked about the Small World Magic first?'
Gainando stole a sugar cube from the Black Mages' tea set and pondered.
He'd expected them to gasp, "What?! You're learning Small World Magic?!" but their reaction was different than anticipated.
Of course, Small World Magic was something to learn—but why were they fixated on the fact that he was learning it from the Enchantment School first?
"What the hell has Mortum been doing, letting you learn Small World Magic from the Enchantment School?"
"That disgrace of a Black Mage! All he knows how to do is show off at gatherings!"
The elder Black Mages were furious, cursing the absent Black Magic professor.
The intensity of their outrage caught Lee Han off guard, and he hastily clarified.
"It just happened that way. And it's not like Professor Mortum hasn't been teaching me Black Magic."
"Tell us what you know about Black Magic Small World techniques. Now!"
The Descendants of Ahrag pressed relentlessly, their eyes burning with the desire to find fault with Professor Mortum's reputation.
"Pe... Pentagrammaton?"
"Pentagrammaton?"
Diret's mastered Black Magic Small World technique, the Pentagrammaton.
At the mention of this Small World Magic, the descendants' aggression eased slightly.
"Pentagrammaton... Not bad. Well, I wouldn't give it full marks..."
"For Professor Mortum, it's a decent choice. Not perfect, but acceptable."
"Given your Wardanaz lineage, subduing demons would be far easier. So, how far has Mortum taught you?"
Lee Han broke into a cold sweat.
Beside him, Gainando, who had been chewing on a sugar cube, tilted his head and asked,
"Wait, wasn't it Senior Diret who taught you? I don't think the professor would have taught you that."
"I knew it! That incompetent fool only knows how to brag about his students!"
Lee Han sighed.
Why was Gainando so perceptive at the worst possible times?