Episode 13
Episode 13
"Wardanaz..."
"No, I came to school to learn magic."
Lee Han found himself making excuses without realizing it. The look in Ashan's eyes as he stared at him was filled with betrayal.
"Well... I did come to learn magic."
"And think about it. Do you really think the headmaster would be persuaded just because the two of us tried to convince him?"
"That... is also true."
Ashan conceded.
Even to Ashan, the idea of successfully persuading the Lich headmaster seemed highly unlikely.
"Personally, I think there's a 95% chance of failure."
"The fact that there's even a 5% chance of success is more surprising..."
At any rate, once Ashan seemed convinced, Lee Han focused on reading the paper describing the <Lesser Manipulation> spell.
The key elements for casting magic were willpower, incantation, and movement.
-Recommended incantations for <Lesser Manipulation>: Move, Move forth, Control...
"Move forth. Move forth. Hmm. Like this?"
Lee Han picked an incantation that felt natural to say and then attempted the accompanying motion.
It was a simple flick of the wand in a clockwise motion, but each time, the mana gathered differently.
'Magic really... is anything but easy.'
Lee Han was struck anew by just how difficult the study of magic was.
Even the simplest spells required intense concentration and practice to master.
You had to focus your willpower, burning with the single-minded intent to cast the spell, recite the incantation to amplify the mana, and at the same time, precisely direct the gathered mana without the slightest error.
It felt like trying to ride a unicycle while simultaneously spinning plates with both hands.
"Wardanaz. Didn't Professor Kim tell us not to practice magic outside the classroom?"
"But the headmaster told us to. The headmaster outranks her."
"I suppose..."
Ashan conceded once again.
Of course, conceding didn't suddenly make his mana reserves appear out of nowhere.
After about four attempts, Ashan staggered and collapsed sideways.
"Ugh... Sorry, Wardanaz. I suddenly feel dizzy... Ugh."
"It happens. Just lie down."
Regardless, Lee Han immersed himself in practicing <Lesser Manipulation>.
"Move forth, move forth, move forth, move forth!"
He felt the mana gathered at the tip of his wand pop and shoot forward.
The target was a quill.
The quill twitched and trembled slightly when struck by the magic.
'There must be something wrong with the movement.'
Lee Han's weapon was his overwhelming mana reserves.
While others would tire after a few incantations and need to rest, Lee Han could practice relentlessly without pause.
Tap—
He even placed a mirror in front of himself and began reciting the incantation again, wanting to visually check the differences in his movements.
'Should I swing a little less here? Let me try swinging a bit less. That seems a little better. Next, is it this way?'
"Wardanaz. Are you sure you're okay?"
Ashan, still lying down, groaned and asked. Lee Han nodded.
"As expected of the Wardanaz family... Ugh. I'm so dizzy I can't even think straight..."
"Move forth!"
In that instant, Lee Han felt his consciousness synchronize with the quill.
It was as if a third hand had stretched out and grasped the feather.
The quill, which had only twitched or trembled before, now gently floated upward.
Now, all he had to do was focus on controlling it.
'Slowly, don't rush...'
Bang! A small firework-like sound popped, and the quill shot forward like a dart.
Then it flew straight out the open window.
"......"
"Wh... What did you just do?"
"...Did the quill just fly away??"
"Tha... That's amazing, Wardanaz!? Did you succeed in casting the spell?!"
"No, I wouldn't call that a success yet."
<Lesser Manipulation> was a 1st Circle Telekinesis-type spell, designed to delicately manipulate small, lightweight objects.
...Lee Han still didn't know much about magic, but launching a quill like a projectile was definitely not a success.
'There are two hurdles I need to overcome with this spell.'
<Lesser Manipulation> wasn't a spell that simply ended after successfully casting the incantation with precise movements.
You then had to maintain focus to control the object.
Lee Han had succeeded in the first part but hadn't yet mastered the second.
'But it should be fine. Since the incantation worked, the actual control shouldn't be that difficult.'
Bang!
Bang!
Bangbangbangbangbangbang!
"......"
Ashan Dalkard stared at Lee Han with a horrified expression.
The feather quill had flown and embedded itself in the wall beside them.
"Wo... Wardanaz..."
"...My apologies."
Lee Han immediately regretted his earlier confidence.
Surprisingly, fine control proved utterly impossible.
The moment he even thought about moving it slightly, the feather quill would shoot off like an arrow.
Almost at the level of muscle memory!
'Surely... surely it's not because of my mana.'
Lee Han recalled what Professor Garcia Kim had told him.
Due to having vastly, vastly more mana than ordinary people, there might be some inconveniences when casting spells...
'Let me try just once more.'
Click-
Well, did you write diligently today? You can rejoice! I'll magically complete the rest for you.
The door opened, and the Lich headmaster appeared.
Ping!
And the feather quill Lee Han had launched flew straight toward the Lich headmaster's forehead.
"Wardanaz...!"
In that moment, Lee Han became a hero in Ashan Dalkard's eyes.
A freshman sniping the headmaster?
That was just too cool!
Astonishingly, the Lich headmaster didn't get angry.
You found it much faster than expected. I'll admit you have a slightly decent iron skull.
"Ah! Does that mean we don't have to do this meaningless note-taking from now on?"
No. If you lot fail to learn magic, you'll keep wasting time meaninglessly.
Ashan Dalkard glared at the headmaster, who grinned as if greatly amused.
Lee Han cautiously asked:
"Most respected Headmaster!"
Ah, I hear the sweet sound of flattery. What is it?
"Might I ask for some advice on the knack of control?"
From what I saw earlier, it seems you succeeded in the incantation itself. Is the control difficult?
"Yes."
Many novice mages struggle with that.
"Ah, is that so?"
Lee Han felt relieved.
He had thought it was because of his excessive mana, but apparently, it was something all beginners experienced when first learning magic.
Haha! That's a lie!
"......"
The incantation is hard, but control usually comes after one or two tries. There's hardly anyone who sends things flying like arrows like you do. What can I say? You'll just have to work hard and figure it out yourself.
'He's the headmaster. He's the headmaster. He's the headmaster...'
Lee Han struggled to keep his expression neutral. The Lich headmaster looked quite disappointed.
Ashan Dalkard found it amusing how younger students would flare up when needled, but this Wardanaz brat had the patience of an old man inside him—far from ordinary.
Still, no need to be too scared. Magic improves the more you use it. Go eat lunch now!
Since they had been held back until lunchtime after the morning lecture, all the other freshmen had already left for other classes or to explore.
Ashan Dalkard, still not fully recovered, left to rest in the infirmary.
'I should get some lunch too.'
Though lunch was just hard black bread and cold rice balls, Lee Han was still better off than most—he had some smoked meat left from his last hunt.
'I should look for some vegetables or fruit outside...'
At first, he hadn't been sure, but now he seriously wondered if the headmaster had prepared things this way on purpose.
Wouldn't the sharper students already be out scavenging for food?
"...Wardanaz."
"?"
Hearing his name, Lee Han turned his head.
Long, shimmering silver hair and a cold impression that made one flinch upon meeting his gaze.
Princess Adenart stood at the end of the hallway.
"What is it?"
Instead of answering, Adenart pointed at the paper she was holding with her finger.
"...Ah!"
Lee Han realized why the Princess had called him.
Due to the bond formed when he helped her during the last alchemy class, he had asked the Princess—who had far wider connections than him—for a favor.
'Right, I asked her to find me some useful lectures.'
At Einrogard, first-year students had to find and enroll in elective courses on their own, aside from the mandatory ones.
But for freshmen to figure that out on their own was like trying to pluck stars from the sky.
Since they couldn't even meet with second-years, exchanging information among freshmen was essential.
The Princess, with her characteristic blunt expression, held out the paper.
"Thank you. ...Huh?"
Lee Han, who had happily taken the paper and started reading, suddenly paused.
-Popular Lecture List-
<Understanding Basic Alchemy>
<Basic Imperial Linguistics>
<Basic Dance and Etiquette>
...
First of all, the fact that 'Understanding Alchemy' was on the list was suspicious, and the other lecture names were also different from what Lee Han had imagined.
And it said 'popular,' not 'easy to get good grades in'?
"Uh, Your Highness?"
"?"
"What exactly does 'popular lecture' mean?"
"??"
The Princess seemed momentarily flustered, her expression faltering slightly as she raised an eyebrow.
Lee Han felt the need to explain further.
"Your Highness. What I asked for were lectures where it's easy to get good grades, not popular ones. In fact, unpopular lectures would be even easier to score well in."
Being a prepared student, Lee Han wasn't swayed by popularity or rumors.
Popular lectures → Talented students flock there, making it hard to get good grades.
Unpopular lectures → Fewer competitors, making it easier to get good grades.
Of course, the Princess didn't agree with Lee Han's unique theory.
"......"
Adenart stared at Lee Han as if she couldn't believe what she was hearing.
He was really looking for lectures where he could coast by?
She couldn't understand why someone from the Wardanaz family would seek out such lectures.
Unknowingly, Adenart felt disappointed.
Back during the alchemy class, Lee Han had seemed the very picture of nobility...
Rustle—
Adenart handed him another paper.
While organizing things, she had jotted down a list of unpopular lectures—ones she had noted to avoid.
-Unpopular Lecture List-
<Basic Swordsmanship>
<Basic Physical Training>
<Repetitive Training in Basic Magic Combat>
...
'Ooh.'
Lee Han was impressed by the list.
It already reeked of the scent of unpopular lectures.
First, swordsmanship.
Not many people came to a magic school to learn swordsmanship from scratch.
Who would bother learning swordsmanship when even mastering magic left little time to spare?
Physical training was similar. With magic already eating up their schedules, no one would waste effort on something as unnecessary as physical exertion.
No wonder mages were mocked for being frail.
<Repetitive Training in Basic Magic Combat> was bound to be unpopular too.
Learning magic was about grasping great truths and changing the world, not about fighting well.
If they wanted that, they should've joined a knight order or a swordsmanship guild.
While each student here had their own dreams and goals, none had entered with the ambition of becoming the best at magical combat.
The most important thing was learning magic—applying it in battle was hardly a priority.
'But who cares?'
Of course, Lee Han paid no attention to such perceptions.
Swordsmanship and physical training were areas he was already confident in—he had trained steadily under Alarong even before entering the magic school.
And the same went for repetitive magic combat training.
Learning how to fight with magic couldn't hurt.
It just meant one more way to protect his own life.
And on top of that, he could easily earn credits in low-competition lectures...
"Thank you, Your Highness."
"......"
Instead of answering, Adenart gave a slight nod, her face expressionless.
A faint trace of disappointment and disdain lingered in her expression, but Lee Han, focused on the lectures, didn't notice.
"Then I'll see you next time!"
Lee Han turned and walked away. The Princess opened her mouth as if to say something but let out a small sigh and turned away instead.