Episode 150
Episode 150
"I see."
"?!"
A White Tiger Tower student was shocked by Lee Han's expressionless reaction.
Shouldn't he be more surprised?
"You're not surprised by that?"
"Not particularly."
Lee Han replied coolly.
Honestly, this level of challenge probably counted as one of the easier hidden treasures.
A roaring bonfire.
Even from the outside, it was easy to tell how dangerous it was.
The truly dangerous traps were the ones whose threats remained unknown until you reached the treasure chest.
Lee Han still hadn't forgotten how the Skeleton Principal made them cross a lake only to dig traps beneath the sandbank.
"Tutanta."
"Wardanaz."
Lee Han greeted the muscular, short dwarf—no, elf.
It seemed Salko and his gang were also eyeing that treasure chest.
The White Tiger Tower students crossed their arms and glared, clearly unwilling to back down easily.
No one had claimed it yet. The tension was palpable.
'No students from the Blue Dragon Tower?'
He spotted Neblen of the Kirak family, one of the Princess's followers.
Lee Han asked Neblen:
"Where'd the kids from our tower go?"
"They left, saying it'd be better to look for something else than get stuck in the middle of this..."
"And you?"
"I was thinking if there was a way to offer this to Her Highness."
'These royals live way too comfortably.'
Feeling petty, Lee Han spoke seriously:
"Neblen. The Princess wouldn't want you to offer that to her. Why? Because treasures only hold value when obtained through one's own strength."
"R-Really?"
Among the Blue Dragon Tower students, few could withstand Lee Han's serious tone.
Moreover, since Lee Han was the closest to the Princess among them, Neblen wavered, tempted by his words.
"Look at Prince Gainando. He tries to obtain everything through his own power."
"But Prince Gainando never had anyone giving him anything in the first—"
"A royal's dignity isn't completed by mere inherited blood. It's completed through one's actions. So, Neblen. Do you truly respect the Princess?"
"I... I see... You're right."
"Good. Don't offer anything—live your own life."
As Neblen left with an impressed expression, someone started clapping.
Salko and his gang were applauding with deeply moved expressions.
"...Stop it."
"Why? Others should hear this too..."
If left unchecked, Salko would probably grab random passersby, saying, "Hey, Wardanaz is about to give you an amazing speech," and drag them over.
Lee Han swiftly changed the subject.
"So, about that bonfire... Has anyone tried putting it out?"
"Wardanaz. Aren't you underestimating us too much?"
A White Tiger Tower student grumbled.
Since it had been a month since they entered the magic school, everyone could use magic to some extent.
Of course, none could match freaks like Wardanaz, who had grasped the secrets of ancient magic and mastered all sorts of sinister spells even before enrollment...
"Of course we tried. Watch."
A White Tiger Tower student summoned water.
A fist-sized mass of water splashed onto the bonfire—only to evaporate instantly.
Salko nodded.
"We tried earth too."
True to his stonemason origins, Salko was already famous for his earth elemental magic.
If even Salko's earth-based fire suppression failed, this fire had to be stubborn.
"You failed too? Must be a fire enchanted with tricky magic."
"Hey—!"
The White Tiger Tower student was furious.
You ignore my attempt but believe him just because he's an elf?!
'How many spells are layered on this?'
Ignoring the commotion, Lee Han stepped closer to the bonfire.
Within the raging flames, he sensed the intricate, tangled flow of mana.
'First, they must have cast a spell to keep the flames from going out...'
"Move!"
Lee Han swung his staff.
As expected, there were defenses against magical removal too—the spell itself wouldn't take effect.
"Looks like we'll have to go in directly."
"......"
"As expected..."
At Lee Han's words, the students from the other towers sighed as if they'd already steeled themselves.
Truthfully, they'd had some inkling of this even before Lee Han arrived.
-This... don't we have to go in and get it ourselves?
Unquenchable flames and an unmoving treasure chest.
There was only one thing that could mean.
Go in and retrieve it yourself!
"Isn't this practically telling us to burn to death?"
"Using his own undead like this is really too much."
Watching the murmuring students, Lee Han spoke up.
"I have learned a spell that grants fire resistance."
"As expected..."
Salko nodded expressionlessly. One of his lackeys asked in surprise.
"Salko. Did you know? You're not surprised by this?"
"I was just being surprised right now."
"O-oh, I see."
At Lee Han's words, the White Tiger Tower students huddled together to discuss among themselves.
-Wardanaz knows how to cast fire resistance...
-Who's going in?
-Isn't it still a bit dangerous?
-Wardanaz isn't the type to lie about magic. We can't let those Black Turtle Tower guys go in first.
-Alright. I'll go in.
One of Salko's lackeys tilted his head as he listened to the conversation.
'White Tiger Tower guys... Is no one else feeling weird about Wardanaz casually claiming he can cast fire resistance spells?'
As far as he knew, casting fire resistance—not on yourself but on others—was a whole other level of difficulty.
This wasn't the kind of spell a freshman would casually say, "Oh, I can do that."
"Wardanaz! We're ready. Cast the spell!"
"But... do you really trust me enough to walk into the flames?"
Lee Han asked, sounding genuinely puzzled.
The White Tiger Tower students fell silent, then exchanged glances.
"...We don't trust your character, but we trust your magic, Wardanaz."
"That's a bold thing to say to someone who's about to cast fire resistance on you."
The White Tiger Tower students' attitudes instantly became much more polite.
"No... Wardanaz... Why are you acting like this..."
"Just kidding. Wait a moment."
Before casting the spell on the White Tiger Tower students, Lee Han summoned a mass of water to try and reduce the flames, even if just a little.
"Spring forth!"
No matter how powerful the magic, continuous attacks would inevitably weaken it.
A massive water orb—far larger than what the other students had summoned—rose into the air.
'There's not a drop of water around here, and he summoned this much?!'
The other tower students stared at Lee Han's magic with awe.
It was easy to forget, seeing him always beating people with water orbs, but the boy before them wasn't just skilled in magical combat.
He was a masterpiece raised by the Wardanaz family, who pursued the secrets of all magic!
Splash! Splash! Splash!
Lee Han kept summoning and throwing water masses onto the flames.
And then—the bonfire's flames simply went out.
'Huh?'
"......"
"...???"
"!"
Lee Han was the first to snap out of it.
Thud!
He quickly leaped onto the bonfire, grabbed the treasure chest, and bolted in the opposite direction.
His speed was so astonishing that even the White Tiger Tower students—from knightly families—were a step behind in reacting.
"Hey!! HEY!!! Wardanaz, you bastard!"
"Come back! Let's talk this over calmly!!"
Crossing his arms, Salko watched Lee Han's retreating figure and spoke to his gaping lackeys.
"I was right, wasn't I? Never make deals with the Wardanaz kid alone."
"Y-yeah... Got it, Salko."
Lee Han enhanced his body with <Gonadaltes' Agile Footsteps>, disrupted his pursuers' vision with <Pahait's Lesser Illusion>, and quickly shook them off.
'No one's following.'
After confirming there were no pursuers, Lee Han walked with the box tucked under his arm, wearing a satisfied expression.
"Professor Garcia!"
The moment Lee Han spotted the troll professor walking ahead, he already felt his heart grow warm and at ease.
It was a sense of security no other professor at this magic school could provide.
"Lee Han, my student?"
"Good afternoon."
"Isn't that... the treasure chest the Principal enchanted? Impressive that you managed to get it."
Professor Garcia roughly guessed the spells cast on the treasure chest just by its appearance—unquenchable flames, anti-control charms, and so on. It was the crystallization of sheer determination to torment freshmen.
"I put out the fire and brought it."
"?!"
"But Professor, I wanted to consult you about something."
"Wait... how in the... No, never mind. Very well."
Though he was burning with curiosity about how Lee Han had obtained the treasure chest, the boy wasn't the type to ask for help under normal circumstances. If he was seeking advice now, it must be something truly important.
"Let's hear what you have to say. Please, have a seat."
"...So Professor Vible Verdus keeps insisting I have no talent for Enchantment Magic, but personally, I think I could manage to learn it decently. If that's the case, I'd like to seriously study Enchantment Magic... That's why I came to seek your advice, Professor Garcia."
"......"
Professor Garcia lowered his fist beneath the table.
Then he gripped a small stone in his palm.
CRACK!
The stone turned to dust.
"Don't... pay too much attention to that bas—to Professor Verdus's words."
"Did you just say 'bastard'?"
"Professor Verdus is undoubtedly an outstanding mage, but he's rather indifferent when it comes to student education or assessing their capabilities."
"I had that impression."
Lee Han had already sensed it too.
Wasn't that why he'd come to ask Professor Garcia in the first place?
Honestly, it wasn't even surprising.
Now that he'd effectively admitted the magic school's poor teaching standards in front of a student, Professor Garcia cleared his throat awkwardly, as if embarrassed.
"Lee Han."
"Yes."
"You have talent in Enchantment Magic."
"!"
"Calling it mere talent would be an understatement—it's downright genius-level. Enchantment Magic suits you. You should pursue it."
<Azirmo Summoning Enchantment>—a spell that etches the illusion of a dragon made of light onto paper.
<Lesser Flame Resistance>—a spell that projects resistance to fire elements onto another world rather than oneself.
These weren't spells a first-year student, barely starting to learn Enchantment Magic, should have mastered.
'Perhaps the sheer volume of magical power Lee Han possesses is uniquely suited to Enchantment Magic...'
While an overwhelming amount of magical energy often caused frequent destruction and failures during enchantments, if accounted for, it became a tremendous advantage.
He could attempt endlessly without pause.
Effects that would normally require alternative methods could simply be brute-forced with raw magical power.
Even if there were structural or circulatory errors in the magic circle, he wouldn't need to worry about insufficient total magical energy.
Listing them out, every single one was a formidable strength.
These strengths, combined with Lee Han's innate magical talent, must have led to such results in Enchantment Magic.
"Thank you, Professor Garcia. That settles it for me. I'll study Enchantment Magic diligently."
Hearing Professor Garcia speak so emphatically, Lee Han resolved to commit to learning Enchantment Magic.
It was already the most lucrative field of study, so his interest was high to begin with. After hearing such praise, there was no reason not to pursue it.
'Even if the professor is a bit eccentric, all the professors at this magic school are eccentric anyway. If other seniors endured it, I can manage too.'
"Ah..."
Hearing Lee Han's words, Professor Garcia suddenly snapped back to attention.
Wait—just how many magic disciplines was Lee Han planning to specialize in now?