Episode 191
Episode 191
Faced with the fiercest glare he'd seen from the White Tiger Tower students all day, Lee Han realized he needed to provide a more detailed explanation.
"You might wonder why an enchantment being too powerful is a problem. But this is actually more serious than you think."
Truthfully, enchantments on inanimate objects weren't particularly dangerous even when the magic was too strong.
Even if it failed due to excessive mana, there were rarely any major risks or side effects.
At worst, the object might just get destroyed—that was usually the extent of it.
And since longer durations or stronger effects weren't major issues either...
But other types of magic were far more dangerous.
Just think—why was Lee Han so cautious with fire elemental magic?
Because if he lost control of his mana even for a moment while casting, he could end up unleashing a wide-area flame spell on his surroundings.
"See? Drawing out too much mana is dangerous."
"...R-right."
"But I don't see how that's our problem."
'These heartless bastards.'
Lee Han grumbled inwardly.
To act like that just because it wasn't their problem—typical of those from knightly families. They were so rude.
"Anyway, thanks. Wardanaz."
"Seems like it's working out thanks to you."
Once the extra lesson ended, the White Tiger Tower students expressed their gratitude.
It wasn't just courtesy—they were genuinely seeing results.
There were no perfect successes, but even 70-80% effectiveness was more than enough.
At that level, they could cast it on cloaks or coats to block the cold...
The gathered students couldn't help but wonder internally:
'But how the hell did they succeed?'
Lee Han was also thinking to himself:
'Weird. How the hell did these guys learn it?'
Both Lee Han and the White Tiger Tower students were realizing something.
That Lee Han's teaching wasn't actually helping much!
Lee Han, for his part, thought, 'Why the hell can't they just flick and move like this when it's so easy?' Meanwhile, the White Tiger Tower students were thinking, 'How the hell is this crazy bastard moving mana so freely like that?'
Yet, by the time the extra lesson was wrapping up, a few students had succeeded.
Why, though?
"Maybe they didn't want to lose to that Wardanaz kid?"
"No way it's that simpl—...Actually, it might be."
The White Tiger Tower students whispered among themselves.
"Alright. Looks like we're done. Everyone, keep practicing your magic diligently."
"Got it."
"An hour a day should be enough, right?"
One student spoke without much thought, prompting Lee Han to stare at them as if they'd just spouted nonsense.
"An hour of practice a day? What kind of ridiculous nonsense is that?"
"...T-two hours?"
"Two hours of practice a day? What kind of ridiculous nonsense is that?"
"......"
'Is this guy insane?'
The White Tiger Tower students felt chills run down their spines.
No wonder he was from the Wardanaz family!
'Isn't two hours a day plenty?'
"Those who think 'isn't that plenty?' will never improve."
"!"
The White Tiger Tower student whose thoughts had been read was horrified.
"Anyway, that's for you all to figure out..."
Lee Han set down the chest he'd brought from the tower.
Thud!
"I brought fabric so you can prepare for the cold."
"Thanks, Wardanaz."
A White Tiger Tower student reached for the chest, only for Lee Han to coldly smack their hand away.
"?!"
"Nothing's free. Bring something to trade."
"......"
So he wasn't just giving it to them?
"We don't have money."
"Barter's fine. Food, tools, artifacts—anything of value works."
"We don't have that kind of stuff..."
Lee Han looked at them with a gaze full of disdain.
Coming from knightly families, this was the first time any of them had ever been on the receiving end of such a look.
A sense of humiliation they'd never felt before wrapped around the White Tiger Tower students.
"W-wait! What about credit? We heard from those Black Turtle Tower bastards that you give credit too!"
"You expect me to trust you with credit?"
Lee Han spoke as if their suggestion was utterly ridiculous.
"We'll swear on our family's honor!"
Anglaw declared firmly, but Lee Han remained skeptical.
'If I go to their families to collect payment, they'll probably attack me.'
As Lee Han was about to refuse, he noticed Durgyu desperately gesturing behind them.
-Please just accept it!
Despite appearances, Anglaw had tremendous pride as a knight.
If Richmond from Black Turtle Tower got a promise sworn on family honor but Anglaw didn't...
He'd probably spend days sobbing in his room.
"...Fine. I accept."
"Phew!"
Anglaw unknowingly let out a sigh of relief.
Truthfully, he'd been slightly worried Lee Han might refuse.
'I'll have to take Durgyu with me when I go collect from that bastard's family later.'
Perhaps the heavens took pity on Lee Han, who'd spent the entire morning helping his friends, as the blizzard began to ease by afternoon.
Professor Lightning Step appeared in thicker-than-usual clothing, clicking his tongue sympathetically at the shivering students.
"To think you ended up in a magic school like this..."
"......"
"......"
"Enough. Originally, I planned to teach advanced horseback riding techniques today, but..."
Clank!
Professor Lightning Step opened the stable doors. Out crawled a lizard large enough to carry four or five people, its leather-colored hide nearly indistinguishable from the piled snow.
"Snow lizards. Anyone familiar?"
Nilia and several others from cold regions raised their hands. The professor nodded.
"Quite famous in cold regions."
Snow lizards.
Cold-resistant monsters often used as mounts in frigid areas due to their uniquely tenacious stamina.
Of course, they weren't without flaws.
"They're rare, hard to find, and above all, have nasty temperaments making them difficult to tame... but worth the effort once tamed. Today's lesson is befriending them. Group by towers."
As students divided by towers, the professor released three more snow lizards.
"I'll lend them until the snow stops. Try to befriend them."
"!"
Students gasped in surprise. Professor Lightning Step awkwardly rubbed his nose.
"Don't thank me too much. This much is natural for one's students."
'They don't look particularly thankful.'
Lee Han thought privately.
His friends' expressions showed bewilderment and panic, not gratitude.
Even the most seasoned northern hunters would say, "You're lending such precious creatures?" while students could only think, "Couldn't you just give us the hides instead of lending these vicious monsters?"
"Wardanaz. Wardanaz."
"What?"
"I never thought I'd see such rare monsters. Isn't the professor amazing?!"
Nilia whispered obliviously. Lee Han nodded in agreement.
"I understand the sentiment, but maybe don't show it too openly in front of others."
Blue Dragon Tower students surrounded a snow lizard.
The lizard rolled its eyes, surveying its surroundings, then immediately launched snowballs when students approached.
Thwack!
"Ow! You little—!"
Gainando, who'd just been released from punishment, grew furious after getting hit.
"I'll curse—"
"Stop, Gainando! We're supposed to tame it!"
"Do you know how useful these things are?!"
Ashan scolded Gainando.
If what I read in the book is true, the snow gecko will be of great help in overcoming this climate crisis.
With its sturdy physique, a body large enough to carry several students effortlessly, and the ability to sense prey hidden in the snow, among other traits.
"Don't approach recklessly—befriend it first!"
At Professor Lightning Step's shout, the students tried various methods.
Offering its favorite food (Gainando, who had his bloody meat snatched away, teared up), crouching low and pretending to be a lizard (Ashan tried this only to get hit in the face with a snowball), and so on.
"Wardanaz. Why don't you give it a try?"
"Me?"
Lee Han hesitated.
Normally, he would have agreed to his friends' request, but...
'I don't think I'll get a good reaction.'
Just like when he wandered the snowy mountains before, Lee Han fundamentally lacked talent in befriending living creatures.
That's why he had been deliberately keeping his distance even now...
'If I approach, won't it just get scared and run away?'
Running away would be one thing, but if it went berserk, it would be a disaster. Clicking his tongue, Lee Han spoke up.
"Fine. But everyone needs to form a perimeter and surround it."
"...!"
"What... what are you planning? You're not thinking of killing it, are you?"
Shyles, a centaur student from the Richmond Family in the Black Turtle Tower, took great pride in his family.
Naturally, he also took pride in the techniques passed down through his lineage.
Running a carriage transport business across the vast empire required more than just skill with horses. One had to know how to handle all kinds of monsters according to terrain and environment.
'This is my chance.'
Shyles considered this lesson on taming the snow gecko a stroke of luck.
Though he hadn't stood out much in the mount training classes so far, in truth, it was Shyles who should have been showcasing the best performance.
"Alright. Follow my lead, everyone! I've tamed a snow gecko before!"
"Really!?"
"Yeah, Nilia! Have you ever done it too? If so, you can help—"
"I've caught one before, but..."
"...Alright, follow my lead, everyone!"
Shyles enthusiastically instructed his peers.
The first step to befriending a snow gecko.
It was mimicking the snow gecko's behavior.
Students from other towers had tried it once or twice and failed, but that was because their attempts were half-hearted and lacked sincerity.
"You have to copy it with your whole heart! You must truly believe you've become a snow gecko! Hold snow in your mouth!"
"D-do we really have to go this far?"
"Who dares complain when Shyles is helping us like this?!"
Perhaps sensing Shyles' sincerity, Salko scolded the others and followed his lead more diligently than anyone.
The Black Turtle Tower students all crawled on all fours, rolling around in the snow.
Even Professor Lightning Step was impressed.
'There was a clever one among them.'
At first glance, it looked ridiculous, but this was the proper method.
To become a great explorer, one had to understand and master the countless varieties of monsters.
"Spit out the snow! Flick your tongues!"
Gulp. Gulp.
"It worked! It's accepted us! Now we can get closer!"
The Black Turtle Tower students erupted in cheers.
Watching them, Professor Lightning Step smiled.
Progress was faster than expected—all thanks to their sincere and earnest efforts.
'Now, what are the others up to...'
The Phoenix Tower students had managed to befriend the gecko somewhat, but they seemed to have underestimated it. The snow gecko was playfully flicking snow at them with its tail.
The White Tiger Tower students were locked in a battle of wills with the gecko...
And the Blue Dragon Tower?
"It's a miracle! Wardanaz befriended the snow gecko!"
"Professor! The snow gecko has accepted Wardanaz! Look over here!"
The Blue Dragon Tower students cheered and called for Professor Lightning Step.
'They befriended it already? That's too fast.'
Surprised, the professor turned to look at the snow gecko.
The gecko's eyes rolled wildly as it trembled uncontrollably beside Lee Han, frozen in place.
"...That's not befriending!"