Episode 202
Episode 202
It was quite rare for a student to receive such an evaluation from their first year at the Magic School.
The Magic School was actually more liberal than one might think.
Even if a student left mid-year to inherit their family's legacy or pursued a field unrelated to the magic they'd learned, no one batted an eye.
That's precisely why an evaluation like "a core talent who will shoulder the Magic School's future" was truly extraordinary.
A talent who would remain at the Magic School after graduation, joining the Empire's greatest minds to pioneer the vast, uncharted discipline of magic!
There was no greater honor for a mage.
If Professor Logine had received such an evaluation back in his day, he wouldn't have become a bureaucrat—he'd have stayed a mage.
'I should remember this moment well. I might be witnessing the early days of a future Grand Archmage.'
Unlike Professor Alpen Niten, a former high-ranking imperial official who saw it as his mission to nurture students into mages, Professor Logine—summoned here in haste—had no such sense of duty.
He'd been paid in gold, so he'd do his job—nothing more!
Naturally, he had no intention of pushing students to their limits like other professors.
If these students rose to prominence later, he might cross paths with them again—why make enemies for no reason?
Holding grudges was just foolish.
Teach diligently, encourage earnestly, offer advice on their worries...
Even if they just came back later to say, "Thank you for that time, Professor," that alone would be rewarding.
Of course, the boy from the Wardanaz family—who had just flawlessly pinpointed errors in the contract right before his eyes—didn't seem the type to do even that.
He was already excelling on his own.
'Now I see why he gets so much praise.'
While other students hesitated and stumbled, Lee Han burned with intensity, reading through the material without pause.
His demeanor radiated passion.
Not just talent or cleverness, but a genuine zeal for learning and inquiry.
Wasn't it always true that those who enjoyed something the most became the strongest?
This boy clearly loved studying with all his heart.
"Well done. Everyone, applause!"
Bathed in applause, Lee Han swelled with pride.
It was the first time since entering the school that he'd felt such a strong sense of fulfillment from his studies.
'First, I'll leave a good impression bit by bit, then wait for the right moment to ask for advice—how to become a bureaucrat.'
'If I force a conversation with Wardanaz carelessly, other professors might misunderstand, so I'd better be careful.'
Though the Magic School was liberal, its professors weren't necessarily lenient.
Especially those who'd once been imperial bureaucrats were particularly sensitive.
-How dare an auditor step into my workshop...?
-No, since you've received His Majesty's gold coins, isn't it only natural they'd come to check how you're spending them?!
-They're probably scheming to lure my disciple into government service again! Absolutely unforgivable!
-That happened exactly once, twenty-two years ago! And the student was already interested in government work to begin with!
-Shut up! You slave to corrupted gold. Don't you dare set foot in the pure Tower of Magic!
The moment a bureaucrat took even one beloved student into government service, they'd instantly become an enemy not just to that professor but to every mage they were on good terms with.
For life!
It was such a dirty, petty move that even bureaucrats avoided poaching professors' favorite students.
Naturally, Professor Logine, who hated causing trouble, had no intention of doing so either.
If taking one disciple caused an uproar, imagine the chaos if he took away a talent the entire Magic School had high hopes for...
'Not that there's any chance of that happening in the first place!'
Why would a boy who loved academics so much ever take an interest in government work?
The other professors at the Magic School had nothing to worry about.
"Lee Han. You look happy."
"Do I?"
Friday.
Students gathered for swordsmanship class.
Durgyu noticed Lee Han's expression was softer than usual.
Though the weekend was near, the other students' faces were gloomy.
The cold spell showed no signs of letting up.
Dargyu too was feeling the cold seep into his very bones, his skin clinging to his back...
"I know the reason."
Angrago, who was passing by, answered instead.
"What is it?"
Lee Han was ready to smack Angrago if he spouted nonsense like 'Because Lee Han will soon step forward to solve this cold.'
Whether he was in a good mood or not, that was unforgivable.
"Looking forward to a snowball fight, aren't you?"
"...What?"
"Snowball fight."
Angrago pointed behind him.
Approaching with Professor Ingoldel were students from the White Tiger Tower, clutching snowballs in both hands.
"...Professor. Is today's lecture by any chance—"
"Yes. A snowball fight."
"......"
Lee Han was speechless.
A snowball fight? Really?
But Professor Ingoldel was dead serious.
"Learning to deal with projectiles flying at you from a distance is crucial in combat. Especially in group battles, it's even more important."
"O-oh, I see..."
Lee Han conceded.
That was undeniably true. Attacks on the battlefield didn't just come head-on. A rock flying from your blind spot was far more dangerous than a knight charging at you frontally.
Though, watching the White Tiger Tower students gleefully pelting each other with snowballs behind them, he couldn't help but think, 'Isn't this just because you like snowball fights?'
'Wait.'
Lee Han sensed something ominous.
The White Tiger Tower students were whispering among themselves, clutching snowballs while staring straight at Lee Han.
Their intentions were painfully obvious.
'These bastards...'
Lee Han immediately drew his staff.
If he froze a Water Orb and hurled it, it wouldn't be much different from a snowball.
"Hold on, Wardanaz. No magic. Using magic would make this too easy."
"But... Professor. I'm not that skilled with magic."
Just like during the midterm exam, Lee Han was once again barred from using magic. He put on his most aggrieved expression to plead his case.
But Professor Ingoldel wasn't having any of it.
The White Tiger Tower students behind him glared as if they couldn't believe what they were hearing.
'If Wardanaz isn't skilled with magic, then what are we, slugs?'
'Does this bastard really think that kind of lie would work?'
"Still, no. This is a swordsmanship lecture. Learn to fight without relying on magic."
"Yes. Understood."
Lee Han outwardly complied, but his inner thoughts were different.
'I'll crush them the moment the professor isn't looking.'
Professor Bolladi hadn't emphasized the importance of speed in magical combat for nothing.
Clearly, she'd taught him to strike fast and hard precisely for situations like this.
"Oh, and I've brought a gift for the students."
"Huh?"
At Professor Ingoldel's words, the students tilted their heads in confusion.
What kind of gift?
-■■■■...
The ferocious Enhanced Pig they'd encountered in Professor Thunderstep's Alchemy class.
The pig was tied to a tree.
"I'll give it as a prize to the winning team of today's snowball fight."
"Th-thank you."
Objectively speaking, the pig was indeed a good gift under the current circumstances.
There wasn't a single part of a pig that went to waste.
The meat, of course, but even the lard had many uses in the cold.
'But where did he even get that?'
"Well then, good luck."
Giselle Moradi, the golden-haired White Tiger Tower student, smirked at Lee Han, one corner of her mouth curling up.
It was an infuriatingly smug smile that betrayed her thoughts.
With a legal opportunity to pelt snowballs at Lee Han's face, how could she not be delighted?
"Professor. Moradi and her friends are conspiring to bully me."
Lee Han immediately countered.
Caught off guard, Giselle stared at Lee Han in shock.
'That damn bastard...'
While those from knightly families were too proud to tattle, Lee Han had no qualms about doing so in less than a second.
"It must be a misunderstanding."
"It's not, Professor."
"I said it's a misunderstanding."
"??"
Lee Han was baffled when Professor Ingoldel remained unmoved.
What the hell?
Professor Ingoldel wasn't some rigid, inflexible person. He hadn't expected him to outright ignore his complaint.
...Could it be that Lee Han's schemes had been exposed?
"Lee Han."
Durgyu called out to him in a low voice from beside him.
"Why are you calling me?"
"You, Moradi, and I... we're in the same team."
"......"
"......"
Both Lee Han and Giselle stared at each other with expressions of shock.
That's right...!
Thudthudthudthudthud!
"Does Moradi not have any friends or something?"
As a barrage of snowballs came flying at him like crazy, Lee Han asked with a puzzled expression.
Right now, Lee Han, Giselle, and Durgyu were running desperately.
No matter how skilled the three of them were in class, there was no answer to sheer numbers.
With all the other students united and throwing snowballs at them, they couldn't possibly face them head-on. The three were currently in retreat.
"It's not that Moradi doesn't have friends, Lee Han. It's because the three of us are the top contenders to win, so everyone's trying to take us out first—"
"Choi. Don't even bother responding to such nonsense."
Giselle sharply cut him off.
She had planned to just ignore it and move on, but because of Durgyu!
Whackwhackwhackwhack!
"I see. I just wondered since they were coming at us so hard."
"Have you even considered the grudges you've accumulated?"
"Honestly, hasn't it been long enough for them to forget? What do you think, Durgyu?"
"......"
"......"
Giselle and Durgyu fell silent.
Not because they were convinced, but because they had nothing to say.
'It doesn't seem like they've forgotten, considering how much they've been hit...'
"Wardanaz, die!"
It seemed some students had tried to ambush them by circling around the hill path the three were climbing.
Students leaped out from behind the trees.
Lee Han deftly dodged the magic—no, the snowballs—and hurled the snow he was holding.
Thwack!
"Wait. Durgyu. Isn't it over if you get hit once?"
Lee Han paused when he saw a student, despite being hit, refusing to give up and gathering more snow.
"No? It's not over until they declare surrender."
"......"
The rules were more primitive and brutal than he'd thought.
'More importantly, this puts us at a huge disadvantage.'
If it ended after just one hit, that would be one thing, but if it kept going like this with no end in sight, the three of them were at a severe disadvantage.
A student from the White Tiger Tower, hiding behind a tree, shouted.
"Wardanaz!!"
"I'm listening."
"Today, I swear I'll take you down!"
"Does it have to be today, of all days?"
"If I miss today, there won't be another chance!"
'That guy is single-handedly ruining the White Tiger Tower's reputation.'
Giselle thought to herself.
Of course, Giselle also believed that, unless it was a day like today when Lee Han's magic was sealed, beating him would be difficult. But admitting that out loud was another matter.
"Should we just surrender?"
"N-no. That's a bit... Lee Han. We should at least try a little longer."
"Everyone's targeting us. Holding out recklessly would just be a loss."
The sound of footsteps creeping up from behind reached his ears. Lee Han leaned over a rock and hurled a snowball.
Smack!
The approaching White Tiger Tower student collapsed on the spot. Without stopping, Lee Han grabbed another prepared snowball and threw it.
"Ow! I surrender! I surrender! Wardanaz! That really hurts!"
"Huh? You barely got hit. Anyway, thanks."
"You put a rock in there, didn't you?!"
"I didn't."
Lee Han broke apart the snowball he was holding. There was definitely no rock inside.
Using tricks like hiding rocks was too obvious and easily detectable as cheating.
The red-faced White Tiger Tower student tilted his head in confusion.
'What the...? It really hurt, though.'
It hadn't felt like a soft snowball—there had been a hard, weighty impact.
"You really didn't put a rock in there? Be honest."
Giselle whispered in disbelief. For someone who hadn't used a rock, the opponent had surrendered way too easily.
"I told you, I didn't. Do you think I'd use such an obvious trick—"
Whoosh!
Lee Han threw another snowball at an approaching student. Given the distance, he unconsciously used mana.
His experience of throwing orbs at full strength under Professor Voladi had been incredibly useful.
That experience had left its mark, helping him with mana control.
Crackle—
"...?"
At that moment, Lee Han distinctly felt it.
The snowball in his hand freezing solid with cold energy just before it was thrown!