Episode 203
Episode 203
The idea of imbuing a weapon with mana might sound like evidence of an exceptional swordsman, but in reality, it wasn't that difficult.
Lee Han, Durgyu, and Giselle could all imbue their weapons with some degree of mana right away.
In fact, even two or three students from the White Tiger Tower, who were less skilled than the three, could probably manage it as well.
Considering they had trained diligently in swordsmanship for over a decade in knightly families and possessed the talent to enroll in Einrogard, it was only natural.
The real challenge lay in maintaining the mana stably within the weapon—momentarily imbuing it was relatively easy.
However, thrown weapons were a different story.
With a sword, one could circulate mana as if it were an extension of their body, maintaining the imbued mana steadily.
But thrown weapons, which left the wielder's hand the moment they were hurled, were far trickier.
Since the mana couldn't be recovered through circulation, the consumption was much higher, and the difficulty of control increased severalfold.
In other words...
"You used magic, didn't you?!"
"That's a misunderstanding."
The White Tiger Tower students, their noses bleeding, protested indignantly.
No matter how much one tried to give the benefit of the doubt, this crossed a line.
Imbuing a snowball with mana and throwing it?
Even being extremely generous, that might be plausible.
Just how much mana did he have to keep throwing them without tiring?!
But imbuing a snowball with ice-attribute mana and throwing it?
That was downright absurd.
The Wardanaz family wasn't even a knightly lineage specialized in thrown weapons—there was no way he could know such a secret technique.
Imbuing a thrown weapon with mana was already difficult, but adding elemental attributes on top of that was truly...
Unbelievable, not just for the White Tiger Tower students but even for seasoned knights.
"You did use magic! Look at how the snowball froze midair!"
"I just imbued it with mana, and it froze on its own."
"How does that make any sense?!"
The White Tiger Tower students were flabbergasted.
It would've been better if he'd just insisted, 'Actually, the Wardanaz family has secret techniques for thrown weapons.'
Claiming that the mana spontaneously gained an ice attribute without him doing anything was like saying he could cast Magic Missile without a wand just by waving his hand!
"Listen, everyone! Lee Han is telling the truth! He didn't use any magic!"
"Durgyu, you're being fooled again!"
"Durgyu, you can't be this gullible, man!"
"......"
Durgyu slumped back down in defeat. Giselle clicked her tongue and spoke up.
"He didn't use magic! I saw it."
"Moradi?!"
"Don't be fooled. Moradi's just taking his side because they're allies now."
'These damn bastards...'
Giselle cursed inwardly. Lee Han muttered sympathetically,
"Seems none of you are trusted by your friends."
"......"
"......"
For the first time, Durgyu and Giselle were in perfect agreement.
Just shut up already!
"What's going on here?"
Professor Ingoldel approached, looking puzzled.
Instead of throwing snowballs as instructed, the students were arguing, their noses bleeding.
"Professor! Wardanaz..."
A White Tiger Tower student, still bleeding from the nose, tearfully explained what had happened.
Giselle covered her face with her palm at the pitiful sight.
She had thought the White Tiger Tower couldn't be humiliated any further, but astonishingly, they managed to outdo themselves.
"Is that so?"
Professor Ingoldel was intrigued.
The White Tiger Tower students' testimony was surprising, and the current situation was equally baffling.
'There's no way a student like Wardanaz would do such a thing...'
Not because Lee Han was particularly pure or kind-hearted, but because a student of his caliber wouldn't use such an obvious trick that could easily be exposed.
Professor Ingoldel had some faith in his student, after all.
Sure enough, Lee Han declared confidently,
"Professor, you'll see if you check for yourself."
A short while later...
Having finished his inspection, Professor Ingoldel addressed the students.
"It's not magic."
"!?"
"W-wait, Professor! The snowball really did freeze solid! It's completely like a rock now!"
"Hmm... I'm not deeply versed in magical theory, but perhaps the current environment being saturated with frigid air has affected Wardanaz. He may have unconsciously imbued his mana with frost attributes."
At Professor Ingoldel's explanation, the students went "Ohhh" in understanding.
It was true that environmental conditions often influenced mages.
In an unnaturally extreme cold like this, it was entirely possible the frigid surroundings had temporarily affected Wardanaz's mana.
"Then how do we remove the frost attribute?"
"Should we set something on fire?"
"What nonsense are you spouting?"
Professor Ingoldel stared at the White Tiger Tower students with puzzled eyes.
"Huh? Uh... shouldn't we remove the frost attribute?"
"There's the purity of a snowball fight to consider, so shouldn't we...?"
Under the professor's gaze, the White Tiger Tower students began stammering.
An inexplicable sense of unease was creeping up on them.
Could it be...?
"Imbuing weapons with mana is a knight's technique. There's no reason to remove it. Everyone, continue."
"......"
"......"
The White Tiger Tower students' jaws dropped.
It was easy to forget since Professor Ingoldel prohibited magic, but he wasn't the type to pursue warm and cozy lectures.
He was someone who sought lessons as close to real combat as possible!
Thwack—
Lee Han, Durgyu, and Giselle peeked out from behind a boulder.
Each held frozen snowballs in both hands.
"Wai—!"
"Lee Han. How should we divide the boar?"
"Hmm... Rather than splitting it to take portions, it'd be better to serve it right where the students who attended the lecture are sitting."
Durgyu was surprised at Lee Han's words.
"Are you sure that's alright?"
"Yeah."
"Lee Han. Your nobility will move the hearts of your peers."
'Probably not.'
'Unlikely.'
Lee Han and Giselle thought to themselves.
A few pieces of meat wouldn't be enough to soothe...
The White Tiger Tower students had been pummeled far too thoroughly.
"You didn't apply enough ointment on your face."
"Your nose is bleeding again."
The White Tiger Tower students who came down from the mountain were in shambles—as if they'd been beaten black and blue.
Nosebleeds, bruises, clothes torn to rags...
Their pitiful state, huddled in small groups applying the ointment Professor Ingoldel had given them, was downright miserable.
So much so that even Lee Han gave up on taking the meat for himself and decided to serve it to them.
Durgyu and Giselle drew their daggers and began precisely carving the meat.
Those from knightly families generally had plenty of hunting experience, and even if they didn't, a month at Einrogard was enough to change that.
The two neatly gathered smaller cuts of meat, excluding the large portions like the loin and tenderloin, in one place. These were perfect for making sausages later.
"???"
While cutting the meat, Durgyu was startled to see Lee Han pull out a spice container from his pocket.
...Why was he carrying that around?
"What's wrong?"
"Ah, it's nothing."
Lee Han set up a pot and lit a fire. Thanks to the extreme cold, Fire Magic came easily.
Then he sliced off the fat and tossed it into the pot—to render it into lard.
Even after placing the pot over the fire, Lee Han didn't stop. He immediately began mixing the remaining meat with spices to make sausages.
Giselle, who usually refused to acknowledge Lee Han's skills, couldn't help but admit his efficiency now.
Lee Han handled miscellaneous tasks as well as the most experienced camping knight from any family.
...Though why a boy from a great noble family—not even a knightly one—was this skilled remained a mystery!
"Come and eat when you're ready."
"Huh?? Seriously?!"
'These brats have been staring holes into us this whole time.'
At first, the White Tiger Tower students had sat with sullen expressions, but as the work progressed, their stares grew increasingly intense—to the point of discomfort.
The meaning behind those gazes was unmistakable.
-Maybe... we could get some too?
Giselle let out a shallow sigh and shook her head.
To think they'd show their hand so transparently.
Today, the White Tiger Tower students were hitting rock bottom—no, even below that.
To reveal the lowest of the low...
"Well... shall we try a little then?"
"It'd be unknightly to refuse such sincerity, wouldn't it?"
Unlike usual, Lee Han stayed silent. He'd already thrown too many snowballs earlier.
Let's cut them some slack today!
Lee Han placed the crispy bits left from rendering fat onto the stiff, hardened black bread.
With so many students, filling their bellies with just meat wouldn't do any good.
This was when the rationed bread came in handy.
Few students ate the distributed bread as-is. Most tried to improve its taste or even used it as currency.
Naturally, Lee Han, ever the active trader, had stockpiled quite a bit of this bread.
'Slip it in to stretch their stomachs.'
Unaware of such sinister intentions, the White Tiger Tower students rejoiced over the bread and meat.
"Wardanaz. You've done a truly good deed."
Professor Ingoldel spoke with a look of pure pride.
To share the gift he'd given the winning student with others like this...
Lee Han nodded, hiding his wicked thoughts.
"Not at all, Professor. We're all friends here."
"......"
Giselle was inwardly stunned.
To spout such cringeworthy lies without batting an eye.
Fools like Durgyu might fall for it, but not Giselle. Wardanaz was cut from the same cloth as her.
No way those words were sincere...
"Wardanaz...!"
"Hmph. It's just the smoke making my eyes water. I'm definitely not moved by your words."
'...These idiots, seriously.'
Giselle felt like the meat she was chewing was stuck in her throat.
To have their anger melt away just because of a little meat after getting beaten up so badly...
Even if they were fellow tower mates, moments like this made her want to smack them.
"This is my treat."
Professor Ingoldel returned with a jar of fresh milk.
Lee Han thought the jar looked eerily similar to the one he'd seen in Professor Thunderstep's cabin.
'...Surely not.'
Everyone ate and drank by the fire.
Just as even Lee Han began to relax, Professor Voladi appeared like a ghost behind them.
"Has the lecture ended?"
"Yes. It's over, Professor Bagrak."
"Shall I take him?"
"You may."
Lee Han shot Professor Ingoldel a look brimming with betrayal.
The professor flustered under that gaze.
Had he done something wrong?
"Uh... Professor Bagrak. Where are you taking Lee Han?"
"The upper floors of the main building."
"Why?"
"To resolve the cold."
"...!"
At those words, the White Tiger Tower students buzzed with excitement.
They'd heard rumors that Wardanaz intended to tackle the extreme cold himself, but to think it was true.
If he was going with a professor, it must be no ordinary undertaking.
"Wardanaz...!"
"You're really..."
'Should've thrown those snowballs harder earlier.'
The awestruck gazes of the White Tiger Tower students were unbearably irritating.
"Fine! Wardanaz. We'll come with you!"
Angrago shouted with determined resolve.
Lee Han, Giselle, and even Professor Voladi gave him looks of utter incomprehension.
'Is he insane?'
'Has he lost his mind?'
'?'
But the White Tiger Tower students, perhaps with less blood reaching their heads after eating and digesting so much, all agreed.
"Alright! Us too!"
"We'll join you, Professor Bagrak!"
"Lead the way!"
Professor Voladi responded sincerely to their fervent cries.
"Riffraff..."
"Professor! You must be cold from the long journey—have a warm cup of coffee!"
Lee Han quickly grabbed Professor Voladi's arm and dragged him toward the bonfire.