Episode 217
Episode 217
"Now, go and prepare. By the way, it would be wise to prepare for camping inside the dungeon as well."
"Wait... Headmaster..."
The Skeleton Principal swiftly pressed on, taking advantage of the students' speechlessness.
Forcibly expelled from the classroom, the students stood dumbfounded, staring at each other.
"What do we do?"
"What else can we do... We have to prepare."
"R-really? A dungeon? But surely it won't be that bad?"
Someone muttered with a hint of hope, but no reply came.
The quick-witted students had already sensed it.
If the Skeleton Principal was going this far, it definitely wouldn't be easy.
"Wardanaz. You're at least on good terms with the Headmaster, right? Can't you say something... Hey, where are you going? Wardanaz?"
The Black Turtle Tower student who had been about to plead looked puzzled.
Lee Han was already walking down the hallway.
"I'm going to prepare for camping."
"...Let's go get ready too."
At Lee Han's response, the students who had been clinging to false hope all gave up cleanly.
...Let's just get prepared!
"What do we need for camping inside a dungeon?"
The students of the Blue Dragon Tower were in disarray upon returning to their tower.
While they were still reeling from the shock of the Skeleton Principal's announcement, their lack of experience in this area was the bigger issue.
Many of them had never even entered a dungeon before, let alone camped inside one.
Conquering a dungeon was already difficult, but preparing to camp inside was several times more daunting.
Moreover, most of the Blue Dragon Tower students had never even experienced ordinary camping before coming to Einrogard...
It was no surprise they were more disorganized compared to the students of the other three towers.
Fortunately, the Blue Dragon Tower students had someone reliable to depend on.
That someone was Lee Han.
"Wardanaz. Should I bring this axe?"
"A dagger is enough. No need to increase the bulk. Just in case, grab a hammer and rope too. Put them in your backpack."
"Do we really need to take this cloth and oil flask? We can use magic..."
"It's not like mana will be overflowing."
At Lee Han's words, the Blue Dragon Tower students, who had been diligently preparing, all froze and stared at him.
Lee Han responded as if it were obvious.
"Do you think I'll be sticking with you guys the whole time?"
"W-well, that's true."
"Lee Han. Let me move with you."
Pushing aside Gainando, who had swiftly lined up for a safe spot, Lee Han checked his friends' backpacks.
Before coming here, he had trained with the knight Alarong.
After arriving, he had trained with Nilia, a hunter from the Shadow Patrol.
Thanks to consistent training from professionals, Lee Han had reached a level where even among seasoned mercenaries or adventurers, they'd think, 'That mage is pretty experienced.'
"Since we don't know what might happen, each of you should pack one can of preserved food. Don't forget to fill your leather water flasks. And don't remove tools from your backpack just because they're heavy—you never know when you'll need them. Gainando. Put the cards away. You'll lose them. Princess, even if you pack that many snacks, you won't be able to eat them all."
"?!"
The Princess, who had been packing snacks for her followers, flusteredly waved her hands in protest.
But Lee Han had already turned away to check another student's backpack.
The Princess blinked her eyes, brimming with indignation. Gainando spoke up beside her.
"I get it. I wanted to bring more snacks too... Ow! Did someone just step on me?!"
"It must've been an accident since the lounge is crowded right now."
"No! They did it on purpose!"
"Was it you, Princess? Would someone of your noble lineage stoop to such childish—"
Ashan, who had been speaking, suddenly stopped.
Gainando was glaring at him as if daring him to continue.
"...Well, Wardanaz says a person's worth isn't determined by their bloodline but by their actions."
"Shut up."
Thirty minutes later.
Watching the Blue Dragon Tower students return after finishing their preparations, the Skeleton Principal licked his lips in satisfaction.
They had been far too well prepared.
'They say one rotten apple spoils the barrel...'
The Skeleton Principal lamented inwardly.
Originally, the students from the Blue Dragon Tower had always been the most disastrous whenever new students entered the library.
Unlike students from the other three towers, they had grown up like hothouse flowers, coddled and protected—so it was only natural.
And precisely because of that, seeing them wailing, tumbling about, clutching their starving bellies while they growled hungrily had been several times more entertaining...
But this year, he wouldn't get to enjoy that spectacle.
All because of a single student!
'That brat comes from the Wardanaz family, so why on earth is he so damn self-sufficient?'
Why would a scion of one of the Empire's greatest noble families be so absurdly capable of taking care of himself?
It wasn't just unusual—it was downright abnormal.
Well then. Have a safe trip inside.
"Yes. I'll return safely."
Lee Han's reply only irritated the Skeleton Principal further.
Somehow, he had the distinct feeling this student would actually come back perfectly fine.
'It'd be nice if he got separated from his group by some accident...'
'...Is he seriously hoping I get separated from my group by some accident?'
Lee Han had a vague suspicion, but he dismissed it—surely the Skeleton Principal wouldn't stoop to such petty thoughts.
'...Though I wouldn't put it past him.'
"Headmaster."
What?
"What about the students from the other towers?"
They all went in ahead. Yours are the last group.
Lee Han was puzzled by that answer.
The White Tiger Tower students might have rushed in to avoid 'getting tangled up with that Wardanaz bastard,' but the other towers wouldn't have.
"None of them waited for us?"
What, is this a field trip? I told them to go in first.
'Figures.'
Lee Han wasn't surprised.
Given the Skeleton Principal's temperament, it would've been stranger if he'd allowed students from different towers to enter together.
In fact, he probably wanted to tear apart even the group that remained...
'But it doesn't matter.'
Lee Han had already prepared for this scenario.
He'd discussed things with a few friends beforehand.
—Nilia. You know I've always respected the Shadow Patrol, right? If we end up entering the library separately, would you be willing to meet up and cooperate later?
—Of course I would. It's not even that hard. You didn't start by praising the Shadow Patrol because you thought I might refuse, did you?
—Priestess Dijiling. I don't want to bring up the fact that I've served you tea and snacks every time, but if by chance the priests of your tower...
—If you wish to cooperate, you may speak freely. There was no need to phrase it like that—I would have agreed regardless...
Fortunately, friends from the other towers had readily accepted his proposals.
Even Durgyu.
—Durgyu.
—Lee Han. I'll do my best, but don't expect too much.
—I haven't even said anything yet... but thanks anyway.
'It might be impossible in the deeper sections, but the lower floors should be manageable.'
Lee Han had his own calculations.
Though the library was infamous, students like him had actually been inside a few times before.
During breaks or weekends, they'd rummaged through the shelves near the entrance to find books.
The lower floors near the entrance had a relatively simple and easy-to-grasp layout.
If he could meet up with his friends there...
"......"
"......"
Kwooooooooooo—
As Lee Han stepped through the library doors, he froze in shock at the sight before him.
The familiar library, packed with shelves, was nowhere to be seen. Instead, an entirely unfamiliar dungeon sprawled before them.
Even Ashan, who had seen the library before, gaped in disbelief.
"This... this is insane. Even if a monster was sealed here, how could the entire place change like this...?"
But Lee Han had no choice but to accept it.
He could feel the overwhelming surge of mana flowing through the air.
Whatever monster had been sealed here, the natural flow of mana within the library—previously suppressed—had now returned to normal. The sudden release of that pent-up energy must have violently reshaped the library's interior structure.
...Though it was questionable why first-years had to go in at such a time...
"Ashan. Pull yourself together. We have to accept this."
"B-but still..."
"Everyone, move out! Make sure to properly observe your surroundings."
Lee Han steadied his mind and shouted. The students of the Blue Dragon Tower regained their composure and gripped their wands.
"Over there—the bookshelves!"
Scattered across the vast wilderness were bookshelves. The arriving students hurriedly began scanning through the books.
"Wrong. There's nothing useful here."
"What kind of idiot stuck their own failed exam papers in here?"
"We'll have to search the next set of shelves."
Scouting.
Moving.
Searching.
It was a simple and seemingly straightforward task, but it was also far more physically draining than expected.
Especially in this wilderness that bordered on being an Otherworld.
The flow of mana made visibility poor, as if dust had settled in the air. The sun wasn't even visible, yet scorching sunlight beat down on them, and whenever a dry wind blew, several students would start coughing.
"Lee Han."
"I know."
Lee Han nodded at Yoner's words. No matter how urgent the books were, if they pushed on without rest, his friends would collapse first.
"Let's take a short break."
The students let out sighs as they plopped down. Some immediately reached for their water flasks to refill them.
They hadn't found a water source yet, but for mages, that wasn't a big concern.
This was exactly why people insisted on having at least one mage in a party!
"Spring forth!"
A wand was swung confidently.
And nothing happened.
"???"
"Hey. When was the last time you even practiced Water Creation magic? Whatever, I'll do it. Spring forth!"
Yet still, nothing happened.
"...W-was the incantation not strong enough? But it worked fine outside..."
"Spring forth! Spring for— cough."
Only then did the students realize.
Tiny droplets, barely more than dew, were forming in the air.
The magic hadn't failed.
The powerful mana flow in this area had drastically weakened the effects of Water Creation magic.
The students' faces paled as they understood.
Just last week, they'd suffered through an early, brutal cold snap.
They knew all too well how torturous natural mana flows could be.
"How much water do we have left? Anyone got extra?"
"I don't even have a single sip...!"
"Check your spare flasks!"
'Mistake.'
Lee Han clicked his tongue.
He, at least, had packed a spare leather flask just in case, but his friends hadn't.
He hadn't mentioned it to avoid adding unnecessary weight, but he should've prepared them for situations like this.
In the Magic School, anything could truly happen.
"Can't Lee Han do it?"
"Is that even a question?"
When Gainando muttered curiously, Ashan scolded him.
"Don't waste Wardanaz's mana for no reason. He's already got enough to handle."
"But it's not like wasting it matters..."
'He's got a point.'
Though the others berated Gainando with "Are you even a friend?", Lee Han found himself agreeing without realizing it.
Well, it's not like wasting it matters!
"Spring forth."
Lee Han swung his wand once, just to be sure.
And a massive sphere of water gushed forth in the air.
"......"
"...Wardanaz. Have I ever told you I've always thought you were a genius?"
"Lee Han. Don't give those bastards any wa— mmph!"
The others quickly covered Gainando's mouth and lined up.
"Who said Wardanaz would fail at magic?"
"Never. I've never even heard of it."
'I wonder if they'll all be shocked when they return to their families later.'
As he filled his friends' leather flasks with cold water, Lee Han mused.
If their families wondered, "What on earth happened at school to change their personalities like this?", it wasn't Lee Han's fault—it was the Skeleton Principal's.