Episode 233
Episode 233
"Wait. What is this?"
"Huh?"
"That's your cloak, right?"
"Ah. I transformed it."
Lee Han answered nonchalantly. Like the other students, he had successfully performed the <Steel Cloak Transmutation>.
Of course, the result was slightly different from the others.
"When?"
"About a few minutes ago..."
"...Didn't you notice anything strange?"
Professor Yonlamo Lezhi asked, looking dumbfounded.
Lee Han just smiled as if it were no big deal and replied.
"Professor. Even during Enchantment Magic, the duration was long."
"That's right. Lee Han's spells last longer because of his mana capacity."
Yoner chimed in from the side, also smiling as if it were nothing.
Professor Yonlamo was taken aback.
...Their reactions were far too calm.
'Am I the only one surprised? Am I the only one shocked here?'
Both Enchantment Magic and Transformation Magic were generally short-duration spells.
But if one had to compare, Transformation Magic lasted even shorter than Enchantment Magic.
Applying magic to alter the properties of an object versus applying magic to transform the object itself—
The latter inevitably consumed more mana and had a shorter duration.
Given that, maintaining a transformed state for several minutes on the first attempt was a talent that would shake the foundations of this field...
"Wardanaz. Mind if I test it out too?"
"Go ahead."
"Alright. Hold it tight."
"You do realize what'll happen if you accidentally miss, right?"
"...Now that you mention it, I'm suddenly nervous."
The other students didn't even seem surprised.
Some were even testing whether their own cloaks had been properly enchanted by using Lee Han's cloak as a reference.
Professor Yonlamo turned to the Princess and asked.
"Don't you have any thoughts after seeing Wardanaz's magic?"
"Not really. Is this the right motion?"
"Counterclockwise would be better than clockwise... Really, nothing at all?"
"???"
The Princess stared at the professor as if he were some strange person.
For a moment, Professor Yonlamo felt like he was the odd one out.
In the land of fools, the sane man is the fool.
"Professor Garcia... Where did Professor Garcia go?"
"Professor Garcia stepped out for a moment to fetch cloaks better suited for magic practice, Professor."
Lee Han answered very politely.
Given that he had just shattered the professor's nasal bone earlier, he wanted to score some points.
Of course, Professor Yonlamo perceived Lee Han's goodwill a little differently.
"I-I see... Thank you."
Professor Yonlamo subtly increased the distance between them.
The old saying held true.
Birds of a feather flock together.
Those of the same kind naturally stick close.
Come to think of it, the people Lee Han associated with were...
Individuals like the Skeleton Principal and Professor Voladi.
Of course, from Lee Han's perspective, he would indignantly retort, 'What kind of absurd slander is that? I only meet them because I attend their lectures—how does that make us the same kind?!'
But from Professor Yonlamo's viewpoint, that's exactly how it seemed.
Associating with eccentrics like the Skeleton Principal and Professor Voladi was already a red flag, but what he had just witnessed was the final nail in the coffin.
To possess such insane talent while remaining humble and polite?
There was only one possible explanation.
An overwhelming ambition!
Nothing else could explain it unless he was aiming for something as grand as the position of Einrogard's Headmaster.
Think about it.
Talented but arrogant geniuses weren't particularly threatening. These types were transparent—what you saw was what you got.
But a genius who was not only talented but also humble, who built connections with professors from other magic schools, including the Skeleton Principal himself...
At that point, he might as well be called ambition incarnate.
Of course, this wasn't necessarily a bad thing.
There was nothing wrong with dreaming big from a young age.
The problem was that, for Professor Yonlamo—whose motto was 'slow and steady'—such a disciple was just a little too overwhelming!
If he got too close and ended up receiving requests like, "Professor, please support me in the faculty meeting so I can become a teaching assistant at the Magic School," "Professor, please back me in the meeting so I can become a professor at the Magic School," or even "Professor, I plan to become the headmaster of the Magic School—could you help me stage a coup?"...
'Just thinking about it makes my stomach churn.'
Professor Yonlamo resolved not to grow too close to that overly ambitious student.
...But if he kept his distance too awkwardly, he might earn resentment—so he had to be extremely careful about that too!
"Don't you think the professor's been avoiding me lately?"
"Has he?"
"Maybe it's just your imagination?"
Lee Han's friends looked puzzled at his words.
"It's probably because you're doing so well. Top of the class!"
"Right. He must be impressed by you."
"...?"
Despite their comforting words, Lee Han still felt uneasy.
'Could it be because I punched him?'
That was entirely possible.
No professor would like a student who shattered their nose bridge.
"Alright then, Wardanaz. See you next time."
-Yeah. Wardanaz. See you next time.
"......"
Lee Han pretended not to hear the friendly farewell from the Death Knight standing in the hallway and waved to his friends instead.
'Hmm. I thought I was quite experienced, but... this situation is tricky.'
He had believed he was prepared for every possible scenario as a student training under a professor, but this one was proving difficult even for him.
How does one become friendly again with a professor whose nose bridge they shattered?
"Good afternoon."
Professor Voladi gave a small nod and gestured forward—a signal to take a seat quickly.
Seeing that, Lee Han suddenly felt wronged.
'I'm even on good terms with a professor who tried to shatter my nose bridge.'
So shouldn't the professor forgive his student for breaking his nose bridge too?
"You fought against the <Snake of the Maple Tree>?"
"Yes."
"You were lucky."
Lee Han didn't deny Professor Voladi's words.
It had indeed been a battle where luck was on his side.
Had the opponent not been under some strange delusion or misunderstanding and fought seriously from the start, there was no telling what might have happened.
"I was lucky to hold my ground."
'Wait. Surely he didn't mean meeting them was lucky, right?'
"What did you learn?"
Lee Han answered reflexively to the professor's question.
"Experienced adventurers are formidable. Beyond sheer combat power, I realized even a combat mage needs to prepare for various situations like they do."
The adventurers of the <Snake of the Maple Tree> weren't strong just because they could swing a sword well or emit aura.
Against a mage, they exploited a mage's weaknesses.
Against a hunter, they exploited a hunter's weaknesses.
Adventurers who had faced all kinds of situations carried various means to prepare for any contingency.
Lee Han had been lucky to withstand their attacks—had his mana been ordinary, he would've collapsed the moment the first scroll exploded.
"You grasped it well."
Professor Voladi spoke with faint satisfaction.
Seeing that, Lee Han suddenly realized his mistake.
'Damn it. He's looking pleased.'
Come to think of it, what he'd just said likely sounded like, "Professor Voladi, I've always believed your teaching methods were right! Please continue guiding me this way!"
'It should've been Professor Voladi's nose bridge that got shattered...'
"Mages grow arrogant too easily because of magic. But never forget—on the battlefield, enemies target mages first."
"Yes. I truly felt that this time. Still, I'm grateful you taught me well. Thanks to that, I could endure."
"......"
Lee Han panicked when Professor Voladi suddenly fell silent.
'Was the flattery too blatant? Did he see through my attempt to make today's lecture easier?'
He thought he'd been subtle enough, but apparently not.
Hanging around with his classmates must've dulled his flattery skills.
"!"
Lee Han looked up in shock.
Professor Voladi was smiling.
He had seen faint smiles a few times before, but this was the first time he'd seen her smile like that.
Given her naturally cold demeanor, it felt more like a warning from a deranged sorceress than a smile...
But a smile was still a smile.
'...Did I hit the mark?'
"I'm pleased to hear you say that. Let's begin the lecture."
Professor Voladi swung her staff as she spoke.
Suddenly, unfamiliar flaming spears began raining down from the air.
"?!"
"My mistake. These weren't meant to come out now."
Professor Voladi promptly returned the flaming spears to their original spatial pocket.
Of course, the damage was already done—Lee Han was thoroughly terrified.
'Didn't she just say they weren't meant to come out now?'
Then when were they supposed to come out?!
"My apologies. I made a mistake in my satisfaction."
"Not at all."
Lee Han vowed never to flatter Professor Voladi again.
If he tried it a second time, she might whisk him away to the demon realm in her excitement.
Organically connecting various schools of magic to respond perfectly to any possible situation.
...It sounded like nonsense, but this was the state (forcibly) set as Lee Han's goal by Professor Voladi.
Thus, today's lecture focused on Transformation Magic.
"Among the schools that allow flexible responses to unexpected attacks, Transformation Magic stands alongside Enchantment Magic. The difference is that Enchantment Magic often requires preparation in advance, as casting takes time. Transformation Magic is the opposite. It demands quick reflexes."
Lee Han took notes with his quill and asked:
"Do you know Professor Yonlamo Leji?"
"Yes."
"Do you happen to know what she likes?"
"No."
"Then do you know anyone relatively close to Professor Yonlamo Leji?"
"No."
Professor Voladi fell into brief contemplation after answering.
Then she spoke again.
"The headmaster might be close to her."
'Hmm. I shouldn't have asked this person.'
Hearing Professor Voladi's deranged response, Lee Han snapped back to his senses as if doused in cold water.
She was absolutely not the person to ask.
"Did you learn <Steel Cloak Transmutation> or <Steel Scarf Transmutation> first?"
"I learned <Steel Cloak Transmutation> first."
Professor Voladi nodded expressionlessly.
Students who progressed quickly usually learned <Steel Cloak Transmutation> first, while slower ones started with <Steel Scarf Transmutation>.
But that wasn't the important part...
"You've mastered it completely, I assume. Let's move on."
"How can you be so sure about that?"
Lee Han couldn't help but retort in disbelief.
"Have you not mastered it yet?"
"I have, but—"
"Then let's proceed. The cloak."
Lee Han handed his cloak to Professor Voladi, who promptly waved it—making it vanish.
"!?"
"Don't limit yourself to transmuting only familiar objects."
A completely unfamiliar cloak flew in from midair.
Professor Voladi began summoning sharp, dagger-shaped mana into the air.
"...Wasn't it supposed to be orbs?"
"Orbs are inefficient against cloaks."
"Seems efficient enou— By steel be transformed, O cloak!"
Even as he responded, Lee Han didn't let his guard down.
Sure enough, the daggers came flying immediately.
"Don't dodge. Block them."
Lee Han didn't reply to Professor Voladi's instruction.
Frankly, he didn't have the luxury to respond.
Swish!
'Damn it. What material is this cloak even made of?'
Transmutation mages were typically well-versed in the equipment and items they carried.
Understanding every material was essential for casting Transformation Magic swiftly.
But Professor Voladi wanted him to cast it purely by instinct—without any prior analysis.
It was practically thievery-level shamelessness.
"Shield, unfold..."
Lee Han tried to buy time with a Water Shield. Professor Voladi dispelled it immediately.
He attempted to deceive her with an Invisibility Cloak. She blocked the casting outright.
He considered summoning Skeleton Warriors. Professor Voladi's eyebrows shot up.
...Had she taught him too many tricks?
Instead of blocking with the cloak as instructed...