Episode 246
Episode 246
Perhaps because it was so absurd, admiration rather than anger came first.
'This kind of method?'
There was no need to persuade students by saying, "Our school of magic has these advantages."
You could just forcibly kidnap students and make them your disciples.
If I told Professor Mortum about this, he'd surely slap his knee in admiration at this ingenious solution!
"P-Professor? I have no intention of learning healing magic."
"I'm already majoring in one field, how am I supposed to keep up with two...!"
"I'm already struggling to stay alive as it is!"
"......"
The innocent protests of his friends made Lee Han's heart ache bitterly.
Lee Han smiled a bitter smile.
"Everyone, quiet. I'll explain on their behalf."
Professor Garcia stepped forward.
"You all know about healing magic, right?"
The students nodded.
Healing magic.
If you were to name the most familiar magic to the Empire's commoners, healing magic would undoubtedly make the list.
People encountered it often, it had many uses, and thus, mages who could use healing magic were respected.
There was no need to explain the difference in treatment between a black mage and a healing mage when they visited a village.
Given this, naturally, there were many mages who wanted to specialize in healing magic.
'It's not even black magic—is there any reason to forcibly bring students like this?'
Most priests of the Phoenix Tower would want to learn healing magic, and a considerable number of White Tiger Tower students would too...
"There are too few healing mages right now."
The dark elf professor spoke in a tired, rough voice.
"So we're increasing the numbers."
"???"
Before the students could grow more confused, Professor Garcia continued the explanation.
Healing magic was a field that required a considerable amount of time before a mage could fully contribute.
Since it involved human lives, unlike other magics, it was difficult to mobilize mages who were still learning when urgent needs arose.
Moreover, the complexity and difficulty of mastering the magic meant that while many students entered the field, the dropout rate was unusually high.
"Just last year, when an epidemic broke out in the Feshian region, the shortage of healing mages became a serious problem."
Thus, Professor Alkasis of the Lagrinde family, the healing magic professor, personally sought permission from His Majesty the Emperor and the Skeleton Principal.
How could they solve the problem of the shortage of healing mages?
By increasing the number of students learning it—by force if necessary.
If they drastically increased the number of students, even with many dropouts, the overall number of healing mages would still rise.
So today, after a simple test to see if any students showed even the slightest aptitude for healing magic...
"...this is how we're giving them the opportunity to learn magic. Does everyone understand now?"
"...Uh... If it's forced, how is it an opportunity?"
Professor Garcia pretended not to hear.
Professors could be quite cowardly at times.
Professor Alkasis spoke in a tired, hoarse voice.
"Everyone, quiet. We're busy, so no unnecessary questions. Only ask what's absolutely necessary."
"Professor. I'm currently majoring in summoning magic, so healing magic is..."
The voice of one student, who had asked a necessary question, abruptly vanished.
Realizing the professor's silencing spell was no ordinary feat, the students all shut their mouths.
"Isn't this too much?"
"That's what I'm saying..."
'Isn't that just the magic school's average?'
Unlike the students whispering in shock, Lee Han wasn't particularly fazed.
It was more like, 'Ah, that's just how professors are.'
"What time is it now?"
"Three-thirty."
At Professor Garcia's answer, Professor Alkasis blinked dry eyes and nodded.
With a tight schedule even after the lecture, he needed to keep track of time.
"What's the reason you're going out this time? Surely not that internal conflict in the Krongdül Guild you mentioned last time?"
Too exhausted to answer verbally, Professor Alkasis only blinked. Professor Garcia sighed.
"Good grief... Adventurers brawling among themselves. And inside the city, no less. Truly unforgivable. You won't have enough hands, will you be alright?"
"That's why I'm taking third-years along. Water, please."
"Here you go."
While Professor Alkasis swiftly emptied the water bottle in one go, Professor Garcia continued questioning.
"Taking even the third-years along..."
"Second-years wouldn't be much help even if we brought them."
"...I wasn't asking why you're not taking the second-years."
Professor Garcia spoke with a thoroughly exhausted expression.
And Lee Han listened with an equally exhausted face.
'This place is its own kind of hell too.'
A different kind of hell from what the Skeleton Principal or Professors Voladi and Verdus created.
This wasn't the professors' fault.
It was the Empire's fault.
With so many injured and dying people but so few healing mages, the workload on healing mages had skyrocketed to terrifying levels.
Hearing they were even taking third-year students out now...
"Professor. I genuinely have no interest in healing mag—"
"No exceptions."
"Professor! I'm already taking two majors! Two whole majors!!"
"As I said, no exceptions. Be quiet."
Professor Alkasis spoke as firmly and unshakably as solid rock.
It wasn't that professors felt no guilt toward students who struggled with multiple magics while having no interest in healing.
But there was no choice.
The Empire's sick required more healing mages.
Professor Alkasis steeled his resolve once more to be merciless.
No excuse could sway his determination now.
"Professor! Lee Han here is currently studying Black Magic, Summoning Magic, Illusion Magic, Enchantment Magic, Divination Magic, Transformation Magic... what else was there?"
Gainando started counting on his behalf before stopping to ask Lee Han, who averted his gaze in embarrassment for his friend.
"Anyway, he's taking all these! This is too much!"
"Don't lie."
"It's true! Ask the other professors!"
"......"
Professor Alkasis stared at Lee Han with utter disbelief.
Though he'd done nothing wrong, Lee Han somehow still ended up feeling guilty.
'Anyone would think I'm taking all these on purpose.'
After several minutes of lip-biting deliberation, Professor Alkasis finally spat out:
"...No exceptions. Be quiet."
"This is unfair...!!"
"Knock it off."
Lee Han silenced Gainando's mouth.
'I should learn that Silence Curse quickly.'
While Professor Mortum coughed frequently too (likely due to the tower's environment), Professor Alkasis was equally prone to speech interruptions.
Stumbling mid-sentence, coughing from a parched mouth, even needing to sit and rest while sweating cold beads—until Professor Garcia finally stepped in.
"I'll handle the basic explanation. That alright?"
"...Please do."
"Right. Everyone. You just connected with the potted sprout, correct? This sprout is a plant breed modified for easy mana resonance. That's why you could heal it so easily. But the core principle isn't much different. Repairing and restoring damaged parts like this is central to Healing Magic."
Though forced to listen, the students paid unexpected attention.
Truthfully, since Healing Magic was so popular, they'd likely have listened well even without coercion.
'Though I doubt adding a dozen more will solve the manpower shortage.'
"Of course, Healing Magic isn't just about restoration. Alchemy to analyze conditions like poisoning and brew antidotes. Enchantment Magic to help patients endure procedures. Divination Magic to predict prognoses... Healing Magic freely incorporates other schools when needed."
'Black Magic's missing, isn't it?'
Lee Han nearly pointed out the omission but held back.
Asking would only sadden the Black Magic students.
"Uh... so do we have to learn all that?"
One student asked fearfully.
Professor Garcia answered kindly:
"Of course not. You only learn what's needed."
"Ah, as I thought... what a relief!"
Something felt off to listening Lee Han.
"But Professor, since healing mages are few and handle many patients, wouldn't they effectively need to master everything you mentioned—and still fall short?"
Professor Garcia pretended not to hear Lee Han's remark.
This is why clever students are such a pain!
Meanwhile, Professor Alkasis, having regained his stamina, rose from his seat.
"Let me continue the explanation. As Professor Garcia mentioned earlier, a healing mage must not focus solely on one direction but requires a broad, comprehensive understanding across all fronts. This applies not just to magic but to other fields of study as well. Suppose we have a patient with a broken bone. If you attempt to heal this patient's bone without understanding its structure, would you succeed?"
Professor Alkasis made a gesture as if breaking a rib with his hands.
"Even if you tried to heal it, wouldn't it just mend in the wrong direction? In that case, it's better not to heal it at all. A healing mage must thoroughly comprehend the structure of the body."
The priests from the Phoenix Tower and the students from the White Tiger Tower listened as if entranced.
Given their heightened interest, this reaction was only natural.
Moreover, the structure of the body?
Both the Phoenix Tower priests and the White Tiger Tower students were somewhat familiar with the subject, so they felt confident.
"Bring it in."
The door opened, and two students who looked just as exhausted and worn out as the professors entered.
The two seniors didn't just walk in—they dragged behind them a coffin large enough to fit a person.
Thud!
Surprisingly, when the coffin's lid was opened, there was a tightly bound person inside.
"Chains."
At the professor's command, the two seniors removed the prisoner's chains and gag. The prisoner immediately protested violently.
"Damn you mages! No matter how many people I've killed, treating me like this is— Ghk!"
Lee Han was startled.
Not because Professor Alkasis drove swords into the prisoner's neck and limbs (though that was admittedly shocking too), but because his technique was as swift as lightning.
Summoning swords from thin air, then catching and stabbing them into the prisoner's body one by one—this was no ordinary swordsmanship.
Even the White Tiger Tower students seemed to sense that the professor's swordsmanship was extraordinary, murmuring among themselves.
'Do healing mages become proficient in swordsmanship after working for so long?'
The prisoner's complexion paled instantly. The embedded swords had absorbed all his blood.
"Open."
The two seniors pried open the prisoner's chest. Fresh organs were revealed.
Thud!
Several students fainted from the shock. Professor Alkasis remarked cynically,
"Wake them up. I'm explaining the structure of the human body. Pay attention."
"Ugh... Gag!"
Gainando looked like he was about to vomit. Lee Han quickly cast <Ogonin's Full Satisfaction>.
"Th-thanks, Lee Han."
"M-me too. Me too!"
Professor Alkasis possessed exceptional swordsmanship—so fast it was nearly invisible—and an encyclopedic understanding of human anatomy to support it. But that didn't make the students' suffering any easier.
Once Professor Alkasis concluded the lecture and restored the prisoner, the students wore expressions as if their heads were about to explode from the intimate and complex details of the human body they'd never seen before.
Professor Garcia opened a window and asked,
"Is everyone alright?"
"......"
"......"
The students stared at Professor Garcia with looks full of betrayal and trauma.
Professor Garcia felt deeply apologetic.
"The theoretical explanation is mostly done. Everyone, pick up the string in front of you."
A cord made of braided plant fibers appeared before each student.
"Cut it, then mend it with magic."
"Done."
"Keep repeating."
"......"
The students, feeling increasingly foolish, cut the string, mended it, then cut it again.
Though it might have seemed a bit silly, this was effective training.
If someone couldn't properly mend the simplest plant fiber, how could they possibly reconnect severed blood vessels?
Through repetition, they not only improved their skill but also reduced wasteful mana expenditure.
For healing mages, who must treat every part of the body, wasting mana was an absolute taboo.
This repetitive exercise naturally minimized unnecessary waste.
"Do it properly."
"?"
Lee Han, who had been cutting and mending, paused in confusion at the professor's remark.
Had he done something wrong?
"...Ah, right. Professor, come here for a moment."
Professor Garcia pulled Professor Alkasis aside.
Come to think of it, he'd been so busy he hadn't been around when the professors were chatting earlier!