Episode 250
Episode 250
"Why are you doing this, Professor?"
"What did we do so wrong..."
The death knights complained, but when the Spire Stablekeeper shooed them away, they couldn't hold their ground and retreated.
"Thank you."
Thanks to that, Lee Han could enter the Spire Stables with peace of mind.
Be careful. Most of the beasts here are fierce.
Just as the Spire Stablekeeper had warned, the mounts sleeping inside the Spire Stables were astonishing.
'Wait. Why do the professors even ride these things?'
Hippogriffs, sedus, bicorns, human-faced birds, baku—creatures so rare and powerful that Lee Han had only seen them in fairy tales—were all snoozing away.
Sure, mages were known for challenging the impossible, defining mysteries, and taming the bizarre, but...
...Did they really have to domesticate such dangerous creatures?
'Now I get why students are banned from entering.'
Still, one small relief was that bringing a griffin here wouldn't feel out of place at all.
A griffin would probably be considered one of the cute and harmless mounts here.
'The inner area is where the beasts rest...'
The Spire Stables seemed magically expanded—so much so that from the entrance, the opposite exit wasn't even visible, making the structure incredibly long.
Along the lengthy corridor, resting beasts slept on either side, and if one followed the path all the way, they'd reach an exit connected to the outer wall of the main building, allowing them to fly outside.
It was essentially a runway designed for immediate takeoff into the open sky.
'They said there's a checkpoint at the entrance, right?'
Lee Han recalled what he'd heard.
Though there didn't seem to be any obvious inspections or checks, people entering or exiting were supposedly verified once at that runway.
That meant the person in charge of this facility was surely waiting there...
"?"
While Lee Han was mentally mapping the layout, the Spire Stablekeeper walked ahead.
Then, a horse emerged from inside.
"?????"
As Lee Han blinked in confusion, the Spire Stablekeeper exchanged words with the horse using paper and a quill.
-Not dangerous? If you vouch for it... Fine.
'Huh. Maybe I've been too narrow-minded.'
If there were centaurs who could talk and minotaurs who could talk, then a talking horse wasn't that surprising.
Well, actually, it was a little surprising...
Permission has been granted.
"Excuse me?"
Lee Han froze.
Permission for what?
You said you wanted to practice, didn't you? Try riding this bicorn. It'll help.
"......"
Lee Han vowed never to deceive a kind person for his own gain again.
The Spire Stablekeeper hadn't recommended the bicorn to expose Lee Han's wicked thoughts and teach him a harsh lesson.
Though that ended up being the result, the intention had been purely out of goodwill.
Since bicorns had a body structure similar to horses, mastering one meant being able to ride even the fiercest stallions.
"...That's not wrong, but isn't it too dangerous?"
Sure, learning to tame a dragon meant you could tame a wolf too, but no one suggested taming dragons just to handle wolves.
It's fine. That bicorn is the gentlest creature here.
"......"
Lee Han made a dubious face.
By that logic, if Lee Han were standing next to the Skeleton Principal and Voladi, he'd be the kindest person in the headmaster's office...
'Just don't fall off.'
Since he'd need to use these stables on weekends, he couldn't disappoint the Spire Stablekeeper.
Lee Han resolved to do his best in riding the bicorn.
No complex movements, no acrobatics—just the most basic, safest steps to walk a little and come back.
"I am Lee Han of the Wardanaz family. I respect your honor, your pride, and the dignity flowing through your bloodline."
Reciting the words Professor Lightning Step had taught him, Lee Han carefully took a step forward.
The more powerful the monster, the higher its intelligence and pride.
Moreover, this was especially true for monsters with fierce and violent temperaments like bicorns.
Phantasmal Beasts with a single horn, unicorns, were known for their gentle and docile nature, but bicorns with two horns were the complete opposite.
If approached carelessly, one could easily get impaled by their horns and collapse.
Snort!
"......?"
The bicorn suddenly approached Lee Han upon seeing him. Then it rubbed its cheek against his face.
"......???"
Lee Han was utterly bewildered by this unfamiliar display of affection from a beast—something even Ponlig had never shown him before.
What the...?
Is this a trap?
Huff—
Regardless of Lee Han's confusion, the bicorn obediently knelt down and lay flat.
It was clearly signaling for him to mount.
"...I respect you. I truly respect you. You understand that, right?"
Lee Han spoke again, fearing the bicorn might reveal its true nature the moment he mounted.
The bicorn snorted slightly and turned its head, as if dismissing his nonsense.
Thud—
Even after Lee Han mounted, the bicorn didn't reveal its true nature. It quietly tapped its hooves against the ground, then dashed toward the flight area and leaped into the air.
"!"
In an instant, the vast grounds of Einrogard came into view. The bicorn seemed to sense Lee Han's emotions and trotted carefully through the sky.
"Thank you."
When Lee Han whispered while stroking its mane, the bicorn snorted dismissively, as if it was no big deal.
A comfortable and pleasant ride.
The bicorn was far kinder and gentler than Lee Han had feared.
'Ah. So this is why it was recommended?'
Indeed, the Spire Stablekeeper hadn't recommended it without reason. Lee Han silently apologized for doubting them.
"Did you get some good practice in?"
"Thank you. It was really helpful."
Upon his return, the Spire Stablekeeper was waiting. Lee Han answered with satisfaction.
"I'd love to take it with me, honestly."
-How strange. That thing's infamous for being a nightmare.
The stablehand in charge of the Spire Stables muttered in amazement as they passed by.
Their gaze at Lee Han clearly said, 'You somehow survived without getting killed.'
"...Uh... Didn't you say it was the gentlest among the animals here?"
Lee Han asked the Spire Stablekeeper.
He was sure they'd said that...?
"It's usually a bit rough, but once it meets its master, it's incomparably gentle."
"No..."
Lee Han was speechless at the blatantly biased description—as if the stablekeeper was wearing rose-tinted glasses.
Even the most ill-tempered creatures had their good days. Who'd ever heard of a perpetually angry lunatic?
What mattered was the average...
'I shouldn't ride it again.'
Turns out the bicorn wasn't actually gentle—he'd just gotten lucky.
Lee Han made a silent vow.
"By the way, who owns this bicorn?"
"The Headmaster, sir."
"......"
Without realizing it, Lee Han stared intently at the bicorn. The bicorn tugged at his sleeve as if begging him not to leave.
...Could it be acting kindly because it resembles the Skeleton Principal!?
'Well, that's a relief, but for some reason, it feels kinda gross!'
Lee Han thanked the Spire Stablekeeper and bid them farewell.
-Please don't tell anyone else about today's practice. I'd be too embarrassed...
Of course, he didn't forget to swear them to secrecy.
No good would come of the Skeleton Principal hearing about it.
"Ponlig. Ordinary is best. Honestly, it's much more comfortable when things—or horses—look normal like you and the others."
Lee Han said this while grooming Ponlig's mane as he brought him lunch.
Munch munch
Ponlig, who had been eating, tilted his head in confusion.
It kinda sounded like an insult.
Besides, Ponlig's true form was different from the other horses...?
"Good boy. Eat well. I even brought you some candy."
When Lee Han gave him the snacks—the kind that would make Gainando jealous—Ponlig wagged his head excitedly.
Plop—
"What's wrong?"
Ponlig's expression suddenly darkened as he stared at Lee Han.
The scent of an unfamiliar beast was emanating from his master.
Snort!Whinny!Huff!Neigh!Snort!
"...?!"
When Ponlig burst into the most sorrowful crying fit he'd ever shown, Lee Han was taken aback.
"What's wrong? Doesn't it taste good?"
Ponlig tapped his hoof on the ground, imitating another animal.
After placing the fallen cap back on his head, his face twisted in displeasure...
"...Ah. The bicorn? I didn't ride it because I wanted to. Ponlig. Trust me."
Huff!
Ponlig turned his head away as if refusing to listen. Lee Han stubbornly clung to him, trying to soothe the griffin's sulky mood.
How much time had passed?
When the lightning-footed professor arrived at the stable, he looked puzzled at the sight of Lee Han.
"Are you... comforting Ponlig? You're doing well."
"Could you help me a bit?"
"You're already doing fine. He seems halfway soothed. But what did you do to make him this upset?"
A griffin of his caliber wouldn't sulk over trivial mistakes.
Powerful phantasmal beasts had their own pride.
However, the student's reply was even more absurd than expected.
"I just rode a bicorn a little..."
"...Where on earth did you go and what did you do to end up riding a bicorn!?"
Thud—
"!!!!"
"The shi—shield! The shield!!"
"??"
When the shield clattered onto the classroom floor, the students from the Blue Dragon Tower screamed.
Seeing this, students from other towers who hadn't grasped the situation asked,
"Uh, does something bad happen if that shield falls?"
Was it some kind of divination magic-related artifact?
Like, does danger strike the moment the shield drops...?
"We bet food rations on that shield."
"We thought it would last three days... Sniff..."
"......"
"Pathetic fools..."
'Two days and a bit more.'
Whether the Blue Dragon Tower students wept over their lost provisions or not, Lee Han coldly recorded the time.
At this rate, he could probably just submit it as is.
Of course, some diligent students might argue, "Assignments are meant to provide learning opportunities—what's the point of cutting corners?" but...
'Who cares? Survive first, think later.'
If even the fourth-years were cutting corners, it couldn't be that wrong.
Survive first!
"Everyone doing well with the assignments?"
"Yes! Professor Garcia!"
The students' voices calling for the half-troll professor carried a little more affection than usual.
That affection contained a silent plea: 'Please, even if it's just you, don't give us more assignments.'
"Too many assignments?"
"YES!!!"
"So, my pre-finals assignment will be simple..."
The students' eyes sparkled.
'Skipped?'
'Passed?'
'Cancelled?'
"...I'll probably give it to you next week."
"......"
"......"
"It's... not that hard, everyone. Should be simple."
'Not exactly comforting.'
Lee Han knew all too well that what professors considered "simple" was never actually simple.
"I know you're all struggling with finals approaching, but sorry—today, I want to introduce another branch of magic."
As he spoke, the professor opened the door and entered.
Lee Han was startled.
The professor wore the face of the most exhausted and weary person in the world.
'Good heavens. Is that even possible?'
Lee Han himself was no stranger to fatigue, but this professor had transcended it.
Just how much work without rest would it take to accumulate that level of exhaustion?
Tap!
A small pot appeared in front of each student—a pot with a severed sprout planted in it.
"Hold the pot."
"Huh?"
A rod materialized above Gainando's head and whacked him.
"Ow!"
"Don't make me repeat myself. Hold the pot."
The students held their pots.
"Close your eyes and imagine the severed sprout reconnecting."
Silence.
The students closed their eyes and focused.
"Raise your hand if you visualized the sprout reconnecting."
Quite a few students raised their hands. Lee Han was among them.
"You will learn healing magic."
"...???"
"???!??!"