Episode 254
Episode 254
"...Friends! I think I'm okay now!"
"???"
At the injured student's words, the other White Tiger Tower friends stared at him with expressions that said, 'What the hell are you talking about?'
"Are you feeling guilty about calling Professor Garcia again? Of course we feel bad too. But since you're injured like this, there's no other choice."
'These trash bastards.'
Lee Han silently cursed the White Tiger Tower students in his heart.
If they feel bad about causing trouble and calling Professor Garcia all the time, they should stop causing accidents instead of continuing to play such violent sports!
"No. Wardanaz gave me first aid and I feel better now."
"First aid? Ah. Healing magic."
The White Tiger Tower students quickly realized what kind of magic Lee Han had used.
Not all the students who came to learn healing magic earlier were from Phoenix Tower.
Even among the White Tiger Tower students, quite a few were interested in healing magic.
Especially since those who needed healing magic as much as knights active in borderlands or battlefields were rare...
"Kltran. That won't be enough."
"Right. What are you talking about?"
Having studied healing magic themselves, the White Tiger Tower students didn't back down easily.
The more inexperienced the healer, the more dangerous healing magic became.
Even if it seemed better, there was still a chance the bone hadn't properly set or had healed in the wrong position.
"Even if it's Wardanaz... Oops. Wardanaz. I didn't bring that up to insult you, you know?"
"Just so you know, there are eight of us. Wardanaz. Eight, I said."
"...Why are you emphasizing the number? What's your intention?"
"A-ah, nothing. Just that there are eight of us..."
As if embarrassed by their own behavior, the White Tiger Tower students' voices grew quieter toward the end of their sentences.
"I agree with calling the professor. If I'd known you were going to call her anyway, I wouldn't have done first aid in the first place. It was only temporary."
"See? Even Wardanaz says so. You need proper healing magic, Kltran."
"But I really am fine..."
While they were arguing, Professor Garcia came running.
Seeing the sticks in the White Tiger Tower students' hands, Professor Garcia asked:
"Did you get hurt playing polo again?"
"...N-no."
"It was just... we were running and fell..."
The White Tiger Tower students furtively hid their sticks. Watching them, Lee Han sighed inwardly.
'Those idiots.'
If they were going to hide them, they should've done it properly from the start. How do they expect to survive in Einrogard with such careless attitudes...
"I'm not angry, I'm just asking."
Professor Garcia said this, but it didn't sound very convincing.
There were some people who could terrify others without even getting angry, and Professor Garcia was one of them.
"So who's injured?"
"Kltran here is."
"...He doesn't look injured."
Professor Garcia tilted her head in confusion.
At this, the White Tiger Tower students hurriedly explained with anxious expressions:
"He might look fine on the outside, but who knows what's going on inside!"
"His ankle was dislocated, and Wardanaz only did first aid..."
"Ah, I see."
After hearing the explanation, Professor Garcia swung her staff.
She needed to accurately assess the condition of the fallen student's ankle.
"......"
Suddenly, Professor Garcia's expression turned grave.
The White Tiger Tower students were startled.
"Is there a problem?"
"Even if it's Wardanaz, could he really make such a mistake?"
"We were told that careless attempts at healing magic can make things worse."
'If they try to blame me, I'll have to argue my case with the Good Samaritan story.'
While everyone was thinking different thoughts, Professor Garcia finished her examination and called Lee Han aside separately.
"Student Lee Han. Come over here for a moment."
"Is there a major problem?"
"Not exactly."
Professor Garcia whispered in a low voice so the other students wouldn't hear.
"You healed it perfectly."
"...Uh, isn't that a good thing?"
Lee Han was puzzled.
If the bone had mended properly, was there any need to make such a serious expression?
"It's good news for that student, but it's a slightly different story for you, Student Lee Han."
There was a world of difference between having talent in healing magic and being able to heal an injured friend so flawlessly.
Though the injury wasn't severe, performing the healing without any mistakes or side effects on a living person was remarkable in itself.
Even among second and third-year students, there were quite a few who couldn't perform perfectly on people yet...
"??"
Of course, Lee Han was only more confused.
He understood that using healing magic in practice was much harder than expected, but if he'd managed it by luck, wasn't that a good thing?
"Listen carefully. Students learning healing magic often go out to assist with external tasks, right?"
"I've heard that."
"You might get dragged along too, Student Lee Han."
"...No. I'm a first-year."
Lee Han was shocked by Professor Garcia's words.
Just because he'd healed a sprained ankle, was he really going to be mobilized for tasks requiring a healer?
"Even as a first-year, if you've managed it once, the story changes. If you've done it once, you can do it twice, and with practice, you'll become proficient..."
'Is he perhaps close with Professor Voladi?'
Lee Han internally judged Professor Alkasis.
To casually say something Professor Voladi would say...
"...Actually, seeing how you reattached that bone earlier, I think you could even be trained in practical sessions."
"I don't think so."
Lee Han firmly denied it.
Healing a White Tiger Tower student's sprained ankle was a completely different matter from saving the lives of numerous critical patients.
Lee Han wasn't confident enough to dive into the latter.
...He was still a first-year, after all!!
"That's why I'm telling you this. Never mention anywhere that you healed a White Tiger Tower student's ankle. Understood?"
"I understand. Thank you."
Lee Han felt genuine gratitude for his teacher's kindness.
Where else in the magic school would you find a professor like this?
"Wh-what? Wardanaz. What happened? What was going on?"
When Lee Han turned around with a pleased expression, the White Tiger Tower students were filled with terror.
"Nothing much. Inside, the bones had grown wrong and were shattered, but Professor Garcia fixed it perfectly."
"......"
The White Tiger Tower students shot Lee Han looks mixed with horror.
No matter how you looked at it, that wasn't something to say with such a happy face.
The approaching final exams were becoming palpable.
Morning.
Instead of chatting or joking around, the friends gathered in the lounge were holding books or quills in one hand, scribbling away like they were possessed.
'Everyone's struggling.'
Of course, Lee Han was no different.
A book in one hand. A rice ball in the other.
From that familiar sight, a sense of stability far beyond that of other students was evident.
"Let's go."
"Cough, cough."
Gainando, who believed that meal times should be devoted solely to eating out of respect for the cook, choked at Lee Han's words.
"I-I'm still e-eating. Cough, cough."
"Fine. I'll give you five minutes, so finish quickly."
"......"
Gainando sent a pleading look, but it had no effect on Lee Han.
"Guh..."
"Hurry up. We have to go make an undead contract."
With the pile of pre-final assignments, they needed to tackle them whenever they had free time.
If they slacked off thinking they had time, they risked being buried under the avalanche of assignments.
Today's morning task: the summoning magic assignment.
Since Gainando and the other friends hadn't yet made contracts, they planned to search the undead realm to find undead to contract with. Lee Han had already made a contract but intended to keep looking.
'I hope I can find a Skeleton Mage.'
He'd wanted one since last time, and the fact that he still hadn't found one made him want it even more.
"You already made a contract, so why are you coming with us? What's your angle?"
Raphael spoke bluntly when he saw Lee Han.
Imirg and Gainando tried to intervene, looking at Raphael as if asking why he'd say such a thing.
"He... He's just trying to help, no need to be so—"
"Are you blind?! What if Lee Han actually refuses to help because of this?! Go in alone, you bastard!"
Gainando's fierce reaction made Raphael take a step back, slightly overwhelmed.
"I... I don't think I can go in alone if you tell me to..."
"Everyone, quiet. Stop fighting."
Lee Han reprimanded them sternly.
Truthfully, whether Raphael went in alone or not wasn't Lee Han's concern, but he preferred to bring Raphael along if possible.
'A sturdy shield is always good to have in a party.'
He'd realized this last time—having a frontline fighter who could draw enemies' attention and hold the line firmly made things much easier.
If Raphael wasn't there, Lee Han would have to fill that role himself, which made it all the more important!
"Lee Han. That bastard's being like this again!"
"Raphael didn't mean any harm. He might have a sharp tongue, but he's not a bad person."
Of course, Lee Han actually thought Raphael was a hot-tempered jerk, but he was willing to sweet-talk him until they got inside.
"And I understand why Raphael's suspicious. He must wonder why I'm tagging along when I could just submit my assignment and be done. But Raphael, I'm not the kind of person who abandons friends just because my work is finished."
'A Skeleton Mage would be ideal. Or at least a Skeleton Archer. I should secure one while I can. Once midterms start, I'll be even busier.'
"I got help last time, so it's only natural I return the favor. Does that make sense?"
"...Hmph!"
Raphael didn't argue further, but his attitude had clearly softened.
He couldn't outright deny that Lee Han's motives were honorable.
Besides, Lee Han had even scolded his close friend Gainando to mediate the fight.
Raphael couldn't help but acknowledge his magnanimity.
'Maybe I should give him credit for this one thing...'
Thirty minutes later.
Raphael scowled and cursed.
"Devious bastards! Shameless bastards! Cunning bastards!!"
The moment they entered the undead realm, Raphael was forced into the frontline role again, and he let loose a stream of profanity.
He'd fallen for it last time, and now it had happened again.
"I... I'm sorry."
Imirg apologized, but Gainando stopped him.
"Why are you apologizing? We just divided roles."
"Prince bastard, like I said, that guy's better with a sword than me!"
"Hey, stop making weird excuses. Does that even make sense?"
When Gainando responded incredulously, Raphael grew even angrier.
That clueless idiot!
-■■■■■...
A Skeleton Warrior appeared ahead.
Imirg murmured in surprise.
"Wow... I didn't expect them to show up this fast..."
"......"
Lee Han pretended not to know.
Professor Millay had set up safety measures, but there was a chance Lee Han's mana had leaked and attracted the undead.
'But the probability of that is pretty low, right?'
That's what Lee Han thought.
Last time, it could've just been a coincidence. Jumping to conclusions wasn't a good habit.
"Should we subdue it and try contracting right away?"
"Yeah, that sounds like a good—"
-■■■■... ■■■■...
-■■■■... ■■■■...
"......"
"Th... That..."
Raphael felt his blood run cold and his limbs stiffen at the sight of the horde of undead appearing before them.
The professor set up safety measures, so how?!
"Wh... What's going on, Wardanaz?! How?!"
"Truly a baffling turn of events. What unfortunate luck."