Episode 261
Episode 261
"Why are you acting like that?"
Professor Voladi looked puzzled as Lee Han staggered atop the griffin.
Gritting his teeth, Lee Han replied:
"I didn't realize the professor was sitting next to me."
"Work on your observational skills."
Professor Voladi lightly reprimanded Lee Han for his carelessness.
An outstanding combat mage must never let their guard down and must maintain a certain level of concentration at all times.
And that concentration included observational awareness.
Even while sitting on a chair waiting in the Spire Stables, one should be suspicious enough to wonder, 'Could the person next to me be a professor?'
"...I'll keep that in mind."
Lee Han engraved Professor Voladi's advice deep into his bones.
At the magic school, one had to be able to recognize someone just by their footsteps.
Students who couldn't even manage that didn't deserve to survive!
"But if you were here, you could have said something earlier."
'Or better yet, never spoken at all.'
Lee Han wondered why the professor hadn't spoken up before he mounted the griffin.
Was it intentional—to make him fall?
Professor Voladi's eyebrows twitched slightly as he spoke slowly:
"One should remain quiet in the stables."
"......"
The magic school had a few particularly infuriating people who were technically correct.
Professor Voladi was one of them.
It was absurd hearing a man who usually did whatever he wanted suddenly preaching about etiquette.
'Is there no etiquette in the Empire about not dragging first-years into dungeons?'
"I... see."
Lee Han took a deep breath and steadied himself.
While Professor Voladi's sudden appearance had been shocking, upon reflection, the situation wasn't that dire.
Unlike other professors, Voladi didn't particularly care about Lee Han breaking rules.
"Professor. Could you keep it a secret that I left the school?"
"Sure."
Professor Voladi answered without hesitation. Lee Han was deeply moved.
'Even crazy professors have their merits sometimes!'
Who knew he'd agree so readily?
Amur, who had been flying ahead, noticed their conversation and cautiously asked:
"Everything alright?"
"It's fine, Lord Amur. This professor is a friend—he'll keep it secret."
"Is that so? You've found yourself a fine teacher."
Amur sighed in relief at Lee Han's words.
He had feared they'd been caught by some other mage, but it turned out to be an understanding mentor.
It seemed even Einrogard, infamous for its bloodthirsty rumors, had traces of warmth. Amur wiped his nose in satisfaction.
"Meeting a great teacher is a student's fortune, whether they're a mage or not."
Amur praised Professor Voladi, who nodded calmly in response.
Lee Han had to fight to keep his eyes from bulging.
'You... have no conscience!'
He could understand praising Voladi, but the professor actually nodding along to such compliments?
If it had been the Skeleton Principal, it might have been believable—but Voladi likely genuinely thought so.
"Mage, may I ask why you're leaving the school?"
"Preparing for final exams."
"Ah."
"Ah...?"
Lee Han, who had been nodding along, suddenly froze.
Wait, what?
"Indeed, professors must worry not just about magic but also teaching students. It must be difficult."
"Mhm."
Professor Voladi nodded again.
Lee Han had to suppress the urge to scream.
Where is your conscience...?!
"What do you need? Since we've met by chance, I'd like to help if possible."
Wrinkles formed between Professor Voladi's brows. After a moment of contemplation, he spoke:
"Something immune to fire, water, and lightning attributes, with strong magic resistance, capable of speeds exceeding 60 km/h—"
"W-wait."
A flustered Amur forgot his manners and cut the professor off.
"Why do you need such a monster?"
"For sparring practice."
"...Wait a minute... Didn't you say it was for final exam preparations?"
Professor Voladi nodded.
Amur fell silent for a moment.
Then, realizing the truth, he stared at Professor Voladi with a horrified expression.
"Don't... don't tell me..."
"Probably what you're thinking right now is correct."
Lee Han whispered.
Amur asked again, as if he couldn't believe it.
"Ah. Could it be for the upperclassmen's..."
"No."
"...No..."
Lee Han could understand Amur's bewildered feelings.
And truthfully, Lee Han should have been the most shocked right now.
'No wonder I had such good luck.'
This wasn't the time to be happy about Professor Voladi canceling class.
Turns out he was preparing to bring back a monster for Lee Han to fight outside...
He had to stop it.
Absolutely!
Lee Han whispered to Amur again.
"Would it be alright to invite one more guest to your house?"
"Of course."
Amur had previously given Lee Han permission to stay at his house if needed.
Having received additional permission, Lee Han's eyes sparkled as he spoke.
"Professor."
"?"
"Where will you stay when we arrive in the village?"
"An inn."
"If it's alright with you, why not stay together at Amur's house? It would save you the trouble of going to an inn."
One of Professor Voladi's virtues was that he nodded easily. The professor nodded.
'Got him.'
Lee Han was determined.
He absolutely wouldn't let Professor Voladi leave just like that.
...It might sound like he was planning to poison someone if overheard, but it was closer to just keeping him detained.
"We should probably start focusing on flying now."
"!"
Amur pointed ahead. Lee Han looked in surprise at the obstacles that had appeared before them.
Rings of burning flames had formed all across the sky.
"What on earth are those...??"
"Traps to filter out unauthorized entrants. Today, we just need to pass through the leftmost ring."
"R-right."
Even as they passed through the fiery ring, Lee Han felt strangely uneasy.
'Did I have a dream like this before?'
Amur's house, located near the massive stables, wasn't particularly spacious but was sturdy and cozy.
The problem was the lack of food supplies.
"Hmm. There's plenty of animal feed here, but..."
"That won't do."
For a moment, Lee Han considered cooking the animal feed for the professor but quickly came to his senses.
He hadn't lost his mind to that extent yet.
"I'll gather the necessary ingredients nearby. Do you happen to raise chickens?"
"...If you need groceries, why not just go buy them?"
Amur asked, puzzled.
"Ah!"
Only then did Lee Han regain his senses.
This wasn't the lawless frozen wasteland but a village within the Empire, with order and rules.
'Right, I can just buy them.'
Amur's hastily prepared canned beans weren't suitable for hosting the professor.
Truthfully, Lee Han still wasn't entirely sure what would be suitable for Professor Voladi, but those definitely weren't it.
'Stuff him with as much food and drink as possible.'
With a hearty, warm meal and some drinks, even the professor—being human—would get tired and go to bed, right?
And when he wakes up, another hearty, warm meal and drinks...
"Then I'll go buy them."
"It might be better if we go together..."
Amur looked at Lee Han with concern.
Given his noble upbringing, it was highly likely he'd never lifted a finger in his life.
Would he even know how to pick the right things?
One hour later.
Amur was even more astonished than when Lee Han had tamed the griffin.
"A-ah! This is even more unbelievable than taming the griffin!"
'That might be a bit of an exaggeration.'
Lee Han, who had been diligently making sherbet, meringue, pies, and biscotti, thought to himself.
Surely taming the griffin was more impressive than this...
"Please, both of you, sit down and eat first."
"But we can't possibly—"
"That would actually be helping me."
Lee Han said with a meaningful glance.
Amur let out an "Ah!" of realization before nodding in understanding. He had grasped his junior's intention to placate the mad professor's temper.
'Well, if he's misunderstanding, it should be fine.'
Even if it was a misunderstanding, it wasn't entirely incorrect. A professor who brought along powerful monsters to fight his own students couldn't complain about being misunderstood.
"Magus. Considering the hospitality prepared, it would be proper to partake first."
Professor Voladi gave a nod.
The spacious rectangular table was already laden with steaming hot dishes—freshly baked loaves of bread with honey and spices for dipping, assorted steamed vegetables and porridges to settle the stomach before richer fare, an entire massive brisket seasoned and smoked over flames, equally firm-smoked salmon fillets, and a seafood stew steamed in wine with flounder and clams.
Even without the various fruits and sweet desserts Lee Han was currently preparing, it was already a sumptuous spread. Amur, who usually made do with haphazard meals, found himself swallowing saliva unconsciously.
"Magus, here—"
Amur, about to offer wine to Professor Voladi, froze in surprise.
The professor was only selecting vegetables, greens, and fruits from the table.
"Does meat not appeal to you, perhaps?"
"I don't care for it."
Lee Han showed no dismay whatsoever.
Having no prior knowledge of Professor Voladi's preferences, he'd prepared a variety to test the waters.
'I see.'
Amur couldn't help but marvel at how seamlessly Lee Han pivoted his cooking approach from behind.
Even an alchemist with over a decade of experience in Philone Village wouldn't have switched directions so flawlessly without a single hiccup.
With brisk efficiency, Lee Han chopped vegetables into bite-sized pieces before immediately deep-frying them.
The sizzle of kabocha squash and eggplant filled the air with mouthwatering sounds as he lightly fried them before plating with accompanying sauces.
"How about this?"
"Delicious."
Seeing the professor eat well, Lee Han continued working—dicing tomatoes and leeks to scramble with eggs, peeling and blanching the earlier-purchased asparagus before sautéing in butter.
With each new dish Professor Voladi enjoyed, Amur grew more at ease and finally began offering wine. Hearing the two drinking behind him, Lee Han smiled meaningfully.
Thud!
The sound of someone's forehead hitting the table. Maintaining his composure, Lee Han turned.
"Would you like some wine salad as well—"
He stopped mid-sentence.
Amur's face was flushed crimson as he snored away, while Professor Voladi tilted his wineglass without the slightest change in expression.
"......"
Lee Han refrained from cursing Amur. The man had done his absolute best.
...It was just that Professor Voladi was a complete madman.
"The meal appears sufficient. Let us dine in earnest."
"...Ah. Yes."
Lee Han sat down with a bitter smile at the professor's utterly sober voice.
He carved into the meat—perfectly prepared, juicy and tender.
'Even in this mess, the meat is delicious...'
"Skipping meals or eating irregularly is a poor habit."
Professor Voladi lightly admonished Lee Han, who barely stopped himself from throwing down his fork.
"I'll be more mindful in the future."
"It's late—you should sleep once we finish eating. We'll depart upon waking."
"Pardon? Depart where?"
"To trade monsters."
Professor Voladi answered before adding curiously,
"Wasn't that why you hosted this meal? To see it?"
"...I'm ashamed my shallow motives were so transparent."
"Ambition and curiosity are virtues of a mage. No need for shame. Speak plainly next time."
Though he'd accepted the hospitality to avoid disregarding his student's sincerity, Professor Voladi had no patience for roundabout communication.
'I always end up ruining things.'
Resolved to be a troublesome customer regardless of the professor's dignity, Lee Han steeled himself.