Episode 275
Episode 275
I don't know what you're thinking, but it's a misunderstanding.
"A misunderstanding? You knew I was coming and still pulled this—how could you?!"
Eunrade said with a flustered voice.
There was only one reason why a mage from Einrogard would be sent to investigate the students' actual conditions.
Because mages from other schools would never understand if they visited Einrogard!
Only a mage from Einrogard could comprehend its unique educational culture.
...But even considering that, Einrogard should have shown some consideration when an Imperial Bureaucrat was visiting.
It was true that absurd incidents occasionally occurred at Einrogard, but did they have to happen precisely when an Imperial Bureaucrat was visiting?
I told you, it's a misunderstanding. I didn't do this.
"If the Headmaster didn't orchestrate this, then who did? Are you seriously suggesting first-year students did this themselves?"
Yes.
"...Don't talk nonsense."
Then ask them.
"......"
The Skeleton Principal was a wicked, spiteful, underhanded, and cruel mage—but he wasn't the type to make absurd, unreasonable claims.
Eunrade turned to the student who seemed like the leader among those holding the Phoenix.
"Did you really try to capture the Phoenix? Just first-year students?"
"Yes."
"And you succeeded?"
"Yes."
The adventurers listening in murmured among themselves.
Eunrade had always thought most rumors about Einrogard were baseless nonsense, but this time, he couldn't deny it.
Though I had anticipated it, capturing the Phoenix was far more difficult than expected.
Locking the Phoenix inside the main building was just the beginning.
"First, we restrain it. Pull the Phoenix in!"
"How?"
"Use magic to guide it—"
Fortunately, that wasn't necessary. The Phoenix, excited upon entering the main building, rushed straight toward Lee Han.
■■■■! ■■■■!
The Phoenix seemed to perceive the situation as a game. Even as students charged at it from both sides with menacing expressions, it flapped its wings and clung to Lee Han.
It was absurd, but an opportunity was still an opportunity. At least they didn't have to go through the trouble of luring it.
"Everyone, grab it!"
■■■■■...
"......"
The Phoenix chirped.
Its cry was much louder and clearer than when it had sung in front of the tower earlier.
The friends who had been so fired up just moments ago all slumped down as if entranced, mouths agape as they stared at the Phoenix.
'Damn it. Should I have cast mental defense spells too?!'
Lee Han lamented inwardly.
The Phoenix's determined singing was far more powerful than expected. It was enough to bury even the strongest resolve or determination.
What will you do now?
The Skeleton Principal, who had arrived belatedly, asked in an amused voice.
He seemed delighted, almost giddy, that all of Lee Han's friends had been taken out of commission.
"...It's fine. It won't keep singing forever. I just have to endure alone until it stops."
Isn't that too reckless?
Whether the Skeleton Principal was mocking him or not, Lee Han ignored it.
There was no point complaining about something he had to do anyway.
"Come forth, Sharkan!"
Lee Han summoned Sharkan and called forth his Skeleton Warriors. Then, he firmly restrained the Phoenix to prevent it from escaping.
Even as it was being held, the Phoenix flapped its wings playfully, completely unfazed.
Flap, flutter!
"Lee Han, pour on the magic! The only way to drain the Phoenix's stamina further is to keep attacking!"
Lee Han, who had already been planning to do so, swung his staff. As ice and lightning flew toward it, the Phoenix grew even more excited.
Sharkan, looking utterly baffled, bit and clawed at the Phoenix. In response, the Phoenix playfully nipped at Sharkan with its beak.
To an outsider, it might have looked like pets playing together.
If only the surroundings weren't ablaze from the Phoenix's flames.
What a cunning brat! Using mana to coax the Phoenix.
As the Phoenix continued playing along without any resistance, the Skeleton Principal berated Lee Han.
Of course, Lee Han was too busy wrestling with the phoenix to even hear it.
"...I don't think Lee Han intended for this to happen."
Professor Garcia spoke up in his defense.
Given how the phoenix was treating every attack as playtime, it did seem true that the creature had become utterly intoxicated by Lee Han's mana.
It wasn't all that surprising—phantasmal beasts that fed on mana were naturally drawn to it.
The only reason the capricious phoenix was sticking around, indulging in such antics instead of flying away, had to be because of that.
But Professor Garcia decided not to tell Lee Han that fact.
The truth—"The phoenix chased you around because of your mana"—would have been far too cruel for a student already struggling.
Still, such cunning tactics wouldn't last forever.
"I really don't want to ask, but... why is this happening?"
As you know, phoenixes are fickle. Right now, it's just drunk on mana and behaving—
"Behaving? Hardly."
Professor Garcia watched as the phoenix tried to stuff a feather into Lee Han's ear.
...Once it gets bored, it'll probably try to leave. Do you really think you can stop it then? A shame, but our preparations were insufficient.
'Exactly.'
Professor Garcia couldn't help but agree with the Skeleton Principal.
With all the other students already knocked out by the song, it seemed impossible for Lee Han to hold off the phoenix alone.
If the phoenix grew bored and tried to fly elsewhere...
......
"......"
The Skeleton Principal and Professor Garcia stood silently, watching Lee Han and the phoenix play.
How much time had passed?
The Skeleton Principal suddenly flared up in anger.
Why the hell is that damn phoenix so patient?!
As time dragged on, Lee Han's friends finally woke from the song and joined in.
"I'll help, Wardanaz!"
"I already have it under control!"
"Shh. Keep it down."
Thanks to his friends joining, Lee Han finally got a moment to rest—
■■■■! ■■■■!
"Wardanaz! The phoenix is trying to escape!"
"Wardanaz!! What do we do?!"
"......"
Lee Han, who had been about to rest, immediately lunged back to grab the phoenix. The creature flapped its wings happily.
"Uh... want a snack?"
"Sure. Please."
It was persistence bordering on sheer stupidity.
The Skeleton Principal grumbled incessantly at the sight of Lee Han stubbornly wrestling the phoenix down.
If you're just going to overpower it with brute strength, why even bother being a mage?
After hearing the explanation, Eunrade finally nodded in understanding.
"Ah, I see!"
Did it make sense now?
"No!"
Why not?
"If you knew I was coming, you should've stopped this mess from the start! The Headmaster could've dealt with it himself! Especially during finals week!"
That wouldn't do. Principles must be upheld in any situation.
Eunrade was flabbergasted.
You ignore principles when it suits you!
'What's so hard about helping students out during finals week?!'
"I don't know either! I'll do my best, but I can't erase what's already happened."
...Hmph. Doesn't matter.
The Skeleton Principal's blazing gaze flickered slightly.
No doubt he was mentally calculating how much this would cut into the budget.
"One at a time, please."
After settling in, Eunrade sat down to hear out the first-year students.
Though Einrogard had students from all grades, none suffered as much as the first-years.
Having been a student at Einrogard himself, Eunrade knew exactly how shocking the initial transition was.
Leaving servants, attendants, and slaves outside the gates, forced to enter the tower in shabby clothes...
And the terrifyingly imposing Lich Archmage was just the cherry on top.
If life in the tower had been comfortable, it might have been bearable—but unfortunately, tower life was harsh and grueling.
Surviving on nothing but rock-hard black bread and rice balls while drowning in an overwhelming amount of assignments and studies.
'It really pains my heart.'
Watching a student from the Blue Dragon Tower enter, Eunrade felt a surge of sorrow.
Though he himself was also from the Blue Dragon Tower, Eunrade could well imagine how difficult it must have been for the student before him.
All first-year students struggled, but those in the Blue Dragon Tower had it particularly harder.
Their noble bloodlines or brilliant intellects—qualities the students possessed—were of little help during their first year.
Moreover, students from the White Tiger Tower or the Black Turtle Tower were narrow-minded and petty, often disliking those from the Blue Dragon Tower for no reason.
Sadly, students from the Blue Dragon Tower, lacking talent in hunting or foraging, had no choice but to go hungry.
"Please, have a seat."
As the Blue Dragon Tower student took his seat, Eunrade wrote down his name and then posed a question.
"You must be having a very hard time."
"Gasp! How did you know?"
Gainando was startled. Eunrade gave a bitter smile and replied,
"I, too, am a mage who graduated from Einrogard. And I was from the Blue Dragon Tower."
"So you're my senior!"
"Indeed. So feel free to speak openly. Most of it will be edited out anyway."
The Empire was only interested in whether any Einrogard students harbored desires to burn the world or summon a great demon to overthrow the Empire—not whether the students were hungry or not.
So first-years could speak freely without worrying about the Skeleton Principal's watchful eyes.
"How are the meals?"
"They're... a bit lacking."
"I understand. Those black breads and cold rice balls must be truly hard to get used to. I never managed to adapt to them even by graduation."
"Huh? Oh, um... I don't eat those."
"Excuse me?"
Eunrade froze at Gainando's words.
If he wasn't eating the black bread or rice balls, was he surviving on dew or something?
"Then what have you been eating?"
"Uh... For breakfast, I had bacon omelets. For lunch, tuna, egg, and corn sandwiches. And for dinner—"
"Wait. Wait. Hold on."
Eunrade doubted his ears and stopped Gainando mid-sentence.
"Are you joking with me right now?"
"Huh? Wh-what did I do wrong?"
Gainando flinched, intimidated by his senior's sudden outburst.
Only then did Eunrade snap back to his senses.
"I-I apologize. I lost my temper for a moment. I thought you were joking..."
"I'm not joking! We even have desserts here!"
As if protesting, Gainando pulled out cookies from his bag.
Not the kind made from mud and grass, but proper cookies baked with flour, sugar, and butter.
There was no way a first-year student should have access to such luxuries.
"...Where did these come from?"
"Lee Han brings them from outside. Sometimes he even makes them with ingredients he finds inside."
"......"
Gainando excitedly began chattering about how Lee Han sourced ingredients, cooked meals, and fed the Blue Dragon Tower students.
As Eunrade listened to descriptions of their lavish diet, his face gradually twisted.
It was a reaction he hadn't even realized himself.
"...You've... met with incredible fortune."
"Right??"
Eunrade came to a realization.
While he had felt sorrow seeing his juniors suffer, seeing them live in luxury made his blood boil!
'Is this why the other tower bastards hated us?!'
The answers from other Blue Dragon Tower students were much the same.
Just as he had feared, Eunrade shuddered at the sight of his juniors living so comfortably.
'How can they grow as mages if they live so carelessly like this?! It wasn't like this in our time!'
Unaware, Eunrade failed to realize he was sounding exactly like the Skeleton Principal.
The counseling sessions continued.
At first, he had been seething over the Blue Dragon Tower students, but as he spoke with students from other towers, his emotions shifted to astonishment.
"So you're telling me this Wardanaz student is studying Summoning Magic, Illusion Magic, Enchantment Magic, Divination Magic, Transformation Magic, Healing Magic... in short, all of these?"
"Yeah. That's about right."
"And he's also handling the meals for the Blue Dragon Tower students?"
"Huh? Don't the Blue Dragon Tower bastards share the work? Are they insane or something?"
"......"