Episode 346
Episode 346
"Why not?"
"I don't want to amplify the flame energy just to suppress it."
"I see."
Puyo nodded as if he understood what Lee Han meant.
"So you dislike it because it's too simplistic a method."
"...That's not it."
For a moment, Lee Han nearly bristled.
This had nothing to do with some unique aesthetic sense as an Enchantment Magic practitioner.
"I have difficulty controlling Fire Magic."
"A mage of your caliber is saying that?"
Puyo was taken aback by Lee Han's words.
Among the various elements, fire was considered one of the easier ones to handle.
Unlike other elements, fire was something people encountered frequently in daily life.
What Lee Han was saying was akin to someone capable of complex calculus struggling with basic addition.
"My mana is excessive..."
"Even so, is it really that hard to control fire?"
"Yes."
"......"
Puyo was stunned by Lee Han's immediate answer but soon nodded in acceptance.
"Truly astonishing... Truly astonishing."
'No need to emphasize it twice.'
"Well, that makes sense. If you recklessly amplify flame energy, it might backfire."
"Thank you for understanding."
"But this complicates things. That was the best method. There are alternatives, but..."
Lee Han asked warily,
"Is it an expensive method?"
"No. I'm hesitating because it's a difficult approach. It's not as simple as just enchanting the staff—the mage wielding it must also possess certain skills."
Puyo sketched a simple diagram on paper.
The stone left by the King of Frost Giants.
To control this stone's power, one needed to arrange opposing attributes like fire or another manageable element.
If not fire, the next best attribute was...
"Dark Element. The issue is whether it's feasible to embed a Dark Element gem into a staff if the mage can't wield Dark Element themselves..."
Unlike Fire Element, Dark Element was among the trickiest to handle.
Adding a gem imbued with such an element to a staff might interfere with the mage's spellcasting later.
"I can wield Dark Element."
"...I-is that so? Then we'll proceed that way."
Puyo stared at Lee Han with wide, astonished eyes.
Yoner carefully rolled the dice.
If it landed on 3 this time, he'd land on the "Failed Magic Exam" space and have to skip a turn.
Given how unfavorable the game had been, that would make a comeback nearly impossible.
"Fufufufu."
Beside him, Gainando chuckled ominously.
After losing eight rounds in a row, his victory was finally within reach.
"Hey. Shut up and play."
"Indeed. Please be quiet."
Nilia and Ratford immediately snapped at him.
Both were on edge after landing on the "Cheated by a Friend and Lost Magic Reagents" and "Caught Trying to Steal an Artifact" spaces.
Gainando kept his mouth shut and strategized internally.
'Once Yoner rolls, I'll activate the "Grand Gathering of Black Mages at the Graveyard" card and—'
"Huh? Wardanaz!"
Nilia jumped up in surprise upon spotting Lee Han entering through the main gate outside the window.
The sudden movement tilted the board, sending the pieces toppling. Gainando wailed as he tried to catch them.
But Ratford and Yoner also stood up immediately. The board flipped over completely, scattering the pieces across the floor.
"Wardanaz!"
"Hey, kids. Stop shouting. My head's pounding. ...Why is Gainando crying?"
"I... I'm just happy you're back..."
Lee Han glanced at the scattered pieces on the floor and asked,
"Did you lose just when you were about to win the dice game...?"
"N-no? No, right?"
While Gainando was pushing the chess pieces aside with his foot, Lee Han flopped down onto the sofa.
Ratford asked with a puzzled expression.
"Why didn't you come to the mansion for several days? Surely they didn't confine you in the workshop."
"They did confine me."
"......"
"......"
"They didn't physically lock me up, but it was practically the same thing."
Lee Han groaned as he spoke.
When they assigned an inhuman amount of tasks and set strict deadlines, he couldn't make it back to the mansion.
He couldn't even sleep properly—where would he find the time to visit the mansion?
Nilia was indignant at the sight of her friend's haggard appearance.
"Isn't this going too far? No matter what, keeping someone confined for days just to make them work... Even the Shadow Patrol wouldn't... Well, they would, but to do this in an imperial city!"
"It's fine, Nilia."
"What do you mean 'fine'?"
"The pay is good."
"......"
"......"
Lee Han snatched the cocoa Gainando was drinking and gulped it down. Watching this, Ratford spoke up.
"The workshop is one thing, but weren't the ones who took you there the real villains? Those guys from White Tiger Tower, right?"
"Those White Tiger Tower bastards, seriously!"
Though it wasn't particularly White Tiger Tower's fault this time, the two Black Turtle Tower students cursed them anyway.
While the others were busy with that, Lee Han explained what had happened to Yoner.
"...So while trying to solve that riddle, I ended up at the workshop. But they said they'd pay in gold coins if I worked there..."
"Wait."
Yoner, who had been listening, tilted his head in confusion.
Gainando nodded in agreement.
"No matter how important gold coins are, a place that makes you work so much you can't even meet friends isn't a good place. Right? That's what you're trying to say, isn't it?"
"No."
"...No?"
Yoner had tilted her head because of the riddle.
'It wasn't about making a staff, but an actual riddle...?'
To Yoner, it looked unmistakably like a real riddle.
If his guess was correct, it was a riddle referencing the moon.
He had once heard that Duke Icaldoren prized an ancient artifact imbued with the moon's power, obtained with great difficulty, so he wondered if that was what it referred to.
But...
"Then what were you trying to say?"
"...Never mind. It's nothing."
"What?"
Gainando grumbled, but Yoner swallowed his words.
For one, the Princess's followers would know better, so it was highly possible it wasn't actually a riddle. And more importantly...
'It'd be too pitiful to say it now.'
How cruel would it be to tell his friend, who had worked so hard and finally returned, that he was wrong?
From what he heard, Duke Icaldoren had accepted the answer last time too. He probably approved whatever answer was given to respect the Princess's dignity.
In that case, it should be fine this time too.
"By the way, Professor Verdus?"
Lee Han asked something he had been curious about on the way back.
Given Professor Verdus's temperament, it wouldn't have been strange if he had caused an uproar over Lee Han's absence—yet it was oddly quiet.
And that only made him more uneasy.
"He went out."
"He went out?"
Lee Han was surprised.
"Did you ask where he went?"
"How could we do that?"
Nilia retorted incredulously.
They should be grateful Professor Verdus even left—if they asked where he was going and he decided to come back, what would they do then?
Lee Han conceded to Nilia's point.
'Well, she's right.'
"Still, it's a relief. All the professors have left now, right?"
At Ratford's words, Lee Han replied in a lonely voice.
"Other professors could still come."
"That's ridicu—"
"Is Lee Han here?"
"......"
Ratford turned his head to look out the window.
Outside the mansion's front gate stood the large, half-troll professor, waiting politely.
"See?"
Lee Han wasn't surprised or angry. Ratford whispered urgently:
"Should we say you're not here?"
"Won't work. The fact he came right when I arrived means he must've gotten information from somewhere."
"Th-that..."
"Even Professor Garcia would do this?!"
Nilia spat out the words, filled with betrayal.
She could understand other professors, but never expected Professor Garcia of all people to come harass students during vacation.
"Nilia. All professors are the same. Don't be too disappointed."
"But still! I trusted Professor Garcia!"
"I heard rumors other professors were visiting to harass Lee Han, so I came to stop them. I'm glad Professor Verdus was reasonable and left."
"......"
"......"
"Waaah! Professor Garcia!"
Nilia burst into tears of remorse and hugged Professor Garcia, who looked around at the other students in confusion.
"Why is she...?"
"It's nothing, Professor Garcia. Thank you for coming."
Lee Han bowed his head sincerely.
To have doubted such a professor.
He felt utterly pathetic.
'Have I lost even my conscience while dealing with professors?'
"But you really won't make him do anything?"
Gainando asked with suspicion-filled eyes.
Unlike the others, Gainando still hadn't let his guard down.
Given how every professor they met dragged Lee Han off for extra lectures, it was only natural.
Professor Garcia might lower their guard like this, then secretly take Lee Han away.
"You! How dare you say that to Professor Garcia!"
"Says you! What if Professor Garcia secretly kidnaps Lee Han and runs off?!"
"......"
As the students pointed fingers and argued, Professor Garcia felt a headache coming on.
Just how badly had other professors behaved at the Wardanaz mansion to make students act like this?
'This is all the Headmaster's fault!'
There was nothing wrong with informing professors where students stayed during vacation, but the Skeleton Principal clearly had evil intentions.
Every professor who heard the news had taken turns visiting and turning the mansion upside down.
Take Professor Verdus for example.
He'd camped out in the guest room until Professor Garcia arrived to finish his backlogged work, treating it like his own workshop.
The amount of coaxing needed to get Professor Verdus to leave...
"I truly don't intend to make him do anything."
"That sounds like a lie."
At Gainando's blunt words, Lee Han thought to himself:
'Honestly, same.'
A professor who didn't intend to make him do anything?
The concept was so transcendent it strained Lee Han's mental capacity to accept it.
"I just want Lee Han to rest. Do what he wants. What were you planning to do before professors started harassing you?"
"Earn gold coi—"
Before Lee Han could finish, Yoner poked his thigh.
Telling the truth here would only make Professor Garcia worry unnecessarily.
-Talk about resting!
-Right.
Lee Han understood Yoner's meaning.
-...Uh. What counts as resting?
-......
The top student who could effortlessly answer any question about magic or crafting now struggled to fabricate something about relaxation, making Yoner want to cry.
-What about saying we're going shopping?
-Not bad.
"I was planning to browse the shops and buy some things."
At Lee Han's model answer, Professor Garcia's face brightened.
'Thank goodness!'
At least Lee Han had some plans for resting.
"Don't tell me it's Wizard Cards?!"
"No. Not that."