Episode 386
Episode 386
'...This must be a misunderstanding.'
Lee Han refused to believe it.
Until just moments ago, these priests from the Tower of the Eternally Burning Phoenix had been supporting each other with such trust—the very people who made him think there might still be a glimmer of hope even in this hellish place.
Could priests like them really be fighting over which religious order Lee Han believed in?
"I do have some interest in a few religious orders at the moment."
"!"
"Does that mean... you haven't yet found your true faith?"
"How on earth did you interpret it that way?"
He had clearly said he was "interested in a few religious orders," but to the priest beside him, it sounded like "wandering lost, unable to find true faith."
"I'm not wandering because I can't find faith—it's more like how imperial nobles typically sponsor temples."
Lee Han went so far as to do something he normally wouldn't, just to persuade the priests.
Namely, claiming that he was a stereotypical imperial noble.
Of course, at this point, it was no use.
"But Lord Lee Han of the Wardanaz family. While many noble families sponsor temples, not many personally visit them to participate in prayers. Your sincerity seems different from other nobles."
Nigisor of the Afha Order spoke as if puzzled.
Lee Han gritted his teeth.
"Thanks for the kind explanation."
"How embarrassing."
When the priests heard that Lee Han had visited the temples of the Afha Order or the Prisinga Order to participate in events, their eyes gleamed even brighter.
To them now, Lee Han appeared like a lost lamb.
"Please visit our order as well. You'll surely discover the true faith you've been searching for."
"That's not it—I just wanted to offer pure sponsorship... Wait, doesn't your order forbid dual faiths?"
Among the imperial religious orders, some permitted holding multiple faiths simultaneously, while others insisted on exclusive devotion to their own.
Since Lee Han had been visiting the former to seek benefits, he couldn't get close to the latter.
"That doesn't matter now. Once you find true faith, you'll naturally forget all others."
"Hold on. I can't accept that. Are you saying I should abandon the Afha Order's faith? Someone as devout as Lord Lee Han of the Wardanaz family is rare in the empire!"
'You're only saying that because of my mana.'
Lee Han cursed Nigisor inwardly.
What kind of person would see him as nothing but a massive fuel tank for flames?!
"You seem interested in other orders too—surely the Flemeng Order, right? Just look at your alchemy grades."
"If we're going by grades, my other subjects are also..."
Siana deliberately ignored that and changed the subject.
"Since you've been working steadily at the alchemy workshop even during breaks, you'd have no choice but to be satisfied if you visited the Flemeng Order."
"Not all alchemists believe in the Flemeng Order. From what I've seen, Lord Lee Han of the Wardanaz family has a great interest in swordsmanship. Meaning our order, which worships the sword—"
"You're all wrong! I heard from Lord Gainando that Lord Lee Han loves Wizard Card the most. Our order, which worships luck—"
The priests sat around the table and began debating fervently.
Their manners were polite, but the force behind their words was unyielding and uncompromising.
As if declaring they would never back down, their voices gradually rose. Passing students glanced over, wondering what was happening.
"Wait, everyone, calm down!"
At Priestess Dijiling's shout, the students from the Tower of the Eternally Burning Phoenix froze.
Seeing this, Lee Han was moved.
'Priestess Dijiling really is the only sane one here.'
While the other priests had lost their minds to religious greed, Priestess Dijiling alone had kept her wits about her.
Priestess Dijiling spoke quickly.
"Let's all draw lots to decide the order. If we show consideration for each other, we can arrange a schedule that satisfies everyone."
"Indeed!"
"As expected..."
"......"
Lee Han suddenly felt like returning to the Blue Dragon Tower.
"Hey. You Wardanaz bastard came back—"
"Talk to me and I'll kill you."
The Blue Dragon Tower students growled with voices dripping with venom.
The White Tiger Tower students, who had casually tried to strike up a conversation, were naturally taken aback.
"Wh-what...? N-no! I was just asking! Just wanted to know if Wardanaz came back!"
The Blue Dragon Tower students, without exception, gripped their wands with murderous expressions.
It was clear they were dead serious—ready to throw down in an all-out brawl if provoked further.
Their aura was so overwhelming, like a knight order returning from certain death after being abandoned by their lord, that the White Tiger Tower students were utterly intimidated.
"What... what's with them? Have they lost their minds?"
"Wait. Are we just going to let them get away with this?"
The students from the three towers (excluding the Phoenix Tower) didn't get along well.
Normally, they'd just exchange a few sharp words, but if someone openly picked a fight like this, they weren't about to back down either.
Win or lose, throwing hands was a matter of pride.
But...
"Let it go today."
"Why!?"
"From what I can tell, that Wardanaz bastard seems seriously hurt."
"!"
The White Tiger Tower students wore expressions of shock.
No wonder...!
"I see. That explains their reaction..."
"Sure, the Blue Dragon Tower bastards are arrogant and rude, but picking on them when they're grieving like that over their friend isn't honorable. Let's overlook it today."
"You're right. We're knights, after all."
The White Tiger Tower students wiped their noses and exchanged proud, satisfied glances.
They couldn't have been prouder of each other's camaraderie.
"But Wardanaz got hurt? How?"
"Did he challenge the headmaster to a duel or something?"
"Yesterday, that Black Turtle Tower bastard said the headmaster was flying around carrying Wardanaz... Was that it?"
"Wardanaz... I knew that guy had no fear, but to this extent?"
The White Tiger Tower students suddenly fell silent.
"...Is that guy gonna be okay?"
"What? You? Are you actually worried about him?"
"M-me? What? No way! I'm not worried! You're the one who sounds worried!"
"M-me neither!"
As they bickered, the White Tiger Tower students arrived in front of Professor Garcia's <Basic Practical Magic> classroom.
Creak!
"Everyone, good— Wardanaz!!"
"??"
Lee Han looked puzzled at the White Tiger Tower students' startled reactions.
"You didn't know I was back this weekend?"
"Y-you weren't hurt?"
"No? What nonsense are you... Did you hear some weird rumor?"
Lee Han gave them a disdainful look.
Knights, of all people, falling for baseless gossip.
"...Then why the hell were those Blue Dragon Tower bastards acting like rabid dogs?"
"Dunno. Must be lunatics."
The White Tiger Tower students gnashed their teeth and took their seats.
Just you wait!
Meanwhile, the Blue Dragon Tower students began trickling in, scattered in small groups.
They glanced gloomily at Lee Han's side.
Then, noticing the Phoenix Tower students weren't there, their eyes widened.
"Wardanaz! The pri— I mean, the priests?"
"They're sitting over there."
Lee Han pointed to where the Phoenix Tower students were gathered. The priests waved cheerfully.
"Th-they're sitting... with us? Not with the Phoenix Tower?"
"...Did you guys eat something bad?"
Lee Han was baffled, wondering if his Blue Dragon Tower friends had lost their minds.
But their madness was only just beginning.
"Sob! Wardanaz!"
"We thought you'd abandoned us!"
"We can still be friends even if you're in a different tower!!"
The students of the Blue Dragon Tower clung to Lee Han's limbs and began bursting into tears.
Lee Han seriously considered whacking them with his staff.
'These bastards are embarrassing me in front of students from other towers.'
"We'll do better! Don't leave us now!"
"We'll even clean the lounge on time every time!"
"Wait, those brats weren't even cleaning their lounge separately?"
A student from the Black Turtle Tower nearby looked horrified.
What kind of trashy bastards were these?
"Everyone, let's— Oh. Lee Han. Would you like a bit more time?"
"It's fine, Professor."
Lee Han peeled off his clinging friends one by one like leeches. Even Gainando, who stubbornly held on till the end, got a smack on the head and was shoved away.
"We're so glad you're back, Lee Han. As everyone knows—"
"It's because he was recovering from the duel with the Headmaster, right?"
A student from the White Tiger Tower said as if he knew everything.
Lee Han watched this and thought to himself,
'Do those guys believe every rumor they hear?'
If someone spread a rumor like, 'If you bury all your wealth in an empty lot, a wish-granting spirit will appear,' would they fall for it too?
"That's not it?"
"Huh? It's not?"
The White Tiger Tower students murmured in confusion. A Black Turtle Tower student nearby scoffed in disdain.
"Told you. Pathetic bunch. Dragons, my foot."
"Tch."
"...It wasn't a dragon either. I just got trapped while exploring, so everyone, stop with the wild imaginations."
At Professor Garcia's words, the students buzzed with disbelief.
Trapped while exploring?
How does that even make sense?
"You're hiding something, aren't you?"
"Shh. Let's just agree to disagree. Keep prying, and he might snap."
Professor Garcia gave up on explaining further and sighed.
"Today's lecture will be held in the adjacent classroom. Everyone, follow me."
The students trailed after Professor Garcia as they moved.
Lee Han asked Yoner,
"Was the last lecture held somewhere else too?"
"Yeah. He turned the classroom into a cave."
Even if it was for practicing darkvision magic, turning the classroom into a cave was something else.
Lee Han was impressed by Professor Garcia's scale.
'Would've been nice to see it myself.'
...Until a massive lake appeared before them.
"...?!"
Gainando, who nearly stumbled into the lake after opening the wrong door, staggered and tried to grab Ashan's clothes.
Ashan dodged as if to say, "What are you grabbing?" Gainando cursed loudly.
As Lee Han yanked Gainando back by the collar before he could fall, he asked,
"Professor. The magic we're learning today... wouldn't happen to be..."
"Caught on already, Lee Han."
"...Yumidihus' Water Prison Bomb or Evaporation, is it?"
"...Would you like to check the course name again?"
Of course, Basic Practical Magic didn't cover Water Prison Bombs or Evaporation.
The magic they were learning today was Underwater Breathing Magic.
"Ah... Of course."
Lee Han visibly relaxed.
He had been worried about what kind of monsters might lurk in that lake.
"Everyone, pair up in teams of two. First, try casting the spell on yourselves. Once you're somewhat comfortable, try casting it on your partner too."
Before the professor even finished speaking, the Blue Dragon Tower students began shoving and wrestling each other.
"Move, you bastard."
"You move. If you make Wardanaz disappointed enough to transfer to the Phoenix Tower, you taking responsibility?"
"How about we go by grades, huh? Who did well in Enchantment Magic?"
"We should go by water elemental magic!"
"I'm the closest to him, so I should—"
"Take one more step, and I'll throw you into the lake, Gainando!"
While the Blue Dragon Tower students fought over 'who would firmly secure Lee Han's wavering heart and bring him back to the Blue Dragon Tower,' a cheerful shark beastman priest from the Phoenix Tower spoke up.
"Lee Han of the Wardanaz family! Why not pair up with me?"
"Sure."
Seeing no reason to refuse, Lee Han nodded easily.
"But why? There must be other priests too."
"Ah. I drew the first lot."
"......"