Episode 414
Episode 414
Once again feeling why the unorthodox path could never triumph over the orthodox, Lee Han averted his gaze.
The students who had entered the classroom didn't immediately start practicing their dance—instead, they all sat in the corner chairs and began holding cups.
"?!"
Lee Han was shocked.
What was this?
'Are they rebelling against the professor?'
However, instead of sending the insolent, rebellious students to the detention room, Professor Krinval carefully and kindly served them coffee and tea he had personally prepared.
"Yo... Yornell. What in the world is this?"
"Ah. The professor believes that 'dancing forced upon someone will never be good.'"
Yornell pulled up a chair and sat down as he spoke.
Professor Krinval disliked coercing students who didn't want to dance into dancing.
Dance, after all, was something that flowed from the heart.
If one didn't dance when they truly wanted to, it wasn't dance at all.
"...????"
Lee Han was confused whether this was Einrogard or some tavern outside the village.
'Wait, is this really the kind of talk that happens at Einrogard?'
"What do students who don't want to dance do during class?"
"Huh? They just... sit and watch?"
"......"
Lee Han glanced around at the students.
Surprisingly, just as Yornell had said, the students were chatting away as if it were completely normal.
Snap!
"Did that guy just snap his fingers?"
"Must've misheard. Anyway, Yornell. Even if the others are slacking off, I've already fallen behind this semester."
Lee Han was determined to quickly catch up on the backlog.
For other subjects, even if he had fallen behind, he was confident he could catch up—but Dance and Etiquette was a different story.
Given how little attention he had paid to it, Lee Han's knowledge of dance, etiquette, and social skills was rather limited.
The dance moves he had learned in a crash course last vacation were all he knew, and his etiquette and social skills were only what he had picked up from the Wardanaz family...
"Don't they evaluate a few dance moves during the exam? Like, the ones that are popular these days..."
"The professor doesn't scrutinize things that thoroughly, one by one."
Seeing that Lee Han seemed to have some misconceptions, Yornell tried to correct him.
Professor Krinval truly didn't evaluate them so rigidly.
His usual spiel was:
- "What is dance?"
- "It's not how many dances you know that makes you a dancer, but how joyfully you can dance."
- "A dancer who performs one dance a thousand times is more beautiful than one who knows a thousand dances."
"Alright, I get it. I'll just teach you what I know—"
"Professor!! Professor!!"
While the two were talking, Gainando, who had been discussing Wizard Cards with Professor Krinval at the front, suddenly shouted.
"What brings such an enthusiastic call, Student Gainando? Did you recall something delightful?"
"I'll teach Lee Han!!"
"Such wonderful enthusiasm!"
Professor Krinval instinctively praised the student's motivated words before pausing.
"Wait a moment. I've heard Student Lee Han is quite the accomplished dancer—are you sure you're qualified to teach him?"
"?"
Lee Han, who had been listening, froze.
Where had that misunderstanding come from?
'What the hell? Did the White Tiger Tower bastards spread rumors to mess with me?'
"But he must've missed some dances since he couldn't attend lectures! I'll teach him!"
"Uh... Can't I just learn from Yornell?"
Lee Han protested, but Gainando ignored him.
By any objective measure, Gainando was clearly a far better dancer than Yornell.
"...Very well! Even if there's nothing to learn, friendship is a wonderful thing. Go ahead and teach him!"
As Gainando excitedly scurried over, Lee Han suddenly felt uneasy.
A faint fragment of truth had resonated in Professor Krinval's words.
'This guy doesn't seem like he's actually good at dancing...'
Eyeing Gainando with suspicion, Lee Han decided to endure it for now.
At the very least, Gainando had attended more lectures than Lee Han and seemed confident enough to step forward like that, so he must have had some faith in his teaching abilities.
There must be something to learn from this, no matter what.
When Gainando stepped on Lee Han's foot for the thirteenth time, Lee Han kicked him in the shin.
What kind of learning was this?!
Thud!
"Hey. Go do your homework or something."
"Hmph."
The other top students watching from the side were impressed.
"He lasted over ten times. Damn. I thought he'd explode after five steps."
"Well, the Wardanaz are surprisingly lenient with their own Tower mates. Come on, hand it over. He made it past ten. I win the bet."
"Ha! So that's how you get back at a Wardanaz."
"Anyone want to sign up for a dance with me next? I wanna try stepping on him too."
"......"
As Lee Han turned his head, the chattering students quickly averted their eyes.
Professor Krinval approached with genuine remorse.
"I'm truly sorry, Lee Han! I thought Gainando would be fine—his steps are clumsy, but he has talent!"
"R-right."
Lee Han's estimation of Professor Krinval dropped slightly.
"But I'm delighted to see that the rumors about you being an exceptional dancer are true, Lee Han!"
"Me, sir?"
"Yes!"
"I don't actually know that many dances..."
"The number of dances doesn't matter, Lee Han! What matters is this!"
Professor Krinval thumped his chest and then stomped his heel against the floor.
"Are you talking about mana capacity?"
"Of course, I mean the heart! And you, Lee Han, already possess the earnest heart of a true dancer!"
Lee Han was utterly baffled.
Sure, he knew Professor Krinval was a kind instructor who believed in his students' potential, but what had Lee Han possibly done to deserve such high praise?
"Why do you think that, Professor...?"
"I heard it from Lady Aldane!"
"!"
Only then did Lee Han recall that Professor Krinval belonged to the Greenbell Family.
A prestigious family from Granden City, where he had spent his break.
Given they were from the same family, it wasn't strange that some of his vacation exploits had been relayed.
'Wait. Something's off.'
Even as he remembered, the confusion didn't clear.
In all honesty, Lee Han didn't deny the things he had done during the break.
Slaying the Ghoul King, rescuing knights, defeating a basilisk—those were all real.
But had he ever done anything related to dancing?
'Did I?'
"Professor, no matter how I think about it, I barely danced at all during the break."
"Lee Han, the dance itself isn't important! Dance is merely a method to convey sincerity!"
"No, I mean, I didn't even—"
"But the high society of Granden is eager to invite you back! Would you really refuse? Would you disappoint them?"
Lee Han almost reflexively said "Yes," but he barely caught himself and tried to make sense of the professor's words.
'What...?'
Professor Krinval kindly elaborated for him.
Ashan's older brother and sister, the Dalkard twins, the royals he'd met, the Afha Order, Yoanen of the Maykin Family, the knights he'd helped—all of them.
Even if just one of these people had spoken about their encounters, rumors would have spread like wildfire.
"I get that there are rumors, but... what does that have to do with dancing...?"
"Lee Han, a true dancer captivates people even without dancing!"
"What kind of nonsen—"
"In that regard, you're doing excellently! Don't fixate on the dance itself—think of the people around you first. That's true social grace!"
Lee Han's mind reeled at the professor's logic, which essentially boiled down to: "If you get invited to high society a lot by any means, you're a great dancer."
"...I see."
Lee Han decided to take a step back and study dancing on his own.
But Professor Krinval wasn't about to let Lee Han go so easily.
"Lee Han. I'm going to assign you a special task! Attend gatherings where you're invited and engage in conversations with people! I want to hear your fame and praises reach my ears!"
'Good heavens, I'm actually starting to miss Professor Voladi.'
Lee Han was appalled by the professor's absurd assignment.
"Can't I just memorize dance moves and practice them in the classroom?"
"Dance isn't about that! And your dancing is already good enough as it is. What matters is captivating people's hearts!"
"He's right, Wardanaz. Dance isn't about technique—it's about moving people's hearts."
"Your technique is sufficient! You need to prove it yourself, Wardanaz!"
Some friends who'd been swayed by Professor Krinval's dance theory chimed in without reading the room.
Then they met Lee Han's gaze and flinched.
"Ah... never mind. If you don't want to prove it, that's fine..."
"Y-yeah. Actually, you're already moving hearts plenty as it is."
"Sigh... Vandre. Been doing well?"
"Of course. You don't look so good, though."
"Well, that goes for everyone. Managing the Black Market's always a pain. Just give me one slab of pork and two bundles of rye bread."
It was the weekend.
Lee Han, who had come to the Black Market in Turtle Tower to prepare meals for the priests, sighed and handed over a liquor bottle.
Unlike the other classes he'd somewhat grown accustomed to, the shock of encountering this new class still stung sharply.
A student from White Tiger Tower, who had been bartering with ink bottles and paper nearby, suddenly protested in surprise.
"Wait, why does that Wardanaz bastard get so much meat!? We traded the exact same liquor bottle!!"
"Because when I traded with you, I was just Vandre, but when I traded with Wardanaz, I was Vandre, who's worn out from managing the Black Market. Got it?"
"What kind of petty bastard...!?"
Ignoring their squabble, Lee Han finished wrapping his purchase in paper and prepared to leave.
"Wardanaz."
"!"
Salko—a student who looked like a dwarf but was actually an elf—called out to Lee Han in a hushed voice.
It was obvious he had something secretive to discuss, so Lee Han checked his surroundings before approaching.
"What is it?"
"I've got some useful intel. Heard the White Tiger Tower bastards are planning an escape attempt this weekend."
"Oh?"
Lee Han wasn't particularly surprised.
Einrogard students were creatures who, if left idle, would inevitably want to escape. After getting thrown into the punishment room, they'd calm down for a while—only to start itching for another breakout later.
Just as hamsters instinctively try to escape their cages, Einrogard students instinctively attempted to flee.
"Tempted? Wanna find out what route they've discovered?"
"...Ah. You want me to join you in looting them?"
"Obviously. Why else would I call you over?"
Salko gave Lee Han a look as if he were an idiot.
As if he'd summon the busy Wardanaz just to chat?
Of course he wouldn't call unless it was for business.
'What do you mean "obviously," you lunatic...'
Lee Han cursed Salko inwardly.
Anyone overhearing would think Lee Han was some professional bandit.
"I'll pass this time."
"What!?"
Salko was genuinely shocked.
The beast-like Wardanaz was actually backing down?
"Are you hurt somewhere? Badly injured??"
"...No, it's not that. I've got a lot on my plate, and the intel from White Tiger Tower guys has been pretty flimsy lately."
"Hmm!"
Of course, Lee Han only said that because he planned to sneak out briefly through the spire stables, but it was convincing enough to give Salko pause.
Memories surfaced of times in first semester when he'd blindly trusted White Tiger Tower students and ended up paying for it.
"Really? They are kinda dumb... Thanks, Wardanaz. I'll think it over."
"Right. Be careful with your judgment."
"Got it. If you change your mind and wanna loot them together, let me know."
Lee Han nodded.
"Even if it's the dead of night, just say the word if you change your mind."
"...I said I'm not doing it."