Episode 42
Episode 42
The explosion of unrefined mana dealt a fatal blow to the assassin who took it head-on, but it also sent a shockwave through Lee Han.
Lee Han was sent flying backward as his entire body convulsed from the impact.
'Ugh...!'
It was a far stronger shock than when he had taken Alarong's sword strike head-on.
Lee Han regretted it instantly.
'Did I pour in too much mana?!'
Thinking he needed to finish off his opponent decisively, he had channeled all his mana into the attack—only for the result to be something he hadn't anticipated.
His body wouldn't move from the recoil.
Fortunately, all the enemies had been knocked out as well, but...
"Lee Han!"
From a distance, Professor Garcia came rushing over in a panic.
Lee Han was puzzled by the sight.
'Weren't there still attackers assaulting the professor?'
The answer to that question became clear immediately.
Around Professor Garcia, the attackers lay sprawled and crumpled, as if they had been hammered down by a giant mallet.
The professor's fists were also stained with blood—though it clearly wasn't his own.
'Ah, right... He's part troll...'
Lee Han felt a twinge of regret.
Even if he hadn't stepped in, Professor Garcia might have just beaten the attackers down with his bare hands.
Given his troll lineage, his sheer physical prowess was formidable even without magic.
Who the hell would dare—
From the direction of the school, a massive skeletal figure streaked across the sky, accompanied by a green glow.
Under normal circumstances, the sight of the headmaster would have sent shivers down his spine, but Lee Han felt relieved instead.
'I guess I can rest now.'
Lee Han closed his eyes and collapsed on the spot. His whole body ached, and all he wanted was to sink into deep sleep.
The Skeleton Principal arrived in a hurry, bringing Professor Voladi with him.
The Imperial Anti-Magic Zealots were like mold or poisonous mushrooms—sprouting in the darkest corners.
And yet, these bastards had dared to ambush one of the academy's professors.
My apologies, Professor Garcia Kim. My own shortcomings have placed you in danger.
The Skeleton Principal bowed his head slightly as he surveyed the aftermath of the battle.
"N-No, Lord Gonadaltes. If they were Imperial Anti-Magic Zealots—especially members of the Twilight Dawn—then stopping them beforehand would have been impossible for anyone."
Professor Garcia was flustered by the rare sight of the Skeleton Principal offering a sincere apology.
Beside him, Professor Voladi spoke up.
"I disagree. As the headmaster of this academy, you should have been able to prevent this."
"......"
......
Professor Garcia stared at Professor Voladi in disbelief.
No wonder this guy has zero social skills. Who says something like that in this situation?!
The Skeleton Principal also felt the urge to smack him but held back. This incident was his fault, after all.
He should have conducted a thorough sweep of the area. How shameful. Wait... is that an Ancient Artifact?
"Yes. It was a powerful relic capable of absorbing all surrounding magic."
They came prepared.
The Skeleton Principal clicked his tongue.
No one was as adept at countering mages as the Anti-Magic Zealots.
To think they had even dug up an Ancient Artifact like that and brought it here...
"This one is Garakse."
Professor Voladi spoke as he observed the dying assassin.
This man was infamous even among the Twilight Dawn.
Nicknamed the Mage Slayer, he was exceptionally skilled in anti-mage combat, yet...
Still clinging to life, I see. I'll take him to my prison. I'll tear through his mind and extract every last piece of intel on the Twilight Dawn. But more importantly...
The Skeleton Principal swept his gaze across the battlefield with renewed interest.
It was immediately obvious that most of the attackers had been fried or blasted apart by lightning magic and other spells—Professor Garcia's handiwork.
Though not particularly skilled in magical combat, the professor had managed to wield his spells precisely without destroying the surroundings.
Yet among the wreckage, other traces stood out.
Slashes and stabs from a blade, enemies felled by telekinetic force—these were different.
It was obvious at a glance who had done it. It was the boy from the Wardanaz family, now collapsed and fast asleep as if knocked unconscious.
'Why is that Wardanaz brat so skilled with a sword?'
To take down someone from Garakse, even with luck on his side, he must have had considerable skill.
Though the Skeleton Principal found it puzzling, he didn't bother waking the boy to ask.
After all, mages didn't just practice magic. They all had their own hobbies.
Some rode horses, some knitted...
And for some, that hobby could be swordsmanship.
Perhaps noticing the Skeleton Principal's gaze, Professor Garcia spoke up.
"If it weren't for Lee Han of the Wardanaz family stepping in, things could have turned truly dangerous. Thanks to him, none of the other workers were harmed."
Hmm. Talented, isn't he? To remain composed in that situation and successfully cast spells... He has a gift for combat magic. Professor Voladi, was it you who taught him? Impressive.
"Not particularly impressive. The Wardanaz boy is the type who exhibits intense focus when faced with danger, and he possesses an enormous mana capacity. It's only natural he'd demonstrate such ability in combat under those circumstances."
'Damn it, I shouldn't have brought him along.'
The Skeleton Principal regretted his decision.
He'd brought the boy as a precaution, thinking his combat magic skills might prove useful in an emergency, but now the vampire professor was just grating on his nerves.
That vampire was essentially saying, "For someone like Lee Han, this level of performance is expected," but the Skeleton Principal naturally disagreed.
Even for someone as stingy with praise as the Skeleton Principal, this was an achievement too remarkable not to acknowledge.
A mere freshman, fresh out of enrollment, holding his own against the infamous Imperial Anti-Magic Zealots?
And judging by Professor Garcia's account, every aspect of his fighting had left the Skeleton Principal in awe.
If he'd won simply through brute strength or by spamming spells, it wouldn't have been particularly impressive.
But this Wardanaz boy had been weaker than his opponents, at a disadvantage, and yet he'd outsmarted them to victory.
That was a talent only a truly exceptional mage could possess.
How tempting!
The Skeleton Principal suddenly felt an itch in his nonexistent knuckles.
If he had his way, he'd drag the boy to his workshop the old-fashioned way and take him on as a personal disciple.
In the old days, mages used to pass down their knowledge through the "One-Person Succession" method—entrusting everything to a single brilliant apprentice.
Of course, in this day and age, such practices were unacceptable.
If he tried pulling that with the Wardanaz boy, protests would pour in from the professors, the Wardanaz family, even the Emperor himself.
-"Headmaster! A mage isn't just someone who learns magic! You know how harmful it is to raise twisted, eccentric mages who learn nothing but magic and have no social skills!"
-"Osso Gonadaltes. If that were an acceptable way to teach magic, I would've done it myself. Is that all you're capable of? Pathetic fool."
-"Osso. I provided funding to this school to nurture and raise talents who will become pillars of the Empire, not to breed damned lunatics! What exactly are you doing with such a promising individual? Are you protesting against me?"
...Clearly, one-on-one apprenticeship under an archmage came with far too high a risk of warping and corrupting the disciple's character.
'This era truly is a bothersome one.'
The Skeleton Principal sighed with regret.
What could he do? He'd made the rules himself.
At any rate, now that the Wardanaz boy had entered the academy, there would be plenty of opportunities to clash with him and teach him in the future.
The Skeleton Principal fervently hoped that, in a few years, this Wardanaz boy would come under his wing.
If that happened, he could research and pass down all sorts of forbidden arts and knowledge!
Clean up the scene. And make sure the workers are rewarded—they've earned it. Don't forget to secure that Ancient Artifact either.
The Skeleton Principal issued orders to his Summons.
The surrounding villages of the magic school needed to have all traces cleaned up thoroughly so they wouldn't feel uneasy.
"Professor Voladi. What are you doing?"
The Skeleton Principal asked with a curious gaze.
Professor Voladi had been intently observing the fallen attackers.
"These few attackers here were taken down by a peculiar form of attack, so I was investigating."
"Hmm. Indeed... What method did that Wardanaz family kid use to take them down?"
Both Professor Voladi and the Skeleton Principal pondered together.
Wounds from slashing or stabbing with a sword, or injuries from being shot down by iron pellets, were immediately identifiable.
But some attackers bore wounds as if they'd been smashed by a massive hammer.
What in the world was this?
'Could he have manipulated a boulder? With the <Lesser Manipulation> spell?? Even with overflowing mana, that should be impossible... Did he actually pull it off?'
"...Um, that was me knocking them out with my fists. Everyone."
Professor Garcia raised his hand with an embarrassed expression as he spoke.
When Lee Han woke up on the plush bed, the first thing that entered his vision was the Skeleton Principal's skull.
'A nightmare?'
"Student Lee Han. You truly went through a lot."
Beside him stood Professor Garcia as well.
"Ah, no. I only did what I had to do."
Even so, credit is credit. You did well.
"Thank you."
Though, of course, trying to sneak out of the school was a separate matter.
'Damn it.'
Lee Han clicked his tongue inwardly.
A fresh surge of hatred for the Imperial Anti-Magic Zealots welled up inside him.
If it weren't for those bastards, he'd be in the village by now!
Professor Garcia spoke with an apologetic expression.
"I'm sorry, Student Lee Han. After such a heroic act..."
What's there to be sorry about? Rules are rules. Rewards are rewards. Punishments are punishments. More importantly, how did you breach the underground storage passage? That's not a place one can pass through in just a week.
The Skeleton Principal asked with genuine curiosity.
The storage room behind the central staircase on the first floor of the main building was a place many freshmen attempted to challenge.
It wasn't just for escaping—for starving students, the food storage was a place they'd sell their souls to reach.
The Skeleton Principal knew this well, which was why he often scattered keys leading to the area behind the central staircase.
But breaking through to the underground storage passage from there?
That was something even the Skeleton Principal hadn't anticipated.
Even if he had exercised iron self-restraint in that vast storage room and touched nothing, how did he evade the storage keeper?
"I don't know what you're talking about."
Lee Han kept his mouth shut and feigned ignorance.
Once caught, the only option was to deny everything to the end.
The Skeleton Principal smirked, reading Lee Han's thoughts.
Truly not an ordinary kid. But too bad. The underground storage passage won't be usable anymore.
'Damn it!'
Suddenly, the Skeleton Principal's voice turned serious.
Listen, Lee Han of the Wardanaz family. On behalf of the school, I sincerely thank you for standing your ground against the Imperial Anti-Magic Zealots to protect the workers and professors.
"...!"
As a token of gratitude, I bestow upon you the famed sword, 'Morning Star.'
"Thank you... Wait, isn't this the sword the enemies were wielding?"
Lee Han, flustered, couldn't bring himself to ask, 'Is it really okay to just hand a real sword to a hot-blooded student like this?' In fact, that should've been his first question.
Should I just break it, then?
"Well, I suppose that makes sense. I'll use it well."
Lee Han accepted it in just one second.
'I'll sell it later.'
Professor Garcia was slightly taken aback. His acceptance was far too quick.
If Lee Han had refused outright, he'd planned to persuade him: 'This sword bears no sin—it was the wielder who was evil. You, Student Lee Han, must wield it properly and guide it down the righteous path.'
And take this as well. An Outing Pass.
"...!!"
Lee Han was far more delighted than when he'd received the sword.
The usually expressionless boy, who rarely showed emotion, looked ready to jump for joy—so much so that even the Skeleton Principal was bewildered.
That sword is far more valuable!
"Thank you! Headmaster. I pledge my utmost loyalty!"
W-well, then.
Even the Skeleton Principal was slightly overwhelmed by the sheer intensity of his enthusiasm.