Episode 427
Episode 427
Lee Han's friends were at a loss for how to advise him when they saw him struggling with <Latent Heat Enchantment> despite having already mastered more difficult spells like <Enchantment of Truth's Light> and <Essence Enchantment>.
However, Professor Verdus, being a professor after all, was different. He immediately grasped the situation and skillfully offered advice.
"Relax your strength, you fool!"
"......"
Salko watched as Lee Han's fist clenched tightly and secretly hoped.
'Is he really going to hit the professor? No. Even he wouldn't go that far. But then again, he is a Wardanaz... Maybe he just might.'
"Mana isn't something you can just easily pour in and out like that."
"It's actually not that hard to... do..."
"It's not that difficult... sigh."
The friends who absentmindedly answered from the side quickly lowered their heads when they realized their mistake.
Controlling mana output isn't that difficult when you don't have much mana to begin with.
Honestly, increasing mana capacity is harder than reducing it...
"Ugh. Fine, I'll help you. Come on, try again. Relax your strength."
"No... I'm fine. I can practice on my own."
Lee Han genuinely meant those words.
Truth be told, practicing alone would be more productive than receiving help from Professor Verdus.
"No. Gonadaltes told me to look after you."
"This doesn't count as looking after me."
"Yes it does."
"I think you misunderstand the meaning of 'looking after.'"
"I know exactly what it means. Here, I'll help! Relax your strength! Now, reduce your mana output to about... one-fourteenth!"
"How am I supposed to do that?"
"Just go by feel!"
"......"
In the end, Lee Han was the only one who failed to perfectly master <Latent Heat Enchantment> (his friends who had wasted his time felt as guilty as if it were their own fault).
But from Lee Han's perspective, it wasn't his friends who had stolen his time—it was Professor Verdus distracting him.
Had the professor not been there, he truly could have mastered everything within the lecture time.
"...So that's why I couldn't master it all. It really was Professor Verdus's fault."
"...I-is that so?"
Priestess Dijiling looked at Lee Han with bewildered eyes.
He had simply greeted him with a casual "How was today's lecture?" and hadn't expected such a lengthy response.
"But, Lord Wardanaz. From what I know, those types of spells aren't meant to be learned in a single lecture—they're designed to be mastered over several sessions..."
"That's true."
"Then there's no need to feel impatient, right?"
"That's not it. Even if the timeline is generous, if I get too complacent, other students might overtake me."
"?"
Priestess Dijiling paused stirring the warm beef stew in the pot and tilted his head in confusion.
"From what I've heard, the other students only practiced one spell today?"
Given the difficulty, all his friends had chosen just one spell to focus on and diligently refine.
"That's right."
"Then how could they overtake you?"
"They might suddenly master it and move on to another spell, or practice while I'm attending other lectures. And if several students do that, before I know it, I could drop from rank A to B. It happens more often than you'd think, Priestess Dijiling."
"...?????"
Priestess Dijiling wondered if Lee Han was joking and that he simply lacked the humor to understand, so he turned his head away.
But Lee Han's face, as he chopped ingredients with a knife, was completely serious.
"...I... I see."
Though Priestess Dijiling, who had little interest in grades, didn't quite understand, he decided to accept it for now.
"Oh, right. I don't think I can help with today's duties."
"You weren't even on duty to begin with..."
Despite his shift having ended long ago and other priests taking over, Lee Han had still been helping out.
It wasn't because the priests found the Blue Dragon Tower students particularly endearing or cute (though that was partly true)—there was a more practical reason.
Without Lee Han around, the priests kept fighting.
[I didn't expect the White Flame conversion to succeed so quickly. chuckle... Now that I think about it, I worried for nothing. Of course, Afha would cherish a devoted follower like Lord Wardanaz. Truly, when I reconsider...]
-...Father Nigisor. Do you really have to brag in front of everyone right now?
Lee Han had never imagined that the priests of the Phoenix Tower could become such troublesome beings.
But surprisingly, it was possible.
The overly excited priests turned out to be even more finicky than the students of the Blue Dragon Tower.
These were people who didn't understand that when bragging, one should be mindful of the situation and place!
They boasted shamelessly in front of fellow priests who hadn't even awakened their Divine Magic yet—because they'd never had anything to brag about before—and those same priests, having no immunity to such bragging, would flare up and demand doctrinal debates to settle the matter...
"Still, I'm glad the priests have at least started thinking before they brag in front of others."
At Lee Han's words, Priestess Dijiling looked embarrassed.
These were priests representing prestigious orders of the Empire—what kind of disgrace was this?
"By the way, Priestess Dijiling, don't you have anything to teach regarding the Prisinga Order? It's rare for your turn to come up."
"The teachings I've received aren't like that... If Prisinga wishes to grant something, I believe it's closer to His will to decide the timing. Unless... do you wish to increase the number of curses you bear?"
"No, that's not it."
Lee Han immediately denied it.
While he didn't mind taking more mana-related curses, other curses would be quite troublesome.
Priestess Dijiling, seemingly not having expected much, accepted it easily.
"Honestly, you're already carrying far too many curses as it is."
'I'd forgotten about them.'
The mana-related curses honestly meant so little that he could forget they even existed.
The priests of the Prisinga Order endured curses as part of their ascetic practice, but this was almost too much—was this even acceptable?
"If you're not on duty today, do you have another appointment?"
"That's right."
Priestess Dijiling closed her eyes slightly, as if trying to guess, then spoke.
"Are you receiving teachings from the Headmaster?"
"...No?!"
A one-on-one meeting with the Headmaster during evening rest time?
Lee Han was horrified.
"Who receives teachings after dinner?! No matter what, it's rest time!"
"Huh? Oh, I thought you'd like that."
"......"
Lee Han was doubly horrified.
"Then... Professor Verdus?"
"Absolutely not. I'm going for a walk around the school."
"Ah. I see."
Priestess Dijiling nodded while transferring the finished stew.
Wait—
"But walks are prohibited after evening, aren't they?"
"Yeah. I'm sneaking out."
"......"
Priestess Dijiling hesitated over whether to say anything at Lee Han's casual declaration that he'd sneak out as naturally as breathing.
In the end, he decided it was pointless—other tower students sneaked out too, and stopping them wouldn't achieve anything.
"The Headmaster increased the search patrols, so the usual exit routes are blocked. I need to scout ahead."
"Every single sentence you just said makes no sense to me... Ah. Right. I have a good idea."
"?"
"How about going out with the priests from our tower?"
Priests were generally permitted to go out after evening for prayers or rituals.
Wasn't that why Lee Han had borrowed priest robes before?
Of course, he'd switched to invisibility magic since it was more convenient...
"If you're among priests, no one will suspect you."
"But is it really okay to exploit faith like that?"
"Now you're saying that...?"
Priestess Dijiling suddenly gave Lee Han a look as if asking why he was acting like this now. Since it came from Priestess Dijiling, who was usually so kind, it stung a little more.
'I should show a bit more sincerity from now on.'
"Alright. If you're willing to come along, I'd be grateful. Actually, night walks are better with more people."
"Really? Why?"
"Well, for one, having a vanguard and rearguard makes it easier to respond if something happens."
Lee Han didn't mention the fact that, in case of emergencies, someone would have to act as the sacrificial decoy to draw attention.
He was afraid Priestess Dijiling might give him a look of contempt.
"Anyway, it's better to divide roles."
"Do you divide roles using magic?"
"No. More like... someone who specializes in locks and traps, and someone who can take a hit if something happens..."
Lee Han trailed off, realizing the topic was getting a bit too blunt, and quickly changed the subject.
"Anyway, it's good to have more people, so I'd appreciate your help. Wait—but is it okay if I call priests from orders other than yours? Would they understand?"
"No. They wouldn't understand, so it's better to ask Priest Nigisor and Priest Siana."
"Priestess Dijiling, you're not... mad at your friends, are you?"
One good thing about bringing Priest Nigisor and Priest Siana along was that there were no other priests in the lounge to glare at them when they started boasting to each other.
With every step, the two kept exchanging stories about how amazing, splendid, and miraculous their faith was.
Instead of watching the dimly lit hallway ahead, Lee Han kept glancing at Priestess Dijiling.
'Maybe I shouldn't have brought these two.'
-"We're caught, run!!!"
-"You run first!"
-"Ugh!! I'll remember this!"
Faintly familiar voices echoed from afar. It seemed students from other towers had also been wandering around and got caught.
"Good evening."
But the priests didn't react. When Lee Han bowed in greeting, even the Death Knight patrolling the hallway bowed back and passed by.
'It really works.'
One priest might have seemed suspicious, but with multiple priests walking together, it must have looked like they were just searching for a place to pray.
Lee Han briefly entertained the futile thought that disguising as a priest might get him past the main gate.
'Probably not happening, though.'
Thud
Fortunately, luck was on their side today.
Aside from the spiraling staircase and the trap that showed visions of lava when stepped on, there were no other obstacles blocking their way to the third floor of the main building.
"Gasp... gasp..."
"Did you see that illusion just now? Did you see it!??!"
Priest Nigisor and Priest Siana were drenched in sweat, their faces filled with terror.
Unfazed, Lee Han reassured them.
"Today's actually pretty lucky. Who would've thought there'd be so few traps!"
"......"
"......"
The two priests stared at Lee Han as if he were insane, but he, too focused on leading the way, didn't notice and continued.
"Most friends who go on night strolls really like the third floor of the main building. The second floor is safer, sure, but there's less variety, so there's not much to find. The third floor, though? Way more stuff pops up here. Last time, Salko and his friends found a room full of canned food in a corner. Can you believe it? A room full of canned food!"
"This is the first time I've seen you this excited, Wardanaz."
Priest Siana spoke in a slightly startled voice.
He had been so serious when looking after the priests earlier...
"Everyone, make sure to cast Light of Truth on your staffs. If you find anything while we're walking around, say it immediately."
"Ah! Wardanaz, I think I found something. Isn't this a fake wall?"
Priest Siana pointed at the wall in surprise.
It was an intricately crafted hidden door.
"Oh, yeah, that's a fake wall. But be careful—if you go in there, it leads to the underground alleys. Last time, two guys from the White Tiger Tower went in and got lost, then got dragged to the Punishment Room."
"......"
Priest Siana recoiled in shock.
Just how many night strolls have you been on...!?
"Here, take this. It's a simple map I made. I exchanged information with students from other towers to put it together."
"Th-thank you."
"Oh, and if you find a place not on the map, stop and stay still immediately. Someone once saw a manticore, but it turned out to be an illusion. For mid-tier monsters and above, they're probably illusions. It's better to just freeze. Fighting back wouldn't make a difference anyway."
Slowly, even Priest Nigisor and Priestess Dijiling began to look terrified.