Episode 462
Episode 462
"...Are you perhaps using the word 'persuasion' with a different meaning?"
Ogoldos whispered.
Originally, Einrogard had quite a few words that were used with alternative meanings.
For example, 'Let's go borrow something from our principal's warehouse' meant...
"There is that possibility."
Coholti nodded in agreement.
Indeed, Ogoldos's observation was sharp.
"Hey, junior. By any chance, did you assault the professor—"
Thwack!
Diret, who had returned unnoticed, swung a reagent pouch and struck Coholti hard.
Coholti let out a scream as he tumbled into the pit.
"Can you call that talking? Is that what you call talking? To a junior who's been running around collecting reagents in your place?"
"That... That guy was also suspicious—"
"Absolutely not!"
Ogoldos desperately denied it, but Diret mercilessly swung the reagent pouch again.
With a dull thud, Ogoldos also fell into the pit beside Coholti.
'Hmm. So that's why they were in the pit earlier.'
Lee Han realized the truth upon seeing his seniors in the pit.
And he thought to himself:
'I must never let my guard down, even when breathing, in front of Senior Diret.'
Unaware that he was considered the most fearsome senior in the Black Magic department, Diret looked at Lee Han with deeply apologetic eyes.
"...Sorry you had to hear that nonsense. I mean it."
"Not at all. I always consider my seniors' words as precious as gold and jewels."
The two in the pit wore pleased expressions.
Perhaps the same words could sound so much prettier when phrased differently.
"Don't value them too highly—some are just worthless pebbles... So, you persuaded them to get these? The professor didn't make any unreasonable demands, did he?"
Diret was worried about Lee Han.
As everyone knew, Einrogard's professors weren't kind enough to show students favor through mere persuasion without exacting some price.
'Did they take his blood or something?'
Given the junior's mana reserves, it wouldn't be surprising if some crazy professor had tried something insane.
"Yes. Well, I am studying under Professor Thunderstep, after all."
"Ah."
Only then did Diret remember.
Talking with the Black Magic seniors had felt so natural that he'd forgotten—but come to think of it...
'He's taking multiple lectures.'
Well, for a disciple of this caliber, it made sense that professors would grant his requests.
Though professors generally didn't pay much attention to disciples, it depended on the disciple.
How bitter would they feel if they refused a small request and he switched departments?
"I see..."
"And this is from Professor Garcia, this from Professor Nighton, this from Professor Flüwerk, this from Professor Millet, this from Professor Ku, this from Professor Kraer, this from Professor Lergi, and this from Professor Lagrinde."
"......"
Diret buried his face in both hands.
Just as he was trying to accept reality, his head began to spin.
"And this one I borrowed from Professor Verdus."
"?"
Coholti in the pit sensed something odd.
'Didn't they say Professor Verdus was in the Punishment Room?'
"Are you alright?"
Lee Han asked worriedly when Diret remained silent with his head bowed.
"Did I make some kind of mistake—"
"No... no. What mistake? Junior. You—really, truly, I swear on every meal and outing of every student studying Black Magic—did an absolutely amazing job. So amazing it's almost embarrassing."
Diret gathered himself and raised his head.
Though he'd already committed every possible breach of senior decorum, as a senior, he had to do his duty now.
He couldn't let a junior who'd achieved all this feel anxious.
"Thank you so much."
"Not at all. I just did what needed to be done."
"And I can't accept this—"
"No!"
"Please reconsider!"
As screams erupted from the pit, Diret shoveled dirt over it.
Lee Han instinctively took a step back from Diret, who didn't notice.
"...Yeah. How can we accept this when you've gone through so much trouble?"
"But Senior. Since I've already brought it back, I can't return it to the professor, and I can't use it myself either."
"You're right. He's saying this much, Diret."
"Please reconsider just once."
At the words of Coholti and Ogoldos, who had dug their way out from another direction, Diret sighed, kicked them both, and said,
"...Thanks. Really. Since I started learning black magic, I've never had a day as embarrassing as today. I mean it."
"Come on, weren't you more embarrassed when you caused that zombie incident in the capital two years ago?"
Diret covered the pit where he'd shoved them back in, summoned a creature to completely seal it, then said to Lee Han,
"Thank you for joining the Black Magic department too. And..."
Diret hesitated before speaking carefully,
"If it gets too hard or doesn't feel right, you don't have to stay. I really mean it."
"I understand. Thank you."
"...Don't tell the professor I said this."
"The professor wouldn't withdraw his trust in you over something like that."
"No, he would."
Diret spoke with absolute certainty.
Professor Mortum did trust Diret, but when it came to Lee Han's situation, no matter how favored a disciple he was, it would be an unforgivable transgression.
"I-I see."
Lee Han was slightly taken aback by Diret's razor-sharp response.
Returning with the snack basket his seniors had prepared, Lee Han noticed the unsettled atmosphere at the library entrance campsite.
The seated students were nowhere to be seen—everyone wore grave expressions, huddled in groups whispering urgently.
"What's going on? Did something happen?"
"Wardanaz!"
Students who spotted Lee Han came running with frantic expressions.
"Why are you so late! There's big trouble now!"
"The Black Magic depa... Never mind, what happened?"
"There are definitely monsters outside the palisade. A student from Black Turtle Tower's been kidnapped."
"!"
Lee Han turned his head in shock.
The current library entrance campsite was well-protected by a deep moat, wooden palisade, and temporary towers.
Moreover, above them were light sources created by students—mostly by Lee Han—scattered throughout, casting beams of light in all directions even in the library's darkness.
For something to breach such defenses and take students away...
"Are you sure it's a kidnapping? Maybe they're somewhere else..."
"No. They were on guard duty when they disappeared. When the next shift came, no one was there."
Dark shadows gathered between Salko's brows.
With exams still ongoing, this was the last thing they needed.
The thought of Black Turtle Tower students being too frightened to concentrate made his stomach churn.
Giselle felt similarly.
Watching the already-distractable White Tiger Tower brats start murmuring about "sending a search party" or "hunting down whoever did this" while subtly closing their books made her want to hunt her classmates more than any monster.
"We need to organize and send a search party. Wardanaz."
"What is this, some noble family's front yard? A search party?"
Giselle coldly cut off Salko's words.
The students were lucky enough to have forgotten, but the library was a labyrinth.
Rooting around searching this area could lead to who-knows-what consequences.
"Are you White Tower brats obstructing us just because none of yours went missing, Moradi?"
Salko growled, but Giselle didn't bat an eye. Instead, she glared back coldly.
"I'd have said the same if White Tiger Tower students disappeared. Though of course, none of ours are missing."
"Moradi. I think I should tell you—I suspect you."
"What nonsense are you spouting so confidently?"
"You'll find it convincing. You White Tiger Tower brats have terrible brains. There's only one thing people like you would think of, right? Dragging others down with you."
"Ah. So you're saying our Tower did this?"
Giselle answered as if she hadn't even prayed. Salko nodded his head.
"Who stands to benefit if the Black Turtle Tower students disappear?"
"By that logic, why is the Blue Dragon Tower above suspicion?"
"There are two reasons, Moradi. First, the Blue Dragon Tower bastards are useless nobles who can't do anything properly without Wardanaz."
"......"
Lee Han, who had been listening, gave Salko a dumbfounded look.
"What—"
"If Wardanaz led it?"
"Look at Wardanaz's daily schedule."
Though Giselle usually relished making Lee Han suffer, even she had to admit this was an irrefutable argument.
"That's... fair. What's the second reason?"
"The Blue Dragon Tower bastards have better grades than the Black Turtle Tower students. There's no reason for them to bother suppressing those beneath them."
"Aha. I see. Well then? Why don't you draw your weapon and come at me?"
"I was just about to suggest that. If you keep interfering with the search party."
As the representatives of their respective towers openly radiated killing intent while glaring at each other, the priests fidgeted anxiously.
"U-uh, Lord Wardanaz! Could you please mediate?"
"Huh? Wouldn't it be easier to just let the winner decide?"
Lee Han, who'd been pondering who would win between the two, looked puzzled at the priests' plea.
Honestly, wasn't it an interesting question?
But the priests didn't seem interested in such trial-by-combat.
"Please!"
"They won't even listen to me..."
Though Lee Han muttered this, surprisingly, both of them called out to him.
"Wardanaz. You judge this."
"Wardanaz. What do you think?"
"...Since when did you two start respecting my opinion enough to call on me like this?"
Lee Han glared at them with irritation in his eyes.
These were the same people who constantly nitpicked at him—why were they asking him to play referee now?
They should just fight it out and hate each other like usual...
"If we don't send the search party now, the remaining students will grow even more anxious. The next students to disappear could be from the Blue Dragon Tower."
"Wouldn't raising our defenses be better? You want to shove more people into an unknown danger? What do they call that in the north?"
"A brave and noble act?"
"They call it the act of idiots and fools, but if you want to call it that, go ahead. Should I start referring to it as the 'noble valor of the brave families' from now on?"
'If I leave them like this, they'll just fight and settle it themselves.'
"Wardanaz. Answer quickly."
"What are you doing? Speak up."
Lee Han hadn't wanted to get involved in their fight in the first place.
It would've been easier to let them fight and then clean up afterward.
The winner would be satisfied, and the loser could be placated separately—directing their resentment toward the winner while Lee Han came out looking like the good guy.
But if he made the decision now, both the responsibility and the resentment would fall on him.
He really didn't want to deal with the hassle of managing unruly students from other towers who already gave him enough trouble as it was.
'Stall for time. Let those two make the decision themselves.'
"I think you're both wrong."
"?"
"??"
Both of them stared at Lee Han in shock.
This was an answer they hadn't anticipated at all.
"Why, Wardanaz?"
"Do you have a better idea?"
"Think about it. This is a monster that kidnapped our friend despite such thorough defenses. What does that imply?"
Of course, Lee Han didn't actually know what it implied.
How could he possibly identify the monster with just these clues?
He wasn't even sure if it was truly a monster.
But seeing Lee Han speak with such gravity, Salko and Giselle stopped arguing and fell into thought.
Lee Han wasn't the type to lie about something like this.
"Hmm. Difficult, Wardanaz."
"Just say it straight."
"No. Both of you, think harder."
BOOM!!!!!
Before his words could fully land, the sound of the fortress's outer gate being shattered echoed through the air.
A student standing guard atop the wall screamed.
"Attack!! Monster attack!!"
"...!?"
"S-see! Monsters are generally arrogant! Having succeeded so easily, they must think little of us and are attacking again!"
"...Exactly. That's what I meant."
"?"
Giselle, sensing something off, asked:
"But why didn't you just say that instead of telling us to think abo—"
"Everyone, assemble at the main gate!! Monster attack!!"
Instead of answering, Lee Han sprinted toward the gate while rallying the students.