Episode 473
Episode 473
"Oh, no."
"What are you looking at? Do I look like I'd buy that?"
Salko and Giselle immediately expressed their refusal.
No matter how brave or fearless the two tower leaders were, they didn't have the guts to buy a suspicious artifact that even a skilled mage like Lee Han reacted to like that.
And honestly, it was closer to stupidity.
"Hmm. What a shame. It's a pretty decent helmet."
"......"
"......"
Internally, the two were dumbfounded.
Whether one liked or disliked the Wardanaz, no one could deny their sense of responsibility...
But that aside, that helmet was clearly a scam.
"Maybe I can sell it to other seniors later?"
"That's not the point, Wardanaz."
"Ah. Or maybe give it to a junior when they enroll?"
"...No! I meant sacrifices. Sacrifices."
As the two talked, Giselle crossed her arms with a cautious expression.
Admittedly, the idea of offering a sacrifice to end this situation was somewhat tempting.
"Wardanaz. Listen carefully, and don't misunderstand."
"Usually, when someone says that, misunderstanding is inevitable... Whatever. Go ahead."
Giselle subtly gestured toward Gainando and spoke.
"With bloodlines like his, even a spirit might be satisfied. What do you think?"
"That's a great idea."
Salko was impressed too.
For Salko, who usually saw noble-born students as eyesores, someone like Gainando—who flaunted nothing but his lineage—was the kind of person who could disappear anytime without regret.
"...Have you two been drinking the Headmaster's liquor or something? What kind of nonsense is this?"
Lee Han asked in shock.
"Think about it, Wardanaz. Objectively, you'd make a decent sacrifice too, but we can't afford to lose you, so that's why we're suggesting this."
"Wardanaz. Be honest—didn't it annoy you too when that prince lazed around doing nothing? Those who don't work shouldn't eat..."
For a moment, Lee Han was tempted, but he held onto his reason.
No matter how much he wanted to end the flood, he couldn't just hand his friend over to an angry spirit.
Who knows? Gainando might grow stronger in the Spirit World and return to declare vengeance upon the entire Empire.
"No. And there's one thing I'm curious about. You two..."
"?"
"Why are you only considering students as sacrifices? There are plenty of other viable sacrifices out there."
"...Uh."
Salko was speechless.
Giselle was the same.
Good point.
Lee Han clicked his tongue at them.
'They've been too deeply influenced by Einrogard.'
They used to be decent... well, maybe not decent, but not this extreme. To see them change so drastically was unfortunate.
"Think about it more. Something other than sacrificing students. Anyway, since it's the weekend, I should probably bring another cabin. Lord Tanjuer! Please take me out of here!"
But it's... rest time...
"Rest time check complete. By now, you should've fully recovered your strength. Don't talk weakly. Lord Tanjuer, you're much stronger than you think."
I want to rest...
"Then would you prefer to attack the Headmaster instead?"
...That works, I guess...
Tanjuer suppressed his tears and answered with the sorrowful eyes of a lamb being led to slaughter.
Salko and Giselle clicked their tongues as they watched Lee Han.
'I wasn't planning to do it myself, but...'
'...Wardanaz seems way too influenced by Einrogard.'
Lee Han's reason for heading out with his friends and Tanjuer over the weekend was simple.
He planned to "fish" for another one of Professor Thunderstep's cabins to borrow.
"Listen up! The first one to spot a cabin gets five bars of Maykin Family's premium chocolate! The first to hook a cabin gets three bottles of honey mead and three salami sausages! And the first to break in and enter gets first pick of any one food item inside the cabin!"
"Waaaaah! Long live Captain Wardanaz!"
"We are the pirates of Einrogard!"
These crazy... kids...
Tanjuer muttered under his breath, but the students, blinded by greed, paid no attention.
The pirate crew—no, the search party—composed of students from the Blue Dragon Tower, White Tiger Tower, and Black Turtle Tower, scoured Einrogard, checking floating debris.
"?"
Lee Han, who had been doing the same, paused when he noticed something strange.
Far in the distance, a single glass bottle was drifting straight toward them.
'What the...?'
The bottle itself wasn't unusual, but the fact that it was floating toward them unscathed, perfectly straight, amidst all the debris made it feel like some kind of magical phenomenon.
Lee Han carefully fished out the glass bottle. Inside was a tightly rolled paper letter.
HELP ME!
Vible Verdus
"......"
Lee Han glanced around, then stuffed the letter back into the bottle.
And hurled it far away.
What... did you just throw...?
"Nothing important."
That was... a glass bottle...
"Lord Tanjuer. Would you like to attempt raiding the Headmaster's office?"
Tanjuer shut his mouth.
A moment later.
"......"
A glass bottle drifted in from a different direction. This time, his friends noticed it too.
"Wardanaz. What's that?"
"Could... could it be a treasure map?"
Lee Han frowned and opened it.
HELP ME! WARDANAZ!!
VIBLE VERDUS
"......"
"......"
An awkward silence fell among the students watching from the side.
With an ironclad poker face, Lee Han stuffed the paper back into the bottle and threw it away.
"Wrong recipient."
"Uh... huh?"
"But it said Wardanaz...?"
"You misread it."
At Lee Han's words, the students fell silent.
They had plenty to say, but this was a ship—no, Tanjuer—and the captain's authority was absolute.
"Yeah! Must've misread it!"
"Fake letters like that have been a huge problem at Einrogard lately!"
Lee Han nodded in satisfaction at his friends' unwavering support.
"Alright. Let's get back to searching for the cabin—"
Plop-plop—
This time, several glass bottles came drifting in all at once.
Lee Han, thinking 'no way,' jumped down from Tanjuer and put some distance between himself and the water.
Then, the bottles slowly, deliberately, turned and drifted toward him.
COME QUICK! The guards are watching, so I can't even make artifacts!
Is it because there's no reward? Fine! I'll lend you my tools! This is a real privilege!
I'll compromise more! You can use my workshop when making artifacts! I won't even tell you to turn off the lights if you work all night!
Given how persistently they were following him, it was clear Professor Verdus was targeting Lee Han specifically with these letters.
'Magic can be this horrifying?!'
Lee Han felt he finally understood the Imperial Anti-Magic Zealots' sentiments.
For such a wonderful craft to be abused like this...
'More than that, he really has a talent for killing motivation.'
Truthfully, Lee Han was a little worried about Professor Verdus.
The professor being in the Punishment Room wasn't exactly an unpleasant situation, but...
...if he was there bearing a student's punishment in their stead, that changed things.
About half the reason Professor Verdus was in the Punishment Room was Lee Han's fault.
'The other half is his own karma, though.'
So he had planned to visit the Punishment Room over the weekend—check if the professor was alright, probe whether he'd figured out the truth, and also deliver some snacks to that senior he'd met during the last lecture.
The professor's share might've been smaller, but it wasn't like Lee Han hadn't thought about him at all.
But after seeing these letters, even that small bit of motivation had withered away.
"Help me and I'll let you work for me"? What kind of insane negotiation tactic was that?
"Guys, sorry. I gotta go rescue Professor Verdus."
His friends weren't surprised at all.
"Alright. Come back safe."
"Negotiate well when saving him. Milk him for all he's worth."
"If it seems too hard to save him, just tell him to stay put! He can probably get out on his own!"
No one found it strange that Lee Han was going to rescue the professor while leaving other seniors behind.
Tanjuer muttered under his breath.
Crazy... these damn mages...
The air in the Punishment Room was dark and gloomy. It felt as if distant wails of students could be heard from somewhere.
Moreover, though not fully submerged, the knee-high water made the atmosphere even more eerie.
The darkest and most agonizing place in all of Einrogard—the Punishment Room!
Even the most deranged students wouldn't come here voluntarily.
It wasn't just because the air was stifling—this underground labyrinth was that dangerous.
If one entered carelessly, they could lose their way in the ever-shifting maze and become a new prisoner...
"Lord Perkuntra! Lord Perkuntra! Lord Perkuntra!!"
Lee Han pounded on the walls, calling for the warden.
Pouring mana into his throat to amplify his voice, he shouted with all his might.
"Lord Perkuntra! Lord Perkuntra! Lord Perkuntra!!"
"You're a first-year?! How are you walking around the corridors?!"
"You're amazing, ironhead! Set Einrogard on fire!"
As Lee Han shouted and walked down the corridor, the imprisoned students inside erupted in cheers.
"Shout louder! Make the wardens come!"
"No! Lower your voice! If the wardens come, they'll drag you away!"
"At least give us something to eat before you get caught!"
"Idiot, what food would an ironhead have?! He'd even chew on his own shoe leather!"
Silence, silence, silence, silence!
From deep within the corridor, thunder and lightning roared as warrior-like clones came charging.
The clones unleashed lightning in all directions, casting spells at the imprisoned students.
-I told you to be quiet!
"My yearning for freedom cannot be silenced by the lash of a spirit—GACK!"
-You're noisy, you cheater caught during exams!
"It was just self-defense in Einrogard—GURK!"
"......"
Watching the seniors' pitiful resistance, Lee Han was seized by the warriors and dragged away.
The imprisoned seniors whistled, stomped their feet, and shouted.
"Welcome, freshman!"
"Everyone gets sent to the Punishment Room once or twice! Don't be scared! First-years get out quick!"
Feeling a little guilty, Lee Han replied.
"I'm not imprisoned!"
"Sure! That's what you'd like to think!"
"We're not imprisoned either, just meditating here—GACK!! Stop zapping me, you lightning bastard!"
Perkuntra, who had been resting in the sealed-off Punishment Room while delegating tasks to other spirits, glared at Lee Han with displeasure.
The Punishment Room was already crowded during exam season—why was this kid causing a ruckus?
"I have a request."
This flood is beyond my control. Even if I could stop it, I wouldn't.
Perkuntra arrogantly refused.
Lee Han's feelings were understandable.
Having contracted with a powerful spirit like Perkuntra at such a young age, it was only natural to seek help in dire situations.
But a spirit contract wasn't a cure-all.
It only worked within reasonable bounds—something as massive as stopping an Spirit Flood was something Perkuntra had no intention of...
"Huh? No, I came to visit someone imprisoned in the Punishment Room."
......
Perkuntra was speechless.
It was embarrassing, but more than that—a first-year student coming to the Punishment Room for a visitation?
'Does this kid have no fear??'
Well, he probably came because he trusted his contract with Perkuntra, but still...
...Fine. Who are you here to visit? What's their name?
"Vible Verdus."
Vible... Vible Verdus...
Perkuntra checked the list of imprisoned students.
But something felt off.
Did he hear that right? That's strange... among the students...
"Ah. He's not a student—he's a professor."
...What are the other disciples doing, and why are you the one here?!
Finally unable to hold back, Perkuntra shouted.