Episode 481
Episode 481
"Um, actually, the Maykin Family entrusted this request to you all because Nilia mentioned it."
Though he sensed the conversation wouldn't go well, Lee Han spoke up anyway.
This way, he could at least make excuses to Nilia later.
'I definitely told them, but the hunters ignored me.'
"Wahahahaha!"
"Pffhahahaha!"
"......"
He'd expected it, but the Shadow Patrol's reaction was even more extreme.
They laughed uproariously at Lee Han's joke, gasping for breath with tears welling in their eyes.
Lee Han was starting to understand why Nilia disliked the Shadow Patrol so much.
"...Later, be sure to ask and confirm with the Maykin Family people. Absolutely."
"Wait a moment."
Professor Thunderstep, who'd been listening nearby, tilted his head in confusion.
"What do you mean the Maykin Family made the request because Nilia mentioned it?"
"...Professor Bagrak! Before we board, I have some questions about fighting techniques on the sea!"
Professor Voladi, who'd already boarded earlier, flew over without a sound the moment Lee Han shouted.
His speed was enough to startle even the Shadow Patrol members.
The people of Isran City took great pride in their city.
From the romantic legends of the city gates said to be made from mermaid tears to the ancient water statues left behind by mages of old, the city was filled with points of pride—but none more so than its harbor.
The southern harbor pulsed with vitality like the city's beating heart.
Merchant ships packed the impossibly vast docks as newly arrived sailors disembarked, while imperial tax collectors darted about shouting as they inspected goods and searched for contraband.
Beyond them, all manner of races scurried along the harbor boulevard. Though wide enough for eight carriages to pass, the streets were so crowded you'd bump shoulders within five steps. Street vendors in suspicious attire set up stalls everywhere, sweet-talking curious travelers to lighten their purses.
Longtime harbor workers and tax collectors passed through this breathless scene with practiced indifference.
Even when uniquely shaped ships—newly launched vessels crafted by dwarf or elf artisans—appeared among the ordinary fleet, they didn't bat an eye.
"......"
"...Guhhk!"
But the northern hunters darting about on their agile speedboats were another matter.
They startled even the most seasoned sailors.
"Turn 90 degrees right and pursue!"
"Hunter, sir. Ships can't maneuver like that!"
"Ah. Really? My apologies! Then turn 270 degrees left and pursue!"
"......"
The hunters aboard the Maykin Family's swift speedboats conducted their violent hunts right atop the decks.
"This isn't working. Throw me!"
One hunter tied himself to the mast with a rope, grabbed a spear, and leapt into the sea.
Moments later, he climbed back up with a shark-like monster skewered on his spear.
"Hunter, sir! There's no need to hunt stonejaw sharks! They don't attack ships of this size!"
"But they might prey on smaller fishing boats!"
"...Shouldn't that be the fishermen's problem to handle!"
'Hmm. Now I see why Professor Thunderstep came along.'
Lee Han listened to the exchange between hunters and sailors with this thought.
The Shadow Patrol were capable hunters, but they weren't without flaws.
First and foremost, they loved hunting too much.
Given their limited manpower, they only needed to confirm the Sangoria Flower's location and eliminate monsters along the necessary route. But the moment they spotted any monster, they'd charge in life-or-death battles, wasting precious time.
"Everyone, calm down. We'll identify which monsters need hunting."
Professor Thunderstep glanced at Professor Lightning Step, who nodded and began issuing orders.
"First of all, we don't need to bother with the rock sharks, so let's move on..."
An unmistakable look of regret flickered across the Shadow Patrol members' faces.
For hunters who'd spent their entire lives in the northern mountains, logic like "that monster isn't dangerous, but that one is" didn't hold much weight.
In the northern mountains, even non-threatening monsters could become deadly in an instant.
If you saw a monster, you hunted it.
Having lived their entire lives by this principle, staying still was already an extraordinary challenge for them.
"Being told to hold back until orders come..."
"Can't we just hunt them secretly?"
"Look over there—I see a razor squid...!"
Professor Lightning Step, as an experienced explorer, understood the nature of these hunters well.
If they obediently followed orders just because they were given, their reputation wouldn't be so formidable.
Their persistence and tenacity as hunters were deeply intertwined with their stubborn, unyielding personalities.
In situations like this, persuasion was necessary.
"Wardanaz. While we search for the flower's location, you'll need to keep an eye on the hunters. Stop them from rushing into hunts recklessly."
"......"
Lee Han found it absurd that this task was being assigned to him, but he couldn't deny that he was the only one available to do it.
Professor Thunder Step needed to focus on locating the flower's origin, while Professor Lightning Step and Professor Voladi were occupied with analyzing the surrounding monsters' ecology...
"Understood."
'I'm not sure this will go well.'
Though he'd heard plenty about the Shadow Patrol from Nilia, Lee Han still lacked confidence.
Could he really get along with these eccentric hunters from the northern mountains?
"Ah! Aren't you Nilia's friend?"
"No. I asked earlier—he's from the Wardanaz family. Just a fellow student, not a friend."
"We are friends, actually."
"Right, right. Haha. 'Friends,' sure."
Lee Han subtly glanced at the ship's railing.
Should he just push them over?
'Even if I did, they'd probably climb right back up.'
Considering the physical prowess the hunters had already displayed, pushing them wouldn't accomplish much.
Lee Han decided to endure.
"Is there anything I can assist you with as a mage? Please, feel free to ask anything."
To placate the hunters' discontent, he needed to redirect their attention.
Lee Han planned to keep them talking until Professor Thunder Step located the flower's origin.
"Ah, actually, there is one thing."
"What is it?"
The hunter lowered his voice and murmured:
"I'd like to take some of these enchanted arrows back to the mountains..."
"......"
The other hunters looked slightly embarrassed but wore expressions that said, "If it's possible, I want some too."
The arrows distributed by the Maykin Family were of exceptionally high quality.
The shafts were made from seven-year-old high-grade willow, the fletching from Pegasus feathers, and the intricate engravings activated multiple layers of Enchantment Magic.
"If there are any left over, I'll ask the Maykin Family to let you take them."
That much wasn't difficult. Given the Maykin Family's generosity, it was highly likely they'd gift any remaining arrows after the mission.
"Well, the thing is..."
But the hunters hesitated even at Lee Han's offer.
"The problem is... there probably won't be any left."
"Looking at how fast we're using them, we'll run out with plenty to spare..."
'Then just hunt less.'
That's what Lee Han thought, but he maintained his politeness.
"How about mixing in regular arrows?"
"That's not possible. The sea monsters here have thick hides and shells—without these arrows, it's hard to ensure a clean kill. If we skimp on arrows while on a mission and cause problems, that'd be putting the cart before the horse."
As seasoned hunters, the Shadow Patrol was meticulous about such details.
Underestimating the enemy and holding back only to get hurt was the height of foolishness.
'So if they just hunted less...'
Of course, from Lee Han's perspective, this was utterly ridiculous.
If they just hunted less, the problem would solve itself!
"If that's the issue, I might have a solution—"
"Couldn't you, as a mage, enchant regular arrows for us?"
"!"
The hunters had finally gotten to their main point.
They hadn't spoken thoughtlessly—they'd been considering this all along.
The reason they used these expensive arrows was to employ magic even when no mage was present.
Conversely, if a mage was present, there was no need for such costly enchanted arrows. They could simply have the mage cast spells on regular arrows.
The problem was...
'That's not how it works.'
Lee Han was slightly taken aback.
Those unfamiliar with magic often lacked understanding of magical disciplines, sometimes approaching a black mage with requests like, "I have food poisoning—could you heal me?"
Of course, such requests were impossible for black mages who hadn't studied healing magic. At best, they could only revive someone after death.
This situation was similar.
Though he didn't know where the Maykin Family had procured these arrows, they had likely been purchased from a workshop run by exceptional enchantment mages.
From the shaft to the fletching, each component was made of premium materials, painstakingly engraved with intricate magic circles to ensure the spells remained semi-permanent...
Even a casual glance was enough to inspire awe at the craftsmanship and skill involved.
And here was Lee Han, a mere first-year student, attempting to replace such arrows with hastily enchanted ordinary ones.
The performance gap was bound to be enormous.
'My only advantage is that I'm casting on the spot, isn't it?'
Since his only merit was improvisation, Lee Han tried explaining this to the Shadow Patrol hunters.
"So, you see, these were made by a truly great mage, while I'm still just a student—"
"Nonsense!"
"???"
What do you mean, "nonsense"?
"Sir Mage. I know nothing about magic, but allow me to say this: One never knows what's possible until one tries."
"Exactly. Our work is much the same. New recruits always doubt they can take down their prey. But when you put a bow and arrow in their hands and face them one-on-one with their quarry, they discover hidden abilities within themselves."
"......"
Lee Han was speechless with disbelief.
'Are they secretly Einrogard hunters? Did the Skeleton Principal bribe them?'
What kind of absurd logic was this?
By that reasoning, Lee Han might as well stand a chance against the Skeleton Principal in a one-on-one duel.
"To our eyes, Sir Mage, you're more than capable!"
"Don't be intimidated just because expensive materials were used to make a masterpiece. Have faith in yourself!"
The Shadow Patrol, knowing nothing of magic, was extraordinarily bold.
They urged Lee Han on, pressing him to give it a try.
"Fine... alright. I'll show you."
Suppressing a sigh, Lee Han decided to just demonstrate.
If he didn't, they'd likely keep pestering him with, "You're a mage, and the arrow-maker was a mage—why can't you do it?!"
"The enchantments on these arrows... wow, this is truly... incredible."
As Lee Han examined the arrows procured by the Maykin Family, he couldn't help but marvel.
These were spells he'd seen before while studying in Professor Verdus's workshop.
<Zenbaya's Eternal Penetration>, <Zenbaya's Eternal Enhancement>, <Zenbaya's Eternal Accuracy>...
Compared to the basic enchantments Lee Han knew—<Low-Grade Penetration Boost>, <Low-Grade Weight Increase>, <Low-Grade Accuracy Enhancement>—these were masterpieces of an entirely different caliber, refined high-tier spells.
They elegantly overcame the inherent weakness of enchantments—their diminishing effectiveness over time—through the mage's brilliant ingenuity!
As a fellow mage, Lee Han couldn't help but pause in admiration.
"Give it your all, Sir Mage!"
"You can do it too, Sir Mage!"
"...Right. Sure."
Lee Han prepared his spells with deep embarrassment.
It felt like sketching a crude drawing in front of a masterpiece.
Fwoosh!!
"I've applied penetration, weight, and accuracy enhancements, but the difference in refinement is just too stark—mine are far rougher—"
Lee Han tried explaining the disparity in magical craftsmanship between the two arrows, but the hunters merely nodded along, pretending to understand.
'They have no idea what I'm talking about.'
Then, as soon as they received the arrow, they nocked it and drew the bowstring.
Thwip!
The hunters' eyes widened as they exchanged glances.
"This one's better, Sir Mage!"
"Are you trying to hoard the good arrows for yourself or something?!"