Episode 513

Not understanding the part about throwing stones at each other, Lee Han looked at the Skeleton Principal. Of course, the Skeleton Principal looked back at him with an expression that seemed just as baffled. Which part of my explanation was difficult to understand? It's not like you're stupid.

"Uh, why would you throw stones at each other?"

"Then why do you play chess? Why card games? Why polo? You do it because it's fun, don't you?"

The Skeleton Principal made a dry clicking sound while looking at Lee Han with pity.

"Think about it. Is there really not a single person you'd want to throw a stone at?"

At that question, Lee Han instinctively glanced at the Skeleton Principal.

The Skeleton Principal said coldly, "Why are you looking at me?"

"I was just looking at you to answer the question, Headmaster."

"Anyway, venting pent-up frustration by throwing stones isn't that strange. Of course, I wouldn't call it dignified or intelligent... but the Empire has seen far dumber things."

The St. Yactus Festival roughly proceeded as follows: Participants would gather, divide into teams, and then throw stones at each other—the last team standing would win.

'What a crazy festival.'

Lee Han regretted mocking Gainando when he said he'd hold a detective festival. Compared to this, the detective festival was a masterpiece.

"Wait, Headmaster. Even if outsiders can't be helped, this is a hall of learning—the ivory tower of the Empire's greatest intellects. Surely such a festival wouldn't be held here?"

"It's the most popular one."

"The most popular."

"......"

Lee Han felt a deep contempt for his seniors.

'Though the Einrogard curriculum is harsh, it clearly has gaps. How else could they waste time on such nonsense?'

"Headmaster, since the seniors seem to have too much free time, how about expanding their curriculum like mine?"

"I know you're serious, but do you realize how chilling you can be sometimes?"

Even in front of an evil dragon or an Imperial Inspector, the Skeleton Principal hadn't felt chills—but this disciple's madness occasionally sent shivers down his spine.

"Junior, I get that it's a joke..."

'It's not a joke.'

"Only a genius like you could endure such a curriculum. Most would die."

"Even if they di—"

"More importantly, students will come in injured because of the festival."

"You can't quit. Stay strong! You can do it!"

The Skeleton Principal hypocritically comforted the healing magic students.

This week's festival was a nightmare for them. Students injured from throwing stones at each other would come flooding in...

"Stay strong, seniors. You can do it!"

Lee Han chimed in with encouragement.

Phil and Chil smiled weakly in gratitude.

"Thanks."

"Still, it's a relief to have a reliable junior like you with us."

"...?"

Lee Han sensed something odd in his senior's words.

"With me?"

"Huh? Of course."

"Will I be able to do it?"

"You're already good at <Basic Fracture Healing>, aren't you? That's enough. You'll need to learn a few more things, but once you do, you can pick up other spells too."

Unlike other first-years learning healing magic, Lee Han—already capable of basic wound and fracture healing—could be deployed immediately.

The healing magic faction, already struggling with manpower shortages, had no intention of letting him go.

Sensing his tragic fate, Lee Han made a feeble attempt at resistance.

"But seniors, isn't there a masking spell from Einrogard that prevents me from seeing?"

"Here, put on these glasses."

The Skeleton Principal kindly placed emerald glasses on Lee Han's face. They were an artifact that allowed him to see through the powerful perception-blocking magic cast on the seniors.

"Thank you."

For a moment, Lee Han seriously considered joining the St. Yactus Festival just to throw a few stones.

The Demon of the Infirmary—the talking book—fluttered its pages as it shouted at the healing magic students.

"Brew more anesthetic potions! We'll need at least two more crates!"

The students diligently stacked up the potent anesthetic potions known as <Lagrinde's Anesthetic Potion>. Normally, such arcane potion recipes weren't shared easily, but Professor Alkasis had no qualms about teaching them to his disciples.

As a result, the students had to work even harder to brew more ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠difficult potions.

"Stack the regeneration potions over here! Hurry up! We still need time to watch the St. Yactus Festival!"

The talking book glanced out the infirmary window.

Already, some students below had begun sporadically pelting each other with stones.

"Go to hell, you blue worms!"

"Looks like the White Lynxes didn't get hit enough—their guts are swelling with arrogance. Attack!"

For the talking book, a demon by origin, such a festival could only be delightful. Sure, the aftermath was a bit bothersome, but considering the joy, it was bearable.

The students of the Blue Dragon Tower summoned magical shields in midair to block before launching the stones back with magic. As if proving that their years at Einrogard weren't wasted, the stones scattered on the ground suddenly floated into the air before scattering like buckshot.

The White Tiger Tower students reacted differently. Instead of ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠erecting barriers for defense, they chose to strengthen their bodies and dodge directly. The moment they swiftly moved out of range to evade the attack, the talking book fluttered its pages in delight.

"That's it, that's it! Drive them back!"

Originally, the festival was about throwing stones, but when exceptional mages participated, the concept of "throwing stones" took on a broader meaning.

When the White Tiger Tower students kicked boulders like catapult shots toward the enemy formation, a Blue Dragon Tower student quickly chanted a spell. The flying boulder turned to sand midair, scattering into the wind and vanishing.

"He already knows that spell?! The mana consumption must be insane... What's he planning to do when the real battle starts?"

As if answering that question, the Black Turtle Tower students emerged behind the White Tiger ranks. Armed with Magic Ballistae, they began pelting the White Tiger students' backs with stones.

"You got bribed by those worms, huh?! You trash bastards!"

"You thought we'd just let it slide after you raided our storage last time?!"

"The worms raided us too!"

"They paid reparations. Now die!"

"Magnificent, magnificent!"

"Um—"

"I told you to brew potions, didn't I?"

Annoyed, the talking book turned around—only to find that the ones calling weren't the Healing Magic students.

"You? Did you come to gossip about Gonadaltes?"

The talking book recognized Lee Han and brightened. Wasn't this the student who had happily trash-talked the Skeleton Principal with it last ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠time in the infirmary? Seeing him unharmed this time, it was obvious he'd come to curse the headmaster again.

"That wouldn't be bad either... but today, I came to work."

"To work?"

The book tilted in confusion. It was a bit odd for a demon to say such things, but Healing Magic was a dangerous art when handled carelessly by inexperienced mages. Bringing in a first-year just because they were short-handed could make things even messier.

"No matter how desperate you are, surely—"

When the book glanced at Phil and Chil, the two hastily protested.

"That's not it!"

"He can really pull his weight!"

"Doubt it."

The book remained stubbornly skeptical.

"Fine, let's compromise. Can you at least heal lacerations?"

Slash and stab wounds were among the most common injuries in such festivals.

"Yes."

"Really? What about fractures?"

Broken or dislocated bones were also frequent—harder than lacerations, but still...

"I can do that too."

"Really??"

The book was genuinely surprised. At this rate, he might actually be useful.

"Lesser Vitality Infusion? Pain Anesthesia?"

Phil and Chil hesitated. They weren't sure if their junior could manage those.

"I don't know those yet."

As Lee Han answered for them, the two sighed in frustration.

"Damn it...!"

"If only we had a little more time...!"

'Huh? Am I getting rejected?'

Lee Han grew uneasy at the oddly shifting mood. If they turned him away for lacking qualifications, he'd have to leave while pretending to be disappointed—

"Well, if you already know how to heal cuts and fractures, you'll pick up Vitality Infusion and Pain Anesthesia in no time. I'll teach you."

"......"

Hiding his sullen expression, Lee Han followed the book—and succeeded in casting both spells on his first try.

* * *

"Ugh, those bastards cheated by enchanting the stones to hit us...!"

"I told you we shouldn't have this stupid festival!"

"W-well, it's not like we had a choice..."

Phil, Chil, and the other Healing Magic students grumbled as they treated the injured flooding the infirmary. Close friends exchanged sharper criticisms.

"AAAH! Anesthesia! Where's the anesthesia?!"

"No potions left. Endure it."

"What about that one over there?!"

"That's a different potion."

"You're doing this on purpo—AAAH!"

'Oh.'

Lee Han's eyes gleamed as he assisted. He'd thought the Healing Magic faction was all about losses, but it had unexpected strengths. If someone didn't listen...

"Junior. Bones!"

"Yes."

Swinging his staff, Lee Han chanted the spell. Thanks to the seniors handling the surrounding work, all he had to do was use mana to reattach the bones.

As the fracture mended and the pain faded, the injured senior, who had been lying still, stared intently at Lee Han.

"......"

"?"

Then, suddenly, he began convulsing.

"NO!! NO!!!"

"??"

"Don't send me to the Punishment Room now! The spell's worn off! Hey! Phil! What are you doing?! Help!"

"..."

"Headmaster gave me permission to do this."

"......"

The seizing senior suddenly stopped and lay back down with an awkward expression.

"R-really?"

"Yes."

"Stop talking. You're going to the Punishment Room."

Phil warned his friend. Even if permission had been granted, it wouldn't do any good for the senior to keep talking.

"It'll be fine."

"Really?"

Truthfully, Lee Han wasn't sure if it would be fine or not, but he figured he might as well pick up whatever he could while treating the seniors.

Of course, the situation wasn't favorable.

"Argh! These damn Black Magic bastards...! Setting up an ambush with ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠undead?!"

"......"

"All those Transformation Magic users should just be locked up in the Punishment Room! These cowardly bastards disguised themselves as our Tower to sneak in...!"

"......"

The injured students cursed the other Towers and factions in various ways. And every time they saw Lee Han, they startled and seized up again.

"No! No! Cast the spell! Cast the spell on me!"

"If you get sent to the Punishment Room, Chil, you're going too!"

"......"

Lee Han silently anesthetized their pain, treated their wounds, and infused them with vitality. If he had any spare time, he brewed potions alongside the seniors.

The Healing Magic seniors working beside him stared at him with bloodshot eyes.

"Junior."

"You... You're too good for us."

"Not at all, seniors."

Lee Han inwardly cursed the Skeleton Principal instead.

'What is this?'

He'd been sensing a flow of mana from his pocket for a while now. He glanced at the basilisk, but it was fast asleep, still tied up.

The culprit soon revealed itself—the stack of paper artifact he'd gotten from the Tower of Trials.

Unfolding the paper, he saw that someone had already written quite a bit.

-Anyone participating in the Saint Iactus Festival this time?

-Wardanaz, you're joining too, right?

-Hey, Wardanaz, you're not ignoring me, are you? Did I do something wrong?

-Ah, right, you're usually busy.

-But Wardanaz, if it's you, you'd join, right? You're thinking of joining? Wanna bet on something?

-You're not scared, are you?

The handwriting was identical, as if written by the same person. Lee Han picked up a quill and wrote his reply.

-No. Tell anyone around you joining the Saint Iactus Festival that I'll break their legs.