Episode 553
Episode 553
"Isn't This a Bit... Dangerous?"
Lee Han trailed off, reluctant to form a contract with the other party.
The other party didn't seem particularly eager to form a contract with Lee Han either.
Its form flickered ominously, glaring at him with a murderous intensity.
It felt as though it was saying:
"For now, I'll submit after being beaten, but one day, when I get the chance, I'll stab you in the back!"
And Lee Han wasn't particularly keen on getting friendly with someone he had just been trying to kill with a lightning spear moments ago either.
"Huh?"
Priest Siana looked puzzled at Lee Han's words.
"It's dangerous. Look at what this thing did when it escaped into the forest."
Ilendil made a pitiful face and jumped to its defense.
"It's not a bad kid. Since it's artificially created, it doesn't have concepts of good or evil to begin with..."
Yoner, who was listening nearby, didn't quite understand.
"But it escaped, didn't it?"
"It went berserk because I injected too much dark element... But it's regained its senses now..."
"......"
"......"
Yoner felt his respect for his senior slightly diminish.
"But, Lord Wardanaz."
Despite the explanation, Priest Siana still wore a puzzled expression.
"Didn't you originally like dangerous things more?"
"...No?!"
Lee Han was so startled that he stared at Priest Siana.
What kind of nonsense was she thinking?
Was this some kind of slander from the White Tiger Tower guys?
"Uh... Since you carry a basilisk wrapped around your wrist, I thought you preferred dangerous summons..."
"Basilisk?"
Ilendil's ears perked up in disbelief.
A basilisk was absolutely not the kind of monster a first-year student should be carrying around.
If a first-year student was walking around with a basilisk, they were either insane or exceptionally skilled.
No—maybe both.
"What are you talking about, Priest Siana? You're misunderstanding, Senior."
Lee Han quickly covered Priest Siana's mouth.
Since basilisks were highly coveted venom producers among alchemists, Lee Han didn't let his guard down even around a seemingly kind senior.
'Yoner.'
'Got it.'
Yoner swiftly covered Priest Siana's mouth and whispered.
"The basilisk is a bit of an exception. Lee Han doesn't actually like dangerous things."
The basilisk let out a pitiful whimper from inside Lee Han's sleeve.
"Senior. What if you form the contract instead?"
Lee Han quickly changed the subject and redirected the arrow toward his senior.
It was clear that Ilendil cherished this dark spirit deeply.
After all, he had created and raised it himself—it was only natural he'd feel affection for it.
Plus, (unlike Lee Han) he was actually friendly with spirits...
"I can't."
The half-dryad senior said gloomily.
"I tried several times, but it refused to form a contract with me."
"Ah."
Yoner and Priest Siana both had the same thought flash through their minds but decided not to say anything.
"Hmm."
Lee Han almost suggested, 'Why don't you try stabbing it with a spear?' but then remembered how it had been cursing earlier and hesitated.
Come to think of it, the dark spirit had been instantly bound by wood—Lee Han could easily do the same.
"It's a really good spirit."
"Yeah..."
"Do you know how rare dark spirits are among spirits?"
"Yes..."
"Originally..."
Ilendil spoke melancholically about how rare and useful dark spirits were, how heartwarming and touching it had been raising this one, and how sad and regretful he'd feel if he just let it return to its original dimension like this.
"...Then just form a contract. I'll do it now."
"Really? Thank you!"
Ilendil was deeply moved.
What an incredibly kind junior.
As the contract sigil was accepted, the dark spirit's form stabilized.
It took the shape of a sphere about the size of a small rock.
Tears welled up in Ilendil's eyes as he watched.
"Be happy."
"......"
Lee Han felt extremely burdened.
"If only I could have treated you better..."
"I'll summon you for you next time we meet."
"Really?"
"Yes."
With teary eyes, Ilendil tightly grasped Lee Han's hand.
"You're the kindest person I've ever met."
"But Senior... Isn't that spirit glaring at me?"
Though it was just a spherical form without any distinct facial features, Lee Han couldn't shake the feeling that the Dark Spirit was glaring at him.
Ilendil closed his eyes and nodded as if conversing with the Dark Spirit, making small "Mm, mhm" sounds.
"No."
"It's not?"
"It says thank you for helping it regain its senses."
"......"
Lee Han shot Ilendil a deeply suspicious look.
Had it not been his senior, the words "Don't lie to me" would have slipped out immediately.
'No matter how I look at it, that doesn't seem like a grateful attitude.'
The back of his neck and shoulders prickled as if under pressure from a three-day-fasting Gyeongnam tiger.
"Could it be like those kids from White Tiger Tower?"
Yoner whispered cautiously.
"White Tiger Tower?"
"They also say thank you when they get hit, don't they?"
"...Ah, no. Someone might misunderstand if they hear this."
Lee Han hastily covered Yoner's mouth.
But he understood exactly what she meant.
-Hey. You there. Don't fall asleep. I said don't fall asleep, you brat.
-Ack!
-I don't want to attack you either, okay? Don't fall asleep. Why are you stuck on that page?
-Ugh...
-You're not seriously mad at me for helping you study, are you?
-N-no. I'm grateful...
Just like the students of White Tiger Tower, the Dark Spirit could grind its teeth while saying, "Thank you for helping me regain my senses."
'This makes me even more uneasy.'
Lee Han firmly resolved that no matter how useful or rare the Dark Spirit was, he should avoid summoning it unless absolutely necessary.
Tap tap.
"?"
The squirrel spirit tapped Lee Han's shoulder and pointed to the side.
From where the spirits had fled earlier, a surge of lingering purity began to swirl with light.
A sudden sense of foreboding washed over Lee Han.
"...Senior Ilendil, who's close with spirits? What's happening right now?"
"The spirits are returning to their homes."
Ilendil spoke in a voice tinged with quiet emotion.
It was rare for spirits summoned from other dimensions to return on their own.
Most only went back after their energy was depleted, often causing conflicts in the process. It was a relief if things were resolved through persuasion.
But now, the spirits were willingly returning to their dimensions, satisfied without any need for competition.
Expressing gratitude to the mages who had risked their lives to help them.
Like raindrops, the unique light emitted by the spirits fell from the sky in droplets.
"It's beautiful..."
"Truly."
Priest Siana and Yoner blinked, overwhelmed by the dazzling symphony of nature created by the spirits.
This was a rare sight, only possible when spirits were genuinely moved—not through conflict or persuasion.
Seeing this, all the hardships of the day suddenly felt worthwhile.
Whoooosh!
The last spirit vanished beyond the dimensions, expressing its gratitude.
The droplets of light flickered before the forest returned to its original state.
Priest Siana, Yoner, and Ilendil inhaled deeply, absorbing the light left behind by the spirits.
It felt as though their entire bodies were brimming with the spirits' energy.
Thud!
The sound of someone collapsing came from beside them.
Yoner startled and turned to look.
Lee Han was kneeling on the ground, utterly dejected.
"......"
"......"
He looked so miserable that Yoner couldn't bring herself to speak.
Pat pat.
-The squirrel spirit and the basilisk comforted Lee Han as if to say, "We're here for you."
Professor Thunderstep, having rounded up all the troublesome students, returned to his original spot.
Of course, the first-year students were nowhere to be seen.
If it had been any other students, he would have panicked and gone searching for them immediately.
Even under normal circumstances, venturing this deep into the forest was dangerous—let alone during a situation where Contaminated Beings were swarming everywhere.
But Professor Thunderstep remained composed.
After all, there was a Wardanaz among the group.
'He must have grown impatient and moved ahead. What a hotheaded kid.'
Professor Thunderstep followed the traces left behind.
"Hey, you brats! Why did you go ahead without— Wait, why is Wardanaz like that?"
"Professor. The spirits have returned."
"What?! Such a joyous occasion...!"
Professor Thunderstep was genuinely startled.
When spirits were sincerely moved and sent back, their gratitude would inevitably return someday.
Of course, satisfying beings from another dimension—especially the eccentric ones—was no easy feat, making this an extremely rare occurrence. And yet, it had happened today of all days.
"You kids are truly lucky!"
"Uh. Professor."
"Lord Wardanaz..."
Yornell and Priest Siana tried to cut off Professor Thunderstep's tactless remarks while glancing at Lee Han's expression.
But the professor paid no heed and continued.
"This happens maybe once every ten years. No wonder the scent of spirits is so strong here... This will be a great boon for you all. Spirits never forget kindness, after all."
"Professor. Professor."
"??"
Only then did Professor Thunderstep notice Yornell gesturing toward Lee Han.
"Why is he like that?"
"Because the spirits left, sir."
"What do you— Oh!"
It finally dawned on the dwarf professor why Lee Han had gone through all that trouble today.
After all that suffering, the spirits had just... left.
Lee Han's despondent figure looked so pitiful that Professor Thunderstep struggled to find the right words.
"W-well... How did you manage to move the spirits, anyway?"
"We captured and subjugated the artificial spirit that caused the problem."
"WHO did?!"
Yornell pointed at Lee Han again.
Professor Thunderstep was utterly shocked.
He had heard about it from the students he had apprehended earlier, but a rampaging artificial spirit was no pushover.
Sure, the spirit itself was young, having only recently come into existence—but wasn't it in a state of elemental overload?
No matter how much one wanted to be popular with spirits, charging headfirst at something like that was practically suicidal.
"HE caught it???!!"
"Well... Senior Ilendil helped a bit..."
"?"
Only then did the professor notice Ilendil.
The bright student was diligently tending to the damaged trees and plants nearby.
"...Ilendil."
"Ah. Professor."
Finally realizing Professor Thunderstep's arrival, Ilendil wiped the sweat from his brow and stood up.
"You're here?"
"Don't you have anything to say about this mess?"
"My apologies..."
Ilendil bowed his head deeply.
Professor Thunderstep stared at him with mixed emotions before letting out a sigh.
"...Fine. An apology will do. I'm sure you meant well. Just don't do it again."
"?!"
Yornell was stunned.
The same professor who had been raging earlier about making the other seniors pay for their actions—why was he letting Ilendil off so easily?
"What's with that look?"
Sensing Yornell's gaze, Professor Thunderstep turned to him.
"Uh, did you forgive the other seniors too?"
"Are you out of your mind? They're going to the Punishment Hall."
"Then... is Senior Ilendil going to the Punishment Hall too?"
"No."
"...?"
Fully understanding the first-year's confusion, Professor Thunderstep awkwardly explained.
"Ilendil does too much work to be sent to the Punishment Hall."
Ilendil, who spent more time in the forest than in school buildings, was one of Professor Thunderstep's most diligent students.
If a student like him went to the Punishment Hall, who would take care of the forest?
"Of course, it's not because I'm too lazy to send him. It's out of respect for his usual contributions."
"Ah, right."
Yornell didn't believe it but nodded vaguely anyway.
Then he glanced at Lee Han.
"...Does that mean Lee Han can't go to the Punishment Hall now either?"
"What nonsense."
Professor Thunderstep scoffed.
Then he fell into thought.
A moment later.
"...He might not be able to..."
"......"