Episode 560
Episode 560
Angrago bristled when his friends insulted him.
"That goat looked so pitiful back then! It was hanging upside down!"
"So you got caught instead?"
"I told you, you can't even trust animals at Einrogard."
After much bickering, the students finally reached a conclusion.
It must have just been a ridiculous rumor!
Whether from the Wardanaz or Moradi families, none of them would have been composed enough to pull off something like that in such a situation!
"...!!!"
Lee Han and Giselle stared up at the mansion from the street below in utter shock.
Evening had already fallen over the city. The mana lamps along the road glowed brightly, and the once-crowded streets were gradually thinning out.
And with the evening came the Death Knights.
Right in front of the mansion's main gate.
'We're too late...!'
Lee Han glanced at Giselle. She seemed to have already steeled herself and gave a firm nod.
"Wardanaz. I have a request."
"Go on."
"You're close with the Headmaster, right? Ask him to assign us separate punishment rooms. If I have to be locked up staring at your face, I'll be twice as pissed."
"We're not close."
The Death Knights had draped themselves in lavish, multicolored cloaks in an attempt to blend in as imperial citizens, but the effect was far from convincing.
Just their breathing alone exuded an eerie, sinister energy—how could they possibly go unnoticed?
-What in the world is going on...?
-The prisoners have escaped!!
-No, what is our master even doing? He told us to just trust in his magic, and now the prisoners have fled! We should've been guarding them!
-You should endure it. Our master pursues his own unique aesthetic.
-And what exactly is that supposed to mean?
-Prisoners shouldn't just sit around helplessly. How dull would that be? They must struggle and flail in vain. To achieve that, they must be given just a sliver of hope.
-Hah... I think I understand now. Hearing that, my anger has subsided. Truly, our master is profound in his thinking.
'Understand what, exactly?'
'Subsided my foot.'
Lee Han and Giselle, concealed by Invisibility Magic and cautiously approaching, inwardly cursed as they listened to the Death Knights' conversation.
What kind of insane talk was this?!
They deliberately didn't station Death Knights as guards just to torment the prisoners?
But ironically, the Skeleton Principal's twisted tastes had turned into luck for the students.
Had the Death Knights been on guard, escaping would have been several times harder.
They might not have even made it out of the mansion before being caught.
"Moradi. It's not over yet."
Lee Han's eyes burned with determination.
Judging by the Death Knights gathered at the main gate, they clearly hadn't fully grasped the situation yet.
They'd assume the prisoners had escaped on their own, so they'd prioritize tracking them down.
That meant they still had a chance to break through, reach the upper gate of the mansion, and return to the school.
-But how did those prisoners escape? They shouldn't have been able to open the main gate with the magic items they had. Was there one with magical talent among them?
-No matter how talented, they couldn't have opened the main gate...
-Did the Headmaster's successor come through here or something?
"Who's the Headmaster's successor?"
Giselle asked, puzzled.
Lee Han felt a foreboding chill crawl down his spine.
-That Wardanaz boy isn't the type to do something so reckless. Why would such a kind-hearted lad release prisoners?
-Yes, that's true.
"......"
Giselle glared at Lee Han with an indescribable expression.
Even if he had ten mouths, Lee Han wouldn't have been able to defend himself.
"That Death Knight's just a weird one..."
"Get lost, successor."
-Search the area.
As one of the Death Knights clenched and unclenched his gauntlet-covered fist, a chilling blue aura spread through the surroundings.
The traces left near the main gate of the mansion floated to the surface of the water.
Countless footprints and magical remnants.—???—?????
The Death Knights were thrown into confusion.
—What the...?
—Were the mercenaries ambushed?
—Was there a mage among the mercenaries?
—Could they have had some bizarre magic tome or something? Maybe they summoned a demon into their bodies...
—If that were the case, we would've already received word from Granden City. Anyway, contact the city guard. The prisoners escaped, so we need to report it.
—Understood.
—It seems some fled outside the main gate, so pursue them. The footprints are still fresh.
'We're alive!'
Lee Han's eyes widened as he saw more than half of the Death Knights heading outside the mansion.
The traces of the most troublesome mercenary had lured the Death Knights away.
'But I'm not grateful!'
The two of them steeled themselves with desperate resolve and headed for the mansion's main gate.
They were determined to break through the dimensional gate by any means necessary.
"Wardanaz!!"
"Moradi!!"
The anxiously waiting students erupted in cheers.
Lee Han and Giselle had passed through the gate!
As soon as he crossed the dimensional gate, Lee Han immediately deactivated the artifact. The overheated artifact emitted a bizarre noise.
"Hahk... Hahk..."
"Huhk... Hahk..."
Unable to speak, the two collapsed onto the warehouse floor.
"???"
"What's wrong? Hey, where's the luggage?"
They couldn't even answer, only gesturing weakly.
Anglard cautiously approached.
"Moradi. I don't understand what you're saying."
"■..."
"What?"
Anglard leaned in closer.
Giselle rasped in a rough, hoarse whisper.
"Bring water..."
"Mine too... just one glass..."
"......"
As Anglard slowly stood up, the others looked at him curiously.
"What'd she say?"
"Are they cursed or something? Why are they late? Where's the luggage?"
"...She said to bring water."
A short while later.
Lee Han and Giselle gulped down cold water and finally regained their senses.
"What the hell happened?"
They had summoned a paper bird to divert attention, used a bone hand to make noise, called out Sharkan to break branches in the mansion, cast Gonadaltes' Boiling Power to move the wardrobe, sent a clone to lure the Death Knights outside one last time...
Cut through the door, went out to the second-floor terrace, jumped upward while carrying Wardanaz, hung from the chandelier to avoid detection, cursed at Wardanaz for misjudging the floor...
"...What the hell actually happened?!"
The friends listened to the explanation but couldn't comprehend it at all.
Just what kind of insane adventure had they gone through in that mansion!?
"It's a long story. Let's all head back to our dorms first. We can't afford to get caught here. Oh, by the way, guys."
At Lee Han's words, the others focused their attention.
"If I get sent to the punishment room, can you bring me some food?"
"......"
Seriously, what the hell happened!?
"So you got caught while trying to capture the mercenaries."
"Yeah."
"It couldn't be helped. Just bad luck. And it's not your fault, Wardanaz, for building a reputation outside."
In the Phoenix Tower lounge.
The priests listened to Lee Han's story and tried their best to console him.
The other students had brought in goods as if they were about to bankrupt the store, yet Lee Han, who had worked the hardest, was now at risk of being caught.
Priest Siana's heart ached as she sniffled.
"Still, maybe it'll be fine since the testimony is inconsistent. Nothing else was discovered, right?"
"...I caught a robber."
"......"
"......"
The White Tiger Tower students exchanged uneasy glances.
If it had been Anglard, someone would've immediately said, 'What are you doing?' But since it was Giselle, anyone who dared say that would likely get the response, 'You want me to show you what I'm doing? Grab a sword and follow me outside.'
The bravest student, Durgyu, broke the silence and spoke up.
"I respect you, Moradi. That's not something just anyone can do. In my opinion, true honor is boldly stepping forward to uphold justice, even if it means suffering personal loss."
"Y-yeah, Moradi. I think so too."
"Damn right! That's real honor!"
Once Durgyu spoke, the other friends, seemingly agreeing with his words, chimed in one by one.
Giselle was genuinely pleased by her friends' encouragement.
"All of you, shut up."
"......"
"......"
'I told you to stay quiet...'
An awkward silence lingered for a while.
Durgyu cleared his throat and spoke again.
"Still, if it weren't for you, the damage would've been much worse."
"Later, I heard that wandmaker's shop had extraordinary defenses. I wonder if that's really true."
"...W-well, even so, not many would've seen it as mercenary work. There's still hope!"
"Right! If the testimonies are few and inconsistent, the Headmaster won't be able to send you to the Punishment Hall based on that. Let's all point out the loopholes together!"
"There's nothing else, right?"
"What kind of unlucky question is that? What else could there be? There's no way, right?"
"...I saved someone who got hurt in the accident."
"......"
"Priestess Siana? Why are you avoiding my gaze?"
"W-well..."
Priestess Siana couldn't bring herself to look at Lee Han and averted her eyes.
No matter how she thought about it, it seemed like he was just going to end up in the Punishment Hall at this point.
If they gathered witnesses, there'd probably be at least a hundred...
"If you get sent to the Punishment Hall, I'll visit you every single day."
"Thanks... but you know the path to the Punishment Hall is complicated and changes daily, right?"
"...I'll visit at least once every three days."
The priests were genuinely saddened at the thought of Lee Han going to the Punishment Hall.
"I'll confront the Headmaster about this! How can someone who saved others be sent to the Punishment Hall?!"
"Exactly! This doesn't make sense!"
Lee Han quietly shook his head.
It was a protest that would never work.
-Is he here?
"!!!"
When the Death Knight knocked on the lounge door, the priests, realizing the inevitable had come, shot to their feet.
"He's not here!"
-Mr. Wardanaz. The Master is looking for you.
"I said he's not here!"
"Just try coming in! I'll set your ugly face on fire with Lady Afha's flames!"
The Death Knight was wounded by the priests' reaction.
Unlike other towers, the Phoenix Tower had always been filled with gentle and kind priests, but this year's batch was unusually harsh.
"Alright. Thanks, everyone. I'll be back."
Lee Han stopped his friends and stood up.
He had already prepared himself for this anyway.
You two make me so proud!
"??"
"????"
When the Skeleton Principal cheerfully shouted at them, the two flinched and shrank back, their eyes wary.
A praising Skeleton Principal was far scarier than a cursing one.
Why...?
Indeed, it's the tower's top students who bring glory to the tower! Is there anything you'd like to eat?
"You're going to give us special meals in the Punishment Hall?"
At Lee Han's question, the Skeleton Principal laughed heartily.
The Headmaster, now in human form (Giselle nearly screamed in shock), gave Lee Han and Giselle's shoulders a firm pat.
Hahahaha! How could that be? What a joke! Others might misunderstand if they heard that!
"...?"
"...??"
Lee Han and Giselle shrank back even further.
What the...?
Of course, you ruined the textbooks prepared for finals, destroyed my villa, left the academy without permission to roam the city, and as if that wasn't enough, you even got others to leave in groups and wander around—not to mention the Death Knights had to chase you two just to figure out how you managed the spatial magic coordinates—but would I really send you to the Punishment Hall? Don't misunderstand me!
"...Should we just go to the Punishment Hall and come back?"
Lee Han, sensing the venom in the Headmaster's voice, raised his hand and volunteered.
At this point, it seemed better to just go and return.