Episode 577
Episode 577
Wardanaz
The students attending the Enchantment Magic class noticed Lee Han and approached him.
They were carrying large wooden chests in their hands.
"How about this?"
"I told you last time, but we should have enough by now..."
"No, Wardanaz. Who knows what we might need!"
Professor Verdus had already informed the students about how the final exam would be structured.
The theme of this exam was to create an artifact with the best possible performance on the spot—using discarded materials.
The problem was that this sounded like absolute nonsense to ordinary students.
-Even with proper materials, it's hard enough to make something decent—what do you mean, discarded materials? Is he insane?
-Isn't Professor Verdus just being stingy with materials?
'Honestly, making something decent with discarded materials seems perfectly possible to me.'
Lee Han actually had a slightly different opinion from his friends, but he didn't want to risk getting scolded, so he joined them in cursing Professor Verdus.
-Professor Verdus must have embezzled the budget!
-Ah, no, Wardanaz. I didn't mean it that far.
-Really?
The students of Einrogard believed that if a professor assigned an unreasonable task, their corresponding countermeasures were justified as self-defense.
Naturally, for this final exam, the students fought back fairly—by secretly filling the storage for discarded materials with proper supplies beforehand!
Thanks to their recent shopping spree outside, this kind of countermeasure had become possible.
But even after stocking the storage with a considerable amount of materials, the students didn't stop.
Their anxiety about the exam drove them to keep adding more.
"I think we can stop adding more. That's Proposal Stone, right? We've got three whole boxes, so it should be plenty."
"But what if we use it all up while making it?"
"How could we possibly waste three whole boxes...? And Light Spirit Ink is among the discarded materials too, right? I checked—it's fine. Don't worry."
"Still, what if it gets ruined in the meantime? We need to add more."
'Is Enchantment Magic really this nerve-wracking of an exam?' Lee Han thought to himself.
Unlike other lecture exams, the Enchantment Magic exam was surprisingly safe.
Not because Professor Verdus was kind or cared about his students—but because he simply wasn't interested.
While other passionate professors made their exams increasingly dangerous the more they cared about their students, Professor Verdus's lack of interest ironically kept the exam on the safer side.
"Fine, fine. Just take it to the storage, then. You guys know this is a loss, right? If we don't use it all during the exam, it'll just go to waste."
Lee Han sighed, feeling sorry for his friends who were recklessly squandering the stockpile they had worked so hard to gather.
It wasn't like they were graduating this year—just imagine how much trouble they'd have to go through to gather those materials again next year.
But his friends ignored him and dragged the chests away.
'Those Blue Dragon Tower kids are way too wasteful.'
Lee Han clicked his tongue in disapproval.
Students from other towers would have acted more rationally, not swayed by baseless fear.
Thud.
"......"
"......"
In front of the storage, Lee Han ran into Salko.
The students from the Black Turtle Tower were stacking chests inside, looking awkward.
"W-We thought the quantity might be a bit lacking..."
"At this rate, you could build a cathedral."
Lee Han shook his head and turned to leave.
"......"
"......"
This time, students from the White Tiger Tower appeared, carrying chests.
"We, uh, left some stuff behind last time...?"
"Hey. Shut up. Making excuses just makes it more embarrassing."
"Ugh, so noisy. Just go in already, you wasteful brats."
"I-It's not wasteful!"
The Skeleton Principal gazed at the snow-covered school grounds with a heart as soft as cotton.
The Death Knights watched their master's serene expression with contentment.
Normally, by the end of the year, their master would grow sharp and irritable.
After all, it was always the imperial inspectors who nitpicked over the smallest things and soured their master's mood.
"Wait a moment, Lord Gonadaltes. These students clearly received a support of 383 Imperial Gold Coins, but the accounts only show 382 coins. Where did the missing one go? Surely they didn't use it for another magic experiment?"
"Let's overlook such a trivial matter! Students can make mistakes too!"
"How is 382 out of 383 coins trivial?!"
But this year was different.
The heartwarming tales from outside the school had melted the cold, icy heart of the auditor.
Thanks to this, the auditor used his authority to declare this inspection passed without issue. The Skeleton Principal was satisfied, and the Death Knights could bask in contentment.
If only every year could be like this...
"Shall we release wanted criminals in the city next year and have the students capture them?"
"Hmm... I suspect the students would just use that as an opportunity to escape to the city."
As the Death Knights conversed, the door suddenly burst open.
BANG!
"What is the meaning of this?"
The Skeleton Principal glared reproachfully at the Death Knight who had barged in.
Just when he was finally enjoying some peace of the soul—what was this disturbance?
"B-Big trouble, my lord!"
The Skeleton Principal's gaze sharpened.
If the Death Knights, who served faithfully under him, were calling it "big trouble," it couldn't be anything ordinary.
"What...? Don't tell me those Buyeo School brats caused an accident? I explicitly told them to go to the desert to conduct their experiments! Do they even realize what kind of building that old schoolhouse is before they blew it up?! That was a rather expensive building, you know!"
"No, it wasn't the Buyeo School students who blew it up."
Then what? Surely the Excursion Club didn't punch a hole in the city walls, did they? They've been tapping at the walls for a while now...
"The Excursion Club students have all been confined to the Punishment Room."
Then what exactly is this 'big trouble'? Some chubby kid locked in the Punishment Room?
"W-Well..."
The Death Knight couldn't even bring himself to look at the Skeleton Principal, bowing his head fearfully.
Then, squeezing his eyes shut, he spoke.
"Lord Eunrade... has returned......"
Eunrade, the mage who had escorted the auditor this time—an Einrogard graduate.
Eunrade himself wasn't an evil or dangerous figure.
But the fact that Eunrade, who should have left smoothly with the auditor, had returned like this was extremely, extremely ominous.
Why?
"That... I'm not entirely sure either... I think you should hear it directly from him, my lord..."
The furniture around the Skeleton Principal began to tremble, then shake violently.
If left unchecked, the expensive furnishings would be shattered to pieces. The Death Knights hastily cried out,
"My lord! It might be something else entirely!"
"Indeed! Perhaps it's just a simple courtesy visit..."
As if that were likely.
The Skeleton Principal regained his composure.
Not because his anger had subsided, but because smashing the furniture would only be a loss for himself.
"Let him in. Let's hear why he's come back."
Before long, Eunrade entered like a condemned man, opening the door cautiously.
Eunrade was even more deferential than the Death Knight earlier, practically pressing his forehead to the ground.
"Raise your head, Lord Eunrade."
"C-Couldn't you... call me more casually, Headmaster?"
Feeling his life in danger, Eunrade desperately tried to invoke their shared school memories.
"Nonsense! As an imperial official on official business, I cannot be discourteous."
"B-But I was your student once, Headmaster, so if we could just—"
"Enough. Get to the point. What is it? Has another audit been ordered? Or a special inspection? Or have the budget and funding been cut?"
"None of those, Headmaster."
At Eunrade's words, the Skeleton Principal's gaze softened slightly.
Then? Did you just miss your school days and return for nostalgia?
"Not exactly... It's... His Imperial Majesty wishes to have a private audience with you, Headmaster. After the semester ends."
"Why? What did I do?"
The Skeleton Principal was enraged at the situation where he had to be summoned again at the end of the second semester after already being called at the end of the first semester.
The Death Knights hastily made excuses, fearing the Imperial Bureaucrat might end up buried in the deepest recesses of the Punishment Room.
-It might be a reward, perhaps a reward!
-That's right!
'Ugh.'
At the Death Knights' words, Lee Un-rade inwardly wept.
It was the same excuse he had tried during the first semester, only to be thoroughly scolded with, "What kind of nonsense is this?"
So now you're talking about rewards? Do you even know how many times I've received rewards while running Einrogard?
"W-well, I'm not sure."
Fewer times than the number of times you graduated at the top of your class!
"Uh... well... I, I never graduated at the top..."
Good. You know well, then.
The Skeleton Principal felt a throbbing headache coming on.
Just what kind of insane student caused trouble behind his back this time?
"Um... Headmaster."
Is there more? Stop dragging it out and say it all at once! If you drag it out one more time, I'll throw you into the Punishment Room!
Lee Un-rade held back his tears and spoke.
"His Majesty the Emperor has requested... that you bring Lee Han of the Wardanaz family along... Really... I didn't misspeak."
......
At this completely unexpected statement, both the Skeleton Principal and the Death Knights fell silent.
Lee Un-rade glanced furtively out the window.
Jumping out of this window might be better than being sent to the deepest, most forgotten part of the Punishment Room.
Hmm.
Instead of raging, the Skeleton Principal sank into deep anguish.
Sit down.
"Y-yes."
What do you think His Majesty is thinking?
The Skeleton Principal gestured to hear the thoughts of the Death Knights and Lee Un-rade present in the room.
-Perhaps he just wants to see Wardanaz once? From what I've seen, Wardanaz stands out even among Einrogard students with his extraordinary talent.
I see. Then it might not be so bad.
At the very least, it sounded far better than news like graduates turning some forest into a demonic realm or current students destroying a mercenary group without permission while on a request.
Given that the Emperor had already shown interest in Wardanaz during the first semester, it was entirely possible he wanted to meet him in person.
-Master. I think it's a bit risky. Right after His Majesty made that remark at the end of the first semester, Wardanaz went and captured the Ghoul King again, didn't he?
That should be taken into consideration!
The Skeleton Principal felt genuinely wronged.
How was he supposed to stop Wardanaz from teaming up with adventurers and recklessly going off to capture the Ghoul King while he was busy talking to the Emperor?!
-Not to mention the Sea Serpent incident during the second semester...
-Now that I think about it, you have a point. Even if His Majesty summoned him after hearing good things, if he learns the details during their meeting, the blame might fall on you, Master.
Is there anything more unjust in this world? The righteous always suffer.
The Skeleton Principal lamented.
But the Death Knights' arguments were valid.
Think of a reason not to bring him. Normally, students return to their families during winter break. What about that?
Lee Un-rade cautiously replied.
"Since he can just visit His Majesty the Emperor before going home, that probably won't work."
...
I was planning to have him help with recruiting new students after this semester. What about that?
"Uh... wouldn't that backfire even more in the current situation?"
The Skeleton Principal glared at Lee Un-rade, who bowed his head deeply.
"U-um, Headmaster. I forgot to mention one thing..."
Even after I told you to say everything earlier? Now I see why you never graduated at the top.
"......His Majesty added a postscript saying, 'Don't make any strange excuses, just bring him.' I'm sorry! I'm sorry!"
Lee Un-rade made a dash for the window. The Skeleton Principal sighed and grabbed him.
Fine. What's done is done. It's not your fault.
-Though it's kind of your fault, isn't it?
"Please...!"
-No, we should speak the truth...
Lee Un-rade truly hated the Death Knights.