Episode 599
Episode 599
Leaving behind the student struggling to suppress his laughter, the Skeleton Principal approached Professor Voladi.
Unlike Verdus, this was a professor who worked diligently in his own way, so he couldn't simply be left alone.
Don't be too disheartened, Professor Bagrak.
"......"
However, Professor Voladi remained silent without responding, apparently more shocked than expected.
The Skeleton Principal found himself at a loss.
Being fundamentally unaccustomed to such consolation, he couldn't quite think of what to say.
With other professors, promising increased research funding would immediately cheer them up, but Professor Bagrak only had zero... no, just one student, making funding rather meaningless anyway...
Look. Though different from what you prepared, it must have been quite a meaningful exam.
The Skeleton Principal offered consolation while glancing toward the Death Knights.
The Death Knights clapped their hands and spoke:
-That's right, Professor Bagrak! This is what a real exam should be!
-What could be a truer test than actual combat? You can consider this your final exam!
Even the giant, who was plugging his nosebleed with a tree trunk, nodded in agreement.
-True. This was a good enough exam.
Lee Han, who had been gauging the mood, also chimed in quietly.
"I learned so much."
With everyone present joining forces to console him, Professor Voladi ultimately had no choice but to relent.
"I suppose we'll have to see what I prepared this year... next year."
That's the spirit, Professor Bagrak. Haha.
"What do you mean 'that's the spirit'?"
Lee Han glared sternly at the Skeleton Principal.
Each year has its own exams—why would you postpone this year's test to next year?
-Mage. Mage. My nose won't stop bleeding.
"Hold on. Let me treat that."
Though Professor Voladi's exam had gone up in smoke, Lee Han carefully examined the giant's wounds with gratitude.
Professor Alkasis, passing by and witnessing this, nodded approvingly before roughly scribbling "Full Marks" on a piece of paper.
"Gah!"
Gainando woke with a start, startled to find his surroundings dimly lit.
Looking around, he saw a large bonfire spitting sparks ahead, with students from various towers gathered under nearby tents, chatting animatedly.
Among them, Angrago of the Alpha Family was cutting a sticky chocolate éclair and popping it into his mouth. Gainando recognized the brand just from the éclair's tip—it was <Maykin Family's Magical Chocolate Éclair>, one of his favorite cake products.
"E-Eating it all alone?!"
"Yikes!"
Angrago jumped in surprise at Gainando suddenly shouting from the sleeping bag behind him, thinking a ghost had appeared.
"If you're awake, speak quietly! Do you have any idea how much trouble we went through to save you?"
"Save me?...Oh!"
Only then did Gainando remember being kidnapped by the vampiric monster.
The White Tiger Tower students puffed up proudly and declared:
"That's right! We fought so hard to save you, we even gave up dancing!"
"...That doesn't make sense. You guys tried to save me? Not Lee Han?"
Despite his grogginess and hunger, Gainando made a sharp observation.
The White Tiger Tower students were taken aback.
How did this punk figure that out?
"I'm right, aren't I? Huh?"
"...Well, we did fight alongside him. Brat."
"Yeah. You should be grateful— Hey! Why are you eating that?!"
The White Tiger Tower students recoiled in horror as Gainando, who had stealthily approached, began scarfing down the food laid out on the table.
"Munch Let's eat together. Munch munch"
"Get lost and eat at your own tower!"
"What's going on?"
Lee Han, who had been melting various cheeses in an oiled pan before plating them, looked puzzled at Gainando and the White Tiger Tower students.
"Wardanaz! The prince has gone mad! He's devouring our food!"
"Just eat together. The finals are over anyway."
"You call that an excuse...?"
The White Tiger Tower students who were about to protest glanced at where Lee Han had been standing just moments ago.
There was Wardanaz, frantically prepping ingredients, stir-frying, and trimming them with the Phoenix Tower priests in front of the oven.
Even if they had any conscience left, they felt a sense of crisis—if they argued any further, they might get hit or even kicked out.
"...Fine... whatever..."
'Wait. Did these guys grow a brain?'
Lee Han was slightly surprised by the White Tiger Tower students' reaction.
Instead of complaining about the taste, they were reacting like this?
Truthfully, since the semester was ending, he was cooking up a storm to use up the older ingredients first.
Various cheeses were being pan-fried, stale bread and ham were buttered and toasted before being topped with a mix of cheese and eggs to make canapés...
Older rice was being turned into risotto with freshly caught fish from the river and generous amounts of spices, and so on.
Even if the older ingredients weren't spoiled, their flavor would naturally be diminished, so he expected some complaints—but no one was grumbling. Everyone was happily eating.
'They must've optimized their taste buds after nearly a year at Einrogard.'
Lee Han looked at his White Tiger Tower friends with pity.
Unaware of the truth, they were devouring everything, exclaiming how delicious it was.
"Lee Han. Lee Han."
"?"
Gainando, who had just polished off a bowl of fish soup, two plates of Empire-style pork cutlets, five skewers of grilled chicken and sparrows, and three of Professor Thunderstep's special cabin sausages, called out to Lee Han while catching his breath.
Only now had he regained enough composure to ask.
"What the hell happened?"
"What happened? Oh, are you talking about Professor Bagrak passing us on the finals?"
Lee Han started with the most memorable event of the day.
Of course, Gainando had zero interest in that.
"That's just normal stuff!"
"No, this is actually a big deal—"
"That monster! You know, the monster!"
"Oh. Right. That too."
"......"
Gainando was speechless, but his friend remained expressionless as he explained.
So, the Blood-sucking Monster had tried to take Gainando and disappear, but thanks to the valiant giants and death knights who joined the fight...
"...Wait!? My coat—where's my coat!?"
"Sorry. The Blood-sucking Monster destroyed it."
Technically, the giants had wrecked it, but Lee Han pinned the blame on the already-slain monster.
It wasn't like a few extra crimes would make a difference for a bastard like that.
"No... no way! That damnable monster!! How?! How could it—my coat! It was a masterpiece!"
"Eh. It wasn't that great."
"Just decently stylish?"
"At best, it was average."
The others, having forgotten their enchanted memories, shamelessly chimed in.
Whether they were from the Black Turtle Tower, White Tiger Tower, or even the Blue Dragon Tower like Ashan, they all agreed.
"I don't even get why we were so jealous before."
"Yeah, yeah."
"You... you bastards! You were practically drooling over it before, and now—!"
Gainando trembled with indignation.
When the coat was around, they couldn't take their eyes off it—but now that it was gone, they were acting so cold?
"You—you answer me! You were obsessed with it too!"
Gainando called out to Adenart. The latter, who had been dining with his followers, merely raised an eyebrow slightly at the summons.
"I'm not sure what you're referring to."
"...Hey! Oh come on! You definitely wanted it!"
"It was an interesting coat, admittedly."
"Right?! Right?!"
Hearing someone finally take his side, Gainando spun around excitedly.
There was a handsome man I'd never seen before sitting in a chair.
He looked like the kind of beautiful man you'd find in ancient books or statues from old kingdoms.
"Uh. Since when did White Tiger Tower have someone this good-looking?"
"...What do you mean by that, you princeling?"
The White Tiger Tower students bristled.
Of course, compared to Blue Dragon Tower, they lacked noble-like dignity—but the White Tiger Tower students didn't consider that a flaw.
They believed it was simply a natural difference that came from choosing a knightly spirit of martial valor and an open-hearted disposition.
"It's not your fault. These days, it's not easy for young ones to keep up with the beauty standards of my era."
As he spoke, the handsome man casually stole a bite of food from Gaïnan's plate. Gaïnan was deeply shocked that he hadn't even been able to react.
"Hey, what the hell are you—!!"
"Headmaster, what are you doing?"
"...Would you like some more?"
Gaïnan, frozen stiff, offered his plate.
The Skeleton Principal, now in human form, snatched the plate and emptied the remaining food.
"I was curious about that coat—shame it's gone now. The materials alone must have made it quite a decent curse."
"Is it even possible for magic to properly form when you just mix things randomly like that?"
"Very rarely. Sometimes, magic is born from pure coincidence."
While the Skeleton Principal and Lee Han were talking, the White Tiger Tower students scrambled to their feet and fled to another tower's table.
Even students from other towers, who would normally curse and chase them off, sat frozen in fear and allowed them to stay.
"H-Headmaster. D-did you come to take away the students who failed?"
Gaïnan, hiding behind Lee Han, asked.
Every semester after exams, the Skeleton Principal took great petty pleasure in locking failing students in the Punishment Room.
"No. No one failed this time. More importantly—why in the world are you spreading nonsense about sand octopuses living in the undead realm?"
"Uh... I just thought... maybe they could be discovered someday..."
The Skeleton Principal began explaining 'What is inductive reasoning?' with a look of utter disdain.
Gaïnan cursed himself for answering honestly for no reason.
After verbally dismantling Gaïnan, the Skeleton Principal turned to Lee Han and asked:
"What are your plans for this winter break?"
"I'm trying to save up a hundred gold coins."
"...Not that kind of plan..."
The Skeleton Principal had to suppress a sigh.
"Travel. I mean travel. Normally, students don't stay in Granden City during winter break."
"Ah. Right. First, I'll return to the Wardanaz family and try to meet the family head. Though I'm not sure if I'll actually get to see him..."
"Actually, there's something you need to do before that."
The Skeleton Principal spoke seriously.
Beside them, Gaïnan was startled.
How had the Headmaster read his innermost thoughts?
"Are you talking about inviting Lee Han to our family mansion right now?"
"......"
With a wave of the Skeleton Principal's hand, Gaïnan was instantly teleported to the opposite table.
"His Majesty the Emperor wishes to meet you in person."
"...!"
Lee Han was utterly shocked by those words.
So shocked that no other questions even came to mind.
"Wait. Is there some reason Gaïnan shouldn't know about me having a private audience with His Majesty?"
"He can know. I just kicked him out because he was being noisy."
"...Ah. Understood."
"I've already contacted your family head."
"Did you get a reply?"
"No."
"I figured as much. He's always so busy..."
"Naturally. Anyway, sorry about this, but your winter break plans are going to change."
The Skeleton Principal began sketching out a rough schedule on the tablecloth.
First, an audience with His Majesty the Emperor. Then, meet the necessary people in the capital. After that, secure the enrollment of any first-year students with complicated admission procedures. Finally, drop Lee Han off at the Wardanaz family mansion.
After that, Lee Han could enjoy a happy winter break.
...Or perhaps a winter break of labor.
"Uh, Headmaster. Meeting His Majesty is one thing, but the rest seems a bit... unusual."
'Sharp kid.'