Episode 600
Episode 600
The Skeleton Principal didn't resort to amateurish emotional appeals. He spoke like a true professional.
"Just give me gold coins and it's settled."
"I'll work hard."
Lee Han also responded professionally by immediately accepting.
"But who exactly are the people we need to meet in the capital?"
"Those who donate or provide substantial funding, of course."
"Is there something I should do when meeting such distinguished individuals?"
"You'll need to showcase your dazzling rhetoric."
"Excuse me? I don't possess such skills."
"......"
"......"
Everyone—including the Skeleton Principal, nearby friends, and even the Death Knights—stared at Lee Han with looks of utter disbelief.
Ignoring their reactions, the Skeleton Principal continued.
"For recruiting new first-year students, I'll need to borrow some of your mana."
"Ah. Yes. That's perfectly fine."
'Our master seems to occasionally lose his sanity.'
The Death Knight internally remarked upon witnessing the Skeleton Principal unabashedly declaring he'd borrow mana from a first-year student.
And the fact that the student found this acceptable was also somewhat... questionable.
"But how do we secure the more difficult students?"
"By visiting them and employing persuasion—and force if necessary."
"Naturally."
Lee Han imagined the scene: visiting various mansions and guilds, presenting invitations, and engaging in elegant conversations.
Having a first-year student like Lee Han by his side would likely soften the discussions.
-"This Wardanaz fellow was also a first-year student until this year. Haha."
-"Einrogard is the Empire's finest magic school. We receive the best education. We are not hungry. We are happy."
-"Look! How admirable is that?"
'Truly cunning, aren't you?'
Lee Han shuddered at the Skeleton Principal's wicked scheme.
The incoming students would never see it coming!
"Wait. Headmaster!"
Suddenly, Gainando, who had returned unnoticed, raised his hand in protest.
"Lee Han promised to visit my mansion during the break!"
"That never happened."
Lee Han pointed out how Gainando was subtly twisting the suggestion into fact.
"Haha. You rascal."
Instead of getting angry, the Skeleton Principal burst into a hearty laugh at Gainando's words.
Then, he snatched the chocolate from Gainando's hand and ate it.
"?!!!"
"Where did your chocolate go?"
"You ate it, Headmaster!"
"Good. Now you've learned something. So now you understand why Wardanaz can't visit your mansion?"
The Skeleton Principal, seemingly in a better mood from Gainando's dumbfounded expression, stood up cheerfully.
The other students quickly averted their gazes, focusing on clearing their plates.
"Lee Han. Write to me. Or just come visit."
"Got it."
"Lee Han. Forget the letter—just come visit. Oh, and don't visit Yoner's place. It's boring there. My place is much better."
"......"
As the semester ended and students prepared to leave through the main gate, the atmosphere was lively and affectionate.
Close friends made plans to meet during the break or prepared to exchange letters.
Yoner wore an expression torn between enduring the cheerful mood or simply smacking Gainando on the back of the head to instill discipline over the vacation.
"Wardanaz. Write to me."
"Thanks, Ashan. You travel safely too."
Ashan shook hands with Lee Han.
No matter how many times he saw him, Ashan remained a truly admirable friend.
Even if family elders nagged him to emulate Ashan, it was rare to find someone so naturally respectable...
"Oh, right. Ashan. Here's a letter for Daihal. Could you deliver it for me?"
Lee Han handed Ashan a letter he had quickly written after final exams.
Ashan's older brother, Daihal, was a rising star in the Imperial bureaucracy, rapidly advancing as a special administrator in Granden City.
Having finally made his acquaintance, Lee Han couldn't let the winter break go to waste.
Even if they couldn't meet, sending such a letter would leave an impression and keep him memorable.
"And here's a small gift for Daihal. I heard he likes books, so I prepared one."
"...Wardanaz, you haven't been secretly contacting my brother Daihal behind my back, have you?"
"No, I haven't."
"O-oh. Thanks... I'll deliver it."
Ashan was astonished by Lee Han's thoughtfulness toward his family—more than he himself showed.
"And here's a letter and gift for Haidan."
Ashan's older sister, who had landed a job at the Bronze Dwarf Bank in the East, was so impressive that even the notoriously hard-to-please dwarfs admired her...
"...Wardanaz, you can be kinda scary sometimes."
"?!"
Lee Han was taken aback by his friend's sudden outburst.
Why?!
Even after finishing his requests to Ashan, more friends kept crowding around Lee Han to talk.
Watching them squabble over who would speak first, Ashan frowned and said,
"Are you guys really going to act this stupid on the last day of term? Seriously?"
"Dalkard, if you're done talking, scram!"
"What's your problem?!"
Ashan remained calm, as if he'd expected this reaction.
"We should form a line and take numbers. Then we'll finish much faster."
"......"
Lee Han, who had been chatting with Nilia nearby, stared at Ashan in shock.
"Ashan can be kinda weird sometimes."
"...Every Einrogard student has their own quirks."
"True. Except me."
"......"
Nilia bit her lip, holding back a retort as she remembered her friend would be traveling with the Skeleton Principal over winter break.
"By the way, Nilia. Yoner wanted to invite you."
"I have to return to the mountains for winter break."
Nilia's ears drooped, making her look like the saddest dark elf in the world.
"The Shadow Patrol is waiting for me..."
"Just show your face and then head to the Maykin Family's estate?"
"I can't just go play... We each have assigned territories and duties to fulfill."
"What if you say you have winter break homework?"
"...Uh, w-well, that wouldn't work, right?"
Despite her words, Nilia looked tempted.
Lee Han confidently declared,
"I'll forge the Headmaster's signature for you. I can do it—I've faked Exit Permits before."
"Wardanaz...!"
Nilia was deeply moved.
Tears welled in her eyes, and her fingertips trembled with emotion.
"Having you as a friend is the best thing ever! Really!"
"Haha. It's nothing."
Lee Han swiftly finished forging the friendship assignment and handed it to Nilia.
The fake homework—requiring her to collaborate with Yoner of the Maykin Family to produce ten crates of Dobruk's Crimson Elixir—was completed in no time.
"Write to me. Promise!"
"Sure. But just in case, don't mention in your letters that I forged this for you."
Lee Han nodded contentedly, watching Nilia's happiness.
It was truly wonderful that the magic he'd learned at Einrogard could make people this happy.
"Wardanaz. Write to me. Here's my address."
"Yeah. Got it."
"Write to me, Wardanaz. Don't skip just me."
"Why would you misunderstand like that? Others might get the wrong idea."
"Wardanaz. Letters..."
"Yeah, yeah. I got it."
The more Lee Han exchanged addresses with friends, the more pressure he felt...
Isn't this too much?!
'No, this is worse than reflection essays.'
Last term, the Skeleton Principal had made him write reflection essays while practicing magic, but the sheer volume of letters he'd have to write now surpassed that easily.
'This won't do. I need to start cutting back on letters.'
Lee Han decided that, from now on, he'd tell friends saying goodbye to just meet up for a meal instead of exchanging letters.
"Wardanaz."
"Ah—Princess. Actually, next time we meet—"
"You've worked hard this term. Write to me. I'll be waiting."
'Damn it.'
Watching the Princess of Adenart walk away after saying her piece without letting him respond, Lee Han cursed inwardly.
"Oh! Lord Wardanaz. If you have too many letters to write, I don't mind if you—"
"Not at all? I've got plenty to spare!"
Lee Han reflexively responded to Ratford's words and immediately regretted it.
'Ugh.'
"What's this, a gathering of wandering poets?"
The Skeleton Principal looked at the line formed in front of the main gate and asked in disbelief.
Once the semester ended, shouldn't they be happily passing through the gates and boarding their carriages to leave? What were they all doing here?
"We were just arranging to exchange letters with Wardanaz during the break..."
"Talking nonsense about letters. Use that time to practice magic instead. You, the one who got 41 points in my Illusion Magic class."
"......"
The student from the Blue Dragon Tower who had spoken immediately deflated.
After publicly announcing exam scores to shoo away the students, the Skeleton Principal turned to Lee Han.
"You're done here, yes? Let's go."
"Yes."
Lee Han nodded and was about to walk toward the main gate when the Headmaster grabbed his shoulder.
"Not that way."
"??"
"There's somewhere we need to stop by first. Follow me."
The Skeleton Principal headed not toward the main gate but toward the detention room.
Seeing this, Lee Han wondered if he was going to retrieve the intruder they had caught earlier.
'Guess he's planning to deal with the intruder too.'
Schwirrrrrrrrt!
As the Headmaster stepped forward, all the paths in the detention room rearranged themselves for him.
In an instant, the magic created the fastest possible route to their destination, and Lee Han couldn't help but look on in awe.
"Truly magnificent!"
"...Why is it that you ignore all other impressive magic but gawk at something as trivial as a shortcut through a prison?"
It was almost impressive how effortlessly he managed to be this infuriating.
'If he'd lived in ancient times, he'd have made a name for himself—just not in the way he'd want!'
The Skeleton Principal clicked his tongue and strode ahead.
Behind the bars was not the intruder they had caught earlier...
but a familiar penguin beastman mage.
"...?????"
"Have you reflected, Pengerin?"
At the Headmaster's question, Alsicle of the Pengerin Family answered in a frail voice.
"I-I have reflected, Lord Gonadaltes."
"Have you also reflected on what you said last time? If so, apologize properly."
"I-I admit that I am not superior to Lord Gonadaltes in magic. It was my delusion to think that you barred my entry out of jealousy. I will never entertain such delusions again..."
"......"
Lee Han couldn't bear to look and covered his face with both hands.
Only then did Alsicle seem to realize that Lee Han was standing beside the Headmaster.
"N-No! This isn't what it looks like!"
"What do you mean, 'not what it looks like,' you trespassing fool?"
The Skeleton Principal spoke in a bored tone.
He couldn't understand why someone caught sneaking into the Magic School would be embarrassed now.
Wasn't getting caught shameful enough in itself?
"I was just trying to visit! I just didn't get permission, that's all! Don't misunderstand!"
Alsicle desperately tried to explain himself to Lee Han.
"Ah... I see. It must have been a misunderstanding."
"Still spouting nonsense about 'misunderstandings,' I see."
The Headmaster smirked as he released Alsicle from the detention room.
"Pengerin. I'll keep quiet about you getting caught sneaking into Einrogard. In return, you'll help out with some work this winter."
Alsicle, slumped in defeat, nodded weakly.
Lee Han tilted his head in confusion.
"Were you summoned by His Majesty too, Lord Pengerin?"
"...What?! Wardanaz, you—His Majesty summoned you?!"
The Skeleton Principal let out a deep sigh.
"Why don't you just go outside and shout it for everyone to hear? 'I've been granted a private audience with His Majesty,' indeed."
"My apologies."
"Enough. Pengerin would've found out eventually anyway. And no, Pengerin isn't being summoned because of His Majesty the Emperor."
"...?"
Seeing Lee Han's confusion, the Headmaster sent him a telepathic explanation.
-That guy is quite popular among the Empire's nobility, you see.
-Ah. Because of the brilliance of his ice magic?
-No. Because of his looks. He's got strong penguin blood, after all.
"......"