Episode 609
Episode 609
"There is something Your Highness has overlooked."
The Skeleton Principal hastily defended himself.
The pure Gold Dragon tilted its head in confusion.
What did I overlook?
"Originally, wizards are like steel—they must be tempered by fire and hammered to become strong..."
"Haha! The Headmaster certainly has a fine sense of humor!"
Lee Han quickly cut in.
He was terrified that the pure Gold Dragon might actually think, Ah, so wizards are supposed to be tempered by fire and hammered...
"Your Highness. Incidents and accidents occur constantly in the Empire. Can we truly say they are the Emperor's fault?"
Are they not his fault?
"......"
Even among dragons of the same bloodline, some things had to be said.
If they were imperial family members coveting the throne, they might have been cautious of the Emperor's reaction—but a royal like Jowurin, who had no interest in the throne, had no qualms about criticizing the Emperor.
"Your Highness. Earlier, Lady Alsicle nearly tripped over a pebble in the garden while entering."
What?! Is she alright?!
"This is Your Highness's fault."
No, it's not! How is that Jowurin's fault?!
The Gold Dragon flared up and slammed its front paws against the floor.
It's the knights' fault! The knights!
The Skeleton Principal shook his head firmly.
Wizards and knights stood upon a long history of deep-seated rivalry, and though the Headmaster himself wasn't particularly fond of knights, the knights in this mansion were truly pitiable.
"But didn't you just say the incidents in the Empire were the Emperor's fault?"
Come to think of it, maybe they aren't the Emperor's fault after all.
Jowurin quickly accepted the logic.
Just as it wasn't Jowurin's fault if someone tripped in the mansion's garden, neither was it Gonadaltes's fault if floods, avalanches, Sea Serpents, the Frost Giant King, anti-magic extremists, or magic criminals appeared in Einrogard... Though that does seem like an awful lot. The young Gold Dragon muttered to herself.
* * *
"Then, Your Highness. Until we meet again."
The Skeleton Principal bowed gracefully.
Meetings with Jowurin always followed a similar pattern.
After playing to her heart's content, a satisfied Jowurin would invariably gift Einrogard some random trinkets from her treasury—things she had no real interest in, like the golden dragon statue gifted by the Duke.
Then, she would doze off and sink into a deep slumber. Still in the midst of growing, she needed plenty of sleep.
But today was different.
Don't go! Don't go, Lee Han! That's an order!
"......Your Highness. You're clearly sleepy."
The Skeleton Principal looked at Jowurin's half-lidded eyes and spoke as if exasperated.
"And please maintain decorum. Call him Wardanaz, not Lee Han."
Lee Han. Don't go!
Normally, the Gold Dragon would comply when told to uphold decorum—but today was an exception.
She ignored the Headmaster's words and stubbornly persisted.
I'll make a space for you in my treasure vault. Stay there!
"That is no place for a human to live."
The Skeleton Principal replied coldly.
The Gold Dragon's treasure vault was better described as a dungeon.
She gave away perfectly good treasures if they didn't suit her tastes, hoarding only cursed items because she found them amusing—so much so that even seasoned knights wouldn't dare enter.
Don't go!
"Ghk—!"
As the Gold Dragon's paw clamped tightly around him, Lee Han felt he finally understood what Professor Ingoldel had meant about the subtlety of strength and weight in swordsmanship.
"I'm dying, Your Highness. Ugh."
No, no! Lee Han is dying! Gonadaltes! Save him! I command you to save him!
"......"
Though utterly exasperated, the Skeleton Principal decided to humor his student.
"Your Highness, your stubbornness has killed him."
I won't be stubborn! I said I won't!
"Understood. Wardanaz. Rise."
Lee Han sprang up instantly.
"Your Highness has brought me back to life!"
The Gold Dragon, seeing Lee Han revived, wore a conflicted expression—torn between the urge to snatch the treasure back with its foreclaws and the promise it had just made.
Before the dragon could abandon its oath out of greed, the Skeleton Principal swiftly grabbed Lee Han and shoved him toward the door.
"Your Highness. Until we meet again, stay in good health."
I shall visit Einrogard!
"First, seek His Majesty's permission."
The Skeleton Principal deftly redirected the arrow toward the Emperor.
He was certain that, given Jowurin's temperament, she would forget all about bothering the Emperor after a single nap.
So if I just get His Majesty's permission, it'll be fine, right?
"Yes. Yes."
"Wait, why are you asking for permission if you're so sure she'll forget?"
"Do you think this is the first time she's said she wants to visit Einrogard? Once Her Highness wakes from her nap, she'll have forgotten all about it."
The Skeleton Principal scoffed at Lee Han's question, confident from repeated past experiences.
"Is that so? She looked pretty serious about getting permission, though..."
"Young dragons are always sincere in the moment. But they forget after a nap."
After exchanging farewells, the two stepped outside the mansion.
"Ah—we left Pengerin behind."
They went back inside, retrieved Pengerin, and carried him out. By then, the Gold Dragon was already fast asleep, snoring away.
"You worked hard today. That fake-death act was childish, but effective."
"I figured if it worked on Gainando, it'd work on Her Highness Jowurin too."
"......"
The Skeleton Principal wasn't sure who that remark was more disrespectful toward.
Maybe it was disrespectful to both of them.
Gainando, stay put like that. I trust you've studied all the Black Magic books I told you to finish before the semester ends. And don't try faking it by only reading the first two chapters. It won't work...
'Hmm. The content is lacking.'
After meeting with bureaucrats and sponsors, Lee Han was resting at the mansion with Alsicle.
During a spare moment, Lee Han was drafting letters to his friends one by one, but writing proper, etiquette-compliant letters proved harder than expected.
Not only did he have to follow strict formats, but he also had to fill a certain length.
Lee Han was surprised by the unexpected difficulty.
Maybe exams would've been easier...
"Ah. Right."
Remembering the Toboriz the Dog Beastkin Detective series, he added:
P.S. At the printing house I visited this time, I saw the Empire magazine you like. The culprit in the upcoming Toboriz installment is...
'Done.'
Nodding in satisfaction, Lee Han turned his gaze—only to see a mountain of letters still waiting to be sent. He grimaced.
"...Alsicle, sir. Could you help me out a bit?"
"Hm? Of course."
Alsicle, who had been munching on a sardine, nodded.
"What do you need?"
"Could you copy this part word for word, from here to here?"
Lee Han planned to simply copy-paste the parts about recent weather and events.
It wasn't like they'd actually read each other's letters anyway—what did it matter?
"Well, that's not hard... Wait. Aren't these letters?"
"They are."
"......"
Alsicle stared at Lee Han in horror.
First, the sheer number of letters was shocking—but the fact that he was handling them this way was even more so.
Is this really allowed??
'Hmm. What else should I write to Adenart...'
Lee Han scanned the dining table, then moved his quill...
The meals at this mansion are quite splendid. Today, we had sardine canapés, salad, sardine pilaf, sardine wraps, grilled sardines, sardine stew, and sardine sandwiches. I hope Your Highness is also enjoying hearty meals...
"Umm. Alsicle, sir. What did we eat yesterday?"
"...I might not be the one to say this, but... is it really okay to keep writing only about food in these letters?"
"Shouldn't a letter be tailored to its recipient? Ah."
Lee Han, realizing this belatedly, added more content...
Let me introduce you to a newly discovered master baker in the capital. According to officials, his reputation soars even within the Baker's Guild. I heard you stole bread from White Tiger Tower students last time—this master's bread will surely please you more than those tasteless loaves...
'Perfect.' Lee Han smiled in satisfaction.
The Princess would undoubtedly jump for joy upon receiving such a considerate letter.
To think he was introducing top eateries in the capital along with his greetings!
'Right. I should also share new discoveries with Yoner...'
Yoner. I've found a new business venture. Turns out there are more sponsors in the Empire willing to throw away gold coins than I thought. We'll take their funding, wait a few years, then declare the experiment a failure. When this idea struck me, I trembled with excitement...
"Still writing letters?"
The Skeleton Principal clicked his tongue at the mountain of paper upon entering.
A precious being like Lee Han was wasting too much time on insignificant people.
"You truly have a hobby of squandering time."
"Is that like how Headmaster Gonadaltes torments students?"
At Alsicle's remark, the Skeleton Principal waved his hand dismissively.
Immediately, the anchovies on the table began attacking Alsicle like enraged beasts.
"Ahk! Aghk! W-Wait, you spared Wardanaz...!"
Having unconsciously mimicked Lee Han's way of conversing with the Headmaster, Alsicle now faced drastically different consequences.
"Pengerin. Are you even an Einrogard student? Hmm?"
After kicking Alsicle out of the room, the Headmaster turned to Lee Han.
"I just met the last sponsor."
"Your efforts are commendable."
"Thanks to you, they've lessened. Next, we need to find new students—care to assist?"
Lee Han nodded.
The Headmaster cleared the table and drove his staff into the floor. Instantly, an excruciatingly complex magic circle began spreading across the ground.
It bordered on the most perfect possibility magic as a discipline could offer.
Though Lee Han had witnessed spells while trailing the Headmaster, the magic circle before him now was utterly awe-inspiring.
No matter how sharp his intuition or senses, he couldn't possibly follow its unfolding.
Such densely compressed knowledge and wisdom lay within it.
"...Speak, Einrogard! Reveal your disciple!"
With that command, the Headmaster gestured to Lee Han, who gripped the staff alongside him.
A colossal surge of mana—unlike anything Lee Han had ever wielded—was siphoned away like a receding tide.
Though startled, Lee Han quickly steadied himself. His mana wasn't being drained dry.
The Headmaster gave an approving look, as if he'd expected as much.
Near-infinite mana reserves were one thing, but maintaining composure while assisting with such high-level magic was truly remarkable.
It was a shame Pengerin missed this display.
Had he seen it, he'd have despaired over his own inadequacies!
Pop!
The magic circle vanished.
The Headmaster nodded in satisfaction.
"Thanks. This'll make the search easier."
"How do you usually find them?"
"Had to scour the surroundings. Using less mana reduces accuracy, especially in the crowded capital..."
At the Headmaster's gesture, paper birds materialized midair and flew out the mansion's windows—heading for residences of those in the capital worthy of Einrogard's invitation.
"Done. Let's go."
"?"
Lee Han blinked at the sudden order.
"Where to?"
"Ah. Must visit the disobedient ones. Some stubborn fools insist on refusing this glorious summons."
The Headmaster summoned not just his staff but also a sword from thin air, sheathing it at his waist.
Faced with this unusually combative demeanor, Lee Han silently mourned for the nameless, faceless targets.
'Please resist... moderately.'