Episode 630
Episode 630
The bishop was even more surprised by this sight.
"Are you two... close?"
"What kind of nonsense is that?"
Though Lee Han was normally the epitome of self-control and discipline, the words "close with the Skeleton Principal" nearly made him lose his composure.
"It's thanks to my character."
The Skeleton Principal answered for him.
Lee Han momentarily lost his self-control again and almost picked up a chair to hit the Skeleton Principal with it.
'Did he just use Mental Magic on me?' Barely regaining his composure, Lee Han asked the question he'd been curious about since earlier.
"But what's the problem with him being a thief?"
Those unfamiliar with Einrogard might think, "Ah, since it gathers the most talented mages in the empire, it must be truly dignified and cultured." But in reality, Einrogard was closer to a war of all against all.
And in such an environment, it was thieves, not nobles, who thrived the most.
Just look at Lee Han himself—he wouldn't trade a single well-trained Ratford for ten Gynands.
If not for Ratford's skills, he would have ended up in the Punishment Room several more times.
'If anything, isn't a thief an essential talent? I'd want to send them an invitation.' Lee Han believed such individuals should come to Einrogard even more.
Meanwhile, the imperial family and nobles could stand to be reduced a bit...
"I'm moved. Lord Wardanaz. To think you believe even thieves should be given equal opportunities to learn..."
"Ah, no. That's not what I meant... Anyway, Einrogard doesn't care if someone's a thief. In fact, it's even better—"
"Quiet. Be quiet."
The Skeleton Principal covered Lee Han's mouth, looking exasperated.
While other students were bound by taboos, this Wardanaz brat wasn't, so the truth often slipped out.
"Of course, thieves are allowed to enter Einrogard. That in itself is a good thing. But if a priest serving Vildotskal is a thief, that's a slightly different matter."
If they were just a thief, they could steal all they wanted.
But if a priest serving Vildotskal couldn't control themselves and stole?
That was problematic for a priest.
A priest should know how to embrace and reform thieves, not steal themselves.
'Ah. Right, that makes sense.' Lee Han felt a bit sheepish.
He must have been too deeply immersed in Einrogard's ways. The fact that his first thought was 'Isn't being a thief a good thing?' proved it.
"Well, it would be awkward if they stole while surrounded by priests. The Turtle Tower guys might be able to control that, but the Phoenix Tower priests are a bit..."
The Skeleton Principal nodded in understanding.
Generally, among the four towers, the Phoenix Tower priests were the most peaceful and docile.
You couldn't exactly release a wolf among a flock of sheep.
"Eh. The Phoenix Tower priests aren't that soft. If they catch someone stealing, they'd beat them up right away."
"......"
"......"
Both the Skeleton Principal and the bishop fell silent at Lee Han's words.
While the bishop looked astonished, the Skeleton Principal sighed and spoke.
"Your year's priests are... unique."
"Is that so?"
'You're the reason for that, you know...' The Skeleton Principal stared at Lee Han, utterly exasperated.
No matter how he thought about it, there was no other cause for this change besides this Wardanaz brat.
Of course, the Skeleton Principal was quite pleased with how this year's priests had changed.
Even as priests, being passive and submissive made it hard to achieve magical accomplishments...
But wasn't this change a bit too extreme?
Last time, the Death Knights had reported something like, "The Phoenix Tower freshmen raided the kitchen!"
"Very well. Let's have a talk with them."
Lee Han looked intrigued at the Skeleton Principal's words.
"How do you plan to persuade them? You're not a priest of Vildotskal, nor do you serve any other god, Headmaster."
There wasn't a single common ground—how could he possibly persuade this irreverent freshman?
'Is he planning to threaten them?'
"Ah. There seems to be a misunderstanding. You're the one who'll be talking to them. Not me."
"......"
"Go on. Go persuade him."
"No way. This is absolutely ridiculous. How am I supposed to persuade a priest I've never met before? We don't have a single thing in common!"
Grumbling under his breath, Lee Han walked out of the bishop's office.
Watching this, the bishop asked in concern,
"Is this really alright?"
"No need to worry. Grumbling while getting things done is that kid's hobby."
"...???"
"Priest Karre? Priest Karre?"
Lee Han wandered through the ordinary priests' quarters, searching for the new student who was supposed to enroll this year.
Among the older priests, he spotted a squirrel beastman priest around his own age.
"Priest Karre?"
"No, that's not me. I'm Ines."
"?"
For some reason, Lee Han felt a strange familiarity with the other person.
To be specific, it was the same kind of familiarity he had felt back when he used to go around saying, 'I'm not a Wardanaz, I'm a Moradi!'
"Reveal yourself. Emotions, heed my call."
Lee Han cast <Ogonin's Emotion Perception> and spoke again.
"Are you really not Priest Karre?"
"Why... why are you acting like this? What did I do wrong? Sniffle. I'm Ines."
"Ines is the bishop's name."
"We just share the same name."
"Priest Karre. I already know everything."
"Tch."
The squirrel beastman priest clicked his tongue in annoyance and admitted it.
"Yeah, I'm Priest Karre. Isn't the bishop going too far? Just telling an outsider who I am like that? What if you were a bad person?"
"Actually, he didn't tell me anything."
"......"
Karre was stunned.
He had thought this refined-looking nobleman seemed like someone who'd never told a lie in his life—but he'd been tricked instead.
"Y-you... scammer!"
"Well. When you're at Einrogard, you pick these things up whether you want to or not. I originally didn't like lying."
"!"
The moment Karre realized where the other was from, his eyes sparkled.
"You're a senior from there?!"
Lee Han nodded and gestured for him to sit.
Karre immediately plopped down, his face full of excitement.
"I got an invitation to Einrogard! I heard it's like a dream come true!"
"Uh..."
Lee Han was taken aback.
He had come to persuade Karre about the proper mindset of a priest, but it seemed he'd have to clear up some misunderstandings first.
"Actually, Einrogard is..."
"Please, speak freely, Senior!"
"Well. Alright. To be honest, Einrogard is a hellhole."
"Wasn't that a little too free?"
Karre stared at Lee Han in shock.
He hadn't expected him to be this blunt.
"By the way, Priest Karre, what have you heard about Einrogard?"
"That there are luxurious parties every day, that you eat chestnut cream and chestnut macarons on top of rolled cakes at night, and that the excited nobles loosen their purse strings?"
"Everything you just said is completely wrong."
"?!"
Priest Karre was devastated.
He had thought he'd get to stuff himself with chestnuts and line his pockets a little!
"Einrogard is closer to a cold, hungry, miserable place. Unless you really want to learn magic, there's no reason to go there."
"But the invitation had this song too..."
"What song?"
Karre hummed and sang:
"Einrogard, Einrogard, so wonderful it is~
A place with warm meals and fluffy beds~
Einrogard~ Soon, juniors will come and enjoy this paradise~
Einrogard~"
"......"
Lee Han shuddered at the Skeleton Principal's depravity.
He put that in the invitations and spread them around!?
"...That's a fake song. I don't know what kind of vile, despicable scum would sing such a fake song."
"Wow, really?! Can a senior even say that?!"
"There aren't many trustworthy seniors at Einrogard. Don't trust me too much either."
Karre slumped his shoulders in disappointment.
He had been planning to make a fortune at Einrogard and leave rich.
"Not interested in magic, then?"
"I am, a little."
"It's things like Invisibility Magic, Lockpicking Magic, Short-Range Teleportation Magic, Veil of Darkness Magic, Darkvision Magic that catch your eye, right?"
"How did you know?!?!"
Karre stumbled backward in shock.
Did this statue-like noble-born senior have mind-reading magic too?
"I have a friend who was once an exceptional thief."
"Hmph. I bet I'm better."
"You two can settle that between yourselves... Anyway, if you're interested in magic like that and prepared for a tough life, I'd recommend joining Einrogard. Junior. It's a decent place to learn magic."
"Eh? I thought you'd tell me not to be interested in magic for shady reasons."
"I'm learning magic to make money too, so what's the difference?"
Karre burst out laughing at Lee Han's joke.
He hadn't expected someone with that face to crack jokes. He laughed so hard he was left gasping for breath.
"?"
"Hah, hahaha... That kind of joke out of nowhere is cheating. So, can I really join?"
"If you're prepared for a tough life."
"Senior. I was a thief who wasn't even part of a guild. A tough life is just my everyday."
"True. My friend I mentioned earlier adjusted well too."
"Thieves are naturally exceptional, after all."
Karre puffed up proudly.
Lee Han cautiously asked,
"But regardless of your intentions, the bishop seems worried about you."
"Ah."
Karre's expression darkened again.
"Did the bishop tell you not to go?"
"No, not exactly... He's concerned because, as a priest, you can't control yourself."
"I was never really a priest—I'm a thief at heart."
"You're wearing priest robes, though?"
"The bishop forced me into them because he was worried."
Karre grumbled.
Bishop Ines was a figure respected by all the local thieves and mercenaries thanks to his innate character.
Not every priest of the Order was kind to criminals, after all.
Just look at the Afha Order—if criminals stole, they'd immediately get a baptism of fire...
And yet, Bishop Ines was most worried about Karre.
Since he wasn't under a guild's protection and kept causing trouble on his own, it was only a matter of time before something went wrong.
That's why he'd forcibly brought him into the Order and made him wear priest robes—so he wouldn't get attacked in the area, at the very least.
Of course, Karre hadn't stopped stealing even after that.
"No devotion to Vildotskal?"
"I do have some! I believe in my own way. That's why I grudgingly wear the robes."
"Then why steal?"
Karre gave Lee Han a look as if the question was stupid.
"Because I want to be rich?"
'Can't argue with that!' Lee Han deeply sympathized with that honest answer.
Well, Ratford had believed in Vildotskal too.
"Can't deny that."
"Uh... Didn't expect you to agree."
"Being rich is important. Whether you get rich through stealing or some other means, magic can help. It might even broaden your horizons."
"Then I'll join!"
"No. I mean, you'd have to convince the bishop first."
"Ah."
Karre deflated and hesitantly asked,
"Do you have a plan, Senior?"
"I've thought of something."
Karre's eyes widened at Lee Han's words.
"What is it?!"
"The bishop is worried you'll get hurt because you can't control yourself, right?"
"Yeah..."
"Then show him you've changed. Prove you can stop stealing and control yourself."
Karre looked horrified.
"Who doesn't know that? I can't do it forever. If I could, I would've already."
"I'm not saying forever?"
"??"
"Just until you get into Einrogard. Once you're in, steal all you want. You'll end up doing it whether you like it or not."
"......"
For the first time, Karre began to feel afraid of Einrogard.