Episode 632
Episode 632
While they were conversing, Duke Icaldoren finally managed to spit out the gag that had been stuffed in his mouth.
Even while being dragged here as a captive, the Duke struggled to maintain his usual dignity and authority as he spat out his words.
"What... what is the meaning of this!"
The three stopped their chatter and turned to look at the Duke.
Duke Icaldoren seemed to think persuading the other two would be far more feasible than convincing the Skeleton Principal, as he shifted his gaze.
Between the Skeleton Principal's ambitious apprentice and the half-blood of the Pengerin Family, who would be more reasonable?
"Half-blood of the Pengerin Family!"
Lee Han felt slightly disappointed when Duke Icaldoren called for Alsicle instead of him.
In this situation, wasn't he more reliable than Alsicle? 'We've even talked before...' "You've got the wrong person."
Alsicle pretended not to know, wanting nothing to do with this matter.
But there weren't many penguin beastmen in the Empire. Especially not ones with as thick blood as Alsicle.
"Aren't you the half-blood of the Pengerin Family! Do you intend to stand idly by while witnessing this illegal act?"
"No. Your Grace, if you're going to bite the gag, you should bite it properly."
Alsicle grumbled.
Because he hadn't bitten the gag tightly enough, he was now hearing this nonsense.
Having heard it directly, it would be difficult to back out later if problems arose.
Despite Alsicle's cold response, the Duke remained undeterred. Instead, he shouted even more sternly and forcefully.
"Think of the Pengerin Family's reputation! Do you really think you can just stand by now? Do you intend to silently watch the misdeeds of these two!"
"...Uh, wait. Why two, Your Grace?"
Lee Han protested, looking incredulous.
It was the Skeleton Principal who did the kidnapping—Lee Han had nothing to do with it!
Of course, the Duke pretended not to hear Lee Han's words.
In the Duke's mind, Lee Han had already been firmly branded as the Skeleton Principal's apprentice and an accomplice in this kidnapping.
"No matter how great a Grand Magus you are, the Empire has laws! You have absolutely no right to act so recklessly—"
"Ah. Stop your whining, brat."
The Skeleton Principal spat out the words as if annoyed.
"Do you think I kidnapped you without any thought? Of course I had a reason to kidnap you, so I did."
"What... that's absurd..."
Even as he spoke, the Duke felt fear creeping up his spine.
In this situation, there was only one reason the Skeleton Principal could act so freely.
"Your subordinates who entered Einrogard. Did you really think they wouldn't be caught? We captured them the moment they stepped in." 'Wow. The audacity.' Lee Han clicked his tongue inwardly.
After failing to find them for nearly a year (though it was hard when they'd been turned into statues), he'd located them right before break and was now bluffing as if he'd known all along.
But the bluff was highly effective. The Duke felt as if he'd been struck on the back of the head with a hammer. 'He knew from the start...?!' He'd thought his subordinates might have gone missing or died after losing contact, but to think they'd been captured...
Then what were all the actions the Skeleton Principal and the boy from the Wardanaz Family had taken afterward?
"Th-then why did you wait—"
"We waited to see how you'd act. You played along quite amusingly."
"!!!!"
The Duke stiffened as if struck by lightning, unable to move. The shock was like the sky collapsing.
He, who had wielded strong influence in the Empire's political and social circles through a lifetime of schemes and plots, had been toyed with like this without even realizing it.
It was impossible to believe.
"That's... that's ridiculous...! So it was all an act? Even that boy testing me?"
"Uh, that part wasn't—"
"Correct. We were just playing with you."
"......"
Lee Han had nothing to say, so he simply nodded. He couldn't ruin the Skeleton Principal's plan here.
The Duke, having no strength left to shout, slumped in defeat.
The man who had once appeared so majestic while adorned with dozens of Artifacts now looked as pitiful as a sickly old man.
Seeing this, the Skeleton Principal patted the Duke's shoulder.
"Cheer up. It's not that you're lacking. It's just that I'm extraordinary."
"You... you alone possess the secret of immortality—how can that be justified!"
Unlike before, the Duke screamed as if making a last desperate struggle.
"If you, the most cunning and sinister mage in the Empire, have it, then surely you possess it. The secret of immortality! To hoard it alone—that should rightfully belong to the Empire's nobility!"
"You mean it should belong to you, not the nobility."
The Skeleton Principal sounded indifferent.
Elderly nobles always came to him at some point, groveling as if they'd entrusted the secret of immortality to the Headmaster long ago.
He'd seen it so often that it no longer stirred any emotion in him.
"Don't speak as if representing the nobility when you'd have a fit if I said I'd share the secret with lower nobles."
"It's only natural that the most noble aristocrats should manage such a secret first!"
"My definition of 'nobility' differs slightly from yours."
The Skeleton Principal replied nonchalantly.
"Young fool. You probably think of yourself as some great pillar of the Empire, don't you? That with all the titles you hold and responsibilities you shoulder, the Empire would be thrown into chaos if you disappeared. I bet you've agonized over such thoughts."
Though the Duke didn't answer, a faint look of agreement flickered across his face.
"But in reality, most of what you do is like children playing house. The things you handle don't matter to the Empire whether you do them or not. Whether anyone does them or not. Do you know what truly makes a great pillar of the Empire? Someone like the family head of the Wardanaz here—that's a real pillar. Exploring other realms and protecting the Empire from the monsters and demons that spill forth—that's what truly matters."
The Skeleton Principal wasn't angry, nor did he show excessive contempt.
He spoke with weary annoyance, as if explaining to someone who knew nothing.
That very weariness terrified the Duke even more.
"The only reason you nobles could comfortably play your little games is because people like me, the family head, or the Emperor have been protecting you. Nobility? Do you know what your ancestors were doing during the Great Upheaval? Locking every gate they could find and shoving their heads into fireplaces, praying the demons would just pass them by. A man whose only achievement in life was being born to the right father—what nobility do you claim to have?"
The Skeleton Principal took a step forward. The Duke instinctively squirmed to flee but had nowhere to run.
"You want to know the secret of immortality? I'll tell you. I've never hidden such a thing. Young fool, you probably imagine my vaults overflowing with ancient treasures of eternal life, but all that sleeps there are cursed and malevolent Artifacts. The kind that would bring calamity to the continent the moment a brat like you took them. Even if such treasures existed, could a fool like you handle them? You, who don't even grasp the basics of magic?"
The Skeleton Principal tapped the Duke's skull lightly with the tip of his staff.
"There's only one path to the secret of immortality. Magic. Abandon the notion of finding eternal life through treasures. Immortality isn't what you imagine it to be."
Even after the Headmaster finished speaking, the Duke remained too overwhelmed to respond.
As if it hardly mattered, the Skeleton Principal tossed the Duke aside and remarked,
"I'll have to lock him up in Einrogard for a few years. If you happen to meet him in the Punishment Hall, don't release him."
"Why would I do such a thing?"
"After seeing you free Vible, I thought you might have a habit of releasing despicable people."
"......"
Realizing the conversation was turning against him, Lee Han quickly changed the subject.
"But why imprison the Duke now? Haven't you already exposed everything...?"
Duke Icaldoren always wore Artifacts worth at least one fortress whenever he went out.
Seeing that the Skeleton Principal had brought him here, it was clear that all those Artifacts had been confiscated.
And once confiscated, they had undoubtedly ended up in the Headmaster's pockets.
While stripping him of his Artifacts, there was no way he wouldn't have taken anything else, so he must have scraped up a fair amount of the duke's estate's wealth as well...
'What nonsense are you spouting? This is just the beginning.'
The Skeleton Principal scoffed, as if exasperated by Lee Han's naive thoughts.
Young folks these days didn't know the old traditions.
Back in the day, capturing a noble wasn't just about taking what they had on them.
You expanded the ransom demands to their family, their maternal and paternal relatives, and so on.
Of course, the other side wasn't a pushover either, so they wouldn't give in easily—but in the end, the one holding the captive always had the advantage in such negotiations.
Even Duke Icaldoren would want to pay as little compensation as possible now, but the longer he stayed in the Punishment Room, suddenly "lost" assets would reappear, and he'd be able to pay a "reasonable" sum.
"......"
"......"
Lee Han and Alsicle exchanged glances.
'Should we get going now?'
'Sounds like a good idea.'
"Well then, we'll take our leave now."
"Until next time, Lord Gonadaltes."
"Mm. Be careful. You've both been through a lot. See you at school."
The Skeleton Principal waved them off along with his Death Knights.
Lee Han woke his sleeping junior in the next room, then quickly exited the carriage with Alsicle.
Alsicle adjusted his attire. An uncharacteristic tension filled his entire body.
Eandurde tilted his head in confusion.
"Are you going to a duel?"
"You're lucky you're stupid. Not knowing what kind of family the Wardanaz are must be so peaceful for you... Ow! You little—?!"
Eandurde promptly kicked Alsicle in the shin. The sudden attack made Alsicle yelp.
-You're really taking him to your family's estate?
-Yes. Since the break will end soon anyway, and we'll have to return to Einrogard, I figured I'd have him study with me until then. I'm worried he'll pick up weird habits if he stays with the Headmaster.
-That's too good for him. Getting to visit the Wardanaz estate...
-It's not that big of a deal. If you'd like to visit too, Alsicle, you're welcome to.
-What? Really?
-Yes. The reason our family doesn't invite people over isn't because of some strict rule—it's just that there's usually no one there.
-W-Wait a second. Let me get some new clothes first.
-That's really not necessary...
The three finished their preparations and found a carriage near the village to take them.
The yawning coachman looked at them and asked,
"Where to?"
"To the Wardanaz family estate, please."
"......"
The previously relaxed coachman suddenly straightened his posture. Fear filled his expression.
"Th-The Wardanaz family?"
"No?"
"??"
"????"
Alsicle and Eandurde stared at Lee Han. But Lee Han answered shamelessly.
"We're visiting as guests."
"Ah... Whew. I see."
The coachman's tension decreased by about 5%.
Of course, guests visiting the Wardanaz estate weren't exactly ordinary people either.
"Why did you lie?"
"People around here get too scared when they hear my family's name."
'Does that mean he usually scams people with his family name?'
Alsicle couldn't help but think that to himself.
The carriage sped down the forest path. The chirping of birds and the rustling of leaves in the wind, along with the thick greenery, lifted the spirits of the mages.
Clip-clop, clip-clop—
-"Hm. Are those the Wardanaz family's knights?"
Hearing the distant sound of hooves, Alsicle assumed they were knights.
Great noble families with vast territories had knights who patrolled their lands.
Their duties weren't just capturing intruders—they also welcomed and escorted guests.
The sound of hooves definitely made it seem like knights were approaching...
Then, a grotesque, massive demon with dozens of hooves appeared before the carriage.
-Guests?
"Eek! Eeek!"
Seeing the coachman hiccuping in terror, Alsicle suddenly felt inexplicably guilty.