Episode 680
Episode 680
"You said you did it yourself just now..."
"Diret."
"!"
A mage he had never seen before spoke to her.
The mage had facial features somewhat resembling Adenart's. The silver hair and blue eyes particularly heightened the resemblance.
The only difference was that the mage before him exuded a far more inorganic and cold demeanor.
It might have been because Lee Han had grown quite close to Adenart, but Adenart wasn't as cold-hearted as people often misunderstood him to be.
He was just someone who cared about dignity and decorum, with a strict personality—but how could someone who stole bread for his followers truly be cold-hearted?
'He's like a capable Gyeongnam-do person.'
In contrast, the mage before him felt fundamentally different in temperament.
The mage showed no interest in Lee Han and spoke only to Diret.
"You came to see it."
"Well, it's your work, Yukveltire."
"Good thinking. It'll definitely be helpful."
'So that's the princess!'
Lee Han realized that this was the Yukveltire princess Diret had mentioned earlier.
'Then is she Adenart's older sister?'
Yukveltire, who had been discussing the intricacies of the spell with Diret, seemed to notice Lee Han only then.
After glancing at him once, Yukveltire frowned and said to Diret,
"Are you babysitting juniors again?"
"Ah, drop it. It's my choice."
"Then my advice is my choice too. Stop wasting time on juniors who aren't on your level. They won't be of any help to your magic."
There was no arrogance or contempt in the princess's voice—just a detached certainty that she was right.
Diret shuddered at her friend's signature brand of cold kindness and retorted,
"Enough. I'll handle my own business. And this junior is smart."
"You always say that. But I've yet to see a junior who's actually smart."
Stung by her friend's words, Diret's face flushed slightly.
Truthfully, none of the juniors in the Black Magic faction had matched Diret's academic achievements yet.
"This junior really is smart!"
"You said that last time too. What's different now?"
"Hey. Get lost. Go away."
"This isn't your personal space, so you don't have the right to tell me that."
"..."
"Junior. Let's go."
Diret grabbed Lee Han's sleeve and tried to leave.
But the princess followed them with an impassive expression, continuing to persuade her friend.
"We're moving up to fifth year together—how long do you plan to keep coddling juniors? You need to focus on your own magic."
"Why did I even come here?"
Diret regretted coming at all.
She had come just to see her friend's magic, only to end up with an even bigger headache.
When Diret ignored her, Yukveltire turned her arrows toward Lee Han.
"Third-year. Answer me. How long do you plan to keep clinging to Diret? Aren't you ashamed of holding back someone like Diret, who's destined to become a great mage as a student of Einrogard?"
'Why does she think I'm a third-year?'
Lee Han was puzzled—he was a first-year.
But before he could answer, Diret exploded in anger.
"Hey. You're crossing a line now. There's a limit, friend or not."
"I'm just giving advice as a friend—"
"Keep talking, and I'll kill you right here, presentation or not."
"!"
Lee Han shuddered at the sheer intensity of the rage from a senior who was about to advance to fourth—no, fifth year.
He felt mana ripple, and it seemed like five different spells—whose nature he couldn't even identify—were on the verge of being unleashed.
"Um. But she's not wrong, is she?"
"..."
"Hey... junior..."
Diret looked at Lee Han with an expression that screamed, How could you say that?
"Shouldn't you take your own side? What kind of friend takes the rude guy's side?"
"Well... I did think the Black Magic faction seniors rely too much on Diret senior... Last time too... Even the professors seem a bit like that, don't you think?"
"You've got a good eye."
Yukveltire immediately agreed.
He might not have talent, but at least he seemed to have some conscience.
"The Black Magic faction is exploiting Diret's talent. Professor Mortum included, and Coholti hasn't been any help despite being the same year. Are you going to deny this too?"
Diret flinched as his sore spot was poked again.
"That's just the nature of the Black Magic faction—"
"It does seem true though."
"Hey!"
Diret was furious at his junior's betrayal.
Is this kid a spy or something?
Lee Han tried to placate Diret while standing his ground.
"In my opinion, the Black Magic faction students should stop relying so much on Diret senior now. People should handle their own business. Professor Mortum should stop making Diret senior do everything too."
"...!"
Diret forgot about the fight and was suddenly moved to tears.
He'd never seen a junior say something so admirable before.
"...At least the sentiment makes me happy."
"I'll even submit complaints to the Headmaster every time the professor calls for Diret senior!"
"......"
"......"
Both Diret and Yukveltire looked at Lee Han like he was insane.
"Is this junior mentally ill?"
"...No. He's just close with the Headmaster."
"Then he definitely is mentally ill?"
The Princess said it without malice.
There was no way someone could be the Skeleton Principal's disciple, and anyone who wasn't a disciple but still close to him had to be a regular in the Punishment Room.
"Junior... I appreciate the thought. But you don't need to go that far. And the Black Magic faction just seems overworked because we're so few in number."
"To be precise, it's Diret alone who's overworked with all the burden."
"Will you shut up?"
"I refuse."
Listening to their exchange, Lee Han suddenly had a thought and asked:
"By the way, which faction does Yukveltire senior specialize in?"
"Enchantment Magic. Professor Verdus's direct disciple."
"Aha, I knew it!"
Lee Han immediately understood and nodded. Diret looked at him with a complicated expression.
"But he's still my friend... Isn't this too harsh...?"
"I'm not sure what you mean."
Diret sighed deeply.
Few things were as rude as asking someone "Are you perhaps Professor Verdus's disciple?"—except when the person actually was Professor Verdus's disciple!
And Yukveltire was exactly that case, so even with ten mouths, he had nothing to say.
-Lord Yukveltire. Please prepare.
Hearing the mages call her name, the Princess checked the time and turned away.
"Diret. Don't forget today's advice."
"Yes. I'll definitely change!"
'Why are you answering...' Yukveltire left after coldly stating he'd be watching.
Diret felt as exhausted as if he'd sprinted full speed.
"I came to see magic, but what kind of suffering is this..."
"Tell me about it."
"And why were you taking his side?!"
"S-sorry."
Lee Han felt slightly wronged.
Honestly, the Black Magic faction did seem partly at fault.
"But why did that senior earlier think I was a third-year?"
"Since he knows the fourth-years and second-years wouldn't be here, he probably assumed third-year."
"But first-years exist too?"
Diret looked at Lee Han with the gaze of someone who'd just heard the most pathetic question in the world.
As Gawon prepared her magic, Diret flipped through a book with disinterest.
"You're not interested in that magic?"
"I saw the preview—it didn't seem special."
The spells presented at the Exchange Meeting were compiled in advance into catalogs distributed to the mages.
Those with sharp eyes and clever minds could tell just from that whether a spell was impressive or clichéd.
"But there's been no progress in the <Ota's Light Prism> spell."
"W-well, wouldn't it be good to further refine the magic circle and shorten the process?"
"That would be nice, but it's not that easy."
Improving magic required both knowledge and intuition.
The knowledge gained from creating and modifying countless magic circles, and the sensitivity to perceive the flow of mana more acutely than others.
Only with those could one grasp the direction for improvement.
And even finding the direction wasn't the end. One also needed the ability to implement it.
For example, say compressing 10,000 units of mana into a magic circle would improve its effects.
Then the mage had the obligation to actually procure that amount, insert it, and prove the theory. Just making claims without being able to execute them would only earn everyone's indifference.
"But still, they've improved the Light Spirit Ink magic circle and even compressed mana into the Black Shadow Sand..."
"...True."
Dilette closed his <Monthly Black Magic Trends> book and narrowed his eyes.
Upon closer inspection, he could definitely sense something different.
"You've significantly simplified the form stabilization? You removed the left-face form stabilization spell?"
Dilette was surprised by the bold choice.
Unless they were from Einrogard, most external mages tended to obsess over safer choices more than one might expect.
But such a daring magic circle...
"Is it acceptable?"
"It's good... More than acceptable."
Lee Han felt a swell of pride.
It seemed his modifications weren't wrong.
"Wait, you completely modified the magic circle and then compressed mana into the Black Shadow Sand? How did you come up with that idea if you're not Professor Vible?"
"...People other than the professor can do it too..."
"That may be so, but that approach is Professor Vible's signature style."
A magical approach that cuts away unnecessary elements for efficiency, regardless of difficulty.
It was Professor Verdus's favored method.
Lee Han was appalled. 'This is unfair!' To be misunderstood as using Professor Verdus's methods!
His experience learning under the professor must have influenced him unconsciously. Lee Han felt deeply humiliated.
"Impressive."
Dilette gave a brief assessment and leaned back. His eyes were filled with interest.
"That mage seems determined... Wait, junior. How did you recognize that immediately?"
He found it newly remarkable.
From this distance, and without even seeing the catalog, the junior had noticed the exceptional nature of that magic.
"I helped with the modifications."
"...What?"
"They gave me a ride in their carriage..."
Lee Han explained how he had repaid the kindness of Mage Gawon, who had lent him a carriage.
Dilette was too flabbergasted to respond.
Seeing this, Lee Han cautiously asked,
"Am I not supposed to touch the magic submitted to the Exchange Meeting?"
"No. That's not it. But people don't usually modify magic just because they got a carriage ride..."
This wasn't some tale of a mage casting spells over a village for a single coin—what kind of generosity was this?
Dilette shook his head repeatedly as he looked ahead.
-There's no difference from Ota's Light Prism, is there?
-W-well...
-Idiots! Are you blind? Look at that magic circle! It's several times more refined than Ota's Light Prism!
-That level of refinement isn't enough!
-Can't you see the mana compressed into the Black Shadow Sand? You imbecile!
-How dare... Step outside! This means a duel!
-I should be saying that. Time to clear out one fool from this Exchange Meeting!
Except for a few who tried to nitpick only to get insulted and challenged to duels, the mages at the Exchange Meeting responded positively.
Gawon sighed in relief, then brightened upon spotting Lee Han.
Pointing at Lee Han from the stage, they shouted,
"Thank you, Lee Han! Thank you! Without your help, this magic would have been impossible!"
As all the seated mages turned to look at Lee Han, Dilette pulled his hat low and muttered quietly,
"Junior. From now on, let's sit separately."