Episode 695
Episode 695
"This way!"
As Lee Han tried to rush toward the stairs after passing through the door, Elde stopped him and paused beneath a bronze picture frame.
Then she stomped her foot three times and did one backward roll.
"...What are you doing?"
"Making a shortcut!"
Thud!
Suddenly, stairs appeared beneath the picture frame.
"Only a few people in the Blue Dragon Tower know about this path, so don't go blabbing about it!"
"I'll keep that in mind. But how did you discover this path, senior? Was it through Illusion Magic?"
The stairs that had just appeared were so perfectly concealed that even Lee Han couldn't detect any mana traces.
Yet she knew about such a path.
Lee Han wondered if seniors from the Illusion Magic school had some special method for finding secret passages.
"No. I found out when I was wandering around at night, got startled seeing a professor, fell on my ass, and noticed it."
"I see..."
"...Don't look so disappointed. There are paths I've found using Illusion Magic too."
"I wasn't disappointed. Haha."
* * *
The sound of approaching footsteps in the distance made Ratford freeze.
Death Knights clad in heavy armor produced a distinct, weighty noise when moving around.
But the footsteps approaching now didn't belong to Death Knights.
This was...
"P-professor's coming!"
"Which professor?!"
Yoner asked with a tense face.
If it was a professor like Garcia—someone reasonable or sympathetic toward students—they might still be okay.
Even if caught, there'd be room for negotiation.
But if it was any other professor...
"P-professor Verdus...!"
"......"
Yoner gritted his teeth at the appearance of this unpredictable, troublesome opponent.
Wasn't Verdus one of Einrogard's infamous eccentrics—immune to persuasion, compromise, or intimidation?
If even the headmaster couldn't get through to him, what chance did a mere student like Yoner have?
"They'll be here soon. What do we do?"
"I'll handle it. Give me a signal when they're close."
Yoner positioned himself near the warehouse entrance.
Then he waited calmly.
Three, two, one...
"Ahhh! The cargo collapsed! I'll need the mages' help to reorganize this! Fetch the mages at once!"
Thud
—The footsteps outside stopped.
Then came the sound of someone hastily retreating in the opposite direction.
"......"
"...Whew. We're alive."
"Y-Yoner, you're a genius...!"
Ratford gasped in admiration.
To predict Professor Verdus's selfish tendencies and deflect him like that!
"Just... just luck. I've heard Lee Han talk about Professor Verdus often."
"What did he say?"
"That he's insane."'Does that really have anything to do with the current situation...?' Ratford thought to himself.
"What a relief. The professor's gone now, somehow."
"Yeah, thank good—"
Knock knock
—A knocking sound came from the warehouse door, followed by it creaking open.
Then a professor stepped into view.
An elderly human woman wearing a monocle over one eye.
Professor Millay, who oversaw the Summoning Magic department.'We're screwed.' Yoner squeezed his eyes shut.
At least with Verdus, there was a chance of tricking him—he mostly ignored things outside his interests.
But strict Professor Millay wasn't someone who'd overlook discrepancies in worker numbers or cargo arrangements.
"Professor Verdus requested assistance, so I came, but..."
Professor Millay scanned the surroundings.
Ratford suppressed his trembling voice and spoke up.
"W-we already cleaned up."
"In that short time?"'Oh no.' Both realized their mistake too late.
They should've at least made the place look messier.
The insufficient number of workers. The cargo. The unconvincing lie.
Cold sweat trickled down their backs.
"Yes."
"Hmm."
Professor Milley surveyed the warehouse and stared intently at the two of them.
Under that piercing gaze that seemed to see right through them, their anxiety grew even more.
After a long moment of contemplation, Professor Milley let out a faint sigh and spoke.
"Clean up quietly and leave."
With those final words, the professor turned and walked out.
The two, who had thought it was all over only to be miraculously spared, exchanged stunned looks.
"Wh-what just happened?"
"I... I don't know either."
"Isn't this a trap? To catch us along with Lord Wardanaz when he returns..."
"...Doesn't seem like it."
Yoner couldn't help but admire Ratford's quick thinking.
Truly befitting someone from a thieves' guild—his seasoned way of thinking was on another level.
"Ah, how beautiful..."
"The box is talking?"
"Don't you have any appreciation for beauty, you brat?"
Elder grumbled at his junior's nitpicking remark.
Any student who had ever been to Einrogard would understand.
This box before their eyes was far more beautiful than any exquisite poem or masterpiece!
It was enough to make their eyes sting and tears well up.
"If you've finished stacking them, let's go. We don't have much time."
"...Right. It's not over yet."
Elder steadied himself.
With his junior showing such determination, he couldn't embarrass himself as the senior.
The work was only half done.
Only by completing the remaining half would they achieve true success.
"Let's go. If we succeed, you'll go down as one of Einrogard's legends. You've never been part of an operation this big before, have you?"
"Well, last year I did take some friends outside the school."
"'Friends'? How many did you take? Three? Four?"
"Almost the entire grade..."
"...Don't joke around."
"I'm not joking."
"That's impossible!"
Elder was about to argue, forgetting the situation, when he stopped short.
As they were about to exit through the copper frame again, the atmosphere felt off.
"Light, illuminate the path ahead."
With a softly spoken spell, the scene beyond the closed exit began to come into view.
Currently, the first floor of the main building was occupied by Death Knights.
"......"
"......"
In that brief moment, the situation had drastically changed, leaving them wide-eyed in shock.
-Do we really have to participate in this inspection too?
-Yes. It's the master's order.
-Who here isn't following the master's orders? Patrolling the desert region is also the master's command. What if a gap appears during the inspection?
-In the swamp area I oversee, if I take my eyes off for even a few hours, all sorts of pests start bubbling up. With so many knights here, surely one less won't hurt?
-No exceptions! Wait until everyone gathers. Once the inspection is over, you're free to leave for your duties.
-Damn it. Who's still missing?
-Isn't it Sir Clzenberg? He's always losing his way.
-That guy again?
-Watch your tongue, whelp! If Sir Clzenberg were still alive, a brat like you wouldn't dare speak a word!
-He's right! Sir Clzenberg loses his way because of the Curse he bore in life.
-Don't spout nonsense! He was granted a new body—why would the Curse remain? He just gets lost!
The Death Knights bickered noisily, arguing without restraint.
It didn't seem like they would move until everyone had gathered.
Lee Han checked the time with a tense expression. Things were getting dangerously tight now.
'If we delay any longer, the return itself might fail. Should we force our way through? Even with invisibility magic, the sheer numbers are blocking the exit... How can we distract them...'
As Lee Han agonized over the situation, Elder, who had been staring at him, suddenly poked him and called out.
"Hey. Junior."
"Yes?"
"Got any ideas?"
"Please wait a moment. I'm trying to think of something."
"Never mind. Let me give you one final lesson."
"?"
Caught off guard by the unexpected words, Lee Han froze.
Elder continued in a solemn voice.
"You're something special. While Einrogard is a place that gathers the empire's geniuses, even among them, someone like you—a truly exceptional genius—comes along once in a while. Like Senior Yukveltire."
"Why him of all people..."
Lee Han reflexively retorted at the unconvincing example.
"When I first saw you, I thought, 'What the hell is this guy?' Everything you said and did was bizarre, and you were so full of bluster that I wondered if there was really someone like this—a complete windbag."
"I don't think I was that bad..."
"But I was wrong. I've never seen someone like you in my year. And I doubt the upper years have either."
Elder's demeanor was grave.
At first, he had approached Lee Han thinking of him only as bait for the smuggling operation, but that perception had long since changed.
This junior before him had the capability to lead Einrogard's grandest endeavors.
"Normally, I wouldn't have anything to teach someone like you, but today, there's one thing I can impart. Sometimes, whether it's your friend, junior, or senior... you have to know when to abandon them. That's you."
With those final words, Elder shoved Lee Han back, flung open the exit door beneath the picture frame, and dashed out.
"?!"
Then, chanting a spell, he charged straight toward the Death Knights.
"Horrid memories, arise!"
With an eerie sound, the illusion of the Skeleton Principal floated into existence.
The mana-infused illusion struck the souls of the surrounding Death Knights, plunging them into hallucination.
'Your incompetence disappoints me!'
-Forgive us, Master... This bastard. Who the hell is he?
-What insolent fool is this?!
But that was as far as it went.
Against high-ranking undead like Death Knights, an illusion spell prepared on the spot couldn't last more than a second.
Almost immediately snapping out of the hallucination, the Death Knights scowled at the floating illusion of the Skeleton Principal.
"It's me!"-...
Ah, no. How did he get in first?
-Isn't he that insane student? Why'd he come in first?
-Shouldn't we send him to the infirmary instead of the punishment room?
"I'm perfectly sane, you lackeys! I came in early to tarnish the Headmaster's dignity!"
-He's definitely sane!
-Fortunately, he's utterly sane.
-Student. Come with us. We'll escort you to the punishment room.
"Hmph."
Elder sneered.
His smile sent a chill down the Death Knights' spines.
Troublemakers in Einrogard rarely went down without a fight.
-Student. Don't try anything foolish.
"The only one trying foolish things is the Headmaster! Come forth, Illusion Corroder!"
With the incantation, massive carnivorous plants began to manifest around Elder.
Recognizing them, the Death Knights were horrified.
-No! Don't do this!
The Illusion Corroder was a vicious interdimensional plant that spewed corrosive fluid blending reality and illusion, destroying its surroundings and reshaping them into its own environment.
If left unchecked, the first floor of the main building would undoubtedly become a wasteland.
"Try and catch me if you can, lackeys!"
-Get him!
Gnashing their teeth, the Death Knights rushed at Elder.
Judging by their actions, they must have harbored deep resentment toward the Headmaster. If they didn't subdue him quickly, the chaos could multiply.
Even as he was swiftly overpowered, Elder gestured toward where Lee Han stood.
The meaning of that gesture was unmistakable.
"...!"
Lee Han clenched his eyes shut, slipped out through the exit beneath the picture frame, and headed toward the back of the first floor.
The Death Knights were too preoccupied with containing the aftermath of the Illusion Corroder to notice Lee Han's escape.
'...Thank you, Senior.'
Listening to the distant shouts and struggles of the Death Knights, Lee Han made a resolution.
He would absolutely succeed in this smuggling operation and repay this debt!