Episode 70
Episode 70
"You're right, Professor."
"A true knight doesn't retreat just because they're afraid! The truly strong face their fears head-on!"
'These lunatics...'
Lee Han shook his head in disbelief.
If students from other towers had been present, he might have teamed up with them to say, 'Professor Ingoldel, snap out of it!' But unfortunately, the White Tiger Tower students were the kind who wouldn't listen to Lee Han no matter what he said.
Still, to enthusiastically agree to fighting an unleashed Summon like this?
Wasn't the usual approach to learn how to avoid such things?
Sometimes, Lee Han felt lonely, thinking he might be the only sane person in this entire school.
"I have excellent students."
Professor Ingoldel nodded in satisfaction at the White Tiger Tower students' reactions.
He had half-expected some students to hesitate or try to back out, but as expected of talented swordsmen, they were ready to confront their fears rather than flee.
When the professor's gaze, scanning the room, suddenly landed on Lee Han, the latter reflexively shouted:
"What a brilliant idea, Professor!"
"Thank you, everyone."
Seeing even Lee Han join in, Professor Ingoldel smiled proudly.
For an idea he'd come up with after some deliberation, it seemed to be working out rather well.
"Now, everyone, form groups of three."
Fortunately, Professor Ingoldel still had some conscience left. He didn't expect them to face the monster alone.
But...
'Ah. I'm screwed.'
Lee Han realized he was in trouble.
For people like Nilia, who struggled with making friends, group formations like this were suffocating.
Lee Han wasn't Nilia, but there was no way the White Tiger Tower students would willingly team up with him.
'I could force Durgyu into it, but for the other one... do I have to knock someone out and drag them along? Can I threaten someone without the professor noticing?'
"Professor, can we choose our own groups?"
"No. I've prepared lots—just draw one."
Professor Ingoldel gave Lee Han a subtle look.
The professor was well aware that, as a member of the Blue Dragon Tower, Lee Han wasn't exactly close with the White Tiger Tower students.
And that was precisely why he was being considerate like this.
'Professor...'
Lee Han was grateful.
But...
'...If you're going to be this considerate, why not just make us practice sword forms instead of hunting down an escaped Summon?'
The twisted way of showing consideration was very much like the professor.
Lee Han lined up and drew his lot. It had the number 4 written on it.
"Anyone else get 4?"
Durgyu raised his hand. Lee Han's expression softened. The White Tiger Tower students glared at Lee Han warily, as if deeply concerned.
Was he going to use Durgyu like a chess piece again?
"One more?"
A group needed three.
At Lee Han's words, someone else raised their hand.
It was Giselle of the Moradi family.
"......"
"......"
Not just Durgyu and Lee Han, but even the other White Tiger Tower students were stunned.
'Is this going to turn into a bloodbath?'
On one side, there was Lee Han—the essence of the Wardanaz family, who had mastered every sinister arcane secret even before enrolling.
On the other, Giselle—born with natural charisma, leading the White Tiger Tower students, and hailing from one of the most powerful northern knight families, the Moradi.
And given that they didn't get along...
But instead of drawing her sword, Giselle merely curled her lips into an enigmatic smile. Lee Han found that even more ominous.
"We've both made childish mistakes. Shouldn't we take this chance to forget them?"
"You can't possibly mean that, Lee Han?"
Durgyu stared at Lee Han as if he'd just said something absurd.
Technically, Giselle had been the one to provoke things first.
But in emotional battles, who started it didn't matter.
And in terms of sheer pettiness, Lee Han was overwhelmingly ahead.
Knocking someone out and dumping them in front of the Skeleton Principal for punishment, leading a midnight raid with friends to steal flags from the lounge—and so on.
Durgyu wasn't particularly close to Giselle, but as someone from the same northern knightly family, he knew her character quite well.
Given her arrogant pride, even if she didn't show it outwardly, she was undoubtedly grinding her teeth at Lee Han in deep resentment.
Frankly, he was genuinely worried.
"Lee Han. When we move together, always keep me between you and Moradi. And never turn your back on Moradi."
"Thanks, Durgyu. That's reassuring."
"Are the teams all set?"
Professor Ingoldel checked before continuing.
"Every party needs a leader. The one who draws the paper with the red mark on the corner will be the leader. The leader will give the orders. The rest will follow the leader's instructions to face the monster."
"......"
Lee Han recalled that the paper he drew had no red mark whatsoever.
"Durgyu. Could you say you drew the one with the red mark?"
"...Sorry."
Lee Han and Durgyu both turned to look at Giselle. She waved the paper with the red mark and flashed that same inscrutable smile again.
"Call me Captain, won't you?"
"Captain."
"No. You should add the honorific."
"Captain."
At Lee Han's response, Giselle's smile deepened.
"If you don't want to get stabbed in the back, give good orders."
"......"
There was a saying that knights who had witnessed the white blizzards beyond the northern mountains would never fear anything again.
Durgyu was one of those people, but right now, the sight of Lee Han and Giselle staring each other down was seriously terrifying.
"So, what kind of Summon are we supposed to face?"
"I can't tell you that."
"...?"
"?"
All the White Tiger Tower students tilted their heads in unison. Lee Han felt a sense of foreboding.
"You're here to learn how to deal with an unknown Summon. If you knew its identity beforehand, wouldn't that defeat the purpose?"
Professor Ingoldel kindly elaborated.
Many White Tiger Tower students nodded as if thinking, "Ah, that makes sense," but Lee Han and a few other sane students' expressions stiffened slightly.
"From now on, each team will enter the annex building one by one. There's a Summon waiting inside—deal with it, then exit through the opposite door."
As Professor Ingoldel finished speaking, a few of the more sensible students cautiously raised questions.
"But, Professor... Even so, if it's a Summon beyond our ability to handle, we might need at least a little information..."
"That's right. Could you at least give us a hint on how to face it?"
At the students' words, Professor Ingoldel's face darkened slightly with concern.
He began to wonder if this was too difficult of a practical exercise.
'Well, while the experience of figuring out how to deal with it among themselves is important, maybe they do need some basic information...'
Just as his common sense—numbed by the antics of other professors—was starting to return, other White Tiger Tower students interrupted.
"Stop talking like cowards!"
"What do you think the Professor takes us for? He'd think we're weaklings who can't even handle one measly Summon!"
"No, everyone."
"Professor! We'll be fine!"
"We don't need hints. We'll figure out how to face it with our own hands, feet, and swords!"
'Isn't this a magic school?'
Lee Han thought to himself.
Use magic, you idiots! And take the hint if you can!
"These stupid trash, seriously..."
"?"
"What? Why?"
When Lee Han turned his head, Giselle spoke as if asking what he expected.
Managing expressions and words was something you adjusted based on the opponent. There was no need to put on airs in front of a Wardanaz who already knew everything.
"I agree they're stupid."
"You do say things I like sometimes. Listen to my orders like that, and there won't be any problems."
Giselle spoke as if issuing a warning.
"Don't misunderstand—I have no complaints if the orders are reasonable. Why would I pick unnecessary fights? I don't like provoking others for no reason."
"......"
"......"
Not only Giselle, but even Durgyu was slightly taken aback.
'For someone who claims that, you sure were beating people up left and right with such ease...'
"So you're saying someone like that betrayed others and ratted them out to the Headmaster?"
Giselle crossed her arms and spoke in an incredulous tone. Her eyes already held a glare sharp enough to have drawn a sword several times over.
"Well, since we weren't exactly allies, I wouldn't call it betrayal..."
"Lee Han. I may not be well-versed in rhetoric, but I think it'd be best if you stopped talking now."
Durgyu tried to dissuade Lee Han.
It wasn't that Durgyu particularly liked Giselle either, but if things continued like this, one of them—either Lee Han or Giselle—would likely be knocked out before they even got to fight any monsters.
"I was just trying to clear up a misunderstanding."
"No, Lee Han. Some misunderstandings can't be cleared. And you, Lee Han..."
Durgyu almost said, 'You have a talent for pissing people off,' but stopped himself.
At any rate, Durgyu was the only one who could mediate between them right now. He steeled himself.
He might not be the most eloquent, but still...!
"Both of you, think about it. Acting out just because you dislike each other will only end up harming both of you. Even if you don't like each other, this is still a class, so you should at least—"
"Obviously. Durgyu, don't worry about it."
"Stop spouting nonsense, Choi. We already know that without you saying it."
Both of them snapped at Durgyu simultaneously. He couldn't help but feel unfairly treated.
The annex building prepared by Professor Ingoldel had the outward appearance of a massive gymnasium or auditorium.
Of course, the difference was that behind its closed doors, instead of joyful exercise, escaped Summons were waiting.
'The silence is more unnerving.'
If there had been screams, at least they could have made some guesses, but the eerie silence—as if sound had been magically blocked—only made it more unsettling.
What on earth did he put in there?
"After opening the door and entering, don't move recklessly—assess the situation first. If the attack starts immediately upon entry, split left and right... Pass that along, Choi."
"......"
Durgyu was at a loss for words at Giselle's childish behavior.
Lee Han was standing right next to them—what was the point of passing along a message?
'She wasn't this childish before, Moradi!'
"If it's dark inside, we'll activate light magic first, so don't freak out—pass that along, Durgyu."
"If you waste mana and collapse, we'll leave you behind—pass that along, Choi."
"The only one here who can use light magic is me, so I'll take the lead—pass that along, Durgyu."
"Don't act like you're the only one who can use basic light magic—pass that along, Choi."
'Someone, please save me.'
Durgyu had heard all sorts of stories before entering the Magic School.
They said the school prepared harsh trials to immerse students in magic, that the professors were trolls, that those from knightly backgrounds were mocked for being slow at magic...
But none of those stories had prepared him for this!
BAM!
The door swung open. The inside wasn't bright—it was dark. Lee Han sighed.
'It's scarier that I'm starting to predict this school's patterns now.'
Students who had expected brightness would have been flustered by the dim interior.
He could imagine what Professor Ingoldel had been thinking when he prepared this darkness.
'Summons are more likely to roam at night than during the day, so he probably prepared this as a precaution.'
"Light, arise!"
Lee Han's incantation summoned a sun-like orb that brightly illuminated the annex. Neither Durgyu nor Giselle could deny his skill in magic.
-■■■■■...
The Summon waiting inside had the appearance of a hybrid between a spirit and a bull.
Not only that, but it also radiated the aura of Enhancement Magic and potions—something no ordinary bull could possess.
For a moment, the face of Professor Thunderstep flashed through Lee Han's mind.
'Surely not...'