Episode 762
Episode 762
"A-Are you sure this is okay?"
"Isn't there another vault?"
The other Black Magic students seemed to share Lee Han's concerns as they murmured among themselves.
No matter how you looked at it, how could the vault of an entire Black Magic department at Einrogard be completely empty like this?
Cough. "Black Magic has always been the magic of the poor."
"......"
"......"
Now that they were all second-years, Professor Mortum didn't hesitate to speak the blunt truth.
An empty vault was actually the norm for Black Magic departments.
Generally, a magic department's vault was filled through several means: additional donations from clients as tokens of gratitude when affiliated students completed external requests, additional department funding granted when research proposals were submitted, or profits from selling various magic-related items produced within the department...
But the Black Magic department consistently lost out on all these avenues.
External requests?
Imperial requests were divided into lucrative ones and non-lucrative ones—and the Black Magic department mainly received the latter. 'Lucrative requests usually come from nobles or merchants, and those are hard for us to get.' Requests like consulting on magic items, providing education, or preparing magic for banquets...
These weren't particularly difficult tasks and offered substantial rewards...
Yet such requests rarely came to the Black Magic department.
The typical requests the Black Magic department received were from impoverished villagers asking them to exterminate undead emerging from nearby graveyards or to lift curses plaguing swamps tainted by polluted magical energy.
While meaningful, these jobs paid very little.
Research funding?
The research proposals submitted by Black Magic students were usually at a disadvantage when it came to funding too.
-"We aim to develop an efficient low-circle magic spell that can be cast on carriage wheels to improve the Empire's transportation network."
-"An interesting idea."
-"We plan to research divination methods to accurately predict weather patterns, helping farmers in the eastern regions suffering from erratic climates."
-"Risky, but worth attempting."
-"Through previous research, we developed a poison that instantly kills blade demons. This time, we're trying to create one that can kill bronze demons."
-"Do you think Imperial treasurers just hand out money the moment you toss a research proposal at them?" 'Seems we're at a disadvantage here.'
Having met with Imperial examiners alongside the Skeleton Principal during winter break, Lee Han knew exactly how difficult it was to secure funding.
Bureaucrats fundamentally preferred magic that benefited the Empire's operations—they had little interest in ultimate spells or legendary poisons.
As for selling magic items... Black Magic items weren't particularly popular either...
Cough. "Still, don't worry."
At Professor Mortum's words, Lee Han's friends perked up slightly, hoping there might be some source of income after all.
"Does the Headmaster make donations to the Black Magic department?"
"What nonsense are you spouting?"
"You told us not to worry..."
"Good grief. Cough. What absurdity. I meant that Black Magic can manage fine even in poverty—that's why it's nothing to worry about."
"......"
Now that they were second-years, Professor Mortum was spitting unfiltered truths without restraint.
While the other students were horrified, Lee Han remained unfazed. He'd already glimpsed hints of this back in first year. 'We had quite the crisis over lacking materials back then too.' It was true that the Black Magic department had an exceptional ability to endure scarcity.
Just look at the Enchantment Magic department—their professor would throw materials on the ground if their quality didn't meet his standards.
But if anyone in the Black Magic department threw materials on the ground out of dissatisfaction, even a professor might get beaten up by Senior Diret.
"Professor, then where did these gold coins come from?"
Lee Han suddenly grew curious and asked. Professor Mortum seemed to struggle with his hazy memory.
"Diret brought them... Was it from a request? Funding? Or sales?" '...'
"'I should probably do something too.'"
At Professor Mortum's words, Lee Han felt a sudden surge of guilt.
Whether it was taking on requests to earn donations, submitting proposals to secure funding under the school's name, or even selling magical items to raise extra funds—it seemed he needed to gather additional resources somehow.
Gainando, too, seemed uneasy and asked,
"Professor. If we're this poor, won't the juniors refuse to come? Did any juniors enroll this year?"
At the prince's question, Professor Mortum drew a circle in the air with his finger. Gainando let out a sigh of relief.
"That's a relief. So some did enroll?"
Cough. "What are you talking about?"
"Huh?"
"It means zero so far."
"......"
"......"
The second-year students felt an intense pressure, as members of the Black Magic school, to do something.
"Greetings, Professor Taswan. I'm Lee Han. These are my friends—Gainando, Imirgue, and Lafadell."
Cough. "Pleasure to meet you all."
Professor Taswan responded warmly to the Einrogard students' greeting.
Gainando spoke sympathetically,
"Did your health worsen because of black magic research? Curses and poisons must be..."
"W-Well, you could say that."
'What's this?'
Lee Han got the feeling the professor was hiding something.
Even though there shouldn't be any reason to hide anything in this situation.
"This is my disciple, Agdung. A fourth-year student at Kallarogard."
"???"
The black mage student called Agdung bowed politely.
As the skeleton mage removed his hat and bowed, the sound of rattling bones filled the air, leaving Lee Han's friends utterly bewildered.
'Why is he a skeleton??'
"Professor Taswan. I have a question."
"What is it?"
When Lee Han spoke up, his friends nodded. Clearly, their friend had also noticed something strange.
"Where are the other students?"
"They're still resting after a poison outbreak during their travels. It seems Agdung here will have to handle things alone for now."
"I see. Understood."
Lee Han nodded at the explanation that the other students were resting.
Long journeys did tend to exhaust frail mages, after all.
"......"
"Wardanaz!"
"What? Lafadell, what's wrong?"
"That's it?!"
"??"
At Lafadell's reaction, Lee Han gave him a look that said, What's this guy's problem?
"Don't tell me you're asking about payment now? That'd be pretty rude, Lafadell."
"......"
"That's not it! Look! Doesn't it strike you as weird that this senior, Agdung, is a skeleton?!"
"Ah."
Only then did Lee Han realize what his friend was getting at.
"Well, it happens. There's a senior at Einrogard who wanders around transformed into a golem."
"......"
"......"
His friends were thrown into further confusion.
Wait...
That's normal?!
'Was I being narrow-minded?'
"Hey, don't fight because of me. Haha. I'm in this skeleton mage form for research, so I get why you're confused."
Agdung stepped in to reassure the Einrogard students.
"It's because of the black magic I'm researching, so don't think too hard about it."
"What kind of research are you doing?"
"Hmm! I'm researching how to turn a human body into an undead. Completely abandoning the mortal flesh to become a lich has too many side effects, so instead, I'm keeping some organs intact while permanently converting replaceable parts into undead—"
"Ah."
Lee Han and his friends quickly reached a conclusion and took a step back.
This guy's insane!
They were reminded once again why black magic research wasn't very popular in the Empire.
Surprisingly, though, Agdung turned out to be a sociable and friendly skeleton mage.
Despite his insane research, he won over the Einrogard students with his cheerful jokes and witty remarks, making them almost forget his eccentricities.
"You play Wizard Cards? What kind of deck do you like, Gainando?"
"B-Black Magic curse deck..."
"Hmm? What deck?"
"B-Black Magic curse deck."
"Wow, that's a great deck! A lot of people at Kallarogard have been trying to build it too."
"Really?! Seriously?!"
Gainando's eyes widened as he exclaimed.
Could such a wonderful school really exist?
"Of course! Some ignorant people call it a cowardly deck, but what's cowardly about winning? If that's how you feel, there's no point in playing Wizard Card. Right. We'll have an inter-club Wizard Card tournament later—want to join?"
"...I'm not part of any club, so..."
"Oh. What a shame."
"C-couldn't we just play separately?"
"Can't do that, Gainando. We can't just use time however we want outside the schedule."
Gainando inwardly cursed himself for failing to check the club's name properly.
This could've been his chance to make a friend who shared his philosophy on Wizard Card!
"Lafadell. The Gral Family is a knightly house famous for countering black magic, isn't it? Someone from such a family is learning black magic?"
"...That's correct. To be honest, I don't particularly like black magic—I'm learning it to understand its weaknesses..."
"I respect that attitude, Lafadell! Only a true knight would make such a self-sacrificing choice."
"...R-really?"
Lafadell brightened upon receiving his first compliment among black mages.
His friends had always teased him, saying, 'Just admit you like black magic already!'...
"Imirgue, may I ask why you're learning black magic?"
"W-well, undead often appear on the outskirts of cities, and I want to stop them..."
"Commendable, Imirgue. Not many black mages have such noble aspirations."
Imirgue flushed at the praise.
Compared to the lofty ambitions of most mages in the Black Magic School—who sought to serve the Empire's cities and villages—his goal might have sounded trivial.
"Lee Han, come to think of it, I haven't asked about your family. Which house are you from?"
"The Wardanaz Family."
Clatter-clatter-clang!
"?!"
The Skeleton Mage stumbled, sending a few bones scattering, startling Lee Han.
"Are you alright?!"
"I-I'm fine. Must've tripped on a rock."
Agdung reassembled his shinbone while inwardly reeling. 'Insane!'
When Professor Taswan had mentioned, "This year, second-years will guide you," Agdung had thought, 'Is the Einrogard Black Magic School that short on people?'
But a boy from the Wardanaz Family?
That made sense. He was the Imperial Magic Officer's disciple.
'Wait, he's a second-year?!'
When rumors spread last winter that Duke Gonadaltes had been traveling with a Wardanaz disciple, Agdung had assumed they were talking about a fourth or fifth-year. But a second-year?
'To think I'd meet the Magic Officer's disciple in person...'
His nonexistent heart pounded with nervous dread.
Just look at Professor Taswan—getting involved with Duke Gonadaltes was never wise.
Naturally, the same went for his disciple.
"Let me help you up."
"Yes! Thank you."
"...?"
Lee Han sensed something off about Agdung's response.
"What did you just say?"
"Th-thank you."
"By any chance... do you have bad memories involving the Wardanaz Family...?"
"Wh-what nonsense is that, Lee Han? The Wardanaz Family is a pillar of the Empire—why would I have bad memories of them?"
'This guy's hiding something!'
Lee Han wasn't oblivious to the other's reaction.
It was clear Agdung had some unpleasant history with the Wardanaz Family.
'Damn. Did he visit Fig Blossom Village and run into a demon? Surely not the estate...'
While the other Black Magic School students were happily bonding with their guest, Lee Han was being ostracized because of his family. This was downright unfair.
"B-by the way, Lee Han. About the mushroom patch—I know its location. I'll go fetch them myself, so why don't you and your friends rest here? Sorry for troubling you with such a trivial task!"
"Huh? It's been a while, so navigating just by the map would be tough. Plus, I have things to gather there too. Let's just go together."
"W-well, how about this?"
"?"
"I'll even fetch the mushrooms you need."
"......"
Under Lee Han's suspicious gaze, Agdung realized his mistake.
Of course it was weird for a visiting fourth-year to volunteer to run errands for a second-year.
"J-just kidding! Haha."
"Right..."