Episode 763
Episode 763
As he felt the weight of numerous gazes upon him, Agdung quickly changed the subject.
"Shall we all head to the mushroom field together then? Haha! The weather's quite nice, isn't it?"
"There's no sunlight here though?"
Gainando had never seen anyone call the weather nice near the Black Rock Hall before.
Even cheerful people usually say their mood turns gloomy when they come near the Black Rock Hall...
"It's sunny by black magic standards!"
"???"
"Let's go! Let's go!"
As Agdung ran ahead leading the way, Gainando whispered to Lee Han.
"Lee Han. The people from Kallarogard seem a bit... odd."
"That might be true..."
Yoner and Siana, who had been waiting after completing their potion, were startled by the visit from the Kallarogard student.
"You sowed spores in this mushroom field eleven years ago?!"
"Shouldn't we first ask about the fact that he's a skeleton...?"
Siana muttered this, but the topic quickly moved on.
"That's right. Back then, the professor and some seniors were searching for a suitable location and discovered this mushroom field."
At the words of the senior from another magic academy, Lee Han and his friends began whispering among themselves.
"Then doesn't that mean ownership of this field technically belongs to them?"
"Do you think the seniors will listen?"
"They're guests from another magic academy—surely they wouldn't just stubbornly insist. Especially since they have some evidence here."
Lee Han pointed to the scroll Agdung had brought.
It was a scroll recording the location of the mushroom field, the types of mushroom spores sown at that time, the date, and so on.
"We just finished brewing <Arlkan's Ferocious Beast Potion>—what if we use this potion? If we don't use it today, the effects will disappear."
Siana showed reluctance at the thought of not being able to use the potion she'd worked so hard to complete.
But all her friends (including Yoner) unanimously agreed they should attempt peaceful negotiations first. Siana grumbled.
"You people act like you have no idea how difficult it is to make potions!"
"I'm truly sorry, Priestess Siana of the Flemeng Order. But since they're guests from Kallarogard, we'd prefer to avoid fighting if possible. The potion you made looks truly impressive though—I'd love to test it sometime..."
"Well, I suppose there's no helping it then."
Siana quickly forgave them upon hearing the compliment. Yoner, who'd been listening nearby, asked curiously.
"Does Kallarogard have rules prohibiting fights with other magic academies?"
"Ah, not exactly. It's just that when we fight Einrogard students... we usually end up getting utterly crushed."
"......"
"......"
Lee Han and his friends felt oddly apologetic about the atrocities committed by their seniors' seniors.
"Um... our apologies."
"What are you apologizing for? It's not like you did anything!"
Agdung waved his hands dismissively as he stepped forward. Following behind him, Yoner remarked.
"He seems like a kind person, contrary to his appearance."
"That does seem to be the case. Though his attitude toward me was a bit different. I think there might have been some bad blood with the Wardanaz Family."
"Oh dear. It'd be nice if there was a chance to talk about it."
At Yoner's words, Lee Han nodded.
If given a sincere opportunity to explain, he was confident he could clarify the Wardanaz Family's notorious reputation.
Honestly, the demon was just like a pack mule...
"What's this, why so many...?"
The senior guarding the mushroom field looked slightly flustered at the sight of students swarming in.
Moreover, one of them even appeared to be from another magic academy.
"Are you... from Kallarogard?"
"That's correct. My name is Agdung from Kallarogard."
"Uh... nice to meet you. Judging by your appearance, it seems you're researching transforming human bodies into undead?"
"?!!"
Lee Han's friends were astonished. 'Was that research so famous you could tell just by looking?'
"That's correct. I'm pleased you recognized it."
"I read about it in the <Empire Magic Journal>. But what brings you here?"
"We actually came here because of this mushroom field."
Agdung, ever the polite skeletal gentleman, presented his documents as evidence and began explaining his claim.
The senior's expression wavered at the potentially groundbreaking argument that could overturn the entire ownership dispute of the mushroom field from its very foundation.
"Th-this...! I had no idea such a backstory existed!"
"I trust you will make a wise decision."
"I need to discuss this with the other students first. Would you mind accompanying me?"
The senior, his face grave, attempted to gather the students waiting near the mushroom field.
It seemed they would have to revisit the ownership debate.
"Yes. And these juniors here as well—"
"That won't be possible."
The senior refused firmly.
"Why not!? If it weren't for these students guiding me, I wouldn't have even made it here in the first place..."
"That's irrelevant. Information about this mushroom field cannot be disclosed to outsiders."
The senior, true to his Einrogard upbringing, was thorough.
While the Kallarogard student was a party to the dispute and thus allowed to attend, there was no reason to include the juniors, who were outsiders.
Even if they were allowed in, the risk was too high—they might just memorize every detail about the mushroom field and use it for theft later. It was all the more reason not to lower their guard.
"What?! Even so... I'll be returning home once this matter is settled. After that, the Black Magic faction will take over the rights and manage the mushroom field on our behalf."
"Then you can explain everything separately when transferring the rights after today's discussion. Those without rights cannot attend."
"What's going on?"
A couple of other senior students from the mushroom field, drawn by the commotion, approached curiously.
Agdung appealed to them about the unfairness of not allowing the juniors who had helped him to attend.
"Does this make any sense to you?"
"Hmm. Sorry, but we can't let people without rights attend..."
"How can you trust us not to steal or attack you behind your backs?"
'Sharp.'
Some of Lee Han's friends winced guiltily.
They had indeed been planning to do exactly as the seniors feared.
"Senior Agdung. It's fine. You attend and argue for the rights. We can sort things out later."
Lee Han whispered from behind, but Agdung shook his head stubbornly.
"Please."
"I said no. We're already dealing with theft and attacks as it is."
"Even so!"
"No means no."
Agdung's persistence was starting to confuse even Lee Han's friends.
Why was he being so insistent?
"Is there a reason we absolutely have to attend?"
"Who knows...?"
The mushroom field seniors were growing visibly exasperated by the repeated requests.
"You'll need to give us a proper reason. Just begging won't cut it."
"Th-this..."
"This?"
"Do you even know who this person is!!!"
"????"
"????????"
Lee Han and his friends all turned their heads in unison toward where Agdung was pointing.
The seniors did the same.
'...'
Me?'
Lee Han, belatedly realizing he was the one being pointed at, was stunned. The seniors seemed equally bewildered.
"Wh-who is he?"
"A member of the imperial family...?"
"What's so special about the imperial family? There's no way he'd act like this just because of that, right?"
As the seniors murmured among themselves, Lee Han urgently tried to stop Agdung.
"Mr. Agdung. What on earth are you doing? What's gotten into you?"
"Just wait a moment! I'll persuade them!"
Frustrated that his pleas weren't working, an agitated Agdung loosened his necktie and made a declaration.
Lee Han, watching this, felt like he was about to die.
'Is he a social assassin?'
There was nothing more devastating than going up to the seniors and shouting, "Do you even know this person is from the Wardanaz family?!"
From the seniors' perspective, they'd probably just think, "So what?"
"This man is the disciple of the Imperial Magic Officer! And you dare exclude him knowing that?!"
"......"
"......"
For a moment, only silence swirled in response to words that had surpassed everyone's expectations. Lee Han was also taken aback and fell silent.
'So it wasn't about the Wardanaz family?'
He had naturally assumed Agdung was acting this way because of his lineage, but it turned out to be because of his connection to the Skeleton Principal.
'No. Both are equally troublesome!'
No matter the reason, causing a scene in front of the seniors couldn't possibly be a good thing.
Lee Han hurriedly tried to smooth things over.
"Wai—!"
"Oh... Did we make a mistake?"
"!"
The momentum of the mushroom patch seniors faltered, and they began to glance around warily.
While Einrogard mages typically didn't care whether someone was royalty or a descendant of a great imperial family, there was one exception—those connected to the Skeleton Principal.
If this junior truly was the Skeleton Principal's disciple, then no matter how junior he was, they couldn't just treat him carelessly.
Not because they feared the Skeleton Principal himself, but because they feared the disciple might one day seek revenge.
Just how ruthless and vicious would such a disciple be?
They were the type to remember even the slightest grudge for over a century and come back to settle it.
"Hmm. If he really is the Principal's disciple... But is he really?"
"Would someone from Kallarogard really be mistaken? Wait. Isn't he that guy? The one who took the previous school's elective?"
"...That might actually make sense!"
The mushroom patch seniors murmured among themselves and eventually convinced themselves.
If it had just been about being the Skeleton Principal's disciple, they might have dismissed it as a baseless rumor. But the fact that he had taken the previous school's elective made it slightly more plausible.
"Seniors, there's been a misunderstanding. While I did accompany the Principal on his rounds, strictly speaking, the definition of a disciple—"
"You accompanied him?"
"I mean, it was just coincidental..."
At Lee Han's words, the seniors nodded.
And in unison, they all thought to themselves:
'He's definitely a disciple!'
If the Principal, with his infamously erratic personality, had taken him along, then he might as well be considered a disciple.
What a shocking revelation.
"Join us, junior!"
"I trust you won't hold a grudge over today's events! Haha!"
"......"
Lee Han realized with despair that this would only add another layer to the rumors about him taking the previous school's elective.
"Everything worked out... I mean, it worked out. Haha!"
Agdung, thinking he had successfully resolved the situation, clacked his bones together and laughed brightly.
He couldn't help but feel proud—he had managed to preserve the dignity of the Magic Tower's disciple while still getting him to participate.
Lee Han shot Agdung a glare as sharp as icicles. Sensing something amiss, Agdung flinched.
"...Did I take too long?"
"......"
In the end, Lee Han couldn't bring himself to get angry at Agdung.
The Skeleton Principal's notorious reputation meant he couldn't lash out at someone who was just trying to be nice.
Instead, he did his best to explain.
—So, while I did accompany him occasionally, I wouldn't exactly call myself a disciple...
—...
Isn't that just how most disciples are?
'Damn it. Even as I say it, it doesn't sound convincing.'
Lee Han sighed inwardly.
Who would've thought he'd feel his own argument was weak while making it?
Then again, deep down, even he somewhat considered himself the Skeleton Principal's disciple, so it was no wonder his persuasion fell flat.
"Then we'll formally transfer the rights to the mushroom patch under unified ownership."
Unable to refute the evidence presented by Kallarogard, the seniors eventually relinquished their claim.
Lee Han cautiously asked,
"Are you sure? Won't you be at a loss...?"
"It stings, sure, but losses like this are nothing new at Einrogard."
"Exactly. I've scammed plenty of people when selling stuff too. When you buy things like this, you accept the risks."
"......"
Lee Han silently vowed that if he ever bought property from these seniors in the future, he'd inspect it a hundred times first.
"On behalf of Kallarogard, the Black Magic faction will take over management of this place."
At the mention of an unfamiliar faction, the seniors buzzed with murmurs.
"If the Black Magic faction manages it, what'll happen to the mushroom prices?"
"Hmm. If the faction's short on funds, they might raise prices... They do seem like they'd be poor."
"...The prices will remain the same. The Black Magic faction has plenty of money."
"Oh!"
At Lee Han's declaration, his Black Magic faction friends shot him bewildered looks.
...Had they?