Episode 776
Episode 776
Having been caught in his thoughts, Lee Han tested out several names on the baby basilisk as if probing it.
Starting from grandiose names like <Jörmungandr>, <Ouroboros>, and <Caduceus>, all the way to familiar ones like <Slither>, <Gainando>, and <Siana>.
-Hmph. None of them seem very good.
"Hmm. Can we just call you Basil until a good name comes to mind?"
Growing slightly annoyed, Lee Han spoke with the intention of deceiving the baby basilisk.
Once he called it Basil, if he kept using the name absentmindedly, it would stick eventually.
-Yes, that's fine!
The baby basilisk had high intelligence, but it was no match for an Einrogard student honed in cunning schemes.
Basil, unaware of Lee Han's wicked intentions, wagged its tail excitedly.
-When will we see that evil wizard again?
"?"
Lee Han was puzzled when the baby basilisk asked with an innocent expression. 'Just who is this "evil wizard" it's talking about?' There were enough candidates to line up from the main gate of Einrogard's central building all the way to the estate's front entrance...
"Who?"
The baby basilisk answered as if it were obvious.
-The person who hits you, Master.
"......So, who?"
The baby basilisk tried to answer but started coughing as if the snack it had just eaten got stuck in its throat.
Lee Han, feeling sympathetic, poured some milk into a small bowl.
"You should've eaten more slowly."
-Huh? What if someone steals it?
"......"
'I should retract my assessment of its high intelligence.'
Completely unaware that its master had downgraded its intelligence rating by several levels, the baby basilisk eagerly lapped up the milk from the bowl.
"So, who were you talking about?"
Instead of answering, the baby basilisk kept licking the bowl. From Lee Han's perspective, it had been empty for quite some time.
Lee Han retrieved the bowl. At that, the baby basilisk stared at him with eyes that looked as if the sky had fallen. 'I should've eaten faster!'
"You already finished it..."
-There was still some left!
"No, there wasn't."
Even when Lee Han showed the empty bottom of the bowl, the baby basilisk refused to back down.
Only after tearfully thumping its tail against the desk several times did it finally accept that the bowl was empty.
-That scary wizard.
"......Basil. You need to learn to be more specific. Let's start with their species."
-A vampire.
"Ah. Professor Bagrak."
Lee Han understood immediately.
Well, from the baby basilisk's perspective, it made sense to be afraid of Professor Voladi.
After all, he had forcibly accelerated its growth to make it fight Lee Han...
"We won't see him today."
-What about tomorrow?
"Want some more milk?"
Lee Han deftly avoided answering by refilling the bowl with milk. The baby basilisk let out a cheer and buried its head in the bowl again.
-Gulp, th-that other... scary wizard...
"Finish eating first."
The baby basilisk lapped eagerly until it emptied the bowl once more. Staring longingly at the empty bowl, it spoke.
-When will the other scary wizard disappear?
"Who? Wait, what do you mean 'disappear'? Were they with you?"
Lee Han wondered if it was talking about Professor Rosine.
-A snake beastman.
"......Uh, why Priestess Siana? She's not a bad person."
-W-what do you mean...! She tried to forcibly extract my venom!
The baby basilisk flailed in protest.
Even now, the memory was terrifying.
'Ah. Right.'
Come to think of it, when the baby basilisk had first hatched, Siana had approached it with a large, sharp-tipped brass syringe.
Though it was an alchemist's tool used to extract liquids from plants or animals, to the newly hatched basilisk, it must have looked like a torture device.
And, technically, it could have been used as one...
"She's not a bad person. She's just an alchemist, that's all."
-A-are all alchemists scary people?
"Hmm. In some ways, maybe a little."
While educating the baby basilisk on common sense, Lee Han suddenly grew curious.
Now that he thought about it, there were a few things he hadn't been able to ask before because they couldn't communicate.
"Basil. What abilities can you use right now?"
-I can swing my tail!
The baby basilisk cheerfully swung its tail around. Lee Han gave an unenthusiastic clap.
"Anything else?"
-Drinking milk?
"...What about your Evil Eye?"
The basilisk's famous bloodline ability was its Magic Eye imbued with the Curse of Petrification.
While their breath containing life-draining venom was also notorious, that distinctive Evil Eye would undoubtedly be useful in many ways.
-I can use it!
"!"
Lee Han looked at the baby basilisk with admiration.
He'd thought it just sucked up mana from his sleeve all day, but it had actually been developing its abilities.
"Really?"
-B-but I don't wanna... I don't wanna use it. It's tiring...
"I'm not forcing you. Haha. Just asking. You're still small, so it must be exhausting."
Even to Lee Han's eyes, the not-yet-fully-grown baby basilisk probably couldn't use its Magic Eye frequently.
It would undoubtedly strain its body.
"What about poison?"
-Wait a sec... Eeek!
The baby basilisk groaned and produced just a tiny drop of venom.
Then it started crying from hunger.
-Waaah... I'm so hungry...
"...Here, have some more snacks."
Lee Han swiftly collected the drop of venom into a reagent vial before handing over snacks.
Watching the basilisk excitedly coil around the treats, he asked:
"Come to think of it, do you prefer being fed like this? Over mana?"
-I like both!
'Hmm. should be added too.'
Lee Han made a mental note to include "" when filling out the basilisk's documentation for future funding applications.
"By the way, when will you grow bigger?"
-Huhblub?
The baby basilisk blinked while mid-swallow.
"You know, getting larger in size."
Gulp!
-I think...
"If you grow bigger, you won't have to hang from my arm all the time. You could move around on your own."
-...
I-I won't grow. I'm a special basilisk that doesn't get bigger.
"......"
After class, as Shyles stepped out the door and spotted Lee Han in the distance, he felt slightly guilty.
'Hmm... was I supposed to learn Basilisk language?'
Now that he thought about it, Wardanaz had done so much for him, yet he'd refused to learn even Basilisk language.
It was rude and ungrateful.
Of course, Wyvern language was an extremely useful monster tongue, but Basilisk language might come in handy someday too.
'But where would it actually be useful?'
Unless basilisk-drawn carriages became a thing...
"Wardanaz!"
"Yeah. Shyles? Hold on."
As his friend approached, Lee Han made shushing sounds toward his sleeve.
Shyles looked puzzled.
"What was that just now?"
"I told it you're not an alchemist. The basilisk."
"I see. ...Wait, you TOLD the basilisk?!"
Shyles couldn't believe his ears.
Lee Han sighed and explained:
"Shyles. Basil here isn't a dangerous monster—"
"N-no, that's not why I'm surprised about the basilisk?!"
By now, most of Lee Han's friends knew he was raising a basilisk.
At first, reactions ranged from "Stop lying" to "Just because you put 'Wardanaz' in front doesn't mean we'll believe anything," but gradually, one by one, they started noticing signs—"He might actually be raising one," "Maybe it's just a pet snake?"—until finally accepting it with resigned comments like "It really is a basilisk" and "At this point, I wouldn't even be surprised if Wardanaz raised a dragon."
"Wait. Why did you tell it I'm not an alchemist?"
"It's a long story. So what? I have another class soon."
Seeing his friend ready to rush off to the next lecture without regard for break time made Shyles' eyes sting slightly.
'Wait. This wasn't what I wanted to talk about.'
Collecting himself, Shyles asked:
"You were speaking Basilisk just now, right?"
"Ah. I usually communicate with the basilisk often, and practicing Music Magic made it easier."
"...So you can speak it?"
"I can? So yeah, I spoke it."
"I see."
Shyles nodded.
His earlier guilt completely vanished.
"Hey, Shyles. Did you develop an interest in Basilisk language? That's great. If you want to learn, we can practice together with Basil here—"
"I'm going to learn Wyvern language. Well then, I'll be off!"
Watching his Black Turtle Tower friend turn away so coldly, Lee Han grumbled about ingratitude.
"Wardanaz student! I heard you were kidnapped, but it's good to see you in good health!"
Professor Zorjik of the Benmalpa family greeted him with his usual energetic and enthusiastic voice.
Perhaps it was just his imagination, but even the professor's meticulously groomed seagull-shaped mustache seemed to flutter more vibrantly today.
"Good afternoon, Professor Benmalpa. I'm glad you were concerned."
"Indeed! I was truly worried."
"Uh, Professor... did you also... participate?"
Lee Han was puzzled, wondering if Professor Zorjik had been among the three professors who came to rescue him.
He hadn't seen him, but given the personalities of Professor Garcia or Professor Voladi, it wouldn't be surprising if they had kidnapped Professor Zorjik as well.
"What do you mean?"
"Never mind."
"I don't know what you're talking about, but I was busy with something else! Wardanaz student, I wrote a petition to His Majesty the Emperor!"
"Excuse me?!"
Lee Han was startled.
Who did he write to, and about what?
"I eloquently argued that, given the responsibility for your kidnapping, I, Zorjik of the Benmalpa family, should rightfully be the next headmaster!"
Lee Han shot him a look of disdain.
To use his student's tragedy as a stepping stone for his own ambition!
'<Making Zorjik of the Benmalpa family the headmaster of Einrogard>... I should withdraw from that group.'
Unaware that he had fallen to a position similar to Professor Verdus in his students' eyes, the ambition-obsessed Professor Zorjik muttered to himself.
"But the Death Knights confiscated it... What a shame. How can we bypass their surveillance to send the petition?"
"If you find a way, let me know, Professor."
"Haha! Don't worry. As the future headmaster of Einrogard, I can't possibly ignore a request from a future professor! Now, shall we begin the lecture? Come inside, Wardanaz student!"
"Yes."
Lee Han followed the professor into the elemental chamber.
Then, he suddenly paused, sensing something odd.
"What did you just say—"
CRASH!
"Ahhh! The Water Element is going berserk!!"
"Step back!"
As water surged violently from the surrounding waterfalls in all directions, Lee Han swung his staff and chanted a spell to regain control.
Since the Water Element was the most familiar and comfortable for him, he was confident he could handle it even if another mage had accidentally caused the outburst.
"Excellent, Wardanaz!"
"The lightning barrier has collapsed! Everyone, be careful!"
'Why is today like this?'
Of course, the elemental chamber was a place where elemental energy flowed intensely, making it prone to accidental outbursts during student practice—but today's streak of bad luck was excessive.
Lee Han darted back and forth with his seniors, working to stabilize the Lightning Element.
"Pant... pant... Thank you, Senior Wardanaz."
"Huh?"
"Ah, right. You're a second-year. For a moment there. Haha."
"......"
After all that chaotic running around, Lee Han forgot what Professor Zorjik had just said.
Watching the students restore order with satisfaction, Professor Zorjik swung his staff to tidy up the surroundings before resuming the lesson.
"Now, Wardanaz student! How was the method of casting Flame Magic on your body that we tried last time?"
"I was kidnapped afterward, so I don't really remember."
"Ah, of course! That's understandable. We can just do it again."
Professor Zorjik cheered enthusiastically.
The effort to teach an outstanding student was but a trivial matter.
Beside them, Adenart stared at them in horror upon hearing they were about to set things on fire again.
"But before that, cast a few Flame Magic spells. I'd like to see how much difference there is!"
"Yes."
Lee Han cast <Lesser Flame Barrier>, the spell he had last practiced while being attacked by that insane fifth-year senior.
Seeing how cleanly and stably it manifested, Professor Zorjik looked puzzled.
"Huh? It's much better now!"
"I've only been practicing this one."
"Then try some other spells!"
Lee Han cast a few low-circle Flame Magic spells.
Unlike usual, the Fire Element spells manifested with unusual stability, making Lee Han pause.
'...Huh?'
"It seems you've overcome the problem?"
"...It seems so."
"Hmm! Interesting. I wonder what the reason could be..."
Professor Zorjik jotted down possibilities like "Constant exposure to fire?" or "Kidnapped by an ancient mage's avatar?" with great interest.
Which one could it be?