Episode 787
Episode 787
"...I'll do my best."
In the end, Lee Han had no choice but to say that. Carnella, who had been listening beside him, remarked indifferently.
"With the money-giver already captured, do you really have to do this?"
"Hormasi."
Professor Yonlamo spoke in a warning tone.
If a junior wants to learn, what kind of senior would interfere with that?
Of course, Professor Yonlamo himself had no ambitions to challenge magic far beyond his own level, but that didn't mean he needed to deliberately hold back his students either.
"Don't interfere."
"Understood, Professor. I was just feeling sorry for him. Even if he practices the magic Senior Zarun left behind right now, there won't be much he can actually learn."
The research Zarun was conducting was too difficult and complex for a student who had just entered his second year to gain much from. Instead of pouring time into completing <Zarun's Inelastic Rubber> or <Zarun's Membrane Lava>, it would be far more beneficial to master relatively easier 2nd to 3rd Circle spells from the Transmutation Magic school.
"Don't jump to conclusions. Lee Han might have judged that there's something worth learning. While it's true that Lee Han is being forced to learn certain magics by other professors..."
'Professor!'
Lee Han was slightly moved.
Indeed, Professor Yonlamo was someone who understood him.
"...he must have magics he genuinely wants to learn as well. Like this one, for instance."
'No, that's not it.'
Lee Han regretted it.
He should have just said he was skipping lectures and helping out for the gold coins!
It was clear that Professor Yonlamo had misunderstood, thinking Lee Han was studying magic out of pure will.
"Indeed... these magics... hmm."
Carnella thought the junior was slightly insane but chose not to say anything.
If he carelessly provoked the junior's mood, he might lose the chance to get close to rare creatures like Griffins or Basilisks.
"Well then, everyone, that's all for now. Oh, Lee Han. Do you have <From Caterpillar to Dragon> with you?"
"Huh? Yes."
Lee Han flinched.
After last year's final exams, Professor Yonlamo and Lee Han had this conversation:
-It might be good to study that during the break. It's quite a good grimoire, that one.
-How much should I study?
-As much as you can?
From the professor's perspective, it was just a casual book recommendation, but to Lee Han, it didn't sound that way.
It sounded like he was being told to do his absolute best and push his limits.
"How far have you read? Have you gotten to Chapter 3 by any chance?"
"I've read a little."
"Is that so? Have you learned any of the spells from Chapter 3?"
"...I've learned a little."
"Then show me during the next lecture. Everyone, we're really done now!"
Professor Yonlamo waved his hand and left as lightly as he had arrived.
Pat!
Carnella looked at his junior with curiosity and asked,
"You have <From Caterpillar to Dragon>? I heard that's quite difficult. And the spells in Chapter 3... did you really learn them?"
"I haven't learned them."
"What?"
"I haven't learned them yet. With what I studied during the break, Chapter 1 was my limit."
"Junior. Why did you lie like that?"
"After seeing Senior Zarun get devoured by a cloak just now, you're still saying things like that?"
'That was his own fault...'
Honestly, in Carnella's eyes, if Senior Zarun had been dragged away and died, it would have been considered a natural death.
He had only asked for one lecture, but if Zarun kept ignoring him, even a kind person like Professor Leji would resort to such methods, wouldn't they?
"Professor Leji isn't the type to scold you for not learning something."
"Ha! Every professor seems kind until they reveal their true nature."
"Well, that's true..."
Even Carnella couldn't deny that statement.
Professors at Einrogard should never be fully trusted until after graduation.
"Let's leave that aside. Junior, what are you going to do now? You said you just finished Chapter 1."
"I'll have to push through to chapter 3 and find a spell to learn by next week. Whew."
"......"
'Is this guy insane?'
Carnella shuddered at Lee Han's utterly abnormal way of thinking. Perhaps he'd gone mad from trying to attend every lecture series.
Who in their right mind would choose to catch up on progress at this point?
"W-well. Junior. I respect you. Don't forget I said this. Especially when competitions come up or when you let me pet the baby basilisk later."
"Understood, Senior. Could you assist me with the casting?"
Lee Han asked while preparing the experiment for <Zarun's Inelastic Rubber>.
"Are you sure you can handle this? The progress is so lacking that there might not be much left to work with."
"It's still quite incomplete, but I think casting should be possible at this stage."
"Really? Was I mistaken?"
The tall dark elf senior tilted her head in confusion.
When she'd last reviewed the research on <Zarun's Inelastic Rubber>, it hadn't even been at a castable level.
Even if the effect disappeared shortly after, forcibly casting to summon the material was worlds apart from being completely unable to cast at all.
Even in research, the former was far more convenient. With the latter, you couldn't even see or touch it with your hands.
'How could I have confused the two?'
"!"
To her surprise, Carnella realized she had indeed been mistaken.
Looking at the spell formula, it seemed casting was possible at this level.
'The mana consumption is enormous, and it'll put quite a strain on the caster, but at this stage...'
"Senior Zarun is peculiar. Why would he prepare a spell like this for casting? It looks like you'd collapse after each use."
"Ah. I modified it for my own use."
"What? When? There wasn't time for that."
"I did the calculations and adjustments while Senior Zarun was handing it over and the professor was knocking on the door."
"......"
A chill ran down Carnella's spine...
Just what kind of monster is this kid??
Having finished his work, Lee Han stepped outside (he meticulously recorded every single second of his work time in the ledger).
-Can't this brat clean his filthy hands right away?
-I'm one to talk. Shameless bastard. Go seduce someone from your own tower, you creep!
-How dare you spout nonsense about not knowing the spirit of Einrogard's clubs? I won't back down from you, especially...
"?"
Lee Han tilted his head at the sound of what seemed like a gathering argument.
Quite a few students had assembled, and aside from a few, the rest appeared to be spectating the fight.
"Senior Sebius."
"Who... Oh, it's you?"
The hamster beastman, a fourth-year from the Black Turtle Tower, gestured when he saw Lee Han.
"What's going on?"
"Just the usual. Clubs fighting over recruiting juniors."
"Ah. Like me, then."
"Something like that. Look over there."
Sebius pointed at a student in the middle of the commotion.
"That one's from the Hunters' Club. The one in front is from the Sculpture Club. And next to them is the Outings Club."
"I see."
Hearing the names of Einrogard's unofficial clubs always gave Lee Han slight relief.
At least they couldn't forcibly drag him in.
"Are you also here to scout new members, Senior?"
"No. I came to retrieve a book."
Sebius jerked his chin toward another student watching the spectacle and pointed at their backpack.
"That brat used the book they borrowed as a pillow."
"...I-I see."
Lee Han decided not to dwell on his senior's motives and turned back to watch the fight.
Students from various clubs, each in distinct attire, were arguing fiercely, and among them, second-year Nilia looked utterly bewildered...
'...?!!'
Lee Han was stunned at the sight of his familiar friend.
Why is she there!?
"Huh?!"
"What's wrong?"
"My friend is right there!"
"Your friend, you say? Hmm..."
Sebius thought, 'Figures someone like you would have such peculiar friends.'
"What are you implying?"
"Nothing. Nothing at all. Your friend seems popular."
-If someone from the Shadow Patrol doesn't join the Hunters' Club, where the hell else would they go?!
"Do you only see people's backgrounds in that head of yours? Look at this sculpture. Can't you feel the talent here?"
"You're all wrong. This sociable junior should join the Social Club. He's the kind of talent who'd blend right into any ballroom!"
"Could Nilia get caught up in any trouble?"
"No need to worry about that. They're just fighting among themselves."
Sebius carefully pulled out his staff, chanted a spell, and thrust it straight into the backpack of a student engrossed in watching the commotion.
The staff pierced through the backpack as if being sucked into liquid.
Whoosh!
After carefully extracting a book, Sebius put on a satisfied expression and slipped it back into the backpack. The owner remained completely unaware.
"But they're fighting way too much."
"Well... talents worth recruiting into clubs aren't exactly common."
"What if they all end up recruiting her?"
"That's impossible. Clubs don't usually go that far."
"......"
Lee Han stared at the senior with a bitter, sorrowful look. Sebius belatedly noticed that gaze and felt a pang of guilt.
"...Yours was a special case. Who told you to stand out so much?"
"This is too harsh."
"Those are unofficial clubs—they don't even have the authority to forcibly recruit members. And even if they did, they wouldn't do it unless the junior was truly exceptional."
Forcing someone to join only happened when refusing would mean lifelong mockery from other clubs or getting beaten up by current members.
After all, Einrogard clubs highly respected a mage's free will.
"......"
Of course, Lee Han's mood didn't improve.
Meanwhile, Nilia, who had been at a loss for what to do, finally spotted Lee Han.
-...
Help me!
Receiving his friend's desperate gaze, Lee Han panicked.
"Senior. Can we extract my friend?"
"Just let her join one club. It's not a big deal."
"Do you even realize what kind of place Einrogard clubs are to say something so absurd?"
"You only joined the exhausting and weird ones—there are plenty of normal clubs too."
Grumbling in annoyance, Sebius eventually gave in to his junior's request.
"Fine. I'll distract them. Get her out in the meantime."
"Thank you!"
Lee Han bowed his head, then signaled to Nilia.
-Approaching soon. Prepare to escape.
'Wait. But how are you going to distract them?'
"It's the Headmaster! The Headmaster is attacking!!!!"
Screams and chaos.
As Lee Han cast Invisibility Magic and dashed through the pandemonium, he marveled.
'I learned something new.'
"So what the hell happened?"
"Huff, huff... I-It's a long story."
Nilia exhaled heavily as she spoke.
"How long can it possibly be? Spit it out."
"Well..."
She met some seniors from the Black Turtle Tower, who liked her so much they fought over recruiting her into their clubs. While fleeing from them, she coincidentally ran into a senior from the Phoenix Tower affiliated with the Alchemy School. That led to befriending the Phoenix Tower seniors, and then the topic of clubs came up again...
"...Huh. Longer than I expected."
"I told you it was long! Ugh."
Nilia clutched her stomach, as if just thinking about the seniors made her queasy.
Having to choose just one of those offers...
"Right. How did you end up picking one?"
"Nilia. I just got recruited into all of them."
"......"
An awkward silence hung between the two friends for a moment. Nilia awkwardly averted her gaze and kicked a pebble on the roadside.
"Ugh... ugh..."
"!?!"
"M-Monster!"
Nilia gasped in horror at the unidentified creature that emerged from where the pebble had rolled.
It looked like a Chimera that had melted in a toxic swamp—a horrifying sight. Even after seeing all sorts of monsters at Einrogard, this was a first.
"Wardanaz! Be careful!"
"Young one of the Wardanaz Family... do you remember me...? I am Antagondals... This is what became of me... for stealing you away..."
"???"
Nilia turned her head in shock.
She had no idea her friend knew this person.
Without a single change in expression, Lee Han shamelessly replied.
"Excuse me, but I don't recall. Who are you?"
"......"