Episode 839
Episode 839
The Crazy Doppelganger looked at his disciple with a gaze full of pity.
It wasn't particularly strange for wizards to incorporate meaningful symbols from their own lives when developing new magic.
A newly created spell leaves behind traces longer and more distinct than any minstrel's song.
Embedding those traces with slightly more meaningful symbols is only natural for a wizard.
'Though I'm not sure if magic really leaves longer and more distinct traces than a minstrel's song.'
While most old songs have disappeared, wouldn't the same be true for magic?
The really popular songs have survived all the way to the current Empire's era...
'In my opinion, the song might survive for another thousand years.'
But instead of pointing out reality, Lee Han prepared to flatter.
The Crazy Doppelganger was already giving him a pitiful look—there was no benefit in provoking him further.
"Aha. So that's how it was. I didn't know. It must have been a wonderful tree."
It was a good friend since the royal family member was still young.
Gainando would've said, "How can a tree be a friend?" but Lee Han understood.
Sometimes, non-living things can be better friends than living ones, right?
Just as Imperial gold coins were to Lee Han, that Dendrobium tree must have been the same for the Crazy Doppelganger.
'How surprising. So even the Skeleton Principal had a time when he cherished and loved a tree?'
Maybe it was because it was a tree. At least trees don't say stupid things.
"By any chance... does that tree still exist?"
Lee Han wondered if the tree might still be somewhere in Einrogard—if so, he could show it the Echo Stone.
Even the Crazy Doppelganger might feel better seeing a childhood friend, right?
"That's impossible. Fool. The tree burned down."
Having accidentally touched a nerve while trying to flatter, Lee Han was startled.
"...My apologies."
"Did you burn it down, fool? Don't apologize for unnecessary things."
Fortunately, the Crazy Doppelganger didn't get angry at the rude question.
Instead, he fell silent, staring blankly into space as if lost in thought.
"Are you alright?"
"Yes. I was reminiscing. Strange. I don't usually recall such things."
It was only natural for Lee Han to find it odd.
The Skeleton Principal himself was an undead lich to begin with, and the Crazy Doppelganger was a splintered-off thought-form of that existence—a being governed by laws and principles rather than blood, flesh, bone, soul, or desire. Recalling the past was rare for such a being.
'But it's not entirely incomprehensible. I've heard that the older one gets, the more one dwells on the past.'
"Though I clearly learned magic from dragons. Hmm... I can't remember their names. Do you happen to know, fool?"
"...I'm afraid I don't."
Lee Han answered in shock at the unimaginable revelation of the Skeleton Principal's magical mentors.
"You don't know any of the dragons' names? Not even one? No matter how barbaric you are, that's—"
"These days... it's hard to see dragons. I've heard most of them have left."
Though not a dragon expert, Lee Han was well aware that dragons were an endangered species in rapid decline.
Unlike ancient times when dozens flew across the skies, nowadays you'd be lucky to spot even one deep in the Imperial Palace's innermost chambers.
And even that one dragon would likely shed its physical form and flit off to another dimension if not for those despicable, wicked wizards keeping it there.
'This is truly astonishing. I never would've guessed he learned magic from dragons.'
Lee Han had known the Skeleton Principal was an extraordinary archmage since his youth, but he'd never considered the origins of his magical teachings.
The figure was so ancient and mythical that if someone claimed the skeleton had simply fallen from the sky as-is, Lee Han might have nodded and accepted it with an "Ah, that makes sense."
Lee Han suddenly felt a spark of curiosity.
Just what kind of past did the Skeleton Principal have to become such a twisted monster?
Come to think of it, the Crazy Doppelganger was the most accurate witness who knew about the Skeleton Principal's past better than anyone.
Even though the Skeleton Principal could manipulate the memories of even the oldest Death Knights, doing so against the Crazy Doppelganger was impossible.
'Alright. I'll ask carefully.' If there were any weaknesses in the Skeleton Principal's past, it might serve as small compensation for the hardships he'd face this year.
"Was it common in your time to learn magic from dragons, Teacher?"
It sounded insane, but customs varied by era, didn't they?
If modern imperial mages studied at Einrogard, perhaps ancient mages learned in dragons' lairs.
Or maybe they lived as prey in dragons' lairs while learning...
No way. Dragons never taught magic to mortals in the first place.
"Then how did you learn it, Teacher?"
Because I was deemed worthy.
"Ah, yes."
Given that the Crazy Doppelganger never missed a chance to boast about his noble bloodline and honor, Lee Han responded with disinterest.
'The dragons must have been fooled. Teaching magic to someone like this...'
Just looking at Gainando, Senior Yu, or classmate Ahn proved that being royalty didn't necessarily make one trustworthy.
"Then did other royals learn magic too?"
Fool. I said 'worthy,' not 'royal blood.' Are you still this dull-witted and stupid?
"Huh? Then what kind of qualification was it?"
Literally the honor of wielding magic. Is that so hard to grasp?
"No. I understand."
You understand nothing.
"!"
"Caught in his thoughts, Lee Han was startled."
How did he know?
The Crazy Doppelganger sighed at his dense disciple and explained.
Listen. Imagine you're the prince of a single kingdom. A tiny, insignificant one.
"Yes."
The neighboring kingdom's army is formidable. Heavy-armored legions clad in magic armor and wielding magic spears, battle mage corps who imprison demigods in magic towers and wield their power... What would you do?
'Is this a story from the Three Kingdoms Era?'
Lee Han recalled the old tales written in imperial history books.
Throughout the continent's long history, there were eras lost without records and others preserved in writing.
Among them, the Three Kingdoms Era belonged to the distant ancient past.
In truth, the 'Three Kingdoms' didn't mean only three kingdoms existed.
It meant three major powers survived until the era's end, while countless minor kingdoms—now forgotten—once thrived, as recorded in books.
"Shouldn't I diligently master magic and use that power to strengthen my kingdom's defenses?"
Better than suggesting an invasion, but wrong. With that mindset, you'd never earn a dragon's teaching.
Lee Han tilted his head in confusion.
He still didn't understand.
"Then what should I do? Ah... Should I strike first?"
"'That does sound like the Skeleton Principal.'
Thinking about it, it seemed like the perfect choice for him.
But the Crazy Doppelganger only glared at Lee Han with even greater disdain.
Are you serious?
"...No."
The royal must swear to master the pinnacle of magic and erase the continent's bloodshed and scars. The dragons recognized that oath as qualification and...
"...!
"Lee Han was genuinely shocked by the unexpected answer."
Come to think of it, he had already heard this during Gonadaltes' Downfall, yet it hadn't crossed his mind at all.
'No. I knew the answer, yet I couldn't imagine it?'
It was because such an answer didn't suit the Skeleton Principal or the Crazy Doppelganger at all.
'Did he deceive the dragons?'
Don't even think for a second that he tricked them. Dragons are never fooled. Listen.
"How could I dare entertain such insolent thoughts?"
Lee Han flinched and quickly changed the subject.
"But Master. No matter how much one reaches the pinnacle of magic, is such a thing even possible?"
He had heard that even Gonadaltes' Downfall was ultimately a failed research project.
And if any other attempts had succeeded, the continent wouldn't be in its current state. Especially Einrogard should have disappeared long ago.
'It's impossible to know.'
'So it really is difficult.'
If it had been the Crazy Doppelganger's usual temperament, he would have outright said it was possible. The mere fact that he said "impossible to know" was practically admitting that it was half impossible.
Indeed, this wasn't a problem that could be solved with magic.
But that wasn't the point of this story. The royal swore an oath before the dragons, and the dragons respected the qualifications granted by that oath. Thanks to that, they could learn magic... Though the kingdom perished...
"Indeed..."
"Huh?"
"Pardon?"
"Didn't you just say something perished?"
"I said the kingdom perished. I've been thinking this since before, but... you really do have a problem with your ears..."
"No, I heard you clearly. I just didn't understand."
"Then it's your brain that's..."
"Why would the kingdom perish? They learned magic from the dragons."
"Did they say they'd learn magic to defend the kingdom, or to eliminate the bloodshed and scars of the continent? Honestly. When do you plan to start using your brain?"
'This doesn't seem like an intelligence issue on my part.'
It wasn't that Lee Han lacked comprehension—the other party's story was just too absurd.
Struggling to remain calm, Lee Han tried to organize his thoughts.
"So... you're saying that after swearing an oath before the dragons and learning magic, you didn't use it even as your kingdom was perishing?"
"A bit off. By the time I returned after learning magic, the kingdom had already perished."
The Crazy Doppelganger explained impassively.
By the time he had overcome the continent's suffering, sought out the dragons, learned magic, and returned, the kingdom had already fallen.
Distracted by the hostile nation to the east, they were caught off guard by a surprise attack from the allied nation to the south and perished in an instant.
All that remained were the ashes of the royal palace and the remnants of an ancient tree.
"You... didn't even seek revenge?"
"No."
"Why not?!"
"Because revenge wouldn't bring the fallen kingdom back to life!"
"......"
Lee Han felt chills even worse than when the Crazy Doppelganger had been raging.
It would have been more human if he had acted like a typical eccentric mage, demanding repayment for teaching magic. This felt too surreal.
'No way. Can a person really be like this?'
Lee Han wasn't a violent person, but if he had learned magic only to return and find his kingdom destroyed with enemy armies before him, he couldn't even imagine what he might have done.
The royal's kingdom had also destroyed many others. And the kingdom that destroyed the royal's kingdom soon perished as well. As a mage, one must make far more constructive choices than clinging to such meaningless cycles. Honestly.
"And what, pray tell, was that 'constructive choice'?"
"As I said—awakening the ultimate pinnacle of magic to erase the bloodshed and scars of the continent. The royal failed, but if you become an outstanding disciple... and if you, in turn, raise an even greater disciple... then someday, we may reach it."
"..."
"Can't I just learn ten 5th Circle spells instead?"
Faced with the ancient archmage's absurd expectations, Lee Han blurted out nonsense without thinking.
'If it's impossible, just say it's impossible.'
Grumbling, Lee Han trudged along.
The Crazy Doppelganger, infuriated by Lee Han's nonsense, spent an entire hour berating him with every possible reprimand.
He might as well have just cursed instead!
"Ah. Professor Garcia."
"Lee Han. Come in. But where is Lagesa? I heard she's been following you around and observing lectures?"
Professor Garcia tilted her head in confusion upon seeing Lee Han alone.
There had definitely been rumors among the professors about the old pirate tailing the Wardanaz heir and attending lectures.
So she had mentally prepared herself, expecting Lagesa to come along...
"...She said something urgent came up."
"..."
"Don't tell me she skipped because my lecture was boring?"
The professor was deeply wounded by the startled look in her student's eyes.