Episode 841
Episode 841
"Did I really come across that way?"
Startled by his suddenly fallen reputation, Lee Han tried to persuade Professor Garcia.
"Professor. Please believe me."
"Yes, yes. I believe you."
"Only when Lee Han looked at her with sorrowful eyes did Professor Garcia's heart soften slightly."
What was I saying... I'm sorry, Lee Han. It's not like you chose to be like this, right?
"That's correct, Professor."
While playing along, Lee Han noticed the Echo Stone embedded in the tip of his staff and subtly rotated it. 'This is an exceptional situation, so I should set it aside for now.'
"Actually, if a disciple only follows the path their master wants, they're not a good disciple. A true disciple should deviate from their master's desired path."
"No, I only wish to follow the path that Professor Garcia directs."
"Professor Garcia was dumbfounded by her disciple's blatant flattery."
'To say something like that... Does this disciple truly have no conscience?'
"...Just be careful, Lee Han. That doppelgänger is a type of thought-form. It's not a living being but more like a law or calamity. The persistence of such entities often defies the common sense of us mortals."
"I'll keep that in mind."
"Now, let's go meet Professor Verdus."
Professor Garcia checked the time and stood up.
Truthfully, she wanted to lecture him for another hour about being cautious, but she had already half given up, thinking it pointless.
If the disciple had known, it would have been a deeply hurtful abandonment.
"Oh, Lee Han."
"Yes?"
"Don't students these days use many exclamation marks when writing letters?"
"I think they just write normally. Is there a reason to use many exclamation marks?"
"Uh... well... like a trend or something?"
"I haven't heard of such a trend."
"Professor Garcia looked shocked."
Muttering things like 'Unbelievable' or 'Has the trend already ended?', she left Lee Han bewildered, prompting him to ask:
"Are you sending a letter to a student?"
"Ah... no. I was just asking."
'For just asking, she seemed quite shocked.'
The security at the Sacred Pavilion Hall, where Professor Verdus resided, was far more intense than usual.
Even before reaching the entrance, a small walking bronze golem with a sapphire lens glowing approached.
"Unauthorized access is prohibited. Unauthorized access is prohibited."
"I'm Professor Garcia."
"I'm Lee Han."
-Identity confirmed as Einrogard affiliates. Proceeding to next verification. Have you ever received any requests involving the abduction of Vible Verdus or equivalent tasks from outsiders? Please answer.
"A bizarrely distorted mana emanated from the bronze golem."
Though it was his first time seeing such magic, Lee Han could guess its purpose. 'It must be a lie-detection spell...'
And there was only one reason why such an expensive spell would be installed on a bronze golem for tower security.
Somewhere in Einrogard, there must be pirates like Ra Mo, who had been scammed by Professor Verdus and were now grinding their teeth in frustration.
"I haven't."
"I haven't either."
-Truth confirmed. You may enter.
'Should I just smash it to pieces...?'
Professor Garcia grumbled internally as she stepped forward.
If they'd spent that time teaching students one more lesson or gifting them one more material, what harm would it have done?
On the first floor of the Sacred Pavilion Hall, several students from the Enchantment Magic school were sitting and carefully discussing.
Seeing this, Professor Garcia's heart ached even more. 'They should be receiving guidance under their professor, yet here they are studying alone like this.'
Thinking she might help if there was anything she could do, Professor Garcia approached the students.
"I think we should kidnap Professor Verdus and sell him now. If we wait a few more days, the buyers might give up and leave."
"No. We need to think carefully. In fact, as the weekend approaches, Professor Verdus's value might even rise."
"I think the more important question isn't when to sell him, but how to kidnap him in the first place. You haven't all forgotten, have you? The moment we make a decision and accept a commission, those golems will stand in our way."
"......"
Watching the students seriously plotting to kidnap a professor for an external commission made Professor Garcia sigh so deeply she thought the ground might cave in.
"Oh. Professor Garcia. Good afternoon."
"Good afternoon my foot..."
"Is something the matter?"
"...Never mind. Carry on with your work."
Professor Garcia started to say something but then gave up. In a way, this was Professor Verdus's own fault. 'This isn't my business to interfere with.' As she trudged along, Professor Garcia suddenly realized something was off.
Lee Han wasn't with her.
"Seniors. What exactly happened to the people who wanted to kidnap Professor Verdus?"
"Lee Han!"
"My apologies."
Lee Han quickly apologized and came running.
"You were asking about that over there?"
"Well, you never know when it might come in handy..."
"...Just follow me."
Professor Garcia began climbing the spiral staircase of the Sacred Pavilion Hall. Then she shouted in an irritated voice:
"You've gone and cast useless magic here again! Professor Verdus! Open up!"
"Professor Verdus never listens to words, does he?"
Lee Han thought Professor Garcia was pointlessly wasting her energy. Wouldn't it be better to just break the magic and go straight up to Professor Verdus's quarters instead of...
"Alright, alright! Calm down!"
"?!"
But surprisingly, Professor Verdus's voice echoed down from the ceiling. Lee Han was genuinely shocked. 'Professor Verdus is actually listening?' It was so unbelievable that Lee Han scrutinized Professor Garcia again. Her tightly clenched fist stood out oddly. 'Is it because of that?'
Rustle rustle
Several confusion spells disappeared, and the hidden traps on the staircase deactivated. A new path opened in the wall, and a door appeared in the ceiling.
"Should we go up now?"
"It's not over yet, Lee Han."
Clank clank clank!
A loud noise came from behind the newly appeared door in the ceiling. Professor Garcia spoke in an utterly exasperated voice:
"How long do we have to wait?!"
"Just a moment! I chained up too many things! Give me a little more time!"
It was quite rare to see Professor Verdus shouting so urgently. As he frantically unlocked the chains, he added worriedly:
"Don't break anything! Professor Garcia!"
"......"
Under Lee Han's gaze, Professor Garcia's face turned slightly red.
"I don't normally break things, Lee Han. That time was an accident."
"Professor, I'd respect you even if you brought down the entire Sacred Pavilion Hall."
"Don't respect me for that sort of thing..."
In a flurry, Professor Verdus finally finished unlocking everything and lowered a magical ladder from the ceiling door. He was so rushed that he was drenched in sweat.
"Here! See? Nothing broken!"
"At this rate, people will think I go around breaking everything, Professor Verdus."
"But you do go around breaking everyth— Aaah!"
Professor Verdus paid dearly for letting his guard down when Professor Garcia got close. With her innate senses, talent, and cunning, she slipped past his magical barrier and grabbed his shoulder in a vice-like grip.
The pain was enough to bring tears to his eyes, and Professor Verdus berated himself for his complacency and naivety. 'Falling for it again! I should never have trusted her, even if she is Professor Garcia!'
"Don't say anything strange. Understood?"
"Got it! Got it!"
Witnessing such a masterful suppression, Lee Han looked at Professor Garcia with the most fervent gaze of admiration he'd had all year. 'I want to become like Professor Garcia too.' The Skeleton Principal and his Crazy Doppelganger suddenly seemed unnecessary. This might be what a real mage looks like.
When the two ascended to the upper floor, they were surprised by what they saw.
The upper level wasn't Professor Verdus's usual magic workshop but rather an attic.
With fewer magical tools and devices and a much narrower space, it was considerably more cluttered and cramped. Professor Verdus, who had been holding onto an artifact he'd been working on earlier, asked,
"What brings you here? But could you maybe let go of my shoulder?"
"Professor Verdus. I came because I have a request."
"Alright. But seriously, can you let go of my shoulder?"
Professor Verdus pleaded with his naturally adorable beaver beastman voice and face without even trying, but Professor Garcia shook her head. If she let him go out of pity, things would just get more troublesome.
"Could you process some black magnetite for Lee Han here?"
"Huh? No."
With the sound of Professor Verdus's collarbone cracking under violence and submission, a healing spell activated.
"Alright! I'll do it!"
"Thank you, Professor. In return, I'll forget about that time I patrolled for you, graded exams for you, prepared assignments for you, crafted artifacts for criminals on your behalf, and managed materials for you."
"Total bully..." Professor Garcia wanted to tighten her grip again at Professor Verdus's grumbling but restrained herself. She might have done it for her student, but she didn't want to exert herself over her own fleeting emotions.
"Did you bring the black magnetite?"
"You have it, don't you?"
"......"
Professor Verdus made a tearful face, but Professor Garcia coldly shook her head.
Sniffling, Professor Verdus fumbled through his pockets and pulled out an ingot of black magnetite. 'So the professor usually carries subspace pouches and a backpack attached to his clothes.' Lee Han made a mental note of Professor Verdus's item list for future reference.
"Isn't this worse than Gonadaltes?"
"......"
Professor Garcia endured the insult with superhuman patience.
"Take a look at this. Here. If you see the shape of this staff, you'll understand—"
"Specialized in Ancient Magic? Did Gonadaltes commission this?"
"No. It's Lee Han's staff. Weren't you listening?"
"Well... Gonadaltes could also commission a Wardanaz staff, couldn't he...?"
Professor Verdus, slightly crushed by Professor Garcia's murderous aura, stammered. Surprisingly, he had a point, leaving Professor Garcia momentarily flustered. 'He's right?' Come to think of it, even the Skeleton Principal could have commissioned Lee Han's staff. For Professor Verdus, that was quite sharp observation.
"That may be true, but no. Here, can you feel the wood?"
"A King-class spirit? How did you secure this?"
Professor Verdus was gradually growing interested. Unlike tedious repetitive tasks, this staff had quite a few fresh aspects to it.
"I'll tell you once it's all done."
"Wait. Did you get this from the Forest of the Broad-Eyed King!? How did you even get in there!?"
Professor Verdus asked in shock. A branch from the Forest of the Broad-Eyed King? He'd been eyeing that for ages!
"Listen carefully."
"Ow!"
"You'll need to complete the staff by matching it to this."
"Alright..."
"Can you do it?"
"Yeah. Seems fun."
Professor Garcia felt reassured by Professor Verdus's words. Phrases like 'I'll try,' 'I'll do it,' 'I'll work hard,' or 'I really will' held no credibility, but 'Seems fun' was something she could trust. Because when Professor Verdus found something fun, he worked harder than anyone else.
"Then I'll have to deal with what Gonadaltes left later. It wasn't fun anyway."
"Go ahead."
"?"
Lee Han, who had been listening nearby, whispered in panic,
"Uh, Professor. Is that really okay? If you don't meet the deadline, Professor Verdus might—"
"So what? That's his responsibility. Who told him to miss the deadline?"
"......"