Episode 865
Episode 865
'I want to believe I misheard.'
If Lee Han had heard correctly just now, what Jowurin was offering was...
"I just pulled it out! Here!"
Jowurin innocently opened her mouth and pointed with her front paw to the spot where her tooth had been.
For a moment, Lee Han envisioned his name appearing in both the Imperial Newspaper and the Einrogard Newspaper.
"Young Wardanaz Coerces Royal Family into Surrendering Flesh, Sparks Outrage... Was it a Fair Trade or Deception Through Dark Magic?"
Rumors have long circulated that the Wardanaz boy has been manipulating and controlling members of the royal family. According to one royal's testimony, "Food, clothing, shelter—life without Wardanaz is unimaginable..."
The head of the Wardanaz family has refused to comment. Citizens of the Empire must remain vigilant against the Wardanaz family. What could their true intentions be in dominating the royals?
Thud!
"An Unnamed Junior of the Wardanaz Family Develops Revolutionary Method to Extract Reagents from a Dragon's Flesh."
Many mistakenly believe brute force is the only way, but this junior hypnotized a dragon into willingly offering its reagents!
This serves as a wake-up call to modern Einrogard mages, who rely solely on magic without employing wisdom.
From now on, wise Einrogard mages should follow this junior's example—when encountering a dragon, refrain from reckless attacks and instead convince it that you alone are its ally!
'This is horrifying.'
The most horrifying part was that he couldn't even refute the logic of those visions.
Frankly, if Lee Han had been an outsider, he probably would've thought the same.
Blocking everyone else from approaching while meticulously securing such benefits for himself...
"...Is it not good?"
Jowurin, noticing Lee Han standing frozen with a pale face, cautiously asked.
She had thought it was a fine material and had gone through the effort of pulling it out, but his reaction made the dragon visibly deflate.
"I was so overjoyed I was left speechless, Your Highness."
"Really? Then here's another—"
"If I receive another, my heart might stop from sheer joy. Cough! It's already halfway there..."
"Ah, no! Lee Han! I command you to stop being so happy!"
As Jowurin stomped her feet in distress, Lee Han turned to the two professors for help.
'Help me, Professors!'
Come to think of it, asking Professor Voladi for help would probably be pointless. Lee Han decided to only plead with Professor Garcia.
"U-Your Highness... isn't a dragon's tooth a bit... excessive?"
Finally snapping out of her shock, Professor Garcia managed to speak.
Dragon teeth had long been prized as powerful magical reagents. In Summoning Magic, they were so renowned that they even had their own classification—Dragon Tooth Soldiers.
The problem was that this reagent was too rare.
Even the dragon teeth used in summoning Dragon Tooth Soldiers were rarely 100% pure. Given their scarcity, most were mixed with trace amounts of ancient dragon teeth or other substitutes.
So, giving such a priceless item to a mere second-year student—it was understandable why Lee Han was overwhelmed.
Moreover, wasn't Lee Han effectively Jowurin's guardian within Einrogard?
Sniff...
Jowurin looked utterly dejected.
After putting so much thought into the gift, only to be told it was too much...
She had been having so much fun at Einrogard, yet the realization that she couldn't even give a proper present made her eyes well up with tears.
Flustered, Professor Garcia quickly backtracked.
"T-Two would be excessive! But one is perfectly reasonable!"
'Professor...!'
Lee Han, who had been slumped over, inwardly lamented.
Even Professor Garcia was betraying him!
"Ah... So one is fine?"
"One is completely fine. A student like Lee Han can handle carrying around a single dragon tooth."
"......"
From earlier, phrases like 'if it's Lee Han' or 'since it's Lee Han' were being thrown around indiscriminately.
Lee Han gave up and sighed as he got up.
"Thank you. I'll use it well. Your Highness......But please don't recklessly pull out parts of your body from now on."
Hah, but Lee Han. This will grow back soon...
"If I say don't pull it out, then don't pull it out."
Understood!
As Lee Han sternly spoke as if telling him not to argue further, Jowurin immediately responded.
Seeing this, Professor Garcia was amazed.
A dragon that hadn't fully matured was an unpredictable troublemaker whose actions were impossible to foresee.
Who would have thought Jowurin would obey so well?
Though the problem was that he obeyed too well, even offering his tooth...
"Professor Garcia."
Professor Voladi subtly tilted his head toward Professor Garcia. Wondering if he had something to say, Professor Garcia looked puzzled.
"What is it, Professor?"
"It'd be best to use the dragon's tooth quickly."
"......"
At Professor Voladi's suggestion to practice summoning with the dragon's tooth before the lecture ended, Professor Garcia was at a loss for words.
This is how you end up with zero students!
While the professor was desperately trying to persuade the dragon to avoid infamy, here he was internally thinking, 'Hehe, I'll make my student summon a Dragon Tooth Soldier.'
"Professor. Aren't you worried about Lee Han at all?"
"?"
"...He's still a second-year, not only wandering around with a dragon but also receiving a tooth from one. If rumors spread, what will happen to Lee Han?"
At Professor Garcia's sincere words, Professor Voladi fell into brief thought.
Then he answered seriously.
"I don't think there'll be any difference from now."
"......"
Huh?
Is that so?
Professor Garcia, who was about to get angry, found herself slightly convinced.
Come to think of it, considering the current rumors, even if you added titles like <Dragon Subjugator> or <Dragon Plunderer>...
...it really doesn't feel any different, does it?!
Professor Garcia was confused about whether she had fallen for Professor Voladi's trick or not.
"Professor Garcia. Could you watch over me while I use the dragon's tooth?"
"Ah. Yes. Wait—what about Student Diret?"
"He's resting for now."
Lee Han pointed to Diret beside him.
Still reeling from the shock of seeing the dragon's tooth, Diret sat in his chair, wings trembling.
He had already collapsed earlier while Lee Han was looking at the illusion of the Imperial Newspaper.
"Ah. No... I'll help."
"...Student Diret, rest a bit longer!"
Jowurin happily sparred with the Skeleton Golem summoned from the dragon's tooth.
He enjoyed it so much that by the third round, he was knocked down and rolling on the ground (Diret almost collapsed again).
Wow! That was so, so fun!
"I'm glad too."
"Me too... Ugh."
Diret's complexion was as dark as someone who'd been locked in the Punishment Room for a month.
Feeling unnecessarily guilty, Lee Han apologized.
"I'm sorry, Senior."
"It's not... your fault..."
"Please stop talking and rest."
Instead of answering, Diret gestured. Lee Han immediately understood and asked.
"About the dragon's tooth?"
Nod.
"Here it is. Ah. Do you... want to have it?"
Diret bristled his wing feathers and shook his head violently. Then he glared at his junior.
"I'm sorry..."
"I meant... to guard it well... It's a precious material..."
"Student Diret. You've had a hard time. Drink this."
Professor Garcia took out a potion and handed it to him. It was a potion that revitalized energy and protected the mind.
After a few sips, Diret seemed to regain some energy and finally spoke.
"...This will probably be the most memorable lecture of the year."
"I'm sorry..."
"My apologies..."
"It's alright. It couldn't be helped. More importantly, you said we need to look after His Highness, right?"
"Yes."
"I'll take over. Professor Garcia, you have another schedule coming up, don't you?"
Seeing Diret step forward for his junior without hesitation, Professor Garcia's eyes grew slightly red.
Even in this desolate hell called Einrogard, mages with such kind souls occasionally emerged.
Perhaps the true miracle of Einrogard wasn't magic, but students like these.
"Thank you, Diret."
"When does Professor Bagrak have his schedule?"
At Diret's question, Professor Voladi opened his mouth.
"Next..."
"Do you have a lecture next period?"
"...Next week."
"......"
"......"
An awkward silence hung in the air. Everyone except Professor Voladi felt the discomfort. Even Jowurin seemed to notice and fidgeted.
"...I'm so glad Professor Bagrak will be joining us!"
"Senior. You should leave now. Just Professor Bagrak and I can handle this somehow."
"...Hey. Be quiet."
Diret steadied his wavering heart and made his junior shut his mouth.
Of course, he desperately wanted to leave, but if he backed out now, Diret would become no better than someone like Professor Verdus.
"What's the next lecture?"
"<Magic Algebra and Arcane Geometry>. Professor Knighton's class."
"At least it's an easier one..." Diret sighed in relief when he heard it was a second-year lecture.
Then he was horrified. '...Who would've thought I'd feel relieved about a second-year taking second-year classes!' Algebra? Geometry?
"Would you like to rest in the lounge if you're not interested?"
Lee Han asked Jowurin.
If Jowurin showed no interest, he planned to send him to the lounge to get some sleep.
That way, Lee Han and his group could relax a bit too.
Mmm! No way. Jowurin loves geometry very much! Especially analytic geometry and mana emission planes!
"......"
"......"
Lee Han and Diret exchanged looks of shock and terror...
Surely he couldn't be smarter than both of them...?
"Lee Han. You're having a tough time."
"Wardanaz. Hang in there."
As Lee Han dragged the dragon inside, his friends offered words of comfort.
Lee Han, standing against greedy and wicked seniors to protect the dragon, seemed truly devoted.
"...I don't deserve such words."
"Wardanaz...!"
"You damn...!"
Not just the Black Turtle Tower, but even the White Tiger Tower seemed slightly moved by his words.
"Ugh. That Wardanaz brat... Who knew he could say something so cool."
"I should've been the one to say that!"
Regardless of his friends' reactions, Lee Han was inwardly distressed. The dragon's tooth in his reagent pouch felt inexplicably heavier.
"...Wait. Why is the professor—?"
"Hold on. Isn't that person a fifth-year senior?!"
Diret covered his flushed face with both hands and sat in the very back corner of the lecture hall.
In contrast, Professor Voladi showed no change in expression. The two sat quietly with Jowurin between them.
Creak.
With the sound of the door opening, someone entered the front of the lecture hall.
Professor Alpen...
No—it was Yukveltire. Diret instinctively lowered his posture, hiding under the desk.
Jowurin tilted her head and asked.
Why are you curled up like a caterpillar?
"...I dropped my quill, Your Highness."
Jowurin nodded, mentally noting that 'Lee Han's senior makes a lot of mistakes.'
Meanwhile, Yukveltire spoke up.
"Professor Knighton is currently unavailable due to other matters. I will be conducting the lecture in his place. Any questions?"
No one raised their hand. Yukveltire nodded slightly as if expecting this.
Then, noticing the massive dragon sitting quietly at the back of the lecture hall, she raised an eyebrow.
"...Your Highness Jowurin?"
Hm?
"Could you come to the front for a moment?"
At Yukveltire's call, Lee Han swiftly drew his staff.
How dare you!