Episode 884
Episode 884
After conversing with Einrogard's top senior and returning to the lounge, Lee Han gained a small realization.
'Diret Senior was right. In certain situations, deception counts as self-defense.'
Lee Han draped a large blanket (woven together from students' cloaks) over Jowurin, who was dozing off while crouched near the fireplace.
For Jowurin, who usually lived quietly and peacefully in her mansion, the Magic Academy was like a festival full of endless excitement. Even when drowsiness overwhelmed her, she refused to return to the lounge and persistently followed Lee Han around.
As a result, whenever they finally returned to the lounge, she would immediately curl up and fall asleep.
Truth be told, it wasn't entirely bad for Lee Han either. Taking care of Jowurin wasn't particularly exhausting, but he still needed some time for himself.
Lee Han began organizing his tasks by writing down what needed to be done tomorrow (Friday), over the weekend, and points to note for next week's midterms on a piece of paper.
'Hmm...'
Looking at the darkness settling outside the window, Lee Han felt the need to refresh his thoughts.
One convenient aspect of being a mage was not having to fill a kettle with water and boil it over a stove at times like these.
Lee Han waved his staff, conjuring water in midair and boiling it.
'This is what being a mage is all about.'
While ordinary mages wouldn't waste precious mana on such trivial tasks, Lee Han felt the true utility of magic most strongly in moments like these.
Holding a cup of hot, strongly brewed coffee, Lee Han approached the window.
Though it was a barren and harsh place, Einrogard truly had beautiful scenery.
If you stuck your head out the window at midnight, you could see the brilliant trails of stars passing overhead while the whispers of the forest rose from below...
-Snore!
"......"
Lee Han's expression turned extremely complicated as he witnessed Professor Bendozol sleeping rough without any cover below the window.
To have one of his few pleasures ruined like this. It seemed he wouldn't be able to enjoy the view outside his window for a while.
'Deception—no, I'll have to resort to self-defense.'
Lee Han took out and unfolded the <Whispers of Einrogard> artifact. Then he began scribbling a message on the Watcher Club's page.
Gonadaltes: Has everyone heard the rumor?
Beaver
-Penguin
-Fox: What rumor?
Gonadaltes: The rumor about the intruder who came in this time. It's so shocking and surprising that my hands are still trembling.
Beaver
-Penguin
-Fox: Your handwriting seems perfectly fine for someone who's that shaken... So? What's the rumor?
Gonadaltes: That the intruder actually stole the Headmaster's treasure! Isn't that astonishing?
Beaver
-Penguin
-Fox: What?! That's truly surprising... Wait. How do you actually know that?
'Oh no.' Lee Han realized his mistake.
He'd only thought about mobilizing the Watcher Club members without considering how it would make him look.
'No choice. I'll have to brazen it out.'
Beaver
-Penguin
-Fox: The more I think about it, you seem to know an suspicious amount about the Headmaster...
Gonadaltes: For heaven's sake. I don't know how long I have to put up with this. Even when I share rumors, I get slandered like this. Fine. Let's just end the conversation here.
Beaver
-Penguin
-Fox: No. I was wrong! I apologize.
Though BeaverPenguinFox found it suspicious internally, they apologized anyway.
There was nothing to gain from persecuting someone who provided information within the club.
Bakwantalana: That's convincing. The one currently moving to capture the intruder is the boy from the Wardanaz family. The Headmaster's disciple. If he took the Headmaster's treasure, it would be logically plausible.
Beaver
-Penguin
-Fox: ...
Do you happen to know what the treasure is? It's not <Light of the Forest>, is it?
'What's that?' Though he didn't know what artifact they were referring to, Lee Han decided to play along for now.
Gonadaltes: That possibility can't be completely ruled out. Though it's not certain, of course.
Beaver
- Penguin
- Fox: "This won't do. We should go kill the intruder. I'll apologize to everyone in advance. Because I'm taking the treasure for myself."
'This guy can be reliable at times like this.' Lee Han was almost certain that BeaverPenguinFox was Ilendil.
Given that, it was no surprise that his proactive attitude within the Watcher Club was astonishing.
Senior Ilendil, the dryad hybrid, was usually slow and indifferent.
'Wait, no. Now that I think about it, he was quite proactive when it came to the forest...' Come to think of it, he'd spewed curses like crazy whenever the forest was damaged.
Maybe his usual sluggishness was simply because he wasn't interested in other matters.
Gonadaltes: "Bakwantalana. Aren't you the least bit concerned about BeaverPenguinFox saying that? He might just take everything for himself."
Bakwantalana: "I have my own plans."
Gonadaltes: "You know about the portal among the Headmaster's treasures that connects to outside the school, right? Rumor has it the intruder took it..."
He threw out random provocations to rile the other, but Bakwantalana seemed to have closed his book, as there was no further reply.
Lee Han clicked his tongue in disappointment as he waited.
'No need to rush. This is just the beginning.' Securing even one member was a decent result, and other club members might show interest later when they unfolded this artifact.
Lee Han pondered how to craft convincing lies when the topic came up again.
'I'm not sure what Iactus likes. Bulgasari seems a bit old-fashioned... And Clzenberg? Forget persuasion—he just gives me the creeps.'
Tap
— "?"
How much time had passed?
A paper bird flew in through the window. Upon checking its contents, Lee Han was startled by the sender's identity.
Come to the common lounge immediately upon reading this.
— Yukveltire
'Aha. So the senior has heard the rumors too.' Lee Han understood the situation.
The rumor about the intruder possessing treasure had clearly reached Yukveltire's ears.
"Senior."
"Mhm."
Seated in the common lounge chair (which had to be carried around or conjured on the spot, as students from other grades would steal it if left unattended), Yukveltire nodded at her junior.
"What brings you here? Is it about the intruder?"
"Correct. You're quite perceptive."
"Having your support would be a great reassurance. Thank you."
Lee Han replied with exaggerated politeness.
Of course, Yukveltire—who had likely stepped in because of the Skeleton Principal's treasure—would feel deeply betrayed, but Lee Han remained coldly pragmatic.
In certain situations at Einrogard, wasn't deception justifiable self-defense?
Especially if the opponent was a senior from the Enchantment Magic faction.
"I'd like to know what you've learned about the intruder. And the other students involved."
"I'll explain everything I know to the best of my ability."
Lee Han began recounting what he knew.
While his knowledge of the intruder was limited, he was well-informed about the participating students.
Yukveltire took notes on her junior's words, contemplating her approach.
'Approaching from the foot of the mountain might be pointless. Maybe setting a trap deeper inside...'
"Senior, by the way... what treasure are you after?"
Lee Han seized the opportunity to fish for information about the Skeleton Principal's treasures.
If Yukveltire was after one of them, it must be valuable.
"?"
But Yukveltire's reaction was unexpected.
She stared blankly at him with transparent eyes, as if she had no idea what he was talking about.
"Aren't you after the intruder's treasure?"
"Not particularly. Even if the intruder stole from the Headmaster, it's likely something trivial."
Yukveltire was ice-cold.
Yukveltire had judged that even if the intruder had stolen a treasure, it was most likely something trivial at best.
If it had been a truly important treasure, the Death Knights wouldn't be wandering around so leisurely right now.
She wasn't foolish enough to act on such unreliable rumors alone.
'No. Then why did she step forward?'
"If that's not the case... then why?"
"As much as you, a junior from the Wardanaz family, have helped me with my research, I'm simply returning the favor."
"...!!!"
Lee Han was genuinely shocked by the unexpected answer.
'That's absurd!'
Who would have thought someone like Yukveltire would step forward out of pure goodwill?
Of course, Lee Han had promised to help with her research during the break, but even considering that, this was extraordinary.
'If anyone dares to call her "Little Verdus" from now on, I'll grab them by the collar immediately.'
Lee Han was both astonished and moved.
People really could change.
If that was the case, did that mean Professor Verdus would one day abandon his attitude and step forward to help out of pure goodwill too?
'...'
That's impossible to imagine...'
"Thank you, Senior. I truly didn't expect you to help me without asking for anything in return. What made you think of this?"
"Diret told me to."
"......"
Lee Han's admiration instantly halved.
So that was it!
"By any chance, was that line about helping me as much as I've helped you also something Diret Senior wrote for you?"
"Yes."
"...But did Diret Senior give you permission to tell me this?"
Listening to the conversation, Lee Han grew slightly suspicious.
Given Diret's personality, if he was pushing his friend to help a junior, he would've kept it a secret, not revealed it.
Yukveltire frowned slightly, her pale face showing hesitation as she pondered.
Then she spoke.
"I don't think he gave permission. I'd appreciate it if you kept this a secret."
"Understood... Anyway, thank you..."
"Make sure to tell Diret properly too. That you, a junior from the Wardanaz family, are grateful to me."
"Yes, yes."
Jowurin, who had been nodding off, woke up and crawled out to the common lounge when she didn't see Lee Han.
Lee Han, who had just seen Yukveltire off, widened his eyes in surprise upon spotting Jowurin.
"You're awake?"
...
Jowurin hadn't been sleeping!
'Why do Jowurin and the baby basilisk keep insisting they weren't asleep?'
No one would scold them even if they had slept, so why insist otherwise? He couldn't quite understand.
Since it wasn't important, Lee Han briefly explained what had happened.
"It seems Senior Yukveltire will also be joining the other Enchantment Magic seniors to catch the intruder."
Yukveltire is so kind!
"Um... Well... Not exactly. Yes. She is kind."
Lee Han didn't want to criticize her in front of Jowurin, so he let it slide.
'I'm pretty sure she once tried to hang Professor Verdus upside down in front of His Highness...'
Jowurin tilted her head and spoke.
She had actually thought Yukveltire had come because of the exam.
"The exam?"
Lee Han, you're already looking at the exam! So you're taking it early...
"...That's a misunderstanding, Your Highness."
Despite Lee Han's explanation, Jowurin refused to let go of her misconception. He had to clarify again—he wasn't intentionally looking at the exam early, it was a coincidence, and if Yukveltire was currently teaching <Magic Algebra and Arcane Geometry>, that was such a difficult course that looking at it early made no sense...
"Even if I studied all weekend, I still wouldn't be ready."
Lee Han thought he could just wing it.
"Absolutely not—"
The common lounge door opened, and Yukveltire, who had just left, returned.
She sat down lightly in front of Lee Han and spoke.
"I got so caught up discussing the intruder that I forgot another matter. There's something I need to tell you, junior of the Wardanaz family."
"I'm listening."
Thud!
A thick stack of papers landed on the table.
"It's the <Magic Algebra and Arcane Geometry> exam. Start as soon as you're ready."
"......"