Episode 890
Episode 890
As Saratan found himself suddenly being treated like a criminal after showing off a bit, his voice grew increasingly frantic.
-That's not what I meant, Mage! Please believe me!
"You're asking me to trust you."
-Yes!
"You mean the same you who tried to kill me and escape the moment we met."
-......
Saratan wanted to say, 'When powerful beings meet across dimensions, it's natural they might have a big fight—why are you still being so petty about that?'
But thanks to having been attacked by the mage several times recently, Saratan's social skills had developed remarkably well for a high-ranking spirit.
-It's a misunderstanding!!
"Wardanaz, it's that spirit bastard! We need to exterminate that spirit!"
"That arrogant, ungrateful wretch! See, this is exactly why Wardanaz had to keep him in check by force! We showed concern, and this is how he repays our kindness?!"
The friends from each tower pointed angrily at Lee Han's staff and shouted.
If Lee Han hadn't been there, they would have snatched the staff and burned it themselves.
"Everyone, calm down first."
"Wardanaz! You can't trust that spirit! He'll betray you again!"
"No. I'm telling you to calm down because if we want to safely exterminate the spirit inside the staff, we need to go to an uninhabited area and set up shock-absorbing magic first."
"......"
The students couldn't help but marvel at Wardanaz, who had already finished planning how to exterminate the spirit before they could even try to persuade him.
Truly, such brilliance was befitting the top student of their year.
-No! No, Mage! I'm in a sealed state—if I get destroyed like this, I'll just...!
"You should've behaved better then. Why did you stab me in the back?"
-I didn't!!
Enough!!
"???"
When Jowurin screamed, all the students jumped and turned to look.
"Your Highness, what's wrong?"
"Ah. It must be hard for you to watch us torment the spirit. Don't worry. Wardanaz will make sure it disappears where you can't see."
That's not it... That's not... That was... That was Jowurin's doing...!
"!!!"
Unable to bear the weight of his conscience, Jowurin finally confessed the truth.
The students, still not understanding, asked again.
"Your Highness did it? Are you saying that to protect the spirit?"
"You're too kind! Why are you so different from Gainando, huh?"
-Hey, you little mage brats! I said I didn't do it!!
Saratan shrieked from inside the staff. Lee Han frowned as if annoyed by the noise.
"Your Highness, please tell us what happened. And don't worry. No matter what you did, none of us here will be angry with you."
As tears welled up in Jowurin's eyes, Lee Han comforted him. The students nodded in agreement.
"That's right, Your Highness. At Einrogard, incidents like these are practically part of daily life."
"Just say the spirit did it. We're fine with that."
Everyone... Everyone is so kind!
"Ahem."
Jowurin burst into tears and tried to hug the students. If Lee Han hadn't quickly laid down a psychokinesis cushion in time, a few of them might have ended up with broken ribs.
The truth is... this is what happened...
After sobbing for a while, Jowurin calmed down and explained the situation.
As he did, he kept glancing at Lee Han, worried he might get angry.
"This... is Professor Bendozol's fault."
"Right. The spirit shares some blame too."
"Depending on how you look at it, the Headmaster who created this magic academy is also at fault. But Your Highness definitely isn't to blame."
Lee Han and his friends quickly spread the blame around to comfort Jowurin.
Jowurin shook her head.
No, no. It's not Professor Bendozol's fault, or the spirit's, or Gonadaltes's... It's Jowurin's...
-Mage! I said it's not my fault! Can't you hear me??
When Saratan protested, Lee Han quietly channeled mana into the staff. Understanding the warning, Saratan immediately shut his mouth.
"Honestly, Professor Bendozol is definitely at fault here. Isn't that what being a professor is all about? Wouldn't you agree, Professor?"
Lee Han called out to Professor Voladi as if seeking support.
Professor Voladi answered immediately.
"A professor's position is one that bears responsibility. Professor Bendozol is indeed responsible."
"See!"
'Is that so?'
Prince Jowurin, who had been blaming himself, became slightly swayed when even Professor Voladi said so.
After all, when you're young, it's only natural to feel relieved when everyone says it's not your fault.
"...What exactly is everyone doing here?"
Professor Willow, who arrived late after hearing the mandragora's screams, looked bewildered at the sight of students comforting a massive dragon surrounded by them.
"It's Professor Bendozol's fault."
After hearing the explanation, Professor Willow decisively concluded.
If the professor had gone along, he should have at least stopped it or helped clean up the mess. What kind of behavior is this?
"See, Your Highness? Even Professor Willow says so."
Maybe... maybe it really is like that.
"Not that I dare advise against the Headmaster's rules, but someone like Professor Bendozol should stay longer in the Punishment Room... I wonder if making such an outstanding mage a professor was truly the right decision."
Professor Willow spoke in a wise voice filled with experience.
Lee Han, intrigued, asked:
"Why was Professor Bendozol sent to the Punishment Room before?"
"He once set fire to the Headmaster's ranch... Wait. First, we need to calm the mandragora."
Though Lee Han inwardly lamented, Professor Willow focused on the urgent matter first.
After lifting the seal and entering the greenhouse, he soothed the overgrown mandragora and checked the plants damaged by its cries...
His speed was unbelievable for someone usually slow-moving.
Finishing the work like a storm, Professor Willow let out a sigh of relief as he walked out.
"Fortunately, there's no major damage. More importantly, Your Highness. You really managed to unleash your breath inside the greenhouse. No matter how much Professor Bendozol encouraged it, that was dangerous."
Huh?
Jowurin was taken aback.
After passing through several explanations, the situation seemed slightly distorted.
Breathing fire had been Jowurin's own choice—why did they think Professor Bendozol had encouraged it?
That was Jowurin who...
"Indeed. Professor Bendozol is truly wicked."
When Lee Han cut in and hammered the point, Jowurin grew even more flustered.
Startled, he looked over, and Lee Han gave a small nod.
'Just let it be Professor Bendozol's doing.'
Jowurin shuddered.
Was this the social maneuvering of Einrogard mages?!
"I've put the mandragora to sleep, so leave it be and harvest it once it settles down. That should be enough."
"Will there be any issues?"
Since it concerned his own grades, Lee Han tried to confirm the mandragora's condition.
Professor Willow fell into brief contemplation. Seeing this, Lee Han tensed.
'Is there a problem?'
Jowurin, also nervous, made a stiff clattering sound.
"...Other than that it grew exceptionally well?"
"Haha! Professor, you scared us!"
At his student's outburst, Professor Willow smiled kindly.
"If it grew well, what problem could there be?"
Though Lee Han's mandragora had grown rapidly, there were no issues with its composition—thanks to being nurtured purely by the sun's power, not potions or elixirs.
Hearing the praise, a smile formed on Lee Han's lips. Jowurin's wings fluttered in sync.
Hehe.
"Hmm. Come to think of it, little one, you've got nothing left to do until the Final Exam. At this rate, it's already fully grown."
Since the midterm involved checking the mandragora's growth and the final involved harvesting it, this was as good as finishing early.
Lee Han replied with an affected tone.
"I shall tend to the greenhouse and assist my friends."
Showing arrogance here would only result in a higher difficulty final exam assignment.
Lee Han was always humble.
However, there was one misconception Lee Han held.
Even without showing arrogance, a higher difficulty assignment would come regardless!
"Well, that's fine, but wouldn't it be too dull? Hmm. Perfect timing. Let's submit this to the <Imperial Gardeners' Club>."
"......"
Lee Han's expression stiffened with the premonition that an unnecessary additional task was about to be assigned.
Noticing this, Jowurin's fluttering wings came to an abrupt halt.
"Um...is submitting it to the club very difficult?"
"Growing the plant is hard, but submitting it isn't particularly difficult. After all, I was planning to have students either use the harvested mandragora themselves or sell any surplus...so trying it out first wouldn't be bad."
As explained before, an outstanding mage needed to know how to gather outstanding materials outstandingly.
And Professor Willow was especially an outstanding expert when it came to plants. Just the fact that he was a member of the <Imperial Gardeners' Club> proved it.
The club's name might be simple, but it was an exclusive gathering of only the Empire's most authoritative botanists.
Normally, mandragoras grown by students wouldn't even qualify for submission to the club's auction, but the mandragora grown by Wardanaz was undoubtedly special.
For a plant grown to this degree, the members would undoubtedly recognize the submission and bid generously regardless of seniority.
"They'll bid money?"
"It's an auction among members, after all. It'd be nice if other students' mandragoras could be submitted too, but that's probably impossible."
"They'll bid money!"
"...Little one. Did you perhaps mishear the mandragora's scream?"
"Ah. My apologies. I had something to think about for a moment. I didn't realize submitting to the Gardeners' Club meant putting it up for auction."
"Of course, records will remain in the club's archives too. They document plant-related matters extremely thoroughly. But at the same time, all Gardeners' Club members are people with great greed for plants... Ah. If you wish to use it yourself, you can just submit the records and not put it up for auction."
"No. The club has its traditions and rules. An outsider disregarding that wouldn't look good. It would affect your dignity too, Professor."
"What remarkably thoughtful words!"
Professor Willow chuckled heartily, touched that his student considered even his dignity.
As the professor turned away, Jowurin fidgeted uneasily and spoke.
"L-Lee Han. Because of me, you're getting extra work on top of being already busy, right?"
"Your Highness."
Lee Han spoke in a completely serious tone devoid of any laughter. A fierce energy flashed in his eyes.
"I sincerely thank you. Thanks to you, I'll be able to make a hefty profit."
Jowurin was about to say, 'You're not just saying that to placate me, are you?' but found herself utterly overwhelmed.
There was absolutely no way that was a lie.
"I-I-I see. That's good... I'm happy too..."
"Hoho." 'Why can't Lee Han let go of his greed for gold coins despite being so busy? It's not like he'll have much use for them while living at Einrogard anyway.' Recalling the same question other top students had pondered, Jowurin crawled after Lee Han with waddling steps.
"Ah. I almost forgot to mention."
Professor Willow, who had entered the greenhouse, poked his head back out.
"What is it, Professor?"
"You've grown quite close with spirits. Unlike last time when there was awkwardness between you. It's truly pleasing to see. I've always thought you had the capability to befriend spirits!"
"Haha. Thank you, Professor."-......
Saratan was left speechless in disbelief.
He couldn't fathom being trapped in such an unreasonable hell.
'These insane little mage bastards!'