Episode 891
Episode 891
However, Saratan didn't retort with 'What did I say?'
If one of his subordinate spirits had said "What did I say?!" in this situation, he would have immediately struck them down without hesitation.
The opposing mage was a tyrant with a temper no less violent than Saratan's own. When the situation was unfavorable, caution was necessary.
-Hehe. I'm glad... the misunderstanding has been cleared up.
Suppressing his humiliation, Saratan resorted to flattery.
But Lee Han only grew angrier at his sycophantic words.
"Why didn't you properly explain yourself and waste all our time?"
"That's right. That's right."
"Punish him more, Wardanaz!"
His friends shamelessly blamed the spirit. After spending time at Einrogard, this level of responsibility dodging was practically second nature.
......
Saratan felt his anger surge once more, but there was nothing he could do.
"If you'd just made the new sprouts faster, this misunderstanding wouldn't have happened."
-This Authority isn't something that can be used so easily... I haven't fully recovered yet...
Saratan made excuses, resentful of the mage's tyrannical demands.
The new sprouts imbued with Authority that Saratan had spent all night creating were by no means an easy feat.
Though Saratan had awakened the ritual early by transferring to a powerful divine tree, he still hadn't fully regained his strength.
Normally, it would have taken several more days, but his master had caused such an uproar that he'd rushed the process. He needed to rest for a while to recover his strength.
"Hmm. For something so difficult, you seemed quite eager to kill me last time."
-That was... a slightly different situation... and within the ritual space...
Saratan shuddered at the memory.
If he were to attack this mage twice and get captured again, he couldn't even imagine what horrors awaited him.
"Ah! Junior! Welcome."
The ever-polite fifth-year senior from the Jahan family, Catten, greeted Lee Han with a smile.
The cat beastman, removing his hat to bow, had the same disarming effect as the penguin and beaver beastmen, putting people at ease.
But Lee Han, trained at Einrogard, wasn't fooled by appearances.
'Remember the last time he attacked us.'
Recalling how Catten had pushed forward with nothing but swordsmanship—despite Yukveltire and Diret being present—sent a chill down his spine.
As Professor Ingoldel had said, had this senior focused solely on swordsmanship, he would have achieved far more terrifying results.
"Good day, Senior. How will next week's <Sword and Life> lecture exam be conducted?"
"Huh? I can't tell you that."
"Is it confidential information?"
Though it was Saturday and the exam was next week, some professors kept the exam contents a secret.
If Catten was one of them...
"No. It's because I haven't decided yet."
Scratching the back of his head with a slightly embarrassed expression, Catten answered. Jowurin, watching from behind, was stunned.
Is that... allowed?
From Jowurin's perspective—having already met with other fifth-years—Catten, who hadn't even decided on the exam just days before, was refreshingly different.
Is this really okay?
Of course, it wasn't.
"Normally, it's not, Your Highness. Ugh. How embarrassing!"
Jowurin thought he should decide first before feeling embarrassed...
"Shh, Your Highness. The fifth-year seniors all have their circumstances. Please understand."
As Jowurin prepared to press further, Lee Han quickly intervened.
The fifth-year seniors were, fundamentally, pitiable people. One had to show them mercy.
"Junior, don't misunderstand. It's not like I had no thoughts at all. The <Sword and Life> exam traditionally has a set format."
"Oh? What is it?"
"You teach me a spell."
"......"
Lee Han was at a loss for words at the shamelessness of the exam goal—even more so than Professor Verdus.
Of course, the whole point of Catten's <Sword and Life> lecture was to find someone who could teach him something, but was it really acceptable for the exam to be this blatant?
"Won't the Headmaster get angry? He's surprisingly strict about these things."
"He does get angry. That's why I'm always sent to the Punishment Room."
"......"
Jowurin slowly began stepping backward.
She was starting to sense madness from her opponent.
'Hmm. People who are prepared to enter the Punishment Room are truly terrifying.'
Professors Verdus and Bendozol were both strong precisely because they were prepared to be sent to the Punishment Room.
And Catten was on another level. He enjoyed going to the Punishment Room.
"...But if that was originally the exam, why was it suddenly changed to 'undecided'?"
"Junior. There's a reason for that."
Catten nodded and began speaking.
Ever since entering Einrogard, Catten had always focused solely on his own pursuits.
Whether his friends were caught escaping and sent to the Punishment Room, or he summoned an ancient evil creature to fight students from other towers, he had always quietly devoted himself solely to studying magic.
Even when innocent juniors from the White Tiger Tower had wanted to take his <Sword and Life> lecture, Catten had refused for similar reasons.
The students he needed were those who could teach him magic, not those who only wanted to learn swordsmanship.
But recently, Catten's perspective had shifted slightly.
"Other professors told me this: Studying magic alone isn't the only path to improvement. Teaching and helping others can also lead to enlightenment—even if what you're teaching isn't magic, but swordsmanship."
'Is that so?' Lee Han couldn't help but wonder if the professors were deceiving Catten.
Given Catten's current situation, it didn't seem like teaching swordsmanship to other students would improve his magic skills.
In fact, it was hard to imagine how that could possibly help...
"Hmm. I thought it was a trick at first."
"!"
It seemed Catten had the same suspicion as Lee Han.
"It's something I've heard often before, but I never really believed it."
"Why not?"
"Because the Headmaster suggested it. I thought he was just sweet-talking me into taking on the lecture against my will."
"......"
Indeed, Catten possessed remarkable instincts.
Just by seeing who was speaking, he could sense the subtle deception hidden within their words.
"Wait. Then why did you change your mind? Your reasoning seemed perfectly sound."
"Two reasons. First, look at you, Junior. You teach students and even take on miscellaneous tasks, yet you're still the top of your year."
"......"
Indeed!
Jowurin was impressed.
According to dwarf proverbs, diamonds are forged in the deepest, most grueling parts of the mines.
Perhaps Lee Han's magic had also been tempered in the harshest environment Einrogard had to offer...
"What do you mean 'indeed,' what?!"
L-Lee Han... are you angry...?
"I'm not angry."
Jowurin hunched her shoulders cautiously. Lee Han, softening, patted her wing reassuringly.
"Anyway, Senior. Even if the first reason seems a bit odd... what's the second reason?"
"Ah, he's right behind you. It's because of Professor Bagrak."
"??"
Lee Han, who had been grumbling, turned in surprise to look at Professor Voladi.
"Did the professor give you some advice?"
"Ah, no. Junior. But I've always thought Professor Bagrak was strong precisely because he didn't waste time pointlessly looking after students."
"......"
"Misunderstanding."
When Professor Voladi spoke curtly, Catten nodded.
"Correct, Professor. I must have been mistaken. When I heard you were dramatically increasing your number of disciples, I became certain of it."
"Mhm."
Professor Voladi nodded again, this time with pride.
'Dramatically is a stretch...'
Strictly speaking, it was a 100% increase, but there were truths in the world that couldn't be understood by numbers alone. Professor Voladi's disciple count was one such case.
"And so, I reflected and changed the exam content, Junior."
"I see. So instead of an exam where you coast by, it's now one that benefits the listener."
'Lee Han's words are surprisingly sharp, aren't they?'
Jowurin thought to herself.
The young man from the Wardanaz family was polite, but he never let things slide when there was something to be said.
However, Catten was a step ahead of Lee Han. With a slightly flustered expression, he said,
"Is that what it sounds like? Hmm. Junior, that wasn't my intention."
"Excuse me? Then what was it?"
Lee Han was puzzled, wondering what other answer could possibly fit this situation.
"Rather... I was considering exams that would accommodate more participants in the future. The more people listening, the more fulfilling the teaching experience would be, don't you think?"
'He acts embarrassed, but what he's saying isn't much different from Professor Verdus!'
Though Catten appeared bashful, when examined coldly, his words boiled down to nothing more than, 'It's none of the students' concern—I'll just create a plausible exam to attract as many as possible next semester.'
Had Professor Verdus said the exact same thing, it would have sounded far more sinister. Truly, one's usual demeanor was crucial.
'But it's not a bad deal for me either.'
From Lee Han's perspective, it was a sufficiently appealing proposition.
Surely this was far better than Catten saying something like, 'Let's discover the pinnacle of swordsmanship in this lecture, Junior.'
"Junior, would you help me design the exam content so more students can attend the lectures in the future?"
"Of course!"
"If you don't mind, could you also assist, Professor? Having Professor Bagrak's support would be reassuring."
"Naturally."
"Having the most outstanding figure in this field lend a hand is truly reassuring! Isn't that right, Junior?"
"......"
Lee Han felt a faint twinge of unfairness.
"Targeting the White Tiger Tower students is the right move, isn't it?"
Despite his sense of unfairness, Lee Han offered a sensible opinion.
In fact, considering how respected Catten was within the White Tiger Tower, attracting students to his lectures might not be too difficult.
Just think of how delighted Giselle and Durgyu had been when Lee Han dragged them along like a drowning man clinging to driftwood.
"Hmm. Junior, there's one thing that worries me. Every year, there are juniors who want to learn swordsmanship from me, but surprisingly few of them last long."
Among the White Tiger Tower students, the more persistent juniors would follow Catten around, pleading for instruction.
Occasionally, Catten would relent and teach them, but most didn't stick around for long.
"If things continue like this, even if White Tiger Tower students do come, the dropout rate will be high."
'Isn't he being too greedy?'
Lee Han was slightly taken aback by Catten's overly ambitious goal.
Meanwhile, the professor next to them was living contentedly just by increasing his disciples from one to two...
Catten then turned to Professor Voladi with a question.
"What do you think, Professor Bagrak? Given that you also teach students rigorously, your dropout rate must be high. How have you dealt with that...?"
"I simply trust my disciples."
"Indeed!"
'What do you mean, "Indeed"?'
Lee Han was dumbfounded, but the two were dead serious.
"Trusting... the students... Perhaps this is better than unnecessary tricks."
'Will it be zero? No. There's me, Giselle, and Durgyu, so three... That alone surpasses Professor Bagrak. Well. That's a relief, at least.'
As he listened to the conversation, Lee Han estimated the number of students his senior would have in next semester's lecture.
No matter how he looked at it, it didn't seem likely to increase beyond three, but compared to Professor Voladi, that was something to be proud of.
While pondering how to persuade Catten later with 'Three is already impressive,' Lee Han heard his senior's voice in his ear.
"Junior? Junior?"
"Ah. My apologies."
"You must be tired."
Lee Han had far too much on his plate.
"...That wasn't the reason, but... Anyway, what is it?"
"I was thinking—should we ask Professor Ingoldel as well?"
"Not a bad idea. As a professor, he must surely know how to set an appropriately challenging exam."
"Hmm. But Professor Ingoldel already has enough worries because of you, Junior. I'm concerned we might be bothering him unnecessarily..."
"...Excuse me?"