Episode 92
Episode 92
'This doesn't seem okay, does it?'
While Dijiling was having such concerns, Professor Garcia kindly answered.
"As long as your mana is unharmed, it's fine. Everything can be recovered."
"Ah... Yes..."
Professor Garcia didn't notice Dijiling subtly taking a step back and maintained his pure smile.
"What a relief. Being struck by lightning is fine, but if the mana inside gets damaged..."
"Yes..."
"Oh dear, Student Dijiling. It's okay to come closer. Everyone's safe."
"Is everyone alright?!"
Lee Han canceled his invisibility and rushed over in a panic.
The moment he cast the lightning spell, Perkuntra's emotions had also been transmitted to Lee Han.
Just as Perkuntra could read Lee Han's emotions, Lee Han could also perceive Perkuntra's.
-We're screwed!
Though it was a brief and simple emotion, the instant the lightning spell exploded, Lee Han understood what had gone wrong.
That senile spirit Perkuntra had cast the spell without properly controlling its power, enough to burn everything to a crisp!
It didn't occur to Lee Han that it might have been because his own mana was overflowing.
After all, Perkuntra had inhabited his arm to assist with the spell—clearly it was Perkuntra's fault. Who else could be to blame?
And it wasn't entirely wrong either.
Fortunately, Professor Garcia arrived belatedly. Watching the professor safely catch the students, Lee Han sighed in relief.
'As expected, the only decent one...!'
Seeing Lee Han rushing over, Professor Garcia smiled warmly.
He had wondered who cast such a spell, and sure enough, it was Student Lee Han.
"Everyone's fine."
"What a relief!"
"Though we did get a bit electrocuted by the lightning."
"...?"
Lee Han reacted similarly to Dijiling. Though both students showed identical flustered expressions, Professor Garcia remained unshaken.
A true educator must answer the same questions repeatedly with equal patience.
"As long as your mana is unharmed, it's fine. You'll recover."
"...Ah... Yes."
Lee Han, like Dijiling earlier, took a step back. Dijiling, who was already a step behind, nodded in understanding.
Welcome to the club!
"G-g-guhk..."
"K-k-kuhk."
The captured students, already drained of mana and now electrocuted, were in a pitiful state.
Seeing some White Tiger Tower students trembling uncontrollably from the lightning, Lee Han sighed.
'Damn. Even after saving them, I'm gonna get cursed at.'
He probably would've cursed too if he were in their place.
-I saved you all.
-Th-thanks... Wait. If you had the power to defeat the Vine Monster, why did you have to take us down with it by electrocuting us too?
-The famous spirit helping me turned out to be dumber than expected and couldn't control its power.
-And you expect us to believe that?!
If he claimed he had the power to one-shot the Vine Monster but couldn't control it, even Lee Han knew it would sound like nonsense.
"Now, everyone, try to stand up."
Professor Garcia waved his staff, loosening the students' cramped muscles and replenishing their lost mana.
Watching from behind, Lee Han was newly impressed.
'Professor Garcia can even use recovery magic?'
Considering the spells he'd seen so far, Professor Garcia's magical expertise was remarkably broad.
Most professors only specialized in their own fields, but Professor Garcia's range was unusually wide.
Why?
"Th-thank you, Professor Garcia."
"Thank you so much."
"Save your thanks for Student Lee Han here. He bravely defeated the Vine Monster and saved you all."
"......"
The White Tiger Tower students looked at Lee Han with complicated expressions.
Angrago spoke up as their representative.
"Thanks... Wardanaz."
"If you've got a problem with it..."
Lee Han was about to reply, 'If you're so bitter about it, then you shouldn't have gotten caught in the first place,' but he hesitated.
The response he got was different from what he'd expected.
'Huh?'
He'd fully anticipated something along the lines of 'We almost died because of you, you damn black magic bastard,' but the White Tiger Tower students were expressing their gratitude without resistance.
Lee Han wondered if they were just being cautious in front of Professor Garcia.
But that wasn't it.
Angrago was looking at Lee Han with eyes that held a mix of resentment and gratitude.
"...It really pisses me off to say this, but a knight who doesn't properly acknowledge a debt of honor isn't a true knight. Thank you."
"So does that mean we can forget all the grudges between us up till now?"
"Don't get the wrong idea, Wardanaz. That's not happening."
"......"
The cold reply stung Lee Han a little.
If they were grateful, couldn't they at least let go of some of that resentment?
Well, admittedly, quite a lot had piled up between them...
"But this time... I really am grateful. I think I'm starting to understand why Durgyu trusts— no, why he believes in you."
Following Angrago's lead, the other White Tiger Tower students also gave sincere words of thanks.
"Thank you, Wardanaz."
"I don't see us becoming friends anytime soon, but I won't forget the honor you showed today."
"We may not become friends, but I'll do my best to cooperate with you on this lake assignment."
Durgyu, who had also been captured and was now regaining his strength, approached belatedly.
Seeing his friends thank Lee Han, Durgyu beamed as if it were his own achievement.
"See! Just like Moradi said, he's not such a bad guy after all, right?"
"Hmm... I suppose you might be right."
"Does that mean we're ready to forget our grudges and start building a friendship?"
"Don't push it, Durgyu. That's not happening."
"How are we supposed to just forget everything that's happened until now?"
"......"
Durgyu was slightly hurt by his friends' blunt responses.
He'd thought the mood was good enough for it to work out...
"Hey! What kind of reckless shot was that?! You did that on purpose because the White Tiger Tower guys were watching, didn't you?!"
Finally, Gainando, who had recovered last, staggered over.
In Gainando's eyes, Lee Han wasn't the type to make such a careless mistake.
He was clearly using this opportunity to teach the White Tiger Tower guys a harsh lesson.
Which would've been fine—except why did it have to happen while Gainando himself was captured?!
"What kind of baseless slander is this... Apologize, Your Highness."
"Prince Gainando. Have you no pride or honor as a member of the imperial family? Is that any way to speak to someone who saved you?"
Belatedly, Gainando realized the White Tiger Tower students were present.
Caught off guard by their unexpected criticism, Gainando suddenly felt wronged.
Even if they'd gotten closer to Lee Han, Gainando himself was several times closer! How dare these guys, who usually ignored Lee Han's goodwill, suddenly act like this!
"What the hell do you know?!"
"We may not have imperial blood, but we understand honor."
"Apologize, Your Highness."
Though Gainando felt aggrieved, he was also slightly pleased at being acknowledged as royalty.
Lee Han, noticing this from the side, found it ridiculous.
"You're not happy just because they called you 'Your Highness,' are you?"
"...No! But it's true that you guys never treat me like royalty!"
The students of the Blue Dragon Tower were all from such prestigious noble families that they had no need to bow to a prince who was just one among hundreds.
But instead of pointing that out, Lee Han decided to spare Gainando's feelings.
"They act that way because they consider you a close friend, Gainando."
"Well, I guess that's true..."
But the White Tiger Tower students didn't even give Gainando that brief moment of satisfaction.
"No matter how close you are, you should still mind your manners. Even we thanked that Wardanaz."
"Just apologize already, Your Highness."
Whether he liked it or not, the White Tiger Tower students kept pressuring Gainando.
Few could withstand the pressure from knights with drawn swords.
Gainando couldn't help but think how remarkably Lee Han had managed to beat those thick-skinned bastards into submission.
"I... I'm sorry. I shouldn't have criticized you after you saved me."
"Be more careful from now on."
"Your Highness. Your honor is shaped by your own actions."
The White Tiger Tower students, ever the chivalrous knights, nodded in acknowledgment and accepted his apology.
Then they abruptly left.
Lee Han was dumbfounded.
'Have you already forgotten how the three of you tried to gang up on me?'
He wanted to point it out, but the White Tiger Tower students, now satisfied, had already walked off among themselves.
Gainando, still feeling wronged, cautiously asked:
"But... you really didn't do it on purpose?"
"It wasn't on purpose."
"Grrk...! I really thought it was deliberate...!"
It truly wasn't intentional.
Though it was close!
Once the cleanup and aftermath were settled, Professor Garcia called Lee Han over. His face was filled with concern.
Lee Han could already guess what he was about to say.
-Perkuntra. You need to explain this.
If Perkuntra didn't clarify, Lee Han risked being labeled by Professor Garcia as 'that reckless lunatic who flings magic around without regard for safety.'
In many ways, it was a dangerously misleading assumption.
-If we're being technical, this is your fault.
-Fine. Fine.
Perkuntra, no less aggrieved than Gainando, reluctantly accepted it.
He wasn't entirely blameless, after all.
Since he had taken residence in Lee Han's arm, he should have ensured the magic was properly controlled until the very end.
But then...
-...Wait.
-?
-Time's... up.
Lee Han felt Perkuntra's avatar, which had been dwelling in his arm, dissipate.
Not just that—Perkuntra himself was being pulled back to his original confinement in the Punishment Room.
Lee Han was horrified.
-Say it's not true.
-...Really sorry. Wasn't intentional.
-Say it's not true! Hurry!
-Next time I'm summoned, I swear I'll show you my real power—
-You expect me to summon you again after this disaster?!
Even though a mere fledgling mage was talking to him like this, Perkuntra couldn't retort.
No words could defend him, even if he had ten mouths!
-I'm genuinely sorry, but next time I'll—
Poof!
Perkuntra vanished.
Professor Garcia looked at Lee Han with eyes mixing worry and sternness.
"Lee Han. I couldn't speak earlier amidst the chaos, but I must say something now. Lightning magic, like fire magic, is among the most volatile and dangerous elemental magics—difficult to control. Teaching yourself to that level is truly impressive, but I can't help worrying about you."
"Professor, there's actually a deeper story behind this."
Lee Han explained Perkuntra's involvement in detail.
Of course, he omitted the part about raiding Professor Thunderstep's greenhouse and heavily edited the rest!
Still, even as he spoke, Lee Han was anxious.
'Will he actually believe such an absurd lie?'
"What an unfortunate series of events!"
'He believes it?!'
Astonishingly, Professor Garcia did. A true educator.
"I see. Well, I didn't think Lee Han was the type to act so recklessly—it seemed unlike you to do something so rash without reason."
'You've emphasized that enough, I get it...'
"That spirit is a bit..."
"Clumsy and questionable in ability?"
"Hm? No, no. A spirit of that caliber couldn't possibly lack power. It's probably just that Lee Han is such an unusual contractor that mistakes happened."
"......"
Though Lee Han respected Professor Garcia, he couldn't respect that assessment.
'You're far too kind-hearted.'
"Of course, there are malevolent spirits that seek to lead their contractors to ruin, but from what I've heard, this one doesn't seem like that. Just be careful from now on—prioritize your safety when using magic."
"Understood."
"Lightning magic, was it?"
At the familiar voice, Lee Han and Professor Garcia turned simultaneously.
Professor Voladi was watching them with faint curiosity in his ice-cold, emotionless eyes.