Episode 945
Episode 945
While Lee Han was rounding up his friends who had scattered across the city one by one, Arian and his employees were inspecting the warehouse buildings near the north gate.
"The roof. Looks fine. Any missing bricks? None."
"Um... Sir Arian. Are you sure this is alright?"
An employee assisting Arian cautiously spoke up, glancing around.
No matter how he thought about it, this didn't seem right...
Letting Einrogard students stay in a shabby merchant guild warehouse?!
The status of wizards was so special that even wandering mages were treated generously.
But these weren't just ordinary wizards—they were mages from Einrogard!
From the employee's perspective, this seemed incredibly rude no matter how he looked at it.
'Did something happen between him and the mages?'
"Sigh. I wanted to prepare a nice place for them too. But what can I do when the mages stubbornly refuse?"
Arian let out a deep sigh as he spoke.
The employee was startled by his words.
"The mages chose the warehouse themselves?"
"Yeah."
'Mages really are all eccentric in their own ways!'
The employee jumped to the conclusion that there must be some magical reason—
Like maybe their magic weakened if they stayed somewhere too soft and warm...
"We're here!"
While they were talking, the students opened the main gate to the area where the guild's warehouses were gathered and entered.
At the sight of them—looking unmistakably like mages—the employee instinctively checked the buildings again.
'It's not that bad. No bugs, no leaks. A bit old, sure... Now that I think about it, there are no beds. No servants. No baths, no reception rooms, no music halls... Hmm... Is there too much missing?'
The employee's confidence quickly faded.
Despite his earlier resolve, the warehouse buildings really were too shabby.
Built with spacious brickwork to the size of a two-story house, the exterior looked fine, but inside, it was just wooden crates stacked with guild goods and inventory.
"Gah!"
One of the students let out a short scream. Without thinking, the employee hastily explained.
"W-Well, we had to prepare in a hurry, so we couldn't—"
"C-Can we really stay in such a luxurious place???"
"......"
"......"
"Hey. Someone shut that guy up."
"He's embarrassing all of Einrogard."
"Mmph! Mmmph!"
The goat beastman student, who carried a sword like a knight, was dragged away with his mouth covered by his friends.
The employee, not understanding what he had just heard, asked again.
"Did he just say... luxurious?"
"Sorry. Our friend sometimes babbles nonsense due to failed magic experiments... No! Can we really stay in such a nice place?"
"Salko. Why are you like this too, seriously."
"Sorry..."
The students carefully discussed who would use which part of the warehouse buildings.
After the earlier blunders, they all tried their best to maintain their dignity.
"This palace—I mean, warehouse—can we use it for alchemy?"
"The warehouse is spacious, so that should be fine. That mansion—no, warehouse—let's use it to gather supplies we'll take with us."
"Wardanaz. There's a sleeping bag in this warehouse. Is this building not a warehouse but more like an inn?"
"No matter how you look at it, what kind of inn would that be..."
The now-composed second-year students of Einrogard gathered in the warehouse building they had designated as the dining hall.
On everyone's faces were happiness, comfort, relief, and pride—emotions that anyone who had escaped Einrogard would naturally show.
Salko, sinking deeply into a makeshift armchair made of straw, dirt, water, and magic, spoke up.
"So, what's everyone's plan?"
"Hmm."
"Well, about that..."
The friends hesitated, glancing at each other.
None of them had actually expected to escape, so they didn't have any concrete plans.
They were excited, but...
They had no idea what to do next!
Seeing his friends flounder, Salko realized this wouldn't do and called for Lee Han—the only one here who might have a plan.
"Wardanaz!"
"Hmm?"
Lee Han, who had been tidying up and reinforcing the warehouse they were using as lodging with his summoned undead, turned his head.
"I have something to ask you!"
"Yeah. Wait a moment."
Lee Han floated light orbs throughout the warehouse and completed flame enchantment sigils on the floor.
Then he cast <Vible's Mana Emission Enchantment>. It would serve as an additional mana source to sustain the magic inside the warehouse.
Though he was squandering the artifact-making techniques he'd learned from Professor Verdus for the sake of a makeshift lodging's convenience, no one here would point that out.
Only Adenart, who also majored in Enchantment Magic, stared at him with horrified eyes.
'Is he really using that spell just for this?!'
"Coffee? Black tea? Cocoa? Having more options outside is nice."
"Can I have an ice cream soda too?"
"Sure. Here you go."
Angrago eagerly accepted the tin cup. Inside was boiling plain water.
"...I'll take the cocoa."
"Good choice."
Angrago learned a valuable lesson.
The lesson being that if he got greedy for an ice cream soda, he might lose even the cocoa.
After distributing the snacks he'd bought from the merchant (with Lee Han's money), Lee Han finally took a seat.
"Alright. What did you want to ask?"
"I'm curious about your plans. Since you're the most skilled at going out among us."
"People might misunderstand if they hear that. Hmm. First, I plan to help Lord Alsicle find his sponsor."
"?"
His friends tilted their heads in confusion, not understanding.
What was he talking about?
"After that, I'll purchase any supplies we need to replenish, buy additional artifacts or books if necessary, and if there's still time left, I might take care of a few requests before heading back."
"......"
"...Then why the hell did you even come outside?"
Angrago blurted out without thinking.
There was barely any difference between what he planned to do outside and what he'd do inside Einrogard!
Lee Han gave his nonsensical friend a pitying look.
"You can't easily get supplies or books inside, you know."
"W-well, that's true...! But you should also spend some time just for yourself!"
"I said I'd take care of requests in my spare time."
Lee Han's eyes conveyed his bewilderment at why Angrago kept spouting nonsense.
Was it because he hadn't made him ice cream?
But this time, even the others sided with Angrago.
"That's not time for yourself, Wardanaz."
"I don't think so either..."
"?!"
Lee Han was taken aback by his friends' criticism.
He hadn't expected Salko, Yoner, Nilia, and even Ashan to join in condemning him.
Adenart hesitated, glancing around. Honestly, she thought it was a good plan. 'It sounds fulfilling and satisfying...'
"Fine. Then let's hear your plans. How wonderfully fun are they?"
As the arrow suddenly turned, his friends floundered.
"W-well, I was thinking of watching a polo match..."
"I was going to buy a new counting board..."
"Not exactly impressive."
Lee Han scoffed. Angrago and Ashan protested indignantly.
"Polo matches are fun!"
"Each workshop has its differences!"
"Nilia's probably going to attend some noble ball, and Yoner will be working at a workshop."
"?!?"
Nilia's ears shot up in shock.
That's not true?!
But since her friend answered first, Nilia missed her chance to explain.
"Lee Han's right. I do have a few potions I need to finish."
"Ugh. I also need to find the grimoires required for the spells I'm preparing."
Suddenly, the mood turned solemn.
All the students had become acutely aware of their miserable fate.
Once you entered Einrogard, even an outing couldn't free you from that destiny!
"B-but we should still take some time for ourselves while we're out here. Next semester will be busier, and the next year even more so. Just think about the seniors. They're practically slaves!"
Angrago's words struck a chord with the students present.
Mentioning the seniors was particularly effective.
As they recalled the seniors, who were slaves to time and constantly struggling, a sense of crisis washed over them—today might be their last leisurely day.
"Let's all look for something together..."
"Wait. This is a discarded crate, but there are reagents inside. I should ask the staff if we can use them."
"What? Really? What kind are there?"
"There's no reason to throw away perfectly good reagents. What's the problem..."
"......"
At Lee Han's words, his friends quickly gathered around, chattering about 'If these were thrown away, can we use them?' Watching this, Angrago slumped his shoulders in resignation. 'I should just grab a few magic books and head back...'
The Flame Tree Root, a twisted, dried-out root with a reddish hue, was a reagent containing highly condensed fiery energy.
But the Flame Tree Roots inside the discarded wooden crate showed no trace of that energy.
"Ah, those reagents were discarded due to issues during transport."
"If you're throwing them away, can we use them?"
"Huh? You're free to use any inventory from discarded crates, but... I don't think there's any use for them..."
The staff looked puzzled.
Magical items were inherently difficult to handle and transport, so a significant amount ended up discarded. Naturally, the warehouse had quite a few such discarded materials.
But there was no practical use for them. If there had been, the merchants would have already taken advantage.
"If you need reagents, why not use the intact ones?"
"No, these are fine."
Having gotten permission, Lee Han returned with his friends. Yoner tilted her head and asked, "Getting permission is good, but do you have a way to make use of these?"
"Indeed!"
Ashan exclaimed with admiration.
"??"
"You're planning to disguise them to seem like they still have energy and sell them to foolish mages! Like those Baldrogard bastards!"
"Th-that's genius...!"
All his friends except Yoner were impressed. Even Adenart looked amazed.
Deception wasn't good, but if the targets were Baldrogard, maybe it was acceptable.
"...No. That's fraud. What are you talking about?"
"Wasn't that the plan?"
"Of course not. I'm going to see if there's a way to restore them to their original state."
"That seems even harder..."
"Hold on. Let me ask first. If it doesn't work, then we'll give up."
"??"
His friends were confused.
Who was he going to ask?
Lee Han walked to the back of the warehouse alone, raised his staff, and began conversing with someone.
It might have been their imagination, but they thought they heard a few coldly muttered curses. Yoner made a disgusted face.
A short while later, Lee Han returned.
"There's a way!"
"What?! Really?!"
Shocked by the news, his friends forgot to ask who he had spoken to.
Really, what did it matter?
"Alpha. The scratch is in the wrong position. Rotate it about 10 degrees to the side."
"Ugh. Messed up again."
The students divided tasks and got to work.
Fortunately, restoring the lost energy of the Flame Tree Roots wasn't too difficult.
Just labor-intensive.
First, they had to carve rune-like patterns to maximize fire energy absorption, then toss them into a boiling cauldron of condensed flames mixed with special alchemical oil.
After that, they had to use precise timing and incantations to prevent the roots from being destroyed or only partially restored...
"Hmm. Maykin, can you check the oil?"
"It seems fine... but the viscosity is a bit low. We might need to apply Enhancement Magic. Twice, maybe."
-■■ ■■■ ■■■■?-■■ ■■■■■.
Nilia and Adenart exchanged glances as they observed the fire spirits they had summoned, inwardly impressed. 'Wow, how did they grow them that big?' 'How did they form contracts with so many spirits?' Meanwhile, Rowena's face paled as she broke into a cold sweat.
"...Lord Wardanaz. D-do we really need this much fire?"
"Of course. Restoring ruined reagents requires at least this much."
Lee Han further intensified the condensed flames boiling inside the cauldron.
As blue flames were poured in generously, the bubbling essence grew even more potent.
Watching this, Rowena realized why the method of restoring reagents had fallen out of practice.
There probably wasn't a single mage in the entire Empire who would waste this much mana just to restore reagents!