Episode 956
Episode 956
It was clear that asking Angrago would only bring useless nonsense. Rather than wasting time, Giselle went straight to the person in charge.
"Wardanaz. Weren't you supposed to be looking after these kids? What the hell is Alpha saying?"
"Who's looking after who?! We're just hanging out together!"
Angrago flared up in anger.
Sure, during this outing, Wardanaz had helped them escape, defeated enemies, gathered scattered students, secured a secret hideout, and even earned gold coins to share—but that was just friends traveling together, not Wardanaz babysitting them.
Anyone hearing this would get the wrong idea.
"Honestly, you were totally being looked after. You shameless bastard."
"I also believe you were being looked after. I can't believe someone could say something so utterly devoid of conscience."
"Though I didn't go out with them, judging by their usual behavior, it does seem like Wardanaz was looking after them..."
Unlike the Watcher Club, the second-year students at Einrogard didn't reveal who was who.
People like Lee Han and Giselle could roughly guess identities based on handwriting, but Angrago couldn't.
"W-who is this? Isn't Dalkard the only one who changes his handwriting?"
"Ashan isn't even here. Angrago, more importantly—did you really skip out just to watch a polo match?"
Lee Han's question was met with silence from Angrago. Giselle let out a deep sigh.
"I should've broken your legs to stop you from fooling around when you tried to leave."
"Isn't that too harsh, Wardanaz?!"
"I'm Moradi, you idiot."
"..."
"Isn't that too harsh, Moradi?"
"What's harsh about it? Weren't you supposed to complete the <Healing Amulet> this semester? Planning to finish it in the Punishment Room?"
"Yeah."
"..."
"Wardanaz. Can you break this guy's legs for me?"
"Like I said, it's tough since he's already escaped. He's not in front of me."
"Ah, no! I'm being serious here!!"
Angrago protested earnestly.
Even if he ended up in the Punishment Room after escaping, couldn't he still work hard on his magic and achieve his goals there?
Of course, Lee Han and Giselle were skeptical.
"The Punishment Room isn't exactly conducive to magical studies. Especially for someone like Angrago."
"Even when he's in the tower, he never studies alone. What makes you think he'd do anything there?"
"I also think that's a completely absurd idea..."
Under fire not just from those two but from other friends as well, Angrago finally gave up and shouted.
"None of this matters! And I've already escaped! I'm going to watch the polo match and then come back. No one can stop me!"
"Suit yourself. Just don't be surprised if someone sets your stuff and boxes on fire."
"..."
"N-not gonna work. That kind of threat..."
"Hey, Moradi. Instead of burning them, can I have his stuff?"
"Maybe."
"Wardanaz! Hey! Are you seriously doing this?!"
"Angrago. Come back now. And the polo match won't even be that fun. The players are boring."
"Wardanaz. Even if you helped us escape this time—"
"I also defeated enemies for you."
"And gathered the students in one place."
"Found us a hideout and even set up an income source."
"..."
"None of that slander will work! I'm going to witness the grandeur of Einrogard's Polo Club with my own eyes! See you all later! I'm out!"
With those final words, Angrago disappeared. He really must have covered himself with an artifact.
"Angrago. For the record, I'm the one playing in the polo match. The Polo Club isn't in great shape. There's no reason to come watch a lousy game— Angrago? Did he really leave?"
"Seems like it. He already put the artifact in his pocket."
"Salko. Did you like polo too? Didn't expect you to escape with Angrago."
"I wanted to see the stadium in person."
"I see. That makes sense. Hope it's worth the Punishment Room visit. I'll sneak some snacks in for you later."
"Thanks, Wardanaz."
'Is Wardanaz being a starter for the Polo Club weird only to me?' Giselle felt confused inside the school.
"What on earth happened outside that made everyone go along with it?"
Grrrrr!
Kekekekeke!
Kyaaaaak!
The complex and varied cries of monsters that were rarely heard under normal circumstances.
Instead of fleeing or screaming in terror at the distant roars, the citizens of Granden City laughed joyfully.
"The polo match must be starting soon!"
"Wait, is that the cry of a griffin?! Could there really be a match featuring a griffin?!"
"Don't be ridiculous. It's probably just some eagle-type monster. Griffins aren't like wyverns—they can't just be tamed like that."
Before a large-scale polo match, it was common for such a cacophony of monster cries to fill the surroundings.
If only the neighing of horses could be heard instead, it would likely mean a dull and unremarkable match.
"Ugh, here we go again. What's so great about those noisy beasts?"
"Ah! The Empire has fallen! These people care for nothing but bread and polo!"
Though some citizens reacted negatively to the polo matches, their complaints did nothing to sway the general excitement.
Most people adored polo matches, after all.
"Originally, it began as a life-or-death duel between humans, but to make the fights more thrilling, it evolved into battles between humans and monsters. Eventually, it transformed into its current form—humans riding monsters to compete."
"......"
Lee Han, who was still receiving an impromptu education on the subject, listened to the history of polo with a blank expression.
He really didn't need to memorize all this...
"The rules of polo vary by region and situation. The largest polo match in history was the Great Eastern Polo Match 41 years ago. It was a city-versus-city battle where hundreds of players faced off, with goals set in each other's cities. Over a hundred people broke bones or had their skulls cracked in that match, and it ended in a draw when the ball disappeared..."
"Are there any... shortcuts I can use right away?"
"...Should I explain those first?"
Arian asked, half in disbelief.
Even if he was from the Wardanaz family, was he really asking for tricks and cheats...?
"Yes!"
'Of course he is!'
Arian silently chastised himself for jumping to conclusions and pulled out another book—99 Polo Cheats and Tricks.
"Normally, striking above the shoulders or using magic or mana-based martial techniques is prohibited, but there are ways to avoid getting caught by the referees..."
"I see. I see."
Lee Han listened with several times more focus than before.
No matter how he looked at it, facing off against elite players with pure skill alone seemed impossible—cheating was the only answer.
Screeeeech!
A sharp bird cry echoed from afar—the prearranged signal for the Einrogard Polo Club to gather.
"Ah. I think I should go now."
"Good luck, young master!"
With their farewells, Lee Han hurried off.
Truthfully, even without such signals, the Einrogard Polo Club was easy to find.
All he had to do was look for the loudest and most flamboyant group in Einrogard.
Mages adorned with enchanted miniature cages, massive transport carts packed with beasts, and various monster pelts and feathers as decorations stood out no matter where they were.
"It's the Einrogard polo team!"
"Go for it! I'm rooting for you! But try to do better this time!"
"Where's Kimbeldan? At least he played polo like a decent human being!"
"Kimbeldan graduated. Einrogard is a magic academy, you know."
"Oh no! Without him, there's no one left worth watching!"
Though some cheered, most of the crowd voiced worry, jeers, or complaints about the team's recent poor performance.
Pushing through the noisy crowd, Lee Han joined the senior club members.
Carnella glared at the spectators with blazing eyes and muttered under her breath.
"These bastards don't even know what real, heartfelt support is... They'll swallow you whole if you win and spit you out if you lose. Just because we've had a bad year or two, they stop cheering?"
'Isn't that normal?'
If a team loses a few matches, of course people would stop supporting them...
Still, as a senior, Lee Han at least tried to calm him down.
"Please calm down, Senior. If we do well, they'll cheer for us again."
"They should cheer even if we do poorly! Who do they think is stupid enough to cheer for a family player who's lost a hundred matches?!"
'Polo fanatics are truly infuriating.'
Lee Han found himself missing the magic fanatics instead.
Both groups were equally unreasonable, but at least Lee Han had some interest in magic.
"Junior... I'm counting on you. You have to surpass Senior Kimbeldan and become our new striker. Crush and trample the other players. Make them tremble just from meeting your gaze. Make them cower at the sight of your shadow..."
"But aren't there any other second-years?"
Lee Han glanced around and realized something odd.
Among the students who had come out, there wasn't a single second-year.
"Huh? Uh."
"...Why?"
"Well, second-years usually don't have decent mounts, and they lack experience... Ah! Don't worry, Junior. In your case, I personally convinced the others."
"...Why go that far...?"
It was rare for a second-year student to participate in a polo club match.
Not only were mounts an issue, but the polo club members weren't heartless enough to send out an inexperienced junior just to get them injured.
But Carnella was the type who would swing a polo mallet at the Skeleton Principal's skull if it meant victory.
To Carnella, Lee Han wasn't just a second-year student.
He was an exceptional striker prospect—someone who could ride a griffin, a unicorn, a basilisk, and if absolutely necessary, a Mountain-Destroying Sheep or even a four-legged giant (though whether the latter would work was questionable).
"It's just... I believe in your talent."
'Not the least bit flattering.'
If it had been any other senior, Lee Han might have been slightly moved, but Carnella's eyes were brimming with greed.
It seemed he wouldn't care much whether Lee Han got trampled by a wyvern or a behemoth, as long as they won.
"Hormasi. Stop tormenting Wardanaz."
"Senior Perse, I have never once tormented Wardanaz. I was praising his talent."
"Even if we're short on players, isn't it a bit risky to send out a second-year...?"
Perse still seemed conflicted, glancing at Lee Han, then at Carnella, then back at Lee Han.
Finally, she let out a deep sigh.
"Junior, I doubt you'd listen even if I tried to stop you."
"...Huh? No, you never once tried to—"
Unable to hold back any longer, Lee Han blurted out his thoughts.
She'd never tried to stop him, and now she was saying this?
But Perse ignored him and continued.
"Anyway, be careful, Wardanaz. No one expects more from you than they should—except Carnella. Everyone in the club knows the situation."
Currently, the Einrogard Polo Club was weakened by a series of misfortunes—top players leaving (graduation and disappearances) and mounts fleeing.
The members weren't shameless enough to dump everything on a second-year who'd just joined in this crisis.
Except for one.
"But be careful around Carnella. If we lose, stay away from him for a while."
"......"
Lee Han silently shook his head at the utterly unhelpful advice.
Then he pulled out 99 Polo Tricks and started reading again.
'Hmm... How to secretly use magic...'
Rather than reviewing what he'd learned in the polo club this semester, these tricks seemed far more practical.
"Ah, right. Wardanaz. I almost forgot."
Perse, who had been about to leave to tend to the mounts, called out to him.
"Is something the matter?"
"Nothing major. Professor Garcia was looking for you. She said to come see her right after the polo match."
Lee Han's face paled slightly.