Episode 967
Episode 967
Even while his junior was making the resolution to "live only for myself now," the seniors paid little attention.
Lee Han remained equally unbothered as he took out a thermos magically preserved glass bottle of steaming hot tea and ate a sandwich filled with spiced and salted pork.
'How surprising.'
Though he had just resolved not to care, Lee Han couldn't help but feel inwardly astonished.
Gainando and the other second-years would stare longingly at him whenever he took out food, much like the baby basilisk.
At Einrogard, warm and delicious food was as rare and hard to resist as a siren's song.
Yet the seniors from the Enchantment Magic department remained completely focused on their own tasks, utterly indifferent. It was clear why they were the ones who had stayed under Professor Verdus.
For a moment, Lee Han felt an inexplicable irritation.
Unbeknownst to himself, it was the pride of someone who had served as Einrogard's caretaker for nearly a year and a half.
How dare they show no interest in the snacks he had prepared?
'...'
What am I even thinking?'
Lee Han shook his head.
If he didn't have to do anything, that was a good thing—why was he complaining? It was a ridiculous thought.
"...Senior Sigunting, what are you doing?"
"Checking an artifact."
The dwarf boy, a year above Lee Han, replied while inspecting a crossbow that radiated various flows of magical energy.
Since they had descended underground, even if they weren't combat mages, they couldn't afford to be careless. At Einrogard, one had to protect themselves.
"I see. There are multiple enchantments on it."
The magic emanating from the bolt's tip was of the enemy-tracking and homing variety—enough to turn even an unskilled mage into a marksman.
The short bolt's fletching carried acceleration and armor-piercing enhancement spells.
With that level of mana and spell composition, even a glancing hit would pierce straight through a steel shield.
The crossbow's frame had Dark Vision and vision-enhancing magic, while the loading mechanism was imbued with confidence-boosting, calculation-assistance, and drafting-assistance spells...
"...?"
Lee Han wondered if he had misread it, but upon checking again, he realized he hadn't.
"Senior. Does this crossbow really have calculation-assistance and drafting-assistance spells?"
"...Yes, it does!"
Sigunting looked at Lee Han in surprise.
He hadn't even explained anything, yet his junior had already analyzed the enchantments on the artifact.
No wonder other mages held him in such high regard.
"That's impressive. How did you know?"
"Why would a crossbow need calculation or drafting assistance? The aiming is already handled by magic..."
In Lee Han's opinion, it would have made more sense to cram in even one additional combat spell in those slots instead.
But Sigunting stared at his junior as if he were some battle-obsessed mage.
"What are you talking about? The combat capabilities are already sufficient, so we should include spells for everyday use."
"Everyday use...?"
"Exactly."
Lee Han was about to ask when they would ever use calculation or drafting in daily life when he absentmindedly glanced to the side.
Yukveltire and Anpagon were diligently sketching artifact blueprints in their spare time.
"...I see. My thinking was too narrow."
"It happens, Wardanaz. If you want to save time, you should carry artifacts like this too."
"I suppose so..."
Taking his senior's advice to heart, Lee Han quietly tucked the thermos and sandwich wrapper into his bag.
Seeing his seniors studying like that made him feel oddly ashamed.
"Understood, Senior. So, aside from this, what other combat artifacts did you bring?"
"That's all of them."
Sigunting didn't understand what his junior was asking.
Unless one was a battle-crazed combat mage, most wizards didn't carry multiple combat tools.
Magic was a path of research and arcane achievement, not a tool for fighting.
"Do you have multiple combat artifacts, Wardanaz?"
"W-Well... just one. Haha."
Lee Han tactfully changed the subject.
Strictly speaking, since he could cast many spells with just one staff, it wasn't entirely wrong to say he only had one.
Though he doubted the other would buy that excuse...
"I'll go talk with the other seniors then!"
'That kid's talented but wastes too much time on pointless things,' Sigunting thought to himself.
Well, no one could be perfect in every aspect.
The underground mines of Einrogard were teeming with various monsters.
Kukas—half-human, half-crocodile monsters capable of wielding primitive magic.
Alicantos—rare birds that cried out while searching for precious metals.
Even wild golems—naturally born from mana-infested contaminated soil or metal.
Smart Einrogard students avoided fighting such foes.
After all, no one was handing out medals for slaying mine monsters, so evasion was the best strategy...
—Grrrrrlurk!
The crocodilian monster, which had been brandishing a three-pronged branch adorned with skulls and metal, let out a shriek and fled.
It had tried cursing the mage, but none of its spells had any effect.
Worse, the retaliation came instantly.
When a vicious water projectile—capable of crushing even a mud wall after immobilizing movement with psychokinesis—came flying, the Kuka realized it had severely misjudged its opponent.
"Should we chase it? By the way, what were you saying earlier?"
"Evasion is the best strategy... No. Never mind, it doesn't seem necessary."
Yukveltire quickly revised her statement.
Seeing her junior's combat prowess, she realized there was no need to avoid fights at all.
She had brought him along considering various scenarios, including escort duty, but she hadn't expected him to fight this well.
"Let's head straight down the southern cave."
"But Senior Yukveltire... There's no sign of activity here. Are you sure this is the right way?"
Lee Han asked, puzzled.
Thanks to the Shadow Patrol training Nilia had given him whenever possible, Lee Han had become quite adept in these matters.
Even in the pitch-black underground mines, the techniques of rangers and patrols never lost their value.
The western slope they had bypassed showed clear traces of students who had passed through.
But the southern cave path looked like no one had used it in a long time.
Was it really okay to proceed?
"Of course. Junior of the Wardanaz family. Do you doubt my judgment?"
"Huh? Yes."
"I thought you trusted me. Then let's go."
'He definitely said "yes"...' Lee Han thought, dumbfounded.
He had clearly expressed his doubts, but she had twisted his answer to suit herself.
And one hour later...
"Pant... pant... pant..."
The students staggered out of the cave's opposite exit, exhausted.
Among them, Lee Han looked particularly worn out.
Having taken the frontline role and fended off waves of enemies alone, it was inevitable.
The southern cave had been far more treacherous than Lee Han had anticipated.
Dozens of Kukas had surged out to take down intruders, while wild golems poured from the walls.
Lee Han had endured the monsters' curses with sheer resilience and blocked the wild golems with psychokinesis and swordsmanship.
—Senior! When will the area spell be ready?!
—Which senior?
—...
Senior Yukveltire!
—Ah! Senior Yukveltire, when will it be done?!
—28 more seconds.
—Then can someone else at least provide covering fire?! There are too many of them! I can't even find a moment to cast!
—I'll summon a small fortress first. Wardanaz, take cover behind—... Wait, did you take them all out yourself?
The enemy assault had been relentless—had Lee Han lacked even one of his three strengths (mana, psychokinesis, or swordsmanship), he would have been overwhelmed instantly.
After sheathing his staff and sword, Lee Han approached Yukveltire.
Part of her bag had been damaged—likely from an attack during the fierce battle—and she was inspecting its contents.
"Senior Yukveltire. May I ask you something?"
"Sure."
"By any chance... did you come this way because I was here, when you normally wouldn't have taken this path?"
It might have sounded like an arrogant and presumptuous question, but he couldn't help being suspicious.
No matter how you looked at it, this place was far too difficult to be considered a proper path—there was no reason for seniors who weren't even Combat Mages to come this way.
Unless it was Professor Voladi, there was no reason to deliberately take a more dangerous route...
"Sure."
"...So you thought it would be fine because I have both strong magic resistance and close-combat abilities against those monsters?"
"Mhm."
"And I suppose you didn't even consider the possibility that things might go wrong or become dangerous?"
Yukveltire found it odd why his junior kept asking unnecessary questions.
"I calculated that we'd succeed. And we did. Why do you keep asking?"
Lee Han deeply regretted not consulting Senior Diret first before impulsively accepting the offer.
Devilish proposals always seemed tempting and sweet—how could he have fallen for it?!
"It's nothing."
Thud!
Fortunately, having swung his sword so much against the golem earlier, he managed not to swing it at his senior.
Meanwhile, Yukveltire finished assessing the damage.
"...The potions are broken."
"!"
From mana recovery potions to nutritional supplements—
For Enchantment Magic students who lacked stamina and physical training, these potions were crucial. Yukveltire's expression darkened slightly.
"The others must have brought plenty, so couldn't you share some?"
"No."
"Nope."
Anpagon and Sigunting immediately refused.
Lee Han, shocked, pressed further.
"W-wait, is there a reason at least?"
"No reason to share."
"But we're from the same school..."
The two seniors stared at Lee Han as if he were saying something absurd.
So what if they were from the same school?
Lee Han once again realized he was the only sane one among lunatics.
"Wardanaz. There seems to be some misunderstanding. Put yourself in my shoes—if I lost my share of potions, do you think Senior Yukveltire would have shared his with me?"
"Of course he would."
"No, I wouldn't."
"......"
At Yukveltire's blunt response from behind, Lee Han's expression twisted.
That was absolutely no help at all.
"Why not?"
"Managing potions is part of a mage's responsibilities."
"...Even so, we'd be in trouble without Senior Yukveltire, wouldn't we?"
Lee Han quickly ignored the back and called out to the two seniors who at least seemed somewhat reasonable.
"Isn't Senior Yukveltire the only one who can locate Senior Zarun?"
"He could just give us the means to find him and go back himself."
"Senior Yukveltire would never make such a concession—"
"I will."
"......"
Crack!
Sigunting flinched as he saw a rock outside the passageway suddenly split apart.
Could it be... psychokinesis without incantation at that distance?!
"...And why now?"
At Lee Han's question, Yukveltire replied calmly.
"Since it was my proposal, it's only natural."
Failing to manage the potions was Yukveltire's mistake, and gathering the students to descend was her idea.
As a rational Enchantment Magic student of Einrogard, the proper course of action would be to hand over Zarun's location and return alone in solitude.
"...Fine, I'll share my potions. You can pay me back later when we go up."
Anpagon and Sigunting couldn't comprehend the junior's offer.
"Why would you do that?"
"Is it because Wardanaz has overflowing mana?"
"Even with overflowing mana, why waste potions on a senior?"
"Exactly..."
'I want to beat them all up.'
Ignoring the muttering from behind, Lee Han pulled out potions from his bag.
Yukveltire, accepting them, asked,
"There's no meal-replacement potion here..."
"...I'll just make you food, so drink that for now."
Yukveltire was about to say, "That'll take too long," but hesitated and closed his mouth.
Somehow, his instincts told him it was better not to say it.
Occasionally, there are students who surpass their masters.
Despite the disgraceful nickname "Little Verdus," Yukveltire did, in fact, have better sense than his teacher.