Episode 985
Episode 985
The Crazy Doppelganger nodded at his disciple's answer.
Just as erasing the Eight Sufferings of the world through magic was no easy task, imparting the secret techniques to his disciple within a limited time frame wasn't simple either.
Amid such difficulties, the disciple's maturity shone like a guiding light—a stark contrast to his immature behavior in the past.
"Well thought. Then let us depart. You, mage, shall serve as the porter."
"My apologies. I'll carry the luggage myself, so please don't concern yourself."
Lee Han apologized on behalf of his master's words. Catten merely laughed as if it didn't bother him at all.
"The luggage should be carried by the sturdier person. Junior."
'Then shouldn't the master carry it?' Of course, no matter how good the Crazy Doppelganger's mood was, Lee Han didn't voice that thought aloud.
Instead, he waved his staff and summoned a Skeleton Golem. This medium-sized summon, thanks to its bulk, was more than capable of handling porter duties.
Though the mana consumption was considerable...
"Now! Shall we go?"
"......"
"Senior?"
"Ah. My apologies. That summon is quite impressive... Might I learn how to summon one later?"
"...Master! Could you open a portal, please!"
Lee Han swiftly pretended not to hear and changed the subject.
"Hmm. Moradi. Shouldn't we start preparing for the final exams soon?"
"...!?"
Giselle turned her head in shock.
That such words would come from fellow White Tiger Tower students...
"Am I hearing things because I'm tired? I can't believe this."
"...Don't be like that, Moradi."
The White Tiger Tower friends flushed slightly, recalling how they had desperately avoided studying in their first year.
But after becoming second-years and experiencing midterms, even the White Tiger Tower students were beginning to face reality.
Perhaps...
Perhaps exams were something you had to study for regularly?
Not something you crammed for a week before, but prepared for at least two or three weeks in advance?
In fact, maybe Wardanaz—who had been preparing since the start of the semester—was the normal one, and they were the abnormal ones.
"Maybe Wardanaz finishing midterms before midterms even started was the norm..."
"That's not it."
"It's not?"
"No, it's not. Get a grip."
Giselle shot them a cold glare.
Right now, it seemed the White Tiger Tower students' intelligence had slightly dropped due to fatigue and pressure.
No matter how much you conceded, finishing all your midterms before they even began was definitely abnormal. Even among the seniors, no one did that.
"So you want to start preparing for finals early? Wow. Impressive. I never thought I'd see the day you'd say such things."
"Sorry..."
"And you guys are going to play polo?"
"W-we didn't get sent to the Punishment Room, at least."
Giselle glared at her friends with a look that said, 'You little shits, bragging now.'
Currently, one of the White Tiger Tower's problem students had run off to watch a polo match and been dragged to the Punishment Room.
Among polo enthusiasts, it was considered a romantic, legendary tale, but in Giselle's eyes, it was nothing but disgraceful behavior that brought shame to the tower.
"That damn ball game should've been banned by imperial law."
"H-how can you say that...! You like it too, Moradi!"
"I don't. And if you say that one more time, I'll break your polo stick."
Giselle suppressed her irritation and growled.
Fundamentally, those from knightly families couldn't even imagine someone not liking polo.
And every time she saw that attitude, Giselle wanted to smack some sense into them to broaden their imagination.
That damned ball game!
"Anyway, I've noted the finals discussion. It's the most commendable and pleasing topic you've brought up yet. Let's start immediately after this is over."
"Right away?"
"Right away."
"...Couldn't we start a little later... Ah, no! Let's start right away!"
Seeing Giselle about to hit him, the White Tiger Tower student quickly changed his tone.
Then he turned his gaze to the massive ore vein before them.
Frost Steel ore was densely embedded throughout the vein. 'I want to mine all of this within the week.' Recently, Giselle and the White Tiger Tower students had been spending considerable time in other dimensions. They had discovered the Frost Steel ore while further exploring a dimension assigned during their <Tragic History of Ancient Artifacts and Summoning Magic> class.
Truthfully, Frost Steel wasn't particularly appealing material to students from other towers.
The metal's property was that it became sharper and deadlier when infused with magical energy—something Einrogard students rarely had use for.
But for the White Tiger Tower students, most of whom came from knightly families, the story was different.
For students who'd been forced to leave behind their cherished weapons and armor, such a usable metal was rare indeed.
Even if it wasn't the finest masterpiece, it was more than enough to forge at least one sword to wield during their school years.
Moreover, now that the White Tiger Tower students were second-years, they'd gained enough experience to refine and craft it themselves...
The only problem was that mining it took an absurd amount of time.
Even with all the mining potions and magic scrolls they'd prepared, they hadn't expected it to take this long.
"This thing is disgustingly hard."
"There's only one way."
Faced with this obstacle, the White Tiger Tower students responded with an unconventional solution.
Namely, brute force.
"Burn bright, pickaxes!"
"Boil over, strength!"
Other tower students would've sneered, 'Have those idiots gotten even dumber as they advanced a grade?'
But this was precisely the White Tiger Tower students' strength.
Their method—boldly combining reinforcement and transmutation magic with their trained physiques—might draw scorn for being crude and simple, but its destructive power was something no one could easily replicate.
"What are you all doing here?"
"...!?"
Giselle startled and turned her head.
There stood a familiar friend from the Blue Dragon Tower, a fifth-year senior, and the Skeleton Principal's avatar accompanied by skeleton golem porters.
"Wha—what about you?! What are you doing here, Wardanaz?!"
At that question, Lee Han revealed a sorrowful, gloomy expression. Seeing this rare moment of vulnerability from their Wardanaz family friend, Giselle was momentarily flustered.
What in the world had happened?
"Senior Catten said he was checking the final exam location for Professor Ingoldel, so I followed."
"......"
That was indeed a sorrowful and depressing matter. Giselle gasped and whispered in horror,
"Unless he took an arrow to the head, why would he hold the final exam here? There are dozens of places in the Empire better suited for testing swordsmanship!"
The White Tiger Tower students had been betting heavily on the swordsmanship guild's training hall in Granden City as their exam location.
From senior testimonies, it was the most logical choice.
But this remote dimension? Why?
Lee Han hesitated briefly before answering rapidly without even pausing to breathe.
"I think Professor Ingoldel has finally lost it. He's succumbed to the poison that is Einrogard."
"Tch. Indeed... Can't be helped. He's only human, after all."
Students from any other magic academy wouldn't have bought such nonsense, but Einrogard students had no choice but to accept it.
Even relatively sane people started losing their minds after staying at Einrogard too long.
"Don't worry, everyone. I'll tail Senior Catten and thoroughly investigate the exam details. Might as well grab some Frost Giant relics while I'm at it."
"Wardanaz...!"
The White Tiger Tower students gazed at Lee Han with eyes full of absolute reassurance.
How did they get such a reliable friend?
"Why are you dawdling?"
"Ah! Professor!"
As Lee Han stopped moving to engage in conversation, the Crazy Doppelganger approached from behind.
After hearing his disciple's explanation, the Crazy Doppelganger nodded.
"Break."
CRACK!
The massive bedrock and ore veins shattered and collapsed in an instant.
"Rocks with rocks, iron with iron."
The stones gathered with stones, and the ores clustered with ores. The sorting was completed in the blink of an eye.
"Done. You mages, follow along."
"?????"
The White Tiger Tower students stared at Lee Han with looks of utter bewilderment.
Why us??
Of course, even if it were Lee Han, there was no way he could answer that.
"I don't know either."
"...Don't lie, Wardanaz! There's no way you don't know!"
"Are you seriously complaining just because we're not doing magic right now?! We were just going to finish mining this and go back!"
The students shouted words that even they found slightly unconvincing.
But it was true.
They really had planned to finish this and go back!
"No... I really don't know either. Why did he tell us to follow?"
Lee Han was about to ask the Crazy Doppelganger, but Giselle grabbed his arm and shook her head.
"...Drop it. Let's not provoke him unnecessarily."
"Moradi. The teacher seems to be in a better mood than usual today. It might be fine to ask."
'Is that even possible?'
Giselle found it strange but shook her head again.
"I said drop it. You'll just get beaten up again."
That certainly made it hard to argue.
Though the Crazy Doppelganger had been in a good and kind mood lately, it was still as unpredictable as the original insane archmage.
"If you say so. But is it really okay for the others to follow?"
"It's about checking the final exam in advance, so of course it's fine. We finished early anyway."
At Giselle's response, their friends grumbled from behind.
'It's absolutely not fine!'
Wardanaz and Giselle often disagreed on most things, but when it came to tormenting and pushing their friends, they were always in perfect sync.
Why, of all things, only in this aspect...
"Senior. But what exactly are you trying to check about the dimension?"
At Lee Han's question, Giselle nodded approvingly.
In truth, the most critical part of this trip might have been Catten's judgment.
Depending on how Catten decided, their location might shift back to the swordsmanship guild's training hall in Granden City.
"First, I plan to ask whether the Frost Giants can assist with the exam, junior."
"......"
"......"
Lee Han and Giselle's expressions turned horrified. Fortunately, the students behind them didn't seem to hear, as there was no reaction.
"...So checking an appropriate location meant that???"
"What else could it mean? Sightseeing?"
Catten laughed, pleased with his own joke. The two juniors didn't find it funny at all.
'If the Frost Giants take the exam...'
'Do we have to face a Frost Giant with swords?'
As Giselle's face stiffened, Catten tilted his head in confusion.
"What's wrong, junior? If you're worried..."
"...It's nothing. I was just wondering if my swordsmanship is truly capable of facing a Frost Giant."
As she answered, Giselle subtly tested his intentions.
Was he really considering making them fight a Frost Giant?
"A junior of your level can handle it!"
'Damn.'
It seemed he was serious. Giselle inwardly lamented, wondering why Professor Ingoldel had to be this insane, and said,
"I'm still not proficient with aura yet."
"But you've already set foot on that path, junior. Realization could come tomorrow—or even today. There's no need to worry too much."
The reassuring advice from a senior who had walked the path of the sword before them was deeply comforting.
Giselle gave a small nod.
The path a swordsman must walk is long and endless, its destination unseen.
There was no reason to be impatient over how quickly one could sprint through a short stretch of that journey.
"Right. Moradi. Besides, you've got a lot on your plate dealing with those White Tiger Tower brats."
"Thanks, Wardanaz—"
Giselle, about to express gratitude to her friend, suddenly froze...
How dare this guy, who had already awakened his aura, say something like that while she was busy looking after all the White Tiger Tower students?
"...You shut up."
"!?"