Chapter Text
I’m never attending school, ever again. From now on, I’ll live life for myself!
…Yi-Han, a Korean graduate student, thus swore after obtaining his Master’s degree with much effort.
He was never going near a place of study ever again.
However, as the saying goes, things never go as planned.
Yi-Han died in an unfortunate accident, only to be born in another world as a child of the Wardanaz Family, a household known for its magic.
And in the blink of an eye, 15 years had passed.
Today was the day he would enroll in Einroguard, the Empire’s greatest magic academy.
When Yi-Han was reborn as a Wardanaz, he was at first puzzled, then fascinated, before finally accepting the situation he was in.
Fortunately for him, the Wardanaz was a family with much authority in the Empire, renowned for nurturing powerful mages.
Yi-Han’s father, who was the head of the Wardanazs, was a powerful figure who had a close relationship with the emperor, and their mansion was the very definition of luxury.
At this point, Yi-Han arrived at a certain hypothesis.
-This must be my reward for attending graduate school in my previous life!
He could now live comfortably for the rest of his life, without any worries…or so he thought.
The Wardanaz Family wasn’t such a lax place.
-Yi-Han Wardanaz.
-Yes, Patriarch.
-What do you wish to achieve in life?
-….
‘Should I be honest and tell him I wish to play around and live comfortably?’ Yi-Han thought to himself.
It didn’t seem like a very good answer.
-Never mind, you don’t need to reply. After all, we both know the answer to that question.
Hm?
-You yourself should be aware of your hidden talent.
Pardon?
-As you may already know, our household has a rule that dictates that the first-born child will inherit everything.
What!?
This came as a shock to him.
Everything? As in everything? Not even a penny for the others?
-Patriarch, does that mean I won’t inherit anything?
-That’s where you’re wrong, Yi-Han Wardanaz.
‘Phew.’
-Our household will give you all the opportunities you need. If you wish to become a knight, we’ll find the best knight to train you. If you wish to become a government official, you’ll have the chance to learn under a minister. If you wish to become a merchant, you’ll be able to work under the Empire’s most successful merchant group.
‘…Or you could just give me an equivalent amount of money.’
He’d no doubt rake in a fortune if he sold those opportunities to someone else. To begin with, their household rule was ridiculous.
‘Damn it, I should’ve been born just a few years earlier.’
He lamented his laziness for being born as the third child. The first child would receive everything while the rest would have to struggle and find a way to feed themselves somehow.
When he learned of this, Yi-Han thought long and hard about what he should do in the future.
Government official, merchant, knight, or adventurer…
The good thing was, though he wouldn’t receive any money, the household would provide as much support as they could. In other words, he had the chance to learn and achieve whatever he desired.
After much consideration, he decided on becoming a mage.
-I knew you would say that.
His father, the patriarch, seemed satisfied with his answer.
-I assume you knew you were talented in this field?
-…??
‘I just thought it would be the most stable job to have?’
He wasn’t wrong about that. Mages were respected throughout the Empire, and it was an occupation that even members of the nobility would be proud to have. With enough skill, they would be welcomed anywhere. Be it the knights’ order, the adventurers’ guild, or the imperial palace, mages were considered a valuable resource.
-Go attend Einroguard. You’ll meet many aspiring mages such as yourself, and you will surely grow by experiencing what it’s like to be there.
Einroguard was the best of the best even within the Empire when it came to magic academies. It boasted the longest history, tradition, and prestige. Just by graduating there, one was guaranteed a certain amount of fame.
Of course, that wasn’t all.
They could accomplish great things, catch the attention of a professor and receive their recommendation letter, or form connections with other students that may prove useful later on in their lives…
Not only was Einroguard the best magic academy in the Empire, but it was also the ideal place to build connections.
Though he had sworn off schools in his previous life, Yi-Han had no choice but to obediently enroll in the academy.
-Understood. I will enroll in the academy.
‘I’ll endure it for now until I graduate… just think of this as investing for the future.’
Arlong, an elderly knight, gave Yi-Han a salute.
“Young Master Yi-Han.”
“I thank Sir Knight for escorting me here.”
“It wasn’t anything worthy of praise.”
Arlong was a knight that served the Wardanaz Family.
Normally, a knight like him wouldn’t have to serve as Yi-Han’s guard, but when he heard that Yi-Han would be leaving the capital to enroll in Einroguard, he volunteered himself for the task.
It was because they shared a close relationship.
“I didn’t think Sir Knight, who taught me swordsmanship, would accompany me here…”
“It wasn’t because Young Master Yi-Han had learned from me. It was to make sure others don’t belittle the Waradanaz Household.”
“Whatever the reason may be, I’m grateful.”
Arlong continued to maintain a serious expression, but Yi-Han, who knew of his personality, smiled.
Though Arlong was strict and silent most of the time, he was a kind and thoughtful man. He had volunteered out of concern for Yi-Han’s safety.
Seeing his smile, Arlong let out a dry cough.
“Well, truth be told, I may have been a little glad when Young Master Yi-Han expressed his desire to learn swordsmanship.”
Wardanaz was a family of mages, and not many thought to learn how to wield a sword.
However, Yi-Han learned it for two reasons. First, he was of the belief that anything he learned could prove useful later on. For example, he could keep himself safe if he knew how to wield a sword. As for the second reason…
It was because he was bored out of his mind.
Though it may come as a surprise, he didn’t learn even a single bit of magic at the Wardanaz’s.
-It’s dangerous to learn magic before the age of 15!
In this world, 15 was the age when people were considered adults. Learning magic was the most difficult and dangerous out of all the studies, so it made sense that learning it would be prohibited before one became an adult. Yi-Han, whose mental age was way over 15, thought it was unfair, but there wasn’t anything he could do about it.
“Take a look over there. The young masters and misses of other households have also come with guards so as to not bring shame to their family.”
“Isn’t that a bit…excessive?”
Yi-Han was at a loss for words when he saw the carriages that filled the Empire’s streets.
Bringing ten carriages and dozens of horsemen along seemed over the top.
Admittedly, the noble class was a bit fixated on their pride and liked to show off their wealth but to think they’d go this far when they’re enrolling their kids into an academy… Not only that…
“I thought we weren’t allowed to enter the academy with our guards, servants, nor slaves?”
“That is right.”
Einroguard was a traditional magic academy, and they greatly valued equality.
It didn’t matter whether someone was a member of the royal family or a slave. When they entered, they had to enter alone.
They may bring as many people as they’d like, but they would be left behind in the end.
“Most of them will probably be staying in a nearby town.”
“…For real?” Yi-Han asked, sounding tired already.
15 years have passed since he reincarnated in this world, but he still couldn’t get used to the thoughts of the nobility.
Once they entered this massive academy, they would probably only leave the school’s premises once or twice a month. Making people stand by just for that seemed ridiculous.
“I asked around earlier on and it appears that they’ve bought several properties in nearby areas. Some towns around here have properties built just for that purpose.”
“Sir Knight, I’m saying this now, but I don’t need something like that.”
“But we’ve already purchased a small property as well?”
“…”
Yi-Han swore in his head.
Just give me that damn money!
Spending money that way was considered okay, but they weren’t allowed to hand the money to him directly.
It was completely bogus.
“We’re far from the capital, young master. It’s always better to be safe than sorry.”
“Sure, why not.”
Yi-Han got on his horse. Other people rode on carriages, but he decided he’d just pass through the gates by himself.
‘I’d have to wait until sunset if I were to ride a carriage.’
“Well, once again, I’d like to thank Sir Knight for following me here.”
“There’s no need, Young Master Yi-Han. It was my honor to escort you.”
Those were Arlong’s sincere thoughts. Among everyone in the family, he liked Yi-Han the most as he was both grounded and modest.
“Master also seems to hold the young master in high regard.”
“I doubt that’s the case, but thanks anyway.”
“But it’s true…”
Einroguard was located far away from the capital and the imperial palace. According to a rumor, it was because they had to search for a location with abundant mana. The rumor seemed to be true, as the academy was surrounded by nature.
There was a vast mountain range beyond the academy, not to mention a long, deep river flowing next to it.
Closing his eyes, he could almost feel nature’s mana in the air.
“This…is wrong.”
“??”
A boy approached Yi-Han while saying this, so Yi-Han stared at him, wondering what was going on.
One look at what he was wearing was enough to tell his social class.
There were strings of gold decorating his coat made of high-quality silk, and there wasn’t a trace of roughness on his hands or face.
He was no doubt a noble.
‘Should I call for someone?’
The boy was pale and shivering, indicating how unwell he was.
Had he been struck by some weird magic?
“What’s wrong? Are you okay?”
“I…I…”
“Go on.”
“I can’t sleep…without my servants attending to me…”
“…”
Yi-Han barely managed to hold back his fists.
‘This son of a...'
His concern was absolutely unnecessary.
However, the boy seemed to consider it a serious issue.
“We can’t bring our servants in? But they’re like my arms and legs! They’re practically telling me to chop off my limbs!”
“Wonderful argument,” Yi-Han said dismissively.
The boy, on the other hand, found courage in his words.
“Right? I’ll go and file a complaint.”
“…What will you tell them?”
“Duh? I’m going to tell them they should allow my servants in! ‘Else I’ll consider it a challenge to our household!”
“Good luck with that.”
He didn’t think they’d bend their tradition which they had upheld for thousands of years just for a spoiled brat. Nevertheless, he gave the boy his blessings.
First of all, it was none of his business. Second of all, he was curious as to how the academy’s mages would react.
The boy scuttled away, but he soon returned with a blank expression on his face.
“?”
“I repent. I repent. I repent. I repent…”
“…!!!”
Yi-Han was flabbergasted.
‘Mind control!’
From how the boy was behaving, it was clear he had been affected by a magic that either hypnotized him or dominated his mind.
He wasn’t surprised by the magic itself. He’d heard about it before. However, he was shocked that the academy’s staff would cast such a thing on someone with a noble background.
‘…They say no one would know if the academy buries dead bodies in the mountains. That can’t be true, right?’
He was beginning to wonder whether the rumors he heard in the morning were true.
–Welcome to Einroguard.
With a booming voice, someone sent a message directly to everyone’s head.
Boom!
And soon, the front doors to Einroguard opened.
–You may enter, Ironheads!
Everyone present furrowed their eyebrows, but not because of the insult thrown at them.
Rather, because of the fact that they had an aptitude for magic, they could feel the immense amount of magic surrounding the academy and were pressured by it.
Was this how it felt to stare directly at the sun? To challenge a giant with bare hands?
Hiihihihi!
The horses neighed. Someone had tried to enter with their carriage.
–I remember saying you must enter by yourself…
And with that, the carriage disappeared, and a girl riding inside fell to the ground with a shriek.
Following this, over a dozen carriages vanished, and people nearby heard the screams of the boys and girls who were inside.
–So be it. Ironheads! Know that the academy will make sure its rules are kept, even if you wish to go against them!
“…”
Yi-Han and several other students that were quick-witted realized the academy was as unforgiving as the rumors said.
–Move your lazy asses! Move it! Move it!
“…”
“…”
Yi-Han had a habit of observing everything. Not only was this habit carried over to this world, but it also became worse than before.
Everything felt new and refreshing, and thus, observing them was a treat.
Currently, there were hundreds of boys and girls gathered where he was. Members of the royal family, sons and daughters of nobility, knights, officials, merchants, adventurers, and beggars, there were people from all walks of life.
Soon, they began forming small groups of their own. Forming connections was important for their student life.
“Yi-Han of the Wardanaz Family?”
“Yes, I’m surprised you figured it out. I’m not carrying my family crest anywhere.”
Since equality was a major part of the academy’s tradition, they weren’t allowed to wear anything with their family crest on it.
Even so, it wasn’t that hard to tell.
Yi-Han himself recognized some members of the nobility and royal family he had met before.
“My name’s Yonaire, Yonaire Maykin.”
A girl with smooth eyebrows and curly red hair that stretched down to her shoulder walked up to Yi-Han.
The Maykins were another household known in the Empire for nurturing mages, but they were more involved in the Empire’s politics than the Wardanaz that preferred to be left alone.
For the sake of researching magic, the patriarch often stayed cooped up in the mansion even when the Emperor summoned him.
“Nice to meet you, Yonaire. What can I do for you?”
“His Highness wishes to see you.”
Maykin gestured behind her.
A boy who was dressed the most extravagantly among all the new students was waving at him.
Chapter Text
The royal family. Princes. Princesses. Typically, anyone associated with royalty is considered powerful and noble. However, things were a bit different in this empire.
There were…just too many of them.
‘The emperor has over a hundred children, right?’
The royal family was grand and all, but once the number of descendants reached the triple digits, people would start raising their eyebrows. With so many children, Yi-han could probably sneak into the palace pretending to be a prince and no one would notice.
Just as he had to work hard in life because he was born later than his elder brothers, the emperor’s children were subjected to a similar fate.
Unless they were the firstborn…they would inherit nothing.
In a sense, they had it worse than Yi-han. After all, the patriarch of the Wardanaz Family at least knew the names of his children and provided them with opportunities to succeed. Children of the royal family, on the other hand, would have to plan everything out by themselves.
Of course, a diamond on a dunghill was still a diamond. To the commoners, they symbolized authority. Unfortunately, those gathered here were all descendants of the empire’s bigwig nobles, which meant they didn’t need to humble themselves before the princes and princesses.
In fact, Yonaire Maykin probably had a higher standing than most of the royals present. Which begged the question, why was she following a prince around?
‘…Is she on the slow side?’
Yonaire would’ve likely erupted if she had heard what he was thinking. However, it was true that the people around her were snickering, mocking her for bringing shame upon the nobles’ pride.
Members of the empire’s nobility were as prideful as the royal family, and even the emperor would have to give face to the more powerful ones.
“Sure.”
Knowing all this, Yi-han accepted Maykin’s invitation.
‘I doubt anything bad will happen.’
He wouldn’t suddenly become a laughingstock just because he accepted the invitation. What’s more, as powerless as the prince may be, it was better to make a friend out of royalty than an enemy. Who knows, there might come a day when he would require the prince’s help.
“Really? Thank God!”
Maykin’s smile was as radiant as the sun. She seemed awfully happy about something rather trivial, which made Yi-han suspicious.
“Why?”
“I’ve already been rejected by three people.”
“…”
For a second, he regretted accepting the offer.
Gainando was the empire’s 97th prince.
Since many of his siblings were born around the same time, some sources said he was the 101st, but he strongly insisted he was the 97th, probably because he didn’t want to stoop to the triple digits.
However, except for the fact that he was a prince, there was nothing special about him, and he was just another immature boy. People in this world treated 15-year-olds as adults, but not everyone was equally mature, and Gainando had yet to realize that being a member of the royal family brought him no benefit in this academy.
“You hear me, Yi-han? That bastard turned me down.”
“Yeah, yeah, I hear you.”
“How dare he!”
“He’s just not aware of how noble a figure you are.”
“Noble? But I’m not a noble.”
Gainando stared at Yi-han, confused. The latter just showed a kind smile before nodding. Yi-han’s evaluation of Gainando had just dropped a notch, but he didn’t let it show.
“As an adjective, it’s used to describe someone with high moral principles and ideals.”
“Well then, it’s a word that fits me perfectly.”
“Yup.”
“Anyway, that bastard turned me down, and yet he’s speaking to Adenart! Such humiliation!”
Adenart, who Gainando had just brought up, was also a royal, and she was either the 43rd or the 44th princess.
‘The atmosphere around her is completely different.’
Adenart had long, wavy silver hair and clear, blue eyes. She appeared graceful, and the way she carried herself showed that she was no fool. Just by standing there without speaking, the temperature around her seemed to cool down a bit.
She was a princess that naturally exuded elegance, which made the nobles gather around her. What’s more…
‘She probably didn’t have someone else call them up.’
Nobles may have their pride, but they wouldn’t outright ignore a royal talking to them. If Gainando had approached the students himself and spoken amicably, there would’ve been a few that stuck with him.
“Later on, can you beat him up for me?” Gainando requested Yi-han.
Yi-han had a better build than most people his age thanks to the constant practice of swordsmanship. Though they may become mages in the future, at the current moment, their fists were a stronger weapon.
Nonetheless, Yi-han wasn’t keen on picking a fight with others just for the sake of satisfying Gainando.
“Gainando.”
“Yeah?”
“Someone that’s noble won’t ask others to bully someone.”
“It’s not bullying. It’s punish-”
“Doesn’t matter how you phrase it. Those that are noble won’t make that kind of request.
Think about it.”
“Hmm.”
Gainando thought long and hard about what Yi-han had just told him. In hindsight, it did sound unsightly.
“Then Yi-han, what do you propose we do?”
“Just forgive and forget.”
“…Anything else?”
“You can also challenge him to a duel.”
“He should consider himself lucky that I’m such a benevolent prince.”
It seemed he wasn’t too fond of the second option. Seeing this, Yi-han realized one of Gainando’s strengths: he was very straightforward and simple-minded.
“Wow, I’m amazed you were able to convince that stubborn prince into listening to you.”
Yonaire appeared genuinely impressed. In response to her praise, Yi-han asked her a question that had been on his mind the whole time.
“Why do you follow him around?”
“We’re relatives. He’s my cousin.”
“Still, that doesn’t mean you have to listen to what he says. The Maykin Family’s quite powerful as well…”
Before he could continue asking, a booming voice reverberated throughout the hall.
– Done chitchatting? Then shut it, you Ironheads! You’ll have years for that later on.
“!”
It was the same voice that spoke to them at the gates.
A giant skeleton with fiery eyes appeared at the center of the hall. It released massive amounts of mana to the surrounding area.
‘A Lich!’
Liches were formerly powerful mages that turned themselves into undead to overcome death. Yi-han had heard rumors about them before, but it was his first time seeing one with his own eyes. The students murmured among themselves, also seemingly curious.
– Let me ask you all a question. Why do you think I call you all Ironheads?
Adenart raised her hand. Gainando, who had been watching her, glared at her in disdain.
– Speak.
“…Because iron is the symbol of us freshmen.”
– Excellent. 10 points for your dormitory!
“There’s a point system for dormitories?”
– Of course not. If you wish to become a mage, you must first learn to discern lies from truth.
Adenart had been celebrating her achievement, but she blushed when she realized she’d been tricked.
– Indeed. Iron is the symbol of you freshmen, while bronze is the symbol of the 2nd year. Iron, depending on how you mold it, can take various forms. It truly fits the 1st years well.
“Damn…”
“So there’s a deeper meaning to it…”
The students gathered in the hall were in awe at Principal Skelly’s words.
– As if! Ha! You were tricked again, you fools! We use iron to symbolize you since there’s nothing inside those iron heads of yours! If you don’t believe me, try knocking at it. I’m sure it’ll make a nice sound.
“…”
“…”
Those in the hall suddenly fell silent. Many of them had never received an insult in their entire life. However, none dared speak up before Principal Skelly’s imposing figure.
‘Figures.’
Yi-han took a deep breath. The density of mana had spiked up ever since Principal Skelly’s arrival, so much so that the students were having difficulty even moving. It was as if they were in the depths of the ocean.
‘Even so…I’m pretty sure I can somewhat move. Yup, there it is.’
Yi-han managed to squirm, which immediately caught the attention of Principal Skelly.
– …?
It was as if he was staring at something fascinating.
Yi-han immediately straightened his back. He had come here to make connections and get that piece of paper that certified that he had graduated. Catching the principal’s attention in his first year wasn’t part of his plan.
– I might have been too harsh on the young sprouts that will shoulder the empire in the future.
Principal Skelly’s voice became slightly more gentle. Some students seemed relieved by this, but Yi-han wasn’t going to be duped for the third time.
‘No doubt, this bitch has got some loose screws.’
To become a lich, one would have to abandon something. However, in the case of Principal Skelly, it was apparent that he had left behind more than one loose screw.
Yi-han recalled his time at graduate school. There had been a hint of madness in the eyes of the professor that worked in the lab next door, just like Principal Skelly over here…
‘Nah, scratch that. This Lich seems saner than him.’
Arriving at this thought, Principal Skelly’s antics started feeling more bearable.
– Now, enjoy the feast that the academy’s best chefs have prepared for the young talents that must have traveled far to arrive here! It’s nothing much, but I hope it can do away with your tiredness. After you finish, there will be a warm bed waiting for you in your dormitory…
A chubby student began drooling when he heard this.
A feast? What kind? Was it a chicken cuisine from the empire’s west, cooked with oil and butter after being covered in flour? With onions, salt, pepper, and wine to serve as seasoning, it would be delectable indeed! Or maybe they’d be served gratin with bechamel sauce? Soft, white bread with cheese and butter would be nice too!
Perhaps it would be a dish from the east! Freshly caught fish seasoned with spice and grilled over fire sounded delicious as well!
The journey had been a long and arduous one, and they were so famished that they were ready to slurp down eastern noodles which they normally looked down upon.
However, nothing was served, and the table at the center of the hall remained as empty and desolate as before.
“???”
– Tricked once more! How stupid can you get? When will you wake up? With brains like those, how do you plan on becoming a mage?
‘He’s a damn psycho I tell you.’
So many insults had been hurled at them that some students were about to break down into tears.
– Now, I’ll tell you the rules of this academy. This institution is a cradle for mages, and cravings are what act as a student’s driving force.
Along with his words, shabby cloaks and wands appeared in the air.
– These will be your uniforms.
Hard loaves of bread the color of charcoal and cold rice balls appeared next.
– And these are your food.
“T-this is going too far…!”
One of the students protested. Principal Skelly seemed all too happy to hear this.
– Precisely! That was the reaction I was looking for! You think the food’s too disgusting? Then learn magic and get your own food! The cloaks and wands are too trashy? Then learn magic and get your own clothes and wands! You can get as many of them as you wish in this academy!
“…”
Yi-han was at a loss for words. He knew that Einroguard wasn’t an easy place to survive in, but he didn’t think it’d be this bad.
The message was clear: If you feel wronged, learn magic and become proficient at it!
‘Is this allowed?’
“Whatever, I’ll just tell my servants to bring me what I need,” a cheeky student muttered, tears threatening to pour out.
Principal Skelly was exhilarated when he heard this.
– Yes, yes! I knew one of you would say that. And to that I say, the first years aren’t allowed to leave the academy’s grounds! Don’t even think about asking for your seniors’ help either! You won’t be meeting them for a while!
“…”
“…”
– You may go now, Ironheads! I wish you all luck and hope to see some of you become brilliant mages!
Yi-han could’ve sworn he heard someone mutter “Son of a bitch” under their breath. Principal Skelly probably heard it as well, but let it go unpunished.
When the lich finally left, Gainando burst into anger while stomping his foot.
“He has to be kidding! How can he treat us like this! Yi-han, aren’t you angry as well? Only beggars would wear trash like this! Only pigs will eat filth like these!”
“Huh? Is it that bad?”
Chapter Text
For a moment, Gainando thought Yi-han was kidding.
As if anyone could survive by eating brick pieces of bread and cold riceballs! As if anyone could bear wearing these ragged cloaks!
However, Yi-han’s expression said otherwise.
‘The Wardanaz Family…what a terrifying place it must be…!’
Gainando was in disbelief. The nobles in the empire held immense authority, and each had its own traditions and customs.
Very little was known about Yi-han’s family as they stayed away from politics and focused on researching magic. Hence, misunderstandings were sometimes inevitable…
The Wardanaz Family must raise their children like that!
‘But isn’t this too much? Even slaves are treated better than this… To think the Wardanaz Family’s patriarch was this merciless…’
Gainando tapped Yi-han’s shoulders with a look of sympathy.
“Visit my estate when you have time. I’ll see to it that you’re welcomed properly.”
“Um, thanks?”
Oblivious as to why Gainando was behaving like this, Yi-han nodded his head.
***
After the Skelly Principal’s speech ended, the students dispersed, giving Yi-han time to once again talk with Yonaire. Yi-han continued their previous conversation.
“So, why do you follow him around? Cousins you may be, but with the power of the Maykin Family, you shouldn’t need to walk on eggshells around royalty.”
“Oh, it’s because of his mother,” she replied frankly.
Yi-han was amused to hear this.
“You owe her a debt or something?”
Yi-han’s imagination began to run wild. A young Yonaire was invited to a party at the palace but ended up committing a grave mistake. She cried as the others stared at her in disdain. However, Gainando’s mother, one of the empresses, approached her and said, “No need for tears. Everyone makes mistakes.”
Oh, what a wonderful story this would be. If this story was true, it would explain why she treated Gainando like real royalty despite his shortcomings…
“Hmm? Oh, it’s nothing like that. You see, his mother’s rich. Like really rich. She gives me money for staying near him.”
“…!!”
Yi-han was shocked.
‘That’s a strategy I didn’t think about! I must befriend him as well!’
Einroguard was an academy that accepted students from all social classes as long as they were talented, be they royalty or slaves. However, the academy was aware that problems may arise if the students were all put in one place, especially considering how short-tempered they could be at their age.
Hence, Einroguard had students split into four dormitories depending on their identities.
Only for those with the noble blood of dragons
This was a tower open to royalty and powerful nobles. Since Yi-han was from the Wardanaz Family, he was naturally placed in this dormitory.
“Ugh, clergies. Hope they don’t start preaching out of nowhere.”
“Be quiet. We shouldn’t get involved with them.”
Yi-han heard someone complaining beside him. Their complaints were targeted at the freshmen that belonged to the Tower of the Immortal Phoenix.
Only for those that have dedicated their lives to the sacred fire
This tower was reserved for followers of the empire’s numerous religions. Interestingly enough, they didn’t mind using magic, believing mana to be a gift from the gods. As Einroguard was known as the empire’s best magic academy, many members of the clergy gathered here.
‘They do stick out though.’
Children of royalty and nobles hadn’t changed into their uniforms and were all wearing something different. On the other hand, the students that belonged to the Tower of the Immortal Phoenix were in their priest’s uniforms. Priests and priestesses often came by to the nobles’ estates to preach their teachings, so it was no wonder that some of the students here had a bad impression of them.
Kaching, kaching-
However, their frowns became even deeper seeing the group behind them.
Only for those with the ferocity to rip through anything
This tower was for the students that came from a knight’s lineage. It may seem weird for knights to attend a magic school, but it was something necessary, even for them.
Telepathy and healing magic was indispensable in any field, and the students here were determined to walk down the path of both knighthood and magic.
Gainando grumbled, somewhat dissatisfied.
“Why do they accept people like them who sully the purity of magic with their barbaric swords? Getting tutored by a random mage on the street should suffice for them.”
This offhand comment pricked Yi-han’s conscience. Unlike the others here who wished to study magic and discover the truth of the universe, he was studying magic to succeed in life.
“There’s nothing wrong with wanting to learn from the best.”
“Are you perhaps…siding with them?”
“Gainando.”
Yi-han treated Gainando with even more kindness than before. After all, his mother was rich.
“Someone that’s noble doesn’t look down on others that are less fortunate.”
“…That’s…quite demanding…”
However, as he wished to be someone noble, Gainando shut his mouth.
The students of knights’ lineages soon passed, and they were soon met with the figures of those that belonged to the last dorm. They were the most diverse and unique of all four groups.
Only for those with infinite patience and grit
This tower consisted of people that were commoners, servants, slaves, entertainers, beggars, merchants, lower nobility, and many more. Aware that their identities were the lowest among the students, they had sullen expressions on their faces.
‘I’d like to get close to them if the opportunity arises.’
Unlike the others that scowled at this last batch of students, Yi-han had a rather favorable opinion of them.
Business was the best way to earn money, and when it came to business, it was better to work with people that honed their skills in the real world than with people like Gainando.
“They’re staring at us.”
“Don’t match eyes with them. Nothing good will come of it.”
“They’re so full of themselves…”
The disdainful stares directed at them didn’t go unnoticed, but they simply shuffled along quickly as they didn’t wish to get into trouble.
“Must the academy accept miserable rags like them? I mean, we have standards, you know?”
One voice stood out among the rest, and the students of the Black Tortoise knit their brows when they heard this.
‘A chance!’
Yi-han had been waiting for something like this to happen. It was the perfect opportunity to earn the other group’s favor!
‘Here I come!’
Though the students of the Black Tortoise weren’t happy, they didn’t have the courage to speak up. Even the bolder ones weren’t comfortable with confronting the students of the Blue Dragons in this unfamiliar environment.
That was when Yi-han, who belonged to the other camp, spoke up. He, who had a masculine appearance and an air of dignity around him, opened his mouth slowly.
“I think you’re the one behaving miserably here. Before we entered Einroguard, we should’ve put everything we had behind. Stop holding on to your pathetic pride.”
The aura around him was fierce as if to accentuate his existence. It was something only a noble descendant of a powerful and prideful family could exude.
Influenced by his imposing figure, the other students of the Blue Dragons agreed to his words.
“He’s right.”
“He’s a Wardanaz, right? As expected.”
The person that ridiculed the Black Tortoise Tower fell silent, ashamed of what they had said previously.
The students of the Black Tortoise Tower reacted strongly to this as well, just not the way Yi-han expected.
“The Wardanaz??”
“You mean that family of mages!?”
“Idiot, don’t look at him! They’re a dangerous family!”
“I heard their patriarch is a dragon! Does that mean he has dragon blood running through his veins?”
“I thought they were descendants of an ancient spirit?”
“…”
Initially, Yi-han thought everything had gone well. The students around him seemed convinced by his speech.
‘Not bad. Not bad at all.’
Now, he just had to wait for the students of the Black Tortoise to extend their gratitude…
“The Wardanaz??”
“You mean that family of mages!?”
“Idiot, don’t look at him! They’re a dangerous family!”
“I heard their patriarch is a dragon! Does that mean he has dragon blood running through his veins?”
“I thought they were descendants of an ancient spirit?”
“…”
However, the reactions he got weren’t what he expected. Instead of appearing friendly, he had instead instilled fear into the students!
He soon realized things weren’t going the way he thought they’d go.
‘Aren’t they going to thank me…?’
Yonaire seemed awed by his earlier performance.
“What you did just now. It was amazing. Just as I expected from a member of the Wardanaz Family.”
“…Yonaire. Did I look scary back there?”
“Umm, no? You seemed every bit as grand and imposing as a true noble.”
Yonaire failed to understand what was troubling him.
“Nobility” was the perfect word to describe Yi-han’s appearance. He had masculine features, angled jawlines, thin lips, and a piercing gaze.
No commoner would dare approach him, and this was a trait highly valued by the nobles, as could be seen by the praises showered on him by his fellow dormmates.
Yi-han let out a deep sigh.
‘Seems like I won’t be getting close to them anytime soon…’
Each dormitory was located North, East, South, and West of the academy’s main building, and Yi-han followed the other students to the blue tower which lay far ahead.
‘It’s really huge.’
He was surprised by how huge it was. Despite being called an academy, Einroguard had mountains, forests, rivers, and lakes in it. This reminded Yi-han of what the Skelly Principal said.
‘He told us to get what we want ourselves, right?’
He also mentioned how everything they desired could be obtained inside the academy. Seeing how huge this place was, it started to make sense. He could hunt in the forest or fish in the lakes.
“I see we are having similar thoughts.”
“Hm?”
“Aren’t you thinking about how blessed we are to see such beautiful scenery?”
“No, I was wondering what kind of games I can catch in the forest.”
“…Does the Wardanaz Family make you do such training?”
The Tower of the Prideful Blue Dragons was a narrow blue tower that didn’t look spacious from the outside. However, the space inside had been expanded by the mages of the academy, making it seem almost infinite.
“..!”
When Yi-han passed through the tower’s gates, the students around him suddenly vanished, and before he knew it, he was alone in a dark space.
[Where do you wish to go?]
“??”
[Where do you wish to go?]
‘Oh.’
He quickly realized it was the tower speaking to him.
“Where can I go?”
[You’re fast on the uptake.]
He couldn’t say for sure, but it felt like the tower had smiled.
[As of now, you can go to your personal room or the resting lounge for the first years.]
“Will I eventually have access to other places?”
[Yes. Some places merely require you to know its name. Others require something more.]
“Will I have access to the resting lounge for the second-years?”
[Yes, but not now.]
“Why?”
[The principal has forbidden it.]
“…”
Yi-han cursed at how thorough the Skelly Principal was.
“Then please send me to my personal room.”
[Understood. Welcome to the academy, young mage.]
Chapter Text
The rooms given to them were rather large.
The Skelly Principal had deprived them of everything, but it seemed like there was enough humanity left in him to provide them with their rooms.
Of course, this was just Yi-han’s personal opinion. The other children of nobility were freaking out over how empty their rooms were.
-Is this a beggar’s lair?
-Did someone rob us?
There was nothing else other than a bed, a desk, and a chair. This made the rooms seem much bigger than they were.
Yi-han flipped open a book after placing his uniform and other belongings in one corner of his room.
was a thin booklet given to each student before they entered the academy and it provided a simple explanation of how the academy functioned.
‘We must take some mandatory courses, but the rest are optional. We can attend various lessons during our first month before choosing which ones to take.’
Einroguard appeared strict in some matters and lax in others. It didn’t care about what the students studied once they were admitted.
‘Mages perform research in hopes of learning the truth of the universe. Your seniors and mentors can guide you along the way, but at the end of the day, you must seek your own path.’ – Os Gonadaltes.
‘So that’s the principal’s name.’
Yi-han stood up from his seat after having obtained an unnecessary piece of information and headed for the first-year’s resting lounge to chat with the others.
“I wish to learn alchemy,” Yonaire declared. She had already been there when Yi-han arrived and had waved him over.
“Alchemy?”
“Yes. I was interested in alchemy even before I entered the academy. My dream is to have my own workshop and supply products to the palace.”
“Seems like it’ll cost a fortune.”
“Wanna do it together?”
“Hmm, I’ll think about it. Business involving alchemy isn’t that straightforward after all.”
Yi-han didn’t accept her offer straight away. Just as Yonaire had developed an interest in alchemy while she was living in her family estate, Yi-han had an interest in business and knew a bit about it.
Alchemy sounded profitable initially, but the competition was fierce inside the empire.
Guilds made by skilled alchemists fought tooth and nail for shares in the market, providing free samples to the Adventurers’ Guild, spreading false rumors about other competitors’ products, monopolizing key ingredients to potions, and more. Hearing all these rumors made Yi-han wary of jumping into the field without first knowing more.
‘Having a stable job is still the best.’
His primary goal at the moment was to become a government official working for the palace. After all, there was no risk or downside to it.
“Then which field are you interested in?”
“Me?”
Yi-han panicked at the sudden question. As for why…
‘I plan to take non-competitive courses with lenient professors.’
Whichever field it was, the grade he received there would be used to represent him even after he graduated. Hence, he was taking this seriously.
“I’ll look around and decide after a month. Coming to a decision too quickly isn’t advisable after all.”
“Wow…”
“??”
Yonaire seemed impressed by what he said.
‘Did I say something that warrants such a reaction?’
“Well, people usually come to this academy with a field of magic in mind that fits their taste, but it isn’t always what’s best for them…”
It was hard to understand which field of magic they had an aptitude for before trying it out.
To become a successful mage, one would have to quit being stubborn and study a different field if the field they decided on previously didn’t suit them.
However, as humans were prideful, most people would cling to the path they chose as abandoning said pride was easier said than done.
“Is this also one of your family’s teachings?”
‘Why does she keep bringing up my family?’
Yi-han was growing exasperated. He hadn’t paid much attention to it while he was living with his family, but it seemed like his family name carried more weight than he thought. The way the students of the Black Tortoise looked at him was enough proof of this.
People’s impression of the Wardanaz Family was much, much stronger than he had anticipated.
“Guys, help!”
“??”
Gainando joined them while breathing heavily.
“What’s wrong?”
“Someone robbed me blind! There’s nothing left in my room!”
“…”
<Understanding Basic Magic>, a course that the academy required its first-years to take.
Perhaps it was mandatory only for the students of the Blue Dragon as Yi-han didn’t see any of the students from the other towers.
“Why does everyone look so down?”
“We haven’t been able to eat or sleep properly, and the uniforms are so rough that they’re uncomfortable to move around in,” said Yonaire.
Gainando nodded in agreement. When he woke up this morning, he had mistakenly thought that what had happened the previous day was all a dream. He expected freshly baked bread with butter to be waiting for him when he woke up, along with some nicely seasoned chicken soup. Unfortunately, his dreams were dashed, and what greeted him was a black loaf of bread, a hard riceball, and a cup of cold water.
‘Come on, it wasn’t that bad…’
Yi-han had lived comfortably after reincarnating into the Wardanaz Family, but his previous life hadn’t been so smooth-sailing.
– Um…Senior? If we’re supposed to work from 9 AM to 9 PM, when do we get to eat?
– Here, take this energy bar. It’s your meal for the day, so eat it slowly.
– …You’re shitting me, right?
– Now, now. Don’t complain to me about it. I’m stuck with eating an energy bar as well. But a feast awaits us after we’re done.
– I’ll hurl if you say it’s cup ramen.
– …Sorry.
– …
– Hey, but look on the bright side. We get to have rice balls as well…
‘Yeah, it’s much better here.’
Other than Yi-han, however, everyone else from the Blue Dragons looked disoriented after their first night at the academy.
“Creak….”
The lecture hall for was located on the first floor of the academy’s main building. The academy was considerate toward the newcomers as they were likely to get lost on the higher floors.
“…Huh…?”
“W-wrong classroom?”
“No, you’re in the right place. Now, sit down.”
The students were hesitating in front of the door, which made Yi-han curious.
‘What’s wrong with them?’
The answer to this question was soon revealed.
There was a troll waiting for them inside the room.
“…”
“…”
“Come in!”
“Uh…ummm…”
The students slowly entered the room with fear and terror apparent in their eyes.
Trolls. They were violent monsters that even the sheltered students of the Blue Dragons had heard about. And yet, one of them was waiting inside the classroom, behaving like a professor, making the students freak out.
They wondered if they had stepped into a troll’s buffet.
“Now, allow me to introduce myself. My name is Garsia Kim. A troll mixed-blood. I understand why everyone’s terrified, but there’s no need to be scared. I don’t eat people unless I’m really hungry.”
“…”
“That was a joke, but I guess it didn’t go through.”
The atmosphere in the classroom became even weirder than before.
“Anyway…as our principal often says, time is the greatest treasure. Shall we begin the lecture?”
Garsia waved his wand, and a mysterious force pushed the reluctant students to their seats.
“As you all know, iron is used to symbolize freshmen that are mages-to-be, and I’m sure some of you here were confident or silly enough to secretly try out magic on your own,” Professor Troll said. “However, most of you probably never used magic before. In this course, you’ll learn what magic is, and the field of magic that you have an aptitude for. Learning magic is a long and arduous journey, and you’ll be required to take this journey alone. Nonetheless, I hope my lessons can serve as a compass during your travel.”
Professor Troll’s warm words touched the hearts of many students, and their expressions softened.
‘Hey, he behaves much more like aperson than the Skelly Principal.’
“We’ll start off with something basic. What is magic?”
Princess Adenart replied with a cold voice.
“Magic is the power to change the world around you with your will.”
“Correct. To change the world as you wish. The problem is how. How do you change the world around you?”
“Through the power of mana?”
“Very good. Magic, mana…these fundamental forces help us shape the world. The students gathered here can probably all feel and recognize the mana within them.”
The students nodded. As they were qualified enough to enter the academy, they had naturally all awoken their mana.
“But that’s only the beginning. There’s much more to actually casting magic. You must call upon your mana through your will, and interact delicately with it. Many people think magic requires chanting, hand gestures, and reagents, but the truth is, the secret lies within our minds. It’s all about your will. Never forget that. Having said this, as you’re just starting out, you’ll be using chants and hand gestures to make things easier. But enough with the theories. Take out your wand and try gathering mana yourselves.”
Woooooong-
Mana began spreading inside the large classroom as the young mages tried to squeeze out what little mana they had inside them.
Yi-han also concentrated, and as he did so, the mana within him flowed to his wand.
“Maintain your control over the mana…you must not lose your focus! Now, imagine a ball of light. It doesn’t matter what kind of light you imagine it to be. It can be warm, bright, or blinding.”
Groans began to escape some students’ mouths. Controlling mana was akin to grabbing the reins of a rampaging horse. The moment they lost focus, the mana would disperse.
“Once you’ve created a strong image of it in your mind, chant. Once again, the content doesn’t matter. It could be ‘O’ Light!’, ‘Bright Light!’, ‘Brighten!’, or simply just ‘Light!’”
“Light!”
“Brilliant Light!”
“Come Forth O’ Light as Brilliant and Radiant as my Honor!”
“You’re trying to focus here! Don’t make the chant too long, or it’ll produce the opposite effect!”
Gathering mana through focus, changing its form through one’s will, and materializing it through chanting. Yi-han started to feel like he understood what magic was about.
However, that didn’t mean he could do it on his first try.
Poof! Boom! Bang!
“Ugh!” “Uggh…” “Ow…!”
Students all around were failing and letting out groans. Professor Troll watched this as he waved his wand and smiled.
Failure to activate magic meant that the mana was no longer under the mage’s control, and it might harm the students in the process. He was there to ensure no such thing happened.
“Don’t be discouraged just because you failed once. Everyone fails on their first attempt. Calm down and try again. Try again until your mana’s depleted!”
Second attempt. Just like before, the sounds of explosions were accompanied by the groans of the students.
Professor Troll was grinning inside. “Light” was the simplest form of magic, but learning it required around a month’s time. Magic was simply that difficult.
However, the professor wasn’t going to tell the students about this. They had to first experience it themselves.
“Again!”
Third attempt. Some students were showing signs of exhaustion following depletion in their mana. Magic required quite a lot of mana to cast, and more than half the students sat down looking worn out.
“Again!”
Fourth attempt. This time, most students crumbled to the ground, save for a few with excellent control.
“Again!”
Fifth attempt.
“Again!”
Sixth attempt.
“Again!”
Seventh attempt.
“Uhh, professor? Sorry to interrupt you, but must we continue…?”
Professor Troll who had been absent-mindedly saying “Again!” realized something was wrong.
Usually, everyone would’ve exhausted their mana by the fifth attempt, if not the fourth. However, someone still remained standing after their seventh attempt.
Chapter Text
Mana. Referred to as magic power by some, or as Ki by the eastern tribes or pretentious scholars. It is also referred to as holy power by stubborn priests. It is what served as fuel for magic. It was the very force that could bend the laws of the natural world.
Mages had to draw out the mana within them whenever they wished to cast a spell, and it was common for fledgling mages to experience mana deficiency. And yet someone remained standing after seven attempts.
“Your name?”
“Yi-han.”
Garsia, the troll professor, smiled. Yi-han had not mentioned his family name, which he looked upon favorably.
Nobles, especially those that came from powerful families, often flaunted their last names whenever they introduced themselves, and those that didn’t were exceedingly rare. Yi-han’s answer just now was perfectly in line with the academy’s vision of equality.
“Please come closer.”
“Uh….”
Yi-han started feeling nervous.
‘Should I have pretended to be dizzy?’
He had indeed been confused seeing everyone around him fall to the ground after exhausting their mana. He even wondered for a second if he was doing something wrong.
“Hmm. Hmm. I see.”
Garsia held Yi-han’s wrist and nodded a few times. Seeing this, Gainando, who was with Yonaire, whispered to her.
“What should we do?? What if the professor suddenly swallows him whole??”
“…The professor can hear you, idiot.”
“!?”
Garsia released Yi-han’s wrist before finally opening his mouth.
“Student Yi-han, please remain in the classroom after the class is over.”
“Um, okay.”
They didn’t do much magic training after that. Instead, Professor Garsia gave them a serious lecture about what it meant to be a mage.
“When you’ve depleted your mana, you must rest, especially if one is as inexperienced as everyone here. Don’t become desperate just because others around you have more mana than you. With practice, your mana reserve will increase, and the more skilled you become, the less mana you’ll use for the same spell. Every year, we have one or two overly passionate freshmen that secretly train magic and collapse. This could lead to serious injuries if one is unlucky. Also, I don’t eat students.”
“I-I’m sorry.”
Gainando apologized while shuddering in fear.
“Let’s end our lesson here. The academy has a lot of classes besides the mandatory ones, so go have a look before deciding which field you’d like to study. If you’re unsure, you can visit me at my office as well.”
“…”
“…”
The students stared at each other in the eyes.
– You willing to have a one-on-one counseling session with Professor Troll?
– You crazy?
…Was the kind of exchange they were having.
“Wardanaz, be careful.”
“Yeah, and remember that trolls are weak against fire and acid.”
“But there’s neither fire nor acid to use here.”
“…I wish you luck, Wardanaz.”
After receiving encouragement from his classmates, Yi-han approached the professor.
“I’ve known about you even before this class.”
“???”
Yi-han was surprised to hear this.
‘Why?’
“The principal mentioned you in passing, you see.”
“…!”
His face froze when the crazy lich principal was brought up. Professor Garsia laughed seeing his reaction.
“There’s no need to worry. The principal may seem like a crazy bastard, but he’s a kind person at heart.”
“…Huh?”
“Is that even possible?”
The professor pretended as if he didn’t hear that.
“Every year, the principal takes a glance at the freshmen and briefs the professors about them.”
Though most students didn’t know this, Principal Skelly was extremely observant. The students that entered the academy were young adults that hailed from all over the empire. To prevent any accidents from occurring, he had to have sharp eyes.
– We should be careful of that dwarf. He’ll no doubt burn down his room at least thrice.
– Ha! That’s a demon mixed-blood. Professors that use holy magic should be aware. Be careful to avoid injuring him too much during your lessons.
– Isn’t that the pickpocket from the ?? I believe none of our professors would let him get the better of them. If you do, I’ll lock you up in the underground prison.”
Of course, only some of the professors heeded his warnings. True, Principal Skelly had sharp eyes…but he was equally as crazy.
– That orc…I have a hunch that he’ll be great at wielding spears.
– Uhh, his household is known for their swordsmanship.
– Silence! Tell him to use a spear.
– …
And the principal had this to say about Yi-han.
– He has the qualities of a Great Fool.
-…??
A Great Fool. Someone extremely foolish.
The professors obviously didn’t take this evaluation at face value. There was a famous saying in the empire’s eastern regions.
– There’s but a thin line separating a Great Fool and a Great Genius.
From outward appearance, there was a lot in common between someone that was foolish and someone that was a genius. The saying meant that one should not judge a book by its cover and instead find wisdom within.
Hence, what the principal said could be interpreted as thus:
– It’s hard to tell right now, but he might become a massive figure in the future.
The professors’ reactions were split into two. It was either ‘There must be something special about the lad’ or ‘He must have received a drink from the Wardanaz Family’.
Professor Garsia finally understood what the principal meant then.
‘So this is what he meant.’
“Um…what did the principal say about me?”
Yi-han was slightly tense. There were both benefits and harms when it came to being favored by the principal.
If he was looked upon favorably, he would be able to receive good grades and a letter of recommendation. This was undoubtedly a big plus. However…if the goodwill went above a certain level, it would naturally lead to a conversation like the following:
– It would be a crime to let your talent go to waste.
– Thank you for your kind words!
– Right. Come to graduate school!
– Pardon? But I’ve never considered-
– Even if you look for a job right now, do you have any idea how intense the competition will be? If you attend graduate school, you’ll have a higher degree, enabling you to get better jobs, not to mention you’ll be able to dive deeper into your field of interest. What do you say?
– Hmm, when you put it that way, I guess it makes sense…
If the professor was kind, it wouldn’t be that bad. But if the professor turned out to be a crazy lunatic, one would experience hell for years to come.
When it came to Principal Skelly…
‘Nope, don’t want to become close with him.’
Yi-han wanted nothing more than to lead a stable student life, which entailed getting good grades, forming good connections, and graduating from the academy. He didn’t wish to go down the road of some strange magic after becoming buddies with Principal Skelly.
“Sorry, but it wouldn’t be appropriate to tell you what the principal said verbatim…instead, I’ll tell you about your talent, which is pretty much what the principal was talking about.”
“…!”
Yi-han’s eyes opened up wide when he heard what Professor Troll just said.
Talent.
‘Is my talent…that amazing?’
When he was at his family’s estate, his talent wasn’t much of a topic of discussion.
Though he was confirmed to have the qualities of a mage, his father, the patriarch, only had this to say about it:
– How’s my talent?
– Your talent in magic isn’t bad.
– Thank you.
That had been it. Yet the matter of his talent was suddenly being brought up like this, which came as a surprise to him.
‘Could it be that my talent is actually terrible?’
Yi-han started to seriously consider Yonaire’s previous offer about starting an alchemy workshop together.
“Your mana reserve is massive.”
“…Excuse me? Is that all?”
Yi-han didn’t know how to react to this.
‘Using spells might be difficult for you.’
‘You don’t have an aptitude for light magic, and you’ll probably never be able to use it properly.’
He had expected comments like these, and yet he was simply being told that he had more mana than usual.
‘Well, I guess I should be happy that it’s not something bad…’
But it didn’t sound impressive enough to warrant being set aside and mentioned.
‘Obviously, not everyone would have the same amount of mana. Aren’t we supposed to overcome that with practice and experience? Am I missing something?’
“No, that’s not all.”
“Ah…as expected.”
“Your mana reserve is really, really huge.”
“…?”
“As in stupidly, absurdly, crazily huge. Understand what I’m saying?”
“Oh.”
He finally started to understand why Professor Garsia had him stay behind.
***
After hearing the explanation, Yi-han naturally came arrived at a certain conclusion.
‘I suppose it’s a good thing?’
To cast spells, mages required mana. If they didn’t have enough mana, they had to either find a way to draw in the mana from their surrounding, use magic circles to gather mana, or channel the mana contained within magic stones. Having a lot of mana meant that he wouldn’t have to go through such troubles. He was lucky that he had so much-
“It’s really unfortunate.”
“???”
However, Professor Garsia’s eyes contained a mix of pity and worry as he looked at Yi-han. This was enough for him to notice that something was wrong.
“Isn’t it a good thing to have a lot of mana?”
“Usually, it’s good. But as I said, you have an absurd amount of mana within you. Pouring out water contained inside a bottle is easy, but trying to control the waves in an ocean? Not so much.”
Yi-han finally realized how serious this issue was. What this meant was…
‘Did learning magic just become insanely hard?’
Not a single student was able to cast “Light” properly during today’s lesson despite it being one of the simplest spells. This showed how difficult it was to learn magic.
Channeling mana, focusing it, and shaping it with one’s will. All this required an immense amount of concentration. But now, the difficulty had spiked up even more as he had so much mana inside him that it was impossible to control it properly.
“Here. Take these bracelets.”
The heavy, bulky bracelets are made of metal. The professor fastened one on each of Yi-han’s wrists.
“These are bracelets that can absorb mana. They’ll help you a bit.”
“!”
Yi-han was moved. As expected of a magic academy. They had solutions to their students’ problems.
“So I’ll be alright as long as I wear these?”
“No, even with these, it’ll be extremely difficult.”
“…”
“You simply have too much mana, there’s nothing we can do about it. At least it’s better than nothing, right?”
Kind as he was, Professor Garsia was still a mage, and mages never talked in a roundabout manner.
“…Any advice for me?”
“Hmm…things might become a little easier if you constantly use a lot of spells. Unlike other students, you can practice magic even when you’re by yourself. After all, I highly doubt you’ll ever run out of mana.”
“…Thanks.”
In a sense, he was given a privilege, but he was hardly happy about it.
“Should I take classes that don’t require me to cast spells?”
Though Einroguard was a magic academy, not all its classes required students to cast magic. Alchemy was a great example of this.
Yi-han was visibly troubled after coming out of the professor’s office.1I guess he was brought to the professor’s office, though it wasn’t mentioned
‘It’s important that I decide on what to do in my freshman year so that I get good grades and graduate properly…’
“You’re alive!”
When he arrived downstairs, he saw Gainando and Yonaire waiting for him. Gainando examined him, genuinely concerned.
“What are you looking at?”
“He’s checking to see if the professor’s taken a bite out of you,” Yonaired answered.
Yi-han found Gainando’s action ridiculous.
‘But then again, with someone like that lich as the principal, it’s no wonder he thinks this way.’
“What did you two discuss?” Yonaire asked curiously.
Yi-han shrugged.
“He told me to do a lot of magic practice.”
“He dares…!”
Gainando was furious as if he was the one that had been told to practice.
Telling a descendant of a major household to practice? What an insult!
‘If he’s angry over something like this, I bet he’ll request a duel with the professors if he doesn’t do well in one of his tests.’
“Leaving that aside, I’m thinking of which classes to attend before our next mandatory course. Have you guys already thought of them?”
“I’m obviously going to take classes related to alchemy.”
Gainando ridiculed Yonaire’s answer.
“Dude, only servants or slaves take classes in alchemy!”
“…”
Yi-han saw Yonaire curling up her fingers.
Chapter Text
Yi-han, having learned swordsmanship extensively under the family knight Arlong, was well-versed in fighting. As such, he knew that Yonaire was preparing to beat the living lights out of Gainando.
“Hold it right there.”
Knowing what was to come if he didn’t intervene, he positioned himself between the two.
“Gainando, you shouldn’t look down on alchemy.”
“But it’s lame!”
Just as always, Gainando was oblivious to the situation he was in.
“What’s there to like about alchemy anyway? I can’t feel a shred of intelligence from it.”
Magic was a field of endless study, and there were many branches of magic, including but not limited to illusion magic, summoning magic, transformation magic, and elemental magic.
Even within elemental magic, there was fire magic, water magic, light magic, dark magic, etc.
Studying even one such field in depth would take an entire lifetime. Such was the profoundness of magic. And in this world of magic, alchemy was often looked down upon.
Especially to fledgling mages, alchemy seemed rather…dull.
While others waved their wands and summoned forth angels or split the earth, alchemists remained in their labs, adding herbs to potions…
“Well, you know, that’s…”
“Move aside Wardanaz. I’ll take it from here,” Yonaire said to Yi-han. “I promise I won’t go overboard.”
“If you say so.”
Yi-han quickly moved away, allowing Yonaire to stand before Gainando. Gainando cocked his head.
“What’s wrong?”
“Don’t you dare ask for a healing potion after this. They’re made through alchemy after all!”
Whack!
Along with a thud, Gainando tumbled backward.
It was truly an impressive blow.
“You sure that was alright?”
“I’ll just apologize to him after a day.”
It didn’t seem like this was the first time Gainando had suffered under Yonaire’s beatings. Yi-han was aware that cousins often fought, but he didn’t expect Yonaire to beat up Gainando to that extent.
‘Shouldn’t have bothered trying to intervene.’
Yi-han decided to be a silent spectator from then on.
“…Oh, and just in case you misunderstand. I’m not the type of person that goes around beating everyone I see, got it?”
Yonaire explained so as to not be misconstrued as a brute.
Nobles, especially the more powerful ones, valued etiquette and elegance, and it went without saying that throwing punches over minor arguments wasn’t deemed as such.
“What’s wrong with getting into a brawl when you’re angry?”
“???”
For a second, Yonaire wondered if she had heard wrongly.
‘Is this how the Wardanaz Family teach their children?’
If the Wardanaz Family was a family of knights, she wouldn’t have found what Yi-han said weird. However, it blew her mind that a descendant of one of the empire’s most distinguished families was saying this to her.
‘He’s clearly different from the others,’ Yonaire reasoned.
There was an air of authority around Yi-han which the other freshmen didn’t possess. Though the other students from the Blue Dragons were also part of the nobility, they had just become adults, and Yi-han stood out from the crowd. From the way he moved to the way he conducted himself, there was something different about him.
‘As expected of a Wardanaz.’
Yonaire decided to move on to a different topic. Since Yi-han was willing to turn a blind eye to her actions, she had no reason to linger on it either.
“But are you really fine with taking alchemy classes with me? If you’re doing it for me, you don’t have to.”
“I’m actually interested in alchemy myself.”
“Then…what about my proposal to work together in the future?”
“I’m considering it.”
“!”
Yonaire was surprised as she hadn’t expected this. Yi-han’s attitude toward alchemy had done a one-eighty in such a short amount of time!
“Did something happen?”
“Well, you see…”
Yi-han wondered how he should phrase it.
– I’m not as magically talented as I thought I was, which is why I’m seriously considering alchemy as a potential career choice.
…wasn’t exactly what a dignified noble would say.
“Actually, you don’t have to say it out loud. You must’ve realized alchemy’s true potential and come to appreciate it.”
“What?”
“It’s a really interesting field, isn’t it?”
“Um…I-I guess?”
Yonaire seemed ecstatic to have found a companion, so Yi-han decided to go along with it for now.
“Many people think alchemists stay cooped up in their labs located deep underground, but there’s so much more to it than that.”
“Y-yeah…”
Though unexpected, Yi-han didn’t panic. During his time as a graduate student, he had already mastered the art of listening to topics he had absolutely no interest in.
– What do you think of mountain climbing?
– Well…
– Exactly, mountain climbing is great. Did I tell you about how I climbed Mt. Seolak last year? The fogs of the early morning…
– I see.
– I didn’t think you’d be so interested. I’m sure you’ll enjoy it as well. Say, why don’t we climb a mountain together when we have time?
– ….
Compared to that, Yonaire’s story was relatively more interesting to listen to.
“Did you study alchemy beforehand while you were in your family estate?”
Yonaire looked around her carefully before answering Yi-han’s question.
“…Yeah, but you must keep this a secret. We weren’t allowed to practice magic, but they weren’t as strict when it came to studying alchemy.”
“What’s wrong with studying something beforehand?”
“…”
Yonaire once again stared at Yi-han as if she was looking at a foreign creature. He was okay with beating others up, and he was also okay with ignoring the rules regarding magic…
To put it nicely, he was really unique.
‘It’s good that she studied ahead of time.’
He knew full well how helpful people like her could be. With her help, he would be able to get good grades in alchemy classes.
“If it’s alright with you, can you teach me as well?”
“…Of course!”
Yonaire smiled delightedly and smacked Yi-han’s shoulder as she agreed to his request.
Now that he’d met Professor Garcia, the troll professor, Yi-han was confident that he wouldn’t be surprised by anything, and he was right.
‘He’s more…normal than I thought.’
The professor was a dwarf, and he was sitting on a chair. Dressed like a hunter and a ranger, he had a crossbow hanging on his waist.
“Everyone here?”
“Ugh, students from the Black Tortoise,” Yonaire muttered.
Though she didn’t despise commoners, it was true that she was uncomfortable with them. She might have been able to hit it off with the others if they were from the Blue Dragons, but…
Many thoughts went through her mind as she stared at the students from the other tower. There were a lot more students from the Black Tortoise present than them.
‘The stares are kinda annoying.’
When people of common birth met a member of the nobility, they displayed one of two reactions. They either feared them and didn’t get involved, or they openly expressed hostility.
Outside the academy, hardly anyone would show open hostility, but it was different in Einroguard which preached for equality.
They had bottled up frustrations from their time outside the academy, and yet even after arriving at Einroguard, they were scorned by students from the Blue Dragons. It was no wonder they were wary of the two.
“Dude, stop staring at them. That one over there’s a young master of the Wardanaz Family.”
“So what if he is? He can’t do anything inside the academy.”
“It’s not like we’re going to study here forever. What if he takes his revenge after we graduate?”
“I’ll cross that bridge when the time comes.”
“…”
Yi-han clicked his tongue. Being hated for something he didn’t contribute to was unpleasant.
‘Seems like trying to get close to them backfired.’
For a while, he’d have to stick to his friends from the Blue Dragons.
“Quiet down everyone.”
The short dwarven professor opened his mouth to speak. Though his figure was small, his voice carried weight.
“I’m Uregor Gumdal. You may call me Professor Uregor. Now, I’m sure many of you are wondering why we’re gathered here at the field when we have such splendid classrooms in the back.”
Indeed, they weren’t gathered in a classroom. Instead, they were on a mound.
Adenart, the royal princess, raised her hand, to which Uregor shrugged.
“Wasn’t looking for an answer, but have a go at it.”
“It’s so that we can feel the mana in nature.”
Alchemy required magic as well, and simply mixing in various herbs wasn’t all there was to it. It was important for alchemists to feel the mana in their surroundings and understand what kind of forces existed in nature.
“Wrong.”
…Professor Dwarf stared at Adenart as if he’d just heard something stupid, making her blush in embarrassment.
Yi-han, who didn’t think much of it, asked Yonaire who was next to him.
“Is it because it’s easier for us to gather materials here?”
“Don’t you think that’s too simple of a reason?”
“Oh, we have a winner!”
“…”
Both Yi-han and Yonaire were at a loss for words. Uregor, on the other hand, seemed impressed by Yi-han.
“It’s rare for an Ironhead to get it right.”
“We’re freshmen, not Ironheads…”
“Yeah, yeah. Ironhead freshmen. Anyways, good job. You’ve got talent as an alchemist.”
Yonaire looked at Yi-han enviously upon hearing him get praised by the professor. Adenart also stared at him as if she was looking at a rival.
‘…Why the hell is she staring at me? Is she seriously getting jealous because I was praised over something like this?’ Yi-han wondered.
“The reason why we’re gathered here is because I wanted to teach you Ironheads about the essential skills of alchemists. Many of you might be thinking that ‘to become an alchemist, you just need exceptional intelligence and excellent mana control’.”
‘Pause right there. We need to have excellent control over our mana?’
Yi-han flinched.
“But the reality is different. The most important skill of alchemists is the ability to gather materials.”
“…”
“…”
The students were stunned to hear this as they never expected such a skill to be so highly valued. Adenart raised her hand, unwilling to accept this.
“Professor, when it comes to materials, we can grow them or have adventurers get them for us. I hardly see why we need to be able to acquire them ourselves.”
“Lass, what would a greenhorn Ironhead like you know?” Professor Dwarf retaliated in disdain.
An even darker shade of red covered Adenart’s face.
“Out of all the materials and reagents we require, do you know how much of them could be artificially grown? Not even 10%! The rest we must buy with our money. And you think everything will be fine if we have the money? Why do you think we mages employ adventurers and follow along? Do you think we have so much spare time? It’s because adventurers suck at harvesting herbs! Instead of treating them with care, they just pull them out!” Uregor said all this angrily as if to vent the frustration that had been building up.
“For these reasons, it’s important that alchemists learn how to acquire the materials and reagents that they need. An alchemist that relies on others can never become first-rate. You think someone would baby you later on if you complain about not having enough materials?”
The students gathered at the mound nodded in understanding (one nodded while looking dejected).
“That’s it for the explanation. Now go and find them.”
“Huh?”
“What’s up with those confused faces? Go search for materials!”
Uregor waved his wand, and several pieces of paper appeared in the air before being distributed to the students. On the papers were lists of drawings of herbs.
Chapter Text
‘Looks like some hybrid of Reishi mushroom and ginseng,’ thought Yi-han, as he stared at the herb that they were tasked to find.
was the name of the herb, and it was commonly used to concoct antidotes.
“Are you familiar with this herb?”
“Yes.”
“Good.”
Yi-han was relieved to hear this. Even though they had been given a drawing of the herb, it wouldn’t be easy for an amateur to differentiate between the various types of plants that were present in the woods, hills, and fields. He was lucky to have someone experienced next to him.
“But…with just the two of us, it wouldn’t be safe to move about.”
“It would be a bit dangerous, wouldn’t it?”
“Yeah. We should get at least one more person to join us. If I had known this would happen, I wouldn’t have beaten Gainando to a pulp.”
“He wouldn’t have come with us anyway even if you didn’t beat him up.”
Yonaire grinned when she heard this.
“Nothing we can do about it. Should the two of us just bear the risk and explore?”
“No. I don’t want my name on the list of casualties.”
Though the academy was known to be the best magic institution, there were many vicious rumors surrounding Einroguard.
Magic was a dangerous field of study, and casualties were unavoidable. Yi-han knew this well and had come to accept it. After all, accidents were bound to occur no matter how many safety nets were put in place by the professors.
However…
‘They completely lack safety awareness…’
Both the professors and the students here seemed to have little concern for their lives. For someone like Yi-han who used to live in modern times, everyone here was borderline crazy.
“List of casualties, you say… with that face of yours, you shouldn’t make such uncanny jokes.”
“But I’m not joking.”
“Which is even worse. Well, if you say so. I guess we should try finding someone from the same tower as us.”
Yonaire looked around in search of a potential teammate. She was thinking of recruiting someone from the Blue Dragons, but her search proved to be fruitless.
“Are we…screwed?”
“How about the princess?”
“You want to team up with her? She seems really cold and unfriendly.”
“It’s not like we’re trying to invite her to a ball.”
What Yi-han said made sense, prompting Yonaire to nod her head. He was right.
“But it seems we’re too late.”
There were several students around Adenart. She must’ve noticed early on that she couldn’t travel alone and thus formed a party.
“Wait, some of them seem to be students from the Black Tortoise,” Yi-han said indignantly.
If they feared and avoided him because of his ties to the Wardanaz Family, shouldn’t they avoid the princess as well? Yet several of the students around her were from the Black Tortoise.
“Well, she was quite famous even before she was admitted to Einroguard.”
Someone that was popular before entering the academy would naturally be popular even after she became a student.
Even within the royal family, Adenart was known to be one of the brightest and the most talented. It was no wonder nobles and commoners alike gathered around her.
“Really?”
“…Do people from the Wardanaz Family never read the news?”
“I was only ever interested in reading . I couldn’t care less about .”
“Oh, I like that section as well. Have you read the article that talks about how you can earn money by returning the bottles that adventurers throw away after chugging down the content? Brilliant, isn’t it?”
“Yeah, it’s not a bad idea.”
“…Wait, we’re going off track,” Saying so, Yonaire went straight to the point. “If you take a moment to read , you’ll see that Adenart is famous for various things. It’s no surprise that everyone wants to get close to her.”
“Anything special mentioned about Gainando?”
“None.”
“I see. So there’s nothing special about him.”
“Absolutely none.”
They were trash-talking Gainando behind his back while he was drinking a potion to recover in the ward.
“Then let’s give up on the princess and find someone else.”
“It won’t be easy, you know? The ones that are left are all from the Black Tortoise.”
Yi-han frowned when he heard this.
‘Hmm…’
She was right. The students left were all from the Black Tortoise, and while some of them would no doubt accept their invitation if they went around asking people at random since they would be moving in a group, they had to make sure their chemistry wasn’t terrible to the point where they would affect each another’s ability to finish their tasks.
What’s more…
‘I’d like to have someone skilled.’
When it came to group activities, it was all about having skilled members.
Yi-han looked around before finally locking his eyes on a certain target.
Nilia was a dark elf born in one of the empire’s northern regions, and she used to be a part of the , a group that consisted of skilled hunters and scouts that went around the northern mountains as if it was their backyard. Hence, she was confident when it came to exploring mountains and forests.
‘Turns out it’s nothing difficult.’
She had never seen a before, but as long as she knew what it looked like, finding one would only be a matter of time.
She was in a different league compared to the other newbies who had never been in a real forest before. Until now, she had felt a sense of inferiority after entering Einroguard.
Forget people from the other towers. Even within the Black Tortoise, there were many students with a better background than her. Some were from families of rising nobles. Some were from merchant groups renowned throughout the empire. Some had parents who were famous adventurers.
Nilia, on the other hand, had lived her entire life in the forest. She had accepted the academy’s invitation, but she felt inferior to the others, and she struggled a lot when she was learning about magic for the first time.
But now that she was partaking in an activity that suited her, she felt more motivated than ever.
‘Hmph, just you wait and see. I’ll find it much faster than anyone here.’
Nilia was thinking of acting alone and finding the herb by herself. Others might need to work together as this would be their first time in a forest, but Nilia was confident that she would have no problem even if she was alone.
“Hmm.”
“??”
Nilia was surprised when a pretty-looking girl with bright red hair approached her.
“…Who are you?”
“I’m Yonaire Maykin, and he’s-”
“Yi-han. Nice to meet you.”
From the flow of their conversation, Nilia assumed Yonaire was a noble while Yi-han wasn’t. After all, nobles usually declared their family names when they introduced themselves.
‘But isn’t he from the Blue Dragons?’
“Why isn’t she saying anything?”
“It’s because you didn’t tell her your family name…”
Yonaire scowled at Yi-han, not understanding why he would leave out his family name.
“Don’t you think it’s too much of a hassle to say your family name every time you introduce yourself? While you’re at it, why don’t you tell them the name of your patriarch and where your territory is as well?”
“We do! When we’re at parties, that is.”
“…”
Yi-han felt genuinely repulsed to hear this.
Nilia cautiously opened her mouth to speak while staring at the two.
“If you wish to bicker, you can talk it out somewhere else. What business do you two have with me?”
“Want to travel together?”
“..!”
Nilia was stunned by Yi-han’s invitation. She hadn’t expected this at all.
“What are you scheming?” Nilia asked as she glared at Yi-han suspiciously.
It was apparent that she didn’t think highly of nobles or their descendants, and this stemmed from her time living in the northern regions.
Once in a while, nobles would climb the mountains and visit them, and every time they did, they would frown and ask how someone could possibly live there.
Even when the hunters provided them with the best delicacies and the most comfortable bed, they would say the food tasted horrible and the beds felt unbearable.
They would complain on and on about the poor treatment, so much so that some scouts joked about how there would be none the wiser even if they pushed the nobles down a cliff.
As such, Nilia, who lived with them, also had a bad impression of the students from the Blue Dragons.
“We have to explore such a large area, and being alone wouldn’t do you any good. You’ll need at least three people if a monster appears.”
“Hmph. There’s no need for that.”
Nilia harrumphed and proudly refused. Yi-han wasn’t surprised by this response and pressed on.
“May I ask why?”
“Why should I tell you?”
“By knowing why you refused, we’ll get a sense of what kind of a person you are. Hmm, want me to guess your reason?”
Yi-han thought hard for a second before opening his mouth.
“Is it because you think we’ll use you as bait, or that we’ll toss you aside when things become dangerous? I hope that’s not the case because that’ll be an insult to our honor.”
“…It’s not.”
No matter how much she disliked the nobles, she couldn’t possibly say “yes” to the two in front of her after being confronted so directly.
“Then do you think you alone would suffice?”
“That’s exactly-”
“I hope you aren’t so foolish to think so. After all, even if you are familiar with the mountains, you never know what will happen inside. And even if you find the herb, you’ll have to carefully dig it out. If someone thinks they can do all that by themselves, they’d have to be an idiot. You’re not that stupid, right? Hmm, I’m running out of ideas…”
“…Shut up. I’ll team up with you. You satisfied now?” Nilia turned around while huffing in anger.
Yi-han nodded, satisfied with the result. Yonaire, on the other hand, stared at him in astonishment.
‘What in the world do they teach at the Wardanaz Family???’
***
Nilia’s movements were light and swift. She was at the very front of the group, opening up a path for them, which showed how skilled and experienced she was at navigating the mountains.
Yonaire who saw this asked Yi-han a question.
“She moves really well, but how did you know?”
“She has toned legs and calluses on her hands. These all point to one truth: she’s an experienced hunter and wields a bow.”
“!”
“…!”
It wasn’t just Yonaire. Nilia, who was leading them, also felt a chill when she heard this.
To think he’d figure out her origin just from that. She had been looking down on the two for being nobles, but she felt like the one named Yi-han couldn’t be underestimated. She felt a slight sense of danger from him as if he could see through everything she was hiding…
“Just kidding. I saw the token hanging on her waist. If she’s from there, she’d have to know the mountains like the back of her hands.”
“…”
Nilia turned around and glared at him. Yonaire grinned when she saw this.
“So you were listening?”
“Was not!”
“Hey, slow down and match our pace.”
“Why would I be matching yours? Just speed up and match mine!”
Here, Yi-han joined the conversation.
“Because Yonaire’s the only one in the group that can tell which herbs are what. If she couldn’t keep up, we’ll have to search with just the two of us.”
“…”
Nilia couldn’t think of a counterargument, and her pride kept her from being unreasonable and continuing the argument.
“Right. I just gotta slow down.”
“How mature of you. As expected of a Shadow Patrol…”
“Are you mocking me? Is that it?”
“I was complimenting you.”
Annoyed by Yi-han’s constant teasing, Nilia targeted him next.
“She knows a lot about herbs, and I’m here to act as the guide. What can you do? What role do you have here?”
‘If I say I’m here to leech off, she’ll hurl, right?’
Yi-han barely stopped himself from being truthful. There was no point in fueling Nilia’s anger even further.
“I’m here to chase after beasts or monsters that come near us.”
“…”
Nilia once again fell silent. Indeed, it was important to have someone chase away monsters while they were climbing a mountain. From looks alone, Yi-han seemed like he came from a knight’s family as he was tall and his body was well-built.
‘…Wait. Don’t knights belong to the White Tigers?’
“I forgot to ask early on, but what’s your family name?”
“Wardanaz. I’m from the Wardanaz Family.”
“…”
Nilia took a step back as if she was disgusted, not knowing that she had opened up Yi-han’s wound once more.
Chapter Text
As a member of the Wardanaz Family, there was no way for Yi-han to learn about the rumors that surrounded them.
Their estate was bigger than most castles, and their territory spanned an area that was as vast as a regular city. Naturally, the people that served them wouldn’t carelessly say anything about the family, which resulted in him being oblivious to their reputation.
“Is there something wrong with my family?”
“No…there’s nothing wrong at all.”
Nilia once again took a step back as she said this.
“I don’t know what people told you, but they’re all false.”
Nilia didn’t lower her guard despite him saying this. Hence, Yonaire tried to console him.
“Ridiculous rumors about nobles float around all the time. Don’t let them get to you.”
“Is that so?”
“But it’s true that the rumors around the Wardanaz Family are a bit on the extreme side…”
“…”
Yi-han didn’t feel comforted by her words at all. As the two conversed, Nilia opened her mouth after organizing her thoughts.
“Right, I don’t have to be afraid of the Wardanaz Family just because of the rumors.”
“What rumors?”
“…”
Nilia thought long and hard, debating whether or not she should tell the truth. After all, they were a bit…
– The patriarch of the Wardanaz Family is actually a dragon. Back when there was an undead infestation in the western part of the continent, he is said to have razed everything to the ground.
– The Wardanaz Family has made a pact with an ancestral spirit. In exchange for being able to wield powerful magic, they’ve lost their ability to feel emotions.
– The Wardanaz Family’s mages are all cold-blooded and ruthless. An entire city was wiped out under their spells back when there was a rebel uprising.
…The list went on.
The public image of the Wardanaz Family was much worse than what Yi-han had imagined. The empire’s citizens viewed them as “monsters that would lie in wait most of the times, only to emerge during critical moments and sweep away all resistance”.
“If an important event happens within the empire, isn’t it natural for the big guns to appear?”
“Exactly. That’s why I’m telling you that you don’t have to pay much attention to the rumors.”
Yi-han still felt wronged despite Yonaire’s attempt to cheer him up.
‘I guess the rumor about them not having any emotions is false,’ Nilia thought as she watched this unfold.
***
“Halt.”
“?”
“Something’s wrong. Look over here.”
Nilia pointed at the ground as she said so. There was grass covering the hill that they were on, so it was barely discernible, but she had noticed a certain trace using her instinct as a dark elf and her experience as a member of the .
“See this over here? This means something big passed through earlier.”
“But isn’t the trace too shallow for that?”
“It took care not to leave any trace behind. Must be a clever one. It’s skilled at controlling its strength and concealing its path. It probably made a slight mistake while trying to reach for the berries over there, which is why this trace formed.”
Yonaire wasn’t too interested in listening to this conversation. Since her field of interest was alchemy, she didn’t feel the need to learn about a hunter’s tracking skills. As such, she poked around to see if she could find the herb nearby.
‘Tsk.’
Nilia noticed her behavior and felt slightly irritated.
Things used to be much easier back when she was still a part of the . Everyone in the group was a hunter or a ranger, and the people in her village all had at least one such person in their family, which made it easy for her to converse with the others.
– I had a close shave today. I really wanted to catch the beast because it had beautiful fur. Alas…
– Hahaha! Classic. Back when I was young…
They could talk for hours on end just at the mention of prey they saw during their hunt. On the other hand, things were completely different at the academy.
– This is something that happened while I was living in the mountains…
– Mountains?
– Yeah, I used to hunt there…
– Hunt? Why would you do that?
– Well, I was part of this group…
– Can’t you just buy meat from a butcher?
– …You motherfucker, come meet me outside!
– Hyiii!
…Nilia, who had experienced this sort of conversation several times by now, couldn’t help but be irked by Yonaire’s lack of interest, but she decided to keep it to herself.
‘Calm down. Not everyone here’s a hunter, so I must try to adapt to this.’
“Truly fascinating. Anything else you can tell from the clues that it left behind?”
“…!”
However, Yi-han’s response came as a surprise to her. He was listening to what she was saying with a serious look of interest. This caught her off-guard.
“D-did you just say it’s fascinating?”
“Yeah? Something wrong with that?”
“…N-no. Nothing’s wrong, but this isn’t supposed to be fascinating, and you know, what’s wrong is that nothing is wrong and…”
“???”
In a panic, she started spewing nonsense, which in turn confused Yi-han.
‘Is she drunk or something?’
Nilia also noticed that she wasn’t making any sense and hurriedly got hold of herself.
“Anyway! Since we’ve found a trace left behind by something big, we should be careful. See how that blade of grass has been cut? It means we’re dealing with a beast with sharp claws.”
“I see.”
Yi-han was a curious person by nature, and his curiosity extended beyond magic to subjects such as hunting as well. If that wasn’t the case, he wouldn’t have gone to graduate school in his previous life no matter how many tricks his professors pulled.
“Do you know what we’re facing?”
“Unfortunately, there aren’t enough clues,” Nilia said with crossed arms.
Experienced hunters would know what they’re facing based solely on footprints that have been left behind, or so people would think. In reality, that was only possible for hunters that stayed in a particular region for a long time and knew the animals that lived there well.
She, on the other hand, didn’t know what kind of creatures roamed the mountains of the academy, so there was no way for her to tell.
“Apparently, all kinds of weird monsters appear near the academy.”
“Oh, someone told me that as well,” Yonaire affirmed while nodding her head.
Einroguard was located where mana was abundant, which made it easier for monsters to appear. Not to mention…
“Monsters created through experiments are also said to roam the nearby areas. Slimes with special mutations are also said to appear from time to time after absorbing potions and medicines that have been thrown out.”
“…”
Yi-han found this absolutely inconceivable.
‘Do the mages here not learn about lab safety?’
He was of the belief that everything from potions to creatures made through magic should be kept under close scrutiny.
To think they’d toss them out like garbage. It was no wonder problems occurred.
“We should be more careful.”
“Precisely! We’ll keep moving with this trace in mind. It’ll decrease the chance of us getting ambushed.”
“Can you teach me how to track animals as well?”
Nilia blinked when she heard his request. Thinking he may have breached manners, Yi-han rephrased what he just said.
“If it’s not something you can teach outsiders, just ignore what I said…”
“…It won’t be easy. You’ll probably give up midway. Are you aware of how difficult it is to master this skill?”
“If you’re willing to teach me, I’ll try my best not to give up.”
“…Hmph. Let’s see about that!”
Yonaire whispered to Yi-han so that Nilia wouldn’t be able to hear what she said.
“Why are you trying to learn this?”
“Well, it sounds interesting.”
“???
***
“Found it. Grass of Cleansing.”
With Nilia and Yi-han on the lookout, Yonaire was able to safely find the herbs which were hidden behind thick, dense bushes.
‘We’ve somehow managed to find them,’ Yi-han thought.
“But there’s only two of them.”
“…”
“…”
“Just have to find one more…Why are you guys so quiet?” Yonaire asked as she turned her head.
It only took her a split second to realize what was going on.
– …
A massive boar was staring intensely in their direction.
“I can sense mana flowing out of it. It must have consumed something,” Yi-han analyzed level-headedly.
It probably consumed some sort of reagent or portion. It was either that, or the boar used to be a test subject…
“That’s not what’s important right now. We must stay alert!” Nilia whispered to them in a hurry.
Boars were not weak. They had strong bodies and moved surprisingly well. Those with tusks were especially dangerous, and the one they were dealing with wasn’t some livestock that escaped from a pen. It was a beast, and since it absorbed mana through unknown means, it was infinitely close to being a monster.
“It’s a wild boar! Don’t agitate it! Slowly take a step back,” Nilia ordered.
Yonaire tried her best to put strength into her shivering legs, and Yi-han supported her as they retreated.
– !!!
However, the boar grunted and slowly approached them. There was steam coming out of its mouth, and it seemed to be fuming with rage.
“Retreating any further might be dangerous.”
Yi-han pulled out his staff as he said so and wielded it like a spear, which made him look quite the part.
‘Right! He’s a Wardanaz!’
Nilia finally recalled that Yi-han was a member of the Wardanaz Family, a family renowned for producing powerful mages. He might have learned a spell or two before being admitted to the academy.
‘He did say that he’s in charge of chasing away animals and monsters, didn’t he?’
Nilia asked Yi-han in a small voice.
“How confident are you?”
“Not that confident, but I should be able to deal with it.”
“If your plan fails, grab the redhead and bolt. I’ll act as a decoy.”
She was the only one in their group who could weave through mountains effortlessly. It wasn’t that she didn’t trust Yi-han’s magic, but as a hunter, she was one to always think of a backup plan.
If things went awry, she was prepared to distract the boar. Yi-han was touched when he heard this, and so was Yonaire.
“So you’ve grown attached to us…”
“That’s not the case here. It’s because I’m the only one that’s up for the task.”
“Right. Thanks anyway. We’ll have to rely on you if worse comes to worst.”
Yi-han stopped talking and focused as the boar gradually closed in on them.
‘Three. Two. One.’
Yi-han counted down as he calmly measured the distance between them.
Nilia, who was watching behind him, nervously gulped down.
‘What kind of spell would he throw at the boar?’
Bang!!!
“…”
A loud, clear sound came from the boar’s head. Yi-han’s decision had been to whack it with his staff.
– Swords are the kings of all weapons, but simply learning swordsmanship isn’t enough. One must prepare themselves for when one doesn’t have a sword. They must be able to fight with spears, clubs, knives, and even their bare hands.
– I see.
– …I know I was the one that said it, but is the Young Master alright with this?
– Why, is something wrong?
– N-no, nothing.
Arlong wasn’t the type to go easy on someone just because he was teaching the young master. Instead, he was determined to be harsh on Yi-han, just as his master had been to him.
…And Yi-han absorbed his teachings well.
Other nobles would’ve complained and screamed, “Why must I do something so tiring” but Yi-han was the opposite.
‘People usually have to pay for this. This is nothing!’
Back when he was a graduate student, he didn’t have the time or money to exercise. Now that he had a personal trainer known as Arlong, he wasn’t about to complain. Also, whenever he got tired, servants would run over with refreshments and potions…
– Young Master, I’m sure you’re curious by now as to why I’m not teaching you how to use aura like the other knights.
– But I’m not? Can a beginner like me really learn such an incredible skill?
– …If the aim isn’t to learn how to manipulate aura, why is the Young Master trying to learn swordsmanship??
Arlong asked as he stared at Yi-han incredulously.
Chapter Text
Mages weren’t the only ones capable of handling mana. A swordsman that trained their entire life would be able to coat their sword with condensed mana, and this was referred to as ‘aura’.
Since aura appeared cool and fancy, descendants of nobility would often dabble with swordsmanship in the hopes of acquiring it, including those that were from households that produced mages.
Hence, Arlong misunderstood Yi-han’s intentions when he said he wished to learn how to swing a sword.
‘Ah, the Young Master wishes to learn aura. Unfortunately, he’s bound to be disappointed.’
Arlong was a strict knight, and rather than telling Yi-han the truth from the beginning, he decided to let the young man give up on his own accord.
Yet Yi-han was diligent in his training, and as he was satisfied with the young man’s effort, Arlong decided to tell him the truth…only to find out that Yi-han had no interest in learning aura.
– I just want to train my body so that I can defend myself when I need to.
– …!
Arlong gazed at Yi-han in awe as the young man showed a level of maturity that one wouldn’t expect from a child. This was when he realized for the first time that Yi-han was trying to learn swordsmanship in earnest.
– Young Master, truth be told, you’ll be able to learn aura one day as well.
– Um, as I said, I’m not interested in learning aura. I’m planning on becoming a ma-
– It’s just that aura isn’t something one can learn after swinging their sword for a year or two. Nevertheless, as long as the Young Master doesn’t give up and trains using the method that I taught, you’ll be able to master it one day.
– I just want to be strong enough to protect myself. I’m planning on working in an office.
Anyhow, Yi-han kept practicing the sword under Arlong’s instructions, not because he wished to become a swordmaster, but because he thought there was no harm in training his body.
…and his effort was finally paying off.
‘I think that did some damage…?’
Yi-han was surprised by what he had achieved.
He had carefully observed the boar and swung his staff the moment it charged toward them.
This itself wasn’t particularly surprising. After all, he had learned to do this while being beaten up by Arlong, and as the academy’s staff was extremely sturdy, it worked well as a club.
However, as he swung, he felt something he had never experienced while swinging his sword.
‘Is this because I’ve started learning magic?’
He even wondered if today was the “one day” that Arlong had previously mentioned as he experienced the feeling of mana being attracted to his weapon.
In reality, it was still a far cry from the actual aura, as that required him to concentrate and condense mana even further.
However, that was enough for now. As his attack contained some degree of mana, the blow was much more destructive than he had imagined.
Krrrrk…
The vicious-looking boar that had been growling at them faltered before falling sideways to the ground.
Nilia, who had been watching everything unfold, stared at Yi-han in shock.
‘What just happened?? Did he use some sort of a spell?’
The world of magic was vast, and there were obviously spells that allowed people to strengthen their muscles or move at extreme speeds. However, they weren’t something a freshman that had just entered the academy could use.
“You defeated it!?”
“I think so…”
Yi-han lowered his staff and checked to see if the mutant boar was still breathing.
Fortunately, it wasn’t.
Yonaire stood up while being supported by Yi-han.
“Are classes meant to be like this?” she asked, finding this situation absurd.
“I had my suspicion the moment we met our principal.”
Even if the secrets to alchemy involved venturing deep into nature, it was ridiculous that they were being sent to places with monsters despite not knowing a single spell.
Though what they encountered was technically a boar, it had the strength to easily crush a grown tree.
‘Should I drop alchemy?’
Yi-han was seriously starting to weigh his options.
Assuming every professor in the academy was clinically insane, the likelihood of death seemed lower for lectures conducted inside a classroom.
He had decided to take this class because he thought it would be a breeze. However, based on their previous encounter, he suspected things would only get worse from now.
“In the future, he might even make us go deeper into the forest to gather salivas from trolls…”
“Y-yeah…”
Yonaire frowned when she heard what he said. Though she wished to start an alchemy workshop, she didn’t want to die while doing so.
“W-wait, you guys aren’t planning on dropping out over something like this, right?”
Nilia asked in a panic.
The friendship between them was flimsy at best, but they were still friends that she had made through much effort. If the two quit, she would once again be left alone and be forced to take alchemy by herself.
“I mean come on! You two are from the Blue Dragons, right? T-then you must have your pride as nobles!”
“I don’t.”
“I also think we should pursue realistic goals rather than cling to our pride.”
“…”
Nilia became upset when she heard their responses.
“Fine! Do whatever you want!”
“Why are you so upset?”
“Yeah, we didn’t say we’d quit for sure.”
“…Really?”
Just as Nilia turned her head to face them, they heard a familiar sound nearby.
– …!
“…It’s another one.”
“…Maybe we should quit after all…”
“…”
The trio rushed toward the direction of the sound and chanced upon another one of the mutant boars.
Now that they knew the mountains contained more than one of these mutant boars, Yi-han made up his mind.
“Yup, I’m quitting.”
“Hey!”
“I don’t think we should be arguing over that matter right now…” Yonaire said as she pointed down.
The boar wasn’t alone and was facing some unlucky students of the academy.
‘There are six of them.’
With one of them being Adenart, the royal princess, they seemed to be in a better situation than Yi-han and his team when they had to face the mutant boar.
“I don’t think they’ll have any trouble handling the boar.”
“Huh?”
Yonaire looked at Yi-han for a second before looking back down, and then returned to staring at Yi-han once more.
“You think so?”
“We should just leave them alone,” Nilia grumbled.
She didn’t seem too fond of Adenart and her lackeys. In her eyes, Adenart was an arrogant princess, and the flies around her were there just to flatter her!
“I’ll be its opponent!”
“..!”
One of the six in the group stepped forward. Yi-han recognized the student as someone from their dorm.
“Who is he?”
However, he had no idea who it was as he wasn’t familiar with the empire’s younger generation of nobility.
“Asan Dargard.”
“Ah, the Dargard Family.”
“…How come you know about the family but not its descendants…?” Yonaire asked in wonder.
The Dargard Family. While the Wardanaz Family served as the advisor of the emperor throughout generations, the Dargard Family was largely responsible for the empire’s finances. Their family was well known for being quick and efficient with their work.
“If he’s someone from the Dargard Family, he should have some skills.”
“Yeah, unlike Gainando, he should be quite capable.”
“?”
Nilia tilted her head in confusion.
‘Are they dissing the prince?’
Asan had a tall but slim figure.
Nevertheless, from the way he wielded his staff, he seemed quite competent.
In fact, as someone familiar with swordsmanship, Yi-han was confident that Asan had learned swordsmanship as well.
“He knows how to wield a sword.”
“I see…then I guess we don’t have to worry about him,” Yonaire said in relief.
She didn’t want to see the six people below them getting injured.
Asan aimed his staff at the boar.
“I’ve already seen through your movements!”
Saying that he took a step forward.
“I can easily predict how a pig like you would behave!”
And then another step.
Yi-han was surprised as the distance between each of his steps was uniform.
‘Is he a human calculator?’
Just as there were many types of magic, there were many styles of swordsmanship in the empire.
Some emphasized strength and destructive power, others valued speed, and still, others stressed having a variety of forms.
Yi-han knew which category Asan’s swordsmanship belonged to, remembering what Arlong had told him in the past.
– A style of swordsmanship that is complex and calculative in nature, with each step placing the swordsman at the center of a geometric formation…
– Oh, that sounds interesting. Can I learn it?
– …Pardon? Did Young Master just call it interesting? It’s absolute lunacy!
He didn’t get the chance to learn it as Arlong himself wasn’t familiar with this style of swordsmanship, but now that he was seeing it first-hand, his evaluation was that it was thorough and methodical.
– …!
Provoked by Asan’s footwork, the boar grunted and charged at him, enraged.
Asan sidestepped like a matador in a bullfight before swiftly stabbing the boar with his staff.
“Ha!”
– …!
Boom!
And with that, Asan was blown away. The boar had come to an abrupt stop and had thrown its body in his direction.
“…”
“…”
He hadn’t been hit by a charge in the traditional sense, but the damage dealt to him was considerable as Asan tumbled and rolled on the ground several times.
“Ugh, it saw through my calculations…”
“…So he’s merely well-trained…” Yi-han mumbled.
It was apparent that Asan wasn’t experienced in fighting real battles. His posture was good because of constant practice, but his predictions had been off while fighting the boar.
“Let’s help them out.”
“..!”
Nilia was surprised to hear this from Yi-han as she didn’t think he’d step forward in this kind of situation.
‘Is this what it means to be noble…?’
Unlike those that was all talk and no bite, he had willingly placed himself in a dangerous situation for the sake of others, just like nobles that appeared in fairy tales. Nilia was ever so slightly moved by his actions.
“If I save them now, I can ask for their help in future classes, be it for tests or assignments. Not to mention the connections the princess must have…”
“…”
Nilia’s goodwill evaporated in an instant.
‘What a fake!’
Adenart waved the others back.
Her message was clear, and the remaining four students quickly hid behind her.
‘Not that hiding behind me would make much of a difference…’
Though she had been the one to give the command, she still felt slightly sad and isolated.
Nevertheless, she simply regarded this situation as another problem she had to solve.
Just as she had perfectly cleared all the obstacles in her way until now, she was determined to deal with the boar in the perfect manner.
‘Analyze its movements, and when it charges…’
Bam!
Along with this sound, the boar was abruptly blown to the side.
“!?!?”
Yi-han, who had snuck up behind the boar, appeared while letting out a sigh of relief.
“Whew. Luckily, it didn’t notice me.”
“Have you now learned the importance of moving in the opposite direction of the wind?”
“Yeah, the wisdom that comes with hunting is amazing.”
“…Maybe you’ll learn more of such wisdom by continuing to take alchemy.”
“Thanks but no thanks.”
“…”
Yi-han’s mind was already set.
‘No to alchemy! Imma stay cooped up inside a classroom.’
Adenart remained frozen in place for a second, but soon recovered and bowed her head.
“…Thank you for your help, Wardanaz.”
“Wasn’t much, Your Highness.”
Nilia, who had been listening to their exchange, whispered to him.
– Why are you using honorifics?
– Dunno, was swept away by her mannerism.
They were all the same age, and as the academy advocated equality, there was no need for him to be polite and use honorifics, but with the princess speaking so politely, he had subconsciously responded in kind.
“Right, may I request something of you in return for my help?”
Adenart nodded.
“Please recommend me some classes that give easy grades.”
He figured someone as popular as the princess would have a lot of information in hand.
“…”
However, Adenart felt slightly lost when she heard his request.
‘What is this young mage from the Wardanaz Family saying? I doubt he’s trying to take things easy. So then what is he asking for?’
“I know a class that gives good grades!”
From behind them, they heard the cheery voice of a certain dwarf, and Yi-han suddenly felt shivers run down his spine as he was reminded of a professor whom he had met in graduate school…
Ttak-
Uregor, the dwarf professor, had grabbed onto his sleeve just as he was about to make a run for it.
“It’s the alchemy class, Wardanaz,” he said with a grin.
“…”
Chapter Text
“Is that so?”
Yi-han didn’t let his emotion show. After all, he was a hardened veteran when it came to dealing with crazy professors.
“Perhaps it is as you say, and I’ll be able to get a good grade in alchemy as long as I’m passionate about it.”
‘But I’m not coming back to this class ever again after today.’
“Right?”
The professor seemed smug when he heard this.
“Then you should just take this course.”
“…But there are other classes that I want to check out…”
“There’s no need for that. None of them will be better than mine.”
“Still, I’d like to…”
“No! You must take this course!”
Yi-han was starting to feel uneasy as he noticed that the other students were staring at him with expressions of jealousy.
– As expected of a Wardanaz…
– His talent must be impressive…
‘This is pissing me off.’
Professor Uregor looked around their surrounding before making an announcement.
“Class ends here today. Unfortunately, none of the other groups appear to have clashed with the boars.”
“…”
“…Professor, were the boars your doing?” A student asked in disbelief.
What they encountered were only boars in-name as they were essentially monsters.
If they had been unlucky, they might have died after having their bones crushed and their innards gutted out.
“You thought I’d have you guys explore the forest just to collect some herbs? I wanted you to also experience the dangers that accompany it,” Uregor said as if it was the most obvious thing in the world.
“But that’s…”
“I see how it is. Think about it. The professor must have prepared some safety measures in advance. I bet he was secretly following us.”
“Oh…”
One student tried to make sense of what happened. When the others heard his theory, they began nodding.
‘That would explain it,’ they thought.
“Huh? Why would I secretly follow you?”
Professor Dwarf stared at them, confused as to what they were talking about.
“I rushed over because one of you managed to take down the boar.”
“W-what if something bad had happened?”
“That would just mean you have no talent for alchemy.”
“…”
“…”
Yi-han could almost hear the students cussing in their heads.
‘This son of a…!’
“As alchemists, you must learn to handle unexpected situations, be it through capturing, hiding, fleeing, or dodging. Understood, Ironheads?”
“Yes sir!”
“Then…were the Grass of Cleansing unnecessary?” Yonaire cautiously asked while raising her hand.
Uregor seemed surprised.
“You found them?”
“Yes.”
“Most unexpected. Didn’t think you’d actually get your hands on them. You pass as well! Now, come over here. You must also take this course.”
“…”
Yonaire, who was puzzled, also got dragged to his side.
“Um…I didn’t find them by myself. Nilia over there also helped.”
“Is that so? You pass! Come over here!”
Nilia fell victim next. She had no idea whether she was supposed to be happy or sad.
“And Wardanaz helped as well…”
“Then you really must join our class!”
“…”
Yi-han had half given up at this point. Running away was now impossible.
‘I’m screwed.’
Even if he refused to take the class, nothing good would come of offending the professor. If he turned him down now, this dwarf might even show up in a different lecture to drag him back.
“…I’ll try my best to excel in this class. Learning alchemy has always been my dream after all!”
“Lad…!”
Uregor grinned, knowing what Yi-han was up to. He seemed the most mature out of all the freshmen present at the scene.
He was clearly uninterested in alchemy, yet the moment he realized he couldn’t escape, he changed his tune.
Children of nobility were usually terrible at hiding emotions because they never had to.
Hence, it was interesting to see someone like Yi-han who knew how to endure and be patient.
“Now, don’t be too sad about it. There are perks to learning alchemy,” Uregor said as if to console him.
Getting a disciple was never easy. Much like how students evaluated their professors based on the quality of their lessons, the professors did the same with their students, and when a student they liked appeared, they would tightly hold on to them, just like what Uregor was doing.
Nevertheless, if they were too forceful about it, the student might flee, which was why it was important to entice them with treats.
“Perks?”
“You see, my hut is near the forest. Normally, I wouldn’t let anyone near, but since you were able to take down the boar and find the herb, I’ll bestow upon you the privilege to visit whenever you want.”
“…??”
‘What sort of bs is this?’
The right to visit the professor’s house.
‘Is he talking about the right to clean, the right to throw away his trash, and the right to work as his slave?’
“…Ah, I should probably explain more in-depth,” Uregor hurriedly said, knowing what Yi-han was thinking based on the glint in his eyes.
“Do you know what Ironheads desire most?”
“A class that gives easy grades?”
“…You sure you’re a Wardanaz? I mean, that would be nice too, but the answer is food. You guys look terrible enough now, but a week later, some of you will be ready to feast upon your fellow classmates.”
“…”
Uregor’s words made some sense. 80% of the students here were used to leading comfortable lives without needing to worry about food. They would obviously have trouble adapting if they were suddenly thrown into an environment that only served hard bread and cold riceballs.
“But if you visit my hut, you’ll have access to the meat and fish I catch, as well as the spices and vegetables I harvest from a secret location inside the forest. You catch my drift?”
“…!”
It was then that Yi-han understood what he meant.
It was essentially a free buffet!
“Professor!”
“Lad, I’m starting to like you even more now.”
The professor-student duo firmly shook hands as they strengthened their bonds.
The class soon ended, and the students left for their next lesson, some murmuring that they were never going to return. However, Yi-han remained seated, making Yonaire and Nilia curious.
“Aren’t you going to leave?”
“I’ll be dissecting the boar.”
“…”
“…”
“Excellent attitude!”
Uregor was genuinely impressed. He had never seen a freshman adapt this quickly to the new environment.
“Professor, are you sure this is edible?”
“It may look fierce, but the meat should be fine.”
“I see. May I borrow some equipment so that I can dismantle and smoke it?”
“Lad, you like alchemy that much?”
“Yes, I really love alchemy.”
Yi-han had decided to face reality and embrace alchemy.
‘If what the professor said is true, I can’t just sit back and wait.’
They had been given various hints up until now. From the moment they were admitted, the principal had told them to seek answers within the academy, and that they would not be given anything, nor would they be allowed to leave the academy.
In other words, the freshmen had to come up with their own way to gather food!
‘To think an academy like this exists…you know what, I’m not even surprised anymore.’
This was an academy where people sometimes died without anyone knowing. Getting your own food wasn’t too shocking compared to that.
Yi-han carried the boars one by one to a nearby river as flowing water was preferable when draining blood and butchering meat.
“I’ll help you.”
Yonaire pulled up her sleeves as she said so.
“You sure?”
“We’ll have to deal with grosser materials in the future. This is nothing. But you’ll give me some meat in exchange, right?”
“…”
Yi-han thought he heard a growl from Yonaire’s stomach.
Nilia, who was watching them from behind, was still reluctant.
“Are you really going to butcher them!?”
“Yeah.”
“But why…we’re in the academy…”
“Aren’t you hungry?”
“…Fine! I’ll help as well!”
Yi-han had gone on hunts before with Arlong and had learned how to catch and butcher animals.
Nilia, on the other hand, was a professional, and even Yonaire wasn’t an amateur as she had experience handling various materials.
“Here are the equipment. These should suffice.”
Uregor brought them the necessary equipment. He was staring at them with curious eyes, wondering what they’ll do next.
Yi-han grabbed a knife and began to skin the boars.
Ssuk-
‘He’s quite good.’
Nilia was honestly surprised. She didn’t think a noble would be as proficient as her.
The trio worked hard to skin the boars before moving on to butchering the meat and drying them on branches.
Since the boars were huge, there was a lot of meat, and Yi-han wasn’t planning on throwing away the innards either.
‘I’ll turn them into sausages.’
Who knew how long this hellish freshmen experience would continue. It was better to stock up on food when they could.
“Planning on smoke-drying the meat?”
“Yeah.”
“Not bad…!” Uregor exclaimed.
It wasn’t a good idea to leave the meat unattended. Though it was chilly outside, they would rot after some time. By smoke-drying the meat, they would last much longer, a piece of welcoming news to the freshmen.
“Professor, we’ll be using this firewood.”
“H-hold on a second…”
Uregor panicked when he saw Yi-han grab some of the firewood near the hut.
Being what it was, the quality of the firewood was important when it came to smoke-drying.
‘Those are firewood made from precious apple trees…’
Yi-han could tell if something was good from one look and had decided to use them.
Though it felt like a waste, Uregor smacked his lips.
“Nilia. Will this suffice?”
“Yes, it’s more than enough.”
Thick smoke began to rise up as the smell of meat permeated the air. There was sweat on the foreheads of the three students that had worked hard for the food.
Growl-
Yi-han turned toward the source of the sound. It hadn’t been from Yonaire, neither had it been from Nilia.
It had been from Professor Dwarf.
“…Hungry?”
“A little bit.”
Yi-han stood up from his seat. If a professor was feeling peckish, it was a graduate student’s duty to take care of his needs.
‘Since there’s so much meat, cooking some should be fine.’
“Professor, can we have some bread and butter?”
“…Just don’t take too much…”
Though he grumbled, there wasn’t much he could say as he would be sharing the meal as well.
Yi-han took out a frying pan and a piece of meat. First, he seasoned the meat with salt and pepper before kneading it with his hands.
“What are you doing?”
“Just some basic prep work.”
“?”
Uregor found Yi-han’s so-called “prep work” fascinating.
‘What’s wrong with just cooking it…’
Yi-han didn’t stop there. Using his knife, he made some cuts on the meat, wrapped oil around the surface of the frying pan, and finally placed the meat on top of it.
The sound of meat being grilled was accompanied by a wonderful smell. Yi-han also placed the vegetables he took from the hut on top of the meat.
“Why are you stopping?”
The meat hadn’t fully been cooked yet. Seeing Yi-han stop in his track for some reason, the professor panicked.
“Now I’m going to add some butter.”
“You aren’t doing this to show me that you have no talent in alchemy, right?” The professor asked suspiciously. No matter what Yi-han did, he had no intention of letting him go.
“Just wait and see.”
The meat was gradually cooked, and the meal was soon prepared. It consisted of pork steak, grilled vegetables, as well as bread and butter taken from the hut.
The bread wasn’t fresh out of the oven, but it was much better than the black bread provided to the freshmen.
Chomp chomp-
Everyone suddenly became quiet as they gobbled down the meal, with Uregor eating the most ravenously.
The dwarven professor took a slice of meat and placed it between some bread before taking a big bite. Afterward, he headed for his hut by himself and returned with a jar of jam.
“…”
“…”
“…I’ll share it with you, so don’t stare at me like that.”
Chapter Text
Eating sweet things was a great way to recover mentally and spiritually, and the jams that Uregor brought with him did just that.
There were all sorts of jams, including strawberry jam, raspberry jam, and fig jam. The students that had a taste of them all fell into a state of bliss as if they were drunk.
‘How pitiful.’
Professor Dwarf looked at the first years and felt sorry for them. As a professor working in the academy, he knew that the freshmen were having a tough time.
Unlike their seniors, the freshmen weren’t allowed to leave the campus.
“Eat to your heart’s content. You never know when your next meal will be.”
“Thank you, Professor!”
Deliciously cooked meat. Butter and jam to go along with the bread. A beautiful scenery consisting of a flowing river. The students were having a great time eating and drinking with their friends.
While the first-years were taking a break after having had their fill, Professor Uregor was starting to clean up.
“…Wait. Why am I missing a jar of jam?”
“Sorry, Professor.”
“…”
He became speechless when he saw Yi-han shamelessly take out the missing jar from underneath his cloak.
‘The freshmen this time round are a different breed indeed!’
The mana-enhanced boars that they caught were much bigger than they initially thought.
Even after smoke-drying a large quantity of meat and stuffing themselves with as much food as possible, there was still a lot left over. Professor Uregor had even taken several chunks of meat to store inside his hut.
“What should we do with all these?”
“Professor. Is there a way we can store this?” asked Yi-han.
Uregor nodded in response.
“Of course.”
“!”
“Freeze it using ice magic.”
“…”
“…”
The students glared at the professor. They had failed to cast during Professor Troll’s class. How were they supposed to suddenly use freezing spells?
“Anything else?”
“Well, there is another method.”
“And that is?”
“Ask for an ice spirit’s help. Oh, I can use both by the way.”
“…”
“…”
The freshmen exchanged looks.
‘Shouldn’t have asked this professor in the first place.’
‘Right.’
Noticing the looks in their eyes, Uregor let out a dry cough.
“Sorry, but at your level, there’s no way to preserve the meat.”
“What if we ask for your help?”
“That wouldn’t be fair now, would it?”
“Um…then would you two mind if I share some of the meat with the others?” Nilia asked.
They had caught the boars together, which was why she asked for permission from Yonaire and Yi-han.
“You can do whatever you want with your share.”
“Yeah.”
“I-I see. Thanks.”
There was a slight blush on Nilia’s face as she was moved by the two’s generosity. She wasn’t close yet with the other students in her tower. They were bound to be hungry by now, and gifting those students some meat would be a great way to become friends.
There was a saying in the mountains that whoever shared food during troubled times would become great friends, which applied here as well.
Feeling embarrassed, she suggested that the two do the same.
“Why don’t you also share it with the students at your dorm?”
“…For money?”
“That’s a brilliant idea.”
Both Yi-han and Yonaire both liked the idea very much. However, Nilia quickly waved her hands.
“No, not for money, but for-”
“She’s right. Students of the Blue Dragons should have deep pockets. There’s nothing wrong with having them pay a little in exchange for some food.”
“Yeah! We’re essentially doing them a favor!”
Yonaire fully agreed with what Yi-han said. Other students of noble descent might label such behaviour as disgraceful, but these two just happened to be the most materialistic people out of the bunch.
Yi-han’s ideology was “earn a shit ton and live a comfortable life” whereas Yonaire’s was “every coin counts when building an alchemy workshop”.
Now that they had come to a consensus, they shook hands.
Nilia, who was the only normal person in their group, was bewildered when she saw this.
“…You really plan on selling food to your friends?”
“Wanna join in?”
“No!”
Nilia stomped her feet in frustration.
“That’s…you know, not right!”
“Nilia, think about it. Won’t their pride be hurt if we just hand them food?”
“Exactly, we’re doing this for them.”
“…”
When they brought up the matter of a noble’s pride, it sounded somewhat convincing, but Nilia wasn’t one to be tricked that easily.
“Well, I’m going to hand them out for free.”
“Do whatever you want. But know this, Nilia. You might regret it in the future.”
“Yeah. Friendships don’t last forever, but money will never betray you.”
“But would they really consider you two as friends?”
“Who knows? All we’re saying is that money-”
“No, I don’t want to hear this anymore!”
Uregor, who had been sipping on coffee while sitting comfortably on a chair that was in front of his hut, shook his head when he saw this interaction.
‘These three are bound to cause trouble if they’re together.’
Since the academy recruited freshmen from all over the empire, all sorts of students were gathered there.
The three students in front of him were diamonds in the rough, with both talent and passion. However, he could clearly see the word troublemakers written on their faces.
The Tower of the Prideful Blue Dragons.
The dormitory was located quite a distance away from the academy’s main building, and the moment students came out through the front gate, they would be greeted by a refreshing breeze from the lush forest around them, and the expressions on their malnourished faces would become soft, if only for a short while.
“…?”
However, things were a bit different that day.
Fzzz, fzzz-
They were instead greeted by the sound and smell of meat sizzling.
“Hey there. Have you eaten yet?”
“It’s a wonderful night, isn’t it?”
“…??”
“????”
The students that came out were confused to see a tall boy and a red-haired girl waving their hands at them. They were the descendants of Wardanaz and Maykin, and they each held tongs in one of their hands.
Tadak, tadak-
A makeshift grill had been prepared by starting a fire and placing an iron plate on top of it. When Yi-han added more firewood to the grill, the sizzling became even louder.
The smell and sound coming from the grill were unbearable, and soon enough, someone’s stomach growled.
Gulp-
“Come grab a bite. These are for you guys.”
“C-can we really?” someone shouted, their eyes almost popping out.
Though they came from noble families, they were still children in the end, and the allure of a barbecue party was something these famished students could not endure.
“Yeah, but you have to pay us one silver coin each.”
“As in one imperial silver coin?”
Outside the academy, they could eat as much meat as they wanted with two or three copper coins. However, things were different here. Even if the price was inflated to three times the norm, no one was there to compete with them.
“One!? That cheap?”
“Haha. You think we’re trying to do business here? We’re just collecting these fees so you won’t feel uncomfortable while eating.”
“Yup.”
Yonaire and Yi-han said this while smiling kindly to their peers, almost making the latter cry.
‘Those that come from powerful families are different after all! To think they’re so kind!’
While the others were busy trying to feed themselves, these two were actively trying to help their friends, even preparing a grill for them!
“Wardanaz…!”
“Maykin…!”
“Now, now. If you don’t hurry, the meat’s going to burn. Eat up.”
“Wait, but I haven’t brought any money with me.”
“Neither have I.”
The students of the Blue Dragons felt troubled. They had entered the academy with nothing but their clothes, which meant they didn’t have any money with them.
Yi-han took out a paper and quill, saying they didn’t have to worry.
“Just write down your name and the amount you owe before signing. Instead of going through the trouble of paying every time, you can just pay it all at once in the future.”
“That’s brilliant! You’re a genius, Wardanaz!”
“I never thought of such a convenient method!”
Ssssk, ssssk-
The hungry students were not in the right state of mind, and they eagerly ran to the grill after signing their names.
Gobble, gobble, chomp, chomp-
Yi-han smirked as he quietly rolled up the paper and put it in his breast pocket.
‘Business is blooming.’
Some might think it’s not worth going this far for chump change. However, it was best to earn while he could, not to mention a silver coin was anything but chump change. Money didn’t grow from trees after all.
If the ban on freshmen leaving the campus stayed for a long time, he would no doubt be able to earn a handsome sum.
“Parliak, why are you forcing yourself to eat those cold riceballs? If you add some oil to the plate and stir-fry the rice along with the meat….voila!”
“Y-you’re a prodigy, Wardanaz!”
“It’s a life hack,” he said while tapping the student’s shoulder.
He was willing to provide such services as he had received a silver coin.
The students gobbled up the meal voraciously as if they feared others would take it away from them. If they had to pick a student representative for the first years right now, they would no doubt nominate Yi-han for the job.
“Wardanaz! Wardanaz! Wardanaz!”
“Maykin! Maykin! Maykin!”
The nobles chanted while chewing their food. The chant was loud enough to attract the attention of Gainando, who came out of the dormitory looking befuddled.
“W-what’s going on here?”
“Oh, Gainando. Wanna have some meat?”
“Meat!? For real??”
Gainando lunged at the offer. The explanation could wait.
Tak-
However, he was stopped by Yi-han who grabbed his shoulder.
“Why’re you stopping me!?”
“Pay up. It’s a silver coin.”
“…W-we have to pay?”
“I wouldn’t want to hurt your pride.”
“You’re right. But I don’t have any money right now…”
“Worry not. Just sign your name after writing down the amount here.”
“Yi-han…!”
Gainando was touched. Such generosity!
True friendship had blossomed inside the academy.
The unannounced barbeque party had somewhat brought color back to the cheeks of the students that belonged to the Blue Dragons.
However, that didn’t make certain classes any less boring.
was a mandatory course that made the students frown.
“Ethics? Why would we need to learn that?”
“They should just teach it to the commoners. Honorable nobles such as ourselves have no need for such teachings.”
“Yeah. Who do they think we are?”
‘They really have a way with words even when complaining,’ Yi-han thought to himself.
Fortunately, the classroom only had students from the Blue Dragons. If students from the other towers heard what they said, a brawl would’ve occurred by now.
What’s surprising was that there was no ill will behind what they said. In other words, what they said came from the bottom of their heart!
Good morning everyone.
“…”
“…”
When they received the telepathy, everyone’s expression became stiff, and it wasn’t because of the magic itself.
The voice that was transmitted directly to their brains sounded awfully familiar.
‘You’re joking…’
Hellooooo, Ironheads!
“…”
A giant skull appeared not from the door, but from the ceiling. It was Os Gonadaltes, the principal.
Enjoying your time at the academy? I bet your hearts are pumping. After all, you’ve all lived sheltered lives, and this must be your first time trying to survive by yourself!
Everyone remained silent. The lich principal looked around for a second before voicing his surprise.
Would you look at that? You’ve had something, haven’t you? Huh, that was kind of quick. Thought it would take you guys at least a month!
“What does that mean? We were supposed to get our own food?”
Yeah, I told you to get whatever you need yourself.
“And this was what you meant by now? Why do we have to go through all this in the first place…”
– Silence!
“Umph! Umph!”
The voice coming from the student who had his hand up immediately ceased.
Satisfied, the lich principal nodded, which caused an eerie rattling sound.
Chapter Text
No one was happy to be praised by Principal Skelly.
Yi-han could almost hear the mockery in his voice.
‘Usually, the students from the Blue Dragons are the slowest on the uptake.’
However, this time around, the principal was being sincere in his praise. The academy welcomed new students every year, and those assigned to the Blue Dragons were always the slowest to adapt.
The fastest were the students of the Black Tortoise. They were typically children of merchants, commoners, and beggars, so they adjusted really quickly to their new environment.
Next up were the students of the White Tigers. Since their families were knights, they themselves were really well-built and could endure the harsh conditions.
In comparison, the students that belonged to the Blue Dragons were descendants of established nobles, which meant they had grown up sheltered. It was no wonder they were slowest to adapt.
The principal honestly didn’t expect them to find something to eat in just a few days. In fact, it was somewhat commendable.
‘Was he behind it?’
Principal Skelly’s blue eyes landed on Yi-han.
As a grand mage, his intuition was never wrong. Even if it was, he would forcefully make it right.
Fortunately, he had been right about Yi-han, and his first impression had been dead-on.
‘Mana alone doesn’t determine whether someone is fit to become a mage.’
He looked upon Yi-han favorably not only because of how much mana he had. Of course, that did play a role in it, but something else about him had caught the principal’s eyes.
He didn’t think someone so open-minded could be born from the Wardanaz Family which valued traditions greatly.
‘To be open-minded and free of prejudice. That will be the light that guides a mage down their path.’
And that was what he wished to teach the students.
The hard bread and the cold rice balls were also means to that end, though he did sort of enjoy watching them suffer.
‘For some reason, it feels a bit cold in here.’
Yi-han suddenly felt uneasy. It was spring, yet it was strangely chilly inside the room.
“Sir, we understand that we must find a way to keep ourselves fed if we wish to grow as mages. But why do we need to learn about ethics?”
As expected of someone from the Blue Dragons. Only someone of noble birth would have the balls to speak up before Principal Skelly.
The principal nodded his skull and responded in a kind voice.
An excellent question. Why do we have to learn ethics? Try answering the question yourself.
“…We have no clue, sir.”
IT’S BECAUSE WHEN GRADUATES OF THE ACADEMY CAUSE TROUBLE OUTSIDE, THAT BLASTED EMPEROR WOULD SEEK ME OUT FOR AN EXPLANATION!!!
The freshmen covered their ears as Principal Skelly shouted at the top of his lungs.
IF YOUR SENIORS DIDN’T CAUSE TROUBLE OUTSIDE! WE WOULDN’T HAVE HAD TO CONDUCT THIS CLASS! UNDERSTOOD, IRONHEADS!?
“…”
“…”
WHY ETHICS CLASS, YOU ASK!? IF ONE OF HIS MAJESTY’S CLOSE AIDES COMES SEEKING AN EXPLANATION, WE NEED TO AT LEAST SHOW THAT WE’RE MAKING AN EFFORT NOT TO CAUSE TROUBLE. OTHERWISE, ALL OF YOU WILL BE SENT TO THE GALLOWS! IS THAT ENOUGH OF AN ANSWER, IRONHEADS!?!
“Y-yes, sir!!”
The student who had asked the question repeatedly nodded his head, overwhelmed by the pressure the principal was giving off.
MAGES ARE TROUBLEMAKERS IN THE FIRST PLACE, AND WE NEVER KNOW WHEN THEY’RE GONNA GO BALLISTIC. AND DON’T YOU DARE LIE TO ME THAT YOU’RE DIFFERENT! THAT WILL ONLY PISS ME OFF EVEN MORE! LATER ON, WHEN YOU GUYS ARE ALLOWED TO LEAVE THE CAMPUS, YOU’LL SEE HOW MUCH TROUBLE YOU CAUSE. NOW OPEN YOUR BOOKS TO PAGE 1 AND READ IT OUT LOUD!!
“I will not wield magic against the common people!!”
AGAIN!!
“I will not wield magic against the common people!!”
‘Will this really be effective?’ Yi-han thought in his head. ‘Won’t this only exacerbate the issue…’
The students expected the class to be boring.
And boy were they wrong.
Ethics class was even more boring than they could have ever imagined.
“You’ve got to be kidding…why is this a mandatory course…”
“My throat hurts…”
Through today’s lesson, I hope a seed of kindness has sprouted inside each of you.
“Yeah…”
“I can feel the effects already…”
And moving on, I will need two assistants for this class. Any volunteers?
The principal asked this in a soft voice, which made it sound even eerier than it should’ve been.
“…”
“…”
The students’ eyes skittered about, trying not to get caught. The lich smirked.
Are you sure none of you wants to volunteer? You’ll regret it, you know?
“I’d like to volunteer myself.”
The one who raised his hand was Yi-han.
Principal Skelly felt dismayed that he couldn’t continue watching students squirm about in discomfort.
Ah, the Ironhead from the Wardanaz Family. Like working, do you?
“If I could be of assistance to the professor I deeply respect, wouldn’t that be a great honor?”
“Wardanaz…!”
“What a kind fellow you are…”
Yi-han’s actions deeply moved the students of the Blue Dragons.
Yesterday, he had thrown a barbeque party for the starving students, and now he was stepping forward to take the bullet for the others.
The Wardanaz Family acted as one of the pillars of the empire. Truer words had never been said!
Those empty words mean nothing to me. If anything, I find it annoying. But very well. Opportunities only present themselves to those that seek them.
The principal knew what Yi-han was thinking.
Through Uregor’s class, Yi-han learned one thing: there were many benefits to helping a professor.
Especially right now, when they weren’t allowed to leave the academy’s premises, it was best to get on the professors’ good side, even if that meant sucking up to the lunatic known as Principal Skelly.
“I’ll work myself to the bone!”
‘And hopefully, get good grades.’
“Yi-han, y-you crazy?” Gainando frantically asked in a hushed voice.
The other students that heard this answered in his stead.
“Who knows what that principal would do to us if nobody volunteers? Wardanaz is trying to take one for the team.”
“I-in that case…I too must…”
After much hesitation, Gainando tried to stand up. However, it was as if his legs were stuck.
‘Move, legs, move!’
As someone noble, he had to stand up in this situation. He believed that was also what Yi-han wanted.
‘I must help out my pal…’
So the other Ironhead will be the brat from Dargard. Well, I guess they do know a thing or two about organizing documents.
“Thank you for the praise.”
While Gainando was still making up his mind, someone else had volunteered.
Asan Dargard, the boy who was blown away by the boar during the alchemy lesson.
“?”
Yi-han stared at Asan in wonder. He didn’t expect Asan to volunteer for this task.
‘Is he aiming for the same thing as me?’
Asan fixed his glasses by pushing them up ever so slightly.
“Wardanaz, if it’s you, I’m sure you know why I volunteered.”
“But I don’t?”
Yi-han was startled. How was he supposed to know what others were thinking?
“Huh, you don’t? I’m trying to pay you back for your help last time!”
Asan was visibly upset.
‘What other reason could there be?’ His face seemed to ask.
“Oh…I see. You know, you really didn’t have to.”
“Nonsense. A Dargard always pays back his debt.”
I’m happy that you two are getting along, but there’s work for you to do.
“?”
Here’s a list of safety precautions. We need them for the next class, so copy them down by hand and distribute it to your friends.
“…”
“…”
Asan didn’t take the principal’s orders kindly.
“Principal, sir.”
What is it?
“From my understanding… it would be faster if you just used a spell. Having us copy them down seems inefficient.”
I know. That’s the point.
“…”
Asan seemed ready to murder someone; Yi-han was sure of it.
– Sorry.
– As much as I’d like to help…
Yonaire, Gainando, and the other students exited the classroom while sounding apologetic. They wished to help, but Principal Skelly stopped them from doing so.
Two people are enough! Now scram!
As a result, Yi-han and Asan were left alone in the classroom to copy the notes.
“Unforgivable…that darned principal…making us do something this inefficient!”
‘He might really snap one of these days.’
Asan was moving his hand while muttering furiously. Seeing this, Yi-han grew worried.
Truth be told, he knew why the principal was making them do this.
‘He’s telling us to learn magic if we don’t want to do menial labor.’
The principal’s orders sounded crazy at first glance, but he knew there was a good reason behind them.
…The problem was that the principal expected too much from them.
They couldn’t even cast properly. How on earth were they supposed to use auto-writing spells?
‘Is there not even a hint?’
Hanging on to the belief that the lich still had some conscience, he decided to look around the empty classroom.
“Wardanaz, what are you doing?” Asan asked curiously.
Yi-han was rummaging through the things in the classroom.
“I’m seeing if there’s anything we can take.”
“Are you sure we’re allowed to do that?”
“No one said we can’t.”
“But that’s stealing…”
“Whose classroom do you think we’re in?”
“…I guess stealing is okay sometimes.”
Asan stood up from his seat to help Yi-han.
‘It takes but a moment for a person to stray off the right path.’
Everyone that entered this academy ended up with a loose screw somewhere regardless of their status.
“Found anything good?”
“Well, I found some papers. Might need those someday, so let’s take them for now. Wait, there’s a key here.”
Though he wasn’t sure what the key was for, he decided to keep it for now.
“You know what it’s for?” Asan asked.
“No, but I might in the future.”
“Right…makes sense.”
Asan was impressed by how level-headed he was.
Tak-
When they opened the last drawer, some mana flowed out of it, followed by a voice.
If you’ve managed to open this drawer, it means you’ve stopped wasting away your wrist like idiots and decided to use that brain of yours. Hope it didn’t take too much time! It was a stupid assignment, to begin with, and the longer it took you to figure it out, the more pitiful your intelligence is!
“…”
“…”
Here’s the 1st circle spell. Go ahead and learn it. And make it quick, or else you’d have to hand-copy a ton of things for the entire semester.
This was the principal’s hidden motive.
The students were so moved that tears began welling up in their…
“Wardanaz. I don’t understand. Why is he trying to teach us magic this way? There are so many better ways to go about doing it!”
Asan was about to explode in anger.
He had envisioned learning magic under a kind instructor, yet here he was, being forced to learn it as a means of survival.
What in carnation was this!?
Asan continued, his voice filled with passion.
“Wardanaz, I’m sure you’ll agree with me. Let us go complain to the principal. If we show him how serious we are, he’s sure to change his mind! …Wardanaz??”
“Sorry, what?”
Yi-han turned to look at him. He had been so focused on preparing to learn the spell that he had missed what Asan had said.
Chapter Text
“Wardanaz…”
“I mean, we’re here to learn magic, right?”
Asan was staring at him as if he was a traitor, so he instinctively tried to defend his actions.
“…You’re right.”
“And think about it. Do you think the principal would budge just because we lodge a complaint?”
“True.”
Asan accepted this reasoning. Even from his perspective, the chances of them successfully changing the lich’s mind seemed close to none.
“We probably have a 95% chance of failure.”
“Where did the 5% chance of success come from…”
Now that Asan was convinced, Yi-han turned his attention to the piece of paper that had the instructions on how to use .
To activate a spell, the caster’s will was the most important, followed by chants and gestures.
– The following chant may prove helpful in casting : Move, move, control…
“Move. Move. Hmm, I guess that would work.”
Yi-han decided on a chant that suited him best before moving on to the gestures.
He lightly swung his staff in a clockwise direction a few times, but each time he did so, the flow of his mana changed a little.
‘Magic really is a difficult field to study…’
Yi-han once again came to realize how difficult it was to learn magic.
Even the simplest of spells required him to concentrate fully and practice.
First, he had to focus and wish for a spell to activate. Then, he had to pour more mana into the spell through chanting. Lastly, he had to direct the mana with his staff, making sure not to deviate from the course.
It was as if he was on a unicycle, spinning planes on both hands while trying to maintain his balance.
“But Wardanaz, didn’t Professor Kim tell us to not practice magic outside his class?”
“We’re just following the principal’s orders. He’s higher up the food chain.”
“Right…”
Asan was once again convinced by Yi-han’s logic.
Still, that didn’t mean his mana capacity would suddenly increase. After around 4 tries, he faltered and slumped to the ground.
“Ugh…sorry Wardanaz…I’m suddenly feeling dizzy…”
“Don’t mind me and just take a rest.”
Yi-han was focused on casting .
“Move. Move. Move. Move!”
Psst!
He felt mana being shot out from the tip of his staff and going straight for the quill.
The quill quivered for a second after being hit by it.
‘There’s still some problem with my movement.’
Yi-han’s biggest weapon was his overwhelming quantity of mana. Others would have to take a break after casting a few spells, but he could continue practicing without breaking a sweat.
Tak-
Yi-han placed a mirror in front of him before trying again, hoping to see the changes in his movement with his own eyes.
‘Should I put less strength into it? Let’s try it out. Hmm, I think it’s gotten a bit better. Next…’
“Wardanaz, you alright?”
Asan, who had been laying down, asked while grunting.
Yi-han nodded.
“So this is what it means to be a Wardanaz…Ugh, I for one, am feeling so dizzy right now…”
“Move!”
For a split second, Yi-han felt his mind resonate with the quill as if he had grown a third hand and grabbed the quill with him.
The quill which had only been quivering until now slowly rose in the air.
Now, he had to concentrate on controlling it.
‘Slowly…there’s no need to rush…’
Pong!
It was as if a firecracker had gone off. The quill shot forward like a dart and went out of the classroom through an open window.
“…”
“W-what was that?”
“…The quill just flew off?”
“A-amazing…Wardanaz, you just succeeded in casting the spell!”
“No, it’s too early to call it a success.”
was a first-circle telekinesis spell, and it entailed delicate control of a small or light object.
Yi-han wasn’t the most knowledgeable when it came to magic, but he was certain that the quill wasn’t supposed to shoot out like that.
‘There are two major obstacles in activating this spell.’
It didn’t end with just casting the spell. He had to then focus on moving the object the way he wanted.
He had succeeded in the first step but had failed in the next.
‘But it’s alright. I’ve succeeded in casting the spell. Controlling the quill shouldn’t be a challenge.’
Pong!
Pong!
Pong! Pong! Pong! Pong! Pong! Pong!
“…”
Asan Dargard stared at Yi-han in terror. A quill had embedded itself on a wall next to him.
“W-Wardanaz…”
“…Sorry about that.”
His earlier confidence had vanished. He was having a lot of trouble controlling the quill. The moment he thought of moving it, it would shoot out like an arrow. It was as if he was subconsciously doing it on purpose!
‘Is it… because of my mana?’
He looked back to what Professor Kim had told him. He’d been told that he would have some trouble with magic because he had much, much, much, much, much more mana than most people.
‘Let’s try it one more time.’
Click.
Let’s see if you guys have been hard at work. Rejoice, for I’ll be doing the rest with my magic!
The door opened, and in came Principal Skelly.
Pong!
The quill went straight for the principal’s forehead.
“Wardanaz…!”
At that moment, Yi-han became Asan Dargard’s hero. To think a freshman would dare attack the principal.
Kickass!
Surprisingly, Principal Skelly didn’t lash out at them.
Found it already, eh? You two are Ironheads alright, but bright ones.
“Does that mean we won’t have to do this meaningless task from now on?”
No. Unless you learn to use the spell, you’ll have to keep wasting your time like this.
Asan glared at the principal, which the latter took great pleasure in.
That was when Yi-han carefully butted in.
“Respected and honorable principal, sir!”
I hear sweet flattery coming from somewhere. What is it?
“Is there any trick to controlling the objects?”
From what happened earlier, it seems you’ve managed to cast it. Having trouble controlling it?
“Yes.”
Beginners tend to be like that.
“Is that so?”
Yi-han was relieved. He thought it had something to do with his mana. Apparently, it was something all beginners experienced.
Sike! Hahahahaha!
“…”
Casting is the hard part. You usually get used to controlling the object after a try or two. Making it shoot out like an arrow? Not easy. Sucks to suck eh? Figure it out yourself.
‘He’s the principal. He’s the principal. He’s the principal.’
Yi-han tried his best to keep his emotions under control, which was frustrating to see for the lich.
Asan was truly like a child, losing his composure at the slightest provocation, which was always a pleasure to watch. This Wardanaz, on the other hand, was like an adult in a child’s skin, showing incredible patience.
But fret not, for magic is something you get better at the more you practice. Now, off you go to lunch!
***
They had been forced to stay throughout the morning, and by the time they were allowed to leave, the others had gone off to their respective classes.
Asan’s mana had yet to recover fully, so he left for the ward.
‘I should grab lunch.’
Lunch for the freshmen meant hard bread and cold rice balls, but Yi-han had the meat that he had smoke-dried before.
‘Let’s see if there’s any fruit and vegetables outside…’
He wasn’t sure in the beginning, but he was starting to think this was all part of the principal’s plan.
Students that could take a hint would’ve started searching for food by now.
“…Wardanaz.”
“?”
Yi-han turned around to look after being called out.
Princess Adenart, with her long silver hair and ice-cold expression, was standing in the hallway.
“What can I do for you?”
Adenart simply pointed at a piece of paper in her hand.
“…Right!”
He realized what she was here for. During alchemy class, he had helped her out, and in exchange, he had asked her for information as she had a much larger intelligence network.
‘If I recall correctly, I asked her for a list of useful classes.’
Other than the mandatory courses, students at Einroguard were allowed to choose what they wished to learn.
However, for freshmen, finding a class that fit their needs perfectly was like trying to find a needle in a haystack. Since they weren’t allowed to communicate with the second-years, they had to get by by exchanging information.
The princess silently handed him the piece of paper.
“Thank you…hmm?”
Yi-han was happily reading through the list when he abruptly stopped.
–Popular classes-
…
The fact that alchemy was there made it exceedingly suspicious. That wasn’t what he had been thinking of when he had asked for a list of good classes.
He had asked for classes that gave good grades, not “popular classes”.
“Um, Your Highness?”
“?”
“What does it mean here by popular classes?”
“??”
There was a slight change in Adenart’s expression as if she was feeling confused and troubled.
Yi-han thought it was necessary to explain a bit more.
“Your Highness. What I asked for was a list of classes that give good grades, not classes that are popular. In fact, classes that are the least popular tend to give the best grades.”
Yi-han wasn’t so naive as to be swept away by what people deemed popular.
Popular classes = Classes with lots of talented students = Hard to get good grades
Not-so-popular classes = Less competition = Easy to get good grades
Of course, the princess wasn’t of the same mind as him.
“…”
Adenart stared at him in disbelief. She couldn’t come to terms with the fact that he was actually looking for easy classes.
‘Why would a Wardanaz behave this way?’ She wondered.
For some reason, she felt disappointed. The Wardanaz she saw during alchemy seemed to be the noblest of them all, and yet…
She took out another piece of paper that contained the list of classes that she wished to avoid.
–Unpopular Classes-
…
‘Woah.’
Yi-han was amazed by the list. He could already tell how unpopular these classes were.
First and foremost, swordsmanship.
Not many people would think of learning how to swing a sword after entering a magic academy. Just focusing on magic was hard enough. Who in their right mind would waste their time on swordsmanship?
It was the same case with stamina training. Nobody would want to squander precious time which could be used to practice magic.
Mages were called frail for a reason.
wouldn’t be popular in Einroguard either.
They were trying to learn magic to pursue the truth of this universe. It wasn’t to get better at fighting.
If they wished to improve at combat, they would just join a knights’ guild or a swordsman’s guild.
Every student’s motivation for attending Einroguard was different. However, becoming the strongest in combat was probably not on anyone’s list of goals.
Magic was about learning, not about fighting.
‘But who cares.’
Yi-han wasn’t the type to be shackled down by others’ beliefs.
Swordsmanship and stamina training were both things he was confident in. After all, he had been training those under Arlong long before he entered the academy.
As for repetitive training in magic combat, there was no harm in learning how to fight with magic. It would give him another means to survive in dangerous situations. And the cherry on top was the grades he would receive…
“Thank you, Your Highness.”
“…”
Adenart nodded indifferently. There was a mix of disappointment and disdain on her face, but Yi-han was too focused on the list of classes to notice.
“Then until next time, I bid you adieu!”
Yi-han turned around and left swiftly.
The princess was about to say something, but decided not to in the end and left after letting out a small sigh.
Chapter Text
And it really was. None of his friends from the dormitory had agreed to his unique ideology regarding classes.
– Y-you plan on taking unpopular courses on purpose? But why? Is that what’s required of someone noble?
– ? Umm, sorry. I already have a class in that time period. F-for real. I’m not lying.
– Wardanaz, why are you trying to throw away your precious time? If I’ve learned anything at the Dargard’s, it’s that…
Unfortunately, there was nothing he could do to change their minds. As the saying went, the path to greatness was a lonely one.
They would only recognize his great foresight once midterms and finals rolled around.
There was no such thing as a kind professor in any school. Students had to take many classes throughout the year, but the professors would always demand that they focus on theirs. They were absolutely ruthless and selfish in this regard!
Hence, in order to excel in classes that they truly liked, they had to take some easy classes as well.
It was all about knowing one’s priorities and making the right decisions.
This was a fundamental truth practiced in all schools.
‘Is it here?’
After entering the gates of the academy’s main building, he found the stairs that led downstairs. was a class taught on B1.
“…Feels odd,” he muttered.
Large stairways could be found as soon as students entered the main building through the gate. The stairways were gothic in design, neither overly luxurious nor unpleasant in terms of their outward appearance.
Nevertheless, Yi-han felt chills in his back when he looked at the stairs, probably because of the stories surrounding them.
‘They say we shouldn’t carelessly roam about inside a mage’s tower.’
Everyone in the Empire knew about this, regardless of whether they were a mage or an ordinary citizen.
– You must not wander around in a mage’s tower.
It may seem normal from the outside, but all sorts of magic could be lying in wait inside. If someone went up the stairs, curious about the second floor, they may never be heard from again, lost within the labyrinth of the tower.
While he was living in the estate, Yi-han had read several fairy tales about children barely escaping from the towers of evil mages.
Yi-han, who was still adapting to the world at the time, had innocently asked,
– Aren’t these stories overly exaggerated?
– You’re right, young master.
– Thought so. I mean getting lost just by going up one flight of stairs…
– Yeah, unless you’re an expert, there’s no escaping a mage’s tower. Those children would’ve died from old age in real life.
– …
Yi-han had been shocked to hear that disappearances were frequent on the second floor.
Mage towers were shrouded in countless mysteries, making them terrifying places to visit.
Einroguard’s main building was a fusion of numerous mage towers, and the danger level was unfathomable.
As such, only a few freshmen dared to explore the academy’s premises despite their burning desire to do so!
They had been warned against doing so, either through their families or through rumors.
Otherwise, if they carelessly looked around the building, they might be discovered as lifeless bodies a while later.
‘Still, it’s just a set of stairs.’
Yi-han suppressed his fear and regained his composure.
In reality, mage towers were really not as terrible as many people thought. After all, the students had no trouble navigating their dorms and the first floor.
That was when he heard the familiar sound of bones rattling.
Rattle, rattle-
Oh, what is this? Trying to go down to the basement? Planning on being discovered as a corpse tomorrow?
“…”
Principal Skelly who was passing by gave Yi-han a word of encouragement, which made him speechless.
“Most respected principal! It’s an honor to meet you here!”
Yi-han bowed his head deeply.
The life of a graduate student involved smiling in front of a professor even if he hated his guts.
His bow had been perfectly in line with the etiquette required of nobles.
Principal Skelly nodded contentedly.
You’re quite right.
“I’m planning on heading downstairs, and I was wondering if the honorable principal has any advice for me.”
There’s none. If you’re found dead tomorrow, I’ll make sure to offer a flower.
‘This son of a…’
As it turned out, the basement wasn’t that big of a deal. There were classrooms on each side of a large hallway, and there weren’t any undead or monsters in sight.
Though it was slightly dark and chilly, Yi-han blamed it on the location where the academy was built.
‘Thank goodness.’
Ssssk-
Two students brushed past him.
This came as a great surprise to Yi-han. Were these two also here to learn ?
‘As I thought, there are other like-minded people.’
It wasn’t that strange either. Geniuses from all over the Empire were gathered here. There had to be one or two that were on the same page as him.
Although the competition had grown, he didn’t mind it too much.
‘Having two others isn’t so bad. It would be kind of awkward to take the class alone anyway.’
“Crap, it’s not here. Whew, we almost stepped into the wrong classroom.”
“What do they teach here?”
“, it seems.”
“A class like that exists? Who would even want to take that?”
“I heard even the students from the White Tigers left, swearing as they went.”
“If even they left, is it really a class fit for students?”
“…”
They rushed to another classroom as they talked.
Hearing their conversation, Yi-han started feeling uneasy.
Creak-
Inside the classroom, he saw three students that were already in their seats. However, it was apparent that they weren’t as determined to take this course as he was as there was fear, confusion, worry, and anxiety in their eyes.
Their expression clearly conveyed the message “Did I enter the wrong class?”
“Class is about to start. Please take a seat.”
“!”
Yi-han was startled. The professor had been sitting in the corner of the classroom, yet he had failed to notice his presence. Granted, the professor was sitting in a dimly lit corner, but it was still quite shocking.
‘A vampire, perhaps?’
Pale skin, sharp fangs, and a pair of gloomy eyes.
Since there was someone like Professor Troll, it wouldn’t be too out of the world to have a vampire serving as a professor.
“Uwaaa!”
“W-what…!”
“…”
Yi-han stared at the other students in disbelief. Had they not realized that the professor was sitting there the whole time?
“I’m Bolady Bagrak, and I’m in charge of teaching the Basic Repetitive Training in Magic Combat course. Nice to meet you.”
“Nice to meet you, sir!” the students said in unison, Yi-han included.
Without bothering to take out his staff, Professor Bolady pointed at several marbles the size of a palm that was on a desk.
“These stones are made of Soul Star Ores.”
Soul Star Ores. It was something even Yi-han had heard about before.
‘Isn’t it an ore that’s sensitive to mana?’
When the stars aligned themselves roughly in a particular orientation, they would emit a sacred force, and Soul Star Ores were ores that changed under the influence of said force.
Since they were sensitive to mana, they were often used to make devices for detection or barriers to keep out intruders.
“Each of you will take a marble and insert your mana.”
Although the students were still unclear as to what they were doing, they each grabbed a marble regardless.
Everyone present was a freshman, and they hadn’t even been in the academy for a month yet. Though they were talented individuals, they weren’t confident as to whether they could properly insert their mana into the marbles.
Paat!
“Ugh!”
“Kyaa!”
However, despite their initial fear, the marbles slowly vibrated before rising into the air.
“Right now, the marbles have formed a connection with your conscience,” the professor said without batting an eye.
‘So they’re artifacts!’
Yi-han realized that the marbles were artifacts handcrafted by the professor, not merely toys carved out of Soul Star ores.
‘Apparently, a well-made artifact can be sold at a high price.’
Artifacts were hot commodities everywhere, and mages that could craft them well were filthy rich, enough to sit on a mountain of money. This had obviously caught Yi-han’s attention, but the same couldn’t be said the other way around.
“Aaaaaaack!”
“!”
One of the marbles shot up to the ceiling, and it looked as if it would shoot past it.
Fortunately, however, it stopped just before making contact.
Professor Bolady’s expression still remained the same. They began to wonder if the muscles on his face had ceased to function.
“Since the marbles are connected to your minds, you can obviously control them. But I’ve made sure that they won’t wreck the classroom.”
“T-that’s good.”
However, the student was struck by the marble in the stomach when he said so.
Crash!
“…!?”
“Though I’ve made sure that they won’t wreck the classroom, the same can’t be said for you guys. Be careful not to break the marbles.”
“…”
Normally, a professor should be saying “be careful not to get hurt”, and yet he was telling them to handle the marbles with care.
Yi-han could feel that this vampire professor was crazy in his own way as well.
The other students, however, still desperately held on to a shred of hope as they awaited the professor’s next instruction.
“What should we do next?”
“After making them float, have them move in a circle.”
The students focused and had the marbles float up. Yi-han also followed suit.
They all tried their best to make the marbles move in a circular trajectory, and though it wasn’t perfect, one of them managed to do it quite decently.
“I did it!” the student shouted happily.
Professor Bolady, on the other hand, wasn’t impressed by it at all.
“That’s not a circle. Do it again.”
“…Right. Yes, sir.”
The students resumed drawing circles with the marbles.
They drew another circle. And then another. And then another. And then another. And then another. And then another. And then another. And then…
Eventually, one of them cautiously asked the question that they had all been harboring.
“Um, when do we stop?”
“?”
For the first time, there seemed to be a change in Professor Bolady’s emotions. He looked at them with eyes that said, ‘What do you mean?’
“You continue until your circles are perfect.”
“…”
“…Professor. May I have a short bathroom break?
”
“Go. There’s no need to ask.”
One of the students left. Another student quietly left after observing the situation for a while.
Aside from Yi-han, only one other student remained, and after much thought, he suddenly fell over.
“???”
Yi-han was blown away by this. Was he trying to leave by pretending he had fainted?
‘Huh, he’s surprisingly good.’
Yi-han went over to help.
However, the student’s face was genuinely pale, and it didn’t seem like he was acting.
“You alright there?”
“Ma…na…”
“Professor, he seems to have exhausted his mana,” Yi-han explained.
As Professor Garcia had said, beginners were terrible at keeping their mana reserve in check and would often keel over after wasting and using them up. That was exactly what happened with this student.
“I see.”
“What should we do?”
“After he’s rested for a while, tell him to continue drawing circles with the marble.”
“…”
The student who had been getting back up with the support of Yi-han twitched in rage.
He wasn’t sure about the others, but Yi-han was certain that this student would never return after today.
‘I might end up taking this class alone.’
And it really turned out that way.
Yi-han, who was left alone, asked a question just to confirm.
“Professor, how are we graded in this class?”
“First place will be given to the student with the highest grade, followed by those below them.”
“As I thought…”
Yi-han nodded his head and grabbed one of the marbles again.
“I just have to draw circles, correct?”
“Yes.”
Yi-han had the marble start going around in circles.
The students that had left all thought it was stupid to waste time doing such useless activities, but Yi-han thought otherwise.
‘Excellent.’
He was guaranteed a good grade just by sitting in the classroom for the rest of the semester.
This was the kind of class he had been looking for.
Chapter Text
‘It’s not easy.’
Controlling the marble with his will took a considerable amount of effort.
If he didn’t pay attention, the marble would fly off, just as it did with the previous student who got struck in the stomach. It was a foreign feeling as if he’d grown a third arm.
Fortunately for Yi-han, he didn’t have to worry about running out of mana, and he was fine even as he continued to revolve the marble in a circle.
“…”
Professor Bolady simply stared at him as he did so.
‘Is it because I’m not running out of mana?’
Yi-han was curious as to why he was being stared at. Even from his point of view, his circles looked sloppy, so it likely wasn’t because he was drawing them quickly or well.
Instead, the professor was probably curious as to why he wasn’t getting tired at all this time.
‘Oh, never mind. It’s because I’m the only one in the classroom.’
He soon realized that the professor was staring at him blankly.
If he found Yi-han’s mana capacity fascinating, he would’ve simply asked about it. Hence, the only explanation was that there was nothing else to look at inside the room!
Yi-han decided not to be bothered by the professor’s stare and continued to focus on moving the marble.
Having said that, he still couldn’t understand the point of this exercise…
‘Whatever, I’ll get my grades as long as I keep moving it around.’
A magical marble that would grant him his desired grade simply by rolling it around. When he thought of it that way, he felt the motivation to continue.
Yi-han was extremely used to following ridiculous instructions from professors.
‘Interesting.’
Though he wasn’t letting it show on his face, Professor Bolady found this entire situation fascinating, an emotion he hadn’t felt for a long time.
And it was all because of the student in front of him.
Every year, students would come in droves to , only to leave like water during a low tide. Hence, he had zero students to teach last year.
However, Professor Bolady didn’t care in the least.
His contract with Principal Os Gonadaltes stated that he had to “teach every year”. Nowhere did it state that he had to have a certain number of students.
True to his words, Professor Bolady always sat at the front of the classroom with his marbles when it came time for his class, only standing up to leave when the class time was over. He did this even when the classroom was empty.
Nobody understood why he even bothered, but he always abided by this rule. This had been the case for the longest time, but this routine had been broken by a freshman that joined the class today.
He was a handsome young man with masculine features reminiscent of sculptures, and one look was all it took to know that he was a student from the Blue Dragons.
From the way he spoke and carried himself, he was probably a descendant of some powerful family in the Empire.
And yet he continued to move the marble in circles without uttering a word of complaint…
Even the students of the Black Tortoise that had the lowest status would leave the class saying “Who the fuck has time for this?”, so it was a weird thing to see someone from the Blue Dragons behaving so well and focusing on his task.
Furthermore, the student didn’t seem tired at all as he continued to move the marble, which told the professor that he was born with a lot of mana.
If Bolady had been at all close with the other professors, he would’ve known through a conversation with Professor Troll that Yi-han was blessed with abundant mana.
However, he didn’t see the need to be friendly with his colleagues. After all, that wasn’t part of his contract with the principal.
Hence, he only knew that Yi-han had more mana than his peers. As to exactly how much more, he was still in the dark.
‘I hope he stays.’
For the first time, Professor Bolady wished for a student to continue taking his class. If he did, he could also move on to the next content, which would also be a first.
“I’m telling you, it’s a great class!”
Yi-han couldn’t be more serious as he said so.
Normally, he’d never be so kind to others, but he was willing to make an exception for Yonaire and Gainando.
Yonaire could become his colleague later on, whereas Gainando had a rich mother that might give him “friendship fees” in the future.
It was never a bad idea to be close to someone from a rich family.
“I don’t think anyone else is planning on joining. In other words, you’re guaranteed to get an A+ just by sitting in the classroom.”
“…Hmmm…”
Yonaire’s face said it all. She was trying to think of the best way to reject the offer. Nobody else was taking the class, and for good reasons too, but she felt sorry for Yi-han who was desperately recommending it to them.
“…But hey, if you don’t want to, that’s your choice,” Yi-han said.
He had no intention of forcing them to take the class with him. He was simply trying to be a good friend by telling them about a class that they could cheese through.
“Hmm, can you tell a bit more?”
Gainando, on the other hand, seemed somewhat interested.
“What do they teach there?”
“There’s this marble which is an artifact that the professor created, and by injecting mana into it, it floats in the air.”
“Oho. And then?”
“We practice and make it go around in circles.”
“I see. And then?”
“That’s it.”
“…”
“…”
Yonaire and Gainando stared at Yi-han, tongue-tied.
“Y-you sure that it’s being taught by a real professor?”
“Who cares if he’s real or not? What’s important is that I get my grades.”
Yonaire was impressed by his attitude.
– I doubt there’s anyone as pragmatic and practical as I am in this group of students.
This was what she truly believed when she first entered the academy.
Since the members of the Blue Dragons hailed from rich and powerful families, they were often very opinionated and refused to take in new ideas. That was also the impression that she got from most of the students she interacted with.
However, after talking with Yi-han, she realized that she was a frog in the well. This man from the Wardanaz Family took practicality to a whole new level, a level she couldn’t even fathom!
“Well, since neither of you is interested, I won’t say anything else. I’ll be taking next.”
“…F-for real??”
“Wardanaz, that’s a bit…”
They tried their best to stop Yi-han, but he couldn’t be convinced.
Other than the mandatory courses, he was determined to take the classes he chose. After all, that was the rule of Einroguard!
‘Are we really supposed to leave him alone??’
Gainando even considered running to the principal for counsel.
There were a lot more students in as compared to . In fact, over a dozen students were waiting for the professor in a courtyard located south of the academy’s main building.
‘Huh, there are more students than I expected.’
Yi-han quickly realized the reason why. The students gathered there were from the White Tigers. Though they came to the academy to learn magic, they were originally from a knight’s family. Naturally, they were familiar with the methods of wielding a sword and were much more serious about it compared to the others.
People of the other towers wouldn’t continue dabbling in swordsmanship at the academy, but the same couldn’t be said for the people of the White Tigers.
‘I guess I was lucky with .’
Yi-han felt slightly disappointed. However, not all classes were jackpots like where he could get first place in a class of one, so this wasn’t too bad either.
Not to mention, he had trained in the way of the sword for a long time.
“…Who’s that?”
“Isn’t he someone from the Blue Dragons?”
The students of the White Tigers were likewise surprised by his presence and began whispering amongst themselves. They hadn’t expected to see a student from the other towers here.
“I know who he is. He’s the guy from the Wardanaz Family.”
“The Wardanaz Family!? Aren’t they a famous family of mages?”
“But why would someone from the Wardanaz Family take this class?”
“Maybe he learned a trick or two from being tutored at his estate and got confident with his skills.”
“So he thinks lightly of swordsmanship.”
Most of the students present seemed hostile toward him. Though their skill levels differed, they all prided themselves on having seriously trained in the way of the sword.
On the other hand, children of nobility often learned swordsmanship as a way of protecting themselves, meaning they only ever bothered to graze the surface.
The White Tigers assumed Yi-han wasn’t taking the class seriously, hence their reaction.
Yi-han wasn’t oblivious to their stares either.
‘As if I care what they think.”
These teens were trying to pressure him into folding, but he wasn’t silly enough to play along.
“Hey.”
Eventually, one of the students was fed up with Yi-han’s silence and called him out.
As expected of someone from a knight’s family, the student that stepped forward was well-built. He was also an orc, and his bulging muscles could easily be seen through the rags that had been given to them as uniforms.
The orc approached Yi-han and stared him in the eyes, a gesture Yi-han gladly returned.
As intimidating as the orc may seem, Yi-han wasn’t a greenhorn that was easily scared.
“Got something to say?”
“Yes. You’re Wardanaz from the Blue Dragons, correct?”
“And what if I am?”
“I think you’ve come to the wrong class. We’re here to train in the swords. We’re not here to flail about for appearance’s sake.”
“I see. Thanks for the notice.”
“…”
Seeing Yi-han ignore his kind words, the orc frowned.
“It seems you still don’t understand correctly. The swordsmanship we learn here is completely different from the random swinging that you nobles do at your estates. We’ll be having spars here, and there’s a real chance of being seriously injured. The students here don’t go easy on their opponents.”
“Yeah, I know. Don’t worry about it. I’ll take care not to injure you too badly when the time comes.”
“…”
It took the orc a moment to realize what Yi-han was implying, and when he did, his face became red in anger.
It was then that someone gave a light cough. The professor had arrived.
“Now, is everyone ready for class?”
The professor’s voice was soft, but his appearance betrayed their expectations.
Elves were naturally gifted with beauty, but the students felt nothing but pressure seeing the professor’s body that was filled with scars all the way from his face down.
He had a prosthetic leg and arm, not to mention a scar over one of his eyes which led to the mismatched size of pupils.
“I’m Professor Ingurdel, and I’ll be responsible for teaching you students swordsmanship during this semester.”
The elven professor introduced himself while using his long sword as a cane.
“Since you’re willing to take swordsmanship class in Einroguard, you’ve probably learned it before and wish to hone it further, or at the very least, make sure that you don’t get rusty.”
Yi-han felt slightly guilty upon hearing this. Of course, getting better with the sword would be great, but his main goal was to receive good grades.
“As that’s the case, I won’t be teaching you from the beginning. Instead, you’ll be focusing on honing the skills that you’ve learned.”
The young knights listened to the elven professor’s speeches with twinkling eyes.
Magic still felt foreign to them, and they were much more comfortable listening to a class about swordsmanship.
Tap. Tap.
“?”
Yi-han turned his head as he noticed someone tapping on his shoulders. It was an elf, just like Professor Ingurdel, but their image was the complete opposite.
The student had short, blond hair along with a beautiful androgynous face.
‘I bet he’s popular with the ladies.’
“What’s up?”
“You’re the one from the Wardanaz Family, right? I was wondering why someone from a family of magic would be interested in learning swordsmanship.”
The question was asked without any hint of ridicule or disdain. He seemed much more friendly and approachable than the rude orc from before.
“With how few students there are in the class, I thought I’d be able to get a good grade.”
“…”
Chapter Text
“I’m from a family of mages, but my dream is to become a swordmaster.”
There wasn’t any reason for Yi-han to come up with a lie like that since they would get to know each other throughout the semester by trading blows anyway.
This was also his way of telling the students of the White Tigers to relax.
– I’ll be dipping after getting my grade, so no need to worry guys!
“…”
However, the elven student seemed even more puzzled and confused than before, trying to determine whether Yi-han was joking or not.
“I-I see. I’m from the Moradi Family. You can refer to me by my family name.”
“Right. Nice to me you, Moradi.”
They lightly shook hands.
Though he was small, Moradi’s hands were rough and calloused, indicating that he was indeed from a knight’s family.
‘Hmm, the Moradi Family…’
Even he had heard of it several times before. It was a knight’s family well known for being extremely strict, and the family was responsible for protecting the cold north, utilizing any means possible to achieve its goals. Or at least that was what he was told…
‘…He doesn’t fit that kind of image at all.’
“?”
Moradi looked curiously at Yi-han.
‘But then again, rumors surrounding families aren’t always the most accurate.’
Compared to the orc from before who acted on impulse without any regard for the families that they represented, Moradi was much easier to talk to and work with.
‘I should try to get on good terms with him so that the others from the White Tigers lower their guard.’
The Blue Cliff Style. That was the style of swordsmanship that Arlong had taught Yi-han.
As its name implied, the Blue Cliff Style emphasized hardness and honesty.
– There are countless styles of swordsmanship in the world. There are fast ones, slow ones, sharp ones, dull ones, heavy ones, light ones, simple ones, and complicated ones. There’s no need to learn them all, and I’m not skilled enough to teach them either. The style that I will be teaching is the one that I have trained in and the path that I’ve walked as a swordsman. If Young Master Yi-han continues to train in the sword diligently, I have no doubt that he will also discover his own path one day.
Compared to Arlong who had spent decades training in the sword, Yi-han was only a beginner with a few years under his belt. Hence, he didn’t truly understand what Arlong meant by “his own path”.
Nevertheless, he had something that the other nobles lacked, and that was the tenacity to do what he was told.
Even Arlong had been shocked by how diligently Yi-han performed his tasks, and as a result, his foundation was exceedingly firm.
“Blue Cliff Style? It seems you have your basics down.”
Professor Ingurdel complimented him on his form.
“Which family are you from? If I’m not wrong, the Blue Cliff Styles is…”
“I’m from the Wardanaz Family.”
“…?”
It took a moment for the professor to react.
‘Do the Wardanaz train in the Blue Cliff Style?’
Recalling what the Wardanaz Family was known for, the professor followed up with another question.
“May I ask why you’re interested in learning the sword?”
“As a nobleman, swordsmanship is a basic part of our education.”
Ingurdel smiled bitterly. He wasn’t wrong, but it wasn’t an answer that the professor liked to hear.
For a swordsman like himself, swinging a sword was a matter of life and death, yet nobles had the tendency to treat it lightly.
“Or at least that was what I thought in the beginning. However, the more I learned, the more I understood how profound it was, to the point where it felt comparable to magic. And that’s what I wish to continue training in it in this class.”
“…Full points!!”
“Pardon??”
“Nothing.”
Ingurdel waved his hand. He had accidentally voiced his thoughts as the answer that Yi-han had given was perfectly in line with his own beliefs.
He couldn’t believe that a member of the Wardanaz Family would treat swordsmanship with so much sincerity. In fact, Yi-han’s attitude was much more commendable than some students of the White Tigers that were participating in the class just for the sake of appearance.
‘Did it work?’
Yi-han carefully observed the professor’s expression.
Despite how he looked, Professor Ingurdel was much nicer and easier to read than a certain crazy lich, and as someone that toiled under countless insane professors, it wasn’t a difficult task for Yi-han to grasp his pure heart.
Yes, he was here for the grade, but even he wouldn’t be bold enough to say that out loud in front of the professor.
“Excellent mindset.”
“Thank you.”
“Since we have hardworking students like you, it’s only fair that I put in some effort as well. I won’t be going easy on you. Now, ready your wooden sword.”
“…”
Yi-han slightly regretted giving such a stellar answer.
Professor Ingurdel then proceeded to beat the students to a pulp.
The students had been caught off-guard by his soft voice, but after getting hit a few times, they charged at him with clenched teeth.
However, that only resulted in the professor beating the shit out of them once more.
‘The hell…He’s no joke.”
Yi-han had much to improve, but he was skilled enough to tell how powerful his opponent was.
Arlong was a strong swordsman, and the professor didn’t fall short of him at all. While Arlong was as immovable as a boulder, Ingurdel was as swift as water in the river.
What surprised Yi-han the most was the fact that the professor could move like that in spite of his prosthetic arm and leg.
The students tried their best to fight back with the sword that they had trained in for years, but it wasn’t nearly enough to catch up to the professor’s movements, and as a result, they were beaten black and blue.
“If you’re training in the Violent Sword Style, you should vary your movement! The point of dual-wielding lies in its complexity and abstruseness! Just don’t swing your swords thoughtlessly!”
“The Mountain-Moon Style should be faster, sharper! Don’t hesitate when you stab. Come at me with all you have!”
It was also impressive how he recognized each student’s techniques. There were hundreds of styles of swordsmanship within the Empire simply counting the well-known ones, and the number would shoot up if one were to include those that were only passed down within families.
Yet Professor Ingurdel knew the names of all of them.
“Let’s take a break for a moment.”
“…”
“Cough…”
“Bast…”
The students fell to the ground panting and coughing. They didn’t have the strength to even swear anymore.
Yi-han’s muscles felt sore as well.
– Those that train in the Blue Cliff Style should be like a boulder, never to be shaken by attacks.
– Professor, is that even possible when I’m facing someone like you?
– Now, now. Let us continue. Try blocking this! And that! How about this!
Ingurdel attacked through the gaps in his defense, some of which he had been oblivious to. It took everything he had to survive the onslaught.
‘My answer had definitely been wrong…’
That was the conclusion he reached by the time they got to rest.
Yi-han could feel that the professor was more passionate and persistent when teaching him compared to the others.
It might’ve been because of his swordsmanship which emphasized defense, but his sixth sense said otherwise.
He knew the consequences of getting caught up with the wrong professor through his time at .
‘Should I have remained quiet? I didn’t think I’d get beaten up even more by getting on his good side.’
“Wardanaz?”
“Yes, Professor?”
“Let’s have you spar for a moment.”
“…”
Yi-han really regretted his answer now. He was about to become the professor’s sandbag while the others rested.
However, he soon realized that he hadn’t been called out to face the professor.
“This over here is Dolgyu from the Choi Family. I want the two of you to have a spar.”
“!”
All the students, including Yi-han, were surprised by this.
‘Why them?’
‘Isn’t this the guy that picked a fight with me earlier?’
Yi-han stared at Dolgyu with an unpleasant expression.
The orc had picked a fight with him simply because he was from another dormitory, something that had gotten on Yi-han’s nerves.
Not to mention, Dolgyu clearly knew that he was from the Wardanaz Family. Yi-han could already tell that Dolgyu would attack him with full power despite it being a spar.
“Understood, professor!”
The orc glared at Yi-han as if he was ready to kill. Yi-han clicked his tongue.
‘Would you look at this bastard.’
It was clear as day that he was planning on using this opportunity to thrash the student from the other dorm.
Yi-han wondered why the professor would choose Dolgyu out of all the students present.
‘The professor’s not doing this on purpose just because I’m the only one from another tower, right? I mean, he seemed to like my response earlier.’
Now that the situation was like this, Yi-han prepared to engage Dolgyu in combat. While the others at the estate fooled around and lived comfortably, he had trained under Arlong, getting beaten up along the way. It was all so that he could fight back in moments like this!
Professor Ingurdel had called upon Yi-han and Dolgyu for a simple reason. It was because they were the strongest among everyone present.
Swordsmanship wasn’t something that could be learned through theories alone. Instead, it took countless practice and actual experience to learn its core techniques.
At the hands of an amateur, a technique where a swordsman stabs their opponent’s neck after pretending to go for the heart would be useless. Only idiots would fall for it.
The same technique, however, would become deadly once the swordsman included feints and tricks leading up to the final blow.
Mastering a technique meant knowing how to apply it in various ways, and once mastered, beating most mercenaries would become a walk in the park. After all, the majority of mercenaries swung their swords randomly, relying solely on their strength and instinct.
Compared to them, Yi-han and Dolgyu had reached a level where they had an adequate amount of understanding of their techniques. Although very slight, they could even inject mana into their weapons.
Considering their age, this was quite an accomplishment, even if one of them were from a knight’s family. With their talent, they could become successful knights in the future.
‘It must have been tough training to that extent while being in the Wardanaz’s estate.’
Leaving aside Dolgyu, who was from the Choi Family, Ingurdel was impressed by Yi-han’s proficiency in the sword, especially considering that he was from a mage family.
‘He claimed swordsmanship to be as deep and profound as magic. He must’ve truly felt that, hence his reason for joining this class.’
Ingurdel misunderstood that Yi-han had dedicated his life to the sword. To train in it, he would’ve had to walk on eggshells in the Wardanaz Family.
However, the reality was different. Nobody from the family tried to interfere with Yi-han when he asked Arlong to teach him swordsmanship.
The Wardanaz Family was a household where each member did their own thing without bothering others. Ingurdel, who didn’t know this, thought Yi-han was an unfortunate child that grew up in an oppressive family and admired his devotion to the way of the sword.
Now that they had met, he had the responsibility to guide Yi-han to the right path.
‘The Choi Family’s Mountain-Moon Style is fast and sharp. On the other hand, Wardanaz has learned the Blue Cliff Style, which is heavy and firm. They’re the complete antithesis. By fighting it out, they’ll be able to learn from each other. There’s nothing as important to a swordsman as having a rival who can stand side-by-side with them.”
Ingurdel obviously knew that the students of the White Tigers had an unfavorable opinion of Yi-han, who was an outsider to them. However, time would solve that issue.
Once he beat them a couple of times, they’d forget all about it, and the animosity would be directed at him instead.
Professor Ingurdel hoped that these two would have a positive influence on one another and that the influence would spread to the other students as well.
Chuuaaaak!
The fight began while he was having such thoughts, with Yi-han kicking the ground and covering Dolgyu’s face in the dirt.
Chapter Text
‘He’s good!’
Professor Ingurdel praised Yi-han in his mind after seeing the latter kick up dust, covering Dolgyu’s face in the dirt.
– Achieve victory by hook or by crook. On the battlefield, there is only life or death.
The same could not be said about nobles that cared about maintaining an image of elegance and grace, but for swordsmen risking their lives in battles, only results mattered. Hence, Yi-han’s action was praiseworthy and not disgraceful in the slightest.
It was also worth noting that he had pulled it off in front of all his peers. They were still in their teenage years where passion often gave way to reason and pride was valued above all else.
Not to mention nobles, even knights would hesitate to use such despicable means, and out of pride, they would hold back on using them.
However, Yi-han didn’t hesitate for even a second before taking action despite his lineage being the noblest out of everyone present.
It was a behavior that could only be seen by someone that understood the true nature of swordsmanship, and it reflected his will to sacrifice anything for his cause.
“Kuak!”
Dolgyu cried out loud at the ambush. He felt dizzy as dirt entered through his nose, eyes, and mouth.
‘Damn it, what a dirty trick!’
He was angrier at himself for falling for the trick than at his opponent for using it.
He had been told countless times before at his estate while learning the sword that he could be met with such attacks!
Dolgyu had been under the impression that Yi-han would fight fair and square as he was a noble from a distinguished family.
‘I’ll quickly put an end to this!’
Yi-han stepped forward to attack Dolgyu while his balance was off.
Although he had trained in the sword for quite a long time, the same could be said about Dolgyu. In fact, he might have put in even more effort than Yi-han and undergone even harsher training.
Just by looking at his form, Yi-han could tell that Dolgyu wasn’t an easy opponent, and if he had to fight him straight-on, the result of the battle would be up in the air.
Then what should he do in this situation? The answer was to create an opportunity that would secure his victory.
…Having said that, this strategy of kicking up dirt wasn’t something that Arlong had come up with. Nevertheless, Professor Ingurdel who was in the dark about all this praised Arlong for his teachings.
‘He must have learned that trick from his master. He must be one hell of a swordsman!’
“Kuuk…damn it!”
“!”
Dolgyu kicked the ground and performed a somersault in order to make space between himself and Yi-han. However, his hurried movement lacked any semblance of elegance, and he ended up losing his balance, which resulted in him rolling on the ground.
“…”
“…”
Yi-han had not expected his opponent to go this far either.
‘Why’s he being so serious about this? I mean, I did cover him in dirt and all, but still…’
Since he was from a knight’s family, Yi-han had thought Dolgyu would find it beneath himself to roll on the ground like that.
The others who were cheering for Dolgyu were shocked by this as well and fell silent.
However, Professor Ingurdel alone clapped his hands.
“Excellent, young ones!”
“…”
“…”
Dolgyu removed the dirt on his face with his sleeves, but he was still a mess because of the earlier roll. His eyes, on the other hand, became sharper and fiercer than ever before.
Yi-han clicked his tongue.
‘But I guess it wasn’t for nothing.’
Blood should have rushed to Dolgyu’s head by now. Not only did he get plastered by dirt in the face, but he had also been forced to roll on the ground.
During a fight, the side that becomes angry would often make mistakes.
When both sides were evenly matched, it all came down to psychological warfare.
“Kuaaaa!”
While letting out a shout, Dolgyu rushed toward him.
‘What a brilliant fight!’
Professor Ingurdel was once again in awe. Previously, it had been because both students were willing to go to any lengths to win. Now, it was because of their skills in wielding the sword.
He knew that they were the most outstanding students among the freshmen, but he didn’t expect them to be this skilled.
First of all, when it came to Dolgyu from the Choi Family, his mastery over the Mountain-Moon Style led to rhythmic attacks that were both quick and sharp. The jabs from his wooden sword shot forth toward Yi-han, generating whistles as they cut through the air.
Normally, there would be a bit of delay after stabbing and slashing, but Dolgyu managed to maintain his speed all the way through. This was only possible as he imbued mana into his sword.
Blocking a jab was hard enough. Blocking a jab imbued with mana was an ordeal that most freshmen would be unable to endure.
However, Yi-han from the Wardanaz Family wasn’t an average joe either.
Tuk.
“!”
Tuk.
“!!”
Tuk-
“!!!!”
Dolgyu became more and more agitated as his attacks continued.
Each time he attacked, he had to throw his body forward and thrust his arm out to generate momentum, followed by a flurry of footsteps designed to prevent counterattacks.
Though it was fast and powerful, it used up a lot of stamina, and Dolgyu was already feeling out of breath.
On the other hand… his opponent was steady as a rock, using minimum movement to block and change the trajectory of the stabs. It was as if he could see through all the attacks.
‘Damn it all!’
It felt like he was trying to stab a needle into a boulder. What demoralized him even more was the sight of his opponent dealing with the attacks effortlessly, something which should not have been possible even if his moves were being read.
‘Are my attacks not strong enough? Why isn’t he showing any signs of getting tired?’
Dolgyu felt tortured inside. However, unbeknownst to him, this sentiment was being shared by Yi-han.
‘He’s gasping for air. But why isn’t he stopping?’
The Blue Cliff Style that he practiced was designed for heavy swords, with each swing carrying weight behind it.
As Dolgyu was constantly moving about, it wasn’t easy for Yi-han to land a hit on him, and the only advantage he had over his opponent was his stamina.
Not only had Dolgyu rolled on the ground, but he was also in an excited state, making his movements much more exaggerated. And more than anything…
Yi-han didn’t get tired even as he constantly imbued mana into his sword.
Ever since his first attempt at magic, he had been trying to grasp how much mana he had, and he was constantly surprised by it.
‘…I’ve been injecting mana into the sword for quite a while now. Why am I not getting tired?’
Nevertheless, he wasn’t having an easy time either as Dolgyu’s attacks were extremely ferocious. Each blow carried significant weight, and he could feel his back straining every time he blocked one.
They were using wooden swords right now. If they were using real swords, his clothes would’ve been in tatters by now.
At first glance, it would seem as if he was easily blocking the attacks, but in reality, he was paying a lot of attention to each of them.
“Urk…!”
The first to crumble was Dolgyu.
He had been holding his breath and enduring the screams coming from his muscles, but his will had been shaken by the sight of his unmoving opponent.
This darned Wardanaz kept blocking his attacks without ever changing his expression as if to say that it was the most natural thing in the world!
The moment they exchanged glances, Dolgyu felt like he was dancing on the palm of his opponent, which was what broke the camel’s back.
‘Truly unfortunate,’ the Professor thought.
Dolgyu had been the first to give up, but Yi-han had been nearing his limits as well, proving the power behind each of his blows.
Had he known this, he might have managed to continue for another while. Yet he ended up overestimating his opponent’s abilities, leading to his downfall. It was a mistake that came with youth and inexperience.
Furthermore, Yi-han, being a descendant of the Wardanaz Family, exuded a cold pressure unique to members of distinguished families. His handsome appearance which was like a lifeless sculpture was proving advantageous even in a duel.
Thud.
With Dolgyu’s form crumbling, Yi-han swung his sword, stopping just before his opponent’s throat.
“Stop right there! Winner, Wardanaz.”
Professor Ingurdel’s voice was soft but firm when he said this, indicating that he would not allow any further action.
The students of the White Tigers let out a sigh of lament. Dolgyu, who was the strongest in their group, had been defeated!
“I refuse to believe this!”
“It must be because of that dirty trick in the beginning…”
“But Dolgyu also rolled on the ground after that.”
“So what? You blaming him? Is that it?”
“N-no…Nevermind.”
Professor Ingurdel ignored the murmurs of the students and opened his mouth to speak.
“These students showed us a brilliant fight today. But there’s no guarantee that the winner today would remain the winner forever, and the same goes for the defeated. The winner must remember to remain modest, whereas the loser must strive to become stronger. Now, face each other and pay your respects.”
Yi-han extended his hand while looking at his opponent, half-expecting Dolgyu to glare at him, spit at him, or grab his hand extremely hard.
Based on his behavior before the class, he had a nasty personality. Now that he had been defeated in what he took most pride in, who knew what he would do?
‘If he tries to throw a punch, I’ll first hit him with a low kick, followed by a counter.’
Yi-han stared at his opponent with narrow eyes, readying himself.
Granted, Professor Ingurdel was beside them keeping watch, but he had been taught in his previous schools as well as this one that professors weren’t to be trusted.
“…It was a good fight. I apologize for looking down on you earlier. You are more than qualified to take this class with us.”
“!”
Surprisingly, the orc gave him a sincere apology.
At first, Yi-han suspected that he was trying to lower his guard before striking, but there wasn’t any sign of that.
‘Well, in that case…’
“I’m sure you were just looking out for me. Let’s both forgive and forget.”
“…”
Dolgyu grasped his hand and nodded, giving Yi-han a look of respect.
Clap, clap, clap-
The professor clapped at the beautiful scene painted before him. The other students, however, were still in a daze.
“Why aren’t you all clapping?”
“…”
Shing-
Professor Ingurdel put on a serious face and unsheathed his sword, prompting the students to clap furiously.
Clap, clap, clap, clap, clap, clap, clap, clap!
“Are we going to let him go like this after such a humiliating defeat? We should go roughen him up,” someone said coldly.
The others from the White Tigers nodded. However, Dolgyu shook his head.
“I lost because I lacked training.”
“No! It’s because he kicked up dirt!”
“No, I would have still lost even without that. And if that had indeed caused me to lose, it just goes to show that I was lacking.”
The students were stirred after hearing his words. As the strongest in the dorm, his words carried authority.
However, a student with blond hair coldly refuted him.
“That’s not our business. What’s important is that you tarnished the reputation of our tower. Choi, you must bear responsibility.”
“…”
The voice belonged to Jijel of the Moradi Family.
Dolgyu’s expression hardened. The Moradi Family commanded great authority among the families in the north, and even he couldn’t ignore her words carelessly.
“And how am I supposed to do that? I lost because he was stronger.”
“Easy. If you can’t beat him alone, gang up on him.”
Before she even finished, two students stepped forward to stand beside Dolgyu.
“Don’t worry, Dolgyu. We’ll help you.”
“Three should do the trick.”
“…Don’t you feel ashamed as a knight to gang up on one person?”
Dolgyu raised his voice in an attempt to dissuade them.
Jijel, however, laughed it off.
“Then you should’ve won. How can you say that after losing?”
“…”
The White Tigers were split into two factions, a faction that supported Moradi’s idea, and a faction that thought this was going too far. But the latter didn’t speak up.
“I refuse,” Dolgyu said through clenched teeth.
“You’re going to regret this.”
Jijel turned around, no longer bothering with him.
“The coward says he’s out. You three, go stomp on Wardanaz.”
“Understood, Moradi.”
“Leave it to us.”
“…”
Yi-han was strong, but in a 3 against 1, the odds would be against him, especially since all three were also trained in swordsmanship.
Dolgyu made up his mind. For the sake of honor, he would stand on Yi-han’s side.
Thud!
“How dare you, Wardanaz!!”
“…You can come as well if you wish to die,” Yi-han said matter-of-factly.
Seeing his figure, the remaining two students subconsciously took a step back.
Dolgyu, who had come to help, stared at the student on the ground in disbelief.
‘What’s going on here?’
Chapter Text
The students of the White Tigers were pettier than expected. Yi-han was about to return to his dorm after class ended, but he was unexpectedly blocked by three people from his class.
“Wardanaz, did you think we’d let you go in peace after winning in such a cowardly fashion?”
“We’ll make sure you crawl back and never return to this class.”
Yi-han stared blankly at the orc and dwarf whom he had never met before. Still trying to understand what was happening, he tossed out a question.
“You do realize I’m from the Wardanaz Family?”
“Bringing up your background… How despicable!”
“And you think fighting someone 3 to 1 isn’t?”
“Shut up!”
Though they were pretending to be tough, fear flashed past their eyes. They had apparently heard of the Wardanaz Family’s reputation as well.
‘Knowing that, they still want to fight me 3 against 1 just for the sake of their dorm’s pride? There’s either something very wrong with their heads…or there’s someone behind them.’
In other words, they were either descendants of powerful families themselves, or someone from a powerful family was backing them.
‘And it doesn’t seem like the former. In which case, these three are seriously dumb.’
It was very unlikely for the family backing them to offend the Wardanaz Family over something so insignificant. Hence, these three would probably be cast aside once they were no longer useful. This was why it was never advised to interfere with matters between powerful households…
‘But I doubt they’d listen even if I were to explain to them.’
Even if he tried to explain everything in a logical way, people like them that picked fights without thinking about the consequences would never listen. After all, their fists were right there whereas their families were in distant locations.
“Who’s behind you guys? Someone who’s from a family more powerful than yours?”
“!!!”
“!!!!”
The three students were so surprised that they almost fainted on the spot.
How did Wardanaz know the power dynamic within the White Tigers?
“I-I told you to shut up!”
“Attack!”
“Surround him!”
Realizing that they would only be put in a worse position by continuing the conversation, the three students slowly began inching toward Yi-han.
‘I can’t win if it’s 3 against 1.’
Yi-han was thinking rapidly in his head, remembering what Arlong told him.
– Fight if it’s a 1 on 1. Fight if you must in a 2-on-1. Flee in a 3-on-1.
‘If you’re outnumbered 3 to 1, just bounce!’
Yi-han was in agreement with this rule of thumb. All three of his opponents had been trained in the way of the sword by their families, so he would be at a disadvantage if they fought.
The problem was, they were blocking his path, and to escape, he had to get past them somehow.
‘Right!’
An idea flashed in his mind. Since they knew he was from the Wardanaz Family that specialized in magic…
“Move!”
His opponents jolted when they heard him chant.
Magic! They were still struggling with , the simplest of magic, and yet…!
‘I’ll scare them with .’
Yi-han’s wasn’t perfect as he couldn’t properly move the objects as he intended to, but that didn’t matter as long as his opponents didn’t know this.
Since they were still complete beginners in magic, his display of the spell was enough to intimidate the three students.
Bang!
“…”
Yi-han’s eyes were about to pop out.
He only intended to levitate some pebbles nearby, using them to keep his enemies at bay.
However, he had overestimated his command over the magic.
Having them stop midair was more difficult than he expected, and the pebbles shot forward the moment he cast the spell, striking a student belonging to the satyr race in the forehead.
“Wardanaz! How dare you!!”
The two students were astonished by the battle magic that they had never seen before.
A spell that shoots forth rocks like arrows!
To think Wardanaz would be capable of such spells already…
“…You can come as well if you wish to die,” Yi-han said coldly.
Now that things had turned out this way, he decided to pretend as if the attack had been intentional.
“Ugh…”
“You better move away. You may have your swords, but I have my magic.”
The two remaining students were having an internal struggle, deciding between their pride and fear.
That was when Yi-han decided to cast another spell.
“Move!”
“Dodge!”
The dwarven student jumped sideways, but a pebble tracked him like an arrow and struck him right in his stomach.
Bang!
“Bull…shit…”
The dwarf fell forward, unable to breathe. Only the orc remained standing, and he was terrified by what just happened.
The dwarf was hit even though he dodged, meaning Wardanaz had great control over his spells.
‘Did I learn the wrong magic?’
Yi-han was just as perplexed and shocked seeing the scene before him.
He couldn’t even have it levitate properly, and yet he could strike his enemies without even trying. How absurd was that?
“S-stop! No more. I surrender. I’ll move! So don’t shoot! I don’t want to die!”
‘I’m not going to kill you, idiot.’
Despite thinking so in his head, he maintained his calm expression.
“Remember that this is what it means to go against a Wardanaz.”
“Grr….”
The orc clenched his teeth in frustration, but he wasn’t brave enough to glare at Yi-han.
Dolgyu, who arrived a moment later, stared at Yi-han in bewilderment.
“Are you here to fight as well?”
“N-no.”
He couldn’t help but stutter after witnessing the result of the fight.
“You mean Gazel of the Moradi Family incited this?”
“No, it’s Jijel…”
“Right, Jijel. What a difficult name to pronounce. Anyway, that Jijel guy from the Moradi Family’s behind this?”
Dolgyu had told him everything, and he was honestly surprised by it.
The atmosphere in the White Tigers was vastly different from that of the Blue Dragons.
The members of the Blue Dragons were all from powerful families or members of the royal family, so there wasn’t anyone taking command of them. Rather, they moved in small groups based on their connections.
Princess Adenart, the most popular among the Blue Dragons, had several students following her, but she wasn’t really in command of them either.
On the other hand, Jijel Moradi was at the top of the food chain among the White Tigers.
“How does he look like?”
“Like this.”
Dolgyu picked up a branch that had fallen and drew an accurate portrait of Jijel’s appearance.
Yi-han was shocked when he saw the drawing.
‘He’s…!?’
It was the elf that had spoken to him in a friendly manner before the class started.
“I knew something was up. He was being so kind to me with that pretty face of his… turns out he was hiding his wicked nature.”
“Wardanaz, I agree that Moradi has a wicked heart, but I don’t think that’s got anything to do with appearance. And what do you mean pretty? Wait, you thought Jijel was a bo-”
Whatever it was Dolgyu said next, Yi-han didn’t hear. He wasn’t interested in whatever excuse Dolgyu had to defend that androgynous elf.
‘But it’s ironic.’
He had been planning on becoming close with the others through Jijel who acted friendly with him.
However, he ended up becoming friends with Dolgyu, who he initially had a conflict with. On the other hand, it was revealed that Jijel had plotted against him.
‘Was he trying to feel me out?’
Yi-han looked back to their conversation earlier. He didn’t recall saying anything of importance that could be used against him.
‘I’m here to chillax and get good grades!’ Though he had said something along that line, it was hardly a reason to target him using other students.
In fact, hearing something like that should have lowered Jijel’s guard.
“I don’t understand. Why did Jijel target me?”
“There are several reasons I can think of. The biggest reason is that you’re a Wardanaz.”
“Is there bad blood between the two families?”
Yi-han was befuddled. Was there some unresolvable hatred between Wardanaz, a mage family, and Moradi, a knight’s family?
“No, at least none that I know of. But by humiliating you, a renowned Wardanaz, his prestige and authority among the first years would rocket.”
“…”
Yi-han immediately understood what he meant and became grave.
In other words, he was being treated as an expensive trophy with a tag that said he was from the Wardanaz Family.
‘It’s quite an unpleasant feeling.’
It could be considered childish in a way, but it didn’t stop him from being pissed.
“Not all the freshmen follow Jijel’s command. By proving that she’s a charismatic leader, Jijel planned to make more students follow her.”
“Does ordering his classmates to beat up someone from another tower prove his charisma? What are the knight students thinking…”
Dolgyu looked down, feeling ashamed. He, too, felt complicit in this.
“Hey, I’m not talking about you. What are you feeling down for?”
“Thanks. Anyway, let’s continue. Jijel is the type of person that always wishes to be at the top. She’d do anything to prove her authority and dominance. So I want you to be careful if you plan on taking this class in the future.”
If Yi-han continued to excel in , the students of the White Tigers would become jealous of him, and Jijel would manipulate their emotions to make them follow her.
Dolgyu then made a careful suggestion.
“You know, you don’t have to take this class. You can hone your sword during breaks.”
“Hmm, Dolgyu.”
“?”
“You see, I’m planning on taking as well… is that class also crawling with people from your tower?”
“…Wardanaz. I’m not trying to be rude, but…isn’t the Wardanaz Family known for its mages? Just what are you…?”
Dolgyu couldn’t help but ask the question that had been plaguing him.
Yi-han split up with Dolgyu after that and fell into deep thought. What Dolgyu had suggested was the easiest solution to the problem.
– Avoid the classes that only the White Tigers partake in.
As long as he kept avoiding them, Jijel won’t be able to pick a fight with him. In his other classes, he would be moving with his friends from the Blue Dragons, so Jijel won’t be able to target him. She also wouldn’t have a reason to come after him if they weren’t in the same class.
However, he didn’t plan on heeding this suggestion.
First of all, though Dolgyu didn’t know this yet, he had selected these classes to get easy grades. Furthermore…
‘How dare he use me for politics?’
…he had his pride as well. He wasn’t one to take this sort of provocation lying low, especially given the reason behind it. This was doubly true considering what he stood to lose.
Bam!
Yi-han returned to his dorm and opened the door leading to the first-year student’s resting lounge.
There were some students already there, and they waved their hands at him when he entered.
“Guys!”
“…?”
“???”
“Today, I was targeted by the students from the White Tigers, simply because I’m from the Blue Dragons!”
There was a moment of silence. What he said was so absurd that it took them a moment to digest what they just heard.
But the silence was broken by someone who flipped the table before him.
“…Those lumps of metal did what!?”
“So they think we’re that easy, huh!?”
‘Huh?’
The students of the Blue Dragons reacted much more strongly than he thought they would.
“Assemble everyone! Tell them that the bastards of the White Tigers laid their hands on Wardanaz!”
“If it was Gainando, we would’ve stayed silent. But Wardanaz? Now they’ve crossed a line.”
“Are there any weapons? Find some! Let’s go beat the shit out of them!”
Things began heating up, and Yi-han tried to calm them down a bit.
“Wait, guys. I’m thankful that everyone thinks of me so fondly, but you’re overreacting. There’s no need to-”
“Don’t stop us, Wardanaz! We have a debt that we have to repay.”
“Yeah! There’s no one here that didn’t eat the meat you procured!”
Yi-han felt slightly sorry seeing how thankful they were despite being completely scammed.
“And there’s also the matter of our pride!”
“Defeat the White Tigers!”
“Crush the White Tigers!”
Chapter Text
‘Maybe I’ve been underestimating these guys.’
Although the students of the Blue Dragons did look upon Yi-han favorably and owed him a favor, they wouldn’t become hot-headed like this over what happened to him.
The reason they reacted so strongly was because of the animosity that originally existed between students of the Blue Dragons and the students of the White Tigers.
Unlike members of the Blue Dragons, those at the White Tigers were all descendants of knights and had big, bulky frames. Normally, they reigned themselves despite their disdain for the knight’s students, but they couldn’t hold themselves back after being provoked so openly.
Even the students that had never interacted with Yi-han previously were out for blood.
“Bring whatever you can use as a weapon! We’re heading to the tower of the White Tigers!”
“Hold on a second!”
Asan of the Dargard Family stopped the agitated students from leaving and climbed on top of one of the resting lounge’s tables.
“Calm down everyone!”
‘Whew, finally, someone with common sense.’
Yi-han was glad that Asan had spoken up. It seemed not everyone had lost their reason.
“What is it, Dargard? Could it be that you’re scared?”
“They’ve spat on our honor!”
The other students became even more riled up than before. However, Asan calmly explained his reason for stopping them.
“Think about it. Those guys at the White Tigers’ have been trained to become knights. If we act rashly, there’s a 95% chance of us tasting defeat.”
“So what, we’re going to let them walk all over us!?”
“Of course not. That’s why we should form groups and lie in ambush, striking them in groups when they least expect it!”
“Ohh…!”
“…”
Yi-han let out a deep sigh.
‘It was stupid of me to expect anything of you.’
“Hold up, hold up!”
Yi-han’s shout overshadowed that of Asan’s, and as the person who started all this, and people’s attention turned to him when they heard his voice.
“Let me first make this clear. I’m not here to ask you to take revenge for me! This concerns my honor, and I’m not so weak that I would need others’ help in taking my revenge!”
The students began whispering among themselves. Honor was something that students of nobility took very seriously as they all represented their family and their family’s honor. Now that Yi-han had brought up his honor, they had nothing they could say against it.
“But Wardanaz, the bastards over at the White Tigers are sly, crafty, dirty, and shameless. If you play fair with them, it won’t be easy to get your revenge.”
“…”
One of the students started cursing the other party without rest, which was alarming to Yi-han. Nevertheless, he collected himself and responded to the concern.
“Still, we’re dignified individuals born in magnificent households. We shouldn’t stoop to their level and dirty ourselves. That would be unbecoming of us!”
Yi-han’s speech was rather convincing. His daily actions along with his unwavering confidence gave strength to his arguments, and the students who had been upset until now began to sit down while nodding to themselves.
“Maybe Wardanaz is right…”
“Those vile creatures. I bet they don’t even know how honor is spelled.”
Now that they were showing signs of calming down, Yi-han got to his main point, which was also the reason why he brought this up in the first place.
“Instead, I suggest we help each other whenever we see someone from this dorm getting targeted. After all, those cowards from the White Tigers might come at us in groups.”
“Right!”
“Naturally! We’ll stand by you, Wardanaz!”
His suggestion managed to pacify the students, and they stomped their feet or clapped their hands to show their support.
‘Perfect.’
Inside, Yi-han let out a sigh of relief.
Now, if the students from the Whiter Tigers tried to pick a fight with him, he would be able to rally the students from his own tower.
This would do for now…
“By the way, we’re in the same class as them for , right?”
“Yeah, let’s humiliate those ignorant and barbaric brutes there!”
“As if people like them that always roll in the mud and swing hunks of metal can ever learn magic properly…”
“I’ve mastered. That will show them.”
“You as well? Me too! Let’s cast the spell in front of them. Hehe, I wonder how they’ll react? I bet none of them have mastered it yet.”
“Yeah! As nobles, we must use elegant methods to defeat them!”
‘…Wait.’
Yi-han’s heart suddenly became heavy after listening to the conversations of the students who were sitting down.
‘…Am I the only one here that hasn’t mastered the spell?’
The next day.
Yonaire entered the first year’s resting lounge while stretching her arms, but was surprised to see Yi-han in his seat, with bags under his eyes
“Did something happen to you!?”
At first, she thought it was because he hadn’t eaten properly. Though the academy gave them meals, it only served to further fuel the students’ hunger. That was why they looked half-dead the day after they moved into their dorms.
However, she remembered how Yi-han had been the only one to adapt perfectly to his new environment. Not to mention, while the others were starving, he had smoke-dried some meat and taken some of Uregor’s vegetables to give to his fellow classmates (though they came with a price).
He didn’t have trouble with food back then, and he certainly wouldn’t have trouble with food now.
Gainando, on the other hand…
“I was practicing magic.”
“Magic? But you’re not allowed to…Ah. Professor Kim gave you permission back then, huh?”
“Yeah. I heard the others already succeeded in casting , so I had to pull an all-nighter.”
“?”
Yonaire cocked her head. This was her first time hearing about this.
“What do you mean…?”
“Uwaaaaam.”
That was when Gainando walked in, yawning all the way.
He took out a sausage that he had bought from Yi-han the previous day from the shabby clothes he was wearing, which came with pockets.
He treated the sausage like treasure and looked around to make sure no one would steal from him. Then, he made a skewer out of it and placed it inside the fireplace.
The sausage was slowly getting cooked, accompanied by a melodious sound. The meat from the boar was of high quality, and the smell that permeated the air stimulated his empty stomach.
“Heheheh…”
“…”
“…”
He didn’t realize that Yi-han and Yonaire were watching him like some pitiful creature. He took out a potato from his other pocket. This too had been something he purchased from Yi-han. Carefully, he placed it beneath the fireplace.
“Heheheheh…”
“…Gainando. Nobody’s going to steal from you, so just eat like a normal person, will you?”
“?!??”
Gainando jumped up, realizing for the first time that Yi-han and Yonaire were there.
“W-when did you guys come in!?”
“We were watching as you cautiously skewered the sausage.”
“D-did not!”
“Hey, the sausage is going to burn at this rate. You should take it out.”
“My precious!”
Gainando quickly took it out in a panic before staring at them with vigilant eyes.
“Gainando, you really think Yonaire and I are going to steal your sausage?”
“C-course not.”
However, he didn’t lower his guard. Giving up, Yi-han turned to Yonaire instead.
“It’s quite serious.”
“Everyone’s getting hungry again.”
Gainando hadn’t turned crazy or anything. Everyone was having trouble getting food.
The only saving grace was that Yi-han brought back some food every once in a while from Uregor’s hut. Otherwise, they would’ve been in an even worse position.
“The meat’s going to run out by the end of the week…We might need to hunt again on the weekend.”
“Will we be okay?”
“We’ll have Nilia accompany us.”
Yonaire nodded at his words. Nilia, the dark elf, was a veteran huntress. She was indeed a reliable companion to have, though the person in question might scream “Why me!?” later on when she was notified of this decision…
“Professor Uregor’s quite petty,” Yi-han complained.
The professor was a rather stingy dwarf.
He had told Yi-han that he could have free access to the hut, but he acted miserly whenever Yi-han tried to bring food back. He was okay with Yi-han cooking and eating right there and there, but he would nag him about bringing anything back.
– Stop right there. That’s the bread I baked to have in the evening! And when did you even hide a jar of jam in your pocket? You don’t need it!
– Sir, I’ve tended your farm for you. It’s just a jar of jam!
– You’ve had your fill! Why do you need more!? You ransack the place every time you visit!
“Now that he has his guard up, smuggling food out won’t be easy.”
“I wonder if there’ll be an opportunity to-”
Yonaire gasped when she realized what she had been about to say. The academy was starting to influence her in a bad way.
Garsia, also known as Professor Troll, gave a wry smile seeing the students enter the classroom.
As someone that cared a lot about the students, he was quick to notice even the most minute changes.
First, the first week at the academy was nearing its end, and the students were all in a hungry state. He didn’t fully agree with the principal’s ideology, but it was true that nothing was as effective at getting students to move as hunger.
The hungry students would do everything in their power to acquire food.
‘Good luck, everyone.’
Second, tension was already beginning to form between students of different towers. Since they all came from different backgrounds, it was natural that they would see each other as competitors.
In particular, and have historically always been at odds against each other.
The reason couldn’t be more obvious. On one side, there were students that grew up in powerful families that valued tradition. On the other, there were students that were raised as knights near the Empire’s borders.
According to the principal, it was apparently to have the students on their toes.
Only competition would lead to growth!
“Now, settle down everyone.”
Though they weren’t as shocked as when they first met the professor, the pressure that came from Garsia was still as powerful as ever due to the troll blood running in his veins.
Students of both towers sat down quietly.
“Last time, we learned the spell known as . Though none of you were able to successfully cast it, there’s no need to feel down. Magic isn’t something you can learn quickly, and while you might have some trouble in the beginning, you’ll improve rapidly once you get the hang of it. Having said that, was anyone able to cast successfully?”
Yi-han raised his hand while yawning.
‘It took all night.’
He had felt pressured after seeing everyone from the Blue Dragons say they mastered the spell.
As a true-blue Korean, he refused to be pushed out of the competition without putting up a struggle, and as a result, he spent the entire night practicing .
Though it didn’t take a massive amount of mana for each attempt, anyone else would’ve fainted in the middle. Yi-han, on the other hand, was completely fine, only slightly tired.
“…?”
Yi-han quickly felt something was weird. No one around him had their hands raised.
‘The hell’s going on!?’
“Ohhh…”
“He’s a Wardanaz alright.”
“As expected…”
The students of the Blue Dragons clapped lightly, feeling both envious and proud.
‘Take that, White Tigers! We have Wardanaz!’
…was what passed through their minds.
“Hey, you.”
Yi-han, still confused about what was going on, asked the student who sat beside him.
He was the guy that claimed he had mastered .
“I thought you mastered the spell?”
“Oh, you heard that? Well…I actually wasn’t able to pull it off in the end. But I was close, so I thought it’d be fine if I said I mastered it.”
“…”
He had been tricked!
‘These freaking showoff nobles…!!’
Chapter Text
He had stayed in the Wardanaz estate for such a long time that he had forgotten how much of a showoff the Empire’s nobles were. They valued their pride and honor above their lives, and they would prepare a lavish feast even if they were on the brink of bankruptcy!
‘All that effort, and it turned out to be for nothing.’
“Splendid! We have two people who have mastered it from the Blue Dragons!”
“?”
Yi-han looked to his side and saw the princess with her hand raised as well. Not only that, she was staring coldly in his direction, her blue eyes holding blatant animosity.
‘What’s up with her?’ Yi-han wondered.
With the princess being one of the most talented students among the Blue Dragons, it wouldn’t do to be on her bad side, and as far as he was concerned, he hadn’t done anything to garner such hatred from her.
In fact, all their interactions had been friendly until now. During their initial meeting, he had helped her defeat the boars. Then, they exchanged information about which classes were great for students.
‘I was planning on asking her for help in assignments and exams in the future. Why is she suddenly acting like that? Is it because I’m always with Gainando?’
Poke. Poke.
“Hey, Wardanaz,” Asan whispered. “It seems the princess believes the strange rumor that’s been going around about you.”
“A strange rumor?”
“Apparently, you’re here to laze around, not to explore the profound world of magic. It’s complete bogus, I say.”
Asan looked pissed as if the rumor was about him. In his mind, there was no way that a member of the Wardanaz Family would display such behavior.
On the other hand, Yi-han, the subject of the rumor, was surprised.
‘Truly, it couldn’t be more accurate! How did they know though?’
It was so spot-on that he got goosebumps hearing it. Yi-han, however, didn’t think it was slanderous in any way.
After all, it was completely true.
Asan, who wasn’t aware of this, seemed extremely furious that such a lie was being spread around.
“I’m really disappointed by the princess. Of course, this is all because of the person that started the rumor, but she shouldn’t have believed in it without first confirming the facts!”
“Well…I wouldn’t really blame her for that.”
“…?!”
Asan was at a loss for words… Just how kind and magnanimous could a person be?
Though the students of the Blue Dragons were all of noble birth, to him, none seemed to fit the image of an ideal noble better than Wardanaz.
Asan finally realized why his family sent him to this academy. It was to meet friends like him.
“Wardanaz, you’re a great guy.”
“??”
Yi-han was confused by this sudden praise.
‘Did he take the wrong medicine this morning?’
“Light!”
“Light, come forth.”
Both Yi-han and the princess managed to cast successfully. Balls of light appeared at the end of their staves, making them look like lanterns.
There was a bit of chilliness to the ball of light that the princess produced, whereas Yi-han’s was as fierce and bright as the Sun.
Professor clapped his hand in joy.
“Excellent! Very few students have ever managed to cast on their first week at the academy. I’m happy to have such talented students. But of course, there’s no need to feel discouraged even if you failed to master it. is the simplest spell out of all the first-circle magic. It’s a spell that teaches beginners what magic is, and learning it a bit faster or slower doesn’t determine how far you can go as a mage.”
‘Doesn’t sound all that convincing,’ Yi-han thought.
As the professor said, alone couldn’t be used to determine a student’s ability or talent. Just because someone learned addition faster than others, it wouldn’t translate to being good at solving complicated problems using calculus later on in their lives.
Having said that, the students here were all very competitive, and the professor’s words fell on blind ears.
They were burning with the desire to master the spell before the students of the other towers could!
Professor Garcia continued with a big smile on his face.
“You might be curious as to why I taught first…and that’s because we’ll be focusing on learning elemental magic this semester. While trying to master , everyone here has subconsciously been learning how to use elemental magic.”
“!”
This aroused a great deal of interest from the students, and they straightened their backs to listen to the professor.
Elemental magic!
Within elemental magic, there were simple elements such as fire, water, wind, and earth, and there were also complicated ones such as plants and darkness. They often served as the foundation for learning more difficult and complex spells.
Want to summon a spirit? To summon a fire spirit, the mage would have to know fire elemental magic to some extent, or else they wouldn’t be able to control it.
Want to create an artifact? To handle ores of the fire element or to cast fire enchantments, the mage would obviously need to know fire magic.
Want to travel? Have a job in a secluded corner of the Empire? Just by knowing basic elemental magic, the mage would be welcomed anywhere. They could start a campfire or prepare drinkable water wherever they were, so they were considered valuable human resources.
As these examples demonstrate, elemental magic could be applied in various fields, and the entry-level for it was low. Hence, it was considered basic education for fledgling mages. It was similar to learning addition and subtraction for higher-level math.
“Throughout this class, we’ll continue training in casting . At the same time, we’ll test to see if you have an affinity for the basic elements. Each of you will probably have an affinity for different elements, and it’s important to figure out what they are.”
The students began to whisper amongst themselves, intrigued by the topic.
Mages didn’t have to know all the spells in the world. They simply had to study those that they were interested in. Hence, rather than trying to learn all the elements, it was better to train in the ones they were most suited for.
This was also one of the reasons why the professor wasn’t so insistent on the students mastering in a short amount of time.
“Now then…”
Professor Garcia tapped the classroom floors with his large staff. A candle appeared in front of each student, and they were soon lit.
“The trick for this is the same as when you tried to use . However, unlike with , what you’re trying to do here is to create fire, so I suggest that you be a little more careful. After all, fire burns.”
Gulp-
Some of the students became nervous when they heard this.
“Think of a chant that suits you best and… Set Ablaze!”
A ball of fire appeared before the professor. It was a fascinating sight, seeing fire appear without the need for firewood.
“Now, try it out yourselves. Don’t worry, I’ll be there to help you when you need it.”
“Come, Fire!”
“Ignite!”
“Burn…”
“Crackle, crackle…”
The students did their best to focus and came up with an image of fire in their minds.
Those that caught on a bit faster realized why the professor summoned the candles for them. These students either stared at the candles intently or brought their hands close to them.
With the fire physically closer to them, they could visualize it in their minds better, which helped with their focus.
After creating an image of fire in their minds, they had to channel mana, chanting as they did so, wishing strongly for the fire to manifest.
Yi-han also tried to focus on the fire spell. Learning through his experience with , he planned on going at his own pace without being tricked by his peers.
“Hold it right there.”
“?”
However, the professor stopped him.
“Yi-han, you’re not allowed to practice ignition magic.”
“???”
Yi-han stared incredulously at the professor.
Unlike the others, there wasn’t any candle in front of him. Instead, there was a bowl made of copper, with water contained inside it.
“Why?”
“Because it’s too dangerous.”
“…”
Yi-han finally caught on.
While he was practicing , he often failed to control it, resulting in an explosion. Since it was just a ball of light, the explosion didn’t cause any real damage, only making it difficult for him to open his eyes for a while.
But what if it was a ball of fire?
‘Hmm, we might have casualties.’
He eventually nodded in understanding. There wasn’t much he could argue about.
“Wait until you’re better at controlling your mana and more familiar with other elemental magic.”
“Understood.”
“Until then, try having a go at . Even if you fail, it won’t be dangerous.”1 is also supposed to be , but I thought it was a mouthful, so I just wrote it down as . To not confuse readers, I’ll keep it as , but use for the others.
Water. Just like fire, it was one of the basic elements.
Coming up with a clear image of various metals or lightning might be difficult, but few would have trouble imagining what water looks like. In other words, it was an element that they were all familiar with, and unlike fire, it wasn’t dangerous.
However…
‘I’m not too sure about this.’
There was one downside to water spells.
It didn’t look cool at all.
‘No. Well… there’s that, but the bigger issue is that it doesn’t seem as useful.’
It was in an awkward position in terms of its usefulness.
For offense? Fire and lightning were stronger.
For defense? Earth and metal were sturdier.
The only benefit to learning water magic was that he wouldn’t have to worry about running out of drinking water during travel…
‘Even that is a bit…’
He was planning on becoming an imperial mage so that he could laze around without putting in any effort, so he had no real use for spells that were for survival.
But there wasn’t anything he could do about it at the moment. He might burn the whole place down if he practiced fire magic.
“Gush Forth!”
“Wardanaz, I’m so jealous of you. The professor gave you special teaching.”
Asan, who was also practicing beside him, spoke to him in an envious tone. Yi-han, however, begged to differ.
‘Does this look like special teaching to you?’
He wished to be like his fellow students and practice fire magic. Where would he find the need to use water magic anyway…
“Gush Forth!”
“Gush Forth!”
Chuaaaaaak!
It only took him three attempts before a ball of water appeared out of thin air.
“!?”
And it wasn’t just a few droplets. The ball of water was roughly the size of a fist!
Yi-han and Professor Garcia were both surprised by this.
Granted, he kind of got the hang of elemental magic while practicing , but three tries? Now that was a rare sight, especially since so much water was produced at once. It would only be possible if he had a high affinity for water magic.
‘Amazing!’
“Look over here, everyone! Yi-han has succeeded in casting water magic!”
“Woah…!”
“Way to go, Wardanaz!”
“As expected of Wardanaz!”
Those of the Blue Dragons were happy as they watched his magic. Meanwhile, the members of the White Tigers were staring at it with jealousy.
Clap, clap, clap-
The professor applauded him.
“Excellent work, Yi-han. Everyone should learn from his examples. That said, no need to grow impatient. We all have different affinities to magic, and once you discover yours, you’ll become good at it in no time. Students that grew up near volcanoes or smithies are often better at fire magic, students that grew up near rivers and oceans are often better at water magic, and students that grew up in locations with strong wind are often better at wind magic…The more familiar you are with the element, the easier it is for you to control it.”
The explanation made Yi-han even more baffled.
‘I didn’t grow up near a river or an ocean though?’
The only real connection he had to water was getting screwed over by his professors in his previous life.2“물” is water in Korean, and there’s this phrase “물먹다”, which means to get screwed over.
Did his personality just resemble that of flowing water?
It wasn’t necessarily a bad thing, but…
‘I would’ve been much happier if I had an affinity for one of those rare elements, like ice and thunder.’
It was good that he had an affinity for water, but he had mixed feelings about it.
For a split second, he felt someone’s gaze, so he turned sideways. As it turned out, the princess had been staring at him, and noticing his gaze, she quickly looked away.
‘?’
Having lost focus, the ball of water couldn’t maintain its shape and splashed to the ground.
Professor Garcia nodded.
“Yi-han, your next assignment will be to maintain its shape and hold it in place.”
“Understood, professor.”
Now that he knew how to bring forth water, maintaining its shape by remaining focused didn’t sound too difficult, and he replied without putting much thought into it.
However, a certain question popped up in his mind.
“Professor, for how long do I have to maintain its shape and keep it in place?”
“Well, your mana will probably run out before long, so… ah. Hmmm…”
Normally, a student would run out of mana rather than lose focus, but the boy before him was the polar opposite. He had so much mana that it couldn’t possibly dry out.
The professor nodded to himself before readily replying to the question.
“Let’s say until the end of class!”
“…???”
Yi-han questioned what he just heard.
‘Uh…isn’t this a punishment?’
Chapter Text
– When there are only crazy people around a certain individual, one should question if that individual is crazy as well.
This saying rang true in Einroguard. With most of the professors here being clearly nuts, Yi-han began to worry about the mental well-being of the normal-looking professors.
‘Now, let’s analyze this calmly. If my memory serves me right, Garcia is close with that crazy Principal. Hmm, as I thought, I shouldn’t trust any of the professors here.’
The professor would’ve pounded his chest in frustration had he heard what Yi-han was thinking.
True, maintaining the spell until the end of the lesson was a mentally draining task. In a sense, it was like balancing a spinning top on a fingernail. However, there was a reason why Professor Garsia gave him this task.
Since Yi-han had been able to succeed in producing water after only three tries, it meant he was extremely talented in this field, even considering his affinity.
But that talent was nothing before his enormous mana reserve, and the professor believed that he would shine even brighter if polished further.
The professor had given Yi-han the instructions, firmly believing he would succeed. Unfortunately, Professor Garsia’s sincerity wasn’t transmitted to his student.
‘From now on, I’m going to assume all the professors here have a screw loose somewhere.’
Such were the thoughts going through Yi-han’s mind as he maintained the ball of water in the air.
The remaining class time quickly slipped by, with some students from the Blue Dragons succeeding in casting and the princess succeeding in casting .
Yonaire was happy to learn that she had an affinity for wind magic, whereas Gainando almost ended up burning his staff.
And during all that time, Yi-han had remained focused, maintaining the water in the air without uttering a word.
“Sir, don’t you think he went too far?”
“???”
Uregor wasn’t sure what Yi-han meant by that. The dwarf didn’t think there was anything wrong with the story.
“…Perhaps Professor Kim has taken a liking to you. Wouldn’t that explain why he made you do those exercises?”
“Just like how I’m tending to your farm right now?”
‘And there he goes grumbling again.’
Yi-han had managed to hit the nail on the head. With nothing to say in return, Professor Uregor silently complained in his mind.
Friday afternoon was a much-awaited time for everyone that was looking forward to the weekend, yet Yi-han was tending to the farm near Uregor’s hut.
If there were other students around, they would’ve whispered about how the professor was being mean to Wardanaz and giving him chores to do.
However, Uregor had the perfect excuse. After all, this was something Yi-han had volunteered to do.
– Professor, I’d like to help around near the hut.
– Ohh, is that true?
– In exchange, I’d like to eat here from time to time.
– …Do as you please.
– And while I’m at it, may I take some food and bring them back?
– Don’t even dream about it, brat.
“It’s my fault for even asking.”
Uregor shook his head and raised his arms in defeat.
– How was your first week?
He had asked this question without thinking much of it, and now he was paying the price. However, other than his manner of speech and frequent grumbling, Yi-han was without a doubt one of the most promising students among the freshmen.
That was probably why Garsia Kim gave him special treatment.
Uregor also had to admit that Yi-han was exceptional, and that wasn’t in regard to his magic…
‘Look at him persevere through all the chores. The lad’s got a promising future.’
…Instead, he was talking about Yi-han’s ability to perform chores.
Yi-han would have been pissed if he heard that, but the professor was being dead serious. In his opinion, what alchemists needed most was the ability to tirelessly complete chores.
Sensitivity to mana and being able to tell reagents apart?
Affinity to spirits and being close to them?
Having perfect control over mana and being able to perform meticulous tasks?
None of that was truly important.
Superhuman patience was required of talented alchemists as they had to diligently clean a mountain of flasks every day without running away, and Yi-han had that within him.
Other nobles would have never agreed to take care of the farm and manage the hut, no matter how much food was offered to them. Yet Yi-han always visited the hut to perform his duties in exchange for his reward. That alone was indicative of his promising talent in alchemy.
‘Why am I suddenly feeling the chills?’
Yi-han had been digging out potatoes until now. It wasn’t that cold in particular, but he suddenly felt a shiver run up his spine.
“Are you tired?”
“Not really.”
Yi-han answered the professor without putting much thought into it.
He was honestly fine. Not only did he have a lot of stamina, but he was also already used to being ordered around by a professor. Furthermore, harvesting fresh vegetables from a field and taking out fish from fish traps could hardly be considered difficult.
“Huhu.”
“??”
Uregor suddenly laughed, seeming satisfied, which left Yi-han dumbfounded.
‘What’s up with him? Does he enjoy watching others work? I swear, all these professors are the same…’
“Wardanaz, you’re truly gifted in this field.”
“That so?”
“Brat, you think I’m spouting empty words?”
“No, sir.”
Uregor clicked his tongue. As of now, whatever he said would go in one ear and out the other.
‘How did someone like this appear from that granite-like Wardanaz Family?’1As in very stoic and hard, like a statue made of granite
While sitting down on his armchair, Uregor took out a dwarven cigar pipe and lit it. He then proceeded to enjoy smoking for a while before opening his mouth once more.
“Did anything else happen?”
‘Does he have nothing better to do?’ Yi-han, who was dusting off some carrots, wondered.
But from another perspective, what Uregor was doing truly befitted his status as a professor. After all, professors loved to have their students do all the work while they waited, looking bored out of their minds.
“Any conflict with students from the other dorms?”
“How’d you know?”
“You’re not the first freshman to be welcomed into this academy, and neither will you be the last. It’s all very obvious.”
Uregor looked pleased with himself as he smoked.
“Let me guess. It was with someone from the White Tigers.”
“That’s exactly right.”
Yi-han inferred from the professor’s words that the two towers had a history of conflict.
“Not surprised, really. On one side, you have the Empire’s established nobles, and on the other, you have the knights. Not to mention, you guys are young as well. Conflicts were bound to happen.”
“Sir, don’t you think it’s foolish? They’re wasting their time fighting over something stupid, time which could be invested in studying magic.”
Uregor nodded in agreement. He was absolutely right; there was nothing more foolish than this.
However, what was youth without a sprinkle of foolishness?
“Wardanaz, I’m glad that you at least have a level head. Yes, there’s no need to squabble over these silly things. Instead of wasting their time fighting, it’s more logical to use them to study magic.”
“I think so too.”
“Perhaps there would be fewer fights this year thanks to people like you. Even if the White Tigers try to find trouble with you, just ignore them.”
“Umm, but I already fought them.”
“…”
Baffled, Uregor lowered his pipe from his mouth and stared at Yi-han.
‘What happened to finding such fights foolish and stupid??’
“What else was I supposed to do? They picked a fight with me,” Yi-han defended.
For the time being, Uregor nodded.
True, there were times when fights were inevitable, especially ones that the other party initiated.
“It seems the lads over at the White Tigers are all quite rough this time. Normally, they wouldn’t pick a fight with someone on their first week. How did it happen?”
“I was taking swordsmanship lesson, and they just kept provoking me.”
“…”
Ttuk.
Uregor lowered his pipe once more, taken aback.
“They’re really out of line!”
“Clearly, you’re the weird one here!”
The professor was at a loss for words. There were so many classes out there, and yet he had chosen to take swordsmanship. No wonder the White Tigers looked for trouble.
“You’ve done well to escape unscathed. Though they’re slow to learn magic, most of them tend to be great fighters.”
“Yeah, it took a lot of effort to bring down three opponents.”
“…”
Uregor decided to put his pipe away. It seemed it wasn’t the day for him to smoke.
“You…took them down?”
“Yes, but it wasn’t easy. I was lucky.”
“…You can stop working for today. I’ll prepare something for you to eat.”
“Really?”
“Yes, really.”
Uregor made up his mind to treat Yi-han better from now on. He worried that Yi-han would later return as the Empire’s greatest swordsman to assassinate him.
The vegetables in Uregor’s hut were all fresh and large, having been grown in an environment rich in nature.
The professor washed the potatoes, carrots, and onions in flowing water before peeling them and chopping them up into big pieces.
He then prepared a pot and threw in a stick of butter, stir-frying it along with some onions and garlic.
“Bring some of the meat that’s being hung outside.”
“But those belong to me and Yonaire.”
“…Am I cooking for myself?”
“Understood.”
Yi-han decided to apologize to Yonaire later on and brought the smoke-dried meat that was outside.
Uregor tossed the meat inside the pot, stir-frying it alongside the other ingredients. Then, he poured enough wine inside to add flavor to the dish. Following that, he added potatoes, carrots, onions, and some others.
“I’m making a stew that’s passed down within the family. You won’t need any side dishes. A warm loaf of bread is all you need with this.”
He said this with confidence while adding in a bit of salt.
And the stew was indeed delicious. Yi-han had not been able to drink any warm soup for the past few days, so the dwarven stew really warmed him up.
For a while, there was only the sound of him eating the stew with his spoon, making sure there was nothing left in his wooden bowl.
‘Ah, this is bliss.’
“Good, eh?”
“It’s amazing.”
As a hardened graduate student, his reply was almost immediate.
Though he didn’t say it out loud, Uregor looked extremely happy and proud.
“Professor, before I entered the academy, did you have to take care of everything in the hut?”
“Of course.”
“What about the students before us?”
“Hmph. They were all lazy and tactless. They all fled before long.”
“…”
For a split second, Yi-han wondered if he’d been had, but the milk had already been spilt.
“It must have been…tough.”
“Tough? This is nothing if you wish to become an alchemist!”
In reality, cleaning the hut, clearing the stove, checking the ingredients, tending the farm, laying fish traps in the river, and installing traps on certain paths weren’t exactly “nothing”.
‘Now that I think about it, it’s strange. Why don’t I find it tiring?’
Yi-han sighed at his lack of awareness regarding the amount of labor he was doing. He had worked under professors for such a long time that he was now numb to it.
“There’s a lot of space left on the farm. May I grow some crops as well?”
“Ohh…”
Uregor was genuinely impressed. Unbeknownst to Yi-han, the professor was praising him inside.
‘He’s really born to be an alchemist.’
Not only did he not shy away from all the chores, but he was also actively seeking even more work.
He was truly talented in that sense.
“Of course, you may. What do you plan on growing?”
“Oh, just some cabbages and green onions.”
“Not a bad selection.”
Uregor stopped himself just as he was about to nod.
“…You’re not planning on doing business with them, are you?”
“H-how’d you know? Did the students before me try it already?”
“…”
‘You’re definitely the first of its kind, brat!’
Chapter Text
Uregor let out a dry chuckle before nodding his head. It wasn’t his position to judge what Yi-han did with the vegetables he grew.
“As far as I know, you’re the first to come up with such an ingenious idea. Creative… creative indeed.”
“Oh, is that so? Thank you. I hope the business does well.”
“I wasn’t praising you. Ever heard of sarcasm?”
Though he was grumbling, knowing how to manage one’s wealth was important for an alchemist. The ingredients and reagents that they required were all bloody expensive, and alchemists had to earn enough money to purchase them.
‘Seeing as how he’s so thrifty, he’ll probably never have trouble in regards to his finances.’
“Cabbages and green onions…Hm, they’ll go well in a jjigae.”
“!”
The professor’s words caught Yi-han’s attention.
With how vast the Empire was, its cuisine wasn’t limited to Western food, and each region had its own delicacies.
The Wardanaz Family was located in the western part of the Empire, and the people there usually ate bread and cheese that westerners on Earth enjoyed.
Personally, Yi-han was more familiar with eastern cuisine, which consisted of food such as rice, noodles, miso, and red chilli paste.
“Professor, do you like jjigaes?”
“I do, but I avoid eating them.”
“?”
“Because it’s food from the east, and I don’t like eastern dwarves.”
Uregor said this with a frown, as if he remembered something unpleasant.
“Had a bad experience with them?”
“See, some of my older relatives live in the east, and they keep nagging me whenever I visit them…Sometimes, they tell me to sell regen potions because they’re expensive. At other times they ask why I’m so poor, or why I don’t visit them often. They even called me impertinent once for using a long pipe at such a young age…”
“…”
His complaints were much more detailed than Yi-han had expected, leaving him speechless.
He’d been told that people in the east value rules and tradition even more than people in the west, but he didn’t think it’d be this bad.
“I-I see.”
“But enough about me. There’s nothing wrong with the food, and it’s not like I dislike them. I’ll eat with you when you make jjigae next time.”
Yi-han had never invited him to eat with him, but he knew better than to say that out loud while the professor was in a grouchy mood.
“It’d be my honor to serve you, sir.”
Hearing this, Uregor nodded.
‘Wait. The Wardanaz Family’s located in the west. Does he know how to properly cook eastern food?’
He felt slightly uneasy. Though Yi-han was great at housework, nobles that knew how to cook were few and far between. From the way he cooked steak last time, it was clear he had the basics down, but eastern dishes were rather tricky to make.
“…I take back what I said. It wouldn’t be right of me to eat something that a student grew.”
“Hm? But professor, the pork you used to make the stew was something my friends and I-”
“If you put it that way, I was the one who released the boars in the mountain!”
Uregor finally exploded.
After finishing their meal and cleaning up, Yi-han got ready to return.
“Right, what are your plans for the weekend?”
“Do I have to come here and work?”
“…I’m not that evil. Do I look like the kind of person that would call students here on weekends?” Uregor asked, feeling wronged.
Yi-han was surprised to hear this.
‘Huh? You mean they don’t usually call students out on weekends? But why? Isn’t that a passive skill that all professors have?’
“You’ve worked hard this week, so you don’t have to come over again. I won’t stop you though if you wish to start your farm immediately…Having said that, you’ll probably be busy,” The professor said while giving him a meaningful look.
Yi-han became worried when he saw this.
‘What’s this about?’
“Is there some event coming up?”
“Event my ass. Just think for a moment. The students have been starving this whole week. What do you think they’ll do on weekends?”
“Set fire to the academy?”
“…You’re being too extreme. They’ll look for ways to appease their appetite.”
The students who were at their wits’ end would try to fetch food themselves…or at least that was what the lich principal envisioned.
Usually, the freshmen would start to think to themselves during weekends as they would have time left over.
– Why’s the academy being so cruel to us? Is it because the principal’s an undead?
– I don’t want to keep starving! I should find something to eat!
– Comrades! Let us join hands to achieve our goals!
“I do vaguely recall hearing about the students of the Black Tortoise looking for fruits and nuts in the forest behind the academy’s main building.”
“As expected.”
Uregor didn’t seem surprised to hear this.
How students behaved typically had to do with which tower they belonged to. For example, students of the Black Tortoise were originally commoners, merchants, or slaves, so they didn’t care about how others viewed them and would act quickly whenever a problem arose. Hence, there was nothing strange with them scavenging for food in the forests and mountains.
“Since you’ve set a precedent, I’m sure others would also try to hunt for prey as well. Normally, not many people think of hunting on their first week.”
“It’s all thanks to the professor’s teachings.”
Uregor was about to grin after hearing Yi-han’s flattering words, but he felt something was amiss.
‘Is he holding a grudge against me for releasing the boars?’
“How do the students of the Blue Dragons normally fare?”
“They’re usually the slowest to act. It’s as if their butt is glued to their chairs.”
Yi-han couldn’t help but agree with that statement. He could already see that very few people from his tower would venture out into the woods for food this weekend.
“But there are always several bright minds that come up with brilliant ideas after weeks of starvation.”
Uregor stared at Yi-han as he said this.
For some reason, he felt like the Blue Dragons this year wouldn’t be the same as before. To start off, this Wardanaz Family’s offspring had a unique mindset about the things around him…
‘What an interesting chap.’
“Most venerable professor, may I ask about the other towers as well?”
“I suppose there’s no harm in telling you. If we’re to speak about the Immortal Phoenix…as you already know, they’re a different breed. They aren’t the type of people that falter because of hunger.”
The Tower of the Immortal Phoenix was composed of priests and priestesses sent by the Empire’s various religions. They were used to living frugal lives back in their temples, so they usually adapted well to the academy.
While students of other towers searched for food, those of the Immortal Phoenix sometimes opted to endure and pray. Such was the power of faith.
‘Amazing. How can they bear eating that kind of food every day?’
But Yi-han soon realized something. He had also led a similar life during his time as a graduate student.
‘Hmm. People are surprisingly more durable than I thought.’
“By the way. Wardanaz, do you plan on hunting during the weekend?”
“Yes.”
There wasn’t any reason for him to lie.
“Then be wary of the White Tigers. They’re used to going out on hunts as well. They normally refrain from doing so on their first week, but I’m sure they’ve heard of a certain someone’s achievement in this field.”
“It’s all thanks to you, professor.”
“…I’m glad you know. Anyway, we always get a lot of troublemakers from the White Tigers. Being descendants of knights, many of them are hot-blooded.”
“Understood. I’ll make sure to plan well and gang up on them if a conflict arises.”
“…”
‘That’s not what I’m trying to say…!’
Uregor was about to say that out loud, but decided otherwise in the last second, believing that Wardanaz would handle whatever was thrown his way in an appropriate manner.
“Who knows, you might not meet them at all. The forest is huge after all. Not to mention, the brats over at the White Tigers might choose not to hunt, instead…what am I saying. You guys are still on your first week.”
“What might they do instead?”
“…”
Uregor wished he hadn’t let his tongue slip. He could already see Yi-han trying it out himself.
“Escape.”
“…!?”
There were tall walls surrounding the academy’s premises, and there were protective spells cast on them. However, there were always a few people that tried to escape.
Taking into account the towns near the academy and the things they could acquire from there, escaping didn’t sound like a terrible idea.
‘A new coat, a new shirt, a new belt, a new pants, a new set of boots, bread and butter, cheese and jam, an assortment of dried food, needles and strings, paper and quill, soap and perfume…Damn it. There are so many things I can get that I can’t wrap my head around them!’
The gears in Yi-han’s head began to turn the moment he heard the word “escape”.
He would be able to live like a king inside the dorm if he succeeded.
“This is exactly why I didn’t want to tell you about it!”
Uregor knew what he was thinking the moment he saw Yi-han’s face.
“What do you mean, sir?”
“Don’t pretend like you don’t know. You’re making a list of all the things you’d purchase if you manage to slip out!”
“Did you cast a spell on me?”
“As if! Don’t even think about it. The White Tigers are always the first to attempt it because they’re as dumb as a brick!”
“Did anyone succeed?”
“…”
“Anyone?”
“…Some have succeeded, but!”
“Ohhh….”
“You’re going to regret it!”
Uregor was about to lecture him but stopped midway. Quite frankly, he wasn’t obligated to stop Yi-han, and as previously mentioned, what was youth without a sprinkle of foolishness?
“You know what, do whatever you want.”
“What do you mean, professor? I wasn’t planning on doing anything.”
“Yeah, and I bet pigs can fly.”
Three people were interrogating an orc with menacing expressions on their faces inside a dimly lit room where the only source of light was a single candle.
“Choi, do you understand the situation you’re in? Huh? You better cooperate with us if you wish to leave here alive!”
“…Yi-han, I plan on answering your questions regardless, but what’s up with this prince?”
Dolgyu stared at Gainando, confused. Though the prince was threatening him, he didn’t feel scared at all. Instead, he found the situation laughable, as it would only take him a single punch to knock the prince down.
He had followed the three to the room after being jumped on, only to see this farce.
“Hmm, I guess the effects aren’t that great.”
Yi-han opened the curtains, allowing sunlight to enter the room, and Yonaire blew out the candle.
Gainando looked back and forth between Yi-han and Dolgyu, trying to understand what was going on.
“You guys know each other!? I thought we’re supposed to interrogate him!?”
“Yeah, we’re acquainted.”
“Then what was the point of that!?”
“If we didn’t drag him here like this, the folks over at the White Tigers might have suspected our relationship.”
“!”
Dolgyu was taken aback when he heard this.
Yi-han was right. It might have caused a needless misunderstanding.
“Thanks, Yi-han. They would’ve indeed found it suspicious if you approached me in a friendly manner.”
“Oh, don’t mention it. You’re our spy after all.”
“…Wait. What do you mean I’m your spy?”
Dolgyu protested his new title as it sounded rather dishonorable.
Yi-han, on the other hand, found this amusing.
“You promised to inform me ahead of time if Moradi tried to lure me into a trap.”
“That I did.”
“Wouldn’t that make you a spy?”
“…There should be a better way to phrase it!”
Dolgyu was from a knight’s family, and he was doing this out of pride and honor, yet he was being labelled as a spy.
“I think spy fits perfectly in this situation.”
Gainando, who had been listening to their conversation, chipped in. However, he quickly backed out when Dolgyu glared at him.
“…Or not.”
Chapter Text
Yi-han decided to take a step back for Dolgyu.
“Since you’re doing this out of your sense of honor and justice, calling you a spy might not be the most appropriate. How about ‘inside man’?”
“Huh…?”
It was a phrase that Dolgyu had never heard of before, but it sounded more pleasing to the ear than spy, and it sounded more classy as well, which was to his liking.
“Let’s go with that then…”
“Great. Then from now on, you’ll be our inside man, and I want you to inform us of any schemes that the White Tigers cook up against us.”
“Right…”
Yonaire, who had her hands cupped around her face, watched on with interest. She wondered how Yi-han managed to convince an orc from the White Tigers to cooperate with him.
“Dolgyu, you might be wondering why I brought you here on a Saturday morning… It’s to brainstorm ideas to escape the academy.”
“…What!?”
Dolgyu seemed shocked when he heard this.
Yi-han wasn’t surprised by his reaction, but what Dolgyu said next blew his mind.
“You guys are planning on escaping as well?”
“…?!!”
The students of the White Tigers were famished, just like the others.
People often had a misconception that knights were used to hunger, but this wasn’t true. They were also considered nobles within the Empire, so they rarely starved. In fact, they ate as much as they moved, so they had an even more difficult time adjusting to the academy’s lifestyle than others.
– We should go out and hunt! If Wardanaz can catch boars in the forest, there’s nothing stopping us from doing the same!
– We’ll form groups and head out to hunt during the weekend. Everyone here should have experience hunting, so we have the advantage!
– Yeah, so what if the others know how to use a spell or two? Let’s show them what we’re made of!
– Now, now. Quiet down, everyone.
Seeing everyone talk over one another, Jijel stepped forward to take command, easily winning the support of the famished students.
– Going on a hunt? Not a bad idea. But think about it. Is hunting that easy?
– I mean Wardanaz did it…
– That’s because the professor in charge of alchemy prepared the boars. How deep into the forest would we have to go to find them? Are you familiar with the terrain?
– …
– …
Jijel’s arguments were very convincing. As she said, hunting wasn’t so simple, especially in a foreign environment.
They could explore the outer perimeters of the forests and mountains near the academy, but they would have to think twice before travelling deeper as no one knew what kind of monsters resided there.
– Then Moradi, you have a plan?
– Yes.
– Care you explain?
– We should escape from the academy and head to a nearby town.
– …!!!
– As long as we succeed, not catching prey would be the least of our concerns. We’ll be able to purchase everything we need this semester.
– I-is that true!?
– It sounds too good to be true…
– I’ve already planned everything out in my head. You can tag along if you wish. I don’t plan on hogging everything for myself, but if you decide to come with me, you’ll have to listen to my commands. I don’t need anyone that will spoil the team’s mood or ruin the operation with their needless resistance.
– Of course, Moradi!
– We’ll all follow you!
***
“Wait, does that mean I can also join her if I listen to her orders?”1Yi-han still thinks Moradi is male
“…Yi-han.”
“Guess not, huh? Figures.”
Dolgyu was dumbfounded by Yi-han’s question.
He had no idea whether or not Jijel would accept, but what happened to his pride as a member of the Wardanaz Family? How could he have the face to join her?
Dolgyu got angry just remembering what Jijel tried to do against Yi-han.
“Think back to her actions.”
“Yeah, he definitely won’t let me join him.”
“No, that’s not the problem here!” Dolgyu cried out, exasperated.
Yi-han, on the other hand, got lost in his thought.
Things had become complicated because of Jijel. He originally planned on slowly coming up with a method of escape with Dolgyu, Nilia, and his other friends.
Succeeding on their first try? That didn’t even cross his mind.
From his conversation with Professor Uregor, it was clear that escaping wouldn’t be easy, yet Jijel had promised the White Tigers that everything had been accounted for.
‘Is he bluffing? No, he doesn’t seem to be the type to bluff. This isn’t Gainando we’re dealing with.’
He had barely interacted with Jijel Moradi, but he had a rough idea of her personality.
She was a cold, domineering person, and someone like that would not give empty promises, meaning she probably had a solid plan.
“Since she won’t let me join…”
“Were you actually being serious there?”
“….I guess there’s no choice.”
“Yeah, I’m glad you understand.”
“We’ll have to tail them.”
“…”
Dolgyu didn’t know where to start.
“For real?”
“I mean is there a better plan?”
“Isn’t that a bit…dishonorable?”
Dolgyu wasn’t too keen on the idea. After all, knights lived and died for honor.
Since Yi-han came from the Wardanaz Family, one of the Empire’s most distinguished households, he should also consider his honor to be of utmost importance.
“Think about it, Dolgyu. It’s a strategy.”
“Is it?”
“Know thyself and thy enemy. A strategy.”
“I guess?”
“A strategy.”
Yi-han looked straight into Dolgyu’s eyes and repeated the phrase with a steady voice.
‘The more BS it is, the more confidently you must argue.’
In life, people with the biggest voice often won arguments. Even if they’re spouting nonsense, they would sound oddly convincing because they seem so genuine in what they say.
Dolgyu started questioning his reasoning after seeing Wardanaz repeat himself while maintaining his cold, sculpture-like expression.
‘I guess it could be considered a strategy…’
“You might be right…”
“Yes, it’s all part of our strategy. How are we supposed to come up with countermeasures if we don’t know what the enemy is plotting?”
Not that Jijel’s escape plan had anything to do with Yi-han, but that was beside the point. He spun his argument in a way that made it sound like they had to investigate Jijel’s plan in order to stop her evil plot.
“Dolgyu, your role in this is important. You must learn about Moradi’s escape plan and report it back to me.”
“Got it. I’ll try my best.”
“Great! You’re our trusty inside man! Others might not know what an honorable man you are, but I assure you that I do!”
“Thanks, Yi-han.”
“Don’t mention it.”
Yi-han patted Dolygu on the shoulder as a form of encouragement before sending him away.
“Huu. We were supposed to think of ideas for escape together, but the situation has changed… why are you guys looking at me like that?”
Yonaire and Gainando were staring at Yi-han with a strange glint in their eyes.
“Before you entered the academy, did someone teach you a brainwashing spell?” Gainando asked in a serious tone.
“….”
Saturday night, as the sun was about to set. This was the time that Jijel Moradi of the White Tigers chose to set out with the others in an attempt to escape the academy.
Yi-han, having obtained this information from Dolgyu, also made his move.
‘It would be ideal if we can figure out their escape route today.’
Jijel would definitely try to keep the information to herself, and if they succeed in escaping, they would make sure that no one is tailing them the second time around.
He knew this as he would’ve done the same if he was in Jijel’s shoes!
They had the greatest chance of figuring out the route without getting caught precisely because it was the White Tiger’s first attempt at escaping, meaning they would be too nervous to properly check their backs.
“Dolgyu. Gainando. Yonaire. Nilia.”
Yi-han called out the names of everyone gathered there. They were the friends he had enlisted to help track down the White Tigers.
“I thank everyone for coming to this meeting where we will discuss how we should escape from the academy.”
“…???”
Nilia the dark elf was so shocked by this that her ears perked up.
This was her first time hearing about this. She had followed them here because she thought she was being invited to hunt with them…
“W-what!? Escaping the academy!?”
“Yeah.”
“…Are you insane!?”
Gainando felt relieved after hearing her cry of disbelief. He was glad to know that there was at least one other person beside him that was in their right mind in this group of five.
‘Exactly! They’re all insane!’
Naturally, he wished to visit a town as well. However, he knew it wouldn’t be easy to accomplish.
The only reason Gainando came along was that Yi-han seemed so sure about it, but he still felt very anxious inside.
“No, Nilia. We’ve thought everything through. We have a plan.”
“!”
Yi-han’s earnest words shook Nilia to the core.
A plan after only one week of being in the academy? Based on his expression, it didn’t seem like he was lying.
‘The Wardanaz Family… what a force to be reckoned with!’
Nilia was in awe.
She had heard about the rumors surrounding the Wardanaz Family, and having observed Yi-han for a while, she kind of understood how they came to be.
The air surrounding him was fundamentally different from the others.
In anticipation of a brilliant idea, she nudged him to continue.
“Tell us your plan!”
“There’s a student among the White Tigers that knows how to escape. We’re going to shadow them and learn their trick.”
“…”
This was certainly not what she had been expecting. In fact, she had missed the target by a long shot.
Stealing another student’s idea was a far cry from the ideal school life that she had imagined, even if that student belonged to a rival dorm.
She took a short moment to contemplate before letting out a deep sigh. In the end, she agreed to go along with the plan.
– Yi-han. Nilia doesn’t seem on board with the idea.
– Yonaire, we need her help. She’s the most proficient in tracking out of everyone here.
– But we can’t force her, right…?
– I guess so. If she’s really against it, there’s nothing we can do…
– …Fine! Since I’m your only option, I’ll help you guys out!
– Nilia!!
After hearing Yi-han and Yonaire’s conversation, she couldn’t find it within herself to turn them down.
As a former member of the , she wasn’t going to abandon her friends out of fear of getting caught.
And more importantly…
Deep down, she was happy that her ability as a huntress was being valued so highly.
Ironically, it wasn’t the people of her tower that sought her skills. Instead, it was Wardanaz, who belonged to another tower, that appreciated her talent.
Dolgyu, however, was confused by her decision.
“I thought she was going to refuse. Why did that dark elf suddenly change her mind?” he muttered.
“I know the answer to that,” Gainando responded confidently.
Dolgyu took a moment to process what he just heard before coming to a realization.
“Ah. I see.”
There were certain things that no one liked to do, and though reasons often varied, fear, anxiety, and greed were the most common. To overcome such emotions, people would bring out their inner virtues, be that their sense of honor or their ties with friends.
There was only one plausible explanation as to why the dark elf suddenly decided to participate. It had to be because of her bonds with her friends.
‘How touching.’
Dolgyu secretly smiled.
He himself was participating out of a sense of honor, and witnessing the friendship that transcended their backgrounds moved him greatly.
“So you figured it out as well?”
“Yes.”
“It just goes to show how desperately she wishes to visit a town. I would know, since I share that sentiment. If we manage to get there, I’m going to lie down on a comfortable bed and take a nap…No, scratch that. I’ll first fill my stomach. I’ll eat anything and everything that is sweet. Candies, chocolate, pancakes, syrup…”
“…”
Dolgyu ran his eyes over Gainando.
‘Why is someone like this in our group?’
Chapter Text
While Dolgyu was lowering his evaluation of Gainando, Nilia was listing out the things that they would need for their late-night excursion.
“Since we don’t know for how long we’d have to travel, we should prepare as best as we can. A nice pair of boots and some high-quality socks would be ideal, but…”
“Unfortunately, we don’t have those.”
The atmosphere became heavy with Yi-han’s interjection.
The principal had purposefully given them rags to wear, so they naturally didn’t have such things lying around. Thankfully, Nilia had come prepared knowing that was the case.
“I’ve made these boots out of the hides of the beasts we caught last time. And these footwraps were made from the curtains in the resting lounge. Here, give me your foot.”
“…”
“…”
Nilia realized she’d done it again after noticing that Yi-han and Yonaire had fallen silent.
‘Did I say something inappropriate again?’
After bringing back the meat, she had become close with some of the students of the Black Tortoise. However, she couldn’t help but feel that there was still some distance between her and the others.
As a former member of the Shadow Patrol located in the cold northern mountains, she obviously had trouble speaking to, say, an heir of a massive merchant’s association active in the central regions.
– Wow! See that red flower over there?
– Yeah. They’re sweet and taste good.
– …Er, I mean, aren’t they pretty?
– They’re both pretty and tasty. Doesn’t that make them twice as good?
She wasn’t stupid, so she quickly registered that her view of the world was different from the others. From then on, she tried to keep her mouth shut to avoid making things awkward.
But she had slipped up.
“Um, I mean…I made these myself because… I couldn’t think of any other way, and…”
“You’re incredible!”
“Yeah! You’re amazing!”
“!?”
Yi-han and Yonaire’s reaction caught her completely off-guard.
“You think so?”
“Of course. You said you made them yourself, right?”
“It’s not something anyone can do. Did you stitch these?”
The corners of her mouth and eyes trembled in delight at their praise.
“…It’s nothing worth mentioning.”
“What do you mean? These are wonderful.”
“Yeah, I doubt anyone in the academy can do the same.”
“Nilia, you ought to start a business.”
“I concur. You should sell these to the others in your tower.”
Noticing that the conversation was being steered in the wrong direction, Nilia waved her hands.
“I don’t want to start a business.”
“But why?”
“Yeah, Nilia. Do you dislike money?”
She was left gobsmacked as Yi-han and Yonaire seemed like they genuinely couldn’t understand her reason.
‘Isn’t it normal for me to not want to sell things to my friends!?’
Her prideful behavior made her seem like she was someone from the Blue Dragons.
“What’s there to sell anyway? I’m not gonna do it!”
Yi-han and Yonaire became serious hearing this.
“Nonsense. Whether you can sell them or not isn’t up to you. It’s up to the market!”
“Well said! Do you understand now, Nilia?”
“…Can I just carry on with my explanation? Please??”
“Right. Sorry. Do continue, please.”
Nilia cleared her throat, having barely wriggled herself out of the conversation. Despite everything, her expression was brighter than before, and her long ears were pointing upward, indicating that she was in a good mood.
Though she was pretending to be calm, she was feeling jovial after being praised by the duo.
“But what’s so great about these?” Gainando asked, not understanding why they were raising a fuss.
Ttak!
Yonaire slapped him in the back, whereas Yi-han kicked him in the shin.
“Nilia, you don’t have to give any to him. Let him figure out himself how big of a difference the footwraps and boots make.”
“Yeah, he’ll learn to appreciate them once he suffers a bit.”
“A-aren’t you guys being too mean?! I’m still a prince, you know…!”
‘He’s a prince?!’
Nilia freaked out when she heard this.
Yi-han and Yonaire came from powerful families, so they didn’t think much of the hundred-plus members of the royal family. However, the same couldn’t be said for Nilia, who felt immense pressure from learning the truth.
A direct descendant of the emperor. Just by having that title alone, Gainando seemed much more majestic…
‘…or not.’
He seemed much more like a patient now than a prince after being slapped by Yonaire and kicked by Yi-han.
“We’re going to have to walk for who knows how long. Do you have any idea how valuable those boots and footwraps are? If it’s you, I bet your feet would be a mess after just one hour.”
“Should we just leave him here?”
“N-no! I get it, so don’t abandon me!”
Eventually, the situation was resolved, and Yi-han apologized to Nilia in his stead.
“Sorry about that, Nilia. You must have worked hard to prepare those, yet Gainando was rude to you.”
“No, it’s fine. I don’t mind what he said.”
“Seems like you do. How about I hit him one more time?”
“I’m really fine!!” Nilia shouted in a panic.
She didn’t feel offended in the slightest. She could tell from first glance that Gainando had never experienced walking long distances, and considering his identity as a prince, it wasn’t strange that he didn’t know about this sort of thing.
“Oh, and here are some coats I made. It’s spring, but it can be chilly at night. The wind is strong around here as well.”
“Nilia…”
“You’re really…”
“…Can you two please stop reacting to everything I say?”
Though she was happy with the praise, it was starting to get annoying.
“Leather bags. We’ll need them once we’re in town. Leather water bags. They’re also handmade.”
‘She’s really amazing.’
Yi-han found it honestly remarkable. She had made all these out of leather, needles, and strings.
‘Why does she refuse to start a business when she’s so skilled?’
If it was him, he would’ve made a killing out of them. Yonaire, who was watching beside him, seemed to think it was a pity as well.
“Since we’re traveling in the dark for a long time, the footwraps will help, and the coats will shield us from the cold. The thing that worries me is that we lack food and water…”
Nilia became hesitant. She was worried about the lack of food. If it was just for a day, she would have no problem climbing the mountains on an empty stomach. But what about the others?
“No need to worry. I’ve brought some food with me. Sausages, bread, goat cheese, and dwarven honey candies. Will these do?”
“!”
Nilia was pleasantly surprised. Yi-han had brought enough food for emergencies.
“Where’d you get these?”
“Let’s just say some things might be found missing from Professor Uregor’s hut.”
“…”
‘Is he really a student of the Blue Dragons?’
“Respected friends, you’ve all gathered here today, having sworn that you would follow my orders.”
A group of students with well-built physiques nodded after hearing Jijel’s words. These were the students of the White Tigers that had decided to trust her and join her in her escape plan.
The fact that so many had gathered without even knowing the details of the plan spoke volumes about her influence.
There were many students here with better physiques than her, and some of them seemed fiercer as well. Considering she was an elf with a fair and feminine appearance, it wouldn’t be weird for her to feel intimidated, but she stood before them with a straight back, speaking arrogantly and with a sharp tone.
“There’s no need to pay attention to the cowards and the traitors that didn’t join us, for they will soon regret their decisions.”
“Yeah!”
“We trust you, Moradi!”
“We’ll move out in ten minutes.”
There was a reason for her confidence.
‘As long as I follow the map, it wouldn’t take us more than 4 hours.’
Surprisingly, she had a map that detailed the escape route, a map she had found in the Moradi estate before she entered the academy!
– Introduction to magic for beginners, what is magic, legends of Einroguard…are these all?
– Apologies, Lady Moradi.
– Bring me everything we have. I don’t plan on getting looked down upon by other mages.
Students of knights’ families all shared a common concern before entering Einroguard.
Would they be able to keep up?
Unlike the others, they had spent their entire lives swinging their swords, so their worries were not unfounded.
Jijel, being the prideful person that she was, refused to be looked down upon. Hence, she browsed through countless books in preparation for the academy.
And she had found the map in one of them.
– Einroguard escape map…? What’s this for?
The map contained details of how students could escape the academy.
When she first saw the map, she thought the person who made it was out of their mind.
Einroguard was a prestigious academy that only a select few were allowed to enter. It was the best magic institute inside the Empire, one which admitted students with talent. Only someone hopeless would throw such an opportunity away and think of escape.
However, it only took her a day in the academy to realize why the map had been made.
‘Ah, so this is why!’
-How to escape Einroguard-
I shall convey the truth to you, for the path indicated on this map is your only hope of escape. Using the path my friends and I discovered through much trial and error, I hope those that follow after us would be able to slip out without getting caught…
The map had been created by their seniors to aid them, and it had been meticulously crafted.
With the map in hand, she was confident that she would succeed!
“They’re entering the mountains.”
“As expected.”
While lying down on the grass, Yi-han and his group of friends watched as several torches began to move. The White Tigers had commenced their operation.
‘So it’s through the mountains after all.’
Yi-han had surmised that there were only two ways out of the academy.
First was through the academy’s tall walls and gates. They had entered the academy that way, and they could reach a town simply by following the road that was outside. The only problem was that it wouldn’t be easy to pass through the gates once more.
The other method involved traversing the vast forest and mountain range behind the academy.
The walls surrounding the academy should be cut off deep within the mountains, so they would just have to take a turn after they reached the end of the wall.
Yi-han had predicted that Jijel’s method would be closer to the latter.
Very few people dared to enter the vast mountain range behind the academy as it was covered with thick vegetation. However, it wouldn’t be a problem for someone capable to navigate it with a map.
And his prediction had been spot on.
“Let’s go. We’re chasing after them!”
“Huh? Why are we entering the mountains??”
Gainando followed the group, not understanding what was happening. He had assumed they were leaving through the gates.
“We’re breaking through the mountains.”
“What? But why?
“Because the escape path is there. Dolgyu, look after Gainando for us.”
“Got it.”
Dolgyu nodded readily.
Nilia had a lot of experience traversing the mountains. Meanwhile, Yi-han and Dolgyu had been trained as knights. Yonaire was used to going around in search of alchemy materials from a young age, so she had no problem walking long distances either.
Gainando, however, was going to be a big problem.
“Me? Why do I need looking after??”
“I’ll be behind you. Prince, breathe through your nose and keep your feet moving. Let’s go!”
“Huh? W-wait a sec…”
Gainando was about to ask some more questions, but soon wasn’t in the condition to do so.
“Haa…haa…haa…haaa…”
“Don’t stop!”
“What…is…this…haaa..haaa”
“Continue!”
‘No more…!’
The moon was out, but it was still dark at night, and going up an unfamiliar mountain used up a lot of stamina. Nilia was in the lead checking the road and clearing the obstacles, but everyone in the group was sweating.
Even so, Yi-han tried his best to note the path they were taking. Having trained under countless crazy professors, he was able to draw a map without even looking at the paper.
“???”
Yonaire, who was walking next to him, stared at him in disbelief.
‘Is he using?’
It seemed like an impossible stunt that could only be achieved with the help of a spell that he might have learned during his time at the Wardanaz estate.
“Oh, look over here.”
“What is it?”
“It’s a somniferous plant. Its powder can be mixed in with water, and drinking it would cause you to fall asleep.”
“Let’s collect it. You never know when it will come in handy.”
“Will we ever need it though?”
While tilting her head, she collected the plant.
‘We must have walked for at least an hour.’
“Nilia. How long has it been? An hour?”
“An hour and ten minutes,” Nilia replied as she stared at Yi-han.
‘He’s not a seasoned hunter, yet he hasn’t lost his sense of time in the mountains…’
Just then, Yi-han felt a shiver run down his spine.
‘Is it a monster!? No, Nilia would’ve told us about it. Did she miss it?’
Hahahahahahahaha!
“…”
It was the familiar laughter of a certain lich.
Chapter Text
‘No way. You’ve got to be kidding.’
Yi-han shut his eyes, but the reality was cruel.
You’ve taken the bait! And on the first week too! Hahaha! Hahahahaha!
“…What’s going on??”
Nilia’s voice was trembling, and she was still trying to make sense of the situation.
“It seems we’ve fallen under the principal’s trap,” replied Yi-han in a calm manner.
How Jijel discovered the escape path still eluded him, but it was clear she had been dancing on the palms of the principal.
The problem here was that Yi-han and his party had followed after her, and they were at risk of being exposed as well!
Since you guys are here on your first week, someone must have found one of the fake maps I’ve scattered around the Empire! Let this be a lesson: do not trust a map that’s from an unknown source! You might think it’s a treasure map, but it could be a trap laid down by a sinister lich!
“…”
“…”
‘Seriously, what the fuck is wrong with him?’ Yi-han wondered.
Principal Skelly had just admitted to making fake maps and hiding them in various places. And he had done this without the knowledge of when or whether they would be discovered by freshmen entering the academy…
‘He’s clearly doing this for entertainment.’
The principal might be saying it’s all part of student’s education, but Yi-han knew about professors like this, and they loved to do things just for fun.
Students of the White Tigers, listen well! Your escape ends here. It’s now time for you to return. The rules are simple. I won’t chase you myself. Instead, I’ll be sending my minions to pursue you. Return to your dorm without getting caught! Guilty if caught, innocent if not! Use whatever is at your disposal. You may take down my minions as well!
With that, a giant skull emitting a green light appeared in the dark sky, and undeads began pouring out of its mouth.
Hounds and pursuers made of bones fell one-by-one onto the mountain they were on.
Flash!
Lights flashed at various locations as the skeletons brought out torches to begin the pursuit.
“Run!!”
Nilia whispered in a panic, her eyes shaking in terror.
“Calm down, Nilia.”
“How am I supposed to calm down in this situation!? We’re dead if we’re caught!!”
“No, we’re not.”
Yi-han had already talked to the principal several times, and he was used to dealing with crazy professors. However, Nilia, who didn’t have such experience, found Principal Skelly terrifying.
From Yi-han’s perspective, the principal seemed to be toying with the students, but Nilia thought otherwise. She believed he was enraged at the freshmen for committing such a horrendous offense.
“R-really…?”
“Even if we’re caught, we’ll at most be sent to the punishment room.”
“P-punishment room? And we’ll be tortured for all eternity…never to see the light of day again…”
“I never said that.”
Nilia’s pessimistic imagination was running wild, so much so that Yi-han had to cover her mouth before looking around at their surrounding.
‘Are they skeletons?’
He heard the sound of bones rattling as their pursuers moved forth while rummaging through the bushes.
– Bark! Bark!
He could also hear the bone hounds growling.
“Run!! If any of them catch up to you, take them down!”
“For honor! Don’t forget your code of chivalry!”
The students of the White Tigers shouted as they pulled out their wooden swords, deciding to fight them out if they had to.
‘How does this have anything to do with honor or your code of chivalry?’
They had been caught while trying to sneak out of the academy. It didn’t seem remotely connected to honor or anything of that sort…
“There’s only one thing we can do in this situation,” Dolgyu said in a low voice.
This wasn’t the time to be arguing over which tower they belonged to. They had to work together in order to take down their enemies!
“You’re right, Dolgyu.”
“Okay, then I’ll head out first and-”
“We should flee while they’re drawing the attention.”
“…”
Dolgyu stared at Yi-han with his mouth agape. However, Nilia, Yonaire, and Gainando immediately agreed to the plan.
“Agreed!”
“…”
Dolgyu was about to open his mouth, but decided not to at the last second. After all, Yi-han was the leader of their group.
‘We should attempt to break through by targeting the place where the encirclement is the thinnest.’
Yi-han kept on observing. He wanted to make a run for it immediately, but he endured the urge to do so.
It was always best to wait and watch rather than lash out in a panic.
He looked around for the weakest link in the encirclement. Fortunately, the students of the White Tigers were attracting all the attention by running around and screaming, giving him plenty of time to do so. He wasn’t about to let this chance go.
‘But isn’t this going too far?’
He had been silently watching in the bushes, but he was soon dismayed to find out that the undeads were pouring out endlessly from the skull floating in the night sky. They were coming in droves, determined to overwhelm the offenders through their strength in numbers.
‘It seems I’ve underestimated the craziness of the principal…!!’
Yi-han inwardly groaned.
The principal was more deranged than he had expected. Since he claimed that those that escape would be deemed innocent, Yi-han thought the principal would at least give them a chance. As it turned out, he had created a total blockade.
‘No, maybe he thinks he’s going easy already. The brains of professors are wired differently after all.”
Maybe the principal thought the students would only grow if they can break through an encirclement of this calibre.
The issue here was that Yi-han had to break through this encirclement as well.
‘Uhh…even with the White Tigers drawing most of the attention, I don’t think this is possible. Should we just surrender?’
All the paths leading downward were being guarded by skeletons with torches, lighting up the night.
And more of them were coming down.
And even more of them…
With their number steadily climbing, the foot of the mountain became so bright it was like morning.
‘Wait a second.’
Yi-han noticed something strange.
The skeletons and bone hounds weren’t paying attention to their group at all.
‘Isn’t that weird?’
Granted, they were hiding in the bushes, and most of the attention was being drawn to the students of the White Tigers screaming as they ran down the mountain. However, if Yi-han and his friends had been discovered, there should have been a hound or two sniffing around them, trying to pinpoint their exact location.
Yet their bony pursuers were only chasing after the members of the White Tigers, ignoring them completely as they headed down.
‘Is the principal unaware that we’re here?’
He had naturally assumed the principal would know where they were hiding. After all, he was a mage completely beyond their realm of understanding.
But what if the principal wasn’t here in person?
‘I won’t chase you myself. Instead, I’ll be sending my minions to pursue you. Return to your dorm without getting caught!’
Now that he thought calmly about it, there was no guarantee that the giant skull here was the real principal. He could’ve just sent a clone or an image of himself from afar.
‘Which means we just have to avoid the eyes of our pursuers!’
Rather than fleeing while being chased, it was much easier to flee while hiding.
“…Let’s head up.”
“Huh??”
“If we head down, there’s no way we won’t be spotted. Just look at how many of them there are. The moment we’re found, they’ll come at us in waves.”
Nilia’s eyelashes trembled upon hearing his reasoning.
“On the other hand, there aren’t any pursuers above us. We have a much better chance of not getting caught if we wait it out at the top or take a detour.”
“Okay, let’s go with that!”
“?”
He had been the one to suggest it, but he found it strange how quickly Nilia accepted his suggestion.
“I was the one who brought it up…but are you sure you’re fine with that decision? We don’t know what’s waiting above us.”
“Anything’s better than being caught and tortured in the punishment room!”
“…As I said, I think you’re misunderstanding something.”
They carefully climbed up for around 30 minutes.
“There’s a cave up ahead. Let’s go in there,” Nilia said in a whisper.
“Are there any monsters inside?”
“None. It’s a small cave, and I don’t feel any presence inside. I’ve thrown in a rock just now to confirm.”
Nilia pointed at her ears while saying so.
“We’ve been moving for quite a while now. I can continue, but the others are going to need some rest.”
“I guess you’re right.”
Nilia, Yi-han, and Dolgyu were fine, but Yonaire seemed rather tired, whereas Gainando was on a brink of death.
They had been walking in the darkness, and they had to flee in the middle while avoiding their pursuers, so they were both mentally and physically spent.
“Light!”
Yi-han used magic after entering the cave, illuminating it with a ball of light that shone brilliantly like the sun.
Yonaire used her coat and covered the cave’s entrance, making sure that the light won’t escape.
“You think they’ll chase us all the way up here?”
“Don’t worry. I’ve been paying attention while coming up, and I haven’t heard any rattling coming from the pursuers. They must all be gathered at the bottom of the mountain.”
Yonaire felt reassured after hearing what Nilia said.
Fortunately, Yi-han had been right on the mark. The principal’s summons had not noticed their group, so they didn’t follow them up the mountain either.
“So the question becomes how long his summons will remain.”
“Maybe we should’ve brute-forced our way through after all…”
Yi-han, however, disagreed with Dolgyu’s words.
“No, it would’ve been impossible to do so.”
“How do you know?”
“Considering his personality, the principal wouldn’t have left such an obvious loophole.”
“…”
“…”
Though the others wondered how he’d know that, they decided to remain quiet and respect his words.
“Regardless of whether we end up waiting until they disappear or taking a detour, we should rest for the time being. Let’s fill our stomachs first.”
“Agreed!”
Yi-han distributed the sausages, bread, and cheese that he brought with him.
Gainando popped a dwarven honey candy into his mouth and savored its taste. He hadn’t had anything sweet for the past few days, so his body reacted violently to the candy.
“Oh, no. We’re out of water…”
Nilia took out an empty water flask as she said so. They had walked for a long time and had drunk all its content.
“It’s okay. We have magic.”
“!”
“Gush forth!”
Yi-han waved his staff with a shout, producing a puddle of water midair.
Nilia hurriedly filled her leather flask with water.
“Way to go, Yi-han!” Dolgyu exclaimed.
As he was from a knight’s family, he was slower than the students of other towers when it came to learning magic, so Yi-han’s magic almost seemed like a miracle to him.
Gainando and Yonaire also clapped their hands in glee.
“I was starting to feel thirsty!”
“Thanks for the drink, Yi-han.”
After filling up her flask, Nilia closed its cap.
“I want to learn water magic as well,” she said enviously.
“I’m sure you’ll be able to do it soon once you become more familiar with magic,” Yi-han replied in comfort.
It wasn’t that difficult a spell to begin with, and it was something anyone could do once they got the hang of it.
“I sure hope so.”
After saying that, Nilia waved her staff and began to chant.
“Set ablaze!”
A small fire appeared and landed on the kindling wood that she had prepared.
The sound of wood burning was soon accompanied by the warmth that came from the fire.
Everyone’s hands and feet were freezing after wandering around in the cold night, so they collectively let out a sigh of relief upon feeling the warmth.
“Phew. I’m glad it worked the first time. I learned it last time, but it wasn’t the most perfect, so I was nervous.”
She seemed to have quite a high affinity with fire as she was able to succeed in one attempt.
“I’m jealous of you. I wanted to learn water spells rather than fire ones,” she said as she looked over at Yi-han.
“…”
“…W-what’s wrong?”
Yi-han was staring intently at her, making her feel uneasy.
Did she say something offensive?
Chapter Text
Most of the students at the academy considered magic to be a means to an end. They didn’t think to themselves “I’ll learn fire magic to start campfires and water magic to quench my thirst”. Instead, they had the ambition of polishing their foundation and diving deep into a field of magic, eventually becoming a pioneer in that field and obtaining enlightenment.
For that reason, Nilia didn’t think highly of her fire magic. Even without her wand and her magic, she could easily start a fire just with some stones and twigs.
On the other hand, she had been interested in water magic for a long time, so she would’ve been much happier if her affinity with water had been high instead…
“Nilia, be grateful for the magic you have.”
“I-I guess you’re right…”
Nilia nodded without thinking, overwhelmed by the serious air around Yi-han.
‘Is he praising my magic??’
As a member of the Wardanaz Family famed for its magic, he might have found her attitude towards her own magic unacceptable.
She looked away in embarrassment.
Yi-han, however, was thinking about something completely different.
‘If I could reign in my mana, fire magic would’ve been the first thing I learned. How envious.’
With their hands and feet warmed up, their thirst quenched, and their hunger satiated with bread and cheese, their fatigue slowly went away.
‘It’s about time we check if the undeads are still there.’
Yi-han decided to check up on the principal’s spawns. Based on that crazy personality of his, there was a good chance they were still around.
“Nilia.”
“Right, let’s go take a look.”
Taking the hint, Nilia stood up from where she was sitting.
Darkness enveloped the two as they stepped out of the cave, and the result of their investigation was apparent after just a few minutes.
“…”
“Damn it.”
The foot of the mountain was still brightly lit, as if a belt of fire was surrounding the mountain. The undead’s encirclement was as strong as ever.
“I swear, that bastard is completely insane.”
“I-I agree with what you say, but are you sure it’s okay to say it out loud?”
Nilia seemed afraid of possible retribution by the principal for speaking badly of him.
“It’s fine. No one’s listening, so all’s well.”
“I-Is that how it works?”
“Nilia, to learn magic, you must learn to think freely. I bet the principal would gladly accept the curses thrown his way if it means we can free up our thought.”
Yi-han was truly talented in coming up with absolute gibberish on the spot. Coupled with his sculpture-like expression, his serious manner of speech managed to convince Nilia, who only had a rudimentary understanding of magic.
‘It kind of makes sense…’
“That darn principal! He’s like a grizzly bear! I hope the wolves take him aw-”
Pasasak-
“Uaaaaang! Please forgive me! I was wrong!”
Nilia clinged onto Yi-han with tears in her eyes the moment she heard the rustling of leaves from ahead.
Yi-han carefully peeled her off from his chest as one would a leech, staring intently at the direction where the sound came from.
“Careful, Nilia. Someone’s here.”
The other party seemed to have also noticed their presence.
“Who’s there?”
“That’s our question.”
“We’re members of the White Tigers.”
“Tsk. So not all of them were caught.”
Yi-han clicked his tongue.
He was wondering why the undeads had not left yet. Turned out some students of the White Tigers managed to flee amidst the chaos.
After a few more rustling of leaves and tree branches, the White Tigers appeared before Yi-han and Nilia, looking like an absolute mess. In fact, they looked no different from beggars on the street.
“B-beggars?”
“As I said, we’re from the White Tigers.”
– Punishment to the students that went against the esteemed principal.
– Punishment to the students that went against the esteemed principal.
Unlike Yi-han and his friends, the students of the White Tigers initially planned to break through the encirclement. However, what greeted them was an innumerable number of skeletons.
They had to fight their pursuers while listening to the rattling of bones and the chill-inducing chants.
The skeletons used bones as clubs, and though getting hit wasn’t fatal, the first hit would slow them down, the second would stop them in their tracks, and the third would knock them down.
“Ack!”
“To attack us in numbers. How cowardly of them…Ahhhh!”
Though they did their best to take down the skeletons and the bone hounds that came after them using the swordsmanship they were proud of, the members of the White Tigers eventually began to fall one after another.
– Suppression complete.
– Suppression complete.
“…Flee upward! Upward, I say!”
Jijel was the quickest to analyze the situation and gave orders to her fellow dormmates.
‘This encirclement wasn’t designed to be broken through!’
Unlike Yi-han who didn’t trust the principal one bit, she mistakenly believed that they had a chance of escaping because of what he said earlier.
If they stubbornly tried to flee downward, what awaited them was capture. Knowing this, she brought the remaining students up the mountain.
Fortunately, their pursuers did not follow them.
“Haaa…haaa…haaa…”
“Moradi, are you sure…haaa…going up is the right choice? There aren’t any paths.”
“Summons can’t last a long time. They’ll soon disappear.”
If Yi-han was beside them, he would’ve pointed out the flaw in her argument, saying something along the lines of “That’s only the case for lousy mages. You think the principal’s in the same league as them?”
Unfortunately, the White Tigers’ understanding of magic wasn’t that deep. They simply nodded after hearing what Jijel said.
“What should we do in the meantime?”
“We wait and recover our stamina. We need to start a fire…no, I guess finding shelter comes first. Somewhere that can block the cold wind.”
Hearing her instructions, the students of the White Tigers started looking around. Though they weren’t as adept as Nilia in navigating the mountains, they were confident in their stamina.
Their muscles were screaming in pain, and their throats were like the Sahara desert, but they kept searching.
Pasasak-
“I heard a sound just now.”
“Is it a beast?”
“Let’s kill it if it’s a beast. We’re starving here.”
However, what they heard wasn’t the roaring of a beast, but rather the sound of someone talking.
The White Tigers were shocked when they realized this. Who could be out and about at this hour?
“…Who’s there?”
“That’s our question.”
“We’re members of the White Tigers.”
“Tsk. So not all of them were caught.”
Surprisingly, they were met with students from the Blue Dragons.
***
“This way.”
The White Tigers awkwardly entered the cave.
They felt extremely uncomfortable being treated so nicely by someone they had picked a fight with earlier.
“Take a seat and grab something to eat,” Yi-han said without changing his expression.
Gainando quietly protested beside him.
“We don’t have enough rations ourselves. Why should we…”
“Shush.”
Dolgyu hit Gainando on his side.
The remaining students of the White Tigers had suddenly appeared looking like beggars, which went to show what a tough experience they had this night.
Yi-han had every right to chase them away. No one would’ve blamed him considering how the White Tigers treated him.
However, Yi-han had invited them into the cave after seeing the predicament they were in, providing them with food and drink.
It was honestly moving.
‘Yi-han is the true embodiment of honor!’
Showing kindness to allies was a given. What was really difficult was showing kindness to enemies.
Dolgyu hoped the White Tigers would reflect on their actions and reconcile with Yi-han through this opportunity.
“…”
For a while, there was only the sound of munching inside the cave.
Jijel carefully observed her surroundings to make sense of what was going on.
‘How did the Blue Dragons make their way here?’
She never thought for a moment that Yi-han had followed them to the mountain.
After all, they were the Blue Dragons, not the lowly Black Tortoise. Resorting to such lowly means felt unimaginable.
Hence, she came to a different conclusion.
‘…They must have found a map as well.’
Otherwise, they wouldn’t be in such a place at night.
They must have come earlier and hid in the cave after hearing the commotion that they made.
Jijel contemplated their next course of action while eating some food.
Yi-han of the Wardanaz Family had shown them kindness, but she had no intention of reciprocating the favor.
That was how she was brought up in the Moradi Family.
– Jijel. As you know, the Moradi Family does not forget its hatred. But there’s something more to that saying. And it’s that they repay favors only if they remember one.
The Moradi Family disdained those that had their hearts swayed by others’ kindness.
A Moradi would coldly reject a request even if someone that saved their lives in the past came begging for help.
‘What should I do to make the most out of this situation? Hmm, yes. I should first have them see us in a good light.’
While she was thinking, one of the White Tigers hesitantly opened his mouth and asked a question to Dolgyu, who he was the most familiar with inside Yi-han’s group.
“Choi, how…”
Thump!
“!?”
The student fell over before he could finish his sentence.
Dolgyu was shocked to see this.
‘What’s happening!?’
At first, he thought the student passed out because of exhaustion. But soon it was apparent that that wasn’t the case.
Thump! Thump!
The others also slumped to the ground as if they’d taken some medication.
“…Shit!” Jijel shouted in a sharp voice.
Realizing what had happened, she spat out the water that was inside her mouth. Unfortunately, she had already drunk some and was starting to feel dizzy.
‘Was it spiked…!?’
“You were too late in figuring it out,” Yi-han said coldly.
As she was about to pass out, Jijel glared at Yi-han with open hostility. Her cold and ruthless expression was the antithesis of the kind and soft one she showed on their first meeting. It was something not even the White Tigers had seen.
“This…won’t be the end…Wardanaz…!”
The last thing she saw was the figure of Wardanaz staring down at her with his usual deadpan face. Leaving behind those words, she fell asleep.
‘Did I make an enemy out of them for no reason?’
Contrary to Jijel’s belief, Yi-han was slightly regretting his decision.
Now that things had progressed this far, the hatred between him and the White Tigers was irrevocable.
However, there was nothing he could do about it. The White Tigers had targeted him without a reason. Since they didn’t have a reason, he decided to give them one!
“W-w-w-what’s this about, Yi-han?!”
“Is the water poisonous!? But I drank it as well!?”
Dolgyu was so surprised that he kept stuttering. Gainando wasn’t much better either.
Yi-han had purposely not told these two about the plan as they were terrible at keeping a poker face. Their plan might have failed otherwise.
“Worry not, Gainando. It’s not poison, and the water you drank was safe. We’re simply going to take them to where the skeletons are and leave them there.”
He hadn’t spiked the White Tigers’ drinks out of petty hatred.
Instead, it was because they were most likely the skeletons’ target, so they had to offer them up if they wished to be saved!
“But…! Using such a despicable method…”
“Dolgyu, think about it. If we fought head-on, we would’ve caused a commotion, drawing the skeletons’ attention. Also, even if we won, do you think Moradi would’ve given up? He would’ve dragged us down with him.”
Dolgyu was no match against Yi-han when it came to a battle of words, and he was easily convinced.
“Still…in the first place, where did you get the medicine?”
Yonaire raised her hand sheepishly.
“We found a somniferous plant on our way up.”
She could tell most plants apart and was able to discover a somniferous plant with white stem along the way.
– Oh, look over here.
– What is it?
– It’s a somniferous plant. Its powder can be mixed in with water, and drinking it would cause you to fall asleep.
– Let’s collect it. You never know when it will come in handy.
– Will we ever need it though?
She had collected the plant while tilting her head, wondering if they would ever need to use it.
Surprisingly, they did.
…though she didn’t think it would be used in this way.
Flitting_hummingbird on Chapter 1 Mon 21 Jul 2025 04:09AM UTC
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