Gonadaltes typed quickly: “How did you know?”
Lee Han paused, his fingers hovering over the keyboard.
Ilrendel inwardly thought he was a madman. *Dragons don’t just pop into Einrogaard in the Empire for a holiday!* he thought.
Beaver-Penguin-Fox: “Just… a hunch…”
Gonadaltes: “Oh. As expected of you, senior.”
Lee Han frowned at the screen. *Amazing? That’s the last thing I want to be right now.* He typed back, trying to sound casual.
Ilrendel wore a disgruntled expression despite his junior’s praise.
Beaver-Penguin-Fox: “So, in reality, he’s coming to see you?”
Gonadaltes: “What nonsense are you talking about? Of course, I am a dragon contractor, someone who has a special bond with a dragon. But His Highness Jaurin is coming to see the scenic spots of Einrogaard, the famous magic school in the Empire. You mustn’t misunderstand this point.”
Lee Han strongly denied it.
He worried about getting blamed. If he got involved, people might say he caused all the dragon visits.
His Highness Wooman’s visit was because of the Skull Headmaster, and His Highness Jaurin’s visit might be partly his fault, but strictly speaking, the entire Einrogaard should share the responsibility.
Because Einrogaard looked fun, so they were coming to play.
‘I am absolutely not at fault in this matter. I’m an innocent victim.’
Beaver-Penguin-Fox: “Contract?”
‘Oops.’
Lee Han realized his mistake.
He had forgotten because the faculty members kept appearing around him lately, but the fact that Lee Han was recognized by a dragon and even made a contract was a secret that was not as widely known as he thought.
Only a few officials and family heads knew…
Beaver-Penguin-Fox: “Chosen by a dragon?!”
Gonadaltes: “If this fact were to leak out, I will write down all your fake names and everything you said under those fake names on every school notice board in Einrogaard.”
Ilrendel’s face turned pale, though his junior couldn’t see it.
Isn’t that a bit too much?!
Beaver-Penguin-Fox: “You, you were the one who said it…”
Gonadaltes: “Hmph. Keep your mouth shut.”
Beaver-Penguin-Fox: “I will never tell. I won’t tell, so…”
Gonadaltes: “More importantly, will the school change a lot when the Dragon Inspector comes?”
Beaver-Penguin-Fox: “It probably will.”
As a fourth-year, Ilrendel had seen an inspector come a few years ago.
Of course, that inspector was not a dragon but an ordinary imperial official elf, but it was enough to shake up the school.
Beaver-Penguin-Fox: “Right. There was an incident where students who were caught escaping and went to the disciplinary room were all released. Everyone tried to escape after seeing that.”
Gonadaltes: “Oh.”
Lee Han’s eyes sparkled.
Such excellent advice?
Beaver-Penguin-Fox: “And they were dragged back to the disciplinary room after the inspector left…”
Gonadaltes: “……”
‘Not very helpful.’
-Are you there?
The head butler called Lee Han from outside.
He was resting alone in the drawing room under the pretext of resting, but he had come to find him, worried that the time was getting too long.
-Shall I call someone?
“Ah. No. I’ve fully recovered.”
Lee Han closed the book and got up from his seat.
He didn’t need to recover in the first place.
The young prince had done all the hard work, and the battle in the middle was just a matter of consuming magic power.
‘Should I have pretended to be a little more tired?’
He could have left, but the reason he waited like this was to receive a reward as a matter of courtesy.
Nobles have strict rules of politeness. There’s a proper way to act in every situation.
In cases like now, where a guest visiting the mansion received help, it was only right to give something back.
If he just sent him away, he would be known as a rude person.
The problem was that Lee Han didn’t really want to receive it.
He came to someone else’s mansion and even dug up ancient artifacts, and if he received a gift, even an Einrogaard student would feel a little pain in his conscience.
‘I’m not even tired, but I feel a little guilty for trying to get a reward…’
Lee Han looked around.
He wondered if there was anything related to magic that he could teach the other person.
‘Ugh. I should have studied harder usually.’
If he were a real senior, he would have skillfully passed on teachings about magic!
“Thank you so much for today. Here, please accept this as a token of my gratitude!”
Irendi held out a scroll that was well kept in a wooden box. Lee Han was slightly relieved at the sight.
‘A magic scroll wouldn’t be that expensive.’
Of course, magic scrolls could be as expensive as you wanted them to be, but looking at the paper of the scroll, it was made of white flower paper. It was a paper that could not contain such powerful magic.
Lee Han, who was carefully looking at the rolled-up scroll, suddenly noticed something strange.
‘What is it? I can’t feel any magic power?’
If it was a magic scroll, even if it was well sealed, he should have felt a slight magic power.
But he couldn’t feel any magic power from the magic scroll that the other person gave him as a gift.
Could it be a magic scroll that was so well made that it could deceive Lee Han’s senses?
“What kind of magic scroll is it?”
“Huh? It’s not a magic scroll?”
“Haha. As expected of Mr. Wodanaz. You never stop being interested in magic.”
Irendi and the head butler started laughing. Of course, Lee Han couldn’t laugh.
‘Then what is it?’
“If it’s not a magic scroll, then what is it?”
Instead of answering, the head butler unfolded the scroll himself.
…The ownership of the Oak Ranch in Ileinas City, western Empire, to the owner of this certificate…
“???”
Lee Han froze as if he had been turned to stone by a spell.
And then, belatedly, he stammered and asked again.
“Was it perhaps a land deed??”
“To be exact, it is a document proving the rights to the ranch and the nearby land. It is one of the documents I recently purchased, and I thought it would be a good gift for Mr. Wodanaz…”
The head butler explained with a smile.
Even he thought that this gift chosen by Irendi was a very elegant gift.
It wasn’t too much, not just money, and it was a nice idea – a ranch!
Thud!
Lee Han staggered and bumped into the chair next to him. The two were startled.
“Are you alright!?”
“I’m, I’m alright. The aftereffects of the battle earlier.”
“I knew it…! I’ll call someone!”
“No. Really. I’m really alright.”
The Skull Headmaster, who was illegally occupying his disciple’s mansion and holding a meeting, witnessed his disciple returning from outside.
-Phew.
“?”
-Ha.
“???”
Wodanaaz was not his usual self. He usually didn’t care when Professor Verdus bothered him. But now, he just stared at the ground and sighed loudly every three seconds.
The Skull Headmaster called for Professor Garcia.
“Professor Garcia.”
“Ah, yes?”
Professor Garcia quickly stopped controlling the magical creature he had summoned. He looked up. He was using the creature to work on a special object in Einroguard’s secret room.
“See Wodanaaz?”
“Yes, Headmaster. He’s sighing every three seconds.”
“Why do you think he’s doing that?”
“Doesn’t everyone get a bit gloomy when a new term starts?”
“Not him. He’s usually thrilled at the prospect of relearning magic.”
“Even so… hmm, perhaps you’re right, Headmaster.”
Professor Garcia paused, about to argue.
If he enjoyed the start of term, there was a chance his student might too.
“Could it be the arrival of the new Inspector?”
“Clever lad. Already knows that outsiders aren’t supposed to enter Einroguard.”
The Skull Headmaster nodded approvingly.
Some of the less clever second-year students in the side building had strange ideas about the Inspector. They were very wrong.
“Perhaps he’s feeling the pressure of Duke Jowoon coming?”
“…Don’t mention that to His Grace.”
The Skull Headmaster requested earnestly.
He didn’t care about upsetting Wooman, but Jowoon was still very sensitive. Hearing about this might make him cry.
“Just in case, go and ask him, Professor Garcia. If it’s because of Duke Jowoon, tell him to put on a smiling face.”
‘As if it were that easy…?’
Professor Garcia rose with a doubtful expression.
Even though it was the Skull Headmaster’s order, Professor Garcia was curious. He wanted to know why his student was sighing so much.
-So…
-Yes. I really regret…
-No, student Leehan is doing well…
Professor Garcia, who had approached his student, exchanged a few words, nodded, and returned. The Skull Headmaster asked with curiosity.
“So, what was the reason?”
“A generous nobleman gifted him a land deed, but he refused it because it was too burdensome.”
“What a blockhead! What on earth has he learned at Einroguard?”
The Skull Headmaster scolded him strongly and looked annoyed.
That Wodanaaz, of all students, would make such a mistake was simply unbelievable.
“Student Leehan was just regretting that he should have accepted it, even if it was land near Valdroguard.”
“I take back what I said. The lad has spirit after all. There’s no reason to accept such land.”
“…You’re not worried that student Leehan might transfer to Valdroguard, are you?”
“Don’t be absurd, Professor Garcia.”
“Indeed.”
Professor Garcia felt slightly relieved. It seemed he was mistaken.
‘There’s no reason for student Leehan to go to Valdroguard at all.’
“I am a little worried he might desert and go into hiding.”
“……”
Professor Garcia was very surprised. Then, the Skull Headmaster called for Leehan.
Leehan, sighing heavily, approached, shrouded in a gloomy and melancholic aura.
“What is it…?”
“Cheer up. If you want it that badly, you can always seize it by force later.”
“Yes…”
The student was more afflicted than he thought.
The Skull Headmaster wondered if a good smack would bring him back to his senses and said,
“The new term is about to start, and I have a task for you.”
“?”
Leehan raised his head and looked at the Skull Headmaster.
A task so soon into the new term?
“Am I going back to school late again?”
“Late? Someone might misunderstand if they heard that. Come forth.”
At the Skull Headmaster’s command, an adventurer cautiously appeared.
Leehan recognized him too: Ibinta, the bandit leader who had been building an underground fortress not far from the capital.
“You know him, don’t you? Tin Pot Ibinta.”
“I, Iron Mantle…”
“What?”
“It’s Tin Pot…”
He was a fearsome and imposing bandit leader, but before the ancient Archmage, he was nothing more than a mouse before a tiger.
Ibinta quietly shut his mouth, unable to even correct his nickname.
“Yes, I remember him, but why is he…”
“He will be your henchman for this semester.”
“???”
Leehan was even more confused by the Skull Headmaster’s words, which seemed to skip several steps.
A henchman?
“Are you telling me to kill him and summon him as an undead?”
“……”
“…Didn’t you take the Magical Ethics Education lecture? I’m sure you did. Anyway, it’s nothing like that. And it’s not like you’ll be using him as a servant inside the school. This is for when you go outside.”
Leaving the trembling Ibinta aside, the Skull Headmaster continued his explanation.
No doubt this student would be frequently going out on requests during the second semester.
“It’s not confirmed yet, though. You might only do requests inside…”
“Be quiet. Don’t say such nonsense.”
The Skull Headmaster ignored him.
Even students who stood out within Einroguard only received direct requests from their third year, but the boy from the Wodanaaz family was a cut above the rest.
Just looking at the letters the Skull Headmaster had received so far, there was no way he could stay inside the school.
“You still remember the story of those evil god worshippers connected to Professor Voladi, don’t you?”
“Yes.”
“You said you wouldn’t act rashly, but I can’t completely trust that. You need to keep a close watch.”
“You could trust the professor a little more…”
“I do trust him. If I didn’t, I would have locked him in the punishment chamber.”
Saying something that didn’t sound like trust at all, the Skull Headmaster pointed to Tin Pot, or rather, Iron Mantle Ibinta.
“This fellow knows quite a bit about bandits and mercenaries and has a wide network. He might notice suspicious individuals first, and you can also make him do petty chores. If you think they’re evil god worshippers, contact me immediately.”
In other words, he was to take him along as a kind of servant and watchman.
Leehan asked, as there was something he didn’t understand.
“But Headmaster, the requests will take me all over the Empire, not just the capital, so isn’t the chance of encountering those evil god worshippers too slim? Do you still think they’ll approach Professor Begreck?”
“Perhaps.”
“?”
Leehan was puzzled by the Skull Headmaster’s answer.
Then why go to such lengths to prepare?
“I don’t know, but I have a feeling you’ll run into them somehow. You’re the type to attract bad luck in these situations.”
“……”