Chapter 735
When Lee Han gave up on escaping, the Death Knight who had been heading outside with the petition subtly read the room and came back in.
The Skull Principal openly clicked the tongue and glared.
I tell you to send it and you really go to send it? Hm?
“I apologize, Master. As a former knight, I thought perhaps…”
And despite all that, you trust some green little mage over the Empire’s Mage Marshal?
“……”
“……”
The Death Knights, seasoned by every hardship under the sun, were not fooled just because the Skull Principal conveniently dragged out an Imperial title at times like this.
Honestly, if the Skull Principal and the Principal’s unfortunate disciple were at odds, it felt like the latter probably had justice on the side…
Turning the deep blue gaze toward Lee Han, the Skull Principal began speaking.
Yes. One of my insane duplicates entered the territory.
“I nearly died because of that insane duplicate!”
What? Did you actually run into it?
The Skull Principal sounded puzzled.
If Lee Han had made direct contact, there was no way the Skull Principal would have failed to notice.
At that reaction, Lee Han grumbled and recounted what had happened.
“…If Upperclassman Diret hadn’t been there, it really would have been dangerous.”
“However, Lord Wardanaz.”
One of the Death Knights listening nearby asked a question.
“Yes?”
“Why didn’t you use the ring for summoning Master?”
At the question, the other Death Knights nodded as if they fully agreed.
In a situation like that, shouldn’t he have called the Skull Principal?
“Uh. I didn’t think of it.”
“……”
“……”
Why is everyone acting like that? That kind of independence is a virtue.
Unexpectedly, the Skull Principal took Lee Han’s side.
Lee Han, who had been feeling awkward, brightened and asked,
“Is it?”
Yes. Ha. Says the one who summoned me because professors were fighting.
Inside, Lee Han cursed the Skull Principal’s grudge-holding.
You’re the one who gave [N O V E L I G H T] it to me to use.
That was probably a test left behind by the duplicate.
Did the Principal mean trap, but say test by mistake?
For a moment, Lee Han suspected the Skull Principal might be completely misunderstanding the meaning of the test.
If that were true, it would also explain the difficulty of Einroguard’s tests.
It was probably left behind for the same purpose as the illusion.
The Skull Principal explained in a calm voice. Since the duplicate had once been part of the Skull Principal, the Principal understood the logic behind its actions well.
Just as it had made it so that someone qualified could witness the echo of that memory, it had likely been set so that after witnessing the echo, a mass of mana would attack.
“So if someone qualified approaches, they see the illusion, and after they finish watching it, they get attacked too, as part of the test?”
Correct.
“Is your duplicate perhaps not sane, Principal??”
Lee Han was appalled.
That had not been a trap, but a test.
It’s an insane duplicate, yes. But in ancient times, that would have been an ordinary test.
“I see…”
Answering with a dubious expression, Lee Han suddenly found himself wondering something and asked,
“But Principal. You said it was left for someone qualified to see. What exactly counts as qualified? I didn’t do anything.”
Didn’t do anything, my foot…
The Skull Principal answered in a flat tone, as if the idea were absurd.
The Death Knights seemed to agree and burst into laughter.
“No way you did nothing!”
“You must have done something!”
Should I seriously send that petition after all?
Even if Lee Han truly had done nothing, there were many ways for an archmage who had reached that level to judge a person’s potential. The duplicate must have assessed him somehow.
“Was it checking my mana capacity?”
Who knows. Could be.
“Could it have been taking every school’s classes?”
That might be it.
“Or because I formed a contract with a powerful being from another dimension?”
I thought you said you didn’t do anything?
“……”
Having neatly landed a blow on the disciple, the Skull Principal slowly continued the explanation.
The reason I leave my duplicates alone is because, compared to the effort it takes to catch them, there’s too little reason to bother.
The Skull Principal’s duplicates were, by nature, split bodies released from the main self, which meant they were heavily restricted.
Like beings from other dimensions, they found it difficult to maintain a form in the material world for long, and each one was strongly bound by the desires and emotions it had taken with it.
Rather than pulling out magic and clashing head-on just to destroy them completely, the most efficient method was simply to wait for them to fade from the material world on their own.
And besides, there’s no reason to start that sort of fight inside Einroguard’s territory.
“What do you think the purpose is?”
I have a few guesses, but only guesses for now. Nothing certain.
“Hmm. Even so, isn’t this time a little different? It even came in together with a magical criminal. If that magical criminal corrupts your duplicate or tries to use it…”
I wonder whether it even has the ability.
The Skull Principal mocked Antagondals with arrogant, icy disdain.
Even though Antagondals was notorious among the Empire’s magical criminals, the Skull Principal treated the criminal’s abilities with contempt.
Didn’t the one in your illusion beg and grovel for even a scrap of magic to pick at?
“It wasn’t quite that bad.”
Leave it alone. Of all those who presumptuously tried to use my duplicate, not one has met anything but a tragic end.
Lee Han honestly wanted to stop worrying about it too, but it was not easy to ignore the fact that a magical criminal and an even more dangerous insane duplicate were inside Einroguard’s territory.
“Can’t you at least deal with the magical criminal?”
It would be easy if it showed itself, but that one is being quite cautious too. That’s why I asked whether you had met it earlier.
From the moment the Skull Principal sensed that the insane duplicate had entered Einroguard’s territory with a servant in tow, the Principal had spread a dense surveillance net like a spiderweb.
Naturally, both the insane duplicate and the magical criminal knew that perfectly well, so instead of approaching the main building, they kept moving through the most remote outskirts of the territory.
If you’re interested, lure it out. The moment it shows itself, I can catch it immediately.
“I don’t think that’s something I can do.”
Do not underestimate yourself. You are originally a bit… no.
“……”
The fact that the Skull Principal stopped mid-sentence was far more frightening than if the Principal had simply continued.
Lee Han could not even begin to guess what the Skull Principal had been about to say.
“…Anyway, thank you for explaining it, Principal. Honestly, since I’m still a student, I thought you might simply refuse to tell me.”
Why would I?
The Skull Principal sounded sincerely puzzled.
“Normally, isn’t this the sort of thing only professors know? So the students won’t get scared…”
What would be the point of only the professors knowing? And fear is always a fine stimulant.
“…You didn’t tell the upperclassmen, though.”
They didn’t ask.
“……”
That proud answer left Lee Han speechless.
Judging by your expression, it looks like you want me to tell the upperclassmen too, but even if I did, they probably wouldn’t react much. They’ve got more important things to worry about.
“Yes… Thank you.”
Instead of wasting time being interested in some trivial magical criminal, devote yourself to magic. Your upperclassman Diret is already manifesting a Lesser World, isn’t Diret?
Seeing the Skull Principal compare Lee Han to the top student of the fifth-year Black Turtle Tower left him utterly dumbfounded.
I’ll do my best.
“What kind of ridiculous thing are you saying?”
Ah. I almost forgot.
“?”
Make sure you retrieve that petition you left with someone else before coming here. Don’t go forgetting it and accidentally sending it to His Majesty.
No. How did he know that?
*****
Alde of House Markang was spending the first week at Einroguard in a punishment cell.
At least Alde was not alone. Quite a few other students were locked up there too.
They were students who had either failed at smuggling or caused trouble on the very first day and gotten caught.
“Hey. I don’t think I saw you during the smuggling run. How’d you end up here?”
“Palga of House Ukim tried to escape, and I got caught because I happened to be nearby. Then during questioning, I played dumb, and they sent me to the punishment cells.”
“And you in the next room?”
“Same here. Palga of House Ukim tried to escape, and I got caught because I was standing nearby.”
“Ouch. Sounds like both of you got sent here because you insisted on denying it.”
“No. I reported it immediately, and they sent me here anyway. Damn it.”
“…And you in the far-right cell?”
“I’m Palga of House Ukim.”
A groan echoed through the corridor.
Once introductions were over, the students in the punishment cells immediately began exchanging information at high speed.
Even in the punishment cells, they still had to attend school.
“Hey. What do you think this lecture will be like? They’ll hold it, right?”
“Honestly, I don’t think this lecture will be canceled.”
“Excuse me, honored guard! Could you at least contact the professor so we can do the assignment in advance?”
The Death Knight walking down the corridor passed by with cold indifference.
At the sight, the students sighed.
By now they were used to spending a few days in the punishment cells, so that part was not especially hard.
Missing lecture content, however, hurt quite a bit.
Once they got out, they would have to make up for it in far more brutal fashion…
“I saw this coming, so I brought a book with me when I got caught.”
“Urgh. Lucky.”
“The lecture I picked doesn’t have class this week, but even so, I feel like I should prepare ahead of time…”
As the students chattered noisily, someone in another solitary cell called out,
“Would anyone like to buy a book?”
“!”
“You’ve got spare books?! Do you happen to have a copy of <Advanced Applications of Fire Element> too?”
“I do. Starting with introductory texts on elemental applications, I’ve also got the latest volumes in the Toberiz series, and magazines like <Monthly Dark Magic Trends>.”
“…That bastard’s from the Library Club!!”
“You got yourself caught on purpose just to do business here! What a vicious bastard!”
The students locked in the punishment cells were appalled by the madness of the Library Club member.
To think someone would deliberately get caught just to sell books.
“Haha. It’s a service for all of you. Won’t you buy?”
“Urgh… Give me one copy of <Advanced Applications of Fire Element>. How many times the original price is it?”
Experienced Einroguard students had already expected this.
If someone was committed enough to follow them all the way into the punishment cells to sell books, the price was surely going to be multiplied several times over.
“What are you talking about? Just pay the original price.”
“Huh? Really?”
“Yes. But first, you need to buy and read this one here, <The Life and Death of Jundaur Dolfraam>.”
“…That much is fine, I guess…”
Unlike the other clubs, the Library Club deserved respect for not gouging people here.
Having to buy one extra boring trash book was a perfectly bearable price.
“All right. Here.”
“Here’s your book. Take it.”
“Thanks. Now sell me <Advanced Applications of Fire Element> too.”
“What are you talking about? I said you have to read <The Life and Death of Jundaur Dolfraam> first.”
“…Huh? I bought it.”
“Yes. I said you have to buy it and read it.”
“……”
Only then did the student realize something was wrong and ask in a flustered voice,
“Once I bought it, it’s my choice when to read it, isn’t it? I’ll read it later, so hurry up and sell it to me!”
“No. Read it first. I’ll be checking.”
We let our guard down!
Only then did the students realize they had underestimated the madness of the Library Club.
These lunatics were trying to force them to read the books that never got read under normal circumstances!
“D-do magazines also have books you have to buy first?”
“Yes. There is one you have to read first. <A Year Sent from the Frost Giant Dimension>.”
“P-please, spare me that one. I’ve seen it before. It was so boring I thought I was going to collapse.”
“No. It’s a good book if you finish it.”
The students tried negotiating, saying they would rather just pay more, but the Library Club member was adamant.
In the end, the students in the punishment cells had no choice but to read the books they normally avoided, with tears in their eyes.
“Ugh… I want to read something else.”
“…But now that I’m rereading it, it’s kind of interesting?”
“Shut up.”
After the other students had bought books one by one, Alde also whispered cautiously.
“Hey. Hey.”
“Yes?”
“I don’t have any gold coins on me right now. But actually, I’ve secured some incredible contraband outside.”
“No credit.”
“I’m serious. It’s really outside!”
Alde cried out in a voice full of grievance.
But none of the students believed it.
How could someone who had been caught along with them have any contraband stashed away?
“Is there a senior here?”
“???”
“Senior Alde of House Markang? Or is this the wrong corridor?”
“Here! Here! I’m here!!!”