Chapter 762
“Is… is this really okay?”
“Isn’t there another vault somewhere?”
The other dark magic students muttered among themselves, apparently thinking the same thing Lee Han was.
No matter what, how could the vault responsible for one entire school at Einroguard be this empty?
“Cough. Dark magic is poor by nature.”
“…”
“…”
Now that they were all second-years, Professor Mortum stated the truth without hesitation.
A dark magic school’s vault being empty was normal to begin with.
In general, a school vault was filled through donations added by grateful clients when affiliated students completed outside commissions, or through supplementary funding granted when research proposals were submitted in the school’s name.
Or through the sale of various magic-related items developed and marketed by the school itself…
…but the dark magic school lost out in every one of those avenues.
Commissions?
In the Empire, commissions fell into two categories: the ones that made money, and the ones that did not. The dark magic school mostly got the kind that did not.
The profitable commissions usually come from nobles or merchants. Hard for them to go to the dark magic school.
Consultations on magic-related items, requests for instruction, or magical services for banquets.
Those were the kinds of jobs that were not very difficult and paid generously.
…And those jobs rarely ever went to the dark magic school.
The commissions that did come to the dark magic school were things like requests from poor villagers to exterminate undead appearing in a nearby graveyard, or pleas to resolve curses spreading through a swamp tainted with polluted mana.
Rewarding work, perhaps, but not especially profitable.
Research grants?
The research proposals submitted by dark magic students were usually at a disadvantage there too.
—We propose to develop an efficient low-circle spell that can be cast on carriage wheels in order to improve the Empire’s transportation network.
—A fine idea.
—I would like to research divination specialized in predicting weather for the farmers of the east, who suffer under ever-changing conditions.
—Potentially dangerous, but worth pursuing.
—In my previous research, I developed a poison capable of killing a bladed devil instantly. This time, I intend to develop one capable of killing a bronze devil instantly.
—Do you think an Imperial treasury official just throws money at any ★ 𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐥𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭 ★ research proposal shoved across the table?
Hard not to be at a disadvantage.
Since he had actually met Imperial evaluators together with the Skull Principal over winter break, Lee Han knew very well how difficult grant money was to obtain.
Officials basically liked magic that helped the Empire run more smoothly. They had little interest in ultimate spells or legendary poisons.
And as for selling magical items, dark-magic-related goods were not exactly popular these days either…
“Cough. Still, don’t worry.”
At Professor Mortum’s words, the faces of Lee Han’s friends brightened slightly.
They thought maybe there was some hidden source of income after all.
“Does the Principal donate to the dark magic school, by any chance?”
“What are you talking about?”
“You said not to worry…”
“Honestly. Cough. Don’t be ridiculous. I meant it’s fine because dark magic still functions even when it’s poor.”
“…”
Now that they were second-years, Professor Mortum was laying out the raw truth with no restraint.
All the students were appalled, but Lee Han alone remained calm. He had already seen glimpses of this back in first year.
There was that whole uproar over not having materials back then too.
The dark magic school really was unusually good at enduring things with whatever happened to be available.
Just look at the enchantment magic school. That professor would throw materials onto the floor just for failing to meet personal standards.
If someone in the dark magic school threw materials onto the floor because they were dissatisfied, even a professor might get beaten by Senior Diret.
“Professor. Then where did these gold coins come from?”
Suddenly curious, Lee Han asked. Professor Mortum frowned, trying to remember.
“Diret brought them in… Was it from a commission? A grant? A sale?”
…I should do something myself.
Professor Mortum’s answer filled Lee Han with a sudden sense of guilt.
Whether it meant taking commissions and bringing in donations, submitting proposals to secure funding in the school’s name, or selling magical items to gather extra money, it felt like he really ought to start building up some funds.
Gainando, sounding uneasy, asked,
“Professor. If we’re this poor, won’t juniors stop coming? Did any juniors join this year?”
At the prince’s question, Professor Mortum made a circle with one finger. Gainando let out a sigh of relief.
“That’s good. So somebody joined.”
“Cough. What are you talking about?”
“Huh?”
“It means there are still zero.”
“…”
“…”
As members of the dark magic school, the second-years suddenly felt crushing pressure to do something.
“Greetings, Professor Taswan. My name is Lee Han. These are my friends, Gainando, Imirg, and Raphaedel.”
“Cough. A pleasure to meet all of you.”
Professor Taswan responded warmly to the welcome from the Einroguard students.
Gainando spoke with sympathy.
“Did your health worsen because of dark magic research? I suppose curses or poison really are…”
“…Y-you could say that.”
What’s that about?
Lee Han had the feeling the other professor was hiding something.
Even though there did not seem to be any particular reason to hide anything in this situation.
“This is my disciple, Agdung. A fourth-year student from Kalarogard.”
“???”
The dark mage called Agdung bowed politely.
With bones clattering, a Skeleton mage removed its hat and dipped its head, leaving Lee Han’s friends in confusion.
Why is it a skeleton??
“Professor Taswan. I have a question.”
“What is it?”
When Lee Han opened his mouth, his friends nodded. Apparently their friend had noticed the strange part too.
“Where are the other students?”
“The journey caused their poison to flare up, so they’re still resting. It looks like Agdung will have to handle everything alone.”
“I see. Understood.”
Hearing that the other students were resting, Lee Han nodded.
A long journey really did exhaust frail mages.
“…Wardanaz!”
“What is it, Raphaedel? What’s wrong?”
“That’s it?!”
“??”
At Raphaedel’s reaction, Lee Han gave him a look that clearly said, What is wrong with this idiot?
“Don’t tell me you want me to ask about the payment already. That feels a little rude, Raphaedel.”
“…Not that! There! Isn’t it weird that this senior named Agdung is a skeleton?!”
“Ah.”
Only then did Lee Han understand what his friend meant.
“Well, that can happen. One senior at Einroguard walks around transformed into a golem.”
“…”
“…”
His friends fell into confusion.
Well…
Was that true?
Am I the narrow-minded one here?
“Don’t argue over me, everyone. Haha. You must be confused because I’m currently transformed into a Skeleton mage.”
Agdung cut in, trying to reassure the Einroguard students.
“It’s because of the dark magic I’m researching, so don’t get the wrong idea.”
“What kind of research are you doing?”
“Hmm! I’m researching how to turn the human body into undead. Becoming a lich by throwing away the entire mortal body has too many side effects, so the idea is to leave a few organs and systems intact while permanently replacing the parts that can be swapped out with undead components—”
“Ahh.”
Lee Han and his friends immediately reached the same conclusion and moved farther away.
A lunatic!
Once again, they understood why the Empire was not especially fond of dark magic research.
*****
But Agdung turned out to be a surprisingly sociable and friendly Skeleton mage.
Agdung was charming enough with cheerful jokes and quick wit that the Einroguard students almost forgot about the insane research.
“You play Mage Cards? What kind of deck do you like, Gainando?”
“A d-dark magic curse deck…”
“Hmm? What sort of deck was that?”
“A d-dark magic curse deck.”
“Wow, that’s an excellent deck! There are a lot of people in Kalarogard trying to build that one too.”
“Really?!?!”
Gainando shouted, eyes going wide.
A school like that actually existed?
“Of course! Some people who don’t know anything call it a cowardly deck, but what’s cowardly about winning? If you’re going to think like that, there’s no point in playing Mage Cards at all. Right. We’re having a Mage Card Club exchange match later. Want to participate?”
“…I’m not part of that club…”
“That’s a shame.”
“C-couldn’t I just play separately?”
“You can’t, Gainando. I can’t just spend time however I like on something that isn’t in the plan.”
Gainando cursed himself for misreading the club name.
That might have been his chance to make a friend who truly shared his philosophy of Mage Cards.
“Raphaedel. Isn’t House Gral a knightly house famous for opposing dark magic? And yet you’re studying it?”
“…That’s right. To be honest, it’s not that I like dark magic. I’m learning it so I can understand its weaknesses…”
“Yes. I respect that attitude, Raphaedel! Only a true knight could sacrifice themselves enough to make that kind of choice.”
“…R-right?”
Raphaedel lit up at the praise.
It was the first compliment he had ever received from dark mages.
His friends had always done nothing but mock him with Just admit you like dark magic already.
“Imirg. May I ask what your reason is for learning dark magic?”
“O-out on the edges of the cities, there are a lot of undead outbreaks, and I wanted to stop them…”
“Excellent, Imirg. There aren’t many dark mages with as noble a purpose as yours.”
Imirg blushed shyly at the praise.
Most of the mages who entered the dark magic school seemed to have higher and grander ambitions, so the goal of traveling through Imperial towns and cities in service had always felt a little unimpressive by comparison.
“Lee Han. Come to think of it, I never asked about your house. Which house are you from?”
“House Wardanaz.”
Clattercrashcrash!
“?!”
When the Skeleton mage stumbled and sent several bones flying, Lee Han jumped in surprise.
“Are you all right?!”
“I-I’m fine. Caught a toe on a stone.”
As Agdung reassembled a shinbone, the Skeleton mage reeled inwardly.
Damn it!
When Professor Taswan had first said, This year it seems some second-year students will be guiding us around, Agdung had thought, Is Einroguard’s dark magic school short on people?
But it was a boy from House Wardanaz.
That explained everything. Wasn’t this the disciple of the Imperial Mage Marshal?
More importantly, a second-year?!
When rumors had spread last winter that Duke Gonadaltes had been traveling around with a disciple from House Wardanaz, Agdung had assumed the disciple must have been a fourth-year or fifth-year.
But a second-year?
And now I’m standing face-to-face with the Imperial Mage Marshal’s disciple…
Agdung was so tense and frightened the nonexistent heart in that skeletal chest felt as though it were pounding.
Professor Taswan alone was proof enough that getting involved with Duke Gonadaltes was not a wise choice.
Naturally, the same would apply to getting involved with the disciple.
“Take my hand and get up.”
“Yes! Thank you.”
“…?”
Lee Han felt a distinct sense of wrongness at the response.
“What did you just say?”
“I-I said thank you.”
“Do you perhaps have some bad memory connected to House Wardanaz…?”
“W-what are you talking about, Lee Han? What bad memory could I possibly have of House Wardanaz, one of the pillars of the Empire?”
This person is hiding something!
There was no way Lee Han would fail to notice that reaction.
Agdung definitely had some bad memory connected to House Wardanaz.
Damn it. Did this person visit Udamhwa Village and run into a devil? It wasn’t my territory, was it?
Everyone else in the dark magic school was hitting it off cheerfully with their guest, while Lee Han alone was being isolated because of his house. It was grossly unfair.
“S-so anyway, Lee Han. About the mushroom field—I know where it is too. I’ll go gather everything myself, so why don’t you and your friends rest here? It’s such a trivial matter, I’d feel bad making you do it!”
“What? Too much time has passed for that to work from the map alone. And there are things I need from the mushroom field too. Let’s just go together.”
“T-then how about this?”
“?”
“I’ll gather the mushrooms you need too.”
“…”
Under Lee Han’s suspicious gaze, Agdung realized the mistake immediately.
Of course it would be strange for a visiting fourth-year student to suddenly volunteer to run errands on behalf of a second-year.
“I-it was a joke! Haha.”
“Right…”