Chapter 1254

Unlike the other professors, whose reactions were delayed because they had never met Lee Han in person, Professor Marhajin responded one step faster.

He threw himself out of the spire and attempted to escape with flight magic.

Uman, who had been watching from below, was startled.

‘What?!’

Just before Lee Han’s group had gone up, the Emperor’s voice had given this instruction.

Uman... you wait below... If a flying insect tries to escape, catch it...

-???

Uman had wondered what the Emperor meant by a flying insect, but the moment he saw the mage flying away outside, he somehow became certain.

That must be it!

When Uman transformed into a reduced-size dragon and shot upward, Professor Marhajin realized his mistake.

His foresight had been thrown into such disarray by the House Wardanaz mage that he had failed to notice even such an obvious trap.

“I’ve been had. I admit defeat!”

“What do you mean, defeat... If anyone heard that, they’d misunderstand!”

Uman glanced around to see whether anyone had witnessed it. Fortunately, it had happened quickly and high above the ground, so it seemed no one had seen.

-There, there’s a dragon!

-You’re pulling that nonsense again? I told you to stop drinking so much!

-No! I’m telling you, there was a dragon!

...A few drunks drinking outside a tavern made a fuss, but no one paid them any {N•o•v•e•l•i•g•h•t} attention.

“Ah!”

“Oh no!”

When Professor Marhajin was caught by Uman and brought back in through the tower window, the Oculoguard mages groaned.

Their opponent was truly meticulous.

From disguising the carriage to laying a trap that blocked the escape route. He clearly knew very well how to deal with foresight mages.

What sort of wicked scheme could possibly require an ambush like this?

“I was truly foolish. If he is a monster that devours foresight, of course he could use methods like this.”

“The fact that we were in the capital also caused us to let our guard down! Record this cause so that it is never repeated.”

Knock knock knock-

“Um, hello?”

Lee Han, unaware that an escape attempt had just taken place above, cautiously knocked on the door of the tower’s upper level.

Lee Han’s group had only just arrived.

The Oculoguard mages carefully opened the door and welcomed the group. At the same time, they did everything possible to avoid coming into contact with Lee Han.

“......”

Being treated as though he were some patient with a contagious disease hurt Lee Han’s feelings a little.

Wasn’t this going a bit too far?

“I’m sorry. At Oculoguard, the higher one’s position, the more sensitive they become to the accuracy of foresight magic...”

“I understand.”

Lee Han did not let it show.

Besides, hadn’t he come here to apologize in the first place? Considering the threa—no, slightly rude letter he had sent last time, this much treatment was something he should naturally accept.

“Wardanaz. Our agreement last time was clearly that you would visit Oculoguard according to the proper procedures and process. I do not understand what sort of anger drove you to act on your own.”

When Professor Marhajin spoke as the representative, the other Oculoguard professors present desperately nodded along.

Oculoguard had been preparing a meticulous and powerful foresight-protection barrier in anticipation of Wardanaz’s visit, so they could not understand why Wardanaz had suddenly come separately like this.

Had some kind of anger shaken this young mage?

“Um... well... hmm... I thought the letter I sent was a little rude, so I came to apologize in person.”

“......”

“......”

A frigid silence settled over the room. Yonair and Nillia thought to themselves.

‘He’s my friend, but I really want to run away.’

No matter how strong the power of friendship might be, enduring the cold, icy looks those foresight mages were sending was not easy.

“To think you would visit tomorrow over something so trivial! Do not let him come.”

“???”

When one of the Oculoguard professors suddenly said something strange, Lee Han was baffled. Paridim whispered beside him.

“It seems the shock has caused some confusion about the time. They probably think that right now is yesterday.”

It was a kind of rebound that occasionally happened to mages who handled foresight or spacetime magic.

As an accomplished mage himself, Lee Han was about to nod with an understanding expression.

“That can certainly happ—”

“Whenever the monster that devours foresight visits even once, our magic...”

“Who are you calling a monster that devours foresight!”

Lee Han flared up.

Even so, was it really acceptable for another magic academy to make use of the malicious slander spread by evil-god worshipers?!

The Oculoguard professors were horrified and immediately apologized.

“We apologize, Wardanaz!”

“Please calm down! And breathe without coming any closer!”

“......”

This was the first time Lee Han had ever felt even worse after receiving an apology.

Lee Han decided to simply return to the original topic.

“...Forget it. I’m the one who came here to apologize. The Oculoguard mages must certainly have been displeased by the letter I sent.”

“That is correct. Some members of the faculty argued for attacking you.”

“......”

Lee Han’s expression stiffened at being told information he had never wanted to know.

Professor Voladi, standing behind him, opened his mouth.

“What are the names of those faculty members?”

“They were certainly...”

“Stop! Don’t tell him!”

Lee Han quickly cut in.

Of course, even if it had never actually happened, it was still unsettling that talk of attacking him had gone that far.

Especially when he would soon have to visit Oculoguard.

But digging up their names and telling Professor Voladi somehow felt as though it would make things even more unsettling.

If an Imperial newspaper later ran an article titled <Oculoguard Professor Dies Mysteriously!?>...

“That is why I came to apologize. Let us put aside the resentment between us and unite as magic academies of the Empire!”

Jowrin, watching from behind, tilted her head.

“Jowrin does not know whether an apology like that has any meaning when Lee Han is the one holding the sword.”

-I think so too.

“......”

Lee Han pretended not to hear the conversation between the two reptiles behind him.

It seemed the baby basilisk would be going without snacks for about a week.

“Is that all? Your business?”

“Yes.”

“Understood. Your apology is accepted.”

The Oculoguard professors were indeed excellent mages.

Even if they wanted to punch Lee Han in their hearts, they used cold reason to choose the optimal course of action.

Getting angry and shouting, ‘You came all the way here just for that?!’ would certainly feel satisfying and be easy, but then that mage would only remain here longer.

It was better simply to accept the apology and send him away.

“Thank you! But may I say just a few more things?”

“Understood. Go ahead.”

“Since you accepted my apology, when you meet Professor Garcia, I’d appreciate it if you didn’t show that you’re displeased or get angry.”

“......”

“......”

Even Lee Han’s friends were beginning to feel that this conversation no longer sounded much like an apology.

This wasn’t an apology, it was...

‘Isn’t this a threat?’

But the Oculoguard mages remained coldly rational as ever.

Here too, they avoided acting emotionally and chose the optimal option.

“We promise.”

“Since you accepted my apology, I’d also appreciate it if you would cooperate fully with whatever Professor Garcia says...”

“We promise.”

“If mages from the other magic academies criticize Professor Garcia, curse them out harshly.”

“We promise.”

“Lee Han, stop. Professor Garcia is going to think this is strange instead.”

His friends, unable to watch any longer, stopped him.

Recruiting them was one thing, but if he turned them into puppets to this extent, what would Professor Garcia think?!

“Lastly, you absolutely cannot let Professor Garcia find out that I asked you for any of this. Then I’ll be counting on you.”

Lee Han bowed deeply and stepped outside. Uman, who had been watching the situation, quickly rejoined Lee Han’s group.

Excellent...

The Emperor praised Lee Han’s skill.

Of course, it was slightly reminiscent of the Skull Principal, but since Lee Han was his disciple, some resemblance was inevitable.

And even if they did the exact same thing, when the Skull Principal did it, it was a vile act of contempt for Imperial law, whereas when Lee Han did it, it was the admirable good deed of a promising disciple.

Dekarogard’s mages would be good next... Go find Duke Bellaron.

“Ah. I suppose I need to return the carriage.”

Lee Han looked over the duke’s carriage as he spoke.

He had borrowed it well enough, so now it was time to return it...

What are you talking about? You may keep the carriage. Take the duke with you to the next place. Tell him that if he cannot resolve the matter, he will be held responsible...

“......”

Lee Han was beginning to feel a little sorry for Duke Bellaron.

“I feel kind of bad for him.”

“Shh! If you say things like that, you could get scolded badly. The duke is merely a puppet of the Empire.”

Uman repeated exactly what the Emperor had just taught him. Lee Han looked genuinely shocked.

This dragon had cried his eyes out just because some Einroguard students set a few fires, yet he had a cold-hearted side like this?

Once Uman had passed by, Jowrin secretly whispered.

“Lee Han. Unlike Uman, Jowrin absolutely does not think that way.”

Even if Uman ended up being treated as a bad dragon, Jowrin still needed to survive.

There was no need for there to be two bad dragons, was there?

“...I didn’t think he was bad enough to call him that. More importantly, Your Highness. Why do we need His Grace the Duke when dealing with the Dekarogard mages?”

“Jowrin does not know...”

“Ah. I was calling for His Highness Uman. Your Highness Uman!”

“......”

While Lee Han was not looking, Jowrin glared at the back of the younger dragon’s head.

Showing off just because he knew a little more and was a little more capable.

Perhaps Uman really was a bad dragon.

“Dekarogard mages? I thought you, Lee Han of House Wardanaz, would know.”

“I know that it is a magic academy of transformation mages. Beyond that, I don’t know much.”

If he had to add anything, perhaps that it had many sociable mages?

Because of that, Einroguard’s transformation-magic students always hated outside mages.

For some strange reason, the transformation magic school had an unusually large number of sociable mages.

“Dekarogard mages like gold.”

“...!”

Lee Han’s eyes trembled violently. His friends listening from behind became frightened.

He wasn’t about to say he wanted to transfer to Dekarogard, was he?

***

Duke Bellaron’s face brightened when the carriage returned.

Then it darkened again when the mages demanded that he accompany them.

“Focus, Duke!”

“U-understood. I’ll keep it firmly in mind!”

When Uman sternly pressed him, the duke straightened his posture. The sight made the Einroguard students slightly nervous.

“Why is His Highness Uman acting like that?”

“He isn’t going to act like that at Einroguard too, is he?”

In truth, what worried them more than him bullying the duke was the possibility that he might bring that attitude back to Einroguard.

The students still vividly remembered how harsh the Inspector’s rules had been at the beginning of the semester before Uman had received Lee Han’s advice.

“It wouldn’t even be strange if he’d become convinced that Einroguard students weren’t worth treating kindly anymore.”

“Gainando. That’s why you should have acted a little more diligently!”

“How was I supposed to know this would happen?!”

‘He can’t exactly argue that he acted diligently.’

Lee Han thought to himself as he looked out of the carriage.

He had definitely heard they could find the Dekarogard mages here in the Grand Market district in front of the canal?

“Mage, are you looking for something?”

“Ah. Do you happen to know where the Dekarogard mages are staying?”

“I do! Follow me.”

Lee Han brightened at the cheerful merchant’s words and got out of the carriage.

Surprisingly, the place where the Dekarogard mages were staying was an inn less than ten steps away.

“What? It was right in front of us?”

“Thank you for showing us.”

Lee Han still thanked the merchant.

To show such kindness despite being busy.

Then the merchant held out a palm.

“...?”

“One silver coin.”

“W-what kind of ridiculous price is that!”

Gainando shouted in shock. The merchant replied with an apologetic expression.

“I’m sorry. This is simply our Dekarogard principle...”

“......”

“......”