Chapter 1257

“Wait! His Grace came here on his own.”

The goblin professor launched a counterattack.

In truth, the amount involved this time was simply too large for him to let it go without resistance.

Besides, judging from the circumstances, this was a situation where he had enough grounds to argue on equal footing.

'Someone of Duke Bellaron’s standing wouldn’t have been brought here by Einroguard mages. He must have come of his own accord for some other purpose. In that case, even an Einroguard mage couldn’t demand an introduction fee.'

Lee Han did not know it, but Professor Ukablock sometimes worked as a lawyer in the Imperial courts as a side job.

Perhaps because of that, his skill at finding holes in an argument within a brief moment was razor-sharp.

“He didn’t come on his own. I brought him.”

“...Liar! That’s impossible!”

When Professor Ukablock shouted in surprise without realizing it, Lee Han immediately held out his palm.

It meant he wanted compensation for the insult just now.

“......”

The goblin professor was deeply furious.

Not at Lee Han, but at himself.

'How shameful! To think my discipline is this shallow.'

As a professor of Dekarogard, the mistake he had just made was truly disgraceful.

A mage who was supposed to transform all things without losing himself had rudely accused someone else of lying.

“Khk.”

After paying the compensation first, Professor Ukablock calmly asked,

“Your Grace. Did you truly come here because of the Einroguard mages?”

“I did.”

There was a trace of irritation in Duke Bellaron’s voice.

He wanted to hand over the gold and go back as quickly as possible, yet this wicked mage was keeping him here.

“H-how...?!”

“A sincere request. That was all.”

Lee Han said proudly.

Then he held out his palm.

He had told him the method, so naturally he deserved proper compensation.

Professor Ukablock handed over a gold coin with tears of disappointment in himself welling in his eyes.

He would never forget the mistakes he had made today for the rest of his life!

***

“Be wary of that mage from House Wardanaz!”

After having a large amount of the gold Duke Bellaron had paid stripped away from him, Ukablock spoke to his student in a low voice.

Shabit nodded with a serious expression.

To think the professor, who always looked lazy and bothered by everything, was acting like this.

It made him realize just how serious the matter was.

“I will not let my guard down for even a single moment. I’ll stay alert for the intent to seize gold hidden in every word and every movement.”

“That is not all.”

“??”

“That mage will surely try to visit Dekarogard!”

“...!!!”

The Dekarogard student felt as though he had been struck by lightning at his teacher’s words.

This was a threat he had never even considered.

It was fine for students inside the magic academy to seize gold from one another, but outsiders were a different story.

Dekarogard was a place that absorbed gold from the outside world, not one that released it again.

“The total amount of gold held by the academy might decrease!”

“Exactly. Truly terrifying... I heard rumors that the Oculoguard mages were reluctant to receive that prodigy as a visitor. Perhaps this was the reason.”

Had the Oculoguard mages heard that, they would have trembled with indignation.

How could anyone compare magical reasons concerning the purity of foresight with greed like this?

While that sinister conversation continued behind him, Lee Han went to see off the duke, who was preparing to leave.

“Your Grace. Wouldn’t it be better to take the carriage after everything here is finished...”

“I have always enjoyed walking! I’ll return on foot!”

“It’s dangerous for someone of your standing to travel around alone. And why did you suddenly become so formal... Please address me comfortably.”

“I am well versed in swordsmanship and possess powerful artifacts. Please! Please let me go back!”

Lee Han was relieved that no one else was watching.

If there had been other people around, they might have mistaken him for some kind of kidnapper.

“No... All right. Come to think of it, with artifacts of Your Grace’s caliber, no one would even dare attack you.”

“I-if you need them...”

When the duke misunderstood his meaning and tried to offer up his artifacts, Lee Han hurriedly stopped him.

Gainando, who had been about to accept and pocket them, looked puzzled.

“Huh? Aren’t we supposed to take them?”

“Are you insane?!”

As his friends berated him, Gainando grumbled inwardly.

'Why was it fine when we did this to the Dekarogard mages earlier, but not to the duke?'

“Then please return safely, Your Grace.”

“!”

Once he was truly freed, Duke Bellaron finally seemed to recover some of his composure.

He straightened the clothing that had looked like a prisoner’s until just moments ago, tidied his disheveled white hair, and cleared his throat.

“...Thank you for seeing me off. I believe I misspoke a little because I was anxious just now.”

“A little?”

Lee Han kicked Gainando in the shin.

The duke failed to notice and continued speaking.

“It is truly an honor to aid the future of the Empire by helping such outstanding mages.”

“Uman is pleased that you think so as well.”

Uman nodded with satisfaction.

The duke had admittedly fallen into a panic and made an embarrassing scene begging to be sent back to his estate, but there was no denying that he had contributed greatly to this matter.

No matter how little the Emperor thought of the duke, Uman, as a member of the Empire, had to express gratitude.

That was simply Uman’s nature.

“Please... please speak well of me to His Majesty.”

Duke Bellaron spoke while watching Uman’s reaction.

He was delighted to be free, but the truth was that he was also somewhat worried.

He had made several mistakes during this affair.

He had failed to stop the baron before the man behaved arrogantly toward Professor Garcia, he might have slapped the baron’s cheek a little too gently, and then there was the part where he had bawled and begged to be sent back to his estate...

People of the Empire who had never met the Emperor held fantasies about their benevolent ruler, but Duke Bellaron, who met him regularly, had none whatsoever.

The Emperor of the Empire was a vicious perfectionist with a savage and twisted disposition.

Even a minor mistake could bring severe punishment.

That was why the only people Duke Bellaron could rely on right now were the Emperor’s nine children.

“Hmm... Well... You would be better off asking someone other than Uman.”

Uman glanced to the side. The duke understood the gesture and exclaimed,

“...Ah, you mean Her Highness Jowrin...!”

“Farther to the side!”

“??”

Duke Bellaron looked beside Her Highness Jowrin.

The mage from House Wardanaz was whispering with his friends.

-Right. I also need to make sure those mages can’t tell Professor Garcia my name.

-With threats?

-You’re going to threaten them, right?

-Threats seem like they might work.

-...I’m going to persuade them...

The duke knew the young man was an extraordinary talent, but compared with the Emperor’s direct children standing here, he was still only a young mage with no official standing whatsoever.

There was even an Einroguard professor here. How could a mere student possibly persuade His Majesty the Emperor?

“Are you joking with me right now? He’s still a student. No matter how many accomplishments he has...”

“It is true. When it comes to favor, far more than Uman or Elder Sister...”

“Your Highness. Please, stop joking and help me!”

Duke Bellaron seemed to think Uman was brushing him off because he found the matter bothersome, so he began pleading.

At that lack of awareness, Uman felt as though he understood why the Emperor thought so little of this duke.

'Even when I tell him, he refuses to believe me...!'

“Your Highness Jowrin. Might you perhaps remember this old and insignificant man...”

“Hmm?”

The duke called out to Jowrin as well.

Jowrin, who had been innocently licking the large swirl lollipop Lee Han had given her so she would not get bored, turned around in confusion.

“Your Highness! Please speak well of me to His Majesty regarding this matter.”

“It would be much more effective to ask Lee Han than Jowrin, though?”

Jowrin said it sincerely because the duke looked so pitiful.

When not one but two of the Emperor’s direct children told him the exact same thing, even the oblivious duke could not help but realize something.

“...?!!!!!”

Did the Emperor truly cherish that young mage even more?!

“Lee H—”

Too late.

Just as the duke tried to call out to Lee Han, he felt a mountain-like telepathic thought crush down on his entire body.

Goosebumps rose all over him.

There was only one person who could send a telepathic thought like this.

“Y-Your, Your, Your M—”

He had even been watching directly!?

'Uman was telling the truth...!'

Do not bother him with pointless conversation. Return to your estate and remain confined there. Write your own critique of your mistakes.

“...Yes...!”

The duke regretted it with tears of blood in his heart.

All he had needed to do was pretend not to know and build a good relationship with that mage from House Wardanaz, yet he had thrown away the entire opportunity and instead flattered the wrong children of the Emperor.

Thinking about it, this was Einroguard’s fault.

He had never imagined the Emperor would favor an Einroguard mage to such an extent.

'Khk!'

***

“By the way. These gold coins...”

After returning from seeing off the duke, Lee Han pointed at the gold coins he had received as his share.

The Dekarogard mages immediately straightened their postures.

There was even a grim resolve in their expressions.

“...I’m not asking you for more. I have a favor to request. Could you deliver these gold coins to Professor Garcia? As for the reason... I think something like, ‘The Dekarogard mages donated them for this exchange gathering,’ would be good.”

“???”

Professor Ukablock failed to understand for a moment.

Why would gold coins he had earned be given away as a gift under Dekarogard’s name?

“I do not quite understand...”

“Professor Garcia has high hopes for cooperation between the magic academies. Imagine how happy Professor Garcia would be if the people of Dekarogard voluntarily made such a donation.”

“...!”

Ukablock was sincerely moved.

To think there was a disciple like this.

That was a sight one would absolutely never see at Dekarogard.

“Such things happen at Einroguard?!”

“No... Not usually.”

“Lee Han is the unusual one.”

The Einroguard students, unable to bear it any longer, tried to correct the misunderstanding, but their words did not reach the already impressed Professor Ukablock.

“I am genuinely moved, Lee Han of House Wardanaz. Your devotion to your teacher is admirable.”

'Hmm. I probably shouldn’t ask for an emotional-impact fee right now.'

Since it was an unfortunate situation, Lee Han restrained himself.

Right now, he was the one asking for a favor.

“However, as Dekarogard mages, we do not simply grant requests for free. You understand that well, do you not?”

“Yes. Yes.”

Of course he understood.

Lee Han had already prepared himself to return every gold coin he had extracted today.

Clink-

Lee Han placed the pouch of gold coins on top and spoke again.

“If this isn’t enough, I can come back during vacation... No, vacation might be difficult. I’ll visit again during the next semester after vacation and pay the rest.”

“......”

“......”

The atmosphere suddenly turned cold.

Lee Han sensed something strange.

'What? Are they angry because I said I’d pay on credit?'

“Where... exactly are you saying you’ll visit?”

Shabit, the Dekarogard student, asked in place of his teacher.

His teacher seemed too shocked to ask right now.

“Dekarogard, obviously. If I’m going to pay the fee, I have to visit...”

“N-no need to come! Haha!”

Professor Ukablock laughed heartily.

Then he quickly pushed the pouch of gold coins back toward Lee Han.

“How could we possibly charge a fee for such a touching matter? We’ll simply do it for you!”

“No... Doesn’t that violate your school rules?”

“Since I heard such a touching story, I suppose I should pay you for it as well!”

The professor skillfully shoved the gold coins into Lee Han’s clothes.

It was clearly not the first or second time he had done something like this.

“Why exactly are you acting like this?”

“Come to think of it, I believe the introduction fee for the duke was insufficient. Bring more!”

“......”

The friends watching beside him whispered from behind.

-Did Lee Han already threaten them while we weren’t looking?