Chapter 1259

'Incredible. To think there could be healing mages even more radical than Professor Lagrinde.'

Lee Han reflected on himself once again.

There could always be another sky above the sky.

Even after experiencing that fact time and time again, he had still been too quick to jump to conclusions.

In truth, Professor Alkasis was only radical toward the professor's disciples and was surprisingly kind to patients.

Of course, if a patient refused to listen and stubbornly resisted, Professor Alkasis would immediately paralyze all four limbs, but even that had to be considered a form of kindness.

At the very least, Professor Alkasis did not turn someone who had been completely cured back into a patient just because they could not pay, like those Terarogard mages!

Compared to them, when it came to treatment fees, Professor Alkasis...

'...Come to think of it, I don't think Professor Alkasis was interested in treatment fees in the first place.'

Now that Lee Han thought about it, he wasn't even sure whether Professor Alkasis had any interest in treatment fees at all.

From the side, Professor Alkasis truly looked like someone who devoted every bit of attention solely to healing itself.

-If I have enough time to chase someone down and demand payment for healing, I'll heal several more patients in that time!

After hearing how Terarogard differed from Einroguard's healing magic school, Jowrin tilted her head.

“But one cannot simply ignore treatment fees entirely. The school would not be able to operate...”

“Heh. An excellent observation, Your Highness. You just push that sort of thing onto the Principal.”

Lee Han explained with satisfaction at Jowrin's sharp observation.

Einroguard had something of a chicken-game quality to it, so the more reasonable and conscientious a person was, the more they suffered. Professor Garcia was a prime example.

By contrast, no one could touch someone like Professor Alkasis.

What were they supposed to do if Professor Alkasis simply did not bother collecting treatment fees from every patient?

Were they going to heal all the patients who came flooding into Einroguard in the professor's place?

“What makes Professor Alkasis truly remarkable isn't simply the madness. The professor has also secured complete irreplaceability.”

Lee Han continued speaking in a voice filled with admiration.

If Professor Verdus behaved exactly the same way, Professor Verdus would immediately be dragged off to the punishment area and sentenced to forced labor.

The artifacts Professor Verdus produced were certainly impressive, but they were not strictly essential, and deadlines could always be extended or the work itself replaced.

Patients flooding in, however, could not be told to wait or simply be given some halfhearted alternative treatment. If Professor Alkasis were dragged off to the punishment area, enormous chaos would undoubtedly erupt.

“Isn't Professor Alkasis truly amazing?”

“Mm...”

Jowrin looked at the excited contractor with a lukewarm gaze.

In truth, Jowrin did not really understand what was supposed to be so impressive about that.

Was pushing work onto Gonadaltes really such an impressive thing?

'It does not seem very impressive...'

“Someday, I too want to become someone who can confidently push work onto the Principal just like Professor Alkasis.”

“Mm... Jowrin shall cheer for you.”

As the conversation began drifting in a strange direction, Uman cleared his throat.

“Ahem. In any case, Uman's point that Uman does not agree with the methods of the Terarogard mages has been conveyed, yes?”

“Yes, Your Highness. And honestly, Terarogard doesn't seem that strange.”

Having encountered an increasing number of bizarre mages lately, Lee Han's standards had become extremely generous.

If he were to rank the magic academies he had encountered so far in order of strangeness...

1. Valdrogard

2. Dekarogard

3. Einroguard

4. Oculoguard

5. Terarogard

6. Petroguard

7. Kalarogard

...

'At most, fifth place. Honestly, taken as a whole, they seem more normal than Einroguard.'

Of course, turning fully recovered patients back into injured ones did seem a little strange, but a single oddity like that could never defeat all of Einroguard's eccentricities.

“......”

“......”

The two dragons wore equally dubious expressions. As expected of members of the same kin, even their reactions were similar.

...Wasn't that strange, though?

Uman had only spoken as respectfully as possible because Terarogard was also a magic academy officially authorized by the Empire. Otherwise, Uman would have immediately suspected them of being evil-god worshipers.

What kind of insane mages were those?

“Isn't it actually easier to persuade mages when what they want is clear? As long as they don't have any other peculiarities, that would be preferable. Now, then... what kind of magic academy is the next one, Pararogard?”

“They are outstanding philologists and archaeologists, as well as scholars of relics and collectors.”

When Uman explained the magic academy of the illusion-magic school, Lee Han nodded as though he understood.

“I think I know. Let me guess. These mages run a grave-robbing guild, don't they?”

“...They do not!!!”

Uman shouted in horror at the outrageous guess.

If Pararogard mages had been present, those reckless words could have escalated into a dispute between schools.

“Huh? They don't?”

“I thought Lee Han got it right. Then what is it? A black market? A thieves' guild?”

“......”

Einroguard students fundamentally distrusted other magic academies.

Judging from the other magic academies they had encountered, there was a fairly high statistical probability that they were insane in some respect.

Once they heard that the Pararogard mages were outstanding philologists, archaeologists, and scholars of relics, the only things that came to mind were 'grave robbers,' 'black market,' and 'thieves.'

“Pararogard is not that kind of place. They are sincere and diligent mages.”

“!”

Not only Lee Han's friends, but Lee Han himself was greatly surprised.

A magic academy like that existed?

“Is that really true?”

“...Hmm. Of course, I cannot guarantee that there is not even a single grave robber or black-market owner among them...”

Uman weakened slightly. But even that was enough.

'They really must be a normal place.'

If even that stubborn dragon said they were fine, there was a high chance that they were genuinely normal by magic-academy standards.

Lee Han felt strangely relieved.

So there was at least one normal magic academy!

“That's a relief. Then we should be able to persuade these people too.”

“How are you planning to do that?”

Yonair asked curiously.

Professor Garcia's memo had clearly said...

-Talk with the Terarogard mages (let's try negotiating first and find out what they want and how much they want)

-Pararogard mages (ask which of the Principal's relics they want)

Even if these people were relatively normal, that did not change the fact that persuading them would be difficult.

'What is he planning to do?'

“For the Terarogard mages, I'm planning to ask His Grace the Duke for help again.”

The Emperor, who had been listening quietly, was pleased.

Of course, from the perspective of Duke Bellaron, who had only just barely been released, it would feel like the sky itself had collapsed, but a disciple of Osu had to be capable of making cold judgments like that.

If necessary, one needed the ruthlessness to seize even a duke who had just been released and put him back to use.

“What about Pararogard? You can't solve this one with money.”

“For this, I'll just ask which relic of the Principal's they want, then try stealing it together with Professor Voladi.”

Lee Han felt no guilt whatsoever about temporarily borrowing something belonging to the Skull Principal.

Hadn't the Skull Principal declared in the first place that anyone skilled enough was free to steal his possessions?

Receiving Professor Voladi's help could also be considered a form of skill.

“Indeed. Such a method exists!”

“That's a really good idea.”

Uman decided to pretend not to have heard the conversation just now.

No matter what, as the Inspector, Uman could not agree with such an openly declared plan of theft.

You should watch and learn as well. Learn that kind of boldness.

“......”

At the Emperor's sudden telepathic thought, Uman fell into deep contemplation.

Meanwhile, the Emperor contacted Lee Han's group again.

Both are good methods... but unfortunately, they will be difficult...

“!”

Lee Han was greatly surprised by the Emperor's message.

What part of this plan was wrong?

The Terarogard mages who were in the capital left for the south because of a summons order...

“A summons order? Did something happen? Have evil-god worshipers begun making trouble again...?”

Healing mages all moving at once was an ominous sign.

Since it had not been very long since the evil-god subjugation, Lee Han felt his heart sink.

No... one of the southern nobles paid too little and hid inside a fortress, so they're gathering everyone...

“......”

The Emperor sent the telepathic thought with an air of contempt.

The Terarogard mages did not give up simply because the other party ran away or trusted in fortress walls and dug in.

The more arrogantly the other party behaved, the more enraged they became, and the more fiercely they struck back.

But gathering enough force to bring down a fortress merely because someone had underpaid a treatment fee.

From the Emperor's perspective, it could only seem pathetic. Lee Han agreed.

They were abandoning the gathering in the capital because of that?

'I should move them up one place in the strange magic-academy rankings.'

“Even if that's the case for Terarogard, what's wrong with Pararogard?”

They never even arrived in the capital... No doubt they found some interesting ruins on the way and started excavating them...

“......”

Lee Han almost cursed without realizing it.

All over again, he felt as though he understood why the magic academies had gone so long without holding exchange gatherings like this.

It was damn difficult to get all of them together even once!

* * *

“Still, I think you did your best, so there is no need to be disappointed.”

Once the matter of the magic academies was settled, Uman comforted Lee Han.

Although Lee Han had failed to make every desired magic academy participate, this alone was already a sufficiently impressive achievement.

And Professor Garcia probably had not expected to meet every magic academy on the list through a single gathering either.

“Thank you, Your Highness.”

Lee Han thanked Uman for the consolation and pulled out his notebook.

Then he wrote down the names 'Terarogard' and 'Pararogard.'

Unable to contain curiosity, Paridim asked,

“What did you write those down for?”

“Ah. I wrote them down so I can get revenge later. I might forget otherwise.”

“......”

Uman and Paridim felt pity for the mages of the two magic academies.

They could never imagine it.

That the strongest enemy in history was sharpening a blade of revenge behind their backs!

After putting away the notebook, Lee Han checked the time. With the two magic academies gone, his schedule had suddenly become completely empty.

'This ended much faster than I expected.'

“Is there anywhere each of you wants to stop by while we're in the capital?”

Lee Han asked for the sake of the companions who had come all this way with him.

Even though they had secretly slipped out, Lee Han was not coldhearted enough to deny them even this kind of convenience.

Yonair, Nillia, and Paridim remained calm. The three of them had not wanted anything from the capital in the first place.

'I already have all the reagents I need.'

'There are too many people in the capital. It makes me uncomfortable.'

'I wonder whether other magic academies will also suffer major damage from Wardanaz's visit.'

Jowrin and Gainando, however, were different. Their faces lit up with joy.

To think an opportunity like this would appear. The two steadied their breathing so they could blurt out everything they wanted as quickly as possible.

“A play...”

“Mage car—”

But before they could finish, Uman spoke first.

“If there is time left, how about everyone helping with the festival?”

“......”

“......”

Having been beaten to the punch, Jowrin and Gainando stared at Uman with eyes filled with disappointment, emptiness, despair, anger, resentment, and more.

Cutting in line was one thing, but to make a suggestion that sounded like the least fun thing in the entire world.

'If only Lee Han refuses...!'

'Refuse, Lee Han!'

The two stared at Lee Han with their final hope.

“What exactly do you mean by helping with the festival? If we participate, we might only create more confusion.”

“Since people come to this festival from all across the Empire, there are also many poor travelers and pilgrims. You would help them. You can conceal your identities, so there is no need to worry too much.”

“I see. That's a good idea. Right. Anyone want to do something else? If not, we'll do as His Highness suggested.”

“......”

“......”

In the end, Jowrin and Gainando had no choice but to give up.

How underhanded, bringing up such a perfectly reasonable suggestion!

'If Jowrin objects, Jowrin will look bad...!'

'If I object, I'll be the only bad guy!'