Chapter 1260

“None, huh. That's surprising. I don't know about the others, but Gainando, I thought you'd at least want to stop by a mage-card shop or a bookstore. Then let's go, Your Highness.”

Unaware that he had earned the resentment of two narrow-minded and childish members of the Imperial Family, Uman nodded happily.

This dragon had truly endured a great many hardships over the course of this semester.

Even for a dragon, it was not easy to endure Einroguard's harsh environment.

In that sense, now that the end of the semester was approaching, being able to conclude it with such a joyful event was deeply meaningful.

“Looking back, even the things that happened at Einroguard this semester all feel like good memories...”

“Come on. That's not true, Your Highness.”

“Jowrin does not think Uman had any particularly good memories this semester.”

“......”

For a moment, Uman thought that perhaps he needed a contractor of his own as well.

This was just too miserable...!

* * *

Using his position, Uman secured the Oak Hill district outside the capital.

Since this was a festival held in the Imperial capital, its scale was enormous, and officials and religious orders had divided the surrounding area into numerous smaller districts and taken responsibility for them.

Even so, all manner of people were moving around in enormous crowds. Various banners, hastily made sculptures, and statues commemorating the festival could be seen moving this way and that.

'What's that?'

Lee Han paused.

Among the statues depicting the yaksha army, something strangely familiar flashed past.

...Hadn't there been a statue that somehow resembled his eldest brother, Hierdan?

'Is there a yaksha among them who looks like my brother? Somehow, it seems like it'd be good at deceiving and controlling people.'

It was curious, but Lee Han did not pay much attention to it. There were more important matters at hand.

“All right. Let's divide up the roles. Yonair. Help the alchemists. No matter how many cold-protection potions, calming potions, antidotes, and the like they have, it won't be enough.”

Few people were as busy during a festival as alchemists.

They had to handle a variety of tasks, from brewing potions to preparing magical food.

Fortunately, since quite a few priests from the religious orders had also come, there was no shortage of manpower.

Yonair nodded in understanding.

“Nillia, move with the enchantment mages.”

“I know. Installing magic circles, right?”

Even if they were not quite as busy as the alchemists, enchantment mages were also extremely occupied during festivals. In truth, enchantment mages were always busy.

Installing magic circles to block the cold and biting winds, and maintaining the various magical structures that created the festival atmosphere, were all the responsibility of enchantment mages.

“Paridim. Would you be able to coordinate with the foresight mages? There aren't that many of them, but...”

“You need not worry. Even if the methods of our magic differ, we should be able to understand one another well enough.”

Using various forms of divination and secret arts, foresight mages prevented many of the accidents that might occur during a festival.

If there were people harboring wicked intentions, only they could detect the signs in advance.

“And Gainando, you...”

“......”

“......”

A slightly awkward silence hung in the air.

Neither Yonair, Nillia, nor Paridim really knew what the dark magic school could do in a situation like this.

'What does the dark magic school do during festivals again?'

'Do they fire curses at people causing disturbances...?'

Gainando sensed the mood as well and spoke in a gloomy voice.

“I'll just go stand over there in the corner. Or inside a pit.”

“No. Gainando. It's a misunderstanding to think that dark mages can't do anything at times like this. Dark magic can do all sorts of things.”

Lee Han spoke seriously.

Dark magic covered a surprisingly broad range. In alchemy, it could help with detoxification; in enchantment magic, it could assist with magic circles and structures; and in foresight magic, it could detect hostility in advance.

Encouraged by a friend from the same school of magic, Gainando seemed to recover some of his spirit.

“O-okay. Then I'll summon my undead familiar too!”

“Not that.”

“......”

His friend was encouraging, yet coldly practical. Grumbling, Gainando moved off to prepare to help.

Paridim looked puzzled. One person had been left out.

“Um, Your Highness.”

“What?!”

“Pardon? D-did I commit some discourtesy?”

Paridim was flustered by Gainando's sudden reaction.

“You called me Your Highness?!”

“Yes... Was, was that the wrong form of address?”

“No! No one at Einroguard calls me that... Say it more!”

“......”

For a moment, Paridim mentally added several lines to the report. Gainando had no idea how he would be recorded for eternity in the report submitted to Oculoguard.

“Anyway, what is it?”

“Ah. I don't think Wardanaz mentioned his own role while assigning everyone else's. I was wondering where he was going.”

“Lee Han will do everything.”

“Pardon?”

“I said he'll do everything.”

Wondering whether the Oculoguard student perhaps lacked some language proficiency, Gainando even made a broad gesture.

Everything!

“...Do you mean he'll create duplicates? But duplicates have limits...”

“Lee Han just does everything, though? He'll keep moving back and forth without resting.”

“......”

Paridim doubted his ears.

Was it possible to help mages from so many different schools without resting like that?

Leaving physical stamina aside, his mana...

“Professor, and Your Highness, please remain here in case anything happens.”

“Hmm. I would like to help directly, but... understood.”

Though disappointed, Uman nodded.

He wanted to help people personally on the front lines, but he was currently responsible for this district.

If people came from other districts or requests arrived, he had to handle them himself.

In Professor Voladi's case as well, rather than working on the front lines, it would be more appropriate to remain on standby and rush over if the students ran into trouble.

Lee Han whispered so that only Uman could hear.

“Your Highness. About Professor Bagreg.”

“I think I know what you're about to say. You want me to stop the professor if he tries to help personally, don't you?”

“No. Professor Bagreg isn't the type to do that. If someone picks a fight and the professor tries to beat them up, please stop him. We can't let Professor Garcia find out we're here...”

“......”

Are you really his disciple?

That thought briefly crossed Uman's mind, but he nodded.

“Do not worry. Within this district, on Uman's honor, Uman will do his utmost.”

“Haha. Please don't try to take responsibility for everything by yourself. Look how many people are here. Then I'll go install some magic circles around the area.”

“Jowrin shall go as well.”

“Have a safe tr...?”

Uman paused as he watched Jowrin trot after her contractor.

...Hadn't he told his elder sister to stay here too?

* * *

After coming down the hill and surveying the area where the magic circles were being installed, Lee Han was startled when he realized that Jowrin was suddenly standing behind him.

“Your Highness?! I told you to remain up there.”

“You did!? Jowrin did not hear.”

“......”

When Lee Han stared at her, Jowrin and the baby basilisk lowered their gazes and pretended not to notice.

It felt awkward to send her all the way back up, so Lee Han simply let it go.

“I need to concentrate on the work, so I won't be able to play with you.”

“Jowrin came to help too! Jowrin did not come here to play!”

“Oh.”

Lee Han was slightly moved by those admirable words. Seeing that, the baby basilisk panicked inwardly.

'We didn't come here to play?'

That was why it had followed them?!

“Come to think of it, considering Your Highness's abilities, you probably could do the work of dozens of the mages here.”

Lee Han did not underestimate Jowrin's abilities in the slightest.

Dragons were simply powerful from the moment they were born. Lee Han felt as though he would not even be surprised if a newly hatched dragon immediately used Words of Power.

“Jowrin is ready! In Jowrin's original form...”

When Jowrin tried to return to dragon form, Lee Han hurriedly stopped her.

Of course, borrowing the power of a gigantic dragon would allow them to shorten many of the tasks being carried out around here in an instant, but there were far too many eyes watching.

There was already more than enough attention focused on Jowrin and her contractor, and Lee Han had no desire to pour oil on the fire.

Besides, Professor Garcia was not far away either...

“No. Professor Garcia might notice us.”

-Ah! I have a good idea! Master could transfo—

The baby basilisk, wrapped around Jowrin's neck like a necklace, thoughtlessly wagged its tail and tried to shout.

Lee Han quietly looked at the baby basilisk. Telekinetic force clamped its mouth firmly shut.

Be quiet!

“Transform?”

-T-transform, I said it would be nice if Master learned transformation magic and could transform into a dragon.

At the baby basilisk's words, Jowrin laughed. Apparently, this young basilisk still did not understand how difficult magic was.

“Mm! Transformation magic is extremely difficult. Jowrin heard with Jowrin's own two ears that even Lee Han would need several more years before he could learn it.”

“......”

-......

Lee Han and the baby basilisk felt cold sweat pouring down their bodies.

'Maybe I should have just sacrificed His Highness Uman from the start?'

Clicking his tongue inwardly, Lee Han felt a little regret.

If he had simply revealed from the beginning that he had transformed into a black dragon, only Uman would have become the target of Jowrin's anger.

But now Lee Han and the baby basilisk shared joint responsibility!

'...No. I can't abandon that poor Highness.'

Lee Han remembered the black dragon curled into a giant ball of yarn, utterly dejected.

How could he betray such a pitiful dragon!

“Jowrin is a broad-minded dragon, so Jowrin shall not rush her contractor.”

“I am truly fortunate to have met someone like Your Highness. Heh heh heh.”

“?”

Jowrin sensed something strange. Whenever Lee Han spoke like this, it was usually when he was lying or flattering someone.

'Perhaps Jowrin is imagining it?'

“There should be plenty of other things Your Highness can help with besides that. How about using this opportunity to learn some simple magic?”

“Hmm. That also sounds like a good idea. Gonadaltes actually suggested it once before...”

“Oh. How did that go?”

“......”

Jowrin's eyes rolled around.

She remembered finding it even less fun than mage chess and throwing the spellbook aside while shouting, 'I won't!'

'She must not have enjoyed it.'

Lee Han could read Jowrin's thoughts even without her saying anything.

“The Principal has never been very good at teaching.”

“R-right! That's really true! But Lee Han will surely be different!”

If Gainando or the White Tiger Tower students had been there, they would immediately have given him a dead-serious look, but unfortunately, no such people were present.

Feeling a sense of responsibility and duty, Lee Han nodded.

“Then watch my magic and follow along.”

“Okay!”

* * *

“......”

One hour later.

Jowrin felt like she now understood what it meant to be bored to death.

“Wind, cease.”

“Wind stop.”

“Wind, cease.”

“Wi-stop.”

“Wind, cease...”

Lee Han truly did not rest for even a single moment, moving around and installing the necessary magic at the designated positions. Jowrin had no choice but to follow beside him, casting magic along the way.

“Ah. Jowrin thinks Jowrin may be running a little low on mana...”

“You seem fine?”

“...Yes. Jowrin is not actually running low...”

The priests who arrived later were astonished when they saw a space as warm as a spring day, without even a single cold breeze entering.

“Where did you come from?! Y-you did all of this by yourself?”

'Oh.'

Lee Han realized his mistake.

He had become so absorbed in the work that they had moved around separately from everyone else, which had resulted in the two of them meeting outsiders alone like this.

“Could you perhaps tell us your name...”

“Stedal Nago! This person is called Stedal Nago!”

Jowrin displayed quick wit and answered in Lee Han's place. Even Lee Han was surprised by how fast she reacted.

'Your Highness!'

“And this one is... uh... hmm...”

Unable to think of an alias for herself, Jowrin hesitated. At that moment, the baby basilisk quickly offered advice.

-Princess Yukbeltire! Use Princess Yukbeltire!

“Jowrin is called Yukbeltire! ...But who was that again?”