Chapter 1283

Ivanna wrote all sorts of things into the powerful artifact, trying to draw out the secret hidden within it.

Thinking it might be an issue with the ink, she even changed the reagent, and tried writing various spells and the names of ancient mages as well.

“...O great ring of transformation, reveal the essence within!”

She even tried using transformation magic to restore the artifact to its original form.

But there was no change whatsoever. Naturally, no secret emerged either.

The White Tiger Tower student felt an absurd thought slowly creeping into her mind.

Could it be...

Could this artifact really just be a small-group artifact where second-year juniors gathered and chatted?

“Ivanna! Stop right now! Aren’t you ashamed?! How can a person do something like that!”

Palga ran desperately.

Even if they were juniors from another tower, he did not want to earn the disgraceful title of ‘the guy who steals juniors’ artifacts.’

“Stop right n... Huh?”

Palga, who had cast three layers of enhancement magic on himself and was racing across the wall like a gale, spotted his friend standing still by the passage.

Was it a trap?

“W-what is it? Why are you standing there?”

“Palga. You were right. We shouldn’t steal our juniors’ artifact. Your shout awakened my conscience. Let’s give it back.”

“...Was it not the artifact we thought it was?”

“Yeah...”

Palga was greatly surprised.

It was not the artifact they had thought it was.

Then what kind of artifact had it been?

***

“Why on earth did she steal that?”

Gainando and the others were still in shock.

An upper-year student stealing something was not particularly surprising. At Einroguard, that was everyday life.

But why on earth had she stolen something like that?

“Could it be that she doesn’t have any friends?”

At Gainando’s question, the others stared at him in disbelief.

Who in the world would steal something like that and join in just because they had no friends?

Oh dear. How pitiful.

Bulgassari sincerely felt sorry for her.

It knew the sorrow of loneliness well. If the mage who had brought it here had not visited every time, and if there had not been other races living underground here, it too would have been lonely.

“No... I’m sure that senior has friends.”

No. I heard that most thieves and robbers are loners.

“?”

The mages tilted their heads.

If Bulgassari was right, did that not mean eighty percent of Einroguard’s students were loners?

While they were doing that, something even more surprising happened.

Palga and Ivanna came trudging back with their shoulders drooping.

“!?”

“Ivanna. Hurry up and say it.”

Palga urged his friend. Ivanna endured her embarrassment and spoke.

“Juniors, I sincerely apologize. Stealing your artifact was truly shameful. Here. I’ll give it back.”

“Uh, why did you steal it?”

At Salco’s question, Ivanna pretended not to hear and apologized again.

“I’ll make sure something like this never happens again...”

“Why did you steal it?”

“Did you mistake it for something?”

She was definitely lonely because she had no friends.

“......”

Smuggling tended to make a person shameless, but being suspected of having no friends in front of juniors was harder to endure than expected.

In the end, Palga could not stand watching anymore and confessed.

“Actually, we thought this was an artifact like the portrait of wisdom.”

“What? Why?”

“Because whenever you used this, you solved the problem immediately...”

“......”

Gainando and his friends looked at one another.

Come to think of it?!

“You drove off the sirens with this earlier too.”

“That was because Lee Han scared the sirens... No, because he’s friends with the sirens.”

Gainando still protected his friend’s honor.

Bulgassari nodded beside them as though it understood. The mage who had brought it here had also highly praised that freshman named Lee Han.

If it’s that freshman, they could be friends. Now I finally understand. If he comes again, I should call the sirens for him.

“Th-that... won’t be necessary.”

Ratford started to say something, then stopped.

There was no room to worry about the sirens right now. At Einroguard, everyone had to look after their own life.

‘Sorry.’

Ivanna, still unable to understand, asked another question.

The sirens were one thing, but how had they stopped Bulgassari?

“Then what about Bulgassari here?”

“He’s friends with Bulgassari too.”

“...That’s impossible!”

No. It’s possible. I know that freshman.

Bulgassari testified from beside them. Ivanna was shocked, but had no choice but to accept it.

How could a junior who was only a second-year boast such absurd connections?

“...Palga. Aren’t you surprised?”

“Hmm. Now that I think about it, it’s not that surprising.”

“Don’t lie! How is this not surprising!”

Ivanna found her friend’s reaction even more absurd.

Of course, Ivanna had also heard about the reputation of the junior who took classes from every school of magic.

But even so, to already be friends with the school’s sirens and Bulgassari...

“That junior has been traveling around with Professor Bagreg since the vacation after his first year. If he can get along with Professor Bagreg, then he could probably get along with sirens or Bulgassari too.”

“!”

Ivanna found herself persuaded by her friend’s logical opinion.

...That sounds plausible?

Most White Tiger Tower students had painful memories involving Professor Voladi.

Coming from knightly families, they had entered the classroom thinking, ‘Magical combat? Maybe I’ll give it a try?’ only to be beaten mercilessly.

“If he’s friends with that cruel magical criminal professor who has no human heart...”

“Excuse me, Senior. We can hear everything.”

Gainando bristled slightly.

People who had been caught stealing were shamelessly badmouthing Lee Han?

“That was a compliment. A compliment.”

“Hmph. How is that a compliment...”

“Seniors, why are you looking for the portrait of wisdom?”

Salco asked probingly.

They had learned why these seniors had stolen the bundle-of-papers artifact, but they still had not heard why they were searching for the portrait of wisdom.

They might not get a proper answer if they missed this chance.

Gainando spoke as though the answer were obvious.

“Why else would they be looking for it? Because they don’t want to take exams.”

“...No!”

Palga answered immediately in disbelief.

He would rather be ‘the guy who steals juniors’ artifacts’ than ‘the guy searching for a portrait because he doesn’t want to take exams.’

“What? Then do you like exams?”

“That... that’s not true either, but in any case, we’re not looking for it because of exams. We’re doing it because we need to prepare for graduation.”

Starting from the third year at Einroguard, students usually began thinking about graduation.

What kind of research would they have to complete and bring before the wicked principal and professors in order to be acknowledged and allowed to leave?

The Skull Principal was someone who said little even about all sorts of garbage research, but when it came to this, he drew a strict line.

If someone submitted research that was not up to standard, they might end up watching everyone else graduate while they alone spent the vacation locked in the punishment area or some secluded basement, forced to continue working.

“Ah. Graduation...”

“Right.”

“Do you have plans for after graduation? A knight order, I suppose?”

“I’m thinking about a knight order, and Ivanna here seems to be planning to join a merchant company as a magical adviser.”

“Have you considered becoming fifth-years?”

The atmosphere instantly froze.

At Gainando’s question, the two White Tiger Tower seniors glared at him with murderous eyes.

“Don’t say something like that even as a joke!”

“S-sorry...”

Don’t threaten the freshman’s friend!

BOOM!

Bulgassari swung its enormous fist and struck the surface of the water. A towering wave rose as though a tidal wave had formed.

The students were horrified by its power. Because Bulgassari was so kind and gentle, they had forgotten that it was an incredibly powerful monster.

Especially a Bulgassari that had grown this well...

“D-don’t be angry. Everyone is sensitive about the fifth year.”

Gainando calmed Bulgassari down.

Every Einroguard student had a fear of the fifth year. Even the second-year students had that fear.

“...And not just anyone becomes a fifth-year. Being trapped because you failed to graduate doesn’t count as becoming a fifth-year.”

Usually, mages who would go on to the fifth year showed signs of it beforehand.

While everyone else was agonizing over what topic to choose in their third year, there were lunatics who finished everything early and leisurely immersed themselves in their own magic.

No matter how much students like that said, ‘I’m not going to become a fifth-year, you know? I’m going to graduate,’ by the end of their fourth year, they inevitably ended up saying things like, ‘Kgh... I think I’ll just become a fifth-year... I still have research left to finish...’

‘That’s Lee Han.’

‘Wardanaz.’

‘That’s Wardanaz.’

Gainando and his friends all had the exact same thought.

“Then if you have that portrait of wisdom, can you pass graduation more easily?”

“No way. Of course not. We’re just grasping at straws. The amount you need is no joke.”

From the third year onward, simply following lectures was no longer enough.

Students had to search the library themselves, and during vacations, they had to scour various auction houses and archives to collect the magic and mysteries they needed.

The reason these two White Tiger Tower students were clinging to the portrait of wisdom was similar.

“For reference, the rumor we heard was that the portrait of that royal family member holds the secret to a very powerful magic sword.”

“!”

Surprised by the new information, Salco reported it to Lee Han.

-Wardanaz. They say the portrait holds the secret to a magic sword?

-What?

Lee Han fell into thought.

Had the Skull Principal used a sword when he was young?

‘Hmm. I think he might have...?’

Swords were such powerful symbols of mystery that it was rare for a high-ranking mage not to use some kind of sword-related magic.

Lee Han himself had <Bivle’s Flying Sword>, which he had learned from Professor Verdus.

-Keep checking for now. It might be the portrait I’m looking for.

-Got it. You can count on me.

-Those seniors seem a little stupid, so be careful.

-...Th-they’re not that stupid. Anyway, understood.

Without realizing it, Salco ended up defending the White Tiger Tower seniors.

Of course, to Wardanaz, who was not at the scene, they probably looked like ‘idiots who mistook their juniors’ communication artifact for a treasure and stole it’...

But they really were not quite that stupid.

“Then we’ll go check.”

“Check? Don’t tell me...”

I told them. I saw the little friends go inside and hide it.

“!!!”

The seniors were startled by Bulgassari’s words.

So the portrait really was farther inside!

“Juniors. Let’s make a deal! If you let us ask the portrait of wisdom a question, we’ll pay you an appropriate price in return.”

-What should we do, Wardanaz?

-Agree. Even if you refuse, you’ll be at a disadvantage if you fight there. Bulgassari might help you for now, but they could ambush you on the way back...

Salco admired his friend’s cool judgment.

Even after receiving the seniors’ apology and making peace with them, Wardanaz had not let his guard down in the slightest.

***

After being seen off by Bulgassari, the group headed farther inside.

Palga spoke to the juniors once again.

“Thank you, really. Even after Ivanna did something like that...”

“Come on. It’s fine. Instead, please help us next time we steal something from Senior Ivanna.”

“......”

Palga could not refuse in good conscience, so he gave a slight nod. Fortunately, his friend seemed not to have heard.

“But Senior, do you know which upper-year students hid this?”

Gainando asked.

From what Bulgassari had said, it sounded like there had been upper-year students who had hidden the portrait there first.

At those words, Palga’s expression hardened.

“Fourth-years... Or maybe even graduates. A few years probably feels like yesterday to Bulgassari.”

“It called them little friends, so there’s a high chance they belonged to a small race.”

“Indeed. That sounds plausible.”

Palga praised Ratford’s opinion. He had caught something that would have been easy to overlook. He had sharp instincts.

‘Among the small races, if there was an upper-year student who might have obtained a portrait like that...’

-A knight goes along, gets hit by an arrow and dies...

-Gets hit by a mace and dies, gets stabbed by a sword and dies!

“?”

At the noisy and gruesome song that somehow sounded familiar, Gainando and his friends looked at one another.

“This is a giant...”

“No! They definitely said little friends!”