Chapter 1323

"I am also a member of the fleet, so saying they hid because of me wouldn't be wrong either. Everyone shares the blame."

That's not what I mean. They got scared when they sensed your mana and hid...

Merfolk were a powerful race. Especially in the sea.

If they sensed even the slightest hint of danger, they could twist space in an instant and flee into the depths. Their mobility was almost on the level of unicorns.

Merfolk like that did not hide simply because large ships were passing by. On the contrary, when noisy ships passed through, merfolk were more likely to approach and play tricks or cause mischief.

To make such merfolk hide, one needed mana so deep and immense that it instinctively overwhelmed races with exceptionally keen mana perception.

"That's not what's important right now. How can we call out the merfolk that are hiding?"

Lee Han cleverly pretended not to hear and changed the subject. The Devil Hag fell for the cunning mage's trick.

It would be convenient if you had a Moonlight Pearl on hand. It can't be one from the new moon. It has to be from the full moon.

"I don't. Moonlight Pearls themselves are rare, and you're asking for one from the full moon..."

He had not even seen a Moonlight Pearl at the previous auction. These pearls, formed when moonlight pooled in one place, were extremely rare gemstones as well as reagents.

Then what about a spirit acquainted with the merfolk? It could write you a letter of introduction.

"...I do know a spirit named Upinum who bears the title of Magistrate of the Great Sea, Wind, and Rain."

Who asks a king to deliver a letter?

Even a messenger needed to be a spirit of an appropriate rank.

If he asked the Magistrate of the Great Sea, Wind, and Rain to mediate with the merfolk, it might be taken as an insult.

And even if it accepted, how terrifying would that be from the merfolk's perspective?

It can't be helped. This old woman will have to recommend the easiest method.

"There was an easy method? You should've said that first..."

Threaten them until they come out. Actually, that suits you best, little one.

"......"

* * *

Since there was no time, Lee Han eventually made his choice.

"I'll threaten the merfolk."

"Professor! Is... is that even possible?!"

Even sailors who had spent decades aboard ships widened their eyes in disbelief.

Threatening merfolk while out at sea sounded about as absurd as getting angry at the waves.

"If it's Professor, he can do it!"

"Don't doubt Professor Wardanaz!"

The Valdrogard students united as one in Lee Han's defense. Despite hearing such enthusiastic support, Lee Han did not feel particularly happy.

'Why does being praised somehow make me feel even more uneasy...?'

Who are those mages?

The Devil Hag asked in puzzlement.

Mages obsessed with magic were obvious at a glance. Traces of magic and residual mana remained all over their bodies like evidence.

Ordinary mages could not notice such things, but a monster like the Devil Hag, who had accumulated secret arts and mysteries over an immense span of time, could distinguish them.

From the Devil Hag's perspective, the Valdrogard students were as clean and spotless as blank sheets of paper. In other words, they had hardly used magic recently.

'Did they conceal the traces of their magic? If so, they're truly remarkable mages.'

"They're my students."

Your disciples? Well, considering your skill, I suppose it was about time. You've found some excellent disciples.

"Oh, you flatter us... Hehe."

"You are a spirit with a discerning eye. Haha."

The Valdrogard students looked embarrassed, but they certainly did not refuse the praise.

Lee Han, on the other hand, was bewildered by the Devil Hag's compliment.

'What is this? Some kind of trap?'

There was no way this twisted and eccentric powerhouse would praise the Valdrogard students for no reason.

"Why are you suddenly praising them?"

They hid their magic well, didn't they? At least remember that this old woman can be generous.

"...I see. That's certainly true."

Lee Han realized what the Devil Hag had misunderstood.

"Professor. I trust you. I'll support you with anything you need, so please call out the merfolk."

The scar-covered Lieutenant Galvag made the decision boldly.

Ragesa was absent, and this mage of House Wardanaz was someone Ragesa trusted for his abilities.

If they could not trust the words of an expert like that, then whose words could they trust?

"Understood."

What method are you planning to use to carry your voice to them?

On such a vast and storm-tossed sea, an ordinary shout would not even be enough to threaten anyone. On top of that, the merfolk were hiding deep below.

He could cast enchantment magic on his voice, cast enchantment magic on his vocal cords, or use some other method...

"I was thinking of strengthening the shout itself through rhythm and repeated incantation."

Isn't that a secret art of music magic?

"I was lucky enough to learn it."

You certainly have some nerve talking about luck! Fine. Shout after this old woman. Merfolk hiding beneath the waves, listen!

"Merfolk hiding beneath the waves, listen!"

The demon Nukelavi is rampaging in resentment, and we need your help. If you stand by and flee as you please, I will not forgive you.

"The demon Nukelavi is..."

Fear me! I am the one who cut down an evil god and swept its remnants into a pit.

"...I am a member of the southern privateer fleet! You must already know well the majesty of the southern privateer fleet..."

?

The Devil Hag stopped.

Something felt a little strange.

What was that just now, little one?

"I'm not sure what you mean..."

...Fine. Follow me again. The General of Lightning and Thunder and the Magistrate of the Great Sea, Wind, and Rain both know my name.

'Isn't that a little too arrogant?'

Of course, Lee Han understood that this process was necessary.

Wasn't this a situation where he had to introduce himself and threaten people who did not know him?

He should have been bluffing even about things that had never happened. Merely throwing around the names of spirits with whom he had connections was nothing.

"The General of Lightning and Thunder also..."

Do not think the demon Nukelavi is the only persistent one. I am several times more persistent than a specter like that! The evil god's fanatics tried to flee beyond the Empire, but now they are rotting in a pit!

"...Wait. Please wait a moment."

Why do you keep interrupting, you brat! You're weakening the effect!

"Wasn't that last part somewhat exaggerated...?"

I don't think anything I said was wrong?

The Devil Hag checked again.

He had torn through the entire Empire chasing evil-god worshipers and beaten every one he found...

If anything, she had actually softened it somewhat.

"......"

Lee Han fell silent.

'Strange. There's nothing in what the Devil Hag said that I can refute. Is this magic?'

Since the Devil Hag knew all sorts of secret arts, perhaps she knew some underhanded technique that prevented the other person from arguing back.

Otherwise, there was no way Lee Han would be unable to refute such an absurd claim.

SPLASH!

Fortunately, there was no need for the next threat.

The merfolk were surfacing from the water with deeply dissatisfied expressions.

* * *

Everything's settled, then. So what magic were you going to ask about, little one?

"That magic is so difficult and abstruse that I think I should choose an auspicious day, purify myself, and then summon you again to ask about it. Otherwise, I feel it would be disrespectful to you, Devil Hag, as the one teaching me."

...Little one, don't tell me you deceived this old—

"Absolutely not. I'll ask you again next time!"

Lee Han hurriedly cut the connection and thought to himself.

'I need to find a difficult spell.'

Otherwise, the next time they spoke—or perhaps even before then—the Devil Hag might attack him.

When he turned his head, the sailors were attempting to communicate with the merfolk. A navigator whose face was covered in wrinkles and who wore a monocle held a dictionary and spoke haltingly.

"We, fight. Together? Cooperate. Enemy? Nukelavi... Nukelavi... What in the world is Nukelavi in the merfolk language?"

"Just say it has the lower body of a horse and the upper body of a human."

"Then they won't be able to tell it apart from a centaur. Be quiet!"

"Can't you add demon?"

"They might mistake it for a demon-centaur hybrid."

-I can speak Imperial.

The merfolk spoke clearly, though somewhat stiffly and awkwardly. The sailors breathed sighs of relief.

-Who was the mage who hurled those curses earlier?

"......"

Lee Han quickly lowered himself and moved to an angle where the merfolk could not see him. The Valdrogard students beside him stared blankly.

'Why is the Professor doing that?'

"We cannot tell you that. Merfolk. If you came out to cooperate, then speak only about the cooperation."

Despite the fierce-looking lieutenant's answer, the merfolk ignored him and sharply turned their gaze.

The Valdrogard students entered their field of vision.

They appeared to be the only mages present.

'They feel completely different from the mage from earlier...?'

There was none of that density of mana that pressed down all the way into the bones.

In fact, there was no mana being emitted from them at all. If not for their staffs and reagents, one might not even have realized they were mages.

'Skilled mages can conceal their mana, though.'

-We yielded to the curse and came out. Nothing more to say. But there is a condition. The selkies captured and imprisoned by the Nukelavi must be rescued.

"What are selkies?"

At Jandanni's question, everyone present stared at them in shock.

Their gazes seemed to say, 'How can someone this ignorant be a student at a magic school?'

Lee Han was about to give the same look before stopping himself.

'Right. They're my student now.'

Lee Han quickly changed his expression. It was not very difficult. He just had to imagine that the other person was Gainando.

"It's possible not to know, Student Jandanni."

"Professor...!"

"Selkies are sea fairies. They're close to the merfolk. The Nukelavi probably captured and imprisoned them while it was rampaging."

From an angle the merfolk could not see, Lee Han spoke with hand gestures.

-If you're going to rescue them, I'll go with you.

-If that's the case, then I can only feel reassured, Professor.

Galvag answered, puzzled inwardly.

He could not understand why Lord Wardanaz was speaking with hand gestures from over there.

'Well, all outstanding mages are eccentric.'

Hadn't Ragesa herself climbed onto the mast and swung chains around whenever a storm came because she wanted to recharge her magic?

"Understood. We have a deal!"

* * *

Although the merfolk had come out because of the threats, they did not handle the task carelessly.

As they repeatedly appeared and disappeared near the Nukelavi, twisting space and confusing its sense of direction, even the persistent demon gradually began to lose its bearings.

"We lost it!"

"It isn't visible anymore!"

When the ships saw that the storm clouds in the distance were no longer pursuing them, the crews cheered.

They had managed to overcome the obstacle through the merfolk's abilities.

-Successor. You must be careful when infiltrating. The Nukelavi is not an easy demon to deal with.

The Death Knight warned him firmly.

The knight knew Lee Han's abilities, but that was all the more reason to be thoroughly cautious.

Inside the storm clouds was that demon's domain. It could practically be considered a fortress or base.

When infiltrating a place like that, even being several times more vigilant than usual would not be excessive.

"Infiltrating?"

-Weren't you planning to infiltrate?

Before the words had even finished, a crackling sound erupted in the air as electrical discharge spread through it.

The Death Knight shuddered at the familiar presence of the Prison Keeper.

Surely...?