Chapter 1327

“The amount of water I summoned was large, but the principle itself is the same, isn't it?”

Lee Han looked at the students as though wondering what they were talking about.

The enormous mass of water might have caused some confusion, but a mage was supposed to look at the principle behind the spell.

If water gathered and was created in one place without any additional magical effect, then it was <Create Water>.

“I see. So this is what <Create Water> is like.”

“...Wait. Is this the first time you've seen <Create Water>?”

Lee Han, who had been about to let the matter pass, sensed something strange.

Something about what the Valdrogard students were saying sounded odd.

“Yes!”

“That's not something you should answer so cheerfully... What do you mean, this is your first time seeing <Create Water>?”

Einroguard students generally learned all the basic spells necessary for survival.

Mages like Lee Han, who refined those basic spells to an absurd degree of proficiency, were rare, but there was still no mage who had never seen <Create Water> before.

“Isn't there no particular reason to learn a spell like <Create Water>? How often in life would you ever need to create water?”

“......”

Lee Han was briefly thrown into confusion, but in truth, what the Valdrogard students said was not completely absurd.

Magic was also a discipline of selection and focus.

Even among self-taught mages who wandered throughout the Empire, it was common to find people who knew only three or four spells.

What mattered was learning the magic one needed. A mage did not have to learn every spell in existence.

If one needed water, one could simply draw it from a well or river outside...

'No. I almost fell for that.'

Lee Han came back to his senses.

The Valdrogard students' excuse was slightly more sophisticated than Gainando's. Lee Han had almost been fooled.

'That only applies to mages who have a clear blueprint for what kind of magic they intend to learn.'

For example, if an Oculoguard mage said they had not learned <Create Water> because they were pouring everything into foresight magic, Lee Han could respect that.

But the Valdrogard students were spending the time they saved by not learning it on theater.

In that case, they could simply learn <Create Water> instead of practicing theater.

“<Create Water> is an excellent spell for practicing the fundamentals of water-element magic.”

“But Professor, what if my path as a mage does not lie in the water element?”

“Have you decided on your path as a mage?”

“Not yet. Ah. I am a little interested in space-time magic!”

“...Space-time magic isn't something you can immediately cast just because you're 'a little' interested in it.”

Lee Han was dumbfounded by the Valdrogard student's statement.

It was absurd for someone who had not even built their foundations to say they were interested in space-time magic already. There was a good chance they did not even know what space-time magic actually did.

“If you haven't chosen your path yet, then you should learn an even wider variety of magic. Your path may lie in the water element.”

“I see...!”

“I have a question, Professor! Why did you take magic from every school?”

“Don't ask foolish questions, junior. Professor is so talented that he has a path in every school.”

Jandanni scolded the junior who had asked the foolish question.

Lee Han, who had been about to answer, 'It just happened,' awkwardly closed his mouth.

'That answer sounds better. I should memorize it for the future.'

Excited by the new professor's teaching, the students each began practicing <Create Water>.

“Professor Wardanaz is definitely right. Once we go back, I should practice more water-element magic.”

“Didn't you say you were going to practice Professor Seden's play at your estate in advance?”

“Ah. That's right. I suppose I'll practice water-element magic later.”

“......”

Lee Han's hand holding his staff trembled slightly. Saratan, the spirit inside the staff, trembled inwardly.

This damned mage wasn't going to take his anger out on it, was he?

Fortunately, nothing of the sort happened.

Lee Han maintained his expression with practiced composure. He still could not let the students run away.

'This is actually a positive sign. It's proof that the Valdrogard students are interested in magic after all.'

He became even more convinced.

The Valdrogard students were like this only because they had never had the opportunity before. If given the chance, they would surely take an interest in magic.

In truth, the students had also been waiting for a professor passionate enough to lock the classroom doors and teach them magic.

“You are all doing well. You're learning <Create Water> quickly.”

“It's thanks to your teaching, Professor!”

“This semester, feel free to bring any other students who are interested in magic. Even if they cannot officially attend the lecture, it should still be quite beneficial.”

“Yes! We will!”

Unaware that a predator from Einroguard was currently laying a trap before them, the Valdrogard students nodded brightly.

They absolutely had to tell their friends about this wonderful opportunity!

“Professor. I have one more question.”

“What is it?”

“I can't create a huge mass of water like you. Is that simply a difference in practice?”

“That's right. You'll improve with practice.”

'That doesn't sound right.'

The Death Knight thought inwardly from beside them.

No matter how much a Valdrogard student practiced, wouldn't it be impossible for them to cast magic with that much mana?

* * *

Once the rest ended, Lee Han's group began moving again.

Thanks to the potions they had drunk as well, the Valdrogard students' steps looked considerably lighter.

Perhaps because of that, they chattered away and threw all kinds of questions at him.

“Professor. You used magic for everything, from starting the fire to clearing the dirt from the campsite. Is that also training?”

“...Exactly. You could call it fundamental training in various schools and elements.”

In truth, it was closer to a habit possessed by Einroguard mages.

Spend one year at that magic academy and, no matter where you were thrown, you would generally be able to survive somehow on your own.

But saying that outright would make it sound far too pathetic, so Lee Han dressed it up as training.

And if one really thought about it, it was training.

“Professor. Earlier, you installed defensive magic beside the campsite. Even though the sailors were standing watch, did you install magic as well because it was training?”

“...You all saw correctly. If you relax because you trust someone else, you may end up being ambushed by some... No. What I mean is, it is important for a mage never to lower their guard.”

Einroguard mages did not easily trust anyone other than themselves.

Even if someone else stood watch for them, they kept in mind the possibility that the person might fall asleep or perhaps be a traitor bribed by the Skull Principal.

After spending only half a year at that magic academy, one came to understand that one's own life was one's own responsibility.

But once again, he could not tell them that. Lee Han packaged it differently.

'He really looks exhausted.'

The Death Knight felt sorry for him inwardly.

Einroguard's teachings were far too toxic to pass on raw, so the Successor had no choice but to dilute them like that.

“Ooh...!”

“I've learned something else, Professor! From now on, wherever I go, I won't lose my concentration.”

The Valdrogard students were excited at having learned yet another secret to growing as mages.

The attitude of never lowering one's guard and always remaining focused.

With that attitude, one could grow quickly as a mage.

...In truth, simply increasing the amount of time they spent practicing magic was the most important thing, but the Valdrogard students did not think that far.

“Professor. We found barghest tracks.”

The sailors behind them reported.

On a remote island like this, it would not have been strange for any kind of monster to appear. There could be leshies, banshees, giants, or even basilisks.

Barghests looked like black dogs or wolves, but they had yin mana wrapped around their fur, making them monsters that required caution.

If they clashed with a pack, several sailors might have so much strength drained from them that they would be unable to get back up.

“Barghests?”

Lee Han listened to the sailors and examined the tracks. They were definitely barghest tracks.

'Judging by the number of tracks, there are more than ten.'

“Should we send the students back for a while and continue the search among ourselves?”

“There's no need.”

“Ah. ...Perhaps you're planning to use the students as bait?”

Lieutenant Galvag lowered his voice.

Those black wolf monsters preferred prey rich in mana. A mage could be considered extremely attractive bait.

Lee Han suppressed his disbelief and answered.

“No.”

“Ah. I see. My apologies.”

The scar-covered lieutenant felt embarrassed for no reason.

Lee Han had said there was no need to send them back in a situation where one normally would, so he had wondered.

'Damn it. This is Lady Ragesa's fault.'

It seemed the things Ragesa had said when evaluating Professor Wardanaz had put strange ideas into his head.

“...Did Lady Ragesa say anything strange about me?”

Lee Han sensed something suspicious and asked.

Come to think of it, this lieutenant was not an Einroguard student, so it was strange that he would ask whether Lee Han intended to use Valdrogard students as bait.

“Not at all! Absolutely not. Lady Ragesa did evaluate you as a mage who does not care about means or methods, and she did say you have a side even more extreme than her own... but those were entirely compliments!”

“......”

Lee Han could guess what she must have said without hearing any more. He grumbled inwardly.

'To slander someone like that when they're not even present.'

After he had come all this way to rescue her!

“The reason I'm not sending the students back despite the barghest pack nearby isn't because I intend to use them as bait...”

Grrrrr!

At that moment, a pack of barghests appeared higher up in the forest.

The vicious black wolves stared down at the intruders below with eyes glowing as though starving for mana.

Then their eyes met Lee Han's.

They quietly lowered their tails and began backing away.

Grrrr...

The barghest pack disappeared silently as though they had never come at all. They vanished so naturally that it almost felt like a mirage.

“......”

“...What the hell was that just now??”

The sailors stared dumbfounded at the place where the barghests had disappeared.

Of all the monster attacks they had ever seen, this was the most anticlimactic.

What kind of monsters ran away like that?

“Professor! Was that magic too?”

The Valdrogard students looked at Lee Han as though they had figured it out.

There could only be one reason an entire monster pack would simply flee.

Their new Valdrogard professor had used some secret magic.

“...You could consider it a kind of magic.”

Lee Han carefully controlled his expression.

Strictly speaking, that was not entirely a lie either.

Frightening them away with the sheer amount of one's mana could, in a sense, be considered a kind of magic...

“So it really was magic! We want to learn it too!”

“If you diligently train and practice your fundamental spells, then someday you may be able to learn it.”

The Valdrogard students stared at their new professor with completely captivated expressions.

To think magic could even do something like this!

Magic truly was an infinite discipline.

'But what spell was that, exactly?'

Following behind the professor as they began moving again, Jandanni tilted their head.

They had never heard of a monster-repelling spell like that.