Chapter 60

Upon realizing the connection, Yi-Han's response grew even more intense. He struck his forehead, exclaiming loudly, "Amazing! Truly, Priestess Siana of the Flameng Order is remarkable!"

Yonaire, whispering in a hushed voice so others couldn't hear, asked, "Are you hurt somewhere?"

No matter how she thought about it, it seemed to Yonaire that Yi-Han might have eaten something wrong. However, everyone else, except Yonaire, seemed pleased, particularly Priestess Siana, who was visibly very satisfied.

"Indeed, Yi-Han of the Wardanaz family... You truly have a discerning eye."

"Even a blind man without sight would recognize the greatness of this potion."

"You flatter me too much," replied Priestess Siana, covering her rising smile with her sleeve, while Yi-Han responded with a smile of his own.

After exchanging a few more pleasantries, Priestess Siana returned to the students of the Immortal Phoenix with a very satisfied expression.

Yi-Han sighed, thinking to himself, 'That was exhausting.' It was tiring to show such an exaggerated response that wasn't genuine. But his efforts were not in vain. After returning to the Immortal Phoenix students, Priestess Siana began praising Yi-Han.

-"Typical of the Wardanaz family – so courteous and discerning..."-

-"Was there any trouble, Priestess?"-

-"No, nothing of that sort. It's just his discerning eye..."-

Seeing that reaction, it seemed like the students of the Phoenix Tower didn’t need to worry.

"Yonaire, even if you rank first in alchemy class, I won't poison your cup," Yi-Han joked.

"Are you really not hurt?" Yonaire's eyes were filled with concern.

—

After administering first aid, the students began their return journey. Those with unhealed broken legs were carried by their peers. Fortunately, no monsters appeared on their way down.

"Bartreck. You weren't harmed by Wardanaz, were you?"

"Bartreck. Wardanaz didn't brainwash you, right?"

"Bartreck. Wardanaz didn't use forbidden dark magic on you, did he?"

"I told you, nothing happened!" Bartreck was incredulous. Even when he told them Yi-Han had helped, they wouldn't listen.

"And how could someone in our year even cast forbidden dark magic?"

"At first, I thought it was just a silly rumor. But after seeing Wardanaz's magic abilities..."

"I didn't believe it either, but seeing Wardanaz made me think the rumors aren't just rumors," the White Tiger students agreed, half-seriously believing the gossip.

"Probably the Wardanaz family secretly trained him in magic from a young age."

"The Wardanaz family is truly terrifying."

The rumors about Yi-Han's powerful <Lesser Control> magic (although it was a failed aim) and his performance in the basic dark magic class had been greatly exaggerated.

Other tower students, who had more opportunities to interact with Yi-Han, didn't harbor such bizarre misunderstandings. At most, they thought, 'He does have the charisma expected of someone from the Wardanaz family' or 'He rules the students of the Blue Dragon with an iron, emotionless hand.'

But the White Tiger students thought differently – they were seriously frightened!

"Wardanaz doesn't seem as scary as Moradi and others say..." Bartreck tried to clear up the misunderstanding, feeling obliged to do so since his life had been saved.

"Bartreck, who summoned the magic that took down the golem earlier?"

"...It was Wardanaz who summoned it."

"Was that flame an ordinary spell?"

Bartreck was at a loss for words, unable to refute. He couldn't believe he was being out-argued by those who believed such absurd rumors!

"Hey."

"!"

As the White Tiger students were chattering, Yi-Han approached. The students instinctively gripped their wooden swords, their eyes trembling and bodies tensing up at the sight of Yi-Han.

'...What are they, prey animals?' Yi-Han thought incredulously.

"W-What is it, Wardanaz...?"

"It's nothing much... You all must be exhausted after all the hard work."

Yi-Han offered snacks from his backpack. They were the oldest ones stored in his personal chamber's pantry, but still tasty enough – flatbreads filled with sweet jam and sugared biscuits. Yi-Han decided to clear out the food before its expiration date and earn some brownie points. Even though the White Tiger students had initiated the quarrel as if to say, 'You dislike me for no reason? I'll give you a reason,' Yi-Han wasn't fond of meaningless fights by nature.

"T-Thank you, Wardanaz."

The White Tiger students' faces showed a conflict between 'Should we really eat this?' and 'But we're so hungry.' Eventually, the latter won. At their age, such hunger was unbearable for anyone.

"Bartreck of the Bark family? I heard you're from the East. Here, take these rice balls and cakes."

"…!"

Bartreck was slightly moved by the food offered by Yi-Han. Yi-Han knew he was from the East and had even shown such considerate care. In the vast empire, students usually weren't interested in foods from regions other than their own. And Wardanaz wasn't even from the East. Such kindness was unexpected. Perhaps the rumors about Wardanaz were exaggerated.

After Yi-Han left, the White Tiger students, who hastily gobbled up the snacks, seemed to think similarly.

"Maybe we misunderstood him..."

"Did you hear?! I overheard the Blue Dragon guys saying that Wardanaz took down the mud golem over there with just one water spell! They said he summoned a dragon made of water???"

"..."

"..."

The White Tiger students were astonished.

Really...

Wardanaz is truly terrifying!

—

As Professor Uregor and others were exchanging drinks, he suddenly realized something.

'Wait, aren't there any vegetables?'

He remembered bringing the vegetables harvested by his student, Yi-Han, but now they were nowhere to be found. The culprit could only be one person, as the skull principal couldn't have eaten them.

"What's the matter?" Professor Ingurdel noticed Professor Uregor's gaze and asked in bewilderment.

"Oh, nothing much. Just... you really enjoy vegetables, don't you?"

“Oh dear, Uregor. Still holding onto that ancient stereotype that all elves love vegetables. It's sad to see such prejudices still exist in the school's representative. So, because you're a dwarf, you must like beer, right?”

"I do like them, yes."

"Oh, my apologies," Professor Ingurdel apologized. He then continued, "It's not that I only like vegetables, but they were strangely delicious, so I kept eating."

"Is that so?"

“You don't really like vegetables much, do you?”

"Not true. I eat them well when they're served."

“Probably just drenched in meat juice. What's with making such a fuss over it to Professor Ingurdel?”

"I'm truly sorry..."

"No, not at all! Please, enough of this!"

Professor Uregor resolved never to invite the skull principal to his cabin again. The principal, unable to enjoy food or drink, seemed to find pleasure in tormenting others.

'But it does make me curious.'

The human heart grows curious about things it cannot have. Professor Uregor lost his appetite.

“The students are returning. What did I say? They would all handle it themselves, right?”

"!"

Professor Ingurdel suddenly stood up and rushed to the door. The skull principal shook his head in disapproval.

“Such a tender heart…”

—

The students, upon seeing Professors Uregor and Ingurdel waiting, were not surprised. They had already been informed by Yi-Han. Instead, they glared with resentful eyes.

'When I become a great mage of the empire, I'll trample these professors first.'

'When I become the empire's greatest swordsman, I'll break these professors first.'

'When I become a high official of the empire...'

Professor Uregor burst into a hearty laugh and said, "You all did well on your journey!"

"Yes... thanks to you, Professor, it was very enjoyable."

"Seeing that none of you are surprised, you must have guessed. Yes, that's what alchemy is. Be vigilant always. Crisis can strike at any moment, in any situation."

"..."

"..."

The students pondered seriously about how to surprise Professor Uregor with an unexpected crisis. They wanted to throw an unanticipated crisis at the professor!

Professor Ingurdel apologized with a regretful expression, "I'm sorry, everyone. I really intended to stay..."

"Of course, you did."

"Hmph. You're all the same."

"?!"

Even the White Tiger students glared at Professor Ingurdel. The professor was taken aback.

"I'm telling the truth! The principal appeared and teleported me away forcefully..."

"It's alright, Professor."

"We won't trust anyone anymore. Isn't that what the academy wanted?"

The students, hardened by their ordeal, had matured and toughened up. Regardless of the tower, a basic distrust of professors had set in. When his own students, with whom he had shared the bond of the soul through swordsmanship, looked at him with distrust, it tore at Professor Ingurdel's heart.

"..."

Professor Uregor pretended not to notice the glare directed at Ingurdel.

'It's not my fault, Professor Ingurdel. Blame Gonadaltes.'

Yi-Han, observing Professor Ingurdel's reaction, tilted his head in confusion.

'Huh? Did Professor Ingurdel really not know?'

Of course, that reaction could have been an act, but there seemed to be sincerity in Professor Ingurdel's response. Everyone disbelieved his excuse about being abducted by the skull principal...

'It's not entirely implausible. It's something he would do.'

Creak, creak, creak –

A bone summon clattered, pointing towards the cabin.

"!"

Yi-Han felt a familiar mana emanating from the cabin, similar to what he had sensed in the mountains. In that moment, Yi-Han remembered whose mana it was. It was the principal's mana.

'Really?!'

Yi-Han was astonished.

No matter what, to abduct a professor so abruptly?

'Now that I think about it, it's not that surprising. It's something he would do.'

Yi-Han quickly regained his composure and said to Professor Ingurdel.

"Professor, I believe you. The principal must have abducted you."

"Student Wardanaz...!" Professor Ingurdel was so moved that tears nearly formed in his eyes.

—

After ensuring all students were accounted for, Professor Uregor became curious.

How had these students solved the trial he had prepared for them?

"So, how did you resolve it?"

"Wardanaz used the <Yumidifus's Water Bullet> spell to blow away the mud golem."

"And he caught another mud golem by burning it with fire."

"...?"

Professor Uregor was momentarily taken aback by the unexpected responses. He was at a loss about where to begin his inquiry.

"Wait... just a minute. Hold on."

"??"

"Why are there mud golems? What about the bulls? Where did the bulls go?"

"What now... Professor, please stop. Do you think we are children?"

The students of the Blue Dragon snorted in derision. They believed Professor Uregor was attempting to deceive them again.

No more being fooled!

"No...! Why are there mud golems? I didn't prepare mud golems?"

"Ha. Of course, you didn't. They 'just happened' to appear."

"Did everyone hear that? Professor Uregor said they just happened to appear! Let's believe him!"

"..."

Professor Uregor reflected, if only slightly, on his life.