Why did they focus on such a strange part of Stedal of House Nago’s many achievements?
Of course, Lee Han had included that achievement with some ambition.
Who in the Empire would not want to increase their fortune during the bone-flesh flower speculation wave?
But he had not expected people to pay so much attention to that particular detail.
Were the stories about being captured by pirates or finding treasure from treasure maps not more interesting?
“What? That House Nago?! I heard about it too. They say he acquired eight houses that went bankrupt during the bone-flesh flower speculation wave!”
“!”
Lee Han flinched at the rumor, which had already been distorted.
He had never said anything like that.
“Amazing. Truly remarkable insight, and truly remarkable wealth. He wasn’t called the great magnate of the south for nothing.”
“Wasn’t it the west?”
“Huh? I thought it was the east...”
“What kind of house is House Nago? This is the first I’ve heard of it.”
“Ah. You must not have heard because you were away on your travels. Recently...”
While the gathered people rapidly exchanged rumors among themselves, the mages lying inside the boat exchanged bewildered looks.
What on earth was going on?
“What is Stedal of House Nago?”
“I-I don’t know either. It seems to be an alias. Is it an alias used by Einroguard students?”
“Could it be an alias used by Lord Gonadaltes?”
“That... might be possible.”
Master Puyo thought Abalkaigen’s hypothesis sounded plausible.
Judging by the Skull Principal’s behavior, Gonadaltes gave a strong impression of someone who lived completely outside Imperial law, but surprisingly enough, the archmage was quite law-abiding.
Of course, from a victim’s perspective, anyone would naturally cry, “You call that law-abiding?!” but this really was the restrained side of Gonadaltes.
Separate from that, however, suspicious rumors occasionally circulated throughout the Empire.
Rumors about people who met terrible fates after being attacked by some unidentified, fearsome archmage.
And strangely enough, such people had always crossed the Skull Principal in some way not long before.
Master Puyo would not be surprised at all if the Skull Principal secretly used aliases to attack those who had offended him.
“Come to think of it, the alias does seem deeply connected to Lord Gonadaltes.”
“But isn’t the name too carelessly chosen?”
“There must be some deeper meaning behind it. Something mages like us could never even guess.”
The two mages never imagined that the Skull Principal’s disciple had arbitrarily borrowed his master’s house name as an alias.
Meanwhile, someone in the gathered crowd finally said what Lee Han had wanted to hear.
“Ah! You mean the mage who escaped from those pirates!”
Finally!
Lee Han sighed with relief inwardly.
He needed to act roughly from here on, so it would be troublesome if the other party misunderstood him as some god of Imperial investment.
-Hmph. You bast...
-Lord Nago! Please share your wise opinion on whether the west will have a good harvest or a poor harvest this year!
Just imagining it is embarrassing.
That kind of situation absolutely had to be avoided.
“From pirates?”
“Yes. I heard that when he was young, he was captured by pirates, but he turned the ropes into venomous snakes and poisoned every pirate there. Not only that, he turned the pirate captain to stone and scattered the pieces across the sea!”
“...”
Lee Han, who had been about to interrupt, hesitated again.
Just as the investment rumors had been inflated, the other rumors had also become quite exaggerated.
“Ah! I think I’ve heard of that! They say he buried a greedy person underground in Granden City too!”
“...It was a canal!”
Strictly speaking, he had not exactly shoved the person into a canal, either, but explaining that here would be too much.
At the rough voice, the people present startled and turned their gazes. Lee Han, who had shouted without realizing it, quickly cleared his throat.
“How dare someone insult Stedal of House Nago? Step forward!”
“I... apologize.”
Count Jau quickly sheathed his well-sharpened dagger and apologized.
Everyone gathered here deeply understood how unpleasant and insulting it was to be mistaken for Professor Verdus.
To think they had nearly inflicted such harm on another innocent person. It was horrifying just to imagine.
Just how many spells are cast on that dagger?
Lee Han inwardly wiped a hand over his chest. The count seemed like a kindly old man, but the aura of the dagger in his hand was truly murderous.
Its purpose was probably to pierce the magic protecting an enchantment mage’s body in a single strike...
If a fight broke out, Lee Han decided he should not try to block that with telekinesis.
“How dare you commit such tyranny in the capital!”
“I-I’m sorry, Lord Nago. However... isn’t that sailboat the work of the mage Bivle Verdus?”
“No...”
“You can tell by looking at the beaver figurehead attached to the front of the sailboat.”
“I’ve seen it several times in Professor Verdus’s letters too.”
Oh no!
Lee Han, who had been about to deny it, realized his mistake.
He should have cut off the beaver figurehead attached to the front of the sailboat right away.
Who would have thought that leaving it alone out of fear of disrupting the balance of the well-made magical masterpiece would trip him up like this?
The gathered nobles were only worried about mistaking another innocent person for Professor Verdus, but that did not mean they were easy opponents.
Without a proper explanation, he would not be able to send them away.
“I... stole it from him.”
“!!!!”
“You stole it?!”
The people stirred in shock.
Lee Han thought they had been overwhelmed by Stedal of House Nago’s lawless nature, casually robbing someone else’s property.
However, that was a misunderstanding.
“How were you able to steal Professor Verdus’s belongings? What method did you use?”
“Truly amazing...! The rumors weren’t wrong!”
Professor Verdus was not only an excellent mage himself but also a man with many enemies, which made him extremely vigilant.
Moreover, Professor Verdus spent most of his time hiding in his dam—no, his magic tower—inside Einroguard territory.
Robbing such a mage was as difficult as stealing treasure from a dragon.
“I robbed him through cunning schemes and overwhelming strength.”
“A-amazing...”
“Lord Nago. Would you perhaps visit our house for a while?”
“No! Our house first!”
The nobles of the capital all rushed forward, trying to invite this ridiculously extraordinary mage.
If they borrowed this mage’s power, they too might be able to capture Professor Verdus.
-What is happening here?
Phew. Thank goodness.
When knights flew over from the distance, Lee Han sighed in relief.
They seemed to have rushed over after seeing so many people gathered in the air.
Now the crowd would soon disperse...
“Lord Nago here robbed Professor Verdus of his belongings!”
“!”
Lee Han was flustered.
He had not expected the nobles of the capital to tattle immediately without any dignity.
The knights, naturally, were greatly surprised upon hearing this.
“How is that possible? What method did he use?”
“...”
Lee Han was at a loss for words.
Should that really be the first thing they asked?
One of the relatively new knights among them cautiously spoke up.
“Um, excuse me. Still, he did steal something, so can we just let that slide?”
“Compared to the amount Master Bivle Verdus swindled through deception, this is a drop in the bucket. Even if we investigate, Professor Verdus probably won’t show up anyway.”
The knights were experienced and wise.
Professor Verdus would not appear in the Imperial Court anyway. Making a fuss over it would only be meaningless.
“More importantly, how did he steal it?”
“They say he robbed Professor Verdus through cunning schemes and mighty strength!”
“Ha. This will go down in Imperial history. The name is Stedal of House Nago...”
The knights, after being amazed, belatedly began to question Stedal of House Nago’s identity.
“Wait. The flight permission was... applied for by Einroguard’s Death Knights, correct?”
“That’s right.”
“Then is he from Einroguard? A new professor?”
“That’s probably the case.”
In fact, Einroguard professors stealing and robbing from one another should have seemed strange, but none of the knights present found that part odd.
“Then unreasonable requests will be difficult.”
If Stedal of House Nago had not been from Einroguard, the knights would have personally stepped forward to receive instruction in “methods for attacking Professor Verdus.” But if the other party was from Einroguard, such a thing was impossible.
The knights, having quietly finished their conversation, began dispersing the people.
“We understand that this is amazing, but you cannot keep gathering here!”
“Everyone, please move as previously discussed!”
The gathered people shouted toward Lee Han as if they were dying of regret.
“Master Nago! Please be sure to consider our proposal!”
“Our house’s doors are always open!”
Lee Han let out a sigh of relief as they dispersed.
There had been dangerous moments here and there, but somehow, it seemed things had ended well.
“Everyone’s gone. Let’s go down.”
“I won’t tell anyone about what happened today.”
“!”
Lee Han was impressed by the two mages, who showed such thoughtful consideration first.
He had been just about to ask them himself.
As expected, renowned mages are different somehow.
“Thank you.”
“We should be the ones thanking you. We nearly had our reputations ruined.”
Abalkaigen expressed sincere gratitude.
Who would have thought the day would come when he would receive help from Professor Verdus’s disciple?
“If there is ever a need to repair or further improve this ship, feel free to send a letter and ask.”
“It would probably be difficult to ask Professor Verdus, wouldn’t it? We may not be as skilled as Professor Verdus, but we can gather the wisdom of other mages.”
THUD.
When they returned to the departure point, the two mages descended to the second floor and prepared to leave.
“Don’t you need to see Professor Verdus before you go...? Farewell!”
Lee Han had been about to ask whether they needed to greet Professor Verdus, then realized he had asked a foolish question.
The two mages left with smiles, each heading in a different direction. Neither showed the slightest interest in Professor Verdus on the first floor.
Once they had gone far enough that no one would suspect a connection to Professor Verdus, Abalkaigen asked the disciple.
“Come to think of it, what were you trying to say earlier?”
The disciple had definitely been about to bring up <Bivle’s Sorrow>, had he not?
“Ah. About that.”
Abalkarun explained what had happened earlier.
The boy from House Wardanaz had briefly stepped away, spoken with his master, presumed to be the Skull Principal, then cast <Bivle’s Sorrow> and perfectly repaired the artifact...
“...What?!!”
Abalkaigen held back the scream that nearly burst out and barely regained composure.
The words “Why are you telling me this only now?” rose to his throat.
Ugh.
The master made a firm resolution.
From now on, Abalkaigen would never interrupt the disciple mid-sentence and would absolutely listen until the end.
***
“Wardanaz.”
“Ah. Master Alshicle. You really worked hard yesterday.”
“Huh? No. That was nothing compared to what you went through. But there is something I’m curious about.”
“?”
The next day.
When Alshicle Pengerine, who was staying with them at the villa estate, called out to him, Lee Han was puzzled.
What could it be?
“Did you recently do anything under the identity of Stedal of House Nago?”
“...Why do you ask?”
RUSTLE.
Alshicle turned the backpack upside down and shook it.
Then letters that easily seemed to number over a hundred poured out from inside. Some even had beak marks on them.
“When I woke up this morning, my room was packed full of letters asking me to introduce them to Stedal of House Nago...”
“I’m sorry!”
Lee Han apologized with true sincerity.
