‘There are mages like this in the Empire too.’
Einroguard students were prone to falling into this kind of misconception.
—Still, it’s only the people at our school who are like this, right? The mages we meet after graduation won’t be quite this beastly, will they?
But after graduating, they would learn the reality.
Imperial mages, by and large, were not especially good people either.
For Koholti, who had only been mistreated by the mages recently met outside, Stedal’s kindness was deeply moving.
Koholti had thought he was a terrifying battle mage...
Stedal looked at Koholti and gave a small nod. Koholti was even more moved.
‘...Does this person have no sense at all?’
Stedal—no, Lee Han—was inwardly dumbfounded.
He had come all this way to help and was speaking to Koholti, yet instead of taking advantage of the situation, Koholti was just grinning foolishly like that.
If it had been Lee Han, he would have secured not only funding from the count and his nephew, but also a list of noble mansions he could invade in the future.
He should have explained it all together when explaining things to Senior Diret.
‘No. This person definitely wouldn’t have been able to keep a straight face if I had told him.’
Lee Han sighed inwardly.
At first, it had been a fake identity he created without much thought, but little by little, that fake identity was beginning to feel heavy.
Earlier, even before he entered the manor, follower-like groups had spotted him and approached with cheers. It had been a truly spine-chilling experience.
“Lord Nago! We heard rumors that Lord Nago was coming and came looking for you!”
“Please look this way! Lord Nago! Please take us on your next voyage too...”
No matter how he thought about it, his popularity had risen too much, so Lee Han responded roughly.
If he acted rudely at another noble’s manor, where he had been invited as a guest, his reputation should immediately fall.
“Hmph. Don’t block the way. Move aside.”
“Yes, yes! We’ll move aside! You lot, get out of the way!”
However, despite such rude behavior, people only grew more enthusiastic.
A few clear-headed, intelligent people tried to point out the rudeness, but caught up in the group madness, they did not dare speak up.
“That’s still rude, no matter wha—”
“Are you trying to insult Lord Stedal of the Nago family, who was personally invited by the count and is currently the most famous person in the southern Empire?!”
“Ah... no, I’m not.”
‘...I’m screwed.’
In this fanatical atmosphere, where they would probably praise him even if he started punching people, Lee Han realized that the crowd’s fervor had left his control.
Now there was only one thing Lee Han could do.
Not get caught!
‘If I get caught, won’t they attack House Wardanaz?’
“Thank you for enlightening me!”
Count Jau’s young nephew looked at Lee Han with sparkling eyes.
The man had been arrogant and pompous in other parts of the party, yet now he was acting like this, which made Lee Han even more troubled.
Couldn’t he just be arrogant here too?
“...Hmph. It was nothing much.”
“I’ll definitely catch Professor Verdus, just like Lord Nago.”
At the nephew’s words, the people present made approving expressions.
“You have a fine nephew, Count.”
“Of course. The insult the count received should be repaid by a family member!”
“...Wh-what happened?”
Koholti asked in confusion.
The hostility the count’s nephew displayed toward Professor Verdus was almost on par with that of Einroguard students.
A dwarf guest sipping orange punch nearby explained in his stead.
“The mage Professor Verdus once deceived Count Jau. Three times, no less.”
Befitting his reputation for generosity, Count Jau showed magnanimity even to mages.
One person who had benefited greatly from that was none other than Professor Verdus.
“I’m trying to conduct magical research, and I need ten thousand Imperial gold coins.”
“Understood. Take it.”
“No, Count! Do you know that mage?”
“I do not. But that mage is surely an extraordinary person. Usually, mages who come to borrow gold for research are cunning and servile, but that one has a confidence that does not care about anything. Also, the artifacts being worn are all excellent items, so this is definitely no ordinary mage.”
“Indeed...!”
Professor Verdus, who had easily extorted ten thousand Imperial gold coins like that, had not been satisfied with only that and had come two more times to receive more.
And instead of compensating the count with results, Professor Verdus had holed up in Einroguard territory and gone into hiding.
“Not only those who received favors from the count, but all the count’s relatives are grinding their teeth.”
‘Hmm. The count seems to have some problems too.’
Lee Han only thought this to himself.
No matter how good-natured someone was, what had he trusted Professor Verdus for...?
Had he given the gold because of Professor Verdus’s cute appearance?
“Lord Nago!”
“?”
Lee Han was startled when someone suddenly called him.
Had his inner thoughts been discovered?
“I-I’m sorry, but may I have a word? Could you possibly tell us about the deadly poison and curse you commissioned earlier?”
“???”
Wondering what this person was talking about, Lee Han realized it was the guest he had met outside °• N 𝑜 v 𝑒 l i g h t •° the manor earlier.
The person who had misunderstood after seeing him whispering with Diret and said, “Oh! Were you looking for deadly poison or curses to use on your enemies?”
It seemed the guest thought Lee Han had commissioned something new to use against Professor Verdus. Lee Han tried to clear up the misunderstanding.
“That’s...”
“Su-such a commission! Could you please tell me about it too?”
The count’s nephew exclaimed in delight.
The people present also looked at him earnestly, with eyes hoping this battle-hardened, rough combat mage would show a moment of generosity.
Usually hunters did not reveal their secrets, but for the sake of the count who had arranged and hosted this gathering...!
“...I have no choice.”
Overwhelmed by the atmosphere, Lee Han quickly changed his words.
Since it had come to this, there was no choice.
“Bring the Einroguard dark magic school students.”
“Ohhh!”
“So it was the Einroguard dark magic school!”
***
The dark magic school students, who had been enjoying table ball in a corner of the hall, were flustered by the sudden summons.
“Did Senior Koholti cause trouble by any chance?”
“Hey. Call him Mr. Koholti. Someone might misunderstand.”
“Everyone quiet. Let’s go for now.”
Diret led the juniors with a reluctant expression.
The atmosphere was not hostile, but Diret had no idea what was going on either.
‘What’s the situation?’
When Diret arrived where the count was, the crowd’s reaction made the confusion even worse.
People were casting looks full of expectation and admiration.
Usually, mages of the dark magic school did not get the chance to receive looks like that. The juniors also seemed flustered as they whispered.
“Did they mistake us for another school?”
“I think they confused us with the healing magic school...”
“Please come forward!”
The count’s nephew politely offered his greetings.
The students thought to themselves at the unexpectedly polite demeanor.
‘I heard his nephew was a scoundrel, but maybe not?’
‘What would Koholti know anyway?’
Cursing Koholti inwardly, the students waved their hands dismissively.
“N-no, it’s nothing. What brings you here?”
“I heard that you are all experts in poisons and curses.”
“That’s... true, I suppose?”
When it came to experts in poisons and curses, it was usually the dark magic school or the healing magic school.
“Is someone sick? But if someone is sick, you should call the healing magic school...”
Dark magic school students could, of course, remove poisons or curses, but they could not guarantee the patient’s life in the process.
“No! No one is sick. I want to commission poisons and curses!”
“...”
“Well, that is... under Imperial law, you cannot purchase them without a legitimate purpose.”
The dwarf student Dirimpa opened his mouth in confusion.
Actually, there were times when dark mages became popular, and that was among people planning crimes.
They were the most reliable people to approach when someone wanted to eliminate a family member and steal the fortune.
Of course, naturally, they could not simply sell deadly poisons or curses for money.
“Don’t worry. I have a legitimate reason. You may submit it to the Empire. I want to purchase poisons and curses to subdue Professor Verdus.”
The count’s nephew spoke passionately.
Then he shouted that he knew Stedal Nago here had commissioned Einroguard’s dark magic school students to create deadly poisons and curses.
“Is that so?!”
“It must be Senior Diret’s commission. As expected of our senior.”
The dark magic school underclassmen sent Diret looks full of admiration.
Truly the school’s top wheeler-dealer. When had Diret secured such a commission?
If it was a mage with that reputation, the commission fee had to be substantial too, right?
“...”
Diret was so dumbfounded that Diret stared blankly at the junior. Even while disguised, Lee Han expressed his apologies with his eyes alone.
‘I’m sorry. I’m sorry.’
“For poison that non-experts can use, Ahrak’s poison would be suitable as a starting point. Red poison or blue poison would be good for coating weapons too.”
Even as Diret spoke, skepticism remained.
Regardless of the poison’s performance, Professor Verdus was surprisingly thorough with defenses in this area.
Professor Verdus was someone who carried around antidote and curse-breaking artifacts, so most things would not work...
‘What do you think about this, Junior?’
‘That’s for the buyer to figure out.’
Lee Han was cold.
They had told them about poisons and curses. Did they also have to teach them how to catch Professor Verdus with them?
And Lee Han did not know that method either.
“...”
Hey!
While Diret was bewildered, the other people present also cautiously spoke up.
“Excuse me, dark mages. Could I place a commission as well? I want to try using it when catching Professor Verdus too.”
“If it’s all right, please accept my commission too! I’ll pay a fair price!”
The people present seemed half-hypnotized.
Hypnotized into thinking that if they did not buy poison here today, they would not be able to catch Professor Verdus even if they met Professor Verdus later!
“W-wait. Everyone, calm down and think rationally. Professor Verdus is also an expert in poisons. Have you thought about how you plan to use them before commissioning anything?”
Diret tried to calm people down and make them think rationally.
But they were already intoxicated with baseless confidence.
“Since Lord Stedal of the Nago family succeeded once, it will surely work.”
“Even if it fails, I won’t hold a grudge! Please accept the commission!”
“Understood! Understood!”
The dark magic school underclassmen quickly pulled out paper and wrote down people’s names.
They could not let such a rare opportunity go to waste.
When would they get to sell the dark magic school’s deadly poisons at such high prices again?
“No... hey... everyone... sigh.”
Diret, who had been about to tell the juniors not to deceive people, closed his mouth.
Everyone was too happy.
When would the school’s underclassmen receive such enthusiastic commissions again?
The poisons people bought would not work on Professor Verdus and would be neutralized, but still, the money would be very helpful to the juniors.
Thinking that way, Diret felt this farce could simply be allowed to pass.
“What’s all this commotion about?”
“Lord Nago is sharing the poison used when subduing Professor Verdus.”
“My word! Why are you only telling us this now?”
Even guests who arrived late after hearing the rumors lined up in front of the dark magic school students.
Lee Han took advantage of the chaos to whisper quietly.
“Senior Diret. Still, the results aren’t too bad, are they?”
“Get lost, Lord Stedal of the Nago family.”
