'Come to think of it, the principal might need something to keep busy too.'
Now that Lee Han thought about it, having the principal take over the illusion magic school's work was not necessarily a bad thing.
Was there not a saying that people suddenly grew old once they stopped doing the work they had always done?
Of course, the Skull Principal was a great mage far removed from aging, but the principal clearly needed an appropriate pastime.
The principal had also continued grumbling because the inspector had arrived...
'If the principal takes on some work, perhaps the principal will forget that Her Highness Uman took away the principal's authority.'
Or the principal might burn with even greater resentment, but at least that resentment would be directed at Professor Kirmin Ku.
That was not a bad thing for Lee Han.
"Thank you, Professor."
"It is nothing."
"By the way. Then will you also give additional lectures when we go outside?"
"What are you talking about? ...Wait, did the other professors give lectures when you went outside?!"
Voladi was one thing, but Professor Kirmin Ku had never expected even Professor Garcia to do such a thing.
Professor Kirmin Ku could not hide the shock.
...Could some of it have rubbed off from traveling together?!
'That is not something to learn...'
Professor Kirmin Ku worried that the kind junior professor might be becoming violent-tempered because of a bad friend.
***
The commission Lee Han had chosen after careful consideration as his next job was one entrusted by the religious orders.
It was not because the compensation was exceptionally good. To begin with, the Empire's religious orders were not particularly powerful financially.
If one considered only financial strength, great noble houses, members of the Imperial Family, or great merchant houses were far wealthier.
Even so, Lee Han accepted the commission from the religious orders instead of refusing it. Lee Han possessed at least a little conscience.
'Mm. I did join several religious orders and receive divine magic from them, after all.'
Lee Han had not received the divine magic because he wanted it, but rather by accident, yet even so, a slight sense of responsibility had formed.
And honestly, the commissions sent by members of the Imperial Family sounded so plausible that Lee Han was wary of them instead.
They said they would give him this and that if he merely came, but how could he know what would happen once he went? He might have to meet and greet even the eighth cousin of an Imperial Family member's in-law.
The next day, the Imperial newspaper might print something like <Lee Han of House Wardanaz Declares Support for Imperial Family Member A... Shocking!>.
Compared to that, commissions from the religious orders were trustworthy. They said it was fine even if he could not come, and their purpose itself was sincere.
A commission to resolve drought and heat damage in the western region. It sounded like a sincere commission just from hearing about it.
The problem was...
"...Why are all of you here?"
"W-We are priests too, in our own way, Lord Wardanaz."
Priest Siana answered in confusion.
Since it was a commission from the religious orders, of course priests from those religious orders would be there!
"I see..."
Lee Han realized that he had overlooked one fact.
His friends could also leave on commissions.
'I let my guard down.'
Lee Han had thought he would go alone, rather than on a commission meant to be carried out together from the start, like the one he had taken with Moradi.
But thinking about it, there was no way the religious orders would leave available hands unused while handling work like this. Naturally, they would call on them if needed.
"Is there some reason why we should not go with you?"
Siana gave Lee Han a slightly suspicious look.
Wardanaz's reaction was a little strange compared to usual.
Of course, Wardanaz was always a little strange, but today's reaction was strangely difficult to understand.
"Well... Mm."
Lee Han looked around at his priest friends. Priest Nigisor and Priest Tiziling looked back in puzzlement.
"Right. I should not hide something like this. The truth is, I am currently in a hostile relationship with an evil-god order whose name I cannot reveal."
"Is it the Frahgal Order?"
"No."
"Is it the Ksaksarigol Order?"
"I said no."
"Then..."
"...I said I cannot reveal the name."
Lee Han glared at his friends in disbelief.
Did they think this was some quiz called 'Guess Which Order I Have a Grudge Against'?
The priests whispered in disappointment.
"I thought we could guess it..."
"Perhaps we guessed correctly and Lord Wardanaz is pretending otherwise. Lord Wardanaz is skilled at that sort of thing."
"I believe there is a high possibility that it is the Ksaksarigol Order..."
Lee Han irritably struck the floor with his staff. With a series of booming sounds, the priests closed their mouths.
"Anyway, I have a hostile relationship with this evil-god order, and I am worried that all of you might get dragged into it for no reason."
Lee Han would have felt comparatively less guilty if they had been bastards from the White Tiger Tower, but the kindest priest friends in their year were a different story.
After hearing that, Siana raised a hand and asked.
"I have a question."
"Go ahead. Asking which evil-god order it is is forbidden."
"That is not it. Um... But did Lord Wardanaz not usually get dragged into things even without anyone holding a grudge?"
At Siana's sharp question, not only Tiziling but even Nigisor gasped.
It was too cruel a question to ask a friend.
"E-Even so, that seems too harsh."
"That is right. It is not as though Lord Wardanaz wanted those things to happen."
"B-But it is still something that needs to be said."
Despite being scolded by the others, Siana remained firm.
To begin with, if one worried about every single thing like that, it would be impossible to travel around with Wardanaz.
And separate from the evil-god order, Wardanaz already had many enemies.
Starting with anti-magic factions and continuing to magical criminals, they would have formed a line. Why act as though this were something new now?
"......"
Lee Han grew gloomy. At that reaction, Siana realized the mistake.
"N-No. I absolutely did not mean that it was Lord Wardanaz's fault."
"I told you that was too harsh!"
"Please cheer Lord Wardanaz up quickly!"
"I said I did not mean it was your fault! Would you like a potion that improves your mood?"
Siana took out a carefully saved ice cream float. This drink, stored inside a potion bottle, had become something that could send a person to the punishment room merely for possessing it after the current inspector's ban.
"...That is not what matters."
'He changed the subject.'
'Lord Wardanaz changed the subject.'
'Lord Wardanaz changed the subject...'
"Even if we assume that all of you are coming with me, the point is that you need to watch out for these evil-god worshipers."
Lee Han reduced his objective.
Now that he thought about it, these priests were not people who would stay behind merely because he told them not to go, and telling them not to go because of him would make him feel guilty in its own way.
In that case, he at least needed to make them pay attention to their safety.
"If you meet anyone outside who whispers wickedly to you, do not make contact under any circumstances. Report it to me immediately."
"Is it perhaps an evil god that controls flames?"
Nigisor asked with a trace of anticipation in the voice.
If so, Nigisor intended to stab the evil-god worshipers in the back and steal their flames.
"...No."
"Perhaps something related to alchemy..."
"None of you think of evil gods as traveling merchants, do you?"
Lee Han glared at his friends.
The priests quickly shook their heads and shouted.
"We will never be swayed by suspicious whispers. If an outsider approaches us, we will keep our distance first!"
"I shall do the same! Now. Priest Tiziling, hurry as well!"
'I had no intention of doing anything like that in the first place...'
Tiziling felt slightly wronged.
Tiziling had never had the slightest intention of getting involved with evil-god worshipers in the first place!
"Ah. Professor Garcia!"
Professor Garcia, the first of the professors to arrive, greeted the students warmly.
"It is good to see everyone. By the way, Student Lee Han. The principal said there was new information and told me to hear it directly from you."
"What? Why from me?"
"Who knows? Perhaps because someone sent the principal a letter asking the principal to take over the illusion magic school's work?"
"...Ah."
Rather than continue talking at length about a disadvantageous subject, Lee Han quickly reported the matters related to the Sanguros Order.
And also the fact that his name had appeared on the list.
"Could it °• N 𝑜 v 𝑒 l i g h t •° be because of the Ghoul King? Or the King of the Frost Giants? The anti-magic faction? Magical criminals? Perhaps because you contracted with Her Majesty Jowrin..."
"...Professor. Are you perhaps not surprised?"
'Ah.'
Only then did Professor Garcia realize the mistake.
Thinking about it, the proper reaction from a professor upon hearing something like this was, 'Those wicked evil-god worshipers! How dare they target my student!'
"I-I am truly surprised! Those wicked people. If I see them, I will not let them get away!"
"...Thank you."
"By the way. Is Professor Ku also coming to give lectures?"
Professor Garcia asked as though it were the most natural thing in the world.
Since a professor was going out of the way to accompany them, Professor Garcia assumed that lectures would inevitably follow.
"No."
"Why? Is there some problem?"
"Professor... There is no rule saying a lecture absolutely has to be given..."
"...?!!!"
Professor Garcia's eyes widened.
That...
That was true?!
***
The group traveled as though flying in two carriages.
Perhaps because Professor Garcia had been shocked by the earlier conversation, or perhaps out of consideration to let Lee Han spend time with his friends, Professor Garcia grabbed Professor Voladi and dragged Professor Bagreg into the rear carriage.
-Professor Bagreg. We can make up enough lecture progress in the spare time anyway!
-That is true. Professor Bagreg. Let the students talk among themselves.
Lee Han looked at his friends with renewed wonder.
He had not known the power of friendship could be this strong. If it grew any stronger, perhaps it could even defeat an evil god.
"Lord Wardanaz."
"What is it, Priest Nigisor?"
"I heard that you recently subdued a powerful fire spirit..."
"Cough. Cough!"
Lee Han began coughing while drinking the mood-improving ice cream potion Siana had given him.
It was an ambush he had never expected.
How in the world?
"W-What are you talking about?"
"Was the Daylily Magic Tower's commission not to subdue a spirit?"
Nigisor looked puzzled instead.
Why was Wardanaz so flustered over a commission worthy of pride?
Of course, from Lee Han's perspective, it was merely absurd.
First, it was surprising that the rumor had already spread...
...And was the reason Priest Nigisor was asking not far too obvious?!
'I do not know what the goal is, but I absolutely do not want to tell.'
Whether Nigisor wanted Lee Han to introduce Heavenly Fire General Zbagni or had some other purpose, Lee Han wanted to stop it under any circumstances. Lee Han feigned ignorance.
"No. The Daylily Magic Tower's commission was simply..."
"Simply?"
"...They called me there because they wanted to make a good impression on me. With things like banquets and meals. They wanted me to join their Magic Tower after graduation."
"......"
"......"
The kind Priest Tiziling nodded as though believing him, but the two wicked priests did not.
They immediately exchanged suspicious looks.
'That sounds like a lie.'
'I think so too.'
No matter how exceptional a talent Wardanaz was, would an organization on the level of the Daylily Magic Tower really stoop so low as to lure someone in like that?
A Magic Tower was a place that invited mages through its own achievements and skill, not a place that tempted them with candy and drinks.
Nigisor asked a probing question.
"I am curious what sort of events they held."
"First, they held a banquet for me. After that, they invited famous musicians from across the Empire and held an appreciation concert. Then after that, there was a meditation retreat by the lakeside..."
"......"
"...You do not believe me. Do you?"
"N-No. We believe you."
"How could we doubt Lord Wardanaz!"
At Siana and Nigisor's obvious disbelief, Lee Han regretted not bringing Jowrin along.
'Perhaps I should have just brought her.'
"No matter what all of you think, it truly happened. If you do not believe me, ask the Magic Tower later... No. They will probably insist nothing like that happened. There were adventurers and knights there too... No. Forget it."
If they asked the adventurers or knights, they would obviously hear about Heavenly Fire General Zbagni, so Lee Han waved the idea away.
"Right. The professors! Once we arrive, you can ask the professors."
"......"
"...Priest Siana... You do not think I could bribe the professors too, do you?"
"Gasp. H-How?"
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