Just as Lee Han had once suspected that the Skull Principal might possess mind-reading abilities after witnessing the principal's extraordinary magical skill, Siana also suspected that Lee Han might possess mind-reading abilities after witnessing his extraordinary magical skill.
"Forget it... Do not believe me."
"I said I believe you!"
"But if they called you for that purpose, how did you manage to get away?"
At Tiziling's question, the other two priests also made expressions that said, 'Huh?'
Now that they thought about it, escaping from a situation like that did not seem easy either.
"That was... because they decided I fit Einroguard too well and gave up on recruiting me."
'It is a lie, but strangely enough, that part sounds convincing.'
Siana thought inwardly.
Why did only details like that sound oddly plausible and realistic?
At that moment, Lee Han felt the heat of a spirit on the back of his hand. It was obvious who was trying to make contact.
Lee Han pretended not to notice and ignored it. At least for now, he could not answer.
"I can feel the heat."
Nigisor muttered.
"?!!"
Lee Han was startled by the sharp senses his priest friend had displayed.
To think Nigisor had detected an attempt to make contact from the spirit world.
No matter how much Nigisor carried the blood of a spirit contract passed down from the ancestors...
"That is true. It has become a little hotter."
"It seems like quite a serious problem."
Only then did Lee Han realize that he had misunderstood.
The group had currently accepted a commission from the religious orders because of the drought and heat damage in the western region, and naturally, an unseasonable wave of heat was sweeping through the nearby area.
Nigisor had not sensed Heavenly Fire General Zbagni. Nigisor had been talking about the weather outside.
"That is true. Ha ha. I can really feel the heat."
"??"
When Lee Han answered somewhat awkwardly, Nigisor looked puzzled.
"Lord Wardanaz. If you are worried about this Nigisor, there is no need. I do not search for flames in a place like this."
Nigisor was a priest with great interest in powerful flames, but even Nigisor would not come to a region suffering severe heat damage and say something like, 'Oh, perhaps there may be a fragment of flame here.'
If Nigisor were the sort of person who would say such a thing, Nigisor would have joined some evil-god order instead of the Afha Order in the first place.
"R-Right. How dependable."
-Student Lee Han. Get off for a moment at the village ahead!
Professor Garcia, riding in the other carriage, sent a signal.
Looking out the window, Lee Han saw the flags of several religious orders already fluttering weakly in the village ahead. Priests had come to resolve the problem, but the affected area seemed so vast that there were not enough of them.
The professors did not look particularly surprised, perhaps because they had encountered situations like this many times before. Professor Garcia gave instructions.
"Professor Bagreg, please inspect the surrounding security and prepare for any possible unrest. Professor Ku, please calm the villagers. Students, check the condition of the village individually and determine what is needed. It seems we will have to postpone joining the bishop."
There had been a separate destination where they were originally supposed to meet the religious-order group, but they could not simply leave things like this and move on.
Lee Han ignored Heavenly Fire General Zbagni, which kept clinging persistently, and tried to think about what needed to be done now.
'Use healing magic to treat any injured people, repair any collapsed facilities with enchantment magic, fill any dried-up wells with water... Damn it. Why does this bastard keep flashing like this?'
"Lord Wardanaz. Would you not like to move together?"
Nigisor asked while hoisting the bundle of luggage onto the back. Lee Han hurriedly answered.
"No. Let us move separately. There is somewhere I need to visit first, so I will be going!"
"...I-I see..."
As Lee Han quickly moved away, Nigisor was too startled to finish speaking.
It was the first time Wardanaz had so openly put distance between them.
Siana, who had been watching from beside Nigisor, said,
"That is why you should have doubted him in moderation."
"You doubted him with me...!"
As though displaying how deeply wronged Nigisor felt, Nigisor's hair burst into flames.
Watching the two bicker, Tiziling secretly edged away from them. Tiziling did not want to be disliked together with those two.
***
"Do you seriously want to die?"
The moment Lee Han reached a corner of the village where no one was watching, he growled.
At those words, the hamster that had been sitting quietly inside the small cage hanging from Lee Han's waist cried out in surprise.
-What did I do?
-Hmph. Your very existence is unpleasant.
The baby basilisk took the opportunity to snap from inside Lee Han's sleeve. One adorable pet was more than enough for the master.
After being insulted from inside the sleeve without the slightest warning, the hamster was left dumbfounded.
What was this?
Whoosh-
When the heat of a spirit flared like fire on the back of Lee Han's hand, only then did the hamster realize that Lee Han had not been speaking to the hamster.
-A spirit? It looks quite powerful.
Call me Heavenly Fire General.
-Heavenly Fire General!?
The hamster was even more surprised.
Was that not a spirit powerful enough that even the hamster, a magical criminal, knew the title?
It was almost astonishing where this mage of House Wardanaz had picked up a spirit like that.
Lee Han already commanded several spirits, including the Lightning Duke King!
-Amazing. To think you contracted with a spirit like Heavenly Fire General while I was not looking.
A wise companion has joined you while I was away! A very clever... hamster.
Heavenly Fire General wanted to praise the hamster, but Heavenly Fire General was not particularly eloquent to begin with, and there were not many compliments one could give to a hamster.
The hamster answered indignantly.
-This form is only temporary. To become a spirit and still be bound by the shape of a body. How pathetic.
My apologies. I shall apologize.
Since Heavenly Fire General wanted something, Heavenly Fire General was extremely kind and gentle.
That attitude instead made the hamster feel a sense of incongruity.
Was this bastard not known as a rather violent spirit?
The only time a spirit acted against its own nature was when it wanted something.
'Suspicious.'
Now. If you know the might of this Heavenly Fire General, would you not persuade the mage beside you to form a contract with me? Hm?
-You have not formed a contract!?
"If neither of you shuts up, I will send one of you to the spirit world and the other to the basement."
Lee Han warned in a cold voice. Only then did the hamster realize the situation.
'This damned spirit...!'
The hamster had naturally assumed that it was a contracted spirit and praised it, only to discover that there was no contract at all!
No wonder the spirit had acted strangely friendly. It was clearly trying to borrow the hamster's strength because it wanted a contract.
'...Wait. But is this really my fault?'
Anyone who saw a spirit of that level would naturally assume a contract had already been formed. No one would think [N O V E L I G H T] it had failed to secure one and was reduced to begging.
-Why have you not formed a contract? Did that spirit demand some absurd condition?
What an insulting thing to say? I have never done such a thing!
Lee Han cut off contact with Heavenly Fire General and shook the hamster cage hanging from Lee Han's waist up, down, left, and right. The hamster cursed inwardly at the petty revenge.
-I was only asking...!
"I did not contract with that spirit because I dislike it."
-...Only because of that?? W-Wait! Stop shaking me! Stop shaking me!
It was an absurdly irrational reason, but the hamster chose not to point that out.
If the hamster pointed it out here, the cage would only be shaken up, down, left, and right once again.
-Well, violent spirits do tend to be insolent and arrogant.
"Be quiet, and since you have already opened your mouth, give me some advice."
-What advice?
"How can this situation be resolved?"
Lee Han spread both arms and gestured toward the surroundings.
Outside the village, the land already felt completely dried out, without a trace of moisture, and waves of heat pressed in relentlessly through the air. Anyone could see that this was an unseasonable magical disaster.
-...How am I supposed to resolve this? You have to wait until the energy runs out.
The hamster spoke as though the question were absurd.
A natural disaster on this scale could not be overcome by the power of a single mage. It was called a magical disaster, but was it not the combined result of hundreds or thousands of different factors?
It would actually be easier if some insane spirit were rampaging alone, or if a single other-dimensional being were causing an encroachment.
What if the fire spirits of this region had continuously gathered in one place, causing the energy to gather there as well, while other scorching dimensions overlapped at the same time and amplified that power, producing the disaster through a chain reaction?
If the structure were that complicated, the answer was simply to wait until the power was exhausted.
"Is there no way to solve it by bringing in the sea or something like that?"
-That sort of absurd solution is not a normal method...! And what mage would do something like that every time a drought occurred merely to resolve it?
'I should not have asked.'
Lee Han looked at the hamster with disappointment. The hamster felt even more wronged because the insulting meaning in that gaze was obvious.
This brat had asked a question with no answer in the first place...!
"Then Heavenly Fire General?"
I knew you would call me back! Ha ha.
Even though Heavenly Fire General had been driven away in the middle of the contact, the spirit groveled without anger or warning.
That sight made the hamster feel even more disturbed.
'That spirit bastard is no ordinary creature...'
Powerful spirits were naturally arrogant and possessed tremendous pride.
Seeing the spirit suppress all of that and grovel like this sent a chill down the hamster's spine.
Just how insane did a spirit have to be...
"You clearly said last time that you would find more and bring it to me. Have you found more and contacted me?"
Not yet, but... Wait! Wait! Please give me just a little more time. How was the information I gave you last time?
"It was worthless garbage without a single useful detail."
Lee Han lied without even wetting the lips. It was a level of skill that would have left Saratan clicking its tongue in admiration.
What...! That was the fault of those madmen, not mine! Who could have known those bastards would abandon their holy site without the slightest pride!
Heavenly Fire General fiercely denounced the evil-god worshipers.
They needed to be caught so Heavenly Fire General's value would be recognized and the contract could be formed, yet those fools had ruined everything!
Wait! Instead, I will give you another piece of advice. Are the mortals around here currently suffering from the heat?
"That is true..."
This Heavenly Fire General has a way to resolve it.
The spirit spoke proudly. Lee Han and the hamster answered immediately.
"You are lying."
-It is talking nonsense. It probably means that it will burn all the mortals here to death and relieve their suffering that way.
...That would also be a good method, but it is incorrect. To think you would doubt the abilities of this Heavenly Fire General so much.
"Heavenly Fire General. The hamster here may look pathetic on the outside, but it was once an outstanding great mage. If a mage like that says there is no method, how could you possibly have one?"
The hamster squeaked happily, then froze.
The hamster felt disgusted with itself for being pleased by that.
'Damn it!'
The methods of mages and spirits are different. I know the master of the dimension spread across this region. I can recognize that bastard merely by the scent. If you ask, I will personally step forward and negotiate.
It would be impossible to stop all the heat damage covering the region, but it would provide tremendous help to the nearby area.
The hamster had no choice but to acknowledge that.
Assuming Heavenly Fire General truly knew the other party.
-Does that bastard really know? It does not seem like a spirit with connections that broad.
"There is no harm in making it try... Fine. Try it once."
Wait! A sacrifice is needed for the negotiations. The other party will not simply answer the contact.
"What kind of sacrifice is needed?"
Offer only twenty-two of the villagers as burnt offerings.
"......"
-Mm. If it is only about twenty-two people, perhaps it is worth considering...
"Get lost."
Lee Han drove Heavenly Fire General away and violently shook the hamster cage.
Then Lee Han trudged off to work again.
***
Lee Han did not possess especially high confidence in magic compared to Lee Han's actual ability, but there were still several fields in which Lee Han felt confident.
One of them was menial labor.
If Einroguard ever created a menial-labor school, Lee Han was seriously confident that Lee Han could represent it.
Low-circle magic, which consumed almost no mental strength when paired with Lee Han's endless mana, was an excellent match.
After Lee Han restored the village facilities, filled the wells with water, and helped the people who had collapsed recover, the priests who had arrived earlier were so moved that tears welled in their eyes.
The hamster, however, grumbled inwardly.
'What a waste of time.'
Considering that the village easily contained several hundred people, Heavenly Fire General's proposal had not been that bad.
If they offered the old and weak who were already on the verge of death, they could push away the dimension overlapping this area and cool the heat, yet Lee Han had driven the spirit away like that.
Lee Han's magical talent was outstanding, but in matters like this, there were many disappointing points.
'...What the hell? Why am I disappointed?'
If Lee Han had the weakness of being softhearted, that was good for the hamster, not bad.
The hamster shuddered to shake off the thought it had just entertained.
At that very moment, Heavenly Fire General made contact again and whispered.
I offered one of my treasures and contacted that bastard! I would like you to understand that I sacrificed a truly precious treasure!
"Hmm. Well done."
-...!!!
The hamster stared at Lee Han with eyes full of shock.
Could it be that this mage had predicted this and coldly driven the spirit away on purpose?!!
'To think he would squeeze this much out of a spirit like that...!'
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