Yonaire and Yi-Han, who chose to walk instead of ride horses, realized belatedly that their pace was not as slow as they had thought. The students who rode ahead were actually meandering more than expected.
"Whoa…whoa!" Starting with a student from the White Tiger performing tricks atop a jumping horse...
Klak klak klak klak!
"Why are you coming back?"
"I don't know! I'm not controlling this! Help!!"
And so, horses were seen running in the opposite direction. Yi-Han was surprisingly pleased to discover that walking while holding the reins was an effective method.
Snort.
The white horse, amidst the chaos of the other horses, snorted as if disappointed. It wanted to gallop wildly with Yi-Han on its back but was too drained to do so. Yi-Han rummaged in his pocket and pulled out a sugar cube, offering it to the white horse on his palm.
Snort!
The white horse, usually quite temperamental, always ceased its dislike for Yi-Han when offered a snack. Yi-Han inwardly cursed the horse, 'Such a calculating creature.'
Yonaire, on the other hand, seemed to have truly bonded with his dark brown horse, which remained gentle and affectionate even without treats, seemingly concerned about Yonaire's fatigue.
“Wardanaz!” Loud, gravelly voice was heard from behind. It was Salko of the Tutanta family and his friends.
"What's going on? Wait. Don't come closer."
"?"
Yi-Han prevented Salko and his friends from approaching.
"You might mess up my test."
"...No way!! Wardanaz, what do you take us for!"
Salko's subordinates were enraged. Unlike Yi-Han, they were not fixated on grades. They were earnestly preparing for the test to prove their efforts, not for grades.
"Everyone says that. So stay back."
"Calm down, everyone."
Salko restrained his friends and said, "It's a rule not to rummage through your backpack near the gold mine. With Wardanaz's brilliance, he attracts much jealousy. There must be many rivals even within the Tower of the Blue Dragon. I can understand such a reaction."
"?" Yonaire was puzzled.
That's not it?
"I won't approach any further. Wardanaz."
"Alright. Tutanta. What is it?"
Before Salko could speak, one of his subordinates angrily interjected, "Think about what you've done, Wardanaz!"
Yi-Han hesitated for a moment. There were too many things to choose from. Yi-Han asked seriously, "I'm not sure. What are you referring to?"
"What did you just feed that horse?"
"Sugar cubes."
"That's it! You shouldn't feed that to a horse! You should have brought it to the black market!"
"..."
Snort!
Yi-Han and the white horse shared a moment of mutual astonishment.
Salko coughed awkwardly for the first time.
"No, Wardanaz."
"Wasn't it?"
"Yes. That can't be the reason."
Salko then handed Yi-Han a bundle wrapped in brown paper. A glimpse of its contents was visible. It was a carrot.
"Carrots are just as good. Sugar is a rare commodity, so use carrots instead."
With that, Salko turned away. Yi-Han called out to his sturdy dwarven, no, elven friend, "Tutanta. Thank you."
"It's nothing. Come to the black market next time."
"Sure. It's not difficult."
"Let's play a game of chess before you go."
Yi-Han gazed at Salko with suspicion, but Salko had already turned his back and departed.
"Well... it's not bad to save sugar, I suppose."
Although he still had ample supplies, sugar was indeed a precious commodity. Replacing it with carrots wasn't a bad idea. Yi-Han offered a carrot to the white horse.
Snort!
The white horse turned its head away, clearly disliking the carrot. Yi-Han seriously considered finding another white horse.
'Maybe there's one at the magic academy...'
If he feed it well and grow it, wouldn't it look somewhat similar?
Yi-Han and Yonaire caught sight of the riverbank in the distance. Several students were already leading their horses to the river.
Rowena of the White Tiger, a follower of the princess, spotted Yi-Han and warned him, "Mr. Wardanaz, be cautious."
"What's the matter?"
Instead of replying, Rowena pointed at the river with a wooden sword. As a student neared the river to let his horse drink, something astonishing happened. The water level dramatically dropped.
"..."
"..."
Yi-Han and Yonaire's expressions soured.
This is too much!
"Did you find a solution?"
"I was considering going deeper, but the current seems too strong..." Rowena looked hesitant.
Rivers were not to be underestimated. Even water up to one's waist could cause drowning if balance was lost, and the danger increased with the speed of the water. Especially this river, which seemed deep enough to reach one's chest. In such an uncertain situation, caution was imperative.
As Yi-Han approached, the princess rushed over. Rowena spoke on her behalf, "The princess is pleased to see Mr. Wardanaz."
"It seems she just walked here...?"
The princess intently observed the brown bundle Yi-Han was carrying.
'Does she want to feed the horse a carrot?'
Yi-Han took out a carrot and offered it. The princess bit into it immediately, grimacing and then looking at Yi-Han with a sense of betrayal. Yi-Han and Yonaire were the ones taken aback.
'It was meant for the horse...'
'Shh.'
As if puzzled, Rowena inquired, "Where did you get this?"
"...A friend from the Black Tortoise said it was fresh and to eat it."
"I'm sorry, but looking at the princess's face, it seems underripe..."
"That's what I thought. Probably not skilled in farming. But let's not be too harsh considering the intention."
"Yes, it's not polite to complain about a gift."
Yi-Han brazenly feigned innocence and swiftly changed the subject, "Let's try using water manipulation magic to fetch water from the river."
Swinging his staff, a massive blob of water rose from the river. Rowena couldn't help but admire.
So quick and easy!
The blob of water neared the horse's mouth. And just as its tongue was about to touch, the water evaporated.
"..."
Yi-Han was flabbergasted.
'This is really too much.'
Is the test really this serious?
No matter what magic Professor Bungaegor had cast on the river, it seemed they couldn't feed the horses unless they entered the water. In that case...
Yi-Han pulled out a long, sturdy rope from his backpack. The other students watching in a daze were startled.
'Why is that even there??'
It was surprising where he got it, but carrying it around like Wardanaz was just as perplexing. Seeing their puzzlement, Yi-Han announced, "Let's use this to tie ourselves together."
The students, realizing that tying themselves and their horses together would make it easier to withstand the strong river currents, nodded in agreement. This was a plan worth trying.
"That's a good idea, Wardanaz."
"Let's do it together."
So, the students bound themselves with ropes and entered the river with their horses.
"Careful... done!"
"We did it! We did it!"
Cheers erupted from the students who ventured deep into the river. Although the water level dropped when the horses started drinking, it wasn't low enough to prevent them from doing so. Finally, the leading horse began to gulp down water.
'What a relief.'
Yi-Han breathed a sigh of relief internally. This was an easy resolution, indeed. Let it end just like this!
Snort.
The white horse grumbled as if it didn't want to go.
"If you go and drink, I'll give you an extra sugar cube."
Purr…
At Yi-Han's words, the white horse stopped grumbling and lowered its head.
Currently, the students took turns leading at the front, and now it was Yi-Han's turn. As the white horse drank, Yi-Han suddenly felt a tingling sensation in his hair, reminiscent of the chill he had felt when he closed his eyes and detected the movement of elements during Professor Boladi's lecture, or rather, torment.
That chilling sensation! Yi-Han quickly turned his head. A ferocious surge of water was rapidly descending from upstream.
"Bungaegor!"
His friends didn't understand why Yi-Han suddenly shouted the professor's name, nor did they grasp the curse hidden within.
"Everyone, get out of the way! Shield, expand!"
After warning the students behind him, Yi-Han swung his staff and created a massive water shield. As large and thick a shield of water as possible, utilizing all nearby river water! Instantly, the water level around them dropped, allowing the students behind to quickly escape. However, Yi-Han, who had ventured the farthest, was too late to escape. The surge from upstream collided head-on with the water shield and burst sideways. Water splashed everywhere, and the river's level rose again.
But that was enough.
'I can withstand this!'
From the beginning, Yi-Han had no absurd notion of completely blocking the river with the water shield. A brief respite was all he needed. As long as the water didn't rise around him, he could escape. But then...
Snort!
The white horse fell over.
Unlike Yi-Han, who had noticed and prepared for the surge, the white horse, caught off guard, stumbled and flailed in the water that suddenly hit its ankles. Several students screamed. Yonaire, who had escaped, hurried to re-enter, but other students held her back.
"Pull the rope!"
Before Rowena could finish, the rope snapped. The violent currents on either side of Yi-Han had severed it. Now, no options remained. Rowena cried out in desperation, "Mr. Wardanaz! Escape on your own..."
"..."
The white horse was suddenly airborne. It wasn't that Yi-Han had realized a new spell and levitated the horse… Yi-Han had lifted the white horse onto his back and stood up.
The water shield wavered, precariously protecting Yi-Han's surroundings. Everyone was lost for words, even the white horse seemed baffled by Yi-Han's antics. The horse neighed as if to complain, 'What are you doing?'
"...If you throw a fit now, I'll plant you upside down in the riverbed," Yi-Han threatened in a deadly quiet, menacing voice.
To the onlookers, Yi-Han's stance appeared solemn and majestic, yet his entire body was screaming in agony. With one part of his mind, he maintained the water shield, while with another, he wildly sent out mana throughout his body.
Professor Ingurdel had warned against this, but what choice did he have? There was no other way. With each step he took, the mana draining wastefully from his body was so intense that it even frightened the white horse. It seemed inevitable that this human would collapse from exhaustion first.
Yet Yi-Han did not fall nor did he succumb to the river. Barely reaching the shallows, he carried the white horse out and gently set it down. Then, he erupted in a mix of resentment and frustration.
"Bungaegor!!"
"???"
The students were once again perplexed. They couldn't understand why Yi-Han was shouting the professor's name.
Puff…
The white horse quickly got up and rushed to Yi-Han, worried about his condition. But Yi-Han was not deceived.
"No matter how nice you act, I'm not untying your bracelet and belt."
-…-
