The meal prepared by the priests of the Presinga Order was sumptuous. Yi-Han, for the first time in a long while, could freely indulge in food made by others.
After devouring a sandwich stuffed with fresh ham and lettuce, followed by tea sweetened with sugar and milk, Yi-Han finally addressed Priestess Tijiling.
"It seems you are not as gaunt as I thought."
Silence followed.
Any other demon mixed-blood might have cursed by now, but Priestess Tijiling, deepened in cultivation through long practice, responded differently.
"It's a relief that you think so now."
"Indeed."
Priest Mehrid, expressing gratitude, placed a slice of pound cake before Yi-Han.
"Brother, thank you. Because of you, Tijiling did not have to starve."
"It's nothing. I merely did what was needed, Priest."
"I've heard you've also been feeding the other students of the tower."
Priest Mehrid looked at Yi-Han with eyes full of sincere respect.
All the priests knew the new students at the magic academy lived a tough life. It wasn't easy to look after others in such circumstances.
'...He must not know about the money.'
Yi-Han thought to himself.
Most of the other tower students were unaware that Yi-Han meticulously recorded everything in a ledger while preparing food.
It was because the students of the Blue Dragon went around saying, "Wardanaz always prepared meals for us."
Hearing such remarks was a bit embarrassing, considering he was saving up for graduation.
"Such charity and dedication are as good as the will of Lord Presinga himself."
"I believe so too."
Yi-Han missed the timing to speak the truth. It was now too awkward to mention it.
After the meal, while Priestess Tijiling was being questioned by the other priests about her thinness, Yi-Han continued his conversation with Priest Mehrid.
"Is your belt alright?"
The priest scanned Yi-Han worriedly.
Although the priests of the Presinga Order had vowed to absorb the world's curses into their bodies, they couldn't help but worry about the young priests.
More so for someone like Yi-Han, who was wearing a cursed belt that absorbed mana.
As a mage in training, his well-being was of even greater concern.
"I am fine."
"Brother...!"
"I'd willingly bear even more."
Yi-Han spoke earnestly.
To Yi-Han, Priest Mehrid was more like someone who periodically came to give gifts.
The curse of mana absorption was practically meaningless to Yi-Han.
'I wouldn't mind if you gave me more.'
Priest Mehrid, looking troubled, took an artifact out of his backpack.
"This artifact is also cursed with mana absorption, but..."
"What effect does it have?"
"Effect, you say?"
Priest Mehrid paused, struggling to remember.
It wasn't the curse but the effect that mattered.
Yi-Han waited anxiously for the answer.
'Shouldn't one remember the effect rather than the curse, normally?'
"Ah! I remember now. It was a ring of underwater breathing. Probably not much use for a new student..."
"!"
Contrary to Priest Mehrid's assumption, Yi-Han's eyes sparkled upon hearing this.
'Underwater breathing!'
While most new students quietly stayed in the tower at night, Yi-Han's situation was different.
He was continuously searching for ways to escape the academy, making the magic of underwater breathing incredibly useful.
"Magic academy is a place where one can never let their guard down."
Yi-Han, who had previously lost his way in the forest while trying to pass through the corridor, had come to a firm realization. Inside this magic academy, it would not be surprising for anything to emerge.
On his way to the tower's stable, Yi-Han wouldn't be surprised even if a sea appeared.
"I will shoulder it," he declared.
"Brother...!"
Priest Mehrid was deeply impressed by Yi-Han's unhesitating move to put on the ring. His faith was indeed as immense as his dedication to feeding the other students.
'As expected, no effect.'
Yi-Han, after slipping the ring onto his finger, confirmed that there were no noticeable changes.
Priest Mehrid asked, looking concerned, "But Brother, aren't you wearing too many artifacts?"
Wearing too many artifacts was dangerous. Their individual magics could collide or cause unexpected effects.
Though it was relatively safe if the artifacts were a bit apart, more caution was needed when wearing multiple items on the same finger, like rings.
The fire-absorbing artifacts, all having the same function, posed no risk of clashing, but the ring of underwater breathing needed careful handling.
"I will wear them alternately," Yi-Han assured.
"That's reassuring."
'Should I ask why he's wearing so many rings...?' Priestess Tijiling wondered silently.
"The Presinga Order is also staying for the spring festival," Yi-Han said with a bright voice.
The priests of the Presinga Order, like the others before them, harbored a similar misconception.
Naturally, as a freshman, he is excited about the spring festival!
"Yes, we plan to stay at the academy until next week to help with the spring festival," they replied.
The Empire's spring festival was a time to welcome the coming spring, celebrated freely and informally.
It was an occasion where one could expect plays, performances, and events all happening in one place.
If the skull principal had announced 'This week is the spring festival' without the presence of the priests, Yi-Han would have thought it suspicious. But with the priests around, the situation was different.
'Next week, I might be able to save on groceries.'
Yi-Han, along with Yonaire, had been meticulously calculating their daily food supplies.
Despite bringing in bulk from outside, the rate of consumption was high. It was necessary to save whenever possible.
He planned to try leaving the academy again before the semester ended, though there was a chance of failure.
'The remaining food supplies... I might consider trading with the students of the Black Tortoise to fill up some more, but I also have to seriously set traps to catch something. I heard rumors about fishing for fish by the lake. We still have the vegetable garden, so that's good.'
Yi-Han, while calculating, suddenly felt a bit aggrieved.
Why did he have to go through this at a magic academy?
In a time that should have been solely devoted to studying magic...
"By the way, Brother, could you help with the spring festival's events?"
"If there's something I can do, of course, I will bring my friends along."
Yi-Han felt inwardly pleased at the thought of getting a meal out of it.
"What events will the Presinga Order be holding?"
"Firstly, a play and..."
Not bad. Plays during festivals were always popular.
"Ring tossing."
A simple game, but even a bar of chocolate as a prize would make the freshmen throw with wide eyes.
"There's also a curse experience."
"...Oh..."
Yi-Han pondered how to deceive others into participating in this curse experience.
‘...Should I try to bring those from the White Tiger?’
Asan of the Dargard family sighed heavily, feeling grateful towards Yi-Han.
"Thank you so much, Wardanaz. I'm sorry you have to do this on the weekend because of me..."
Because of Professor Alpen Knighton, who taught <Basic Imperial Geometry and Arithmetic>, Asan found himself busy during the weekend when other friends were resting.
-Next week, one of my friends will visit the academy. A friend I made while working as an imperial administrator. He wishes to see the skills of my students when he visits, so I want to entrust you all with creating a simple magic circle.-
Assigned this task because he had the second-best grades after Yi-Han, Asan was far from pleased. Who would be happy to prepare on a precious weekend?
He could only be grateful to Yi-Han, who offered to help, otherwise, he would have had to do it all alone.
"Don't feel too bad about it, Asan. I wanted to do this."
"Wardanaz...!"
Unaware of Yi-Han's sinister ulterior motives, Asan's eyelids trembled with emotion. Even a hundred of the likes of Gainando couldn't match Yi-Han.
'I will definitely catch the administrator's eye.'
Though it had nothing to do with tests or midterms, Yi-Han's eyes blazed with ambition. He was determined to leave a deep impression on the professor's friend!
"By the way, I heard the professors are doing something for the festival next week. Have you heard?"
"Really?"
"Yeah. Even the principal is planning something."
Yi-Han suddenly felt his anticipation replaced with worry.
What is this crazy lich planning now?
'No... it's not time yet. Besides, the priests are at the academy. He won't move so recklessly.'
"But, Asan, where did you hear that?"
"Professor Garcia was looking for students to help with the festival earlier. She was calling for the top-performing students."
"I see... Wait a minute."
Yi-Han suddenly felt a chilling premonition.
...Surely the skull principal wouldn't call on Yi-Han, would he?
Nillia, summoned by Professor Garcia, was puzzled not to see Yi-Han.
"Isn't Wardanaz coming?"
If students from each tower were being called, Yi-Han's absence was unthinkable.
"Yi-Han is... He looked too busy and exhausted."
Nillia nodded repeatedly, her mouth shut tight at Professor Garcia's words. It made perfect sense to her.
"Please tell Yi-Han to take care sometimes."
"I do tell him, but... you know, Wardanaz is so earnest about magic..."
"That's true, isn't it?"
The two professors and the student continued a conversation that would have baffled Yi-Han had he heard it.
“You're preparing so hard... Professor Garcia…”
Behind them, the skull principal appeared, his voice more indifferent than usual.
Professor Garcia was taken aback to see the other's expression contorted in displeasure. It was unusual for a lich, devoid of muscles or flesh, to manipulate his skull magically to show expressions.
'Do you really need to use high magic for such things?'
"Wouldn't the students be happy?"
“Why should the students be happy? We're the ones providing the teachings... Shouldn't the students be the ones to please us?”
The skull principal continued to grumble. Professor Garcia magically ensured that Nillia couldn't hear the conversation.
"I guess I should go prepare too... If I don't do anything, the priests will report to His Majesty, and His Majesty will likely scold me... The empire is being devoured by fools..."
Professor Garcia thought it was wise that she had blocked Nillia's ears. The skull principal continued to berate the orders of the empire.
"I'll be going now... Take care..."
"Wait a minute. Principal, what are you planning to prepare?"
Professor Garcia suddenly became curious and asked.
“I'll have to ask a student and then decide…”
"I see... Just a moment, please. Just a moment."
“Why do you keep repeating that…”
"No, sorry to keep calling you back, but which student are you going to ask?"
Professor Garcia consciously refrained from stating the obvious, 'You don't have any close students, do you?' The skull principal was already sufficiently sorrowful.
“The boy from the Wardanaz family…”
"...Isn't Yi-Han too busy?"
“That's none of my concern…”
"..."
Professor Garcia had to suppress the urge to unleash a spell in frustration.
“Hold on.”
"What now?"
“There's Professor Bagrak... Doesn't he lack close students too?”
