The magic combat practice did not end with just one session.
Eumidiphos's eyes caught sight of other third-year students.
"Those students over there are hiding stolen items as well."
'Is this place filled with nothing but thieves?'
It was unclear whether there were just many thieves around, or if the academy was turning its students into thieves.
Eumidiphos pointed out students who were trying to hide potions and materials.
"Bring those as well."
"Yes."
Robbery seemed easier the second time around than the first.
Yi-Han approached again. However, this time it was not as easy as before.
Screeching bird cries filled the air as he drew closer.
When an alarm spell was triggered, two third-year students panicked and shouted.
"We've been followed!"
"Reveal yourself, hidden one!"
Indeed, the third-year students were not to be underestimated.
As soon as the alarm spell warned of an intruder, they realized someone was hiding nearby and immediately cast a spell to reveal any invisible presence.
Thanks to this, Yi-Han learned something new.
'Next time, I need to disrupt their alarm spells first.'
The two seniors were flustered by the sight of Yi-Han wearing a mask.
He was not the pursuer they had expected.
"What is this?"
"Did the principal send you?"
"Of course, the principal sent him! Don't be deceived by appearances! It's meant to confuse you!"
Yi-Han chose not to correct their misunderstanding.
"How dare you try to steal from Gonadaltes!"
"Argh...!"
"It's basically you who forced us to do this! You're the one to blame..."
The third-year seniors attempted to resist, but Yi-Han was quicker.
A water orb, thrown in an arc from an unexpected angle, knocked the staff out of the seniors' hands.
Pop!
Surprisingly, the seniors were quite careless in magic combat. Though their magic skills were superior, they had too many vulnerabilities.
Professor Boladi would have been vigilant about his surroundings from the start.
To Yi-Han, who had been rigorously trained in magic combat, these third-year seniors were like delicate flowers in a greenhouse.
"Cough!" "Gack!"
Upon seeing the unconscious seniors, Yi-Han suddenly came back to his senses.
'...Will I be able to deal with the aftermath of this?'
Surely the seniors wouldn't find out who the perpetrator was, right?
Pleased with the outcome, Eumidiphos descended the mountain with Yi-Han.
On their way down, Eumidiphos spotted freshmen from the White Tiger.
They were excitedly discussing one of the boxes hidden by the skull principal that they had found and were holding it closely.
'Freshmen... they won't be of any use.'
While battle experience was essential for a young mage from the Wardanaz family, there were limits.
In Eumidiphos's view, students of the same year as Yi-Han were not much of a challenge.
A definite overestimation.
However, Yi-Han spoke firmly.
"Please let me face them."
"But you won't learn much from them...?"
"Isn't there something to learn from every opponent, regardless of who they are?"
Yi-Han looked at the box held by the White Tiger friends, thinking about the one he had left at Professor Uregor's cabin, which he had yet to open...
The more boxes, the better.
"Then let's go for it!"
"Yes!"
Yi-Han was the most proactive he had been all day, following the teachings he had received.
Thud! Thud! Thud!
Caught off guard by an invisible assault, the White Tiger students collapsed one by one.
But the first-year students were different from their seniors.
"You... you... you're Wardanaz...? Ugh..."
‘No, how did they know?!’
Yi-Han was startled to realize that his friends had guessed his identity without even seeing him.
He wanted to ask how they knew, but they had already fainted.
Wednesday.
Asan yawned while watching Yi-Han complete the remaining part of the magic circle.
"By the way, Wardanaz, did you enjoy the festival yesterday?"
"Yes."
"What did you do?"
"I helped with Professor Boladi's tent... and made fireworks when called by the principal."
Asan nodded.
It seemed his friend had been quite busy the previous day.
After all, Yi-Han was one of the most outstanding students in their year, so it made sense that he was so occupied.
"I received some lessons from Mage Eumidiphos, and went to the Aphar Order to practice fire magic..."
"...?"
Listening, Asan felt something was off.
Wait?
'When did he actually enjoy the festival with all that work?'
"Just about that?"
"...Wardanaz. Sorry, but that doesn't sound like you enjoyed the festival."
"What do you mean? The festival..."
As Yi-Han was responding incredulously, he suddenly paused.
Surprisingly, even he hadn't realized it until now!
"...I didn't really enjoy it."
"...I'm sorry."
"No, it's alright. I wanted to help with these tasks..."
Yi-Han said so and continued drawing the magic circle, but there was a slight dejection in his posture.
Seeing this, Asan felt very sorry.
'It's because of me...!'
He felt terrible seeing his friend's dark circles, which had formed from working on Professor Knighton 's magic circle since the morning.
However, the real reason for Yi-Han's dark circles was different.
'If it's something that goes in a box, why not just give it directly instead of wrapping it in a code.'
Yi-Han had obtained two of the skull principal's boxes.
The one taken from the White Tiger students, shockingly, was a dud.
All that glitters is not gold.
-Os Gonadaltes
Though he had anticipated some duds, seeing one firsthand was honestly infuriating.
And what was more frustrating...
'The White Tiger guys won't believe it's a dud even if I tell them!'
The other box, however, contained a three-page magic spell.
...Written in complex ancient characters and a jumbled code.
Although magic books often came in such a form, the skull principal surely had the ability to write them more clearly but chose not to.
As a result, Yi-Han had to sacrifice his sleep to decipher the magic spell.
He still had half left to decode, probably requiring another all-nighter.
"So now..."
"Priestess, please entrust it to me. I will use it for the empire."
"No, I should..."
Early in the morning, following Yi-Han and Asan, new students appeared in the classroom, chattering loudly.
Their serious expressions suggested something was definitely amiss.
Yi-Han was puzzled.
'What's going on? Did the skull principal release some undead?'
"What's the matter?"
"Priestess Tijiling found an outing pass in the box."
"..."
"..."
Yi-Han and Asan's expressions turned as hard as stone.
No...?!
'Is luck really the best thing over magic and effort?'
Yi-Han watched the entering students with a bittersweet feeling.
Numerous friends were making offers to Priestess Tijiling who had found the outing pass.
"Priestess Tijiling, if you don't plan to use the outing pass, please sell it to me! I'll give you 50 loaves of bread from our meals!"
"Are you insane?! Priestess Tijiling, I will give you 500 loaves of bread! And I'll add cheese and sausage as a bonus!"
'I must intervene.'
Yi-Han sighed internally and moved forward.
It was always the case that when a treasure was found, those nearby would extend their malevolent claws.
It seemed Yi-Han was the only one who could put a stop to this.
...But before Yi-Han could speak up, Priestess Tijiling was the first to open her mouth.
"Please accept this."
"!!!"
Yi-Han's eyes wavered.
It felt like a temptation from a devil.
Not that he thought so because Priestess Tijiling was a demon mixed-blood...
'I wish I could accept it with my eyes closed.'
As much as Yi-Han was using all means to secure an outing pass, snatching it from the hands of an unsuspecting priestess seemed wrong.
Besides, they were both from the same Presinga Order. If he accepted Priestess Tijiling's outing pass, he wouldn't be able to face the other priests later.
"...No, it's okay."
As Yi-Han declined, his friends seemed even more disappointed.
"Wardanaz! Why not!"
"Priestess, then I will take it..."
"Everyone, be quiet. You honorless fools."
At Yi-Han's words, his friends blushed in shame.
Their minds, previously lost at the sight of the outing pass, returned.
'What have I done...!'
'So embarrassing!'
As his friends wallowed in shame, Yi-Han bit his lip once more.
'I must resist. I must resist.'
"However, I have no intention of going out."
"...It's okay."
"Besides, I have received too much hospitality already."
"Really, it's fine."
"Still..."
As Priestess Tijiling insisted without giving up, Yi-Han's firm resolve began to waver.
But Asan came to his aid.
"No, Priestess. Wardanaz is not the type to accept such things."
Asan placed his hand on Yi-Han's shoulder and continued firmly.
"Look at Wardanaz. Does he seem like a friend who would engage in such dishonorable behavior?"
"...Then..."
Priestess Tijiling, having heard Asan too, hesitantly put away the outing pass, seemingly with no other choice.
Yi-Han looked intently at Asan and said.
"Thank you."
"It's nothing. All of us at our tower know this."
"Really, thank you."
"There's no need to say it twice."
Yi-Han sighed.
Truth be told, Asan's intervention was right. Had he not stepped in, Yi-Han would have probably pocketed the outing pass by now.
"Priestess Tijiling, never give the outing pass to anyone else. Understand? You should use it for yourself."
Yi-Han spoke with a heart full of malice.
If he couldn't have it, then no one else should get it either.
"Yes... I understand."
Tijiling, hesitating at Yi-Han's strong words, finally nodded.
After ending the conversation, Yi-Han turned to a snake mixed-blood student.
"Priestess Siana, entrusted with a significant responsibility to help with Professor Uregor's festival."
"Hello, Yi-Han of the Wardanaz family, already famous among the visiting mages."
The two freshmen exchanged compliments impressively. Asan also admired them slightly.
'That's how to greet.'
Among nobility, refined compliments were an essential charm. Those who could gracefully praise others were always well-received.
"Actually, Priestess Siana, I have something to ask. Is it okay?"
"Please, feel free to ask."
Yi-Han looked around and then led Priestess Siana to a corner.
It was a conversation not meant for others to hear.
"I found this on the way..."
Yi-Han showed the ingredients and potions he had taken from the third-year seniors.
Although they were ambushed from different locations, all the third-year seniors had the same types of ingredients and potions.
At this point, Yi-Han couldn't help but become curious.
'It seems like a task, but what are these ingredients for?'
"Do you know what these ingredients are for?"
Priestess Siana carefully examined the potions and ingredients Yi-Han had presented.
Then, deep in thought, she suddenly clapped her hands.
"I think I know what it is!"
"Truly Priestess Siana! A genius befitting the Flameng Order!"
"This is a potion for detecting enemies."
"A potion for detecting enemies...?"
The potion for detecting enemies.
It was a potion designed to target one person, allowing the user to pinpoint their exact location when they were nearby.
"But you found this on the street?"
"Yes."
"The potion for detecting enemies isn't something freshmen would typically make, right?"
Priestess Siana spoke, evidently puzzled.
The potion for detecting enemies was not something even the most basic freshmen would attempt to make.
And to find such a thing on the street.
It was undoubtedly a strange occurrence.
"The seniors must have dropped it."
"How peculiar..."
"Indeed. It's truly a strange occurrence."
