"It's a misunderstanding."
-It does seem like you are being threatened.-
The demon was not a demon for nothing. With devilish cunning, it quickly grasped the situation.
The ancient mages trained their students in much harsher ways than now.
For the demon, who had lived since ancient times, the current situation was not so hard to understand.
Of course, this did not make Professor Boladi seem any more normal.
Even in ancient times, it was rare for a teacher to make their student fight a demon.
-No matter what, forcing a student to fight a demon... That's madness. Keep this up, and while you sleep, your student might stab you in the back.-
Yi-Han found himself wanting to cheer for the unnamed demon.
Keep talking!
"Fight."
Professor Boladi urged the demon, paying no heed to its words.
The demon, likewise, ignored him and didn't listen.
-I refuse. I decline to associate with madmen. Do not involve me in your maddening training methods.-
"If you don't fight, I will attack."
-Do you think I will succumb to pain?-
"Name your conditions."
Professor Boladi immediately changed his approach to persuade the demon.
Of course, this had no effect on the demon, who was forced to appear and had already been beaten up. 'Even after all this, you expect me to fight more?'
-I wouldn't make a deal with a lunatic like you even if you offered me half the world.-
After speaking, the demon looked at Yi-Han. Thanks to the time given, it was able to recall beings similar to Yi-Han from its memory.
-You are of the Wardanaz lineage. I pity you and will remember you. Young mage, if you ever need to make a deal with me, I shall show you mercy.-
Yi-Han didn't know whether to feel happy or sad.
To receive sympathy from an ancient demon he had never met before...
Professor Boladi whispered beside him.
"Make a deal now. Then ask him to fight."
-I will never agree to such a deal. You madman.-
The demon cursed Professor Boladi and opened a portal, returning to where it came from.
Professor Boladi wore a slightly gloomy expression, a very rare sight.
"It's alright, Professor. I've learned a lot."
"That was too brief. A pity."
"No, it's enough."
Yi-Han tried to console him, but Professor Boladi didn't listen.
"I must find another."
"..."
The vampire professor sent shivers down Yi-Han's spine.
'Wait. Could it be...'
Yi-Han remembered that when he came out of the forest, Professor Boladi was uncharacteristically taking a night walk.
Could it be?
'...He wasn't looking for an enemy worthy of me, was he...?'
A chill colder than any magical frost crept up on him.
Thump!
Professor Boladi untied the ropes binding Professor Verduus.
The freed beaver mixed-blood professor asked.
"Why did you tie me up!?"
"To prevent injury."
"Ah, I see."
Professor Verduus easily accepted the explanation and nodded, not even angry.
'I must separate them quickly.'
Honestly, keeping them together was interesting, but it would probably not end well for Yi-Han.
Yi-Han tried to separate them.
"But why?"
"For the student's training."
"Why you?"
"I am the teacher."
"Why?"
"It's what a teacher should do."
However, before Yi-Han could intervene, the two professors quickly exchanged words in a language only they understood.
Professor Verduus was baffled.
The notion that a teacher should spoon-feed everything to their student seemed absurd.
Wouldn't that make the role of a teacher too burdensome and difficult?
No mage would willingly take on such a task.
In response to Professor Verduus's philosophy, Professor Boladi answered decisively.
"I am better, then."
"Really?"
Yi-Han was taken aback by the faint pride in Professor Boladi's voice.
Of course, in some respects, Professor Boladi might have been a better teacher than Professor Verduus, but...
That was certainly not something to boast about.
Just as being better than Gainando in studies was nothing to brag about!
"It would be better to show more concern."
"No, I value my time more."
"As you wish. I'll go find another opponent."
Yi-Han was shocked by Professor Boladi's words.
His earlier suspicions were indeed true.
'Was he really searching for one?'
"An opponent?"
"The reason I mentioned earlier."
"Oh. Training. Uh... A twisted realm has occurred in the upper floors of the main building. It might be suitable there. What do you think?"
"Thank you."
"..."
Yi-Han cursed himself for not being able to separate the two quickly enough.
Sigh!
Yi-Han was with the students of the Blue Dragon, preparing fish by a stream.
They had gathered some food, but no one knew how long the cold would last.
It was essential to collect as much edible food as possible.
"...Yi-Han, are you worried about something?"
"Why do you ask?"
"Well, you've been sighing dozens of times since earlier."
"Oh. Have I? I'll be more careful."
"It's not about being careful..."
Yi-Han slit the belly of the fish he caught, decapitated it, and then washed it in the running water. After that, he sprinkled salt on it and hung it to the side.
Despite his many worries, his hands moved without hesitation, impressing his friends who were watching.
"Wardanaz, what's bothering you? Did Maykin trouble you?"
When Asan asked, Gainando was taken aback.
"Maykin troubled Yi-Han?! Guys! Maykin..."
Yonaire threw salt that she held in her hand on Gainando's face.
"Yi-Han, we're friends. You can share your worries with us, can't you?"
"I might have to go to the twisted realm corridor to solve the cold problem."
"..."
"..."
"Why would you have to do that?"
"I get it. Wardanaz is feeling responsible..."
"Don't talk nonsense."
"Maykin, what do you know!"
Asan, cut off mid-sentence, grumbled at Yonaire.
Meanwhile, students from the Black Tortoise appeared with fishing rods on the opposite side.
"That's right. The Black Tortoise guys built an oven with bricks."
The resourceful students of the Black Tortoise had built an oven in a vacant lot near the black market.
It was to endure the cold weather.
"An oven?"
"Yes. They were cooking various things."
"We can build one if you want."
Salko, who approached, spoke. The Blue Dragon students were thrilled.
"Really?!"
"It's not for you guys. I'm talking to Wardanaz."
Salko growled, making the Blue Dragon students back off.
Yi-Han nodded as if he understood.
"Do you want to trade for fish? Or meat? Sorry, but sugar, tea leaves, and coffee powder are not for trade."
"I didn't come to trade. It's a gesture of thanks for the last time, Wardanaz."
Salko looked at Yi-Han as if he couldn't believe him.
It was a gesture of gratitude for Yi-Han's assistance with cold resistance magic to each tower.
"What? You're really doing it just like that?"
"Yes."
At that response, Gainando murmured nearby.
"Sounds suspicious?"
"Shut up."
"No..."
Gainando bristled with anger.
Even Yi-Han had his doubts!
"Then accept it gratefully."
"Your expression seems dark. Are you worried about something?"
Salko's question was answered by Asan on behalf of everyone.
"Wardanaz is currently planning to attack the source of this cold."
"..."
Salko, who had been growling just moments ago, now looked at Yi-Han with surprise.
"...I respect you, Wardanaz. I never thought I'd say this, but you are truly noble."
"Just make the oven and leave."
Yi-Han replied with a slightly weary voice.
By now, he was too tired to clarify further.
<Basic Imperial Language and Logic>.
It was an essential lecture for young mages who were bound to encounter various surreal beings in the future.
Beings like spirits, demons, angels weren't always hostile, but sometimes their non-hostility was even more dangerous.
A hasty contract could disastrously twist a mage's life.
Hence, mages in magic academies were rigorously trained from a young age in these matters.
<Basic Imperial Language and Logic> was precisely a class to assist in such areas.
-Today, we'll read the contract between the mage Folkevaldras and a demon from the year 117 of the Imperial Calendar…-
-Do demon contracts usually put listeners to sleep?-
-Maybe... I'm not sure.-
-It's devilishly boring. Oh demon, I concede. I surrender... Zzz.-
And, as expected, it was terribly uninteresting.
Although foundational classes are generally dull, <Basic Imperial Language and Logic> was particularly severe.
Reading each case word by word, identifying parts that could be ambiguously interpreted or misunderstood, translating regional dialects of the Empire accurately, and then translating old words or archaic language...
Even someone like Yi-Han had to grit his teeth to endure it.
"Huh?"
"Why isn't the professor here?"
As the students realized the absence of the professor, faint hope began to blossom on their faces.
Could it be that the professor won't come today?
Maybe the professor won't come next week either?
“Don't be too shocked, everyone. Professor Walter Javier has a mental breakdown during a contract, and he's been sent to the temple.”
"..."
The faces of the students, just moments ago filled with hope, now turned to shock and guilt.
They had hoped for a break, but not like this.
“Take this incident as a lesson and be more careful with contracts in the future. Professor Fluerwerk, please come in.”
"Thank you."
'Bureaucrat?'
Yi-Han was puzzled as he watched the fox mixed-blood professor with brown hair enter.
Having met several former imperial bureaucrats, he could somewhat distinguish between bureaucrats and mage-born.
Bureaucrats seemed relatively...
...less mad than those born to magery.
“And Professor Fluerwerk. Even though Professor Walter Javier has a mental breakdown and has been sent to the temple, this doesn't mean that the magic academy is dangerous, but that magic as a discipline inevitably involves such accidents. Please make sure that His Imperial Majesty knows…”
"Yes, yes. Don't worry. Now, let's begin the lecture. I am Professor Rosine Fluerwerk. Please take good care of me."
Professor Rosine ushered the skull principal out and greeted the students briskly.
The students, while welcoming her, also sent a slightly guarded look her way.
They had already been hurt too much by their professors.
But Professor Rosine didn't seem to mind.
"Where did Professor Walter Javier leave off?"
"He covered up to the unfortunate mage Gurk who made a wrong contract with a three-headed giant."
"Great! How about a student reads it once and points out the mistakes?"
"..."
The student who had rashly answered earlier and was then chosen wore a dismayed expression.
Given the difficulty of the <Basic Imperial Language and Logic> lecture, there was no chance of hearing anything positive.
Their peers mercilessly averted their gazes.
'Hang in there.'
'Don't look at me. I don't want to present.'
10 minutes later.
"Very good!"
"Really?"
"Of course, you made about 41 mistakes, but that's excellent for a first-year student. Everyone, give a round of applause!"
"???"
The students clapped, their faces a mixture of confusion and surprise.
However, Professor Rosine's lecture was just beginning.
An hour later.
By the end of the lecture, all the students had become ardent followers of Professor Rosine.
"Professor! I'll read next!"
"Professor! Let me try!"
'Why is someone like her at a magic academy?'
Yi-Han was astounded.
He had thought kind people were driven away at the gates...
"Professor, where did you work before coming here?"
"I was an imperial dispatch manager."
A position involving dispatching various talents of the empire, including mages, to appropriate places.
It was a job that required a wide network and excellent interpersonal skills.
Her positive demeanor now made sense.
'Wait. Does that mean she could recommend someone for a government position?'
A dream he had shelved for a while began to sparkle anew.
Yi-Han realized that his diligent study of <Basic Imperial Language and Logic> had been for moments like this.
"I'll read next!"
"Wow... Wardanaz. Why suddenly..."
"Hey, lower your hand. Wardanaz wants to read. Do you want to be compared?"
His peers grumbled and lowered their hands.
Did the guy who always gets praised in other lectures have to be praised here too?
'Ah, so he's from the Wardanaz family.'
Professor Rosine recognized Yi-Han, the student who had raised his hand. She had heard stories about him before coming here.
'He was said to be a key talent who would take responsibility for the future of the magic academy.'
