“…”
“It took Gainando!”
“Kyaaaa!”
As a matter of course, the students fell into a panic. In broad daylight, a monster had appeared and kidnapped one of their friends. It was natural to be alarmed.
However, for some reason, Yi-han remained cool-headed.
‘It seems like I’m getting used to life in the academy.’
He had experienced so many crazy things the past week. Hence, something at the level of Gainando being taken away by a monster no longer fazed him
“Crouch!” He screamed.
The students of the Blue Dragons that were beside him hurriedly lowered their postures.
– KURARARARA!!
“I-it’s back!”
“No!”
One of the students that didn’t follow Yi-han’s order was taken away. This time, the student was a member of the White Tigers.
Seeing this, a certain hypothesis formed in his mind.
‘Could it be-!’
With so many students present at the scene, there had to be a reason why certain students were being picked off.
Gainando had bright gold hair, and the student that was taken just now had silver hair.
“Cover your head with your cape! It targets things that shine!”
“I-it targets bald people!?”
“I’m talking about hair color, dimwit!”
Those of the Blue Dragons were rattled for a moment after hearing this, but they didn’t question Yi-han’s words and took action faster than the students from the other towers.
Lo and behold, when they lay down on the ground with their capes over their heads, the monster immediately lost interest in them.
‘It worked!’
Yi-han knew he had made the right call.
He was already aware of the fact that birds liked things that shined. However, he didn’t think it would apply to monsters as well.
He offered a word of prayer to Gainando. Without his valiant sacrifice, Yi-han wouldn’t have been able to figure it out.
Poke, poke.
“?”
While remaining crouched, he felt someone poking at him.
It turned out to be an unfamiliar elf, and based on her uniform, he concluded she was someone from the White Tigers.
The elf had long black hair and lengthy ears. Her body seemed well-trained, which was typical of someone from a knight’s family. Everything about her screamed that she was an elf from the east.
Before Yi-han could say anything, people next to him reacted violently to the elf’s gesture.
“Someone’s trying to touch Wardanaz!”
“Rise up, my friends! A bumpkin from the White Tigers is provoking Wardanaz!”
It was like a domino. One by one, the students of the Blue Dragons all responded in a similar fashion.
This left the female elf from the White Tigers greatly flustered.
“I have nothing to do with the faction under the Moradi Family! Your Highness, please explain it to them!”
Princess Adenart appeared between them, which startled Yi-han.
“Is she an acquaintance of yours?”
While remaining expressionless, Adenart nodded, giving the elf enough time to introduce herself.
“I’m Rowena, a knight that serves Her Highness. ”
“You serve the princess? But you’re not allowed to bring servants or guards into the… Ah, I see.”
Yi-han understood what was going on without needing an explanation. He was quick on the update, which came as a surprise to Rowena.
Bringing servants and guards into the academy was prohibited. However, all rules had loopholes. The academy couldn’t prevent students from voluntarily serving someone after being admitted.
The princess had been famous within the Empire ever since she was young. As such, there were several freshmen that wished to serve her even before they entered the academy.
‘She also had followers in the alchemy class.’
The students from the other towers feared him, yet they showed no resistance gathering around the princess. The only way to explain this was if they were acquainted prior to entering.
‘I suddenly feel sorry for Gainando…’
Yi-han pitied Gainando, who was probably up in the air somewhere.
Simply by standing there, people from all over the place would flock to the princess and pledge their allegiance. Gainando, on the other hand…
They were both from the royal family, yet their treatment was vastly different.
“Okay, so you’re a knight that serves the princess. But what business do you have with me?”
“We’ve turned its attention away from us for the time being, but there’s no telling when the monster will return. I’d like to request Mr. Wardanaz to take command of the situation and stop the monster.”
“…??”
Yi-han questioned what he just heard.
‘Take command? Of whom?’
Were there some undead troops under him that he had no knowledge of?
Surprisingly, he wasn’t that far off the mark.
The members of the Blue Dragons took a step forward while rubbing their noses.
“Heh. Wardanaz, we’re yours to command.”
“We trust you, Wardanaz. I’m sure you’ll make a brilliant commander.”
“……”
Yi-han became dumbfounded.
Before he knew it, he had become the de facto class president of the Blue Dragons.
‘Based on past experience, it’s never a good thing to assume a leadership position…’
As taken aback as he was, this wasn’t the time to be mulling.
In the end, he nodded and gave out instructions as they appeared in his mind.
***
Rowena observed Yi-han’s movement, curiosity apparent in her eyes.
She wasn’t the only one in this batch of newcomers that served Adenart. Students from other towers served her as well.
It wasn’t simply because she was a member of the royal family, neither was it because of the wealth and authority behind her mother’s household.
Some of them were from different races and belonged to different social circles. However, they all came together around Adenart because of her talent.
Rowena had naturally assumed that Adenart would emerge as the leader within the Blue Dragons.
However, against all odds, Adenart had been pushed aside from that position, and it was all because of this boy from the Wardanaz Family.
– How is this possible!?
– How did this happen?
Granted, Adenart wasn’t the most sociable person out there.
She was quiet, not to mention she always wore a cold expression. Just by being around her, they could feel something pressing down on them.
However, her followers didn’t think it would be that big of a problem. After all, before her overwhelming talent, everything else would be meaningless.
She was a genius in every field, and they thought even the prideful students of the Blue Dragons would have to acknowledge her…
Not to mention, the Wardanaz Family wasn’t a friendly bunch either. While they were one of the most prominent families of mages, there were many scary rumors surrounding them.
Adenart’s followers had a hard time believing that a boy from such a family could lead the Blue Dragons.
Just how did he do it?
‘We might be able to learn of his secrets.’
While protecting Adenart, Rowena closely observed Yi-han’s every move.
She had requested Yi-han’s assistance as she had no other choice.
If Rowena or Adenart tried to lead them, the prideful Blue Dragons would refuse to follow their orders.
Honestly, it was infuriating. She was certain that Adenart could lead the Blue Dragons just as well as Yi-han if she could figure out the secrets to his charisma.
‘I’ll take this chance to unveil his secrets and advise Her Highness!’
Rowena would’ve never imagined that Yi-han had won over the Blue Dragons by feeding them.
***
‘Sure I took command, but there’s nothing much we can do in the first place.’
They were facing an aerial monster. Without bows or catapults, they could do little against it.
In that case…
‘Since it’s just a beast, we’ll scare it away.’
Fortunately, he was able to think of some ideas.
“Stand in one line and form a wall!”
The students immediately followed his orders and formed a temporary wall.
Yi-han crouched down behind them and hid himself to maximize the effect of their ambush.
‘It’s coming!’
The moment the monster tried to swoop down again, Yi-han cast his spell.
“Light!”
Although was the simplest 1st circle spell, its effect depended greatly on how it was used.
A ball of light that shone brilliantly like the sun rose up into the air.
Stunned, the monster screeched before turning in its direction.
– KURARARARA!!!
Yi-han had been hiding behind the wall, and his magic had been so sudden that the monster was taken by surprise.
“Easy! Easy does it! Turn!”
‘What the-?’
Just as he thought the situation would be wrapped up with the monster fleeing, he suddenly heard someone’s voice from atop the monster.
Yi-han had a sneaking suspicion as to who it was.
‘Is it a professor? No, it has to be. After all, there isn’t a single normal professor in this academy!’
He had no evidence to speak of, but he knew that the monster was being led around by a professor.
‘This damn academy…!’
Under the influence of the professor, the monster that had been scared regained its calm and turned around.
– KURARARA!!
The monster seemed embarrassed by the fact that it had almost been scared away by a harmless ball of light. It clapped its beak to express its anger.
This time around, it came straight up Yi-han, knowing who was commanding the students at the scene.
“Not good! Wardanaz, watch out!”
Rowena, who had been monitoring the situation, screamed in terror.
Yi-han’s strategy had been effective.
He had almost managed to drive the monster away by frightening it.
However, as things stood, they had to flee.
‘What is she saying?’
‘Does she know who she’s speaking to?’
Students of the White Tigers stared at Rowena in disbelief.
Rowena, who hadn’t attended the swordsmanship lesson, had no idea that the boy from the Wardanaz Family had more than enough ability to protect himself.
However, Yi-han didn’t dodge the attack. Instead, with that sculpture-like face of his, he raised his staff.
“Move!”
When he finished his chant, stones rose up in the air.
It was just a 1st circle magic, but to the students watching, Yi-han seemed like a grand magus.
***
‘Please don’t friendly-fire. Please don’t friendly-fire.’
He didn’t know that many spells, to begin with. Since had failed, he had resorted to using .
The problem was…
After levitating the stones, he couldn’t maintain them for long, and they would shoot out like arrows.
Aiming? There was none of that. He just had to hope Lady Luck was on his side.
If he could aim properly, he would’ve used this spell from the beginning.
“WARDANAZ! WARDANAZ! WARDANAZ!”
“WARDANAZ! WARDANAZ! WARDANAZ!”
The Blue Dragons, who didn’t know what he was going through, chanted his name like crazy. Even some students from the other towers were chanting along.
Ping!
The stones shot forth…
“!!”
…and they missed the monster’s beaks by a hair’s breadth.
‘Fuck!’
Inside, Yi-han heaved a deep sigh.
To be honest, he couldn’t complain. He was grateful the stones even flew in that direction.
– KURARA!
However, his attack was unexpectedly effective.
Shaken by the stones that had just narrowly missed its beaks, the monster stopped in its tracks and made a turn.
“UWAAAAAA!!”
“WARDANAZ! WARDANAZ!”
A group of students from the White Tigers stared at Yi-han with a mix of fear and anger in their eyes.
They had no choice but to admit that Wardanaz was in a different league.
They were struggling to cast , yet he was using a spell that could control rocks in combat…
Learning a spell was one thing, using it in battle was another. The latter was much, much harder to achieve.
In a chaotic battlefield where blood splattered and weapons clashed, one could lose focus and fail on a spell that they had practiced countless times before.
And yet Wardanaz had managed to pull it off…
‘He’s a monster!’
‘Hm? It worked?’
Though the others were in awe, Yi-han was bewildered.
The projectiles had missed. Did the monster get scared by that?
‘I guess I was lucky.’
“Easy! Easy! That’s it. Good boy!”
Once again, they heard the professor’s voice from atop the monster. Soon, they landed while kicking up dust.
Dump!
Before getting off, the professor threw out the students that had previously been taken away one by one.
Gainando had fainted while foaming at the mouth.
Ttak!
The professor gracefully landed on the ground.
She was wearing a leather jacket and pants, and she had pilot’s goggles that emitted mana, which meant it was probably an artifact. One look was enough to tell that the dwarf was an adventurer.
However, that wasn’t what was on Yi-han’s mind.
For some reason, the dwarf looked familiar.
Could she be a relative of Uregor?
‘No, just because all dwarves look the same in my eyes, I shouldn’t assume they’re all related by blood. It isn’t good to have prejudice.’
Ttak-
The dwarf walked near Yi-han and grabbed his collar.
With a bright voice, she said…
“You’ve got talent!”
“…”
Is that you, Uregor?
