When people lose one of their senses, their other senses would be heightened so as to compensate for the loss.
Even so, it was still impressive that the warehouse keeper was able to find Yi-han and Ratford without relying on his sight.
‘Did he hear us? No, we didn’t create any noise. Then was it smell? With so many things in this warehouse, that’s unlikely as well… Is he perhaps capable of detecting mana?’
The warehouse keeper opened his mouth again while Yi-han was debating between escape and fighting it out.
“So it was the principal. I apologize for being rude.”
“…???”
He then turned around and left.
Ratford was terrified to the point where he almost fainted.
On the other hand, Yi-han focused and tried to understand what just happened.
‘What was that? Why did he mistake me for that crazy lich?’
If it had been any other student, they would’ve done something rash or made a mistake due to the stress and pressure of their situation.
However, Yi-han remained collected as he sought an explanation.
‘It must be because of my mana pool!’
The ability to detect mana. The warehouse keeper had been able to discover them because of that ability.
All his professors had told him time and time again that he had a massive mana reserve. Since the warehouse keeper was blind, he might’ve mistaken Yi-han as the principal because they had similar amounts of mana.
‘But is that even possible? He’s still the principal and all…’
He wasn’t fully convinced by this explanation, but he decided to leave it at that for now.
They had to get going.
“Hey, come back to your senses.”
“H-huh? What just happened? How…?”
“That’s not what’s important.”
There wasn’t any time to explain, and it wasn’t like he knew the answer either.
However, Ratford interpreted this differently.
Wardanaz must’ve known that this would happen and prepared a method to trick the underground warehouse keeper!
‘H-he’s the real deal! He’s one hell of a person!’
The rumors had vastly underestimated him. No other freshmen were capable of deceiving the warehouse keeper like this.
“I-It’s as you say, sir.”
“?”
Yi-han was confused as to why Ratford would suddenly be so polite, but he was in too much of a hurry to question it.
“Let’s continue moving. Don’t touch anything in this room.”
“Yes, sir… our cover might be blown if we do, and the guy just now seems to have everything memorized.”
“Yeah, they’re even being protected by alarm magic.”
Leaving behind all the goodies in the warehouse pained Yi-han greatly.
However, this was likely another one of the principal’s evil plans. This warehouse was a trap to lure in naive freshmen.
In another week or two, some students would probably find their way into this warehouse, only to get caught and dragged away.
‘Don’t fall to the temptation. I must keep rolling and find a way out.’
Instead of obsessing over what was in the warehouse, his mind was occupied by the thought of finding a passage out of the academy.
As long as he could find one…
“Over here, sir!”
Ratford’s ears were glued to the floor as he led Yi-han to the sound of footsteps.
Though they were in a warehouse, it was so massive that it felt like they were in a maze.
The fact that Ratford was able to accurately capture the sound spoke volumes to his skills.
“Very good.”
“Your words are wasted on me.”
“By the way, why are you speaking politely to me…?”
“This way, sir.”
Ratford quickly moved along. He didn’t wish to remain in this warehouse for even a second longer. Who knows what might come out next?
While Yi-han was fearless, the same couldn’t be said about Ratford. He was terrified by everything around him.
‘Huh? Why isn’t it here!?’
Ratford stopped in his track, panic visible in his eyes.
He had followed the source of the sound, but he was met with a wall instead of a passageway.
“Are you sure it was in this direction?
“Yes…or at least I was…”
“So that’s what’s going on.”
“!?”
Unlike Ratford, who was only familiar with lock-picking, Yi-han was from Earth, and his mind was much more flexible when it came to situations like this.
“Look, there are hand stains on some parts of the wall. I bet it would open if we touch them.”
“…!”
Ratford was taken aback, both by the fact that such a mechanism was being used to hide the door and by the fact that this boy from the Wardanaz Family had been able to see through it.
How did he-
Clunk, clunk, clunk!
When they touched the parts of the wall with the hand stains, the bricks began to move away, revealing a path that seemed to go on forever.
The path was wide enough to fit two carriages, and the walls and ceiling were brightly lit.
They had finally found what they were here for.
‘At long last!’
***
There were several rules that workers that transported goods to magic academies had to adhere to.
First, they weren’t to reveal how to enter the academy.
Second, they weren’t to tell a third party what they saw in the academy.
Third, they were to remain silent unless spoken to.
There were also other rules such as ‘Being careful when transporting glass containers’ and ‘Putting the right scrolls in the right place’, but these three were the most important.
The workers were earnest in their work and strictly abided by the rules.
They didn’t wish to be turned into a frog after being locked inside a mage’s lab for breaking a rule.
And it wasn’t a joke either. There was a good chance of them being locked inside the academy forever if they made a mistake. That was the scary part about a magic academy.
It wasn’t without reason that the people living in nearby towns both respected and feared the academy.
Hence, none of the workers uttered a word when they saw a priest and a beggar appear from the other end of the passageway.
‘Oh, people’ was the extent of their reaction.
“…..”
“…..”
This caught Yi-han and Ratford by surprise.
After walking down the long passageway, they found themselves in front of some carriages, with workers carrying goods around.
However, they were blatantly ignored by the workers.
‘What’s this? Is there a rule that prohibits them from talking?’
Yi-han quickly realized the situation after seeing the workers purposefully avoid them.
Security measures in magic academies were top-notch, and the workers that they employed were the kind that minded their own business.
‘Calm down. The workers won’t suspect anything as long as we remain calm.’
Very few freshmen had ever succeeded in escaping the academy.
Hence, it was unlikely for the workers to think Yi-han and Ratford were freshmen trying to escape.
They should be fine as long as they didn’t commit a massive mistake…
‘We must appear confident in this type of situation.’
Yi-han slowly opened his mouth to speak while maintaining his expression.
“Can we set off right now?”
“Apologies, priest. Please wait for half an hour, as we still have some things that we need to load onto the carriages.”
“Understood. May we tag along in one of the carriages when the time comes?”
“But of course.”
They could’ve just gotten onto the carriages without seeking permission. By politely asking, Yi-han had made himself look kind and upright, as befitting a priest.
The worker would’ve never imagined that Yi-han was a freshman that recently joined the academy. He behaved too naturally to look like one, and there was a certain air of elegance around him, which made the worker trust him completely.
“….”
Ratford’s eyes became even more respectful than before.
If Yi-han had negotiated through force or magic, it wouldn’t have been as impactful.
It was impressive precisely because he had obtained what he wanted by acting naturally. A top-tier thief didn’t require flowery rhetoric or extravagant bribes. They could trick others simply through the way in which they conducted themselves.
‘I still have much to learn!’
Ratford had been able to witness a whole new level of trickery today, and he was immensely grateful for it.
At times, a single experience was worth more than 10 years of practice, as was the case here.
***
Rattle, rattle-
After everything was loaded, the carriages began to move. There were six carriages in total, and the two students were riding the one at the end.
Even after they were done with their tasks, the workers didn’t exchange any useless banters, which showed how strict and terrifying the academy was.
‘If they can control unaffiliated workers this well…’
Though Einroguard was an institution that trained talents, it wasn’t all rainbows and sunshine. Yi-han knew better than to think so as well.
It was an academy that represented the Empire and the mages within it. Naturally, there were people that didn’t think well of them, and they viewed the academy as an obstacle.
Even if they weren’t enemies, there were also some groups that desperately wanted the treasures kept inside the academy.
Taking these into consideration, the security measures no longer seemed as absurd.
‘Still, that’s no reason to keep the freshmen locked up inside.’
It was most definitely for the principal’s entertainment.
That was when the carriages in front came to an abrupt halt. Curious as to what happened, Yi-han poked his head out of the window.
“…!!!”
He was surprised to see a familiar face climbing onto the carriage at the very front.
It was Garcia Kim, also known as Professor Troll.
‘Were we found out?’
For a brief moment, Yi-han froze up in his place. However, upon further thinking, he dismissed the thought.
If they had been discovered, they would’ve been surrounded by now and forced to crawl out of the carriage with their arms up in the air.
That left only one explanation…
‘Damn it. Things have suddenly become much more complicated.’
Yi-han had a rough idea of what was happening.
Professors also went on outings from time to time, and their escape just happened to coincide with Garcia Kim’s outing.
“I-Is that…”
“Hush.”
Yi-han signaled to Ratford, telling him to remain calm.
“We haven’t been discovered yet. Just pretend as if nothing happened. The towns are big, and it’s dark outside. She won’t find us if we’re careful.”
Ratford nodded in agreement. However, he felt slightly awkward.
‘Who’s the thief here?’
Wasn’t he supposed to be the one giving advice?
The carriages resumed moving.
Yi-han, on the other hand, was trying his best to memorize everything he’d seen until now.
Even if something happened and he ultimately failed in his escape…
‘I’ll never give up,’ thought Yi-han with a pumped fist.
However, he felt sheepish the very next moment.
…What was there to be so determined about? He was simply breaking curfew and fleeing the school…
***
Professor Garcia tightly held on to the package that the principal had given her with both hands.
– A eunuch sent by the Emperor would be awaiting you outside. Hand him the finished artifact.
She wasn’t visiting the town to relax.
Though the academy appeared peaceful on the outside, it was in fact like a blazing furnace.
With the Empire’s best mages concentrated in one place, it was no wonder there was so much activity.
Creating artifacts that the Emperor requested and handing them to him was one of the responsibilities that they had, and Professor Garcia had been tasked with quietly delivering the finished product this time.
Some people might ask why they would have to be quiet when they’re handing artifacts to the Emperor. However, that was a foolish question.
Nothing good would come of creating a buzz and offering things to the Emperor in public. It would only attract unwanted trouble.
Being a mage meant thinking practically.
Thump-
“Hiii!”
“Huk!”
The workers beside her were scared witless even at the slightest contact.
Her identity as Einroguard’s professor was enough to cause terror, and her being a troll made things twice as worse.
Garcia grinned.
This happened every time she left, but the workers always managed to amuse her.
“…Ready your weapons!”
“??”
However, the shout from one of the workers jolted her awake.
‘I get that they’re scared, but aren’t they overreacting?’
“Madam Professor! There are suspicious individuals ahead! Please hide in the carriage!”
“…!!”
This was when she finally noticed that there was something strange going on up ahead.
‘Who dares!?’
