"Are we in the wrong place? This doesn't seem like it's inside the academy..."
Yonaire, unfortunately, couldn't accept the reality. Yi-Han spoke with a bitter expression.
"It is the academy. It's the punishment room."
"...?!?"
While some freshmen had visited it, for most students, the punishment room was something they had only heard about in rumors.
-“They say that If you get an F in three subjects, you're dragged to the punishment room for the whole vacation.”-
-“I heard that the bottom ten in the midterms are taken to the punishment room, right?”-
-“This is just a rumor, but it is said that among the seniors, there was someone who failed an experiment and was taken to the punishment room.”-
-“It's said if you try to escape the academy and get caught, you're taken to the punishment room, but that's probably a lie, right??”-
Most felt these were just lies, but rumors often contain a grain of truth.
Click!
"!"
Yi-Han, who had been worriedly holding the doorknob to a private room, soon realized his concern was unnecessary.
Surprisingly, the door to the room they were in was open.
'This is the punishment room, but...'
Yi-Han realized this punishment room was currently not in use.
The corridor they emerged into was filled with dust and cobwebs, and the private rooms on either side were all empty and open.
"It seems like this place isn't used anymore."
"That's not very comforting."
Yonaire muttered in a frightened voice.
A punishment room without people was scarier than one with people.
It would be better if there were people...
"Finding our way through the punishment room is quite difficult, this is going to be a headache."
"How did you kno- Ah."
Yonaire looked at Yi-Han apologetically. She knew Yi-Han had been to the punishment room before.
"It wasn't as bad an experience as you think."
"The principal didn't threaten you, did he?"
"No. If the principal ever threatens me to say something, I'll start with 'I solemnly swear'."
"That's a good idea."
After finishing their check, the two walked to the end of the corridor.
But there were no stairs.
"...???"
"????"
There was only a solid brick wall.
Yi-Han, flustered, looked back. There was no other passage on the other side. They had to move forward.
'This...'
Yi-Han intuited what was happening. Although he had only been at the magic academy for a few weeks, he was already fully adapted.
'A magic passage.'
Just like when he tried to escape through the underground storeroom, the way was hidden by magic.
There were two options.
Find it or break through.
Yi-Han took out finely wrapped charcoal powder from his pocket. Yonaire asked, puzzled.
"What's that?"
"I made it with Ratford, in case we needed it to escape."
It was similar to the principle of sprinkling graphite powder to find fingerprints on objects.
Yonaire was lost for words at Yi-Han's preparedness.
Seeing Yonaire's strange look, Yi-Han thought Yonaire was envious.
'I should teach her later.'
Yonaire would surely like such a skill!
"...It's not working."
But this time, unlike the underground storeroom, it didn't work easily. No trace was found.
Yi-Han didn't give up.
"Yonaire. Step back."
If skill didn't work, then force.
Like when he had blasted away the protective magic at the dormitory entrance, Yi-Han planned to blow away the magic covering this passage.
'Don't hit it so hard. Just enough to reveal the passage.'
“Stop it, you fool!”
"!"
The voice of a spirit echoed thunderously in the corridor. The voice, rough and wild, radiated aggression.
"Who are you?"
"I do not reveal my name to those unworthy. Why have you come to my shadow? If you do not answer quickly, I will not forgive you."
"I was introduced by Farakis."
“Farakis?”
The fierce spirit's voice hesitated, seemingly caught off guard.
“You seems strong enough for a professor of this academy, but that doesn't mean you are qualified to make a contract with me. I don't know what Farakis was thinking sending you here…”
"I'm not a professor, I'm a student."
Yonaire interjected.
"A freshman..."
There was an awkward silence for a moment. Yi-Han could feel the flow of mana running along the walls and ceiling.
The spirit seemed to be verifying something.
“A young mage... Wait, are you really a young mage and not disguised?”
"If you don't believe me, you can check."
The fierce spirit seemed to decide not to doubt any longer.
“So that's why Farakis sent you. It is kind to young mages. But I won't make a contract. I don't contract with those I don't know well.”
"As expected..."
Yonaire said regretfully.
"Yi-Han has so much mana that you're avoiding him. Like other spirits."
“What are you talking about? No!”
The opposing spirit was disconcerted by Yonaire's words.
Scared and avoiding because of too much mana. What a misunderstanding.
"But you're not showing yourself. Farakis said Yi-Han's mere existence instills fear in spirits."
"Yonaire... you didn't have to go that far..."
“You sound like a weirdo!”
"So you're not showing yourself because of that?"
“No! Do I look like a spirit who would hide just because of mana?!”
"Then why aren't you showing yourself?"
This time Yi-Han asked, curiously.
The spirit hesitated before responding.
“I avoid... meaningless fights, that's why.”
"..."
"..."
Yi-Han and Yonaire looked at each other, then seemed to understand.
"I see."
"That's possible."
“You young human mages! Do you think I cannot read the meaning behind your words?!”
Ferkuntra.
The name of the spirit they did not know.
A spirit summoned by a mage usually works at the place prepared by the mage or appears when called to fulfill the contract.
The important thing here was the contract.
A mage couldn't ask the spirit to do more than what was initially agreed upon, and the spirit wouldn't comply with such demands.
But conversely, it meant the spirit would honor what was initially agreed upon with its honor at stake.
Then why was Ferkuntra here like this?
In a punishment room with people, maybe, but in an abandoned, closed one?
The answer was because a proper contract had not been made.
-"I summon you, great spirit, Ferkuntra. Submit to me. Kneel to me. I know your true name, so you shall kneel!"-
-"Don't spout nonsense. Smells like a rat, you Lich! Even though I respect the strong, do you think I would kneel to someone like you!"-
The Lich principal, having learned the name from an ancient relic, summoned Ferkuntra using its name.
Of course, Ferkuntra did not submit just because its name was known. It did not want to contract with a Lich, among other things.
For a full week of days and nights, they fought tirelessly.
No matter the threats, Ferkuntra refused to submit, prompting the Lich principal to propose a compromise.
-"If you so despise the idea of a contract, what about a compromise, you insolent spirit Ferkuntra? If you perform just one task for me, I won't command you further. In return, I will offer you regular tributes!"-
-"...What task do you speak of?"-
-"I am nurturing young mages. There's a building where these young mages are held when they are caught trying to escape the academy, and I want you to ensure they cannot escape from it."-
-"Is that all?"-
-"Just that!"-
Ferkuntra was swayed by the Lich principal's words.
Compared to complex and detailed contracts, monitoring a building and preventing young mages from escaping didn't seem too difficult.
Moreover, without a formal contract, it wouldn't need to be too close to the Lich's soul.
-"If I refuse..."-
-"You insolent spirit. This is my last offer. If you refuse, I'll tear your entire body to shreds, seal you away, and bury the books bearing your name in a forgotten tomb. Will you plunge into eternal oblivion or accept my proposal?"-
-"...Fine. I accept!"-
Realizing it couldn't defeat the Lich principal, Ferkuntra reluctantly agreed.
It thought the young mages might attempt to escape the academy but not often.
At most, they would be trying to escape because they missed the outside world.
But, surprisingly, the young mages were more capable and made frequent escape attempts than it expected.
Ferkuntra later realized the reason.
That Lich was actually encouraging their escapes.
-"If they succeed in escaping, isn't that a skill in itself? Try to escape if you can."-
Instead of setting rules to prevent escapes when a young mage misbehaved, the Lich would cancel their punishment if they successfully escaped the academy, prompting the more daring students to continuously attempt escapes.
Thanks to this, Ferkuntra's job in the dungeon was much more arduous and challenging than it had anticipated.
The only time it could rest was in this closed-off punishment room, where it could quietly be alone.
Although this peace would be disrupted as soon as the students attempted another escape...
But, in the absence of the students, this closed-off punishment room was truly pleasant.
Then, today, suddenly, two young and inexperienced mages came looking for Ferkuntra in its resting place.
'Farakis. That scoundrel!'
It knew Farakis was fond of young mages, but it didn't expect it to send them like this.
Ferkuntra muttered, writhing.
“I'm not revealing my form as a courtesy to you young mages!”
"Ah... I see..."
Yonaire, unlike Gainando, didn't outright provoke the spirit, but her insincerity infuriated Ferkuntra even more.
A spirit like Ferkuntra could sense what a novice mage like Yonaire was thinking.
Yonaire was internally assuming Ferkuntra was scared.
What a ridiculous misunderstanding.
Of course, the young mage beside her did possess immense mana, but Ferkuntra was not a spirit to flee in fear of such things.
Yi-Han, growing tired of the conversation, politely requested.
"I understand, Mr. Spirit. Since you have no intention of making a contract, could you perhaps open the way for us?"
“Wait!”
"?"
“You two young mages are doubting my strength inwardly. Do you realize how insulting that is?”
"No..."
Yi-Han protested, as if wronged.
"We spoke respectfully, didn't we? Why do you have such paranoid thoughts?"
"Do you think I cannot read such emotions?!"
Yi-Han and Yonaire felt slightly stung by this accusation. However, Yi-Han did not back down.
"But we can't control the thoughts that come to mind, can we? Regardless of our thoughts, I believe we have maintained respect and honor."
Yonaire nodded in agreement, muttering her assent.
There really wasn’t anything wrong with Yi-Han's words.
Of course, Ferkuntra was far from convinced.
“Then I shall show you a fraction of my power.”
"If you open that wall, we might be able to see..."
“Stay quiet and prepare. You! Gather your mana.”
"I haven't even been studying magic for a year yet."
“I know. That's why I'm trying to show you in the simplest way possible. Convert the mana you've gathered into an element!”
The spirit showed no signs of backing down.
Yi-Han, resigning himself to the situation, gathered his mana. It seemed he needed to persuade the spirit to find a way out.
"What element should I use?"
“The most destructive power!”
"..."
“I told you not to doubt!!”
The spirit, seemingly reading Yi-Han's inner thoughts, erupted in anger again. Yi-Han flinched.
"Blaze!"
Naturally, the most destructive element was fire. Yi-Han, hoping the insight he gained while petting the flaming puppy would help, summoned fire.
In that moment, a massive bolt of lightning struck down from the ceiling of the punishment room, aiming for the fire.
Boom!!!
"!"
"!!"
Yi-Han and Yonaire were startled by the loud noise.
And they were also surprised by what was revealed next.
The fire summoned by Yi-Han remained unscathed.
"...What did you do?"
