'Isn't that not okay?'
While Tijiling was pondering this, Professor Garcia kindly answered.
"As long as the magic is okay, it's fine. Everything can be recovered."
"Ah... Yes..."
Unaware that Tijiling had stealthily stepped back, Professor Garcia smiled innocently.
"It's really fortunate. Being struck by lightning is okay, but if the inner magic inside is harmed..."
"Yes..."
"Oh, Tijiling. It's okay to come closer. Everyone is safe."
"Is everyone okay?!"
Yi-Han dispelled his invisibility and rushed over in a panic.
The moment he cast the lightning magic, Ferkuntra's emotions were transmitted to Yi-Han.
Just as Yi-Han could read Ferkuntra's emotions, Ferkuntra could read Yi-Han's.
-We're doomed!-
It was a brief and simple emotion, but at the moment the lightning spell exploded, Yi-Han knew something was wrong.
This senile spirit Ferkuntra had cast the spell too powerfully, almost burning everything with his inability to control his strength!
Yi-Han did not consider that his own mana was overflowing.
After all, it was Ferkuntra who had settled in his arm and helped with the spell; it was surely Ferkuntra's fault, not anyone else's.
And it wasn't entirely wrong to think so.
Fortunately, Professor Garcia arrived late. Seeing him safely receive the students, Yi-Han felt relieved.
'Indeed, the only conscience...!'
Seeing Yi-Han rushing hurriedly, Professor Garcia smiled kindly.
So it was Yi-Han who had used such magic.
"Everyone is okay."
"That's a relief!"
"Although a bit electrocuted by the lightning."
"...?"
Yi-Han showed a similar reaction to Tijiling. Both students displayed the same startled reaction, but Professor Garcia remained unshaken.
A true educator must answer the same question repeatedly with the same response.
"It’s okay as long as the inner mana is okay. It can be recovered."
"...Ah... Yes."
Like Tijiling had done earlier, Yi-Han stepped back a step. Tijiling, already a step back, nodded in agreement.
Welcome!
"G-g-gulp..."
"K-k-kerr..."
The students, who had been caught, looked disheveled, having their mana absorbed and then electrocuted.
Seeing several students from the White Tiger trembling from the lightning's effect on their muscles, Yi-Han sighed.
'Damn. Even if I save them, I'll get scolded.'
Yi-Han thought he would have scolded himself too.
-I saved you all.-
-T-thank you... Wait a minute. If you had the power to defeat the vine monster, why did you electrocute us too?-
-The famous spirit helping me was too dumb to control its power.-
-You expect us to believe that!?-
Yi-Han thought it would sound like nonsense to say he had the power to defeat the vine monster but couldn't control his strength.
"Come on. Let's all stand up."
Professor Garcia waved his staff, relaxing the students' tensed muscles and replenishing their lost mana.
Yi-Han, watching from behind, was amazed anew.
'Does Professor Garcia also know how to use healing magic?'
Considering the magic spells he had seen from Professor Garcia before, the variety of magic spells he used was indeed vast.
While most professors focused only on their area of expertise, Professor Garcia's range was surprisingly broad.
Why is that?
"Th-thank you, Professor Garcia."
"Thank you very much."
"Give your thanks to Yi-Han here. He bravely defeated the vine monster and saved you all."
"..."
The students from the White Tiger looked at Yi-Han with complex expressions.
Anglago, as the representative, spoke first.
"Thank you, Wardanaz."
"If you're upset..."
Yi-Han was about to retort, 'If you're upset, why did you get caught?' but hesitated.
The response was unexpected.
'Huh?'
He had anticipated an accusation like, 'You nearly got us killed, you wicked evil mage,' but the White Tiger students simply expressed their gratitude.
Yi-Han wondered if they were just being cautious in front of Professor Garcia.
But that wasn't the case.
Anglago looked at Yi-Han with eyes mixed with half resentment and half gratitude.
"...It's really hard to say this, but as a knight, I must properly thank you for the grace I've received. Thank you."
"Does this mean we forget all the grudges we've had so far?"
"Not at all. Don't be mistaken, Wardanaz."
"..."
Yi-Han felt slightly hurt by the cold response.
Shouldn't gratitude be enough to forget that level of grudge?
Of course, there had been quite a lot accumulated...
"But for this matter... I'm truly thankful. Now I somewhat understand why Dolgyu trusts you."
Following Anglago, other White Tiger students also sincerely thanked him.
"Thank you, Wardanaz."
"We might not become friends, but I won't forget the honor you showed this time."
"We might not become friends, but let's cooperate as much as we can in this lake assignment."
Dolgyu, who had just regained some strength after being caught, came up belatedly.
Dolgyu was delighted as if it were his own matter to see his friends thanking Yi-Han.
"See! I told you he's not as bad as Moradi said, right?"
"Hmm... Maybe that's true."
"So, are we ready to forget our grudges and build friendship?"
"That's not happening. Don't cross the line, Dolgyu."
"How can we forget everything that's happened?"
"..."
Dolgyu felt slightly hurt by his friends' cold responses.
He thought the mood was good enough...
"Hey! How could you shoot so powerfully? You did that on purpose because of those White Tiger guys, right?!"
Lastly, the fully recovered Gainando approached, staggering.
To Gainando, it was clear that Yi-Han would never make such a mistake.
It was obvious he had taken this opportunity to give the White Tiger guys a taste of their own medicine.
But why did it have to happen when Gainando himself was caught!
"What nonsensical slander... Prince, apologize."
"Prince Gainando, don't you know the pride and honor of royalty? What kind of rudeness is that to someone who saved you?"
Gainando belatedly realized that the White Tiger students were present.
He felt unjustly accused by the unexpected criticism from the White Tiger students.
Even if one was close to Yi-Han, Gainando was probably much closer, but these guys, who usually ignored Yi-Han's goodwill, were now defending him!
"What do you guys know!"
"We may not have royal blood, but we know honor."
"Apologize, Prince."
Gainando felt wronged but was also slightly pleased to be acknowledged as a prince.
Yi-Han noticed this and was incredulous.
"You're not happy to be called a prince now, are you?"
"...No! But it's true that you guys don't treat me like royalty!"
The students of the Blue Dragon were from such powerful noble families that they didn't need to pay heed to a prince beyond the three-digit range.
But Yi-Han, instead of pointing that out, decided to be considerate of Gainando.
"It's because they all consider you a friend, Gainando."
"That is true..."
Gainando briefly reveled in the sentiment, but the White Tiger students did not wait for him.
"No matter how close, one must maintain decorum. We even thanked Wardanaz."
"Hurry up and apologize, Prince."
The White Tiger students relentlessly pressured Gainando.
Few could withstand the pressure of such resolute knights.
Gainando realized anew how impressively Yi-Han had handled these tough opponents.
"I... I'm sorry. It was wrong of me to criticize after being saved."
"Be more careful in the future."
"Prince. Your honor is shaped by your actions."
The White Tiger students, true to their knighthood, nodded in acknowledgment of the apology and then swiftly departed.
Yi-Han was dumbfounded.
'Did they forget how the three of them tried to gang up on me?'
He wanted to point this out, but the satisfied White Tiger students had already walked away.
Still feeling wronged, Gainando cautiously asked.
"But was it really not intentional?"
"It wasn't intentional."
"Ugh...! I really thought it was deliberate...!"
It truly wasn't intentional.
Though it might have seemed so!
After the cleanup and aftermath were settled, Professor Garcia called for Yi-Han. Worry was evident in his expression.
Yi-Han could guess what was coming.
-Ferkuntra, you need to explain this.-
Without Ferkuntra's explanation, Yi-Han risked being labeled by Professor Garcia as a 'madman who recklessly wields magic without regard for his own safety' – a dangerously wrong impression.
-After all, this is your fault.-
-Alright. I understand.-
Ferkuntra felt just as wronged as Gainando but accepted the responsibility.
It wasn't without fault, after all.
As long as Ferkuntra resided in Yi-Han's arm, it should have ensured that the mana was under control until the end.
But...
-...Wait.-
-?-
-Time's... up…-
Yi-Han felt the fragment of Ferkuntra, which resided in his arm, fading away.
Not just that, Ferkuntra itself was returning to its original place in the punishment room.
Yi-Han was horrified.
-Tell me it's not so.-
-...I'm really sorry. It wasn't intentional.-
-Tell me it's not so! Quickly!-
-The next time I'm summoned, I'll really show my true abilities…-
-You're saying I should summon you again after this disaster!-
Despite being scolded by a novice magician, Ferkuntra had no rebuttal.
There was simply no excuse for this situation!
-Really sorry, but next time…-
Poof!
Ferkuntra disappeared.
Professor Garcia, with a mix of concern and sternness in his eyes, addressed Yi-Han.
"Yi-Han. I couldn't speak earlier due to the commotion, but I think I need to say this. Lightning magic, like fire magic, is a violent and dangerous elemental magic that's hard to control. It's truly remarkable and astonishing that you've learned it on your own, but I'm really worried about you as a student."
"Professor. There's actually a deep story behind this."
Yi-Han detailed the story of Ferkuntra, carefully omitting and adapting parts like raiding Professor Uregor's botanical garden!
But even as he spoke, Yi-Han was worried.
'Will he really believe such an absurd tale?'
"What a stroke of misfortune!"
'He believes it?!'
Surprisingly, Professor Garcia believed him. He truly was a genuine professor.
"I see. After all, I didn't think Yi-Han, who is not a reckless person, would recklessly commit such a reckless act."
'It's sufficiently understood without emphasizing so much...'
"That spirit is a bit..."
"Incompetent and doubtful in ability?"
"No? No. A spirit of that caliber can't be without ability. Probably, the mistakes occurred because Yi-Han is such a unique contractor."
"..."
Yi-Han, who respected Professor Garcia, found it hard to respect these words.
'Too overly kind.'
"Of course, there are malevolent spirits that seek to lead their contractors to ruin, but from what I've heard, this spirit doesn't seem to be one of those. From now on, be careful and, above all, think of your own safety when using magic."
"I understand."
"Was it lightning magic that you used?"
At the familiar voice, both Yi-Han and Professor Garcia turned their heads simultaneously.
Professor Boladi was looking their way, his usually impassive eyes faintly curious.
