Yi-Han spoke with a serious expression, stating, "I truly have no intention of leaving. However, if it will ease your mind, I am willing to listen to that information."
Salko, taken aback by Yi-Han's earnest demeanor, which was devoid of any hint of jest, wondered to himself, 'Has he really never gone out at night?' He then turned to another friend beside him, a fellow member of the Black Tortoise, who shook his head in warning, indicating that he should not be deceived.
“...”
Salko's expression turned slightly fierce, reflecting the confirmation of his distrust towards the seemingly superficial nobles. "Follow me. I will explain," Salko said, and then whispered something to his Black Tortoise friends.
Curious, Yi-Han discreetly asked another friend, who had once eaten vegetable stew with him, "What did Tutanta say?"
The friend responded apologetically, "He said not to have a private conversation with you when he's not around."
As a matter of fact, Yi-Han was not the only one sneaking out at night. Most students had gradually started venturing outside the tower. They had realized that merely sleeping through the night was not enough to survive in the academy. Whether it was for food, assignments, or even escape, they needed to roam the academy and seek out what they needed. Salko was no exception.
"You criticize me for sneaking around the academy at night?" Yi-Han asked.
"I never criticized you," Salko replied incredulously.
Realizing the truth in this, Yi-Han encouraged Salko to continue. Salko and his friends had been recently challenging themselves by exploring the third floor of the main building of the magic academy. This building, the largest and most mysterious of all, was said to contain secrets unknown even to the principal. The third floor constantly changed its layout, with corridors multiplying, staircases disappearing, and walls suddenly blocking the path.
Salko, hailing from the stonemason guild family, had tenaciously found a way to access it to some extent.
“How do I get in?”
“When the hours and minutes are odd, when the moon is cloudless, and when the staff is held in the left hand. You have to satisfy all of these conditions in order for the hallway on the third floor to open properly.”
“...”
Yi-Han, initially thinking Salko was jesting, realized the gravity in his words. "I see," he acknowledged, grateful that the conditions were not as bizarre as they could be in a magic academy.
"Thanks for the useful information," Yi-Han said, as he needed to visit the stables in the upper levels of the main building. The information about the third floor was especially useful.
"The information isn't over yet. There's a being on the third floor that might be of help to you," Salko added.
"A spirit of lightning, perhaps?" Yi-Han joked.
Salko looked puzzled. "No. It's not that. What kind of being is it?"
Yi-Han’s curiosity was piqued. The academy was already filled with various magic beings.
Lich, troll mixed-blood, vampire, lightning spirit, etc.. Most of whom were not ideal for conversation.
"I can't say," Salko replied. "I've sworn an oath not to reveal its identity."
"I see. So, I should go and find out for myself?" Yi-Han concluded.
"No. Finding that being is more complicated and difficult than entering the third-floor corridor. I must accompany you. As you decide, I will lead you to that being in the corridor," Salko stated with the steadfastness of solid rock. However, Yi-Han was immediately skeptical.
'Is this a trap?' he wondered, his doubts stemming from the unfair attacks he had endured from other students.
After all, Salko was not known to be fond of nobles or knights. It was possible that students from the Black Tortoise, wearing masks, were lying in wait in the third-floor corridor. Or perhaps, Salko had chosen Yi-Han as a sacrifice for the being in the corridor.
"Why do you ask?" Salko inquired, oblivious to the disrespectful suspicions harbored by Yi-Han.
"Aren't you breaking your oath by guiding me to that being?" Yi-Han questioned.
"No. As long as I do not reveal its identity, bringing a new student is allowed. I double-checked this in the <Basic Imperial Language and Logic> class, just to be sure."
Yi-Han clicked his tongue inwardly. Salko was as diligent a student as he was, not someone Yi-Han could easily manipulate like Gainando.
"Do you really believe this will be helpful?" Yi-Han probed.
"On the honor of my family, I believe so. Though, of course, my judgment is not always correct," Salko replied, stroking his beard with the seriousness of a dwarf.
'Information is needed in any case,' Yi-Han thought, nodding after a moment of contemplation. He could not afford to be choosy, whether it was ‘cold or hot water,’ in finding the way to the stables located in the upper level of the main building.
"Fine. When do you plan to go?"
"Tonight."
On Saturday evening, when other students would usually be wrapped in blankets in the lounge, warming themselves by a cozy fire, holding a cup of steaming tea or coffee in one hand and a quill, chess piece, or card in the other, Yi-Han was ascending the dark staircase of the main building with Salko.
'It seems there are no others lying in wait,' Yi-Han thought, vigilant for any ambush. It appeared that the Black Tortoise students were not following.
Salko was armed with a staff in one hand and a hammer at his waist, which felt more menacing than the wooden swords carried by the students of the White Tiger.
"I asked the other students. Wardanaz," Salko said in a voice reminiscent of granite.
"What did you ask?" Yi-Han inquired.
"About what kind of person you are."
Yi-Han scanned the surroundings again, half-expecting Salko to shout 'Die, Wardanaz! Your misdeeds end here!' and for ambushing students to emerge. Fortunately, that did not happen.
"I heard you've been giving food to the other students. Not just to everyone in the Blue Dragon, but to students from other towers as well."
"That's right."
"Charity is commendable, but I'd advise against it. Those who haven’t earned their own keep, even if provided for, will not understand its value."
Yi-Han found himself nodding involuntarily. The statement was too accurate.
Salko was taken aback by Yi-Han's nod, not having expected someone of the Wardanaz lineage to agree without any argument.
"Do you... understand?" Salko asked.
"There's nothing incorrect about it. Those who don't work for themselves never understand the value of things," Yi-Han affirmed.
"Right. How could nobles or knights understand the sanctity of labor? They only know how to strut around, brandishing swords, and acting superior," Salko remarked disdainfully.
"In my opinion, nobles and knights should fundamentally be sent to work the fields on farms. They learn swordsmanship as part of their education, so there's no reason they can't learn farming," he suggested.
The two young laborers found strong agreement in this sentiment.
After their conversation concluded, Yi-Han and Salko looked at each other with a newfound respect. Salko's rock-like face softened slightly.
"I think I may have misjudged you. I apologize, Wardanaz. Some students from the White Tiger said you were a heartless and bloodless evil mage..."
"..."
"...That must have been a baseless rumor spread by arrogant knights."
"Indeed. Such baseless rumors often cloud our vision. We must always be careful, especially as mages."
"That's true."
Salko nodded, his expression one of reflection.
Yi-Han thought to himself, 'No matter what rumors spread in the future, I can just dismiss them as baseless.'
Salko glanced at Yi-Han's hands, noticing they were toughened from tending gardens and various labors – hands a noble wouldn't have. Those with similar hands recognize each other. With this, Salko fully accepted Yi-Han.
This made Salko curious.
Why would a student like Yi-Han care for other lazy good-for-nothings?
"Wardanaz. I have a question."
"What is it?"
"Why do you take care of your fellow tower students?"
"..."
Yi-Han was momentarily taken aback.
Well...
'It's for the money...'
He did it for the money; he wouldn't provide breakfast and feed them for free.
It was obviously for the money.
However, Yi-Han thought it wouldn't be good to say it was for money, especially now that Salko held him in high regard.
"I do it because they are friends."
"..."
This answer left a strong impression on Salko.
He had thought the students followed Wardanaz because of his magic skills, but now it seemed there was more to it.
"I could never do that myself... but now I think I understand a bit about what you nobles call 'honor.' It's not completely absent."
"..."
Yi-Han pushed the ledger deeper into his pocket.
If Salko ever found out, he might never trust nobles again.
Leading the way through the third-floor corridor of the main building, Salko suddenly stopped and pointed to a statue. It was a statue of an unnamed mage.
Though worn, faded, and partially broken, its beauty was breathtaking, almost too perfect to be human.
'How strange. Why does it seem familiar?'
"Do you see how this statue is broken, Wardanaz?" Salko asked, pulling out a hammer. Yi-Han stepped back, resting his hand on his waist, and nodded.
"I repaired this statue before. I couldn't just stand by and watch a broken statue."
'He's a workaholic.'
But Yi-Han understood.
Just as Yonaire wants to water plants she sees, Nillia wants to hunt prey she spots, and Yi-Han feels the urge to bend over when he sees a professor...
Salko had his own professional urges.
"But it's broken again?"
"Yes. This statue keeps breaking, even after being fixed. And that's the secret to opening this hidden door."
Carefully, Salko began to repair the broken statue.
As he did, a rumbling sound echoed in the darkness, and the statue rotated once. Simultaneously, a hidden passage opened.
"Go inside, Wardanaz. From here, you must go alone."
"Tutanta... I trust you."
"I know. That's why you came this far."
"I really do trust you."
"Why do you repeat that?"
Unaware that Yi-Han was reading his reaction, Salko tilted his head in confusion.
“Had a new student arrived?”
“!”
Inside the passage, there was a statue that looked like a mixture of several animals.
"Welcome. I am the statue of the forgotten beast. I have been in this academy for a very long time. Student who repaired the statue and entered, will you swear not to speak of my identity to others?"
"...I swear."
As Yi-Han responded, the dog's tail portion of the statue wagged happily.
"Excuse me, but what are you doing here?"
“Just killing time. The room I was guarding was closed 187 years ago. Since then, I've been wandering the cooler parts of this academy.”
"I'm curious why I shouldn't tell others about you..."
“Well, the professors might put me back to work if they knew.”
"How wise...!"
“Thank you for understanding.”
Yi-Han was certain of the statue's wisdom.
