Chapter 156

Chapter 156

Chapter 156

Yi-Han's expression turned serious.

'Something is strange about this.'

Did Priestess Tijiling really find an outing permit?

It was possible.

What if students from other towers, even those from the White Tiger Tower, found the same?

That would have been acceptable.

But Gainando...

'It's a trap!'

Yi-Han's intuition screamed.

This must be a trap!

The skull principal was not one to distribute outing permits so freely, especially not to Gainando.

'But... why? Why the outing permits?'

He was certain it was a trap, yet the reason for such generous distribution eluded him.

'I have to be even more cautious.'

"Why so serious?"

Noticing Yi-Han's grim face, other students from the Blue Dragon Tower asked with concern.

"Isn't it suspicious how easily we got these outing permits?"

"Indeed...!"

"So, is this just an excuse to snatch the permit from Gainando's hands?"

"What if we just take it now and return it later?"

"..."

Yi-Han shook his head disapprovingly at the sight of his overly excited friends.

'I must stay alert, even if I'm the only one.'

Gainando was sitting in Professor Mortum's tent, the instructor of dark magic.

While other professors chose passionate and talented students for tasks, Professor Mortum did not.

After all, the number of freshmen interested in dark magic could be counted on one hand.

All freshmen studying dark magic had to attend.

Ymirg and Raphael, too, sat beside Gainando, silently watching ahead.

"..."

"..."

A heavy silence.

With Yi-Han absent, the freshmen in dark magic, not friendly with each other to begin with, grew even more silent.

All three were different in tower, origin, race, and temperament...

Gainando fiddled with his clothes, feeling as though the air was suffocating.

'Is this because of the negative mana?'

To break the stifling atmosphere, Gainando finally spoke up.

"Hey there!"

His sociable greeting elicited an enthusiastic response from the other two students.

"..."

"Don't pretend to be friendly, Prince. It's annoying."

One remained silent, the other scolded, but Gainando was surprisingly pleased.

"Did you just call me prince?"

"What... What's with you? Why are you happy about that, you weirdo?"

Raphael, an angel mixed-blood, looked at Gainando with disgust.

Apparently, no sane person chose to learn dark magic.

Happy even when insulted...

"Say it again! What am I?"

"Get lost, will you!?"

"Um, um..."

Ymirg, a half-giant, hesitantly spoke up.

"Shouldn't we call some guests over...?"

"Who would be interested in dark magic anyway?"

'You're learning it too...'

Gainando and Ymirg looked at Raphael with disbelief.

But Raphael stood firm.

"It's actually good that people aren't interested in dark magic. I am..."

"Is everything going well?"

Upon Professor Mortum's arrival, Raphael immediately bowed.

"Good day, Professor!"

"Yes, cough cough. Is it going well?"

"..."

They exchanged glances.

'Going well' was subjective, but by any standard, zero guests was not a good sign.

Professor Mortum's face darkened.

"Doesn't anyone show interest?"

In truth, Professor Mortum had prepared quite diligently, especially compared to other professors.

A large table covered in a black cloth

And there, placed upon it, were magic circles, grimoires, and artifacts.

It was a thoughtful arrangement by Professor Mortum, intended to recommend suitable dark magic spells to any visitors.

To compare Professor Mortum's dedication to Professor Boladi, who had asked Yi-Han to throw water beads at guests' faces, felt almost like an insult.

...But dedication doesn't always guarantee success.

Fundamentally, few festival-goers were interested in seeking out gloomy dark mages.

"Professor, I have a question."

"Cough. What is it?"

"Oh... no...!"

The students from the Blue Dragon Tower glared at Gainando.

It's his fault that Wardanaz is staying!

'I can't just leave with Professor Mortum here.'

Of course, Yi-Han's decision to stay wasn't due to his friendship with Gainando.

It was because Professor Mortum was right there.

Even if Mortum said, 'Cough, go and have fun,' he was a narrow-minded person not to be trusted.

If Yi-Han actually went to have fun, he might later hear something like, 'Really, you went to have fun? Cough, impressive.'

There was nothing good about being marked while learning dark magic.

"I will help."

"Why...?"

Professor Mortum looked at Yi-Han, puzzled.

Having heard from other professors, Mortum knew how hard Yi-Han worked.

"I'm learning dark magic, after all."

"...!"

Not just Professor Mortum, but other students were moved too.

Even Raphael's heart wavered.

'Though he's just a dark magic student, his honor is impeccable...'

"Yi-Han!"

'As for that lazy prince...'

Unaware that Raphael was cursing him, Gainando asked.

"So, how will you bring people here?"

"Just need people to come?"

"Yes?"

Yi-Han asked the students from the Blue Dragon Tower.

"You guys, line up."

"...Us too?"

"Shh. Wardanaz said to line up."

Though they came to hang out, the Blue Dragon Tower friends ended up being roped into the dark magic tent, lining up for friendship's sake.

"Asan. If you have friends from other towers, call them over."

"Don't worry. Wardanaz."

Asan nodded, ready to do his best, indebted as he was to the magic circle.

Shortly after.

Asan returned with students.

Not just from their tower, but others too.

"Wardanaz, do we just stand here?"

"Yes."

"Wardanaz, it's a bit off to make the princess interested in dark magic, isn't it? I'll stand in her place, so the princess can..."

"There."

Yi-Han handed a candy to the princess's palm.

Without a word, the princess lined up. Rowena was shocked.

"No...?!"

"Wardanaz, I brought more people."

Asan, who had disappeared after bringing the first group, returned with guests from Baldurguard.

"...?"

As Yi-Han looked puzzled, Asan explained excitedly.

"They said they wanted to help as soon as they heard your name."

"That's... good. Well done."

Asan disappeared again.

Then, he returned with a few priests and imperial officials in tow.

"...How did you manage to bring them?"

Yi-Han could understand the involvement of fellow students and guests from Baldurguard.

They owed him favors.

But how did he manage to bring priests and officials?

'Is it the influence of the Dargard family?'

"They wanted to help when I mentioned your name."

"...???"

Yi-Han was baffled.

Why?

"I've never seen Professor Mortum so happy before."

"Haven't you only known the professor for a few months?"

"That's true."

Yi-Han walked back to the dormitory with Gainando. They had stayed to help clean up until evening, and it was already dark.

"Do you want to play cards when we get back?"

"I have to decipher some magic."

"After you're done with that, how about a game of cards?"

"It will probably be dawn by the time I finish."

Gainando, seemingly obsessed with card games, was not easily dissuaded.

"Then, at dawn... cough!"

Suddenly, something flew out of the darkness, attacking Gainando.

At first, Yi-Han thought it was a robber aiming for the outing permit.

"Gainando! Don't let them steal the outing pass... wait, it's a monster!"

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