Chapter 265

Chapter 265

Chapter 265

"Professor, I may not be well-versed in imperial law, but I believe kidnapping is illegal."

"I had permission."

"What??"

Yi-Han was shocked.

He knew adventurers were crazy, but to agree to such a proposal...

'Ah. No, that can't be right.'

For adventurers caught in a scam, refusing was not an easy option.

Moreover, Professor Boladi wouldn't have detained them harshly, so the atmosphere must have been quite intimidating.

'Putting a knife to someone's throat and asking a question isn't permission, it's coercion.'

"But if you had permission, why put them in a box and carry them away?"

"Can't just let outsiders roam free, they might cause trouble."

"Indeed."

Yi-Han only replied 'indeed,' but he thought otherwise.

That's not a reasonable explanation!

Thud!

The students of the Blue Dragon Tower gazed at Yi-Han as if he were a deity descended to earth.

The cake in the center of the lounge was almost reaching the ceiling.

"We'll eat this together once the final exams are over. Understand?"

"My goodness..."

"Sharakan, bite anyone who touches it."

Sharakan bit Gainando's ankle. Gainando screamed.

"I didn't touch it! I only thought about it!"

As Gainando hopped about, Yi-Han added,

"Those who fail won't get any."

"No...!"

Some students were horrified.

How could he impose such a cruel condition?

"Failing isn't necessarily wrong!"

'Isn't it, though?'

Yi-Han ignored his friends' protests and turned away. Yonaire whispered in astonishment,

"I thought it was for the festival."

"What festival? Ah, the Phoenix Festival?"

In the empire, there were various festivals every season.

Among them, the Phoenix Festival was a celebration where offerings were made to the phoenix to ensure the proper arrival of early summer.

It was said that in the past, the phoenix would bolster the power of the sun, ensuring the seasons cycled correctly.

'It's just a silly superstition.'Geett the latest novels at novelhall.com

If that were true, the snowstorm at the magic academy last time must have been because the Phoenix was sleeping.

And, separate from the superstition, the Phoenix Festival wasn't a festival that needed to be attended with such importance.

Moreover, the final exams were right after the next week.

In such a situation, it would be foolish for any students to celebrate the festival...

"...What are you doing?"

"Huh? Making decorations?"

The students of the Blue Dragon, weaving wreaths with red-painted feathers and cockscombs, looked puzzled.

Yi-Han sighed internally.

'I forgot these kids can be so foolish.'

With exams looming, even trivial things can become interesting.

With only assignments and exams left, even a minor Phoenix Festival could be immensely entertaining to the students.

"Wardanaz, here's a wreath. Wearing it during the festival will make you resistant to the heat."

'Thank you.'

"Aren't you going to study?"

"...I, I'm about to!"

'Oops.'

Yi-Han intended to thank them for their thoughtfulness, but his inner thoughts slipped out instead.

Yi-Han looked with pity at his friends scurrying away.

'Wait. Are these kids actually...?!'

Looking around, Yi-Han belatedly realized the oddity.

Everyone was at their desks, but few were genuinely studying.

Asan was scribbling with a quill on paper; Yi-Han thought he was working on an assignment, but he was actually designing ornaments for the Phoenix Festival. Nebren, instead of working on his Enchantment Magic assignment on artifact improvement, was making a ball to play with during the festival.

Yi-Han looked at the princess, the last bastion. In a hurry, she flipped open a book and placed it on the desk.

"...You don't think the principal created the Phoenix Festival, do you?"

"That, that's not the case, right?"

Yonaire was flustered by such an absurd conspiracy theory.

It seemed unlikely that a festival celebrated throughout the empire was created by the skull principal.

"Yi-Han. Normally, you need to play a bit to focus better."

One by one, come forward!

It was Yi-Han's turn. He stepped towards the floating blue light in the darkness.

State your name.

"It's Yi-Han."

Not mentioning your family first. I'll give you 10 points.

"Uh... Would a real bureaucrat do the same?"

Silence. I ask the questions here. Have you ever wanted to attack someone while attending the magic academy?

"..."

Yi-Han was at a loss for words.

'Damn. Too many to count.'

If the skull principal could detect lies, he would be caught immediately.

"If I said no, that would be a lie."

Honest. Another 10 points.

'Is this really how it's supposed to go?'

Admitting to having aggressive thoughts seems like it should lead to deductions...

What is the reason you chose to learn magic?

"I thought it was the most useful and versatile among the many disciplines of the empire, ensuring I wouldn't starve in my lifetime..."

Is that what you call an answer!?

The skull principal retorted incredulously.

Yi-Han was slightly taken aback.

"Is it wrong to answer like that in front of a bureaucrat?"

That's irrelevant. Unless you're planning to kill someone or summon fragments of a forgotten ancient evil deity, anything goes. But what's with that lack of ambition!? You might as well say your dream is to be an imperial bureaucrat!

"Being a bureaucrat seems nice..."

Silence! I don't want to hear it. No matter how much you flatter them, even a bureaucrat would be flustered by such flattery!

Yi-Han grumbled inwardly.

What's wrong with being a bureaucrat...

Next, talk about the magic you're learning and why you chose it... Let's just skip this question.

"..."

Yi-Han felt slightly hurt.

Is there any student in the other towers that you particularly dislike?

"Not really."

That's unfortunate. I would have given you 10 points if you had said yes.

"No..."

Many more questions followed. Most were about what he intended to do with magic, whether he had thoughts of using forbidden arcane rituals, or if a rampaging magic spell was heading towards a town, would he redirect it to another town with fewer people, and so on.

Surprisingly, it wasn't difficult.

"Is it really not that hard?"

That's right. As long as you keep your wits about you, it's not difficult.

The skull principal grumbled, clearly very dissatisfied. Yi-Han, puzzled, asked,

"Is there a problem?"

You might not understand, being as perceptive as you are, but every year there are students who spout nonsense! And then it's all blamed on me.

'Ah.'

Yi-Han immediately understood.

Indeed, if someone responded to a question with 'I'm learning fire magic to burn the world,' the emperor would likely say, 'Summon Gonadaltes here.'

The students were more innocent than expected, not knowing how to lie.

Make sure to dissuade anyone in your tower who might give strange answers.

"I'll do my best. But, principal, isn't there something more dangerous than that?"

What are you talking about?

"Well, I was thinking if the bureaucrat heard about the incidents that occurred during the semester, they might be alarmed."

Thank you for your concern, but it's alright.

"?"

The bureaucrat coming is from Einroguard.

"..."

Yi-Han couldn't help but be amazed.

He's really sharp when it comes to the bad stuff!

In recent weeks, Professor Boladi's class had become physically easier.

However, they had become mentally more demanding.

After finishing the basic course, Professor Boladi, intent on completing the comprehensive combat magic theory, began asking about everything learned in other classes.

"In dark magic, we covered poison and curses. In summoning magic, skeletons. Next."

"In illusion magic, we learned about the structural understanding of illusion."

"You must have learned additional topics from Mr. Ogonin."

"...Ah. I almost missed that. Thank you."

Yi-Han cursed the skull principal.

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