Surviving as a Mage in a Magic Academy - Chapter 1006
“No. How can you circulate a letter like that? If you spread it around, wicked people will only swarm around Her Majesty.”
“Jowrin does not go out much anyway, so it is fine. And it was not exactly spread around.”
The Skull Principal was already pleased because the debt had been canceled.
In that state, seeing his disciple jump up and down only made him feel a little more cheerful.
“Only the heads of fairly large houses would have received the letter. The palace bureaucrats are bound by vows of silence, so it will not spread any further. Do not worry too much.”
What nonsense he’s spouting.
If noble house heads knew and bureaucrats knew, that was already more than enough to worry about.
At that point, it would not be strange for Lee Han to hear, “Ah! Aren’t you the mage who newly contracted with a dragon?” wherever he went.
It was touching that even dragons who had not contracted with him would protect contractors, but more than that…
…From now on, I absolutely need to use disguises and aliases when doing bad things.
Feeling a premonition that he would continue using Stedal Nago’s identity, Lee Han thought to himself.
-Indeed. Did Master calculate even that? That the bureaucrats would not dare treat a newly appeared dragon contractor coldly…
“Heh. That was only one of the reasons.”
-As expected of Master!
Seeing the Death Knights and the Skull Principal cheer excitedly, Lee Han grumbled.
He already felt uneasy, and seeing them so happy only made him want to strike them from behind.
***
Hidan, who belonged to House Dalcard and was Asan’s older sister, was currently staying in the Empire’s capital.
It was because of guests who had come from various noble houses throughout the Empire.
“No matter how much Lord Gonadaltes devotes himself to the Empire, he went too far this time.”
“That is right. We cannot simply let this pass.”
…To be precise, they were closer to victims who had come from various noble houses throughout the Empire.
The houses whose treasures had been plundered by the Skull Principal’s outrageous act had joined forces in order to calculate the damages accurately and demand compensation.
Since they had come representing their respective houses, their status was by no means ordinary. Some houses had even sent their heads directly.
Under such circumstances, Hidan had no choice but to come up to the capital from the east in person.
“We trust in Hidan’s abilities.”
“House Dalcard also suffered losses this time, so please handle this strictly.”
The various nobles sent expectant gazes toward Hidan.
Hidan of House Dalcard belonged to the eastern Bronze Dwarf Bank and was a prodigy recognized even by those picky dwarves.
Someone like Hidan would be able to calculate the losses caused by the Skull Principal this time with cold precision.
Since the treasures had been seized so suddenly, each house had not even determined exactly how much it should claim.
“But… is Hidan’s younger brother not from Einroguard? There is a saying that arms bend inward for a reason…”
One noble who had participated as a house representative cautiously raised a question.
Someone with family studying at Einroguard might take the Skull Principal’s side.
However, the other nobles instead scolded the person who had asked.
“Watch your words. Hidan is not someone who would show favoritism even to family.”
“When Daihal of House Dalcard visited the Bronze Dwarf Bank, Hidan chased him away without even looking at his face. Even family will be cut off ruthlessly if they bring no benefit.”
Though it sounded somewhat like an insult, Hidan was rather proud.
The twins, Daihal and Hidan, had always pursued coldness and reason.
To them, ruining work because of family sentiment or blood ties was absolutely unacceptable behavior.
Though Hidan rejected Daihal’s request, Daihal had not been displeased at all. Rather, if she had accepted it, he might have despised Hidan.
“I am grateful for the praise.”
“Oh, right. Your younger brother Asan also has quite excellent qualities as a mage.”
“He is still far from it. He needs to resemble at least half of his friend.”
How truly modest.
Though Hidan spoke sincerely, the surrounding nobles simply understood it as modesty.
Simply entering Einroguard was already remarkable, and among its students, Asan was achieving quite high grades.
No one realized that Hidan was comparing him to his friend, the top student of the year.
“Then please submit the lists of treasures and reagents each of you lent. I will calculate the damages.”
While Hidan received lists from the various nobles, Yoanen whispered to Mrs. Kraha as though dying of annoyance.
Mrs. Kraha, Gainando’s mother, had ties to Yoanen because one of her own siblings had married someone from House Meikin.
“Why do we have to do this?”
“Yoanen. Do not complain too much. Someone has to take charge of this work.”
The task of presenting lists of items each house had been plundered of and determining their prices was not actually work that required especially great intelligence.
Moreover, was someone from House Dalcard not handling all the practical work?
However, that did not mean it was work that required no responsibility. Since they were discussing matters here and making final decisions, they effectively needed full authority.
Even if the house heads themselves did not come, at least direct members of each house had to be present in order to make decisions easily.
Mrs. Kraha spoke with elegant composure.
“I heard House Meikin also lent quite a few precious treasures.”
“It does not matter, since they are not my treasures anyway.”
Yoanen was indifferent.
Unless one was a noble with strong loyalty to the family, high-level mages rarely obsessed over family pride.
Whether the family treasures had been plundered by the Skull Principal or not, managing the reagents for tomorrow’s workshop was far more important.
“Rather, did Mrs. Kraha not seem generous toward Lord Gonadaltes before?”
Yoanen asked, tilting her head slightly.
This lady who led House Kraha, a name always mentioned when discussing wealth in the Empire, had long been Einroguard’s most generous patron.
Previously, Yoanen had even seen the Skull Principal turn a noble who insulted House Kraha into a frog and bury him deep in a swamp. Such affection did not come without considerable donations.
“That is true. But Lord Gonadaltes clearly said he would repay them when he borrowed them.”
Mrs. Kraha drew a firm line.
Though she had consistently sent donations to the Skull Principal because of his devotion to the Empire—Mrs. Kraha still slightly suspected that those donations had influenced Gainando’s admission—the lady was not benevolent enough to support every piece of eccentric behavior he displayed.
“Then is it not only natural to receive them back?”
“This is my calculation, but I do not think Lord Gonadaltes can repay them on time.”
Like an excellent alchemist, Yoanen showed sharp foresight.
The gold coins Einroguard’s madmen squandered like water every year.
Adding together the gold coins supported by the Empire and those sponsored from various places…
…the Skull Principal’s treasury could never be abundant. Unexpected extreme expenditures like this incident were especially fatal.
“That, too, must be something Lord Gonadaltes considered when doing this. Yoanen does not need to worry. He will come prepared with some countermeasure.”
“…I am only worried that we will have to stay here for a long time…”
Yoanen let out a light sigh filled with frustration.
As the lady said, the Skull Principal was certainly someone who would come with various countermeasures.
But the Mrs. Kraha beside her and that merciless gold-coin collector from House Dalcard were absolutely not easy opponents.
Since the Skull Principal was not someone who gave generously either, the negotiations would likely drag on tediously through endless push and pull.
What a waste of time this was.
If Einroguard were on vacation, I would have asked Yonair.
Yoanen had an absurd thought.
No matter how much House Meikin trusted Yonair, they would not send the youngest sibling to a matter like this.
I hope Lord Gonadaltes comes with a useful countermeasure…
“Everyone, are you doing well?”
“!”
The nobles gathered in the spacious hall were startled to see the human-formed Skull Principal appear with a cheerful voice.
Some nobles showed hopeful expressions at the sight.
“Seeing His Excellency like that, is it not a positive sign?”
“That is right. He must have secured compensation!”
The usual Skull Principal was always in a moderately bad mood.
Moreover, in a situation like this, it would not have been strange for his mood to be even worse. Yet he had appeared with such a cheerful attitude.
That could not be explained unless there was something to warrant it.
“That makes no sense…”
“I heard rumors that he even borrowed gold coins from the bureaucrats. They are not the type to be persuaded. They would rather have their heads cut off.”
Of course, there were skeptical nobles as well.
While everyone murmured among themselves, the Skull Principal opened his mouth.
“Everyone, I sincerely express my gratitude for lending your strength in sealing the thought-form this time.”
“…”
“Yes… well…”
The nobles present nodded with reluctant expressions.
Strictly speaking, it was closer to the Skull Principal coming to them and threatening them with his staff, but that was all in the past now.
From the nobles’ perspective, saying they had stepped forward voluntarily sounded better.
“Have you prepared compensation for the items you borrowed?”
Whether the Skull Principal was pleased or displeased, Hidan spoke up without caring.
When the descendant of House Dalcard, which had tormented him for generations, aimed an arrow at him, the Skull Principal let out a sigh.
“Compensation. Compensation, you say…”
“I trust Lord Gonadaltes.”
When Mrs. Kraha joined in as well, the Skull Principal was put under even greater pressure.
“Of course, I know all of you have some complaints about me.”
Some?
The nobles flinched inwardly, but they could not say it out loud.
Their opponent was a debtor, but at the same time, he was the Empire’s greatest archmage.
If they carelessly picked a fight over his words, they might disappear from the Empire forever.
“I have disappointed you all more than once or twice, so it cannot be helped.”
“Lord Gonadaltes. I will speak frankly. If you simply hand over that bastard Verdus, I am willing to pay any price, even an entire castle…”
One of the house heads spoke through gritted teeth, but the Skull Principal pretended not to hear.
It was truly regrettable, but that was a request he could not fulfill.
“But here, would the story not be different if it were my disciple’s request? Hm?”
The door opened again, and Death Knights rushed in, bringing his disciple with them.
Ta-da!
Lee Han had to make superhuman efforts to hide the feeling that he might die of embarrassment because of his master.
It was even more painful because there were several familiar faces among the audience.
“Could you not show mercy, if only for the sake of my disciple’s face here?”
One of the nobles was dumbfounded.
“Your Excellency… there is no way we would listen just because your disciple asks, is there? Are you mocking us?”
It was a natural question.
When even the Skull Principal’s pleas were questionable, how could they listen just because his disciple asked?
Other nobles with similar thoughts also looked at Hidan.
The descendant of House Dalcard would surely point this out sharply, befitting her reputation!
“If it is the disciple’s request, then I understand. That makes sense.”
“????!??!?!”
The nobles present nearly fell backward.
Could that be not Hidan, but an Einroguard professor disguised as Hidan?
When the pillar they had trusted collapsed, the nobles instinctively looked at Mrs. Kraha.
The only person they could trust now was this lady who led House Kraha.
However, Mrs. Kraha said with an apologetic expression—though her expression was not visible to others because of her veil:
“What should we do? I also have no choice but to listen if it is a request from the disciple…”
“!?!?!?!??!?!?!?!”
