Chapter 1122
In reality, the hamster was trembling with rage, unable even to answer. At that pitiful and cute sight, Orlach inwardly lowered the hamster’s evaluation by several stages.
'This bastard. From the way it talks, I thought it was no less than a great mage, but it must have been complete bluffing.'
Were mortals not originally good at lying?
It would not be strange at all if that hamster had bluffed in order to get out of danger.
Orlach felt newly proud of Orlach’s own choice.
Because there had been time spent working for House Wardanaz, Orlach had been able to avoid being fooled by such shallow lies. Another demon would have been tempted and fallen for it.
“Mm. I do not have anything to give you, so perhaps some seeds as a snack...”
Now the hamster foamed at the mouth and made a gurgling sound. It seemed too wronged and furious for words to come out.
Even so, Lee Han’s intention to calm the other party had some effect.
The hamster realized that no matter how angry it became, there was no use.
-...Fine. You said you were busy, so I will believe you.
“No, of course you should believe me. I said I was busy.”
This time, Lee Han replied bluntly.
Thinking about it, he truly had been so busy throughout the entire vacation that he had been out of his mind, and yet this hamster was suspecting him like that.
“You are absolutely correct. That hamster bastard, shall I put it away somewhere out of sight?”
The demon rubbed both hands together and flattered him. The hamster clenched the seed it was holding tightly.
To think it had tried to cooperate with that demon bastard!
-So what were you busy with?
“Uh... that is...”
Lee Han recalled the events that had happened during vacation.
He had definitely been busy, but when he actually tried to think back on them, strangely, they felt embarrassing to say in front of an outsider.
Persuading Magic Tower mages and nobles for Einroguard support funds, going to another magic school and meeting a senior...
Fortunately, Lee Han still managed to find relatively less embarrassing and plausible matters.
“Evil-god worshipers! That is right. I was busy tracking evil-god worshipers. They were extremely vicious and despicable bastards.”
-Evil-god worshipers? I see...
If it had been a normal mage, the reaction would have been, “What evil-god worshipers is a second-year chasing during vacation? Do not lie!” but the hamster felt no sense of incongruity at all.
If it was the boy from House Wardanaz before the hamster’s eyes, it was not strange in the least. Even if it did feel strange, that would only go as far as, “The Skull Principal truly raises disciples harshly.”
-Which evil-god worshipers? Frahgal?
“Sanguros.”
-Were those bastards not destroyed?
When the hamster asked in puzzlement, Lee Han slowly shook his head.
“You are quite late on news from outside.”
-......
The hamster was about to throw a seed, then held back.
-Yes... I am late. Because of someone.
“It seems they have revived again this time.”
Lee Han conveyed the fact that the Sanguros Order was writhing again in the darkness.
After hearing that, the hamster squeaked as if sneering.
-Good. Chaos and discord should spread across the continent... Ack! What are you doing!
“What kind of way is that to talk?”
Lee Han lifted seeds with telekinesis and shot them. The hamster rolled over and over with a curse.
-Then are you saying I should cheer for Einroguard!
“You asked me to break your curse, did you not? If you want my magic level to rise quickly, you should pray that the cultists disappear. That way I will not be interrupted and can focus.”
-Well... I am not sure whether I should trust that...
The hamster muttered quietly.
It was worried that if it spoke loudly, it might get hit by seeds again. Becoming a hamster had gradually weakened even its courage.
Since Lee Han had inherited the vision from that insane duplicate, it was true that the hamster had placed expectations on this fellow at first.
But after spending the vacation squeaking and nibbling seeds in this dark and chilly storage room, the hamster gradually became coldly rational.
...Could the hamster really just wait for this fellow’s magical skill to become outstanding enough to lift the curse?
Simply waiting like that did not suit the hamster’s temperament. All the more so when the other party might have forgotten.
That was why, despite knowing the danger, it had tempted the demon and prepared reagents and magic.
-How much have you deciphered of the spiritual book you inherited?
The hamster suddenly became curious.
This boy from House Wardanaz was extremely hateful, arrogant, vile, and petty, but even so, the hamster could not deny that he was a magical genius.
How far had he interpreted the white magic book left behind by the Skull Principal’s insane duplicate?
If he had perhaps caught even a clue to lifting the curse, then there might be some expectation...
At the question, Lee Han answered while growing slightly gloomy.
“I have not particularly heard the book’s voice since then.”
-......
“Still, if I continue diligently advancing from now on, will the book not open?”
-...Could you please gather reagents and magic for me?
“That again? If I forcibly break the curse, your soul will be damaged.”
-I said I am fine! I am telling you I am fine!!
The hamster squeaked as if struggling desperately.
Regardless, Lee Han sternly said no, then took Orlach and moved toward the seniors.
The seniors had already been waiting long enough.
“Senior. This is the demon. If there is anything you need, please ask whatever you want.”
“...It seems like the two of you talked for a very long time just now. Are you acquainted?”
Ogoldos asked in a confused voice.
Ogoldos also knew that asking a junior, “Are you acquainted with a demon?” was a strange question, but could not endure without asking.
“No. We met for the first time today. We talked for a long time because of that hamster over there.”
“That is correct! I am a clean demon with no connection whatsoever to House Wardanaz!”
Orlach also diligently agreed for the young master’s sake.
At those words, all the dark magic school students thought inwardly.
'So it is a demon connected to House Wardanaz.'
'Looks like it is a demon that was once captured by House Wardanaz.'
***
While the seniors asked Orlach the questions they had always been curious about, that is, what places in the demons’ dimension would be suitable to rob or raid, Diret quietly called the junior over.
“Junior. Junior.”
“Yes?”
“Tell me honestly.”
“...All right. I did use the inspector’s power privately. However, I am proud of myself. The balance between each school...”
When the junior began rambling on about something completely unexpected, Diret fell into confusion.
“Wait. Just wait.”
“?”
“What I asked was what you talked about with that hamster and demon for so long.”
“Ah... We were talking about the curse placed on the hamster. Because my magical achievement has been slower than expected.”
“I see. I understand. Then what did you mean just now when you said you used the inspector’s power privately?”
“......”
Lee Han reflected deeply.
Even though he thought he had been trained enough in Einroguard in his own way, he still had a long road ahead.
To think he would reveal insufficient mental calculation in a place like this...
“...The truth is, I became the inspector’s right hand.”
“......”
“Senior?”
When Diret said nothing, Lee Han became slightly flustered and asked again.
“Sorry. I heard you, but I understood absolutely none of it, so I was thinking.”
“If you hear from the beginning, you will understand.”
“I absolutely do not think I will...”
To the senior casting a suspicious gaze, Lee Han tried to explain the situation as briefly and concisely as possible.
“...So that is how it happened.”
“Wait, then Professor suddenly saying the report would be written personally was also?”
“That was simply Professor realizing personal conscience... Yes. That is correct.”
“And Yukbeltire saying the Nightmare-Echo Forest countermeasures would be written too?”
“It could be coincidence, could it not... Actually, that is also correct.”
Diret stared at the junior with shocked eyes.
Diret had thought there must be something, but to think he had been manipulating the inspector at will!
'Does he perhaps possess some special innate ability to be trusted by dragons?'
If it were only one dragon, perhaps it could be overlooked, but after he had captivated two, suspicion was starting to arise.
“Senior. Even so, please do not go reclaim the work...”
Lee Han advised while watching Diret’s reaction.
He had gone to the trouble of making Professor Mortum and Senior Yukbeltire divide the work, so if Diret went and took it back, he felt it would be too unfair.
“I will not. Do not worry.”
“Really?”
“Of course. What, do you think I am some fool who only does good things for other people?”
'A little, yes.'
It was something that absolutely could not be said aloud.
“Whether it is Professor or Yukbeltire, there is no harm in them doing a little more work. Thank you. But...”
“Thank you, Senior! I will use the inspector’s authority to greatly increase the dark magic school’s budget!”
“...That was what I was about to tell you not to do.”
Diret said with a deep sigh.
Diret had been about to say it anyway, but to think the junior would immediately give that as an example first.
“I am grateful that you helped with my work, but stop right there. Things like the school budget have to be raised fairly by set rules. If it is raised forcibly, dealing with the aftermath later only becomes hard.”
“But compared to other schools, we have fewer numbers and fewer commissions. How can it be raised fairly?”
“...Be quiet.”
Diret, who usually always answered the juniors’ questions head-on with a confident attitude, this time crushed it by force with the authority of a senior.
Because there was nothing to say.
“Anyway, I told you, yes? Absolutely do not do it. And here. This is the list of magic that will be handled in this lecture. Read it whenever you have time during breaks. Ask if you do not understand.”
The second-semester lecture <Forbidden Secret Arts of Dark Magic (Not a Lecture That Teaches Them)> was a lecture that taught countermeasures against forbidden magic.
Since the dark magic school was, by its nature, likely to encounter somewhat dangerous magic or mysteries, it was right to practice countermeasures in advance.
Lee Han, having received the list, tilted his head.
Several of the countermeasures looked quite familiar.
Countermeasure against evil-spirit creation secret art... <Dark Wave Diffusion>
...
...
Countermeasure against poison-domain diffusion secret art... <Dark Magic Cloak>
...
Countermeasure against catoblepas summoning... <Raven’s Evil Eye>
...
There were magic spells Lee Han had learned or had been forced to master last semester.
When he looked at the senior in puzzlement, Diret nodded slightly.
That nod contained this meaning.
'It is a secret from the principal.'
As the person in charge of the lecture, giving Lee Han breathing room like this was something the Skull Principal would never tolerate.
Even if the other party was a student who had to run around busily throughout the entire semester.
However, Diret did not care. Diret only followed personal conscience.
If one feared the Skull Principal, one could not become a fifth-year at Einroguard in the first place.
“Senior.”
“Mm. Speak.”
“Magic I already learned has been included as duplicates. I think you need to fix it.”
“......”
***
Returning to the dormitory with the hamster cage, Lee Han was lost in thought.
Why had Senior Diret gotten so angry?
“Lee Han!”
“What is it?”
“The inspector...”
“No.”
“?!”
Gainando was startled.
How had Lee Han known the request he was about to make?
“Wardanaz!”
“What is it?”
“Ins...”
“You are no good either.”
“?!!”
Asan made an expression of disbelief.
Gainando was one thing, but even Asan’s inner thoughts?
“It seems rumors are spreading that I am arbitrarily controlling the inspector, but that is absolutely not true. I merely gave appropriate advice.”
“Like controlling Her Highness Jowrin?”
“Which bastard was that? Come out.”
The students of the Blue Dragon Tower became as quiet as mice. Gainando quickly kicked the backside of the friend who had just opened the mouth.
The student pushed out glared at Gainando with a reproachful gaze.
“Traitor...!”
“Hmph. What do you mean, traitor?”
“And it has become much better than before.”
Lee Han spoke while making the student who had come forward hold a bucket filled with water.
It was true that thanks to Lee Han’s advice, Uman’s policies had been comparatively softened.
In fact, even the seniors had praised it, saying, “Mm, at this level, it is similar to or better than the Skull Principal.”
“It has become better than before, but compared to ordinary life, it is too harsh!”
“Absolutely do not say that to the seniors...”
Lee Han advised his friends for their sake.
Several seniors had already realized that the second-year students had been living more comfortably than necessary, and there was nothing good about rumors spreading further from here.
“And for about two days, I will not be able to meet the inspector either. After hearing all my advice, the inspector went off to move separately.”
“What about after two days?”
“After two days, I am going outside to resolve the next commission.”
“......”
The students suddenly grew solemn. Someone muttered, “That is why I told you we should not bother Wardanaz.”