Chapter 1350

"What? But, Professor. Surely the fact that every door in the palace is broken is much more..."

The Valdrogard students were bewildered.

Of course, lectures were a professor's sacred right and no one had the right to interfere with them, but surely natural disasters were an exception.

For example, if there were an earthquake outside or a flood broke out, then no matter how important the lecture was, it had to be stopped first so everyone could check what was happening.

The current situation was not quite that extreme, but it was strange enough.

Every door in the palace was broken!

"Maybe the doors just won't open for the moment. They might open if you wait."

"That can happen too??"

"In the world of magic, anything is possible. A spirit that likes locking doors may have been summoned..."

"Th-Then shouldn't we inform people outside and get the facilities repaired even more urgently?"

Lee Han pretended not to hear.

All Einroguard mages possessed this skill, and Lee Han was particularly proficient at it.

"In any case, I have a lecture to conduct, so I can't keep talking about this. Why don't you practice magic while you wait?"

"Hm. No. For the sake of the other students too, we'll try opening at least one door. You would have trouble as well if the lecture ended and you couldn't leave the palace, Professor."

"You could practice magic ten times in that time..."

"Excuse me?"

"Nothing."

The Valdrogard students tilted their heads, thinking their new professor had muttered something.

Had they misheard?

"Then go ahead and try opening a door. If it doesn't work, you may come back to the classroom."

"Leave it to us, Professor!"

Encouraged by the professor's support, the Valdrogard students each racked their brains and tried to open the door.

Some swung the polo mallets they carried around, while others pulled out artifacts and aimed them at the door...

Boom boom boom!

"Ah! It's working! Look at the door! It's shaking!"

"Push harder!"

The Valdrogard students failed to realize why the door merely shook under such impacts instead of breaking or even getting scratched.

When several layers of protection magic and defensive magic were applied, impacts would simply be absorbed, causing the target to shake.

"This is why people need to study magic. You never know when you might get trapped inside a magical palace."

"Shh. Keep it down."

Outside the palace door, the Einroguard students—or rather, the rag-clad workers—quietly reinforced the magic.

Most Valdrogard students might not care much about magic, but that was no reason to let their guard down.

Especially since some of them wore expensive artifacts purely as decorations, and if they concentrated all that firepower, it was considerable.

Inside, the Valdrogard students grew confused when the door remained intact even after all the artifacts had exhausted their charges.

"Why is it so sturdy? It should've broken after that much."

"There! Those workers!"

-We've been spotted! Run!

-Don't make eye contact!

"Th-Those workers are definitely suspicious! They were grinning viciously from the moment we came in! I told you!"

"Where did those workers even come from? I've never seen them at Valdrogard before?!"

The confused Valdrogard students slowly began to grow frightened as well.

"Professor! Something is definitely wrong! They might be enemies after you!"

"The workers here...!"

The students ran back to the classroom and told Lee Han what had happened.

Could those workers perhaps be surviving evil-god worshipers targeting the famous Professor Wardanaz?

Lee Han smiled calmly once again and explained.

"Those workers have rough faces and appearances that are easy to misunderstand, but {N•o•v•e•l•i•g•h•t} they are highly skilled magical workers. There's no need to worry."

"B-But they really were grinning viciously!"

"That's just how they smile."

"......"

The Valdrogard students had nothing to say to that.

If that was simply how they smiled, then what could they possibly argue?

"Then why can't workers like that repair the doors?"

"That's simply how magic is. Breaking something once is easy, but repairing it is difficult. Ah. Since we're talking about magic anyway, why don't you all practice some?"

"Yes..."

Having failed to break out, the Valdrogard students trudged back into the classroom with nothing else to do.

"What is this, Professor?"

"It's a device for testing your aptitude for the fire element. Fine powder from Flame Soul Stones has been spread out, and a candle enchanted with a first-circle spell has been planted in it. You can start by lighting this. Picture the image of fire and chant an incantation that matches it. Too long is no good, and too short is no good either. Everyone, don't forget to match your wand movements to the movement of your mana."

"Isn't there anything easier?"

"...That one is for the water element..."

Lee Han smiled calmly once again as he explained the next spell.

The students admired his gentlemanly manner.

"As expected, Professor Wardanaz really is different! Professor Tosre, who was here last time, had a slightly eccentric side."

"What do you mean, slightly eccentric?"

"At first, he kept getting angry, but later he taught us listlessly, as if all his energy had drained away."

"......"

Lee Han felt as though he understood the former magic professor's suffering.

At first, Professor Tosre had probably gotten angry, saying things like, 'How can you not know even this!' or 'How am I supposed to make this any easier!'

Later, after half giving up, Professor Tosre must have taught them listlessly...

"All right. Everyone, follow me. I'll explain the basic magic training you can do here once again."

Lee Han, who had already prepared himself mentally, was not shaken by things like this.

He explained the basic magic exercises one by one and even answered questions like, 'Isn't there anything easier?'

"Isn't there anything easier?"

"There isn't anymore. Pick one and practice it. Now. Put your hand into this flame..."

"Professor! Professor! If I put my hand in the fire, I'll get burned...!"

"You won't get hurt. Now. If you don't want to get hurt, quickly picture the image of fire."

"I pictured it! I pictured it!"

"Then I'll let go of your hand, so try casting the spell."

One by one, more students seriously grabbed onto a spell and began practicing.

The lecture was starting to get on track.

"Professor. I took a magic class last year, so I can cast basic spells..."

"Me too. I learned from a tutor at our estate during vacation."

"Oh."

Lee Han was slightly surprised by the unexpected statement.

Amazingly, there were more Valdrogard students than expected who knew how to cast magic.

'Come to think of it, why am I surprised?'

There was nothing strange about a student at a magic school knowing how to cast magic.

The strange thing was not being able to!

"I've also prepared somewhat more difficult magic, so don't worry. First, students who already know how to cast basic magic, come this way. I'll check briefly. What kind of magic can you use?"

"I learned a little fire-element enchantment magic, Professor!"

"I see. Then try enchanting this leather with a weak heat."

The Valdrogard student who had spoken confidently took out a wand.

It had been a while since practicing, but this was one spell the student was confident about casting...

Splash!

"????"

The Valdrogard student jumped in shock when a torrent of water suddenly poured down over their head.

"Pr-Professor! Water! Water...!"

"Cast the spell."

"Water just fell on me!?"

"I dropped the water. Cast the spell."

Lee Han gave the instruction without so much as blinking.

Now looking like a drowned rat, the Valdrogard student was unconsciously intimidated and began waving the wand while chanting.

"F-Fire... dwell..."

Of course, the spell failed to complete properly.

A mage's mental state was important when casting magic, and in such a cold, soaking-wet condition, there was no room to properly visualize the fire element and recall the principles of enchantment magic.

Lee Han consoled the student as though regretting the result.

"You failed. Practice again, and tell me when you're confident."

"Pr-Professor! Of course I'd fail in a situation like this!"

"That won't do. You must be able to cast even in a situation like this."

"......"

"......"

The Valdrogard students slowly began to feel chills.

No matter how underdeveloped their instincts for sensing danger were, by now even they could not help but notice.

This new professor...

...wasn't he a little insane?

"Next student?"

"I-I'll practice more and come back!"

"Then the next student?"

"Me too! Me too!"

The Valdrogard students who had gathered because they knew a little magic vanished like the receding tide.

A few students boldly challenged Lee Han, but they failed to overcome his interference and ended up shedding tears.

As this repeated itself, the classroom atmosphere, which had initially been so hot and enthusiastic, became cold and solemn.

It was like an Einroguard punishment room.

Lee Han nodded in satisfaction.

'Not bad. Magic requires composure, not enthusiasm.'

It seemed the Valdrogard students were finally ready to begin learning magic seriously.

"H-How long do we have to keep doing this? Do we have to continue until we succeed?"

"Surely... only until the lecture ends."

The students repeating tedious basic magic whispered among themselves.

By common sense, once the lecture ended, this work should end as well.

But the instincts of the Valdrogard students gathered in the classroom were sharpening at an astonishing speed.

...For some reason, it doesn't feel like it'll just end!

Jandanni, the most senior among the Valdrogard students there, hesitantly approached Lee Han.

Jandanni did not want to interrupt because they were close to the professor, but the juniors had complained so much that it was becoming impossible to hold out any longer.

"Um... Professor. There's something I'd like to ask."

"You came at a good time, Student Jandanni. You're an excellent alchemist. I have a proposal because I trust you."

"W-What is it?!"

"Practice alchemy without using gemstones."

"What?! But... why?"

This method, which let them solve problems with a few gemstones instead of memorizing complicated, difficult ingredients and magical procedures, had remained consistently popular among many Valdrogard students, including Jandanni.

But Lee Han had no intention of letting such shortcuts slide.

Magic was something where, if the fundamentals were completely hollow, there was no knowing what kind of weakness would reveal itself later.

"Because I trust you, Student Jandanni. Later, when I try to conduct research together with you, it would be inconvenient if you couldn't communicate properly with other mages, wouldn't it?"

"...Professor!"

Jandanni was deeply moved by Lee Han's words, which showed such high regard.

Since Jandanni had no idea that Lee Han was actually far junior in age, the words were all the more touching.

"Now. Go over to that alchemy corner and practice basic alchemy. You may call me when you're ready."

"Do not worry, Professor. I'll finish it in no time."

Jandanni turned sharply, only then noticing the juniors' stares.

'Ah.'

The juniors were looking at Jandanni with emotions such as sadness, pleading, fear, and resentment.

Please ask when the lecture ends!

"...Professor. There's something I'd like to ask. Um, when does the lecture end? Normally, lecture hours are..."

"Today is an unusual special lecture, so the circumstances are a little different."

"I-I see. So when does it end?"

"Have the palace doors all been repaired?"

At Lee Han's abrupt question, the students shook their heads from side to side.

"Then even if the lecture ends, you won't be able to leave. We'll continue a little longer. Has anyone passed the basic magic exercises?"

"......"

"......"