Chapter 22

Uregeul stepped forward, but soon nodded his head. He had no intention of criticizing what the student had grown and sold. "I don't know of any student who has done this before. It's a very creative idea. Extremely creative."

"Wow. Thank you. I'm sure it will do well."

"It's not a compliment!"

Uregeul grumbled, but in fact, financial management was an important virtue for an alchemist. Who would provide the expensive reagents and materials? He had to earn money and buy them himself.

'Looking at how he saves money, he won't run out of it in the future.'

"Cabbage and green onions... Hmm. It looks like you can make a stew."

"!"

At Uregeul's words, Lee Han raised his head. The empire wasn't just full of Western-style food. With its vast expanse, there were all kinds of foods depending on the location. The western part of the empire, where the Wodaniz family was located, had a Western-style diet of bread and cheese, while the eastern part had a diet familiar to Lee Han, including rice, noodles, red pepper paste, and soybean paste.

"Do you like stews?"

"I like them, but I tend to avoid eating them."

"?"

"Eastern food, right? I dislike the eastern dwarves."

Uregeul frowned, as if bad memories were surfacing.

"Did something bad happen?"

"Far relatives live in the east. Whenever I meet them, they nag endlessly... They say that regenerating potions are expensive these days, so I should try selling them, that's why I can't make money, and why don't you visit more often, and why do you use a long tobacco pipe like a brat..."

"......"

Lee Han was taken aback by the specific complaints, more than he expected. He had heard that the eastern part of the empire valued tradition and rules more than the west, but not to this extent.

"Y-Yes, I see."

"I was talking nonsense. Still, there's nothing wrong with the food. I don't dislike it. If you make a stew later, we can eat it together."

Lee Han had never said he would give it, but he knew it wasn't good to say such things in front of the professor, who was in a bad mood.

"It's an honor to treat you, Professor."

Uregeul nodded at Lee Han's words.

'Wait. The Wodaniz family is from the west. Can I really trust and eat eastern food?'

Uregeul felt a bit uneasy. Of course, he knew that Lee Han had a talent for odd jobs, but it was rare for a noble to be a good cook, wasn't it?

The last time he saw him cook a steak, he wasn't bad, but eastern food was quite complicated.

"...No, thinking about it, it might not be a good idea to eat it. Since you grew it, I'm fine with it."

"Huh? But the pork you ate earlier was caught by me and my friends..."

"That's technically the pig I prepared!"

Uregeul finally lost his temper.

* * *

After finishing the meal and cleaning up, Lee Han prepared to leave.

"By the way, what are you going to do on the weekend?"

"Do I have to come and work?"

"...No matter what, do you really think I would call a student on the weekend?"

Uregeul asked in a bewildered voice. But more bewildered was Lee Han.

'Huh? They don't usually call on weekends?'

Why?

Wasn't calling students on weekends a basic skill for professors?

"You did a good job, so there's no need to come on the weekend. Unless you want to tend to your garden... And you'll be very busy on the weekend."

Uregeul said meaningfully.

Lee Han felt a bit uneasy upon hearing that.

'Why does he keep making me feel uneasy?'

"Is something going to happen?"

"Nothing. Think about it. What do students who are hungry and suffering during the weekdays do on the weekend?"

"Set the school on fire?"

"...That's a bit too extreme. I meant finding a way to survive."

Push the students to the brink.

Then they will find a way on their own.

As represented by Principal Rich, new students usually start to worry on the weekend after a week of hunger and suffering.

-Why does this school treat us so poorly? Is it because the principal is an undead?

-We can't keep starving! We need to find something to eat!

-Oh, friends! Let's join hands and take action!

"Indeed, I've heard rumors that students from the Tower of the Black Turtle search the forest behind the main building for edible fruits."

"Typical of the Tower of the Black Turtle."

Uregeul answered as if he expected it. The actions of new students were usually divided by their towers.

Students from the Tower of the Black Turtle, who came from commoners, merchants, and even slaves, didn't care about their dignity and were quick to act.

Naturally, searching the forest and mountains behind the school for food was a common thing.

"Thanks to your hunting, some students will actively try hunting. It's rare for students to start hunting from the first week."

"All thanks to Professor's teachings."

Uregeul smiled at Lee Han's flattery but felt a bit uneasy.

Why does it feel like he's cursing me?

"What about the students from the Tower of the Blue Dragon?"

"The Tower of the Blue Dragon is the slowest. They are the ones who are slow to act."

Lee Han couldn't help but agree. Indeed, it seemed that few of his tower's friends would go to the forest to find food just because it was the weekend.

"Still, there are always a few capable students who, after a few weeks of hunger, will come to their senses and find a good way."

Uregeul looked at Lee Han as he said this. Thinking about it, this year's Tower of the Blue Dragon would be very different from usual.

First, the mindset of the Wodaniz family was different...

'He's really a strange guy.'

"Respected Professor. Can I ask about other towers?"

"I can tell you this much. The students from the Tower of the Phoenix... should be treated separately. They are not the type to be swayed by hunger and hardship."

The Tower of the Phoenix, composed of apprentice priests sent by the empire's church, had always practiced frugality and simplicity in the temple. Naturally, they adapted the fastest to this magic school.

While other tower students searched for food, the students from the Tower of the Phoenix often just prayed and endured.

The power of faith.

'Amazing. How can they keep going on just that?'

Lee Han, who had been thinking, paused. Come to think of it, he had also survived for several years in graduate school.

'Hmm. Thinking about it, humans can endure more than expected.'

"By the way, Wodaniz. Are you planning to hunt on the weekend?"

"Yes."

There was no need to hide it, so Lee Han answered confidently.

"Then be careful of the students from the Tower of the White Tiger. They also go hunting frequently. They usually are cautious in the first week, but once they hear someone is good at hunting, they won't just sit still."

"All thanks to Professor's teachings."

"...Well, just be aware. The students from the Tower of the White Tiger are traditionally troublemakers. They are from knight families, so they are full of energy."

"Yes. If we end up fighting, I'll make sure to have a strategy to deal with the majority."

"......"

That's not what I meant...!

Uregeul stopped speaking, realizing that the Wodaniz family guy would probably handle it well on his own.

"You might not even meet them. The forest and mountains are vast, and the students from the Tower of the White Tiger might choose something else instead... No, no. In the first week, what else?"

"What else instead of hunting?"

"......"

Uregeul regretted bringing this up. He had a feeling that if he told Lee Han, Lee Han would try it himself.

"Escaping."

"...?!"

Escaping.

The vast grounds of the magic school were surrounded by high walls, which were also protected by magic. But there were always people who tried to break through.

Thinking about the villages outside the magic school and the items that could be obtained there, it was natural for escape attempts to occur.

'New coat, new shirt, new belt, new pants, new boots, bread and butter, cheese and jam, various dried foods, needles and thread for emergencies, paper and quill pens, soap and perfume... Damn. There are too many things to list!'

The moment Lee Han heard the word 'escape,' his eyes lit up, and his mind raced.

If he could get those items, he could live like a king in the dormitory.

"Look! I knew I shouldn't have told you!"

Uregeul saw through Lee Han's thoughts from his expression.

"What are you talking about?"

"Don't think I don't know you're calculating what you can get outside!"

"Is it magic?"

"It's like magic! Don't do anything stupid. The students from the Tower of the White Tiger are the first to try escaping every year because they are the most stupid."

"Were there any successes?"

"......"

"Were there any?"

"...There were a few, but!"

"Oh..."

"You'll regret it!"

Uregeul shouted, then suddenly stopped. Thinking about it, he had no reason to stop him. Everyone does stupid things when they are young.

"Fine. Do it if you want."

"No, Professor. I have no intention of doing that."

"Sure, sure. Just say it!"

* * *

A dark room.

In the room where only one candle flickered, three people with fierce expressions were intimidating an orc.

"Hey, Choi. Do you understand the situation? You have no choice but to cooperate!"

"...Lee Han. I would have answered if you just asked me."

Deregyu looked at Gainando in disbelief. It was more absurd than scary to see a guy who looked like he couldn't make a fist, frowning and intimidating.

Suddenly, three people appeared and said, "Follow us!" and he followed, only to find himself in this ridiculous situation.

"Hmm. It didn't work?"

Lee Han pulled back the curtain. Sunlight flooded the empty lecture hall. Yoner blew out the candle.

Gainando, who couldn't grasp the situation, looked at Lee Han and Deregyu in confusion.

"You said you had to intimidate Choi?! You know each other?!"

"Yes."

"Then why did you prepare this?!?"

"To avoid being seen by other students from the Tower of the White Tiger if we pretended to be close."

"!"

Deregyu was shocked by this.

Lee Han was right. It would be bad to be misunderstood.

"Thank you, Lee Han. If we had come in pretending to be close, we might have been misunderstood."

"What's the big deal? I can do this much for you if you're going to be my spy."

"...Wait. I'm a spy?"

Deregyu protested at the dishonorable title.

"Didn't you say you would tell me if the Moradi family guy was up to something?"

"That's right."

"Then you're a spy."

"...Isn't there a more noble and honorable term for it?"

Deregyu, being from a knight family, protested.

Why is it called a spy when he's telling for the sake of honor and justice?

"I think I'm a spy."

Gainando, who had been listening, chimed in.

Deregyu glared at Gainando. Gainando, feeling uncomfortable, avoided his gaze and fidgeted.

"Thinking about it, I don't think I'm a spy."