Chapter 3

Chapter 003

For a moment, Gainando thought that Ihan was joking.

How could anyone survive on just hard black bread and cold rice balls?

How could anyone wear such rough and shabby cloaks?

But Ihan didn’t look like he was joking.

‘The Wodanaz family... What a terrifying family...!’

Gainando was shocked.

The noble families of the empire wielded immense power and each had their own unique customs and family traditions.

The Wodanaz family, Ihan’s family, was one of the less well-known among the imperial noble families.

This was due to their lack of active participation in politics and their focus on magic research...

As a result, Gainando couldn’t help but misunderstand.

The Wodanaz family must raise their bloodline like this!

‘Isn’t this too much? Even slaves aren’t treated this way... The head of the Wodanaz family must be such a cruel person...’

Gainando patted Ihan’s shoulder with a sympathetic look.

“Come visit the mansion sometime. I’ll make sure to treat you properly.”

“Eh... Thanks?”

Although Ihan didn’t know why Gainando was acting this way, he nodded.

* * *

After the skull principal’s stormy speech ended and the students dispersed, Yoner and Ihan had a chance to talk again.

Ihan asked about what he had been curious about earlier.

“Why are you with Gainando? Even if he’s your cousin, the Meikin family is a royal family, so they shouldn’t need to consider the opinions of a minor royal.”

“Ah. It’s because of Gainando’s mother.”

Yoner said it casually.

Ihan, surprised by this, asked.

“Do you owe something to Gainando’s mother?”

Ihan momentarily imagined it.

A much younger Yoner attended a banquet at the palace and made a huge mistake.

Everyone looked at Yoner with disdain, and Yoner, frightened, started to cry. Then, one of the empresses, Gainando’s mother, appeared and said warmly:

-It’s okay. Mistakes can happen.

Such an experience would be touching.

Even if Gainando is a minor royal, he might treat him properly...

“Huh? No. Gainando’s mother is incredibly wealthy. She gave me a lot of money for being friends with Gainando.”

“...!!”

Ihan was shocked.

There was such a secret?

‘I need to become friends with him too!’

* * *

The magic school Einroard accepted anyone, from royals to slaves, as long as they had talent.

Of course, the mages knew that gathering temperamental and sharp young boys and girls in one place could easily lead to accidents.

Therefore, the dormitories at Einroard were divided into four based on background.

The Tower of the Arrogant Blue Dragon.

Royals and members of prestigious noble families were placed here.

Ihan, being from the Wodanaz family, was automatically assigned to this tower.

“Ugh. The priests. I wonder if they’re just going to preach.”

“Shh. Don’t start a fight.”

A grumbling voice came from the side.

It was a complaint about the new students from the ‘Tower of the Eternally Burning Phoenix.’

The Tower of the Eternally Burning Phoenix.

Priests from various sects of the empire were placed here.

Surprisingly, the empire’s priests did not shy away from using magic.

They believed that mana was a blessing from the gods.

Therefore, it wasn’t strange for the empire’s most prestigious magic school, Einroard, to send priests from various sects.

‘They do stand out.’

The royals and nobles were still in their own clothes, but the priests were all dressed in simple priestly robes.

The noble boys and girls, who had grown up listening to sermons from the priests who visited their families, frowned as if they were remembering something.

Clank, clank—

However, the frowns deepened as the next group of students entered.

The Tower of the White Tiger that Bites Lightning.

The sons and daughters of the empire’s knight families were placed here.

It might seem strange at first that knight families would send their children to a magic school, but magic was necessary even for knights.

From telepathy to healing, there was no place where magic wasn’t used.

These were individuals who were prepared to walk both the path of a knight and a mage.

Gainando, who seemed to disapprove of this, grumbled.

“Do we really have to accept those who insult the pure path of magic? Just hiring a street mage as a tutor would be enough.”

Ihan, who was listening, felt a bit stung.

While others might have come to study pure magical truths, Ihan had come to advance his career through magic.

“You probably wanted to learn from the best, right?”

“What? Why are you taking their side?”

“Gainando.”

Ihan was now even more lenient towards Gainando.

He had heard that Gainando’s mother was wealthy.

“A noble being should not despise those below them.”

“...That sounds too demanding...”

Still, Gainando closed his mouth, seemingly wanting to be noble.

After the knight family students passed, the last dormitory students appeared.

They were the most diverse and unique in terms of attire.

The Tower of the Black Turtle that Sees the Past and Future.

This dormitory had the most diverse composition.

Commoners, servants, slaves, jesters, beggars, merchants, and newly risen lower nobles—all gathered here.

Knowing they were the lowest in status, they looked intimidated.

‘I want to become friends with them if I get the chance.’

Unlike others who threw contemptuous glances, Ihan wanted to build friendships if possible.

What was the best way to make money?

Indeed, business.

And the best people to do business with were not someone like Gainando, but those who had experience in the field.

“They’re looking at us.”

“Don’t make eye contact. It won’t end well.”

“Rotten kids...”

The students from the Tower of the Arrogant Blue Dragon couldn’t help but send contemptuous glances.

There was no point in arguing here, so they averted their gazes and moved on.

“Do we really have to accept such lowly people? Even if they are here...”

One voice among the murmurs was particularly clear.

The students from the Tower of the Black Turtle looked angry.

‘Oh.’

Ihan realized this was an opportunity.

An opportunity to build friendships with the students from that tower!

‘I’ll take this chance now.’

* * *

The students from the Tower of the Black Turtle couldn’t help but feel intimidated, even if they tried not to.

Even the more confident students were hesitant to step forward in this unfamiliar atmosphere and whispers.

Then, Ihan, a student from the Tower of the Arrogant Blue Dragon, stepped forward.

The boy, with his bold and dignified features, slowly spoke.

“You’re the ones who are lowly. Didn’t you put aside everything you had before entering Einroard? To still cling to your petty pride is forgetful.”

The boy exuded a sense of authority and a strong presence.

A noble appearance that only a high noble, born with noble blood and pride, could display.

The other students from the Tower of the Arrogant Blue Dragon seemed to agree.

“That’s true.”

“You’re from the Wodanaz family, right? You’re indeed worthy of the Wodanaz family.”

The person who had mocked earlier, embarrassed, didn’t dare to speak and closed his mouth.

The students from the Tower of the Black Turtle also reacted.

“The Wodanaz family??”

“That magic family...?!”

“Don’t make eye contact, idiot! It’s a dangerous family!”

“The family with a dragon as the head? Are you of dragon blood?”

“I thought it was ancient elemental blood...”

“......”

* * *

At first, Ihan thought it went well.

All the students seemed convinced by Ihan’s words.

‘Not bad.’

Now, if the students from the Tower of the Black Turtle just thanked him...

“The Wodanaz family??”

“That magic family...?!”

“Don’t make eye contact, idiot! It’s a dangerous family!”

“The family with a dragon as the head? Are you of dragon blood?”

“I thought it was ancient elemental blood...”

“......”

However, the reaction was different from what Ihan expected.

Instead of gratitude, the students looked at him with fear!

Ihan realized something was going wrong.

He had expected thanks, but...

Yoner, standing beside him, said admiringly.

“The way you just acted was really excellent. That’s how a noble who has entered Einroard should behave.”

“...Yoner. Do I look scary?”

“Huh? No? You just look noble and authoritative.”

Yoner didn’t understand why Ihan was troubled.

Ihan’s appearance was indeed ‘noble’ and handsome.

Bold features, a square jaw, tightly pressed lips, and sharp eyes.

His dignified appearance, which even commoners couldn’t approach, was considered a strength among nobles.

In fact, the students from the Tower of the Arrogant Blue Dragon all looked at him favorably.

Ihan sighed at their reaction.

‘It’s going to be hard to fit in like this.’

* * *

Each dormitory was located far apart in the east, west, south, and north directions, centered around the main building.

Ihan and the other students followed the path towards the distant blue tower.

‘It’s really vast.’

Looking from the inside, it was surprisingly impressive.

What school had a lake, forest, river, and mountains inside?

This reminded Ihan of what the skull principal had said.

‘He said to find it yourself, right?’

The principal had said that if you wanted to, you could find anything in this school.

Indeed, looking at this, it seemed possible.

Going into the forest to hunt or fishing in the lake...

“You’re thinking the same thing, right?”

“Huh?”

“Thinking that being able to see this beautiful scenery is a great blessing?”

“No. I was thinking about what kind of animals might be in the forest.”

“...Does the Wodanaz family give such training?”

* * *

The Tower of the Arrogant Blue Dragon was a tall tower made of blue stone.

From the outside, it didn’t look that big.

But inside, the space had been expanded by the mages of Einroard, making it almost infinite.

“!”

As they passed through the tower’s door, all the other students who had been with them disappeared.

When he regained his senses, Ihan was alone in a dark space.

[Where will you go?]

“??”

[Where will you go?]

‘Ah.’

Ihan realized that the tower itself was speaking to him.

“Where can I... go?”

[You adapt quickly.]

Although the tower wasn’t visible, Ihan felt it was smiling.

[You can go to your personal room or the first-year steel lounge.]

“Can I go to other places?”

[Yes. Some places you can go just by knowing the name, while others require additional knowledge.]

Blue Dragon Tower Dormitory

Phoenix Tower Dormitory

Tiger Tower Dormitory

Turtle Tower Dormitory

“Can I go to the second-year lounges or the common lounges?”

[Yes, but not now.]

“Why not?”

[The principal has forbidden it.]

“......”

Ihan cursed the principal’s thoroughness. He was thorough in this aspect.

“Then, please send me to my personal room.”

[Sure. Welcome, young mage.]