Chapter 34

Chapter 034

"Of course, I can't just give anything to the apprentice of the Thunder Step."

"...I'm really glad."

Lee Han tried to manage his expression.

Even when the professor's kindness wasn't particularly welcome, he still had to manage his expression.

After all, an angry professor was more terrifying than any ordinary demon.

Thunder Step walked slowly, stopping in front of a horse.

It was truly a beautiful white horse.

Not especially large or small, it had a sturdy build with well-defined muscles.

The white horse stared at Lee Han and blinked. There was no hint of aggression.

If Lee Han were a bit younger, he might have been fooled into thinking, "Did the professor really give me a good horse?"

But Lee Han was a man who had seen it all.

He wasn't easily deceived.

'Could this white horse be a demon in disguise?'

There must be something going on!

"This is a really good horse. But it has the roughest and most difficult temperament in this stable. If you can tame this horse, you'll be able to tame other monsters easily."

Thunder Step said with a very pleased expression.

"Of course, it might be too challenging for a first-year student."

"If you think so, then ba... "

"But you, Vordanaz, who handled the Thunderbird so skillfully, can definitely do it! I believe in you!"

'Damn.'

To have the difficulty level increase just because he did well!

How can it be so unreasonable and absurd...

While Lee Han and Professor Thunder Step were talking, the other students were still trying to approach and talk to various horses, unable to give up.

"Good, right? Good... Ow! It bit me!"

"Stop spitting! Stop spitting, I said!"

"It's headbutting me!?"

Of course, the horses weren't easy to handle.

As the chaos continued, Nillia cautiously spoke to her friends.

"Shouldn't we try to get along with the horses first?"

"I'm trying to, aren't I?"

"So, don't just approach and pet them. There are other things, like coming out early in the morning to brush them, clean their stalls, or feed them..."

Nillia didn't think she was saying anything strange.

When she worked for the <Shadow Patrol>, she had to show this much effort to tame unfamiliar beasts.

Consistent effort is required to win someone's trust.

"Why do we have to do so much?"

"Do we have to come to the stables early every morning?"

"?! "

Surprisingly, the other students showed resistance.

Even in the Black Turtle Tower, many students came from wealthy families.

Horses were for servants or slaves to take care of, not for them to bother with.

'Are they all idiots!?'

Nillia almost said, "Do you still think we're outside of school?" but held back.

If she said that, she would be the one considered strange.

She could only seethe inwardly.

'I'll have to do it myself. Maybe when the horses listen to me, others will listen too.'

Nillia, with her ears drooping, was approached by Lee Han and Yoner.

"Nillia, have you chosen a horse?"

"We're planning to come out every morning to take care of the horses. Do you want to join us?"

"...Yes!!"

Nillia, with a teary expression, hugged Lee Han and Yoner.

True friends were friends no matter which tower they were in.

Lee Han and Yoner looked at Nillia, bewildered.

'Why is she like this?'

'Who knows...?'

* * *

After the basic riding training lecture ended, Lee Han headed to Professor Thunder Step's cabin with Professor Lightning Step.

To be precise, it was more like he was dragged along. Lee Han couldn't refuse Professor Lightning Step's request.

"Here... No."

Lee Han clearly saw it.

Professor Thunder Step's eyes widened and his complexion darkened when he saw an elder.

"...What brings you here?"

"Do I need a reason to see my nephew! Move aside. Oh! You're still living in a cabin in such a remote place. It's not even properly organized! Look at this dust!"

"It's, it's organized."

Thunder Step tried to defend himself.

In fact, the cabin was quite tidy after Lee Han's arrival.

"You're talking about organization! What kind of organization is this! Alchemy is fine, but you should think about finding a good partner and having children. How long do you plan to live alone! The elders are worried about you..."

"......"

Thunder Step looked at Lee Han as if asking for help. Lee Han couldn't refuse that look.

"Professor, shall I prepare the meal?"

"Oh, right. I brought my apprentice, so I should feed him. You stay there. Thunder Step, your cooking isn't good, so I'll make a delicious eastern-style meal."

"I don't really like eastern-style food..."

"What did you say?"

"Nothing."

Thunder Step mumbled and shut his mouth. Then he looked at Lee Han with a desperate voice.

"Is everything okay with you?"

His voice carried the meaning of "Please change the topic."

Lee Han pondered what to say.

Should he talk about joining the Phrisinga Sect?

"Hold on. That staff..."

Thunder Step finally noticed that Lee Han's staff was unfamiliar.

"Where did you get that staff?"

"Oh, this one?"

Lee Han thought for a moment.

Then he asked again.

"Will you keep it a secret?"

"......"

Thunder Step was taken aback.

He had just asked casually to change the topic, but he didn't expect such a response.

Moreover, the way he asked made it obvious that it was suspicious...

"...I'll keep it a secret."

"Son, our bloodline always keeps secrets."

Lightning Step, who was chopping vegetables, washed his hands and approached.

"Whatever the secret, I won't take it out of the dining room. By the way, why do you only have bread and meat as ingredients?"

"Oh, I can take care of myself...!"

"That's why you're getting weaker! For dwarves, the eastern diet is the best. You should eat rice, not wheat. I'll make a delicious stew."

Thunder Step's expression turned sad.

The dwarf professor, trying to change the topic, asked Lee Han again.

"So, how did you get that staff? I can feel the life force in it..."

Lee Han summarized and polished the story of what happened that night.

- I went for a walk in the mountains at night and met a talking oak tree...

"...You went for a walk in the deep mountains at night??"

"Yes. A walk is best in secluded and quiet places."

"......"

"......"

Thunder Step and Lightning Step looked at Lee Han in disbelief, but he didn't waver.

'He was trying to run away.'

'Trying to escape.'

There was only one reason for a freshman to climb a mountain at night on the weekend.

"But wait. You met a talking oak tree? Did you solve a riddle?"

"Yes. How did you know?"

"It's a fairly famous spirit... So, you got the staff from the talking oak tree."

Thunder Step nodded, looking at the staff with interest.

Talking oak trees were known for being picky and troublesome, but their wisdom and knowledge were invaluable.

Lee Han's staff radiated the life force of a tree spirit, a rare and unique item.

"Does this staff have any special effects?"

Lee Han asked with a hint of expectation in his voice.

As a human, it was impossible not to have expectations.

The talking oak tree had described it as quite an extraordinary item...

"The staff is good for farming."

Lightning Step placed a bubbling pork stew on the wooden table.

The stew, made with well-fermented kimchi (which Lee Han called kimchi, though it was technically eastern cabbage) and various seasonings and pork, emitted a scent that made Lee Han's heart flutter.

As a Korean, the typical Korean-style imperial eastern diet was always familiar to him.

In contrast, Thunder Step's expression was sad.

The red peppers and chilies made it look very spicy.

'With an apprentice, you shouldn't cook such spicy eastern food...'

"I'll eat well."

"?! "

Thunder Step was surprised to see Lee Han scoop a large spoonful of white rice into his bowl.

He's eating well!?

'Isn't it spicy? Does he usually enjoy spicy food?'

"Indeed. As a disciple of Thunder Step, you know how to eat. Vordanaz."

Lightning Step said with a satisfied expression.

The empire was so vast that some people couldn't enjoy food from regions other than their own.

Compared to them, Lee Han's hearty eating was a delight.

A dining style that older dwarves couldn't help but appreciate!

"Why are you eating so slowly! Hurry up!"

"Ah, yes!"

Compared to his disciple, Thunder Step ate even more slowly. Lightning Step continued the conversation while the dwarf and human ate.

"Given that the staff is inhabited by tree spirits, it will be very useful for growing and nurturing something. It's a living staff, after all. Such a staff is rare and very valuable."

"Um... Does it have any other effects?"

"Maybe? That's the most prominent effect."

While helping crops grow wasn't a bad effect, it was quite far from what Lee Han had hoped for.

'It's for farming...?'

He had hoped it would make him invincible, or let him learn magic in dreams, or at least help with magic control...

"Well, it's good. You were planning to tend a garden, right?"

"That's right."

"A garden?"

Thunder Step and Lee Han's conversation piqued Lightning Step's interest.

"Isn't Vordanaz from the Vordanaz family?"

"This one is a bit unusual."

"He does seem so. What are you planning to grow in the garden?"

"I want to try growing all kinds of edible plants."

"He's interested in eastern cuisine, so he wants to grow things like cabbage and leeks."

"Is that so?"

Thunder Step's words seemed to please Lightning Step. He said with anticipation.

"If you want, I can help you."

"Really?"

"Yes. I've tended a garden before."

Lee Han went outside the cabin with Lightning Step.

There was a cleared area behind the cabin for Lee Han's garden.

Thanks to the regular tilling, it was ready for planting seeds or seedlings.

"Let's start with the longer-growing plants. Potatoes and sweet potatoes will be very useful."

Lightning Step knew well how the freshmen at this school suffered.

Plants that could fill their stomachs, like potatoes and sweet potatoes, would be very useful.

"It will take at least two months, but planting them now will be helpful later."

"That's true."

Lee Han thought Thunder Step's words made sense. He received the seeds for potatoes and sweet potatoes and started planting them in one section of the garden.

'...From the Vordanaz family?'

Lightning Step was slightly surprised by Lee Han's work.

Anyone who had done some work before would be impressed by Lee Han's skilled and experienced appearance.

He looked like a born worker.

...Is he really from the Vordanaz family, a famous magic family?

* * *

"..."

Thunder Step, who had come out of the cabin late, felt something was off.

"Did you plant them on the weekend?"

"What? I just planted them now."

"Really?"

Thunder Step tilted his head.

'You just planted them?'

But why do they already look like they're sprouting?