Chapter 92

‘Is something wrong?’

While Tiziling was having such worries, Professor Garcia kindly answered.

"As long as the mana is fine, it’s okay. Everything can be recovered."

"Ah... Yes..."

Professor Garcia didn’t notice that Tiziling had taken a step back and smiled innocently.

"It’s really fortunate. Even if struck by lightning, it’s okay, but if the inner mana is damaged..."

"Yes..."

"Oh, Tiziling student. It’s okay to come closer. Everyone is safe."

* * *

"Is everyone okay?!"

Lee Han dispelled the transparency and hurriedly ran over.

The moment he cast the lightning spell, Perkuntura’s emotions were also transmitted to Lee Han.

Just as Perkuntura could read Lee Han’s emotions, Lee Han could read Perkuntura’s.

-It’s over!

Though it was a short and simple emotion, the moment the lightning spell struck, Lee Han knew something was wrong.

Perkuntura, the senile spirit, had cast the spell so powerfully that it burned everything!

Lee Han didn’t think it was because his own mana was too abundant.

After all, Perkuntura had been embedded in his arm and helped with the spell; it was Perkuntura’s fault, not anyone else’s.

And it wasn’t entirely wrong.

Fortunately, Professor Garcia arrived late. Seeing Professor Garcia safely rescue the students, Lee Han felt relieved.

‘Indeed, the only conscience...!’

Seeing Lee Han rushing over, Professor Garcia smiled kindly.

He wondered who had cast such a spell, and it turned out to be Lee Han, as expected.

"Everyone is fine."

"Thank goodness!"

"Though they were slightly electrocuted by the lightning."

"...?"

Lee Han showed a similar reaction to Tiziling. Both students showed the same confused reaction, but Professor Garcia remained unfazed.

A true educator should answer the same question repeatedly without wavering.

"As long as the mana is fine, it’s okay. They can recover."

"...Ah... Yes."

Lee Han took a step back, just like Tiziling had. Tiziling, who was already a step back, nodded.

Welcome!

"Gr... gr... gr..."

"Kee... kee... kee."

The students who were held captive were already in a mess, having had their mana absorbed and then electrocuted.

Seeing a few White Tiger Tower students shivering from the lightning, Lee Han sighed.

‘Damn. Even if I save them, I’ll get cursed.’

Lee Han thought he would have cursed too.

-I saved you.

-Thanks, thanks... Wait. If you had the power to knock down the vine monster, why did you electrocute us too?

-The named spirit helping me was dumber than I thought and couldn’t control the power.

-Do you expect me to believe that!?

If he said he couldn’t control the power despite having the ability to knock down the vine monster in one hit, Lee Han would sound ridiculous.

"Now, everyone, stand up."

Professor Garcia waved his staff to relax the students' tense muscles and replenish their lost mana.

Seeing this from behind, Lee Han was surprised anew.

‘Does Professor Garcia know how to use recovery magic too?’

Looking at the spells he had seen before, the range of magic Professor Garcia used was really broad.

Usually, professors only cared about the magic in their specialized fields, but Professor Garcia was unusually broad.

Why?

"Thank... thank you, Professor Garcia."

"Really, thank you."

"Thank this Lee Han student. He bravely knocked down the vine monster and saved you all."

"......"

The White Tiger Tower students looked at Lee Han with complex expressions.

Angaro spoke on behalf of the group.

"Thanks. Wodanaz."

"If you’re mad..."

Lee Han was about to say, "If you’re mad, you shouldn’t have been caught," but he paused.

It wasn’t the response he expected.

‘Huh?’

He thought they would say something like, "You almost got us killed, you evil black magician," but the White Tiger Tower students thanked him sincerely.

Lee Han thought they were just being cautious in front of Professor Garcia.

But that wasn’t the case.

Angaro looked at Lee Han with a mix of resentment and gratitude.

"...It’s really frustrating to say this, but as a knight, if I don’t properly thank someone who has done me a favor, I’m not a knight. Thanks."

"Does that mean you’ll forget the grudge between us?"

"No, don’t misunderstand. Wodanaz."

"......"

Lee Han was slightly hurt by the cold answer.

If you’re grateful, can’t you forget the grudge?

Of course, a lot had piled up...

"But this time... I really appreciate it. I understand a bit why Dergue trusts... no, believes in you."

Starting with Angaro, the other White Tiger Tower students also thanked Lee Han sincerely.

"Thanks. Wodanaz."

"I won’t become friends with you, but I won’t forget the honor you showed this time."

"I won’t become friends with you, but I’ll try to cooperate as much as possible for this lake assignment."

Dergue, who had been held captive and was just regaining his strength, approached late.

Seeing his friends thanking Lee Han, Dergue was pleased as if it were his own achievement.

"See! I told you he wasn’t as bad as Moradi said, right?"

"Umm... Maybe you’re right."

"Then are you ready to forget the grudge and build friendship?"

"No, don’t overstep. Dergue."

"How can you forget what’s happened?"

"......"

Dergue was slightly hurt by his friends’ cold answers.

He thought the atmosphere was good, so it would be fine...

"Hey! If you cast it so strongly, what will you do! You did it on purpose because of the White Tiger Tower guys, right?!"

And finally, Gaiando, who had just recovered, staggered over.

To Gaiando, Lee Han was definitely not the type to make such a mistake.

He must have done it to give the White Tiger Tower guys a taste of their own medicine.

That was all well and good, but why did he do it when Gaiando himself was captured!

"Stop spreading such baseless rumors... Prince. Apologize."

"Prince Gaiando. As a member of the royal family, don’t you know about pride and honor? What kind of rude words are you saying to someone who saved you?"

Gaiando only then noticed the White Tiger Tower students were there.

Feeling unexpectedly criticized by the White Tiger Tower students, Gaiando suddenly felt wronged.

He was much closer to Lee Han than they were, yet they suddenly acted like this!

"What do you know!"

"We may not have royal blood, but we know about honor."

"Apologize. Prince."

Gaiando felt both wronged and a bit pleased to be recognized as a prince.

Lee Han, standing beside him, found it ridiculous.

"Are you happy to be called a prince now?"

"...No! But it’s true that you guys don’t treat me like a prince!"

The Blue Dragon Tower students, all from prominent noble families, didn’t need to bow to a prince with a three-digit number.

But instead of saying that, Lee Han decided to be considerate of Gaiando.

"That’s because everyone thinks of you as a friend. Gaiando."

"That’s true..."

Even in that short moment when Gaiando felt a bit pleased, the White Tiger Tower students didn’t wait.

"No matter how close, you should still show respect. We also thanked Wodanaz."

"Apologize quickly. Prince."

The White Tiger Tower students pressured Gaiando relentlessly.

Not many could withstand the pressure from the cold knights.

Gaiando thought Lee Han must have been quite skilled to beat these thick-skinned guys so thoroughly.

"I... I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have criticized you after you saved us."

"Be more careful in the future."

"Prince. Your honor is made by your actions."

The White Tiger Tower students, like true knights, nodded and accepted the apology.

Then they left.

Lee Han was speechless.

‘Did you forget that three of you tried to attack me?’

Lee Han wanted to point it out, but the satisfied White Tiger Tower students had already walked away.

Gaiando, still feeling wronged, asked cautiously.

"But it wasn’t intentional, right?"

"It wasn’t intentional."

"Ugh...! I really thought it was intentional...!"

It wasn’t intentional.

It was similar, though!

* * *

When the scene was cleaned up, Professor Garcia called Lee Han. His expression was full of concern.

Lee Han could immediately guess what he would say.

-Mr. Perkuntura. You need to explain.

If Perkuntura didn’t explain, Lee Han might be seen by Professor Garcia as a madman who casts spells without regard for his own safety.

It was a dangerous misunderstanding in many ways.

-After all, it’s your fault.

-I understand. I understand.

Perkuntura, though as wronged as Gaiando, decided to accept it.

He wasn’t entirely blameless.

Since he was embedded in Lee Han’s arm, he should have ensured the spell was properly controlled.

However...

-...Wait a moment.

-?

-Time... is up...

Lee Han felt the incarnation of Perkuntura in his arm disappearing.

Not only that, but Perkuntura himself was returning to the original punishment room.

Lee Han was shocked.

-Please say it’s not true.

-...I’m really sorry. It wasn’t intentional.

-Please say it’s not true! Quickly!

-I’ll really show you my true power next time...

-Do you expect me to summon you again after seeing this?

Despite hearing such words from a young mage, Perkuntura couldn’t refute them.

Even with ten mouths, he had nothing to say!

-Really sorry, but really next time...

Poof!

Perkuntura disappeared.

Professor Garcia looked at Lee Han with a mix of concern and strictness.

"Lee Han student. I couldn’t say it just now because of the chaos, but I need to tell you. The lightning spell, like the fire spell, is a violent and dangerous, difficult elemental magic. It’s really impressive and amazing that you’ve mastered it on your own, but I’m worried about you."

"Professor, there’s a deep reason for this."

Lee Han detailed Perkuntura’s story.

Of course, he left out the part about raiding Professor Thunderstep’s greenhouse and made appropriate adjustments!

But as he spoke, Lee Han was worried.

‘Will he believe such a ridiculous story?’

"Really, a series of unfortunate events!"

‘He believes it?!’

Surprisingly, Professor Garcia believed him. He was a true professor.

"That’s right. I thought it was unlikely that Lee Han student would do something so reckless."

‘You’ve made your point...’

"That spirit is a bit..."

"Seems incompetent and unreliable?"

"What? No. A spirit of that level can’t be incompetent. It’s probably because Lee Han student is such an unusual contractor that there were various mistakes."

"......"

Lee Han, who respected Professor Garcia, couldn’t respect this statement.

‘You’re too kind.’

"Of course, there are