Chapter 369
Of course, Yi-Han's question was meaningless.
In the first place, if they were people who acted sensibly, they wouldn't have engaged in a duel at the duke's residence.
"I'll teach you my secret technique, so compare it with the secret technique you just learned."
"..."
Yi-Han was already starting to feel bothered by how he should respond.
'From now on, I really shouldn't get involved with knights.'
—
Regardless of finding it bothersome, surprisingly, the knights' secret techniques were more useful than he thought.
From a technique of quickly drawing out a hidden knife inside the cloak to instantly thrust (not only quickly drawing it out but also cleverly hiding it in the cloak was important), to a technique of momentarily making the sword elastic like a whip to confuse the opponent.
Of course, if a knight like Arlong saw it, he would lament, 'You don't need to learn such miscellaneous techniques!' but Yi-Han's way of thinking was different from Arlong's.
Of course, when reaching a higher level, such miscellaneous techniques wouldn't be needed, but wouldn't they be useful before that?
"So whose secret technique is the best...?"
"Hmm. Everyone can be called the winner."
"Ohhh!"
The knights, who had been waiting for Yi-Han's evaluation with tension, applauded and respected each other.
When it seemed to have ended satisfactorily, Yi-Han opened his mouth to finally leave.
"Then, I'll be going..."
"Ah. Please wait a moment."
"?"
When the knights called him again, Yi-Han hesitated.
Now, he was almost scared whenever the knights called him.
What are they going to say again...
"There will be a gathering of knight families soon, and we want to invite Mr. Wardanaz. If we tell them about what happened today, everyone will be truly amazed."
"..."
This was the first time he disliked attending a gathering so much.
Yi-Han almost turned serious for a moment.
'Why would I go there?'
In the first place, he wasn't even from a knight family!
Of course, it was a pure goodwill of the knights to let other knights know about what happened today and widely spread Yi-Han's generosity, but...
From Yi-Han's perspective, it was a nuisance.
"Oh dear. Unfortunately, I'll be inside Einroguard at that time."
"Oh no!"
The knights were genuinely disappointed.
If they listened, the knights from other families would want to see Yi-Han in person...
"Ah! We'll directly ask Principal Gonadaltes for permission."
"Haha. Go ahead and try."
"What did you just say...?"
"I'll be grateful if he allows it. As a student, I can't say I'll go out arbitrarily, but if an outsider recommends it, the principal's thoughts might change."
"Understood!"
The knights promised to visit and tell him during the second semester.
Finally freed from the knights, Yi-Han let out a deep, dark sigh. Jijel, who was watching from the side, asked as if she couldn't understand.
"You don't want to go to the gathering?"
"...?"
Yi-Han stared blankly at Jijel, wondering what she was talking about.
Why would he want to go to that gathering?
In the worst case, the knights of the Chestnut Tree Knight Order might be lying in ambush, saying, 'Tsk tsk, he hasn't learned enough at Einroguard to fall for such tricks!'
"Is there a reason to want to go?"
"...It's an opportunity to build friendships with families, isn't it?"
The Chestnut Tree Knight Order lacked strength a bit, but it was a knight order with other strengths.
Considering the names of the knight families attending the hosted gathering, there was no harm in getting acquainted with them.
Moreover, judging from what the knights said, there was a high possibility of becoming the main character of the gathering that day, not just a mere participant.
If it was a position where she could receive that much attention, Jijel would crawl to escape from the magic academy even if both her legs were broken.
"What would I do by participating?"
"You can use it if there's a need."
"...Where would I use that?"
If it were a mage family or even a guild family like construction, transportation, or baking, Yi-Han would have been tempted.
-A family renowned for baking... Do you happen to have any short-term job openings suitable for a top mage from Einroguard, confident in firepower, and with a permit from the Aphar Order?-
But Yi-Han really had no business with knight families.
They weren't wealthy, and Yi-Han didn't need a swordsmanship instructor...
At Yi-Han's question, Jijel was unusually flustered.
It was such an obvious question to Jijel that she couldn't grasp his intention for asking.
"What...? You can intervene in the empire's affairs or get involved politically when there are necessary rights and interests, can't you?"
"To-To that extent?"
"..."
Jijel was angry when the other party suddenly pretended to be innocent, thinking they would naturally have the same thoughts.
"Why are you pretending not to know?"
"...I was just joking."
Yi-Han decided to just let it go because it seemed the other party wouldn't believe whatever he said.
"I knew it."
'What did you know?'
While returning to the banquet hall with Jijel, Yi-Han suddenly thought of something and asked.
"By the way, do knight gatherings also give out highly cashable souvenirs like here?"
—
"Good work, everyone."
"What work?"
"We ate deliciously and even received these, what work?"
"Wardanaz. You... should start a merchant group."
The Black Tortoise Tower students praised Yi-Han with a very satisfied face for the first time in a while.
And they each handed over a silver coin.
"Yeah. Have a safe trip, everyone."
The Black Tortoise Tower students, who had eaten their fill and even received gold accessories, happily left.
"..."
"..."
Seeing that, the Immortal Phoenix Tower priests were flustered and said.
"We don't have silver coins..."
"I don't know what you're talking about. I just invited you, you know?"
"You just received silver coins, didn't you?"
"You must have seen wrong."
"In your coin pouch..."
"Maybe you mistook it for returning borrowed money? Come on. Hurry up and go back. The temple will worry if you return too late."
The priests hesitated, thinking they were the only ones who received the treat for free, but Yi-Han quickly pushed them out.
'The earnings are quite good.'
Not only the Black Tortoise Tower students but also the gold souvenirs.
Yi-Han slightly raised his evaluation of the duke.
Although he acted eccentric and strange in many ways, he didn't forget to treat the visiting students with sincerity.
'Maybe I thought too badly of him. Still, he might be a person with the basics.'
"Mr. Wardanaz."
"Ah."
Spotting Rowena, Yi-Han held out his hand first.
"???"
The black-haired elf tilted her head and shook his hand.
"Good work..."
"No. Give me the money you received from the duke."
"Ah."
The answer to the riddle was the gold coins the duke offered to the princess as a gift.
She participated because she could share and keep those gold coins among the followers, otherwise there was no reason to join.
"But the princess was curious about why you called her earlier..."
"What? I don't know. Did that happen?"
"You called her earlier..."
"Wait a moment. Let me check."
Yi-Han focused intensely on the gold coins in the pouch Rowena handed over, similar to when he dodged Professor Boladi's attacks.
'It's an amount that soothes the rage.'
The sum was sufficient to respect all the riddles and tedious formalities as 'meaningful imperial customs.'
Yi-Han put the pouch inside his cloak and nodded.
"Thank you. You worked hard too."
"I didn't do much. But why didn't you really take out this staff...?"
Yi-Han lied, thinking the followers would be hurt if he told the truth.
"The duke developed a phobia of staffs. So I only explained to him what kind of staff it was."
"...It's really hard to believe!"
"Indeed. That's how things in the world usually are."
"I thought his complexion seemed a bit off earlier... But you still ended it so calmly, it's truly amazing."
"The duke is embarrassed, so don't spread rumors. Understood?"
"Of course."
Rowena nodded, moved that Yi-Han trusted and told her.
Among the many followers of the princess, the fact that he only told Rowena meant that he thought she was the most trustworthy!
—
"Do I really have to wear this outfit?"
Gainando asked with a sorrowful face.
The undead realm overlap phenomenon invited by Professor Mortum.
The seniors were very concerned about the first-year students participating and gave some advice.
-Participate in the following attire. And what else do you need... A backpack, and bring a lot of fresh water.-
-(Yi-Han) Can't I summon water?-
-You'll have a hard time summoning water due to lack of mana, and it will quickly spoil due to the mana spread throughout the realm. It takes several times more mana to purify that.-
-Ah. Then I guess I don't need to bring it.-
-Are you rebelling against your senior now?-
-?!-
There were many useful pieces of advice, and one of them was about the attire.
To be specific...
"I look like a farmer."
"It's not bad."
In fact, when walking around the city, it was better to look like a farmer than a dark mage.
If a farmer walks around, people will think, 'He must have come to the city with rice and wheat,' and feel pleased, but if a dark mage walks around, people will be horrified, thinking, 'He must have come to the city with corpses.'
"There's a reason for all the attire."
Direth walked over from behind, yawning.
Wearing a shabby hat and dragging a magically moving cart behind her, she looked like a farmer with twenty years of experience.
"The moment you reveal yourself as a dark mage inside, the undead will immediately start attacking. We won't use dark magic as much as possible until the necessary moment."
The undead in the realm they were about to enter didn't like intruders.
As such, it was advantageous for dark mages to hide their identities as much as possible.
The reason for entering the undead realm was to gather useful materials and reagents and come out, not to engage in a life-or-death battle with the undead.
"But why like a farmer?"
Yi-Han asked, puzzled.
There seemed to be many other harmless-looking outfits.
"The clothes are cheap. It's good for carrying heavy things, and it's okay if they get dirty."
"Indeed."
"What do you mean indeed?!"
Gainando grumbled, but Yi-Han and Direth ignored him.
"By the way, this is an exceptional permission for you guys... Only enter up to Area 1 and gather things. Got it?"
"Yes."
Originally, first-year students weren't taken into the undead realm when it opened.
It was a special permission from Professor Mortum since the opportunity was unpredictable, but still, he couldn't take them deep inside.
"How far is Area 1?"
"Well? It's a bit difficult to explain in words... You'll know when you go in. You can definitely feel it."
According to Direth's explanation, mages could definitely feel it.
The changing atmosphere when passing through the outermost region of the realm and entering further inside.
For convenience, dark mages classified that as Area 1 and Area 2.
"Aren't you scared?"
In response to Direth's question, Gainando answered confidently.
"Why would I be when Yi-Han is here?"
"..."
"...Ye-Yeah. Wait a minute. This junior here will enter Area 2 as well."
"What?"
Gainando was startled.
"Yi-Han is a first-year, isn't he? Gasp. Don't tell me...?"
No wonder he was so good at magic!
"Didn't I say this junior received special permission from Professor Mortum?"
"What about us then?"
"That's why I'm telling you to stay in Area 1..."
"..."
When Gainando looked at her with teary eyes, Direth sighed and said.
"Alright. I'll watch over you guys until you come out."
"Thank you!"
Seeing that from the side, Yi-Han handed a piece of chocolate to Direth.
"...?"
"Please have it. You're really working hard."
"...I'm only doing it this time, so don't misunderstand."
'I don't think so.'
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