No matter how worried he was, placing a bounty on a professor from the same school was not a wise choice.

Lee Han could not even imagine how furious the Imperial officials would become if they learned the truth later.

“Then how about asking Her Majesty Jowrin?”

“This is not an Imperial Family matter...!”

Professor Garcia shuddered.

At first, Professor Garcia had thought the student was making a slightly self-deprecating joke, but now it sounded remarkably sincere.

Unless Lee Han was stopped firmly right now, he might even request a private audience with the Emperor and ask for the bounty personally.

“Student Lee Han. Even if you place a bounty on Professor Bagreg, it probably will not work. You might only end up helping the enemy.”

“That is true, Wardanaz. And what crime have the bounty hunters committed?”

Professor Kirmin’s words genuinely made Lee Han reflect.

What had those bounty hunters done to deserve disaster simply because they had tried to capture Professor Voladi with pure intentions?

“Whew...”

-......

Apazragon stood there blankly before opening the mouth.

-May I return n—

“This is all your fault!”

At the sight of Lee Han growling, the Death Knights and Ibinta sighed in relief.

When several people had caused trouble together, the most important thing was to act slightly more perceptively than the others.

Fortunately, this angel seemed to possess no perception whatsoever.

'Thank you, angel!'

Unable to read the mood, Apazragon protested.

-I did not assist that mortal’s escape. I am the victim. According to the laws of this continent, should you not comfort and assist me instead?

Earlier, the situation had been too chaotic, so Apazragon had simply endured the abuse. Now that matters had calmed down somewhat, the angel defended the position logically.

Although the celestial race secluded themselves within their own dimension, that did not mean they lacked intelligence. Based on the information Apazragon had gathered about the continent, the angel constructed a fairly reasonable argument.

However, because Apazragon had not been born a mortal, there was still something the angel had overlooked.

The continent was a far more unreasonable place than expected.

“Get lost! Go back to your dimension, you bastard who is less useful than a demon.”

Several demons inside the Bracelet of Ten Thousand Demons giggled excitedly.

They might be trapped miserably inside the bracelet, but that did not mean they had no pleasures in life.

In particular, seeing members of the celestial race humiliated was an exceedingly rare delight.

And the angel had even been compared unfavorably to them!

-I cannot accept—

Apazragon continued trying to persuade the human who was behaving so irrationally. Lee Han ignored the angel and called to the others.

“Professors, knights. Please help me drive this thing away.”

-Understood!

The Death Knights answered immediately.

Since they already felt guilty about the trouble they had caused, it was only natural.

Professor Garcia and Professor Kirmin did not feel as guilty as the knights, but there was no reason to refuse the student’s request either.

And in truth, their thoughts were fairly similar.

'If that angel had not been here, Professor Voladi might not have escaped.'

“Apazragon. I understand how you feel, but following Student Lee Han around was never acceptable in the first place. The person involved says it is unwelcome, so please return now.”

-I do not understand. The one at fault is that mortal—

-Begin the attack!!

The angel learned another fact firsthand.

Mortals sometimes held conversations with force instead of words.

As the Death Knights hurled chains of yin and the two professors unleashed their magic, Apazragon was forced to flee hastily beyond the dimension.

'How can this be? Why?'

Overwhelmed with confusion, Apazragon decided to visit the Yaksha King once again.

Surely the wise king would be able to offer advice regarding what the angel had just experienced!

***

Once the angel disappeared, the atmosphere became awkward again.

The knights and Ibinta were carefully watching the mood, but the mercenaries and evil-god worshipers were even more nervous.

...Were they about to be summarily executed on the spot?

“Calm down, Wardanaz. As I said, Professor Bagreg will be fine.”

“Thank you... You have suffered needlessly because of Professor Bagreg as well.”

Once he had calmed down a little, Lee Han felt sorry for Professor Kirmin.

Professor Kirmin had come to help him, only to become caught up in Professor Voladi’s indiscriminate escape incident.

Professor Kirmin shook the head.

“Professor Bagreg was my friend before becoming your teacher, Wardanaz. Everyone usually has at least one friend who causes them hardship.”

Professor Kirmin gazed intently at Lee Han while speaking.

The look seemed to ask, 'Does no one come to mind for you as well?'

'Ah.'

Lee Han understood what Professor Kirmin meant.

“You mean Senior Diret and Senior Yukbeltire.”

“...Uh... Well... I suppose those two could also fall into that category?”

'I meant Prince Gainando.'

Professor Kirmin thought inwardly.

The intention had been to discuss “friendship with a troublesome friend” by mentioning Gainando, who constantly caused Wardanaz needless hardship...

...Still, Diret and Yukbeltire worked perfectly well as examples too.

“Come to think of it, Senior Diret has suffered so much and still has not expelled Senior Yukbeltire.”

“You too, Wardanaz... Hmm. Never mind.”

“Yes?”

“It is nothing. Ha ha.”

Professor Kirmin acted slightly strangely, but too much had just happened, and there were too many things left to do for Lee Han to pay attention to it.

Lee Han summoned the knights.

The thoroughly intimidated Death Knights immediately began offering excuses.

-Professor Bagreg had prepared that cunningly...

-If it had been a real battle, we would have started by poisoning the food... But the opponent was an Einroguard professor...

-And that angel bastard just happened to be there...

“...I apologize for getting angry. You do not need to comfort me.”

Lee Han felt needlessly guilty and apologized to the knights.

Professor Garcia thought inwardly.

'That sounded more like excuses than comfort.'

-!

However, it had a definite effect on the Death Knights.

The light in their eyes shone brightly again, like radiant sapphires.

-Then you believe it was not our fault!

“Professor Bagreg was the one who left. Whose fault could it be? If I had to blame anyone, it would be that angel bas— Never mind. It is already over.”

-You are correct. That is a wise judgment.

“And once Professor Bagreg had decided to escape, it would have been difficult for you to stop Professor Bagreg.”

-...N-No. Strictly speaking, Professor Bagreg escaped through deception. If we fought properly again, who would win is—

The knights’ pride had been wounded, and they unconsciously began to argue, but the old knight hurriedly stopped them.

What were they trying to say at a time like this?

-...That is correct. It would have been difficult for us to stop Professor Bagreg.

-Ghk!

The knights trembled with humiliation.

'Just wait, Professor Bagreg.'

“I-I was only trying to do well too.”

When Ibinta offered an excuse while anxiously watching Lee Han’s reaction, Lee Han nodded.

“Encountering an evil-god worshiper in the first place was simply bad luck. Even if you had not made that one confess, Professor Bagreg likely would have realized it independently.”

“...Thank you for understanding!”

The former bandit leader was deeply moved in a way that did not suit that intimidating face.

The mage before Ibinta was remarkably generous for someone from House Wardanaz.

Enough loyalty began to well up from deep inside Ibinta’s heart without permission.

“Do not worry about it.”

“Thank you! Th-Then, could you also tell Lord Gonadaltes...”

“You do not need to worry. No one will hold you responsible.”

“Thank you!”

Ibinta expressed profound gratitude, then spent several seconds thinking before speaking once more.

“Th-Then... could you also tell Lord Hierdan of House Wardanaz...”

“...Go away.”

When Lee Han spoke irritably, Ibinta quickly withdrew.

“For now, I think we should report this to the Principal immediately.”

-Yes. We will do so.

The knights answered politely, then exchanged uneasy glances.

“...Should I send the report?”

-We would be extremely grateful, Successor!

“Do not call me Successor.”

***

He escaped?!

The Skull Principal was startled upon receiving the paper bird.

Honestly, it was unexpected.

The Death Knights beside him seemed to think the same, as they nodded.

-How surprising. We thought Professor Bagreg would accept it calmly if Student Wardanaz explained the situation.

Exactly.

The Skull Principal continued reading the letter in astonishment.

Honestly, Wardanaz had not been placed on the Sanguros Order’s assassination list.

His name had been added to their recruitment list instead.

The Skull Principal had not expected Professor Voladi to react so violently.

Perhaps Wardanaz had misspoken while explaining the truth.

'That does not sound like him.'

...We happened to encounter evil-god worshipers in the village, and one of them held a grudge against Professor Bagreg...

Ghk.

The Skull Principal let out a short groan.

The next line of the letter contained something completely different from what he had expected.

What was this...?

-What is wrong?

Apparently, they encountered evil-god worshipers while assisting the order.

-...W-Wait. Did the bastards deliberately prepare an ambush?

I thought so too, but apparently not. Members of the Ksaksarigol Order were there. They would sooner die than participate in such a plan.

The Skull Principal knew very well how terrified those lunatics were of disrupting their visions of the future.

Rather than become entangled with a variable like Wardanaz, they would gladly choose to smash their own heads apart.

...That bastard dared threaten to send assassins and fled into the flame giants’ dimension, so I pursued and dealt with the bastard. (If you happen to have any friendship with the King of the Frost Giants, please tell the king to stop spreading rumors about me.) Unfortunately, during the process, Professor Bagreg learned that many people who held grudges against the order were still alive...

'So that was what happened.'

Only then did the Skull Principal understand the truth.

Those people would have held grudges not only against the professor but also against the disciple.

It made perfect sense that Professor Voladi had immediately launched a preemptive strike after hearing the threat.

It was exactly the sort of thing Professor Voladi would do.

...It was slightly surprising that Wardanaz had immediately declared that he would handle the matter and pursued the enemy himself...

-Student Wardanaz has always enjoyed exceedingly dangerous battles, has he not? Evil-god worshipers would hardly be an exception.

That is true.

The Skull Principal accepted the explanation and turned to the next page.

...If not for that angel bastard, Professor Bagreg could not have escaped by stealing a dimension. The thought still makes my blood boil. If you remain in contact with the Yaksha King, please hold the king responsible on my behalf...

'The rest is useless nonsense.'

The Skull Principal skimmed over the remainder.

It consisted of Wardanaz pointlessly cursing the Yaksha King and Apazragon.

-Shall we send a pursuit party?

No. That bastard is thoroughly accustomed to avoiding pursuit. We would only waste time.

-The knights will not fail twice.

Despite the enthusiasm of the subordinate knights, the Skull Principal drew a firm line.

The reason I tried to stop Professor Bagreg in the past was that revenge had caused that bastard to lose the cold judgment that served as the greatest weapon. Revenge itself was never the problem. I tried to stop Professor Bagreg this time because there was a possibility that the flames of revenge were still burning... But judging by the letter, there is no need to worry about that.

What concerned the Skull Principal was the possibility of the former disciple losing reason and running wild.

If Professor Voladi was acting calmly, there was no reason to interfere.

Orderly, disciplined revenge was beneficial to both body and mind.

-We do not quite understand... How can you be certain of that merely from this letter?

The knights asked in confusion.

If that bastard had lost all reason, Professor Bagreg would have killed every evil-god worshiper there before leaving. The fact that Professor Bagreg spared them and escaped alone proves that the professor was calm.

-I-Incredible...!

The Death Knights marveled at their master’s logic.

One did not become a great mage without reason.

Do not send a pursuit party, but increase the number of informants. Leave signs everywhere promising assistance as well. Professor Bagreg will probably ignore them.

-Yes. Incidentally, Successor must be deeply worried. We will explain the situation.

You sycophants. Do whatever you w— No. I should write the reply myself.

-......

The knights suddenly felt an ominous premonition.

What was their master planning to write?

The Skull Principal eagerly began writing the reply in a single flowing stroke.

...Is it not because your magic is lacking that the evil-god worshipers take you lightly, Bagreg takes you lightly, the flame giants take you lightly, and even the angel takes you lightly...

The knights were horrified to see their master trying to use even this incident as a trial through which the disciple could grow.

If the Skull Principal made a single mistake, would the Empire not end up with the greatest magical criminal in history?