Clap, clap, clap—

When Jandanni unconsciously began applauding, the Valdrogard junior beside Jandanni spoke in bewilderment.

“Wait. Are they allowed to do that?”

“Why wouldn’t they be?”

“......”

When someone committed even an insane act with enough confidence, it became difficult for others to point out the problem.

When Jandanni asked why something that was obviously forbidden should not be allowed, the junior was left speechless.

“Well... because Imperial law... um... forbids it, does it not? Have I perhaps misunderstood Imperial law?”

Had Imperial law been newly amended without the junior knowing?

“Of course the Empire’s solemn laws would not permit such a thing. But do you really think His Majesty the Emperor created those laws because he wanted to forbid something like this?”

“...What kind of nonsense is— Ah. My apologies.”

The junior, Jangbir of House Raban, a third-year student at Valdrogard, apologized. Fortunately, Jandanni was so excited that the remark went unheard.

“S-Senior. Surely it is forbidden precisely because His Majesty did not want to permit it?”

“No. Laws were originally created to help people.”

“...By that logic, Count Bouillon is also a citizen of the Empire.”

“That is...”

Caught off guard, Jandanni hesitated. Jangbir seized the opportunity to press once more.

“Would you have reacted the same way if they had looted your house’s estate?”

“My house would have offered up its property first if something like this happened!”

“P-Please, both of you. Do not argue.”

The priests stepped in to stop them.

Whatever else might happen, if mages who had come to help began fighting over such a trivial reason, it would not even be funny.

Once calm again, Jandanni apologized first, as befitted a senior.

“I am sorry.”

“No. I apologize as well.”

“But I cannot help thinking that this kind of boldness... may be one of the reasons Einroguard has earned its reputation.”

Jandanni spoke seriously.

Valdrogard and Einroguard were the two great magic schools that led the Empire, but most people tended to place Einroguard one step above Valdrogard.

Jandanni wondered whether one of the reasons was this difference in boldness.

While Valdrogard students hesitated, Einroguard students acted first and dealt with the consequences afterward.

Even Jangbir, who had initially reacted with indifference, seemed slightly swayed by the senior’s continued argument.

“...Perhaps there is some truth to that.”

“Right? Let us go hear about it. We can learn exactly how they acted and take only the useful parts.”

'How exactly are we supposed to take only the useful parts?'

Was that even possible when the act in question was attacking an estate and confiscating its property?

Thinking that to be unlikely no matter how much thought was given to it, Jangbir began walking.

This really did seem impossible...

***

“The healing potions are over here. Please take what you need!”

“Do not bring out rich food immediately! It may have the opposite effect!”

By the time the Valdrogard students arrived, Lee Han’s group had already finished one round of work.

After distributing supplies to the countless people who had gathered, with the priests’ help, the group collapsed where they stood. Even the iron-willed Professor Garcia looked exhausted.

“Greetings, Professor.”

“Ah. You are...”

Professor Garcia immediately recognized the Valdrogard students.

In truth, the Valdrogard students’ clothes, made from expensive fabric that glittered brilliantly even from afar, were far too easy to recognize.

“You came from Valdrogard to help as well!”

“Yes. That is correct.”

Professor Garcia immediately spun around and whispered to the students behind.

“No asking why they came, no saying they should have just sent money, and in any case, everything is forbidden.”

“...We did not say anything, Professor.”

Lee Han and his friends answered in bewilderment.

They had merely been drinking water because they were tired, only to suddenly hear something like this.

When the disciples looked wronged, Professor Garcia finally relaxed and apologized.

“I am sorry, everyone. Einroguard students keep picking fights whenever they see Valdrogard students.”

Since the seniors had accumulated far too much karma, Professor Garcia had no choice but to stop the students in advance.

Lee Han nodded as though he understood.

“Our seniors really are... We are different, so you do not need to worry, Professor.”

Tap, tap—

“Wardanaz.”

“?”

When Siana tapped his side and called him, Lee Han turned his head in confusion.

“What is it?”

“Actually, I was about to say, ‘Wouldn’t it have been better if they had just sent money...’”

“...Thank you very much for not saying it.”

Lee Han nodded deeply at the sight of his friend honestly confessing.

'From now on, whenever I see Valdrogard students, I should keep a close watch on Siana.'

“Ah. Wardanaz!!!”

Jandanni spotted Lee Han and greeted him.

To think Jandanni would meet the sixth-year Einroguard student from before here!

“Do you know that person?”

“My friend. I told you about him last time.”

“......”

At the exchange between Jandanni and the junior, all the priests looked at Lee Han together. Lee Han answered in a reluctant voice.

“That is a one-sided claim.”

“It is truly good to see you, Wardanaz. To think we would meet like this.”

“Ah. Yes. It is good to see you as well, Jandanni.”

“I told you to call me Jandanni! Hahaha!”

“It is even better to see you here, Jandanni.”

Lee Han absolutely refused to drop the formal address.

There were too many people watching. If a rumor spread that “Wardanaz of Einroguard and Aljadk of Valdrogard are extremely close,” he felt he would be so wronged that he might roll around on the ground.

At the sight of Jandanni openly pretending they were close, Siana whispered like a snake from behind once again.

“Should I say it now? That they should have just sent money...”

“...Go away. Tiziling. Nigisor. Please hold onto this priest.”

The two priests quickly dragged their friend away. Siana grumbled repeatedly while being hauled off.

You will definitely regret this later!

“Wardanaz. I heard a rumor on the way here. They said you confiscated Count Bouillon’s property.”

“Ah. Yes.”

“...So it really is true!!”

When the other side admitted it without hesitation, Jandanni shouted with a deeply shocked expression.

Jangbir, the junior standing beside Jandanni, was equally shocked.

Hearing something as a rumor and hearing the person involved admit it were very different things.

“I was surprised when I heard the rumor, but after thinking about it, even among Einroguard students, there probably are not many who could carry out such a bold act. As expected of Wardanaz... I am impressed. I would not have been able to do it.”

“...?”

Lee Han sensed something strange.

It felt as though these Valdrogard students had misunderstood something.

“You do not think we simply entered the estate and forcibly confiscated everything, do you?”

“What? Was that not what happened?”

“...Of course not!”

Lee Han shouted in disbelief.

Was it not because of people like these, incapable of thinking with their own heads, that false rumors were spreading not only throughout the Empire but even into other dimensions?

“Absolutely not. This was the result of proper procedures.”

Suppressing his frustration, Lee Han explained the circumstances in detail to the Valdrogard students.

Count Bouillon had originally been responsible for the relief supplies, but it had been discovered that he had embezzled them...

“Do you understand?”

“?”

This time, it was Jandanni’s turn to sense something strange. Jangbir asked as though wondering what was wrong.

“Senior. What is it?”

“Something is strange. Corruption involving relief supplies like that is not easy to uncover.”

Count Bouillon’s territory was administratively separate from the disaster-stricken region, so the supplies had not yet been mobilized.

In that case, the only people who would try to check something like this would be an Imperial official on patrol or a priest from an order conducting an inspection.

The fact that the busy Einroguard mages had checked it at all felt strange.

“Perhaps they received a report?”

“If someone had made a report, they would have gone to an official or a priest first, not to Einroguard mages who were hurriedly passing through. There are plenty of officials and priests around because of the disaster.”

“I-I see. Wait. Then what does that mean? Surely...”

“...Perhaps they beat everyone up first and found a plausible reason afterward.”

There were slight differences, but Jandanni had guessed the truth fairly closely. Jangbir felt a chill.

No matter how eccentric they were, to storm a count’s estate, beat everyone up, and then look for a reason afterward.

What on earth had they intended to do if there had been no plausible reason?

“Are they insane?”

“Hmm. Even so, they are impressively insane.”

“If they are insane, then they are insane...! Senior, do you not know the saying that one should never get involved with House Wardanaz?”

“I keep telling you, that is nonsense spread by people who know nothing about magic.”

“Mages say that too!”

Lee Han caught fragments of their voices and guessed what they were discussing, but did not bother joining in.

Rather, he hoped that junior would persuade Jandanni properly.

Having a Valdrogard student, and even a senior at that, following him around would only be annoying.

However, Jandanni became stubborn in a strange place. Jandanni had not visited Einroguard for nothing.

“Distancing yourself from a friend simply because that friend is violent and eccentric is not true friendship. Wardanaz is my friend.”

“That may be true, but...”

“......”

Lee Han nearly told the junior not to give up, but restrained himself.

Instead, he gave up and changed the subject.

“Of course, because the situation was urgent, we acted as quickly as possible, but we have no intention of damaging Count Bouillon’s honor more than necessary. So please do not tell anyone.”

“Understood. However...”

“?”

When Jandanni hesitated slightly, Lee Han looked puzzled.

What could this Valdrogard student, who appeared to have no worries whatsoever, possibly be troubled about?

“Actually, a friend of mine at Valdrogard sent me a letter earlier. The friend asked whether it was true that a mage of House Wardanaz had robbed Count Bouillon...”

“......”

Lee Han turned around in horror. The knights hurriedly waved their hands.

-It was not us!

-Honestly, with so many people in that region, how could there have been no one to spread the rumor?

“...Even so, just do not tell anyone else.”

With those final words, Lee Han abruptly turned away. Looking at the back of the disciple, who seemed even more drained than before, Professor Garcia thought inwardly.

'Student Lee Han has given up...'

A half-resigned, detached air, as though he no longer cared how the rumor spread, could be felt from the disciple’s back.

***

Night.

While everyone else slept deeply from exhaustion, Lee Han got up and summoned the knights.

“Now then. I may have given up on the rumor, but I have no intention of giving up the search.”

-......

'He is still angry about the rumor spreading.'

Separate from his anger over the rumor, Lee Han had not abandoned the idea of proactively searching for evil-god worshipers everywhere they went from now on.

Just let one of them show up!

'Perhaps his anger over the rumor has transferred to his anger toward the evil-god worshipers...'

Professor Garcia would have stopped him immediately, but the knights were different.

When people became angry, it was only natural for them to take a little revenge.

Even Professor Garcia had no right to lecture the disciple on that point.

After living through such a turbulent youth...

“Ibinta. Please guide us to every place in Vepaim where suspicious people might gather.”

“Yes! Understood!”

At last given a chance to be useful, Ibinta’s eyes shone.

This was why the Skull Principal had assigned Ibinta to them in the first place, but after coming out on this mission, it felt as though they had kept doing everything except that.

“Even if we enter a tavern, will this many people not stand out too much?”

“I have already thought of that. We will disguise ourselves as traveling merchants and split the group into— Wait.”

Lee Han stopped.

From among the knights came the voices of friends who should have been asleep in the lodgings on the upper floor of the estate.