SMMA 78

Chapter 78

The Black Magic Tower.

The tower used as Professor Mortum’s workshop was still gloomy.

If you want more students, improving the surroundings should be your first priority.

Generally, when skeletons, bones, tombstones, and poison vial crates littered the area, most people avoided the place.

From Ihan’s perspective, among this year’s new students, only he and Gainanado would attend black magic classes…

“??”

Ihan was surprised.

There were two other freshmen in front of the Black Magic Tower.

“Why do those guys want to learn black magic?”

“Is there any need to be so serious?”

Ihan found Gainanado’s reaction odd.

Gainanado answered as if it was obvious:

“The professor said I was the only one talented enough!”

“……”

But didn’t you dislike black magic?

Ihan wanted to say something but gave up and changed the subject.

“Gainanado, even if they’re not as talented as you, they might still want to learn black magic.”

“That’s true.”

Gainanado appeared a little repentant at Ihan’s words.

Maybe he could be a bit more generous.

“Hey, you guys…”

“Don’t pretend to be friendly to me, you Blue Dragon trash.”

“……”

Gainanado almost struck one with his staff, but Ihan grabbed his arm.

“White Tiger Tower, huh.”

“Yeah.”

The gold light flickered faintly in the other’s eyes.

Ihan sensed instantly that their features were somewhat unusual; the person was mixed-blood.

“Half-angel?”

“Yeah. I carry the blood of a glorious ancestor.”

For one so proud, the blood seems rather diluted.

The devil-blooded Tiziling’s heritage was so strong he was instantly recognizable, but the White Tiger student before Ihan was barely distinguishable as mixed.

Without Ihan’s sharp senses, he wouldn’t have noticed.

“You carry noble blood but take orders from the Moradi family?”

Ihan immediately sowed discord.

Fewer Tiger students under Giselle’s command would mean better living conditions for Ihan and Derregue.

Honor and pride among knights were sensitive weaknesses.

“Don’t misunderstand, Wadanaz. I, Rapadel, take no orders from the Moradi family.”

“What? Then why do you act so da—di—damn it…”

Failing to find the right words, Ihan dropped the question.

“Why act like that?”

“Are you asking because you don’t know?”

Rapadel looked at Ihan incredulously.

The blatant denial was ridiculous.

Gainanado whispered beside Ihan,

“Remember when we sent the White Tiger guys to the punishment cell?”

“Is that enough reason?”

“Or maybe because they broke into the lounge and stole the flag last time.”

“Is that enough?”

“…???”

Gainanado was flustered.

Well, that seems like plenty of cause.

Rapadel narrowed his eyes and said to Ihan,

“Derregue of the Choi family! You’re not going to claim you’re clueless, right? That’s the name of the honorable friend you’re mockingly fooling around with.”

“……”

Ihan was at a loss for words for the first time in a while. Gainanado defended him.

“He is our friend.”

“That’s a coward’s excuse… You knocked him unconscious with magic, and you still call him a friend?”

“……”

Gainanado looked at Ihan pleadingly.

“He treated Derregue the same because he feared the White Tiger Tower would hate him.”

“Do you call that treating him well?”

Rapadel responded with disgust.

Ihan shrugged as if to say, I expected this.

Some misunderstandings could never be fixed.

“Wait. You… belong to the Gral family, don’t you?”

Gainanado suddenly recalled Rapadel’s family.

The Gral family, a southern knightly house, prided itself on angelic blood, and was known among knights for strict righteousness.

Judging by the way Rapadel spoke…

“That’s right. You evil lot.”

It appeared Rapadel had already marked Ihan and Gainanado as villains.

Ihan considered briefly.

Mostly because of the Wadanaz name.

If not for Wadanaz’s infamous reputation, Ihan wouldn’t have faced such suspicion. At least, that was what he believed.

“Why would the Gral family learn black magic?”

Gainanado questioned incredulously.

How could such a family known for producing holy knights come to study black magic?

Rapadel responded confidently:

“To better counter black mages.”

“……”

Professor will be in tears.

Ihan was speechless.

Only four showed up, and one was an avowed black magic hater…

“I see, Gral. You learn black magic to fight black mages. I thought you’d team with Giselle of the Moradi family to sneak behind my back, since you seemed hostile.”

“Don’t lump me together with Moradi!”

Rapadel was clearly displeased.

Ihan had been manipulating Derregue like a puppet, but Giselle commanding other White Tiger students like her subordinates was equally contemptible.

“Then you wouldn’t team with Giselle to lurk behind me?”

“Of course not!”

“With that clique too?”

“Absolutely! What kind of question is that?”

“That settles it.”

Ihan walked off like he had said all he needed to.

If they didn’t attack or ally with Giselle, their complaints meant little.

Rapadel blinked, dumbfounded.

Something felt off, but exactly what, he wasn’t sure.

Following Ihan closely, Gainanado thought,

He’s my friend, but he really is an evil archmage…

---

After dealing with Rapadel, Gainanado became more hostile. He spoke coldly to another student with no hint of kindness.

“Why did you come to learn black magic?”

Swish—

The student stood up, revealing he had been sitting on the floor.

Ihan realized the newcomer was tall, easily over two meters.

Giant hybrid!

Overwhelmed, Gainanado became very polite.

“I think it’s alright for you to study… I apologize.”

“Hello. It’s nice to meet you all.”

The student was from Black Turtle Tower. He looked around as he introduced himself.

“My name is Imilgre.”

“I’m Ihan. This is Gainanado. Why do you keep looking around?”

“My friends don’t like me associating with Blue Dragon students.”

“!”

Ihan was surprised.

That’s not strange.

Except for Phoenix Tower, students tended to band together by tower.

Black Turtle students, mostly lacking noble or knightly origin, naturally disliked mingling with the aristocratic White Tiger or Blue Dragon towers.

Nillia and Ratford were the exceptions.

Still, Ihan checked to be sure.

“Don’t think I’m an evil archmage, right?”

“Um? What are you talking about?”

“Good, then.”

Luckily, he confirmed it was dislike for being noble. Ihan felt relieved.

“I’m interested in black magic, so I want to make friends with others learning it.”

“Hmph! That won’t happen!”

Rapadel replied sharply.

He had no intention of befriending “evil students” studying black magic.

Imilgre looked sad and stared at Rapadel, who flinched slightly, likely scared.

“Well, even if not outside, let’s be friends while learning black magic here.”

Ihan held out his hand.

For someone like Imilgre, making friends was easy. Having met so many strange people at the school, this felt like a blessing.

Imilgre smiled brightly and shook Ihan’s hand enthusiastically.

Ihan had to release a surge of mana to withstand the intensity.

Grit!

He managed a composed expression to not upset Imilgre, despite the overwhelming pressure.

“Looking forward to working with you!”

Gainanado ignorantly reached for Imilgre’s hand. Ihan tried to stop him, but Gainanado grabbed it first.

Creak!

---

Professor Mortum hummed happily seeing the increased number of freshmen.

Ihan felt a pang of sympathy.

I shouldn’t pity a professor.

Stockholm syndrome was a dangerous condition.

“Ahem. Glad to see so many interested in black magic. Let’s hope for good things next year.”

“Looking forward to it!”

Mortum seemed unaware of Rapadel’s dark intentions. He asked Ihan,

“Found more skeletal summons?”

“Not yet…”

“Ahem. Search the gloomy, dark places.”

Mortum winked as if giving a gift, though it lacked romance.

Wandering the dark, creepy parts of the school because summoned monsters escape… practically suicide.

“Ahem. Since everyone was eager, let’s begin. Remember last time when we studied curses?”

“Yes, of course.”

Rapadel prepared pen and paper eagerly; Mortum smiled.

From Ihan’s perspective, aware of Rapadel’s schemes, it was distressing.

Will Mortum turn against us later?

“Honestly, I found summoning less fun than curses!”

Gainanado said honestly.

“Today, we will carefully study undead summoning to deepen understanding… wait.”

Mortum hesitated mid-sentence.

“Did you learn summoning magic this week?”

“Yes.”

“Ahem. How did the students respond?”

“Most liked it. Except us, who stayed to hear the lecture in the workshop.”

Ihan wanted to slap Gainanado but couldn’t.

Mortum spoke firmly.

“…Not curses today, but undead summoning.”

“Wow!”

Is this really okay?

Ihan grew uneasy.

It felt like they had jumped several steps ahead in the curriculum.

---

“Ahem. Undead summoning is the pinnacle of summoning magic—beautiful, complex, delicate.”

“Where do black mages usually find corpses?”

“Good question, Rapadel. In the past, they used graveyards; now, they purchase authorized corpses.”

“Well… illegal black mages still frequent graveyards, right?”

“Probably so.”

“Thank you.”

Rapadel eagerly took notes. Mortum tilted his head, feeling something was off.

“But you’re not ready yet… mishandled undead can kill the summoner.”

One of the most common accidents was a foolish black mage’s summoned skeleton stabbing its master.

Gainanado, nearly killed by a magic quill, nodded.

“We start with the easiest, least deadly summons: bony hands.”

The students listened tensely.

Shh!

Bony hands appeared before the students.

“Begin by befriending the bony hands. At first, they won’t heed you…”

“…?”

For a moment Ihan thought the skeletal summons and bony hands were the same.

The bony hand bowed politely to Ihan.

Is this a trap?