Even if Wuman assisted Jowurin, it did not seem as though it would be much help. He looked like the sort who would give in at once if she threw a tantrum or acted stubborn.

That burden would probably fall more heavily on Student Wardanaz.

‘Thinking about it that way is somewhat comforting.’

Having a young dragon whining beside him for an entire semester would be annoying, but even that could become nourishment for his disciple.

Of course, the boy would hate it very much, but wasn’t magic originally about growing by doing things one did not want to do?

“Right. Cheer up. I’ll watch and see how much you improve Einroguard during this semester.”

“Hmph. Mock me all you want. I will not waver.”

Wuman’s attitude was as solid as a rock.

His determination not to be shaken no matter how the Skull Principal teased or mocked him could be felt clearly.

“I have been preparing for this day all along. I am certain the mages of Einroguard will welcome my methods.”

“Let me hear what you’ve prepared, then. A pile of gold coins?”

If Wuman had prepared a mountain of gold coins, that would truly be a threatening strategy.

Einroguard students would gladly sell out the principal for nothing more than a pile of gold coins.

Moreover, there were also those who would try to sell him out even without being given a pile of gold coins...

Considering the position Wuman held in regard to Mage Cards and the wealth accumulated from them, it was entirely possible for him to come armed with a golden bribery strategy.

“What nonsense are you talking about! I respect the mages of Einroguard. There is no way I would bribe them with gold!”

“You still have a long way to go.”

The Skull Principal looked at the young dragon with something close to pity.

This dragon still did not know what Einroguard mages liked.

Bribing them with gold was true respect!

“I intend to guide the customs of Einroguard’s mages with pure justice, not threats or bribes. Professors are no exception. Especially mages like Professor Verdus—I absolutely will not let them be!”

“Oh...”

For the first time that day, the Skull Principal relaxed his expression at something satisfying.

This sounds somewhat plausible?

“That last part was good. If you keep doing only that, the mages might like your methods a little.”

“...It’s no use pretending to be calm. I know you cherish Professor Verdus!”

The Skull Principal immediately turned serious. An eerie chill flowed across his sculpted face.

“Absolutely not. So don’t ever spout such nonsense again.”

“I-I’m sorry...”

“No... never mind. I’m sorry. I don’t know why I’m getting angry at a child. Work hard. Oh, right. Don’t torment Wardanaz too much. It’s amusing, but the boy is a little pitiful.”

“I told you I have no intention of interfering with the students at all!”

Wuman stormed out in a huff. He still mistakenly believed the Skull Principal was mocking him.

After the dragon left, the knights spoke worriedly.

-Master. Will this be all right?

“If it isn’t? Should I chase him out?”

-That’s not what we meant...

“It’s only a month or two anyway. With His Majesty’s personality, spending even that long here will bring a shower of complaints.”

The Skull Principal was indifferent.

It would be annoying, but he was confident that someone with Wuman’s personality could not last long at Einroguard.

Before two months passed, complaints from students begging the Emperor to save them would pour in.

“Until then, lock the warehouses tightly and don’t do anything strange. It’ll be annoying if he follows you around.”

-What about the professors and students?

When an inspector came poking around, it might actually be more annoying for the professors and students than for the Skull Principal.

“What do you mean, what about them? They’ll have to handle it themselves. This worked out well. Tell them to suffer a little.”

Usually, the professors and students, especially professors like Professor Bivle, often criticized the Skull Principal for being too stingy and heartless.

This mainly happened when he did not give them more time for magical research or assignments, but from the Skull Principal’s perspective, it was absurd.

Do these people have no conscience despite having physical bodies?

Perhaps Wuman’s appearance might become punishment for these lax Einroguard mages.

“Still, I should send word. Send letters to the professors.”

-To Professor Verdus as well?

“No. Leave that one out.”

-Truly wise!

Even knights who worked purely out of loyalty needed occasional rewards.

The sight of Professor Verdus getting thoroughly shaken down as soon as the new semester began would be reward enough.

***

‘It feels like he brings new guests every time he goes out, or is that just my imagination?’

Yonair thought to herself.

Yonair knew the friend from House Wardanaz had wide connections, but still, bringing new guests every time he went out was something else.

Moreover, each of the guests had a spectacular background.

A professor, a principal, a mage ranked among the top five cutest in the Empire, a dragon...

“What do you think?”

“Huh? Isn’t it normal?”

When suddenly asked, Nillia answered without much thought, looking puzzled.

Wasn’t it normal for great noble families to have connections that wide?

“I see.”

Yonair nodded.

Right. Since Nillia had connections as wide as Lee Han’s, it was only natural that she would not find anything strange about it.

‘...Did, did I answer wrong?’

Nillia grew slightly flustered when her friend said nothing more and moved on.

She had just answered without thinking...!

“Here. This is my junior’s villa mansion.”

Diret explained to the dark magic school students on behalf of the junior who had a dual identity.

After all, that junior could not enter this mansion under the identity of Stedal Nago.

“Where did Mr. Nago go?”

Koholti was admiring the villa mansion when Stedal Nago’s absence belatedly came to mind.

That person had disappeared at some point. Where had Stedal Nago gone?

“Left earlier. Said there was business to take care of.”

“What!? Why are you telling me this only now! What business?!”

“I don’t know. Probably went to catch some bad person.”

Annoyed, Diret gave a vague answer. Koholti’s face filled with a mixture of regret and admiration.

“To think Mr. Nago is moving around so much when barely any time has passed since the demon was defeated.”

“There wasn’t any fighting in the demon subjugation, though.”

“Can’t you be quiet? How amazing is it to settle everything through negotiation with an angel without fighting?”

Koholti grumbled as if personally insulted.

Seeing this, the dark magic school students whispered among themselves.

“Why is that person following us after already graduating?”

“Should we just tell Senior to go back?”

“...Fine. Just stay quiet.”

At the juniors’ rebellion, Koholti quietly shut up.

‘Stupid fools who don’t even know what’s amazing.’

In truth, it was not that the dark magic school students did not respect Stedal Nago. Koholti was simply a bit peculiar.

Even if they became close with Stedal Nago later, the juniors vowed they would never introduce Koholti to that person as they walked.

“Wait. Yukbeltire. Have you been here before?”

Diret stopped at the reaction of the friend who was moving as if already familiar with the place. Princess Yukbeltire nodded.

“When?”

“I’ve been staying here since I came to work last time.”

“...”

Diret realized the truth a beat late.

So she had not merely followed the junior to extract magic, but had stayed at the villa mansion to extract it!

“...This won’t do. Where’s Stedal Nago? Call Stedal Nago over.”

“Senior! You’re back!”

Lee Han, who had removed his disguise and emerged from inside, called out to Diret.

Then he was puzzled by the way his senior was looking for Stedal Nago.

“Why are you acting like this? This is different from what we promised.”

“S-sorry. Yukbeltire made me lose my reason for a moment... No. Wait a minute. Why on earth did you let Yukbeltire stay?”

“Still, she’s a senior, so I couldn’t just tell her to get lost...”

“From now on, just tell her to get lost. If it’s hard to say, you can just change your identity and do it.”

‘Are they really friends?’

Lee Han was bewildered by Diret’s assertion, which was even more extreme than his own.

And they were friends!

“Junior. Think about it carefully. If you can’t kick someone out because that person is your senior, what will you do when professors come later? Will you accept them too?”

“Ah. Professor. Good day to you.”

Just then, he saw Professor Voladi walking behind them. Lee Han greeted the professor politely.

When their eyes met, the professor also gave a slight nod.

“...”

Diret blinked.

There’s a professor here too?

“Why is the professor here?!”

“It’s a long story, Senior. Unlike Senior Yukbeltire, this has a legitimate reason.”

Unlike Princess Yukbeltire, whom he had accepted out of fear that she might cause trouble, Professor Voladi had a highly convincing reason related to worshippers of evil gods.

Diret listened with a serious expression, then nodded, looking extremely displeased.

“Well... I understand. Professor Bagreg has a reason to be here. But you still need to develop the habit of refusing Yukbeltire. Otherwise...”

The main gate opened, and the Skull Principal in human form entered with Professor Garcia.

“Professor Voladi. Come here! I have something to discuss briefly with Professor Garcia.”

“Ah. Do you perhaps need something to drink?”

Lee Han asked while looking at Professor Garcia. His attitude was far too natural for a situation where the principal and a professor had barged through the villa door.

“I’m fine.”

“I’m fine too, Student Lee Han.”

Unlike the other two, Professor Voladi answered with a gesture instead. It meant Lee Han should stay where he was.

Diret stared in fascination, unable to close the mouth, at that familiar figure walking away after taking out a white teapot and teacups and placing them on a tray.

...Is this place perhaps an Einroguard annex building??

“Wh-what was that just now?”

“Isn’t the principal being rather shameless? I was asking Professor Garcia if something to drink was needed, not the principal.”

“...Not that! Why are they gathering here so naturally like this?!”

At Diret’s outcry, the nearby second-year students paused.

Huh?

‘That’s true?’

They had become so accustomed to repeated shocks that they had forgotten, but now that they thought about it, this was very strange.

Normally, one did not meet the principal or professors this often during vacation, did one?

“It seems it just happened that way.”

“This does not seem like something that can be summarized as ‘it just happened’...”

As Diret muttered, Professor Garcia’s shrill scream reached their ears.

Not only Diret but the other students were startled as well.

“Professor!!”

“Principal, please don’t attack Professor Garcia!”

The students rushed inside. They thought the Skull Principal might be sending Professor Garcia to the punishment cells.

However, the scene inside the reception room was different from what they expected. Professor Garcia was perfectly fine.

...Though the professor’s expression was pale.

“E-everyone. It’s nothing. There’s no need to worry.”

“Punishment cells? Interrogation? Dismissal?”

“Einroguard bankruptcy? Magical plague? Descent of an evil deity? The end of the world?”

The students each threw out guesses about what could have made Professor Garcia scream.

Professor Garcia shook the head vigorously and pushed the students out.

“There’s no need to worry! So everyone, please don’t mind it.”

“How can we not mind...”

Bang!

When the door closed, the students fell into confusion. Even Diret, despite being a fifth-year, felt the same.

“The professor isn’t someone who would scream.”

“Should we eavesdrop on the meeting?”

“...”

At Lee Han’s words, Diret wondered if the junior had been inviting professors over so often with this in mind.

No way...

Bang!

Suddenly, the reception room door opened. The Skull Principal shouted from inside.

“Wardanaz. Don’t break the soundproofing magic because it’s annoying. If you break it, I’ll make you cast it until you can do it perfectly.”

Bang!

And the reception room door closed again. Lee Han looked at the closed door with an expression full of indignation.

How did he know?