In Ilendil’s opinion, people who got along well with spirits usually had poor relationships with everyone else.

After all, Ilendil herself was a prime example of that.

However, Wardanaz’s junior was excessively sociable.

He even contacted his friend’s family separately and discussed plans with them directly.

Ilendil might have been mistaken, but this seemed rather...

Gasp. That actually sounds plausible.

Nilia felt a chill run down her spine at Ilendil’s words.

The idea that affinity with spirits correlated with poor social relationships...

As someone who had once dreamed of cake straight out of picture books while Shadow Patrol hunters in the northern mountains feasted on the blood and organs of freshly hunted beasts, Nilia found the comparison disturbingly relatable.

“Come on. Nilia has lots of friends and lots of spirits too.”

“I think that senior is just bitter about not having friends. And the reason she has no friends is because she secretly summoned artificial spirits in the forest.”

“...”

Her friends, however, reacted rather lukewarmly to Ilendil’s claim.

Even Adenart joined in.

“Affinity with spirits has nothing to do with social skills. That’s nonsense.”

“That’s right.”

When even Adenart—who disliked having her own social ability questioned—repeatedly nodded in disagreement, the group became even more convinced.

Meanwhile, Lee Han returned with the official permit. Oddly enough, he was carrying a new coat over his arm.

“...Wardanaz. What’s that?”

“Here. Asan. Daihal prepared it for you.”

“What!? He didn’t scold me for my test scores?”

“...He did a little. But that’s not important. Take it.”

Asan examined the coat suspiciously.

He half expected a note inside saying something like “Don’t settle for 100 points—aim for 200”, but there was nothing.

“...Maybe I was too suspicious of my brother.”

“I told you, Daihal does think about you.”

Of course, when Lee Han visited, Daihal had said:

“Wardanaz! I was actually planning to give you a gift next time we met, so this works out perfectly,” and handed over the coat.

But that didn’t mean he didn’t care about his younger brother—he had also been asking regularly about Asan’s magical performance.

Lee Han simply chose not to mention that part.

“And Asan. Here’s spending money from Hidan.”

“Wait... why does the pouch say ‘Lee Han Wardanaz’?”

“I transferred it into my own coin pouch on the way out.”

Yoner silently observed the high-quality fabric pouch and decided not to comment.

Something else mattered more.

“Senior. Where should we search first once we go in?”

The guard barracks of Granden City were large, with multiple buildings inside.

If they moved recklessly, they risked being detected first.

“The underground temporary prison.”

“Of course. That’s the most likely place.”

Lee Han nodded as if it were obvious.

Other places—the barracks, armory, or storage warehouses—were all possible, but less practical.

The barracks would require bribing too many people. The armory and warehouses were too complex and heavily monitored.

By contrast, an underground temporary prison was dark, spacious, and rarely disturbed...

He figured that out immediately. Impressive.

“Yeah... the spirit told me.”

“...Then let’s move.”

Lee Han suddenly turned and walked ahead.

Ilendil hesitated and asked his friends:

“Did I... say something wrong?”

“You tried to attack Wardanaz with artificial spirits in a forest. It’s only natural he’s cautious.”

...That was so long ago!

Ilendil felt deeply wronged.

***

Granden City was vast, with countless places to hide.

Even the most skilled trackers would struggle to locate experienced mercenaries here.

“Hehe. But we have someone from the Shadow Patrol.”

Angrago spoke proudly.

Nilia looked at him in horror.

How are we supposed to find them in a city like this?

“This White Tiger Tower bastard...!”

“There’s no need for that. We have spirits.”

Ilendil spoke calmly.

The spirit she had contacted earlier was still tracking the mercenaries’ movements.

The targets were careful and avoided attention, but general tracking was still possible.

“More importantly... we’ll need additional manpower.”

“Manpower? Adventurers? Knights?”

Ilendil shook her head.

Then she pulled a glass bottle from her pocket and threw it to the ground.

The glass shattered.

The liquid inside bubbled, then rose and began forming a human shape.

“!”

“This is...!”

Everyone was shocked. The alchemy students especially so.

There were liquids that could mimic shapes or follow commands—but nothing this precise.

“Is it a spirit?”

“It looks like a spirit core with an alchemical body constructed around it...”

“How do you even carry something like that?”

The students curiously poked at the forming alchemical soldier.

Ilendil smiled faintly.

“I dissolved an adventurer into shape-changing liquid... and made it remember its form.”

“....”

“....”

The second-years’ expressions froze instantly.

Ilendil, still thinking it was a good joke, looked at Lee Han in confusion.

“W-why? It was a joke... wasn’t it funny?”

“I laughed. But I think you should avoid jokes like that in the future, Senior.”

***

They followed Ilendil, who now looked noticeably more discouraged.

The distance between her and the students had clearly grown.

“...Huh.”

“What is it?”

“The spirit says they’re hiding here...”

Ilendil hesitated.

Lee Han immediately understood why.

Granden City Guard Second Barracks.

Not a place outsiders could freely enter.

“Let’s get permission first. Should we call knights or mages?”

“No. If City officials get involved, artifact ownership becomes complicated. Same with Death Knights. The Principal might even claim it.”

Ilendil spoke unusually fast and precise.

As expected of Einroguard mages—there was no hesitation when desire was involved.

“Then what?”

“There’s no choice.”

She nodded firmly.

Lee Han expected a reasonable plan.

“Do you have a method?”

“We set fire to the open ground to flush them out... then force our way in.”

“...I’ll handle the persuasion.”

Lee Han immediately stopped her.

After dealing with Diret, Yukveltire, and now Ilendil, he had reached a conclusion:

So this is what seniors are like.

At least Yukveltire probably wouldn’t start a fire and storm a military barracks.

“B-but there’s no other way!”

“There are at least a hundred other ways.”

Lee Han sighed.

“Oh. Daihal from the Dalcard family works there as a special administrator. I’ll ask him.”

“...The Dalcard family?”

Asan raised his hand.

Only then did Ilendil nod as if understanding.

“I see. If it’s family connections, then it makes sense...”

“Ah, no. I’m not going. My brother likes Wardanaz more than me.”

“...What?”

“There was a chess meeting recently.”

“A chess meeting?!”

“...Anyway, I’ll go.”

Lee Han went off to arrange permission through Asan’s brother.

Ilendil watched him leave, then quietly muttered:

“...Am I the only one who thinks this is strange?”

***

“Damn it. Of all people, Akdin got caught.”

“We can manage without him.”

“Now is not the time to act tough. We haven’t even dealt with this cursed... thing.”

The mercenaries were gathered in a hidden space behind the underground temporary prison.

Originally used for storing prisoner supplies, it had long been forgotten and was now known only to a few servants and thieves.

Experienced mercenaries always secured such places in cities as hideouts.

Staying in inns or taverns full of eyes was far too dangerous.

Yet even their experience was failing them now.

The power of an ancient evil artifact was slowly consuming them.

An artifact radiating dark light.

Something they could neither discard nor escape from.

Obey... my command...

Damn it!

They wanted to go to temples or mages for help, but doing so would likely trigger immediate betrayal under their current condition.

It was a maddening situation.

Ping!

“!”

A string in the corner snapped.

The mercenaries’ expressions sharpened instantly.

They had set up detection devices at all entrances.

The bribed servant was not due yet.

“Guard?”

“Shh.”

One mercenary raised a crossbow glowing faintly blue in the darkness.

It had been personally enchanted by Jenbaya, capable of piercing heavy armor like paper.

This alone showed their level—ordinary mercenaries did not carry such equipment.

Not entering?

The door had opened slightly, but no one had stepped in.

Something was wrong.

Crash!

Glass shattered.

Smoke filled the space.

The mercenaries reacted instantly.

—Cover your mouths! Use scrolls!

They activated protective scrolls immediately. Breathing the smoke directly would incapacitate them within seconds.

“Scrolls activated.”

Yoner, who had thrown the bottle from above, confirmed calmly.

It was not poison—just smoke.

A basic diversion.

Against opponents likely prepared for toxins, a direct strike would be wasteful.

For an Einroguard mage, this was elementary.

“Understood.”

Adenart launched a chakram-like artifact into the smoke. It swept through sensing life force blindly.

“It’s mages! Above!”

“Break out!”

The mercenaries moved immediately.

Potions and scrolls activated as they rushed toward a wall.

They had already mapped the weak points.

If we break through—

BOOM!

A hammer strike met them—but beyond the wall stood mages.

Angrago and Rowena, reinforced with buffs and rock barricades, were waiting.

“Go the other way!”

“Too late—break through!”

Without Akdin, confusion spread.

A purple arrow pierced one mercenary precisely.

“They can see through the smoke!”

Asan’s divination support guided Nilia’s attacks, turning the smoke into a disadvantage only for the mercenaries.

“Gah!”

One mercenary charged blindly, relying on strength enhancement.

But the mages were prepared.

Angrago disrupted his stance, and Rowena struck him unconscious with her staff.

“Collapse the side wall and block them!”

“Wait—then the passage becomes too wide!”

Realizing they were trapped, the mercenaries fell back.

Another potion was thrown.

A real offensive one this time.

Again!?

As everyone always said—having even one mage in a party was dangerous.

But here, there were several.

And they worked together far too well.

From the mercenaries’ perspective, it was a nightmare.

“Surrender! We surrender!”

“Keep breathing the smoke!”

“...!”

The mercenaries froze.

Even they had not expected such relentless pressure.

Even the Lava Tower probably wouldn’t be this vicious...

***

Thud.

“Are they all down?”

“Let’s wait a bit more before going in. Yoner, throw another potion just in case.”

At Lee Han’s words, Ilendil finally exploded.

“...H-how...!”

“I don’t think that’s wasteful.”

“No, that’s not what I mean. How are all of you like this...?”

The friends blinked.

“What’s wrong with us?”

“Is it teamwork?”

“Ah.”

Only then did they realize what she meant.

It was not a common sight.

Not even a little.

“So you’re all close friends?”

“Who’s close?! Don’t say that!”

“Alpha, get out of the way!”

The students immediately started arguing again.

As expected, a misunderstanding like this was intolerable.

Lee Han cut in firmly.

“We’re not close. We’ve just worked together a lot.”

...Isn’t that basically being close?

Ilendil could not understand them at all.

Not that he had ever really understood his juniors anyway.

But this group was especially incomprehensible.

I really don’t get it.

***

“Nice. A magic ★ 𝐍𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐥𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭 ★ crossbow. Nilia, take it.”

“Thanks.”

“This armor fits Angrago well—wait. It has a curse that reduces intelligence.”

“Doesn’t matter, right?”

“It does matter, you idiot.”

“It doesn’t matter if you wear this intelligence-boosting bracelet with it.”

“...Oh. That’s what you meant? Haha.”

“Then what did you think I meant?”

The group thoroughly looted the mercenaries.

Watching this, Ilendil shook her head and returned to the main objective.

The ancient artifact: Echo of the Demigod.

—■■■■■■!

“Ugh...”

The corruption pressure was worse than expected.

Ilendil frowned.

This couldn’t be handled casually.

“What’s wrong?”

“It’s heavily corrupted... we need purification first.”

She hesitated.

Since it involved an evil god artifact, half measures would not work.

“Should I ask someone?”

“Ask who?”

Instead of answering, Lee Han activated the Echo Stone.

“I’m warning you. If this is a waste of time again...”

“Master, this time is different. This artifact...”

The voice paused.

Then softened.

...I will allow it. Well done. I did not expect you to seek new magic on your own...

Snap.

Lee Han shut it off immediately.

“...?”

“Oh dear. It seems he doesn’t know much about it.”