“Oh, right. I’ll take your things in too! Lee Han will definitely do it for you!”

“Thank you.”

Alhild’s voice sounded strangely cold.

No matter how hard Alhild tried to express gratitude, the jealousy mixed into it did not disappear easily.

Poke.

Eandurde lightly jabbed Alhild in the side. It was a signal not to show it.

“S-sorry.”

“Later. Take revenge later. There will be a chance.”

“Right. You’re right.”

Alhild nodded, then hesitated.

...But is this really something to call revenge?

Strictly speaking, the second-year upperclassmen had not actually done anything wrong to them...

But the jealousy burning in Alhild’s chest was too hot to simply cool down and let pass.

Why do those people get to live happily even in Einroguard just because they entered one year earlier?????

“Grrrk...”

“What, what’s wrong? Did something upset your stomach?”

Gainando, who had been putting a chocolate box inside a chocolate box and then putting yet another new chocolate box inside that one, started in surprise.

His junior was making strange noises.

“N-no. I’m fine.”

“Ah. I see. You’re moved to tears, right? Really, it’s nothing much.”

Gainando laughed heartily.

The juniors were probably amazed by the mere fact that they could bring things in from outside. As a senior, he found the sight rather endearing.

“...”

“...”

Both juniors clenched their fists tightly.

***

“Well then, I’ll leave it to you.”

“Yes, Your Excellency!”

The Skull Principal finished his work for the day by personally seeing off the visiting nobles.

The nobles who had just left had come to consult him about Einroguard’s third-year students.

Originally, they had commissioned the students to newly transform the appearance of the magical statues on their estate and grant them additional abilities, but the students had been too greedy and accidentally let the statues escape.

Because of that, the village where the nobles lived had been thrown into chaos, and in the end, they had come all the way to the capital to lodge a protest directly with the Skull Principal.

The Skull Principal let out a deep sigh as he dispatched Death Knights and, just in case, sent a paper bird to Professor Yonramo, who was in charge of the transformation magic school.

At the same time, he coaxed and appeased the visiting nobles.

-Aren’t they the pillars of the Empire? Please be understanding. I’ll restore the village to its original state, so please don’t mention this to the bureaucrats.

-Ah, understood.

-And please don’t mention it to other nobles either. The commissions might be cut off.

-Understood.

-Please don’t mention it to other mages either. The commissions might...

-...

The nobles were bewildered, but they did not dare refuse the Imperial Mage Marshal’s request.

Only great noble families could grumble a word or two in front of him. Ordinary nobles absolutely could not put on airs before the Skull Principal.

‘I’ll send them straight to the punishment cells when the new semester starts.’

The Skull Principal gritted his teeth. To bring such disgrace upon the school.

As always, teaching students was truly no easy task.

If he let them get too comfortable, they grew complacent and lazy, but if he squeezed them too hard, they could not endure the pressure and ran wild...

“It truly is difficult work.”

-...

-...

The Death Knights said nothing.

They knew from experience that if anyone said, “Then couldn’t you reduce the commissions a bit and increase the money the school gives them?” here, that person would be sent straight to the punishment cells.

Even from the knights’ perspective, the amount of gold already provided to the students was plenty. To increase it any further, either the professors would have to starve, or the knights would have to starve, or the bureaucrats would have to starve.

-Couldn’t you ask the professors to supervise more when the students carry out commissions? Since they already accompany commissions during the semester...

A relatively young Death Knight came up with an energetic idea.

Since professors or the Skull Principal’s minions already accompanied some of the commissions carried out during the semester as supervisors, it did not seem like a bad idea for them to help a little more.

If the students seemed likely to make a mistake or run wild, the supervisors could step in and handle it...

“What sort of ridiculous nonsense are you babbling at such length? Then the professor should receive the payment. Why should the student receive it?”

The Skull Principal looked at the knight with contempt, as if he had never heard such garbage before in his life.

The Death Knight hung his head dejectedly.

“If we did that, the students would call for professors every time they wanted help, and Professor Garcia wouldn’t even be able to sleep. Professor Bivle would grow fat and bloated. Do you truly want that? Hm?”

-No!

“Good. As long as you understand.”

It was somewhat forced, but it was plausible.

Apart from student autonomy, they could clearly see a future where only certain professors would be buried under an unbearable workload.

Thump, thump, thump.

“Are you there?”

“...No.”

The Skull Principal recognized the voice and answered.

However, despite being told that no one was there, the other party boldly opened the door and came in.

Thump!

And hit his forehead on the door frame. Wuman, the fourth son of the current Emperor and the Black Dragon, entered while frowning from the pain.

“You hit your head every time I see you. Have you never considered reducing your height?”

“It is rather inconvenient.”

Wuman answered in a booming voice. The Skull Principal covered his ears with an annoyed expression.

“Lower your voice too.”

“I’ll be careful.”

“What brings you here? Are you going to donate more to Einroguard?”

There was a reason the Skull Principal found Wuman bothersome.

From long ago, this Black Dragon had been caught up in delusions of grandeur, believing that he had to protect and defend the justice of the Empire.

And the most serious part of those delusions was that he regarded the Skull Principal and Einroguard as potential enemies of justice.

It was an unbelievably foolish misconception for an intelligent dragon.

‘He was so good and cute when he was young.’

The Skull Principal looked at Wuman with pity.

When Wuman was young, he used to follow him around saying, “Lord Gonadaltes!” And now look at him, growling just because his head had gotten a little bigger.

Dragons were truly a troublesome race.

“I already made a donation.”

“Really?! Good thinking. But who did you donate to? It wasn’t Professor Verdus, was it?”

Surely Wuman was not such an idiot that he would donate to Professor Bivle.

“I donated to student Lee Han of House Wardanaz. I paid the gold needed for the Imperial treasury this time.”

“...”

The Skull Principal’s expression changed completely.

Like a true archmage, he read the ominous portent.

Could it be?

“...I’m grateful, but why? Are you trying to make a contract too? Don’t do that. Isn’t the child pitiful enough already?”

He was sincere.

No matter how harshly the Skull Principal pushed his disciple, he did not want to pit two dragons against each other.

The boy was already living hard enough as it was...

“No. Please look at this.”

Wuman pulled a rolled scroll from his chest. The Skull Principal immediately recognized the format of the golden book decorated with gold.

It was an imperial edict from the Emperor.

“...”

The ominous premonition he had just felt grew even stronger.

The Skull Principal snatched the edict and checked its contents. The text written inside was simple.

...Wuman was appointed as the Emperor’s representative and granted the authority of an Einroguard inspector for one semester...

“Kugh.”

After confirming the conclusion of that ominous premonition, the Skull Principal staggered.

Even an ordinary inspector would be troublesome, but now one was coming as the Emperor’s representative?

“This is absurd! His Majesty may be narrow-minded and petty, but he isn’t the sort to arbitrarily send an inspector without notice!”

“There are several reasons for this!”

Wuman shouted loudly. At that momentum, the Skull Principal felt another ominous chill.

What now?

“First, there have been numerous accusations. Among the most serious accusations is that you recklessly involved a disciple in hunting monsters that crossed over from the void of dimensions.”

‘Voladi Bagreg...!’

The Skull Principal lowered his head. He immediately realized who the culprit was.

Even though he had continued keeping watch, wondering if Professor Voladi would actually go to the Imperial Palace, the professor had indeed managed to submit an accusation.

There had only been one available window.

Professor Voladi must have rushed straight to the Imperial Palace and submitted the accusation immediately after meeting Alshicle and the Skull Principal. It was truly insane decisiveness.

The Skull Principal let out a deep sigh. He had been struck by his ungrateful disciple.

‘Fine. You’re so impressive.’

Come to think of it, he felt he had underestimated Professor Voladi Bagreg’s will far too much.

Once that person set a mind to something, anything could be done, yet the Skull Principal had reacted too complacently.

Especially since it involved that professor’s disciple, he should have been more careful...

“Actually, that was the fault of other people... Never mind. It’s already meaningless, isn’t it?”

“Yes!”

“I told you to lower your voice. What’s next?”

The Skull Principal asked back in a listless voice.

In any case, it had already been confirmed that Wuman would come next semester and make a nuisance of himself.

-Master! Even so, must you continue enduring such humiliation from a young dragon!

One indignant Death Knight stepped forward.

Usually, the knights would complain among themselves, “Isn’t our master too eccentric?” but it meant something different when an outsider said it.

What had that young dragon done for the Empire to act so arrogantly?

However, Wuman did not waver in the slightest. It was the innate strength of the dragon race, utterly unaffected by the blue light emanating from the Death Knights.

“Since you asked, I’ll tell you the next reason too. His Majesty said to stop extorting innocent people from the mage towers by using your disciple!”

-...

-...

The knights, who had been about to fly into a rage, suddenly hesitated.

The shame they had forgotten returned.

However, the Skull Principal remained shameless.

“The mage tower people offered to give money, so what was I supposed to do? Refuse? You also extort gold coins from mages stuck in towers with Mage Cards.”

“Th-that...! That’s different from this! Mage Cards are gifts from dragons to the young races! How can you say such a thing!”

Wuman argued, his face flushed.

Mage Cards were a gift devised by a dragon to give the young races the joy of entertainment when the continent was in chaos.

To describe that as a means of extorting gold coins!

“Ha. I saw more adults than children playing with them.”

“Enough! I won’t listen anymore. You’re still mocking me!”

“Wait. Don’t tell me Prince Jowurin’s permission to visit was also because of you?”

“Yes.”

Wuman nodded.

Originally, the Emperor did not like interfering with Einroguard students, but when Wuman declared that he would personally take care of his younger sister, the Emperor finally gave in.

“When I said I would personally prevent her from interfering with the students, he granted permission. It will be a good experience for my sister to visit the spiritual lands of the magic school.”

“That probably isn’t the real purpose...”

The Skull Principal muttered.

Jowurin’s purpose was not to tour Einroguard’s mana-rich mountains and lakes, deserts and lava fields, and other regions in search of enlightenment.

Her selfish desire to play with friends was probably ninety-nine percent of it.

“Excuse me? What did you say?”

“Nothing. So you’re personally taking care of His Majesty?”

“Yes. Don’t worry. I’ll make certain to assist her so that she doesn’t interfere with the students.”

“...At least there will be one more person more miserable than me next semester. That’s fortunate.”