“Wardanaz!”

“That crazy senior finally showed his true colors!”

The friends who had been pressing their ears against the door immediately kicked it open and rushed inside the moment they heard the scream.

They had stepped forward with pure intentions to help Lee Han, but things always became complicated when a “crazy senior” was involved.

There was no room for carelessness at any time.

I knew it.

The group froze slightly when they saw Ilendil collapsed on the ground. Angrago quietly sheathed his sword. Nilia also slipped her short bow back beneath her cloak.

“What? It wasn’t Wardanaz who screamed.”

“If the other person fainted, then it’s fine. Haha.”

...Is it really fine?

Adenart tilted her head slightly.

Even if he is a senior, that doesn’t really seem fine...

“The senior collapsed?”

“Why? Did he try to summon a dark spirit again?”

There are definitely thorns hidden in everything my friends say.

Lee Han felt slightly flustered by their indifferent reaction.

After dealing with so many strange seniors, Ilendil actually felt fairly normal by comparison.

“Yoner. Can you give me a potion?”

“Here. But Lee Han... waking up a senior you just knocked out might not be a good idea.”

“...I didn’t knock him out.”

Did I?

Lee Han felt a faint sense of guilt.

Ilendil’s collapse was likely due to his weak constitution and lack of proper training or social endurance. Still, there was also a small chance it had been caused by shock after learning Lee Han’s identity.

At least Lee Han had behaved politely in front of him.

Maybe he was simply overwhelmed by the contrast between appearance and reality...

But normally, hiding your identity means wearing a mask.

Ilendil was originally someone who avoided people and quietly tended plants and spirits in forest corners.

Yet even such a person had displayed sharp, aggressive behavior inside the Watchman Club.

Especially toward Lee Han, he had constantly harassed him over a single nickname.

“Senior, are you alright?”

“I think I had... an impossible dream...”

“Did you dream that the Principal changed?”

“...No. It wasn’t a dream.”

Ilendil stared at Lee Han with an expression full of shock, horror, confusion, and disgust.

That kind, gentle junior... was Gonadaltes!

“How...? You’re completely different...”

“It’s a disguise.”

“A disguise...?”

At his junior’s words, Ilendil became slightly interested.

Thinking about it carefully, it did make sense.

The kind junior who ★ 𝐍𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐥𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭 ★ loved spirits had been acting like a maniac in order to conceal his identity.

Since even Ilendil had not suspected anything, it could be called an excellent disguise.

“Please continue taking care of me in the future, Senior.”

“Y-yeah...”

Ilendil nodded slowly.

“Don’t forget to agree when I speak in the Watchman Club.”

“Yeah...”

While agreeing, Ilendil felt as though he was stepping into a trap.

Like misstepping into a swamp, a strange unease crept up on him.

“...Huh?”

“So, how do we recover that artifact?”

“My friends... are all helping too?”

“Yes. Is that inconvenient for you?”

Ilendil shook his head.

It wasn’t as if they were packed into a cramped space, and since everyone would be moving separately anyway, there was no reason to object.

What Ilendil was actually curious about was something else.

“How do you plan to divide the rights to the artifact?”

With two people, dividing artifact ownership was simple. With a large group, complications usually followed—compensation, disputes, future claims.

“Ah. They just came to help.”

“......”

Ilendil was genuinely shocked by his junior’s overwhelming social network.

Who would have thought that Gonadaltes from the Watchman Club had so many friends?

A faint sense of distance settled in Ilendil’s chest.

“...I see. Well, that’s good...”

“Did I do something wrong?”

“No, it’s nothing.”

***

Granden City was vast, with countless places to hide.

Even skilled trackers would struggle to locate experienced mercenaries here.

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

Angrago spoke proudly.

At his words, Nilia looked at him in horror.

Even so, how were they supposed to find mercenaries here?

This White Tiger Tower bastard...

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

Ilendil spoke calmly.

The spirit that had originally provided information was still observing the mercenaries.

The targets weren’t careless enough to act openly, but general tracking of movement was still possible.

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

“Manpower? Adventurers? Knights?”

Ilendil shook his head again.

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

The glass shattered.

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

“!”

“This is...!”

Everyone reacted in shock. The alchemy students were especially stunned.

There were liquids that could mimic shapes or commands—but not something this precise.

“Is it a spirit?”

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

“How do you even carry something like that?”

The students curiously poked at the alchemical soldier.

Seeing their reactions, Ilendil smiled faintly and joked:

“I dissolved an adventurer and turned him into shape-changing liquid... and made him remember his form.”

“......”

“......”

The second-years’ expressions instantly froze.

Ilendil, who had thought 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 in the future, Senior.”

The group quietly followed behind Ilendil, who now looked slightly more dejected than before.

The distance between him and the students had clearly widened.

“...Huh.”

“What is it?”

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

Ilendil hesitated.

Lee Han immediately understood why.

Granden City Guard Second Barracks.

Not exactly a place outsiders could casually enter.

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

“No. If people from Granden City get involved, ownership of the artifact could become complicated. Same with the Death Knights. The Principal might take it.”

For once, Ilendil spoke quickly and clearly.

As expected of Einroguard mages—there was no hesitation when it came to desire.

“Then what?”

“There’s no choice.”

Ilendil nodded firmly.

Lee Han prepared himself, expecting a reasonable plan.

“Do you have a method?”

“We set fire to the open ground to drive them out... then break in by force.”

“...I’ll just go talk to them myself.”

Lee Han immediately stopped him.

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 exhaled.

“Ah. Daihal from the Dalcard family is working there as a special administrator. I’ll ask him.”

“Oh? The Dalcard family is here?”

Asan raised his hand.

Only then did Ilendil nod in understanding.

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

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

“...What?”

“There was a chess meeting recently.”

“There was a chess meeting?!”

“...Anyway, I’ll go.”

Lee Han headed off to request help from Asan’s brother.

Ilendil watched him leave, then quietly muttered:

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