Of course, people like Direth who suffered losses always said it was just this once and their hearts softened.

Yi-Han looked at his senior pitifully.

"I brought snacks, so tell me anytime if you need them."

"Chocolate tart? Where did you buy it?"

"I made it myself."

"...Uh, uhm."

The dark mages gathered at the city's main gate boarded the pre-rented carriage and departed.

It was like going on a picnic.

Creak creak creak creak-

If only it weren't for the old carriage that creaked as if it would break down at any moment.

"Cough. I'll have to recast the magic."

"Stop for a moment!"

The seniors stopped the carriage and rushed out to cast magic on the wheels, axles, and doors in turn.

Seeing that, Yi-Han felt ominous as if he had glimpsed an unfortunate future with divination magic.

'I heard that dark magic doesn't receive support, but to see it directly like this.'

"I think this should do it."

"It's still creaking though?"

"If we cast magic to the point of completely fixing it, the mana waste would be too severe. We have no choice but to endure this much."

"Hehe. If we dig up some decent mushrooms in the undead realm this time, we can change the carriage too. Aren't you excited?"

"...Yes!"

Yi-Han resolved to learn magic to eliminate the creaking sound first when the second semester began.

As they took the imperial road and moved away from the city, the number of houses gradually decreased, and only forests and fields began to increase.

Gainando munched on a tart while looking outside the carriage. Raphael, who was sitting by the window, annoyingly pushed Gainando's head away.

"Stop!"

At the end of the quiet road, armed soldiers and a knight were seen. They stopped the carriage, wary of it.

"What is your purpose for coming?"

"Cough. We are mages who have come to study this phenomenon."

Professor Mortum took out a permit and handed it to the soldiers.

Seeing the document stamped with a seal, the knight's face relaxed considerably.

"So you were mages."

As the empire's territory was so vast, controlling the unusual phenomena occurring in various places was no easy task.

In the case of the undead realm overlapping phenomenon, if not properly controlled, it could lead to a situation where undead waves occurred in all directions.

Even if it was discovered first and barely controlled, they still couldn't be completely relieved.

As the empire's territory was so vast, there were also many crazy people who would rush in to try to take advantage of that phenomenon.

It was natural for the knights and soldiers controlling this remote and quiet place to be on edge.

"Cough. You're all working hard."

"Seriously... I don't know why the undead realm had to overlap. Our luck is rotten... It would have been better if it were the plant spirit realm."

"The plant spirit realm would have caused quite a bit of damage too."

"Still, wouldn't it be better than the undead realm?"

"Well..."

"By the way. Which school are you mages from..."

"Cough cough cough."

Professor Mortum suddenly coughed as if he had choked on something.

The disciples beside him patted their teacher's back and said.

"Professor. Here's some water!"

"His health is quite poor..."

"Oh dear. I apologize. I kept an unwell person for too long. Hey. Let them pass."

As the soldiers stepped aside, the carriage sped off.

Professor Mortum stopped coughing and raised his head.

"Cough. Are they gone?"

"They're gone."

"..."

The first-year students watching inside the carriage looked at Direth with shocked eyes.

"...The permit was properly obtained, right?"

"I told you we got it!? Junior! Of course, what just happened was a bit unsightly, but we're not reckless enough to handle this without permission or forgery!"

Direth began to explain.

When such unusual phenomena occurred, the nearby passages were placed under control by deploying troops to block crazy people from approaching.

There was a high possibility that they were forming a siege using the nearby military camps or a few small villages to prevent access.

"What does that have to do with what you just did...?"

"Listen till the end."

In other words, not only the soldiers they just saw, but quite a few people were staying in this area!

It wasn't just soldiers standing guard, but an ecosystem of sorts had formed in this area, with people helping them stay in the village, people bringing them food and drink, and people buying mage cards for them to do while staying still.

"??"

Of course, Yi-Han didn't understand.

What does that have to do with 'I'm a dark mage' just now?

"If it becomes known that we're dark mages in this situation, we'll be the first to be suspected when an incident occurs. That's why I avoided answering a bit."

"..."

"..."

When the first-year students didn't respond, the seniors asked in an anxious voice.

"We didn't deceive them. The professor just coughed a little, that's all."

"That's right. I told you we properly obtained the permit."

"Juniors, you're not thinking of changing schools because of this, are you??"

'I should go around saying I'm a plant element mage.'

Yi-Han glanced at his staff.

Who knew the staff of the tree spirit would be helpful at times like this!

The dark magic school students who got off the carriage were divided into the pre-rented inn.

As Direth had said, the villagers weren't surprised even when a group of travelers visited. Apparently, some people were already wandering around the village.

There were curious people who heard the rumors and came to directly confirm the truth, mercenaries who seemed to have come to solve suspicious missions, and mages dressed like flame element mages for anyone to see.

"Cough. Good work, everyone. Let's rest well today and start working inside from tomorrow. Wander around the village moderately. Can I have some hot green tea?"

"Yes. Mage."

Thanks to renting the entire inn, only the students were on the first floor. The owner handed Professor Mortum a steaming cup of green tea.

The respect that imperial people usually showed to mages could be seen in that gesture.

"How does it taste?"

"It's alright."

"That's a relief. I used quite good green tea leaves. I'm glad it's not another guest but a mage drinking it. Anyway, the guys who came to the village because of this incident are all suspicious and unpleasant... The empire says they'll compensate us when it's over, but how gloomy will the village atmosphere become in the meantime? It would be nice if only people like you mages came."

"...Cough cough."

As Professor Mortum coughed, the students quickly threw down their luggage and scurried out of the inn.

It would be troublesome for both sides if they stayed and were asked what magic they used.

"There might not be much to see in a village like this, but don't wander around too much."

"Don't drink alcohol. It affects your magic tomorrow."

"Don't talk to suspicious people for too long."

"Actually, we look the most suspicious. Avoid talking about magic as much as possible. Rumors spread quickly in a small village."

The seniors gave strict instructions as if they had experienced it a few times.

Even if they were dressed like farmers, as long as they were holding staffs, people couldn't help but be curious about what kind of mages they were.

"Where are you going, senior?"

"I'm going to meet the merchants to check what materials are needed and the market price."

"I'm going to meet the knights. If we ask the knights, they can drive away suspicious guys."

Yi-Han admired the surprisingly competent seniors.

"You can go and look around a bit."

"No. I'll help too."

At Yi-Han's words, Gainando pulled on the edge of his clothes with a disgusted look.

He wanted to wander around and play.

"It's really okay..."

"You said it's okay. Yi-Han."

"What's there to do anyway?"

"There's plenty to do. Yi-Han."

"You go over there and look around."

After chasing away Gainando, Yi-Han followed Direth and approached the nearby merchants.

"It's not that difficult. There are merchants here to sell goods, but there are also merchants who have come to obtain materials."

Merchants also knew that materials would come out when an overlap phenomenon occurred.

As such, quick-witted merchants swiftly rushed over and waited in front.

Tired adventurers didn't take all the materials out with them.

"It's good to know in advance which materials are expensive or have bounties on them right now."

"Will the merchants readily tell us?"

"They usually tell mages well. They often need help."

There was an imperial proverb that said, 'If you're not a fool, don't make an enemy of a mage.'

It meant that there were many occasions when one would be indebted to a mage.

Merchants also had no reason to fight with mages as they came here to do business...

"I'm sorry. I can't tell you."

"...Huh?"

Direth was taken aback.

Did they find out they were dark mages?

"What's the reason?"

"Hmm. Mage. I'm telling you this out of respect for you. There... There's an adventurer who made a contract first. Other merchants will probably be similar to me."

'Oh no.'

Direth clicked her tongue inwardly.

If there was an adventurer who received a mission from a merchant, the story would be different.

It would be troublesome if they carelessly revealed the expensive materials now and someone else took them...

"Does this happen often?"

"No. They don't usually hire anyone. There's a higher possibility of not finding them even if you send one or two parties."

From a merchant's perspective, it was more convenient to just buy what anyone brought, rather than hiring a party and sending them in, which was risky in many ways.

If that party returned empty-handed, they would spend silver coins and gain nothing.

"I don't know what material it is, but there must be competition. I didn't know they would invest that much."

"Hmm."

Yi-Han was lost in thought, wanting to help his hardworking senior, but no method came to mind.

If they were knights, it would be possible to deceive them with a single word, but merchants weren't that easy.

'Wait. That pattern...'

Yi-Han realized that the pattern on the merchant's carriage was familiar.

It was the pattern of the Richmond family.

The family of Shyles Richmond from the Black Tortoise Tower, which operated one of the top transportation guilds in the empire.

"Are you perhaps from the Richmond family?"

"Ah. Yes."

"I'm really close with Shyles."

"...Oh, i-is that so? You know Mr. Shyles..."

"Yes. I can say he's my closest friend."

The merchant was flustered and hesitated at the sudden appearance of the close friend of the family's young master.

In the meantime, Yi-Han talked about how close he was with Shyles and the things that happened during the lecture.

"Due to the sudden heavy snowfall, we were all isolated. Shyles shouted at me to leave him behind. I couldn't just leave Shyles, so I threw my cloak to him. I did receive silver coins, but that's not important, and Shyles thanked me with tears in his eyes."

"I... I see."

The listening merchant felt something strange.

Why was there heavy snow at the school?

"Just as I helped Shyles, Shyles also wanted to help me with anything if it was my business."

"..."

"He's such a kind friend, isn't he?"

"..."

"When I go back, I'll tell Shyles that I met a merchant from his family here by chance..."

"...I'll only tell you two. You really can't tell anyone else."

"Thank you."

Seeing that, Direth put her hand on her forehead and shook her head.

The other juniors should have directly witnessed this...

"Why is the mountain ring mushroom so popular?"

Direth tilted her head after hearing the list.

In fact, the mountain ring mushroom wasn't a very popular ingredient.

Popular ingredients were usually good for health or versatile ingredients that all mages could use well.

In comparison, the mountain ring mushroom was an ingredient mainly used by dark mages.

It was an ingredient frequently used as a reagent when making curses that reduced or consumed the opponent's mana, or poisons.

"Isn't it important that it's expensive?"

"...You're really a first-year, aren't you?"

While talking, other dark magic students could be seen talking to the knights up ahead.

It didn't seem to be going well, as the students kept making requests with troubled expressions, but the knights firmly shook their heads.

"It seems they're not having much luck either."

"Senior."

"Yeah?"

"By any chance, are there any knights over there who are related to the Choi, Moradi, Alpha, Gral, or Bark families, or are there any knights related to the Chestnut Tree Knight Order or the White Wood Knight Order?"

"..."