"......"

Hodrong silently wiped the coffee off his face with a handkerchief.

Yi-unrade, who had inadvertently spat coffee onto his superior, was at a loss for words, apologizing profusely.

"I’m so sorry! So, so sorry!!"

"It’s fine. Just drop it."

Once he’d finished cleaning up, Hodrong cast a suspicious look at him.

"Did Lord Gonadaltes put you up to this?"

"...No! Absolutely not!"

Yi-unrade, who had suddenly found himself under suspicion of a plot involving the Skull Principal, panicked and denied it outright.

"Why would he do something like that?"

"Oh, I can think of plenty of reasons. To distract me with spilled coffee so he could snatch my bag, or perhaps to attack while I’m away for a moment."

Hodrong’s distrust toward the Einroguard mages ran deep.

In fact, most imperial officials had a hard time trusting the mages from Einroguard.

A few officials had even been caught up in unfortunate magical accidents during previous visits to Einroguard. Lord Gonadaltes had shed tears, swearing they were pure accidents, but the officials weren’t convinced.

"Or maybe it’s some kind of emotional retaliation."

"It’s not! Really, it’s not!"

"Alright. I’ll believe you for now. But keep some distance."

Hodrong motioned for Yi-unrade to step back, still suspicious. Yi-unrade withdrew, radiating a sense of injustice.

"Right. Let’s go."

"Uh… go where, sir?"

"You heard it, didn’t you? An Einroguard student has reportedly captured a wanted criminal."

"Oh."

Yi-unrade finally remembered why he’d spat out his coffee in the first place.

He’d heard something utterly absurd.

*This is bad!*

Though the townsfolk had been shouting, “An Einroguard student caught a wanted criminal!” Yi-unrade knew better.

After all, he was an Einroguard alum himself.

People must have gotten confused. The original rumor was probably, “An Einroguard student *is* a wanted criminal!” and as it spread, it had somehow morphed into, “An Einroguard student caught a wanted criminal!”

"H-Hodrong, sir, it’s probably just a rumor! Cities are always filled with this kind of nonsense. It’s not worth wasting your time!"

As he tried to dissuade his superior, Yi-unrade couldn’t help but feel disheartened.

If only his juniors had managed things on their own, this wouldn’t be happening!

"Do you even hear yourself right now? Come on. I want to see what’s going on."

"Oh, but sir... there are lots of people around, and maybe pickpockets..."

Seeing Yi-unrade’s hesitation, Hodrong seemed even more determined to find out what those Einroguard students were up to with his own eyes.

---

"You piece of trash, unworthy of even a rusted, broken sword! May you rot in the deepest pit of the Punishment Room, your skin flayed and salted, left for the crows to pick at your flesh!"

"May you turn to stone, never to blink, buried in the deepest cell with only Professor Berduus to keep you company!"

Captured and utterly defeated, Gardam flailed and cried, desperately trying to crawl away.

He had survived countless battles, even the infamous Inkatan Rebellion, but all those experiences were rendered useless before the sheer terror of real mages.

The two mages continued to shout insults at him as they dragged him along.

"Try running again, and I’ll put a few more holes in you."

"You could’ve just surrendered and spared us all this trouble. Do you even realize how many students you’ve put at risk?"

*I don’t care, you bastards!*

Gardam internally screamed at the mages, who were spouting nonsense.

When he had broken through the front gate, using up all his magical items to block the path, he’d thought he’d escaped.

*Move! Out of the way!*

He’d shoved and kicked through the crowded main street, thinking the wall of people would keep the mages from hurling spells at him.

*A basilisk has appeared, Granden citizens! We must detain it, so please step aside!*

But the mages had cut through the crowd just as ruthlessly, pushing people aside without hesitation.

And they had no qualms about casting spells either. Deadly spells rained down on him.

*Wardanas, what if you miss?*

*I won’t, Moradi. I’ll enchant you with strengthening magic, so be ready!*

*Alright, but what about the side effects...*

Gardam had prided himself on his endurance, but the two mages had chased him relentlessly, following him no matter where he fled.

When he toppled a crate of fruit to block the way, they smashed through it. When he slipped down an alley, they summoned familiars. When he jumped into the canal, they blasted him with ice magic until he nearly froze to death.

Gardam hadn’t thought he could run this far, but pure fear had driven him.

However, even fear had its limits.

As his strength waned, his mana dissipated, and the fatigue in his muscles intensified.

*Crunch!*

A summoned panther leaped out from the side, sinking its fangs into Gardam’s ankle.

At the same time, Giselle sliced through both his arms, disarming him completely.

From behind, I-han launched a Water Core Shot, shattering both of Gardam’s legs.

"I... I su—"

"You piece of trash, unworthy of even a rusted, broken sword! May you rot in the deepest pit of the Punishment Room, your skin flayed and salted, left for the crows to pick at your flesh!"

"May you turn to stone, never to blink, buried in the deepest cell with only Professor Berduus to keep you company!"

Gardam had been about to surrender, but the mages, having chased him this far, were too furious to listen.

Gardam shouted desperately at the townsfolk.

"Help! Someone save me! The mages are..."

*Wham!*

I-han cast a silencing spell on Gardam’s chest, then quickly addressed the onlookers.

"Citizens! This man is a wanted criminal with a bounty on his head!"

"Hey, that’s Gardam the ‘Bloody Hand,’ isn’t it?"

"Yes, it is!"

*Phew.*

I-han and Giselle exchanged relieved glances.

If they’d been detained by the city guards, things could’ve turned awkward, but luckily someone recognized Gardam’s face, clearing things up.

"And who might you be?"

"Uh… we’re from the Granden City Adventurers’ Guild. Right, Kubon?"

"…Y-Yes, that’s right."

*Who’s Kubon?*

Giselle had no idea but decided to go along with it.

It would do them no good to reveal they were students.

"Aren’t you from Einroguard?"

"Yes, they must be! Look at those humble, unadorned robes, and that staff! They’re mages from Einroguard!"

"No wandering mage could cast spells like those."

"......"

"......"

I-han and Giselle exchanged horrified glances.

They’d covered the Einroguard insignias on their robes, yet they were still recognized by their shabby attire.

*What now?*

*Deny it, Wardanas. Deny it!*

"How dare you say such a thing? We’re not from Einroguard!"

I-han shouted loudly.

"We’re humble adventurers, living day by day, with the earth as our bed and the sky as our blanket…"

"Oh, but you look like a noble."

"Aren’t you a noble?"

The townsfolk eyed him suspiciously.

I-han exploded in indignation.

"I am not! How dare you make such baseless accusations!"

"But… your face…"

"Don’t judge people by their looks! My companion here… Kubon… might look sweet and innocent, but on the inside, they’re a ruthless warrior who cuts down anyone who defies them with a single stroke!"

*This little...*

Giselle swallowed her irritation but managed to keep a straight face, silently nodding as she glared at the townsfolk.

"Ah, Mage!"

One of the adventurers, passing by with his comrades, greeted them cheerfully as he recognized a familiar face.

"What brings you here? Good to see you!"

"You know them?"

"Yes, this is Wardanas, a mage from Einroguard."

"......"

"......"

Giselle shot I-han a murderous glare.

---

"...In any case, we’re not from Einroguard."

"Yes… sure."

"Got it."

The crowd, after a brief hesitation, nodded in understanding.

Their expressions seemed to say, “They’re clearly Einroguard mages, but they must have their reasons for not wanting it known.”

I-han and Giselle felt their spirits sink.

*We’re doomed.*

*Absolutely doomed.*

It felt as if their time until a trip to the Punishment Room was rapidly dwindling.

I-han glared at the fallen Gardam as if he were about to kill him. Gardam shrank, pressing his head to the ground in fear.

"Could you turn him over to the city guards?"

"Of course, we’d be honored to help. But are you sure? This was your capture, after all."

"...It’s fine."

I-han waved them off with a melancholy smile.

To the onlookers, it looked as if he were expressing that fame and riches were insignificant to a true mage.

The townsfolk were moved, visibly touched by I-han’s selfless demeanor, as if they themselves had achieved some higher understanding.

"Moradi, let’s go grab those supplies."

"...Alright. I guess we don’t have a choice," Giselle sighed, resigning herself to the situation.

With the way things had gone, there was no point in scolding Wardanas anymore. All they could do was get their shopping done as quickly as possible and head back.

“Wait, Wardanas. We didn’t stop by the mansion for money. What are we going to use?”

“We’ll just pick up the silver I left with Kubon last time. Thank you,” I-han added, as Kubon handed over the silver he’d been holding for safekeeping.

“Next silver drop’s waiting for us at the staff workshop. Let’s spend it as we head that way.”

“Are you insane?”

“What are you complaining about?”

---

Arriving late to the scene, Hodrong ordered Yi-unrade to stay put while he surveyed the area.

The respectable citizens of Granden eagerly provided Hodrong with testimonies, trusting that he, as an official working for the Empire, would take their words seriously.

"Apparently, when the mercenary threatened to unleash a basilisk, the mage threw himself right at him, seizing him with his own hands!"

“Good heavens!”

“They chased him so relentlessly, even a family feud wouldn’t warrant that kind of pursuit.”

"And why do you think they went after him so relentlessly?”

"Isn’t it obvious? That scoundrel of a mercenary was smashing property left and right and knocking people down, so the mages were furious!"

“Good heavens!”

Hodrong exhaled in disbelief as he confirmed the story multiple times, and each witness recounted a similar tale.

"So you’re saying it was a first-year student?"

"Yes, that’s correct."

Kubon nodded firmly, maintaining his sincere demeanor.

At this, the honorable citizens of Granden looked at him with skepticism.

"Could you be mistaken?”

"Everyone knows adventurers are prone to exaggeration."

"To be honest, he didn’t seem like a first-year at all. I know a bit about magic myself, and he looked more like a third-year.”

"No, he’s definitely a first-year! I even worked with him myself!”

Kubon’s outburst only made things worse in the eyes of the Granden citizens.

“Oh, sure.”

"Of course you did."

"Did I ever tell you about that time I met His Majesty the Emperor himself? Those were the days…”

"Oh, I remember! And I was actually a baron’s bastard son!”

"......"

Kubon trembled with frustration, gritting his teeth.

What made it worse was knowing that if another adventurer had told a story like his, he’d have probably thought they were full of nonsense too.

Hodrong, ignoring the townsfolk’s chatter, recorded all the testimonies and turned to his subordinate, looking impressed.

“Perhaps there is hope for Einroguard after all.”

“Hah! That’s unlikely!”

"..."

“I-I apologize. That was a reflex… I’m really, really sorry.”