Angrago, flaring up at his friends' teasing, snapped back.

“That goat just looked too pitiful! It was hanging there upside down!”

“So that’s why you got caught?”

“They say not even animals can be trusted at Einroguard.”

After a bit of chattering, the students came to a conclusion: it had to be a baseless rumor! Neither Wardanas nor Moradi was the type to stay calm in a situation like this.

---

“…!!!”

I-han and Giselle stared in horror at the mansion from down the road.

Evening had already fallen on the city. The magical streetlamps flickered on, and the once-bustling crowds were now thinning out. Along with the dusk, Death Knights had arrived—right in front of the mansion’s main entrance.

*We’re too late!*

I-han glanced at Giselle. She nodded, having already steeled herself.

“Wardanas, I have a favor to ask.”

“Say it.”

“You’re close to the principal, right? Could you ask for a separate cell in the Punishment Hall? If I have to see your face every day in there, I might snap and break it.”

“I’m not that close with him, you know?”

The Death Knights, in an attempt to blend in as imperial citizens, wore fancy, colorful cloaks—but the effort was wasted. The aura of shadow and malice clung to them, impossible to hide.

*What on earth is going on…?*

*Prisoners have escaped!*

*And what’s the master doing about it? He told us to trust his magic, but the prisoners escaped! We should’ve just kept watch!*

*Patience, my friend. The master has his own unique philosophy.*

*What could that possibly be?*

*It’s simple: prisoners should never sit passively. What a dreary existence that would be! They should thrash and struggle in vain, to give them the illusion of hope.*

*Ah… that actually makes sense. When you put it that way, I feel less angry. Our master is truly deep in thought.*

*What is there to understand?*

*And why aren’t you angry anymore?!*

Hiding themselves with invisibility magic, I-han and Giselle overheard the Death Knights’ conversation and silently cursed.

What kind of lunatic reasoning was that? Keeping the Death Knights from guarding the prisoners to let them feel hope? It was ridiculous, but ironically, this strange sense of "artistry" from the Skull Principal had worked in the students’ favor.

If the Death Knights had been on guard, escaping would’ve been much more difficult. They might not have even made it out of the mansion at all.

“Moradi, this isn’t over yet.”

Determination blazed in I-han’s eyes.

Seeing the Death Knights gathering at the main gate, it was clear they hadn’t yet figured things out. They likely thought the prisoners had escaped by their own means and would focus on chasing them, giving the students enough time to reach the portal on the mansion's upper floor and return to school.

*But how did the prisoners escape in the first place? Their magical items shouldn’t have been able to open the main gate. Could there have been a gifted mage among them?*

*Even if there was, opening the main gate would have been impossible… Unless the master’s successor had stopped by?*

“Who’s the principal’s successor?” Giselle asked, frowning.

A chill ran through I-han as a foreboding thought crossed his mind.

*That Wardanas boy wouldn’t do something so reckless. Why would such a virtuous young man release prisoners?*

*Yes, that’s true.*

“…...”

Giselle stared at I-han with an expression that defied words.

I-han opened his mouth, but there was no defense for what the Death Knight had just implied.

“That Death Knight is just nuts…”

“Sure, successor.”

*Search the area.*

One of the Death Knights clenched and released his fist, sending out a blue aura. Footprints and magical traces near the mansion’s front entrance began to appear, suspended in midair.

*…???*

*What the…?*

The Death Knights were baffled.

*Was there an attack on the mercenaries?*

*Did any of the mercenaries have magic?*

*Could they have had some kind of cursed grimoire, invoking a demon or something?*

*If that were the case, the Granden City guard would’ve notified us by now. Still, let’s inform the city guard about the escape.*

*Yes, sir.*

*The tracks seem to lead outside the gate, so search beyond the gate as well.*

*We’re saved!*

Seeing more than half of the Death Knights head outside the mansion, I-han’s eyes widened in relief.

The tracks left by the most troublesome mercenary had led the Death Knights out of the mansion.

*Though it’s not like I’m grateful!*

With renewed resolve, they headed toward the mansion’s entrance, determined to break through to the dimensional portal.

---

“Wardanas!!”

“Moradi!!”

The students waiting anxiously burst into cheers.

I-han and Giselle had made it through the portal! I-han immediately turned off the overheated artifact, which emitted a strange noise before shutting down.

“Hah… hah…”

The two of them collapsed onto the storeroom floor, too exhausted to even speak.

“…???”

“What’s wrong? Where’s the stuff?”

They couldn’t answer, merely gesturing weakly.

Angrago cautiously approached.

“Moradi, I can’t understand a word.”

“Water…” Giselle rasped, her voice hoarse.

“And a glass for me…” I-han mumbled.

“…...”

Angrago slowly stood up, prompting the other students to question him.

“What did they say?”

“Are they cursed or something? Why were they so late? And where’s the stuff?”

“…They asked for water.”

A moment later, both I-han and Giselle downed glasses of cold water, finally regaining their senses.

“So… what exactly happened?”

They shared a recount of their journey—summoning paper birds to create distractions, using skeletal hands to make noise, summoning Sharcan to break the mansion’s branches, using Gonadalthes’ amplification spell to move the closet, sending decoys to lure the Death Knights outside…

…slicing the door open, carrying Wardanas on her back up to the second-floor terrace, swinging from the chandelier to evade attention, cursing out Wardanas when he mistook the floor…

“So, what exactly happened?!” Their friends couldn’t understand any of it.

What kind of adventure had they gone through in that mansion?!

“It’s a long story,” I-han said. “Let’s split up and get back to the dorms. We need to avoid getting caught here. Oh, by the way…”

I-han’s tone grew serious, catching the attention of his friends.

“If I end up in the Punishment Hall, could you all bring me some food?”

“…...”

They couldn’t help but wonder—what on earth had really happened?!

---

“So, you were caught because of the mercenaries.”

“Right.”

“It couldn’t be helped. Just bad luck. It’s not like it’s your fault you built a reputation outside.”

In the Phoenix Tower common room, the priests tried to console I-han.

The other students had brought back so many supplies they nearly wiped out the store inventory, yet it was I-han, the one who’d worked the hardest, who was on the brink of getting caught.

Priestess Shiana sniffled sadly.

“Well, maybe with only one witness, it’ll be too unreliable to get you in trouble. Nothing else happened, right?”

---

“…We did take down a bandit.”

“…...”

“…...”

The students of the White Tiger Tower exchanged uneasy glances.

If it had been Angrago, he would have just said, “What are you doing?” But this was Giselle—if they questioned her, she might just say, “Let me show you what I’m doing” and pull out her sword.

The bravest student, Derqyu, broke the silence.

“I respect you, Moradi. That’s not something just anyone can do. True honor, I believe, is about boldly standing up for justice, even if it brings you hardship.”

“Y-yeah, Moradi, I think so too.”

“That’s right! That’s real honor!”

Encouraged, the others chimed in, and Giselle smiled, genuinely moved.

“Shut up.”

“…...”

“…...”

*I told you guys we should just stay quiet…*

An awkward silence hung in the air before Derqyu cleared his throat.

“Still, you did prevent a lot of harm.”

“Well, apparently the staff-maker’s shop was pretty secure. So who knows if that’s true.”

“Well… maybe no one saw it as bandit-like behavior. There’s still hope!”

“That’s right! If there aren’t enough reliable witnesses, the principal might not be able to justify sending you to the Punishment Hall. Let’s all stick to that story and point out any gaps!”

“Nothing else happened, right?”

“What kind of jinxed question is that? What else could have possibly happened?”

---

“…There was an accident, and I did save someone.”

“…...”

“Priestess Shiana? Why are you looking away?”

“W-well…”

Shiana couldn’t meet his gaze.

At this rate, it seemed inevitable that he’d end up in the Punishment Hall. There were likely enough witnesses to form a crowd…

“If you do go to the Punishment Hall, I’ll visit you every day.”

“Thank you… But you know how complicated and ever-changing the Punishment Hall is

, right?”

“…Three days, then. Every three days, I’ll be there for sure.”

The priests mourned the thought of I-han going to the Punishment Hall.

“I’ll bring this up with the principal! It’s just wrong that someone who helped others has to go to the Punishment Hall!”

“That’s right! Something doesn’t add up here!”

I-han shook his head in silence. He knew those appeals would never work.

*Are you in?*

“!!!”

The Death Knight knocked on the common room door, and the priests, thinking the moment had come, shot to their feet.

“We’re not in!”

*Lord Wardanas, the master wishes to see you.*

“He’s not here!”

“If you come in, I swear I’ll burn your face with Afha’s fire!”

The Death Knight’s feelings were hurt.

Typically, Phoenix Tower was the friendliest, kindest place, but this year’s priests seemed rather… harsh.

“It’s alright. Thank you, everyone. I’ll go.”

I-han calmed his friends and stood, ready to face what he had long prepared for.

---

*I’m so proud of you both!*

“…?”

“…???”

The Skull Principal greeted them with a bright voice, but they shrank back, casting wary glances his way.

It was far more terrifying when the Skull Principal praised them than when he scolded.

Why?

*Indeed, the honor of the tower shines in its chief students! Is there anything you’d like to eat?*

“Are you planning to put it in the Punishment Hall as a snack?” I-han asked skeptically, catching the sinister tone beneath the principal’s words.

The Skull Principal laughed heartily.

Taking human form (nearly making Giselle scream), he patted their shoulders with an intense grin.

*Ha ha ha ha! As if! Just a joke. Let’s not give others the wrong idea!*

“…?”

“…??”

The two shrank back further.

Why?

*True, you did ruin the exam prep books, broke my mansion, went out without permission to wander around the city, dragged other students along, and, oh, left Death Knights chasing you everywhere to figure out how you got the dimensional coordinates. But why would I send you to the Punishment Hall? Don’t misunderstand!*

“…Should we just go voluntarily?”

I-han raised his hand, volunteering for the Punishment Hall.

It seemed like it might actually be the better option.