He doubted his ears, but the words he heard did not change.

Thinking about it, Professor Voladi had always mentioned asking the giants to help prepare the final exam.

*‘I didn't think it would involve a fight...’*

There were many possible tests involving the giants.

Handling tasks assigned by the giants.

A riddle contest with the giants.

Tea time with the giants, and so on.

Among all those options, it had to be a fight.

A very simple and straightforward test, just like Professor Voladi's style.

“Is that really true?” 

I-han asked, trying to deny reality out of formality.

“Are you talking about how the giants love dancing? Of course, they do! Who in the Empire doesn't love dancing? Anyone who dislikes it lacks cultural refinement!”

*‘I dislike it...’*

Suddenly finding himself culturally inferior to giants, I-han felt uneasy.

“Not that. I mean the strange thing the giants said.”

“Oh, you mean that they want to perform a comedic dance instead of a traditional round dance, which is a bit odd, but not exactly strange...”

“I mean, about wanting to fight me.”

“Oh!”

Professor Crinbal, who had been rambling about what dances the giants preferred and which suited them best, finally remembered and nodded.

“It's true! I confirmed it several times!”

“Did they tell you what weapons they’ll use or what strategy they'll employ?”

“Well, not to that extent...”

Professor Crinbal, who usually spoke in a lively, bouncing tone, faltered this time.

The first-year student’s question had been too serious.

“The giants didn't want to fight, so I gave them a piece of advice!”

“What kind of advice...?”

I-han felt a slight sense of dread.

Advice from a professor didn’t always mean it would benefit him.

If it was something like ‘Use a sharp weapon to lessen the student's pain,’ that would be...

“Just hide!”

“Pardon?”

“If you don't want to fight, then hide! If you stay hidden throughout the final exam period, everything will be resolved!”

“No, Professor. You can't possibly solve it that way... or can you?”

I-han was confused after hearing Professor Crinbal’s words.

Strangely enough, it sounded plausible.

Or maybe it was just because he was now in a situation where he had to face the giants in a test of strength.

*‘But it's a good idea.’*

The giants hide → Professor Voladi can't find them → The final exam is automatically skipped → Full marks.

Everyone could be happy.

Of course, Professor Voladi might be a bit disappointed, but I-han trusted the professor. He would get over it.

“Thank you! Professor, I can't believe you'd give such advice.”

“Oh! It's not over yet!”

“??”

“Take this!”

To help with hiding.

- The Strong Ones.

Professor Crinbal handed him a letter written by the giants themselves.

Apparently, the giants were not a species accustomed to hiding.

Especially not when their opponent was Einroguard's famed lunatic.

“What did you just say?”

“Pardon? I said a professor of Einroguard.”

“Is... is that so? Maybe I misheard!”

Professor Crinbal thought he must have misheard.

*‘Can I really hide the giants?’*

I-han fell into thought.

The next day was the weekend, and once the weekend was over, it would be the last week at Einroguard, the final exam week.

Naturally, the weekend should be spent preparing for the final exams.

Could he study for his exams while hiding the giants?

*‘Hmm. But now that I think about it, the preparation I’ve done should be enough for the exams.’*

I-han nonchalantly calculated, an admission that would earn him disdain from other top students.

Those who diligently previewed and reviewed their material didn’t need to cram the night before an exam.

*‘If I clash with the giants, exams will be the least of my worries—I’ll be bedridden for a week...’*

“Thank you, Professor. I’ll go hide the giants.”

“Good luck! Student Wardanaz! I’ll keep it a secret from the principal!”

Professor Crinbal winked and left.

I-han, wanting to clarify ‘this isn’t the principal’s exam,’ was too late; the professor was already out of earshot.

*‘It should be fine.’*

The Skull Principal loved being hated, so this level of secrecy would probably be okay.

---

The usually hellish slaughterhouse atmosphere of Einroguard was a little more relaxed on Friday afternoons.

Students who had finished their lectures were lazing around, waiting for the weekend.

Some sat on the lawn in front of the main building, playing wizard cards or chess, while others played polo on foot in a nearby field.

One student brought a chair to read *Toberiz Uncovering the Schemes of the Wicked Warlock*, while another was struggling to write a letter, fighting against Einroguard’s many curses.

But this week was different.

Faces were solemn with the impending final exams. Even those who usually showed no interest in studying were carrying several books.

“Let’s go.”

“Yes.”

Thud, thud, thud—

When the students of the Blue Dragon Tower, with serious expressions, walked by, the priestess Tiziling, who had been praying, asked curiously.

“What brings you here?”

“Priestess, could you call Wardanaz for us?”

“Ah, yes. What should I tell him it’s regarding?”

“Help with studying...”

“...Oh, okay.”

The priestess’s eyes briefly showed a look of pity.

The Blue Dragon Tower students flushed with embarrassment at that look.

*‘Is she looking at us with pity?’*

*‘It must be my imagination. Priestesses wouldn’t do that.’*

Of course, the students had their reasons.

It wasn’t as if they hadn’t studied at all or were trying to lean entirely on Wardanaz.

They had studied, but they wanted to double-check things they might have missed or misunderstood by asking the top student.

“So, we have nothing to be ashamed of. Got it?”

“Right. Well said.”

“...?”

Ardenarte, who was among them, tilted her head.

She’d been persuaded by her friends to join, but now that she heard what they were saying, it didn’t seem like such a good group after all.

Would staying with them make her look like a lazy student?

“Hey. Did you guys all study without me? Because I haven’t done it yet??”

“Shh. Be quiet, Gainan.”

“We need to maintain our dignity in front of students from other towers.”

“Even if you didn’t study, just say you did. Say you’re just double-checking.”

“......”

“Princess, where are you going?”

“...I left something in my private room.”

Ardenarte tried to slip away.

Since she could study alone, she didn’t want to get weird looks from the other tower students.

Of course, her followers wouldn’t let her go that easily.

“Shall I get it for you?”

“No...”

“What did you leave behind?”

“It’s...”

“Probably a snack.”

Gainan shoved the remaining cookie into his mouth.

When studying began, he knew he’d hear ‘Are you here to eat or solve problems, you fool?’ so he had to eat in advance.

Gainan was almost moved by his own cleverness.

“What are you saying!”

“To whom!”

“W-wasn’t it a snack?”

Creak—

“What are you guys doing?”

The sound of the door opening was followed by I-han stepping out of the tower.

The students were delighted to see Wardanaz...

...but then hesitated in confusion.

“What are *you* doing?”

Wardanaz was fully armored, as if ready to enter a mountain range.

“Where are you going?”

“I need to visit the mountains.”

“Why?”

“I have some things to do for the final exam. Are you all here to study together? That’s commendable. You’ve read the materials I told you to study, right?”

“Uh...”

“Ugh...”

“Well...”

The students exchanged glances quickly.

“Y-yeah, we read... the beginning part, at least.”

“I-I read it too. ‘To those who inherit this book, I dedicate these words.’”

*‘That’s just the preface.’*

I-han quickly assessed his friends' level and clicked his tongue.

Ardenarte hid behind her followers, too embarrassed to be associated with them.

“Sorry, but I need to go to the mountains, so I can’t help. Oh, Princess, could you assist them instead?”

Ardenarte, who had been trying to stay unnoticed, looked up in surprise.

She couldn’t understand how she’d been found out.

*‘Was I really hiding?’*

I-han found her reaction odd.

If her followers were gathered, wouldn’t she naturally be there? Did hiding even make sense?

“I’m sure the Princess can help guide you all sufficiently.”

“Ah. Yes. I’ll try...”

“Good luck, everyone.”

As I-han bid them farewell and prepared to leave, his friends instinctively tried to stop him.

“Wait! Wardanaz!”

“??”

“You can’t just leave us. We’ll help you!”

“Right. We’re friends!”

When the Blue Dragon Tower students loudly volunteered, I-han looked at them with a cold stare instead of feeling touched.

“Just study.”

“......”

“Ugh...”

Gainan discreetly set down the backpack he had been ready to carry.

---

*‘This is a dilemma.’*

Climbing up the mountain, I-han was deep in thought.

Hiding giants was

 not an easy task.

It would be nice if he could get some help...

*‘I wonder if Ikurusha will cooperate.’*

Unlike the other giants, Ikurusha was wise and intelligent and had a friendly relationship with Professor Voladi.

Would someone like that betray Voladi's trust and help I-han?

It was hard to be sure.

*“I’ll cooperate.”*

“Of course, it’d be tough... Excuse me!?”

*“I said I’ll cooperate.”*

“Are you sure about this?”

*“Is that even a question?”*

Ikurusha burst into hearty laughter, looking down at I-han.

*“Do you want to know why?”*

“Yes.”

*“Then listen well.”*

Ikurusha lowered his voice as if about to share a secret.

*“Normally, if a first-year student is made to fight a giant, wise people would try to stop it.”*

“......”

That was true.

“I thought you wouldn’t because of your promise with the professor.”

*“I can’t issue direct orders, but helping out is another story. And having the <Giant Slayer> Archmage show up wouldn’t be good for any giant...”*

Although Professor Voladi had asked Ikurusha to get along with I-han and facilitate the test, Ikurusha wasn’t keen on pitting a first-year student against a giant.

The only one who would enjoy that would be a mad wizard like Gonadaltes, and Ikurusha was far from insane.

How much blood would be shed if an injured student bore a grudge and sought revenge against the giants later?

*‘What did he mean by that?’*

Of course, I-han didn’t fully understand.

*“So, have you thought about how to hide them?”*

“I was planning to survey the terrain here first. The professor will search once the giants disappear, so I thought I’d check the most hidden spots.”

*“What about inside the school?”*

“...Excuse me?”

*“I mean inside the school. Einroguard’s main building. There isn’t a better place, as far as I know.”*

“The main building... certainly has many hiding places, but...”

I-han was taken aback by Ikurusha’s suggestion.

Of course, Einroguard’s main building, with its long history, had vast, almost infinite space.

Even the Skull Principal himself couldn’t fully grasp its extent.

If he searched well, there would surely be enough places to hide the giants.

*‘But can I move them?’*

But moving them was the problem.

Even if the giants listened to him, taking those impulsive beings down the mountain and into the main building?

“Do you think I could practice an invisibility spell powerful enough to cover all the giants?”

*“...That’s not what I meant.”*

Ikurusha looked exasperated at the first-year student who seemed intent on using brute-force magic.