**Graduate Student Lee Han**
Born as the youngest member of a prestigious wizard family in another world.
- I will never enter school again!
'What is your goal?'
'To play and eat for the rest of my life...'
'Yes. You must feel your talent as well. Go to the magic school Einrogarde!'
'Master!'
Graduating from the magic school guarantees a lifetime of security. Do your best to graduate!
## Episode 1
I will never go to graduate school again. Now, I will live for myself!
... After graduating from a difficult graduate program, Korean Lee Han vowed so.
He swore never to set foot in any place with the character 'Hak' (학, meaning school).
However, things did not go as planned.
After a tragic accident, Lee Han was reborn into the prestigious wizard family of Wodanaz in another world.
Fifteen years have passed since then.
Today was the day Lee Han was to enter Einrogarde, the empire's top magic school.
* * *
Reborn into the Wodanaz family, Lee Han was initially confused, then amazed, and finally accepted it.
Fortunately, the Wodanaz family was a very powerful wizard family in the empire.
Lee Han's father, the head of the family, was a remarkable man who was even close to the emperor, and the family's mansion was wealthy beyond anyone's imagination.
Lee Han couldn't help but think:
- Am I being rewarded for attending graduate school in my previous life?
A life of playing and eating comfortably without any hardship.
... Of course, it was a misconception.
The Wodanaz family was not as easy as it seemed.
- Lee Han Wodanaz.
- Yes, Master.
- What is your goal?
- ...
'Can I answer that I want to play and eat for the rest of my life?'
Lee Han hesitated. It didn't seem like a good answer.
- Did I ask an unnecessary question? Well, the answer must be obvious.
- Yes?
- You must feel your talent as well.
- Yes?
- You know the rules of the Wodanaz family. The firstborn inherits everything.
- Yes?????
The last words were quite shocking.
Inherit everything?
Does that mean the second-born and below receive nothing??
- Master, does that mean I receive nothing?
- No, Lee Han Wodanaz.
'That's a relief.'
- The family will give you every opportunity. If you want to become a knight, the best knight will be found for you. If you want to become a bureaucrat, you will have the opportunity to learn from the empire's chancellor. If you want to become a merchant, you will have the chance to work under the empire's top merchant. As long as you are in the family, you will be given every opportunity you desire!
'... Can't you just give me that in money?'
The things just mentioned would be worth an enormous amount if converted to money...
The family's rules were very unreasonable.
'Damn it. If only I had been born a bit earlier, I could have lived a life of ease.'
Lee Han regretted his laziness for being born as the third child of the family.
The firstborn inherited everything.
The rest had to fend for themselves.
As a result, Lee Han had to think deeply from a young age about what he should do to live well.
Bureaucrat, merchant, knight, adventurer...
The only fortunate thing was that the family provided support even though they didn't inherit wealth.
The head's children could learn and gain whatever opportunities they desired.
Ultimately, Lee Han chose the path of a wizard.
- I knew it.
Lee Han's father, the head of the family, was very satisfied.
- You must have felt your talent as well?
- ...??
'I chose it because being a wizard is the most stable...'
In reality, being a wizard was indeed a very safe profession.
In the empire, wizards were respected by everyone and it was a profession that even nobles were proud to have.
Moreover, if you had the skills, you would be in demand everywhere.
Knighthoods needed wizards, adventurer guilds needed wizards, the emperor's officials needed wizards...
- Go to Einrogarde. There, collide with countless seeds of wizards and grow. That experience will complete you.
Einrogarde was the top magic school in the empire.
As the most traditional and powerful magic school, the name itself held immense power.
Simply graduating safely from Einrogarde guaranteed a minimum level of fame.
Of course, no one was satisfied with just that.
People aimed to achieve outstanding accomplishments at school, catch the eye of professors for recommendations, or build connections with other students...
Einrogarde, being the top magic school in the empire, was also the top networking institution.
Even Lee Han, who shuddered at the thought of returning to anything resembling graduate school, had no choice but to enter.
- Yes, I will do so.
'Yes. Just endure and graduate... Think of it as an investment for the future.'
* * *
The elderly knight, Alarong, saluted Lee Han respectfully.
"Lee Han Wodanaz."
"Thank you for escorting me this far."
"It was nothing."
Alarong was a knight of the Wodanaz family.
Normally, he wouldn't have to personally escort Lee Han, but he volunteered to escort him from the capital to Einrogarde himself.
It was because of his relationship with Lee Han.
"I didn't expect you to come just because I learned swordsmanship from you..."
"I didn't come because you learned swordsmanship from me, but to ensure that others couldn't ignore the name Wodanaz."
"Whatever the reason."
Alarong spoke sternly, but Lee Han smiled. He knew Alarong's personality.
Though strict and serious, Alarong had a deep heart. He volunteered out of concern for Lee Han.
When Lee Han smiled, Alarong cleared his throat awkwardly.
"Ahem. To be honest, I was pleased when you asked me to teach you swordsmanship."
The Wodanaz family was a wizard family.
There weren't many who tried to learn swordsmanship.
The reasons Lee Han learned swordsmanship were twofold.
One was the belief that learning anything would be useful in the future.
Especially swordsmanship, which would be essential for self-defense.
The second was...
He was incredibly bored.
Surprisingly, the Wodanaz family didn't teach any magic.
- You can't learn magic until you're fifteen because it's dangerous!
In this world, one was roughly considered an adult at fifteen.
Magic was the most difficult and dangerous of all studies.
It made sense that it couldn't be handled before becoming an adult.
Of course, for Lee Han, who was mentally older, it was quite unfair...
"Look. Other noble children also brought escorts to maintain the family's honor."
"That seems a bit excessive, doesn't it?"
Lee Han was dumbfounded by the procession of carriages filling the imperial road.
Even for a noble's face, bringing ten carriages and dozens of cavalry seemed too much.
Moreover...
"Isn't it forbidden to bring escorts, servants, attendants, or slaves inside?"
"Yes."
Einrogarde was an old traditional magic school.
One of its traditions was 'equality.'
Anyone could enter, whether they were royalty or slaves, but they had to enter with nothing but their bodies.
It was pointless to bring so many people since they had to enter alone.
"I suppose some will wait in nearby villages."
"... Do they go that far?"
Lee Han asked with a weary expression.
Even after fifteen years of being reborn here, there were still many aspects of noble thinking he couldn't understand.
They would enter the enormous magic school and might come out once a month, if at all, yet they prepared to wait in nearby villages.
"I heard some have already bought buildings. There are even specific buildings sold for that purpose in nearby villages."
"I'm fine without that. Sir."
"We also bought a modest mansion, though..."
"..."
Lee Han cursed inwardly.
If they had that money, they could have just saved it and given it to him later...!
Extravagant spending was okay, but giving Lee Han extra money was not.
The family's rules were unreasonable.
"The capital is far. Lee Han. A noble must always be prepared for any eventuality."
"Yes. It's reassuring."
Lee Han mounted his horse.
Some were bringing in carriages, but he thought it would be easier to ride his horse to the front gate.
'If I wait for all the carriages to pass, the sun will set.'
"Then, sir. Thanks again for bringing me here."
"It was my honor to escort you, Lee Han."
Alarong was sincere.
Among the family's children, Alarong liked Lee Han the most.
A person who knew seriousness and humility.
"The master also praised your talent, Lee Han."
"No need to make things up to flatter me. But thanks anyway."
"No, it's true..."
* * *
The magic school Einrogarde was far from the capital where the imperial palace was located.
According to rumors, the location was chosen because the land was full of magic.
Indeed, the surrounding landscape gave a strong impression of vast nature.
Behind the school was a massive mountain range that seemed endless, and to the side flowed a wide and winding river...
Closing his eyes, Lee Han could feel the infinite mana of nature as if it were in the air.
"This... This is wrong."
"??"
Lee Han looked at the boy who spoke next to him with curiosity.
Here, you could tell someone's status just by looking at their clothes.
Luxurious outerwear embroidered with silk and gold thread. Hands and face without calluses.
It was clear he was from a noble family.
'Should I call someone?'
The boy's face was pale and trembling, indicating something was wrong.
Could it be a magic-related problem?
"What's wrong? Are you okay?"
"I... I..."
"Yes. What's the problem?"
"I can't sleep without my servant..."
"..."
Lee Han resisted the urge to hit him.
'This guy...'
The reason was so trivial that it made him regret worrying.
But it seemed to be a very serious issue for the boy.
"Not bringing my servant is like cutting off my hands and feet. It's the same as asking me to cut off my hands and feet!"
"That's logical."
Lee Han listened half-heartedly and let it go.
But the boy seemed encouraged by Lee Han's half-hearted words.
"Right? I need to protest."
"... How do you plan to protest?"
"They should allow us to bring servants! It's an injustice to the family's name!"
"Yes. Good luck with that."
Lee Han encouraged him, thinking that there was no way a tradition kept for thousands of years would be broken because of one boy.
The boy ran off and soon returned with a blank expression.
"?"
"I reflect, I reflect, I reflect..."
"…!!!"
Lee Han was shocked.
'Mind control magic!'
It was clear the boy had been affected by a spell like charm or domination, judging by his dazed muttering.
The magic itself wasn't surprising. Lee Han had heard of it.
What was surprising was that the school's wizards used such magic on a noble family member without hesitation.
'... They say they bury a person in the back mountain if someone dies. I hope that's not true.'
Lee Han felt uneasy, recalling the rumors he had heard before coming here.
- Welcome to Einrogarde, everyone.
It wasn't a loud voice but one that seemed to be directly transmitted to everyone's mind.
Boom!
Simultaneously, the front gate of Einrogarde opened.
- Come in, iron heads!
All the new students frowned deeply.
It wasn't because of the voice's harsh words.
Being talented in magic, they all felt the overwhelming magical pressure of Einrogarde.
Was this what it felt like to look at the sun with the naked eye?
Was this what it felt like to try to beat a giant with bare hands?
Neigh!
Horses neighed.
Some who had brought carriages tried to enter with them.
- And I said to come in with nothing....
With the voice, the carriages suddenly disappeared.
The noble girls inside the carriages screamed as they fell.
More than ten carriages disappeared, and the screams of boys and girls were heard.
- It's okay, iron heads! Even if you try to break the rules, this school will make you follow them.
"..."
Some, like Lee Han, who were quick-witted, realized that this school was as terrifying as rumored, and their expressions hardened.
- Move your butts! Enter! Enter!! Enter!!!!
"..."
"..."
* * *
Lee Han always had a habit of observing. That habit intensified after coming to this world.
Everything was new and amazing, making observation enjoyable.
And now, there were easily over a hundred boys and girls gathered here.
Royalty, nobles, knights, priests, merchants, adventurers, beggars, etc., their attire varied widely.
And these boys and girls were already forming groups.
Connections were essential for the long school life ahead.
"Lee Han of the Wodanaz family?"
"Yes. You recognized me without the family crest?"
In line with the tradition of equality, wearing the family crest was forbidden.
But there were still ways to recognize each other.
For instance, Lee Han had recognized a few royals and nobles he had seen before.
"I am Yoner. Yoner Meikin."
A girl with slightly curly, shoulder-length vivid red hair and softly curved eyes stood before him.
The Meikin family.
The Meikin family was also a famous wizard family in the empire.
The difference was that the Meikin family was more active in the empire's politics.
In contrast, the Wodanaz family was more reclusive.
The head of the family often secluded himself for magic research, even at the emperor's request...
"Nice to meet you, Yoner. What brings you here?"
"His Highness the Prince wants to see you."
Yoner pointed behind her.
A boy dressed in the most luxurious clothes among those present was waving at Lee Han.