# Episode 7
'It looks like a mix of reishi mushrooms and ginseng.'
That was Lee Han's first thought when he saw the herb they had to find.
It was called >Dokuochi (瀆汚草)>, and it was used to make antidotes.
"Have you dealt with it before?"
"Yes."
"That's a relief."
Lee Han felt reassured hearing that Yoner had dealt with it before.
Distinguishing between the countless herbs and plants scattered across the hills, fields, and near the forest was quite challenging.
Even with a picture of the herb, it was easy for a novice to get confused.
In that sense, having an experienced person was reassuring.
"But… it's a bit risky for just the two of us to move around."
"Is it dangerous?"
"Of course. It's better to move in groups of at least three. Maybe we shouldn't have hit Gainan."
"He wouldn't have come with us anyway."
Yoner smiled at Lee Han's words.
"Shall we just walk around together then?"
"No. I don't want my name on the casualty list."
Einrogarde had many notorious rumors befitting its reputation.
Magic was such a dangerous field that accidents and deaths were not uncommon.
Before entering, Lee Han had accepted this as inevitable.
No matter how much the professors cared, accidents would happen.
But now that he was here…
'Isn't everyone just generally careless?'
From professors to students, Einrogarde seemed to have a disregard for life. By modern standards, they all seemed a bit insane.
"Casualty list… Don't make creepy jokes with that face. It doesn't suit you."
"I wasn't joking."
"It's scarier if you're not joking. Hmm. It would be better to go with someone from our tower."
Yoner looked around.
She was thinking of asking one of the Blue Dragon tower students to join them.
But there was no one around.
"Uh… are we doomed?"
"Can't we ask the princess?"
"You're surprisingly keen on talking to her? She seems really prickly."
"We're looking for herbs, not holding a ball."
Yoner nodded at Lee Han's words. He had a point.
"But it seems we're too late."
A few students were already gathered around Adenart.
The princess must have felt the need to move in a group and had already formed a party.
"Wait, is that a Black Tortoise tower freshman with her?"
Lee Han felt a bit indignant.
If they were going to avoid him because of his Wodanaz family name, they should avoid the princess too.
But surprisingly, a few of the students gathered around the princess were from the Black Tortoise tower.
"Well, she was famous even before entering…"
Famous people were famous even before entering.
Adenart was renowned for her intelligence and remarkable talents among the royals.
It was natural for nobles and commoners to gather around her as soon as she entered.
"Was she?"
"…Even someone from the Wodanaz family should read the news, right?"
"I usually only read >Empire's New Ventures>. I'm not interested in >News of the Royals>."
"Oh. That was an interesting one. Did you see the idea about giving coins back to adventurers who returned used potion bottles instead of leaving them in dungeons? Isn't that a good idea?"
"It was a good idea."
"…But this isn't the time to talk about that."
Yoner regained her focus. The conversation had gone off track.
"Even just reading >News of the Royals> would have told you how famous Adenart is. So it's natural for people to gather around her."
"Did Gainan have anything like that?"
"No."
"I see. Gainan is really nothing special."
"Absolutely nothing."
Gainan, who was drinking a potion in the infirmary, was unfairly attacked.
"Then let's give up on the princess and look for someone else."
"Do you think that's possible? It seems like only Black Tortoise tower students are left."
At Yoner's words, Lee Han frowned.
'Hmm.'
Indeed, it seemed only the Black Tortoise tower students were left.
Of course, if they just grabbed someone and asked them to join, some might agree.
But they needed to be able to work together without hindering each other.
Most importantly…
'It would be good if they were capable.'
When working in a group, the key was each member's ability.
Lee Han looked around and found a suitable candidate.
* * *
Nillia, a freshman from the Black Tortoise tower, was a dark elf from the empire's northern >Shadow Patrol>.
The >Shadow Patrol> was a group of excellent hunters and scouts who roamed the northern mountains like their backyard.
Having been born in such a place, Nillia was confident in navigating forests and mountains.
'This isn't too hard.'
Although she hadn't seen Dokuochi before, finding it was easy once she knew what it looked like.
She couldn't be compared to novice students who had never set foot in a forest or mountain.
In fact, after entering Einrogarde, Nillia felt a sense of inferiority.
There were too many outstanding freshmen, even within the Black Tortoise tower.
New nobles, famous merchant families from the empire, and even freshmen with renowned adventurers as parents.
Among them, Nillia, who had spent her life running through forests and mountains before being invited to the school, couldn't help but feel inferior.
The magic classes she had taken for the first time were overwhelming…
So encountering a class like this naturally boosted Nillia's spirits.
'Hmph. Just wait. I'll find it much faster than the others.'
Nillia planned to quickly find Dokuochi on her own.
While others grouped up due to their unfamiliarity with forests and mountains, Nillia was confident alone.
"Hmhm."
"?"
Nillia was slightly surprised when someone approached her. It was a pretty girl with red hair.
"…Who are you?"
"I'm Yoner from the Meikin family. And this is…"
"I'm Lee Han. Nice to meet you."
Hearing their introductions, Nillia thought Yoner was a noble and Lee Han was not.
Usually, nobles introduced themselves with their family names.
'But he's from the Blue Dragon tower?'
"Why didn't you say your family name?"
"Because you didn't say yours…"
Yoner looked at Lee Han in disbelief.
Why introduce yourself and not mention your family name?
"Isn't it too troublesome to mention your family name every time you introduce yourself? Later on, you'd have to start with the head of the family and where the family land is."
"Nobles do that at parties, don't they?"
"..."
At Yoner's words, Lee Han looked genuinely disgusted.
Seeing this, Nillia spoke with a wary voice.
"If you're going to chat, do it somewhere else. Why are you doing this here?"
"Would you like to join us?"
"!"
Nillia was startled by Lee Han's words.
She hadn't expected it.
"What's your angle?"
Nillia looked at Lee Han with hostile eyes.
She didn't have a good opinion of noble family members.
Even in the north, nobles would sometimes visit the mountains and wrinkle their noses, wondering how anyone could live there.
Even when the hunters offered their best food and beds, the nobles would complain about the taste and discomfort, constantly grumbling about the poor hospitality.
Some scouts even joked about pushing the nobles off cliffs while pretending to guide them.
Having grown up in such an environment, Nillia had no reason to view Blue Dragon tower students favorably.
"It's disadvantageous to wander around alone in such a wide area. If monsters appear, at least three are needed."
"Hmph. I don't need that."
Nillia scoffed and refused. Lee Han wasn't surprised and asked,
"May I ask why?"
"Why do you need to know?"
"If we understand your reason for refusing, we can understand what kind of person you are. Hmm. Let me guess."
Lee Han paused for a moment before speaking.
"Could it be that you thought we would use you as bait or abandon you if you were in danger? That would be a grave insult to both of our honors."
"…That's not it."
No one could say 'yes' to such a question from two noble family members.
Even if Nillia disliked them, she couldn't say that.
"Then do you think you can handle it alone?"
"That's exact…"
"You wouldn't think that, right? No matter how skilled you are, you never know what might happen in the forest and mountains. And you have to carefully collect the herb, not just find it. Thinking you can do all that alone would be foolish. You don't seem like that type of person. Hmm. I really don't know the reason."
"…Fine. I'll go with you!"
Nillia huffed and turned around.
Seeing that, Lee Han nodded in satisfaction. Yoner looked at Lee Han in surprise.
'What do they teach at the Wodanaz family?'
* * *
Nillia walked quickly and lightly.
Leading the way, she moved swiftly and efficiently, like a seasoned hunter.
Yoner asked Lee Han curiously,
"She moves really well, but how did you know and approach her?"
"Her leg and calf muscles were developed, and there were calluses on her hands and fingers. Those are from handling a bow. Only experienced hunters have those."
"!"
"…!"
Not only Yoner but also Nillia, who was walking ahead, shivered.
To think he deduced her background from such details.
Having underestimated him as just another noble, Nillia realized Lee Han was not to be taken lightly.
As if he could see through people's minds…
"Just kidding. She had a >Shadow Patrol> badge on her belt. If she's from there, she must be good in the mountains."
"..."
Nillia turned her head and glared at Lee Han.
Yoner laughed and asked,
"Were you listening?"
"I wasn't listening!"
"Come on. Walk with us. Adjust your pace."
"Why should I match your pace?"
Lee Han replied to Nillia's question,
"Because Yoner is the one who can identify the herbs here. If she collapses from exhaustion, we'll have to find them ourselves."
"..."
Nillia was silenced again. Her pride wouldn't let her argue further.
"Fine. I'll slow down."
"Oh. As expected of the Shadow Patrol, wise…"
"Are you mocking me?? Huh??"
"It's a compliment."
Frustrated at constantly losing to Lee Han, Nillia turned her attention to him.
"She can identify the herbs, and I'm the guide. What's your skill? What's your role?"
'She'll get mad if I say freeloading, right?'
Lee Han stopped himself. There was no need to provoke her.
"I'm the one who drives away wild animals or monsters that appear."
"..."
Nillia was silenced again. The person responsible for driving away monsters in the mountains was important.
Lee Han seemed to be from a knight family. His tall frame and well-toned physique suggested so.
'…Wait? Knights belong to the White Tiger tower, don't they?'
"I didn't catch it earlier. What's your family?"
"Wodanaz. The Wodanaz family."
"..."
Nillia recoiled with a disgusted expression. Lee Han felt slightly hurt.