"Friends! I think I'm feeling better now!" exclaimed the student with the broken ankle. The other students from the White Tiger looked at him with expressions that seemed to say, 'What nonsense are you talking about?'

"Are you saying this because you feel guilty about calling Professor Garcia again? Of course, we feel sorry too. But there's nothing we can do, given your injury," one of them remarked.

'What fools,' Yi-Han cursed the White Tiger students in his mind.

If they felt guilty about causing accidents and calling Professor Garcia, shouldn't they stop engaging in such violent sports?

"No, it's not that. Wardanaz gave me first aid, and now I feel better," the injured student clarified.

"First aid? Ah, healing magic," they realized, recognizing the kind of magic Yi-Han had used.

Not all students who had come to learn about healing magic were from the Immortal Phoenix. Among the White Tiger students, quite a few were interested in healing magic, especially those who operated in border regions or battlefields where such magic was essential.

"Ctran, that won't be enough," they argued.

"Right, what are you talking about?" another added.

The White Tiger students, learning about healing magic, were not easily persuaded. Especially the beginners, for whom healing magic could be dangerous. Even if it seemed to have worked, the bone might not have set properly or could have healed in the wrong direction.

"Even if it's Wardanaz... Oh, Wardanaz, I didn't mean to offend you. You know that, right?"

"For your information, there are eight of us, Wardanaz. Eight."

"Why emphasize the number? What's the intention?"

"Ah, nothing. Just that there are eight of us..."

The White Tiger students' voices trailed off in embarrassment.

"I agree we should call the professor. If I knew she would be called, I wouldn't have administered first aid. It was just a temporary measure."

"See? Even Wardanaz says so. We need proper healing magic, Ctran."

"I really am okay, though..."

While they were arguing, Professor Garcia arrived.

Seeing the sticks in the hands of the White Tiger students, she asked, "Did you get hurt playing hard again?"

"No, it's not that..."

"Just... fell while running..."

The students awkwardly tried to hide their sticks. Yi-Han sighed at their foolishness.

'Foolish idiots.'

If they had to hide it, they should have done so earlier. How could they survive in Einroguard with such a careless attitude...

"I'm not angry, just asking," said Professor Garcia, though she didn't seem very convincing.

There were a few people who could instill fear without getting angry, and Professor Garcia was one of them.

"So, who is injured?"

"Here, Ctran."

"He's not injured, is he?"

Professor Garcia looked puzzled. The White Tiger students, in a rush, started to explain.

"It might look fine on the outside, but we don't know what's going on inside!"

"The ankle was dislocated, and Wardanaz only gave first aid..."

"Ah, I see."

Professor Garcia swung her staff, aiming to assess the student's ankle condition accurately.

Suddenly, her expression turned grave, startling the White Tiger students.

"Is there a problem?"

"Could Wardanaz have made such a mistake?"

"Healing magic can be more dangerous if attempted recklessly."

'I guess I'll have to resort to the story of the Good Samaritan if they blame me,' Yi-Han thought.

While they were occupied with their differing thoughts, Professor Garcia finished pondering and called Yi-Han aside.

"Student Yi-Han, could you come here for a moment?"

"Is there a significant problem?" Yi-Han asked.

"No, not really," replied Professor Garcia, whispering so softly that the other students couldn't hear. "It's healed very well."

"Uh, isn't that a good thing?" Yi-Han was puzzled.

If the bone had healed properly, why the need for such a serious expression?

"It's good for that student, but the situation is a bit different for you, Student Yi-Han."

The difference between having a talent for healing magic and being able to heal a friend's injury so cleanly was substantial. The wound wasn't severe, but healing a living person so flawlessly, without any mistakes or side effects, was an impressive feat, considering even some second and third-year students couldn't perform flawlessly on people...

??

Yi-Han was even more bewildered. He understood that using healing magic in real life was more challenging than he thought, but if he had managed to do it successfully, wasn't that a good thing?

"Listen carefully, students learning healing magic often go out to help with external work, right?"

"I've heard that," Yi-Han replied.

"You might be taken along for those tasks..."

"But I'm only a first-year student," Yi-Han was alarmed at Professor Garcia's words.

Even though he had successfully healed a sprained ankle, being deployed for tasks requiring a healing mage seemed excessive.

"Its a different story if youve accomplished something like this even as a first-year student. If you can do it once, you can do it twice, and with more practice, you become skilled..."

'Is she friends with Professor Boladi?'

Yi-Han's opinion of Professor Alkasis plummeted.

Professor Garcia's casual remarks were something Boladi would say...

"Actually, seeing how you fixed that bone earlier, I think you could be trained in practical sessions."

"I don't think so," Yi-Han firmly disagreed.

Healing a White Tiger student's sprained ankle was one thing, but aiding numerous critical patients was quite another. Yi-Han didn't feel confident enough to dive into the latter task. After all, he was just a first-year student!

"That's why I'm saying this. Don't go around telling anyone that you healed the ankle of a White Tiger student, okay?"

"I understand. Thank you."

Yi-Han felt genuinely grateful for his teacher's wisdom. Where else in the world of magic academy could one find such a professor?

"What's going on, Wardanaz? What happened??" The White Tiger students were terrified when Yi-Han turned around with a joyful face.

"It's nothing. The bones inside were growing incorrectly and were shattered, but Professor Garcia took care of it," he said.

The White Tiger students threw fearful glances at Yi-Han. It certainly wasn't the kind of news to be delivered with such a happy expression.

The approaching final exams were palpable.

In the morning, instead of chatting or joking around, the friends sitting in the lounge were engrossed in their books or scribbling with quills, as if in a trance.

'Everyone's working so hard.'

Yi-Han was no different. In one hand, a book; in the other, a rice ball. His familiar demeanor exuded a sense of calmness on another level compared to the other students.

"Let's go."

"Cough, cough."

During mealtime, Gainando, who firmly believed it was disrespectful not to focus entirely on the meal, choked on his food at Yi-Han's words.

"I'm still eating. Cough, cough."

"Got it. I'll give you five minutes, so hurry up and finish."

"..."

Gainando sent a pleading look, but it had no effect on Yi-Han.

"Choke..."

"Eat quickly. We have to go make an undead contract."

As much as the pre-final assignments piled up, they had to be tackled whenever there was spare time.

Procrastinating even a little could result in being overwhelmed by the avalanche of assignments.

The assignment to be finished this morning was on summoning magic.

Gainando and the others, still without a contract, planned to find an undead from the undead realm to make a contract, while Yi-Han, already made a contract, was looking to find more.

'I hope I can find a skeleton mage.'

It was a wish unfulfilled since last time.

"Why are you joining us when you've already made a contract? What's your ulterior motive?"

Raphael gruffly addressed Yi-Han upon seeing him.

Ymirg and Gainando tried to dissuade Raphael, as if asking what he was talking about.

"Do... Do you think it's too much to ask for help?"

"Aren't you oblivious?! What if Yi-Han really decides not to help! Go in there alone, you fool!"

Raphael was slightly overwhelmed by Gainando's fierce reaction and stepped back.

"If you tell me to go alone, I might not be able to..."

"Everyone, quiet down. Stop fighting."

Yi-Han scolded them sharply.

Whether Raphael went alone or not was none of Yi-Han's concern, but he wanted to bring Raphael along if possible.

'A party is always stronger with a sturdy shield.'

As felt during the last venture, having a vanguard to attract and robustly block the enemies' attention was indeed convenient.

Especially if Raphael was absent, Yi-Han would have to assume that role!

"Yi-Han. Look at that guy!"

"Raphael probably didn't mean any harm. His words may be harsh, but he's not a bad guy."

Of course, Yi-Han thought Raphael was a hot-tempered guy, but he could appease him until they entered.

"And Raphael, I understand your misunderstanding. I could submit my assignment as it is, but I'm not the type to abandon my friends just because I'm done."

'Ideally, a skeleton mage, or even a skeleton archer. I need to secure them before the final exam period gets busier.'

"Last time I received help, so it's only fair that I offer it now. Does that make sense to you?"

"Hmph!"

Raphael didn't say anything more, but his attitude had clearly softened.

He couldn't deny that Yi-Han's motives were honorable.

Moreover, intervening in the quarrel and even scolding his close friend Gainando showed a magnanimous side that Raphael couldn't emulate.

'Maybe this time, I have to admit...'

Thirty minutes later.

Raphael cursed with a grim face.

"Evil scum! Shameless brute! Cunning devil!"

As soon as they entered the undead realm, Raphael was forced to take the vanguard, unleashing a string of curses.

He had been tricked into this role before, and now again.

"I'm... sorry."

Ymirg apologized, but Gainando intervened.

"Why apologize? We've distributed roles among ourselves."

"Prince, as I said, that devil is better with a sword than I am!"

"Hey. Stop making strange excuses. Does that even make sense?"

Gainando responded incredulously, further infuriating Raphael.

This ignorant fool!

--

A skeleton warrior appeared before them.

Ymirg muttered in surprise.

"Wow... I didn't expect it to show up so quickly..."

"..."

Yi-Han pretended not to know.

Although Professor Millei had set up a safety mechanism, there was a chance that Yi-Han's magic had leaked out and attracted the undead.

'But the probability of that seems very low.'

Yi-Han thought so.

Like the last time, it was possible that they had coincidentally encountered the undead. Making assumptions wasn't a good habit.

"Should we subdue this one and try to make a contract immediately?"

"Yes. That would be..."

-... -

-... -

"..."

"Th... That..."

Raphael felt a chill run down his spine and his limbs stiffen at the sight of the numerous undead that had appeared.

The professor had set up a safety mechanism, so how could this happen?

"How can this be, Wardanaz?! How?!"

"It's truly an inexplicable situation. An unfortunate turn of events."

Yi-Han seriously answered as if he truly did not understand.