Yi-Han felt a twinge of guilt.

In fact, it was Yi-Han's choice not to take the dance class at the academy.

But the skull principal was getting unnecessary misunderstandings because of him.

"I apologize."

"Enough."

"It seems like a misunderstanding because of the things you usually do."

"You apologize and then say something like that, do you think it sounds like an apology?"

The skull principal was dumbfounded.

Whoever taught him, his skill at turning an apology into an insult was not ordinary.

"But why did you come here?"

"What other reason would I have for meeting high nobles?"

The skull principal placed an Imperial gold coin on his palm with a tired expression.

Yi-Han unconsciously tried to take the gold coin. The skull principal immediately took back the gold coin and looked at him as if dumbfounded.

"Were you just trying to take my gold coin?"

"I thought you took it out to give it to me."

"...Seeing you now, it seems that what His Majesty said wasn't entirely wrong... I came to receive sponsorship."

Mages were a race that couldn't help but be wasteful.

They burned precious gems and ground up rare materials just to try developing a reagent, so there was no way they could be frugal.

And then they would nonchalantly say things like, 'I used up the whole box of diamonds you provided, but there were no results. Can't you provide me with better diamonds again?' and make their sponsors grab the back of their necks!

And since Einroguard was a place that gathered only the most outstanding among such mages in the Empire, the wastefulness was also among the worst in the Empire.

Even though the Emperor supported Einroguard despite the opposition of the Imperial bureaucrats (the Imperial treasurers trembled at the mere mention of Einroguard), the budget was always tight.

As such, one of the skull principal's duties was to secure additional sponsorships.

"Indeed. You must be working hard."

Yi-Han deeply empathized.

A professor's job wasn't just researching their own magic and teaching disciples.

Securing a budget was also one of a professor's abilities.

In that regard, the skull principal was indeed an amazing person.

'Wait. He's not extorting them through threats, is he?'

"Why are you looking at me like that?"

"It's nothing. By the way, when will you visit our family?"

"The Wardanaz family?"

The skull principal looked at Yi-Han as if he had heard the stupidest thing in the world.

"There's no reason to visit the Wardanaz family. Do you think a mage busy with his own experiments would give gold coins to another mage to experiment?"

Mages never gave gold coins to other mages.

They might use it themselves, but giving it to another mage was not something a mage would do.

"I-is that so? Did you receive sponsorship from Lady Kraha?"

"Not yet. Receiving someone else's gold coins is not an easy task. I'll have to visit a few more times and persuade her."

The skull principal's expression was serious.

It was a much more serious expression than when he used the grand magic of the Unique World last time.

In fact, securing a budget was a much more difficult realm than magic.

"It seems persuasion is difficult."

"Of course it is. Lady Kraha is by no means an easy person."

"You must have already talked about Gainando... Do you have any other excuses to receive sponsorship? Like the schedule for the second semester."

Yi-Han casually asked.

It was easier to prepare if you knew in advance.

However, the skull principal was not easy to deal with.

"Even if I do, I won't tell you. And are you telling me to talk about how her own son was dragged to the punishment room?"

The skull principal looked at Yi-Han suspiciously.

He suspected that Yi-Han might be trying to get back at him for the grudges accumulated last semester.

"No, that's not it... You know, Lady Kraha. Did you know that Gainando has talent in dark magic?"

"Is that true?"

Gainando's mother asked back in amazement.

"Not Mage Cards?"

"He doesn't have much talent in Mage Cards, but he's outstanding in dark magic. We take the class together, and he's one of the best."

'In the first place, the number of freshmen taking it can be counted on one hand.'

The skull principal was dumbfounded but didn't intervene.

"Lord Gonadaltes. I haven't heard about this."

"Lady Kraha. I cannot disclose the secrets of the students."

"..."

This time, Yi-Han looked at the skull principal as if dumbfounded.

'Trying to avoid talking about sending him to the punishment room with such tricks...'

"I will consider the sponsorship positively."

"Really? I sincerely thank you! I was just in need of new corpses."

Gainando's mother nodded with a generous smile.

The skull principal looked at Yi-Han with a different expression than before.

"I'm proud of you."

"...Principal. I don't want to brag about myself, but I'm the top student in my year."

"Yes. Top student. I'm proud of you. But I have other families to visit."

"I'll be going to learn to dance now."

Yi-Han turned his steps as if he hadn't heard.

Dancing was not that difficult.

Gainando's mother was a skilled dancer, and Yi-Han had risked his life to perform movements several times more difficult than this.

In fact, if Gainando's mother hadn't kindly taught him, he might have learned a little faster.

'It's awkward that there's no attack coming when I make a mistake in the beat.'

Not knowing what ominous thoughts Yi-Han was having, Gainando's mother kindly emphasized.

"The most important thing in dancing is the beat. If you can just feel the beat, you can somehow follow the rest of the movements. One, two, three. Once again, one, two, three."

Seeing Yi-Han's movements, Gainando's mother was satisfied like a teacher with a talented student.

It was an excellent result to achieve this much in such a short time.

"With this level of talent, it's a waste to let it rot... How about taking it in the second semester?"

"Actually, I'm taking many other classes."

Yi-Han quickly made an excuse.

Even Professor Boladi acknowledged the excuse, 'I'm actually taking all the magic classes,' so one could see the power this excuse held.

"Is that so? That's unfortunate."

Gainando's mother didn't insist any further.

If he was the top student in his year, he would probably do well on his own without much effort.

'I should just say a word or two to Lord Gonadaltes when delivering the sponsorship money.'

Gainando's mother thought she should still say something to the skull principal.

It could be because of the skull principal that he couldn't take it.

"By the way. Is there anything I should be careful about at the ball?"

Yi-Han asked for advice.

His other friends were also young and lacked experience attending social gatherings, but Yi-Han was even worse.

In fact, he had no interest in social gatherings in the first place.

As such, advice from someone like Gainando's mother was valuable.

"First, it's best not to get involved with the royals."

"...Uh..."

Yi-Han was slightly flustered.

'Is she telling me not to hang out with Gainando?'

"I'm grateful that you're playing with Gainando, but the royals attending the gathering are likely to be jealous. They're the kind who make things tiring one way or another."

As if reading his inner thoughts, Gainando's mother kindly advised him.

The royals basically aimed to build their achievements, raise their reputation, and let the Imperial social circles know, 'I'm this great of a person, so please push me as the successor.'

As such, they took great interest in gatherings where new talents entering the magic academy gathered.

If an ambitious student joined hands with one of the royals and took sides, it wasn't bad, but if they had no intention of doing so, it was better to avoid them.

"If you politely refuse to dance or converse, they will also understand and respect your intentions. They have very strong pride, you see."

"???"

Yi-Han tilted his head.

'They don't do that though?'

Even when Yi-Han declined, the royals kept pestering him.

They even openly declared in front of Gainando, 'I will take Wardanaz away'...

'Were the royals I met unusually lacking in pride?'

"I, I see. I'll be careful. Besides people who become troublesome when you get close, are there any good people to get close to?"

"The city nobles of Granden are generally not bad to get close to. You'll be staying here for the next few years, so you'll be able to get help from them in some way or another."

"Ah. I received help from them last time when chasing the undead chimera."

Gainando's mother pretended not to hear the story of a freshman chasing and catching an undead chimera.

It was indeed the skill of someone who had experienced all sorts of things in the Imperial social circles.

"Among them, the people who are especially good to know are..."

'Oh.'

Yi-Han had high expectations for the summary of the core of Granden City's social circles that Gainando's mother was about to impart.

"In the case of Grime from the Bood family, he oversees the materials and reagents of the guild, so it's good for a mage to know..."

"!"

Just hearing the explanation, it felt like the sound of clinking gold coins could be heard.

"Ah. Wait. That won't work."

"Pardon? Why do you say that? Is it because I'm from the Wardanaz family?"

Yi-Han was flustered.

He was already imagining in his head getting close, monopolizing various jobs, and happily working with his friends until the end of the break.

"It's not because of the Wardanaz family. Grime has spirit blood mixed in him, so he's likely to get scared if he talks closely with Yi-Han."

"...????"

Yi-Han was flustered again.

What does this mean?

"Uh... La... Lady Kraha, aren't you talking to me right now?"

Yi-Han asked, hoping Gainando's mother would answer, 'That's true' or 'Well, I was fine, so Grime might be fine too.'

Of course, the spirits didn't particularly like Yi-Han, but it didn't make sense for the spirit mixed-bloods to dislike...

"I have a strong mental strength, but Grime is timid and has quite thick spirit blood..."

"..."

Instead of denying it, Gainando's mother confirmed it.

Yi-Han asked in a dejected voice.

"Am I that intimidating?"

"Yes."

"..."

"I'm sorry. But I can't sugarcoat it."

Gainando's mother apologized very regretfully.

Yi-Han suddenly became curious and asked.

"Then does Gainando also not feel much pressure from me because he has strong mental strength?"

"He just doesn't feel it because his spirit blood hasn't manifested."

"I, I see."

The huge hall located in the center of Granden City was originally one of the city's prides, where city nobles and bureaucrats gathered when there was an important matter.

However, today it was being used as a venue to welcome new students of the magic academy. Students arriving one by one marveled at the splendid exterior of the grand mansion.

Yi-Han, who had arrived, greeted the students from other towers who had come earlier. Friends who were acquainted with Yi-Han either greeted him together or avoided his gaze.

"Why are you avoiding my gaze?"

"Oh, it's a misunderstanding. Wardanaz."

Even minor misunderstandings between them were not forgotten and resolved.

"Nillia."

Seeing that the dark elf friend's complexion wasn't good, Yi-Han spoke as if he understood.

"You don't want to attend the ball. I understand. I don't really want to attend either."

"That's not why."

"It's not? Then why?"

"Because I ranked first at the Maykin mansion..."

"?"

Nillia sighed deeply and took out a piece of paper.

There are many idle hunters in the north, so sending them to the southern coast... They can attack from a distance, so they'll be good at dealing with monsters... If monsters are caught well, people will be happy and political instability will decrease... I'm sorry...

"Why did I submit this..."