TL/Editor: raei

    Status: 5/week mon-fri

    Illustrations: none

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    Meanwhile, in the volcano giants'' village.

    After finishing his patrol, Saul returned straight to the village.

    "[Welcome back, Saul]"

    "[Father! I experienced something incredible!]"

    "[Something incredible?]"

    Saul excitedly poured out his story.

    About meeting the mysterious giant, Predius.

    Skipping the minor details, he went straight to the core.

    "[You were right, Father! There really is an amazing wizard at the humans'' school!]"

    The chief burst out laughing.

    Wizards were troublemakers even giants were wary of.

    Underestimating them for their small size would get you badly hurt.

    "[Wizards are always troublesome. But an amazing wizard, you say?]"

    "[A wizard called Eredith, known as the ''Demon Lord'' among humans!]"

    "[Oh ho... Demon Lord...]"

    Saul spoke directly.

    "[Father! I want to learn magic too!]"

    "[What?]"

    The chief tilted his head.

    He''d never seen a giant who learned magic...

    ''This one might be different.''

    But Saul was a clever one. He might succeed at learning magic.

    "[First I want to win the Demon Lord Eredith''s favor.]"

    "[That''s not a bad idea.]"

    Being friendly with a wizard fierce enough to be called Demon Lord would be diplomatically helpful.

    "[But be careful. She''s a cruel human who can''t go a day without killing, she might attack you.]"@@@@

    "[I know. I plan to send gifts to win her favor first, then meet her in person later.]"

    If nothing else, Saul really liked the sound of this wizard Eredith.

    A bloodthirsty maniac!

    Someone with amazing magical powers worthy of the title Demon Lord!

    She seemed like someone he''d get along with.

    The chief had giants send gifts to the humans'' magic school.

    Tribute for the Great Destroyer.

    The tribute passed through subordinates'' hands and safely reached the ''magic school''.

    "G-giants!"

    "Invasion?! Is it an invasion?!"

    There was a minor incident of panic when volcano giants suddenly appeared.

    Hearing reports of giants arriving, the university''s magic professors rushed out in a group.

    "Huh?"

    "What''s this..."

    And the professors were bewildered.

    The volcano giants had appeared but...

    They just threw something down and left?

    "What is that?"

    "Sulfur... looks like [Heart of Volcano], an extremely rare material for fire magic."

    Eredith, an experienced fire wizard, immediately recognized what the volcano giants had thrown down.

    "As expected of Eredith! You really know your-"

    Inglan, who was about to praise Eredith''s extensive knowledge, startled when he saw the stone tablet with giant language.

    Eredith tilted her head at Inglan''s reaction.

    "Professor? What did you see..."

    Eredith looked at the tablet too.

    And flinched.

    [We present this gift to the Great Destroyer, Demon Lord Eredith.]

    "..."

    But there was something Ian didn''t realize.

    This was Imperial University, a gathering place for accomplished wizards.

    Searching for missing humans?

    Troublesome, but not impossible if asked.

    They were glad the most junior Ian had handled the annoying task.

    But it wasn''t an achievement worth high praise.

    ''...This really is a den of monsters.''

    It was similar to modern universities in some ways.

    Like how professors slouching around with coffee cups often looked like ordinary neighborhood uncles.

    But start digging into their academic achievements and you''d find monster-class accomplishments - similar principle.

    "But... you met not just hill giants but volcano giants."

    "Haha! Must have been scary!"

    Only Eredith acknowledged Ian''s efforts.

    She knew how fierce volcano giants were as monsters.

    Ian''s quick wit deserved endless praise.

    Yet they gave such lukewarm responses!

    ''Arrogant wizards.''

    Unlike Ian, Eredith was annoyed by the other wizards'' unnecessarily high pride.

    Ian had done the work they found troublesome, yet far from being grateful they reacted like this!

    "It''s fine, Master."

    "Ian...!"

    "It was good experience."

    That wasn''t just empty words.

    Not only had he gained summoning experience points from talking with giants, he''d learned transmutation from Demonite.

    Though he had no immediate use for it, it would surely come in handy while traveling.

    ''Should set a departure date too.''

    Other university fossils sometimes stayed attached to the university for over ten years.

    To train successors and write magic books.

    But Ian didn''t plan to stay at the university long.

    He needed to travel to complete Anor-lsil.

    He couldn''t waste time idly eating up grants.

    ''I''ve studied quite a bit.''

    Of course, defining "sufficient study" was endless.

    Ian vaguely thought ''enough to withstand black wizard attacks'' but it was hard to say exactly what level that meant.

    It might be faster to wait for the Pope to actively wage an extermination campaign and root out the southern black wizards.

    ''Though if war breaks out before then, it''s all for nothing.''

    The Pope was winning public support by beating up small-fry black wizards, but that was temporary.

    If war broke out in the south, even the Pope''s army couldn''t move freely.

    It would be a field day for black wizards.

    ''For now... focus on investigating Maronius''s memories.''

    "Ian! Count Dranheim highly values your achievements! He''s inviting you to a banquet..."

    "Not going, nope."

    Elia looked curiously at Ian''s indifferent response.

    Still young, he surely had ambitions for success...

    Yet he seemed so detached from power!

    ''Well. He''s reached this level by being obsessed with magic.''

    Attending magic school herself, Elia knew how difficult dark magic was.

    Without Ian''s incredible focus, he couldn''t have stood shoulder to shoulder with professors at such a young age.

    "But it''s a lord''s request..."

    "Ugh. Fine, I''ll just say hello and leave."

    Ian stood up.

    He''d thought entering university would let him focus only on study!

    But a wizard''s life had all sorts of annoying tasks too.

    Enjoy the chappy!

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