While Tiziling was lost in thought, Professor Garcia kindly answered her question.
"As long as your mana is unharmed, it's fine. Everything can be recovered."
"Ah... I see..."
Tiziling subtly took a step back, but Professor Garcia didn't notice and continued to smile warmly.
"It's really fortunate. Getting struck by lightning is one thing, but if the mana inside is damaged..."
"Yes..."
"Ah, Tiziling. It's okay to come closer. Everyone is safe."
"Is everyone alright?!" Leehan released his invisibility and rushed over in a panic.
The moment the lightning spell was cast, Perkuntra's emotions had been transmitted to Leehan.
Just as Perkuntra could read Leehan's emotions, Leehan could also read Perkuntra's.
-This is bad!
Though it was a brief and simple emotion, Leehan immediately knew something had gone wrong the moment the lightning spell exploded.
That senile spirit, Perkuntra, had lost control of its power and unleashed a spell strong enough to burn everything!
Leehan didn't even consider that it might have been because his own mana was overflowing.
After all, Perkuntra had been the one residing in his arm, assisting with the spell.
It was clearly Perkuntra's fault, not his.
And it wasn't entirely wrong.
Fortunately, Professor Garcia arrived late.
Seeing the professor safely catch the students, Leehan felt relieved.
'As expected, the only one with a conscience...!'
Professor Garcia smiled kindly as Leehan hurried over.
He had wondered who had cast such a spell, and sure enough, it was Leehan.
"Everyone is fine."
"That's a relief!"
"Though we did get a bit electrocuted by the lightning."
"...?"
Leehan reacted similarly to Tiziling.
Both students looked equally flustered, but Professor Garcia remained unshaken.
A true educator must answer the same questions repeatedly with the same patience.
"As long as your mana is unharmed, it's fine. You can recover."
"... Ah... Yes."
Leehan, like Tiziling earlier, took a step back.
Tiziling, who had already taken a step back, nodded in agreement.
Welcome!
"Grrr..."
"Ugh..."
The captured students, already drained of their mana and now electrocuted, were in a sorry state.
Leehan sighed as he saw a few White Tiger Tower students trembling from the lightning.
'Damn it.
Even after saving them, I'll probably get cursed at.'
If it were him, he would have cursed too.
-I saved you.
-Th-thank you...
Wait.
If you had the power to defeat the vine monster, why did you have to electrocute us in the process?
-The famous spirit helping me is dumber than I thought and couldn't control its power.
-You expect me to believe that?!
If Leehan said he had the power to defeat the vine monster in one strike but couldn't control it, even he would think it sounded like nonsense.
"Alright. Everyone, try to stand up."
Professor Garcia waved his staff, loosening the students' cramped muscles and replenishing their lost mana.
Watching from behind, Leehan was once again amazed.
'Professor Garcia can even use healing magic?'
Thinking back, the range of magic Professor Garcia used was incredibly broad.
Most professors only focused on their specialized fields, but Professor Garcia's abilities were unusually extensive.
Why was that?
"Th-thank you, Professor Garcia."
"Thank you so much."
"Thank Leehan here. He bravely defeated the vine monster and saved you all."
"......"
The White Tiger Tower students looked at Leehan with complicated expressions.
Angaro spoke up as their representative.
"Thank you, Wodanaz."
"If you're not happy..."
Leehan was about to say, "If you're not happy, then don't get captured next time," but he stopped.
The response he got was different from what he expected.
'Huh?'
He had thought they would say something like, "We almost died because of you, you evil dark mage bastard," but the White Tiger Tower students thanked him sincerely.
Leehan wondered if they were just being cautious in front of Professor Garcia.
But that wasn't the case.
Angaro looked at Leehan with a mix of frustration and gratitude.
"... It really pains me to say this, but as a knight, I must properly thank you for the favor you've done. Thank you."
"Does that mean we can forget all the grudges between us?"
"Not a chance. Don't get the wrong idea, Wodanaz."
"......"
Leehan felt a little hurt by the cold response.
If you're grateful, can't you at least forget some of the grudges?
Of course, there were quite a few piled up...
"But this time... I truly thank you. I think I understand a bit why Dergu trusts... no, believes in you."
Following Angaro, the other White Tiger Tower students also expressed their sincere gratitude.
"Thank you, Wodanaz."
"I won't forget the honor you showed this time, even if we won't be friends."
"We won't be friends, but we'll cooperate as much as possible for this lake mission."
Dergu, who had also been captured and was now regaining his strength, approached belatedly.
Seeing his friends thank Leehan, Dergu was as happy as if it were his own achievement.
"See! Like Moradi said, he's not such a bad guy, right?"
"Hmm... I guess so."
"Then are we ready to forget our grudges and build a friendship?"
"Not a chance. Don't cross the line, Dergu."
"How can we forget everything that's happened?"
"......"
Dergu was slightly hurt by his friends' cold responses.
He thought the mood was good enough...
"Hey! What were you thinking, shooting so hard? You did that on purpose because the White Tiger Tower guys were here, didn't you?!"
Finally, Gainando, who had just recovered, staggered over.
In Gainando's eyes, Leehan wasn't the type to make such a mistake.
He must have done it on purpose to teach the White Tiger Tower guys a lesson.
That was all well and good, but why did it have to happen while Gainando was captured?!
"What kind of nonsense are you spouting... Prince, apologize."
"Prince Gainando. Don't you know the pride and honor of being royalty? Is that any way to speak to someone who saved you?"
Gainando belatedly realized the White Tiger Tower students were present.
Caught off guard by their unexpected criticism, Gainando suddenly felt wronged.
Even if he was close to Leehan, Gainando himself was several times closer.
These guys, who usually ignored Leehan's goodwill, were suddenly acting like this!
"What do you know?!"
"We may not have royal blood, but we know honor."
"Apologize, Prince."
Gainando felt wronged, but at the same time, he was a little pleased to be recognized as royalty.
Leehan noticed this and found it ridiculous.
"You're not happy about being called a prince, are you?"
"... No! But it's true you guys don't treat me like royalty!"
The Blue Dragon Tower students were all from prestigious noble families, so they didn't need to bow to a prince with a three-digit number.
But Leehan decided to be considerate of Gainando instead of pointing that out.
"It's because everyone thinks highly of you, Gainando."
"That's true..."
But the White Tiger Tower students didn't wait for Gainando to bask in his brief moment of happiness.
"No matter how close you are, you should still show respect. We even thanked Wodanaz."
"Just apologize already, Prince."
The White Tiger Tower students pressured Gainando relentlessly.
Few could withstand the pressure of knights with drawn swords.
Gainando suddenly realized how impressive it was that Leehan had managed to stand up to these thick-skinned guys.
"I... I'm sorry. I shouldn't have blamed you after you saved me."
"Be more careful in the future."
"Prince, your honor is built by your own actions."
The White Tiger Tower students nodded knightly and accepted his apology.
Then they left abruptly.
Leehan was speechless.
'Have you forgotten that the three of you tried to gang up on me?'
He wanted to point it out, but the White Tiger Tower students, already satisfied, walked away together.
Gainando, still feeling wronged, cautiously asked, "But it really wasn't on purpose, was it?"
"It wasn't on purpose."
"Ugh...! I really thought it was...!"
It really wasn't on purpose.
Though it was close!
After finishing the cleanup and aftermath, Professor Garcia called Leehan over.
His face was filled with concern.
Leehan could already guess what he was going to say.
-Peruntra, you need to explain this.
If Perkuntra didn't explain, Leehan might be labeled as a reckless madman who didn't care about his own safety when casting spells.
That was a dangerous misunderstanding in many ways.
-If you think about it, it's your fault.
-Alright, alright.
Perkuntra, feeling just as wronged as Gainando, decided to accept it.
After all, it wasn't entirely blameless.
Since it had taken residence in Leehan's arm, it should have ensured the spell was properly controlled.
But...
-...
Wait.
-?
-The time... is up...
Leehan felt the avatar of Perkuntra in his arm disappear.
Not only that, but Perkuntra itself was returning to its original place in the Punishment Room.
Leehan was horrified.
-Say it's not true.
-...
I'm really sorry.
It wasn't on purpose.
-Say it's not true! Hurry!
-I'll really show you my true power next time I'm summoned...
-After seeing this mess, you think I'll summon you again?!
Even though a novice mage was saying this, Perkuntra couldn't argue back.
It was a situation where even ten mouths wouldn't be enough!
-I'm really sorry, but next time...
Poof!
Perkuntra disappeared.
Professor Garcia looked at Leehan with a mix of concern and sternness in his eyes.
"Leehan. I was too distracted earlier to say anything, but I think I need to speak now. Lightning magic, like fire magic, is one of the most intense and dangerous elemental magics to control. It's truly impressive and surprising that you've mastered it to this extent on your own, but I can't help but worry about you."
"Professor, there's a deeper story here."
Leehan explained Perkuntra's situation in detail.
Of course, he left out the part about raiding Professor Uregeulm's greenhouse and adjusted the story appropriately!
But even as he spoke, Leehan was worried.
'Will he really believe such an absurd story?'
"What a stroke of bad luck!"
'He believes it?!'
Amazingly, Professor Garcia believed him.
He was a true professor.
"I see. Well, I didn't think Leehan would be the type to do something so reckless without reason."
'You've emphasized that enough...'
"That spirit is a bit..."
"Clumsy and questionable in ability?"
"Huh? No. A spirit of that level couldn't possibly lack ability. It's probably because Leehan is such a unique contractor that these mistakes happened."
"......"
Though Leehan respected Professor Garcia, he couldn't respect this statement.
'You're too kind.'
"Of course, there are evil spirits that lead their contractors to ruin, but from what I've heard, this one doesn't seem like that. Just be careful in the future, and above all, think of your own safety when using magic."
"Understood."
"Did you use lightning magic?"
At the familiar voice, both Leehan and Professor Garcia turned their heads.
Professor Voladi was looking at them with icy, emotionless eyes, a faint curiosity within them.