The merchants who had thrown tomatoes and eggs dispersed, huffing and puffing.
Finally catching their breath, the hunters cleaned off the tomatoes and eggs and asked the patroller from The Wasteland Stargazers,
"Why didn't you drive them away? As a member of The Wasteland Stargazers, you could have easily threatened them..."
"The Wasteland Stargazers who protect the empire's people can't threaten citizens, can we?"
"Ah!"
The hunters who had come up from their respective regions were rough and fierce people, but they all admired the courage and patience shown by The Wasteland Stargazers patroller just now.
Isn't the courage to endure when one has arrows more admirable than the courage to shoot arrows?
"As expected of The Wasteland Stargazers."
"We can't help but acknowledge it. Haha."
Yi-Han could see Nillia's expression becoming gloomy and her long ears drooping dejectedly.
"Nillia. Should we incite people to throw tomatoes and eggs again?"
"...N-no. It's fine."
Nillia, who had almost been tempted by her friend's words, came to her senses.
They were people they would soon be moving with, so she couldn't dislike them just because they were The Wasteland Stargazers.
"Are you perhaps Einroguard students?"
The group that had cleaned off all the tomatoes and eggs finally noticed Yi-Han's party.
"That's right."
"Nice to meet you! I'm Murangse, a patroller from The Wasteland Stargazers."
The elf patroller was tall with a handsome appearance, and his patroller outfit was neat and tidy without being luxurious.
It was a stark contrast to the Shadow Patrol, who were easily mistaken for bandits or barbarians.
Seeing Nillia's expression become even more depressed, Yi-Han whispered to Yonaire,
"Was it a mistake to bring Nillia...?"
"...It-it'll be fine. She has to overcome it."
"I'm delighted that the renowned Einroguard students are helping. I look forward to working with you."
"The pleasure is mine."
"This is the adventurer Seoriegor (Meaning Frost Step). He's a distant relative of Professor Bungaegor."
The young dwarf adventurer greeted them, taking off his hat.
"The hunters behind..."
"Don't say our names."
The group of hunters protested with disgust. Murangse nodded understandingly with a smile.
"I hope you understand. They have their traditions."
The so-called nameless hunters called by Professor Bungaegor were those who lived alone in cabins deep in the mountains of each region.
They were naturally skilled, but they had dozens of traditions and superstitions that even Professor Bungaegor couldn't fully grasp.
One of them was hiding their dwelling place and name.
"If we go around revealing our names, it becomes easier for demons and monsters to chase us."
At the hunter's words, Yi-Han asked quizzically,
"As far as I know, ordinary names don't have much meaning. True names come from the soul..."
"Mages, I tell you!"
"They're all reckless and fearless. Ignoring traditions."
"..."
Seeing her friend being scolded, Nillia apologized instead.
"I'm sorry. Hunters tend to be a bit stubborn. They're also very persistent about traditions."
"Didn't the Shadow Patrol just use them freely?"
"...We have traditions too??"
"Why are you getting angry?"
"I-I'm not angry... Anyway, we have traditions. We do."
Nillia regretted getting angry after feeling needlessly defensive.
If asked what traditions, she didn't really have anything to say.
"Is everyone here?"
Professor Bungaegor walked over from a distance. The professor was puzzled to see the wyverns gathered.
"Is it okay to tie these up like this in front of the city? Didn't people curse at you?"
"They threw eggs and tomatoes."
"My. The people of Flaher City are kind. In other regions, they would have thrown stones. Everyone get on the wyverns."
Yi-Han and his friends prepared to get on the wyverns. Some friends had ridden them before, and since they were trained wyverns, it wasn't too difficult.
"Wardanaz."
"Should we prepare for fights with poachers too?"
"...From now on, be a 10-year adventurer."
"Haha. It's not that much."
"Actually, it would have been better if I had called the Shadow Patrol..."
Yi-Han was puzzled by Professor Bungaegor's words.
If so, why not hire the Shadow Patrol, why hire The Wasteland Stargazers and make Nillia feel dejected?
"Is there a reason you didn't call them?"
"I was a bit cautious in case they might go crazy and try to defeat the unicorn if they saw it."
Yi-Han resolved to keep what he had just heard absolutely secret.
Although the wind noise in the sky was loud, Yi-Han changed the subject in case Nillia might hear if they continued the conversation.
"What kind of person is Professor Bentozol?"
"Ah, unicorns. Unicorns are truly beautiful animals. I've traveled so much from the western coast of the empire to the eastern underground cities, but I've only seen unicorns two and a half times."
"Not unicorns, but Professor Bentozol... Wait, why two and a half times, not two?"
"One time I was so drunk I'm still not sure if it was a unicorn or a rhinoceros. More importantly, Professor Bentozol? What about him? Why are you asking about Professor Bentozol?"
Professor Bungaegor, who had naturally answered thinking Yi-Han was asking about unicorns, made an indifferent expression.
"He might return this year. Then I might take his lecture."
"Well... I don't like to badmouth other professors, but I'd like to advise against taking Professor Bentozol's lecture."
"?!"
Yi-Han was surprised.
He wasn't surprised by the fact that Professor Bungaegor didn't like badmouthing other professors (Professor Bungaegor did have a hobby of badmouthing Professor Uregor).
To think she wanted to advise against taking Professor Bentozol's lecture.
"Is it more dangerous than Professor Verduus or Professor Bagrak's lectures?"
'This kid, he really asks tricky questions!'
After pondering for a while, Professor Bungaegor answered slowly.
"The three have somewhat different directions. Professor Bentozol is certainly knowledgeable and excellent about the empire's animals and monsters, but he cares too much for animals."
"Isn't that good?"
"It's a problem because he cares for them more than students. If Professor Bentozol had taught the riding training lecture last year, you would have had to carry horses on your backs instead of riding them."
"..."
For a moment, Yi-Han thought Professor Bungaegor was joking.
But the professor was very serious.
"N-no. No matter how much he cares for horses, how does it make sense for us to carry horses on our backs?"
"That's why he's eccentric. Do you still want to take Professor Bentozol's lecture now?"
'That's truly terrifying.'
Yi-Han looked at the griffin.
If Professor Bentozol had been in charge of last year's lecture, Yi-Han might have had to carry this griffin on his back to pass all assignments.
"Hmm. I should just find him and give up on taking the professor's lecture."
"Aren't you being too greedy? It's hard enough to find one unicorn, but you want to find the professor too... Well, the professor might be a bit easier to find."
Professor Bungaegor marveled at Yi-Han, who maintained his loyalty even after being tormented so much by the professors.
Of course, from Yi-Han's perspective, he was doing it for the reward money.
If there was no reward, why would he look for a professor he had never met?
"It's the Grief Mountains. Everyone get down. We'll start combing from here!"
"Aren't those poachers down there?"
When Yi-Han pointed below, Professor Bungaegor nodded.
"Well spotted! They're at the entrance to the mountains. The rumors must have spread. Prepare for warning shots!"
Yi-Han immediately started rapid-firing lightning magic. The fact that he was on a swaying griffin wasn't much of a problem.
CRACKLE!
As lightning began to rain down from the air, the poachers screamed and shouted their surrender.
-We surrender! We surrender! Mr. Mage! We surrender!-
Professor Bungaegor kindly explained to her disciple.
"You used magic well. But the warning shot preparation I just mentioned was for the hunters behind."
"..."
Looking back, the hunters were throwing questions with shocked expressions. His friends quickly answered.
"No. We can't do that."
'Traitors!'
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