Surviving as a Mage in a Magic Academy - Chapter 1013

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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Chapter 1013

Jinnon was persuaded by the other mages’ words.

Certainly the letter’s contents were a bit strange, but not to an incomprehensible degree.

“Then I shall gratefully accept your kindness. Actually, there was no need for Erindarvel-nim to go this far…”

“She is one of the few respectable Archmages in the Empire, after all.”

The mages straightened their collars properly, showing their respect.

In an Empire teeming with eccentric Archmages, a responsible mage like Erindarvel always received respect from junior scholars.

“By the way. How is the tracking of that monster’s traces going?”

The Malachite Tower had many battle mages, so there were more mages active outside than those conducting research within the tower.

Naturally, Jinnon was also that type of mage.

What the Malachite Tower mages were currently interested in was tracking a monster that had crossed over from another dimension.

To ordinary people, monsters from other dimensions were merely targets to be subjugated, but to ambitious mages, they were also walking treasures.

They were filled with the rules and secrets of other dimensions.

“The mages are tracking the traces of where it fled, so results should come soon. Please be careful.”

“Yes. I’ll keep that in mind.”

Jinnon nodded.

Though he was a battle mage from a tower with much practical experience, Jinnon never let his guard down.

Who would approach such dangerous work with a light heart?

* * *

“…?”

Lee Han, who had arrived at the abandoned warehouse district on the outskirts of the capital, was puzzled by the alien energy emanating from underground.

This was the energy of another dimension that he had experienced several times at Einroguard and outside Einroguard.

‘What is this? Did a dimensional gate open?’

A mage with excellent senses could predict the scenery beyond just by looking at a passage connecting dimensions.

The energy from another dimension currently emanating from underground was quite alien and sinister. It certainly wasn’t a warm and friendly dimension.

‘…Something’s strange.’

One of the lessons Lee Han learned at Einroguard was that you could get stabbed in the back by the staff you trust at any time.

In fact, Lee Han’s staff had once tried to hit him in the back of the head, making it an even more painful lesson.

Though the Skeleton Principal had vouched for Erindarvel’s character, she was still Yukveltire’s mother.

‘The Principal might have been deceived, or they might have been in cahoots from the beginning.’

“Wardanaz?”

“!”

Lee Han was very pleased to see the penguin beastman mage waddling toward him from behind.

“Alsicle-nim!”

“Why are you here… Ah. Well. It’s not really surprising.”

Alsicle was startled to see Lee Han appear at a commission site tracking dangerous monsters from another dimension, but immediately understood.

Come to think of it, fighting evil deity worshippers last time was equally nonsensical.

“…??”

Lee Han felt something was strange, but Alsicle waved his staff first.

“Let’s go down quickly. The others must be waiting.”

“Uh… Yes. But what brings you here, Alsicle-nim? Did you also receive an invitation?”

“Hm? Something like that.”

Alsicle nodded.

Having found a new patron thanks to Lee Han last time, Alsicle had come up to the capital to purchase and prepare several necessary spells.

During that time, he was asked by other mages.

-We need the help of an excellent ice mage to chase the monster that appeared this time.

-I’m not particularly interested in monster tracking…

-It’s an unidentified monster that appeared from an unconfirmed dimension. If we capture it, we’ll give you priority investigation rights.

-Good. I’ll go with you!

“???”

Even after hearing the conversation, Lee Han didn’t understand and tilted his head.

“At what part of that conversation were you convinced?”

“What? Wardanaz. It’s an unconfirmed monster from an unconfirmed dimension. What if that monster has the secrets of magic I want? Isn’t that why you came too?”

“I don’t think that’s likely…”

No matter how positively he thought about it, an unidentified monster didn’t seem likely to know the secret to eliminating the world’s suffering.

Even giving it the highest evaluation, it probably wouldn’t know how to improve Einroguard…

“And I came here after receiving an invitation from Erindarvel-nim.”

“From Erindarvel-nim?”

Alsicle showed a surprised expression for a moment. Then he muttered.

“If Erindarvel-nim invited you, there’s no need to worry… Mm. It was needless concern after all.”

He had a tiny bit of concern that even for Wardanaz, this might be too reckless, but hearing the Archmage’s name made such worries completely disappear.

“What did you say?”

“Nothing. Nothing at all. Wardanaz. Capturing a monster from an undiscovered dimension is as exciting as exploring unexcavated ruins. It will definitely help you too.”

“Hmm. I understand.”

Erindarvel aside, when even Alsicle spoke confidently, Lee Han bent his stubbornness and agreed.

It seemed to be his own misunderstanding after all.

Pop!

After finding the stairs leading underground, Alsicle summoned glowing ice on his staff.

“This is the old underground sewer district. It was abandoned when the Empire was established and new facilities were built.”

Not just the Empire, but even the kingdoms before the Empire installed facilities above a certain scale in places geographically overflowing with mana.

They needed to secure the mana required for the magic being used.

Naturally, this abandoned underground sewer district also had more abundant mana than other places.

However…

“The mana is a bit murky.”

“You notice it, as expected? Right. The contamination level is high. Originally they should have purified it quickly, but they kept putting it off…”

“Why did they put it off?”

Lee Han tensed up slightly.

Mana itself was just pure power, but when its nature changed, it became an unpredictable torrent that could cause anything.

Contaminated mana could summon beings from other dimensions befitting it, or call evil deity worshippers…

“No budget?”

“Ah.”

Lee Han immediately understood.

If it wasn’t the conspiracy of evil officials or mages but a budget shortage, he could accept that.

“The monster probably used this district as a passage to cross over because of that mana.”

“Are there any known characteristics of the monster?”

“Mm. Not much yet. It’s stealthy, agile, and extremely gluttonous.”

Being stealthy and agile was obvious without asking.

Since a monster from another dimension had escaped without being caught by wide-eyed mages, it had to be stealthy and agile.

But extremely gluttonous?

“Did it steal food or something? Like an Einroguard student?”

“Why make such a comparison… It seems to devour everything indiscriminately – not just food, but inorganic and organic matter alike. The places it passed through were devastated.”

‘Like Gainando.’

Lee Han thought of a very rude comparison internally as he walked.

Following the musty sewer passage, he could see whitish light in the distance. It was the exploration team that had arrived first.

“You’re here. …Wait, who is this mage?”

An exploration team member pointed at Lee Han with a surprised voice.

Alsicle wasn’t surprising since he was a mage they had met several times, but the unfamiliar mage next to him was the problem.

‘Isn’t he an Einroguard student?’

“This is Lee Han of the Wardanaz family. Lady Erindarvel recommended him.”

At Alsicle’s introduction, the other exploration team members stirred.

“Lady Erindarvel did? She certainly said she would introduce a mage, but…”

“What year is he? Fifth year?”

Alsicle, who was always confident and arrogant as a mage, hesitated slightly at that question.

He still had a bit of conscience left.

“Well… a little lower than that.”

“Must be fourth year then. No, I know Einroguard’s mages are excellent, but wouldn’t it be a bit dangerous? Fourth year, not even fifth year.”

“But Lady Erindarvel recommended him, didn’t she?”

“Hmm. That’s true, but…”

The exploration team members exchanged opinions among themselves.

They had trusted and accepted because an Archmage recommended him, but he was an Einroguard fourth year student who hadn’t even graduated yet.

The exploration they were preparing for was quite dangerous, wasn’t it?

They knew that mages from Einroguard had excellent magical skills, but they wondered if he could accompany them on such a perilous exploration.

“I certainly heard that Sir Boladi also guaranteed this mage’s abilities…”

“That’s right! Wardanaz here is Professor Bagrek’s top student.”

Alsicle quickly responded, having overheard the whispering exploration team members’ conversation.

At those words, the exploration team members’ expressions changed slightly.

“Is that so?”

“Then that’s understandable… Wait, Lee Han of the Wardanaz family? Then isn’t he a second year??”

One exploration team member who was about to be convinced suddenly recalled a rumor he had heard before and shouted.

Alsicle looked at Lee Han with slightly resentful eyes. Lee Han felt wronged.

‘This isn’t my fault.’

* * *

Despite even greater confusion and shock than before, the exploration team members eventually accepted it.

With recommendations from Erindarvel and Professor Boladi, it was hard not to believe, even if he was an Einroguard second year student.

“If everyone’s ready, we’ll reveal it.”

“Reveal it?”

At Lee Han’s question, the mages who had arrived first smiled knowingly.

Their expressions looked as if they had been waiting for that question.

“Mr. Wardanaz probably thought we would open a dimensional gate and chase after the one who escaped by crossing over.”

“Wasn’t that the case?”

Alsicle was also surprised.

Basically, chasing monsters with the ability to traverse dimensions was close to a game of tag.

One had to be prepared to track them across multiple dimensions.

Naturally, they thought this monster would also require such pursuit…

“Ah. Could it be that the creature didn’t escape to beyond dimensions, but is hiding here underground after causing dimensional erosion? Wait. Then it would have been discovered much sooner… So it must have camouflage abilities too. You prepared this magic to strip away that camouflage.”

Lee Han speculated based on his knowledge and experience.

Sometimes beings that crossed over from other dimensions would cause erosion phenomena.

Just like when the Ice Giant King came to Einroguard and brought a season of bitter cold, they would spread their dimension across the continent.

Come to think of it, the otherworldly energy Lee Han had felt from above was quite powerful to be energy coming from a dimensional gate. It was more likely a space where dimensional erosion had occurred rather than a dimensional gate.

That would mean the monster hadn’t escaped to another dimension but was hiding underground.

Since it hadn’t been discovered until now, it must also possess camouflage abilities that made it look normal from the outside…

“…Correct…”

The mages who were about to explain became slightly dejected.

Having prepared to surprise them, they couldn’t help but feel deflated when their counterpart immediately figured it out.

“I… I was surprised!”

“Thanks, Penguerin. …Wait. Didn’t you explain it to him?”

“I didn’t know either…”

As he spoke, Penguerin felt his face grow hot with slight shame.

If he had judged coolly, he would have noticed from the amount of dimensional energy felt from below and the structure of magic the exploration team mages had prepared!

“Lady Erindarvel sent me a separate invitation.”

Lee Han spoke as if comforting Alsicle.

“Ah. Did Lady Erindarvel tell you?”

“That’s not it either.”

“…You keep your mouth shut.”

Alsicle wanted to punch Lee Han’s beak—no, mouth.

Living as a mage, he had received plenty of jealousy from other mages, but finding himself in such a situation made him reflect deeply.

‘I should have been less obnoxious.’

Alsicle thought he should send some greeting letters to old friends after this exploration was over.

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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