Surviving as a Mage in a Magic Academy - Chapter 1038
—————
This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
—————
Chapter 1038
“Let’s leave quickly. Oh, and it’s a secret that you left because of me.”
“You don’t think those Petroguard guys would hold Lee Han responsible, do you?”
His friends asked as if it was ridiculous.
They called him to get rid of suspicious outsiders, and he got rid of them, yet instead of being grateful they’d hold a grudge?
That was something even Baldroguard wouldn’t do.
“They’ll probably ask questions.”
“Right. There’s a high chance they’ll ask. Let’s ask the professors to keep it secret and leave quickly. It would be better to put the blame on the knight.”
Lee Han sent Garcia Professor a look full of respect at her scheme.
Indeed, the wisdom of a senior who graduated from Einroguard first was extraordinary. Her speed at finding the optimal scapegoat in the current situation was five or six times faster than others.
“Oh right. Anyone who wants to stay longer at Petroguard?”
Lee Han was about to leave when he suddenly thought of his friends and asked.
He had only thought of himself, but thinking about it, there might be some among his friends who wanted to spend more time with the magic school students they met for the second time.
“Second time?”
Professor Garcia looked puzzled and counted on her fingers.
Callarogard, Baldroguard, Petroguard – wasn’t this the third time?
“What about you, Wardanaz? Will you go straight back to the villa when it’s over?”
“No. I think I should visit the auction house soon.”
Lee Han, who had excellently cultivated mandragon last semester, was allowed to participate in the internal auction of the 【Empire Gardeners Club】 through Professor Willow Tree’s recommendation.
Being allowed to participate in the internal auction meant being allowed to join as well.
As a new member of the club, it would seem polite to visit first and pay respects.
‘If I appear polite, the mandragon might sell for a higher price too.’
He usually didn’t like showing off his specialty, but this time was an exception.
Lee Han was seriously considering whether to wear a cloak with the King of Ghouls or the Frost Giant King drawn on it when visiting the club.
“If it’s the capital auction house… is it held at the Golden Hall?”
“Yeah.”
Since auctions basically gathered expensive items and invited precious people, they weren’t held just anywhere.
Of course, there were Einroguard-style auctions where people fought over potato sacks on dirt floors, but generally, the Empire’s auctions guaranteed a minimum level of dignity.
In that regard, if an auction was held near the Empire’s capital, it was most likely to be held at the Golden Hall.
A sacred place where blessings of luck and wealth had been layered since before the Empire.
In this hall, not only the gardeners club but various auctions were held together. The eyes of students who had items they wanted sparkled.
Would they interact more with excellent mages from other Empire magic schools, or would they mingle with greedy luxury lovers who knew nothing about magic?
“It’s unfortunate but can’t be helped. We’ll respect your schedule, Wardanaz.”
“We’ll have a chance to meet the Petroguard friends someday. Or not.”
His friends answered immediately.
Honestly, staying longer at Petroguard didn’t seem like it would be much fun anyway.
The most entertaining thing here was Gainando spraying poison on the knight’s face…
“I’d like to draw a bit more… mmph.”
Siana hurriedly covered Tijiling’s mouth. Lee Han turned his head.
“What did you just say?”
“Nothing! Nothing at all! Priest Tijiling is also looking forward to it!”
The other priests quickly helped Siana. Seeing this, Professor Garcia thought to herself.
‘…Is it okay for Phoenix Tower to be like this?!’
It was good that the priest-origin students became lively and proactive, but sometimes she wondered if this was okay.
* * *
“Hmm. Hmmmm.”
“Mmmmm.”
The students who came out in carriages with the professors carefully drew lines on paper with quill pens.
They were currently looking for auctions they could participate in.
“Here! This auction might be one we can participate in…”
A White Tiger Tower student handed the paper to Giselle.
【Beech Tree Auction】
Weapon sales of knights, by knights, for knights
Only honorable knights may attend
Instead of Giselle, Lee Han spoke without even looking.
“We can’t participate there. If you read further below, only current knight order members can participate.”
Those not belonging to Empire knight orders cannot attend…
“…”
The disappointed White Tiger Tower student suddenly didn’t understand and asked.
“Wardanaz, how do you know this?”
“I wanted to participate before so I looked through the conditions. It didn’t work out.”
“…”
But you’re from a great noble family!
All the White Tiger Tower students were inwardly dumbfounded.
There were quite a few places in the Empire’s auctions that restricted customer qualifications.
Even the internal auction of the 【Empire Gardeners Club】 that Lee Han was participating in was impossible to join without membership, so qualifications like knight order membership or club membership were quite common.
“It’s truly regrettable. I don’t understand why they put such restrictions. Don’t they think free participation would make auctions more active? People who want to enter but can’t…”
“S-sorry, Wardanaz. I was wrong.”
When Lee Han suddenly started grumbling and complaining like a waterfall, the White Tiger Tower student was terrified.
This was when Wardanaz was most frightening.
Just get angry and curse instead!
“I guess there are only mages’ auctions after all.”
“We should be grateful that’s even possible.”
The students checked the list of auctions they could participate in and grumbled.
Being from Einroguard, they could participate in quite many mages’ auctions, but it wasn’t enough to satisfy the students’ greed.
‘I need an artifact that will draw star charts during next semester.’
‘Thinking about research, I should take at least one relic.’
‘Isn’t there an artifact I can use to cheat during exams?’
The rarer and more expensive relics or artifacts were, the more they appeared secretly in clandestine auctions.
Every time they saw text saying it was some club’s internal auction so outsiders couldn’t participate, the students felt deep regret.
“Good. I’m done.”
Meanwhile, Gainando neatly put down his quill pen. His nearby friends looked puzzled and checked his paper.
Western Mage Card Auction (Participate)
Eastern Mage Card Auction (Participate)
Southern Mage Card Auction (Participate)
…
‘I looked for nothing.’
His friends ignored it and turned their gaze away. Yoner asked worriedly.
“What are you going to do later if you only participate in things like that?”
“What do you mean?”
“What do you mean what? If you waste all your gold coins on cards…”
Yoner, being a cousin after all, subtly pointed at Lee Han instead of raising his voice.
If he spent all the gold coins he had painstakingly saved on cards, he might seriously have to sleep outside the tower for the next semester.
“You’re participating to sell cards?”
“…What?!!”
Not only Yoner but the other friends were also shocked. Lee Han looked at his Blue Dragon Tower friends and warned them.
“Shh. Everyone’s making plans.”
“B-but Wardanaz. Gainando is participating in the auction to sell cards.”
“What?!?!!?!”
“…”
Gainando became sulky at his friends’ reaction. Lee Han consoled him and asked.
“Sorry. I didn’t realize. But selling cards? Have any mage criminals or worshippers of evil gods been threatening you recently?”
“…No?! If there’s something I want to buy at the auction house, I need gold coins.”
The auction could be participated in not only as a buyer but also as a seller.
Of course, one could sell items they owned to prepare gold coins, but…
‘How surprising!’
If it was Gainando and magic cards, that was a different story. Even other tower students were surprised and whispering.
“Should we prepare more gold coins too?”
“Maybe we should have taken more commissions…”
“That only starts in earnest during the second semester. We didn’t have time during vacation.”
“There’s money I earned with Wardanaz last time, but I’m not sure if it’ll be enough.”
“…How did you earn it??”
As the students whispered, Professor Garcia cleared his throat to give advice as a senior.
“Everyone. It’s good that you’re all showing interest in the auction. However, you seem to have forgotten one thing due to greed.”
‘Is he telling us to be moderate?’
“There are more jobs that require mages at the auction house than you think. From appraisal to curse removal, potion brewing, and so on. If you’re from Einroguard, you can definitely get commissions.”
‘That wasn’t it!’
At the sight of Professor Garcia passing on the know-how of how he had earned gold coins during his school days, all the students looked at him with respect.
If there was a true master at Einroguard, it would be this professor right before their eyes.
“Professor! What kind of commissions…”
“Are there particularly good commissions for White Tiger Tower?”
“Should we reveal that we’re from the dark magic school or not?”
While his friends bombarded him with questions, Lee Han, who had been looking around for auctions worth participating in except for the gardening club, suddenly remembered something and spoke up.
“Professor. Professor.”
“?”
Professor Boladi, who had been sitting quietly, turned his gaze at his disciple’s call.
“How did you earn gold coins during your school days, Professor?”
“Bounties and duels.”
Professor Boladi, who had kindly answered, waited for his disciple’s follow-up questions.
Just like Professor Garcia was receiving all sorts of questions, it was obvious that the disciple before him would interrogate him the same way.
Considering that curiosity and inquisitive spirit even more so…
“I see.”
Lee Han nodded and turned his gaze back to the paper.
It seemed he would have to earn money through other methods after all.
“…”
* * *
The Golden Hall, covered in brilliant light and reminiscent of an old-style palace, was bustling with countless crowds.
Lee Han could feel the strange magical power flowing throughout the entire hall.
It was a power so strong and ancient that it couldn’t be disrupted by ordinary means.
“It’s a historic place. Student Lee Han. Can you feel it?”
Professor Garcia explained from the side as if he understood why Lee Han was looking around.
This Golden Hall had been a place where blessings of fortune and wealth had accumulated layer upon layer since before the Empire.
It wasn’t a simple metaphor. It actually meant that large-scale divine magic had been consecrated several times.
Thanks to this, several rules were enforced inside like a small world.
Such as being unable to pickpocket, or being unable to disguise items as other items…
‘Oops. I was calculating the weight of gold.’
Lee Han quickly came to his senses and talked about the flow of magical power.
“These magical powers seem to be creating separate rules inside.”
“That’s right. It’s an interesting place. There are quite a few mages who come to see this magic, not just for the treasures.”
Professor Garcia explained that this Golden Hall probably wasn’t created intentionally.
Various priests and mages casting magic created unexpected effects, and it had flowed in a way that preserved those effects.
“Student Lee Han said he would visit the gardening club first, right?”
“Yes. What kind of gifts do gardening club members like?”
“…You’ll be fine just going, so just go.”
Lee Han grumbled inwardly.
Professor Garcia was too upright to be of much help in such matters.
“The professor and I will wait here, so everyone feel free to look around. If you have any questions, come find… Aaah!”
“???!”
Lee Han was startled.
Professor Garcia had screamed as if he had discovered a painting of the young Skeleton Principal.
There must be tremendous danger nearby. Indeed, Professor Boladi was also showing wariness while emanating magical power.
“…Student Lee Han. Do you see? Over there?”
“Are you talking about the elf wearing a turban with sapphires embedded in it? The one with Jenbaya’s magic cast on it? The gold decorations would probably lower the price instead…”
“How did you see such things? Not that! Next to it! Next to it!”
“??”
“It’s my senior.”
“…”
Lee Han was dumbfounded at the sight of the Great Artist, who had fled first, wandering around the hall.
—————
This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
—————
YOU MAY ALSO LIKE
