Surviving as a Mage in a Magic Academy - Chapter 1039
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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 1039
“Shouldn’t you be running far away?”
Except for exceptions like Professor Vermon, mages who failed to keep their promises generally fled to remote mountains and valleys where no one knew them.
Naturally, since the Great Artist had also disappeared in such a hurry, Lee Han thought he would have already gone far away…
“What are you talking about, Student Lee Han. If you get too far from the Empire’s great cities, it becomes difficult to obtain necessary materials.”
Professor Garcia explained instead.
Though he was an excellent disciple, his lack of experience showed at times like this.
If you were from Einroguard, even when fleeing for failing to keep a promise, you still took care of what needed to be taken care of.
“There’s also the effect of catching them off guard by doing the opposite.”
“…”
Professor Garcia, who was focused on explaining, didn’t notice that his disciple was looking at his senior with the gaze one would give to trash.
“Tras… I mean, I understand why Senior didn’t go far. Anyway, I needed to talk about the portrait, so this worked out well.”
When Lee Han was about to call out, Professor Garcia quickly stopped him.
“Wait a moment, Student Lee Han.”
“?”
“Couldn’t you tell him later?”
“Huh? Oh, but he seems like he’d want to know right away. Are you worried he’ll be shocked?”
The story that one of the paintings he left behind had transformed into the Skeleton Principal from his prince days was difficult for even the Great Artist to accept.
But Lee Han believed.
That an outstanding mage like the Artist would accept the truth and use it as nourishment for himself.
‘Senior will definitely be fine.’
“No, that’s not it…”
Professor Garcia hesitated.
The professor didn’t care if the other party was shocked because of the Skeleton Principal’s portrait, but rather…
“…Eek!”
The Great Artist, who had been wandering around inside the hall, made eye contact with Lee Han.
The Great Artist let out a single scream and instantly disappeared among the people.
“…He fled from Petrograd, and if he meets Student Lee Han so directly like this, even Senior would feel ashamed…”
“Ah.”
Lee Han realized belatedly.
Though he didn’t particularly care about it, senior mages had their pride.
“I didn’t think of that at all. Certainly, pride is…”
While thinking about senior mages, Lee Han felt a strange sense of unease.
It felt as if he was missing someone.
‘What is it?’
However, before he could resolve that unease, the Great Artist appeared again.
With long, flowing black hair, and facial features that had taken the place of the original mask, reminiscent of a noblewoman from a distinguished family.
If the rest of the outfit hadn’t remained the same, he might have mistaken her for a different person.
‘Oh right. I should respect Senior’s wishes.’
Lee Han spoke with the most clueless attitude possible.
“I really don’t know who that person is, Professor.”
“…I’m not disguising myself to fool you, so there’s no need for such pathetic acting.”
The Artist glared at his junior as he spoke.
Sometimes unnecessary consideration could hurt people more.
“Inside this hall, call me Lady Azirmo.”
Lee Han was puzzled by the Artist’s choice to use one of the most famous dragon names in the Empire when there were many better aliases available.
“Is there a reason you chose the name Azirmo?”
“A very good question. Yes. The reason lies in the dragon race.”
The Artist seemed satisfied with the question and gladly explained.
While various races in the Empire each prided themselves on being the greatest, if one had to choose a great race that no other race could ignore, it would only be dragons.
The ancient race of the continent, born with innate perfection.
“Dragons can choose everything for themselves. Their own names, gender, color, contractors, and even whether or not to become the Skeleton Principal’s disciple.”
‘Isn’t the last one something other races can choose too?’
Lee Han thought to himself but held back, thinking the Artist might get angry if he said it.
“Therefore, when I escaped from that madman’s clutches, I borrowed that name with the intention of choosing everything for myself like a dragon.”
Names carried magical power.
To the Artist who had abandoned his old name and chosen a new one with the intention of becoming the master of his own destiny, the name of the Empire’s most famous dragon seemed like a natural choice.
“I see.”
“In a way, it’s not an exaggeration to say that the dragon’s name protects me.”
“But Senior, one of the paintings you left behind transformed into the Principal from his young prince days.”
“…”
For something protected by a dragon’s name, the Artist staggered far too much. His complexion had turned as pale as lead.
“Are you alright?”
“Seriously? Are you asking seriously? What mage could be alright after hearing such words?”
‘He has a point.’
Professor Garcia found himself nodding without realizing it.
If you were from Einroguard, no one could remain calm after hearing those words.
To say it like he’d just picked up a stone from the roadside…
“How on earth???”
“I’m not sure either… Actually, it seems to have accidentally transformed into a moving painting. When we were practicing.”
“When practicing? But I didn’t feel any changes at that time?”
“Well, he got sulky because you said he wasn’t your disciple…”
Lee Han tried his best to explain in detail.
In fact, the painting’s transformation was such a coincidental event that even the professors would have difficulty explaining it. Even trying to explain had clear limitations.
But still, one thing was clearly conveyed.
The fact that the painting of the Skeleton Principal from his prince days was thoroughly sulking at the Artist!
“…”
The Artist looked like he was about to vomit.
Something more disgusting than the evil Skeleton Principal was a sulking Skeleton Principal. He couldn’t imagine it at all.
“Are you alright?”
“No. I feel like my mind is collapsing. I’ll have to check the condition after today’s auction ends.”
“How about meeting him once…”
The Artist shook his head at his junior’s suggestion.
The shock was already too great. Even the Artist himself couldn’t guess what would happen if he had a direct confrontation here.
“Just the fact that it changed is valuable enough information. I express my gratitude.”
“Still, I think meeting him would be more helpful.”
“It seems the method isn’t wrong after all.”
The Artist pretended not to hear and changed the subject.
Though he couldn’t precisely grasp what influence the magic practice with the youngest disciple of the school had, it gave him confidence that the overall direction of the magic wasn’t wrong.
If Lee Han had changed the painting to move alive, then the Artist himself could do it too.
‘But I will absolutely never summon such a mage.’
The Artist firmly resolved.
Even if he were to summon the young Skeleton Principal, it would be with a moderately dry and cold personality, not the appearance Lee Han described…
…However, the image he had heard once didn’t easily disappear from his mind.
“Ugh. Disappear from my head! You evil spirit!”
“…”
Lee Han suddenly became worried when the Artist screamed as if suffering from a headache.
Should he not have said anything?
“Should I have just kept it hidden?”
“No. You spoke well. He’ll have to find out someday anyway. Overcoming it is something the senior will have to handle himself.”
Professor Garcia was subtly cold.
The professor wasn’t idle enough to worry about a narrow-minded senior, let alone a disciple.
“Anyway, then… I’ll be going now.”
Since he also had to meet the Horticulturist Club members, Lee Han spoke up.
He had said everything he needed to say to his senior, so now he had to go do what he came to do.
Hearing those words, the Artist emerged from his shock and said.
“Wait. If you came here, it must be to participate in an auction. Which auction are you planning to attend?”
“I was thinking of participating in the Horticulturist Club auction first.”
Since other auctions weren’t confirmed yet, Lee Han mentioned the confirmed one first.
“That works out well. I was planning to participate too.”
The Artist spoke as if pleased.
He had come after hearing rumors of rare plants appearing, and it seemed his junior had plans as well.
“Let’s go together.”
“Oh.”
Lee Han was flustered by the sudden suggestion.
The Great Artist was certainly a respectable senior, but if asked whether he wanted to visit the Horticulturist Club together, that was a different story.
He had already learned this painfully from his experience in Petrograd.
‘Nothing good comes from traveling with a Divination mage.’
If someone at the Horticulturist Club shouted ‘Wait! Aren’t you that mage who ran away after accepting my commission!’, Lee Han standing next to the Artist would automatically be recognized as ‘that shameless mage’s junior’.
It would be an excessively harsh initiation for a newly joined club member.
“Um, Senior. You can’t visit the Horticulturist Club without proper qualifications.”
“I know. Of course I have them.”
Having once completed a manor made of living trees, the Artist had received earnest invitations from Horticulturist Club members.
Naturally, he could attend their gatherings.
“…Then let’s go together…”
Lee Han moved his steps in a slightly dejected state.
He shouldn’t have acknowledged him earlier!
“Student Lee Han. Are you going with your senior?”
“Yes…”
At Professor Garcia’s question, Lee Han sent a slightly hopeful look.
Was the professor perhaps going to save him from this situation?
“That’s great!”
“…?”
Lee Han momentarily wondered what he had done wrong to Professor Garcia.
“Make sure to bring back plenty.”
“???”
* * *
“What do you need?”
“Everything from here to here.”
At the black-haired noblewoman’s declaration, the manager looked like he might faint.
Not everyone could afford to buy items before an auction even started by paying huge premiums.
Lee Han wondered inwardly.
‘Was there something that couldn’t afford competition?’
Instead of meeting the Horticulturist Club members right away, the Great Artist casually stopped by another auction house in a hall along the way.
-Hmm. This should be fine.
Eastern Gatherer’s Guild Reagent Auction (Large Stock of Rare Reagents)
Then he made a declaration that Lee Han felt he could never make in his lifetime.
“Was there something you absolutely needed?”
“No. I didn’t want to wait for the auction and deal with the annoying competition. Send the purchased reagents to this Einroguard student’s manor.”
“…?!!”
Lee Han was as shocked as the manager.
“Senior. I don’t have money to buy that… well, I’m not broke, but I don’t want to spend it on that.”
“What nonsense you speak. Do you think I’d force you to buy it? Use it when you return to Einroguard. Since you’re still a second-year, you can never have too many of these reagents. Hmm. Let’s stop by there too. You said you’re learning Divination Magic too? You’ll need some decent consumable gems.”
Lee Han was dragged along in a daze. The shock was so great that even hearing the absurd term ‘consumable gems’, he couldn’t bring himself to point it out.
“Bring out everything from here to here.”
“B-but this gem has someone who said they’d buy it…”
“Call them.”
“Pardon?”
“Call them and tell them I’ll pay double the offered price as compensation.”
The problem was immediately resolved.
Lee Han felt a thrill similar to when he saw the Skeleton Principal casting his unique world.
Wealth above a certain level produced effects similar to a unique world.
‘…How admirable!’
Only then could Lee Han understand what Professor Garcia had meant.
A Divination mage who didn’t run a school or meaninglessly squander wealth was truly an incarnation of immense riches.
He was endlessly grateful that this incarnation was his senior.
“Mage cards. Let’s buy all of these now too.”
“Senior. Why mage cards?”
“Hm? Don’t you guys play with them?”
The Artist was puzzled.
Wasn’t second-year about the time to play with them?
“…I’ll gratefully accept them.”
Lee Han thought he’d just accept them and give them to Gainando later.
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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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