Surviving as a Mage in a Magic Academy - Chapter 1160

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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 1160

“I knew your magical skills were impressive, but your skill in handling spirits is also extraordinary.”

At Lee Han’s muttering, Sarataan bristled with anger.

‘This bastard?’

No spirit liked being subjugated by a mortal and forced to work.

Especially if the process was humiliating.

Sarataan was a notorious troublemaker in the spirit realm and took some pride in this infamy.

The fact that such a spirit had been forcibly captured and made to work by a mortal mage was a secret shameful enough to carry until the day all dimensions perished.

-Never tell anyone about this! If you do… if you do…!

“I understand. I understand. Where would I even tell anyone about this?”

Mages beloved by spirits like Nilia could have all sorts of casual conversations with spirits, but Lee Han was far from that.

First, the number of spirits he knew was very small, and most of those spirits were strange and eccentric…

‘I can’t have normal conversations…’

If he summoned Perkuntra and suggested talking about what happened today, this lightning spirit would immediately call the Skeleton Principal.

Making a fuss about how his disciple had finally gone insane!

“But exactly how were you captured? Could you perhaps tell me?”

Lee Han asked with a slightly expectant voice. At that sinister tone, Sarataan got goosebumps.

‘This… this guy, surely not…!’

-I absolutely don’t remember. Not at all!

Sarataan had never felt kinship with other spirits as fellow beings, but this time he felt a sense of responsibility.

He had to protect the spirits.

From that terrifying mage!

“Really? That’s unfortunate.”

Lee Han expressed disappointment while secretly lowering his evaluation of Sarataan by another level.

Seeing that he couldn’t even remember this, he really was a thoroughly incompetent spirit.

‘He seems to be the most incompetent spirit I know.’

Considering he also messed up the Hwacheon General warning last time, this spirit really seemed to have no talents besides fighting.

Well, if he had been so talented and capable, no matter how much of a criminal he was, the Talking Oak Trees wouldn’t have easily handed him over to an outsider like Lee Han.

-What are you thinking about?

Sarataan asked anxiously as Lee Han became quiet.

Was he perhaps thinking about trapping spirits?

“Ah. If this really is Bakwantalana’s ruin, I was wondering what kind of magic might be inside.”

Lee Han deflected without changing his expression. Sarataan was completely fooled by those words.

-Bakwantalana created countless ruins for magical research. In that process, he didn’t hesitate to commit the outrage of capturing innocent spirits and forcing them to work when necessary.

‘How admirable.’

Lee Han’s eyes sparkled for a moment.

He couldn’t understand why the same actions seemed terrible when the Skeleton Principal did them, but admirable when an unknown mage did them.

“High-level magic requires enormous cost and time to develop and complete each one. Creating new ruins isn’t strange either.”

The cost mentioned here included not just reagents but also location and labor.

Pure environmental mana was almost essential for researching high-level magic.

If such mana couldn’t be obtained, it was typical for mages to create facilities artificially…

…and such facilities often turned out to be among the ruins discovered later.

-Any mage would do that, but Bakwantalana was especially a perfectionist.

“There are mages like me too. Not all mages are perfectionists.”

-Shi… That’s why he completely destroyed the ruins of failed magic.

Sarataan fell into Lee Han’s trap and almost cursed before barely catching himself.

‘That was dangerous.’

“Weren’t you about to curse just now?”

-Absolutely not.

“Hmm… I see. Anyway, if it’s a ruin that remains intact, there’s a high possibility it contains completed magic, right?”

What if he discovered magic that Bakwantalana had researched but hadn’t been discovered yet?

Lee Han trembled with excitement.

How many things would be possible with that power.

Sarataan watched from inside the staff and asked out of curiosity.

-What would you do first if you obtained it?

He was also a troublemaker of the spirit realm, but this mage was also quite a monster.

He was honestly curious about how he planned to shake up the Empire with powerful magic.

“First, I’ll make Professor Verdus crawl on all fours… no, he’s already crawling. Then I’ll make him roll left and right. I’ll threaten that if he doesn’t follow my orders, I won’t show him even a fragment of the magic. I’ll make him do my chores every day…”

-…

Sarataan cursed inwardly.

It was such a petty desire that he was ashamed of having just respected him as an equal.

“Oh right. I almost forgot Senior Yukveltire. I’ll make that person do Senior Diret’s chores every day. Make him polish Senior Diret’s shoes and prepare Senior Diret’s breakfast…”

-I understand, so please stop…

* * *

Garko of the Arzo family was a transformation magic school mage befitting the family’s generations-old reputation.

Some gossips even said that if Garko had been a penguin beastman instead of an elf, he would have received higher evaluation than Alsicle of the Penguerin family.

Unlike penguin beastmen who were loved by most races in the Empire, elves were polarizing.

Of course, Garko would get angry when he heard such talk.

-Alsicle of the Penguerin family is a genius mage who will lead the next generation of the Empire’s magical academia! Such insults to such a mage!

-B-but Garko sir. Penguerin ignored you despite all the letters you sent.

-He must have been busy. To be so focused on magic, isn’t this also proof of being a genius mage?

While transformation magic school mages were generally cheerful and sociable, Garko was special even among them.

You could tell just from how he consistently sent letters to Alsicle, who didn’t reply and stayed holed up in his tower.

As such, the adventurers who followed Garko treated this mage with respectful attitudes.

“To be honest, I was very worried about this commission, mage sir. I’ve had some bad experiences with mages before.”

“Oh my. I apologize on behalf of mages. Mages are so absorbed in magic that they often make mistakes in etiquette.”

Garko spoke as if genuinely sorry.

Als… no, it was a mistake various mages often made when dealing with outsiders.

Being absorbed only in magic, they couldn’t distinguish whether their actions were rude or not.

To avoid this, they needed to regularly participate in social events and interact with people, but unfortunately many mages didn’t do so.

“No sir. Don’t worry too much about my colleague’s words. And the real reason we were worried wasn’t because of mages but because of the rumors around here. The north has been ominous lately.”

The northern Empire had always been rough land, but lately it was especially bad.

Monsters were rampant, rumors of evil worshippers were stirring, and for some reason criminals from the west were flooding over…

Usually northern criminals often went west because life was hard, but the opposite was rare. Even if disasters had occurred in the west, it was incomprehensible.

Some old adventurers suspected it might be part of some grand conspiracy.

“You’re right. It’s truly worrying.”

“Really? I thought you weren’t afraid at all, mage sir. You hired us and even entered this ruin.”

“When magic awaits, what does death matter?”

“Hahaha, what a joke… …wait, that wasn’t a joke.”

“Oh my. You were confused because I have such an excellent sense of humor! This wasn’t a joke.”

“…”

The adventurers’ mood became slightly chilly.

The fact that their client didn’t fear death wasn’t particularly pleasant news.

This client knew the most information about the current ruin, but if he himself was reckless and fearless…

“Of course, I absolutely don’t want to die! There seems to be a misunderstanding. To clarify, I mean that if I die for magic, I can fully accept it. I can face death with dignity.”

Despite the mage’s kind explanation, the adventurers already had chills running down their spines.

Suddenly they remembered the old saying about not getting too close to mages.

They hadn’t thought of it because of his kind appearance, but why was it suddenly coming to mind?

“Ahem, hmm… But what exactly is in this ruin?”

One of the adventurers quickly changed the subject. The other adventurers also nodded, seemingly curious.

Right now, they had descended below the cave ruins located on the mountainside while escorting the mage.

Perhaps luck was on their side, as there had been no particular dangers so far. There were no traps, and all the paths that appeared were well-paved stone passages.

Other wanderers couldn’t venture further inside and went back outside after gathering some items, but this excellent mage had identified the location of the secret passage leading underground and opened the door.

Thanks to that, they too had descended down here.

“Oh dear. If I were to tell you the identity of that magic, I would have to take you all captive and erase your memories.”

“…This isn’t a joke either, is it?”

“Pardon? That’s right. I don’t joke about such things. You wouldn’t misunderstand me as a frivolous and thoughtless person, would you?”

“Absolutely not.”

The adventurers suddenly found themselves missing the 2nd Circle mage they had met before.

He had acted arrogantly just because he could use magic, but at least he wasn’t creepy or scary when talking.

Even his life goals had been endearingly relatable.

Making money to retire – what a heartwarming goal that was.

Wa… ter… flo… wing…

“Did, did you just hear that?”

It definitely wasn’t the voice of a mortal with flesh. The adventurers tensed at the ominous voice that belonged to a being from another dimension or something equally sinister.

However, Garko commanded without hesitation.

“Finally! It seems to be the watchman of the ruins. Let’s advance.”

“How should we deal with it?”

Though tense, the adventurers dutifully moved their hands and feet as they had accepted the commission.

They intended to deal with that watchman according to the mage’s instructions.

“I think we’ll need to see that watchman directly to know.”

“Understood… wait, you do have at least some general information, right?”

One of the adventurers asked just in case.

Surely they wouldn’t just approach without any information at all.

‘That can’t be right.’

This mage had a reputation guaranteed by various magic towers of the Empire, and hadn’t he skillfully found and opened the secret passage?

He must have information to act with such confidence.

“I don’t. But I promise to do my best.”

“…”

“It’s coming! Block the path!!”

The adventurers had to quickly spring into action without even being able to argue.

* * *

“Everyone, even if we obtain useful magic, the right to blackmail Professor Verdus belongs only to me.”

“Nobody covets that right, Wardanaz.”

The White Tiger Tower students looked at Lee Han as if he were ridiculous.

They simply wanted to leave their names in the excavation of a great magic relic.

That alone would be sufficiently glorious as mages.

And honestly, whatever magic came from the magic ruins, it seemed only Wardanaz would be able to learn it.

2nd or 3rd Circle magic wouldn’t come from ruins like this…

-It was wise not to mention whose magic it is. Even trustworthy accomplices can betray you.

Sarataan whispered so only Lee Han could hear. Lee Han thought to himself.

‘I didn’t say anything because you might be wrong.’

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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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