Surviving as a Mage in a Magic Academy - Chapter 1188

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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 1188

“Strictly speaking, it’s not entirely nonexistent.”

While jealousy might sound incomprehensible, surprisingly, such incidents often occurred when learning magic.

A phenomenon where one magic interferes with the practice of another magic.

The reasons were varied.

It could simply be due to differences in difficulty, or because of rules from otherworldly beings tied to that magic, or because training in one magic interfered with training in another magic.

“To transform into a dragon, you need recognition from the dragon race itself, right? Then there could be certain conditions for magic too.”

“Isn’t that, isn’t that too petty?”

Karnella spoke as if dumbfounded.

Of course, Jarun’s speculation had some merit, but that didn’t make it sound any less petty.

A restriction requiring dragon transformation to be learned before other transformations.

For a dignified and perfect race, it was a bit…

“Originally, strength and pettiness are separate things. You can tell just by looking at the Principal. If you look at the old records of the dwarves, you’ll see how petty dragons are.”

‘Honestly, wasn’t that the fault of the dwarves who went down below to mine while the dragon was sleeping…’

Karnella only thought this to herself.

Last time she actually said this out loud, she almost permanently severed ties with her senior.

Jarun was excellent as a miner, so he was also well-versed in the mining records left by ancient dwarves, and as such, he knew well about the incidents and accidents caused by dwarves.

And whenever he got the chance, he would tell stories of those incidents and accidents, claiming ‘the dwarves were wronged.’

But from Karnella’s perspective, it seemed like the fault of the dwarves who noisily hammered with pickaxes right below where the dragon had entered first to sleep…

“Why aren’t you saying anything? Are you perhaps thinking of something else?”

“Ah, no. What are you talking about, Senior. Those dragons were really too much!”

Karnella hastily made excuses. Jarun was sending her a gaze full of suspicion.

“…Well, the dragons might not have meddled with the magic. It could simply be due to the magical structure.”

“Structure?”

“That guy has so much mana. Then when transforming, ordinary forms might not adapt well.”

“!”

At this quite plausible story, Karnella sent a gaze of admiration.

Other mages might say ‘what kind of outlandish story is that,’ but wasn’t her junior’s mana capacity outlandish to begin with?

She had to think with standards befitting that.

Generally, when casting transformation magic, mages try to match the standards of their transformation target, but…

…sometimes the transformation target had to match the mage’s standards.

From that perspective, continuously transforming into a dragon made perfect sense.

During the transformation process, it was easy to lose control over mana, and at such times, one would instinctively choose the form among familiar shapes that could best withstand mana.

In her junior’s case, that was most likely a dragon.

“When transforming only parts of the body, things like basilisks were possible too, right? Once dragon transformation becomes somewhat familiar, then he can practice other transformations.”

“You should have said that from the beginning! That sounds much more plausible than jealousy!”

“I think the dragons’ jealousy is more plausible though?”

Jarun looked at his junior as if asking what she was talking about. Karnella quickly changed her words.

“Actually, I also thought the dragons’ jealousy was more plausible. Those dragons, really.”

“So what’s the reason?”

Lee Han asked in a tired voice.

It was frustrating since the two were only whispering to each other without telling him anything.

“It’s most likely due to the dragons’ jealousy.”

“Pardon?”

“It’s shocking, but Senior is right. Junior. You have to accept it.”

Karnella expressed agreement while quickly moving her lips.

‘Due to your mana capacity, dragon form might be more comfortable.’

“…”

Lee Han was about to say something but stopped. He was quite tired from the continuous transformation attempts.

‘I really should just ask other people next time…’

He couldn’t even guess what the two were doing to act like that.

* * *

Fortunately, Lee Han succeeded in maintaining his form before becoming exhausted.

“About 30 minutes? It would be better not to overdo it beyond that. Actually, when first learning, it’s better to do even less.”

Jarun gave advice to his junior who had transformed into dragon form.

When one didn’t have much experience with transformation magic yet, it was better not to overdo it. One had to gradually increase the time.

“Until you become somewhat familiar, I don’t recommend transforming into other animals.”

-What about basilisks?

The baby basilisk cried out pitifully, but the mages couldn’t hear it. Lee Han heard it but was too tired and only nodded.

“Hmm. What a truly beautiful creature.”

Jarun muttered in a low voice. At those words, Karnella asked in surprise.

“Wait, Senior. Don’t you have a grudge against dragons?”

“Having a grudge is separate from facts being facts. Dragons are powerful and beautiful creatures.”

“That’s right! Look at those beautiful wings and scales. If he entered the ball game tournament, he could trample all the other creatures.”

Although she couldn’t enter Prince Jowurin, there might still be possibilities with her junior.

Karnella’s eyes burned with ambition.

Jarun, who didn’t notice the ambition held by the crazy junior beside him, continued muttering.

“Look at those jet-black scales. No gem could create that color.”

…Wait, why is it a Black Dragon?

Lee Han, who had been resting while maintaining his form due to exhaustion, suddenly became curious and asked.

It was a bit funny for the transformed person himself to ask, but he hadn’t been thinking about the dragon’s color while transforming.

Yet the dragon he had transformed into was definitely a jet-black Black Dragon.

Why?

“Weren’t you close friends with a Black Dragon among the dragons?”

“That’s not right? The dragon Junior is close with is definitely a Gold Dragon.”

Karnella said with puzzlement.

Prince Jowurin, who had been following her junior around like that, was definitely a Gold Dragon.

“Hormashi, how would you know that? There could be another dragon he’s closer with.”

“Is that so? That could… that could be.”

At Jarun’s rebuke, Karnella nodded.

Come to think of it, friendship was originally something difficult to know from the outside.

He might be closer with that Black Dragon who came as an inspector this time than with Prince Jowurin…

‘Come to think of it, didn’t he also serve as a right-hand man?’

Absolutely not!

Lee Han cried out in shock, forgetting even his fatigue.

No matter how tired he was, this was a conversation he couldn’t just let pass. If Jowurin were to hear this, he couldn’t even imagine what reaction she would show.

‘She wouldn’t attack Prince Uman, would she? …Still, he’s her younger brother…’

“Originally, it’s hard for people to know their own hearts. It’s human nature to develop favorable feelings toward a dragon who helps rather than one who bothers you.”

Lee Han blew out his breath and sent Jarun flying backward. The dwarf senior rolled down the underground slope path.

“Hey!”

Stop spreading false rumors.

“It was just one opinion! Such an impatient guy…”

Jarun grumbled as he climbed back up.

If it wasn’t due to friendship, there were other reasons too.

“Have you recently handled a lot of dark elements and associated with big shots related to dark magic? Then you might have been unconsciously influenced in that direction.”

Yes!

Lee Han answered with delight.

He had met renowned dark mages from the Empire and the Demon Hag whom those dark mages worshipped.

At this understandable explanation, Lee Han breathed a sigh of relief.

However, Jarun was lukewarm.

“You’re not mistaken? It wouldn’t be easy to affect transformation unless you’re dealing with quite an extraordinary being.”

I met some of the Empire’s top dark mages and the powerful beings from another dimension that those dark mages worship. Is that enough?

‘He’s lying.’

‘Isn’t he really bad at lying?’

The two seniors frowned at such a brazen story.

No matter what, coming up with such a setting and asking them to believe it…

But the two seniors nodded with smiling faces. It was their junior speaking, and more importantly, their junior was still in dragon form.

Not provoking colleagues when transformed into a powerful animal was an iron rule among transformation mages.

Especially if it was a junior who had transformed into a dragon for the first time.

“I see. If that’s the case, then transforming into a Black Dragon makes sense.”

“It really makes perfect sense, doesn’t it, junior?”

…Fine. But can’t I change the color?

“The color? Is there a reason to be obsessed with color?”

Color had no particular meaning to the dragon race.

Some enthusiasts claimed that a dragon’s scale color revealed differences in their nature and power, but it was more like the dragon’s own preference and choice.

Wouldn’t it be better to practice something else in the time you’d spend practicing that?

It’s very necessary. Especially being able to transform into golden color.

“Th… that’s right. I understand.”

When Lee Han stared seriously and spoke, the two seniors flinched. Having transformed into a dragon and emanating magical power, that presence was truly overwhelming.

“If it’s golden color… you’d need to spend more time getting along with a Gold Dragon…”

Isn’t there anything else besides that?

Lee Han was disgusted.

The only Gold Dragon he could spend more time with now was Jowrin, and Jowrin had very sharp intuition in strange areas.

If she found out that he could transform into a dragon, things would become very troublesome.

‘And if she knew it was a Black Dragon, there’s no telling what would happen.’

-Hmph. You should be grateful just for the fact that you can transform into a dragon.

The baby basilisk grumbled.

No matter how much of a friend he was, feeling envious was unavoidable.

“…Are you really close?”

“Shh. Their relationship might have gotten a bit rocky. Senior, let’s not pry too much.”

The two seniors looked suspiciously at Lee Han avoiding contact with Jowrin.

Transforming into a Black Dragon and all, maybe they weren’t actually as close as they thought?

“Hmm. Another method is… getting familiar with gold’s properties by handling some gold would be one way…”

“Oh! Senior could lend some gold!”

“Are you insane?”

Jarun immediately became serious.

Jarun wouldn’t give up gold even if his parents came looking.

But to a junior?

“Just lend it for a bit. Who said anything about giving it away.”

“That’s the same thing!”

“Junior even stole a professor’s artifact for you.”

“…That was…!”

Strictly speaking, I’ve never officially acknowledged that fact.

“R-right.”

Karnella was slightly flustered by her meticulous junior’s answer.

Pop!

Lee Han, having returned to human form, brushed off the dust on his hands and legs.

A dragon’s power was certainly strong, but it seemed he still had a long way to go to properly control and use that power.

-Hmph. When do you think I’ll be able to transform into a basilisk?

“…I’ll try my best. Sorry for lacking talent.”

“…”

“…”

Jarun and Karnella looked at their junior with expressions of shock and disgust.

Transforming into a dragon in just one day and now saying that?

‘What kind of insufferable bastard is this?’

Jarun realized anew why he hadn’t called his juniors.

Juniors were just burdens that brought only pain.

“I’ll get gold myself and try handling it.”

“Come on. How much could you have saved up, junior? Just ask your senior.”

At Karnella’s words, Jarun muttered in ancient dwarf language.

“■■■■ ■■.”

‘I don’t know what it means, but it’s definitely profanity.’

Anyway, Lee Han shook his head.

It might have been different before, but now Lee Han had quite a bit of gold saved up. It was all thanks to working hard without rest.

“I have some saved up too.”

“How much?”

Karnella, seemingly curious, approached her junior and asked him to whisper the amount.

“So… about this much…”

“What… that much…?!”

After hearing the story, Karnella’s eyes widened, then she looked at her junior once and looked at Jarun once.

And finally, she cast a pitying and sympathetic look at Jarun.

‘After struggling so hard underground, only that much…’

“What kind of look is that?!”

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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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