Surviving as a Mage in a Magic Academy - Chapter 123

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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 123

“That’s not it!!”

“Excuse me?”

“I said you could use all the materials in this room, but stealing a potion and just submitting it as is – even you must think that’s unreasonable!”

At Professor Thunderstep’s protest, Lee Han paused and looked at Professor Thunderstep as if he were a strange person.

Professor Thunderstep felt embarrassed and asked again.

“…Wasn’t that what you were planning to do?”

“No. I mean, who would steal a potion and submit it like that? Professor, really…”

At Lee Han’s words, Professor Thunderstep felt embarrassed but then suddenly became indignant.

‘This kid forcibly took it from me and now he’s acting like this toward me?’

He had brazenly snatched the potion from the professor’s grasp, and now he was suddenly treating him like a strange person – it was absurd.

If there wasn’t a possibility that this disciple might become the Empire’s greatest swordsman later, he would have hit him.

“Then why did you take it?”

“To analyze the potion more accurately. I thought there was a high possibility that even if I asked you for the potion, Professor, you wouldn’t give it to me.”

“Hmm…”

It was true.

Even if the disciples had asked for it, he had absolutely no intention of giving it to them.

But just because it was true didn’t make it any less annoying. Professor Thunderstep found the disciple who spoke the truth particularly irritating today.

“Hmph. Let’s see you do well then.”

Professor Thunderstep crossed his arms and glared at Lee Han.

Taking the potion was unexpected, but even so, making the same potion was still a difficult task.

Even if he had obtained the potion, analyzing and understanding its properties was an entirely separate matter.

‘He’s not going to foolishly drink it, is he…’

Professor Thunderstep was anxious.

Of course, the clever Wardanaz Family Boy wouldn’t do such a thing, but it was also true that this boy sometimes committed crazy acts without any hesitation.

It wouldn’t be strange if he suddenly drank it!

However, contrary to Professor Thunderstep’s worries, Lee Han approached it very methodically.

‘That method?’

Lee Han took a few drops of the potion from the glass bottle and spread them on the floor.

Then he waved his staff and chanted an incantation.

“Components, be separated.”

‘He’s learned that magic!’

Professor Thunderstep was surprised.

The 【Component Separation】 magic.

It was magic that forcibly separated the components contained in things like potions.

It was convenient magic that any alchemist would use, but Professor Thunderstep had deliberately not taught it.

To become an excellent alchemist, one must have the passion to seek out and learn things on their own.

If a professor spoon-fed everything, one could not become an excellent alchemist.

Lee Han had learned magic by searching through the library books on his own, fitting Professor Thunderstep’s educational philosophy.

Professor Thunderstep nodded his head at that sight.

‘What an annoying brat!’

Professor Thunderstep hoped Lee Han would fail at magic and cough while breathing in acrid smoke.

Fortunately, the 【Component Separation】 magic was by no means easy magic.

If you clearly knew the components inside, it was easy to separate them, but if not, separating them was not easy.

Magic wasn’t a master key that could solve anything just by knowing how to recite incantations.

Even the same magic was greatly influenced by the knowledge and skill of the mage using it.

Unless you forcibly poured mana brutishly to separate the components, it wasn’t a problem that could be solved by simply memorizing incantations…

“Ah.”

Professor Thunderstep realized belatedly and hesitated.

And the potion droplets scattered on the floor began to slowly separate.

* * *

‘It’s working better than expected.’

Lee Han and Yoner were currently the students most serious about alchemy in the tower.

Setting other things aside, it was unavoidable in order to analyze the potions that Ratford had stolen and brought out.

The 【Component Separation】 magic was also magic learned during that process.

Magic he had barely learned by discovering the name while flipping through alchemy books last time and thoroughly searching through other books for the incantation.

He had worried whether it would be okay, but fortunately the magic worked better than expected.

The potion droplet divided into several smaller droplets of different colors.

Lee Han raised his head and looked at Professor Thunderstep.

‘Hmm. It worked well indeed.’

Seeing Professor Thunderstep’s very displeased expression, it was certain that it had worked well.

“I’ll praise you for separating the potion that much.”

“Thank you.”

“But that’s not enough. You won’t have a way to identify the separated components!”

“Oh. Isn’t this a Confidence Potion?”

“????”

Professor Thunderstep was startled.

How did he know?!

* * *

Nilia, who had taken the test before Lee Han and come out, was sitting and talking with Ratford.

“You succeeded in matching the color similarly? That’s amazing?”

“I was lucky.”

“I don’t think I made it similar at all…”

“You don’t need to worry. This was a test where no one could produce perfect results. The professor must have watched the process too.”

At Ratford’s comfort, Nilia seemed to regain her spirits and nodded her head.

“But why did you leave me out and wander around the night school last time?”

“…”

Ratford broke out in a cold sweat.

“That… I told you, didn’t I? This… Salko of House Tutanta is the kind of guy who only goes around with subordinates he can trust and rely on completely. I was also called as a guide. Lord Wardanaz came without knowing either. If it had been just us going, we would have naturally called you.”

“Ah. Right. That’s how it was.”

Nilia nodded again in understanding.

And after talking about alchemy class for about ten minutes, Nilia asked again.

“But still, couldn’t you have called me before departing?”

“…”

Ratford unconsciously looked toward the door.

‘When will Lord Wardanaz come out?’

This wasn’t something Ratford could persuade her about. Lee Han needed to come out.

“What do you think? Hm? What do you think?”

“Well… Salko has a rather nasty temper…”

Ratford originally had no great grudge against Salko, but in the current situation, he had no choice.

He had to make Salko out to be the bad guy.

“He didn’t give us any chance at all…”

“Last time with the island too. We prepared everything, but then he went with the White Tiger Tower friends, right? What do you think about that?”

“Well… those White Tiger Tower guys are naturally violent and underhanded, aren’t they?”

Ratford had no great grudge against the White Tiger Tower friends either, but once again he had no choice.

He had to make them out to be the bad guys again.

“From Lord Wardanaz’s position, it must have been unavoidable.”

“Well, that was also an unavoidable situation, wasn’t it?”

“Yes. So now let’s stop this topic…”

“Right. …Was I complaining too much?”

Nilia asked, seemingly aware that she had been grumbling. Ratford quickly shook his head.

“Not at all?”

“Really? Then that’s a relief.”

Nilia talked about alchemy for another fifteen minutes or so.

How the recent test was, how the assignment was, what the midterm exam might be like…

Other Black Turtle Tower students who had finished their tests also joined the conversation and offered their opinions.

Since the topic seemed to have completely moved on, Ratford felt relieved.

“But this isn’t my story, it’s my friend’s story. She says friends from other towers keep forgetting about her and going around without her.”

“…”

Ratford hung his head low.

The Black Turtle Tower friends who didn’t know the exact situation seriously participated in the discussion.

“Isn’t it because they’re from other towers? Those guys from other towers are basically rude, arrogant, or conceited.”

“Phoenix Tower is better at least.”

“Those White Tiger Tower guys are really annoying.”

While Ratford was pondering how to change the subject, Lee Han opened the door and came out.

Ratford was as happy to see Lee Han as hot soup obtained after starving for several days.

“Lord Wardanaz…!”

‘Was the exam that difficult?’

Lee Han was slightly flustered when Ratford called out to him with a voice full of emotion.

“What’s wrong?”

“Please explain to Miss Nilia about what happened last time.”

“What’s wrong with you, Ratford. I said I understood everything.”

Nilia scolded Ratford without changing her expression, as if asking what he was talking about.

Ratford opened his mouth in frustration and stared at Nilia.

‘Is that the behavior of someone who understood everything…!?’

Lee Han looked at Nilia and Ratford and quickly understood the situation.

He had been prepared for this situation ever since roaming the night school with Salko of the Tutanta family.

“Nilia. Salko was being a bit too much. I asked if I could invite you, but he stubbornly refused.”

“!”

“?”

Ratford tilted his head.

Had there been such a conversation?

“From what I heard, he said that if there was an excellent hunter like you, the other friends would lose confidence.”

“Really?”

Nilia’s long ears perked up and rose slightly.

Lee Han nodded with a very serious expression.

So convincingly that even Ratford, who had been there, thought ‘somehow it seems like such a conversation did happen.’

“He also prevented me from inviting Yoner. Salko was being too much, wasn’t he? But don’t be too harsh on him. He did it for his friends.”

“…Right. That’s true!”

Nilia answered with a face that was clearly brighter than before. The angle of her ears was also much higher.

Ratford whispered quietly.

“Did you have such a conversation?”

“Shh. Be quiet.”

“…”

The Black Turtle Tower students saw Lee Han and called out.

“Wardanaz. How was the exam? Did you perhaps make the potion perfectly?”

“No way. It was an impossible exam from the start. I failed.”

The other students felt relieved at Lee Han’s words.

Seeing even Lee Han, the top student, say such things made them feel a little reassured.

Maybe it wasn’t as much of a disaster as they thought!

“What characteristics did everyone notice? I added Findensis because there was a pungent smell.”

“Really? I tried to match the color, so I mainly used similar colors…”

While the students were talking, Lee Han listened silently.

Meanwhile, Yoner, who had taken the exam last, finally walked out of the door.

“Everyone worked hard. Of course, the potions you made are at a level where you’d get stabbed if you tried to sell them anywhere, but it’s true that you worked hard.”

The students glared at Professor Thunderstep’s words. The dwarf professor burst into laughter as if he found it amusing.

“Honestly, the exam was too difficult, Professor!”

“At the very least, shouldn’t it be within the scope of what we’ve learned?”

“Even Wardanaz failed this, so who could possibly get it right!”

The students protested desperately, worried that such exams might appear on the midterms too.

Professor Thunderstep, who had been listening with a smile, asked back as if wondering what they were talking about.

“What are you talking about? Wardanaz almost succeeded.”

“Excuse me?”

“I said he almost succeeded. There were minor differences, but that level counts as success. It’s the highest score.”

The Black Turtle Tower students who had just been talking together quickly turned their heads to look for Lee Han.

However, Lee Han was nowhere to be seen as he had already slipped away from his seat.

Thunderstep clicked his tongue and said.

“To believe the words of a friend who studies better than you. How naive indeed.”

“…Ugh…!”

“Wardanaz…! We trusted you…!”

* * *

Lee Han was lost in thought as he read through what he had written on paper.

Right now, the new students of the magic school were spreading out here and there like drops of ink mixed into water.

And Lee Han was the person most actively exploring the school.

Main Building West 2nd Floor haunted corridor (unresolved) – There are rumors of a fabric storage warehouse stocked by the school.

Main Building Basement 1st Floor locked prison (resolved) – Connected to professor’s office. Absolutely do not approach.

Main Building…

‘It’s interesting, but I still want to check the path to the stables in the spire first.’

Gainando asked Lee Han, who was drawing maps and taking notes on paper.

“By the way, are you okay for Professor Garcia’s exam?”

“I’m a bit anxious, but I’ve roughly prepared everything.”

“…”

Gainando looked at Lee Han as if he were looking at a monster.

And then he muttered.

“The Wardanaz Family… truly terrifying!”

“It’s not really related to the Wardanaz Family, is it?”

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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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