Surviving as a Mage in a Magic Academy - Chapter 144

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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 144

‘Not surprising at all.’

Instead of being surprised, Lee Han said.

“I see. So you’re planning to shoot at the students.”

Does it make sense to shoot fireworks at students?->(X)

So you’re planning to shoot fireworks at the students!->(O)

Lee Han, who had already steeled himself, wasn’t shaken by this much.

‘I should tell my friends to avoid any events the Skeleton Principal hosts.’

No matter how delicious the snacks the Skeleton Principal offered at this festival, following him could result in getting hit by fireworks.

Seeing Lee Han’s indifferent reaction, the Skeleton Principal found it boring.

The longer one lived, the fewer pleasures remained.

The only pleasures left for the Skeleton Principal were exploring magic, running the school, and tormenting his disciples.

Truly a frugal, monk-like life of poverty.

But with Lee Han reacting like this, the Skeleton Principal couldn’t help but feel disappointed.

Wasn’t he being too cold about shooting fireworks at students?

“No. You could shoot them, I suppose…”

…

The Skeleton Principal once again realized that this newly discovered disciple was no ordinary fellow.

He had taught and tormented many disciples over the years, but few were as unique as the one before him.

When he spoke, he was as gentle as a willow tree, yet his core was harder than most nobles could even imagine.

‘A fellow like this should be properly learning magic…’

The Skeleton Principal found the state of the Empire truly regrettable.

What was the point of magic schools anyway?

In the old days, master and disciple sat face to face one-on-one and everything was passed down…

Listening to all sorts of nonsense from other mages only filled one’s head with empty notions. It was truly regrettable that when there was a direct path, one had to take detours.

* * *

Lee Han followed behind the Skeleton Principal.

‘Another professor’s workshop?’

A tower with a distinctive appearance located a short distance from the main building.

Since each professor had their own workshop, he could guess this was another professor’s tower.

Seeing furnaces and bellows, along with various facilities and equipment that could only be found in forges scattered in front, Lee Han was puzzled.

‘A place like this exists in the magic school?’

When following Knight Alarlong, he had occasionally visited places like this.

Since weapons were more important than life itself to knights, getting acquainted with skilled blacksmiths was also important work.

Naturally, the blacksmith’s forge that Alarlong visited also had facilities so excellent they ranked among the best in the Empire…

‘This doesn’t fall short compared to that place.’

It was so professional that it was quite surprising.

How is it?

The Skeleton Principal asked subtly when Lee Han seemed amazed.

Some of the facilities in this Magic School were built with the budget that the Skeleton Principal had obtained by bowing and scraping to the Emperor.

Naturally, he couldn’t help but feel attached to them.

“I’m surprised. This place is…”

This is the Sacred Workshop. Do you know what it’s used for?

“It’s a place for making artifacts.”

That’s right. You’re quite perceptive as expected.

Creating magical items, artifacts, wasn’t something just anyone could do.

If not a mage, who would imbue them with magic?

As such, an excellent artifact creator was an outstanding mage and at the same time a skilled blacksmith, as well as an experienced sculptor and a talented craftsman.

“Are you planning to sell artifacts during the festival to make a profit?”

…That’s an interesting idea, but no.

The Skeleton Principal was dumbfounded by Lee Han’s words.

Of course, artifact sales were one of the main sources of income for mages.

However, among mages who knew how to make artifacts, few tried to make money by selling as many artifacts as possible.

Mages who were obsessed with money and made money their purpose found it difficult to reach high levels.

Artifact sales were merely a means for their own research, not the purpose.

‘Why don’t they sell them? There seem to be quite a lot of outside customers.’

‘This guy isn’t even running the school, so why is he so interested in money…?’

The Principal and student thought each other was strange.

Meanwhile, a professor appeared from inside the tower.

Lee Han was startled when he saw the professor’s appearance.

‘Incredibly… cute!’

The professor holding a hammer and staff in each hand was a beaver beastkin.

Even to Lee Han, who had seen quite a few beastkin, the professor was surprisingly cute.

“Why are you here?”

I came because I need magic fireworks.

“Got it. I’ll make them. Go away.”

I brought a disciple to help.

“I don’t need help though?”

The beaver professor looked at the Skeleton Principal with a puzzled expression.

Then the Skeleton Principal spoke seriously.

I’m worried about you. You like making things alone too much without having students do it. You’ll hurt yourself doing that.

“Why should I have disciples do something this fun? I don’t understand.”

The beaver professor grumbled with dissatisfaction.

However, the Skeleton Principal wasn’t easily swayed.

Hadn’t he brought Lee Han here to have him work on making magic fireworks in the first place?

If he had gone through the trouble of bringing him here only for Lee Han to idle around while the beaver professor worked hard alone, the Skeleton Principal would truly be sad.

Hey! You’ll hurt yourself doing that! As the principal, I order you. Make them together with this disciple here!

‘He’s really persistent.’

Lee Han wasn’t fooled by the Skeleton Principal’s concerned words. There was only one reason why the Skeleton Principal had suddenly become a kind and gentle mage.

To somehow make Lee Han do the work!

From what he could see, that beaver professor wasn’t the type who liked to assign work to his disciples.

He was emphasizing it like that because he was worried Lee Han might not be assigned the task.

“Fine. Fine. We can just work together.”

Right! I’ll trust you. Now, Wardanaz. Make sure to have all the designated magic fireworks ready by the time I return.

“Understood.”

The Skeleton Principal gave repeated earnest instructions, then floated away humming a tune.

Lee Han was somehow reminded of a fairy tale he had read long ago.

Having to fill a cracked jar with water while the Skeleton Principal went on an outing…

The difference was that Lee Han didn’t really have anyone to help him.

‘I should just get to work.’

Though his appearance was cute, Lee Han didn’t let his guard down.

What kind of person would this beaver professor turn out to be?

* * *

“Professor?”

“Huh? Oh.”

“…Professor?”

“Huh? Oh oh. Right. Yeah.”

The beaver beastman professor, Professor Bibble Verdus, wasn’t as threatening as expected.

He wasn’t the type of professor who would shoot lightning at new students or send undead summons to attack them.

Instead, Professor Beeble had no particular interest in his disciples.

To be precise, he had no interest in anything in the world except his own magic.

“I heard you teach enchantment magic.”

At Lee Han’s words, Professor Beeble fiddled with glass and metal for about 30 seconds before belatedly answering.

“Yeah yeah.”

Enchantment magic.

It was a magic with broad scope and high demand even in the Empire.

When cast on people, it became enhancement magic, and when cast on objects, they became artifacts.

Lee Han had favorable feelings and interest in this enchantment magic.

‘It’s a field with good profitability, no less than alchemy.’

Mages who learned enchantment magic supposedly had no particular interest in gold and only pursued the noble path of learning, but that wasn’t Lee Han’s concern…

Wouldn’t learning how to make artifacts and selling them steadily make for a nice side business?

No matter how stable a job being an Empire official was, the future was uncertain. It wouldn’t be bad to secure a steady side income.

‘But with the professor being like this.’

“Mmm. Wait a moment.”

“Yes.”

Actually, if it weren’t for the Skeleton Principal, it wouldn’t have been a bad situation.

If the professor wasn’t interested in Lee Han, Lee Han could just do his own thing appropriately and then leave.

But given the Skeleton Principal’s personality, there was no way he wouldn’t ask questions when it was over.

And if Lee Han hadn’t done anything, he would unleash all sorts of petty torments.

After about 30 minutes, Professor Beeble finished his work. He submerged the completed metal plate in a large solution, cast magic on it, and then tried to walk to another room.

“Professor!”

“Oh! What? How long have you been here?”

“I’m Lee Han, here to help you make magic fireworks, Professor.”

“Ah. Right. Sorry. I keep forgetting.”

Professor Beeble approached Lee Han and asked.

“What year are you?”

“I’m a first year.”

“…”

Professor Beeble hesitated. Then he spoke again.

“First year?”

“Yes.”

“…Uh… didn’t Gonadaltes make a mistake?”

“He didn’t make a mistake.”

“Really? You must be really talented then?”

At Professor Beeble’s words, Lee Han thought to himself.

‘It seems more like malice than that…’

“Making magic fireworks itself isn’t very difficult. It’s just hard to make them pretty and varied. Especially for new students.”

Professor Beeble rolled thick paper into a round shape. Then he cast magic on it and sealed the top and bottom as well.

Finally, he attached thread to the bottom of the paper. So it could be pulled.

“There’s magic cast inside now. When you pull it? It goes bang and bursts out.”

“…Sorry, but could you do it again?”

“Huh? Again?”

Professor Beeble was flustered.

“Sure. Just a moment.”

The professor showed the magic again.

Roll the paper, enchant magic inside, seal the top and bottom, attach thread.

Done!

“…I’m really sorry. Could you possibly do it slowly again…”

“Huh? Again still?”

“Yes. I’m sorry. I don’t seem to have talent for enchantment magic.”

“No! It’s fine. It’s fine. Where’s the need for a mage to be good at all magic!”

Professor Beeble was a good-natured person.

Of course, that didn’t mean he had excellent abilities as an educator.

If he had been excellent as an educator, he wouldn’t have cast enchantment magic with silent incantations to a new student and then said nonsense like ‘Huh? Still don’t understand? You must have no talent!’

Both the master teaching and the disciple learning were saying ridiculous things, but there was no one around to stop them.

Professor Beeble raised his staff again.

“Now. So here…”

* * *

According to Professor Beeble’s teaching (though it was closer to Lee Han figuring it out almost entirely on his own), the magic that formed the backbone of magic fireworks was the 2nd Circle Magic 【Fire Enchantment】 and 【Light Enchantment】.

“I see. So it’s a method of enchanting paper with fire and light.”

“Right. But that would be too boring, so if you’re an excellent mage, you pursue artistry from here.”

Professor Beeble, feeling a bit peckish, took out some tree bark from the side and munched on it while explaining.

“You know elemental shape transformation and form maintenance, right?”

“Yes.”

It wasn’t really a question to ask a new student, but Professor Beeble had already forgotten from his mind that Lee Han was a new student.

Lee Han also answered without much thought.

“The principle is similar. Since you have to engrave it into matter, you need to be more careful…”

In enchantment magic, the mage’s skill was important, but the material to be enchanted was also crucial.

The weaker the durability, the harder it was to withstand magic and mana.

Fortunately, the paper used for scrolls and fireworks wasn’t ordinary paper. It was paper made from materials resistant to mana.

Even so…

“Professor. I have quite a lot of mana – will I be able to do this well?”

“If you can’t do it, there’s nothing we can do. You can just use other magic, right?”

“Thank you for your warm words.”

Lee Han spoke with sincerity.

It was disappointing, but he thought it was better that the professor said even that much.

If it had been Professor Boladi, he might have said ‘I won’t open the forge door until you succeed’…

Snap!

After several trial and error attempts, Lee Han’s first light magic fireworks was completed.

Since he had restrained his mana as much as possible and aimed for basic functionality first, it was far from elaborate in shape or splendor.

‘I just hope it works.’

Lee Han didn’t expect much either.

He would be satisfied if it just functioned as magic fireworks when the thread was pulled.

“Shall we try pulling it then?”

Professor Beeble put down the tree bark and picked up the fireworks.

And pulled the thread.

Bang!

A flash of light filled the entire room.

Professor Beeble was startled by the much stronger luminosity than expected.

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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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