Surviving as a Mage in a Magic Academy - Chapter 149
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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 149
“Usually, guests visiting the magic school enter through the main gate during the day, and through the spire stables after evening.”
“I see…”
Seeing Lee Han immediately start taking notes, Professor Lightningstep almost got confused about whether Lee Han was from the Wardanaz family or from a thief guild.
“But there are more paths into the magic school than you’d think. You’ve been underground before, haven’t you?”
“Yes. I was lucky.”
“It was wise not to try again. Gonadaltes isn’t careless enough to leave a path that’s been breached by a new student just as it is.”
Lee Han nodded.
He had known the skeleton principal was insane since the day he enrolled.
“Anyway… one of those paths is here.”
Professor Lightningstep pointed to a spot on the great mountain range behind the school and quickly drew out a route.
It was simple and rough, but it was a map that clearly showed how to get there.
-Rockgrass Underground Cave (Beware of cave owner)
“Sometimes professors use this cave when they sneak out. The underground part of the cave connects to the outside.”
“?”
Lee Han was puzzled.
If that was true, wouldn’t it mean people from outside could easily enter the school too?
‘No, that’s not it. The cave owner serves as a filter for intruders.’
If there was anywhere in the magic school that seemed vulnerable or easy to handle, it meant there was a separate entity managing it.
The moment you let your guard down and step foot in there, you die!
“Who is the cave owner?”
“That’s a secret.”
“…”
Lee Han sent Professor Lightningstep a sorrowful look.
Carrot and stick didn’t only work on students. It worked on professors too.
When he sent that pitiful gaze with his sculpture-like face, he looked even more pitiable.
Moreover, rumors about Lee Han were already circulating among the professors. That he was receiving torment, no, teachings because he had caught the skeleton principal’s attention…
“…I’m not trying to torment you, but I made a promise and can’t tell you arbitrarily. The other professors who received permission to pass through the cave would have made the same promise.”
Intelligent and powerful monsters or spirits didn’t like revealing their identity or location.
Hadn’t the ‘Forgotten Beast Statue’ on the third floor that Salko had guided him to last time been the same way?
“If that’s the case, it can’t be helped. Could you at least tell me some precautions?”
“You’d better search the school and bring as many physical defense-related artifacts as you can manage.”
“…”
Lee Han, who had been taking notes, paused.
‘Should I just break through the spire stables instead?’
* * *
Seeing the distinguished figures of the Empire gathered here today, I become even more careful about my conduct as a humble mage.
Morning.
The Skeleton Principal floated before the guests who had visited the magic school and greeted them politely.
Then applause and cheers poured out.
If there was something he wanted, Gonadaltes was someone who could be as cunning as he pleased.
The first-year students from each tower looked on with expressions like they were about to vomit.
“That… that disgusting…”
“Shh. Be quiet. Do you want to go to the punishment room for speaking too loudly?”
Several White Tiger Tower students gritted their teeth.
Some of you might say that there wouldn’t be enough time even if we only focused on magic. However, this Einroguard is not simply a place that teaches the great discipline of magic, but a place that strengthens both the mind and body of students to make them pillars of the Empire!
‘He’s really good at securing funding.’
Lee Han honestly felt a bit of admiration for the Skeleton Principal.
Someone who didn’t know better would have been fooled into thinking ‘I heard mages don’t pay much attention to their disciples because they’re too absorbed in their own magic, but that person is really different! If there are any strange false rumors in the future, I should personally refute them!’
As such, this spring festival will serve as good vitality for the newly enrolled students.
“But Principal, why are the students from other grades…”
Now then. I’m going to give these new students a gift.
The Skeleton Principal ignored the guest’s words, pretending not to hear them.
And the new students tensely looked around at the mention of receiving a gift.
“Undead aren’t lying in ambush, are they?”
“An undead attack as a gift…”
However, this time it really was a gift.
I’ve hidden treasures throughout the school, so everyone should look for them while enjoying spring.
“…Really?”
“No traps at all…?”
“How could there be?”
I’ve also prepared some minor pranks, so it will be even more fun when you’re looking for treasures.
“…”
The new students felt they roughly knew what kind of minor pranks those would be without having to ask.
When the students’ reaction was lukewarm, the Skeleton Principal smiled benevolently and said.
Among the treasures, there are also outing passes.
“!”
“Outing passes…?!”
Several students from Baldrogard looked puzzled upon hearing the Skeleton Principal’s words.
-Do you need separate outing passes? Why?
“…Should I challenge that bastard to a duel?”
“Hold back. He’s a guest.”
Whatever the Skeleton Principal’s intentions were, the talk of outing passes raised expectations for the treasures even higher.
The students were already fidgeting, wanting to start moving.
“Let’s go!”
“Even if we get tricked, let’s try looking for it once.”
“Lee Han. You’re coming too, right?”
“Yeah. I’m also…”
Someone placed a hand on Lee Han’s shoulder as he was about to leave.
It was Professor Boladi.
“…”
“Let’s go.”
“…Yes.”
* * *
The professors’ event wasn’t something that ended after just one day. It continued throughout this spring festival week.
In other words, Lee Han had to participate in Professor Boladi’s tent every day.
For the first time, Lee Han felt resentful toward the Emperor whose face he didn’t even know.
‘He should have just excluded the professors…’
When a professor was ordered to do something, who would end up doing that work? The disciple would.
Perhaps because that sadness was contained within it, Lee Han’s water orb became even sharper and more precise. Some of his movements were praiseworthy enough for Professor Boladi to compliment.
“Cough!”
“Y-you don’t need to go this far!”
Another Baldrogard student who had come after hearing rumors protested while looking at his friend bleeding from the nose.
Then the White Tiger Tower students who had come first and were already bleeding from their noses got angry instead.
“Does dodging water orbs look like a joke to you?!”
“We’re competing with our lives on the line! You’re just an outsider!”
‘These bastards only learn the bad things quickly.’
Lee Han looked at the White Tiger Tower Students with disdain.
To persecute someone just because they came from outside.
Of course, it wasn’t really something Lee Han, who was beating up external guests with water orbs, should say…
“Are you alright?”
“Uh. Yeah.”
“I apologize. I’ve heard so much about Baldrogard’s reputation that I couldn’t help but think I had to do my best. Even then, it would still be insufficient.”
“?”
Professor Boladi tilted his head slightly at Lee Han’s words.
However, the Baldrogard Students had already been appeased by Lee Han’s words.
“W-well, if that’s the case, it can’t be helped.”
“Lee Han of Wardanaz Family, was it? Let’s meet when the third-years gather next time.”
“No. Wait…”
Before Lee Han could explain, the Baldrogard Students had already left.
‘I’m a first-year though.’
After the Baldrogard Students left, a White Tiger Tower Student wiped away his nosebleed and stood in front again.
“I accept the challenge.”
“…Why don’t you just stop?”
“Hmph. Are you afraid of me?”
At their friend’s provocation, the other White Tiger Tower students whispered with frightened expressions.
“Hey. Don’t provoke Wardanaz for no reason.”
“That bastard can make more water orbs.”
“…Who do you think would be scared! Come… Gack!”
Lee Han took advantage of his opponent’s carelessness and slammed a water orb into their face.
The key to magical combat was always striking first.
* * *
After beating people with water orbs all morning and having a quick lunch, Lee Han went to meet Professor Bibble Verdus.
The beaver beastman professor was eating tree bark and offered some to him.
“I’m fine. I already ate.”
“Really? Then let’s begin.”
Professor Beeble, perhaps because the Skeleton Principal had firmly laid down the law, only made very ordinary and simple magic fireworks.
Applying 【Fire Enchantment】 or 【Light Enchantment】 and finishing up.
Even Lee Han, after making a few mistakes (though he did burn the surroundings each time he failed), found it wasn’t too difficult magic to grasp.
However, Professor Beeble’s face grew darker and his muttering increased.
“Don’t want to make them…”
“…”
“Don’t want to make them… It’s boring…”
‘He’s pressuring me in a different way.’
When a professor was silent, that was scary in its own way, but being talkative wasn’t necessarily good either.
Lee Han concentrated as much as possible to escape from this situation.
‘Every time I fail, the time I spend here increases.’
Waving his staff, chanting incantations, and completing magic fireworks.
In the uncomfortable and awkward atmosphere, Lee Han’s concentration was honed even sharper.
One of Lee Han’s advantages was his nearly infinite mana capacity.
Based on that mana capacity, Lee Han continuously produced magic fireworks without rest.
It was a speed that not only new students but even enchantment mages would find hard to match. It was possible because he needed no rest at all.
“I’m finished, Professor.”
“Boring… Huh? Really?”
Professor Beeble was muttering while making magic fireworks when he looked up.
“Yes. I’m all done.”
Lee Han answered with a faint smile. Professor Beeble blinked and checked the number of fireworks that had piled up. Then his face brightened.
“That’s really amazing??”
Another professor would have focused on the situation where a student had made more than the professor.
No matter how much the professor grumbled while making them, the fact that a new student had started at the same time as the professor and made more was itself an amazing feat.
But Professor Beeble only thought about how this tedious work was finally over.
“Excellent!”
“Yes. Professor. Then I’ll be taking my leave…”
“Then since we have time left, let’s make something else fun.”
“…Uh. I don’t have talent for enchantment magic, so I’m not confident…”
“It’s fine. It’s fine!”
‘What’s supposed to be fine?’
* * *
The magic Professor Beeble taught was 【Lesser Fire Resistance】.
This magic, cast on thick robes entirely, was essential magic for novice mages learning various fire enchantment magic.
As Lee Han was someone who worried a lot about fire magic, he had to admit this magic was quite useful, but…
Professor Beeble’s words made Lee Han feel ominous.
-If you learn this magic, it’ll help when practicing other enchantment magic in the future.
-Is that so, Professor. But I don’t have talent for enchantment magic…
-I know. I know. You say you have no talent. But don’t worry too much. Other enchantment mages also have no talent but they’re doing it.
-…
In fact, starting to make magic fireworks with the professor and making even more, then somehow succeeding at the 3rd circle magic 【Lesser Fire Resistance】 within the designated time would have been impossible without talent, but…
Professor Beeble evaluated things a bit differently.
If worse than himself, no talent; if better than himself, talented!
Of course, from Lee Han’s perspective, it was bound to be worrying.
Even when told he had talent, he’d hesitate whether to properly learn or not, but his supervising professor was unreliable, saying things like ‘It’s fun so do it! Whether it goes well or not doesn’t matter!’…
‘Even I think my magic learning speed isn’t that bad. I should just ask Professor Garcia once.’
Lee Han resolved to visit the troll hybrid professor, who was the true master and trustworthy adult of this magic school.
“Let’s just give up on that thing.”
“You call that talking? What if that’s an outing pass? Is there any guarantee we’ll find other treasure?”
“?”
Walking out, Lee Han was puzzled by the sight of several tower students gathered in front, chattering.
What’s going on?
“Wardanaz! Help us!”
“Wardanaz won’t work! That bastard will take it!”
“Let’s get it out first and think later!”
As the distance closed, Lee Han immediately understood what was happening.
There was a treasure chest the principal had made himself in front.
…On top of a blazing, massive pile of firewood that easily exceeded several meters.
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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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