Surviving as a Mage in a Magic Academy - Chapter 164

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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 164

Amur had grown up in the Empire’s roughest lands. He quickly recovered and stood up from his position.

“What a shameful display I made… being startled by a horse’s name.”

Amur said while brushing off the dust and straw from his clothes.

Come to think of it, even Einrogard couldn’t possibly have obtained a griffin.

The horse’s name was probably Griffin.

It was quite common to give horses the names of fearsome monsters…

“No. It’s a real griffin.”

“…”

Amur, who was getting up, staggered again.

“Are you alright?”

“Ah… no. Where did you get that thing? No, more importantly, what are the mages doing?”

Amur spoke in a rarely angry voice.

While it was surprising that a student had caught a griffin, what was even more surprising were the mages who had just stood by while the student caught the griffin.

What were they doing instead of becoming masters and protecting their disciples!

No matter how eccentric Einrogard’s mages were, this was a bit…

“Um… well…”

“The professor brought it.”

Yoner, unable to watch any longer, spoke instead. Amur just gaped with a dumbfounded expression.

“…Really?”

“Actually, there are circumstances behind this. If you listen, you’ll understand.”

“I don’t think I’ll understand…”

Amur waited for Lee Han’s explanation for now.

Lee Han explained that the griffin wasn’t a real griffin, but a griffin that had been cursed and transformed into a horse.

That the professor had done this to make the students get used to monsters…

“It’s not that strange when you think about it, right?”

Lee Han asked after finishing his explanation. Amur answered firmly.

“It’s strange.”

“!”

Is… is that so?

While Lee Han was slightly flustered, Amur continued speaking.

“I’ve heard many rumors about Einrogard’s mages being eccentric, but I never thought it would be to this extent…”

“No. This is actually pretty mild by comparison.”

“Lee Han… I think you should stop talking…”

Yoner stopped Lee Han.

If he said any more, Amur would only develop strange misunderstandings.

And the most important thing here was that it wasn’t even a misunderstanding.

After suffering for a long while over the eccentricity displayed by Einrogard’s mages, Amur finally managed to collect himself.

“Still, it’s good that you found a flying mount.”

“Yes. I haven’t found the path to the Spire Stables yet, but I’ll find it soon.”

“Take your time. If you rush, you’re more likely to mess things up. In escaping, not getting caught is more important than getting out.”

‘This conversation seems strange.’

Yoner thought to himself as he listened to their conversation.

“What does the griffin like?”

“Hmm. It likes fresh horse meat.”

“…Isn’t there anything else besides that?”

“It also likes less fresh horse meat…”

Setting aside horse meat for now, Lee Han gathered snacks that the griffin might like.

Canned meat and sugar were neatly packed into his backpack.

“Oh right. Igor came to the village, did you meet him?”

“Who is this Igor?”

When Lee Han looked puzzled, Amur realized his mistake.

He had been so natural about it that he forgot, but Lee Han wasn’t a village person or adventurer here. He was a student from inside that magic school.

“He’s my cousin. He sells rare animals to adventurers in this village.”

Just as mages raised summoned creatures, well-trained animals were always good companions for adventurers.

As such, rare and powerful animals were so popular that they could name their price.

“He’s usually not around, so you probably missed him.”

“Thank you. But wouldn’t those kinds of creatures be too expensive for me to buy?”

Though Lee Han was extorting, no, gathering money through legitimate effort from the students, he was still far from being truly wealthy.

He had enough to buy various food supplies and books in the village, but not enough to buy expensive animals.

“Not all of them are expensive, so take a look around. I’ll tell him about you, so he’ll help you out well. Bring your other friends too.”

‘Why bother?’

Lee Han wondered if he really needed to bring the Black Turtle Tower or White Tiger Tower students along, but he stayed quiet.

He wanted to appear like a good and diligent student in front of Amur.

* * *

“Are you the student who tamed that griffin?!”

“…”

Igor whispered urgently as soon as he met Lee Han.

His voice was quiet enough that the other students couldn’t hear.

“I didn’t exactly tame it…”

“No?”

“Well, I did, but the thing is.”

“So you did!”

The fellow adventurers who had been helping Igor in the shop came running over and surrounded Lee Han.

“Did you really tame a griffin?”

“How on earth did you do it?”

“Shh. Keep your voice down. We agreed to keep this a secret.”

“I, I understand. So how did you tame the griffin?”

Igor looked and dressed similarly to Amur, but there was one difference.

He had an enormous amount of curiosity about how the griffin had been tamed.

Actually, Amur hadn’t been without curiosity either. He just didn’t bother because he felt sorry for the Einroguard student…

“It was really close to pure luck. I once saved its life…”

“You saved its life? Indeed!”

“That makes sense then!”

Lee Han felt relieved when the bearded, dust-covered adventurers seemed convinced.

However, that was a mistake.

“But even so, griffins don’t readily acknowledge someone as their master…”

“No matter how I think about it, it must be a natural talent.”

“When we go hunt gorgons next time, couldn’t you come with us? If we could get your help…”

Skilled adventurers were precious beings who received respect everywhere.

But even more precious than that were those with the affinity to be loved by monsters.

The adventurers were eager to somehow take Lee Han along with them.

“Everyone calm down. This student is from Einroguard.”

“Oh…”

“If he’s an Einroguard student, there’s nothing we can do.”

Igor’s friends quickly gave up.

If he was an Einroguard student, there was nothing they could do. The mages might come after them and turn them into beasts.

“But we can wait a few years. If you think of us after graduation, please contact us here.”

“Our work is filled with danger, hardship, and romance. It would be perfect to share together.”

“…?”

Lee Han was slightly bewildered by the adventurers’ proud words.

Were they seriously making that proposal right now?

‘I heard there are many crazy people among adventurers, and it’s really true!’

To think they were seriously making that proposal right now…

“Come. Follow me. Sorry for taking up your time.”

Igor apologized and guided them inside the shop.

Since most of his time was spent traveling around the Empire searching for and catching rare animals, the inside of the shop was a mess.

But that didn’t matter at all. The newly acquired animals were captivating enough to draw all attention.

Whoosh!

A bird trapped in a cage burst into flames and then suddenly froze. Igor explained.

“A Spirit Bird. A rare bird that only eats Spirit-Infused Gems.”

‘What a crazy animal.’

Lee Han was horrified.

It was an animal that would bankrupt you after just a week of keeping it, and turn you into a debtor after about a month.

“Sorry, but that one already has a buyer. I’ve agreed to sell it to a nearby noble.”

“That’s fine.”

Lee Han didn’t want to receive it even if it was given for free.

“If you’re a magic school student… pigeons or rats would be useful.”

Trained pigeons could fly around and secretly deliver letters, while trained rats could go in and out of places difficult for people to enter and disarm traps.

Lee Han nodded.

‘It wouldn’t be bad to have one of each.’

“How much is it?”

“It’s free. You asked about the griffin earlier, so you should pay the price.”

“Oh, that’s… Thank you.”

Lee Han decided to accept it gratefully without refusing too much.

…Should I have brought out some griffin feathers?

-How much would this deer cost?

-Ugh. It’s too much. I definitely can’t buy it.

-Can’t we borrow more money from Wardanaz to buy it?

-No matter how generous Wardanaz is, if you ask to borrow money to buy that, he’ll probably kill you…

-Forget it. We’ll learn summoning magic later anyway.

‘These guys have no sense.’

Lee Han frowned.

You shouldn’t go to someone else’s shop and say things like ‘we can just do it with magic.’

That’s why mages get criticized for being tactless.

However, Igor, who was listening to the students’ conversation, didn’t seem to mind much.

Rather, he nodded with an interested expression.

“Actually, mages do have the method of making direct contracts and summoning. That’s also difficult, but above all, it doesn’t cost anything… What about you?”

“Lee Han already has a contract with a spirit.”

At Yoner’s words, Igor was impressed.

“Indeed… Well, if someone has enough affinity to receive a griffin’s loyalty, it’s natural they would receive a spirit’s love too.”

“…That’s not it.”

Lee Han was flustered by the absurd misunderstanding.

Far from receiving a spirit’s love, he was only receiving plenty of fear…

However, Igor took Lee Han’s words as modesty.

It was natural.

A griffin’s loyalty was something that even experienced and seasoned adventurers couldn’t obtain if they were unlucky, even if they risked their lives trying.

Receiving such loyalty was impossible without innate affinity.

“But may I ask you one thing?”

“Yes.”

“That summoned creature at your waist, is it by any chance a Sharkan?”

Igor looked at the ornament-shaped bone hanging from Lee Han’s belt and thought it couldn’t be.

It was a sleeping Sharkan.

“Yes. It’s a Sharkan.”

“As I thought! I wondered if it could be…”

Thinking the other person might have a strange misunderstanding, Lee Han quickly began to explain.

“It’s an undead.”

“I can see that. Even more impressive.”

“…I didn’t make it myself. I received it as a gift from another dark mage.”

“Of course I know that. No matter what, surely a student couldn’t have made that? An undead monster, and a Sharkan at that – their temperament is truly foul… To put it to sleep and carry it around like this. Your affinity is really amazing.”

“…”

Lee Han just nodded with a resigned expression.

“Yes. Thank you.”

“May I ask what you use to create its body when you summon it?”

“I create its body with water.”

“That must require quite a lot, right? Don’t tell me it won’t answer your call if there’s no river or pond nearby?”

“I summon it with magic.”

“…”

Igor was shocked.

To fill all the muscles and flesh of a monster like Sharkan with summoned water.

This is an Einroguard student!

‘Amazing!’

He knew they were impressive, but to think even a new student was at this level…

Igor looked at the students browsing his shop with fresh eyes.

The Empire’s greatest mages are here!

“Why is he acting like that?”

“D-did we talk too much without buying anything?”

“We are going to buy a messenger bird though…”

Not hearing the students’ whispers and feeling proud by himself, Igor took out a small green glass bottle and pressed it into Lee Han’s hand.

“Take this.”

“What is this?”

“Beryl solution. It’s a liquid made by dissolving the essence. If you mix this with water, Sharkan will love it.”

“Something like this… is it okay to just receive it?”

Lee Han hesitated.

Moderate freebies had no consequences, but freebies that were too big might have some consequences.

However, Igor patted Lee Han’s shoulder as if it was fine.

“Being kind to someone loved by monsters and spirits is important for an adventurer like me who needs to be loved by monsters. It brings good luck.”

“…It’s really a misunderstanding.”

Lee Han was seriously worried about Igor.

* * *

Lee Han clicked his tongue while looking at the beryl solution he had received as a gift.

No matter how much Lee Han declined, Igor absolutely wouldn’t accept his refusal.

“Can’t we stay in the village for a day?”

“No.”

“Why?”

“Then you stay behind.”

“…Ah, no. I was just asking!”

Originally, they could have departed early in the morning and returned to school.

But Lee Han had no intention of doing that.

‘I must stay ahead of the Skeleton Principal’s expectations.’

By now, the thoroughly enraged Skeleton Principal might be digging some damn… no, some trap.

“The priests are all here too, right? Let’s depart.”

“But Lord Lee Han of the Wardanaz Family. The other tower students…”

At one of the priests’ questions, Lee Han pretended not to hear.

He didn’t want to waste time trying to convince the other tower students.

“Now. Let’s depart!”

“Did he not hear us?”

Shaaaaa-

While walking along the dark path, Lee Han felt something was off.

Even though it was night, they were walking using magic to summon light.

But why was it getting darker ahead?

Students of the magic school.

With the sound of clanking armor, a heavily armored knight appeared.

It was an undead knight emanating an aura of death from its entire body.

A single name floated up in Lee Han’s mind.

‘…Death Knight!’

I guard this path by my master’s command. Students of the magic school may pass if they offer one among them.

Asan unconsciously looked at Gainando. Gainando tried to poke Asan’s eyes with his fingers.

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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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