Surviving as a Mage in a Magic Academy - Chapter 179

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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 179

Snap!

Another quill pen broke. Lee Han raised his head and paused.

‘There really are a lot of subjects to study.’

In fact, unlike what his friends were worried about, Lee Han wasn’t suffering from despair and frustration thinking ‘How did I end up like this?’

Lee Han’s mind was too solid and firm to be shaken by such things.

He had the personality to read even one more letter and prepare instead of wasting time on regrets.

…But even considering that, there really was a lot to study.

Do you need help…

“?”

Lee Han raised his head.

All his friends were busy with their own studies in the common room. Gainando was also reading a book while devouring custard pie.

Who spoke to me?

It was me. Young man…

Surprisingly, it was the helmet that had spoken.

The helmet he had picked up from the underground dungeon!

‘Oh, was it an ego artifact?’

Items created by excellent mages sometimes possessed their own consciousness and intelligence.

If that mage’s level was truly outstanding, artifacts wiser than humans were also possible.

“I didn’t know you were an ego artifact.”

Lee Han put down his quill pen.

Originally, he had planned to examine it thoroughly after the exams were over, but since it spoke to him like this, he couldn’t ignore it.

“What’s your name?”

I am the Helmet of Wisdom.

“I see. Helmet of Wisdom…”

Lee Han gripped his staff under the table.

Just because the other party was an artifact didn’t mean he would let his guard down.

Wasn’t it something that had been in the underground dungeon?

Moreover, that dungeon was managed by Professor Boladi, and the magic school where the dungeon was located was managed by the Skeleton Principal…

He had to be suspicious no matter what.

“Are you by any chance related to Osyu Gonadaltes or Voladi Bagrec?”

No. I am not a helmet made by the Principal. I’m a helmet made from outside. Decades ago, a student secretly brought me in to prepare for exams.

“I see. Of course, that doesn’t mean I completely trust your words.”

…

The Helmet of Wisdom was dumbfounded.

It’s not like he had lived his whole life being deceived, so why was this young fellow so suspicious?

“So what’s your ability?”

As you can guess from my name, I am the Helmet of Wisdom. Inside me are the knowledge left behind by previous masters.

“…!”

Lee Han’s eyes widened greatly.

To think that knowledge left behind by previous masters remained.

As a student of the magic school, that was information of tremendous value.

How much had he struggled to obtain information like methods to get outside or hidden spaces within the school.

If he could just get a few of those things…

“Alright. I’m ready. Tell me everything!”

Lee Han quickly pulled out new paper and shouted. He planned to write down everything he could get his hands on.

Calm down, boy… I am not a helmet that operates in such a manner.

“Then how?”

I can answer questions once a month. I can answer anything by utilizing the knowledge accumulated within me.

“Is it possible to predict midterm exam questions?”

Such things are impossible.

“Then it’s not anything, is it?”

…Among all the masters I’ve met, you seem to be the most nitpicky, boy. I am not an omnipotent helmet.

The helmet answered with bewilderment.

“I see…”

Lee Han roughly got a sense of what kind of helmet this Helmet of Wisdom was.

This was somewhat like an artifact similar to the spirit Perkuntra.

An existence that could rather disappoint if one had too high expectations.

‘I’ll need to choose my questions carefully.’

If he carelessly threw out a question, he could waste the once-a-month question opportunity.

“Is there perhaps a way to threaten Osyu Gonadaltes?”

I’ll just try predicting midterm exam questions. Though I might be quite wrong…

“No. I was just asking.”

Lee Han wiped the helmet well with cloth and then pushed it aside.

It wasn’t useless, but it was a rather ambiguous item.

‘If it’s an ego artifact, it should fetch a decent price. Should I take it outside and sell it?’

Wait, is this the end? Why aren’t you asking questions…

“I’ll ask when I think of something later.”

The Helmet of Wisdom was perplexed.

Among all the magic school students who had obtained the helmet so far, there had never been such a student.

The mage who created the Helmet of Wisdom had cast two spells on the helmet.

One was to periodically answer the master’s questions.

The other was to continuously strive to become wiser.

If knowledge accumulated and accumulated while continuously wandering the world and changing masters, couldn’t a helmet more clever than the mage himself be created?

It was an artifact made precisely for that goal.

That nameless mage had died of old age long ago, but the Helmet of Wisdom was still wandering around and functioning.

‘This won’t do.’

The Helmet of Wisdom became anxious.

There was a phenomenon that even the mage who created it didn’t anticipate, and that was the fact that the Helmet of Wisdom tried to control its master.

How could the helmet continue to become wiser?

The helmet had to keep finding new things it didn’t know about.

For that, it was better the more the master depended on the helmet. The master would move around and go experience new things as the helmet instructed.

And all the masters so far had completely depended on the helmet.

Students had admired and worshipped the helmet every time it answered their questions.

-Indeed… this 【Introduction to Wide-Area Fire Magic】 had what I wanted written in it! Thank you, Helmet of Wisdom!

-It wasn’t particularly difficult… From what I can see, you might want to study Fire Magic a bit more.

-You think so?

-Of course! Now, how about we go explore the Underground Lava Zone of the Mountain Range?

-That place looks a bit dangerous though.

-You’ll be fine!

Of course, such dependent relationships didn’t end very well.

Students would only realize that the Helmet of Wisdom had been controlling them after getting severely betrayed.

Naturally, by that time the helmet would abandon its old master and leave. It had to find a new master after all.

But this time, the new master who picked up the helmet was somehow strange.

As if he had no interest…

‘It must be my imagination. Soon he’ll try to get something out of me and start talking!’

However, Lee Han threw the helmet into a corner of his Private Room and soon forgot about it while concentrating on his studies.

* * *

Diret, a Fourth Year Student at the Magic School and a crow beastman, suppressed a yawn and pulled out a Potion from inside his Coat.

‘Constantly relying on sleep prevention potions isn’t good… it’s not good but…’

But what could he do?

He had to drive away the drowsiness in front of him first.

“Cough. Cough. Are you here?”

“Professor, have you arrived?”

Diret bowed his head respectfully.

The two weren’t in an ordinary Professor and Student relationship.

Diret was majoring in Dark Magic under Professor Mortum, a kind of Master and Disciple relationship.

“But I can really help, right? I’m not going to the Punishment Room, right?”

“Cough. I got permission.”

There was only one reason why a Fourth Year Student, who normally wouldn’t even come near where the 1st Year Students were, was here doing this.

It was to help with Professor Mortum’s Dark Magic midterm exam.

Professors excellent at teaching would make exams and grade them on their own, but not all Professors were excellent.

Then outstanding Disciples had to step in instead.

Disciples like Diret.

“Cough. Take this.”

Professor Mortum held out a heavy Silver Coin pouch and a Reagents box.

This was the compensation Diret received for participating in this midterm exam.

By fourth year, the money spent on their own magical research was beyond imagination.

Helping professors was quite profitable work even for upperclassmen like Diret.

“Thank you.”

Diret pocketed the silver coin pouch.

“Cough. You mustn’t open your mouth in front of the first year students.”

“Yes.”

“You can’t look away either. Any eye contact, hand gestures, signals that could become codes, or mana transmission… Cough. Anyway, everything else is forbidden. Stay still like a statue.”

“…Maybe it would have been better if you had done it yourself, Professor…”

Diret was already regretting it.

Why did she volunteer to help?

“Is the poison ready?”

“Yes. But Professor, you do remember that the first year students haven’t learned poison magic yet, right?”

“Cough. Of course. Why do you ask?”

“It’s nothing.”

Diret smiled kindly.

Just like during her own first year, Professor Mortum was a creative mage who enjoyed unexpected approaches.

He was so creative that he would often bring exam questions on topics students hadn’t learned.

-Professor, I’ve been curious since my first year… I definitely don’t remember learning this, so may I ask why it keeps appearing on exams?

-Cough, shouldn’t you naturally know what you’ve learned? A student’s true ability shows when solving things they don’t know.

-…Aha!

If she had known this in advance during her first year, she might have changed her dark magic major…

But it was already too late.

‘Underclassmen, forgive me.’

Diret prepared the poison.

The first years interested in dark magic would now experience having dark magic topics they hadn’t learned appear on their exam.

Swoosh- Thud!

Professor Garcia approached from afar. As she waved her staff, the lecture halls in the corridor transformed.

Diret greeted her politely with a respectful expression.

“Good morning, Professor.”

“Good morning, Miss Diret. You’re working hard.”

“Not at all.”

Diret turned her gaze to look at the lecture halls.

Befitting a course where students listened to various Imperial magics and developed interests, the exam spaces were also divided accordingly.

The lecture hall for dark magic exams, the summoning magic exam classroom, and so on.

Professor Garcia greeted the other professors and then said.

“When the students arrive, I’ll tell them to challenge the exams in whatever order they prefer.”

“Cough. Please do so, Professor Garcia.”

“Some students might arrive late from taking other exams, so please keep that in mind.”

“Understood.”

Diret said that and stood up from his seat.

‘Is there such a student?’

One was normal, and two made you a top student in the grade.

Three…

That was insane.

* * *

“!” Lee Han, who entered the dark magic classroom with Gainando, was surprised to see an unfamiliar person.

“Cough. This is my disciple Diret.”

“H-Hello, Senior!”

Gainando greeted him carefully. Diret didn’t even look at him.

Gainando spoke to Lee Han with a hurt expression.

“Is… is he acting like that because I’m bad at dark magic?”

“It’s more likely because of the Principal’s school rules.”

“!”

Diret was slightly surprised.

To think a 1st year new student would figure out the situation like that before even hearing about it.

“Cough. That’s right. Normally I shouldn’t even meet face to face with you guys, but I came specially to help with this exam.”

‘Oh dear.’

Lee Han looked at Diret with a pitying expression.

At this point, it seemed like the professor could just do it alone, but to specifically make his disciple do it…

‘It seems like he’s looking at me pitifully, but that must be my imagination, right?’

Diret couldn’t believe it.

The one who should be making a pitiful expression right now was Diret, not the new student.

And…

‘Strangely, it’s a voice I’ve heard somewhere before.’

The voice was quite familiar, though he couldn’t remember where he’d heard it.

Before his thoughts could continue, Professor Mortum coughed and spoke up.

“Cough. Well then, we should start soon.”

“Yes! Professor. I’m ready!”

Gainando gripped his staff.

Whether it was curses or undead summoning, he had practiced hard yesterday.

Having abandoned other lectures to focus on dark magic, Gainando’s expression overflowed with confidence.

“What should I do?”

“Poison.”

“…Pardon?”

“Cough. This exam is about poison.”

“…”

Gainando looked at the professor with an expression mixed with various emotions – injustice, betrayal, hurt.

However, Lee Han nodded without batting an eye.

“I understand.”

‘Is he really a new student?’

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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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