Surviving as a Mage in a Magic Academy - Chapter 183
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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 183
Though he was dumbfounded, Lee Han decided to solve the immediate problem first.
If he left things as they were, all three groups of students might end up in the punishment room together.
Sure enough, the White Tiger Tower students and Black Turtle Tower students had already spotted each other and were growling at one another.
-What are you guys doing! We got here first!
-What does first or last matter in something like this!
Lee Han sighed inwardly.
‘Such unprofessional guys.’
If you came to steal, you should act professionally by keeping your voice down and staying calm, not fighting emotionally with each other?
“Everyone calm down.”
Lee Han stepped forward to intervene.
“Eek!”
“Th… There’s a thief!”
The White Tiger Tower students and Black Turtle Tower students who saw Lee Han reacted violently.
‘Do they think they’re not thieves themselves?’
Lee Han was dumbfounded, but there was a reason why the other tower students were surprised.
Lee Han and his friends’ outfits were truly thoroughly thief-like.
The White Tiger Tower students and Black Turtle Tower students had masks that were just roughly cut cloth scraps wrapped around their faces, so while you might not notice at a glance, if you stared intently it was easy to distinguish who was who.
In comparison, Lee Han and his friends wore masks and coats that thoroughly covered their faces, made with knowledge learned from several experiences, Ratford’s advice, and fabric bought from outside.
…It wouldn’t be strange to mistake them for real thieves from outside.
“Calm down. We came here for the same purpose as you.”
“War… Wardanaz?”
‘No. How did they figure it out?’
Lee Han was surprised when the other person recognized him, even though he had tried to change his voice.
“The only one who would be this thorough about thievery is Wardanaz…”
“I think there’s a misunderstanding. I’m not Wardanaz.”
He played dumb, but the other tower students didn’t look like they believed him. They already had expressions of half-certainty. Lee Han felt unfairly wronged.
“Listen. All the students gathered here have the same goal of getting inside this Kaksu Hall. Fighting each other will only draw attention.”
The other tower students nodded at Lee Han’s words.
Indeed, there was nothing good about fighting each other when they hadn’t even entered Kaksu Hall yet.
“So let’s cooperate with each other.”
“…Understood.”
“Good.”
Everyone agreed, but that didn’t solve all the problems.
The journey of the three groups together was just beginning.
“Who’s going to take the lead?”
“…We’ll stay in the back.”
“Don’t talk nonsense! Where do you get off trying to stay in the back by yourselves!”
The White Tiger Tower students and Black Turtle Tower students immediately clashed.
Since this was about entering a professor’s workshop, it was advantageous to enter last.
“Be quiet. I’ll decide.”
Lee Han spoke, but the other tower students didn’t easily accept it.
“Who are you to decide, Wardanaz?”
“Why should we follow your orders? We agreed to cooperate, not become your subordinates…”
Lee Han raised his staff and aimed it.
A cold silence filled the space between the students.
“I’ll decide.”
“…Al… Alright.”
“Remember this well, Wardanaz. It’s not because of your threatening, but because there’s nothing good about fighting here that we’re agreeing.”
When the fighting stopped, Lee Han said.
“We’ll take the front.”
“!?”
Naturally, the other tower students couldn’t help but be surprised.
Why?
“Are… Are you sure?”
“Yes. We’re the only ones who know the way.”
“…”
The other tower students looked at them with shocked eyes.
When did these bastards…?!
“You guys decide the middle and back positions.”
As soon as Lee Han finished speaking, the White Tiger Tower students and Black Turtle Tower students began arguing again.
Lee Han put on a serious expression and aimed his staff.
“…Let’s decide with rock-paper-scissors.”
“Rock-paper-scissors, sounds good. Good idea.”
* * *
Lee Han and his friends’ target was the greenhouse on the 2nd floor of Kaksu Hall.
The flower field where the thistle flowers were growing was located there.
‘The advantage is that we don’t need to go up to the 3rd floor.’
The 3rd floor of Kaksu Hall was like a maze to those without qualification.
Lee Han had come today with confidence that they could finish quietly on the 2nd floor.
“Eyes, pierce through darkness.”
The corridor on the 1st floor of Kaksu Hall, shrouded in darkness, turned green and revealed its hidden form to Lee Han.
“…”
The White Tiger Tower student didn’t ask Lee Han, who was casting the dark vision spell, ‘When, where, and how did you learn that magic?’
It was perfectly reasonable for Wardanaz to be able to do such things.
This guy had mastered all sorts of evil secrets even before enrollment…!
“Wait. But where are the potions you guys are looking for?”
Lee Han stopped walking and asked.
Come to think of it, he needed to calculate the movements of the White Tiger Tower and Black Turtle Tower students as well.
“First floor… somewhere, we heard.”
“Probably somewhere on the first floor…”
“…”
Lee Han and Ratford simultaneously looked at them with disdain.
To come here with such careless preparation.
“Right. If you lacked information, it couldn’t be helped.”
‘It seemed like they just looked at us really pathetically.’
“Then search the first floor. We’ll go up to the second floor.”
“Right. We’ll do that.”
Lee Han and his friends nodded and distanced themselves from the students who had entered.
As they climbed the stairs, a familiar form of vast botanical garden greeted the group.
Perhaps because it wasn’t a situation where that crazy bull was rampaging like last time, the botanical garden at night was much quieter and more peaceful.
“Since nothing’s happening, I’m actually more anxious…”
“Hey. Don’t say ominous things.”
Lee Han warned Nilia.
Originally, ending this quietly and peacefully was what was normal.
“There’s the flower field.”
The students flocked together and began carefully digging up the thistle flowers.
Lee Han looked around, preparing for any possible situation.
‘No Professor Thunderstep, no Professor Willow Tree. Nothing should happen.’
“All done? Let’s get out of here!”
Lee Han and his friends clenched their fists and quietly swallowed their joy.
Compared to how tense they had been, they had finished the job almost perfectly.
Ratford nodded as if he knew it all along.
The pleasure of perfect thievery was something only those who had experienced it could know.
Ratford’s heart was filled with pride watching his friends who had started as novice thieves and were gradually growing.
Bang!
“…”
However, that joy disappeared as soon as they came down to the first floor.
Along with ear-splitting loud noises, all sorts of commotion was happening on both sides of the corridor.
‘Are they crazy?’
“Th… these amateurs!”
Ratford was so flustered that he stuttered. Lee Han moved quickly to assess the situation.
“What are you doing right now? Everyone snap out of it!”
Despite Lee Han’s shout, the students didn’t listen.
As if heavily drunk, they staggered around and threw chairs from the lecture hall.
Crash!
“Did they drink something wrong??”
“They can’t be that stupid!”
No matter how amateur the other tower students were at thievery, they wouldn’t have carelessly drunk just anything.
Lee Han felt a sweet fragrance wafting out from inside the open lecture hall door.
It wasn’t an ordinary fragrance. It was a fragrance that carried mana.
At that moment, lightning struck in Lee Han’s mind.
“Everyone hold your breath!”
“!”
Come to think of it, it was strange in itself that potions for dancing well or playing music well were conveniently placed there for the taking.
And on the first floor of Kaksu Hall at that!
‘Professor Thunderstep might have joined hands with another professor to set a trap!’
Though it sounded absurd, Lee Han’s intuition signaled that the possibility was high.
This magic school was a place where such things were entirely possible.
Hearing the explanation, Yoner whispered as if he didn’t understand.
“But… there was no trap with the thistle flowers, right?”
“…Maybe Professor Thunderstep forgot…”
Lee Han spoke in an uncertain voice.
In fact, Lee Han found that the most puzzling too.
Why would he set traps for potions needed for other lectures but not set traps for things needed for his own lecture?
Could it really be that he had put them there to be taken?
The answer was that he had let his guard down thinking who would try to solve things through thievery when time was so tight, but Lee Han didn’t know that much.
“Got it. Wardanaz. Let’s get out of here anyway.”
Nilia said urgently.
Whether that was a trap or a mistake by the other tower students, one thing was certain.
There was nothing good about staying here long.
If they made such a commotion, who knew what might happen…
“No. We have to take them with us.”
“Why, Wardanaz?”
Asan asked in surprise.
Then he clapped his hands as if he understood.
“I asked a pointless question. Honor…”
“If we leave them behind, they’ll call out our names.”
“…Still, there’s a little bit of honor involved too, right?”
Lee Han ignored Asan’s words, pretending not to hear them.
“First, we need to quiet them down.”
“How are you going to do that?”
Yoner was puzzled.
The students had probably inhaled the fragrance of frenzy or rampage. They were excitedly rampaging around like they were drunk.
In such a situation, no words would reach their ears…
Thwack! Thwack thwack thwack! Thwack thwack thwack thwack!
“Fine.”
“…”
“But… how are you planning to bring them out?”
Ratford asked with a worried expression.
Originally, the rule among professional thieves was to mercilessly abandon even accomplices if they fell into traps.
In the current situation, if he went in to rescue them, Lee Han could also get hurt.
“I’ll do my best. Wait a moment.”
Lee Han tied a rope around his body. Then he prepared to hold his breath for as long as possible.
“If I start feeling bad, I’ll knock myself out, so pull the rope and drag me out.”
“Lee Han. Here’s a curse magic antidote potion. I don’t know how effective it’ll be, but…”
Yoner took out a potion from his pocket and offered it. Lee Han nodded gratefully and drank it.
“Good. I’m going in.”
Lee Han held his breath and opened the lecture hall door.
And went inside.
“…!”
The moment he saw it, he could tell what had happened.
Smoke mixed with mana was continuously flowing out from a magic circle installed in the center of the lecture hall.
‘So it really was a trap.’
Lee Han walked slowly forward. Then he applied force to damage the magic circle. Fortunately, the magic circle was easily destroyed.
‘The smoke stopped!’
Now he just needed to ventilate and bring them out…
At that moment, a mana reaction occurred from the wall. A new magic circle that had been hidden revealed itself.
Lee Han cursed Professor Thunderstep.
‘This crazy…!’
Whoosh!
Blue smoke enveloped Lee Han. It was terrible smoke that penetrated his entire body even when holding his breath.
Lee Han gripped his staff. He planned to knock himself out immediately if he felt something was wrong.
“…?”
But there was no change at all.
Lee Han looked around. Then, just to be sure, he inhaled some of the original smoke that was still remaining.
Still no change at all.
A feeling like something inside was about to change slightly but then immediately stopped?
“…”
Lee Han dragged out the students one by one with a lukewarm expression.
It was fortunate, but…
…why did it feel so anticlimactic?
“The antidote potion worked!”
Asan, who had been watching from behind, lit up.
“I should go help. Mekin! Please!”
“Wait, we’re not sure yet…”
Asan gulped down a mouthful of the potion and rushed into the lecture hall where Lee Han was.
Then his eyes began spinning round and round.
“…Sorry, Asan.”
Lee Han knocked Asan unconscious.
* * *
Thud!
Lee Han and his friends finally threw the last student into the grass field.
They were all drenched in sweat, but somehow felt proud.
“…Everyone worked hard.”
“Yeah. Really…”
‘Would it sound too bad if I suggested searching through my friends’ pockets for payment?’
“We only wasted time because of these guys, so can’t we search their pockets and take some payment?”
At Lee Han’s words, Ratford looked at him with respect.
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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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