Surviving as a Mage in a Magic Academy - Chapter 246

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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 246

…He learns quickly indeed. I told him that if he’s a genius, he should rightfully possess arrogance, but I didn’t expect him to learn this fast.

“What are you talking about?”

It’s nothing.

The Skeleton Principal looked at the shield floating behind Lee Han and asked.

Is it an assignment?

“Yes.”

Why did you make it so crudely and clumsily… Wait. There’s no duration amplification?

The Skeleton Principal was surprised after examining the magic circle engraved on the shield.

The fact that a magic circle was engraved on the shield itself wasn’t surprising.

It would be unconscionable to ask a 1st year student to complete a floating shield without such auxiliary devices.

In fact, asking them to complete a floating shield even with auxiliary devices was unconscionable in itself…

But that too was a path that mages had to traverse for growth.

Receiving impossible challenges wasn’t necessarily a bad thing.

Even if one failed a hundred challenges, wouldn’t all that experience contribute to a mage’s growth?

And if they succeeded in even one like this, it was even better!

‘The success is good, but why is there no duration amplification…?’

What a brute. Did he just extend the time with raw mana quantity?

“Yes. But…”

Lee Han tried to explain.

It wasn’t because Lee Han was crude, but the assignment itself had an absurd difficulty level, and when he somehow tried to complete it by combining magic circles, it became a patchwork mess, and if he tried to extend the duration on top of that…

Well, that’s also a method. If you have abundant mana, why bother with troublesome procedures? I take back calling it crude. It’s a clever method.

“I didn’t do this on purpose…”

Stop being so modest. Anyway, you did well. The professors will be pleased.

“…Don’t you think the professors’ assignments are a bit excessive, including Professor Verdus?”

They are. But you accomplished it, didn’t you?

“…”

While Lee Han was trembling with anger and regret toward himself, the Skeleton Principal tapped the shield.

It should last another day or two. Truly… Professor Verdus will be envious.

“Why would the professor be envious of this?”

Comparing Lee Han and Professor Verdus’s magical abilities was like comparing a firefly to a full moon.

Given Professor Verdus’s personality, seeing this shield made by patching together magic circles would probably elicit the same reaction the Skeleton Principal just showed: ‘Why did you make it so crudely and clumsily?’

The magic circles may be quite crude, but being able to infuse mana like this is something even Professor Verdus can’t do.

Regardless of skill level, there were techniques that only specific mages could perform.

This kind of duration increase possible only with Lee Han’s massive mana reserves was something even the excellent enchantment mage Professor Verdus couldn’t accomplish.

“It’s not that he can’t do it, but more like he doesn’t. It’s practically a shortcut, isn’t it?”

Lee Han answered indifferently.

No. In the case of complex artifacts, you can’t engrave duration increase magic circles on every part.

While simple artifacts were relatively manageable, the more complex an artifact’s structure became, the more mind-numbingly difficult a mage’s calculations became.

Especially in the case of multiple composite artifacts with various magics enchanted on them, their complex structure made it impossible to engrave duration increase magic circles on every part.

Inevitably, one had to use all sorts of methods to supplement the insufficient mana…

Sometimes it’s more convenient to generously infuse mana all at once rather than complexly squeezing out mana through various methods. While we call it semi-permanent, in reality, once it lasts over a hundred years, mages rarely have to take responsibility.

Customers rarely came looking for mages when artifacts over a hundred years old broke down.

‘I suppose that makes sense. Even this shortcut has meaning.’

Lee Han, who had been nodding, suddenly stopped.

“…Wait. Then you’re saying Professor Verdus will call me whenever he needs something like this?”

That’s how it would be, right?

Lee Han’s face turned pale.

* * *

Ogonin was startled to see Lee Han on the other side of the mirror.

“What on earth did you do to make the student’s face look like that?!”

I didn’t do anything!

The Skeleton Principal was furious.

To suspect the principal first just because a student was depressed.

Then would it be Ogonin’s fault if the cat in Ogonin’s tower became spiteful?

“It’s nothing.”

Lee Han said with a bitter smile.

“It’s all my fault.”

“No…!”

Knowing Einroguard’s harsh educational environment, Ogonin stared intently at the Skeleton Principal.

The Skeleton Principal was at his wit’s end.

I gave an opportunity to that festival saboteur, firework destroyer, relic thief for the sake of my orthodox illusion magic’s future, and this is the insult I get?!

“It’s no use trying to pressure me. I won’t be fooled.”

Though he was a greenhorn compared to the Skeleton Principal, Ogonin was also a mage who had been through his share of trials.

He didn’t fall for the Skeleton Principal’s theatrics.

“I’m really fine.”

“Is that so? That’s a relief… I was wondering if I should write a letter to His Imperial Majesty.”

That bug-like has-been who knows nothing but tattling…

Lee Han pretended not to hear.

“Now then. Let’s continue the discussion from last time.”

Time was gold for mages.

Ogonin immediately began the lecture.

“Do you remember the magics I mentioned last time?”

“Yes.”

Mental-type illusion magics starting with 【Ogonin’s Emotion Recognition】, including 【Ogonin’s Rising Anxiety】, 【Ogonin’s Surging Fear】, and 【Ogonin’s Overwhelming Despair】.

And wide-area illusion fog magic like 【Ogonin’s Mist】.

While other illusion magics mixed elements from other schools to lower difficulty and increase versatility, Ogonin was a mage who pursued pure illusion magic.

‘Of course, that means the difficulty increases.’

“Emotion recognition magic is both fundamental and the beginning. It’s good to learn it as a habit and routine.”

According to Ogonin’s explanation, excellent illusion mages could easily discern what color an opponent’s soul was displaying even without using emotion recognition magic.

To become that proficient, one had to continuously cast, practice, and accumulate experience.

If one could grasp what emotions the opponent harbored, the power of corresponding illusion magic would naturally be amplified.

“Now. Try practicing.”

“…?”

Lee Han hesitated upon hearing this.

On whom?

“On whom?”

“Ah. Right. Hmm…”

Ogonin also hesitated.

While Ogonin’s tower had many practice partners, what practice partners could there be in the principal’s solitary confinement room?

Do it on me.

“Pardon?”

“What did you say?”

I said try it on me.

“No…”

Ogonin was at a loss for words.

Unlike other magics, mental-type illusion magic required the opponent to be quite important.

Between an archmage and a young child, which one’s emotions would be easier to read?

A novice illusion mage should naturally practice their skills against the latter…?

“To do that now…”

“Understood.”

Lee Han casually waved his staff without much thought.

“Rise up, emotions!”

Magic was cast along with the incantation. Ogonin asked from beside him.

“How is it?”

“The Principal seems to be in an unpleasant mood right now.”

“!!!”

Ogonin was so shocked he nearly dropped his staff.

For an illusion mage who had barely learned anything to successfully cast emotion recognition magic on the Skeleton Principal meant…

…he was a genius unprecedented in the history of magic.

‘A genius to inherit the true lineage of illusion magic…!’

Ogonin. I don’t know what you’re thinking, but the magic failed. This guy just has good intuition.

The Skeleton Principal realized what Ogonin was thinking and spoke sarcastically.

Magic wasn’t some child’s toy that could be mastered so easily.

“…Was that it?”

“Ah. I apologize. I suppose it feels different when the magic actually succeeds.”

Lee Han apologized.

He had just said it because the Skeleton Principal’s foul mood was obvious to see, but apparently it had nothing to do with magic after all.

“Not at all. It’s originally difficult magic. Especially when the target is an archmage.”

“Thank you for understanding.”

Stop being noisy and just try reading it. I’m deliberately lowering my defenses right now.

The Skeleton Principal, being an educator, wasn’t being unreasonably stubborn.

He wasn’t telling him to try reading while maintaining all sorts of protection magic.

…Of course, considering just his inherent magical defense, it was already quite unreasonable.

“Rise up, emotions. Rise up, emotions. Rise up, emotions!”

After casting it several times following the instructions, Lee Han could understand what kind of magic this was.

Colors began to appear over the Skeleton Principal, who had originally been in the form of a white skull head.

The color of the emotions his soul currently held was clear.

‘Faint red and gray.’

Anyone could tell these were clearly emotions of displeasure.

Lee Han continued casting the incantation consecutively to read the emotions more properly.

The Skeleton Principal yawned and asked.

Still, someone of your level should be seeing fragments of emotion by now, right? Haven’t you gotten anything yet?

“What nonsense are you saying?”

Ogonin spoke as if it was absurd.

He had just started, and his opponent was an archmage.

Honestly, there was a high chance he wouldn’t be able to read it even after years of practice.

He had planned to let him try moderately, then when the Skeleton Principal left out of boredom, use that as an excuse to find a proper opponent…

I’m saying this because someone of his level can do it.

“Even so, that’s ridiculous.”

“I still have a long way to go.”

“See. The student says so himself. How difficult it is to see even a little of the color another soul possesses…”

“…Huh. Wait. I just need to see colors?”

Lee Han hesitated.

The yawning Skeleton Principal looked at Lee Han with a ‘what’s with this kid’ expression.

Of course seeing colors means success. Did you expect text saying ‘I am harboring these emotions’ to appear on my forehead?

“I thought the colors needed to appear darker and more clearly.”

Originally skilled mages are good at controlling emotions. Just because it appeared faintly doesn’t mean it’s wrong. That level is doing well.

“Thank you.”

Ogonin, who had been listening to the heartwarming conversation between master and disciple, just blinked with a blank expression.

What kind of conversation am I listening to right now?

“No… no… no… no??”

What’s wrong with you?

“If you’re not playing a prank on me right now… this is… uh…”

Didn’t I say he would learn well?

The Skeleton Principal had clearly told Ogonin ‘good thinking, someone like Wardanaz would learn well.’

Of course, when Ogonin heard those words, he never thought the student would be able to read emotions against the Skeleton Principal right after learning the magic.

Does that…

make sense?

He has a lot of mana, excellent talent in handling it, and sharp intuition, so he should be exceptional at this kind of magic. Ogonin. Try abandoning your preconceptions.

“No. I was just lucky.”

Stop with that disgusting modesty.

“Really… amazing…”

As Ogonin kept muttering, the Skeleton Principal grumbled.

So you casting illusion magic and failing isn’t amazing?

“…Let’s continue…”

Ogonin spoke in a voice still unable to hide his amazement.

He had hoped for a genius to inherit the true lineage of classical illusion magic…

But reality always went one step beyond imagination.

To think it would be to this extent…!

* * *

However, the next magic, 【Ogonin’s Rising Anxiety】, was never successfully completed.

Ogonin was convinced this wasn’t due to Lee Han’s ability, but because of the Skeleton Principal.

How could it possibly succeed when cast on the Skeleton Principal?

“It’s absolutely not because you’re lacking.”

“No. It’s because I’m insufficient.”

“Not at all. The opponent is…”

“No. It’s because I’m…”

“I said it’s not!!”

Ah. Why are you getting angry?

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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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