Surviving as a Mage in a Magic Academy - Chapter 284

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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 284

“Th… Thank you.”

Salko first expressed his gratitude.

“Wardanaz. Thank you.”

Salko’s other gang members behind him also expressed their thanks. Some were on the verge of tears.

Just moments ago, they had been in despair thinking they would be trapped helplessly, but suddenly Lee Han appeared and saved them, so it was understandable they’d be moved.

Though surprised and flustered, after giving their thanks in bewilderment, Salko felt something strange.

But why is Wardanaz here?

“But Wardanaz. What brings you here…?”

“This isn’t the time to have a conversation here. We need to move quickly! We don’t know when pursuers might come after us!”

“Right, you’re absolutely right.”

When Lee Han whispered urgently, Salko immediately understood.

Since the trap had been triggered, it wouldn’t be strange if the principal’s minions who were waiting nearby came at any moment.

They had to escape as quickly as possible.

“This way!”

“Let’s go down the left staircase rather than the central staircase! There’s nowhere to hide on the central staircase!”

“Got it! Everyone hurry…”

Fortunately, the first-year students moved swiftly without any hesitation.

Since they were all students who had wandered around at night before, they didn’t waste time unnecessarily in this situation.

“War, Wardanaz! Sound from ahead! Someone’s coming!”

“Get into the lecture hall next to us! I’ll cast invisibility magic!”

When they reached the first floor and heard voices and footsteps coming from ahead in the corridor, Lee Han immediately changed direction and entered the lecture hall beside them.

Fortunately, the lecture hall was dark inside, but Lee Han didn’t let his guard down.

“Cloak, swallow me!”

As the invisibility magic was amplified, Lee Han made everyone huddle close together.

Salko frowned at Lee Han placing his elbow on his head, but given the situation, he said nothing.

-Where is it? The kitchen?

-It’s the second floor.

-Who touched it?

-Probably new students. What a pity. Einroguard isn’t such an easy place…

The Death Knights conversed as if feeling sorry while moving their steps.

The relatively accessible second floor of the main building, with the kitchen and food storage that had no particular guards or defensive devices.

At Einroguard, one should have been more suspicious instead.

-Still, they’ll learn after going to the punishment room a few times.

-You’re right. Don’t they all grow that way?

“…”

“…”

The atmosphere among the students hiding in the lecture hall turned cold.

They realized they had just stepped on death’s doorstep.

“…Really, thank you. Wardanaz.”

“Forget it. I didn’t do it to receive thanks. I should go now, shouldn’t I? There’s nothing good about us sticking together right now.”

Lee Han spoke firmly while managing his expression to avoid revealing the food supplies that heavily filled his backpack.

No matter how grateful Salko and his gang were now, he couldn’t be sure they’d feel the same after learning that Lee Han’s group had looted first.

‘Once we split up, even if they suspect later, what can they do.’

“Wardanaz…”

“You’re really on a different level from other Blue Dragon Tower guys.”

The Black Turtle Tower students were all deeply impressed by Lee Han’s attitude of not showing off even after helping them.

If it had been another Blue Dragon Tower student, they would have bragged for about thirty minutes, mentioning family, bloodline, and honor.

‘They say honorable people do good deeds not to raise their own honor, but because the deed itself is good. Indeed, those words aren’t wrong!’

Even the roughest and most unruly student in Black Turtle Tower couldn’t deny Wardanaz’s honor.

“Wardanaz. I have something to tell you in return.”

“Do you have to do it now?”

Lee Han glanced at the door, just wanting to leave quickly.

These guys are being burdensome…

‘They didn’t notice, did they.’

“I have to do it now.”

“Fine. Tell me. But say it quickly.”

“You know Professor Thunderstep, right?”

“Of course.”

He went to the vegetable garden every break and even did odd jobs, so there was no way he wouldn’t know. At Lee Han’s answer, Salko nodded and continued.

“One of our tower students witnessed this yesterday. In the middle of the night, Professor Thunderstep brought in a hydra.”

“…I must be tired from studying too much. I think I misheard. What did he bring in?”

“A hydra.”

“…”

Lee Han frowned and fell into thought.

Hydra.

A monster with nine heads, powerful regenerative abilities, and deadly poison.

Even in the Empire where all sorts of fierce and dangerous monsters were scattered about, the hydra was among the top tier.

And Professor Thunderstep brought that in??

‘Does that make sense?’

Normally he would have said it was a mistake, but Lee Han didn’t.

It was so absurd that it actually seemed believable.

Anything could happen at Einroguard.

“Still, it wasn’t a fully grown one. It was probably a baby.”

“A baby, what a relief! If it were fully grown I wouldn’t have confidence to face it, but if it’s a baby, confidence is welling up in me?”

“Is that really true?”

“…Of course it’s a joke.”

Lee Han was dumbfounded.

He was being sarcastic but they took it seriously.

Salko also seemed to realize he had said something ridiculous and blushed.

“Speaking seriously, I was mistaken. Anyway, I know you’re taking alchemy lectures, Wardanaz.”

“That’s right.”

“Dark magic, summoning magic, illusion magic, enchantment magic, divination magic, transformation magic, healing magic too.”

“…There’s no need to list them all, is there?”

“Anyway, I thought it would be good for you to know in advance. You must be preparing for other lecture exams too, so it would be good to know even one thing ahead of time.”

Yoner, who was listening from the side, muttered.

“Even knowing doesn’t seem like it would help much.”

* * *

“Hydra… What kind of exam could be related to a hydra.”

On the way back.

Having gathered everything they wanted, his heart should have been joyful, but it felt only heavy like the weighty backpack.

Yoner and Ratford also had serious expressions.

“It could be a potion to put the hydra to sleep.”

“It might be a potion to make the hydra go berserk.”

“The former is one thing, but the latter… surely not.”

No matter how much Einroguard was Einroguard, surely they wouldn’t feed a potion to drive a hydra mad in an exam location where students were gathered.

…Probably!

“Hydra regeneration suppression potion? Hydra poison antidote potion?”

“Surely he wouldn’t go that far…”

Yoner spoke with a disgusted expression at Lee Han’s murderous prediction.

“Rather, didn’t he bring it to use as ingredients? The target potion might need something like hydra’s fresh blood as an ingredient.”

“Indeed. That sounds plausible.”

Ratford also agreed as if it made sense.

However, Lee Han couldn’t easily accept it.

“Professor Thunderstep already said he’d raise the test difficulty, but isn’t this too easy?”

“It’s not easy.”

“It’s not easy.”

“No. That seems a bit easy.”

“…”

“…”

Yoner and Ratford looked at each other.

-You try talking to him.

-How should I say it?

“Wait.”

Thanks to his hearing sharpened by enhancement magic, Lee Han noticed footsteps coming from far away.

As they entered the lecture hall right next door and held their breath, Death Knights passed through the corridor again, chatting among themselves.

-Whoever it was escaped cleverly. It seems they split in half and were waiting outside? These new students seem quite clever.

-I don’t think they’re new students. Even if they were waiting outside, the moment they touched the sealed door, all their mana would have been drained.

-True. Seeing how they poured mana until the sealed door was unlocked, it’s not something new students would do. I should go see what the upperclassmen are doing.

“…”

Lee Han made a resolution to himself.

From now on, even if plausible bait appeared before his eyes, he would tap the stone bridge dozens of times before crossing it.

* * *

“I believe in you. Maronie.”

【Basic Riding Training】 final exam.

Yoner hugged the neck of the brown-haired horse and whispered.

“Let’s do our best. Granempenialgainandoimperator.”

“Just do it like we practiced. You understand, right?”

Other students also spoke to the horses they had cared for during the semester, one by one.

With the test approaching, their voices carried a sense of determination.

“Ponrig.”

Puhheung!

When Lee Han spoke to him, Ponrig’s eyes sparkled as if he had been waiting.

Though his master was stingy with praise, surely this time…

“Don’t attack other horses.”

…Puhihihihihing!!

Ponrig burst into anger and began kicking up dirt with his hooves.

Gainando, who was passing by, got a mouthful of dirt and spat it out.

“See. This is why I’m worried because you throw tantrums like this.”

Puhing! Puhihing! Puhihihing!

Ponrig cried out with a voice full of injustice.

Originally, griffins were noble beasts.

Since a noble beast was cursed to take the form of a horse, naturally it would be stressed.

And most of all, of course he’d be angry when his master suspected him!

“Alright, alright. I was wrong. Anyway, don’t attack other horses until I tell you to. Got it?”

‘Until you tell him to?’

Yoner tilted his head while brushing the horse’s fur.

Meanwhile, Professor Lightningstep appeared in the vast clearing, dusting off his hands after finishing his work.

“You’ve all worked hard for a semester. I hope you learned a lot while becoming friends with horses. Animals that help mages like horses are rare. Once you become friends, they won’t betray you and will help you no matter what happens – the most trustworthy companions. Take them with you after the lecture ends and stay together.”

“!!”

“Thank you!”

The faces of students who received their befriended horses as gifts brightened. Lee Han looked at Ponrig. Ponrig looked back with gentle eyes as if asking why.

‘Isn’t this one not a horse?’

While having such different thoughts, Professor Lightningstep looked at Lee Han and asked.

“How about coming to the stables during vacation too?”

Lee Han was horrified.

“What???????!!?”

“It was a joke, so don’t look so serious.”

‘Oops.’

Lee Han reflected on himself.

He had failed to control his emotions at such an outrageous statement.

“While asking you to come to the stables during vacation was obviously a joke, as long as you’re caring for Ponrig, you’ll need some attention during vacation too. Griffins are quite troublesome animals.”

Ponrig snorted as if to say not to worry. Lee Han was worried about something else from that sight.

“The curse won’t be lifted during vacation, will it?”

“That won’t happen. …Probably. Anyway, if you need help or need a spacious place for Ponrig to play, come to Einroguard Stables. I’ll be at school this vacation.”

“Thank you.”

Of course, Lee Han had absolutely no intention of going near Einroguard during vacation.

He wouldn’t even breathe in the direction of Einroguard.

“Well then. Shall we start?”

Professor Lightningstep pointed with his riding whip at the clearing that seemed endlessly wide.

Obstacles installed here and there.

If the midterm was just a sprint, the final exam required jumping over these obstacles as well.

The difficulty looked quite high, but the students were surprisingly calm.

Having taken other final exams all week, this level of test now seemed trivial.

“This is more like a change of pace.”

“That’s right.”

Moreover, while other lectures were uncertain, many students were overflowing with confidence in the 【Basic Riding Training】 lecture.

Having ridden horses since childhood, they all had pride in their hearts thinking ‘I’m better than the other guys.’

“Yoner. It might be better not to rush ahead when the starting signal comes.”

“Why?”

Before Lee Han could answer, Professor Lightningstep gave the starting signal.

Then the students waiting at the starting line shot forward like lightning, driving their horses ahead.

Clatter clatter-

Thud!

One student who had been running at the front was hit by a water stream that flew from the side and fell off.

“…”

“This is why.”

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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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