Surviving as a Mage in a Magic Academy - Chapter 291

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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 291

‘What a shame.’

Lee Han felt disappointed when the Skeleton Principal caught his inner thoughts.

Even though there was only one suspect, making it a perfect situation to run his mouth, he couldn’t do it.

The Skeleton Principal narrowed his blue eye flames and stared at Lee Han.

He seems to be thinking something suspicious…

“No, I’m not.”

Right. You wouldn’t have time to spread useless rumors anyway. Have a good vacation.

When the Skeleton Principal gave up cleanly without being persistent, Lee Han felt strangely uneasy.

‘What’s this? Is he planning to send undead during vacation?’

Since it was inside the magic school, he could get away with sending undead to attack the tower at night, but if he did such a thing in a major city, he could be branded as an enemy of the Empire.

But even considering that, the Skeleton Principal was someone you couldn’t feel at ease about.

Lee Han retreated with a disgruntled expression.

‘Surely not.’

* * *

Students who had finished preparing for vacation over the weekend walked toward the main gate carrying bundles of luggage.

Despite the heavy and uncomfortable load, all the students were beaming with joy.

“Ponrig. Thank you.”

Lee Han expressed his gratitude to Ponrig, who had a bundle of books loaded on his back. Ponrig tapped his hooves as if it was nothing.

“Oh right. I need to take this too. Would it be okay to load these books as well?”

-Puhihing.

“Thanks. Wait. This book too…”

-…

Ponrig glared at Lee Han slightly.

Meanwhile, singing could be heard from nearby.

“Einroguard. Einroguard. How wonderful it is.”

Asan was humming a tune. It was a song he had composed as an assignment for the 【Basic Music】 lecture.

“A place with warm meals and soft beds. Einroguard.”

“A place with warm meals and soft beds. Einroguard.”

Friends from other towers, who would normally have scolded him saying ‘Blue Dragon Tower guys, stop singing fake songs,’ were in such good spirits that they began singing along.

“Juniors will soon come in and enjoy this paradise too. Einroguard.”

“Just thinking about it makes me excited.”

“But juniors don’t come in during the second semester.”

“Damn. Why don’t they come in?”

‘Are these the same guys who were cursing the upperclassmen yesterday?’

“There once was a noble and honorable prince…”

“…”

“What? I’m going to sing the song I want to sing too.”

At Gainando’s words, the students looked at each other.

Come to think of it, that made sense too.

“One spirit, two spirits, three spirits, four spirits…”

“There once was an honorable mage who always prepared meals…”

“When the evil lich attacked, the knights blew their horns…”

‘What a mess.’

The songs mixed and the rhythm became tangled, making it feel like a lie that there had been a chorus just moments before.

Lee Han gave Ponrig a pat and hummed.

“Einroguard. Einroguard. How wonderful it is.”

“A place with warm meals and soft beds. Einroguard.”

The Skeleton Principal and professors watched the first-year students heading toward the main gate while singing with fond gazes.

Professor Garcia, whose eyes had slightly reddened, looked at the Skeleton Principal. The Skeleton Principal was having a conversation with Professor Verdus.

“Why don’t you tell me?”

If you promise to listen to me well from now on, I can tell you where he stays.

“I promise!”

Not half-heartedly!

“Um. Principal?”

Ah. Professor Garcia.

When Professor Garcia approached, the Skeleton Principal stopped his conversation.

“What conversation were you just having…?”

It was nothing important.

“Only to me wh…”

When Professor Verdus tried to speak, the Skeleton Principal summoned a giant piece of bark and stuffed it into the professor’s mouth.

So what’s the matter?

“Ah. I wanted to say you worked hard during the semester.”

The Skeleton Principal’s gaze softened.

How could that be my achievement alone? All the other professors…

When Professor Verdus and Professor Boladi came into view, the Skeleton Principal stopped speaking.

…well, not all of them, but anyway, Professor Garcia worked really hard too.

“That’s right. Everyone really worked hard.”

Iwunrade, the Empire official who had come for this final exam, agreed.

When he was a student, he just thought it would be nice if the professors died, and now that he had graduated and come to visit, he still thought it would be nice if the professors died, but he could still feel that everyone was working hard to maintain Einroguard.

As if reading Iwunrade’s thoughts, the Skeleton Principal smiled.

I’m grateful you think that way.

“Oh right. Principal.”

Iwunrade glanced at the Skeleton Principal’s mood before speaking.

Seeing that he was in a good mood, it seemed safe to bring it up.

What is it?

“Well… I received word yesterday. His Imperial Majesty wishes to have a private audience with you, Principal. It seems you should go to the capital as soon as possible.”

…

As the Skeleton Principal’s soul flickered, the surrounding temperature dropped and frost began forming instantly.

Thinking he might be dragged to the mountain range behind Einroguard and buried by the crazed archmage, Iwunrade desperately made excuses.

“I… didn’t say much. Principal.”

If you didn’t say much, then why does he want a private audience? I don’t understand. This isn’t even the right time to meet? Tell me honestly. Did you really not say anything?

“I don’t really know either… Principal! It’s been years since I graduated, you can’t put me in the punishment room! You can’t do this!”

Haha. There seems to be a misunderstanding. I wouldn’t put an Empire official in the punishment room.

Despite the Skeleton Principal’s kind words, Iwunrade remained absolutely vigilant.

“Nothing’s been decided yet! He might be calling you to give you a reward!”

You’re talking nonsense about rewards. As if that would happen.

The Skeleton Principal was extremely realistic.

Usually, conversations with the Emperor were about either a mage who graduated from Einroguard causing trouble or a mage currently attending Einroguard causing trouble – one of those two.

So what reward could there be?

The Skeleton Principal let out a deep sigh.

Just thinking about which bastard caused what kind of trouble this time and how much the budget would be cut made his soul feel cold already.

“It… it will be fine.”

When the Skeleton Principal seemed to calm down a bit, Iwunrade carefully spoke up.

Do you really think so? Then if the budget gets cut, donate your salary to Einroguard.

“My… my salary is like a single drop compared to the ocean…”

Never mind. What difference would that make anyway?

The Skeleton Principal clicked his tongue.

Seeing Iwunrade genuinely upset, it didn’t seem to be about the report…

He wondered if perhaps some Einroguard graduate had caused trouble without anyone knowing. That seemed like the most likely possibility.

I should go see His Imperial Majesty.

“Then please consider our school’s research budget as well.”

“Me too! I need gems for new artifacts…”

“We need monsters for combat training…”

…

The Skeleton Principal shuddered at the sight of professors worrying about their own magic first in this situation.

Whoever taught them, they were truly terrible people.

* * *

The Skeleton Principal’s undead army followed along, escorting the students who had passed through the main gate.

Their goal was to safely escort the students to Granden City.

Given the distance, it would be unreasonable to go without an escort…

…but other people were already waiting in front of the main gate.

“Young master. This way!”

“You’ve suffered so much. My goodness. No matter how modest you are, wearing such rags!”

“Half your face is gone!”

Guards from various families who had been waiting for the Blue Dragon Tower students came running.

Students from other towers shook their heads at the sight of them instantly washing, undressing, changing clothes, and even feeding snacks.

“If they’re going to do that, why attend Einroguard?”

“That’s right. It’s behavior that destroys Einroguard’s teachings.”

“Lord Lee Han. We’ve come to escort you.”

When the old knight Alarlong called Lee Han with his guards, Lee Han pretended not to hear.

“Lord Lee Han?”

“Shh. Don’t call out loudly, Sir.”

Lee Han covered Alarlong’s mouth. Behind Alarlong, familiar knights from noble families waited on horseback.

“Did you bring a carriage too?”

“A carriage? I thought it would be too excessive, so I didn’t bring one. I apologize. Even now…”

“No. It’s fine. Thank you for not bringing one.”

They would probably go to Granden City in this procession as is, and if he were inside a carriage, he would stand out conspicuously.

His other friends from the same tower didn’t mind, but…

“Lee Han! Want a ride?”

Gainando, already inside a splendid carriage lying on cushions, gestured and called to Lee Han.

Lee Han ignored him, pretending not to hear.

“Isn’t he your friend, Lord Lee Han?”

“He’s a stranger. I heard the manor I rented in the village was moved to Granden City, is that right?”

“That’s correct. Someone from the school came out.”

Alarlong said, stroking his mustache.

Einroguard’s thoughtfulness in sending all the manors to the city so students visiting nearby villages couldn’t earn money!

“It would have been nice if they had told us in advance.”

“…That’s true. Einroguard is really something. Can I see the manor I rented?”

“I’m sorry it’s not a very good place.”

Alarlong unfolded a city map and pointed to the location with his finger.

It was a manor located in the central noble district of the city, clearly occupying a vast area at first glance.

‘If this isn’t a good place, what exactly would be a good place by Alarlong’s standards?’

Lee Han was about to ask if they could just save the money for buying this manor and give it to him instead, but held back.

It wasn’t Alarlong’s fault.

“How was school life?”

“It was quite different from what I expected.”

At Lee Han’s words, Alarlong let out a generous laugh.

“Isn’t any place of learning like that, regardless of the subject?”

“That’s true, but…”

Einroguard seemed far too different.

Lee Han didn’t know about all the educational facilities in the Empire, but it was hard to believe there could be a place more eccentric than Einroguard.

“Among the lectures you attended, was there any you liked?”

“Hmm. Most of them were semi-mandatory.”

“Haha… I was the same when I lived in the knight order. I just wanted to swing my sword, but they made me learn the seven liberal arts, saying I had to maintain dignity and pride as a knight.”

“It’s a bit different from that…”

Lee Han trailed off.

Learning poetry, music, and dance as a knight was a bit different from being forced to learn magic at Einroguard.

“Oh right. Thanks to what you taught me, I was able to attend swordsmanship lectures. Thank you.”

“There were swordsmanship lectures? Well, of course, not only knight families but children from other noble families would learn swordsmanship as a cultural accomplishment…”

‘Everyone except me was from White Tiger Tower.’

“It must have been difficult with so many from knight families.”

“No. It was better than I thought.”

“I see… Well, since they were all from knight families, they must have been considerate of you, Lord Lee Han.”

“…?”

Lee Han paused.

Were they considerate?

“…”

“…”

White Tiger Tower students passing by also paused when they heard those words.

They weren’t…

“Hmm. If I had to say, I suppose they were considerate.”

“Excellent. That’s how knights should be. If you try to crush your opponent just because you’ve learned a little more swordsmanship, then you haven’t learned properly.”

Lee Han stared intently at the passing White Tiger Tower students. The White Tiger Tower students hurriedly quickened their pace.

“Are they your friends?”

“No. They’re strangers.”

“I see. Lord Lee Han, what school of magic are you thinking of specializing in during your first year?”

“…I haven’t decided that yet.”

Alarlong, misunderstanding that Lee Han hadn’t made a decision yet, spoke reassuringly.

“It’s fine. There’s still plenty of time left, so if you attend more lectures you haven’t heard, you’ll be able to make a decision.”

“Do I really have to…”

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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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