Surviving as a Mage in a Magic Academy - Chapter 294

—————
This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
—————

Chapter 294

‘Oh no. What was I thinking.’

Lee Han immediately came to his senses.

Of course, Baldrogard’s educational environment was slightly more comfortable than Einroguard’s, but that didn’t necessarily correlate with magical ability.

Mages who graduated from Baldrogard could also be excellent mages.

Moreover, his opponent was a graduate.

Lee Han, who was merely a 1st year, was absolutely not someone who should underestimate his opponent.

“Wardanaz. I’m ready.”

Asan whispered with a face full of determination.

“Lord Wardanaz. Please tell me when you need pickpocketing.”

Ratford also whispered with a determined face.

Behind them, it was quite busy as people cleared tables and pushed chairs aside to prepare for watching magic.

“Ratford. Sorry, but this is just testing magic. It’s not a duel.”

“But if the opponent’s staff disappeared, it might be a bit easier, don’t you think?”

Asan perked up at those words. Lee Han spoke firmly.

“If we did something like that, the commotion would flow in a strange direction. Just using magic is enough.”

“But Wardanaz. We don’t know what magic the opponent will use.”

This wasn’t a duel, but a place to confirm a mage’s abilities.

In such cases, rather than both sides unleashing magic at full power and clashing, it usually flowed in a way where one side presented a challenge and the other solved it with magic.

This time, it would be Doin, that Baldrogard graduate mage, giving the test and Lee Han and his friends solving it.

“There’s nothing to worry too much about. We’re 1st years. The other party will take that into account when giving the test. If they give an overly difficult test, it would damage their own reputation.”

Having come to the Dalcard Family Estate, there was no way they would forcibly humiliate the Dalcard Family’s mage. If they did that, there would be immediate backlash.

“So don’t worry about useless things, and stay focused so you don’t make unnecessary mistakes. Got it?”

Asan nodded.

Ratford also nodded.

“Just in case…”

“I said no stealing.”

“Yes.”

* * *

While Lee Han and his friends had strong antipathy toward Baldrogard, Doin had no particular antipathy toward Einroguard.

Of course, it would be a lie to say he wasn’t at all envious of Einroguard, which always held the reputation of being the Empire’s premier magic school.

However, Doin loved and believed in Baldrogard, which he had attended, even more than that.

-It’s just because the Empire’s people are stuck in their ways, but if they really knew how to look properly, they would think Baldrogard is the most excellent and outstanding magic school!

If Lee Han or other Einroguard mages heard this, they would immediately challenge him to a duel, but at least Doin thought so.

To that extent, Doin had no particular antipathy toward Einroguard.

What he was pondering now wasn’t how to humiliate those Einroguard students, but how to save their face.

‘Asan of the Dalcard Family is a boy with quite a good reputation, and that one over there is from the Wardanaz Family, so they won’t make ridiculous mistakes, right?’

Confirming magical abilities in such a setting was close to a kind of theater.

The side giving the test also had to give it well so the other party could pass.

What if they gave a test that was tricky or used magic from a school the opponent was unfamiliar with?

Then the atmosphere would immediately become as cold as ice.

And the mage who gave the test would certainly be despised by the Dalcard Family and everyone related to that family for a while.

Just thinking about it was a terrible nightmare.

‘What kind of test would be good…’

Doin pondered what kind of test he should give so those students could easily pass and the people present could easily admire it.

“By the way, what kind of magic are you three interested in?”

“I’m interested in divination magic.”

“I’m interested in illusion magic.”

“I… um… haven’t decided yet.”

Even mages who had practiced magic for over ten years changed schools according to need, so it wasn’t particularly surprising that a mage who had just started learning magic hadn’t decided on a school.

Thinking this way, Doin didn’t notice the two students looking at Lee Han with bewilderment.

‘I should pick the easiest magic possible from illusion magic and divination magic.’

After much deliberation, Doin made his decision and waved his staff.

“Illusion, transform into chains of elements.”

One of the advantages of illusion magic was that its appearance was spectacular.

This might sound like a joke, but it was a more important advantage than one might think.

Most people didn’t see the mysterious flow of mana or deep philosophy contained within magic when they watched it. They just saw what appeared on the surface.

Thanks to this, while dark mages couldn’t find investors and had to dig through graves, illusion mages could comfortably conduct research while receiving sponsorship from several nobles.

That advantage was revealed in this place today as well. When the illusion magic appeared sparkling in the spacious hall, applause and exclamations came from various places.

‘Isn’t it too slow?’

However, Lee Han was puzzled inwardly.

Doin’s casting speed was too slow compared to the professors at the magic school.

Of course, from Doin’s perspective, it would be an unfair situation where he’d have to say ‘If I could cast faster than Einroguard professors, I’d be a professor myself,’ but even so, it couldn’t help but look slow.

Clatter!

“Do you see these chains made of illusion? They’re connected to handcuffs binding my wrists.”

“We can see them, Sir Doin!”

The mage Doin raised his wrists to show people the connected illusion handcuffs and illusion chains.

The illusion chains hanging to the floor were connected in four places, with illusion pillars positioned at their ends.

“If you cast the appropriate element on each pillar, the chains will be released one by one. Can the mages of Einroguard rescue me! Everyone, please give us lots of encouragement!”

Applause and cheers again.

Doin was better at rhetoric and showmanship that entertained people than at magical ability.

He was a mage who couldn’t help but be popular with others at salons or gatherings. Lee Han was also slightly impressed.

‘Is this how a mage should act at gatherings to gain popularity?’

It was certainly educational in many ways.

While Lee Han was nodding, thinking he should try copying this when needed later, Asan whispered with a worried voice.

“Wardanaz. Can we succeed in one try?”

“I don’t think we necessarily need to succeed in one try.”

The illusion magic Doin cast was a kind of puzzle.

Four chains connected to four pillars.

Now, if they cast the appropriate element, the pillars would be released one by one and the chains would disappear.

In other words, even if they cast the wrong elemental magic, they could just cast different magic again…

“But big brother and big sister are watching. What will they say if we can’t succeed in one try?”

“Then can’t you tell them to try it themselves?”

Asan made a tearful face and shook his head vigorously. Lee Han clicked his tongue in sympathy.

‘To have to be so one-sidedly dominated just because they were born a few years earlier.’

Originally, this kind of thing was meant to be solved through trial and error, but to be so conscious of others’ opinions.

Lee Han didn’t say anything more.

If there were advantages to being from a great noble family, there were also disadvantages. It wasn’t something for others to comment on.

“There is a way to solve it in one try though.”

“How?”

“Breaking it with force.”

Lee Han briefly explained the dispelling method he had learned from the excellent illusion mage Baldoron.

Rather than understanding the structure of illusion magic and finding its weak points to dispel it, it was a dispelling method that simply wielded mana strongly to blow away the illusion magic itself.

“Is that possible?”

“Of course it might not work. Magic with solid structure holds up quite well.”

“No, Wardanaz. What I meant was whether you could release that much mana.”

Asan spoke as if dumbfounded.

The theory made sense. With that level of mana, the magic would inevitably waver.

But could he really extract that much mana?

“You don’t need to go that far. This much should…”

Lee Han raised his staff and lightly released mana to demonstrate for Asan.

Crack!

Even without a direct hit, the illusion chain that was barely grazed made a creaking sound and collapsed completely.

And the other chains connected to the illusion chain also collapsed, along with the handcuffs…

Crackle!

“…”

“…”

Lee Han, who had tried to demonstrate, was flustered, and Asan, who was watching, was also flustered.

And naturally, Doin was flustered too.

‘What the…!?’

He had asked them to solve the illusion puzzle, but suddenly it was smashed to pieces with one swing of a staff. As a human being, he couldn’t help but be surprised.

‘What did he do? It didn’t seem like he cast any particular magic? He surely didn’t just break it with brute force. Did Einrogard teach him some magic I don’t know about?’

Though his head was spinning, Doin reacted first.

“Excellent! Magnificent! You all must have seen it! Einrogard’s mages dispelled the magic in one go!”

The watching guests clapped in amazement.

Among them, those who knew a bit about magic tilted their heads at the feeling that something was different from what they expected, but they clapped just the same.

It was resolved well anyway!

‘That was a shock.’

Doin inwardly patted his chest in relief.

The Einrogard students had acted unexpectedly, and he had almost been late to react.

If he had made a mistake, how cold the atmosphere would have become…

“Sir Doin! Please show us one more!”

“!”

“!!”

Both Lee Han and Doin were surprised.

Someone with a slightly flushed face, as if they had already had a drink, shouted in an excited voice.

“When else and where else would we see such magic!”

“That’s right!”

“Seeing the magic shown by the Empire’s most outstanding mages makes me feel wide awake!”

Excited people always want to see more of anything.

Doin thought ‘oh no’ but it was already too late. Everyone was full of anticipation.

“Good… very well. Then for the next magic…”

Doin tensed up once again.

The people sitting there could raise their glasses and shout ‘one more!’ since it wasn’t their business, but Doin, who had to give the test, had his mouth completely dry.

He couldn’t give a test that was the same or easier than before. It had to be at least a little more difficult.

And it had to be intuitively understandable to the people gathered there, and also be a test where the atmosphere could be salvaged even if the young students made mistakes.

Moreover, he had to keep in mind that the students might have consumed a lot of mana and could experience mana depletion midway…

“You’re not tired or dizzy, are you?”

“No. We’re fine.”

“I’m fine too.”

“…Good. Then the next magic…”

* * *

Bang!

When Lee Han closed his eyes, dodged the fourth summoned phantom beast, then dispelled it, people burst into cheers again.

Clap clap clap clap clap clap clap-

‘No, no.’

Doin was shocked.

Honestly, the magic he had just used was one where he regretted it while doing it, thinking ‘This is bad! I made it too difficult!’

But they just solved it so easily like that.

A noble sitting nearby asked worriedly.

“Sir Doin. No matter how much they’re Einrogard mages, they’re still 1st year students, so isn’t this too difficult…”

“There’s nothing to worry about! Aren’t they solving it so well!”

“Next magic! Please show us the next magic!”

Regardless, the people gathered there were completely excited because Lee Han and his friends were solving everything so well.

Doin thought to himself.

‘This chaos is happening because you’re doing too well! Do moderately well!’

It felt overwhelming not knowing how long they would have to keep using magic.

He needed to cut it off midway…!

—————
This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
—————