Surviving as a Mage in a Magic Academy - Chapter 336

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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 336

Lee Han felt slightly sorry.

In fact, it was Lee Han’s choice not to attend dance lectures at school.

But the Skeleton Principal was taking undeserved blame for it.

“I’m sorry.”

“Forget it.”

“It seems you’ve been misunderstood because of your usual actions.”

“Do you think that sounds like an apology when you say sorry and then say something like that?”

The Skeleton Principal was dumbfounded.

Whoever taught him had quite the skill at turning people upside down with apologies.

“But what brings you here?”

“What other reason would I have for meeting great nobles?”

The Skeleton Principal placed an imperial gold coin on his palm with a tired expression.

Lee Han unconsciously tried to take the gold coin. The Skeleton Principal immediately retrieved the coin and stared at him in bewilderment.

“Did you just try to take my gold coin?”

“I thought you were taking it out to give to me.”

“…Looking at you now, what His Majesty said might not be completely wrong… I came to receive sponsorship.”

Mages were a tribe that couldn’t help but be wasteful.

They would burn precious gems and grind up rare materials just to develop a single reagent, so there was no way to economize.

And then they would brazenly say things like ‘I used up the entire box of diamonds you provided but got no results, could you get me better diamonds to try again?’ making sponsors clutch the back of their necks – that’s mages!

And since Einroguard was a place that gathered only the most outstanding mages in the Empire, their wastefulness was also among the worst in the Empire.

Even when the Emperor supported Einroguard against the opposition of imperial officials (imperial financial officers would tremble just hearing Einroguard’s name), the budget was always tight.

As such, one of the Skeleton Principal’s duties was securing additional sponsorship.

“I see. You work hard.”

Lee Han deeply empathized.

A professor’s job wasn’t just researching their own magic and teaching disciples.

Securing budgets was also one of a professor’s abilities.

From that perspective, the Skeleton Principal was indeed an amazing person.

‘Wait. He’s not extorting through threats, is he?’

“Why are you staring like that?”

“It’s nothing. By the way, when will you visit our family?”

“The Wardanaz Family?”

The Skeleton Principal looked at Lee Han as if he’d heard the stupidest thing in the world.

“There’s no reason to visit the Wardanaz Family. Would a mage busy with their own experiments give gold coins to another mage to experiment?”

Mages never gave gold coins to other mages.

They might use it themselves, but yielding to another mage wasn’t being a mage.

“I-Is that so? Has Lord Kraha provided sponsorship?”

“Not yet. Receiving other people’s gold coins isn’t such an easy matter. I’ll have to visit a few more times to persuade them.”

The Skeleton Principal’s expression was serious.

It was much more serious than when he used the great magic called Unique World last time.

In fact, securing budgets was a much more difficult realm than magic.

“Persuasion seems difficult.”

“Of course it is. Lord Kraha is definitely not an easy person.”

“You must have already talked about Gainando… Isn’t there any other excuse worth sponsoring? Like the second semester schedule.”

Lee Han casually probed.

If he knew in advance, it would be easier to prepare.

However, the Skeleton Principal wasn’t easy.

“Even if there were, I wouldn’t tell you. And are you telling me to talk about my own child being dragged to the punishment room?”

The Skeleton Principal looked at Lee Han suspiciously.

He suspected this might be an attempt to get revenge for the grudges accumulated last semester.

“No, that’s not it… You know. Lord Kraha. Did you know Gainando has talent in dark magic?”

“Is that really true?”

Gainando’s Mother asked in surprise.

“Not magic cards?”

“He doesn’t have much talent for magic cards, but he’s excellent at dark magic. He’s among the top students taking it with me.”

‘There are only a handful of new students taking it anyway.’

The Skeleton Principal was dumbfounded but didn’t interrupt.

“Duke Gonadaltes. I haven’t heard such stories?”

“Lord Kraha. I cannot leak students’ secrets.”

“…”

This time Lee Han looked at the Skeleton Principal as if dumbfounded.

‘Making excuses to avoid talking about sending him to the punishment room…’

“I’ll consider the sponsorship positively.”

“Really? I’m truly grateful! We needed new corpses anyway.”

Gainando’s Mother smiled generously and nodded.

The Skeleton Principal looked at Lee Han with a changed expression from before.

“I’m proud of you.”

“…Principal. I don’t want to boast about myself, but I’m the top student of my year.”

“Right. Top student of the year. I’m proud of you. But I have other families to visit.”

“I’ll go learn dancing now.”

Lee Han pretended not to hear and turned his steps.

* * *

Dancing wasn’t that difficult.

Gainando’s Mother was a skilled dancer, and Lee Han had performed movements several times more difficult than this while risking his life.

In fact, he might have learned a bit faster if Gainando’s Mother hadn’t taught him so kindly.

‘It’s awkward that attacks don’t come flying when I miss the beat.’

Not knowing what sinister thoughts Lee Han was having, Gainando’s Mother kindly emphasized:

“The most important thing in dancing is the beat. If you can feel the beat, you can somehow follow the other movements. One, two, three. Once more, one, two, three.”

Seeing Lee Han’s movements, Gainando’s Mother was satisfied with the face of a master pleased with a talented disciple.

For such a short time, this was excellent progress.

“With this much talent, it would be a waste to let it rot… How about taking it in the second semester?”

“I’m actually taking many other lectures.”

Lee Han quickly made an excuse.

Even Professor Boladi acknowledged the excuse ‘I’m actually taking all magic courses,’ so one could see the power this excuse held.

“Is that so? That’s unfortunate.”

Gainando’s Mother didn’t insist further.

Someone who was top of their year would generally manage well on their own.

‘I should say a word to Duke Gonadaltes when delivering the sponsorship money.’

Gainando’s Mother thought she should still say something to the Skeleton Principal.

It might be because of the Skeleton Principal that he couldn’t take it.

“By the way, is there anything I should be careful about at the ball?”

Lee Han asked to get advice.

While the other friends also lacked experience attending social gatherings due to their young age, Lee Han was even worse among them.

In fact, he had no interest in social gatherings to begin with.

As such, advice from someone like Gainando’s Mother was precious.

“First, it’s better not to get involved with the Imperial Family.”

“…Uh…”

Lee Han was slightly flustered.

‘Is she telling me not to hang out with Gainando?’

“I’m grateful that you’re being friends with Gainando, but there’s a high possibility that the imperial family members attending the gathering will be jealous. They’re the type who cause trouble in various ways.”

As if reading his thoughts, Gainando’s mother kindly gave him advice.

The imperial family members basically aimed to build their achievements and raise their reputation to announce to the empire’s social circles, ‘We are such remarkable people, so please support us as successors.’

As such, they were greatly interested in gatherings where talented newcomers to the magic school assembled.

If one was an ambitious student, it wouldn’t be bad to join hands with one of the imperial family members and choose a side, but if one had no such intention, it was better to avoid them.

“If you politely decline to dance or refuse conversation, they will understand and respect Lee Han’s intentions. They have very strong pride, after all.”

“???”

Lee Han tilted his head.

‘That’s not how they acted though?’

Even when Lee Han declined, the imperial family members kept pestering him.

They even openly declared in front of Gainando that they would ‘steal Wardanaz’…

‘Were the imperial family members I met particularly lacking in pride?’

“I, I see. I’ll be careful. Besides people who become troublesome when you get close to them, are there people who are good to befriend?”

“The city nobles of Granden are generally not bad to befriend. You’ll be staying for several years, so you can receive help in various ways.”

“Ah. I received help when chasing the undead chimera last time too.”

Gainando’s mother pretended not to hear the story about a new student pursuing and catching an undead chimera.

It was truly the seasoned wisdom of someone who had experienced all sorts of battles in the empire’s social circles.

“Among them, people who are especially good to know are…”

‘Oh.’

Lee Han greatly anticipated the essential summary of Granden City’s social circles that Gainando’s mother was about to impart.

“In the case of Grime from the Boord family, he oversees the guild’s materials and reagents, so it would be good for a mage to know…”

“!”

Just hearing the explanation, he felt like he could hear the jingling of gold coins.

“Ah. Wait. This won’t work.”

“Yes? Why not? Is it because I’m from the Wardanaz family?”

Lee Han was flustered.

He had already been imagining in his head becoming close friends, then monopolizing various jobs and working happily with his friends until the end of vacation.

“It’s not because of the Wardanaz family. Grime has spirit blood mixed in, so there’s a high possibility he’ll be frightened if he talks closely with Lee Han.”

“…????”

Lee Han was flustered once more.

What was this about?

“Um… well… isn’t Lady Kraha having a conversation with me right now?”

While asking the question, Lee Han hoped Gainando’s mother would answer ‘That’s true’ or ‘Well, since I was fine, maybe Grime would be okay too.’

Of course, spirits didn’t particularly like Lee Han, but it didn’t make sense for spirit half-bloods to dislike him too…

“I have strong mental fortitude, but Grime is quite timid and has considerably thick spirit blood…”

“…”

Instead of denying it, Gainando’s mother drove the nail in.

Lee Han asked in a dejected voice.

“Am I that intimidating?”

“Yes.”

“…”

“I’m sorry. But I can’t sugarcoat this matter.”

Gainando’s mother spoke with great regret.

Lee Han suddenly became curious and asked.

“Then does Gainando also not feel much intimidation from me because he has strong mental fortitude?”

“He just can’t feel it because his spirit blood hasn’t manifested.”

“I, I see.”

* * *

The massive hall located in the center of Granden City was originally one of the city’s prides where city nobles and officials would gather when there were important matters.

However, today it was being used as a venue to welcome new students to the magic school. Students arriving one by one marveled at the magnificent exterior of the great mansion.

Lee Han, who had arrived, briefly greeted other tower students who had come earlier. Friends who were acquainted with Lee Han either greeted him together or avoided his gaze.

“Why are you avoiding my gaze?”

“It, it’s a misunderstanding, Wardanaz.”

When there were minor misunderstandings between them, he made sure to resolve those as well.

“Nilia.”

Lee Han spoke as if he understood, seeing his dark elf friend’s complexion wasn’t good.

“You don’t want to participate in the ball. I understand. I don’t really want to participate either.”

“That’s not why.”

“No? Then why?”

“Because I came first at Meikin’s manor…”

“?”

Nilia sighed deeply and pulled out a paper.

There are many idle hunters in the north, so sending them to the southern coast… Since they can attack from long range, they should handle monsters well too… If monsters are caught well, people will be happy and political instability will decrease… I’m sorry…

“Why did I submit this…”

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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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