Surviving as a Mage in a Magic Academy - Chapter 356

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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 356

‘This is bad.’

There were no words more terrifying to a researcher whose work wasn’t going well than ‘Let me take a look at how your research is progressing these days.’

Indeed, Alsicle was trembling so much that his teeth were chattering audibly.

“Alshickel Penguerin. Pull yourself together. Are you going to show weakness in front of the inspector?”

“I… I know. If we kidnap the inspec…”

“I told you to pull yourself together.”

“Al, alright.”

“You may have struggled a bit lately, but you’re an excellent researcher. You can do this well. Just tell him exactly what you’re trying to accomplish.”

“Yes…”

Yumidifus, like the experienced elder mage he was, remained unshaken even by the inspector’s visit. He calmly soothed Alsicle and headed outside the cave.

Gainando looked at the inspector and asked.

“Did I perhaps save a villain…”

“I’m not a villain!!”

The inspector protested indignantly.

Of course, he knew well that mages disliked people like inspectors.

-Aaaah, it’s an inspector!

-You think you’ll get away with this?! When this magic is complete, I’ll cast it on you first! You’ll never get drunk no matter how much you drink!

-What do you know about magic?! Great magic is supposed to be born from wasting enough gold to fill a castle!

There was no way mages who received investments for research would like inspectors.

But people like inspectors were also essential to the Empire.

Without such watchful eyes, who would protect the investors?

“Mages just dislike us a little.”

“Huh. But I’m also a mage.”

Gainando wondered if he had saved an enemy. The inspector was flustered, but Gainando was already slowly backing away.

“Stop it, Gainando. That person is just doing their job.”

“Th, thank you.”

The inspector was moved by Lee Han’s words.

No one had ever said something like that for him.

However, Lee Han’s inner thoughts were different.

‘This is bad.’

Come to think of it, hadn’t Lee Han been freely using Alsicle’s top-grade rare materials when his research was already stuck?

He didn’t know how the situation would unfold, but he couldn’t help but worry.

‘Even if bribery is impossible…’

Since it had come to this, the only option was to draw the inspector to their side.

If they became friendly, wouldn’t he look at things in a slightly more favorable way!

“Oh right. Your Highness the Prince. Thank you once again for saving me.”

Before leaving, the inspector politely bowed. Gainando looked at Lee Han with a proud expression.

“See?”

“See what. Don’t disappear without saying anything and worry your friends anymore.”

“Hmph.”

Gainando grumbled as he followed behind Lee Han, then suddenly remembered something.

‘Wait. Come to think of it, Lee Han also disappeared without saying anything and made us worry many times!’

“Hey, Lee Han did the same thing!”

“How is that the same thing?”

“Stop talking nonsense.”

“…”

* * *

Returning to the magic tower, Alsicle cleared his throat and formally welcomed the inspector.

Of course, his eyes were subtly avoiding the inspector.

“Alshickel Penguerin. I came here today as a representative of four people, and this letter bears the seals of those four people.”

“I… I see.”

Alsicle glared at the letter as if he wanted to put it in his mouth and swallow it.

“Yes. If it’s not too much trouble, regarding the magical research currently in progress…”

“Wait! Do you see that boy from the Wardanaz family over there?!”

Alsicle suddenly pointed at Lee Han.

Lee Han was puzzled.

‘Has he gone crazy from the pressure?’

“Yes? I can see him…”

“I had the opportunity to teach that boy this time. And that boy is truly amazing!”

“Is that so.”

The inspector from the capital hadn’t heard the rumors from Granden City yet.

As such, he just showed a reaction of ‘Well, he’s from the Wardanaz family, so I guess he’s naturally good.’

“It’s not just that level. He… he has talent superior to mine.”

“Is that so!?”

The inspector was quite surprised by these words.

To think that Alsicle of the Penguerin family would say such things.

Indeed, Alsicle’s pride was hurt and he was so frustrated that tears welled up in his eyes.

“Just… just take a look…”

Lee Han understood what Alsicle was trying to do.

He was trying to change the subject somehow because he wanted to avoid the inspector.

‘My heart aches for him.’

As a fellow mage, and as someone who had ransacked Alsicle’s magic tower storage while learning ice elemental magic, Lee Han resolved to do his best to help.

“Ice, become a shield and float!”

Lee Han summoned floating ice shields along with mist.

“Mist, spread! Darkness, gather here!”

“Oh… ohhh!”

The inspector wasn’t a mage, but having seen and verified countless magics, he knew well enough that Lee Han casting magic consecutively like this was impressive.

Moreover, wasn’t he still a young student!

“Bones… no. This isn’t right. Flash!”

Lee Han rapidly fired off the magic spells he possessed at a fierce pace.

The inspector kept exclaiming in admiration.

“Truly amazing…”

“How much have you learned?!”

“Alshickel Penguerin?”

“Ah, so, sorry.”

Alsicle had shouted without realizing it, then came to his senses at the inspector’s words.

Lee Han had done well to draw attention, but he had drawn it so well that Alsicle himself had gotten distracted.

‘What exactly is Einroguard…?’

At this point, rather than being amazed at Lee Han’s talent, it was suspicious whether Einroguard was teaching too harshly.

Was this even okay?

“Einroguard’s education is… no… anyway, isn’t it amazing?”

“Yes. It’s amazing.”

“I was teaching today, so…”

“Alshickel Penguerin. But I’d like to see the research…”

“Ri, right. Did you get a good look at the surrounding scenery on your way here?”

“I fell off my horse and broke my ankle, so I didn’t have the leisure to sightsee.”

“So… sorry. I should have had a spirit on standby. I was distracted because of the customer.”

“It’s fine. His Highness the Prince saved us.”

“Ri, right? Do you know how amazing His Highness the Prince over there is? He has many followers and is supported by the Empire’s great noble families!”

“…”

Lee Han and Yoner’s faces turned bright red as they hung their heads.

Gainando himself stood there blankly, not even knowing they were talking about him.

“Huh? Wait. Are you talking about me?”

“…Probably not…?”

The inspector was startled.

“Is that so? Well, seeing what you’ve shown me, I didn’t think you’d be without fame.”

“Ri, right! That’s right!”

“But Mr. Alshickel Penguerin. I’d like to see your research…”

Alsicle was on the verge of tears. His eyes were brimming with tears.

Lee Han, unable to watch any longer, cleared his throat.

“Please wait a moment. Everyone must be exhausted from wandering around on such a blizzardy day, so I’ll bring some warm drinks.”

“Ah. I’m fine though.”

“Inspector sir. No, you’re not. I know you’re strong, but you’ve been through so much that you need to rest a bit. Besides, the other students too…”

Lee Han gave them a look.

Then Yoner, Ratford, and Nilia hurriedly started coughing.

“Cough cough.”

“Kheuk! Kheoheuk!”

“My… I can’t feel my fingertips…”

‘I shouldn’t ask Nilia to do this again.’

Her frostbite acting was too realistic and actually stood out.

“Look. Even the professor here has turned pale from the cold.”

“…”

Yumidifus was dumbfounded watching Lee Han say such things to Voladi Bagrec.

He knew the boy was fearless, but…

What was surprising was that Voladi Bagrec was also standing still and playing along.

“Al, alright. It would be better to rest a bit.”

“Yes. I’ll bring the drinks shortly.”

* * *

Having bought time, Lee Han asked Yumidifus.

“But what kind of research is Mr. Penguerin conducting?”

“Alshickel Penguerin is challenging extreme cold.”

Yumidifus tapped the floor with his staff. Then ice fragments scattered on the magic tower floor shot up into the air.

“Do you know that surprisingly, even cold element mages often don’t know much about the true characteristics of the cold element?”

“Is that so?”

“Indeed. Originally, all magic shows different aspects when pushed to extremes. Though he hasn’t reached extreme cold yet, when you get close to that vicinity, you can see peculiar phenomena.”

By mages’ standards, even the bone-chilling blizzard raging outside now was considered ordinary cold.

When you went down to cold that would make that level of blizzard feel like a warm spring breeze, you could start seeing strange phenomena.

Mana moving freely without any consumption or loss, matter losing viscosity and transforming into peculiar forms…

“Or time stopping… You don’t seem very surprised?”

“Ah. I was listening with amazement.”

In truth, Lee Han wasn’t particularly surprised by such things.

When you always went to extremes, worlds beyond human imagination would unfold.

Especially when it came to magic.

“Of course, to challenge such things, it’s difficult for a mage to do it alone, so he’s trying various methods…”

When Yumidifus said that, Lee Han, who had stolen and used Alsicle’s reagents, felt quite sorry.

Those reagents would probably be part of those various methods.

“Still, if he’s been researching steadily, it would be hard for the inspector to say anything, right? There should be records…”

“Given Alsicle’s personality, he probably didn’t record his research journal in such detail because it was bothersome.”

“…”

Lee Han asked Professor Boladi.

“Professor. Do you have any advice you could give to Mr. Penguerin?”

“Hmm.”

Professor Boladi fell into thought, then slowly opened his mouth.

“When fleeing, it’s best not to leave traces.”

“…”

Lee Han was about to ask what kind of experience led to such advice, but stopped himself.

“I mean something other than that.”

“In the current situation, that seems like the best method.”

Professor Boladi gestured toward the front with his eyes.

Lee Han turned his gaze and was shocked.

Alsicle was looking around and quietly packing his belongings.

“What are you doing?!”

“Uh, huh? This? It’s nothing. I just suddenly wanted to gather some things…”

“Even so, you can’t flee!”

“Fl, flee? What are you talking about. I’m not trying to flee.”

However, Alsicle’s eyes were rolling back and forth frantically.

Lee Han persuaded Alsicle.

“The inspector doesn’t know much about magic anyway. It would be better to prove that Mr. Penguerin researched diligently and didn’t waste resources elsewhere.”

“I did buy quite a lot of sardines though…”

Lee Han pretended not to hear and ignored it.

“Do you have any journals you’ve written? Any materials?”

“Over there.”

“…Wasn’t that a garbage dump?”

At Lee Han’s words, Alsicle looked slightly hurt.

“Gainando is dealing with the inspector, so let’s find them as quickly as possible.”

Lee Han began rapidly sorting through the garbage dump—no, the storage where journals and materials were piled up.

Watching him dust things off, organize by dates written on papers, and quickly arrange everything, Alsicle looked at him with a moved expression.

“Can’t I take him as my disciple instead of sending him to Einroguard?”

At Alsicle’s question, Yumidifus smiled ambiguously.

If that happened, the Einroguard professors might raid Alsicle’s magic tower.

“If you want to try it, it wouldn’t be bad to give it a shot.”

“No. He’d want to stay at Einroguard happily and joyfully with his friends. I didn’t need such things though.”

Alsicle decided to be considerate of Lee Han.

Of course, Alsicle didn’t need friends and learned magic alone, but among nobles, there were many who considered cultivating friendship with friends as happiness.

Lee Han was probably that type too.

“Happily and joyfully?”

“Yes?”

“It’s nothing.”

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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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