Surviving as a Mage in a Magic Academy - Chapter 407

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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 407

“Then let’s… work with mercury.”

Professor Yoner said, suppressing his reluctance.

“Wow… thank you.”

His disciple Lee Han also said, suppressing his reluctance.

A cabin where no one was happy. Only Professor Boladi was satisfied by himself.

* * *

Professor Boladi wasn’t originally a talkative person.

But standards are relative.

Being in the remote cabin with Lee Han, Professor Yoner, and an egg-state basilisk, Professor Boladi became the most talkative person.

“Transformation magic is important for battle mages.”

“Yes.”

“As I said before…”

Professor Boladi explained how useful transformation magic was in combat.

Fast casting and low mana consumption.

Rather than painstakingly enhancing defense and attack power with enchantment magic, it was much more convenient to transform roadside thickets into steel blades to stab opponents. The key to magical combat lay in that efficiency.

That wasn’t all.

Some transformation mages who had reached certain levels would transform surrounding objects into living creatures or transform themselves into monsters without even using summoning magic.

Professor Boladi poured out a lengthy discourse, telling him to imagine all these levels.

Of course, he spoke calmly, but to Lee Han’s dejected ears, that’s how it sounded.

‘If I could transform into a basilisk, would accidentally swallowing a professor be considered extenuating circumstances?’

“But Professor. Doesn’t mercury have toxicity?”

“That’s right.”

Just because they were transformation mages didn’t mean they recklessly created every substance in the world.

Rather, transformation mages had to be even more careful to know the types of substances that could be poisonous.

If they unknowingly made a mistake in transforming substances and ended up poisoning themselves…

“I do need to learn how to handle it… but I should definitely learn poison resistance methods first.”

Professor Yoner, who was responding to Lee Han’s words, suddenly had a good idea.

Learning how to handle mercury was one thing, but it was safer to learn poison resistance before learning that.

And the best way to learn poison resistance was?

“Poison resistance is more related to dark magic than transformation magic…”

“He learned poison resistance in the first semester too, Professor. Wardanaz is also taking dark magic.”

“…”

“…”

At Professor Boladi’s response, both Professor Yoner and Lee Han became dejected once again.

The atmosphere inside the cabin became awkward. Even the basilisk’s egg seemed to feel awkward.

“Then… let’s just start with… learning how to handle mercury.”

Professor Yoner said, suppressing a sigh.

“Then I’ll leave it to you.”

“?”

When Professor Boladi stood up and said that, Lee Han turned his gaze in surprise.

Huh?

“Are you leaving?”

“Yes. I have things to do.”

“Oh my…”

Lee Han disguised fake regret. Professor Boladi nodded as if he understood.

“Don’t be impatient.”

“Haha. I understand.”

Lee Han even saw Professor Boladi off as he left the cabin. Only then did he feel a little relieved.

‘Wait. Professor Boladi shouldn’t have… that many things to do?’

Come to think of it, Professor Boladi probably only had Lee Han as his disciple right now?

When an ominous future came to mind, Lee Han firmly pushed it away. Perhaps because he had learned divination magic, he strangely felt like ominous futures kept disturbing his mind.

“Phew.”

When Lee Han let out a bitter sigh of relief, Professor Yoner was slightly puzzled.

He couldn’t understand why he was letting out such a sigh of relief.

Wasn’t Wardanaz an ambitious person who had been aiming for a position even higher than the principal’s since his first year?

Why was he letting out such a sigh of relief?

‘Did I see wrong?’

Professor Yoner thought so as he took out a reagent from his pocket.

Iron pyrite was easier to obtain and handle than mercury, but it was a metal that had good compatibility with mercury and could be easily transformed.

It was quite convenient for novice transformation mages to handle.

“Oh dear. I left the iron pyrite behind.”

Lee Han’s face brightened.

“I’ll synthesize it for you right now…”

Lee Han’s face darkened.

When similar things happened twice, Professor Yoner began to suspect.

…Could it be?

“You don’t really want to learn mercury transformation, do you?”

“What do you mean, Professor? I want to learn. Are you perhaps not in the mood to teach today? If that’s the case, I’ll wait as long as needed.”

A model answer popped out as if he had been waiting.

But Professor Yoner wasn’t fooled. That answer was exactly the same as what Professor Yoner showed when faced with the Skeleton Principal’s annoying orders.

-Professor Yoner. I heard some suspicious transformation mages have been appearing in the territories of several northern noble families. Could you go check it out during the break? Oh my. You don’t look pleased. You don’t want to go?

-What do you mean, Principal? I want to go. Are you perhaps reluctant to send me? If that’s the case, I’ll understand completely.

-Thank you. Have a safe trip.

-…

People of the same type usually recognize each other.

Professor Yoner felt an intense intuition from his disciple that he couldn’t explain logically.

…Could it be?

“Lee Han. Answer honestly… no, that wouldn’t mean much. Then just listen. I’m thinking of skipping mercury transformation today.”

Lee Han didn’t rebel saying ‘What are you talking about when I should be devoting myself to the path of magic?’

Instead, he remained silent.

Professor Yoner, having gained certainty, was truly surprised.

To think his opponent had a similar personality to his own!

Then…

The culprit could only be the Principal.

‘Good heavens. This is going too far.’

He had always known the Principal was someone who harshly pushed his disciples, but to force them to take magic from every school.

Wardanaz was surely enduring that harsh process regardless of his own will, simply because he was born with talent.

It was a surprising yet truly pitiful story.

“I misunderstood. I thought Lee Han wanted to become the lord of Einroguard as the Principal’s successor.”

“…What???”

Lee Han, who had been trying not to answer if possible, inadvertently responded.

What on earth?

“You didn’t want to, but the other professors pressured you like that, so how much mental anguish you must have suffered.”

“I don’t really understand what you’re talking about. But I’m grateful that you’re worried about me, Professor.”

The two had a meaningful conversation. When Lee Han was pleased, the basilisk’s egg also wriggled excitedly.

* * *

When news spread that this year’s 【Boltzmann’s Call】 festival would be held at Einroguard, naive mages rejoiced.

Wasn’t Einroguard the orthodox lineage of Imperial magic?

It was a place they might never have the chance to enter in their entire lives.

However, mages with wide connections or extensive experience were very reluctant.

-Why does it have to be at Einroguard of all places?

-I won’t even be able to breathe properly.

It might be different for innocent, unknowing civilians, but the master of Einroguard wasn’t particularly kind to other mages.

It was easy to understand if you thought about a mage’s workshop.

Originally, a mage’s workshop was like the mage’s territory, so there were quite a few precautions when visiting.

Since it was filled with all sorts of secrets and mysteries that the mage had researched, one had to avoid anything that might arouse suspicion.

The more finicky the workshop owner’s personality, the stricter the rules became.

And the master of Einroguard was an annoyingly finicky archmage.

-Please do not visit unauthorized areas without permission. Also, even if something appears to be ownerless, absolutely never…

“I get it. I get it. I understand.”

Dark mage Kutang, who had heard the Death Knight’s warnings until he was sick of them, shuddered as he moved his steps.

‘Did I come too early?’

Nearby mages interested in summoning magic were coming to Einroguard to participate in the festival, but among them, Kutang had arrived a step ahead.

It was largely because he was a dark mage.

If he traveled with other mages and ended up talking on the road, it would be troublesome for everyone involved.

-I’m Tadinggoh, researching summoning magic. I’ve been learning magic for about seven years, studying under a master from the Untara Guild.

-Nice to meet you! I’m also Tadinggoh, researching summoning magic! I happened to acquire a grimoire and have been self-studying for about five years. May I ask what your name is, sir?

-…I’m Kutang, researching dark magic.

-…Oh. Um. Oh.

-Dark, dark magic! I’ve always been very interested in dark magic. It’s… quite remarkable magic, isn’t it?

Having awkward conversations with mages who normally had no interest in dark magic was just painful.

Dark mages didn’t avoid interaction with other mages for no reason.

‘I should avoid contact until the festival starts.’

Kutang thought this and looked around for a secluded place.

The school was so vast that it seemed he could easily wait in some suitable forest or mountain until it began.

Thoom-

“!”

Kutang was startled.

Students who still looked young were surprisingly controlling golems in a clearing in one corner of the forest.

‘This is indeed Einroguard! They look less than half my age but are already controlling golems…!’

It was even more surprising to see them moving the massive golem to do chores.

Usually, no mage would attempt to do chores with golems. Why would anyone do menial tasks with summoned creatures that were so difficult to create and control?

There was only one reason.

‘It’s training.’

Not only had they created golems, but they were even doing movement training.

“Amazing!”

“An, an outsider!!”

A White Tiger Tower student screamed in surprise at the muttering sound from behind.

Kutang was even more startled by their reaction.

“Please, please calm down. I entered with permission! Here’s the permit that Lord Gonadaltes gave me…”

When White Tiger Tower students swarmed over and surrounded him in a circle, Kutang felt tremendous pressure.

‘Why? Don’t they trust me? Did they figure out I’m a dark mage?’

Kutang tensed up, worried he might be attacked by Einroguard students.

“By any chance…”

“???”

“Do you have any food?”

“…”

* * *

Kutang and the White Tiger Tower students quickly became friendly. Kutang was slightly moved by the students’ consideration in not forgetting their sense of humor to ease an outsider’s tension.

“Please take your time eating. I understand your sincerity.”

Regardless of what Kutang said, the White Tiger Tower students ravenously devoured the sweet food. They even fought over the cream on their friend’s fingers.

‘…Are they starved at school?’

Without realizing he had hit the nail on the head, Kutang asked a question.

“I saw you controlling golems earlier…”

“Kuhup.”

“Kek. Cough cough cough.”

The White Tiger Tower students began coughing frantically.

“Did… did you give me this because I controlled the golem well?”

“What? No.”

“Phew…”

“Thank goodness.”

“??”

Kutang became confused as the White Tiger Tower students sighed in relief.

What?

“I’d like to ask a few things about the control, if that’s alright?”

“Well, um.”

“We ate, so we’d like to answer, but, um.”

The White Tiger Tower students hesitated.

Surely he wouldn’t ask them to spit it out?

“The one who controlled this was a different friend.”

“…What? You mean he controlled it without being present?”

“Well, he left commands and went away…”

The White Tiger Tower students did their best to explain.

Originally, when controlling golems, it was standard for the mage to directly control them one by one from nearby, but once Wardanaz got the hang of it, for simple tasks he would give the golem commands like ‘finish this much’ and then go to other places.

Hearing this explanation, Kutang was genuinely amazed.

‘Not only did he create golems, but he also maintained command persistence??’

Kutang was originally far from being sociable, but there was an exception.

When he saw something magically interesting, that was the exception.

“Thank you. That was really fascinating.”

“We really enjoyed the food too!”

Having even learned Lee Han’s name, Kutang moved on, thinking he should share this interesting story with the dark mages he knew.

And a little while later, Lee Han returned.

“Nothing happened, right?”

“A mage from outside came for the festival and looked around briefly before leaving.”

“Nothing else happened.”

“I see.”

For a moment, Lee Han was puzzled by the ominous feeling creeping up.

‘What is it?’

A situation with absolutely nothing strange about it.

‘Could it be that the Principal is plotting something strange?’

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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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