Surviving as a Mage in a Magic Academy - Chapter 439

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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 439

“As expected… I suppose that’s right.”

Lee Han, misunderstanding the Skeleton Principal’s gaze, nodded as if he had known all along.

No!

“Pardon?”

Do you think all the magical criminals in the Empire are from Einroguard?!

“Huh? Aren’t they?”

…

The Skeleton Principal was momentarily speechless.

What made it even more exasperating was that he could tell his disciple wasn’t joking but speaking seriously.

What kind of…!

Seriously, no.

“I see… By any chance, it’s not because there are knights outside, is it?”

I swear on my magic that it’s not. Are you satisfied?

“Ah…”

Only then did Lee Han understand.

The Skeleton Principal wanted to punch him but held back thinking of the donation money his disciple had just secured.

“If we’re talking about magical criminals, then…”

Right.

The Empire had enemies whose very names alone could invoke fear and hostility.

Anti-magic extremists, evil god worshippers, separatists, dark mag… no, not dark mages. That was a slip of the tongue.

“…”

Not dark mages, but magical criminals. He wanted to say magical criminals. Anyway, these were wanted criminals of such caliber that even though Einroguard’s four upperclassmen were troublemakers, very few of them were actually branded as magical criminals.

‘Though there are some.’

Lee Han wasn’t surprised.

It would have been more surprising if there were none at all.

Anyway, the Skeleton Principal’s logic was sound.

Surprisingly, not just anyone could become a magical criminal.

A mage who failed a magical experiment, caused a valley to flood, and completely destroyed a village’s crops?

Strange as it was, he wasn’t a magical criminal. That just fell under the category of crazy mage.

A mage who infiltrated another knight order’s cemetery to steal corpses and was caught red-handed?

Really strange, but he wasn’t a magical criminal either. That also just fell under crazy mage, or rather, a very crazy mage.

To be branded as a magical criminal by the Empire, one had to maliciously cause incidents incomparable to those mentioned above and repel the pursuit of Imperial bounty hunters and knight orders dozens of times.

Only then would you get the “In the name of the Imperial Emperor, this mage can no longer be called a mage – deal with them dead or alive” treatment.

It was among the highest infamy an Imperial mage could receive.

No matter how much Einroguard was a school for crazy mages, it couldn’t easily produce such cream of the crop.

Moreover, seeing how upperclassmen were still dragged to the punishment room even after graduation, it seemed the Skeleton Principal cared about his reputation and standing in the Empire and did follow-up management.

“I thought he was from Einroguard just because he seemed like an excellent mage.”

It’s a common misconception.

The Skeleton Principal nodded understandingly.

So whenever excellent mages cause trouble in the Empire, it’s automatically Einroguard?

What was more annoying was that 95% of this misconception wasn’t wrong.

Getting back to Antagondals, he’s not from Einroguard and is still a fresh mage who hasn’t even lived five hundred years yet…

‘Calling a mage over a hundred years old “fresh” seems a bit strange though.’

He’s been consistently building his infamy to an irritating degree since long ago.

The Skeleton Principal lifted the 【Antagondals’ Piercing Eyes】 artifact and the black spirit wood bracelet artifact with seven intertwined snakes in an annoyed voice.

Whenever the Empire’s enemies appear with miscellaneous artifacts, about three out of ten times they’re items made by him…

“A mage is selling artifacts to anti-magic extremists?”

The enemy of my enemy is always an easy ally. And would those fallen bastards be picky about their partners in the first place? They’re the type who would devour their own bodies if the profit was right.

The Skeleton Principal’s voice was full of contempt.

Lee Han understood why the Skeleton Principal showed such emotion.

Artifacts were items that helped even those ignorant of magic cause anomalies relatively easily.

He couldn’t view favorably a magical criminal who made and sold such artifacts to anti-magic extremists and various enemies of the Empire.

The most insolent thing is that he’s using an old kingdom family name to mock me! How dare he!

“…Uh… I… I see.”

Lee Han was slightly flustered when important reasons were followed by a suddenly trivial one.

You’re too young to understand how important this is.

The Skeleton Principal grumbled.

For the Skeleton Principal, who inherited the legitimate line of the now-vanished old kingdom, the other noble families of the kingdom were each honorable titles with separate meanings.

For some young upstart not even from Einroguard to arrogantly steal and claim such a title…

“Understood. If I ever meet Antagondals, I’ll be sure to point out the arrogance you just mentioned.”

Yes. Be sure to remember that.

Seeing the Skeleton Principal take seriously what was meant as a joke, Lee Han was dumbfounded but suddenly remembered something and asked.

“But why are you telling me about Antagondals? Ah. Do you have some teaching to give me regarding these artifacts?”

Ah. You wanted to learn about these artifacts? I understand. I’ll keep that in mind.

Lee Han cursed his loose tongue. He couldn’t stand how much he hated himself.

“Wasn’t that it?”

I told you about Antagondals because, as you just said, it seems like you might meet him in the future.

“…”

He avoids me out of fear, but since he doesn’t know much about you yet, he might approach you. Especially since you slaughtered those anti-magic extremists like that.

“I didn’t slaughter…”

If you see a suspicious mage, don’t hesitate and summon me with the ring I gave you before. Understood?

Lee Han almost summoned him right then and there but held back.

* * *

With the Skeleton Principal and Death Knights helping, the camp that had been ruined by battle was quickly restored.

The knights who had been lying with serious injuries also finished recovering, got up, and expressed their gratitude to the Principal.

The Skeleton Principal spoke to the students in a generous voice.

If you want, you can stay a little longer before returning.

“Huh? Really!?”

Angrago was shocked.

He hadn’t expected the Skeleton Principal to show such kindness.

Bartrek also couldn’t believe it and just blinked while staring at his friend.

Of course! Look at all the contributions you made here. Naturally you can stay!

At the Skeleton Principal’s words, the knights also smiled warmly and spread their arms welcomingly.

In this heartwarming atmosphere they couldn’t taste at Einroguard, Angrago and Bartrek already looked intoxicated.

‘The Principal is human after all!’

‘Right. Since we fought so hard, staying a bit longer…’

There was nothing good about returning quickly.

They’d just have to roam mountains and forests with friends to hunt for food supplies.

Compared to that, this was a place overflowing abundantly with food and drink.

“Principal.”

Lee Han called the Skeleton Principal.

The Skeleton Principal looked at Lee Han warmly as if asking what was wrong.

“Are the spirits inside causing a commotion by any chance?”

I don’t know what you’re talking about. Why don’t you stay a bit longer too?

Lee Han sighed deeply and called his friends.

“…Hey. Let’s go back.”

The school must have been hit by a flood.

* * *

Instead of obediently returning to the tower, the White Tiger Tower friends rolled around on the ground, flailing about.

“There might not have been a flood!”

“There was one.”

“Fine, let’s say there was one, giving you a hundred concessions! But do we really have to go back?! Wardanaz! You honestly don’t want to take care of those guys either!”

“…”

It wasn’t that they didn’t believe Lee Han’s words, but rather a desperate struggle mixed with denial of reality because they didn’t want to return to Einroguard.

They were already suffering enough, and now with a flood on top of that, they couldn’t imagine how difficult it would be if they went back.

Lee Han considered hitting them, but even though no one was watching, beating students from knight families in a knight order encampment seemed a bit much, so he held back.

Instead, he called Giselle.

“Moradi. It’s your tower, so you persuade them and bring them along.”

Giselle looked at the two tras-, no, friends with an irritated gaze and persuaded them.

“Just stay there and die then.”

“…”

“…”

The two stopped rolling on the ground and got up in an awkward position. With Giselle acting like that, they were afraid of the consequences if they persisted.

But they didn’t stand up completely. That’s how much they didn’t want to return to Einroguard.

Haha. You seem to be mistaken about something.

It was the Skeleton Principal who helped Lee Han.

When Wardanaz returns, you’ll go back together too. That’s what being friends means.

“What?! We’re from different towers!”

What do you want me to do? Should I stamp a ‘different towers but friends’ seal on your foreheads?

The Skeleton Principal was in a very spiteful mood after hearing that Lee Han was returning to Einroguard.

The two White Tiger Tower students, recognizing the spite in that voice, gave up and jumped to their feet.

“Let’s go… we have to go.”

“Wardanaz… when the other friends ask later, could you tell them we were the ones who took the lead in suggesting we return?”

Giselle finally exploded in frustration and started beating her friends with her scabbard. The two students screamed and ran away.

Lee Han, regardless of their antics, gathered the boxes he would carry back.

“Moradi. Stop beating them and help me out.”

“…Wait. There’s too much stuff.”

Giselle, who had recovered by taking deep breaths, frowned slightly and counted the number of wooden boxes.

No matter how she thought about it, there was too much for the four of them to carry back. Even though they had brought horses…

“Ah. I’ll carry from here to here.”

“What? How?”

“I’ll carry this on my back, load this on Ponrig, and float the rest with magic.”

“…”

Giselle was speechless at the unexpectedly crude method.

“Hmm. I received this box too, but… aren’t southern whirlpool clams too much of a luxury item? Plus they spoil quickly.”

Lee Han fell into contemplation looking at the high-grade shellfish harvested from the southern coastal region of the Empire that filled the crate.

Giselle agreed and said.

“It would be better to leave that behind.”

“But it’s such a waste… Principal. Would you perhaps be interested in a trade?”

Get lost.

Giselle was so shocked that her heart sank when she saw Lee Han calling out to the Skeleton Principal.

Giselle, who rarely got scared, made an exception for the Skeleton Principal. Even though quite some time had passed since enrollment, the Skeleton Principal was still a difficult opponent.

But to call out like that…

‘Is he really crazy.’

“Wait a moment. People from the trading company. Do you happen to have any food supplies you brought separately? You do? Would you be interested in a trade?”

Lee Han went to the workers from the trading company who remained in the encampment and exchanged the perishable luxury ingredients for the preserved food they had brought.

Since there were many workers who had come to work, the food supplies were more abundant than expected. Moreover, they were all foods that were small in volume and didn’t spoil easily for easy transport.

“Wow, is it really okay to just give us this?”

“We value frugality as a virtue, so we don’t really eat such luxurious foods.”

Lee Han spoke without batting an eye. The workers, thinking they had worked hard and could have a feast, readily accepted.

“Are those the remaining food supplies? It seems like there’s still quite a lot left?”

“Yes. We brought enough for ourselves in case the work took longer.”

Lee Han looked at the canned food boxes that were still left and fell into deep contemplation.

How to take those?

“Hey. Bring the alcohol.”

“Ah… no! Wardanaz!!”

“This isn’t the time for you guys to indulge in expensive alcohol.”

“We might never get another chance to drink 【Knight’s Joy】 that’s over 20 years old!!”

Lee Han snatched the luxuriously decorated bottles from his friends’ grasp and traded them with the workers. The workers were delighted while his friends shed tears of blood.

When the trading was roughly finished, Lee Han looked over the luggage with satisfaction.

Except for it being a bit like a mountain, he had put together a fairly solid composition.

‘With this much, even accounting for what was lost in the flood, we could easily last a month.’

“Oh. Lord Wardanaz?”

The knights came looking for Lee Han.

Thanks to what he had shown during this attack, the knights’ eyes and attitude were full of respect.

“Yes?”

“This is a gift we originally give to the knight who most honorably distinguished the gathering.”

“!!”

Lee Han’s eyes widened.

Could it be?

‘Gold coins? A golden statue? Or maybe weapons made of gold.’

“This gathering was canceled midway, but there will never be anyone who distinguished it as honorably as you, Lord Wardanaz. We’re pleased to present this with unanimous agreement.”

“It’s truly an honor!”

Lee Han gratefully accepted the gift.

It was a bottle of alcohol decorated several times more luxuriously than the bottles his friends had lost earlier.

“…”

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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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