Surviving as a Mage in a Magic Academy - Chapter 547

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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 547

“Today’s task is to read through these commission request forms and separate the wheat from the chaff.”

Mages considered themselves to be luminous beings leading the cutting edge of the Empire’s intellect, but in reality, mages weren’t always that smart.

This was especially true when it came to contracts and commissions.

If they got caught by the Empire’s seasoned con artists who had made a living deceiving others their whole lives, even Einroguard mages could be taken advantage of in an instant.

“Since these are actual commission requests, feel free to apply if you find something you like!”

“Do we do them during vacation?”

“Yes, yes. Usually during vacation! Some students do them during the semester, but academics come first after all.”

The friends murmured after hearing the professor’s explanation.

“There are people who do them during the semester?”

“Are they crazy?”

“It’s possible, you guys.”

Lee Han found himself getting worked up and defending them without realizing it.

Being in a position where he was currently forced to do a commission arranged by Professor Alpen, it hurt to just listen.

“Do you know how much lectures, experiments, and research cost? We need to earn every penny we can. Even during the semester, it’s possible to take on commissions.”

“O-okay, Wardanaz. We were wrong.”

“Why are you getting so angry? Don’t tell me you’re mad because we cheered when your arm got hit earlier?”

The friends flinched and stepped back.

They hadn’t expected Wardanaz to defend it to that extent.

‘But even if you’re desperate, doing commissions during the semester really doesn’t seem right.’

‘We can barely keep up with our studies as it is.’

Seeking people!

Must be human race!

Must have no drinking habits!

Must be healthy with no particular ailments!

Must never have undergone magical experiments!

…

“Gasp. Lee Han. Lee Han. This looks like easy money!”

Gainando was excited thinking he had found a commission that matched Lee Han’s usual saying of ‘wanting easy money.’

Lee Han carefully read Gainando’s commission form and then called the professor.

“Professor. I think we should report this to the security forces.”

“?!”

Would you like to work at the Meikin Family’s alchemy workshop?

-Alchemist Guild background preferred

-Night shift availability preferred

-Those capable of going without sleep for a week or more preferred

For long-term employment, we provide the following benefits, so please show much interest…

‘Shouldn’t this be reported too?’

Lee Han hesitated slightly.

No matter how he looked at it, this was a posting by Yoanen, Yoner’s sister.

‘I might work there again during vacation, so I should let it slide.’

The students checked the commission requests with interest.

Since they had all worked during summer vacation, they were interested in decent commissions.

“This one looks good.”

“I like this one.”

Unlike the strange commissions, the popular ones among students were all similar.

Magic tome translation!

Please translate a magic tome found in ruins. Will provide additional payment if it sells for a high price.

Regarding magic education

Looking for a mage who can teach 1st circle magic like 【Light Creation】 or 【Flame Creation】.

Those who impersonate mages without such skills will be politely declined (there may be retaliation upon failure).

‘Wait. There are more good commissions than I thought?’

Lee Han looked at Professor Rozine with eyes full of respect.

Having struggled to find decent work during vacation, Lee Han could immediately tell how high-quality these commissions were.

Being a professor with an Empire bureaucrat background, the level of commissions she brought was on a different dimension from Lee Han’s.

Of course there were many strange commissions too, but those were clearly brought on purpose for teaching…

‘I respect you, Professor.’

Professor Rozine, who had been sitting and talking with Oripulas, was flustered when Wardanaz suddenly sent her a gaze full of respect.

“What happened while we were talking?”

The mage must be respecting your lecture. It’s something to be proud of.

“What nonsense are you talking? How many lectures is he taking?”

Professor Rozine was exceptionally good at self-objectification.

There was no way Wardanaz, who was taking all of Einroguard’s top-tier lectures, would give such a look for a mere commission-viewing lecture.

“Magic tome interpretation or translation seems good.”

“I’ll go with tutoring. I think I can teach this much.”

Commissions involving risking one’s life entering dungeons or ruins weren’t actually very attractive to mages.

Since there were many places coveting mages’ abilities, safe and comfortable commissions were abundant.

Among them, work like magic tome translation, interpretation, or magic education were golden opportunities to easily fill Einroguard students’ impoverished pockets.

“But who commissioned this?”

“A merchant maybe?”

“Could be a mage too…”

Even if magic tomes weren’t written in cryptic characters, they couldn’t be easily understood by outsiders unless a mage had simplified them.

But now, to sell them or appraise their value, the contents needed to be analyzed or interpreted.

This was when orthodox mages like Einroguard students became popular.

“Now, now. These translation commissions are generally good! You all chose well. But there’s something to keep in mind – if it’s a commission from merchants or collectors, that’s fine, but if it’s from another mage, refuse it! Most mages are people with ruined personalities!”

“…?”

“???”

The students tilted their heads, finding something strange as they listened.

Of course, most mages in the Empire lacked the ability to interpret such magic tomes.

This was because mages who learned magic through self-study without proper magical education only knew how to use their own magic.

And such mages, realizing their lack of skill or knowledge, became even more obsessed with interpreted magic tomes. To the point where they would try to obtain them at any cost.

Naturally, it was right to refuse since nothing good would come from getting involved with such mages…

But somehow it felt a bit strange to hear?

“What about these education commissions?”

“Ah. Those are good! It’s wonderful that there are many Empire people interested in magic.”

Mages had an honorable image befitting their intellect.

Naturally, among the Empire’s noble families and nouveau riche families, quite a few hoped their children would become mages.

But there were also those who found it distasteful to send their family bloodline to boarding school.

For such people, mages who served as tutors occasionally appeared.

They would stay at mansions or territories and teach magic to the family members.

“These commissions are generally good too! You all chose well. But there’s something to keep in mind – you must first check the family’s reputation. What do you think would happen if you took work from a family with a poor reputation?”

“Gasp. Do they break their promise to pay gold coins?”

Lee Han spoke with a voice filled with fear.

Professor Rozine shook her head.

“Of course, they might not pay, but that’s a minor issue.”

‘How is that a minor issue?’

“If you’re not careful, you might get semi-forcibly trapped in a manor and have to keep teaching magic continuously. So be careful! People who want to learn magic aren’t usually ordinary either.”

The students who heard the professor’s explanation murmured in surprise.

Since it was hard to find mages who were excellent at teaching, it was natural for people to try to capture such mages by any means necessary when they found them.

However, hearing it directly was quite shocking.

“L-Lee Han. What if I get captured during a visit?”

“Hmm. Gainando. Dark magic is usually…”

Lee Han tried to comfort Gainando’s fears by saying ‘ordinary people usually don’t ask to be taught dark magic.’

“What if they lock me up and only give me chocolate? Should I pretend I can’t resist the threat and accept it??”

“Anyway, if you don’t return by the end of vacation, won’t the Principal come looking for you…”

After filtering out the strangest commission requests with his friends, Lee Han gathered several promising magical text interpretation and education commission requests.

‘Hehe. I’ll have to handle these when vacation comes.’

However, Lee Han’s face soon hardened.

The other friends also started gathering the exact same commission requests that Lee Han had chosen.

It was natural since good commissions were bound to overlap.

“…Should I apply first…”

“Huh? What did you say?”

“Nothing, Gainando.”

Lee Han snatched the 【Seeking Master Card Mage】 commission from Gainando’s grasp and casually threw it away.

* * *

After Wednesday passed, the snow began falling more heavily.

The students’ expressions became complicated as they watched the rapidly accumulating snow.

Having already experienced it in the first semester, they knew how painful it was when the school was covered in snow.

“Get the sleds from inside!”

“One, two! One, two!”

Fortunately, thanks to Lee Han and his friends’ diligent efforts during enchantment magic lectures, they had various winter preparations ready.

However, none of the students thought these preparations would be sufficient.

“Why are the White Tiger Tower students taking out sleds? Don’t tell me they’re planning to bring out horses to pull the sleds?”

“Horses are dangerous in this weather… Th-those bastards! They’re pulling them themselves!”

From the White Tiger Tower students who divided into groups with some pulling sleds and others riding on them, to the Black Turtle Tower students connecting ropes and poles outside the dormitory towers to create paths.

Thanks to experiencing several trials, the students might waver or curse, but they didn’t collapse.

“You’re working hard. Working hard.”

Professor Thunderstep came down on long skis, looked around, and clicked his tongue.

“I should reduce the lecture load a bit. They won’t have time to study while doing all this work.”

“Professor…!”

Lee Han looked at Professor Thunderstep with the same eyes he had when looking at Professor Rozine earlier.

Does a person’s true nature really come out during crises?

“Oh right. Uninvited guests keep coming to the vegetable garden, so I need you to help out, Wardanaz.”

“…But you just said the students don’t have time to study.”

Lee Han said in bewilderment.

He had just worried about the students, yet now he was asking Lee Han for additional work.

Was Lee Han perhaps not a student?

“Ah. Right. That’s true. Sorry, Wardanaz. I unconsciously thought of you separately.”

“…”

“I prepared some food to give you.”

“So what’s the matter?”

Lee Han moved to the main point instead of nitpicking.

Due to the heavy snowfall lately, the food obtained from the vegetable garden was gradually decreasing.

A few cold-resistant vegetables and eggs were fine, but everything else was blocked.

Professor Thunderstep, who always generously obtained food supplies from the kitchen or outside, would be a great help.

“Uninvited guests. If they’re too strong, it’ll be difficult for me to handle them.”

“They’re not strong.”

While speaking and moving his steps, Professor Thunderstep suddenly became curious and asked again.

“But what do you usually consider strong? My standards might be a bit different from yours, so I’m asking.”

“…Just tell me what they are.”

“Spirits. Spirits. Cold spirits.”

“!”

Lee Han’s face lit up at those words.

They said that when winter comes, spirits arrive riding the snow as the cold energy grows stronger.

To think cold-type spirits would really appear in the area!

While it was impossible when Lee Han visited the Spirit Realm because the spirits would run away, reality was the opposite.

Since the spirits came directly, even if they discovered Lee Han belatedly, it wouldn’t be so easy for them to escape.

“Cold spirits must be those kinds of spirits like the ones you showed us, Professor?”

“That’s right.”

“They were quite capable creatures in many ways.”

“Correct.”

“Could I possibly make a contract with them this time?”

“That’s impossible.”

“…”

Lee Han glared at Professor Thunderstep.

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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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