Surviving as a Mage in a Magic Academy - Chapter 553

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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 553

“Isn’t it a bit dangerous… I mean?”

Lee Han trailed off because he didn’t want to make a contract with the other person.

The other person also seemed reluctant to make a contract with Lee Han.

It was quite menacing, glaring while seething in its amorphous form.

I’m submitting to your beatings for now, but someday when I get the chance, I’ll stab you in the back!

…That’s how it felt like it was saying.

And Lee Han also didn’t particularly want to get friendly with someone he’d just been stabbing to death with lightning spears.

“What?”

Priest Siana looked puzzled at Lee Han’s words.

“It’s dangerous. Look at what it caused in the forest when it escaped.”

Ilendil made a tearful face and came to its defense.

“It’s not a bad-natured creature. Since it was artificially created, it doesn’t have good or evil to begin with…”

Yoner, who was listening nearby, couldn’t quite understand.

“But it escaped, didn’t it?”

“It went berserk because too much dark element was injected… It’s come to its senses now…”

“…”

“…”

Yoner felt his respect for his senior diminish slightly.

“But Lord Wardanaz.”

Despite hearing the explanation, Priest Siana still looked puzzled.

“Don’t you usually prefer more dangerous things?”

“…I don’t!?”

Lee Han looked at Priest Siana in shock.

Why on earth was she thinking such nonsense?

Could this be sabotage from the White Tiger Tower students?

“Oh… I thought you preferred dangerous summoned creatures since you carry a basilisk wrapped around your wrist…”

“A basilisk?”

Ilendil asked back, doubting her ears.

A basilisk was absolutely not a monster that a first-year student should be carrying around.

If a first-year student was carrying around a basilisk, they were either crazy or truly exceptional in skill.

Or maybe both.

“What are you talking about, Priest Siana. You’ll make senior misunderstand.”

Lee Han quickly covered Priest Siana’s mouth.

Since basilisks were very coveted poison generators for those from alchemy backgrounds, Lee Han didn’t let his guard down even with a seemingly kind senior.

‘Yoner.’

‘Got it.’

Yoner quickly covered Priest Siana’s mouth and whispered.

“The basilisk is kind of an exceptional case. Lee Han doesn’t usually like dangerous things.”

The basilisk made a pitiful crying sound from inside Lee Han’s sleeve.

“Senior, what if you made the contract?”

Lee Han quickly changed the subject and redirected the arrow to his senior.

From what he could see, Ilendil clearly cherished this dark spirit very much.

When you thought about it, since she had created and raised it herself, it was natural to feel affection for it.

Moreover, (unlike Lee Han) she was also friendly with spirits…

“That’s impossible for me.”

The dryad hybrid senior said dejectedly.

“I’ve tried several times, but it won’t make a contract with me.”

“Oh.”

Yoner and Priest Siana simultaneously had a thought flash through their minds, but decided not to say anything.

“Hmm.”

Lee Han was about to ask his senior ‘Would you like to try stabbing it with a spear?’ but stopped when he remembered how she’d been cursing earlier.

Come to think of it, she had instantly bound the dark spirit with wood, so Lee Han could probably tie it up the same way.

“It’s really a good spirit.”

“Yes…”

“You know dark spirits are extremely rare among spirits, right?”

“Yes…”

“Originally…”

Ilendil spoke wistfully about how rare and useful dark spirits were, how many endearing and touching moments there had been while raising it, and how sad and regretful it would be if this spirit returned to its original dimension.

“…I’ll just make the contract then. I’ll contract with it now.”

“Really? Thank you!”

Ilendil was deeply moved.

What a truly kind junior.

* * *

As he accepted the pattern, the dark spirit’s form stabilized.

Into a spherical form about the size of a small rock.

Tears welled up in Ilendil’s eyes beside him.

“You must be happy.”

“…”

Lee Han felt very burdened.

“If only I had treated you better…”

“I’ll summon it for you next time we meet.”

“Really?”

“Yes.”

Ilendil grasped Lee Han’s hand tightly with glistening eyes.

“You’re the kindest person I’ve ever met.”

“But senior, isn’t that spirit glaring at me?”

Although it was a spherical form without a distinct face, somehow Lee Han felt like the dark spirit was glaring at him.

Ilendil closed her eyes and made ‘mm, mmhm’ sounds while nodding as if conversing with the dark spirit.

“No, it’s not.”

“It’s not?”

“It says thank you for helping it come to its senses.”

“…”

Lee Han looked at Ilendil with very suspicious eyes.

If it weren’t for her being his senior, ‘Don’t lie to me’ would have popped right out.

‘No matter how I look at it, that’s not a grateful attitude.’

His back and the back of his head were tingling, pressuring him like Gainando who hadn’t eaten snacks for three days.

“Isn’t it like the White Tiger Tower kids?”

Yoner whispered carefully.

“White Tiger Tower?”

“They also say thank you when they get hit.”

“…No, no. People might misunderstand if they hear that.”

Lee Han quickly covered Yoner’s mouth.

But he could understand what he meant.

-Hey. You there. Don’t doze off. No, this bastard, I said don’t doze off.

-Ack!

-I don’t want to attack you either, you know? Don’t doze off. Why have you been on that page since earlier?

-Groan…

-You’re not getting angry at me for helping you study right now, are you?

-N-no. I’m grateful.

…Just like the White Tiger Tower students, the dark spirit could grit its teeth while saying “Thank you for helping me come to my senses.”

‘This feels even more unsettling.’

Lee Han firmly resolved that no matter how useful and rare a spirit it was, he should avoid summoning the dark spirit unless absolutely necessary.

Tap tap-

“?”

The squirrel spirit tapped Lee Han’s shoulder and pointed to the side.

From where the spirits had fled earlier, light began to swirl along with a clear, refreshing energy.

That energy made Lee Han suddenly feel ominous.

“…Senior Ilendil, who’s close with spirits? What kind of phenomenon is that?”

“The spirits are returning to their homes.”

Ilendil spoke with a voice filled with quiet emotion.

Originally, it was rare for spirits summoned from other dimensions to return on their own.

Most returned only after their power was exhausted, and conflicts often arose in that process. It was fortunate if it could be resolved through persuasion.

But now the spirits were all satisfied and trying to return to their dimensions without anyone having to go first.

Expressing gratitude to the mages who had risked their lives to help them.

Like raindrops, the unique light emitted by the spirits fell drop by drop from the sky.

“It’s beautiful…”

“Truly.”

Priest Siana and Yoner blinked, overwhelmed by the brilliant symphony of nature created by the spirits.

This was a rare sight that could only be seen by truly moving the spirits, not through conflict or persuasion.

Seeing this made all the hardships they endured today suddenly feel worthwhile.

Shiiiiiiine!

The last spirit expressed its gratitude and disappeared beyond another dimension.

The drops of light flickered and the forest returned to its original appearance.

Priest Siana, Yoner, and Ilendil deeply breathed in the light left behind by the spirits.

It felt like their entire bodies were being filled with the spirits’ energy.

Thud!

There was the sound of someone collapsing nearby.

Yoner was startled and looked to the side.

A dejected Lee Han was kneeling on the ground.

“…”

“…”

He looked so sad that Yoner couldn’t bring himself to speak to him.

Pat pat-

The squirrel spirit and basilisk comforted Lee Han as if to show they were still there.

* * *

Professor Thunderstep, having caught all the troublesome disciples, returned to his original position.

Of course, the first-year students were nowhere to be seen.

If it had been other students, he would have been horrified and gone looking for them.

Normally, coming this deep into the forest would be dangerous, and especially with contaminated ones swarming around.

But Professor Thunderstep remained calm.

Because Wardanaz was among the group.

‘They probably moved ahead because they didn’t want to wait. What an impatient fellow.’

Professor Thunderstep followed the traces.

“Hey, you lot! Why did you move ahead on your own… Why is Wardanaz like that?”

“Professor. The spirits have returned.”

“What?! Such good news…!”

Professor Thunderstep was shocked.

When spirits were truly moved and sent back, their gratitude would return someday.

Of course, satisfying the eccentric beings from other dimensions wasn’t easy, so it was very rare for this to happen today.

“You’re really lucky!”

“Um. Professor.”

“Wardanaz is…”

Yoner and Priest Siana glanced at Lee Han, trying to interrupt Professor Thunderstep’s tactless remarks.

However, Professor Thunderstep continued speaking without concern.

“This happens maybe once every ten years. No wonder it’s full of the spirits’ fragrance… This will be a great help to you all. After all, spirits don’t forget kindness.”

“Professor. Professor.”

“??”

Professor Thunderstep finally noticed Yoner pointing at Lee Han.

“Why is he like that?”

“Because the spirits returned.”

“What does that… Ah!”

The dwarf professor finally remembered why Lee Han had endured all this hardship today.

To think the spirits returned after all that suffering.

His back looked so pitiful that Professor Thunderstep wondered what he should say.

“So… how did you move the spirits?”

“We caught and subdued the artificial spirit that was causing problems.”

“Who???”

Yoner pointed to Lee Han again.

Professor Thunderstep was truly shocked.

He had heard from the disciples he caught earlier, but the rampaging artificial spirit was no pushover.

The spirit itself was young, having been born not long ago, but it was rampaging due to elemental overload.

No matter how much he wanted to be popular with spirits, to risk his life charging at such a thing.

“He caught that???!!”

“Senior did help though…”

“?”

The professor finally noticed Ilendil.

The brilliant disciple was diligently healing the damaged trees and grass nearby.

“…Ilendil.”

“Ah. Professor.”

Ilendil, finally noticing Professor Thunderstep’s arrival, wiped the sweat from his forehead and stood up.

“You’re here?”

“Don’t you have anything to say about this situation?”

“I’m sorry…”

Ilendil bowed his head.

Professor Thunderstep looked at him with mixed feelings, sighed once, and said.

“…Fine. Being sorry is enough. You probably meant well too. Don’t do it again.”

“?!”

Yoner was shocked.

The same person who had been raging about catching the other seniors and making them pay, why was he different with Senior Ilendil?

“What’s wrong?”

Professor Thunderstep asked Yoner, sensing his gaze.

“Uh, did you forgive the other seniors too?”

“What nonsense are you spouting? It’s the punishment room.”

“Then is Senior Ilendil going to the punishment room too?”

“No.”

“…?”

Professor Thunderstep, fully understanding why the 1st year students would be puzzled, spoke awkwardly.

“Ilendil has too much work to do normally, so she can’t go to the punishment room.”

Ilendil, who spent more time in the forest than in the school buildings, was among the most diligent of Professor Thunderstep’s disciples.

If such a disciple went to the punishment room, who would take care of the forest?

“Of course, it’s not because I’d be inconvenienced that I don’t send her. I’m taking her usual work into consideration out of respect.”

“Ah, yes.”

Yoner didn’t believe it but nodded roughly.

And he looked at Lee Han.

“…By any chance, can’t Lee Han go to the punishment room now either?”

“What nonsense.”

Professor Thunderstep snorted.

And fell into thought.

After a moment.

“…He might not be able to go…”

“…”

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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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