Surviving as a Mage in a Magic Academy - Chapter 617

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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 617

“Shouldn’t we be running away faster?”

Lee Han said, feeling the gazes of the knights pouring from behind.

Though he didn’t look back, he could predict that the knights’ gazes would be as sharp as blades.

However, the Skeleton Principal was leisurely.

“There’s no need for that.”

“Oh, do you have more new students to persuade?”

“No. I need to meet those knight bastards around here. Since we’ve come this far, it would be disappointing to just leave like that.”

Like the wealthy nobles of the capital, the northern knight families were also reliable patrons of Einroguard.

Of course, their relationship was a bit different from the capital nobles.

The capital nobles had nothing particular to desire, so the Skeleton Principal was always in the position of asking favors, but the northern knight families had a mutually beneficial relationship with the Skeleton Principal.

The barren and harsh terrain of the north always required mages, and the Skeleton Principal who led Einroguard was the most trustworthy ally of the northern knight families.

“But didn’t you just deceive those people?”

“Deceive? Anyone listening would misunderstand. It was a fair match.”

“A fair match!”

His junior nodded as if learning something good. Lee Han covered his junior’s ears.

Alsicle asked cautiously.

“Still, won’t what just happened affect the meeting?”

“Don’t worry. The north is so vast, would we meet those knights we just encountered again? Just think of it as going to rest comfortably.”

Lee Han and Alsicle were relieved by the Skeleton Principal’s words.

From what they heard, it seemed like they just needed to eat and drink deliciously and enjoyably to maintain the knight families’ dignity.

“I see. Where will the banquet be held?”

“At the Moradi family’s fortress. There’s no other place like it in the north.”

“Oh. That’s great. I’m friends with Moradi.”

“?”

The Skeleton Principal was puzzled.

Was that so?

* * *

The territory of the Moradi family, a typical northern knight family, was completely different from the territories of the Empire’s great noble families.

It was the custom of the Empire’s great noble families to build mansion-like artworks in beautiful scenery that could make one forget the world’s bustling worries, with cities and villages located not too far away.

However, northern knight families, as could be guessed from calling them fortresses rather than mansions, placed great importance on the practicality and combat power of their territories.

The Moradi family’s fortress, with its walls and family facilities densely arranged on a huge mountain that jutted up sharply along one of the few large rivers in the north, was truly the embodiment of a northern knight family.

‘Oh.’

Looking at the massive fortress that clearly wasn’t built overnight, Lee Han understood why Moradi had strong influence within the White Tiger Tower.

The scale was incomparably larger than the other knight families’ fortresses they had seen on the way here.

And the size of a territory was bound to be proportional to the family’s economic power.

‘Did Moradi have more money than I thought?’

Whenever he talked with those White Tiger Tower guys, they always grumbled ‘We knights have no money because we dedicate ourselves to the Empire and protect citizens, sob sob,’ so he thought ‘They really must have no money,’ but seeing this, he felt somewhat deceived…

“Lord Gonadaltes has arrived!”

The fortress gate opened with a heavy sound.

Knights came out from inside and spoke respectfully.

“Your Excellency. Thank you for using the main gate this year!”

“…”

“…”

Lee Han and Alsicle were dumbfounded, but the Skeleton Principal didn’t care.

“Of course you should be grateful. Is the Family Head here?”

“Yes. He’s waiting.”

“Lead the way. You guys rest until the banquet.”

Lee Han’s group nodded at the Skeleton Principal’s words.

As the Emperor’s magic officer and guardian of the Empire’s magical barriers, the Skeleton Principal inevitably had things to discuss with the Moradi family’s Family Head.

Starting from the situation in the great mountain range to recent northern trends and support fund amounts…

“This is my first time visiting the Moradi family’s territory, and it’s fascinating.”

Alsicle said as he walked up the narrow rocky passage.

Such combat-specialized territories were rare even in the Empire. It was a territory where the Moradi family’s history could be felt.

“Your friend is from this family?”

“Yes.”

“That’s interesting? Usually Blue Dragon Tower students aren’t close with White Tiger Tower students.”

“We became friends while taking swordsmanship classes.”

“…Do Blue Dragon Tower students usually take swordsmanship classes?”

While Alsicle was tilting his head, knights approached from the opposite side.

“Guest, you should go up this way, not that way… Oh.”

“…”

When Lee Han and Alsicle spotted the knight who had come to fetch Ulgan earlier among the group, they hesitated.

“Were you a knight of the Moradi family?”

“…Yes…”

Ingkan, a knight of the Moradi family who had briefly gone out to help the knights during what was supposed to be his rest period, felt very awkward upon meeting the mages.

Alsicle also seemed a bit awkward and apologized.

“Th-that, I’m sorry.”

“Oh, no. Ulgan wanted to become a mage, but that’s not the mages’ fault.”

Eandurude nodded vigorously as if agreeing. Lee Han grabbed his junior’s chin.

“Please call us anytime if needed. The Moradi family always respects guests who visit.”

When Ingkan withdrew with the other knights, Lee Han’s group could finally breathe a sigh of relief.

The tower where guests stayed was spacious and comfortable, but they couldn’t really feel that because of what had just happened.

“There aren’t as many knights as I thought? I wonder if we’ll meet more knights from the knight order at the banquet.”

“Nah. It’ll be fine. Knights drink themselves to death at banquets. They won’t even recognize us.”

“…”

Lee Han sent a suspicious look at Alsicle’s words.

‘This person doesn’t seem like he would have been very close with knights.’

But it was true that knights liked alcohol. Hadn’t they drunk enthusiastically at the gatherings Lee Han had attended?

Unlike nobles’ gatherings where they had to pay more attention to formality and etiquette, knights’ gatherings tended to be more lively.

Knock knock-

“Mage sir. Are you inside? There are some knights who would like to meet you…”

“?”

Lee Han was puzzled by the unexpected proposal.

The banquet hadn’t even started yet, but other knights wanted to meet him.

“Could this be a trap?”

“…No! What are you thinking!?”

Alsicle frantically denied it.

Originally, famous figures of the Empire had many people who wanted to meet them wherever they went.

They could share stories about the reputation and achievements they had built, and later go back and boast ‘I had a conversation with such a person’…

Such conversations were both enjoyable and beneficial, so there were bound to be many who wanted to meet them.

While Alsicle and Lee Han weren’t quite famous figures of the Empire, they were both from great noble families and one was a student belonging to Einroguard.

Among the northern knights, there would be quite a few who wanted to build connections with such promising mages.

“Let’s go out and have a chat for a bit. If you greet them, it’ll help you later too.”

“Wait a moment. I have some canned sardines packed…”

“Hey. You don’t need canned food.”

* * *

The Moradi family estate wasn’t home only to the family’s own knights. In fact, there were often more knights from other families present.

Even excluding guests and invited individuals, the numbers were quite substantial, as it was common practice among knight families to send their own knights to other families for rigorous training.

An influential knight family like the Moradi family was naturally even more popular.

It provided an opportunity for young knights to train while building connections with each other.

The knights who had summoned Alsicle and Lee Han this time were also knights from various northern families.

“You said he’s a mage from Einroguard? What year did you say he was?”

“I didn’t hear exactly, but I believe he’s probably a third year. I heard it from a friend serving in the Hornbeam Knight Order.”

“Huh, still a third year but with that level of achievement!”

“The Wardanaz family isn’t renowned for nothing.”

“Sir Alsicle, you’re from the Penguerin family, correct?”

“That’s right.”

“Then would it be alright if we asked you to eat some sardines?”

“Hmm. It would be a bit embarrassing to ask outright, so let’s just set them out as snacks beforehand.”

The knights waited for the mages to arrive while even plotting devious schemes.

Before long, the party of mages arrived.

“Welcome! Sir Mage!”

“This must be Lee Han of the Wardanaz family, and this must be Sir Alsicle of the Penguerin family! And this person is…?”

“My junior. Her name is Eandurude.”

“Eandurude!”

At Lee Han’s explanation, the knights nodded as if they understood.

“Then is this person a second year?”

“…She hasn’t even enrolled yet?”

“Ah. I see. Since Sir Wardanaz is a third year, I unconsciously assumed…”

“…I’m not a third year!”

Lee Han said in surprise.

He couldn’t understand what kind of ridiculous rumor this was.

Could this be the Skeleton Principal’s trap?

“Oh, you’re not a third year? Fourth year?”

“I’m just advancing to second year.”

“…”

“…”

When the knights all stopped moving at once as if struck by a petrification curse, Lee Han wondered if he had made some mistake.

‘Was being a first year that much of a problem?’

“I… I see… I see.”

“We were, we were quite surprised. This is. Sorry about that. We heard you defeated the King of Ghouls, so we thought you were at least a third year…”

“Cough.”

Lee Han was startled by the rumors that had spread all the way to the north.

Just who were these people?

“My friend serves in the Hornbeam Knight Order, and he said Sir Wardanaz swept away the anti-magic extremists…”

“I didn’t do that alone!”

Having found the culprit, Lee Han coughed and began his explanation.

While he was grateful for the goodwill shown by the knights of the Hornbeam Knight Order, if they exaggerated too much, Lee Han would be the one who had to deal with the consequences.

“There were other allies and luck…”

“So humble as well!”

“…Ah. Sir Alsicle. There are sardines here.”

Lee Han quickly changed the subject.

However, Alsicle answered coolly.

“I’m full from eating earlier?”

“Oh no…” “Oh dear…” “Ah…”

Small sighs flowed out from various places.

The knights looked as pitiful as rain-soaked baby birds.

“…I might be able to eat one or so.”

“!”

When Alsicle, feeling sorry, picked up and ate a sardine, the knights laughed cheerfully.

‘The topic has moved on.’

“But Sir Wardanaz. We’d like to hear more about your fight with the anti-magic extremists.”

‘It hasn’t moved on.’

Lee Han regretted underestimating the knights’ persistence.

Come to think of it, it seemed like the knights here had summoned him specifically to hear about this.

Without exception, they were all waiting with very detailed preparations.

“So that was…”

“Wait! Please tell us from the beginning of the gathering. What kind of clothes did you wear that day?”

“…Is that important…? Hmm… I think I wore my school uniform with an overcoat…”

The knights persistently questioned Lee Han about every detail, as if squeezing his memory dry.

Lee Han somehow endured and answered as he went.

“…I was lucky. I was able to hold out because the knights cooperated with me.”

“From what I hear, Sir Wardanaz gets along very well with knights. That’s rare among mages.”

“Haha.”

“Come to think of it, I heard that Giselle of the Moradi family also fought alongside you. Are you close? Since you’re both from Einroguard, you must naturally be close…”

“Haha. We’re close.”

“Wait. Then let’s call Sir Moradi over too!”

“Good idea!”

“…”

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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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