Surviving as a Mage in a Magic Academy - Chapter 646

—————
This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
—————

Chapter 646

While the kind penguin beastman mage went outside to handle the commission in his place (he had picked one assistant and Gainando was chosen), Lee Han opened the text book from the Ga Kingdom era and carefully studied the musical score.

It was definitely much more interesting now that he knew what the content was about.

‘How fascinating.’

If Imperial magic had to be expressed in one word, it would be efficiency.

The history of continental magic was longer than the Empire’s history, and accordingly, its types and schools were just as diverse. This could be seen from the fact that primitive magics and ancient magics unknown to the Empire were still being excavated even now.

How could countless magics that differed by region and were even mixed across different eras be unified into one?

The Imperial mages unified them using efficiency as their standard.

They discarded old and inefficient magics.

If there were magics that produced the same results, they kept the faster and more concise magic.

This method could be considered quite effective.

After all, mages from the western edge of the Empire and mages from the eastern edge, with completely different customs and histories, could meet and conduct research together without any particular problems.

Just as there were old fairy tales like “The Unfortunate Accident Story of Two Mages Who Had Different Ways of Creating Flames,” it was originally dangerous for different mages to cooperate together.

For that reason, Lee Han also sympathized with this methodology.

However, there are always exceptions to every theory.

There were exceptions that had been shunned as old and inefficient but occasionally emerged to demonstrate their power.

That was now the magic of the mages from the Ga Kingdom era.

This magic, which could be called music magic in current Imperial terms, tried to dominate the surroundings in a very inefficient way.

By imbuing sound with mana to control it!

There was no means faster than sound for controlling the surrounding medium, but there were reasons why nobody did it.

‘Imbuing the incantation itself with mana is tremendously difficult, and even if you succeed, the mana waste is severe.’

It wasn’t for nothing that the Skeleton Principal said to just challenge spirit magic instead of doing this kind of thing.

A mage’s incantation was originally a kind of self-hypnosis, so if you imbued the incantation itself with mana, that was just an introduction to spirit magic.

Naturally, it was impossible with ordinary willpower and concentration.

Even Lee Han could only do a few songs in a limited way right now…

The mages from the Ga Kingdom era knew this fact well. Their wisdom for overcoming these constraints amazed Lee Han.

First were the magic circles like the reliefs that had been on the tomb walls. These served to raise the concentration of surrounding mana.

‘You’d need a certain amount of mana to be able to use music magic.’

Since he already knew this, Lee Han wasn’t surprised.

And it wasn’t very important to Lee Han. It was something he could solve with just his own mana.

‘Next is… artifacts?’

Surprisingly, the mages from the Ga Kingdom era used instruments like artifacts.

They would choose one piece, then create an instrument artifact solely for that piece.

This instrument was an artifact enchanted with magic that could maximize the melody of that piece, and it would resonate with the mage’s song to complete the lacking power.

To think they would succeed at music magic this way.

It was amazing dedication.

‘A method of practicing just one piece for close to 20 to 30 years with a dedicated instrument. The song would indeed become imbued with mana that wasn’t there before.’

Efficiency be damned, but it was truly awe-inspiring.

And in Lee Han’s view, there was no other method he could think of to properly implement music magic currently.

The upperclassmen currently trying to research music magic at Einroguard couldn’t all waste mana or imbue incantations like Lee Han.

‘It’s a good method for me too.’

Although Lee Han could currently sing a few songs like music magic, he didn’t really know how he did it himself.

This couldn’t be called magic. Proper magic required knowing what you were doing.

If he borrowed the power of instruments to fill in the elements lacking for magic completion, it would be much easier for Lee Han to practice music magic too.

He happened to have the instrument the Skeleton Principal gave him…

Zing-

When Lee Han took out his violin and started playing, his friends turned their gazes toward him.

“This song was 【The Bad Dragon is Coming】, right?”

“Yeah.”

At Ratford’s question, Yoner nodded and propped his chin with one hand.

His friend’s violin skills were excellent, so he wanted to listen for a moment.

It was an old nursery rhyme about a Red Dragon coming to break down fences, a Black Dragon coming to destroy houses, and a White Dragon coming to trample the debris before leaving.

…The Principal came and broke down the fence. The brutal Principal! Could there be a more terrible disaster than this?

Then the Principal’s clone came and destroyed the house. The wicked Principal! …

When Ratford, Yoner, and Nilia sang the Einroguard version, Eandurude tilted her head.

“Isn’t it dragon…?”

“…D-dragon, right. We said dragon.”

“You said Principal…”

“No! It’s dragon!”

The upperclassmen who belatedly realized the junior’s presence hastily changed their words.

Meanwhile, Lee Han finished practicing and slowly played the musical score.

‘Based on dark elements, spreading mana around, praising and mourning the king’s sacrifice…’

A slow song was played. Lee Han sang along with the lyrics.

“We all praise the king’s sacrifice, as the king sacrifices himself, all enemies…”

As only the song continued to be played, Yoner stood up and extended his hand to Nilia.

The two danced slowly and elegantly.

Imperial dances weren’t only performed when happy and cheerful – there were also dances performed during funeral ceremonies.

Ratford clapped and thought.

‘Huh. Is it okay to dance when Gainando isn’t here?’

If he found out, he’d probably really cry his eyes out…

“Hmm.”

“Eek! What do you do stopping suddenly!”

When Lee Han stopped his violin and hesitated, Nilia almost lost her balance.

It was only because she had been trained in the mountains – otherwise the already awkward dance would have become even more ruined.

“Did you feel anything in particular while listening to that song just now?”

“???”

His friends tilted their heads at Lee Han’s question.

“Each of you say one thing.”

“The bass part of the song is rich and delicate?”

“I don’t know who the king is, but since he died receiving such a song, there must be a lot to steal at the funeral?”

“Just when did Wardanaz even practice violin? Does he live each day twice?”

After their answers, the other two except Yoner felt embarrassed.

They should have been appreciating the song but said something else instead.

“Hmm. As expected, the song isn’t getting imbued with mana.”

At Lee Han’s words, Yoner spoke as if he couldn’t believe it.

“You’re trying to imbue the song itself with mana? Is that possible?”

“So it’s like this…”

When he explained to Yoner what he had just studied while reading the musical score, Yoner showed interest but also looked worried.

“That’s interesting. But I’m a bit worried.”

“Why?”

“In second year, you’ll definitely take lectures up to the limit, but you’re trying to do this on top of that?”

“…No. Taking lectures up to the limit hasn’t been decided yet.”

“You’ll take them up to the limit.”

“You will take them up to the limit.”

Nilia and Ratford spoke coldly.

Unlike Lee Han who was still denying reality, his friends were realistic.

Just the schools of professors who currently cherished Lee Han were already close to the limit.

Adding just a few more lectures from those professors would immediately break through the limit.

“I think this isn’t a problem with the melody, but a problem with the lyrics.”

Lee Han carefully examined the sheet music and came to a conclusion.

“It’s not a problem with Einroguard…?”

“If the melody creates the magical effect, then the lyrics help contain the mage’s own mana. In other words, the lyrics can be changed. No. They should be changed.”

Lee Han diligently scribbled notes with his quill pen.

Having experienced exploring music magic while following the Skeleton Principal around, he could make decisions more quickly.

Just as incantations in magic help a mage’s self-suggestion, lyrics clearly played the same role.

Otherwise, it wouldn’t make sense that Lee Han succeeded with some songs and failed with others.

‘In a way that suits me.’

Mages from the Singing Kingdom era practiced a single song for decades. It was to change themselves to match that song.

Lee Han planned to compromise on that method by adapting parts of the song to suit himself.

“Lyrics that suit both hymns and funeral songs, and that I can emotionally connect with… I need your help. It’s hard to come up with them alone.”

“Hmm!”

“Uhmm!”

“Uhhhhmm!”

The three felt very burdened by their friend’s words.

Nilia regretted not going out to gather materials instead of Gainando.

“I barely avoided failing Imperial Literature…”

“I also got called in separately by the professor when I wrote in a composition assignment that thievery should be legally permitted by Imperial law.”

“…”

Yoner, practically left alone, felt cold sweat breaking out.

He had to come up with something to throw to this struggling friend.

Lyrics that suited both hymns and funeral songs, and that Lee Han could connect with.

“Guys?”

“Uh…”

“Uh?”

“H-how about Einroguard.”

“Einroguard? Tell me more, Yoner.”

“Well, Einroguard is… um… if you’ve entered Einroguard, it’s okay to sing funeral songs for you!”

“…”

Nilia and Ratford were dumbfounded, but Lee Han found it plausible.

“Indeed. That makes sense. The hymn would now praise the nobility of students who sacrificed themselves to enter on behalf of other people in the Empire.”

“I-I didn’t mean it to go that far.”

Yoner was flustered by his friend taking it even further.

However, Lee Han seemed to have already gained inspiration.

“Good. Based on dark elements, a song mourning and praising new students entering Einroguard… I think it’s decent. Isn’t this better than Asan’s song?”

“Why of all the many songs does it have to be compared to Dalcard’s song?”

Hearing the song that scammed people while singing about how great Einroguard was, his friends were disgusted.

* * *

“Penguerin sir. I can’t get into those bushes!”

“Don’t worry. I’ll tell you how. First hold your staff and use a cutting spell below. Don’t use it above. It’s too tough and won’t work anyway. Then when a hole forms, go in below.”

“Ugh. Why only me…”

Gainando crawled under the bushes crying. Then he carefully harvested the thorn mushrooms and crawled back out.

While inside the manor he had been an adorable penguin mage, but once outside, Alsicle transformed into a very strict senior mage.

For Gainando, who had planned to gather only moderately easy materials and give up on difficult ones, this was a bolt from the blue.

“Can’t I just say this is too hard and go back?”

“Gainando. If you say you couldn’t do it like that, what would Wardanaz think of you?”

“Wouldn’t he think ‘it was too hard so he couldn’t do it’?”

“…Quickly climb up the tree.”

Alsicle gestured while creating an ice ladder.

This prince’s pride was as hard to find as the Skeleton Principal’s conscience.

Gainando climbed up grumbling. Since he kept grumbling continuously, Alsicle shouted from below to appease him.

“Think about it carefully, Gainando. Wouldn’t it be better to finish quickly and go back?”

“That’s true. But Penguerin sir seems like you want to stay out long.”

“That’s a misunderstanding. I want to finish quickly and go back too. I want to watch Wardanaz research music magic.”

Alsicle spoke with sincerity.

Watching a junior mage like Lee Han research rare and unfamiliar magic was pure joy for a mage.

Through that, he could realize and learn many things himself.

“Oh, Penguerin sir.”

“What now?”

“If that’s the case, shouldn’t you go back right now? Lee Han learns magic quickly, so by the time you return, he might be all finished!”

“…Hey, are you treating my intelligence like a sardine’s right now?”

Alsicle couldn’t hold back and started creating snowballs in the air to shoot at Gainando.

Gainando screamed and shouted.

“It’s, it’s true! It’s really true!”

—————
This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
—————