Surviving as a Mage in a Magic Academy - Chapter 726

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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 726

“Hmm. Really peculiar.”

The third-year student from the Elbali family, Baruglioz, who had been asking questions in order from the most likely possibilities written in the book, tilted his head in confusion.

Usually by this point, at least one would hit the mark, but he kept getting negative responses.

‘Thank goodness.’

Despite not getting an answer, Lee Han felt slightly relieved.

Fortunately, the wood spirit wasn’t angry.

…Of course, there were still many reasons left to check, but just the fact that it wasn’t angry about the reasons covered so far was fortunate enough.

‘But this isn’t my fault.’

Anyone studying at Einroguard would inevitably encounter the King of Ghouls or the Frost Giant King.

To survive meeting such beings, one had to make contracts with evil entities and such…

“Alright. At times like this, I should ask some unusual questions too.”

“Oh. What is it?”

“Could it be because you’re taking classes from all schools of magic?”

“…”

Naturally, the answer was negative.

Lee Han glared at his senior. The orc student adjusted his glasses with an embarrassed expression.

“It’s an unusual question, isn’t it? Originally when you’re stuck, you have to try things like this to find the answer.”

“That’s too unusual a question.”

Baruglioz continued asking several more questions after that.

Even to highly probable questions like ‘Did you make the staff endure excessively powerful magic or mana’ or ‘Did you let dangerous monsters touch the staff’, the spirit kept giving negative answers.

“Wow. What could it really be?”

“Actually, could it be that the spirit likes me so much it won’t answer?”

“That’s nonsense. What kind of talk is that from someone who takes all schools of magic – sounds like something a Baldrogard student would say?”

Baruglioz showed no compromise when it came to magic. Lee Han nodded glumly.

“Could it be that you’re dissatisfied because you can’t demonstrate your abilities… Wait, this is it? Look here!”

When a positive response came, Baruglioz was startled.

This question was so unlikely that it was placed at the very back of the book.

To give an idea of how unlikely, it was positioned between ‘Do you have political dissatisfaction due to recent power changes in the Spirit Realm?’ and ‘Do you happen to have an ancestor who had a grudge against spirits?’

“Usually there’s no reason you couldn’t demonstrate your abilities? Did you perhaps leave this staff abandoned somewhere for a long time?”

“No. I carried it with me every day.”

“Strange. Hmm. Wait a moment. Let me check the spirit’s abilities first.”

As someone majoring in summoning magic, the orc senior calmly began his investigation despite the confusing situation.

After casting several spells, the abilities this wood spirit possessed were…

“Authority of Recovery, Authority of Life, Authority of Resilience. Three like this. Impressive? For a spirit you haven’t even contracted with to lend power like this. You must have made a good impression.”

“I was lucky. But this is strange.”

“What is?”

“Professor Thunderstep only told me about one thing. That it helps plants grow well.”

Certainly, when Lee Han had brought this staff, Professor Thunderstep had briefly explained it.

That it would be really good for growing plants…

“That would be the Authority of Life… Well. I’m not sure. Professors originally don’t have interest in students anyway.”

‘Is that so?’

Lee Han found his senior’s words puzzling but accepted them for now.

“First, the Authority of Recovery. You’ve probably experienced it a few times. It’s a useful spirit authority for mages. It recovers mana.”

“?”

He had no particular memory of the staff recovering his mana.

Lee Han tried retracing his memories just in case, but nothing came to mind.

“This probably isn’t it. Now. Were you unable to demonstrate the Authority of Recovery? Look. The Authority of Recovery was demonstrat… huh?”

The wood spirit ruthlessly answered that it couldn’t demonstrate its authority.

Baruglioz was flustered by this response.

“Are the magical effects of the glasses worn out?”

“No. I think you saw correctly.”

Lee Han spoke in a slightly darkened voice.

Come to think of it, even if the wood spirit had the authority of mana recovery, Lee Han probably wouldn’t have had a chance to use it.

Authorities are used when mana decreases, but if it’s continuously maintained, what recovery would be needed?

“Surely you used the other two.”

“The Authority of Life is what you just mentioned…”

“Right. It’s an authority that alchemists like. It helps when growing plants.”

“Yes. I think I used that one.”

“That’s quite fortunate. Were you unable to demonstrate the Authority of Life?”

The wood spirit immediately answered that it couldn’t demonstrate the Authority of Life either.

“…”

“…Did you really use it?”

The orc senior, who had maintained an intellectual attitude until just now, glared at Lee Han through his glasses with a menacing look.

At this point, it seemed like he only used the staff about once a year to dust it off.

“How many plants have I grown! This is false accusation. The spirit is mistaken!”

“Hmm. Did the mage perhaps substitute the Authority of Life with other means?”

The wood spirit immediately answered yes.

Lee Han asked in disbelief.

“Did you perhaps substitute it with mana?”

A positive answer.

Lee Han felt a sudden sense of emptiness.

All this time he thought they were growing well thanks to the staff, but it turned out to be just a placebo effect.

He had simply believed they grew well thanks to the staff, so the effect increased when he unconsciously scattered mana around.

“I thought I was using the staff’s power.”

“Ch-cheer up. Sometimes you make mistakes like that. So what means did you substitute it with?”

“It seems I unconsciously scattered my mana. I believed they would grow well thanks to the wood spirit’s help, but that…”

“…”

Baruglioz looked at Lee Han like he was looking at a madman and subtly stepped back.

If Baruglioz had been a spirit, he would have answered positively to ‘Did you avoid him because you were scared?’

‘What the hell is this guy doing?’

Of course, since magic was a discipline of change wielded by a mage’s firm will, that could also be called a type of primitive magic.

But why would the word ‘primitive’ be attached to primitive magic?

It was because it was so unstable and weak in effect that magic was now cast in different ways.

To create change through self-suggestion alone without any particular incantation required continuously pouring out tremendous amounts of mana.

Baruglioz found it hard to believe that an individual mage had poured out that much mana.

“What is the last Authority of Resilience?”

“It’s modest but also a useful authority. It’s the authority that makes the staff endure. Against impacts or when casting strong magic.”

“I really used this one.”

“Slowly. I think it’s better not to be confident. Were you unable to demonstrate the Authority of Resilience?”

Mercilessly, the answer came back that it couldn’t be demonstrated.

Lee Han shouted in outrage.

“How much have I fought and you say such things! Did you forget about the King of Ghouls and the Frost Giant King?!”

“…What kings??”

“It’s nothing. Senior. Please ask again.”

“Asking again won’t change the answer. But there’s only one reason the Authority of Resilience couldn’t be demonstrated. Is it perhaps still insufficient?”

Positive.

When the answer came back that it was insufficient, Lee Han asked in confusion.

“What is insufficient?”

“Uh… you’re saying I need to use more powerful magic to make using that authority worthwhile.”

“…”

Lee Han looked at the staff like he was looking at a madman.

* * *

“Hmm. Anyway, cheer up! It’s not like the wood spirit hates you. Just give it more opportunities to be active from now on.”

‘Is that even possible?’

After the lecture ended, Lee Han stood up dejectedly while receiving comfort from the orc senior.

He felt like he had learned a lot but gained nothing.

To think he had essentially never used the spirit’s power until now.

“Don’t overthink it. If you don’t need the recovery authority, just add other authorities and connect them. There must be authorities that require mana recovery.”

If the wood spirit wanted to recover mana, he just needed to add magic that constantly consumed mana inside the staff. As a mage, this was actually welcome.

Of course, the crafting difficulty would increase…

“Similarly, connect the life authority by adding other authorities too.”

“What about the stubbornness authority?”

“For that, I don’t know any solution other than you casting stronger magic.”

“…Thank you, senior. You must be busy, yet you’re teaching me so kindly.”

Lee Han expressed his sincere gratitude.

Everyone was busy with their own lectures, and the upperclassmen were even busier being one year ahead.

Yet helping so diligently wasn’t something just anyone could do.

“Haha. You’re not a stranger, you’re a fellow junior.”

“Are you from Blue Dragon Tower?”

“No? I was talking about the summoning magic school. See you in summoning magic class, junior.”

“…”

Come to think of it, he overlapped with at least one school among the seniors here.

Thanks to that he could receive help, but Lee Han felt strangely bitter.

‘Somehow I feel bitter.’

“Hey, Wardanaz!”

Angrago spotted Lee Han from afar and came running.

“Come quickly! If we don’t go right now, we’ll miss it!”

“Miss what?”

“You’re asking because you don’t know?! Geez. Just follow me for now! Quickly!”

“No, I really don’t know.”

Angrago practically pushed Lee Han’s back as he ran out.

“You’re also a club member, so why don’t you know!”

“Well, the club I joined is… never mind. What club is it?”

“Obviously the polo club. What other club would it be?”

Angrago spoke with a voice full of excitement.

One of the things he had looked forward to all last year was joining Einroguard’s polo club.

“Right now… ‘that’ animal is here. Can you believe it? To be able to see that.”

“What are you talking about? A griffin? A basilisk?”

At Lee Han’s question, Angrago cried out in shock.

“What kind of vicious nonsense are you spouting?! Of course not! Don’t you know what the polo club is? We need to bring animals we can ride!”

“Griffins and basilisks are also rideable animals though.”

Someone from inside his sleeve made a hissing sound as if agreeing.

Angrago ignored it, thinking Lee Han was talking nonsense.

Looking around in case someone might hear, the White Tiger Tower friend spoke in a low voice.

“…Right now a professor is taking care of a unicorn!”

“Ah.”

Lee Han understood what he meant and nodded.

Since he had rescued an injured unicorn during winter break and brought it to Einroguard, it wasn’t surprising that a unicorn could be seen at Einroguard.

“That’s possible.”

‘Does this guy have only cold mana flowing through his veins?’

Angrago looked at Lee Han as if he couldn’t believe it.

To think a fairly decent polo player would show such a cold reaction upon hearing about a unicorn.

Anyone with a heart couldn’t possibly react like that.

“Wardanaz. Today I’m going to see the unicorn with my own eyes. And I’m going to ask.”

“Ask what?”

“If it wants to play polo together.”

‘That seems like the stupidest question a unicorn could hear.’

Lee Han thought so, but kept it to himself since his friend looked so excited.

“Sure. Asking is your freedom. What about your lecture?”

“Ah. Of course.”

Angrago answered with firm resolve.

“I’m just going to skip the lecture. The unicorn is more important.”

“…”

Lee Han kicked his friend to send him back to the lecture hall.

* * *

The polo club members were watching the unicorn from afar with anxious eyes.

A short, mean-looking professor was pleading and wailing to the unicorn.

“Let me take care of you!”

“Professor. The unicorn seems to need us!”

“Shut up, you noisy and ugly creatures! Get lost!”

Professor Bendozol fired magic indiscriminately at the polo club members. The members quickly distanced themselves as if they had expected this.

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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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