Surviving as a Mage in a Magic Academy - Chapter 775

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

Chapter 775

‘Oh no.’

Lee Han only realized there was a basilisk inside when he saw the tail sticking out between his sleeves trembling with sadness.

He had forgotten because it was always naturally coiled around like a bracelet.

‘I made a mistake. I should have been more careful with my words.’

Originally, mages had to be careful with their words even in front of monsters.

Just like in the old fairy tales of the Empire, where a mage who commanded a yellow demon and a black demon muttered ‘The yellow demon works better!’ by mistake and was attacked by the enraged black demon, powerful monsters also had high intelligence.

“…I thought that to understand the language of intelligent monsters like basilisks, one should first learn the languages of other relatively easier monsters.”

You don’t need to worry about that.

Oripulas, a demon who was an Imperial legal officer and had been working for 132 years due to being tricked into a contract, appeared and gave advice.

Basilisk language is certainly among the most difficult, but it’s an isolated language, so learning other monster languages first won’t make it easier anyway. If you need it, just practice basilisk language directly.

“…”

Lee Han looked around.

His friends were naturally trying to learn relatively easy and useful monster languages from the list.

“Moradi. It would be convenient to learn wolf-type languages, right?”

“That would be the case. The languages of monsters in that family are quite similar.”

“Priest Tijiling. Would owl-type or cuckoo-type be better?”

“The bird-type monsters found near Einroguard have more cuckoo blood, so that would be better…”

Wolf-type languages were useful when dealing with wolf-family monsters once learned, and while there were various types of birds, learning just a few common species was very practical.

“I want to try something a bit difficult.”

“!”

Lee Han brightened at Shailes’ words.

As expected of the second-ranking student of the Black Turtle Tower, he had excellent intelligence and a challenging spirit.

“Shailes. How about basilisk language?”

“That’s a bit…”

Shailes refused with a serious expression.

He had said he wanted to try something difficult, but he didn’t want to throw himself into the fires of hell like Wardanaz to gain knowledge.

“Hmm. I think I’ll try wyvern language. It’ll be helpful after graduation.”

“Good idea, Richmond.”

“Wouldn’t basilisk language be better? It’s rare.”

Lee Han persisted, but Shailes ignored him, pretending not to hear.

As someone from an Imperial carriage guild family, he needed to handle monsters like wyverns that were widely used in transportation.

Moreover, wyvern language was helpful when learning other snake-type monster or pseudo-dragon-type monster languages.

There was no need to learn basilisk language over this.

When even Shailes coldly refused, Lee Han became slightly dejected and read the basilisk language description again.

‘Hmm. Doesn’t basilisk language have any advantages?’

“Even if it’s an isolated language, there should be at least one monster among snake-type monsters that uses something similar to basilisk language…”

“There isn’t, Wardanaz.”

Siana explained with a confident voice, befitting a snake beastkin.

Tracing back the basilisk’s bloodline, so many different animals were mixed that it was quite different from the language used by snake-type monsters.

“…Thank you, Priest Siana.”

“Hehe. Don’t mention it.”

Siana turned her head, proud of having helped her friend.

Of course, Siana herself was planning to learn cuckoo language, not basilisk language.

Lee Han sighed lightly and read through his recommended language list once more.

Basilisk Language

Griffin Language

Frost Giant Language

Demon Language (Arrogance Duke Domain) – Especially recommended by Oripulas!

…

The recommended language list that Yoner next to him received was as follows:

Owl Language, Nightjar Language, Waterfowl Language

Fire Spirit Language (Sphere Spirits Domain)

Cat Language

Pegasus Language – High difficulty. Caution!

…

‘…Isn’t this bullying?’

Lee Han felt a chill as he noticed the difference anew.

When he looked at the professor and legal officer, they didn’t notice anything strange and looked puzzled as if wondering why he was acting that way.

“Why is student Lee Han acting like that?”

I think I know the reason. He’s definitely torn between basilisk language and demon languages. I guaranteed it, didn’t I? He’d definitely like it.

“Ugh. I have no choice but to admit it.”

Professor Rozine was frustrated but had to admit the demon was right.

To think he’d actually want to learn demon language and be troubled about it!

* * *

“Krrruk-kruk. Krrrruk-rruk.”

“Kiek. Kieeek. Kieeek.”

“Kit-kit?”

The classroom became noisy like a beast’s den for a while.

Professor Rozine and Oripulas watched with pleased expressions.

“Ugh. I just want to learn it with one magic spell…”

“M-me too.”

Exhausted students’ nonsense flowed from various places.

This was also within expectations, so the two continued watching with pleased expressions.

Young mages always said such things when faced with difficulties.

-Ugh. Why do I have to learn geometry? Wh-why do I have to learn these laws? Can’t I just use magic instead?

-Ugh. Why do I have to learn these ancient characters? Can’t I just use magic instead?

For reference, at Einroguard, if an upperclassman said such things and got caught by the Skeleton Principal, they’d be dragged to the punishment room for the crime of ‘low-level nonsense.’ That’s how foolish such questions were.

Magic wasn’t a convenient enough discipline to learn what one didn’t know or master what one couldn’t do with a single spell.

“Shh, shiit, shiiit, shiit?”

-…

The baby basilisk was waiting for Lee Han’s learning with tail movements full of expectation.

‘Damn. This is annoyingly difficult.’

He thought his intelligence wasn’t that low at Einroguard, but basilisk language was more troublesome than expected.

As Lee Han groaned and suffered from a headache, Oripulas approached.

Don’t worry too much about it.

“Oripulas.”

If it really doesn’t work, practicing demon language could be a good method.

“Oripulas…”

I’m joking. Actually, speaking monster languages is close to primitive and simple magic. Very subtle, but magic power seeps out. Have you learned word magic?

“…Yes?”

I think Lord Gonadaltes said you’d learn it soon… or not?

“Haha. Originally, the Principal enjoys talking nonsense.”

Lee Han suppressed his anger and laughed it off. The Empire’s legal officer seemed to accept it and moved on.

If you think about the structure of spirit word magic, it becomes much easier to understand. You speak with will, making it resonate directly with the opponent’s soul. Of course, it’s so simple and crude that it can hardly be called magic, so you’d have to pronounce the language much more accurately.

Oripulas thought that mages like Lee Han didn’t need to struggle unnecessarily.

First, he had already heard about spirit word magic from the Skeleton Principal, so he would know to some extent, and wasn’t there a basilisk right in front of him?

Then it would be much faster to learn by talking directly with the basilisk.

Monster language was fundamentally a very academic field, but at its core, it fell within the realm of magic.

‘That’s certainly true.’

Lee Han thought to himself.

Although what he said about spirit word magic was close to nonsense, since he was learning music magic, it was somewhat relatable.

Where does music magic start from?

It starts from infusing mana into verses.

Of course, monster language was magic so simple and primitive that it couldn’t compare to spirit words, let alone music magic, but there were definitely parts where the basic principles connected.

‘Then that’s advantageous for me.’

Learning through direct conversation rather than studying alone.

At first, being very clumsy, he would rely heavily on mana, but with repetition he would quickly become skilled and mana would become unnecessary.

“Are you awake by any chance? Could you help me?”

-!

The basilisk excitedly tried to poke its head out at Lee Han’s call.

Then Professor Rozine and Oripulas said coldly.

“Wait, wait a moment!”

You go practice in the adjacent classroom over there. Don’t forget to lock the door.

No matter how young it was, if toxic breath came out while talking or if their gazes met wrongly, it would be troublesome to handle.

“…”

-…

The baby serpent king and the mage became slightly dejected and moved to the adjacent classroom.

* * *

“Hello? Hello- Hello? I, greet?”

After about 30 minutes of hissing at each other.

“Hello?”

-!

For the first time, the basilisk seemed to understand Lee Han’s words and was delighted.

In that moment, Lee Han felt like he was communicating for the first time.

‘So this is how it works!’

-Master, Master?

“Yes. Nice to meet you.”

-Waaah… What did I do wrong for you to dislike me?

“…”

Lee Han, who had been speaking in simple words, was flustered by the sudden statement.

Huh?

“I think there’s been a misunderstanding. I don’t dislike you.”

-Earlier you said you wanted to learn other monster languages too…

Lee Han felt his skills improving rapidly.

He could even understand the other party whining and crying in a childish voice.

“…Basilisk language difficult. I did not understand.”

-Other monster, language, want to learn! Basilisk, don’t like!

The baby basilisk protested by hitting the desk with its tail.

It desperately wanted to convey its meaning to its master.

“I like basilisk very much. There is misunderstanding. Basilisk language difficult.”

When the master repeated himself, the baby basilisk’s anger subsided slightly.

Pretending to give in, the basilisk boldly stated its demands.

-…Then scold the griffin for me.

“Griffin?”

At Lee Han’s question, the baby basilisk nodded and tattled about what had happened.

This had happened when traveling with Ponrig before.

The baby basilisk, bored from being only in sleeves, came out and plucked one of Ponrig’s feathers to stick in its tail as decoration, but Ponrig bit it with his beak and shook it fiercely left and right.

At that time, the baby basilisk really thought it was going to be eaten.

‘So that’s what happened.’

No wonder Ponrig seemed unusually angry during camping – who would have thought such a thing had occurred.

“You don’t worry. I will scold griffin.”

The baby basilisk was very pleased at Lee Han’s words.

Of course, Lee Han had no intention of actually doing anything after saying this.

He didn’t even know how to speak griffin in the first place…

-Then give me a name too.

“Name?”

-A cool name. I’m the only one without a name.

“Ah.”

Lee Han realized the other party was referring to Ponrig’s name.

“That’s not even a name I made up, and is that name… good?”

-Master, you speak well now?

The baby basilisk tilted its head.

At some point, natural hissing was coming out instead of stiff, forced speech.

“Want to eat snacks?”

-Wow, yes!

Lee Han bought time while the baby basilisk munched on snacks and fell into thought.

‘Were names that basilisks like mentioned in the book too?’

If he gave a bad name here, it might properly sulk. This was a more important problem than expected.

‘【Professor Boladi’s Assassination Attempt】, hmm. Too long and not great. Something like 【King of Serpents】 might seem arrogantly presumptuous when applying for funding later. Should I just make it up like Ponrig?’

The baby basilisk, having finished munching its snacks, spoke in an innocent voice.

-Oh, I don’t like names like Kxrissilva.

‘As expected of a powerful monster. Its intelligence is high.’

Lee Han was thrilled by the other party’s intelligence.

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