Surviving as a Mage in a Magic Academy - Chapter 808

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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 808

No answer came back.

But Lee Han persistently continued calling.

Like Professor Verdus who only spoke what he wanted to say into his disciple’s ear, Lee Han repeatedly called out to the insane doppelganger.

…What is it?

A hazy phantom finally flowed out.

The insane doppelganger was expressionless as usual, but the slight wrinkles between his brows revealed his displeasure.

“Greetings, Master.”

Seeing you call like this, you must have completed it.

The insane doppelganger threw the massive lump he was holding in one hand to the side. Lee Han asked with confusion.

“What is that?”

Instead of an answer, a familiar voice flowed from the massive lump. It was Antagondals’ voice.

-Don’t be insolent and quickly… come back… you… damn brat…

Lee Han pretended not to hear and ignored it.

No matter how pitiful the mage criminal was, there was no way Lee Han could go rescue him.

What would happen if Lee Han ended up in that state?

Don’t need to know.

‘I already understand everything.’

So, you brat? Did you call to show off magic?

“Ah. I called because I have something to ask.”

Lee Han answered and asked about substitute materials for juniper, perilla leaves, and soapstone in Dobrooke’s shadow potion.

At the unexpected question, the insane doppelganger showed anger.

I told you to handle lightning, not to play around with materials?

“I apologize. Your disciple is foolish, so once I got stuck, there was nowhere to ask. Only Master came to mind. Sob sob.”

As long as attack magic wasn’t flying at him, Lee Han could display eloquent speech skills to his heart’s content.

The insane doppelganger was very displeased but eventually opened his mouth.

Hadn’t he heard before that his disciple was interested in various schools of magic?

Though it was annoying that he didn’t focus despite slow achievement, it would be better to answer since it had come to this.

At least it was a question about magic…

It’s a trivial deception.

“Pardon?”

You brat. Do I need to explain more?

“Yes. I would be grateful if you would.”

‘You didn’t explain anything.’

Lee Han cursed inwardly.

What was this, acting like he’d explained everything when he hadn’t explained anything at all?

Lee Han wasn’t the only one cursing inwardly, as the insane doppelganger also began explaining with a face that suppressed the desire to beat up his disciple beyond the phantom.

Dobrooke’s shadow potion (it had a different name when the insane doppelganger was alive) was a potion that temporarily severed the soul from the body, creating a kind of astral projection effect.

Though its formula had changed over time, the insane doppelganger immediately understood what kind of potion it was and why the formula had changed upon hearing it.

In spirit-type alchemy, juniper can be substituted with pagoda tree, and perilla leaves with white grass. But it’s all meaningless.

When the insane doppelganger was alive, he didn’t use juniper or perilla leaves.

It was to enhance the astral projection effect even if stability decreased.

But this current potion pursued stability even if the effect weakened slightly.

Substituting with pagoda tree or white grass might temporarily seem to improve the effect, but stability would drop again.

Strictly speaking, that wasn’t complete substitution. People who roughly compromised and moved on in such matters couldn’t become good alchemists.

The correct answer was ‘there are no substitutable materials.’

‘What kind of trap question is this?’

Lee Han was furious at the outside customer.

A customer who didn’t even seem to have gold coins suddenly asking such a question.

He should have noticed when they were with the Baldrogard students – they were definitely extremely rude people.

“Thank you, Master.”

Wasting time on such nonsense…

“I’ll speak to you again soon. Please wait a moment!”

After cutting off the phantom, Lee Han answered.

“There are no materials that can be completely substituted.”

“…!”

Galar was shocked.

This was a problem that even decent alchemists would fall for.

Rather, the more knowledgeable an alchemist was, the easier it was to be deceived. Knowing the effects of juniper or perilla leaves, and knowing materials with similar effects, anyone would answer that way.

But that was a trap.

This potion’s balance was quite precarious and strange, and substituting just because effects seemed similar would immediately bring different results.

One had to memorize the effects of dozens, hundreds of materials in their head, and know even the minor and subtle changes that would occur when added to this potion to avoid being deceived…

“Haha! Wrong!”

One Baldrogard student from behind shouted with a voice full of joy.

“Juniper can be substituted with pagoda tree, perilla leaves with self-heal! Too bad!”

The other students admired their friend’s knowledge.

As expected of the top student in alchemy class, truly spine-tingling brilliance.

‘You’re wrong, you idiots…!’

Galar screamed inwardly while feeling embarrassed for them.

Not only was the answer itself wrong, but self-heal was impossible to substitute. Adding self-heal would make souls stick together tenaciously.

“Isn’t it white grass, not self-heal?”

The Einrogard student seemed to know this and asked with confusion. Galar felt his face burning even more.

“White grass? Uh… oh, wait. Wait. Was it white grass?”

“If you add self-heal, souls would stick together tenaciously.”

“White… white grass it was. Right.”

The Baldrogard student belatedly admitted his mistake.

Then his friends encouraged their friend’s courage and honesty.

“Oh, your honesty is admirable!”

“Right. Friend! It’s as good as getting the answer right!”

‘What exactly did he get right?’

Lee Han felt dizzy from the Baldrogard students’ conversation.

The herbs were completely different!

Were they really saying it was roughly correct because one ingredient was right?

‘Common sense… I feel like common sense is collapsing.’

He could somewhat understand why the upperclassmen avoided Baldrogard students.

Continuing to talk with them would make one feel like their world was crumbling.

“That’s not important. What matters most is that you gave a completely wrong answer!”

“…Excuse me, but this side was correct.”

Unable to endure any longer, Galar spoke with a deep sigh and self-reproach.

“What?!”

“What nonsense are you spouting! Juniper can be substituted with pagoda tree!”

Zandani of the Alzardek family asked back as if he couldn’t believe it.

Surely what he had learned was that substitution was possible.

Could this mage named Galar have learned incorrectly?

“If you substitute with that, the astral projection effect changes. The stability changes too. Shadow potion has such precarious balance that substituting makes it practically a different potion.”

“But isn’t it similar?”

“Not by alchemists’ standards.”

“That’s… ridiculous…”

Zandani and his friends received a great shock.

Of course they thought they could get revenge, but instead they were the ones being humiliated like this.

Unable to watch any longer, Lee Han stepped forward first to graciously salvage the situation. No matter what, they were guests from outside, so he couldn’t just leave them be.

“These kinds of problems test an alchemist’s ingenious wit, so even excellent alchemists can easily make mistakes. Your skills are certainly outstanding.”

“…Thank you. You are truly honorable!”

“Even at Einroguard, there are few second years who know that juniper can be substituted with pagoda tree.”

This was sincere.

The Shadow Step Potion itself was something only made by upperclassmen (if it were a lower year potion, Lee Han would have already memorized it), and normally there would be no occasion to see the formula.

“We’re not second years though?”

“Ah. …Are you third years?”

“We’re fourth years.”

“…”

Lee Han was shocked to hear that the students before him were Baldrogard fourth years.

So people in their graduation year came here to do this???

‘Are they insane? Ah, no. Even if it’s their graduation year, they can still travel around. They might have prepared everything in advance.’

Regaining his composure, Lee Han gritted his teeth and asked.

“If you’re fourth years, shouldn’t you be preparing for graduation? Is it okay for you to visit like this?”

“Haha. An excellent mage means someone who is always prepared.”

‘I mustn’t kill them. I mustn’t kill them.’

Lee Han endured once again.

“Still… don’t you have things to do? Have you perhaps finished all your preparations?”

“Things to do? Not particularly… Ah! You mean the graduation ball!”

It was fortunate that Galar, who had been waiting nearby, couldn’t hold back and interrupted.

Otherwise, Lee Han might have buried a few Baldrogard students here.

* * *

“…So that’s why we came for this fair and square duel.”

“I see.”

After hearing the full explanation, Lee Han looked at the students with eyes full of contempt.

Not only were they slacking off in their fourth year, but they visited for such a trivial reason.

Lee Han resolved that later, when the upperclassmen jeered and threw stones at the Baldrogard students, he would definitely cast invisibility magic and participate.

Galar cleared his throat and spoke.

“Your skills are excellent. Are you a fourth year?”

“I’m a second year.”

“…I think my ears are cursed. What did you say?”

“Second year.”

“…Please, I beg you, could you keep your year level secret from them?”

Galar spoke with sincere desperation.

When a mage much older than himself pleaded so desperately, Lee Han’s heart softened slightly.

“Th, that’s not difficult…”

“Thank you. Phew. I think I shouldn’t have taken this commission. If a mere second year is at this level…”

Galar sighed at the unexpectedly high level of the Einroguard students.

Appropriately crushing an opponent’s pride wasn’t easy work either. He couldn’t just launch a surprise attack or assault them.

If he picked too aggressive fights or challenged them to duels, he might be attacked by the Einroguard students before crushing their pride…

Subtle riddles like earlier were more comfortable, but when Lee Han got it right in one try, his confidence disappeared.

“Einroguard’s overall level is quite outstanding.”

“It really seems that way. Sigh.”

While the two were talking, Zandani asked with a curious expression.

“What should I call you?”

“Please call me Lee Han.”

Lee Han deliberately hid his family name and only gave his first name.

Since people usually mentioned their family name as well, if he only gave his name, they would misunderstand on their own.

“What about your family name?”

“…?”

Lee Han was slightly flustered by the unexpected reaction.

How did they know he was of noble birth?

“Wait. Those Calarograd bastards are over there!”

Fortunately, new guests caught their attention before Lee Han had to fumble for an answer.

Calarograd students were gathered up ahead, loitering around.

“Those vulgar bastards. Look how shamelessly they’re walking around!”

“What happened?”

“Those bastards attacked us last year!”

“Oh… how so?”

Lee Han asked as if he wanted to hear the detailed story.

Fortunately, the Baldrogard students didn’t notice.

“They cowardly summoned undead.”

“…”

Lee Han had to hold back from saying ‘What’s cowardly about that?’

It was really difficult.

“And they put us in a mud pit…”

“It’s the Baldrogard bastards!!”

“Attack! It’s fine to attack within Einroguard!”

The Calarograd students also spotted them and shouted.

Lee Han wondered whether he should ask why it was okay to attack within Einroguard, or if he should try to stop the fight first.

“Everyone stop! If you attack, we’ll have no choice but to defend ourselves.”

“Tch. They brought guards. Cowardly bastards.”

While Lee Han was pondering, Galar stepped forward. Upon discovering the outside mage, the Calarograd students also took a step back.

However, as a member of the Black Magic Academy, Lee Han could sense that those students hadn’t completely canceled their magic and were still looking for an opportunity.

How long do I have to wait?

“!”

When the Insane Doppelganger flowed out and asked, Lee Han said urgently.

“Please wait just a little longer. Outsiders are attacking right now.”

Outsiders? Attacking?

“Yes.”

Do you need advice?

“Oh. Yes. I’d be grateful if you would.”

Lee Han answered, recalling the useful explanation he had heard earlier.

Sweep them all away and bury them in a pit.

“…Isn’t there any other advice?”

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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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