Surviving as a Mage in a Magic Academy - Chapter 839

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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 839

The Insane Doppelganger looked at his disciple as if he found him pathetic.

Originally, it wasn’t particularly strange for mages to incorporate meaningful symbols from their lives when developing magic.

Magic newly created by a mage leaves traces longer and more distinctly than any bard’s song.

It would be natural for a mage to include slightly more meaningful symbols in those traces.

‘I don’t think magic necessarily leaves traces longer and more distinctly than bards’ songs though.’

Most old songs had disappeared, but wasn’t that the same for magic?

Very popular songs had flowed down to the current Empire era…

‘In my opinion, the song 【Einroguard is So Great】 might survive for over a thousand years.’

However, Lee Han prepared flattery instead of pointing out reality.

The Insane Doppelganger was already casting a pathetic look, so there was nothing good about provoking him further.

“Ah. So that’s what it was. I didn’t know. It must have been a good tree.”

It was a good friend from when the royalty was still young.

Gainando would have said ‘How can a tree be a friend?’, but Lee Han understood.

Sometimes non-living beings could be better friends than living ones, couldn’t they?

Just as Empire gold coins were to Lee Han, that tree called Dendrobium must have been to the Insane Doppelganger.

‘Amazing. There was a time when even the Skeleton Principal cherished and loved a tree?’

Perhaps it was because it was a tree. At least trees wouldn’t say stupid things.

“Does that tree still remain now?”

Lee Han thought if the tree remained in Einroguard, he might visit it and show it with the Echo Stone.

No matter how insane the doppelganger was, wouldn’t seeing a childhood friend improve his mood a bit?

That’s impossible, you fool. The tree burned down.

Lee Han, who had inadvertently touched a sore spot while flattering, was horrified.

“…I’m sorry.”

Did you burn it down, you fool? Don’t make unnecessary apologies.

Fortunately, the Insane Doppelganger didn’t get angry about the rude question.

Instead, he suddenly stared somewhere silently as if lost in thought.

“Are you alright?”

Yes. I was recalling old times. Strange. I don’t usually remember them well.

It was natural for the other person to find it strange.

Originally, the Skeleton Principal himself was an undead lich, and the Insane Doppelganger was split off from there, a kind of thought-form existence.

Since he was a being that moved by laws and principles rather than a life form that moved by soul and desires dwelling in blood, flesh, and bone, it was rare for him to recall the past.

‘But it’s not incomprehensible. I heard that when you get old, you think about the past more.’

I definitely learned magic from dragons. Hmm… I can’t remember the dragons’ names. Do you know any, you fool?

“…I’m not sure.”

Lee Han answered in shock at the Skeleton Principal’s unimaginable magic masters.

You don’t even know dragons’ names? Not even one? No matter how barbaric, still.

“These days, it’s… hard to see dragons. I heard most dragons have left.”

Though Lee Han wasn’t a dragon expert, he knew well that dragons were an endangered species in rapid decline.

Unlike ancient times when dozens flew around, nowadays you’d have to go to the deepest part of the Imperial Palace to maybe see one.

And even that one would likely shed its physical form and flutter away to another dimension if it weren’t for those vile and evil mages.

‘Truly amazing. I never thought he would have learned magic from dragons.’

He knew the Skeleton Principal had been an extraordinary archmage since his youth, but he had never thought about his magical lineage or masters.

Since he was such an ancient and mythical figure, even if Lee Han was told he just fell from the sky as a skeleton, he might have accepted it thinking ‘Of course.’

Lee Han suddenly became curious.

What kind of past did the Skeleton Principal have to become such a twisted monster?

Come to think of it, the Insane Doppelganger was a witness who knew more accurately than anyone about the Skeleton Principal’s past.

Though the Skeleton Principal could fabricate the past even to the oldest knight among the Death Knights, that was impossible with the Insane Doppelganger.

‘Good. I’ll ask carefully.’

If there were any weaknesses in the Skeleton Principal’s past, it would be small compensation for the hardships he’d face this year.

“Was it common to learn magic from dragons in Master’s time?”

It sounded crazy, but weren’t customs different in each era?

If current Empire mages learned at Einroguard, ancient mages might have learned in dragons’ lairs.

Or maybe they learned while living as food in dragons’ lairs…

Impossible. Dragons don’t normally pass on magic to mortals.

“Then how did you learn, Master?”

Because I was recognized as qualified.

“Ah, yes.”

Since the Insane Doppelganger would chirp about how noble his bloodline was and how honorable he was whenever bored, Lee Han answered indifferently.

‘The dragons seem to have been deceived. Teaching magic to someone like that.’

As could be seen from Gainando, Yu Upperclassman, and A Classmate, being imperial or royal family didn’t make one particularly trustworthy.

“Then did other royalty learn magic?”

You fool. I said qualification, not royal bloodline. What are you going to do if you’re still so dull and stupid?

“What? Then what kind of qualification?”

Literally the qualification to use magic honorably. Is this difficult?

“No. I understand.”

You don’t understand at all.

“!”

Lee Han was surprised to have his inner thoughts discovered.

How did he know?

The Insane Doppelganger sighed and explained to his frustrated disciple.

You fool. Imagine you’re a prince of a nation. A small, tiny kingdom.

“Yes.”

The armies of neighboring countries are mighty. Heavy armored legions equipped with magic armor and magic spears, combat mage units that imprison demigods in magic towers and use their power… What would you do?

‘Is this a story from the Three Kingdoms period?’

Lee Han recalled old stories written in Empire history books.

Among the continent’s long history, there were eras that weren’t recorded and were lost, and eras that remained as records.

Among these, the Three Kingdoms period belonged to quite distant ancient times.

Actually, the Three Kingdoms era didn’t really have only three kingdoms.

Three strong nations survived until the end of the era, but the books said countless minor kingdoms that left no records were abundant.

“Shouldn’t I diligently learn magic and use that power to strengthen the kingdom’s defenses?”

Better than saying to invade, but wrong. You couldn’t learn from dragons that way.

Lee Han tilted his head.

He still didn’t understand.

“Then what should I do? Ah. Do you mean I should attack first?”

‘That’s definitely the Skeleton Principal.’

Come to think of it, it was a choice that perfectly suited the Skeleton Principal.

However, the Insane Doppelganger looked at Lee Han with an even more contemptuous gaze.

Are you serious?

“…No.”

The royalty said he would definitely master the ultimate principles of magic and eliminate the bloodshed and scars of the continent. The dragons recognized his qualification with that oath…

“…!”

Lee Han was truly greatly surprised by the unexpected answer.

Come to think of it, he had already heard it once during Gonadaltes’ downfall but hadn’t recalled it at all.

‘No. I knew the answer but couldn’t imagine it?’

It was because it was an answer so unsuited to the usual Skeleton Principal or Insane Doppelganger.

‘Did he perhaps deceive the dragons?’

Don’t think I deceived the dragons. Dragons are not deceived, you fool.

“How could I dare have such impudent thoughts?”

Lee Han, feeling a pang of guilt, quickly changed the subject.

“But Master. Even if magic reaches the most extreme heights, is such a thing possible?”

He had heard that even Gonadaltes’s downfall was ultimately a failed research.

And if other attempts had succeeded, the continent wouldn’t look like this now. Especially Einroguard should have disappeared long ago.

That’s something unknowable.

‘It really is difficult.’

Given the Insane Doppelganger’s usual personality, he would have definitely said it was possible, but saying “it’s unknowable” was practically admitting it was half impossible.

Indeed, this wasn’t a challenge that could be solved with magic.

But that’s not important in this story. The royalty swore before the dragons, and the dragons respected the qualifications from that oath. Thanks to that, they could learn magic… though the kingdom perished.

“I see… What?”

?

“Didn’t you just say something perished?”

I said the kingdom perished. I’ve been thinking this since before, but you damn thing, do you have problems with your ears…

“No. I heard it properly but didn’t understand it.”

Problems with your brain…

“Why did the kingdom perish? They learned the dragons’ magic.”

Did they say they would learn magic to defend the kingdom, or to eliminate the bloodshed and scars of the continent? You damn thing. When exactly are you planning to become clever?

‘This doesn’t seem like a problem with my intelligence.’

It wasn’t that Lee Han’s comprehension was lacking, but rather the other person’s story was too absurd.

Lee Han tried his best to stay calm as he organized his thoughts.

“So you’re saying, Master, that you swore before the dragons and learned magic, but didn’t use it even when the kingdom was perishing because of that?”

A bit wrong. When I learned magic and returned, the kingdom had already perished.

The Insane Doppelganger explained matter-of-factly.

When he went to find the dragons to learn magic to overcome the continent’s suffering and returned, the kingdom had already perished.

While being concerned about the hostile nation to the east, they were caught off guard by a surprise attack from the friendly nation to the south and perished instantly.

All that remained were the ruins of the royal palace turned to ash and the remnants of ancient trees.

“Don’t tell me you didn’t even take revenge?”

I didn’t.

“Why not??”

Because taking revenge wouldn’t revive the perished kingdom!

“…”

Lee Han felt more chills than when the Insane Doppelganger was ranting.

It would be more human-like to act wickedly like an eccentric mage demanding magic be passed down, but this felt too surreal.

‘No. How can a person be like that?’

Lee Han wasn’t a violent person, but if he had learned magic and returned to find his kingdom destroyed with enemy armies in front of him, he couldn’t even imagine what he might do.

The royalty’s kingdom also destroyed several kingdoms. The kingdom that destroyed the royalty’s kingdom was soon destroyed as well. A mage should make far more constructive choices rather than being bound by such meaningless cycles. You damn thing.

“What exactly is that constructive choice?”

As I said, awakening to the ultimate principles of magic and eliminating the bloodshed and scars of the continent. The royalty failed, but if you damn thing become an excellent disciple… and if you damn thing have an even more excellent disciple. We might reach it someday.

“…Can’t I just learn 10 5th circle spells instead?”

At the ancient Archmage’s absurd expectations, Lee Han unconsciously blurted out nonsense.

* * *

‘If it’s not possible, just say it’s not possible.’

Lee Han grumbled as he walked.

The Insane Doppelganger had been extremely enraged by Lee Han’s nonsense and poured out all kinds of reproaches for an hour.

He should have just cursed instead!

“Ah. Professor Garcia.”

“Student Lee Han. Welcome. But where is Lady Ragesa? I heard she was following you around observing lectures?”

Professor Garcia tilted her head when Lee Han came alone.

There had definitely been talk among the professors that the old pirate was following Wardanaz around observing lectures.

So she naturally expected Ragesa to come and had prepared herself mentally?

“…She said something urgent came up.”

“…Don’t tell me she skipped because my lecture is boring?”

At her startled disciple’s expression, Professor Garcia was deeply hurt.

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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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