Surviving as a Mage in a Magic Academy - Chapter 849

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

Chapter 849

However, Galar didn’t immediately voice his inner thoughts.

If this had been back when he was staying at the Northern Snowflake Magic Tower, he would have spoken boldly, but thanks to experiencing three research failures, five accidents, and one assassination attempt on a sponsor (which was actually an accident misunderstood as an assassination attempt), Galar had matured considerably.

No matter how unlucky things were, one had to be careful with their words in front of an employer.

“That’s surprising. I’ve never heard of a Baldrogard student being close with an Einroguard student.”

“Certainly, while Einroguard students are one of the twin pillars leading the Empire, there are opinions that they lack a bit of dignity. I understand why it’s rare for them to be close with us at Baldrogard.”

Crack!

Galar had to grit his teeth.

The Baldrogard student before him seemed to cast illusion magic with just a few words.

To manipulate people’s emotions so easily?

‘I must endure this.’

“But there are always exceptions, aren’t there?”

Zandani began explaining, unaware that Galar was gritting his teeth.

The senior’s senior who had created this improved spatial expansion backpack together with an Einroguard student was a person of great renown even within Baldrogard.

“He was almost legendary. He was so remarkable that as soon as he graduated, he received so many invitations from various places…”

“…”

The corner of Galar’s mouth twitched again.

There was no way a Baldrogard student would receive such active invitations from the Empire’s magic towers or mage guilds.

“So how did you receive this gift?”

“Ah. There’s a touching story behind that.”

According to Zandani’s account, the Baldrogard student and Einroguard student had worked hard together researching the spatial expansion backpack.

Then one day, the Einroguard student had to leave urgently due to personal circumstances in the middle of their research…

…and the Baldrogard student kept the spatial expansion backpack his friend had left behind as proof of their friendship, then passed it down to his juniors.

‘Good heavens. Even cases in Detective Toberiz wouldn’t be this suspicious.’

Galar was appalled.

There were more than one or two suspicious points in this short, simple story.

First of all, it was strange that an Einroguard student would urgently finish research due to personal circumstances and leave.

Among the Empire’s various magic schools, wasn’t Einroguard particularly strict in evaluating achievements? Such a student wouldn’t just abandon research and leave.

‘An Einroguard student would send their soul to participate in research even if their head was cut off. This is strange.’

But the other party was his employer.

Instead of pointing out the holes in the story, Galar changed the subject.

“Indeed. It’s a fine backpack.”

There were many items that provided subspaces larger inside than outside, but their quality varied greatly.

From items that provided only two or three times the expansion space, to items that provided tent-level space.

It didn’t end with just spatial width.

How to reduce the weight inside, and how to secure the necessary mana.

When moving, the inside of the item would inevitably shake, so how to maintain order despite the confusion caused by the expanded space.

Since there were so many areas to handle, perfection was impossible. Also, some advantages were mutually exclusive.

Ultimately, an excellent spatial expansion item meant one made as meticulously as possible, if not perfect then as close to perfect as possible.

In that regard, this spatial expansion backpack could certainly be called excellent.

Not only was there nothing particularly lacking anywhere, but above all…

‘It’s not heavy, and the surroundings don’t shake when moving. The space is well-stabilized. Wait. Instead of expanding the inner space, did they create a separate space and connect it!’

Instead of inflating or expanding the inner space, they had created a separate space and connected it entirely separately.

Galar was startled.

The former method was usually used for small bags or backpacks, while the latter was used for tents or pavilions.

After all, stretching or expanding existing space required much less mana and less effort in the process.

In comparison, creating and newly connecting a separate subspace required much more work, starting from the space itself. It wasn’t used for large tents or pavilions for nothing.

But a backpack that applied the latter method.

“You connected a separate subspace!? Did you know that?”

“Huh? What do you mean?”

“…Haha. It’s nothing.”

Galar smoothly moved on from Zandani’s reaction.

To explain the methodological differences in spatial expansion magic to a Baldrogard student, he would need to be paid ten times more than now.

“By any chance, can this backpack change the space inside?”

“Oh. How did you know? The backpack is even called the 【Six-Directional Backpack】.”

Zandani excitedly explained the backpack’s performance.

This backpack contained 6 spaces inside, and it was possible to access the desired space by turning the patterns carved on the backpack’s locking mechanism.

Zandani had fine wine in space 1, a chess set and chairs made of boxwood in space 2, cashmere frock coats and tailcoats, southern silk vests and hats, etc. in space 3, the Empire’s famous books including the Detective Toberiz series in space 4, polo equipment in space 5…

‘Not a single thing related to magic.’

Galar cursed inwardly.

At minimum, shouldn’t an alchemist carry around a cauldron or flask?

“Wait. You can access 6 spaces, so why only 5?”

“Space 6 is locked. It’s been that way since I first received it.”

“Why?”

“Well? I’m not sure.”

“…Weren’t you curious?”

Any normal mage would have been curious and tried to open it somehow if an artifact they obtained had just one space locked.

Zandani clapped his palm and nodded.

“Now that you mention it, I guess I am curious.”

Galar forced himself to smile by raising the corners of his mouth. Getting angry would only hurt himself.

“It must have been incomplete.”

“That’s right.”

“May I try opening it?”

“I’d be grateful if you would! Please take care of it.”

“Alright. I’ll rest for a bit and then work on it.”

Galar got up from his seat, opened the door, and went outside.

The 【Visitor Lodging】 village was a place where cozy and comfortable mansions built of brick and wood were arranged in a circle.

Instead of the sky, lights twinkled like stars on Einroguard’s high main building ceiling, and instead of the horizon, thick fog embraced the village.

Galar breathed deeply at the quietness that pierced his heart anew.

‘As I thought before, this place doesn’t seem like Einroguard at all. It’s peaceful.’

“Raise your hands.”

“Don’t move. I have no grudge against you, but the moment you move, I can’t guarantee your safety.”

“…”

Feeling the cold touch of a staff pressing against his back and below his neck, Galar deeply regretted his actions.

In Einroguard, no matter how peaceful a place seemed, one should never let their guard down.

* * *

Lee Han, who had arrived at the lodging village using spatial overlap, utilized the illusion magic he had just learned to penetrate the Death Knights’ security and approach inside.

The mansion where the Baldrogard guests were staying was easy to find. It was the place with the most splendid lights and loud music flowing out.

-Wait. What’s this sprinkled on the ground here?

-It’s wine.

-Why is wine sprinkled here?

-The Baldrogard bastards brought it, but since it tasted bad, they probably dumped it here. They’re extravagant bastards.

-…I’m going to kill them!

-Jin, calm down.

Despite some minor commotion, Lee Han and Sevius successfully approached the front of the mansion.

While they were pondering how to enter, a mage who comprised 98% of Baldrogard’s power happened to walk out with a sigh.

The two exchanged glances.

-Good. Luck is on our side.

-The heavens must surely be angry at the Baldrogard bastards’ misconduct.

-…Y-yes.

Swoosh!

“Hands up.”

“Don’t move. I have no grudge against you, but the moment you move, I can’t guarantee your safety.”

“!!!”

A completely off-guard mage was a much more fragile being than expected.

Galar, who never imagined he would be ambushed in such a visitor’s dormitory, was caught completely without any defensive magic or preparation.

“Take his wand. Confiscate the reagents.”

“I’m sorry, Mr. Galar.”

“You! Are you a sixth-year from the Wardanaz family!”

“…I’m not sure what you mean.”

Lee Han, with his face covered, feigned ignorance. Sevius looked at his junior with a bewildered expression.

-What did you do to be mistaken for a sixth-year?

-I didn’t do anything. He’s just mistaken because I used some magic.

-Ah. If that’s the case, I understand. That could happen.

Sevius immediately understood.

His junior’s magical talent was enough to make even Sevius himself shudder at times, so it was understandable that an outsider might mistake him for a sixth-year.

Just now, in that short time, learning two spells and having spare time to learn one more was very abnormal…

‘It would feel more likely that he’s a crazy sixth-year pretending to be a second-year rather than a second-year with genius talent. I understand.’

Sevius had a rude thought that would make his junior jump up and down if he knew.

Galar, having had his wand, reagents, and various equipment all taken away, sighed and asked.

“Why did the Einroguard students come here? Revenge?”

“We don’t waste emotions on such pointless matters.”

“Then?”

“We came to retrieve our senior’s treasure that the Baldrogard students stole through despicable methods.”

“Could it be the space expansion backpack?”

“!?”

Lee Han was startled. Sevius also seemed surprised as he asked.

“How do you know that?”

“Earlier, one of the Baldrogard students was bragging about a space expansion backpack. It was such a well-made item that I had a suspicion.”

“That alone doesn’t explain it.”

Sevius questioned strictly.

It might seem like dwelling on trivial matters, but they needed to know this for certain.

It could be a trap.

“No matter how well-made a backpack is, you couldn’t guess that it was stolen goods.”

“He said he researched with an Einroguard student and later received it as a token of friendship, so I thought he might have stolen it.”

“…”

Both immediately understood.

If that was the case, it made sense that he found it suspicious.

“No. More than that, he was going around saying it was a token of friendship? These shameless and despicable bastards!”

As Lee Han growled, Galar flinched slightly. The memory of this Wardanaz family boy summoning the Black Tortoise was still vivid.

“I understand you’re angry at the Baldrogard students, but won’t you show mercy as the stronger one?”

“…Why am I the stronger one!?”

‘You are the stronger one though…’

Sevius thought to himself.

Probably several fourth-years or higher from Einroguard would need to team up to properly face this junior.

“Alright. I’ll show mercy. We don’t want to fight the Baldrogard students unnecessarily either. We just need to get the backpack.”

“If that’s the case, there’s a good method.”

“What is it?”

“Just go in and take it.”

“…”

Lee Han looked at him as if he was ridiculous.

“No. What kind of nonsense is that? You’re telling us to just go beat them up, suppress them, and steal it?”

He wondered if showing mercy meant finishing them in one blow.

However, Galar shook his head and said.

“You misunderstood what I meant. I really mean just go in and take it. Everyone’s sleeping right now.”

“What? They’re already sleeping? Does that make sense?”

“Going to bed early allows for good sleep, and that’s good for a mage’s health, according to those guys… Ugh, ah, it hurts.”

As Lee Han gripped his wand tightly, Galar coughed from the choking sensation.

“S-sorry. I accidentally put strength into it.”

“…”

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