Surviving as a Mage in a Magic Academy - Chapter 955
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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 955
“In… in my forest, an artificial demigod…?”
Ilendil asked slowly in a desperate voice, like Gainando receiving additional assignments.
He had heard correctly, but it was a truly pitiful sight of someone hoping they had misheard.
“Yes? You agreed to share the rights to the artifact. Would it be better to keep it in the dormitory or another magic tower?”
“…”
Ilendil’s mouth gaped open and closed as Lee Han’s words hit a sore spot.
The reason Ilendil coveted the artifact was for the recovery and growth of the forest.
For that purpose, the artifact had to be placed in the forest. Only then could it work steadily and continuously.
His junior probably knew this and was being considerate, but…
‘I really hate this!!!’
Regardless of that, he really didn’t want to tame an artificial demigod and cast evil ancient magic in the middle of the forest.
Ilendil’s beloved forest might suddenly transform into a ‘haunted forest’ or ‘forest of ruin.’
“Th… that… wouldn’t it be dangerous? For you, junior…”
Ilendil wiggled his fingers with sluggish movements, thinking up an excuse.
Lee Han was moved by those words.
Enough for his evaluation, which had dropped to below Yukveltire’s level, to rise slightly again.
‘At least he’s not a bad person!’
It might seem strange that his evaluation would rise over something like this, but it couldn’t be helped.
When evaluating the upperclassmen of Einroguard, one’s standards inevitably lowered without realizing it.
Just the fact that he worried about him was enough for Lee Han to raise Ilendil’s evaluation again.
“Senior. Are you worried about me? Well, it does look too dangerous, doesn’t it?”
“Be quiet.”
The Insane Doppelganger, having silenced his pathetic disciple, looked at Ilendil and asked.
“If royalty has any advice regarding teaching magic to a disciple, let’s hear you speak up.”
“…I have none…”
Ilendil shrank back again.
Ilendil wasn’t reckless enough to speak boldly in front of someone who looked like the Skeleton Principal.
Lee Han felt sorry for him.
‘How petty to threaten him like that.’
When someone blatantly says ‘Hey, speak up if you have complaints,’ who could possibly say anything?
“Then may I say something?”
“No.”
“…”
The Insane Doppelganger cut off his disciple’s words and manipulated the 【Echo of the Demigod】 again.
Dark red energy flowed out thickly, and agonized screams burst forth like death throes.
Lee Han, who was watching, casually asked.
“Is it finished?”
“Yes. I’ve sealed the evil deity’s power inside the artifact, so use it after you’ve fully tamed the demigod.”
“?”
Lee Han, who had expected purification or severance, hesitated. Ilendil also had an expression of doubting his own ears.
I will remember you…
“…Master. The evil deity is threatening to remember me.”
“Evil deities neither remember nor hold grudges. Don’t put meaning into its words.”
Just as a parrot doesn’t understand the meaning of human words when mimicking them, it was the same when an evil deity spoke to humans.
Divine beings don’t speak with personality, but according to their own laws and principles.
The evil deity’s current threat to Lee Han about remembering him wasn’t truly about remembering.
It chose that method because it was the most effective form of contact.
“The mercenaries bound by the evil deity would have already had their souls devoured. But you, my disciple, have no such shackles. All the evil deity can do is threaten at best. Unless you harbor fear of those threats, they’re completely useless.”
An evil deity born from wicked power and worship continuously tried to move according to the principles and rules of its birth.
Against Lee Han, who was immune to any bindings or curses, all it could do was try to corrupt his mind with threats of that nature.
‘I see.’
Lee Han understood his master’s words.
He felt chills anew.
It was easy to think it had personality when dealing with it carelessly, but an evil deity should be viewed as pure power that simply exists, like mana.
The moment one gives it more meaning and harbors fear, it actually amplifies the evil deity’s power and makes one fall into it without anyone knowing!
‘…But that doesn’t mean there’s no reason to avoid purifying it completely, right?’
Actually, he could guess the reason.
A channel to contact an evil deity had value in its own way.
It seemed like he was saying not to destroy it but to utilize it when it could be useful later…
‘That doesn’t sound like good advice.’
Ilendil was looking at the Insane Doppelganger with expressions of horror, shock, despair, and ‘why are you doing this to me?’
It was hard not to feel uneasy knowing an evil deity slumbered within an ancient artifact.
Realizing that staring at the Insane Doppelganger was useless, Ilendil looked at Lee Han. But Lee Han had no solution either.
‘I’m sorry, senior. There’s nothing I can do either.’
As seen from how the Insane Doppelganger ignored him earlier, persuading his master regarding magic was nearly impossible.
All Lee Han could do was postpone it.
“Understood. After I tame the demigod, I’ll try talking to it once if I remember later.”
“Do that.”
“…”
At the sight of the two priests, Ilendil drooped his shoulders and regretted his decision.
This ancient artifact hunt seemed to have more losses than gains.
* * *
“Still, senior. Don’t forget that you’re taking my side in the Watchman Club.”
“…Yeah… I know…”
After the Insane Doppelganger left, Ilendil became noticeably dispirited.
Since Einroguard students were naturally prone to depression and low spirits, Lee Han didn’t pay much attention to it.
“By the way. Are you going straight back to Einroguard?”
“Yes.”
“How did you come out, if I may ask?”
“I received help from another student.”
At Ilendil’s words, Lee Han was inwardly amazed.
‘Wait. He had a friend!’
It was a very rude thought, but it couldn’t be helped.
Ilendil seemed to have no friends, like Yukveltire. Apart from the alchemy underclassmen under him, he didn’t seem to have any other human relationships.
But thinking about it, even Yukveltire had a friend named Diret. Ilendil could certainly have friends too.
‘It’s not Senior Diret, is it?’
If even Ilendil’s friend turned out to be Diret, Lee Han felt like he might shed a tear.
“What kind of help?”
“A special glass bottle…”
Ilendil explained in his slow voice.
It was a secret technique of hiding one’s body inside a glass bottle, and by applying this magic, escaping Einroguard was also possible.
Of course, it had the drawback of only being possible during periods when other students went out, but Ilendil didn’t particularly like going out anyway. If not for this ancient artifact matter, he wouldn’t have come out at all.
“I see. Then where is your friend now?”
“?”
At his junior’s question, Ilendil tilted his head.
“I don’t know…?”
“…Uh, don’t we need to meet up and go back together when you return? Or do you have a different method for going back?”
“I can just find another student.”
“…!!”
Lee Han suddenly felt a chilling realization wash over him.
“By any chance, when you came out earlier, did that student not know either?”
“Hmm? Yeah…”
‘That wasn’t getting help!’
Usually, sneaking into someone else’s pocket wasn’t described as ‘receiving help.’
Lee Han realized anew that the person in front of him was indeed an Einroguard upperclassman. If there wasn’t something twisted about them, they wouldn’t be an Einroguard upperclassman.
“I see. So that’s how you travel. Could we perhaps ask you to take our luggage as well?”
Not only Lee Han but his friends also had their own tricks for hiding things, but there were never any absolutes.
If the Death Knights acted as stubbornly as they did at the beginning of this school year, things could get complicated.
If they entrusted it to Ilendil beforehand, it would reduce the risk and make it easier to transport other luggage.
“…”
Ilendil made a tearful expression. Reading the upperclassman’s face, Lee Han spoke again.
“If it’s difficult or inconvenient, you don’t have to do it.”
“No… I can do it. It’s just that there’s a problem…”
“If it’s a magical problem, I’ll help you.”
Lee Han was willing to help as much as needed, separate from this request.
Since it was Lee Han’s group’s luggage being transported, he couldn’t just leave it all to him.
“I don’t want to meet the underclassmen again…”
“…”
At the thought of having to meet several unfamiliar underclassmen again, Ilendil let out a deep sigh.
Lee Han pretended not to hear and ignored it.
‘I worried for nothing.’
* * *
“Thank you, senior!”
“Qu, quiet down a bit…”
“We’ll be counting on you, senior.”
Ilendil eventually went back loaded with all sorts of luggage. The 2nd year students praised him, saying they had misjudged him.
“I didn’t think that senior would accept such a request.”
“Right. He’s the person who summoned artificial spirits in the forest. But I never thought he’d accept such a request.”
‘That’s not going to last forever.’
Lee Han worried that even after graduation, whenever Ilendil’s name came up, he’d be remembered as ‘that person who released artificial spirits in the forest?’
He was someone who had done quite a few other good deeds too…
“Yoner. I don’t see Angrago and Salko. Where did they go?”
“They went out earlier saying they were going outside for a bit. …Wait. Where are you trying to go?”
Yoner looked puzzled at his friend’s outfit.
It wasn’t his usual Einroguard-style beggar clothing, nor the regular mage outfit used for outings, but the arm and leg guards and equipment looked like… a ball game player?
“I’m going to practice ball games.”
“What!? Why!?”
Yoner was shocked by the words that least suited his friend.
“…Because I’m in the ball game club?”
“Ah.”
Only then did Yoner remember that his friend belonged to several clubs.
Lee Han said bitterly.
“Actually, I’m not very confident either.”
“As a 2nd year, don’t you not have to participate?”
“I have too many rare mounts…”
For Lee Han, who had various rare mounts starting with the griffin, not participating would mean giving several upperclassmen who lived for ball games heart attacks.
He didn’t know how much it would help, but Lee Han planned to do some cramming before the ball game club match.
“The outfit suits you very well. If I had seen you at the stadium, I would have thought you were a good player.”
“That’s right, young master. And you don’t need to be too nervous. You’ll surely display excellent talent in ball games as well.”
Amur and Arien praised him from the side, not knowing Lee Han’s true feelings.
‘I wonder if it’ll be okay.’
The ball games he had played a few times at Einroguard were actually irregular, borrowing the power of mounts and magic.
Upperclassmen like Karnella had quite high expectations for Lee Han, but proper ball game players would have different skills.
It wouldn’t be strange if he was completely outplayed.
“I’d like to go cheer at the match, but we’ll probably have to go back before then.”
“What? Wardanaz is participating in a match?”
His friends were very disappointed.
A fellow 2nd year friend was going to represent his club in a match. If they didn’t cheer at a time like this, when would they ever cheer?
However, the drama club’s outing period was ending, and it was time to go back to the Death Knights and insist ‘We came back on time, phew, we worked hard helping people because of the monster that appeared at the palace.’
“Can’t we just not go in and hold out?”
“Then it’s 100% punishment room. Don’t say ridiculous things.”
“Asan’s right. Punishment room because of a match? That’s ridiculous.”
Lee Han told his friends to return on time, then received crash course ball game lessons from Amur and Arien.
The remaining friends prepared to return with disappointment.
Packing or hiding newly purchased items, checking if anything was left behind, remembering tools and equipment so they could continue potion work after returning to school…
…And by the time all of that was finished, Angrago and Salko still hadn’t returned.
“…”
Lee Han took out his artifact.
-Angrago. Were you kidnapped by any chance?
-What? I wasn’t kidnapped! Just go back first. I have something left to do.
-…Don’t tell me you’re trying to escape to watch the ball game match?
-Nooooo? What are you talking about?
-What are you guys talking about?
Giselle was horrified.
What on earth were those idiots doing outside?
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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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