Surviving as a Mage in a Magic Academy - Chapter 968

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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 968

Break time.

The mages were each busy replenishing what they had consumed.

Sigunteng drank a mana potion, then inspected the tips of his crossbow bolts and cast additional magic on any that had weakened spells.

He sprinkled small amounts of crimson powder from his reagent pouch into the crossbow’s carved grooves, then sprayed specially prepared solution…

‘Indeed.’

Lee Han watched with interest from the side and learned.

In fact, in the Enchantment Magic School, he had learned more by watching the upperclassmen like this than by learning directly from Professor Verdus.

“Upperclassman Siginting.”

“What?”

While Sigunteng would curtly reply “What, senior” when Yukveltire spoke to him, he at least didn’t ignore Lee Han since he was still considered a junior.

“I’d like to learn some magic.”

Currently, each of the Enchantment Magic School upperclassmen had their own outstanding advantages.

In Sigunteng’s case, when the battle broke out in the southern cave earlier, he had shown excellent performance with just a crossbow.

Even Lee Han, who had initially thought ‘Did he open a general store with just one crossbow,’ became slightly intrigued after watching.

If he made such a weapon, Lee Han could conveniently pull it out and fire away instead of having to cast spells individually to create ranged weapons.

“I see. That makes sense.”

The dwarf senior pushed his crossbow aside with an ‘I knew it’ expression.

Then he pulled out a rusty, cheap crossbow.

“You want to implement this kind of crossbow as a disposable artifact, right?”

“…????”

Lee Han was flustered when the senior brought up something he hadn’t even said.

“Disposable artifact?”

“Isn’t that your research topic?”

“…?”

Lee Han fell into even greater confusion.

Research topic.

He was even more confused since he had no memory of deciding on such a thing.

‘Did Professor Verdus secretly set a research topic in my name and then get funding from the Imperial Capital??’

While Professor Verdus was certainly capable of that, Lee Han trusted the Imperial Officials more than Professor Verdus.

Surely if Professor Verdus had been involved, they would have checked twice or thrice.

“You made one last year too.”

Sigunteng looked strangely at his confused junior and explained.

Lee Han had shown deep interest in disposable artifacts since last year when he was learning under Professor Verdus.

Even when Professor Verdus said he should use aquamarine or spirit whale leather to make a leather water pouch artifact, hadn’t he insisted there was no need for such expensive materials and made an artifact using only deer leather, koyak thread, and a copper ring?

He had somehow covered the lacking performance by pouring in massive amounts of mana.

The artifact’s lifespan would be shortened, but since he was making disposable artifacts rather than permanent ones from the start.

Since it was practically close to a simple artifact, there was no need to worry about such aspects.

“I think that’s quite an interesting topic too. You chose well. Actually, that’s also why I’m answering like this…”

Sigunteng liked his junior’s research topic.

Artifact craftsmen were always obsessed with permanence and eternity, but sometimes stepping away from that revealed a broader world.

If you thought of using it just once, you could break free from various artifact constraints and create powerful firepower and output.

It was a bold and ambitious research topic that only nobles from great families could conceive of, not something poor artifact craftsmen could think of.

“…”

Lee Han was more shocked than when he had single-handedly blocked the rushing enemies in the cave earlier.

‘I was trying to make it cheap to sell it cheap, but what…?’

Lee Han had made the leather water pouch artifact to secure initial funds for outings.

Professor Verdus’s advice to use aquamarine or spirit whale leather was naturally meaningless.

Famous Imperial craftsmen could use such materials because they received various sponsorships, support, and expensive fees, but Lee Han was still an unknown mage.

He had naturally chosen a realistic method, but what was this about a bold and ambitious research topic that only nobles from great families could conceive of?

“But how did you know that? Professor Verdus… No. Professor Verdus wouldn’t talk about such things?”

“You’re smart as expected. Of course not. Professor Garcia told us.”

‘…Professor Garcia didn’t secretly attach eavesdropping artifacts to students’ clothes, did she?’

Lee Han unconsciously looked around.

“Now. Look. To implement my crossbow as a disposable artifact…”

“But senior. What happens if my research topic isn’t this kind of disposable artifact?”

“Huh?”

Sigunteng stopped mid-explanation and looked up at Lee Han.

Then he looked at Yukveltire.

The meaning was conveyed without words.

-I treat seniors like rolling stones if they’re not doing research I’m interested in!

Not wanting to become like Yukveltire and be ignored by Sigunteng, Lee Han immediately answered.

“Actually, my research topic is disposable artifacts. Please continue explaining.”

“I knew you weren’t an ordinary junior. Very extraordinary.”

Sigunteng proposed a methodology for implementing his crossbow as a disposable artifact.

Materials should focus on explosive power, firepower, output (and instability) rather than stability, durability, and permanence.

“…Aren’t there any cheaper materials?”

“What? Why? If you use materials cheaper than this, it’ll become more unstable and dangerous.”

“…I enjoy such dangers. I feel my magic boiling as I control such instability and danger.”

“I knew it would be like that. You crazy bastard!”

Sigunteng laughed as if he liked it even more.

It seemed he had properly read his junior.

According to his junior’s desires, Sigunteng adjusted the magic and spell composition.

He removed all stability features and adjustments that helped the mage…

“Whew. If used wrong, this would tear off the mage’s face. Wardanaz. I’d really like to hear your thoughts after you make and use it later.”

Sigunteng earnestly requested.

Though he lacked the ability and family background to handle it himself, he was very curious about how his junior would develop this research topic.

“Yes… Thank you…”

Perhaps it was his imagination, but the junior seemed to have slightly less energy than before.

Sigunteng thought it was because of Senior Yukveltire.

Because of wasting time unnecessarily on Senior Yukveltire and sharing potions…

“Is there any last advice you could give me?”

“There is.”

“Oh. What is it?”

“Don’t share potions with Senior Yukveltire. It’s a useless waste.”

“…I mean magical advice.”

* * *

“Advice?”

Anfargon, who had been building small towers with mud on the floor, looked puzzled.

“Yes.”

“Don’t share food with Senior Yukveltire. It’s a useless waste…”

“I already heard that. I mean magical advice.”

“Hmm.”

The third-year boy from the same tower as Lee Han pondered.

Being the most sociable among the Enchantment Magic School and from the same tower, he wanted to help (Yukveltire was excluded)…

“My research topic is too different from yours.”

“…By any chance, disposable artifacts?”

“Were there other topics besides that? Impressive. As expected, someone who attends all schools is different…”

‘No. Weren’t these people supposed to not talk to each other??’

Lee Han was dumbfounded.

They usually don’t have necessary conversations, so why do they all know such trashy rumors like this?

“You say your topic is different from Senior’s. Ah, are you perhaps referring to what you summoned during the fight earlier?”

“That’s right.”

Anfargon’s specialty was architecture.

However, it wasn’t permanent architecture like Salko’s. Anfargon was skilled at summoning magical structures from other dimensional spaces and returning them.

What he tried to summon earlier in battle was a temporary fortress (though of course his junior finished everything before he could), which was one of those.

As such, it would be greatly helpful to a junior researching disposable artifacts…

“Ah. No, wait. Now that I think about it, there might be ways to simplify such structures to make them nearly disposable.”

“You don’t necessarily have to make them disposable though.”

Lee Han was more curious about proper structure summoning magic, but Anfargon chose to modify it anyway.

From the junior’s perspective, he had no choice but to grumble internally while listening to the lecture.

* * *

Yukveltire had to eat chocolate cream wafer cookies instead of meal replacement potions.

Though she thought it was somewhat inefficient, Yukveltire obediently ate them to supplement her nutrition.

“…”

“Do you have something to say?”

Lee Han asked puzzledly as his senior stared at him intently.

Just in case, he didn’t forget to firmly grip his staff.

If she said something like ‘meal replacement potions were better,’ he would have to control himself.

“Which family’s product is this?”

“Pardon?”

“These cookies. Are they a new product from the Meikin Family?”

“I made them myself.”

“…!”

Yukveltire was shocked.

A mage of that caliber spent his spare time putting butter-mixed flour dough in an oven and baking it…

…She couldn’t quite imagine what came next. Yukveltire had no particular interest in cooking.

“You wasted time on such things?”

“Next you spread cream or coat it with chocolate. Usually. Why? Do you have some complaint?”

Lee Han’s voice was full of murderous intent, dissatisfaction, threats, and menace.

Yukveltire shook her head and answered.

“It seems like a rational way to consume sugar, so I was thinking of purchasing some separately later.”

“…Please have more! Senior!”

Lee Han smiled brightly as if his grumbling just moments ago had been a lie. However, Yukveltire answered immediately.

“I’m full.”

“…Are any of you others perhaps interested?”

“I’m fine with potions.”

“I don’t like eating snacks.”

“…”

Lee Han suddenly missed his friends.

* * *

Osu’s Disciple. It’s been a while.

There weren’t many people who called Lee Han by such an insulting name.

A dream he briefly had during rest.

When he came to his senses from that dream, Lee Han had already arrived at Yachaowang’s Palace.

“…”

Lee Han glared at the Black Book.

Was this bastard now sending people directly to Yachaowang’s Palace instead of separate dimensions?

The Black Book jumped as if to say it was a misunderstanding.

This time it wasn’t the book’s fault.

Seeing that this world called for you, Osu’s disciple, you must have been accumulating good karma.

“…Huh? No, I wasn’t.”

Lee Han answered as if asking what nonsense that was.

“Right now some crazy senior found an orichalcum vein and I’m trying to steal it from him with other seniors…”

What appears on the surface doesn’t matter. Osu’s disciple.

“…”

Though Yachaowang spoke with an attitude of profound insight, it didn’t really resonate with Lee Han who had already become cynical.

‘Isn’t this just a trick to spout nonsense and then smoothly get away with it by making it sound plausible?’

The world doesn’t distinguish between the ten directions and three times. Don’t trust your own eyes, trust the world.

“May I go back?”

When it’s time to return, you’ll naturally be able to go back. Hmm. Osu’s disciple. You seem particularly displeased today because of the rudeness the king showed to your master, right?

“…”

But it was unavoidable to prevent Osu’s madness. That attitude of respecting your master is admirable.

Lee Han gritted his teeth.

There was no point in denying it since the other party would obviously distort it with intention-distorting magic.

To think such a terrible formidable enemy existed.

“What magic do I need to learn to go back?”

Revealing your true nature of ambition and greed for magic? Osu’s disciple.

“…Yes. That’s what I am. A bastard crazy about magic.”

Lee Han answered half in despair.

After giving up in front of Sigunteng, the next time became easier.

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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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