Surviving as a Mage in a Magic Academy - Chapter 974
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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 974
Jarun of the Gangsulgudu family was knowledgeable about orichalcum despite not being an old dwarf miner, but there were still a few things he had wrong.
The orichalcum hadn’t pushed Jarun away because it was contaminated.
Originally, incomplete orichalcum pushed away greedy intruders. Just like how certain plants move to protect themselves, orichalcum was the same way.
When such orichalcum was fully completed, the characteristic of repelling intruders mostly disappeared.
If no one touched it, it generally became a high-density mana condensate, and if someone made contact to influence or contaminate it, it would change to have different characteristics accordingly.
“I see.”
Lee Han soothed the baby basilisk to stop its hissing (though it wasn’t very effective) while concentrating on the Insane Doppelganger’s explanation.
As long as it wasn’t teachings he had to learn directly, most of the Insane Doppelganger’s lessons were beneficial and substantial.
Where else could one obtain ancient lost knowledge and wisdom?
It was just that sometimes magic Lee Han had to learn directly came up…
“But the reason you said not to let it leave my body is… because it consumes a lot of mana?”
“That’s right.”
‘Normally people would call this kind of thing a cursed ore.’
Generally, the places where orichalcum formed were deep underground locations where the energy was particularly profound.
Ordinary energy couldn’t crystallize orichalcum.
That’s why when orichalcum was discovered, it was usually right to leave it untouched and have miners visit regularly to tend to it.
Suddenly extracting it and having a mage carry it around like now was quite an unusual case…
“Wouldn’t it have been better to just leave it here and cultivate it?”
“I’m sure I said that treasures must be kept within one’s grasp. Moreover, considering taming it as well, carrying it around is advantageous.”
“Ah. You said it grows according to one’s wishes.”
Come to think of it, orichalcum was a peculiar ore that grew according to the caretaker’s will.
Certainly, considering that aspect, carrying it around might be better.
…Though mana would be drained like crazy, but well…
‘It’s not just one or two things already.’
Lee Han stared intently at the baby basilisk. The hissing monster wagged its tail as if asking why he was looking at it like that.
“How do you cultivate it? Should I talk to it?”
If that’s all it took, Lee Han could sing lullabies saying ‘become an expensive and precious gem’ every night before bed.
“Do you see ears attached to the orichalcum?”
“…There aren’t any.”
“There is only one way to cultivate orichalcum as desired. The miner’s character.”
In ancient times, a group of evil dwarf miners once wandered around looking for incomplete orichalcum to create the demon sword they desired.
Having finally found what they wanted, they performed a bloody ritual in front of the orichalcum.
Not only did they execute captured prisoners, but they also conducted various tortures and human sacrifices.
In the end, they even swung hammers at each other to complete the orichalcum.
“That orichalcum… what happened to it in the end?”
“It became the evil and vicious metal the dwarfs wanted. In return, it killed the dwarf who remained until the very end.”
Though he was an evil dwarf miner who survived to the end, his final moments were futile.
Before he could even complete the demon sword, the contaminated orichalcum transformed into the shape of a weapon and cut off his breath.
In a way, the dwarf miners’ purpose had been achieved. Though it was completely different from what they had envisioned.
‘How is this being able to cultivate it as desired?’
Lee Han was inwardly bewildered.
Being able to cultivate as desired was usually something you’d say about plants growing in flower pots.
From what he heard, it seemed like a metal that would transform into the shape of a sword and stab its owner’s neck if things went wrong…
By Lee Han’s standards, that wasn’t being able to cultivate it as desired at all.
“…So if I want to cultivate orichalcum as desired, I should show it only the most virtuous and good things?”
“Wrong. Rather than wasting time putting on such pretenses, it would be better to govern it with your pure will, my disciple.”
‘…Do I have such a thing?’
Pure will, he said.
No matter how much he thought about it, all he could imagine was the orichalcum saying ‘give me gold’ after about a month.
If the basilisk whined for food from one sleeve while the orichalcum whined for gold from the other sleeve…
‘That would be terrible.’
“Master…”
“Enough. You’re wasting the royalty’s time needlessly. How are the other magics progressing?”
“Just so-so.”
The Insane Doppelganger clicked his tongue openly.
Though it was a very displeased expression, Lee Han didn’t care.
Originally, disciples were beings who disappointed their masters.
If they didn’t disappoint their masters, they couldn’t even be called disciples!
Otherwise, what would be the point of learning under a master?
“Wasting time needlessly like this…”
The Insane Doppelganger who was speaking paused.
A message had arrived from another dimension.
“It seems the other side has time to spare too.”
“?!”
When his master summoned magical characters in the air with a cynical tone, Lee Han felt an unidentifiable sense of foreboding.
How many people were there who would send such messages to the Insane Doppelganger right now?
No matter how much he thought about it, only one person came to mind…
“Is it perhaps the Yachaowang?”
“That’s right. Seeing you ask, you must want to learn the yachas’ script.”
‘Not really.’
He truly had no desire to learn it, but it was frustrating to watch the Insane Doppelganger read characters in the air that only he knew and nod lightly.
Should he have learned it?
“I see.”
“…What does it say?”
“It says you’ve begun entering the miniature world, my disciple.”
The Insane Doppelganger showed no particular change in expression. That made Lee Han even more afraid.
‘This cursed yatcha bastard?’
Lee Han gritted his teeth.
Despite all the countless despicable tricks he’d endured so far, Lee Han had generously let them slide.
Yet what came back was this kind of ambush.
He truly was a thoroughly evil being.
“It’s called entering, but I’ve only heard explanations. I haven’t grasped it at all yet.”
The Insane Doppelganger didn’t answer.
Instead, he lightly looked Lee Han up and down and fell into thought. Such silence made Lee Han even more afraid.
“Basilios?”
“…Yes, that’s right, but I really only heard explanations…”
“Indeed. As expected.”
The Insane Doppelganger fell into thought again. As the silence lasted longer than before, Lee Han seriously considered escape routes.
“Excellent.”
“?!”
Lee Han was startled by the sudden praise.
“Pardon?”
“I said excellent. I understand wanting to hear praise from royalty twice, but don’t be so greedy.”
“…That’s not it. You said excellent when I haven’t even grasped it yet, so that’s why.”
The Insane Doppelganger fell into thought one last time.
After a long silence, the Insane Doppelganger finally opened his mouth.
“No. Just continue as you are now. That would be best.”
“????”
Lee Han felt even more confused.
Wasn’t the other person mistaken about something?
“You say I just need to do as I’m doing now, but I don’t quite understand… is that even possible?”
“It would be confusing. Royalty has no choice but to show mercy to a dull disciple.”
“Oh. What kind of mercy?”
Lee Han brightened up.
Could there be a book like 【Easy and Quick Guide to Small World Basics】?
* * *
‘Hehe.’
The start of a new week.
Diret hung balloons made of toad leather at the entrance of the 【Poison, Bone, Blood】 lecture hall on the underground 2nd floor, then smiled triumphantly.
Even he thought it was quite well made.
Yukveltire, who was painting darkness on the lecture hall wall beside him, asked with an expression of incomprehension.
“Such pointless work doesn’t help your magic at all…”
“Shut up.”
“But really, for magic…”
“Be quiet.”
“Just because you cut me off illogically doesn’t make your argument right, Diret…”
“Uh. Be silent.”
“…”
Yukveltire finished painting the wall with darkness, her expression slightly more sulky than before.
Diret was an excellent mage, but he often made foolish choices, and now was exactly one of those times.
To think he was using the debt Yukveltire owed for such preparations.
It was like swinging a sword made to kill dragons at a mouse.
But it couldn’t be helped. Except for a few peculiar students, all students inevitably thought ‘If I become a professor, I’ll act differently.’
Diret was the same.
Though he had studied under various cold professors including a certain professor, Diret had firmly resolved that if the moment came for him to teach, he would do it differently from the existing professors.
He would give a lecture where even the learning students would burst into giggles of joy, making everyone happy!
But reality was harsh.
Once the semester started, Diret was already struggling just with lecture preparation. If it weren’t for one abnormally outstanding junior who handled everything from lecture preparation to school funding, it might have been several times more difficult.
Though he had no leisure for a while, an opportunity finally came to Diret.
The lectures had temporarily stopped due to club week.
Diret took advantage of that gap to prepare various things.
Balloons made of toad leather (they made the usually dark and gloomy underground classroom cheerful), lecture hall walls painted with darkness (if you stared intently, you could sometimes see undead poking their faces out and moving), strawberry slush served in skull cups (delicious), and so on.
It was almost disappointing that there was only one junior to see this.
“Hmm. Should I summon undead to sit at the empty desks? To make it feel more like a festival?”
“…”
Yukveltire pretended not to hear and ignored him. Diret kept poking until his friend opened her mouth.
“…I really think it’s a pointless and meaningless action…”
“Right. I should do it.”
“…”
Whether his friend’s fingertips were trembling or not, Diret summoned undead and seated them in chairs.
While preparing, he suddenly thought he should have done this in front of this year’s 1st year students too.
If he had, the number of students applying to the dark magic school would have increased several times over.
‘Won’t my junior be so surprised when he comes in and sees this that he’ll fall over?’
The festival-like (by dark magic standards) lecture hall atmosphere made Diret feel such confidence.
This level seemed good enough to hold a 【Dark Mage Festival】 in the city!
Creak-
With the sound of the door opening, the Wardanaz family junior entered.
Lee Han hesitated at the lecture hall’s appearance, which was very different from usual.
‘What’s this? A trap?’
“You’re surprised!”
Diret shouted as if he had been waiting. Lee Han answered carefully.
“Yes. I’m surprised. But this is… exactly…”
“I decorated the lecture hall a bit while classes were on break. So you can learn joyfully and cheerfully!”
“Ah.”
Only then did Lee Han realize the purpose of the changed lecture hall.
It’s like a festival!
‘It wasn’t a trap after all.’
Once he knew the purpose, answering was easy.
“It’s so wonderful, senior! This is probably the most wonderful lecture hall in Einroguard. If other people knew I was learning in a place like this, they’d really be jealous, wouldn’t they?”
The seasoned junior’s skilled response made Diret happy.
“Really? You mean it?”
“Yes. But senior. There’s one thing I’d like to mention… would that be okay?”
“Junior. Speak comfortably. We’re from the same school, aren’t we?”
Happy Diret didn’t notice that ‘nim’ had somehow been added after ‘senior.’
“Well… it seems like one more person will be attending the lecture.”
“I’m fine with that. Who is it?”
Auditing wasn’t particularly difficult at Einroguard.
Even if it wasn’t a lecture you were taking, if there was knowledge you needed, you could briefly visit and listen.
Diret thought one of Lee Han’s friends needed dark magic knowledge.
“It’s this person.”
“Mage. Begin the teaching.”
At the sight of the insane doppelganger who had quietly entered the lecture hall and sat down while he was chatting with his junior, Diret fell backward in surprise.
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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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