Surviving as a Mage in a Magic Academy - Chapter 984

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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 984

Lee Han was surprised.

‘I can’t believe that actually worked.’

Even he himself hadn’t been confident it would work when he threw it out there, so he was rather amazed when the other person showed a reaction.

“What are you doing.”

“Ah. Yes. I’ll guide you right away.”

Lee Han, who had unconsciously responded to the Insane Doppelganger’s words, belatedly realized the problem.

Come to think of it, while the Insane Doppelganger might want to see Senior Catten, there was no way to know if Senior Catten would feel the same.

In terms of combat ability alone, if a senior who was among the top in the 5th year held a grudge, life at Einroguard could become a bit more difficult going forward.

‘…I’ll have to say he was forced to come along.’

* * *

“J-Junior!”

Catten, a 5th year student from the White Tiger Tower, looked at Lee Han with tears welling up in his eyes.

They weren’t tears of betrayal and anger, but tears of emotion.

“To think you’d bring such a great person for this worthless mage…”

“…I really like you, Senior. Haha.”

Swoosh!

Catten couldn’t contain his emotion and hugged Lee Han.

A cat beastman’s build was generally smaller than a human’s, and Catten was no exception to this.

However, his strength was beyond imagination. Even Lee Han, who had taken attacks from formidable enemies with his body, almost screamed.

“…Gah! Senior. It hurts.”

“Ah, sorry. Junior. I was too happy.”

Catten quickly apologized.

He was so overjoyed at seeing the Skeleton Principal’s projection that he couldn’t control his strength.

“A chance to learn from the Principal’s projection…”

“Why didn’t you ask the Principal directly?”

Lee Han was puzzled.

Of course, most Einroguard students didn’t particularly prefer asking the Skeleton Principal questions.

No matter how mad the Einroguard students were, there were limits.

They would ask professors, but why would they ask a crazy Archmage?

However, from Lee Han’s perspective, with Senior Catten’s level of madness, it wouldn’t be strange for him to ask the Skeleton Principal about magic.

Above all, for a 5th year, it would be rarer to have never asked the Skeleton Principal a question…

“I used to ask many questions before.”

Catten answered in a slightly dejected voice.

“But at some point, he started avoiding me.”

“…”

Lee Han was honestly impressed.

To think he had such persistence that even the Skeleton Principal got sick of it and ran away.

‘Amazing!’

“He’s clearly inside but says he’s not there…”

“It’s too much for him to tell such lies.”

“I knew Junior would think that way. So I broke down the wall and invaded, but ended up in the punishment room…”

“…”

“But I’m so happy that I get a chance to learn like this!”

Catten smiled brightly.

However, Lee Han suddenly began to worry.

If even the Skeleton Principal ran away thinking he couldn’t handle teaching him, would his projection be any different?

‘He won’t get angry at me, will he.’

“Please teach me!”

Unaware of Lee Han’s inner thoughts, Catten showed proper courtesy.

“At least you know basic manners. Unlike that mage.”

‘Meeting Professor Verdus first might have been fortunate.’

Lee Han breathed a sigh of relief at the Insane Doppelganger’s reaction.

Perhaps because he met Professor Verdus first, all the mages after that were benefiting by comparison.

“If you wish to receive teaching, show your skills before royalty.”

“Yes!”

Catten answered cheerfully and drew his sword.

The swordplay of Einroguard’s most frequently failing 5th year student, which Lee Han had seen several times, began.

It could truly be called the culmination of all magic possible with a sword. In fact, who else in the Empire would do such a thing?

When he finally manifested a primitive small world, the Insane Doppelganger’s eyebrows moved faintly.

As reality near the sword changed and the blazing aura turned to water, the Insane Doppelganger clicked his tongue as if absurd.

Even in ancient times, swordsmen born with this level of talent were rare.

It wasn’t mundane talents like having excellent sensitivity to mana or sharp ability to perceive one’s own body.

The boldness to throw oneself to destroy the world!

Some might call this crude or violent, but this was a talent that swordsmen should rightfully possess.

If mages transform the world, then swordsmen tear the world apart.

The problem was…

“Isn’t it amazing?”

“The waste is amazing. Why is he doing such inefficient things with such talent?”

…that he kept doing strange things with such talent.

If he’s a swordsman, he should delve into his inner self, so why is he forcibly manifesting a primitive small world?

“Senior is very interested in magic.”

“Then those around him should have properly stopped him.”

“Isn’t that Senior’s choice? No matter how reckless it seems, if he wants to do it… all I or others can do is just give advice.”

At Lee Han’s words, the Insane Doppelganger paused for a moment.

At his master’s reaction, Lee Han immediately took a defensive stance.

‘The defensive magic I can use right now is…’

“I see. That’s quite a reasonable statement.”

“!”

Lee Han was startled when the other person acknowledged it instead of getting angry and saying ‘What nonsense!’

‘Could he really be in an incredibly good mood?’

If not, there was really no other explanation.

“Are you acknowledging it?”

“What?”

“Uh… I mean, Senior’s reckless choice…”

“What do I care. He’s not even royalty’s disciple anyway. But he’d be useful as a guard.”

The Insane Doppelganger evaluated Catten much higher than Lee Han had thought.

While mages don’t need to travel with guards once they reach a certain level, they need protection until they reach that level.

Having such a swordsman as a guard wouldn’t be bad at all.

“Good. I shall teach you magic.”

“I-Is that really true!”

Catten exclaimed in a voice full of emotion. The Insane Doppelganger nodded and said.

“What magic are you curious about? Ancient secrets, black magic, small worlds, reverse magic, incantations, souls…”

“I want to learn 【Basic Flame Barrier】!”

“…?”

The Insane Doppelganger doubted his ears and looked at Lee Han. Lee Han subtly averted his gaze.

“I want to learn 【Basic Flame Barrier】! Please teach me!”

“…”

The Insane Doppelganger, who had only known that the other person’s swordsmanship talent was outstanding, was shocked to discover that their magical talent was this terrible.

No matter what, he hadn’t expected the level to be this low…?!

* * *

The Insane Doppelganger’s teachings were truly profound and mysterious.

And they were far too difficult for Catten to understand.

The more he taught the other person, the more the Insane Doppelganger realized what an outstanding genius his original disciple had been.

“Thank you for your teachings!”

“…”

When the lesson ended, the thoroughly exhausted Insane Doppelganger turned away without a word.

Lee Han cautiously asked Catten.

“Was it somewhat helpful?”

“Not at all, junior!”

“…I’m sorry.”

“Why are you sorry? I’m quite happy.”

Catten looked at his junior as if asking what he was talking about.

Catten’s history of failures had been far too long to feel sad just because he couldn’t learn and immediately comprehend something.

He wouldn’t be disappointed or saddened by something like this at this point.

Lee Han found himself slightly moved by his senior’s unwavering attitude.

If it were him, he would have wavered or collapsed, yet such steadfastness.

‘How admirable.’

Indeed, having such a mindset was why he could continue training without wavering even in the Punishment Room.

While his junior sent him looks of respect, Catten lightly packed his belongings. Seeing him pack emergency rations and several artifacts, Lee Han asked with a curious voice.

“Where are you going after the lecture?”

“I’m planning to visit the Frost Giants’ dimension.”

“Oh. I also encountered Frost Giants in a dimension I visited recently. How interesting.”

To be precise, it was about the dimension he had visited during Professor Milay’s lecture time.

Professor Milay had suggested that students visit and map unfamiliar dimensions for the basics of summoning magic this semester…

…Lee Han and his friends had easily completed it with Arsil’s help, but instead got cursed with having to additionally bring back artifacts obtained by Frost Giants.

Dealing with evil and powerful beings was always dangerous.

But Catten was planning to visit the Frost Giants’ dimension.

It was an interesting coincidence.

“That’s the dimension, junior.”

“…What!?”

Lee Han was startled.

Why would Catten want to go to the dimension that Lee Han and his friends had visited?

“Professor Ingoldel asked me to. To check if it’s a suitable place for final exams.”

“No, no. How could a dangerous dimension where Frost Giants appear be a suitable place for final exams?”

Feeling betrayed by the professor he had trusted, Lee Han cried out with a trembling voice.

How could Professor Ingoldel, not Professor Boladi, conduct such a cruel exam?

Perhaps sensing his junior’s emotions, Catten looked slightly flustered.

“I don’t really know either… The professor said that since 2nd year students seem to frequently visit other dimensions, rather than stopping them, she wanted to help them prepare for it.”

“What lunatic spread such ridiculous rumors!”

As Lee Han raged, he suddenly felt a memory surfacing.

Come to think of it, it was Lee Han himself who had submitted an assignment to Professor Ingoldel about visiting the dimension where the Arrogance Duke, Gwangmok King, and Arsil were.

It wouldn’t have been strange if Professor Ingoldel had sighed after seeing that, thinking ‘2nd year students actively visit other dimensions without knowing the dangers.’

Could it be?

“Hmm. If you’re really curious, junior, I’ll ask the professor to find the culprit…”

“Now that it’s come to this, what does it matter who spread it? I’ll just face it calmly like an Einroguard student.”

Catten was impressed by Lee Han’s attitude.

Though he was a junior, such a composed and bold attitude was worth learning from.

‘Wait. This might be a good opportunity to bring back the artifacts too.’

Lee Han fell into thought.

This week was the Insane Doppelganger’s surveillance week, but he didn’t know when this companionship would end.

Like the Skeleton Principal, that doppelganger was also eccentric and capricious.

Wouldn’t it be right to bring back the Frost Giants’ artifacts while the Insane Doppelganger and Catten were beside him?

“Senior. I’ll help you too. My next lecture period happens to be free.”

“How can that be!”

“Of course, you must be surprised that I, still a 2nd year, would go along. But my master will come too…”

“No. I’m surprised that your next lecture period is free, junior.”

“…”

Lee Han was dumbfounded.

“From when you asked the question earlier, I thought you might want to come along. You like that sort of thing, junior.”

“What dimension’s senior’s junior likes that sort of… Never mind. I’ll take it that you’ve given permission.”

Not wanting to waste time and energy here, Lee Han cleanly backed down.

He also had to persuade the Insane Doppelganger.

“Master. Today’s lecture is over, and my senior…”

When he told the story about the dimension where Frost Giants appeared and their treasures, the Insane Doppelganger listened silently.

Then he spoke.

“Actually, when you came to attend this lecture, I suspected you might be trying to slack off in your studies.”

“!”

How did he know?

Lee Han shuddered at his master’s sharp deduction.

Showing Senior Catten to the Insane Doppelganger had definitely been partly intended to ease the pressure on Lee Han himself.

“However, seeing what you just said, it was royalty’s mistake. Did you come specifically for this?”

“…Exactly. I’ve been planning this for a long time.”

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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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