Surviving As A Mage In A Magic Academy [EN]: Chapter 60

When Lee Han realized that Priestess Siana understood him, he got even more excited.

He slapped his forehead and shouted, “Amazing! Just as I thought! Priestess Siana of the Flamen Order, you are incredible!”

Yoner leaned closer and whispered, her voice barely loud enough to hear, “…Are you feeling okay?”

Yoner watched Lee Han with worried eyes. He looked like he had eaten something very strange.

But everyone else seemed happy. Priestess Siana, especially, had a huge smile on her face. Her eyes sparkled with delight, and she stood a little taller, clearly very pleased.

“Just like Lee Han of the Wodanaz family,” she said, “he knows quality when he sees it.”

“Anyone can see how amazing this potion is,” Lee Han replied.

“You’re too kind,” Priestess Siana said, covering her smile and giggling. Lee Han smiled back.

After a few more polite words, Priestess Siana returned to the Phoenix Tower students, looking very happy.

Lee Han sighed.

‘That was tiring,’ he thought.

Pretending to be so excited was more exhausting than he expected.

But it was worth it.

Priestess Siana was now praising Lee Han to the Phoenix Tower students.

-Like someone from the Wodanaz family, he is so polite and knows quality…

-Did something happen, Priestess?

-No, he just really has an eye for…

Seeing this, Lee Han knew he didn’t need to worry about the Phoenix Tower students.

“Yoner, I won’t poison your cup, even if you win the alchemy class,” Lee Han said.

Yoner looked at him, her eyes full of worry. “Are you really not feeling well?” she asked.

The students who had received first aid started to return.

Students with broken legs were carried by those who were able to walk.

Luckily, no more monsters appeared on the way back.

“Bartrek, did Wodanaz hurt you?”

“Bartrek, did Wodanaz brainwash you or something?”

“Bartrek, did Wodanaz use forbidden dark magic on you?”

“I told you, he didn’t!” Bartrek said, confused.

Even when he told them that Lee Han had helped him, no one listened.

“And how could he use forbidden dark magic when we’re all first-years?” Bartrek asked.

“I thought it was just a rumor at first,” one student said. “But look at Wodanaz’s magic.”

“I didn’t believe it either, but seeing Wodanaz, I’m starting to think the rumors might be true,” another added.

The White Tiger Tower students nodded seriously.

Surprisingly, they half-believed the rumors.

“Maybe the Wodanaz family has been secretly training him in magic since he was young,” one suggested.

“The Wodanaz family is truly scary,” another said.

The powerful telekinetic magic Lee Han had shown (even though it was a mistake), and his appearance in the dark magic lecture, were already being exaggerated in the rumors.

Other tower students who interacted with Lee Han more often didn’t have such strange misunderstandings.

They thought, ‘He is charming, just like someone from the Wodanaz family,’ or ‘I heard he controls the Blue Dragon Tower students with very strict rules.’

However, the White Tiger Tower students were different.

They were genuinely terrified!

“Wodanaz doesn’t seem as scary as Moradina and the others said…” Bartrek said, trying to clear up the misunderstanding.

He felt he should at least do this much, since Lee Han had saved his life.

“Bartrek, who summoned the magic that took down the golem earlier?” one student asked.

“…Wodanaz summoned it,” Bartrek admitted.

“Was that flame normal magic?”

Bartrek couldn’t argue. He was speechless.

He couldn’t believe he was losing an argument to people who believed such silly rumors!

“Hey,” Lee Han said.

The White Tiger Tower students jumped, grabbing their wooden swords, their eyes wide with fear.

‘…Are they like animals that only eat plants?’ Lee Han wondered.

“Wh-wh-what is it, Wodanaz…?” one student stammered.

“It’s nothing… you’ve all worked hard, so you must be tired,” Lee Han said, taking out snacks from his backpack.

They were the oldest snacks he had, but they were still tasty enough: flat baked bread with sweet jam and cookies covered in sugar.

Lee Han decided to eat the food before it went bad and show off a little.

The White Tiger Tower students had started the trouble, so he had acted like, ‘Who dislikes me for no reason? I’ll give them a reason,’ but Lee Han didn’t like pointless fights.

“Th-thank you, Wodanaz,” one of the students said.

The White Tiger Tower students looked conflicted, wondering, ‘Will I be okay if I eat this?’ and ‘But I’m so hungry.’

Hunger won.

At their age, it was hard to resist such strong hunger.

“Bartrek of the Bark family? I heard you’re from the East. Here, take this rice ball and rice cake,” Lee Han said.

Bartrek was touched by Lee Han’s kindness.

He was showing kindness by remembering Bartrek’s home.

Since the Empire was so big, students weren’t usually interested in food from other regions.

Besides, Wodanaz wasn’t from the East either.

Yet he was being so kind.

Maybe the rumors about Wodanaz were too much.

After Lee Han left, the White Tiger Tower students, who were quickly eating the snacks, seemed to agree.

“Maybe we misunderstood…” one said.

“Did you guys hear?! I heard the Blue Dragon Tower guys saying Wodanaz took down the mud golem with one water magic spell!! They say he made a dragon out of water!”

The White Tiger Tower students were shocked.

He’s really…

Wodanaz is really scary!

Professor Thunderfoot, who had been drinking, suddenly realized something.

‘Huh? Where are the vegetables?’

He had brought the vegetables that Lee Han had picked, but they were gone.

It couldn’t have been Headmaster Skull who ate them, so there was only one person who could have.

“What’s wrong?” Professor Inguldel asked, noticing Professor Thunderfoot’s look.

“Ah, it’s nothing. You… you really like vegetables,” Professor Thunderfoot said.

Headmaster Skull thought, ‘Oh no, Thunderfoot. Do you still think all elves like vegetables? That might have been true a long time ago. As a leader of this school, I am sad. Does that mean you like beer because you’re a dwarf?’

“I do, though?” Professor Inguldel said.

“Oh. I’m sorry,” Professor Thunderfoot replied.

“It’s not that I only like vegetables, but they’re very delicious, so I keep eating them,” Professor Inguldel explained.

“Is that so?” Professor Thunderfoot asked.

Headmaster Skull thought, ‘You don’t really like vegetables that much, do you?’

“I do! I eat them when I eat them,” Professor Inguldel insisted.

Headmaster Skull thought, ‘You only eat a little, with meat juice. Why are you bothering Professor Inguldel about that?’

“I’m really sorr…” Professor Thunderfoot started.

“It’s alright! Ah. Please stop!” Professor Thunderfoot said.

Professor Thunderfoot promised himself never to invite Headmaster Skull to his cabin again.

Since Headmaster Skull couldn’t eat or drink, he enjoyed bothering others.

‘But I am curious,’ Professor Thunderfoot thought.

It’s normal to be curious when you can’t have something. Professor Thunderfoot smacked his lips.

The students are coming back. I said everyone would be fine, didn’t I?

Professor Inguldel jumped up and ran to the door. Headmaster Skull shook his head.

To be so kind…

The students weren’t surprised to see Professor Thunderfoot and Professor Inguldel waiting.

They already knew from Lee Han.

Instead, they glared with anger.

‘When I become a great archmage, I’m going to defeat these professors first,’ one thought.

‘When I become the best swordsman, I’m going to destroy these professors,’ another thought.

‘When I become a high-ranking official…’

Professor Thunderfoot laughed cheerfully.

“Everyone had a good trip!” he said.

“Yes… it was very enjoyable, Professor,” one student said sarcastically.

“It seems everyone learned something. This is what alchemy is like. It’s best to always be careful, because danger can happen at any time,” Professor Thunderfoot said.

The students seriously thought about attacking Professor Thunderfoot.

‘I want to create a crisis for that professor!’ one thought.

Professor Inguldel apologized, looking sorry.

“Everyone, I’m sorry. I really wanted to stay…” he said.

“Sure, you did,” a student replied sarcastically.

“Hmph. You’re all the same,” another said.

Professor Inguldel was confused.

“I’m serious! The Headmaster appeared and teleported me away…” he explained.

“That’s enough, Professor,” a student said.

“We won’t trust anyone anymore. Isn’t that what the school wanted?” another added.

Having gone through the trials, the students had become tougher and more distrustful of the professors.

Professor Inguldel’s heart ached as his students, who had shared their lives, now looked at him with distrust.

Professor Thunderfoot pretended not to see Professor Inguldel’s sad face.

‘It’s not my fault, Professor Inguldel. Blame Gonadaltez,’ he thought.

Lee Han was confused by Professor Inguldel’s reaction.

‘Huh? Professor Inguldel really didn’t know?’ he wondered.

Of course, he could be acting, but Professor Inguldel’s reaction seemed real.

The excuse that the Headmaster had kidnapped him was too strange for anyone to believe.

‘But it’s not impossible. He is capable of it,’ Lee Han thought.

The bone summon rattled and pointed towards the cabin.

Lee Han felt the same magical power he had felt in the mountains, coming from the cabin.

He remembered whose power it was: the Headmaster’s.

‘It was real?!’ Lee Han thought, shocked.

How could he just kidnap a professor?

‘But it’s not surprising. It’s something he would do,’ Lee Han thought, quickly regaining his composure.

He said to Professor Inguldel, “Professor, I believe you. The Headmaster must have kidnapped you.”

Professor Inguldel was so touched that tears filled his eyes. “Student Wodanaz…!” he exclaimed.

Professor Thunderfoot, after checking all the students, became curious.

How did the students solve the trial he had prepared?

“So, how did you solve it?” he asked.

“Wodanaz blew away the mud golem with the magic,” one student said.

“And Wodanaz burned the other mud golem,” another added.

Professor Thunderfoot was confused.

He didn’t know where to begin.

“Wait… wait. Just a moment,” he said.

“Why are mud golems appearing? What about the bull? Where did the bull go?”

“What again… Professor. Please stop. Do you think we’re kids?” a Blue Dragon Tower student asked.

The Blue Dragon Tower students scoffed.

Professor Thunderfoot was trying to trick them again.

‘We won’t be fooled again!’ they thought.

“No…! Really, why are mud golems appearing? I didn’t prepare mud golems?” Professor Thunderfoot insisted.

“Ha. Sure, you didn’t. They came out ‘by accident,’ right?” a student said sarcastically.

“Did everyone hear? Professor Thunderfoot said they came out by accident! Let’s believe him!” another added.

Professor Thunderfoot paused, thinking about his choices for a moment.