Surviving As A Mage In A Magic Academy [EN]: Chapter 279

Anglophone was pulled into the hallway.

Holding the scruff of his neck, Anglophone apologized.

“Gack, gack… Wodanaz, I’m sorry. I was tricked, too.”

“If you were tricked, you still should have turned in *something*, you idiot!” Wodanaz yelled. “What do you mean, ‘tricked’? You didn’t even try to do the assignment!”

Seeing Wodanaz’s angry face, Anglophone thought, *‘Oh no,’* he thought, *’Wodanaz is really mad!’*

Anglophone really thought there would be no extension.

Anglophone didn’t have the ability to quickly create and submit something like Wodanaz.

So, he was just hanging out with the White Tiger Tower students, thinking, ‘What’s so important about studying? I have friends here, so I’m fine,’ but…

Anglophone, still rubbing his neck, asked nervously, “But… the professor liked your assignment, right?”

Wodanaz glared at him. “You’re lucky Professor Alpen liked it! Otherwise, you wouldn’t just be in the hallway. You’d be in the basement!”

Wodanaz had rushed to finish the assignment. To be kind, it was a brave, last-minute idea. To be honest, it was just thrown together.

It worked out because Professor Alpen was in a good mood. But if the professor hadn’t liked it, Wodanaz would have looked like a crazy person who didn’t follow the rules.

Wodanaz shook Anglophone by the collar a few more times and then let him go.

Anyway, the assignment was successful, so he’d let him off this easily.

Otherwise, he would have dragged him to the basement that Professor Voladi had told him about earlier.

“In the first place, you White Tiger Tower guys are too easily swayed by rumors. Do you know that? Rumors aren’t meant to be blindly believed when you hear them, but…”

“……”

As punishment for spreading the rumors, Anglophone had to listen to Wodanaz’s nagging as they went back into the lecture hall. Wodanaz kept nagging him without stopping.

“Are you listening?”

“Y-yeah.”

“A knight should know honor and act seriously. How can you be so swayed by rumors? It happened before, too. Some White Tiger Tower student was spreading rumors that I had mastered some evil vision.”

‘That seems to have some truth to it…’

“When you hear such nonsense, you should firmly put a stop to it as a friend from the same tower. Understand? Are you listening?”

“Yeah, yeah. I’m listening.”

“Tell me what I just said.”

“……”

Anglophone promised himself he would never spread rumors again.

Rumors that are not true can really hurt someone.

“Thanks, Wodanaz.”

“It’s my responsibility, too.”

Wodanaz went back to the lecture hall and helped his friends with their projects again.

Considering the amount of silver he had received, he couldn’t just leave them alone.

“You’re talking about the responsibility of being the top student in the year.”

“No? What nonsense…”

“Aren’t you?”

Touched, Asan scratched his head with an awkward expression.

Yoner was carefully putting together a glass display case for his potions. It was filled with colorful liquids that bubbled slightly. He stopped for a moment and asked,

“Wait a minute. Come to think of it, when I asked you last time if you were going to solve it with magic alone, you said no, right?”

“Gainan, focus.”

Wodanaz changed the subject, pretending not to hear. Gainan was sitting up, but his eyes were half-closed, and his hammer almost fell from his hand. He was pretending to be awake and was startled.

“Oh, how did you know!?”

“……”

Yoner stared intently from behind. Wodanaz quickly moved away.

“What are you all worried about?”

Wodanaz tilted his head, seeing several students gathered together, talking to each other. They looked very serious as they talked about the assignment.

‘Good to see.’

Compared to Gainan dozing off just now, this was a very pleasing sight.

Indeed, a student’s duty lies in study…

“Ah, Mr. Wodanaz.”

Neblen and Rowena stopped talking and looked at Wodanaz.

It wasn’t just the two of them; other students looked familiar as well. They were followers of the princess he had seen a few times.

“What is it?”

Wodanaz felt a slight sense of foreboding.

And that foreboding soon turned out to be true.

“We were discussing whether to go with the original plan of the design submitted by Her Highness, or to change it because we don’t have much time.”

“……”

‘I’d rather have Gainan dozing off.’

Wodanaz looked at his friends with contempt and pity.

Regardless, the princess’s followers continued their discussion very seriously.

“Of course, we should go with the original plan! Do you doubt Her Highness’s abilities?”

“That’s right. Now that Her Highness has submitted the design, if we don’t submit it according to that design, our honor and pride will be ruined.”

‘These guys are crazy.’

Wodanaz quickly realized.

Even if a design is submitted, you can change it a little depending on the situation. How could changing it ruin your honor and pride?

Then, is Wodanaz, who omitted all the contents of the design, shameless?

It’s never good to be around crazy people.

Wodanaz quietly tried to back away.

However, the evil princess’s followers didn’t let Wodanaz escape.

“Mr. Wodanaz, what do you think?”

“That’s right. Please give us your opinion, Mr. Wodanaz.”

Wodanaz glanced at Gainan.

Unfortunately, Gainan was very focused. He couldn’t find fault and escape.

‘Damn it. He should focus like this all the time.’

“I think you guys can make a decision among yourselves.”

“No. If Mr. Wodanaz says something, even those who disagree will be convinced.”

Apparently, the princess’s followers preferred to create a unanimous decision through peaceful persuasion.

The majority were saying, ‘Let’s go with the original plan,’ but…

Surprisingly, there was one follower who was reasonable.

A student from the Black Tortoise Tower, he was the only one arguing, ‘The situation has changed, so let’s change the plan.’

‘There was a normal person among the followers.’

Wodanaz asked, having disrespectful thoughts.

“What’s your name?”

“Volcat.”

“Okay, Volcat. What’s your argument?”

Volcat spoke clearly, like someone used to explaining things. “I think it’s impossible in the time we have. I respect the princess’s abilities, but the princess also has to prepare for other exams. I worked as a craftsman before entering the school. It’s impossible to complete this within the time limit.”

“Indeed.”

Wodanaz was impressed.

Like a normal person, he was making a reasonable argument based on his own experience.

“Volcat! I respect your abilities and family, but I can’t accept you limiting Her Highness’s abilities like that!”

The room was buzzing with voices. Some people were saying, “That’s right! Her Highness the Princess is more than capable!” But others looked worried. One person muttered, “But the opponents are lunatics.”

Lee Han frowned to himself.

Volkatt made a mistake by getting involved with those crazy people.

That’s why he’s in trouble now!

Lee Han knew some people could be reasoned with, but these ‘lunatics’ probably couldn’t.

People disagree so strongly.

Just as he was trying to quietly leave, someone gently tugged at the end of Lee Han’s coat.

” ? ”

Lee Han stopped speaking and turned his head.

The Princess was desperately crossing both index fingers under the desk.

“……”

Her face and eyes were expressionless, but her hand gestures showed she was desperate.

Anyone would understand that ‘Please stop them!’ signal.

Lee Han paused. Neblen, who had been listening, spoke.

“So, you’re saying we should decide by majority vote?”

“Wrong, Neblen.”

“Huh? But… didn’t you just say voting might be okay?”

“No, Neblen. In magic, we can’t just vote on what’s right. There *is* a right answer, and a wrong answer.”

“!?”

Lee Han, with a serious face, made a silly argument.

Speaking seriously with an expressionless face, the Princess’s followers were so surprised by his serious face that they forgot to point out, “But you just said it!”

“Did you see me submit the magic devices?”

“We, we did see it, but…”

“Even after seeing the magic devices, you still don’t understand? This is typical of Her Highness’s followers.”

Lee Han was thinking fast while he talked.

What believable lie could he tell to trick these followers, like he might trick Gainan?

‘Should I have just ignored it?’ Lee Han thought.

But he didn’t want to, especially because of the silver coins he got for helping the Princess.

Besides, the Princess knew a lot of important people.

Lee Han worried that if the Princess went on vacation and just mentioned, ‘Wardanaz didn’t help me,’ it could become a big, untrue rumour.

Lee Han had been hurt by mean rumours before, after a small fight with students from the White Tiger Tower. So, he was careful about this.

“Grant me wisdom, Wardanaz.”

“What did we miss?”

“So… Professor Knighton is also checking if we are brave and can think quickly in this class. I knew that, so I made my design very short.”

“!!”

The Princess’s followers were taken aback.

Now that they heard it, it seemed plausible.

Otherwise, why would a good student like Wardanaz make a short design?

“Do you understand? Originally, Her Highness the Princess would have also greatly abbreviated the design to match the purpose of the lecture. But she was waiting, not wanting to say it because she thought you would be embarrassed.”

“Th-that’s…!”

“We are sorry, Your Highness! We should have realized it!”

Lee Han was relieved it worked.

The Princess, surrounded by her followers and receiving apologies, glanced at Lee Han and slightly lowered her head.

It was a thank you for helping her escape.

Lee Han grinned and made a circle with his fingers.

‘Repay me later with silver coins.’

Seeing that, the Princess widened her eyes slightly.

‘Is he saying it’s no problem?!’

To say it’s okay even after helping her so much.

She was once again ashamed of herself for misunderstanding Wardanaz at the beginning of the semester.

The Princess made a small circle with her fingers, meaning she understood.

‘He really is a genius, just like everyone says in the Empire.’

Lee Han was pleased.

Unlike Gainan, the Princess understood quickly.

And the best way to show gratitude is with money!

“Hello, Professor.”

Professor Passelet Krauer, who taught Prophecy Magic, greeted the students as they came in for the exam.

“My personality will change into a violent and threatening one in about 30 minutes, so avoid talking to me if possible.”

“…Yes!”

They sometimes forgot, but none of the professors at this magic school were normal.

“Is everyone seated? Then, let’s begin the final exam.”

Professor Passelet waved his wand. Then, words appeared on the blackboard.

Predict what will be on the Prophecy Magic final exam.

“?????”

“Start.”

Professor Passelet sat down in his seat.

Naturally, the students fell into utter chaos.

It was the final exam now, and they were being asked to predict what would be on the final exam.

It was a strange question, like a puzzle that made no sense.

‘But some of them are clever,’ Professor Passelet thought, looking at the students.

Some were in chaos, clutching their heads, but others were lost in deep thought.

They were clearly trying to figure out the strange question.

‘For someone who uses Prophecy Magic, it’s more important to *not* use it too much than to be good at predicting the future.’

It sounded paradoxical, but it was true.

It’s easy to get addicted to seeing the future.

A magician who got too caught up in this would not be a good Prophecy Magic user for long.

The best Prophecy Magic users were the ones who were afraid of prophecy and avoided using it unless they really needed to.

And the final exam question was a problem that taught exactly that point.

If someone just tried to use Prophecy Magic to answer the question, they would get stuck and not be able to finish the exam.

‘Wardanaz understands it,’ Professor Passelet thought, looking at Lee Han.

Lee Han had been amazing in class from the start.

Even though Professor Passelet didn’t usually care much about students, he was interested in Lee Han.

Just like he expected from someone so talented, Lee Han saw the trick in the question…

“?! ?”

Professor Passelet was surprised.

Lee Han was using Prophecy Magic!

And he kept going!

‘He should be stuck!’