Surviving As A Mage In A Magic Academy [EN]: Chapter 351

Ihan was about to say something rude about Professor Beggret. But then he saw Professor Voladi standing right next to him. So, he changed what he was going to say. “Actually,” Ihan said, “isn’t it obvious? Most people in the Empire are ruder than Professor Beggret.”

“Are you serious?” Yumidihus was very surprised. He looked at Professor Voladi, as if asking, “Is this true?” But Professor Voladi didn’t even blink and said, “Thank you. That’s very kind of you to say.”

“Haha,” Ihan laughed. “I’m just saying what everyone thinks.” Yumidihus didn’t say anything. He was surprised by how strange the teacher and student were. “Even if he is your teacher, you should try to be fair,” Yumidihus said. “But never mind. Let’s go now.”

Yumidihus called for a carriage. It appeared in front of them, pulled by water spirits. These spirits were very big and strong. When they opened the door, the inside of the carriage was surprisingly large, much bigger than it looked from the outside. It was perfect for a water wizard like Yumidihus. Inside, it looked like a sea and rivers were flowing above them.

Yumidihus easily walked into the water and leaned back, looking very relaxed. The water moved away from him, holding him up like a chair.

“What is it?” he asked.

“Um, Yumidihus, sir,” Ihan whispered quietly. “Exactly how is your student ruder than Professor Beggret?” Yumidihus saw Ihan whispering and thought that maybe Ihan didn’t like Voladi very much.

Nilia and Yoner were eating lollipops and whistling. Then, a lovely mermaid song came from their mouths. They understood why the ‘Mermaid Lollipop’ was the most popular candy in the shop!

“Gainando, you try one too,” Nilia said.

“No,” Gainando said. “Ihan isn’t here.”

“Professor Garcia said he had to go away for some work,” Yoner explained.

“Why does he always get taken away?” Gainando grumbled.

Gainando grumbled and pushed the lollipop away that Retford offered. He really wanted to eat it, but he wanted to show he was still upset.

“It’s because Ihan knows so many people and the professors like him so much…” Retford said.

“If they like him,” Gainando said loudly, “they should take care of him, not keep taking him away!” Gainando was angry, and his three friends quietly agreed.

‘Yes, that’s right,’ they thought. ‘If the professors liked Ihan, they should let him rest and have fun during the holidays. They shouldn’t keep taking him away from his friends!’ Gainando was still sulking because they had come out to play, but the professors had taken his friend again.

“But Professor Garcia said he’ll be back soon this time,” Retford said.

“Yes,” Yoner agreed. “Professor Garcia said it’s not a big problem this time.”

“Hmph,” Gainando said. “How can I believe them? They might change their minds and take him again after they finish their work.” If older students from Einrogard heard Gainando say this, they would think, ‘This young student understands the truth!’ Professors often don’t keep their promises.

“If that happens,” Yoner said, “let’s go save him!”

“Save him?” Gainando liked that idea.

“Yes,” Yoner said. “Professors have a good heart, so they will let him go if we go to get him.”

“That’s right!” Retford agreed. “Also, we are in the city. They will be careful because people are watching, right?” Gainando’s face lit up.

Inside Einrogard school, a professor could send you to punishment very easily. But this was outside the school. If they shouted very loudly, ‘People! There is a crazy wizard here who is using a noble from the Wodanaz family unfairly!’ wouldn’t the professors have to let him go because they would be too ashamed in front of everyone?

Yoner didn’t understand how far Gainando’s ideas were going, but he nodded.

“Yes. Let’s go save him.”

“That’s right! I’ll open any lock!” Nilia said.

“And I’ll shoot a fire arrow and burn it!” Retford added.

“…Wait,” Yoner said, starting to worry. “Did I say save him? Or did I say fight?” While Yoner was getting worried, Gainando suddenly shouted.

“Th-there!!”

“What?” Nilia asked.

“That carriage! That carriage!” Gainando pointed.

“What about that carriage?” Retford asked.

“Ihan is being taken away! He’s being pulled into that carriage!” Gainando yelled.

“…!!”

“That’s crazy!” Nilia gasped.

Nilia was very shocked. Professors were professors, after all. They were trying to get away without being followed by taking him out of the city. In the cold northern mountains, even bad people from the Empire sometimes ran away to hide… ‘This isn’t the first time they’ve taken him!’ Nilia thought.

“Chase them! We have to chase them, Nilia!” Gainando shouted.

“What? That thing?” Nilia asked, confused.

“You are… you are… that thing! Yes! The amazing Shadow Patrol!” Gainando was so desperate he even praised Nilia, which he almost never did.

Retford added quickly, “That’s right! Who else can follow that carriage except the Shadow Patrol!”

“…Hmph,” Nilia said, puffing out her chest. “I have no choice then. Everyone, come on!” Yoner followed his three friends, thinking, ‘Should I stop them? Maybe I should stop them now?’

Alsicl Pengaerin. He was Yumidihus’s student (even though Yumidihus said he wasn’t), and he said he was even ruder than Professor Voladi. Ihan couldn’t believe it.

“Is that even possible?” he thought.

“From the first time he came to me,” Yumidihus said, “Alsicl said he liked ice magic.”

“I see,” Ihan said. He nodded and listened. But he still didn’t really understand.

“So, he wanted to learn water magic,” Yumidihus continued.

“Yes, because water and ice magic are more similar than other types of magic.”

“Right,” Ihan said. “So, he asked me to teach him water magic, like I was just a step for him to reach his goal.”

“Yes… Wait, what?” Ihan stopped listening for a moment. ‘Did I hear that right?’ he thought.

“What did you just say?” he asked.

“To be exact,” Yumidihus said, “he said he would give me the special chance to be like a stepping stone. He said I could help him learn ice magic in the future.”

‘Is he crazy?’ Ihan thought, feeling confused.

Usually, if you want to learn magic from someone, you should be polite and say, ‘Please teach me.’ You shouldn’t say, ‘I’m giving you a chance to teach me.’ Even Gainando knew that!

“Is he maybe from Einrogard school?” Ihan asked.

“No,” Yumidihus said. “And surprisingly, people from Einrogard don’t act like that.”

“Ah, that’s true, I guess,” Ihan said. He agreed. If Alsicl had gone to Einrogard with that attitude, he would probably still be in punishment and never graduate. Einrogard was a tough place that taught even rude students to be polite.

“I don’t understand,” Ihan said. “You taught magic to someone like that?”

“He was talented, though,” Yumidihus said. “Magic skill is most important. Personality is less important.”

‘No wonder he is Professor Voladi’s teacher,’ Ihan thought. Ihan started to think less of Yumidihus. He thought of an old saying: ‘People who are similar like to be together.’

“Of course,” Yumidihus added, “I made sure he didn’t say rude things to me.”

“Good job,” Ihan said. “Ah, maybe he has learned from his mistakes and is trying to be better now…”

“Not really,” Yumidihus said.

‘…’ Some people just never change, no matter what you do to them. And Yumidihus’s student, who they were going to meet now, was one of those people.

Not all talented wizards in the Empire went to Einrogard school. Some talented wizards went to other magic schools for different reasons. And some decided to study by themselves instead of going to any school. Alsicl from the Pengaerin family was one of these. He didn’t go to a magic school. Instead, his family paid for a teacher to teach him privately! If he had gone to a magic school, maybe his personality would have become better. But because he learned alone, it didn’t happen. Also, Alsicl was very, very talented at magic. He didn’t go to school, but everyone said he was amazing at every magic he learned. So, it was not surprising that he became very proud and thought he was better than everyone else. That’s why he went to Yumidihus and said, ‘I’m giving you a chance to be my teacher.’ Of course, Yumidihus taught him a lesson! Anyway, Alsicl learned water magic from Yumidihus (after getting beaten up a bit). When he got good at it, he moved on to the next thing. Like many wizards who wanted to really focus on magic research, he built a tall tower in a place with lots of natural magic and made his own workshop there. His tower was deep in a snowy mountain valley. It was hard to get to, but it was perfect for magic research.

“Yumidihus, why are you here?” Alsicl asked. He tried to push his long hair out of his face. It was getting annoying because he hadn’t cut it in a long time. The water spirit that Yumidihus sent as a message wrote words in the air.

“Do you have a student for me to teach?” The water spirit nodded. Alsicl seemed a little happy about that answer.

“Well, there is no wizard as good as me,” Alsicl said. “I understand why Yumidihus wants me to teach.” The water spirit seemed to feel sick, but Alsicl didn’t notice because he was only thinking about himself. Yumidihus, a very famous and powerful wizard, was recommending him as a teacher! This made Alsicl very happy.

“Okay! Bring him in!” Alsicl shouted. “But remember this! My lessons are very hard and complicated. So, if he can’t understand them, it’s not my fault. And if Yumidihus’s student is not as talented as me, that’s not my fault either!” The water spirit looked like it was going to throw up, and then it went back. Alsicl laughed loudly into the valley. Then, he suddenly remembered something and made a mirror out of ice in the air.

“Ugh, my hair is a mess!” he said. “I need to comb it.”

“He is surprisingly agreeing to this,” Ihan said. He was surprised to see that the ice blocking the valley was now making a path. ‘Maybe hitting people is a good thing after all?’ he thought. How hard did Yumidihus hit him to make him open the path so quickly after getting the request?

“Alsicl is having some problems right now,” Yumidihus explained. “That’s why.”

“Problems?” Ihan asked.

“Yes. He hasn’t made any progress with his magic research for years. You haven’t heard any news from the Imperial Academy?” Yumidihus said. Many wizards build towers and workshops in faraway valleys because they want to really focus on research. But most of them don’t actually get good results. Many of them struggle with impossible goals and ideas. Finally, they close their workshops. Or, very rarely, they go crazy and try to take over nearby lands. That’s how difficult and stressful magic research can be. It must be even harder for a proud wizard like Alsicl.

“Teaching other wizards might be a good break for him,” Yumidihus said.

“Hello, Yumidihus, sir,” a voice said. A penguin beastkin walked out, combing his hair. Ihan was a little surprised by the cute penguin walking towards them. ‘Professor Verdus is like that too, and now this person,’ Ihan thought. ‘Why are all the strange people cute animals?’ They were actually more dangerous because they looked harmless and cute. How many people had been fooled by their looks?

“Nice to meet yo…” Ihan started to say hello, but before he could finish, Alsicl looked down at Ihan and said, “Let me tell you something first. You will not be able to learn my lessons. I’m telling you this so you don’t get too sad when you fail. Understand?”

“…’ Ihan was very surprised, but he didn’t get angry. He just nodded. He already knew Alsicl was strange, so there was no point in getting angry. ‘I don’t need to argue with him,’ Ihan thought.

“Just so you know,” Alsicl continued, “I had already learned 3rd Circle magic when I was your age. Understand?”

“Well, I’ve learned 4th Circle,” Ihan replied.

“Yumidihus, sir,” Alsicl said, turning to Yumidihus. “Don’t make silly jokes.”

“I’m serious,” Ihan said.

“…???” Alsicl looked at Professor Voladi, asking him to tell the truth. Professor Voladi nodded.

“Yes, it’s true. He has learned 4th Circle magic.”

“…Actually,” Alsicl said, changing his mind quickly, “the Circle level is not important.”