Surviving As A Mage In A Magic Academy [EN]: Chapter 450

Even though Anpagone seemed tired, Lee Han looked at him with respect.

“Isn’t the most important thing always the basics?”

“I don’t see how this is about basics…” Anpagone mumbled as Lee Han began fixing the magic circle.

Lee Han put back the parts he had removed, saying they were needed, and completed the design. The artifact looked fragile.

“How is it?”

“Excellent. You may continue.”

The two students resumed their work.

Anpagone watched Lee Han work quickly and changed his guess about when they would finish.

‘It might be finished before nightfall.’

If he didn’t have to stay up all night, he could work on the magic amplification waterwheel artifact in the early morning. Anpagone’s face brightened.

Tap tap tap tap tap-

“Aren’t you going to rest?”

“Yes? Ah. I have enough mana, so I’m fine.”

“Alright.”

Anpagone thought about telling Lee Han to take a break, but he didn’t want to interrupt. He stopped himself instead.

However, he couldn’t help but worry.

‘It’s dangerous to use too much mana.’

Tap tap tap tap tap tap tap!

“…?”

However, Lee Han was making artifacts with tireless energy.

Anpagone was amazed and changed the estimated completion time again.

‘…Maybe it’ll be done by evening?’

If it finished in the evening, he might be able to stop by the Black Tortoise Tower student cafeteria for a quick meal before working on the magic amplification waterwheel artifact.

“Senior.”

“Are you going to rest now?”

“No. All the materials here are used up. Where is the new crate?”

……

Anpagone’s heart, which had grown rusty due to the eventful environment of Einroguard, began to pound slightly.

Could it be… Could it be finished before evening?

It really did finish before evening.

Anpagone looked like he couldn’t believe it, beyond just being happy.

“I think it’s all done, Senior. Then, I’ll be going.”

“Y-yes, go ahead.”

“But, Senior.”

Lee Han, who had a little extra time because it finished faster than expected, asked a question.

“Aren’t there any other people learning enchantment magic? Why only you, Senior?”

“I’m the most sociable one.”

……

For a moment, Lee Han wondered if his senior was joking and briefly considered whether to laugh.

“…I see.”

“It’s okay to laugh. Our school is the least sociable in Einroguard, after all.”

“What need is there for social activities? What’s important to a wizard is magic.”

“Isn’t what’s important to a wizard the ability to secure funding?”

“What idiot says such a thing?”

“The headmaster?”

“I thought so. Let’s not worry about it.”

Lee Han immediately retorted without panicking.

Anpagone couldn’t help but admire his wisdom in seeing through the Skull Headmaster’s true nature, even though he was only a first-year.

Anyone would think he was a fourth-year.

“Well, ignoring it is the best…”

“Yes. Then, I’ll be going.”

Lee Han finished his greeting and left, carrying the two crates from the attic. They were crates filled with reagents that Anpagone didn’t use.

It was quite a rare sight to see a first-year junior diligently taking two crates, but Anpagone was too shocked by what had happened to pay attention to that.

“…Was I dreaming…?”

While Anpagone muttered, the attic door opened again.

Other students majoring in enchantment magic were waiting below.

“Is it all done?”

“Yes. It finished early.”

The students came up to the attic.

There were second-year, third-year, and fourth-year students, but they all had one thing in common: they didn’t care much about each other.

If this spirit flood hadn’t happened, they wouldn’t have borrowed another student’s workshop like this.

“The reason it finished early is…”

“I’m not interested.”

“I’m sorry, Senior Anpagone. May I start working right away?”

……

Anpagone started to say something but stopped.

He didn’t usually like to chat, but feeling blocked like this, a strange emotion surged slightly in his heart.

It was anger.

“…Alright.”

Instead of speaking, Anpagone decided to keep it to himself.

He felt strangely gratified thinking that he alone knew the amazing fact that the other students didn’t know.

“…Wait!! The light!!!”

Anpagone, who was about to sit down, screamed when he saw the sphere of light still floating there, not extinguished.

Then, the other students stared blankly at Anpagone.

“Senior Anpagone. I’m sorry, but…”

“Be quiet.”

“…Okay.”

Anpagone vowed never to tell these guys.

“…Headmaster. Where did Professor Verdus go?”

“I told you, he’s trapped.”

The Skull Headmaster replied to Gainando, annoyed.

Gainando nodded, pretending to understand, then asked the Skull Headmaster again.

“Headmaster. Where did Professor Verdus go?”

“I said he’s trapped, you blockhead! Why do you keep asking the same question? Are you trying to provoke me?”

“…Ah, no. It’s just that I feel good hearing that the professor is trapped.”

……

The Skull Headmaster hung Gainando upside down and walked away.

Lee Han, who had returned after finishing his work, saw Gainando hanging and asked.

“But you don’t even take enchantment magic, do you?”

“I just like hearing that the professor is trapped…”

“…I see.”

Lee Han dropped the hanging Gainando. Gainando splashed into the water and groaned.

“And Professor Verdus keeps visiting during vacation and bothering people.”

Lee Han sympathized for the first time in a while with Gainando’s grumbling.

‘He’s actually making sense for once.’

Considering that he visited during vacation, Professor Verdus could probably stay trapped a little longer.

“Where have you been? Gasp. Wait. I think I know.”

“Oh…”

Lee Han was slightly expectant as Gainando showed a sharp side for once.

Certainly, there were many elements to deduce from Lee Han’s current appearance.

Gloves stained with various reagents, metal scraps attached to his cloak, and so on.

Anyone could tell that he had been working on artifacts.

“You went to rescue Professor Verdus, didn’t you?! Hey. Don’t go! What’s the point of rescuing him!”

“…I didn’t go. I just came back from preparing for the enchantment magic midterm exam instead. The professor isn’t here, is he?”

“Ah. Is that so?”

Gainando simply accepted it.

Other friends would have said, ‘Hey, you idiot, how can you just let it go like that! You should ask more!’, but Gainando just let it pass.

“Don’t rescue Professor Verdus. There’s no point in rescuing him.”

“Are you saying that just because he visited your mansion during vacation?”

“Yeah.”

Gainando nodded confidently without the slightest embarrassment. Lee Han was slightly impressed.

“Alright. I have no intention of going to rescue him, so don’t worry.”

“Don’t go even if Professor Verdus says he’ll give you a mountain of gold.”

“…Hmm.”

“Lee Han…!”

Gainando felt sorry for his friend, who was willing to forgive the professor who had stolen the joy of vacation with gold.

Wasn’t pride more important than gold!

Creak-

The two, having returned to the library, scattered to do their own things.

Gainando slipped in among his friends.

It looked like a study group with thick magic books spread out, but in reality, it was a fun gathering where they were secretly playing card games underneath.

“Where have you been?”

“I went fishing and got hung up by the headmaster.”

“Oh dear.”

The other tower students weren’t very interested in whether Gainando was hung up or not.

One of them asked, puzzled.

“How did you get down?”

“Lee Han was passing by and let me down.”

“Can’t you do anything yourself?”

“Hey. Isn’t it more impressive to have someone next to you who can do it for you?”

……

……

The Blue Dragon Tower students next to him threw cards at Gainando’s face. Gainando let out a shrill scream.

“It is impressive! It is impress…”

“Stop before you get hit.”

“Why was Wodanaz passing by?”

“He was preparing for the enchantment magic exam.”

Gainando answered casually and stared intently at the deck.

To maximize the number of rounds before dinner, he needed to complete the deck quickly.

The moment he took out the curse deck, his friends wouldn’t play against him, so he’d slip in one deck that could deceive them and then slip the curse deck underneath…

“What? He came to prepare for the enchantment magic exam?”

“Why did he prepare outside? He could have studied inside.”

The students tilted their heads, and Gainando replied, annoyed.

“You idiots. He didn’t study, he made the exam himself. I need to put in a wizard card, so be quiet.”

……

……

As the students fell silent, Gainando smiled and nodded.

It seemed these friends had finally learned how to respect royalty.

Bang!

“What nonsense are you talking about?!”

One of the students jumped up. The table shook violently as it collided with the force. The pile of cards that Gainando had carefully arranged scattered on the floor.

Ignoring the prince’s scream, the students talked among themselves.

“Does that make sense? Ah, no. Wodanaz is an absurd guy, but he’s in the same grade?”

“What did I say? Wodanaz had the family’s vision before entering…”

“My cards are scattered! You bastards!”

“Is that important now?!”

“We’ll clean it up for you, so tell us about the enchantment magic exam! We have to take the enchantment magic exam!”

Of course, Gainando didn’t have the ability to tell them properly. As the students were talking noisily, Lee Han arrived nearby.

“What are you all doing?”

“Wodanaz! Is it true that you set the enchantment magic exam?!”

The students looked at Lee Han with eyes trembling with shock.

“What nonsense… The senior set it. I just helped with some odd jobs.”

“…Ah!”

Only then did the students understand and let out a sigh of relief.

Fortunately, common sense had not collapsed.

“It was just the prince’s fuss, after all.”

“See? What did I tell you?”

It seemed like it would end on a heartwarming note, but unfortunately, it didn’t.

Lee Han looked at the pile of wizard cards that had fallen on the floor and asked.

“What is this?”

……

“…Uh… that’s…”

“Hold up your book.”

Lee Han’s voice was calm, but it contained a chilling warning.

The White Tiger Tower student froze.

“W-w-why?”

“Hold it up. Before you get hurt.”

When he held up the book, the wizard card that had been carved out and hidden inside came out. Lee Han hit him on the head with his wand.

“Ack!”

“Next. You…”

The next student quickly opened his book. There was nothing there.

“Take off your coat and open the inside pocket.”

……

After stopping the illegal wizard card gathering, Lee Han shared the exam content with the students taking enchantment magic.

“The exam will be about repairing a broken artifact,” he explained.

The students buzzed with excitement and worry.

“Exactly what part is broken, Wodanaz?”

“I don’t know.”

“How long is the artifact?”

“I don’t know.”

“You guys, don’t bother Wodanaz! There’s no way he can tell you that!”

Nilia shouted as if warning them.

Lee Han was slightly touched by his friend’s help.

As expected, the only thing you could trust in this situation was a friend.

Swoosh-

As the students reflected and stepped back, Nilia quickly placed a bar of chocolate in Lee Han’s hand.

Then, she whispered.

“Which artifact is more advantageous to choose?”

“…Nilia…”

“I-I was just joking.”