Surviving As A Mage In A Magic Academy [EN]: Chapter 471

“‘No, it can’t be true,’ Princess Adenart thought, her cheeks flushing slightly pink. She tried to shake her head, to push the thought away, but the worry stuck like a stubborn burr. Every time she looked at Wodanaz, he seemed to be offering her food. It had been happening for days, even before this dance. At first, she’d just smiled politely and thought, ‘He’s just being respectful, like everyone else in the Academy.’ But now, under the bright lights of the ballroom and the swirling music, a terrible thought took root. *Could he think… could he possibly think I’m always hungry?* Where had this awful misunderstanding even started?”

Adenart frowned, lost in thought.

Of course, she had inadvertently done a few things that could be misunderstood. And she had eaten the breakfasts, lunches, and dinners that Wodanaz had provided with great relish.

But that was only self-discipline as a member of the Imperial Family who valued ingredients and didn’t waste them, not gluttony. It was truly unfair.

‘Could it be because of Gainan?’

The Princess, who had never blamed anyone else in her life, was blaming someone else for the first time today. It was that shocking.

As Adenart remained silent, merely frowning, Lee Han nodded as if he understood everything.

“You don’t have to say it. I understand. Don’t worry, I’ll pack some for you when we return. My followers are not very perceptive in these matters.”

Lee Han was quite lenient when it came to Adenart.

Lee Han knew it was good to be nice to the Princess. Her followers were everywhere in the Empire, and he wanted them to like him later when he got a job.

And, frankly, the Princess’s followers were a bit clueless.

When the Princess was starving, they should think, ‘Ah, we should bring her some food,’ instead of just staring blankly and saying, ‘Her posture is unwavering.’ What nonsense…

‘Honestly, the Princess’s followers become a bit like Gainan when it comes to the Princess.’

“What kind of things should I pack for you? The butter cookies and tarts I brought last time were quite good.”

Adenart, who had been about to resolutely clarify the misunderstanding about her and regain her dignity, paused.

As a member of the Imperial Family who excelled in all fields, she couldn’t resist her curiosity.

“What tart…”

Ding-

Without hesitation, Lee Han let go of the Princess’s hand and took the hand of the next friend.

Lapadiel of the Gral family from the White Tiger Tower took Lee Han’s hand and hesitated.

Then, he stomped his feet.

Lee Han was bewildered, not understanding what kind of bizarre antics Lapadiel was up to.

“What are you doing? Are you taking preliminary steps because you want to step on my foot?”

“Ah, no. The Princess… isn’t this how it’s done?”

Lapadiel looked around again, gauging the atmosphere, and stopped stomping his feet.

The Princess next to him was stomping her feet like an angry person, so he thought, ‘What’s this? Was there originally a step like this?’ but since it was the Princess doing it, he followed along…

It seemed that wasn’t the case.

Lee Han chuckled.

“You’ve been had, Lapadiel. When you dance, you should do the moves you know. What good is it to watch someone else’s moves? The Princess is trying to trick someone like you who tries to copy other people’s moves.”

“Kuh…!”

Lapadiel, hit to the bone, gritted his teeth.

Lapadiel thought the Blue Dragon Tower students were always trying to trick people. They always seemed to have secret plans, so you had to be careful around them.

“Wodanaz, just you wait. I may still be lacking in skill, but soon I’ll break through your dark magic and defeat you.”

“Yeah. Work hard and defeat the headmaster too.”

Nilia, who was next to him, grabbed the Princess’s hand and tilted her head while dancing.

“Aren’t you going to prepare for summoning magic, illusion magic, enchantment magic, divination magic, transformation magic, and healing magic?”

“Shut up!”

“What? You shut up. Want an arrow in your back?”

Ding-

“Ah, Siana Priest. Your dancing skills are extraordinary. I’ll have to complain to the Fremen Order.”

“Yes? Why?”

“They’ve stolen one of the Empire’s dancers.”

There were few friends whose flattery was as effective as Siana Priest. Lee Han was pleased to see his friend’s face brighten.

Of course, Siana Priest stepped on Lee Han’s foot about twice in the meantime…

‘I wouldn’t have forgiven them if they were from the White Tiger Tower, but if they’re from the Phoenix Tower, then.’

“Do you know that a new warehouse has been discovered on the 3rd floor of the main building?”

“Oh dear! What kind of warehouse is it?”

“It seems to be a potion warehouse, but it’s not the headmaster’s warehouse, it seems to be a warehouse used by the seniors. So, I’m worried…”

“It’s okay. It’s okay. The seniors will all understand.”

“Really?”

“I met with some of the seniors last time and talked to them, and they all said so.”

Lee Han said without batting an eye.

Regardless of whether it was a senior’s warehouse or not, shouldn’t the first-year students survive first?

“I hope you’ll tell me if anything happens among the priests in the future. As I have deep faith, it pains me when problems arise for the priests.”

Siana Priest was the most sociable among the quiet and unsociable Phoenix Tower priests.

Since she always reliably brought information, a little flattery was not at all a waste.

“Still, you like the Fremen Order a little more, right?”

“…Water…”

Ding-

“Sharukal Priest.”

The shark-kin priest, Sharukal, was the only person who liked the spirit flood.

Not only was it his race, but the order that worshiped Agltaqua, the god of the sea and storms, was bound to be advantageous in this situation.

“Wodanaz. Thanks to this flood, the number of believers has increased by five!”

“Oh… I see.”

“It’s all thanks to you, Wodanaz.”

“?”

Lee Han was puzzled.

If people gained faith because of the spirit flood, why was it thanks to Lee Han?

“What did I do? Do you perhaps think I caused the spirit flood…”

“What idiot would think that?”

Sharukal Priest burst into laughter, revealing the teeth characteristic of shark-kin.

Lee Han glanced at the White Tiger Tower guys who were standing over there.

“Over there… No. So why is it thanks to me?”

“Everyone is very interested in divine magic. Whether they can learn it, how long it will take, etc. So, I told them about your case, Wodanaz.”

“……”

Isn’t that fraud??

Ding-

“Tijiling Priest. Are you eating well? What did you have for breakfast? What about dinner yesterday? You haven’t been fasting again, saying you’re going to live ascetically, have you? I’m also a follower of the Priesinger Order, but I know there’s no mention of fasting in the doctrine, right?”

“…I, I ate well. You don’t have to worry.”

Tijiling was flustered by Lee Han’s concern, which was like a mother’s.

Of course, Tijiling tended to act more ascetically than other priests, but why…?

“Mehred Priest was so worried last time. Actually, I didn’t want to worry either, but I heard you skipped dinner again and devoted yourself to prayer.”

“No, how did you know that? …Siana Priest!”

However, Siana Priest, who was cheerfully stepping on Angaro’s foot far away, didn’t hear.

“I’m not usually someone who worries excessively or bothers people, Tijiling Priest. I’m just saying let’s take care of the basics.”

“It was just a one-time thing…”

Tijiling tried to argue, which was rare, but Lee Han ignored him and said what he wanted to say.

“It’s not that difficult to eat breakfast, lunch, and dinner, is it? Actually, there’s a story like this in the old tales. While a priest who had been abstaining from grains and practicing asceticism for a long time collapsed, the priest next to him who ate three meals a day gained enlightenment…”

“……”

Tijiling Priest gained two insights.

One was to never skip a meal again.

And the other was that when the boy from the Wodanaz family made up his mind, there was no point in arguing and you just had to listen quietly.

Ding-

“Shiles.”

“Wodanaz. Thank you again.”

“The Richmond family won’t forget this favor, right?”

“…Huh? We don’t have a family motto like that… Don’t people usually not forget favors?”

“I’m not saying this to take credit, but I invested quite a bit to bring Fonrieg last time. That curse isn’t just any ordinary poison…”

“Th, thank you? Wodanaz, if I’m not mistaken, are you indirectly saying that I might forget…”

Ding-

“Rowena. This is a light question, but have you ever missed a meal lately?”

“No. Taking care of the food necessary as a knight is also a skill.”

Rowena, who was from the White Tiger Tower and a follower of Adenart, said confidently.

Lee Han asked again patiently, indirectly.

“Have you ever had a meal with the Princess?”

“No. Originally, the more often a member of the Imperial Family eats with other people, the more they can be exposed to danger, so it’s not a good thing.”

“……”

Lee Han considered stepping on Rowena’s foot once but stopped.

‘Well, it’s not like the followers’ job is to take care of the Princess’s meals.’

The followers also have their own lives, don’t they?

Of course, if they don’t even take care of the meals, he didn’t know why they were following in the first place…

“Ah ha. I understand!”

Rowena exclaimed in a bright and cheerful voice as if she had realized something.

Lee Han asked with a nonchalant expression.

“What did you understand?”

“You want to have a meal with the Princess. Is that right? Hehe. Wodanaz, you are also impressed by the Princess’s talent. As a member of the Wodanaz family… Ack!”

“Sorry. My mistake.”

Lee Han stepped on Rowena’s foot once.

Ding-

“Nigisore Priest. You don’t look well.”

“The spirit flood is getting longer…”

Nigisore, who was always burning brightly, had been becoming more and more depressed these past few days.

‘He’s a spirit hybrid, so he’s being affected.’

Having a spirit mixed in one’s bloodline didn’t just end with having a unique appearance and becoming a sexless being.

Even if the characteristics of the spirit were greatly diluted, they couldn’t help but be affected by these external environmental influences due to the magic-sensitive nature of the spirit.

“But I was comforted a bit thanks to you, Wodanaz.”

“Huh? What did I do?”

“You beat up the sirens and lit a fire in the water.”

Nigisore Priest didn’t particularly like beings related to water.

But that was that, and Lee Han had never beaten up a siren.

“I didn’t beat them up?”

“Really? The White Tiger Tower students said so…”

“Hmm. I see. Do you perhaps remember who it was?”

Lee Han remembered a few people to turn upside down in the water.

“The spirit flood needs to end quickly… Ah. Do you perhaps have a plan?”

“?”

Lee Han was slightly taken aback by the very natural question.

“What plan? Dinner plan?”

“No. A plan to end the spirit flood.”

“…How am I supposed to end that?”

Nigisore Priest looked at Lee Han with eyes that said, ‘You know, but you’re pretending not to.’

“You said that and solved the blizzard situation last time.”

“No, that was a coincidence…”

“I see. Another coincidence this time?”

“……”

Ding-

“Did someone make you angry? Why do you have that expression?”

“Yoner… Nigisore Priest isn’t a fire spirit hybrid for nothing.”

His skill in setting fire to people was also extraordinary.

Yoner took Lee Han’s hand and spun him around. Lee Han was surprised by his skillful movements.

“You dance well?”

“…Of course, I dance well. What did you think of me? Did you think I couldn’t dance?”

Yoner was dumbfounded.

Still, he was of the Makin family bloodline, wasn’t he?

“I thought you’d be reading the business section in the Imperial newspaper instead of attending balls like me.”

“…That’s not entirely wrong, but I still attended them.”

Yoner, whose sore spot was poked, pinched the back of Lee Han’s hand slightly.

“And participating in these events is also important to receive investments and support, you know?”

“Well, that’s true. Hmm. Can’t we just have Gainan use his face?”

“I think it’s better for you to practice and come out.”

Yoner answered firmly to his friend who was trying to get something for nothing.