Surviving As A Mage In A Magic Academy [EN]: Chapter 495

“Is that all you have to say? After what you’ve been through, shouldn’t you be focused on learning stronger magic? You should be ready to defeat anyone who stands against you!”

“But… isn’t that what I’m doing?”

“Doing? This is not enough! You should be pushing yourself harder!”

The skeletal Headmaster scolded Ethan.

However, Ethan’s expression was not what he expected.

Instead of repenting, he was staring at the skeletal Headmaster, dumbfounded.

“How could I possibly do more here…?”

The skeletal Headmaster almost agreed.

Being an old soul, the skeletal Headmaster had somewhat relaxed rules for magic education, but even by ancient standards, Ethan’s training was harsh.

But instead of backing down, the skeletal Headmaster roared,

“Instead of reflecting, you’re making excuses!”

“But… Headmaster, I truly don’t understand what more I *can* do here.”

Ethan asked, bewildered, but the skeletal Headmaster quickly changed the subject.

“And taking Vegrek to a suspicious place is not a wise move. Problems can be solved, but more problems will arise.”

‘Indeed.’

This time, Ethan understood.

Indeed, taking Professor Voladi to a suspicious place might be like walking into a gunpowder warehouse with a torch.

“I will keep that in mind.”

“Yes, keep that in mind. By the way… that criminal was very perceptive. To recognize your talent. How do you think he knew? Magic quantity? Or did he overhear the evaluation inside Einrogard? Or did he hear rumors about what you did during the vacation…”

The skeletal Headmaster trailed off.

Thinking about it, that criminal wasn’t particularly perceptive.

With so many clues, even a fool could think, ‘Huh? That wizard from the Wodanaz family is quite extraordinary?’

‘I need to pay more attention…’

When Wodanaz saved the knights from the anti-magic activists’ attack, the skeletal Headmaster had also thought,

‘The magical criminals might take an interest.’

And now it seemed that his prediction had come true.

Wodanaz was very talented and had done a lot. So, it was actually a bit late for criminals to become interested in him.

With innate magical talent, unlike ordinary wizards, he knew how to act strategically for his goals, and he belonged to several schools…

If he fell into magical criminality, he would be a talent that would make the magical criminals shed tears of joy and hold a festival.

“Ah, it’s probably not because of that, but because of the Sea Serpent. I used a lot of magic preparing to control the Sea Serpent.”

“Really? Well, your magic power would have been wasted if it was tied up behind the lines.”

The skeletal Headmaster immediately understood what he meant.

Professors as well as students participated in the Sea Serpent subjugation, didn’t they?

It was standard for professors to participate directly on the front lines and for students to help with various preparations in the rear, but Wodanaz had long surpassed the level of an ordinary first-year student.

Naturally, he would have been made to help with preparations on the front lines.

“What would you have done… reinforcing equipment? Securing light sources?”

“Oh, that’s right.”

Ethan was slightly impressed.

As if to prove he was the Headmaster, he accurately guessed what Ethan had done, as if he had been there.

“Did the professor tell you?”

“No. I didn’t ask about such details. Even though Professor Uregeoreum is more sociable than the other two, there’s no point in bothering him too much… So, the magical criminal approached you after seeing those spells?”

“Well, I don’t think they would have been that impressive.”

He had illuminated the entire harbor like daylight, and Ianop had indeed been deeply impressed by it, but Ethan didn’t realize it.

Because another reason felt much more likely.

“I think it might have been a big deal that I hit the Sea Serpent with the Frost Arrow or Water Orb spell.”

“Water Orb? Yumidihus’s?”

“Not Yumidihus’s Water Orb, I modified it. The professor allowed me to name it after myself.”

“Wow…”

The skeletal Headmaster showed rare emotion and rejoiced.

“Professor Vegrek pushed you very hard, like a hungry hunting dog. This success must feel very good!”

“……”

Ethan almost made a serious face.

Shouldn’t you stop him if you know that?

“I was lucky.”

“It’s not luck, it’s skill. No matter how hard you try, modifying a spell to that extent and adapting it to yourself is not easy. Challenges are what help wizards become stronger, after all.”

“…Maybe it was possible because of the efforts I had made before…”

“No. Challenges are necessary. But it’s a shame to just pass over such a valuable experience… Did Professor Vegrek tell you to write a book?”

Ethan truly made a serious face.

From the Headmaster to the professors, they were all utter bastards.

“Yes, he told me.”

“Did he tell you to write a book about not only organizing the magic you modified but also contemplating the direction you should take in the future?”

“Yes.”

“Really? Professor Vegrek must really care about you.”

“……”

Ethan gritted his teeth, imagining bringing the skeletal Headmaster and Professor Voladi before the Imperial Court and denouncing them.

“Anyway, be careful. If one criminal was interested in you, others will probably be too. Good things attract attention, like flowers attract bees.”

“Don’t worry. I will never be interested in suspicious proposals or magic.”

“Why are you so uninterested as a wizard!”

“……”

The skeletal Headmaster himself was not always logical.

He should ignore the proposals of magical criminals while being curious and persistently exploring any magic or proposal.

But Ethan didn’t waver.

Professors were always like that.

‘That’s just noise.’

“You worked hard to carry out the request… I hope that experience and reward will be good friends to your magic’s future.”

“I think so too.”

Ethan answered sincerely, thinking about the gold coins he could receive from this request.

‘Can’t I conduct magic research or experiments as cheaply as possible to save gold coins? I don’t want to waste hard-earned money on magic.’

“Wait.”

The skeletal Headmaster suddenly paused.

Ethan flinched, wondering if his thoughts had been exposed.

“What’s wrong?”

“Did you say you hit the Sea Serpent with the Water Orb?”

“I hit it with the Frost Arrow too.”

“That’s not important… How did you hit it?”

“?”

Ethan tilted his head.

“By aiming well?”

…I asked the wrong question. Even if you prepared in the front, you would have retreated to the back when the monster appeared, so how did you hit it from there?

“Ah… due to a minor misunderstanding, I fought alongside the professors.”

The skeletal Headmaster remained silent, saying nothing.

Ethan asked, flustered.

“Headmaster?”

“Send this to Professor Uregeoreum.”

Instead of answering, the skeletal Headmaster wrote a note and sent Death Knight on an errand.

Ethan was curious about what was written on the note.

It seemed like the phrase ‘You are already dead’ was written at the top…

“From now on, I will never believe that you have no curiosity or interest.”

“No, it was a misunderstanding! Really!”

“As if.”

The skeletal Headmaster said sarcastically.

“The most humble wizard in the Empire is so arrogant.”

“That’s right. I almost forgot… Tell the students who participated in the request that they can rest on Friday.”

The students who remained at the school were suffering from lectures as well as flood recovery work.

But since the other students had returned from completing the request outside, they needed to be given time to rest and recover from their fatigue for a day.

“Really?”

Ethan was slightly moved.

The skeletal Headmaster would show such consideration.

‘Maybe he acts badly on purpose, so even a small kindness seems like a big deal?’

Because he usually acted so badly, even giving him a day off would sometimes make him think, ‘Does the Headmaster actually care about us a lot?’

“Yes, they will have to serve as duty officers in each tower on the weekend, but that can’t be helped…”

“We are grateful even for just one day off.”

Ethan bowed his head and prepared to leave.

Then the skeletal Headmaster asked, puzzled.

“Where are you going?”

“Yes? To rest…”

“You should be learning magic at times like this. How many more days will you have off without lectures? Sit down. You said you wanted to learn about Antagondalus’s artifacts last time, right? I’ll tell you as a reward for your hard work on the request.”

“……”

Ethan felt a burning hatred for the Empire’s magical criminals.

“Such barbaric figures who shake the order of the Empire!”

The skeletal Headmaster sat Ethan down and took out the artifacts he had seized in the last battle.

He took out the artifact confiscated from Ianop, and also took out an artifact he had never seen before.

The last artifact was painted with black, dried blood.

“……”

“Oh dear. I told you to clean it up.”

-I’m sorry.

Death Knight quickly took the artifact and brought a clean artifact.

The skeletal Headmaster said nonchalantly.

“These artifacts were all made and used by magical criminals. What commonality do you feel here?”

Ethan was about to open his mouth immediately.

The skeletal Headmaster’s mood improved again at the sight of his disciple’s brilliance.

Even though he had been full of anger because of Professor Uregeoreum until just now, magic was what made a wizard feel good.

“They all used expensive jewels as well as fancy decorations. This ring-shaped decoration drawn next to it doesn’t have much of an effect on magic, but because of its appearance…”

“…Not that.”

The skeletal Headmaster resisted the urge to hit his disciple, who was not crazy about gold coins and was immediately listing quickly parts he hadn’t paid any attention to.

“Not that? I don’t know, other than the fact that the magic power is unstable.”

“Yes. I was talking about the unstable magic power. And ordinary wizards value that more than those useless small decorations.”

“Is that so? I think the latter is more important…”

The skeletal Headmaster didn’t want to hear Ethan talking nonsense, so he quickly continued his words.

“Magical criminals use all sorts of methods to amplify the power of magic. Many of those methods are prohibited in the Empire…”

The skeletal Headmaster suddenly transformed into a human form and cut off his little finger.

The finger fell to the floor with a thud, and a crazy flow of magic power erupted along with strange patterns.

“Is it like human sacrifice?”

“Yes. Sacrificing life or flesh has been popular since ancient times. In my opinion, it’s closer to a desperate act by fools.”

“Professor Vegrek also uses blood magic.”

“That’s right. Professor Vegrek is also like that because he can’t become a lich. It would be much better if he became a lich.”

“……”

Ethan tried to say something but said nothing.

It was because he respected the Headmaster’s race.

“I’ll make it clear in advance so you don’t have any unnecessary misunderstandings. The reason I don’t freely teach you these secret arts without any restrictions is because these secret arts are dangerous and unstable and can even kill the caster.”

“Oh… isn’t that obvious?”

In fact, Ethan had no complaints even if he didn’t teach him anything, let alone freely.

Just because magical criminals increase the efficiency of magic in some strange way doesn’t mean Ethan has to.

It’s not like you die if you don’t increase efficiency…

“The students I taught before thought I was hiding these secrets because I was jealous, and they complained a lot.”

‘Well, like master, like disciple.’