Surviving As A Mage In A Magic Academy [EN]: Chapter 512

“Why aren’t you guys helping?”

Lee Han held the Morning Star sword, letting out a breath he didn’t know he was holding.

The Basilisk, curled around his wrist, flicked its tail at his friends, like it was agreeing with Lee Han.

But his friends just complained.

“There wasn’t even time to help!”

“Even you wouldn’t have been able to do it!”

Salco added, “Yeah, from *my* point of view, there wasn’t enough time to help!”

The friends, who had been angry, suddenly became curious and asked.

“But how did you catch it in such a short time? Ah, I see.”

Salco looked at the Basilisk, his eyes widening as he understood. “You used the Basilisk’s Eye, didn’t you?” he asked.

The baby Basilisk avoided eye contact, feeling awkward.

Giselle, who was next to him, sighed and said.

“Tutantha, you wouldn’t know this maybe, not being a swordsman, but look at Wodanaz’s sword,” Giselle said, pointing.

Lee Han was holding the Morning Star.

“That’s right.”

“Yes. He must have applied the Basilisk’s venom to the sword.”

The Basilisk simply went into Lee Han’s coat.

Lee Han patted its tail to soothe it and began to explain.

“It’s not because of the Basilisk, but because of the power of this sword. It’s made of black-purple stone, so it absorbs magic strongly.”

This ghost wizard was strong. Lee Han and Adenart alone shouldn’t have been able to beat him so easily. But…

The ghost wizard made a mistake. He got too close and tried to use a spell that needed him to touch Lee Han.

A normal wizard, especially a beginner, might have panicked if someone got so close. They might have dropped their wand. But Lee Han was different. As soon as the ghost wizard got past his magic, Lee Han pulled out the Morning Star sword.

The ghost wizard, who had not expected Lee Han, a wizard, to carry a sword like Morning Star, suffered significant damage.

“-Kraaah…!? Why does a wizard have this sword…!?”

“I was lucky.”

“…No, really, why do you carry a sword like that?”

At Salco’s question, the other friends nodded absentmindedly.

Why would a wizard carry such an artifact?

This sword actually made it harder to use magic. It drained magic power and messed up spells.

Why would he carry something like that when he’s learning magic?!

“Think about it, Salco. Here at school, are you more likely to fight a wizard or someone who isn’t a wizard?”

Salco at first thought it was silly. But then he thought about it, and it started to make sense.

‘…Is that so?’

“Tutantha, you’re not really believing this nonsense, are you? You’re not *that* silly.”

Anyway, after finishing the trial, the students waited for a moment instead of going upstairs.

Bang!

A reward appeared in front of the students with a puff of smoke.

“Come to think of it, what did you guys get last time?”

“We got an armor of shock absorption.”

As Angaro answered immediately, Giselle glared at him as if he were hopeless.

Giselle rolled her eyes, thinking, *’You’d think we were in the same house, the way he talks!’*

“Oh, a good item! I haven’t seen it before. Have you used it yet?”

“…I was wearing it *under my clothes* when you hit me last time…”

As the atmosphere became awkward, Lee Han quickly changed the subject.

“There’s the reward!”

“Is that really the reward?”

Salco frowned at the shabby appearance of the reward.

Surprisingly, a stack of paper was all there was to the reward.

You shouldn’t judge a book by its cover, but this reward *did* look a bit disappointing.

“This is a communication artifact.”

Lee Han was the first among his friends to recognize the identity of this artifact.

Lee Han recognized it right away. He’d seen something like it at the secret base before, and he could feel the same kind of magic in it.

“Communication artifact?”

“Yes. If you drop ink here like this…”

When Lee Han took a piece of paper and wrote ‘Gainan is an idiot,’ the words ‘Gainan is an idiot’ appeared on the other papers as well.

It was the same principle as what he had obtained last time, but the difference was that this one allowed multiple people to communicate.

“There was an artifact like this!”

“Yeah. By the way, if you find something like this at school, be careful. Older students will trick you to get it, they’re really sneaky.”

‘How does this guy know this?’

While his friends were wondering, Lee Han took the stack of paper.

“I was going to town soon anyway. I’ll sell it next time I go, get silver coins, and share them with you all.”

The friends who were listening to Lee Han’s explanation paused.

Something was strange.

Priest Tizling raised his hand and asked cautiously.

“Um, I have a question.”

“What is it?”

Giselle couldn’t stand it and interjected with a question.

Lee Han asked back as if he genuinely didn’t understand.

“What else would I do with it if I don’t sell it?”

“…Wodanaz, I like selling things for money too, but we don’t need to sell *this*, do we?”

Salco said, dumbfounded.

What could be the reason why the reward for this trial is an artifact that allows communication with each other?

It was obvious why they got this reward. It was meant to help students from different towers, who didn’t usually talk, to work together and become friends.

But to just sell it off like that was a bit…

“Is that so? Is the price not going to be very high?”

“That’s not what I meant. I think we should use it among ourselves. It would be easier to contact each other if something happens.”

“Salco, there’s some truth in what you say. But the other friends will prefer silver coins.”

Lee Han looked at Salco with a pitiful expression.

Not many students would give up money for something they could just talk about face-to-face.

“Anyone who wants to use this among ourselves without selling it?”

Everyone raised their hands at Lee Han’s question. Lee Han was taken aback.

Even Adenart was raising his hand. When Lee Han looked at him, Adenart subtly avoided eye contact.

“Really??”

“We can earn silver coins in other opportunities.”

“That’s a bit hopeful. Who knows when we’ll get another chance to earn money… Okay, fine. Most of you want to keep it, so we keep it.”

Lee Han was surprised but followed his friends’ decision.

Everyone had worked together to finish the trial. So, everyone’s opinion mattered.

“Honestly. It doesn’t seem very necessary,” Lee Han said.

“…”

“Is this really going to be that useful? We could just send paper birds instead.”

“…”

“And it’s not like we’re going to be talking that much…”

“Cut it out!”

Lee Han kept talking as he handed out the papers. Finally, his friends got annoyed.

As the first-year students walked out of the trial grounds, looking tired but relieved, the Skull Headmaster watched them. A low growl rumbled in his chest like distant thunder.

“Too friendly,” he muttered, the word hissing out like steam. “That’s the problem.”

Usually, students from different grades would argue and compete in a trial like this. They might even try to make each other fail. But these first-year students were too friendly.

He wondered if real magic could even grow in such a friendly, unserious place.

“We’re not close!”

“Who’s close to whom…”

It was noisy.

Several students tried to deny it, but the Skull Headmaster didn’t listen.

Salco, looking upset, brought up something that was already over.

Hearing that, the Skull Headmaster seemed interested.

An interesting idea. Should I add that trial for next year’s freshmen…

“…”

“…”

The friends glared at Salco. Salco felt guilty.

‘Sorry, underclassmen,’ he thought.

“Even though you only did one trial – and some might say you took the easy way out – you still worked hard,” the Skull Headmaster said. “I hope you participate in this again next year. Don’t go to the punishment room like losers, but participate here like victors. Do you understand?”

“Yes…”

“I’m really happy. I’m suddenly full of motivation.”

“Yes. That’s how it should be. And Wodanaaz, you come with me.”

At the Skull Headmaster’s words, Lee Han felt his heart sink.

‘What is it? Is he going to teach me some magic?’

Surprisingly, the Skull Headmaster was teaching as many spells as Professor Volardi.

Lee Han tried to guess what magic the Skull Headmaster would want him to learn, quickly calculating.

However, unexpected people were waiting for them.

Phil and Chill, two upperclassmen from the Healing Magic School, were sitting with tired faces.

“You’ve been through a lot,” the Skull Headmaster said.

“Ah, no, Headmaster.”

“It’s an honor just to be acknowledged like that.”

“Hey. Bring some more coffee.”

The Death Knight bowed his head and brought a tin kettle full of boiling coffee.

The two upperclassmen slurped their coffee.

‘Huh?’ Lee Han thought.

Lee Han was puzzled by the Skull Headmaster’s unusually kind behavior.

Could it be that even the evil Skull Headmaster is a little nicer to healing mages?

“Drink up and cheer up,” the Skull Headmaster said. “If it weren’t for you guys, who else would major in healing magic? Don’t even think about quitting. If it’s really hard, come and talk to me.”

“…”

Lee Han was speechless with disbelief.

‘What the…’ he thought.

Right now, the Skull Headmaster was using kind words instead of threats to stop the healing magic school upperclassmen from running away!

“Ah. Underclassman.”

“Here. Over here.”

The two spotted Lee Han and waved their hands.

Lee Han greeted them and sat down in front of them.

“What’s going on? Healing magic lectures aren’t today,” Lee Han asked.

The Skull Headmaster glanced outside.

It was already pitch black.

‘Crazy bastard,’ Lee Han thought.

To think it’s a lecture at this hour, regardless of the day, he’s out of his mind.

“Ah. It’s not a lecture,” one of the upperclassmen said.

“We came because of the Saint Iactus Festival. It’s this week.”

‘There are too many festivals in the Empire,’ Lee Han grumbled to himself.

The people of the Empire created and celebrated all sorts of festivals, perhaps because there weren’t enough fun things to do.

Popular and large festivals were even supported by priests from other places…

Lee Han had at least heard of festivals of that size, but the smaller ones had names that were too unfamiliar to him, since he mainly looked at the economic section of the Imperial newspaper.

‘And it’s not just me who finds it strange,’ he thought.

Just three days ago, Gainando asked if any of his friends would play the role of a corpse for the Detective Festival, but everyone ignored him.

Too many festivals were tiring.

But he couldn’t complain in front of his upperclassmen.

Lee Han replied with a fake smile.

“The festival, you say. I’m really looking forward to it.”

“You too?”

“Good heavens. I don’t know why everyone likes this festival,” one of the upperclassmen said.

The two upperclassmen sighed and complained. Lee Han realized that something was wrong.

“That guy might like it. Unlike you guys, he’s a fierce beast,” one of the upperclassmen said.

“I wish His Majesty would ban this festival by Imperial law,” the other said.

“It’s already hard enough…”

“I understand. I understand. The Empire’s guys are truly barbaric! Yes, yes! But you can’t quit!” the Skull Headmaster said, siding with the students in a rare moment.

Lee Han carefully asked the Skull Headmaster.

“Headmaster.”

“Why?”

“What is the Saint Iactus Festival?”

“…You’re more of a barbarian than those who like that festival. How can you not know that?” The Skull Headmaster looked at Lee Han as if he were a barbarian. Of course, Lee Han ignored it.

‘Anyway, people who like festivals think that their favorite festival is the most important in the Empire,’ he thought.

It was truly unfortunate.

“Saint Iactus is a little kid who defeated an evil dragon with a single stone. The festival celebrates this kid. Honestly, now that I think about it, it’s absurd. Shouldn’t they be praising the day I cast magic on that stone?”

The old history story that went along with the Skull Headmaster’s life was interesting, but Lee Han decided to skip it for now.

“I see. How do you celebrate it? Do you make a cake or something?”

“You throw stones.”

“At the sacrificial doll?”

There were often cases where large dolls were made to celebrate festivals and offered as sacrifices or burned.

“No.”

“Then in the lake?”

“Why throw stones in the lake? What if the spirits get angry? You throw them at each other.”

“…??”