Surviving As A Mage In A Magic Academy [EN]: Chapter 619

Fortunately, Balfatan didn’t notice Leihan’s surprised look.

“You’re too strict, you know,” Balfatan said.

“Haha. You can say that again,” another voice chimed in.

Leihan, being the more responsible one, spoke kindly, “But shouldn’t we stick to the scheduled training?”

“What nonsense! Knights are people too. How can they live on training alone?” Balfatan replied.

Leihan tilted his head, puzzled.

Leihan, who came from a wizarding family, had only focused on training under Alar Long. He thought Balfatan, being from a knightly family, should train even harder.

“I thought knights were supposed to be devoted to training…” Leihan mumbled.

Alsicle nodded in agreement. Balfatan waved his hand, as if it was not important.

“That’s all old stories and fairy tales. These days, knights value social activities and friendships just as much as training…” Balfatan said dismissively.

“Balfatan, what was that you said?” a sharp voice cut through the air.

Balfatan yelped and spun around so fast he almost tripped.

“Some people try to say that,” the voice continued, now closer and colder, “but they clearly forget where they come from! By the gods! Knights live on blood, sweat, and steel. Do you understand?”

“Ah! Yes, yes!” Balfatan stammered, his face pale.

Leihan and Alsicle exchanged worried glances, watching Balfatan shrink under the intense gaze of the newcomer. Balfatan looked completely deflated, like a punctured balloon.

The door creaked open, and a tall elf knight stepped in. Sunlight from the hallway caught the gold in her braided hair, making it shine. The metal of her armor gleamed, and it moved without a sound as she walked, unlike the clanking armor Leihan was used to.

Even with magic, knight’s armor for battle is usually heavy and awkward. You can’t wear it like normal clothes.

The fact that she wore such armor so effortlessly clearly showed how strong she was as a knight.

‘Is that Moradi’s sis… I mean, sister?’ Leihan wondered.

“Greetings. Are you perhaps Ziklin of the Moradi family?” Leihan asked.

The elf turned her head and nodded.

“Welcome to the Moradi family estate. Leihan of the Wodanaz family, Alsicle of the Pengaerin family. We have prepared gifts as a token of our friendship.” Ziklin said formally.

“Oh.” Leihan and Alsicle were surprised.

They didn’t expect such a formal welcome on an informal visit, tagging along with Headmaster Skull for a casual trip.

It made them feel awkward.

“Ah, no. It’s not necessary. We don’t deserve such…” Leihan started.

But Ziklin shook her head firmly.

“The Wodanaz family supports the magic of the Empire. Of course, you deserve it. Similarly, the Pengaerin family stopped the beaver beastmen rebellion. I have always admired you.” Ziklin stated.

‘It sounds strange when you put it next to the Wodanaz family,’ Alsicle thought.

Alsicle felt awkward inside.

Of course, any family would not be as impressive as the Wodanaz family in terms of contributions to the Empire, but hearing it so directly was quite embarrassing.

‘I wish they’d just skip it!’ Alsicle thought.

“Th, thank you. If you ever visit the Wodanaz family, I will prepare a gift for you as well,” Leihan said, accepting the sword that Ziklin offered.

It was a sword made from cleanly forged, high-quality steel. The balance was solid, and the appearance was decent enough to have value as a decoration.

‘Can I sell this later?’ Leihan wondered.

“Was this an invitation?” Ziklin asked without a change in expression. Leihan was slightly taken aback.

“Pardon?” Leihan asked.

“I asked if this was an invitation,” Ziklin repeated.

“W, well… wasn’t it?” Leihan replied.

It was just a polite greeting, but he couldn’t deny it when the other person put it that way.

When Leihan said that, Ziklin nodded.

“Then let us arrange a time together in the future,” Ziklin said.

Alsicle had been about to say, ‘Please visit us sometime,’ as a polite greeting, but he swallowed the words after seeing what happened to Leihan.

Ziklin gazed at them seriously.

“Before we talk more about today’s visit… Balfatan, why are you here? What about today’s training?” Ziklin asked.

“I, I finished it,” Balfatan stammered.

“Yesterday’s training was insufficient. Why haven’t you made up for it?” Ziklin pressed.

Balfatan’s eyes darted left and right.

Sensing danger, Balfatan sold out his junior.

“Ah! This Wodanaz here led the Elm Knights and defeated the anti-magic zealots!” Balfatan exclaimed.

Leihan was shocked.

‘I can’t trust any of these knights!’ Leihan thought.

To betray him like this, just like a student from the White Tiger Tower!

Balfatan continued the story with all his might.

The achievements this junior had made this year were interesting stories to knights, but to someone like Ziklin, who was devoted to loyalty, honor, and chivalry, it was an eye-opener.

“The King of Ghouls… anti-magic zealots… the King of Frost Giants… and skilled in swordsmanship…” Ziklin muttered.

“Hold on,” Ziklin raised her hand, stopping Balfatan’s words. Balfatan flinched, wondering if he had made a mistake.

Was he too obvious?

“I will hear it directly. Balfatan, go make up for yesterday’s insufficient training,” Ziklin commanded.

“…Understood,” Balfatan said with a sad look, like a cow being led to the slaughterhouse.

Ziklin sat down without a change in expression. Leihan and Alsicle exchanged glances, feeling suffocated.

‘Isn’t this getting too difficult? We just wanted to say hello before the banquet,’ Alsicle conveyed with his eyes.

It would have been better to chat loudly and happily with the other knights. This knight, Ziklin, was so serious that just sitting still made the atmosphere suffocating.

Alsicle, who came from a family that was always noble, was not used to this kind of atmosphere.

‘You can say that again,’ Leihan thought.

‘I do have a good idea,’ Alsicle thought.

‘What is it?’ Leihan wondered.

“Ziklin of the Moradi family, I left a special sardine in my room. May I go and retrieve it?” Alsicle asked.

“Do as you wish,” Ziklin replied.

Alsicle nodded and quickly slipped out.

Leihan was once again shocked to see that.

‘I can’t trust any of these wizards!’ Leihan thought.

To make an excuse and slip away on his own.

Leihan was furious at himself for not thinking of that idea first.

The junior looked at Leihan, who was clenching his fist, with a puzzled expression.

‘Why is he acting like that?’ the junior wondered.

“Leihan of the Wodanaz family.”

“Ah. You can call me Leihan,” Leihan replied.

“Understood. Wodanaz,” Ziklin said.

Lee Han shifted uncomfortably in his chair. “Isn’t this too comfortable?” he thought to himself.

Lee Han realized he had to be careful even with jokes in front of Jiklin. She seemed very serious.

“Are there any inconveniences during your visit?” Jiklin asked.

“The knights are a bit bothersome, but no, not really,” Lee Han said.

Lee Han quickly changed his words, worried that if he said the knights were bothersome, they might be punished.

Jiklin nodded seriously and asked again, “Do you have any questions about your visit?”

Ehandurde’s hands were suddenly sweaty. He wiped his forehead quickly, hoping no one noticed. Talking like this was harder than fighting any monster he had faced in the arena.

It’s strangely suffocating!

“None,” Ehandurde mumbled.

“Then, is there anything that has disappointed you during your visit?” Jiklin asked.

‘This is bad. I have to think of something,’ Lee Han thought.

Lee Han focused, watching his junior struggle.

If he didn’t answer, this clumsy knight would continue to repeat the same questions. His junior wasn’t the type to start a conversation either. Lee Han was on his own.

Lee Han’s eyes darted around the room, looking for anything to distract Jiklin. He noticed a suit of armor in the corner. “Ah, I have a question,” he said, pointing. “Which artisan made that armor? It’s very impressive.”

“Are you interested in armor?” Jiklin asked.

“Yes? Yes, I am.”

Jiklin nodded, her face still serious, but her eyes seemed to soften slightly. “Hmm. It’s armor I’ve cherished since I was young… but if you like it, I would be happy to give it to you as a gift.”

“It’s really alright!” Lee Han hurriedly stopped Jiklin.

This elf knight was a formidable foe.

No matter what topic he brought up, it was absorbed like quicksand.

What topic should he bring up to stand against this person?

Balpaltan, relieved to escape the stuffy conversation, slipped outside. He had meant to check on his junior later, but his mind quickly turned to another matter: finding Giselle.

Balpaltan had a conscience after all.

“Giselle, Giselle!”

“What is it?” Giselle asked.

Giselle, now wearing simple blue robes instead of her knight’s uniform, sat by a window. Sunlight streamed in, lighting up the pages of the thick magic book in her hands. She looked peaceful, lost in her reading.

“Giselle, it’s urgent! Jiklin is… well, she’s talking to your friend, Lee Han, and it’s not going well! You need to help!”

“…?”

Giselle furrowed her brow, not understanding.

It wasn’t that she was surprised that her sister, Jiklin, was overwhelming people. That had happened several times already.

Jiklin, who wasn’t skilled in conversation and was always taciturn and serious, had the power to suffocate anyone who listened to her, no matter where she went.

It was an annual event at the fortress for newly visiting knights to seek out Jiklin, admiring her as an excellent knight, only to collapse from the conversation.

What surprised Giselle was the story about her close friend.

The only wizard among the external guests who had come to the fortress was Lee Han.

“You don’t think I’m close friends with Lee Han?” Giselle asked.

“What are you talking about? Lee Han! I’m talking about Lee Han!”

Giselle was already taking a sip of tea when Balpaltan said something shocking, so she naturally spat it out in surprise. Balpaltan used his knightly skills to bend his body and dodge.

“What are you doing?!” Balpaltan exclaimed.

“Th-that… what… no. No…”

Giselle, who was struggling with a coughing fit, put down her magic book and regained her composure.

“Let’s check one by one. Are you perhaps talking about Lee Han?” Giselle asked.

“That’s right. You’re close, aren’t you,” Balpaltan said.

“…When, how, and why did he visit?”

“I heard he came with the Skull Headmaster?”

“…!”

Giselle realized her mistake.

Come to think of it, Lee Han had been receiving the Headmaster’s affection since his first year, and was his star pupil who would inherit his dark magic.

Of course, he could have come along when the Skull Headmaster visited the fortress.

‘I missed this,’ Giselle thought.

Giselle blamed her own judgment. She should have checked who came with him.

“But why do you say we’re close?” Giselle asked.

“Oh, aren’t you?”

“……”

Giselle pondered.

‘Can I say we’re not close here?’

‘It might sound strange to say that I’m not particularly close to Lee Han, not only within the family but also to the other knights of the fortress. They might misunderstand that we have a bad relationship or a grudge.’

“Well… in a way, yes, we are… Let’s just say we are close,” Giselle said.

“Huh?”

“We’re close. I said we’re close,” Giselle said.

“Why, why are you glaring at me like that? Did I do something wrong?” Balpaltan was flustered by Giselle’s murderous glare as she answered.

He couldn’t figure out what he had done wrong.

“So, why is my sister after Lee Han?” Giselle asked.

“She heard there were guests and came to visit,” Balpaltan said.

“Wait. If I didn’t hear about it, it couldn’t have been an official visit, so how did my sister hear about it?”

“…The knights skipped training and went to chat, and got caught…?”

“……”

Giselle stared at Balpaltan with shock and horror.

Even the mighty Balpaltan felt ashamed when he received such a look from a relative younger than him.

“I… I went after finishing training,” Balpaltan said.

“……”

“N-now is not the time to argue about right and wrong. I saw it before I got out, and he was suffocating. Go and stop Jiklin. She listens to you,” Balpaltan urged.

‘Should I just kill him?’ Giselle thought.

Giselle got up, vowing to make this relative’s winter vacation a living hell.

If it was an unofficial visit, they could have just quietly treated him and let him go, but why did he have to start with the family’s knights and even come to other knights in the north to chat?

Meanwhile, back in the room…

“Then, just by reducing this casting speed?” Lee Han asked.

“That’s right. As expected of Moradi. Excellent. The outstanding battle mages are skilled in this technique,” Jiklin replied.

“I’m surprised. Do battle mages always train like this? But if you focus on casting speed like this, isn’t the destructive power lacking?” Lee Han asked.

“You’re right on the mark. As expected of Moradi. Excellent,” Jiklin said.

“You flatter me,” Lee Han said.

Balpaltan and Giselle looked at each other in surprise at the conversation coming from inside the room.

“No, he didn’t collapse??” Balpaltan exclaimed.

“It’s the first time I’ve seen my sister so talkative…” Giselle whispered in disbelief.

“She’s actually talking! This is practically a conversation for Jiklin!” Giselle exclaimed.

Balpaltan was horrified by Giselle’s words.