Surviving As A Mage In A Magic Academy [EN]: Chapter 634

Leehan sighed, looking at the younger child. “Junior, you really must try to like learning.”

“Waaah…” Junior wailed, tears welling in his eyes.

“Studying is for your own good,” Leehan continued patiently. “It’s easy here, isn’t it? But Einrogard will be much harder. They say if you fail the tests there, they’ll send you straight to the punishment room!”

*Punishment room?* Alsicle thought, raising an eyebrow. *Such obvious lies.* He hid a small smile. Were children really so easily fooled?

Of course, Alsicle agreed that the barbarian needed education, especially on the history and respect of noble families like the Pengaerin family.

But who would fall for such lies?

“I hate the punishment room…”

“Yes, yes. Then you must study.”

Alsicle was surprised. “Does that actually work?” he wondered.

Bzzzt-

A reply came from the main gate of .

Alsicle, who had been eagerly anticipating it, rushed over.

-Welcome. Head is departing.

“Who is the Head? Is it your brother?” Alsicle asked.

“What did you say?” Leehan asked back.

“Here. It says the Head is departing.”

Leehan, startled, rushed over.

Alsicle was taken aback by the urgent look on Leehan’s face, something he had never seen before from Wodanaz.

“Why, what’s wrong? Is something wrong?” Alsicle asked.

“That can’t be?” Leehan muttered.

Leehan received the reply and read it.

But the content remained the same.

-Welcome. Head is departing.

“No… did it come to the wrong place?” Leehan wondered.

“Who is the Head anyway?” Alsicle inquired.

“Oh, it’s my mother,” Leehan replied.

Alsicle was shocked.

“You had a mother?!?!”

“……”

Leehan and Ehandurde stared at Alsicle.

Ehandurde especially glared at him as if he were trash. Alsicle, belatedly realizing his rudeness, exclaimed in embarrassment.

“S-sorry. That’s, well, that is.”

“Trash…” Ehandurde muttered.

“No! That’s not it! It’s not that! Wodanaz’s head at least shows up sometimes, but your wife has never revealed herself, so I didn’t even know she existed!” Alsicle desperately protested.

Usually, the head of a great noble family or their spouse, no matter how unsociable, has their identity known throughout the empire.

Even the most unsociable person has to attend official events, so rumors are bound to spread.

But there were simply no rumors about Wodanaz’s wife.

The head showed up occasionally, but there was no story about his wife, so Alsicle had assumed, ‘Perhaps she died young?’…

“Ah. The Head is a bit unsociable. She dislikes external activities,” Leehan explained.

“?!”

Alsicle wondered what nonsense he was hearing.

The Wodanaz family was already the most unsociable family in the empire.

Even the head of the family didn’t appear unless the empire really needed a great wizard, so what?

“Um… Wodanaz. This might be rude, but your family is… already unsociable, aren’t they? The head of the family isn’t exactly sociable either…” Alsicle pointed out.

“Eh. Compared to the Head, the head of the family is quite sociable,” Leehan countered.

“…!!!”

While Alsicle was in shock, Leehan provided some additional explanation.

It was easy for people in the empire to be mistaken because they didn’t even know she existed, but the Gamoh of the Wodanaz family, the Head of the Dawn Archive, was alive and well.

She just disliked external activities.

“Even if she dislikes it, how could she be so unknown?! The officials…” Alsicle exclaimed.

“Um. Magic, you see,” Leehan said.

“…I’m a wizard too. Magic isn’t omnipotent,” Alsicle retorted.

“Well, it’s like this,” Leehan began.

If the head of the Wodanaz family received a message saying, ‘A great drought has occurred in the western part of the empire, please help,’ he would move the entire sea, remove the salt, and create a reservoir.

That’s the extent of what he would do.

However, his wife would simply ignore the message.

Then, she would erase the memory of the messenger who delivered the message, erase the memory of the official who sent the messenger, and if the superior was involved, erase the superior’s memory as well…

“……”

Alsicle was so shocked that he couldn’t close his mouth.

Of course, among the highest levels of illusion magic, there was magic that could cut off the opponent’s memory.

However, it was only for a very short moment, and only slightly touching the immediate past memory.

To manipulate all the memories related to such an important figure as the Wodanaz family, without missing a single one of the empire’s officials?

“Is that even possible?!” Alsicle asked, astonished.

“It’s possible, so Alsicle doesn’t know about it,” Leehan replied nonchalantly.

“…Th, that’s true,” Alsicle stammered.

Alsicle felt a chill run down his spine as if cold ice had been placed on his back.

When he came, he had a light heart, intending to learn and improve from the amazing magic of the Wodanaz family and the head’s outstanding wisdom, but now, he felt only fear-mixed awe, like a boy learning magic for the first time meeting a great wizard.

Is this magic?

“Um. I don’t really know why the Head is coming out. Actually, I haven’t talked to her much either,” Leehan admitted.

“When was the last time you talked to her?” Alsicle asked, curious.

“Was it my eighth birthday? She came then, gave me a present, and immediately entered another dimension,” Leehan replied.

He knew it was a really useless question, but Alsicle couldn’t resist his curiosity.

“What did she give you?”

“It was a magical book that looked expensive, but the head of the family said it was dangerous and took it back. She should have just given me money,” Leehan grumbled as if he was disappointed.

‘That doesn’t seem to be the problem…’ Alsicle thought.

Creak.

With a small sound, the door to opened.

The door creaked open, and a figure stepped out that made Alsicle gasp. It was like something from a nightmare. Sharp horns curved from her head, and her skin was the color of shadows. Her eyes glowed with a cold, red light, and Alsicle felt a wave of fear wash over him.

Alsicle realized that the light emitted by his defensive artifact was dimming.

Some demons inflicted damage on living beings just by being seen, and the demon in front of him was one of those demons.

Leehan quickly covered Ehandurde’s eyes.

“Head! Wait! Your… your form! It’s not changed back!” Leehan exclaimed in fear.

“-Ah.”

The demon seemed to suddenly remember something. Then, the magic that changed his appearance disappeared. Standing there was a wizard. He looked pale and thin.

Seeing him, Alsicl wondered if Wodanaz was joking or lying earlier.

Alsicl looked at the wizard’s eyes. They seemed smart and a little sad. ‘Could *this* person be strange like Wodanaz said?’ Alsicl wondered.

“A penguin therian, I see.”

“Yes. This is Alsicl of the Pengaerin family.”

“Indeed.”

Layana, the director of the Dawn Archive and Ihan’s mother, pointed her finger.

Alsicl didn’t know what was going to happen and just stood there.

“Director! You mustn’t erase his memory!”

“Why not?”

“Alsicl’s lips are the heaviest in the Empire!”

“…Gasp! I, I absolutely won’t say anything anywhere!”

Alsicl realized his memory was almost erased and screamed.

Layana nodded. It wasn’t clear if she believed them. She just seemed uninterested.

“You entered Einroguard.”

“Yes. I am trying to become a wizard who doesn’t disgrace the family name.”

“I wonder if learning from okay wizards is really the best way.”

The professors of Einroguard had suddenly become ‘okay’ wizards.

Ihan answered like he wasn’t surprised.

“I think it’s good because my level is low too.”

“I see. Are there any books you need?”

“I’m fine.”

Alsicl stared, as if saying, ‘Why are you refusing?!’, but Ihan stayed calm.

Ihan thought about asking for a book. But he knew it was pointless. She probably wouldn’t give him what he really needed.

She would probably suggest a weird book, saying, ‘Don’t read that okay book,’ and his mind might break as soon as he read it.

“But why are you here, Director?”

“I heard you entered Einroguard and trained for a year.”

Alsicl was a little touched.

“You were worried about me.”

“I came to see how much your magic has improved. You could say I was worried about that. Is that gorgon hybrid next to you the child you had with a penguin therian?”

“No, I am not.”

Alsicl was shocked, but Mrs. Wodanaz didn’t care.

“If you need any books while you’re headmaster, tell me.”

“…Director, I just finished my first year.”

“Oh.”

There was a moment of silence.

Layana spoke like she misunderstood.

“Did I use precognition too much?”

“Your magic failed, then.”

“My magic is always right. Ihan, if I’m wrong, then the future itself is wrong!”

‘She’s making a crazy claim.’

Ihan didn’t agree with his mother. How could she say that after seeing the ridiculous future of him being the headmaster of Einroguard?

“If you want any books while learning from okay wizards, write to me anytime. I’ll find and send a reply, even if it’s late.”

“Yes. Thank you.”

“Then, I’m busy, so I’ll be going now.”

Layana waved lightly and stepped back. The door shimmered and closed behind her, leaving Ihan and Alsicl in silence.

Alsicl finally relaxed and sighed.

Alsicl had heard rumors about the Wodanaz family head. People said they were like magic pretending to be human. But the director seemed even stranger than that. She was like pure magic, not even trying to look human.

She tried to erase Alsicl’s memory with just a finger, without a wand.

Alsicl took a deep breath. His heart was still racing, but a smile started to spread across his face. “That was… that was amazing!” he said, his voice full of excitement.

He hadn’t noticed it before because he was scared, but it was truly amazing. From the director’s appearance to her leaving.

All the magic around her was in her control. Trying to cast magic with just a finger, without a wand, showed her confidence.

As a wizard, Alsicl was thrilled by that, even though he was also scared.

“Isn’t she crazy…?”

“Shhh. Just think that to yourself. It’s rude to say it out loud.”

Eandurde and Ihan were shocked by Alsicl’s reaction and moved away.

He thought seeing that was a good experience?

“Ah, no… hey, Wodanaz. You might be used to seeing her because you’re related, but I was shocked.”

“I’ve only met her a few times, though?”

‘Ah, right. He’s less shocked because of his magic.’

Ihan was calm even when he was a demon earlier.

“Anyway! I was really surprised.”

“Yes… well…”

Alsicl thought about the ‘Dawn Archive’. If she was the ‘director’, it must be a very important and old archive.

In the Empire, archives and libraries weren’t just for spreading knowledge, but for protecting great ideas.

The director position was passed down with the family and was an honorable title.

Alsicl thought about the ‘Dawn Archive’. If she was the ‘director’, it must be a very important and old archive.

“When I was young, my brother got a book from there and almost died.”

“That must be a really amazing archive, then?”

Alsicl changed the subject, pretending not to hear.

A couple who likes exploring dimensions wouldn’t have normal books there. Every book was probably a deadly forbidden book.

“Still, I’m jealous.”

‘Is he really crazy?’

Alsicl looked impressed, not caring about Ihan’s thoughts.

“One is the head of the Wodanaz family, and the other is the director of an archive passed down from ancient times. They must have joined hands to complete great magic. I want to marry someone like that too.”

Alsicl thought the worst marriage was when people just wanted each other physically. The next was when they thought about their families’ honor and benefits. That was normal.

The best marriage was for a noble purpose and knowledge. Without selfish desires, for the great study of magic…

“They just fell in love and got married, though.”

……