Surviving As A Mage In A Magic Academy [EN]: Chapter 726

“Hmm. This is truly peculiar,” Barglios mumbled, tilting his head. He was a third-year student from the Elvally family, reading from a thick, dusty book.

Question after question, he asked about the wand, trying to figure out why it wasn’t working. Usually, one of these questions would have been the right one by now.

Ethan watched him, feeling a little relieved. The tree spirit inside his wand wasn’t angry, at least not yet. That was good. He was starting to get worried.

“Alright,” Barglios said, pushing his glasses up his nose. He looked frustrated. “In times like these, I should ask a really strange question.”

“Oh?” Ethan asked, raising an eyebrow. “Like what?”

“Could it be,” Barglios began, then hesitated, “could it be because you’re taking *all* the schools’ courses?”

“……” Ethan just stared at him. Was Barglios serious?

Barglios adjusted his glasses again, looking a bit awkward. “It’s a unique question! You have to try silly things when you’re stuck, right?”

“That’s… very silly,” Ethan said slowly.

Barglios then asked more questions, such as, ‘Did you make the wand withstand excessively powerful magic or mana?’ or ‘Did you allow a dangerous monster to touch the wand?’

“Wow. What is it, really?” Ethan wondered.

“Could it be that the spirit likes me and that’s why it’s not answering?” Barglios joked.

“That’s nonsense. Why are you talking like that?” Ethan replied.

Barglios was serious about magic. Ethan nodded, a little sad.

“Are you dissatisfied because you can’t use your abilities… wait, this is it! Look here!” Barglios exclaimed, surprised by a positive answer.

This question was so unlikely that it was at the very end of the book.

“Usually, there’s no reason why the *spirit* wouldn’t let you use its powers. Did you leave this wand somewhere for a long time?” Barglios asked.

“No. I carry it with me every day,” Ethan replied.

“That’s strange. Hmm. Just a moment. Let’s check the spirit’s abilities first.” As a summoning magic major, the orc calmly began to investigate.

After casting a few spells, Barglios looked up, surprised. ‘The abilities of this tree spirit are…’

“The power of healing, the power of life, and the power of fortitude. Three in total. Impressive! For a spirit without a contract to lend this much power… you must have made a good impression.”

“I was lucky. But something’s strange,” Ethan said.

“What is it?” Barglios asked.

“Professor Thunderstep only told me about one. That it makes plants grow well.”

“That’s the power of life, but… well. I don’t know. Professors aren’t usually interested in their students, are they?”

Ethan was puzzled by his senior’s words, but he accepted it for now.

“First, the power of healing. You’ve probably experienced it a few times. It’s a useful spirit power for a wizard. It restores mana.”

“?” Ethan didn’t remember the wand restoring his mana.

“This probably isn’t it. Now. You haven’t been able to use the power of healing? Let’s see… huh?” The tree spirit flatly stated that it had not been able to use its power.

Barglios was taken aback by this.

“Is the magic effect on my glasses gone?” Barglios asked.

“No. I think you’re seeing it correctly,” Ethan said quietly.

Come to think of it, even if the tree spirit had the power to restore mana, Ethan probably wouldn’t have had the chance to use it.

“Surely you’ve used the other two,” Barglios said.

“The power of life is what you just mentioned…” Ethan replied.

“Yes. It’s a power that alchemists love. It helps when growing plants.”

“Yes. I think I’ve used that,” Ethan said.

“That’s a relief. You haven’t been able to use the power of life?” Barglios asked.

The tree spirit immediately replied that it had not been able to use the power of life either.

“…Are you really sure you’ve used it?” The orc senior glared at Ethan from behind his glasses with a menacing look.

“I’ve grown so many plants! This is slander. The spirit is mistaken!” Ethan exclaimed.

“Hmm. Did the wizard perhaps replace the power of life with other means?” Barglios asked.

The tree spirit immediately answered yes.

“Did you perhaps replace it with mana?” Ethan asked.

Affirmative.

Ethan felt a sudden sense of futility.

He had thought that the plants were growing well thanks to the wand, but it turned out it was just a placebo effect.

“I thought I was using the wand’s power,” Ethan said.

“C-cheer up. Sometimes you have those kinds of misconceptions. So, what means did you use to replace it?” Barglios asked.

“It seems I was unconsciously scattering my mana. I believed that it would grow well because of the tree spirit’s help, but that was…” Ethan trailed off.

Barglios stared at Ethan as if he were crazy and subtly took a step back.

“What is the last power, the power of fortitude?” Ethan asked.

“It’s simple, but it’s also a useful power. It’s the power that makes the wand endure. When casting strong impacts or powerful magic,” Barglios explained.

“I’ve really used this one,” Ethan said.

“Slow down. I don’t think you should be so sure. You haven’t been able to use the power of fortitude?” Barglios asked.

The answer came back that it had not been able to use it, mercilessly.

Ethan shouted in frustration. “How much have I fought to hear that!”

“…What kings??” Barglios asked, confused.

“It’s nothing. Senior. Please ask again,” Ethan said.

“The answer won’t change just because I ask again. More than that, there’s only one reason why you wouldn’t be able to use the power of fortitude. Could it be that it’s still not enough?” Barglios suggested.

Affirmative.

Ethan was puzzled and asked, “What’s not enough?”

“Uh… it means that you need to use more powerful magic for that power to be worth using,” Barglios explained.

Ethan stared at the wand as if it were crazy.

“Well, anyway, cheer up! It’s not like the tree spirit hates you. You can just let it be active in the future,” Barglios said kindly.

Ethan got up feeling dejected, receiving comfort from his orc senior after the lecture.

He felt like he had learned a lot, but hadn’t gained anything.

“There’s no need to think too hard. If there’s no need to use the power of healing, you can just add other powers and connect them. There must be powers that require mana recovery,” Barglios advised.

“Similarly, connect the power of life by adding other powers,” Barglios added.

“What about the power of fortitude?” Ethan asked.

“I don’t know about that other than you casting stronger magic,” Barglios admitted.

“…Thank you, Senior. For teaching me so kindly when you must be busy,” Ethan said gratefully.

“Haha. It’s not like you’re a stranger, you’re a junior,” Barglios replied.

“Are you affiliated with the Blue Dragon Tower?” Ethan asked.

“No? I was talking about the summoning magic school. See you during summoning magic, junior,” Barglios said.

Ethan felt strangely bitter.

‘Why do I feel so bitter?’ Ethan wondered.

“Hey, Wodanaz!” Anglaga shouted, running over to Ethan.

“Come on! You’ll miss it if we don’t go right now!” Anglaga urged.

“Miss what?” Ethan asked.

“You’re asking because you don’t know?! Ugh. Just follow me! Quickly!” Anglaga pushed Ethan’s back as if to force him to run.

“You’re a club member, so why don’t you know!” Anglaga exclaimed.

“Well, the club I joined is… never mind. What club is it?” Ethan asked.

“It’s obviously the Quidditch club. What club else would it be?” Anglaga said excitedly.

“’That’ animal is here right now. Can you believe it? To be able to see it,” Anglaga whispered.

“What are you talking about? A griffin? A basilisk?” Ethan asked.

Anglaga exclaimed in shock at Ethan’s question. “Why are you saying such gruesome things?! Of course not! Don’t you know what a Quidditch club is? You have to bring animals that you can ride!”

“Griffins and basilisks are animals you can ride too,” Ethan said dryly.

The White Tiger Tower friend looked around to see if anyone was listening and said in a low, excited voice, “…The professor is taking care of a unicorn right now!”

“Ah.” Ethan understood and nodded. “That’s possible.”

Anglaga looked at Ethan as if he couldn’t believe it. “Wodanaz. I’m going to see a unicorn with my own eyes today. And I’m going to ask it.”

“Ask what?” Ethan asked.

“If it wants to play Quidditch with me,” Anglaga replied.

‘That seems like the dumbest question a unicorn could hear,’ Ethan thought.

“Okay. It’s your freedom to ask. What about your lectures?” Ethan asked.

“Ah. Of course,” Anglaga replied with a firm will. “I’m just not going to listen to the lectures. Unicorns are more important.”

Ethan kicked his friend playfully and sent him back to the lecture hall.

The Quidditch club members were watching the unicorn from afar with anxious eyes.

A short, grumpy-looking professor was begging and wailing at the unicorn. “Let me take care of you!”

“Professor. It looks like the unicorn needs us!” one of the members said.

“Shut up, you noisy, ugly creatures! Get out of here!” Professor Bendozol shouted, firing magic at the Quidditch club members.

The members quickly distanced themselves, as if they had expected it.