Surviving As A Mage In A Magic Academy [EN]: Chapter 853

“Who are you writing to?” Yoner asked, leaning closer to look at Lee Han’s paper.

“A student from Valdrogard,” Lee Han mumbled, still writing.

“Ah,” Yoner said.

Gainando, who had been watching, suddenly spoke up. “He’s probably writing a letter to scare someone!”

Lee Han stopped writing and looked up, surprised. “No, I’m not! It’s just a… friendly letter.”

But Gainando’s friends were already nodding, agreeing with him. They liked the idea of a secret, scary letter.

“Gainando’s right, don’t be silly,” one friend said. “If anyone asks, you have to say it’s just a normal letter, okay?”

“Yes, everyone remember,” another friend added seriously. “It’s just a letter. Nothing else.”

Lee Han sighed and put his hands over his ears for a moment, trying to block out their silly ideas. Then, he went back to writing his reply, shaking his head slightly.

Lee Han wrote: ‘I got your letter. Thanks for the invite. The weather here in Einrogard is nice too. The students are doing well. I’m glad you liked my telekinesis magic last time. I’m going to recommend some books to you. Don’t just think, ‘Oh, more books,’ make sure you read them. I’ll ask you about them when we meet.’

Yoner watched Lee Han writing and wondered, ‘Does Gainando have a younger brother?’ If not, why else would Lee Han send such a polite letter?

“Thanks for coming, everyone!” students called out.

“Come back soon!”

“Haha! I will!” a guest replied.

The week of visits ended, and as the weekend arrived, the guests started to leave. Some guests were very nice. They visited, stayed, and gave gifts in a good way. People like Master Goladek, a baker from the capital, were happy when the students said goodbye.

But not all the guests were nice.

Some guests looked around, hoping to steal something. Others were treated badly, whether on purpose or by accident, and they got angry and said mean things.

“This school is awful! I’m going to complain to the Emperor and get it shut down!” one shouted.

“Great! Thank you!” the students replied.

“You think I’m joking? I’m really going to do it!”

“We’d be so grateful if you did!”

“Please, guest! Please complain!”

The noble guest, holding his tattered purple leather coat, looked surprised at the students’ reaction. How could they be so calm about a threat?

“Damn it. Just wait! I know lots of important people in the capital!” he yelled.

A Death Knight said, “I’m sorry, guest. You can’t share information about the magic school or complain about it.”

“What? That’s crazy!” the guest said.

“You signed an agreement before you came…” the Death Knight said, holding up a contract.

There were some extra rules added that the guest hadn’t seen when he signed, but he was too angry to notice.

“This… When did this happen? You think this will stop me!?” he shouted.

“Guest, you can’t talk because of the magic,” the Death Knight said.

“…This is a crazy school! I curse you! I’ll never come back!” the guest said.

Lee Han finished packing and went to the 7th-floor village with his friends to watch the guests leave. The teahouse, called Hot Water and Cold Water, was popular with the second-year students because they sold cheap white tea.

The friends put down their cups and started to complain about the guests.

“They’re making such a big deal after only being here for a few days,” one said.

“Yeah. What’s the big deal about a torn coat? Lots of students don’t even have coats,” another added.

“Honestly, it’s not that hard to get used to Einrogard,” a third chimed in.

Lee Han thought, ‘Are these the same friends who complained so much last year?’ He didn’t want his friends to suffer, but he felt a little annoyed when he thought about the first-year students who were selling their wands because they didn’t have enough food.

“Oh! It’s the Valdrogard students!” someone shouted.

“What?” Lee Han asked, surprised.

Why would Valdrogard students cause trouble when there were guests visiting? ‘Who would be crazy enough to do that? Antargondals?’ he wondered. Maybe he had escaped from his crazy doppelganger, or maybe his doppelganger had ordered him to do it.

“They’re like half criminals,” one of Lee Han’s friends said confidently.

“That’s right,” another agreed.

“Get out of here! Don’t come back!” the upperclassmen shouted.

“You think this is a tourist spot! You’ll go back and say that Einrogard students can eat cake even if they don’t have bread!”

The Death Knights warned them sternly. “Everyone, be quiet!”

“Get out of here! Get out…” A third-year student who said one more word was grabbed by a Death Knight and dragged away. “To the punishment room!”

“Kraaah! This is so unfair! Valdrogard guys! It’s all your fault!” the student yelled.

Gainando sniffled. The other friends looked serious. Lee Han was confused. ‘Wasn’t that the upperclassman’s fault?’ he thought.

Just then, Zandanni drove by in a carriage, saw Lee Han, and waved. “Wodanaz! Don’t forget the gift I gave you!”

The upperclassmen in the other buildings and on the streets looked surprised.

“Did he threaten a Valdrogard student and take his stuff?” one asked.

“How did he threaten him when the Valdrogard students are always guarded? There were no chances to get close!” another wondered.

The Valdrogard students always had escorts or stayed in the Visitor Accommodation village because they knew the Einrogard students might attack them. So how did Lee Han do it?

“Is that Wodanaz? The one taking the pre-faculty courses?” someone asked.

“The rumors are true…” another whispered.

“How did he threaten him without the Valdrogard student even knowing?”

Lee Han quickly shouted, “I didn’t threaten him! We became friends, and he gave it to me!”

“Yeah, yeah, Wodanaz. We understand,” one of the upperclassmen said.

“Of course, you didn’t ‘threaten’ him. We know!” another added with a wink.

Lee Han was talking with some older students in the school hallway. He was trying to explain something important, and he raised his voice. The upperclassmen chuckled at Lee Han’s shout, nodding their heads. But they didn’t really understand what he meant.

Lee Han cursed inwardly.

Lee Han thought, “These wizards are so closed-minded.”

Wizards should be open-minded and think freely. But these wizards are not acting like that!

Tap tap-

”

A paper bird tapped his shoulder, and Lee Han unfolded it with a puzzled expression.

‘Hopefully, no one’s sending me a threatening letter for being friends with a Baldrogard student.’

Come and help with some work. Bible Verdus

‘I’d rather have a threatening letter.’

Receiving Professor Verdus’s paper bird immediately soured Lee Han’s mood.

To be able to manipulate someone’s heart with a single line, now that’s real magic.

“I’m going to see a professor for a bit.”

‘Professor Begreck?’

“No.”

“Professor Garcia?”

“No.”

“Professor Swiftfoot? Professor… Lightningfoot?” His friends were just guessing professor names.

“Oh, is it a professor we don’t know?”

“I’m going to see Professor Verdus.”

“…Why???”

Lee Han’s friends stared at him, surprised.

Lee Han thought, “That’s a good question.”

Lee Han knew better than anyone why his friends were asking that question.

He himself would have asked ‘Why?’ if his friends said they were going to help Professor Verdus.

Or check if they had been hit with some illusion magic…

But considering he had received black stones and help with his staff last time, he felt a little guilty about flatly refusing this time.

‘I’ll help just this once and ignore him from now on…’

As he had visited with Professor Garcia last time, Lee Han moved towards the attic of the magic tower, not Professor Verdus’s workshop.

Professor Verdus had some problems with people from outside the school, so he was working in the attic to stay hidden.

“Professor! I’m here!”

Clang! Clang!

The sound of chains being unlocked echoed loudly, just like last time. Professor Verdus was deactivating the defensive magic he had set up.

-Come in!

Lee Han, who had climbed through the ceiling door, was puzzled by Professor Verdus standing far away.

“Why are you standing there?”

“I was betrayed by Professor Garcia last time.

Last time, Professor Verdus had trusted Professor Garcia. He got too close, and Professor Garcia had grabbed him! Now, Professor Verdus was being much more careful.”

Lee Han gave a wry smile and said,

“Professor, look at me. I’m human. I don’t have the close-combat abilities of Professor Garcia.”

“That might be true…”

Professor Verdus nodded, thinking his student’s words made sense, and approached again.

Lee Han’s eyes flashed when Professor Verdus turned away. ‘Professor Verdus is too careless,’ Lee Han thought. ‘One day, this will cause him trouble.’

‘Hee hee hee.’

“But what did you call me here for?”

“Ah, there’s something I need to finish urgently, and I need help.”

“Professor, you always say everything is urgent!”

In Lee Han’s view, Professor Verdus was just someone who said he needed to finish things urgently if he was interested in them.

Meanwhile, the artifacts he had to finish and present to the skeletal headmaster by tomorrow were boring, so he was doing them later!

“This one really needs to be finished urgently!”

“What is it?”

Lee Han cast his gaze towards the back of the attic.

It was a small airship, shaped like a sailboat but made of shiny silver metal. The hull was smooth and curved, and a tall, thin mast stuck up sharply. Instead of sails, strange, glowing artifacts were attached to the mast, humming with magical energy.

“It’s an airship. A small one, though.”

Lee Han exclaimed in surprise.

“Is this what you scammed from Lagesa?”

“No! What scamming are you talking about!”

Professor Verdus jumped up and down as if he was wronged.

“I never scammed anyone!”

“Yes, yes. That’s what all scammers say,” Lee Han said, with a smirk.

“People who haven’t scammed anyone say that too, you know?”

“Honestly, I’m surprised, Professor. You don’t usually finish things like this to show sincerity to other investors.”

“What are you talking about? I do!”

Professor Verdus was confused by what Lee Han said. He explained,

There was a common rumor about Professor Verdus in the magic world. People said, ‘Professor Verdus takes money from people, then disappears without finishing his work!’

But Professor Verdus himself was truly innocent.

He had never pocketed a single penny.

“It’s in progress, just a little late.”

“While also doing other research?”

“If it’s fun, I can’t help but do it. Wouldn’t you do it?”

Professor Verdus asked with conviction, as if he was right and Lee Han was wrong.

But Lee Han didn’t believe him.

“So, Professor, you are going to finish this to make Lagesa a little happier before he leaves, right? And maybe get rid of some of the trouble you are in?”

“More or less.”

“If that’s the case, I’ll help.”

Lee Han readily agreed, as he owed Lagesa and Professor Verdus.

Professor Verdus was very happy. He thought Lee Han would ask for a lot of money to help him.

“I knew you’d find this fun too!”

“No. If you keep talking nonsense, I’m leaving.”

“Ah, no. It’s fun…”

“Because of you, Senior Yukbertyre is getting the wrong idea. He thinks all wizards from the Empire love doing research and think it’s fun.”

“???”

Professor Verdus tilted his head. He was confused by what Lee Han said.

Why was that his fault?

“And everyone likes and enjoys my research… Why are you putting your hand on my shoulder?”

“Haha. It’s nothing. I just saw some dust.”