Surviving As A Mage In A Magic Academy [EN]: Chapter 869

Lee Han didn’t even care about the annoying older students teasing him.

BrainyWizard: Listen up! Wizards shouldn’t be scared for no reason. You have to face your fears and beat them!

SarcasticStudent: Oh yeah? *You* go try staring down the Headmaster. See how that works out.

AnimalLover: Yeah, *you* go try to beat the Headmaster. Good luck with that!

Lee Han almost typed back, “Are you even going to pass your exams?” but he stopped himself.

He knew there were lines he shouldn’t cross, no matter how much he wanted to argue.

They weren’t being helpful anyway.

Unlike other topics, everyone got touchy when the Skull Headmaster was mentioned, making it hard to get information.

Just as Lee Han was about to give up, someone sent a message.

Klzenberg: The Headmaster has gone to the capital.

Lee Han was surprised by the stranger’s name. Others seemed surprised too.

SarcasticStudent: Klzenberg! I thought you already graduated.

AnimalLover: I thought you were stuck in the punishment room forever.

Klzenberg: Haha. I’ve been busy lately.

BrainyWizard: Is it just me, or does Klzenberg sound like he’s talking from a history book?

SarcasticStudent: Hey, you’re calling yourself BrainyWizard, right?

AnimalLover: Yeah, you’re not exactly normal either.

From the short chat, Lee Han learned a few things. First, Klzenberg spoke in an old-fashioned way and seemed well-liked. It was the opposite of how people reacted to Starfish, who everyone made fun of.

If I had to guess, he’s one of the most popular in the Einroguard Watchmen group. Starfish is the least popular.

Lee Han wondered where he would fit in, but then he remembered BrainyWizard’s weird name.

Klzenberg: Anyway, AnimalLover, how’s that research you mentioned coming along?

AnimalLover: Great! The poison cloud is almost ready. It can kill anyone who gets close in three seconds!

Starfish: Isn’t that too dangerous? Other students could get hurt.

The messages stopped, and it got quiet. Lee Han could feel the mood change, even though he couldn’t see them.

Klzenberg: I understand Starfish’s worry. But AnimalLover is very talented. Even if he makes a poison cloud, he won’t use it on other students.

AnimalLover: ……

Starfish: You promise you won’t use it?!

AnimalLover: Ugh. Shut up. Who are you to tell me what to do?

Starfish: S-see! See!

Klzenberg: Everyone, calm down. AnimalLover definitely…

Hmm. I see why he’s popular.

Klzenberg reminded Lee Han of Alarong, the old knight from the Wodanaz family. A kind and thoughtful old knight.

Lee Han understood the situation and picked up his quill again. He was curious about the poison cloud, but the Skull Headmaster was more important right now.

BrainyWizard: Klzenberg, you said the Headmaster went to the capital. Can you tell me more?

SarcasticStudent: Aww, the topic changed.

The others grumbled, but Lee Han ignored them. Klzenberg replied kindly.

Klzenberg: Of course. But why such a strange name?

BrainyWizard: ……

Klzenberg: Anyway, the Headmaster went to the capital to prepare for a Great Magic. He needs to get permission, or so I heard.

Starfish: Oh? Really? That’s why?

SarcasticStudent: What Great Magic? What is it? Is he going to put another curse on our necks?

Klzenberg: I don’t know about that. And that’s not even a Great Magic, is it?

SarcasticStudent: Well, yeah, that’s true. He could do that easily.

A Great Magic?

Wizards could cast spells with just the ingredients and their own power, but some magic was too big and hard to do alone.

This kind of magic was called Great Magic, and it took hundreds of wizards years to prepare.

It was too difficult for one wizard to even think about doing it alone.

The problem was, the Skull Headmaster wasn’t a normal wizard.

A Great Magic that the Skull Headmaster has to go to the capital to prepare for. What could it be?

Someone who could usually do Great Magic by himself needed to go to the capital and convince everyone from the Emperor to the officials.

Lee Han was starting to get really scared.

This was even scarier than the Valdrogard deal.

The others seemed to agree, and they started whispering.

SarcasticStudent: What is it? What’s he trying to do?

AnimalLover: Maybe he’s trying to enroll that royal family member who visited recently?

SarcasticStudent: Is that a Great Magic? Don’t be silly.

BrainyWizard: I agree with SarcasticStudent. That’s a stupid idea.

AnimalLover: Can’t I even joke?

Lee Han thought for a moment, then asked a question.

BrainyWizard: By the way, Klzenberg, how do you know all this?

Starfish: That’s right. How do you know? That’s suspicious.

Klzenberg knew too much.

Could there be another disciple besides me?

Maybe there was a hidden disciple in the higher grades, stuck in the darkest parts of the school…

SarcasticStudent: He could just know. Why are you questioning him?

AnimalLover: Suspicious, you say? You’re the suspicious one!

The two least popular members of the Einroguard Watchmen were being attacked.

Lee Han had to step back again.

Tch. That guy is too popular.

Klzenberg: Everyone, calm down. I just happened to be in a position to find out.

Bakwantalla: I’ve been wondering, Klzenberg, are you the Headmaster’s disciple?

Klzenberg: Hehe. I’ll let you guess.

Suspicious!

Lee Han was very suspicious.

There might be a senior disciple hidden somewhere in Einroguard, but Klzenberg didn’t seem like that kind of person.

He didn’t have the hatred that a true disciple of the Skull Headmaster should have.

As a true disciple, Lee Han promised to find out who this imposter was.

Ah, I almost forgot to ask about the Star Guide.

Lee Han wanted to ask about Professor Paselt’s midterm exam item.

Maybe someone in the higher grades knew how to use it.

Starfish: Do you think Professor Krauer is still angry? Maybe it was a misunderstanding?

SarcasticStudent: Oh. No. The professor just doubled the reward for Professor Verdus’s head. He also put a reward on the stolen item.

Hmm. It’s not a good time to ask.

Lee Han quietly closed his book. If he asked about the item now, he might get reported.

-Are you done writing?

The baby basilisk peeked out of Lee Han’s sleeve. Lee Han nodded.

Yeah. More importantly, why have you been so sleepy lately?

-I was pretending to be asleep!

Why?

-There’s a dragon.

The baby basilisk looked around carefully, as if checking for Zowrin.

She’s sleeping over there.

-!

When Lee Han pointed to Zowrin, who was dozing in front of the fireplace, the baby basilisk ran back into his sleeve.

-Waaah… you tricked me…

No, no. I didn’t trick you.

-You tricked me…

I’m sorry.

Lee Han slipped a snack into his sleeve to calm the baby basilisk down. Even while crying, the baby basilisk ate the snack.

Besides, Lady Zowrin isn’t that scary.

-Dragons are scary.

Of course, you might feel threatened, but you saw it too, right?

-Saw what?

She’s not as dangerous as you think?

-?

The baby basilisk thought about it, but it hadn’t seen anything that seemed less dangerous. Zowrin had grabbed Lee Han, tried to kidnap him, and wrapped him in her tail.

-Seems dangerous?

No. You’re dangerous too.

-Huh?!

The baby basilisk started crying again when Lee Han said this. But Lee Han thought they were both similar. Zowrin was just stronger and had more magic.

Got it?

-Hmph.

Even after Lee Han tried to convince it, the baby basilisk pouted and nodded. Maybe Lady Zowrin was a little less dangerous…

Zowrin, who had been asleep, heard Lee Han’s voice and reached out with her paw.

Cough.

Zowrin held Lee Han tightly so he couldn’t escape, like a child hugging a doll. Of course, Lee Han felt like he had been kidnapped. The baby basilisk whispered in shock.

-I-It is scary!

This is playing.

-Master just said ‘Cough’!

You must have misheard. I was going to sleep here anyway.

Lee Han insisted, protecting himself with telekinesis. The baby basilisk looked suspicious.

It seems like a lie…

Gasp!

Lee Han realized it was a Black Book dream. He was in a wasteland with nothing but the sky and the horizon.

He thought he had been kidnapped and had a nightmare.

What is it this time? A spell to sneak out without waking Lady Zowrin?

That would be useful. A spell to escape a dragon’s hug…

But instead of teaching him magic, the Black Book moved slowly, stalling.

Lee Han asked, confused.

What are you doing? If you’re not going to teach me magic, let me out.

He wasn’t going to beg. He was already learning too much magic, and it was almost midterm season. If it wasn’t going to teach him, fine.

But the Black Book didn’t answer and just moved slowly.

What’s wrong with this guy?

Lee Han felt uneasy. Why was the Black Book, who usually rushed him, being so slow?

What on earth…

Lee Han turned around. He saw the dimensional gate with the golden wheel pattern that the Skull Headmaster had visited when he was young.

The Black Book had recommended it, saying, ‘The Headmaster learned magic there, so you should go too.’

It was right in front of Lee Han!

Lee Han had thought the gate couldn’t do anything if he resisted, but now he was shocked.

A dimensional gate… is sneaking up on me?!

As always, the Skull Headmaster’s helpers were trying to trick him. Lee Han vowed to get revenge on the Black Book as soon as he escaped the dream. Then, he was pulled into the golden wheel patterned gate.