Surviving As A Mage In A Magic Academy [EN]: Chapter 936

Alcycle was curious about Alsecle, but he held back. His counterpart was a great wizard, but he also had a strange temper.

Alcycle remembered a story about another wizard, Baldor O’Rehn, who had given a student a tricky magical watch. Alsecle was like that too – smart, but sometimes difficult.

Alcycle recalled Baldor O’Rehn gifting the watch to Ethan.

“-More than that, you bought this artifact in town? And even at a cheap secondhand shop?”

“-Yes. I think Baldor O’Rehn might have known and recommended it… Should I send a letter and ask what he meant?”

“-No. He bothered to give his junior a lesson, and you’re asking without trying to solve it yourself. He’d be displeased.”

Wizards who acted like Baldor O’Rehn often had bad tempers, just like Headmaster Skull.

Of course, the pocket watch ended up in Ethan’s hands by chance after Professor Garcia disposed of it. Baldor O’Rehn didn’t recommend it to Ethan for any enlightenment or torment. But there was no way these two young wizards could know the truth. Neither of them had any intention of talking to Baldor O’Rehn!

‘No need to poke a powerful wizard who’s quietly minding his own business.’

Alcycle bowed his head lightly as a sign of respect. Baldor O’Rehn, wondering if he was being greeted, glanced around, puzzled.

“-Now, then, Wodanaz.”

“-You should call me Steddle.”

“-…Steddle. Do you have anything in mind?”

“-Well, I haven’t decided on anything specific yet…”

Ethan and the drama club students faced many dangers. First, the main streets and shops were blocked. People said it was to protect the Einroguard wizards. Since the Death Knights were guarding the inside and outside, simply escaping from the palace wouldn’t guarantee an escape. It would take time to get through the empty streets and break through the encirclement.

How could they escape the palace without being noticed, and then escape the pursuit and patrols?

“-I’m thinking of causing a big commotion.”

Indeed, a big commotion was the answer. A commotion big enough to distract everyone in the palace, even the Death Knights.

“-At first, I thought about summoning the Headmaster’s insane doppelganger and impersonating him, but I don’t think the Death Knights are that stupid.”

“-…Aside from the possibility, I’m scared of you for even thinking of that!”

Alcycle shuddered. To think there would be someone trying to impersonate Headmaster Skull. And that someone was Headmaster Skull’s disciple.

“-I thought it was a possible method. Of course, I gave up on it because I thought the Death Knights would have a way to verify his identity…”

“-Why don’t you just reveal your identity as Wodanaz to the Death Knights and ask for their help?”

Alcycle made the suggestion seriously. It might sound reckless, but Alcycle thought it was quite likely to work. The Death Knights were loyal to Headmaster Skull, but they were also loyal to Headmaster Skull’s successor. And while they were strict with the former, they were a bit kinder with the latter. Wouldn’t they turn a blind eye if Wodanaz asked?

“-That’s the most crazy suggestion I’ve heard today. How could you make such a suggestion, no matter how annoyed you are?”

Ethan glared at Alcycle with disgust. Alcycle protested in an upset voice.

“-I’m making the suggestion seriously!”

“-Hmph. Don’t lie. There’s no way you’d make such a suggestion seriously.”

Even if Alcycle was serious, it was a suggestion Ethan could never accept. If he told the Death Knights and they said, ‘Understood! Follow us to the disciplinary chamber!’, Ethan’s plan would simply fall apart.

“-…Alright. I get it. It would be a bit dangerous. So? What kind of commotion?”

In fact, wizards were basically experts at causing commotions. Even a wizard who wasn’t very skilled could cause a considerable commotion if they wanted to. Alcycle himself could think of various methods, such as summoning familiars, elemental rampages, sonic illusions, and emotional disturbances. But if he went ahead and did whatever came to mind, he’d be perfect for becoming a magical criminal. The bigger the accident, the harder it was to clean up the mess.

That’s why Ethan participated among the illusion wizards preparing for the play. If they were going to cause a commotion, it had to be one that wouldn’t seem strange to the people gathered here, and one that wouldn’t lead to a later pursuit. These wizards were perfect for that.

“-We summon illusions that match the content of the play, but we summon illusions that are much more intense and powerful than the audience expects.”

“-Indeed.”

Alcycle understood Ethan’s words. The audience gathered here were familiar with the Empire’s plays. They wouldn’t be too surprised by the magical illusions that appeared during the play. But what if illusions that were much more intense and powerful than they expected appeared? If the magic was so strong that people could mistake it for reality, the hall would become chaotic, and the Death Knights would surely move in response to the commotion.

“-Amazing? To think you’d prepare even such magic.”

Alcycle praised Ethan. To prepare magic that would fit the content of the play and also confuse people. Truly worthy of being Headmaster Skull’s top disciple.

“-Huh? I don’t have any such magic.”

“-Then?”

“-I thought Alcycle would come up with it.”

Alcycle clicked his beak and glared at Ethan.

“-No… I’m a second-year; how am I supposed to come up with and prepare something like that?”

“-Only a second-year at times like this! Ugh. I’m not an illusion expert either.”

Alcycle was lost in thought. He did know a few illusion magic school spells.

‘Enchanting giant penguin… This is inappropriate for startling people, and it doesn’t fit the content of the play at all. Enraged giant penguin… Making people angry might lead to suspicion later, and this doesn’t fit the content either.’

“-Do you have any illusion magic other than penguins?”

“-I told you, I’m not an illusion expert!”

Alcycle took out an illusion magic book he didn’t usually read from his pocket and started searching through it. To think he’d be looking for illusion magic he’d forgotten because he didn’t think he’d ever use it.

“-An illusion that would be useful when families are fighting each other… Is an orca illusion too much?”

“-…It doesn’t fit the content of the play at all.”

Two families summoning orcas to fight each other in the middle of the city is a bit…

Ethan, who had been thinking, shouted as if he had realized something.

“-I have a good idea!”

“-Oh? What is it?”

“-Master?”

What’s going on again?

Seeing Headmaster Skull’s insane doppelganger being used like a magical assistant, Alcycle thought that Wodanaz might get caught by a crazy archmage someday.

“-Thank you, Master!”

The insane doppelganger taught him quite diligently. In Alcycle’s view, he seemed to be teaching more diligently than Headmaster Skull.

“-That’s wrong. From what I can see, this is based on a story that happened between the Alcharmata family and the Ilhon family. In that case, summon the illusion of a dragon.”

“-A dragon!? Isn’t that too much? And the content of the play…”

“-No. Thanks to the achievements of their ancestor, the Alcharmata family was allowed to summon a dragon to battle at any time. It was only a one-time thing, but their feud with the Ilhon family was so deep that they used it in a dispute. The bottomless black swamp in the family’s territory is proof of the covenant. The dragon’s nest is inside there.”

“-N-No way…! I just thought that black swamp was a gloomy backdrop; that’s where it is?!”

“-The records must have been lost. The Ilhon family was no match for them. Knowing that their opponent would summon a dragon, they summoned a demon.”

“-Even a demon!?”

“-So, bring out the dragon and the demon in the second act. The magic is as follows…”

After the insane doppelganger left, Alcycle said in an excited voice.

“-I never imagined that such secrets were hidden in that cliché play! A dragon and a demon! Such secrets in that ordinary backdrop!!”

“-Don’t you like plays, Alcycle?”

“-Ah, no! What nonsense… It’s just that anyone in the Empire would be surprised!”

Alcycle was genuinely surprised by the sudden misunderstanding. Compared to the nobles of the Empire who genuinely loved plays, Alcycle was at a level where he’d be ashamed to say he liked plays anywhere. That was just admiration born out of pure curiosity. But in Ethan’s view, Alcycle was already a play enthusiast.

‘Pretending not to like it while liking it.’

The illusion magic that the insane doppelganger taught him were two: >Rampaging Azirmo’s Illusion> and >Descent of the Furious Duke’s Illusion>. Both were 4th circle, but the level of magic was high, and there were many things to adjust, making the difficulty considerable. Alcycle was worried about whether he could prepare before the play started.

“-Can you master at least one of these?”

“-I think I can cast >Rampaging Azirmo’s Illusion>.”

Ethan, noticing Alcycle’s shocked expression, quickly explained.

“-I’ve learned a similar magic before.”

>Azirmo Summoning Enchantment> was a method that borrowed the power of magic circles and various reagents, but this magic was also a high-level 4th circle spell. While learning this, he gained a high understanding of Azirmo’s form, so he mastered this similar illusion magic much faster.

“-I-Is that so. You were lucky. Which professor taught you that magic? I should thank them later.”

“-Professor Verdus.”

“-Forget the thank you. He seems like a trashy guy.”

Alcycle canceled what he had just said and shook his arm. Professor Verdus must have taught it to his disciple to use it for his own magic. What a nasty guy!

“-Then I’ll prepare >Descent of the Furious Duke’s Illusion>…”

A loud shout was heard from outside, drowning out Alcycle’s voice.

“-Step back! Step back! The wizards of Einroguard have arrived!”

“-Oh! The pillars of Einroguard!”

“-Is it really necessary to have such thorough security? Who here in this palace would be suspicious?”

“-Let’s understand. How many evil people are aiming for the Empire’s best wizards?”

Alcycle and Ethan looked at each other, knowing their plan was about to start.

“-They’re here! Go and make contact quickly. I’ll continue preparing!”

“-Yes!”

“-Wait!”

Alcycle called Ethan back as he was about to run.

“-??”

“-Don’t forget to talk to any useful sponsors you see!!”

“-Understood!”

Yoner was in a serious discussion with his friends.

“-The Alcharmata family’s black swamp implies that the kingdom’s situation at the time was gloomy. Otherwise, there’s no reason for an out-of-place swamp to be in their territory.”

“-I see it a bit differently. The black swamp implies the tragic fate of the two lovers.”

“-Isn’t there a black dragon inside?”

“-Nilia! We’re being serious!”

“-I-I was being serious too…”

Nilia was slightly embarrassed by her friends’ reactions. She was just offering her interpretation like her friends, so why?

“-Einroguard wizards, welcome to the palace.”

“-Thank you!”

As the nobles who had gathered earlier lightly greeted them, the Einroguard students politely returned the greeting. Of course, their attire was worse than beggars, but their hearts had to maintain dignity. The Einroguard students were better than anyone else at acting cultured even while wearing rags.

Hearing the students’ voices, the nobles who were gathered on the other side also turned their attention. Among them, a person in the middle of the nobles’ group approached the students.

“-Who is that person?”

“-Ah. That person is Steddle of the Nago family. He’s a truly amazing person!”

The noble next to him explained about Steddle as if excited. He was captured by pirates in the southern Empire and rescued by chance…

“-No way!”

“-How could that be!”

The students were greatly surprised by the rich and complex background story.

“-Hello.”

Meanwhile, Steddle bowed his head, greeting them in a rough voice. Asan was preparing to ask a question with passionate eyes.

“-Don’t be surprised, everyone. It’s Wodanaz.”