Surviving As A Mage In A Magic Academy [EN]: Chapter 1030

“You said you wouldn’t get angry…”

“Surprisingly, even the happiest person in the Empire can get angry. It’s something only the most wicked wizard in the Empire could bring about.”

The Great Artist easily moved the broken black flower to the side and spoke.

“So, you must be Ihan of the Wodanaz family. Is that correct?”

“Yes.”

There was little point in attempting a lie to the Great Wizard, who had likely already guessed everything.

Ihan answered calmly.

“The youngest of the Wodanaz family and a second-year at Einroguard.”

“Yes.”

Whispers arose from behind, but Ihan didn’t hear them, focused as he was on the person before him.

“The most tragic and pitiful fate in the Empire, burdened with sacrifice. A wizard for the pyre. A poor soul soon to be burned away!”

“…That, that’s not quite right.”

It seemed the other party was mistaken.

However, the Great Artist spoke with a powerful voice, as if seeing the future.

“You may not think so now. But it will soon come to pass. Unless you run away immediately!”

“That can’t be… Ah. Or can it?”

Ihan, who had been about to deny it, faltered slightly.

Come to think of it, unlike his other friends, ever since he started learning magic separately from Headmaster Skull, his life had become very difficult.

Seeing that the youngest disciple under Headmaster Skull was talking more than expected, the Great Artist nodded.

There was still hope for this boy.

Before he went mad, or became corrupted and turned into a professor, or something even more terrible, he had to be guided and brought to the bright path where light shone.

“I have much to teach you, it seems. Follow me.”

At the artist’s words, the Petrograd students spoke with expressions full of envy.

“Such luck! To talk to the Great Artist alone and learn the truth so soon after arriving…”

“You should be grateful. Wizard from the Wodanaz family. Remember well. Listen to the voice of your soul. Do not be swayed by what your family demands of you. Even if they force you to do things because of appearances in the Empire, ignore them.”

‘Damn it. If this were Einroguard, I’d have punched them.’

Ihan cursed the Petrograd students inwardly and followed after the Great Artist.

The Great Artist’s residence was not as large as he had imagined, and in some ways, it even had a simple and plain feeling.

The artist asked, noticing Ihan’s surprise.

“Did you expect it to be much more luxurious?”

“A little.”

“I pursue my own pleasures and happiness, but that doesn’t necessarily connect to luxury. It might even lead you further away.”

As Ihan looked around the plain room, he discovered several paintings. Among them, surprisingly, was a familiar figure.

Long, flowing hair and a perfect face, like a statue from an old kingdom.

It was a portrait of Headmaster Skull in human form.

“May I ask you something?”

“You may. I brought you here to teach you, after all; how could I refuse a single question?”

“So, you were indeed Headmaster’s disciple, Wizard?”

“No.”

Ihan was shocked.

Was he perhaps a magical criminal?

‘Oh dear. How could I have acted so carelessly!’

“I was merely a pitiful Einroguard student who was tricked by that vile and wicked man.”

“……”

He *is* a disciple!

The other party seemed to have a habit of speaking about being Headmaster Skull’s disciple in an indirect way.

“But why do you ask that suddenly? Weren’t you aware of it when you came?”

“Ah. I just thought of it when I saw the portrait…”

Ihan paused, having been about to ask if he still had respect for him, which was why he painted it.

He could end up making him angry.

“I paint them often.”

“Is that so??”

“Yes. For my own pleasure.”

Since the topic had come up, the Great Artist showed how he pursued pleasure through painting.

Whoosh!

He immediately burned the portrait.

“Seeing the painting burn makes even the most intense hatred fade a little.”

“……”

Ihan was really happy he hadn’t asked if he respected him.

If he had asked, he might have been burned along with that painting.

“Sit down. I have a story to tell you.”

As the junior from Einroguard sat obediently, the Great Artist slowly opened his mouth.

“Where should I begin… Yes, you might not understand yet. The story of how your fate is unfortunate and you will soon be burned as a sacrifice.”

“Actually, I have some idea about that.”

“?!”

Learning magic under Headmaster Skull meant that a second doppelganger might appear, or a magical criminal might show up, or an anti-magic extremist might appear, and he could get caught up in a fight.

As such, he could guess what this school senior meant by telling him that story.

Of course, the Great Artist seemed slightly surprised by Ihan’s reaction.

He couldn’t help but be surprised that just a second-year student was reacting like this.

“You have some idea? No! It’s far more likely that you’re mistaken.”

“Oh, you mean having to fight magical criminals, anti-magic extremists, evil god worshippers, great demons, dimensional monsters… or Headmaster’s doppelganger?”

“…!!”

The Great Artist was even more surprised by the answer that was so specific and clever.

Really?

“Knowing that, you’re not thinking of running away?”

“Well, there’s a bit of a story behind that…”

“You’re wrong! You still haven’t understood.”

The Great Artist cut Ihan off without listening to him.

Ihan grumbled inwardly.

‘Isn’t he being a bit too much, even as a senior?’

“Do you know who the wisest person in Einroguard is?”

“Professor Garcia?”

“Ha!”

The artist laughed in a mean way. Ihan grumbled inwardly again and said.

“Then Senior Dirett?”

“…Who is that? It seems you don’t know the answer, so I’ll tell you. The wisest person in Einroguard is someone who never enrolled in the first place.”

“……”

Ihan was confused by the strange question.

Regardless, the artist continued his words.

“The next wisest person is someone who enrolled but graduated as quickly as possible and never got involved with Einroguard again.”

“Who is the next wisest person after that?”

“From then on, you can’t really call them wise. Foolish is the right word. A foolish person seeks teachings from Headmaster Skull and receives even a little of his magic.”

‘Even though you received it yourself…’

“However, even amidst foolishness, one can find small pieces of wisdom. The less foolish ones choose to break free and run away.”

“…Wait, so does that mean the most foolish person is a professor?”

After listening carefully, it seemed that only the professors were left.

“No. Listen to the end. Of course, professors are indeed more foolish. Some choose to remain in Einroguard instead of running away, and they become professors and stay there. It’s a very foolish thing to do. But there is someone even more foolish than this, and that’s who you can call the most foolish person.”

If you keep listening to nonsense, you’ll naturally become curious.

That was exactly how Ihan felt.

‘Is there anyone left?’

If even professors aren’t the most foolish, then who could it be?

“Who on earth is it?”

“It’s someone who, beyond receiving Headmaster Skull’s magic, dares to inherit all his positions and tasks!”

The Great Artist spoke with sincerity.

The duties and tasks that this ancient Great Wizard was in charge of were not easy at all.

If an ordinary wizard were to inherit even a small portion of these, they would be destroyed or killed.

However, among the disciples who learned magic from Headmaster Skull, there were occasionally those who revealed such ambitions.

These individuals were, definitely, the most foolish and most to be pitied of all.

“Indeed! Thankfully, that doesn’t apply to me.”

“……”

Is he crazy?

For a moment, the Great Artist doubted his ears, unable to understand what Ihan was saying.

Anyone who knew even a little about the long history of Headmaster Skull’s school would know, but the boy before him was doing exactly what the most foolish person would do.

Even though he was only a second-year student, he had already done so many amazing things that they had reached the ears of the artist himself, so how much more must have happened within the secret Einroguard?

If this disciple didn’t try to become the next leader, then who would?

“You’re not thinking of inheriting it?”

“Huh? Yes.”

“Really? If so…”

He wasn’t entirely convinced yet, but the Great Artist felt a little relieved.

If this youngest disciple truly had no intention of inheriting it, then it would be easier to convince him.

After graduating, he just needed to stay as far away from Einroguard as possible, and if he received any letters asking if he wanted to become a professor, he should burn them.

However, that relief was soon shattered. It was because of what Ihan said next.

“I was just thinking of helping out a little from the side…”

Crash!

“!?”

The Great Artist, extremely enraged, destroyed another work.

“Such complacent nonsense!”

“Ah, no. Just helping out…”

“You should be keeping your distance, but you’re going to help out from the side? You haven’t understood any of the teachings I just gave you!”

Although it was hidden by a mask and magic, the artist’s voice felt like it was burning with anger.

“Do you know what that means? It means you’re going to sacrifice your own desired pleasures and happiness for the sake of unknown people on this continent. No matter how it’s packaged with the mysterious secrets of magic, it’s a crazy idea. Why should you make such a sacrifice?”

“It’s not to that extent…”

“It’s either you’re next to him, or you’re not. There is no in-between! You don’t understand. Look at those foolish, traitorous brats.”

“Who?”

“The professors, I mean.”

“……”

“Even if those professors only want to research their own magic, do you think they can? As long as you’re next to him, you’re bound to get caught up in it!”

The Great Artist had not only logic but also unwavering sincerity.

Ihan couldn’t help but be overwhelmed by that sincerity.

‘There makes sense.’

Due to the nature of Headmaster Skull’s work, it was highly likely that helping out moderately from the side would be difficult.

How could you help in a relaxed way when a dimensional gate opens in the back mountains and demons pour out? You’d have to help desperately.

“Do you understand?”

“Yes…”

“Then you won’t say such too sure of yourself and foolish things again. Do you feel like running away after graduating?”

“No?”

“……Why???”

“Well, I’ve already received something… I’ll just prepare myself for more hardship and help out.”

“……”

Amidst his anger-filled worry for his youngest junior, the Great Artist suddenly felt his mind going blank.

There had been many disciples under Headmaster Skull who had tried to burn their teacher, burn themselves, or burn the continent, but this was the first time he had encountered this type.

How could someone reveal such big goals but no selfish reasons?