Surviving As A Mage In A Magic Academy [EN]: Chapter 1078

Students at Einroguard magic school often had strange ideas about wizards in the Empire. One student said to his friend, “The Empire must have wizards like us, right?”

They often imagined that only *their* school was full of difficult people.

“Surely,” another student replied, “the wizards we meet after we graduate will be kinder, less like beasts?”

But graduation day brought a harsh lesson.

Most wizards in the Empire were not good people at all. They were often selfish and unkind.

Cohalti had met a few wizards outside of school before. They had all been unpleasant and used him for their own gain. Because of this, Stedal’s simple kindness felt deeply touching to Cohalti.

He’d thought he was a fearsome battle mage…

Stedal nodded lightly as he looked at Cohalti. Cohalti was even more moved.

“…Is this person clueless?”

Stedal, or rather, Lee Han, was very surprised.

He’d gone to the trouble of coming here to help, and yet the man couldn’t take advantage of it and was just grinning foolishly.

If it were Lee Han, he would have gotten money from the Count and his nephew, and also a list of nobles they could cause trouble to in the future.

Maybe he should have explained it when he was explaining it to Senior Dirette.

‘No. If I had told him, he definitely wouldn’t have been able to keep a straight face.’

Lee Han sighed to himself.

At first, it was just a fake identity he’d created without much thought, but it was starting to feel like a burden.

He hadn’t even entered the mansion, but a group of people who seemed like fans found him and started cheering. It was truly overwhelming.

-Lord Nago! We heard the rumors that Lord Nago was coming and came to find you!

-Please look this way! Lord Nago! Please be sure to take us on your next voyage as well…

Thinking that he was becoming too popular, Lee Han responded rudely.

If he acted rudely at another invited noble’s mansion, his reputation would immediately drop.

-Hmph. Don’t block my path, move aside.

-Yes, yes! We’ll move aside! You lot, can’t you move!

However, even with such rude behavior, people only became more excited.

Some guests who were smarter and more sensible noticed Stedal’s rude behavior. But the excitement of the crowd was so strong, they were afraid to say anything.

-That’s rude no matter how you l…

-Are you trying to insult Lord Stedal of the Nago family, the most famous person in the southern Empire, whom the Count has personally invited!!

-Ah… No, I’m not.

‘…I’m doomed.’

In this atmosphere where it felt like he could punch anyone and be praised for it, Lee Han realized that the people’s excitement had gotten out of control.

Now, there was only one thing Lee Han could do.

Not get caught!

‘If I get caught, won’t the Wodanaz family come attacking?’

“Thank you for teaching me!”

The young nephew of Count Jau looked at Lee Han with sparkling eyes.

Seeing the fellow who had been strutting around with such arrogance in other parts of the party acting like that made Lee Han even more uneasy.

Couldn’t he just keep strutting around here, too?

“…Hmph. It’s nothing much.”

“I will definitely capture Professor Verdus like Lord Nago.”

At the nephew’s words, the people present looked admiring.

“You have a wonderful nephew, Count.”

“Of course. A member of the family must repay the insult the Count received!”

“…Wh, what happened?”

Cohalti asked, confused.

The anger the Count’s nephew showed towards Professor Verdus was almost as strong as that of the Einroguard students.

A dwarf guest sipping orange punch next to him explained instead.

“The wizard Bible Verdus tricked Count Jau once. Three times, in fact.”

True to his reputation for generosity, Count Jau was kind even to wizards.

One of the people who benefited greatly from that was Professor Verdus.

-I’m trying to do magical research, and I need ten thousand Imperial gold coins.

-I understand. Take them.

-No, Count! Do you know that wizard?

-I don’t. But that wizard is certainly an extraordinary person. Wizards who come to borrow gold for research are usually cunning and groveling, but that man has a dignity that doesn’t care about anything. Also, the artifacts he’s wearing are all excellent items, so he’s definitely no ordinary wizard.

-Indeed…!

Professor Verdus, who had easily gotten ten thousand Imperial gold coins in this way, was not satisfied with that and came twice more to receive them.

And instead of rewarding them with results, he stayed in the Einroguard territory and became a recluse.

“Not only the people who received favors from the Count but also the Count’s relatives are very angry.”

‘Hmm. The Count seems to have some problems, too.’

Lee Han only thought to himself.

No matter how good a person is, what did he see in Professor Verdus…

Did he give it to him because he looked cute?

“Lord Nago!”

“?”

Lee Han was startled by the sudden call.

Could his inner thoughts have been exposed?

“I-I’m sorry, but I have a word to say! Could you possibly tell me about the strong poisons and curses you asked for earlier!”

“?”

He wondered what they were talking about, but it was the guest he had met outside the mansion earlier.

The person who had misunderstood, seeing him whispering with Dirette, ‘Gasp! Were you looking for strong poisons or curses to use against your enemies!’

It seemed they thought he had newly commissioned them to use against Professor Verdus. Lee Han tried to clear up the misunderstanding.

“That’s…”

“T-that kind of request! Could you please tell me as well?”

The Count’s nephew cried out, his face brightening.

The people present also looked at him earnestly, with eyes that hoped this experienced, rough battle mage would show a moment of generosity.

Hunters don’t usually reveal their secrets, but for the sake of the Count who had arranged and invited him to this gathering…!

“…I have no choice.”

Overwhelmed by the atmosphere, Lee Han quickly changed his words.

Now that it had come to this, there was no other way.

“Summon the students from the Einroguard School of Black Magic.”

“Ooh!”

“The Einroguard School of Black Magic, was it!”

The students from the School of Black Magic, who had been enjoying table shuffleboard in the corner of the hall, were surprised by the sudden summons.

“Did Senior Cohalti cause an accident again?”

“Hey. Call him Cohalti. Someone might misunderstand.”

“Everyone, quiet. Let’s go for now.”

Dirette led the juniors away with a reluctant expression.

The atmosphere wasn’t hostile, but they were still clueless as to what was going on.

‘What’s the situation?’

Dirette was even more bewildered by the reaction of the people when they arrived where the Count was.

People were looking at them with expectation and admiration.

Black magic school mages usually didn’t have the opportunity to receive such looks. The juniors whispered, perhaps also bewildered.

“Aren’t they mistaking us for another school?”

“I think they’re mistaking us for the Healing Magic School…”

“Welcome!”

The Count’s nephew greeted them politely.

The students thought to themselves, surprised by his unexpectedly courteous demeanor.

‘I heard the nephew was a hooligan, but is that not the case?’

‘What would Cohalti know?’

The students waved their hands, cursing Cohalti inwardly.

“Ah, no. What brings you here?”

“I heard that you are experts in poisons and curses.”

“We… suppose so?”

If you were talking about experts in poisons and curses, it was usually the School of Black Magic or the School of Healing Magic.

“Is someone sick? But if they’re sick, you should call the School of Healing Magic…”

The students from the School of Black Magic could, of course, remove poisons or curses, but they couldn’t guarantee the person’s life in the process.

“No! It’s not that someone is sick, but that I want to commission poisons and curses!”

“……”

“…W-well, because of the Imperial law, you can’t purchase them without a legitimate purpose.”

The dwarf student, Dirimpa, opened his mouth in embarrassment.

The truth was that there were times when black mages were popular, and that was with people planning crimes.

They were the most reliable beings when they wanted to eliminate someone in their family and seize their assets.

Of course, they couldn’t just sell strong poisons or curses as they pleased just because it made money.

“Don’t worry. I have a legitimate reason. It’s fine to submit it to the Empire. I am trying to purchase poisons and curses to subdue Bible Verdus.”

The Count’s nephew spoke passionately.

And then he shouted that he knew that Stedal Nago here was entrusting the Einroguard School of Black Magic students with the commission to manufacture strong poisons and curses.

“Was that so?!”

“It must be Senior Dirette’s commission. He’s really something.”

The black magic school juniors looked at him with respect.

He was indeed the most resourceful person in the school. When did he get such a commission?

If it was a mage of that much fame, the commission fee would be substantial, right?

“……”

Dirette stared blankly at his junior, dumbfounded. Lee Han conveyed his apologetic feelings with just his eyes, even in disguise.

‘I’m sorry. I’m sorry.’

“If it’s a poison that even non-experts can use, then Ahrak’s poison would be suitable. Red poison or blue poison would also be good for applying to weapons.”

Dirette was doubtful even as he spoke.

Regardless of the poison’s performance, Professor Verdus was more thorough in his defenses than he thought.

He was the type of person who carried around detoxification or curse-dispelling artifacts, so most things wouldn’t work…

‘What do you think, junior?’

‘That’s for the person who bought it to think about.’

Lee Han was cold.

He had told them about the poison and the curse, so did he have to teach them how to catch Professor Verdus with it?

And Lee Han didn’t know that method either.

“……”

“Hey!”

While Dirette was dumbfounded, the other people present cautiously opened their mouths.

“Perhaps, black mages, could I also entrust you with a commission? I’m also going to use it when I catch Professor Verdus.”

“If it’s alright, please accept my commission as well! I will pay you handsomely!”

The people present seemed to be half hypnotized.

They were under the hypnosis that if they didn’t buy poison at this gathering today, they wouldn’t be able to catch Professor Verdus even if they met him later!

“W-wait. Everyone, calm down and think calmly. Professor Verdus is also an expert in poison, so have you thought about how you’re going to use it before commissioning it?”

Dirette tried to calm the people down and make them rational.

However, the people were already filled with unfounded confidence.

“Lord Stedal of the Nago family succeeded once, so it will definitely work.”

“Even if it fails, I won’t blame you! Please accept my commission!”

“Alright! Alright!”

The black magic school juniors quickly took out paper and wrote down the names of the people.

They couldn’t just let go of such an opportunity that had come their way.

When else would they sell the black magic school’s strong poison at such a high price?

“No… hey… everyone… sigh.”

Dirette closed his mouth, about to tell the juniors not to trick the people.

Everyone was too happy.

When else would the school juniors receive such enthusiastic commissions?

The poison that the people bought wouldn’t work on Professor Verdus and would be useless, but it would still be of great help to the juniors.

Thinking that way, he thought that he should just let this farce pass.

“What is all this commotion?”

“They say that Lord Nago is telling them about the poison he used to subdue Bible Verdus.”

“Good heavens! Why are you only telling me that now!”

Even the guests who had belatedly come after hearing the rumors lined up in front of the black magic school students.

Lee Han took advantage of the chaos and whispered slyly.

“Senior Dirette. Still, isn’t it quite alright as a result?”

“Get away from me, Mr. Stedal of the Nago family.”

“Oh.”