Surviving As A Mage In A Magic Academy [EN]: Chapter 1201

Professor Voladi leaned closer, his voice low and serious. “He’s been corrupted,” he whispered. “He has his own mind now. It’s still clumsy, but we mustn’t give him too much time.”

The hamster, perched on Professor Voladi’s shoulder, began to squeak rapidly, offering its own explanation in place of Professor Wodanaz.

Professor Voladi nodded to the hamster, acknowledging its explanation with a polite, “Thank you.”

Then, turning to Professor Kirmin, Voladi said sharply, “I wasn’t asking *you*.”

Professor Kirmin went silent.

*You unlucky son of a—!* the hamster seemed to squeak to himself, muttering a curse under his breath.

“He’s been corrupted. He has his own mind now, and while it’s still clumsy, we shouldn’t give him too much time,” Professor Voladi repeated.

“I see.”

The hamster was even more dumbfounded.

Professor Kirmin frowned. *Wasn’t that just repeating what the hamster said?* he thought.

“This is serious. A Dark God corrupted.”

Professor Kirmin, looking shaken, peeled himself off the corridor wall. He dabbed at his nose with a handkerchief, the bleeding finally stopped, but his face remained pale and gloomy. Lee Han, concerned, asked,

“Did you two perhaps fight upstairs?”

“What are you talking about, Wodanaz? Argue with Voladi? Never! Have you ever heard me say a bad word about Voladi?”

“During the pursuit…”

“That’s not important right now!” Professor Kirmin firmly cut him off, fearing his student would repeat the gossip he had shared.

“A Dark God corrupted, what do you think?”

“We need to get a team together to stop him, right now,” the Death Knight said in a serious voice.

Usually, these powerful beings, like Dark Gods, weren’t dangerous on their own because they didn’t have their own thoughts or plans.

Even Dark Gods were usually not a big problem because they didn’t have minds of their own. Unless there were those stirring up trouble by borrowing their power, the Dark Gods themselves didn’t cause much commotion.

However, if a Dark God could think and desire on its own, the story changed.

Even if its way of thinking was immature. In fact, it was more dangerous because it was immature.

“I will contact Master immediately.”

“Then we’ll just wrap things up here and follow. That alright, Voladi?” Professor Kirmin asked, looking at his friend.

Now that such a mess has happened in the city, we can’t just leave. We need to remove the dark magic and clean everything up to make it safe.

The problem was this hasty friend’s reaction.

Professor Kirmin worried. *Surely Voladi wouldn’t be impatient and run off on his own already?*

“Alright.”

“Really, on your honor?” Professor Voladi nodded. Professor Kirmin placed his hand on his friend’s shoulder, showing his trust.

“I trust you.”

“Thank you.”

“Then you can promise on your student’s honor as well, right?”

Lee Han and the Death Knights stared at Professor Kirmin as if they were dumbfounded.

“If you want to make bets, that’s your business, but why involve Lee Han in this?”

“If the professor has already decided to lie, such a promise doesn’t seem to mean much…” When the group didn’t help, Professor Kirmin said with a wronged expression.

“Don’t regret it later when Voladi runs away again.”

“Surely the professor wouldn’t do that again.”

Professor Voladi silently watched the wizards, including his student, discussing his potential to run away.

Feeling unnecessarily embarrassed and uncomfortable, Amurek called out to the group.

“Everyone. Do you have any instructions for me?”

“Ah. I do,” the Death Knight answered immediately. Amurek’s face brightened.

“Tell me anything. I’m not afraid of Dark God worshippers or anything like that.”

“Let’s just say everything that happened today was done by you alone. If the name of Einrogaard is mentioned, it might cause those who are left to hide.”

“…Yes?” Amurek turned around.

The sight of the workshop, tragically half-destroyed, came into view.

No matter how you looked at it, it wasn’t the destructive power that a single knight could create.

“I don’t think people will believe me if I say I did this alone…”

“Remember, Amurek, a good knight must also be a convincing liar when needed. And I have faith in you. I felt the qualities of a great knight from the first time I saw you.”

“Th, that…” Amurek felt his heart wanting to be deceived, even though he was doubtful.

The praise from these prominent seniors was far too tempting for the young knight!

“Master. The successor has run away.”

It’s not running away, it’s a request, the Skull Headmaster answered nonchalantly.

Currently, the Skull Headmaster was staying in a secret hideout located on the 9th basement floor of the main building, not the headmaster’s office he originally used.

This was because troublesome dragons kept coming to find him if he was in the headmaster’s office.

At first, he thought the dragon would listen to the students’ resentment and give up on its own, but a treacherous fellow gave it advice, and the situation changed.

Thanks to this, the annoying dragon, who had gained courage and confidence, began to bother him even more actively.

‘Einrogaard must be reformed even more!’ ‘Please do not ignore this Uman’s opinion…’ and so on.

Seeing its high-spirited appearance, it might even be there until the next semester in the worst-case scenario.

“No. It’s definitely running away, not a request.”

The Headmaster thought about Professor Voladi. *Someone who could disappear for a whole semester just by saying he was busy with requests… was he really running away again? Ah.*

The Skull Headmaster recalled the professor who was currently on the run.

Like master, like student.

He must have gone to find Baegreuk. Leave him alone. It will be an exciting match.

Professor Voladi had more experience running away and was a more powerful combat wizard than Wodanaz, but Wodanaz’s tyranny was also considerable.

With his various connections and his crazy spirit, he would have a good chance of winning.

Considering that Professor Voladi was soft on his students…

‘It’s quite possible.’

“Should we send him to the punishment room when he returns?”

You should only imprison guys in the punishment room if it means something to imprison them. Wodanaz would just rest if we sent him there. Forget it.

The Skull Headmaster was a generous and tolerant person. Naturally, he didn’t like unnecessary punishments.

Especially for a wizard like Wodanaz, who was walking the path of self-suffering, the punishment room didn’t mean much.

The Skull Headmaster sighed, looking at Professor Kirmin. “So, you are just going to leave the knights who followed us?”

The Skull Headmaster waved his hand dismissively. “Oh, and lock up those knights who were following us. Just for a little while.”

The Skull Headmaster was very surprised.

The Skull Headmaster frowned. *Wait a minute,* he thought. *There aren’t as many knights here as there should be. Were some of them following Wodanaz?*

He muttered to himself, “There are more followers than I thought.”

And a few days later.

Professor Garcia stormed into the room, his face red with anger.

“Headmaster! I intend to formally accuse another professor!”

*Finally,* the Skull Headmaster thought, a sigh of relief almost escaping his lips. *This is it. Garcia is finally going to accuse Bibly.* He leaned forward, a hint of encouragement in his voice. “Professor Garcia,” he began, “haven’t I mentioned, just maybe once or twice, that you should really accuse Bibly? That awful man doesn’t even remember the kind things you’ve done for him…”

Professor Garcia glared at him. “No!” he yelled. “I am going to accuse Professor Kirmin!”

The Skull Headmaster’s jaw dropped. He stared at Garcia, completely shocked. *Kirmin?* The flames in the bronze cauldron on his desk flickered wildly, as if surprised too.

To accuse Professor Kirmin, despite Professor Verdus’s numerous misdeeds.

Could it be that Professor Garcia is mistaken about something?

Not Professor Bibly? Professor Garcia, perhaps you’ve forgotten, so let me remind you. It was Professor Bibly who raided your reagent storage. It was Professor Bibly who manipulated the schedule to pass his work onto you. It was Professor Bibly who tricked you into grading exams under the guise of my orders. Shall I continue?

The Skull Headmaster quickly listed all the bad things Professor Bibly had done. He spoke very fast, not even pausing to breathe.

There were so many bad things Professor Bibly had done, you could talk about them for days.

Even though Bibly was so bad, Garcia still defended him and thought of him as a friend…

“…Honestly, hearing it does make me a little angry, but that’s not why I came. I’m going to accuse Professor Kirmin.”

“Okay, I understand,” the Skull Headmaster said, still surprised. “What are you going to accuse Professor Kirmin of?”

“I’ll accuse him of negligent student supervision and aiding a runaway!”

The Skull Headmaster quickly understood why Garcia was angry. He looked at Garcia, completely shocked.

The Skull Headmaster realized: Professor Garcia was angry because they had left him behind.

Professor Garcia. You must know that you and Professor Volardi are the only professors who never accuse other professors. Professor Volardi doesn’t follow the rules, but I always thought you, Garcia, should complain about others sometimes.

“But I am doing it now!”

But are you really going to leave the professor you truly hate and accuse someone for such a trivial reason? Really? Don’t come back later and ask to take it back.

“Hmph! If he saw me as a real colleague, he wouldn’t just give me all the boring work and then leave me out when something important happens!”

Professor Garcia was more than just angry; he was fuming.

After taking care of a student together all semester, he was left behind when the important moment came!

Of course, he knew that Professor Kirmin was friends with Professor Volardi. Professor Garcia was also relatively close within Einroguard, but one couldn’t compare a best friend to a junior colleague.

But even so, leaving without a single word crossed the line.

It was even more infuriating because he was the one who always said, ‘Student Wodanaz is ready to be independent now,’ and ‘Leave him to do as he pleases.’

Professor Garcia was so angry, it felt like anger was coming off him in waves. Even the death knights, who were usually joking around, stepped back.

It was impossible to imagine that these were the same knights who usually threw jests at the professors.

Maybe Wodanaz didn’t realize you wanted to come.

“Don’t say such ridiculous things. There’s no way Student Ihan would do that.”

Professor Garcia looked at the Skull Headmaster as if he were absurd.

‘Hmm,’ the Skull Headmaster thought. ‘If I try to stop him more, he might accuse me too.’

Knowing full well about his student’s unwavering will, the Skull Headmaster didn’t try to persuade him any further.

Alright. It’s time Professor Kirmin learned a lesson. Then…

Whoosh!

The flames grew fiercer, and a letter popped out of the cauldron installed in the middle of the Skull Headmaster’s hideout.

In the middle of the room was a bronze pot. It had old writing carved into it. This was a magic pot the death knights used to send important messages quickly.

The Skull Headmaster glanced at the pot, then opened the letter.

Oh dear.

“Wh-what happened?”

Professor Garcia forgot his anger and looked worried.

If Ihan was hurt, or if other professors were hurt…

Good news. They’ve captured Professor Volardi.

“!!!”

Professor Garcia was greatly surprised by the unbelievable news.

They really caught him!

“How did they catch him?! Did they perhaps set a trap using Student Ihan as bait?!”

You have a very active imagination. Well, I did consider that method myself.

The Skull Headmaster had even thought of using that plan himself.

The plan was: go near Professor Volardi’s hiding place, then pretend Wodanaz was in danger. They thought Professor Volardi would come out to help.

But from what he heard, it seemed they hadn’t used such a method.

They must have persuaded him.

“…I had faith in Student Ihan!”

Professor Garcia exclaimed with a brighter face.

If they could bring back the runaway Professor Volardi through persuasion rather than force or traps, nothing could be better.

Though he wasn’t sure if that would really work!

Instead, he’s going to follow along and help Professor Volardi with his revenge.

“……”

Professor Garcia’s face became angry again. The Skull Headmaster was secretly relieved.

‘It’s a good thing Kirmin went with him.’

If Professor Kirmin hadn’t gone, that anger would have erupted elsewhere.

“Instead of coming back right away, he’s going to follow along and help with revenge…!”

Calm down, Professor Garcia. You know Professor Volardi’s stubbornness. If it weren’t for that, they wouldn’t have been able to persuade him.

“…That’s true, but still.”

Fortunately, Professor Garcia calmed down and made a rational judgment.

He even said he would postpone the accusation against Professor Kirmin. He declared that he would let it pass as long as Ihan didn’t return injured.

Well thought out. Well thought out.

But there was one thing the Skull Headmaster miscalculated.

That was Professor Garcia’s persistence.

From the next day, Professor Garcia began to knock on the door incessantly.

“Any new news?”

“Perhaps some news during lunch…”

“Why are the knights so slow in reporting?”

“Headmaster. I think we need to change the reporting system…”

‘Uman is not here, so Garcia is making a lot of trouble.’

The Skull Headmaster struggled to remember that Professor Garcia did the work of five people.

The Skull Headmaster could easily tell Garcia off and make him leave. Or he could move his ‘hideout’ to a different place. But if he did either of those things, Einroguard would not work as well. Garcia did a lot of important work.

“Really no new news?”

I’ll send you a message as soon as I hear anything. I’ll use a magic paper bird to deliver it quickly. Now, please go back to your work…

Whoosh!

A letter popped out of the bronze cauldron along with the flames.

Professor Garcia snatched the letter incredibly fast, like a top athlete catching a ball. Even the knights were amazed by his speed.