Surviving As A Mage In A Magic Academy [EN]: Chapter 1036

“There’s a prince like that?”

While Lee Han was in shock, Professor Garcia looked puzzled beside him.

Mages skilled in enchantment from a famous school knew how to temporarily bring life to their works using basic magic. Professor Garcia knew this well.

However, if the painting was in the studio of a master artist, that would be very unusual.

If it was a painting that the master had displayed?

“Is it Prince Amrit Varma?”

“Who is that?”

Lee Han tilted his head, confused by Professor Garcia’s muttering.

Then, the Red Knight answered instead.

“A prince from a long time ago, when there were seven kingdoms. He created many famous artworks.”

“Ah.”

“…You said you were from a noble family, right? Why don’t you know him, coming from a noble family?”

Sir Ram’s innocent question made Lee Han uncomfortable.

He knew all about the big trick with fake gold from the past, but he wasn’t interested in a famous artist prince.

“I know about the big trick with fake gold from the past, though.”

“There was such a case? Really? How can you know about that but not Amrit Varma…”

Professor Garcia saw Lee Han looked confused. He stepped in to help, feeling sorry for his student. “Lee Han is just smart,” Professor Garcia said quickly. “Anyway, Lee Han, you’re saying it’s not Prince Amrit Varma, right?”

However, the answer he got was unbelievable.

“Yes. It’s the Headmaster.”

“……!”

Professor Garcia was shocked. He froze, like time had stopped.

“Wh-wh-wh-what did you say?”

“The Headmaster…”

“Don’t lie! Why would there be a painting of the Headmaster in the master’s studio?”

“Well, it’s a long story…”

Lee Han explained it simply and quickly.

Professor Garcia nodded, thinking it sounded like something his master would do.

‘He would do that!’

His master was definitely capable of doing that, knowing his personality.

…Of course, that didn’t make it any less strange.

“So, there was a painting that could move?”

Bringing life to a painting had different levels, from simply moving to actually speaking.

The knight said the prince was kind, so that meant he could speak.

‘Even if it’s the master, this is amazing!’

Being able to speak even without an artist present meant it had lasting power.

Even considering the magic of a great artist, it was truly amazing.

“No. It couldn’t.”

“Really?”

“At least, I don’t remember any of the paintings I saw being able to do that… The master wanted to create a perfect artwork, not just a normal painting.”

The great artist wanted a kind archmage who could move and live on his own, not just one who could talk from inside a painting.

There was no reason to waste energy on making a painting that could only talk, but not truly live.

“I see. Then there’s only one explanation.”

Professor Garcia looked serious.

“What is it?”

“The knight is wrong.”

“……”

“……”

Lee Han stared at Professor Garcia, who was trying to ignore reality. Even Professor Voladi seemed surprised.

Sir Ram mumbled quietly.

“Still, how could I be wrong about that…”

* * *

-Student! Long time no see.

“Aaaaargh!”

Professor Garcia screamed as he entered the studio.

Ram asked, embarrassed, “What’s wrong?”

What could have made such a strong battle mage scream like that?

Could it be a cursed painting?

“No. All Einroguard mages scream when they see that prince’s painting.”

‘Mages, honestly!’

The knight clicked his tongue to himself.

The mages of the Imperial Magic Academy were known for being strange, but Einroguard was the strangest of them all.

“Quickly, close the door and come in, Lee Han.”

“Oh. Can’t the knight hear?”

“What do you mean, embarrassing the school… Hurry up and come in!”

Ram kindly went outside.

He wondered, ‘Could the prince have been tricked by the old Einroguard mages?’ But the affairs of mages should be handled by mages, right?

Only when the three of them were alone (or four, including the painting) did Professor Garcia relax.

-Are you okay, student? You don’t look well, I’m worried.

“I’m fine.”

-Not you, the student next to you.

The prince in the painting pointed to Professor Garcia.

“Ah. Professor Garcia will be fine soon. He just learned too much… More importantly, Master.”

-……

The prince pretended not to hear. Lee Han called again, confused.

“Master?'”

-….Ah. Sorry. It’s just so nice to hear… That a simple mage like me has such great students. I never get tired of hearing it.

“Uaaaargh. Uaaaargh.”

“Calm down, Professor.”

Lee Han tried to calm Professor Garcia down.

Seeing him act like this even after experiencing it once before, it seemed that meeting him in person was that shocking.

‘It’s amazing.’

This was indeed surprising for Lee Han as well.

Professor Garcia was so shocked that he became calm, but the more he thought about it, the more amazing it was.

First of all, it was amazing that a painting could talk even when the great artist wasn’t there. It was even more amazing that it was the Skull Headmaster Lee Han had met in the past.

How could this be possible?

‘The master artist never visited that past dimension, did he?’

“Master. Can I ask you a few questions?”

-Ask me anything, student. I’m happy to help my students.

The young prince said shyly. Lee Han had to stop himself from losing his mind.

“Ahem… Yes. Have you ever met the master artist?”

-No. I have no connection with that mage.

“Really? Well, technically, that master is also Master’s student…”

-No.

As Lee Han tried to explain the school’s history, the prince cut him off.

-That person is not my student. He said so himself.

“……”

“……”

Lee Han and Professor Garcia looked at each other.

So, could it be that…

“Are you sulking???”

“Shh. Lee Han. Anyone can be hurt.”

“…Th-that’s right.”

Lee Han decided not to bother him.

He was the Skull Headmaster in his kind prince days, but he only existed through the power of the painting.

He didn’t know how unstable he was, so there was no point in making him angry.

“Wait. Master. Then how did the master artist summon Master?”

-That person didn’t summon me, student.

The prince in the painting readily explained.

Until yesterday, the prince didn’t exist in this world. He was just a simple painting.

However, while Lee Han was practicing music magic under the artist, the prince realized that he had awakened.

“…Really?!”

Lee Han was shocked when he realized he was the reason.

Professor Garcia and Professor Voladi stared at their student without a word.

The two professors might have been staring without much thought, but Lee Han felt like he could hear them thinking, ‘You did it again and didn’t even know?’

‘But… that makes sense.’

There was no way that an artist who had never met the Skull Headmaster in the past could summon him like this.

There were only two mages there, so if it wasn’t the other person, then Lee Han was the reason.

“I didn’t mean to do it, I was just practicing.”

-Well, student. I can’t know all the details. But magic is a mystery where you can’t know everything. Maybe the connection between us filled in the missing magic.

“Lee Han. You’re bleeding from your mouth. Bite gently.”

“I’m sorry.”

Professor Garcia cast a healing spell. It seemed that the student had bitten his tongue too hard.

He could understand, as he had done the same thing.

“Then did the master artist leave Master behind to tell us this?”

-No. I just hid myself.

The prince was kind, but he wasn’t going to explain his awakening to a mage who wasn’t his student.

As soon as he woke up, he hid. When the artist took his works and ran away, he showed himself.

“……”

“It’s fading.”

“It’s okay, Professor. I’m fine.”

When Professor Voladi suddenly looked worried, Lee Han waved his hand as if to say he was okay.

However, the professor looked at his student strangely.

“The painting is fading.”

“Ah!”

Embarrassed, Lee Han quickly looked away.

Professor Voladi was right.

Lee Han and Professor Garcia were so shocked that they hadn’t noticed, but the color of the painting was fading.

-It’s probably using magic to stay together. Don’t worry too much, students.

The prince didn’t mind.

Just being able to meet and talk with his students again was wonderful.

There was a lot of magic in this mage’s studio, so he was able to stay in the painting by using that magic. But when the magic was gone, he would disappear.

“I’ll give you my magic!”

Lee Han hurried forward.

He didn’t know how much time was left now that the painting was fading.

He went to the painting and used his magic.

“How is it?”

“It’s getting clearer again, Lee Han. But…”

“?”

“…Would it be hard for Lee Han to keep giving magic?”

Professor Garcia asked carefully.

He could somehow keep the painting alive and give it magic.

Of course, other mages couldn’t do this, but Lee Han had a habit of giving magic to others.

Even now, there were monsters and minerals waiting in line, right?

However, this was a painting of a living, young prince.

From the master artist to the Skull Headmaster and the mages of the Empire…

He couldn’t imagine how they would react if they knew the truth.

This painting would cause all sorts of problems if they kept it!

The thought of someone coming and demanding, ‘Give me the young Skull Headmaster’ was terrifying.

-Student. Don’t try to keep the painting alive. When there is a meeting, there is a goodbye.

The prince didn’t care and told him to stop using magic.

He didn’t want his student to suffer so he could stay a little longer.

Lee Han thought for a moment, then made a decision.

“…Kuh. I’m fine. I can just put it in my backpack and carry it around!”

‘Oops. I shouldn’t have asked.’

Professor Garcia regretted it.

He should have taken it away or hidden the truth and let it disappear, but he knew Lee Han wouldn’t give up.

“Is it okay to put it in your backpack?”

-Student. Even if you throw it into a swamp, this painting is always peaceful. A backpack is more than enough.

As Lee Han carefully put the painting in his backpack, the prince spoke.

-Student.

“Yes?”

-This isn’t a backpack, it feels like a basement.

“…?!”

Another basement in the villa mansion?!

Oh