Surviving As A Mage In A Magic Academy [EN]: Chapter 1075

“Why, from all of Steddle Nago’s long life, is this strange story the one people remember most?” someone asked loudly.

Lee Han had added that story because he wanted to sound impressive, of course.

Everyone in the Empire had wanted to make money from the Bonebloom betting craze back then.

But Lee Han didn’t think people would care so much about it now.

Weren’t his stories about being caught by pirates or finding hidden treasure maps much more exciting? He frowned slightly, wondering why this old story was so popular.

“What? That Nago family?! I’ve heard of them. They acquired eight families that went bankrupt during the Bonebloom betting craze!”

Lee Han was surprised by the rumor that was already changed from what he said.

He hadn’t said anything like that, had he?

“Amazing! He’s really smart and rich. No wonder they call him the big boss of the South.”

“Wasn’t it the West?”

“Huh? The East…”

“What kind of family is the Nago family? I’ve never heard of them.”

“Ah. Maybe you haven’t heard because you travel a lot. Recently…”

While the gathered people quickly shared rumors, the wizards lying down inside the ship exchanged confused looks.

What on earth was going on?

“Who is Steddle Nago?”

“I don’t know either. It sounds like a fake name. Is it a fake name that students from Einroguard use?”

“Could it be a fake name used by Lord Gonadaltes?”

“Hmm, maybe… could be him, I guess.”

Puyo thought Avalkaijen’s idea sounded possible.

Judging from the Headmaster Skeleton’s behavior, he seemed like someone who didn’t care about the Empire’s laws, but surprisingly, this Archmage usually followed the rules.

Of course, from the victim’s point of view, they would naturally say, ‘Is that following the rules?’ but it was actually a milder version of what he could do.

However, strange rumors sometimes went around the Empire.

Rumors about people who had been attacked by a mysterious, scary Archmage and suffered a lot!

And strangely enough, those people had always offended the Headmaster Skeleton recently.

Puyo wouldn’t be surprised if the Headmaster Skeleton secretly used a fake name to attack those who had offended him.

“Now that I think about it, the fake name seems closely related to Lord Gonadaltes.”

“But isn’t it a very boring name?”

“Maybe he has deep thoughts. Thoughts that are too deep for us wizards to understand.”

The two wizards couldn’t even imagine that the Headmaster Skeleton’s disciple was boldly using his master’s family name as a fake name.

Meanwhile, someone among the gathered people finally said what Lee Han wanted to hear.

“Ah! Are you talking about the wizard who escaped from the pirates!”

‘Finally!’

Lee Han sighed with relief inside.

He had to act tough in the future, and it would be a problem if the other party misunderstood him as the Empire’s investment god.

-Hmph. Get ou…

-Mr. Nago! Please, give us your opinion on whether the West will have a good harvest or a bad harvest this year!

‘Just thinking about it makes me cringe.’

That kind of situation should never happen.

“From the pirates?”

“Yes. I heard that he was captured by pirates when he was young, but he turned the ropes into venomous snakes and poisoned all the pirates. Also, he turned the pirate leader into stone and scattered the sculptures all over the sea!”

Lee Han, who was about to speak, stopped again.

Just like the rumors about investment were exaggerated, the other rumors were also quite exaggerated.

“Ah! I think I’ve heard of that! He buried a greedy person in the ground even in Granden City!”

“…The canal!”

To be exact, he didn’t even throw him into the canal, but it was impossible to explain that now.

The people in the room were startled and turned their attention to the rough voice. Lee Han, who had shouted without meaning to, quickly cleared his throat.

“Who dares to insult Steddle of the Nago family? Step forward!”

“I… I apologize.”

Count Jau quickly put away his sharp dagger and apologized.

Everyone here really understood how annoying and insulting it was to be mistaken for Professor Verdus.

To hurt another innocent person like that. The thought alone was horrifying.

‘How many enchantments are on that dagger?’

Lee Han sighed inside. He was a kind-looking old count, but the energy of the dagger he was holding was truly terrifying.

The purpose was probably to penetrate the magic protecting the body of the 부여 wizard in one strike…

If a fight broke out, he shouldn’t try to defend against that with telekinesis, Lee Han thought, and shouted.

“How dare you act so bossy in the capital!”

“I, I’m sorry, Mr. Nago. But… isn’t that sailboat the work of the wizard, Vible Verdus?”

“N…”

“You can tell by the beaver figurehead attached to the front of the sailboat.”

“I’ve seen it a few times in Professor Verdus’s letters.”

‘Oh dear!’

Lee Han realized his mistake as he tried to deny it.

He should have cut off the beaver figurehead attached to the front of the sailboat right away!

He had left it alone because he was worried about breaking the perfect magic of the sailboat, but it had come back to bite him like this.

The gathered nobles were worried that they might accuse another innocent person of being Professor Verdus, and they were by no means easy to deal with.

Without a proper explanation, he couldn’t send them back.

“I… I took it from him.”

“Took, took it!!”

The people were in an uproar from the shock.

Lee Han thought that people were overwhelmed by Steddle Nago’s lawless act of just stealing other people’s things.

But he was wrong.

“How could you take Professor Verdus’s belongings? What method did you use?”

“Truly amazing…! The rumors weren’t wrong!”

Professor Verdus himself was an excellent wizard, and he had many enemies, so he was also very careful.

Moreover, he spent most of his time hiding in his own dam, no, his own magic tower, inside the Einroguard territory.

Stealing something from such a wizard was as difficult as stealing a dragon’s treasure.

“I stole it with cunning schemes and strong power.”

“Amazing…”

“Mr. Nago. Could you possibly come to our family for a while?”

“No! To our family first!”

The capital nobles were all trying to invite this incredibly extraordinary wizard.

If they borrowed this wizard’s power, they might be able to catch Professor Verdus as well.

-What’s going on!

‘Phew. That’s a relief.’

Lee Han sighed with relief as the knights flew in from afar.

They must have run over after seeing several people gathered in the air.

Now the people would soon leave…

“Mr. Nago here stole Professor Verdus’s belongings!”

Lee Han was flustered.

He didn’t expect the capital nobles to be so undignified as to immediately tattle.

The knights were naturally very surprised to hear that.

“How did you do it? What method did you use?”

Lee Han was speechless.

Shouldn’t they be asking about the method?

One of the knights, who seemed to be relatively new, asked carefully.

“Um, well, he stole something, but can we just let that go?”

“It’s a drop in the bucket compared to all the things Vible Verdus has stolen by cheating. Even if we investigate, he won’t show up anyway.”

The knights were experienced and wise.

Professor Verdus didn’t appear in the Imperial court anyway. Making a fuss instead was meaningless.

“More importantly, how did you steal it?”

“He stole it with cunning schemes and strong power!”

“Huh, that will go down in the history of the Empire. His name is Steddle of the Nago family…”

The knights, who were amazed, then asked about who Steddle Nago really was.

“Surely the Einroguard Death Knights applied for permission… didn’t they?”

“They did.”

“So, is he an Einroguard person? A new professor?”

“Wouldn’t that be the case?”

In fact, it might seem strange that professors from the same Einroguard were stealing from each other, but none of the knights here found that part odd.

“Then a difficult request would be impossible.”

If he wasn’t an Einroguard person, the knights would have directly stepped in and had a time to receive teachings on ‘how to attack Professor Verdus,’ but if the other party was an Einroguard person, that would be impossible.

The knights quietly finished their conversation and began to disperse the people.

“I know it’s amazing, but you can’t keep gathering here!”

“Alright, everyone, break it up! Go on, move along like we planned!”

The gathered people shouted to Lee Han as if they were dying of regret.

“Mr. Nago. Please consider our proposal!”

“Our family’s doors are always open!”

Lee Han sighed with relief at the sight of them scattering.

There were dangerous moments in between, but it seemed like he had managed to finish it well somehow.

“Everyone’s gone. Let’s go down.”

“We won’t tell anyone about what happened today.”

Lee Han was impressed by the two wizards who showed such thoughtful consideration first.

He was going to ask anyway…

‘As expected, famous wizards are different.’

“Thank you.”

“We should be thanking you. We almost ruined our good name.”

Avalkaijen expressed his sincere gratitude.

He never thought the day would come when he would receive help from Professor Verdus’s disciple.

“If you ever need to repair or improve this ship, you can send a letter and ask.”

“It would be difficult to ask Professor Verdus, wouldn’t it? I may not be as good as Professor Verdus, but I can get advice from other smart wizards.”

Tap-

When they returned to the starting point, the two wizards went down to the second floor and prepared to leave.

“Aren’t you going to see Professor Verdus before you leav…? Goodbye!”

Lee Han was about to ask if they didn’t need to greet Professor Verdus, but he realized that he had asked a stupid question.

The two wizards smiled and each departed. No one paid attention to Professor Verdus on the first floor.

As the distance grew and it seemed that no one would suspect the connection with Professor Verdus, Avalkaijen asked his disciple.

“Now that I think about it, what were you trying to say earlier?”

He was sure his disciple was about to bring up the story of [Vible’s Grief]?

“Ah. That’s right.”

Avalkarn explained what had happened earlier.

The boy from the Wodanaz family had briefly left his seat and talked to his master, who they thought was the Headmaster Skeleton, and then cast [Vible’s Grief] to perfectly repair the artifact…

“…What?!”

Avalkaijen just managed to calm down, suppressing the scream that was about to burst out.

The words ‘Why are you telling me this now?’ were stuck in his throat.

‘Cough.’

The master made a strong decision.

From now on, he would never interrupt his disciple’s words and would always listen to the end!

“Wodanaz.”

“Ah. Mr. Alsicl. Thank you for your hard work yesterday.”

“Oh? No. That was nothing compared to your hard work. But I have something I’m curious about.”

Lee Han was puzzled when Alsicl, who was staying with him at the big house, called him.

What’s going on?

“Have you done anything recently under the name of Steddle Nago??”

“…Why do you ask?”

Swish-

Alsicl turned the backpack he was holding upside down and shook it.

Then, letters that seemed to number at least a hundred poured out from inside. Some had bite marks on them.

“When I woke up this morning, my room was filled with letters asking me to introduce them to Steddle Nago…”

“I’m sorry!”

Lee Han apologized sincerely.