Surviving As A Mage In A Magic Academy [EN]: Chapter 1159

If anyone else said this, people might think it was a joke. But it was Zicklin speaking.

The knights, lost for words, simply nodded.

“In, indeed.”

‘What sort of advice could he possibly be seeking?’

Zicklin hadn’t specified what kind of advice he wanted, so the knights could only guess.

Even if the boy from the Wodanaz family was known as very talented, he was still only a second-year student. What advice could he give?

‘Could it be advice about the Wodanaz family’s secret magic?’

“So, Moradi,” one knight asked, “why are the wizards from Einrogaard fighting against the bandits like this?”

“Isn’t it just because they are doing their job as knights?” Moradi replied.

Another knight shook his head. “Yes… but wait,” he said, thinking aloud, “the Wodanaz family isn’t a family of knights, is it?”

Even if families of knights acted this way, the Wodanaz family was different. They were not known for being knights.

The knights looked at each other, even more confused than before.

Zicklin focused on his work. Even when welcoming guests from Einrogaard, there were things to do first.

“Is this where the ruins were found?”

“Yes. The entrance was in a cave on the mountainside.”

The Empire was huge, and dangerous places were found very often. One of the jobs of the families in each area was to find and take care of these places.

What if a powerful undead wizard, trapped for thousands of years, woke up and destroyed everything with an army of undead?

In the worst case, that wizard might even start a magic school and make himself the new headmaster.

“Has anyone figured out how old the ruins are?”

“I’m sorry. Our wizards aren’t really archaeologists…”

The wizards who worked with the knights were mostly battle wizards.

They were good at healing or making people stronger with magic, but wizards who could guess the age of an object were rare.

Zicklin used his magic to see better. He could see people gathered below the mountainside cave in the distance.

It looked like a small, new town that just started.

Merchants from the north were selling things needed for the ruins under tents. Adventurers shared information nearby, their sleeping bags spread out.

Experienced knights could guess how valuable the ruins were just by looking at the number of people there.

“The things coming out of there must be pretty good. I can’t believe so many people are already here.”

“At least no one seems to be hurt yet. That’s good.”

“I’ll go check the numbers and write them down,” Zicklin said firmly.

He didn’t want to control or block the ruins for now, but he couldn’t just leave them alone either.

With the North so chaotic lately, suspicious people might sneak in.

Of course, the people there wouldn’t like it. Who wants to explore ruins while reporting everything to the nearby knight family?

If a suspicious item showed up, it would have to be checked, and if it was against the rules, they would have to give it up for almost nothing.

“No! We’ll go!”

“Those unpleasant jobs are our responsibility!” The knights cried out.

This was not a job for Zicklin. If even one easily angered adventurer was rude, everything would be destroyed.

“Why is it your responsibility?”

‘Oh dear.’

The knights quickly understood they had made a mistake by being too fast.

To make such a mistake in front of someone who would never accept a bad excuse!

“It’s just that… unpleasant jobs are for… people of lower status…”

“Do you think you are of low status? Why?” Zicklin’s face grew serious.

Knights in the territory thinking they were lowly?

This was not good.

Maybe the Lord had been treating the knights too harshly lately…

“…I’m sorry. I don’t think that.”

“Then? Why did you say that?”

“It’s just that… sniff.”

Tears filled the eyes of the veteran knight, who hadn’t even flinched when trapped in a very cold, icy area battling monsters for three days.

How did this happen?

“There! It’s the Einrogaard students!!”

“!”

The knights turned their heads, their faces brightening. Even the knight from the Dullak family cheered with joy.

“Truly, the best magic school in the Empire!”

“Let’s go greet the students!”

Lee Han looked worried.

Of course, it was normal for the knights to greet guests from the North, but they seemed too eager.

Lee Han, feeling guilty, couldn’t help but feel uneasy.

“Moradi, do you think they found out? That I suggested the isolation and the nighttime curfew…”

“How would I know?” Giselle answered back, surprised and confused.

She had been inside Einrogaard until recently!

“Just look at them. Aren’t those knights who work for your family?”

“Actually, they belong to each family in the North… never mind.”

Giselle stopped correcting him and narrowed her eyes. The knights were definitely moving fast.

“Either the knights have some urgent business, or Wodanaz, you’ve been found out.”

“If I’m caught, I’ll say you suggested it too.”

People often don’t know how to react to unexpected things. Giselle was one of them.

What is this…?

“Why are you dragging others into this?!”

“The Lord asked, and I answered, so your family is responsible too.”

“How can you say suc…”

“Welcome! We are honored to have you!”

“We’ve heard about you fighting against the bandits!”

The arriving knights praised them instead of being angry, which was a relief.

Even Lee Han, who had been cautious, nodded.

“That’s a relief. It seems we haven’t been found out.”

“But why are they being so kind?”

“The North always needs more people.”

The land was big, the population small, and accidents happened often, making the North a place where only the strong survived.

The knights complained about their problems.

Lee Han didn’t understand.

“Why can’t Zicklin do it?”

“You really don’t know.” Giselle spoke as if he were hopeless, and the other knights nodded. Sadly, only the northern knights knew this.

No matter how wise an outsider was…

‘Are the northerners going too far?’

As Lee Han complained to himself, a voice suddenly echoed from his staff.

-Don’t miss those ruins!

It was Saratan’s voice.

-They may seem normal, but they are definitely not. I’ll explain later, but get inside those ruins as fast as you can!

“…Indeed.”

Lee Han nodded at the spirit’s advice.

Then, he suggested to the knights.

“Then we will write down the names of the people gathered around the ruins.”

-Yes! Use that as an excuse to chase away the others…

“After writing them down, we’ll go straight to the Moradi family’s fortress.”

-Huh? Wai-wait a minute. Then you won’t be able to enter the ruins!

Saratan was confused.

He thought his advice had been accepted, but he didn’t understand the wizard’s actions at all.

Lee Han spoke honestly.

“You were wrong last time.”

Saratan had been right about the spirit being trapped in the artifact, but he hadn’t realized it was a powerful spirit like General Hwacheon.

If Saratan had given correct information, they could have avoided a lot of trouble.

-Th-that’s because the opponent was so special…! And the warning was helpful, wasn’t it!

“Actually, your warning wasn’t very helpful… it was about the same as the warning from the adventurer party we brought.”

-…Those ruins are not normal, I tell you!!

Despite the spirit’s cries, Lee Han carefully did his job.

He announced that he would be finding out who had gathered to explore the ruins at the mountainside entrance.

Some people got angry and tried to argue, but a few people from the West saw the Einrogaard flag on the carriage and turned pale, trying to convince the others instead.

-So… not a single one survived…

-That’s really… no… that can’t be allowed under the Empire’s laws…

-Some people… have power beyond the law…

-The Empire… is truly scary…

“Yes! We will help in any way we can!”

“Thank you all.”

Lee Han and the students from the White Tiger Tower checked the identities of the people and looked at their belongings.

They had to stop any forbidden magical items from being brought in.

“Wodanaz, why did you take this Ranberia flower?”

“It’s very poisonous and against the Empire’s laws.”

“They grow it in Einrogaard, don’t they? It must be in Professor Swiftstride’s garden… Ack!”

“You seem to be mistaken? Say that again.”

“…Come to think of it, it doesn’t seem like it was a Ranberia flower.”

The more calmly Lee Han did his work, the more worried Saratan became.

He couldn’t help but feel more nervous knowing what he knew.

And Saratan thought that if things went wrong later because they were late, the wizard would be angry at him.

‘If it was really important, you should have told me exactly what it was, using any means necessary!’

-Listen. You may think those ruins are normal, but that’s not true. Those ruins are the ruins of the wizard Bakwantallana!

Lee Han looked surprised.

The name Bakwantallana was more familiar to wizards than to spirits.

He was a famous wizard who had been known for his enchantments a long time ago.

Professor Verdus also liked to use some of Bakwantallana’s spells, which showed how great he was.

Verdus would change almost all spells to his own version, but he used Bakwantallana’s spells without changing them.

But the ruins of Bakwantallana?

The fact that the spirit Saratan was saying this made it even more confusing.

“How do you know about Bakwantallana?”

-…I met him a long time ago.

Saratan hesitated.

There was something suspicious about his attitude.

Having seen this spirit make mistakes several times, he couldn’t just ignore it. Lee Han said in a serious voice.

“If you don’t tell me properly, I won’t enter even if it turns out to be the Headmaster’s ruins instead of Bakwantallana’s.”

-If it’s the ruins of that crazy great wizard, of course you shouldn’t go in, what are you talking about?

Saratan grumbled, but eventually gave up and spoke.

Having said this much, the wizard wouldn’t leave him alone even if he didn’t want to talk.

-Actually… I used to work for Bakwantallana.

“You had a contract?”

-…No. I used to work.

Lee Han became even more confused.

Usually, when a spirit works for a wizard, there’s a contract or…

“…Don’t tell me you were forced to work?”

Saratan didn’t say anything. His silence meant yes.

‘Bakwantallana, he really was a great wizard!’

Lee Han felt respect for the old wizard he had never met.

He somehow felt that he wouldn’t have been very friendly with spirits.