Surviving As A Mage In A Magic Academy [EN]: Chapter 1167

I focused on the magic around me, like feeling for a whisper in the wind. But everything felt still and quiet. *Nothing,* I thought.

*If someone like Saratan had lived inside the stone tablet, or even if just a little magic was left behind, I should feel it. Like a faint echo.* But there was nothing.

“Senior,” Lee Han said, turning to Catton.

Lee Han trusted his senses, but he wasn’t arrogant.

A skilled swordsman like Catton might notice something he missed.

“Did you notice anything strange?”

“Are you making fun of my reading of the stone tablet?” Catton asked, looking gloomy.

“Not that. I mean changes in the magic around us.”

“I didn’t feel anything, Junior.”

‘Hmm.’

Lee Han wondered if he was wrong.

He had been through so much lately. Maybe he was too tired and just hearing things.

Maybe he had even misheard the skull headmaster’s voice?

“Saratan, did you feel any changes in the magic or any tears in space?”

“-There wasn’t anything like that? Why?” Saratan wondered what this wizard was talking about.

If anything like that happened, a spirit like him would notice.

“No, I guess I was wrong.”

“It’s not a mistake! Stop complaining and listen! If you complain again, I’ll put a Gu poison in your skull.”

Lee Han suddenly understood. Saratan was *too* sure. A spirit like Saratan shouldn’t be so certain about magic he can’t fully understand.

“Are you Bakwantalana?”

“Bakwantalana? Who’s that… Oh, you must be confusing me with the wizard who got the stone tablet?”

The voice took out a thin, clear insect, like glass, with legs that twitched nervously, from the gap in dimensions and tried to put it into Lee Han’s forehead.

A quick lesson was needed for a human who didn’t listen.

But the bug struggled and couldn’t get past Lee Han’s magic. It flew back into the gap.

The voice was shocked and couldn’t speak.

“Who are you!”

Catton felt his hair stand up and jumped to his feet.

He had never felt anything like this before.

He couldn’t sense any magic, but he felt a creepy chill.

What was it?

“Junior, were you attacked?”

“Yes? No.”

“Hmm… I must be studying too hard.”

Catton sat down and opened his book, .

But he was still listening carefully.

The voice was even more confused.

That man seemed to be a warrior who didn’t know magic, but he sensed the Gu poison?

Bakwantalana only got magic from this old woman. The stone tablet proves it.

“Are you saying Bakwantalana is bragging that he created magic he got from someone else?!”

Lee Han was very surprised.

To say that magic learned from another dimension was his own.

He didn’t say it, but it was still disappointing.

Bakwantalana had said he finished it with his own research, right?

A staff made of clear crystal appeared in the air and hit Lee Han on the head. He was surprised by the sudden attack.

The voice was also shocked.

Normally, the magic in his body would shake, causing him to hear things, but he didn’t move.

‘What is this…’

“This is it!” Catton stood up again.

The voice wanted to get rid of the warrior so it could talk.

It cast a veil of confusion. Lee Han could feel it.

Catton was impressed that Lee Han was focused on the stone tablet. He wasn’t blinking or breathing, but it suited him.

“I said I got magic, but I didn’t say it was my magic. I told you not to complain, didn’t I?”

“I’m sorry.”

“Now you’re being nice. Will you give me back the stone tablet? It belongs to me.”

‘I knew it.’

A normal person wouldn’t know, but Lee Han, an Einrogard wizard who had talked to beings from other dimensions, understood.

The stone tablet was a gift from a powerful being from another dimension.

Lee Han had something similar. The blue stone from the Frost Giant King.

The Frost Giants would see the stone and say, ‘Ah! That challenger!’ and start a fight…

‘…Should I take it out now?’

Lee Han thought about it, but gave up.

Even if he took it out, everyone knew what he looked like because of the spirit’s mark.

“Can I copy the contents and give it back?”

“You may… Are you really going to do that?” The voice was suspicious.

People didn’t give up objects from other dimensions. Especially a gift from a powerful being.

And the other person was a wizard. To a wizard, it was a powerful tool.

“Yes? Yes.”

“If you’re thinking of swapping the stone tablet, don’t.”

“Did someone do that?!” Lee Han was surprised.

‘Smart but risky. Good to know.’

He could learn from other wizards.

“How did they swap it? How were they caught?”

Ethan stood in a cold, echoing chamber, holding out the heavy stone tablet. It was dark grey, covered in strange carvings, and now, it pulsed with a soft blue light.

“Yes,” Ethan said to the empty air, his voice a little shaky. “I will give back this stone tablet. But I need to trick… no, fool other wizards first. That’s why I’m trying to learn…”

A dry, crackling voice echoed in his mind, cutting him off. “Why aren’t you greedy, little wizard? Don’t lie and say you don’t want it. This old woman can smell lies like bad magic.”

Ethan didn’t answer with words. Instead, he raised his wand and focused his magic. The stone tablet in his hand flared with a brighter blue light, the color of a winter sky.

“A blockhead with a brain full of ice?” the voice grumbled, sounding slightly less sure of itself.

Ethan ignored the insult. He quickly showed the voice the spirit glyphs he had learned.

“Ah!” The voice cried out in surprise, the sound echoing around the chamber. “Even a noisy, reckless fool knows those?”

“A little amusing,” the voice admitted.

Ethan frowned, feeling a little annoyed but also curious.

Each time he showed something, the voice was finding new ways to insult him.

“Perhaps you could introduce me to the Skull Headmaster?” the voice suggested.

“There is also the wicked king of the Yakshas,” Ethan added.

“Ah, that clever young man,” the voice responded.

Ethan felt a sharp pang of disappointment, like a cold stone dropping into his stomach. He had hoped the voice would see the Yaksha King as truly evil.

“Among the figures just mentioned, isn’t the Yaksha King the most wicked and vile?” Ethan asked.

“Hmm. Perhaps this voice is just as eccentric and vile as the Yaksha King,” Ethan thought to himself.

Ethan didn’t realize he was getting closer to the truth.

“Actually, I am already carrying several burdens that are hard to bear, so I don’t have the confidence to carry this stone tablet as well,” Ethan explained.

“It seems so. I smell the stars on you. Did you make a contract with a star? What star’s oath do you bear?” the voice inquired.

“Guest Star…” Ethan mumbled.

“I can’t hear you, you little rascal! Do you want to be hit by this old woman again?” the voice snapped.

“…Guest Star Arna… you wouldn’t know it, would you?” Ethan mumbled, almost to himself.

Suddenly, the other party fell silent. Ethan became anxious for no reason.

“…This old woman hit you for nothing! A poor little thing that would have burned up on its own if left alone!” the voice exclaimed.

Ethan stared intently at the stone tablet.

‘Should I just break it instead of giving it away?’ Ethan wondered.

As if reading his impious thoughts, the voice kindly soothed him.

“A contract with a Guest Star isn’t always a bad thing. Even if you are unfortunate, you can leave your name in history. Hee hee hee!”

“I haven’t given it to you yet,” Ethan pointed out.

“Even your temper? There’s a reason why the Guest Star likes you,” the voice chuckled.

‘I must be patient,’ Ethan told himself. He clenched his fists slightly, reminding himself of all the enemies he already had.

Starting with the strong individuals from other dimensions he was entangled with, to the evil gods who were practically enemies.

It seemed he couldn’t afford to make any more enemies right now. Besides, the other party’s personality seemed as eccentric as the Yaksha King.

“Good! You made this old woman laugh, so I’ll give you some advice as a reward,” the voice declared.

If the black mages in other parts of the fortress heard that, they would have fainted from shock.

This young wizard got the chance to ask what others wanted to know so badly, and it was given to him easily.

Of course, from the junior Ethan’s perspective, the response would be, ‘If you’re so upset, why don’t you make a contract with the Guest Star instead?’…

“Speaking of advice… is it possible to cancel a contract with a Guest Star?” Ethan asked.

“Stop trying to be funny. Don’t be too greedy,” the voice retorted.

‘Hmm. I asked seriously, but it seems impossible,’ Ethan thought.

Ethan secretly and quietly canceled it. It seemed impossible after all.

“Do you happen to know much about the strong individuals from other dimensions?” Ethan inquired.

“If you hadn’t made this old woman laugh, and if you hadn’t flicked away the bug, I would have given you a good scolding right away,” the voice grumbled.

“Bug?” Ethan questioned.

“Never mind. Anyway, I know them well. This old woman’s hobby is inviting others over for tea,” the voice said.

‘I hope you haven’t invited Arsil, have you…’ Ethan worried.

Ethan changed the subject, fearing he would become sad if he asked.

“I have a concern these days, could you give me some wise advice?” Ethan requested.

“There’s nothing this old woman does better. Tell me about it,” the voice replied.

“Actually, one of my teachers has deserted,” Ethan revealed.

“…It was a story about magic, but yes. Continue,” the voice said, slightly taken aback.

Of course, he expected a question about black magic or at least a question about other magic, but suddenly it was a life consultation?

Indeed. A grafter and a tentacle monster… It’s hard enough to focus on just one, but you’re troubled because you’ve made enemies of both?

The voice quickly understood Ethan’s complaint that he wanted to wipe out the Sanguiros Order, but all sorts of disasters and the Prahgal Order were interfering.

At first, he thought he had stolen something from his teacher (in which case, he thought the student, not the teacher, would have deserted), but this was indeed an interesting question.

He now understood why this mortal was able to make a contract with the Guest Star.

Usually, ordinary wizards would wait quietly and build up their strength in this situation, but this fellow, as a student, was trying to help his teacher first.

“Two shouldn’t be too difficult!” the voice exclaimed.

‘I should skip the story about the Ksaksarigol,’ Ethan resolved inwardly.

If he talked about the Ksaksarigol Order as well, the other party would think of him too strangely.

“Alright! I’ve come up with a good idea,” the voice announced.

“What is it?” Ethan asked.

“First, you don’t have to worry too much about the disasters. It happened because of magic power and dimensional distortion, so it will subside soon,” the voice explained.

The disasters in the west would naturally subside over time, and the disasters in the north would subside once this stone tablet was recovered, so it wasn’t a lie.

“When is ‘soon’…?” Ethan questioned.

“The important thing is that the grafter and the tentacle monster are troublesome, aren’t they?” the voice continued.

“That’s right,” Ethan confirmed.

“This old woman always puts a lot of thought into raising bugs to be plump and strong. One of those things is making them fight each other,” the voice revealed.

“Ah. I learned about that in black magic. If you gather bugs together and make them kill each other…” Ethan started to say.

A transparent staff appeared in the air and hesitated as it was about to strike Ethan’s head.

It occurred to her that there was no point in hitting him since it wouldn’t have much of an effect anyway.

“If you interrupt me one more time while I’m talking, I’ll introduce you to a new evil god instead of giving you advice. You wouldn’t want to get involved with a blind madman-like evil god again, would you?” the voice threatened.

“I’m sorry,” Ethan apologized.

Ethan once again thought that he had done well not to talk about the Ksaksarigol Order.

“Alright, this old woman’s advice is to join hands with one side and strike the other,” the voice declared.

“…I have met the Frost Giant King and made a contract with the Guest Star, but I am by no means an evil wizard. I think there’s a misunderstanding…” Ethan protested.

The voice couldn’t bear it and struck his head once more with the transparent staff.