Surviving As A Mage In A Magic Academy [EN]: Chapter 12

“Well, well,” Headmaster Lich’s voice echoed in the cold hall, “it seems even *you lot* are learning fast!”

Silence followed his words. No one cheered. Lee Han shifted uncomfortably, thinking he heard someone cough nervously behind him. *Praise from Headmaster Lich? Something must be wrong,* he thought.

Headmaster Lich continued, his blue eyes, bright in his skull-like face, fixed on the students. “The Blue Dragon Tower students usually take the longest to get used to new things, you know.”

Surprisingly, Headmaster Lich seemed to mean his praise.

Every year, new students entered the new dormitories, but the Blue Dragon Tower was the slowest to adapt.

The Black Tortoise Tower students were the quickest to adapt.

Students from poor families, like merchants, common people, and even those from slums, were very good at getting used to new things.

The next fastest were the White Tiger Tower students.

Since many were from knight families, they had good physical abilities and endured tough tasks well.

In comparison, most Blue Dragon Tower students came from high-ranking noble families.

Having never done hard work, they were bound to be slow to adapt.

But to see them find and prepare their own food in just a few days…

He was honestly impressed.

‘Could that rascal be the culprit?’

Headmaster Lich’s blue eyes locked onto Lee Han.

Headmaster Lich was a powerful wizard, and he trusted his feelings.

If he thought he was wrong, he would *make* himself right, somehow.

In that regard, Lee Han was fortunate.

Because what Headmaster Lich felt at first was no different.

‘The qualities of a good wizard aren’t determined solely by the amount of magical power…’

Headmaster Lich wasn’t evaluating Lee Han highly just because of his magical power.

Of course, that was one factor, but Headmaster Lich was more impressed by other things.

It’s surprising that someone so independent like him comes from the strict Wodanaz family.

‘Free thinking. That’s the companion that opens the path for a wizard.’

That was what Headmaster Lich wanted to teach the students here.

Feeding them hard bread and cold rice was also to *encourage* them to think freely.

Of course, he also enjoyed watching them, but that was the original purpose anyway.

‘I don’t know why, but I suddenly feel a chill down my spine.’

Lee Han suddenly felt uneasy. It was an unusually chilly feeling for spring weather.

“Headmaster. We understand that we need to cook our own meals to grow as wizards. But why do we have to listen to this character education?”

Certainly, the Blue Dragon Tower students were fearless.

Being from high-ranking noble families, they spoke their minds even in front of Headmaster Lich.

Headmaster Lich’s bones rattled as he spoke, but his voice was surprisingly soft.

“Very well said. Why do you think you need to receive character education? Tell me.”

“…I don’t know.”

“That’s because if the wizards from here cause accidents outside, that damned Emperor holds me responsible!!!”

The new students covered their ears at Headmaster Lich’s booming voice.

“If your seniors! Didn’t cause accidents! Outside! This wouldn’t have happened! You damned metalheads!!”

“Why am I doing this character education?! When the Emperor’s high-ranking officials come to ask about the reasons for the incidents, at least I have to say that I’m providing character education so you don’t all get punished together! You metalheads!! Is that a sufficient answer!?!”

“Yes… Yes!!”

The student who asked the question was overwhelmed by Headmaster Lich’s energy and nodded repeatedly.

“Wizards are basically unpredictable. Don’t say you’re not. That kind of lie will only anger me. You’ll see when you’re allowed to go outside later. How many accidents you wizards cause! Open your books! Read page 1!!”

“I will not threaten civilians with magic!”

“One more time!”

“I will not threaten civilians with magic!”

Lee Han shouted along and thought to himself.

‘Does this really work?’

‘I feel like this kind of education will only make wizards cause more accidents…’

All the students expected the character education lecture to be boring.

That expectation was wrong.

The character education lecture was much more boring than expected.

“This… this is a mandatory lecture…”

“I feel like my throat is hoarse from reading so much.”

“Now. I hope that today’s lecture put some goodness in your empty heads.”

“Yes…”

“I really think so…”

“And I need two people to help with future lectures. Anyone want to volunteer?”

Headmaster Lich asked in a gentle voice. That voice was even more chilling.

The students rolled their eyes and avoided eye contact. Headmaster Lich smiled contentedly and said.

“It will be more painful if no one comes forward? Are you really not going to come out until the end?”

“I’ll do it.”

It was Lee Han who raised his hand. Headmaster Lich looked disappointed that he couldn’t enjoy it more.

“Wodanaz metalhead. Do you like working?”

“If it’s helping my respected professor, wouldn’t that be an honor?”

“Wodanaz…!”

“You really are something…”

A murmur went through the Blue Dragon Tower students. Gainando’s eyes widened in surprise. Some students nodded slowly, impressed. For a moment, they forgot their hunger and the boring lecture, and just looked at Lee Han with respect.

Yesterday, he filled the students’ hungry stomachs with the Twilight Barbecue Party, and today, he was stepping forward for the students of the same dormitory.

It wasn’t for nothing that the Wodanaz family was called the pillar of the empire.

Look at that sense of responsibility!

“It’s quite annoying how you say things you don’t mean. But good. Good things happen to people who take action.”

Lee Han knew Headmaster Lich saw through his real reasons.

A fact he learned from Professor Thunderstep.

That helping the professor surprisingly had many benefits.

Especially in a closed space like this, the more you received from the professor, the better.

Even if that person was the crazy skeleton Lich.

“I will work hard.”

‘And I’ll get good grades too.’

“L-Lee Han. Are you crazy?”

Gainando whispered in shock. Another student who heard the words said to Gainando.

“If no one stepped up, everyone would have suffered. Wodanaz isn’t crazy, he’s stepping up for us.”

“T-That’s… then I should…”

Gainando hesitated and tried to get up. But his legs wouldn’t move.

‘Move, legs!’

To become noble, he had to be able to stand up in this situation.

Besides, Lee Han wouldn’t be waiting only for Gainando.

‘I have to help…’

“Dalkard metalhead. Well, the Dalkard family has always been good at paperwork.”

“Thank you for the compliment.”

While Gainando was hesitating, the second person came forward.

Asan Dalkard.

From the Dalkard family, and the boy who was hit and sent flying by the violent mutated pig in the alchemy class last time.

Lee Han looked at Asan as if he was wondering. Honestly, he didn’t expect Asan to come out.

‘Is he aiming for something similar to me?’

Asan carefully pushed his glasses up his nose, trying to look calm and said.

“Of course, Wodanaz, you would know why I came forward.”

“…I don’t know??”

Lee Han said, dumbfounded.

How could he know Asan’s inner thoughts?

“What? Why?! Isn’t it obviously to repay the favor from last time?!”

Asan was even more dumbfounded, as if asking what he was talking about.

Wasn’t there no other reason?

“Ah… ahh. That’s what it was. No, you didn’t have to go that far.”

“What are you talking about? The Dalkard family always repays its debts.”

“I’m glad to see you two metalheads having such a heartwarming conversation, but there’s something we need to do right now.”

“Copy these safety rules as many as there are students so you can hand them out to your friends during the next lecture.”

Headmaster Lich’s words brought Asan back to reality.

“Headmaster.”

“Why?”

“I don’t understand… Wouldn’t it be easy for the Headmaster to copy the text onto the paper here with just one spell? Isn’t it inefficient for us to copy it by hand?”

“I know. That’s why I’m making you do it.”

Lee Han saw it clearly.

The murderous intent rising in Asan’s eyes!

-Sorry. Lee Han.

-I want to help…

Yoner and Gainando, and the other students, left apologetically.

Headmaster Lich stopped them even though they wanted to help.

“Two is enough! Get out!”

As a result, Lee Han ended up copying with Asan Dalkard in an empty lecture room.

“I can’t accept it… I can’t accept it… To make us do such an inefficient thing…!”

‘Is he going to break down like this?’

Asan started copying quickly, writing very angrily. Lee Han was starting to worry about him.

Actually, he thought he knew why the headmaster was making them do this.

‘If you don’t like it, learn magic and do it.’

The headmaster’s crazy actions were surprisingly easy to understand if you knew his intentions.

…The problem was that it was practically impossible.

He couldn’t even properly cast the >Light Creation> spell yet, so how could he cast a writing spell?

‘Isn’t there a hint or something?’

Lee Han looked around the empty room, hoping Headmaster Lich wasn’t completely mean.

“Wodanaz? What are you doing?”

Asan asked, tilting his head. Wodanaz was searching every corner of the lecture room.

“I’m looking to see if there’s anything worth taking here.”

“Is it okay to do that?”

“There’s no law saying we can’t.”

“That’s like stealing…”

“This is Headmaster Lich’s lecture room.”

“…Sometimes, stealing might be okay.”

Asan jumped up and ran to help Lee Han.

‘People break down really quickly.’

Whether they’re from noble families or whatever, people change a bit when they come to this school…

“Is there anything?”

“Well, there’s some paper here. Let’s take it in case we need it. Wait. There’s a key here.”

With a jingle, a key appeared.

He didn’t know what it was for, but Lee Han took it for now. Asan asked curiously.

“Do you know what key it is?”

“No. But we need to take it first so we can use it later.”

“Indeed… logical.”

Asan was impressed. It was certainly logical.

Thud-

As the last drawer was opened, a voice suddenly came with magical power.

“Opening this drawer means you’ve decided to stop writing like idiots until your wrists break and start thinking. I hope it’s as early as possible! The longer you do this stupid labor, the more pathetic and miserable you’ll be.”

“Here is a 1st circle magic, >Lesser Manipulation>. Take it and learn it. It’s best to learn it quickly. Otherwise, you’ll be writing by hand all semester.”

The headmaster’s hidden intention.

The students who realized the intention were moved…

…Not.

“Wodanaz. I can’t understand it at all. Why is he trying to teach magic like this? There are so many more rational ways!”

Asan said with a frustrated expression.

The magic he imagined was one where an excellent teacher taught him kindly, not one where he was thrown out and learned to survive.

What kind of method was this!

Asan continued with an enthusiastic voice.

“Wodanaz. You would understand, right? Let’s protest to the headmaster together. If the two of us protest seriously, maybe the headmaster will change his mind. …Wodanaz??”

“Hmm?”

Lee Han turned his head.

Lee Han was already preparing to learn magic.