Surviving As A Mage In A Magic Academy [EN]: Chapter 120

“Thank you,” Lee Han said, meaning it.

He knew he should be grateful to Bickelnetz.

Even though Lee Han could have argued about losing, Bickelnetz had been kind, especially to a new student like him.

“Are you interested in joining the White Poplar Knights?” Bickelnetz asked.

“Sorry?” Lee Han blinked, surprised.

*White Poplar Knights…* he thought to himself.

*Sounds like a really tough job where you work hard for nothing but bragging rights.*

Lee Han imagined the White Poplar Knights might not like his thought, but he wasn’t completely wrong.

He knew they were famous for traveling all over the empire, alone, for honor and what they believed in.

It must be a very difficult life, he thought.

“I still have much to learn, especially as a knight,” Lee Han said politely, turning down the offer.

But Bickelnetz didn’t seem to take it as a real refusal.

The White Poplar Knight spoke again, his voice serious.

“You are not lacking at all.

Of course, you are still learning, but if you study hard here, you could become a better wizard than anyone in the White Poplar Knights.

And don’t worry, we don’t expect wizards to be good knights!”

Lee Han was surprised.

Bickelnetz sounded truly serious, not just being polite.

*Wait… really?* Lee Han thought, his eyes widening slightly.

“Actually,” Bickelnetz continued, “your knight skills are not bad either!

For a wizard, you are very good.

Some knights would be jealous!”

“Sir Bickelnetz, please,” Professor Inguldel said, stepping in to stop him.

“Calm down now.”

“He’s just a first-year student, remember?” Professor Inguldel reminded Bickelnetz.

“It’s too early to decide what he’ll do.” Lee Han felt a warmth towards Professor Inguldel for saying that.

Then he suddenly remembered.

*Wait a minute,* he thought.

*Professor Inguldel is the one who brought Bickelnetz here in the first place!*

“You’re right.

I got too carried away,” Bickelnetz admitted.

“Don’t worry about it.

I’m just pleased you think so highly of my students,” Professor Inguldel replied, smiling.

While Professor Inguldel and Bickelnetz chatted, other White Poplar Knights, who had been practicing in another part of the training area, walked over.

“Sir Bickelnetz, are you done?” one of the knights asked.

“How did it go?” Another knight added, “You weren’t too tough on the students, were you, Sir Bickelnetz?”

“I lost,” Bickelnetz announced.

“What?!” The knights were shocked.

Bickelnetz then explained everything that had happened to the newcomers.

Each time Bickelnetz pointed at Lee Han and spoke, the other knights stared at Lee Han with wide eyes and respect.

Lee Han felt a prickle of unease.

*Oh no,* he thought.

He quickly moved to stand behind Giselle, hoping to hide a little.

Giselle shifted her feet, clearly annoyed at being used as a shield.

“You all did wonderfully,” Professor Inguldel said, praising the three students.

Lee Han and the other two had indeed worked hard.

They had even managed to keep Bickelnetz busy and distracted while casting their spells, which was no easy task.

“Excellent work.

This wasn’t a test to see if you could win, but you still managed to succeed!” Professor Inguldel beamed.

*Ah, right,* Lee Han thought, finally remembering.

*This wasn’t about winning.*

He’d completely forgotten, because Bickelnetz had attacked them so intensely.

“But seeing my students do so well when I least expect it is the best feeling for a teacher.

Thank you all for making me so happy!” “You’re welcome!” Dergyu shouted, feeling strangely emotional.

Lee Han and Giselle, however, were less enthusiastic.

*These White Poplar Knights are a bit much,* Lee Han thought again.

*Doesn’t Professor Inguldel know when to stop?* Ever since he’d brought in the White Poplar Knights for the lesson, Professor Inguldel had seemed… *well, a bit over the top,* Lee Han decided.

“The White Poplar Knights said they really enjoyed the practice fight too,” Professor Inguldel continued.

“They said they’ll tell all their friends about it.” Lee Han raised an eyebrow, unsure.

“They even asked me to invite them back if we do this again.

They were truly happy, not just being polite.” “…Right,” Lee Han said slowly.

He felt a growing worry.

*Could I end up fighting the leader of the White Poplar Knights in my midterm exam?*

“…” Lee Han suddenly stopped walking.

“Lee Han?” Dergyu, who was walking beside him after class, looked at his friend, concerned.

“What’s wrong?

What is it?

Are you alright?!” Suddenly, Lee Han’s knees buckled, and he dropped to the ground.

It was the magic missile spell, Pibblecus’s Great and Mighty Magic Missile, that was causing this.

*Ugh,* Lee Han groaned inwardly.

He wanted to find this Pibblecus and shake him!

*How could anyone put this spell in the first-year magic book?* Instead of just shooting magic, it was like building up a huge magical explosion right in front of you.

The idea was simple – gather magic power.

But the spell was much more dangerous and powerful than he’d expected.

It was like setting off a bomb right in front of your face!

There was only one way to stay safe when using this spell.

As the magic exploded, the wizard had to push the blast away with all their strength.

If you lost control?

You’d be blown up too.

It was truly insane magic.

*Blood mages… they should be outlawed across the whole Empire,* he thought angrily.

He thought he’d controlled the spell to avoid the worst of the blast, but his vision was blurry, and he felt dizzy.

Maybe some of the magic had still hit him.

He now understood what blood mages were really like.

They were the kind of people who would remove all safety features just to make something work better!

Lee Han decided right then and there to rename Pibblecus’s Great and Mighty Magic Missile in his head to Pibblecus’s Crazy Magic Explosion.

“Lee Han! Don’t die on me!” Dergyu cried out dramatically.

“Dergyu… it’s not that serious, stop making such a scene,” Lee Han said weakly, annoyed by Dergyu’s overreaction.

Dergyu clearly thought it was much worse than it was.

Lee Han was actually more concerned about something else entirely.

“Dergyu,” Lee Han whispered.

“What is it?! Anything! Just tell me!” Dergyu replied, his voice full of worry.

“The White Tiger Tower students… they mustn’t see me like this.

Keep your voice down.” Dergyu stared at Lee Han, speechless.

Lee Han’s serious expression reminded Dergyu of a brave knight preparing for battle.

*He’s just a first-year student!* Dergyu thought in amazement.

But he did as Lee Han asked, lowering his voice.

He understood that it was probably best if the White Tiger Tower students didn’t see Lee Han looking weak.

“Wait. Lee Han. I’ll take you to the healing room.” Dergyu supported Lee Han and moved his feet.

One of the White Tiger Tower friends saw them and asked as if he was wondering.

“What’s wrong?” “…Training!” “Oh, really?” Dergyu desperately headed to the healing room with Lee Han.

“It’s a mild magical concussion.

What crazy professor detonated a magical explosion around a freshman?” When Lee Han opened his eyes, he heard a voice in his ear.

It was a conversation between Dergyu and the owner of the healing room.

“That… I can’t tell you.

I’m sorry.” “Are you afraid the professor will retaliate? Geez.

I don’t know why other people in the Empire are afraid of us.

They should be more afraid of wizards.” *Come to think of it, this is my first time in the healing room.*

There was a place like a nurse’s office in the magic school because there were so many injuries.

When he collapsed in the last bloody battle with the anti-magicists, the Skull Headmaster took him directly, so he didn’t have to go to the healing room… That’s how he came here today.

It was more ordinary than he thought.

Clean and clean white scenery with beds arranged, and the person in charge of the healing room is talking to Dergyu next to him in the shape of a book… ‘…?’ Lee Han blinked.

The owner of the healing room was still in the form of a book.

The book fluttering in the air said to Dergyu.

“The concussion came because he experienced a magical explosion at close range while he was tired.

I’ve cast recovery, so he’ll be fine.” “Thank you!

I really… I was fine for a while after the explosion, but suddenly I collapsed… I thought there was a big problem with magic.” The book in the healing room was quite taken aback by Dergyu’s words.

“You were fine for a while after the explosion?” “Yes.” “What kind of ignorant… Don’t ever do that again.” There was only one reason why he could look fine even after a magical explosion had exploded nearby.

He just endured it with his mental strength.

Dergyu was also taken aback when he heard the explanation.

“That doesn’t make sense.

There’s no reason for Lee Han to endure so hard… Um.

Never mind.” “……” Come to think of it, Lee Han was a person who could do that.

Lee Han felt a slight sense of betrayal from Dergyu.

“Thank you for the treatment.” When he opened his mouth with a dry cough, the book fluttered and approached.

Lee Han hesitated because he didn’t know what to call the other person.

“I’m the devil of the healing room.” “…Yes?” “I thought you didn’t know what to call me.” “Ah… is that so.” Lee Han was not surprised even when the talking book revealed himself to be a devil.

Even if he was surprised, he could now speak calmly with a calm expression.

The magic school had made Lee Han grow.

“What is it?

Not fun… Other freshmen are surprised.” “I’ll guess.

Maybe the devil of the healing room was caught by the Headmaster and forced to work here.” !!!

The talking book was surprised.

How did he know!?

“Amazing!

You’re not just smart?” “You flatter me.” Lee Han waved his hand.

Anyone who had met the Skull Headmaster a few times could have made that deduction.

Of course, Dergyu, who didn’t know the situation, was very impressed.

“That’s right.

I’m working here in the form of a book because I was summoned by Gonadaltez and caught.” There was no dissatisfaction in the talking book’s voice.

Dergyu asked at the sight.

“Are you satisfied with working here, judging by what you’re saying?” “No?” “Yes? But…” “Do you think I’m not dissatisfied just because I’m making a pleasant voice?” Lee Han intervened in their conversation.

He couldn’t just stand by and watch.

“Maybe if you’re insincere, the Headmaster will punish you.” “Amazing!” The devil of the healing room, the talking book, was surprised again.

He understood his situation too well for a freshman.

Considering Gonadaltez’s eccentric personality, there was a high probability that the bookshelf would be torn off if he grumbled in the healing room.

“You’re too smart… Wait.

Maybe you’re Gonadaltez transformed…” The talking book trailed off as if suspicious.

And then he immediately used magic.

“…Magic Detection!” The talking book was surprised by the enormous magic power felt from Lee Han.

“Gonadaltez! You really!” “No!” “Lee Han just has a lot of magic!” Thanks to Dergyu’s desperate efforts to persuade him, the talking book stopped suspecting.

He used all kinds of confirmation magic and detection magic several times after that… “I’ve been moving with him all the time.

He’s definitely not the Headmaster.” “Okay.

I’ll believe you.

But freshman.

Keep in mind that Gonadaltez can switch your friend in the short moment you turn your eyes away.” “……” Dergyu thought the talking book was joking.

But Lee Han took it seriously.

‘I really need to be careful.’

“Well, if it was Gonadaltez, he would have revealed his identity the moment I used magic.

He’s not the type to stay still… Freshman.

I’m sorry.

I apologize.” “It’s okay.” Lee Han got up from his seat.

Thanks to the talking book’s healing magic, his body had recovered, so it was time to leave.

“Wait.

Take this.” The talking book handed Lee Han a small leather pouch as he was about to leave.

“What is this?” “It’s a simple cure.” “Ah… am I not completely healed?” Lee Han was surprised.

His body seemed to be completely fine, but was there anything left?

“No.

It’s just a gift to come and visit often.” “……” Lee Han felt gratitude and uneasiness at the same time.