Surviving As A Mage In A Magic Academy [EN]: Chapter 1202

“Are you alright, Garcia?” the Headmaster asked, his skull-like face etched with confusion. He’d been ready for an explosion. Any letter about Professor Voladi usually meant trouble.

He imagined Garcia’s usual reactions. If the letter said Voladi was coming back soon, Garcia would shout, “If you were coming, you should have come already! Why send such a silly letter?” If it said Voladi was delayed because of trouble, Garcia would yell, “I knew it! Taking young Lee Han always leads to problems!”

The Headmaster expected Garcia to erupt like a volcano, maybe even send a desk flying across the room or shatter a potion bottle. But Garcia just stood there, rereading the letter, his eyes wide and unblinking.

A cold worry crept into the Headmaster. Had Voladi done something truly terrible? Killed someone innocent? “Let me see that,” he said, snatching the letter. He read it quickly, and then he understood Garcia’s shock. The letter mentioned… an evil god.

“This is bad,” the Headmaster said, his voice firm. “We need to gather a team to fight it. Send messages now!” He turned from the still-shocked Garcia and barked orders to the knights. A *corrupted* evil god? They had to act fast, before it grew stronger, before it became too clever.

“I’ll come too!” Garcia said suddenly.

“You?” The Headmaster frowned, surprised. Many people in the Empire were scared by Garcia’s strange looks, but the Headmaster knew better. Garcia wasn’t a fighter. Why would a wizard who hated fighting want to join a dangerous battle?

“Lee Han is going,” Garcia explained, “so why shouldn’t I?”

*It doesn’t say Lee Han is going here,* the Headmaster thought. *But Voladi will go, of course. And if Voladi goes, Lee Han and Kirmin will follow.* The Headmaster understood Garcia’s thinking. Voladi would definitely be part of the team, and Lee Han and Kirmin always stuck close to Voladi.

Lee Han was becoming a skilled wizard now, so the Headmaster wouldn’t stop him from going. He knew Lee Han would be useful. And thinking about who sent the letter… it might actually be good for Lee Han to be there. *This could push him to learn even faster,* he thought.

“Alright,” the Headmaster said to Garcia. “It’s time for you to become stronger too.”

“—Not stronger exactly…” one of the knights mumbled. The idea of Professor Garcia, who used to hate fighting, joining a battle was still hard to believe.

“Master,” Lee Han said, entering the basement room. The young prince, who lived in the painting, smiled. “It’s been a while, student. Did you finally get rid of that hamster?”

“Haha, no,” Lee Han chuckled. “He’s getting some fresh air outside.” Lee Han knew better than to say the hamster was being difficult. The prince was kind to his students, but very tough on anyone he saw as bad.

“Yes,” Lee Han replied. The prince nodded from within the painting, as if saying, *Tell me everything.* Lee Han explained about the evil god.

“A *corrupted* evil god?” the prince repeated. “It’s possible. Student, do you remember the Black Emperor’s Coffin? That ancient magic to make fake gods? The coffin that held the fake god was called the Black Emperor’s Coffin.”

“Yes, I remember…”

“Well,” the prince continued, “if a wizard messes with it, they can give that god-power a mind of its own. That’s how a corrupted evil god could wake up.”

The prince didn’t seem worried, even though they were talking about an evil god. “Even if it’s a god,” he said calmly, “it’s still a fool. It can’t think clearly and is controlled by its own power. A clever wizard can destroy it completely.”

“In a way,” he added, “you’re lucky. Now you can get rid of it for good.”

“Oh, the hamster told me that,” Lee Han said.

“Did he?” The prince’s voice turned sharp. *That hamster is getting too bold,* he thought angrily. *Giving my student advice before I do!*

“Actually, I’m worried about something else,” Lee Han said. “It might be just the evil god trying to scare us, but…” He remembered everything the evil god had said, even small things. The evil god had laughed, saying the ‘magic thief,’ the hamster, and the ‘wizard up there’ were all afraid of him. Lee Han understood why the ‘magic thief’ and the hamster might be scared. But Professor Voladi?

“Well, student,” the prince said, “it could be a lie, but I think it’s probably true.”

“Could it be Professor Kirmin who’s scared, not Professor Voladi?” Lee Han wondered. *If Kirmin hears that, he’ll be furious,* he thought. The prince slowly shook his head in the painting. “The fact that the evil god mentioned someone who isn’t even here suggests they have a history. It must be Voladi he’s talking about. Student, are you thinking what I’m thinking? If Voladi is scared, should we even go fight this evil god?”

“Yes!” Lee Han said quickly. “If we surprise Voladi with Professor Kirmin when he’s not expecting it, could we trap him in Einrogard?” If Voladi didn’t go, Lee Han and Kirmin wouldn’t need to go either. They could let the Headmaster handle it and just wait to see what happens.

“That’s a clever idea,” the prince said. “But I want you to trust Voladi a little more. Everyone feels fear sometimes. The important thing is what you do about it.” Lee Han stopped, thinking about the prince’s words. It was a simple idea, but he couldn’t picture Professor Voladi being afraid.

“But this enemy is really strong and dangerous,” Lee Han said. “Is it safe to go if he’s scared?”

“You can’t always wait until you’re not scared anymore,” the prince explained. “Sometimes you have to face your fear to beat it. I believe Voladi can do it, even if he’s afraid. You have good friends with you, don’t you?”

“…” Lee Han thought for a moment. “I guess so. Professor Kirmin is even coming, even though he’s busy…”

“I meant you and me, student,” the prince said, smiling. “But yes, Kirmin too.” The prince added kindly. He meant that Lee Han, himself, and maybe Garcia were the ‘good friends’ he was talking about.

“Anyway, since you’re going to fight this evil god,” the prince said, “I can’t let you go empty-handed. Take this.” The paint in the painting swirled and lifted, becoming a bright stream of light that flew towards Lee Han. It settled into the empty space on his Behemoth bone necklace.

“This will help you out there.”

“But Master,” Lee Han said, confused. “You said this was impossible, right?” He knew the prince was using rare, unstable magic that was hard to copy. He thought the prince couldn’t even use magic outside the painting, let alone in this basement room.

“Student,” the prince said, sounding a little annoyed. “Do you forget who I am? I’m from a long line of powerful wizards. I’ve broken the staffs of countless evil wizards! This is nothing.”

“Wow, you’re amazing! So, what kind of magic was it?”

“…” The prince paused. “It’s… magic you wouldn’t understand.”

“But what’s it called? Just tell me the name…”

“I hear someone calling you,” the prince interrupted. “Looks like your team is here.”

“Oh, okay. See you later, Master!” Lee Han hurried out. As Lee Han left, the prince sighed quietly. *Being a smart student isn’t always a good thing,* he thought. *Lying is so hard…*

“Headmaster!” Lee Han called, rushing out of the basement. *Funny how quickly you miss this place,* he thought. After all the trouble outside, even Einrogard felt like home. And facing evil god followers made him almost happy to see… “I am pleased to see you, student of Osu.”

Lee Han froze. It wasn’t the Headmaster. Standing there was a huge, imposing Yaksha, covered in golden armor and a helmet. It was the Yaksha King.

“The Yaksha King? Gonadaltestes must be really… scary!” the hamster squeaked, trembling. *Without my magic, I’m just a weak hamster against someone like him.* The Yaksha King’s golden eyes seemed to burn right through anyone who looked at him.

“Isn’t the Headmaster here?” Lee Han asked, trying to sound normal. Of course, to Lee Han, the Yaksha King wasn’t some amazing being from another world. He was just a strange, annoying man who always made Lee Han’s life harder. *Why is he asking about my master already?* Lee Han thought, annoyed. *He probably hates Osu but won’t admit he respects him.* Just seeing the Yaksha King reminded Lee Han why he disliked him so much. *That’s it! That’s why I hate him!*

Lee Han decided to talk to someone else instead. “Professor Kirmin, is the Headmaster here?”

“Student of Osu,” the Yaksha King said in his booming voice. “I know you want to see your master, but *I*, the Yaksha King, am leading this team.” Professor Kirmin explained gently, maybe because Lee Han looked so unhappy. “The Headmaster doesn’t usually get involved in every mission, Lee Han.”

“Oh… right,” Lee Han mumbled. *Of course.* He should have known. The Headmaster wasn’t one to leave his office easily. And if they needed someone strong to fight in another dimension, the Yaksha King was the obvious choice.

“It’s good to see you too,” a voice said. Another person stepped out from behind the Yaksha King. It was someone else Lee Han really didn’t want to see. “Apaz Turagon!” Lee Han groaned, clenching his fists when he saw the angel. *If that idiot angel hadn’t let Voladi steal his dimension…*

“Oh wise king,” Apaz Turagon said to the Yaksha King. “Thank you for letting me join.”

“I, the Yaksha King, am always happy to share my wisdom with those who need it,” the Yaksha King boomed. “No thanks are needed.” Lee Han felt his head spin. Watching the Yaksha King and Apaz Turagon compliment each other made him want to run away.

“Apaz Turagon… why is *he* here?” Lee Han asked, confused. “It’s natural,” the Yaksha King replied. “He is trying to learn the ways of ancient wizards to become wiser.”

“Student of Osu,” the Yaksha King continued, “even if someone else is learning the same things as you, don’t be jealous or try to stop them. Those feelings won’t help you become wise.” Lee Han instantly wished he hadn’t asked. *Why did I open my mouth?*

“An evil god with its own mind can’t be ignored,” the Yaksha King said, turning back to Lee Han. “Student of Osu, I expect great things from you this time.”

“Right, magic,” Lee Han mumbled. “I need to go… prepare some magic.” He backed away quickly, feeling like he might punch someone if he stayed any longer. Just then, light flashed in the air, twisting space, and a doorway opened. Death knights and Professor Garcia stepped through.

“Ah, Professor Garcia!”

“Lee Han! Where’s Professor Kirmin?”

“Um… why do you need to know?” Lee Han asked, noticing a strange, angry look on Garcia’s face.