Surviving As A Mage In A Magic Academy [EN]: Chapter 124

Gainan was sure of it, even if it didn’t really involve the Wodanaz family.

“Those habits must have been taught very strictly by the Wodanaz family. Otherwise, there’s no way he’d study like that on his own.”

‘You should study a bit…’

The Blue Dragon Tower friend gave Gainan a pathetic look and walked away.

Thanks to his family, he didn’t have to worry too much about his grades, but Gainan was a bit too extreme.

Even the Blue Dragon Tower students who didn’t focus on studying thought, ‘Still, isn’t he being too lazy?’

Study a bit!

“Alright. Let’s go.”

Lee Han finished packing and put his hand-drawn map in his backpack.

He didn’t just pack a map.

Sharply honed daggers, nails, and tools like hammers, as well as sturdy, tough ropes and torches he had made himself with oil-soaked rags, went into the backpack.

And a glass bottle filled with frequently used oil, and a few cans in case of an emergency. A glass bottle filled with sugar and a leather water bottle…

Lee Han had packed like this many times before, so his movements were quick and careful.

…He wondered if he was taking things too far just to explore the school.

“Are you really going?”

“Yeah.”

Gainan was impressed by Lee Han’s confident demeanor, considering Professor Garcia’s exam was tomorrow.

Cool!

Gainan thought, ‘Cool! That’s what a real noble should be like!’

Worrying about grades and struggling to study? That wasn’t very noble.

A true noble should be able to put down their books and go for a walk whenever they want.

Actually, Lee Han had almost finished studying before going out…

Gainan decided to ignore that fact.

“Let’s go together.”

“Hmm?”

Lee Han was slightly surprised by Gainan’s reaction.

He didn’t expect Gainan to ask to come along.

“Are you sure?”

“Of course, I’m sure. I can’t just leave a friend to go to a dangerous place alone.”

“You just want to come along because you don’t want to study, right?”

“……”

Gainan knew Lee Han was right, and he went quiet.

If he stayed in the lounge, everyone who passed by would say things like, ‘Aren’t you going to study?’ or ‘What card game? You should be studying for the quiz.’

It was better to follow Lee Han than to be nagged.

“Ah… no, I’m not.”

“Seems like it… It’s okay if you come along. Come on.”

Gainan, having received Lee Han’s permission, excitedly put on his coat.

Asan came in and asked.

“Gainan. Don’t you have to study?”

“Ah, stop asking me that!”

“I only asked once…”

The reason Lee Han wanted to check the spire stables first was, of course, because of the escape route.

He had made a promise with Amur, the owner of the stables outside the magic school.

-When the evil lich falls and the crimson dawn arrives, look up at the east side of the spire!

‘…Hmm. Now that I think about it, it doesn’t seem like the conversation was that dramatic.’

Memories tend to be distorted over time, but it seemed to be distorted quite a bit in that short period.

To be exact, it was a promise that Amur, the owner of the stables, would fly to the school once every two weeks.

He hadn’t found a flying vehicle yet, but it was good to learn the way to the stables in advance.

And who knows.

He might get a hint to find a vehicle in the process of going to the spire stables.

‘If it’s according to the promise, he’ll come once this weekend, but I don’t know if I’ll be able to meet him.’

“It’s so nice to be together like this. Isn’t it?”

Lee Han and Yoner quickly nodded.

Gainan stood blankly, then Lee Han pinched his side, and he hurriedly nodded.

“Instead of the grumpy friend from the Tutankha family, I’m so, so happy to be walking around with a reliable guide like Nilia. Isn’t that right, Yoner?”

“Of course. I’m really, really happy too.”

“I’m also really, really happy.”

Thanks to Lee Han, Yoner, and Raetford’s successive flattery, Nilia seemed to be in a much better mood.

‘It would be a little easier if there were some other Black Turtle Tower guys.’

Lee Han was disappointed.

Since the Salco gang had joined hands to exploit each other, there was no need to feel sorry no matter what happened.

Even if the Skull Headmaster appeared and threw one of the Salco gang as bait and ran away, there was no need to feel sorry as it was agreed in advance.

…Of course, he couldn’t be sure if the Salco gang would think that way too.

Anyway, that’s what Lee Han thought.

In comparison, Nilia couldn’t be abandoned. Lee Han was disappointed about that.

‘Should I have brought one or two of them somehow?’

But if he asked to borrow one or two of the Salco gang, Salco would join in, and if Salco joined in, Nilia would try to get back at them for what happened before…

Rather than making the story complicated for no reason, Lee Han thought it was right to just take people he could trust.

“Dealing with people is really hard, Raetford.”

“???”

Raetford was flustered when Lee Han suddenly said that, but he immediately nodded.

In fact, human relationships were surprisingly important even among thieves.

A thief who only knew himself and had many enemies couldn’t last long.

“That’s right.”

“I wish I had one or two friends who would take the initiative when something happened. Like the Salco gang.”

“Hmm. But Ms. Nilia doesn’t really like the Salco gang…”

“Yeah. I know.”

Lee Han finished speaking and looked at Gainan without much thought. Raetford also inadvertently looked at Gainan.

And the two exchanged glances secretly.

“Gainan. It’s reassuring to have you around.”

“Huh? Why? What is it?”

Nilia and Raetford were both excellent guides.

The only difference was that one was an expert in outdoor environments and the other was an expert in indoor environments.

As such, Raetford inevitably had to be more active when navigating the magic school’s complex corridors and stairs.

“Please wait a moment.”

Raetford reached out and stopped his friends, then brought his ear close to the floor of the hallway.

Lee Han and his friends were now at the end of the second-floor hallway, trying to find a way to the third floor.

According to the map, it was right to go to the third floor this way, but there was no path visible at all.

“Hmm… It’s that way! I can hear the sound of stairs moving over there.”

“…I know how to do that too…”

Nilia started to lie down on the hallway floor, but Lee Han stopped her.

“Nilia. There’s no need to show off your abilities from now on. Rather, you should save them!”

“I think so too!”

As Lee Han and Yoner stopped her and pulled her back, Nilia reluctantly stood up.

In the meantime, the stairs slowly approached. The group took the stairs and headed to the third floor.

‘This direction is new.’

He had been to the third floor of the main building with Salco’s guidance, but that was a completely different direction.

Lee Han had no idea what would be on the third floor in this direction.

Clang-

The stairs connected with a heavy sound.

But as Lee Han stepped onto the third floor, the air changed. It became warmer, and he could smell damp earth and leaves.

He took another step, and the hallway vanished, replaced by the green of a forest.

“…?!”

He knew that there were all sorts of natural landscapes within the magic school, but he never expected to witness such a change even within the main building.

He knew great wizards could change space, but he hadn’t really thought it could happen inside the school building itself.

The main building of the magic school was a place with a history so deep that even the headmaster didn’t know everything.

It wouldn’t be strange if there were forests, volcanoes, or glaciers inside.

“Amazing. I never knew there was a forest like this on the third floor… Nilia. I’m counting on you.”

Lee Han said, looking to the side.

The situation where Nilia could be active had finally arrived. Lee Han felt happy for some reason.

However, Nilia wasn’t there.

“???”

Meow.

Looking down, a black-haired cat was scratching at Lee Han’s ankle.

Even Lee Han, who was quite familiar with the school, couldn’t help but be flustered by the current situation.

“Where did everyone go…?”

Lee Han immediately drew his staff and looked around the forest.

Meow. Meow.

The cat kept tapping Lee Han’s ankle with its front paw as if it had something to say, and Lee Han suddenly wondered.

“…Could you be Nilia?”

The black cat made a murmuring sound and nodded repeatedly. It looked like it agreed very much.

‘Polymorph!’

It wasn’t just a forest, but a forest that cast a Polymorph spell that forcibly transformed you into an animal the moment you stepped into it.

A cold feeling went down Lee Han’s back.

‘Wait. Why wasn’t I affected?’

Come to think of it, if all his friends had transformed, it was strange that Lee Han was the only one who was fine.

‘Is it because of my magic power?’

If you experience something different from others after entering the magic school, suspecting your innate magic power is usually 99% correct.

Lee Han decided to take Nilia and look for the other friends first.

“Sharkan. Find the other friends.”

The bone summon in his belt rattled and took shape and came down. Then it ran forward.

Nilia pressed down on Lee Han with her front paw.

“Nilia. Easy… Why?”

Nilia pointed to the bone summon and raised both paws. It was as if she was threatening it.

“Are you saying that the other friends will be scared and run away if they see the bone summon?”

Nilia nodded.

Lee Han paused, thinking.

“I’ll have to catch them quickly before they see it and run away.”

……

Nilia was speechless and lost for words.

Fortunately, the other friends were quickly found.

A bat that was on a tree branch flew over in a hurry when it saw Lee Han (Lee Han thought it was probably Raetford) and a fluffy red fox (probably Yoner) followed the bone summon.

“Where did Gainan go?”

The other friends answered with various animal cries. Lee Han nodded.

‘Hmm. It’s better if I just think alone.’

Sometimes, getting answers from friends wasn’t helpful.

The incomplete bone summon, Sharkan, sniffed around and persistently guided Lee Han.

After walking and walking along the path in the lush forest, they arrived at a large open space.

Lee Han had met a tree spirit in a mountain forest before, so he thought there might be one here too.

‘It seems like it would be a spirit to maintain and live in this kind of forest inside the school.’

But Lee Han was wrong.

In the middle of the open space was a mouse.

Clatter clatter-

The bone summon Sharkan lowered its stance with a very wary gaze.

It wasn’t just Sharkan who noticed. Lee Han could also feel the powerful magic emanating from the mouse.

‘Does this magic school not have any normal plants or animals?’

The mouse waved its tail and cast a spell.

Then the bushes that were covering Lee Han’s surroundings sank down and the trees were pushed to the sides.

“…!”

Lee Han watched in amazement as the mouse used magic to carve words into the floor.

-Forest. Pass. Duel. Victory. Loser. Return.

“To pass through the forest, you have to win the duel, and if you lose, you just have to go back?”

The mouse nodded. Then it looked up and stared at Lee Han.

Squeak squeak squeak!

The mouse looked surprised to see Lee Han hadn’t changed, and it jumped back.