Surviving As A Mage In A Magic Academy [EN]: Chapter 141

Even though a stranger had appeared, Ethan bowed quickly, his back straight and low. Even though he was still angry inside about the monster, he knew he had to be polite to guests.

It helped that he knew guests from outside the school were scheduled to visit this week.

“A wizard from outside, I presume.”

“Greetings.”

“Do you know who I am?”

The old wizard looked puzzled.

Despite the fame of the name Yumidihus, few people recognized the old wizard’s face. She looked like a kind grandma, so Ethan’s bow seemed too much.

“I do not. However, as a guest from outside, shouldn’t I show proper courtesy?”

“…For a talented wizard, you are remarkably polite!”

Yumidihus was taken aback.

Usually, talented wizards were not very nice people. It was known that the better a wizard was, the ruder they often were.

With a boy like the one before her, Yumidihus wouldn’t have been surprised if he spat beside her upon meeting her and said, ‘Who are you?’

Also, he was from the Wodanaz family and Professor Voladi Begrek was his teacher.

Naturally, she expected him to be arrogant and eccentric…

Yumidihus found Ethan’s unexpectedly polite demeanor quite peculiar.

‘How did such a disciple end up under Voladi Begrek?’

“To defeat a Rakshasa Ghoul. Weren’t you surprised?”

“I was surprised, but I judged that if I used the magic I had learned so far, I could handle it sufficiently.”

Ethan gave a textbook answer.

As he didn’t know the other person’s identity, he had to be as careful as possible.

Of course, they were a guest from outside, but he couldn’t know what their relationship was with Headmaster Skull or Professor Voladi.

Caution, and more caution, was needed.

“Weren’t you angry at Voladi Begrek for preparing such a trial?”

Yumidihus was most curious about how Ethan was calmly maintaining his composure.

The Rakshasa Ghoul was an unforeseen situation that even Voladi Begrek hadn’t anticipated.

The creature that was supposed to be at the bottom of the dungeon had somehow climbed to the top.

Any young wizard would have been right to be angry.

Even more so, an arrogant wizard with that much talent.

However, Ethan did not act rashly.

‘They’re friends with Professor Voladi!’

The fact that he didn’t call him ‘Professor’ meant they knew each other personally. Ethan continued.

“No. The professor was merely preparing to impart his teachings to me. Why would I be angry?”

“Goodness!”

The old wizard exclaimed.

‘How did Voladi Begrek end up with such an undeserved disciple?’

Usually, wizards either had talent but no character, or character but no talent, but the boy before her astonishingly possessed both. He was even patient enough not to complain about Voladi Begrek’s personality.

“Truly remarkable.”

‘Safely passed.’

Ethan nodded, sensing the other party’s satisfaction.

Belatedly, Professor Voladi and Professor Garcia appeared from below. Professor Garcia cried out with a worried expression.

“Are you alright, Ethan? To meet a Rakshasa Ghoul of all things…”

If others weren’t present, he would have cursed Professor Voladi along with Professor Garcia, but there were too many eyes watching. Ethan answered again, but he wasn’t being honest.

“I’m fine, Professor. Professor Voladi had calculated everything and prepared it for me.”

“The Rakshasa Ghoul wasn’t prepared in advance; it came up from below, Ethan.”

“…Ah.”

Ethan realized it only then.

No wonder the magic wasn’t working!

Curses rose to his throat, but Ethan maintained his composure and replied.

“I’m fine, Professor. It seems like it’s become an even better opportunity.”

“Ethan…”

Professor Garcia felt sorry for Ethan, unaware of his true feelings. He could have been angry at least at times like this, but he was too kind, which was regrettable.

“Oh, this is Yumidihus. You’ve heard the name, haven’t you?”

“!”

Ethan had heard the name Yumidihus before. Wasn’t she a famous water element wizard in the Empire?

Ethan bowed once more.

“It’s an honor to meet you, Yumidihus.”

“Showing such respect to a not-so-great name makes me rather embarrassed.”

“Not at all, Yumidihus.”

“I saw you rotating the water orb. Is that right?”

Ethan nodded at the old wizard’s question.

“I wasn’t able to perfect it.”

“If you had completely mastered the rotation, the other wizards here would have been ashamed and broken their wands. Even that much is truly remarkable.”

Yumidihus pondered for a moment, then opened her mouth.

“I will be staying for a few more days. Would you be interested in receiving some simple teachings?”

“!”

Professor Voladi and Yumidihus showed no particular change in expression, but Professor Garcia alone was startled.

Yumidihus offering teachings was by no means a light matter.

Ordinary wizards could kneel and beg for days without receiving any teachings from Yumidihus.

Only wizards with gem-like talent could catch Yumidihus’s eye and receive simple teachings. Professor Voladi was such a case.

However, that was only when they asked for teachings first.

But for that old wizard to offer to teach a mere freshman who had yet to achieve anything…

Professor Garcia couldn’t believe it. Professor Voladi’s lack of any change in expression only made him more frustrated.

‘Accept it, Ethan! It’s a great opportunity!’

“Thank you, but…”

“?!”

Professor Garcia was dying of frustration as Ethan showed signs of hesitation.

“Do you have a reason to refuse?”

Yumidihus asked, seemingly puzzled. She couldn’t think of any reason to refuse.

“I am learning from Professor Voladi, and it doesn’t seem polite to receive teachings from someone else without permission.”

Ethan was cautious.

Professors can be more selfish than you think. If he said something like, ‘Yes, I will learn,’ he might face retaliation in his grades.

Of course, Professor Voladi didn’t seem like the type to do that, but one never knew.

It was best to be careful.

“Huh!”

Yumidihus exclaimed once more. It was a longer exclamation than before.

“It’s always been this way, but the world is truly unfair…”

There was a saying that good fortune follows those who live virtuously, but that was a lie.

How else would such a righteous disciple end up under a fellow like Voladi Begrek?

Yumidihus truly believed so.

“Pardon?”

“Nothing. You are truly a polite child.”

Yumidihus turned her head and looked at Voladi Begrek.

“You have taught him well.”

“Yes.”

“But it’s truly not to your credit.”

“?”

Professor Voladi looked like he did not understand the non-wizard.

“Why?”

Yoomidihuth didn’t want to explain to Voladi Begg and got straight to the point.

“May I watch you teach?”

“Yes.”

“Good. I will stay and observe your lessons for a few days.”

The non-wizard patted Lee Han’s shoulder, then left.

Lee Han sensed something strange in their conversation and asked Professor Garcia.

“What is the relationship between Yoomidihuth and Professor Begg?”

“Professor Begg used to study under Yoomidihuth.”

“……”

Lee Han’s face turned paler than the damp, black stone walls of the dungeon.

Professor Voladi spoke slowly to Lee Han, who was cursing his choice.

“Well done.”

“…Thank you.”

Lee Han barely stopped himself from adding ‘you old fool’ after his words.

Not noticing the Rakshasa Ghoul coming up, and he calls that well done…

“Oh, right. Professor, there was an obstruction that interfered with the lightning magic earlier.”

“I placed it there.”

“…Ah.”

To focus him on water magic, he installed an obstruction to interfere with the lightning magic.

Lee Han trembled, deeply moved by the professor’s meticulous consideration. But inside, Lee Han was thinking, ‘Meticulous? He almost got me killed!’

“Your multiple attributes are almost perfect. You’ll get used to it after a few more fights.”

“Yes… I understand.”

Now, Lee Han was alright with ghouls. He was confident he could prepare and fight them somehow.

“Next time with the Rakshasa Ghoul, we must ensure that other monsters don’t enter.”

“Thank you… Wait a moment, Professor.”

“?”

“Next time with the Rakshasa Ghoul… Not just ghouls?”

“Ghouls are no threat to you.”

Professor Voladi looked at Lee Han as if he was talking nonsense.

One’s magical skills rise rapidly when they feel threatened, but ordinary ghouls posed no threat to Lee Han.

He had to go down to where the Rakshasa Ghoul appeared.

“…Next time, I’ll fight without magic.”

Lee Han’s stomach dropped. Fight a Rakshasa Ghoul with no magic? He swallowed hard, trying not to show how scared he was.

Lee Han tried to resist, feeling threatened, but Professor Voladi shook his head.

“Even if you release other enhancement magic, it will be the same. Ghouls won’t help.”

“…I see.”

Professor Voladi hesitated before opening his mouth.

“I misjudged.”

“Yes?”

“Try challenging the rotation attribute.”

Professor Voladi had thought Lee Han was being too hasty and wanted him to become familiar with other attributes first.

But after seeing him fight today, his mind had changed.

If a wizard is truly talented, stopping them won’t prevent them from venturing into unknown territories.

This was even more evident when he saw Lee Han attempting rotation while using multiple attributes.

A teacher should not rashly block their student’s path.

Professor Voladi had gained another enlightenment in teaching.

As the professor silently stared at him with a pale face, nodding as if in encouragement, Lee Han thought.

‘Should I just smack him one and go to the disciplinary room?’

Who was it that made him try the rotation attribute in the first place…

Later, after the exhausting class, Professor Voladi told Lee Han to follow him. Lee Han was surprised when they ended up not back in the classroom, but in the middle of the noisy festival.

“Professor.”

“What is it?”

Lee Han, who was about to say ‘goodbye’ to Professor Voladi after class, couldn’t.

He ended up participating in the festival booth in front of the main building with Professor Voladi after coming up from the basement.

Standing together in a simple space that seemed to be assigned to the professor, Lee Han sighed and slumped his shoulders. He wished he was back in his bed already.

He was sick of it during class, and now even during break time?

“Another student… um. Never mind.”

Lee Han quickly realized as he was about to ask, ‘Can’t you get another student to do it?’

Come to think of it, Lee Han was the only one taking Professor Voladi’s class.

“Professor, you seem… very involved in the festival.” (Trying to be polite but hinting at his confusion)

Professor Voladi: (Sighs, looking annoyed) “Don’t misunderstand. I have no interest in festivals.”

“Then… why are we here?”

“Orders. From the Headmaster.”

“Ah.”

Lee Han quickly understood the situation with Professor Voladi’s short answer.

‘Like an evil headmaster. He’s definitely doing this to torment me.’

In fact, it was the Emperor’s order, but Lee Han didn’t know that far.

“So, what are we supposed to do?”

Lee Han looked to the left.

Priests wearing gloves were baking sweet cookies for the new students.

Lee Han looked to the right.

Priests dressed in colorful costumes were performing a play.

‘This is excessively disadvantageous, isn’t it?’

No matter how he thought about it, it didn’t seem like anyone in their right mind would go to Professor Voladi’s stall instead of the left or right…

But he couldn’t just do nothing. He had to at least pretend to do something.

‘It’s a relief that it’s not related to my grades.’

Professor Voladi took out a ticket from his pocket. Lee Han’s eyes widened.

Surprisingly, it was an outing pass!

“Pro… Professor.”

“What is it?”

“Can I also receive that?”

“There’s only one.”

“If there are any left over after it’s over…?”

“Do you need it?”

Professor Voladi looked at Lee Han with an expression that said, ‘Why would you want to go out?’

Lee Han nodded seriously.

“Yes.”

“I understand. I’ll give it to you.”

“……”

Lee Han’s eyes blazed.

No matter what, he couldn’t let a customer take that.

‘I’ll defend it with my life.’

“Professor, what’s the event?”

Professor Voladi pointed upwards with his finger. Lee Han raised his head.

A new message had appeared on the tent.

->Dodge the Water Orbs>.