Surviving As A Mage In A Magic Academy [EN]: Chapter 159

Ogonyin saw the student looked confused. He quickly said,

“…I am not a professor!”

Yihan looked at him strangely. Only then did Ogonyin understand what he had just said.

A good thief would be careful with words. But Ogonyin was new to being a thief.

As a wizard, he was famous even in the Empire. But as a thief, he was just starting out.

That’s why he made this mistake.

“No… that’s…!”

“You dare to trick me!”

“I didn’t trick you…?! Kraaah!”

Ogonyin couldn’t talk his way out of it anymore. The student was attacking.

He couldn’t believe what he was seeing.

When the student made many water orbs, Ogonyin was scared. But he thought he could stop them.

Ogonyin wasn’t an expert at fighting with magic. But he was an experienced wizard. He had seen magic like this before.

The number of orbs looked scary, but he just needed to block them once. If he could block them, he could use his illusion magic to win.

Or so he thought.

The water orbs flew wildly in every direction, like angry bees. They were fast and unpredictable. Ogonyin panicked again.

He had to move fast!

Ogonyin threw himself to the side. He couldn’t believe he was dodging like a child at his age.

Ogonyin shouted, ‘Earth, help me!’

The ground beneath him moved suddenly, like a slippery slide, pushing him away from the water while trying to swallow the water orbs.

Yihan didn’t try to stop it. He let the earth swallow them.

Because he could make more!

“Spring forth!”

Ogonyin felt like he was in a nightmare. The student was making more attacks without stopping.

Was this a trap made by Gonadaltes?

He was so desperate he thought it could be true.

“Elements, go back to what you were!”

Ogonyin used elemental magic to stop the water orbs. They disappeared in the air.

But the student just made more.

Ogonyin realized he couldn’t win if they kept fighting like this.

Ogonyin stopped caring about his pride as a powerful wizard. Now, he was calm again.

Being surprised and embarrassed once was bad. But to be embarrassed again and again made him really wake up.

He had to beat him and escape!

“Flame, become me!”

Ogonyin stopped trying to use illusion magic that wasn’t working. Illusion magic wasn’t just about casting spells on the other person. If one thing didn’t work, he could try something else.

Flames turned into a copy of Ogonyin. It looked exactly like him. It was impossible to tell which one was real.

Yihan stared at Ogonyin in surprise. Ogonyin felt a little bit of his pride come back.

“Wait, student! Please! I’m sorry if I was rude. I was just… confused! Let me explain!”

Ogonyin turned his head when he heard a fuse burning behind him.

The fuse on the flame copy burned out, and it started shooting fireworks.

Yihan and Ogonyin didn’t say anything. They just watched the fireworks.

The students had been bored. But then…

Bang!

“What was that?”

The students looked up.

Bright fireworks exploded in the dark sky, like colorful flowers blooming suddenly.

Bang! Bang!

“Fireworks!”

“Oh, is it starting already?”

The guests were excited too. They stood up.

What could be better than magic fireworks?

It was rare to see fireworks made by Einroguard himself.

The skeletal headmaster pretended to be surprised. The Empire’s guests laughed.

“Ha! Headmaster, you truly love surprise gifts! Always full of fun, aren’t you?”

The headmaster got angry.

“Quiet! SILENCE! You… you ruined everything!”

A streak of bright blue light shot from the headmaster as he left quickly.

He had no eyes to cry, but inside, the skeletal headmaster felt a deep sadness.

Someone had ruined his plan to let the students dodge fireworks!

Ogonyin fell to the ground, looking sad.

It was just a pile of fireworks.

Now that they were set off, he couldn’t escape. People would come soon.

Yihan wondered if he should knock Ogonyin out.

To beat him properly, he should make him unconscious.

He looked like a thief, not a professor.

But he also seemed important. If Yihan beat him up and he knew one of the professors, it would be bad for Yihan.

“Could you please explain why you’re here?”

“What?”

“I’m asking you to explain.”

Ogonyin was curious.

“Wait… are you even a student, sir?”

Yihan nodded.

“I am a student.”

“Are you maybe a fifth year student?”

“No.”

“Or… fourth year?”

“No.”

“Sixth year, perhaps?”

“I’m a first-year.”

Ogonyin looked around.

“What’s wrong?”

I just wanted to disappear…

“Please don’t do that.”

Lee Han tried to calm him, but Ogonin sank to the ground, his head in his hands. “I’m ruined,” he mumbled, his voice thick with despair.

“To think, a wizard who can’t even subdue a single freshman with illusion magic, and ends up setting off a pile of fireworks!”

He felt as though his entire life as a wizard was a failure.

“Is that so? Hmm. So…”

Lee Han calmed the upset wizard and asked him what happened.

Ogonin, it turned out, was a wizard who studied illusion magic. He told Lee Han that Headmaster Gonadaltez had bought a very old and powerful magic item at an auction. This item was important for illusion magic. Ogonin asked Gonadaltez if they could work together to study it. But Gonadaltez just said no, telling him, “Buy your own with your own money!”

In the end, he went to the festival to try and get the artifact himself.

‘A sad story.’

Ogonin’s story was sad, especially because Lee Han knew what it was like to want something important. He thought about the older students who were even now trying to steal ingredients from Headmaster Skull’s vault.

If they went any further, they might have to raid the vaults of other magic schools.

“What happened… No, Master Ogonin!”

Kirmin Ku, a fellow illusion magician and professor at the magic school, arrived, utterly astonished. ‘Why is Master Ogonin here?’

“If you were coming, you should have called. Why…”

Professor Kirmin looked at the fireworks exploding behind him, then at Ogonin lying on the ground, and then back at the fireworks. He quickly understood the situation.

“Did you perhaps set off the fireworks, Master Ogonin?”

“Yes.”

“…Wodanaz. Could I possibly ask you a favor?”

“You want me to say I didn’t see anything to Headmaster Skull? Pretend I was somewhere else?”

“You really are…”

Professor Kirmin was astonished and couldn’t finish his sentence.

“Yes. I’m asking you. Of course, I’m not demanding it. In any case, it’s true that Master Ogonin tried to lay hands on the Headmaster’s treasures…”

“No. It’s alright.”

“!”

“Isn’t he a friend of yours, Professor?”

“…Thank you, Wodanaz. I will certainly repay this kindness.”

Professor Kirmin was genuinely moved.

Unlike Begrek, Begrek’s disciple was truly a kind and warm-hearted wizard.

How could such a disciple come from under Begrek…!

Bright bursts of red, gold, and green exploded in the night sky, showering sparks like glittering rain. The loud bangs echoed through the festival grounds, and the air smelled of smoke and burnt powder. Suddenly, a booming voice cut through the noise.

Headmaster Skull stormed onto the scene, his face like thunder, his robes billowing behind him.

Headmaster Skull looked at Lee Han, then at Professor Kirmin, and then at Ogonin, and likewise understood the situation. To dare set fire to someone else’s festival because I refused research collaboration?!

“Ah… No…”

“Master Gonadaltez. I don’t know what happened. When the three of us arrived, the fireworks were already burning.”

Headmaster Skull was shocked by this unexpected betrayal.

Professor Kirmin Ku was a close illusion magic friend of Ogonin. It wouldn’t be strange for him to take Ogonin’s side.

‘These illusion magicians…!’

What an absurd excuse…! So, the fireworks lit themselves?!

“Master Gonadaltez.”

Professor Kirmin said firmly.

“If Master Ogonin had intentionally set the fire, there would be no reason for him to remain here, would there?”

Headmaster Skull was caught off guard for the first time in a long while. Speechless, Headmaster Skull only rolled his eyes.

It was such a reasonable point.

Why on earth would Ogonin set fire to the fireworks and then stay put?

“Headmaster! The fireworks are truly beautiful!”

“To think I’d get to see something like this…!”

Fortunately, before Headmaster Skull could come up with an answer, excited guests swarmed in.

Taking advantage of the moment, Professor Kirmin said urgently.

“Master Ogonin. Leave quickly.”

“Th… Thank you. And…”

“This student is Lee Han of the Wodanaz family.”

At Professor Kirmin’s words, Ogonin nodded with tearful eyes.

“Thank you so much. I will never forget your name either. I swear on the name of magic that I will repay this kindness.”

“Please, leave quickly!”

Ogonin hurried away. If he were caught by Headmaster Skull, he wouldn’t be in good shape.

Meanwhile, Headmaster Skull, who had been attending to the guests, belatedly realized the truth.

I’ve been found out by Wodanaz! That rascal! Illusion magic won’t work on Wodanaz, no matter how directly I cast it!

“What in the name of magic is going on here?! Where did he go?!”

Headmaster Skull gritted his teeth.

Come to think of it, it was clear that Lee Han had held him back.

The difference between a freshman and a prestigious imperial wizard was too great, so he hadn’t considered it at first…

But comparing their compatibility, it was entirely possible!

If not for that, there would have been no reason to remain after setting off the fireworks.

Just you wait… Ogonin! I will definitely repay the grudge of this festival!

“Let’s escape quickly.”

Professor Kirmin took Lee Han and quickly left the scene.

There was no point in staying any longer.

Friday after the festival.

All the guests from outside had left, and the once bustling place was now empty, but the students were still talking about the fireworks.

“Did you see the fireworks? They were really pretty.”

“Were they made with enchantment magic? I wonder if we’ll learn it the week after next?”

However, Lee Han was slightly nervous.

He had to meet Headmaster Skull soon.

Quite a few students had obtained outing passes this week, so they were all gathering in one place to face Headmaster Skull.

Lee Han had two outing passes.

One he had received previously, and the other he had newly received from Professor Volardi this week.

‘Surely he doesn’t hold a grudge against me because of yesterday’s events, does he?’

Lee Han had simply kept his mouth shut…

But given Headmaster Skull’s personality, that alone could make him sulk.

“Is everyone here?”

“Yes!”

“Was the festival enjoyable?”

“Yes!”

However, Headmaster Skull was neither burning with anger nor flashing with madness. He seemed dejected and calm.

‘That’s a relief… No. Don’t be complacent.’

Headmaster Skull, who had been greeting the students, stopped in front of Lee Han and stared intently.

“Is something the matter?”

“Are you close to Ogonin?”

“Pardon? I am not.”

“I see.”

Lee Han managed his expression with near perfection. There wasn’t a single gap… Until he heard Headmaster Skull’s next words.

“Then you can come with me when I go out next time.”

Lee Han did not ask where Headmaster Skull was planning to ‘go out.’ He could feel exactly where he was going without asking.