Surviving As A Mage In A Magic Academy [EN]: Chapter 166

“Um… thanks, I guess?” Ethan mumbled, watching the tall, shadowy Death Knight walk slowly back towards the school building. He didn’t sound very thankful, even to his own ears.

Perkunatra, the spirit he had summoned, was not fooled for a second.

*Someone who is really thankful doesn’t start with ‘anyway’ and end with a question,* Perkunatra thought angrily. *Does he think I’m stupid?*

– *You really think I can’t feel your doubt, little human?* Perkunatra’s voice boomed in Ethan’s mind, sounding like rocks grinding together.

“It’s just a misunderstanding,” Ethan said sincerely.

Of course, he was a little disappointed with Perkunatra’s performance. He had hoped to see it fight and understand its strength, but it ended the conflict with mere words.

Still, considering its past behavior, this was an improvement. Ethan’s opinion of Perkunatra went up a little.

Perkunatra wasn’t happy with just a slightly better opinion.

-…This rude little brat… If I had a bit more time…!

Perkunatra was frustrated because it was almost time for the reverse summoning, and it couldn’t properly show Ethan its power.

-Summon me again next time! If you do, I’ll explain how amazing I was today…

-But the contract says you can’t summon me whenever you want, right?

Besides, Ethan thought, summoning a spirit like Perkunatra just to hear it brag was a waste of time.

-&#^$&@!

Perkunatra shrieked something no one could understand and disappeared.

To the other students, it looked like Ethan had summoned a spirit, finished his business, and sent it back with a quick goodbye.

“Ethan of the Wodanaz family, your connection with spirits is truly remarkable, just as Igor told me.”

“It’s just a misunderstanding,” Ethan repeated.

Surprisingly, the skeletal headmaster didn’t seem angry.

He must have been very disappointed to see the Death Knight return so quickly.

*He should be guarding the punishment room, not being a useless spirit…*

*Don’t make eye contact,* Ethan thought, avoiding the headmaster’s gaze. Just because the headmaster was ready for something didn’t mean he wouldn’t be mean.

“Everyone’s back safe and sound.”

“Headmaster! What was that Death Knight!”

Ethan’s heart sank as he heard the White Tiger Tower students complaining. *They’re making a big deal out of this when we could have just walked through the gate quietly.*

*Those guys are really annoying!*

The skeletal headmaster, who had seemed sad because of Ethan, perked up a bit thanks to the White Tiger Tower students.

“What’s all the noise about?”

“How could you send a Death Knight after us on the way back!” Angalo asked, sounding like he couldn’t believe it. The other White Tiger Tower students agreed.

But Ethan was not so sure. *Reacting will only make him happy,* he thought. In Ethan’s opinion, the headmaster loved it when students complained. If they didn’t react, he would have gotten bored.

“Am I supposed to ask your permission to use my Death Knight?”

“No, that’s not what I meant…”

“Are you complaining because you can’t handle a little challenge? Is that what students at this magic school do?! I thought only Valdrogard students did that.”

“Ah, no, that’s not it!”

*Don’t fall for it…*

While Ethan watched, the skeletal headmaster, having had his fun, suddenly changed the subject.

“Ah, right. I almost forgot.”

” ? ”

The skeletal headmaster snapped his fingers. A pass and a strange purple flame appeared in the air.

As the pass touched the flame, it turned to ashes.

“????”

“!”

Most of the students didn’t understand what had just happened, but some did. Angalo’s face turned pale.

*I’ve been caught!*

Ethan also watched with a serious look. He thought they could leave without trouble, but it seemed the headmaster had checked the passes again.

*Is that how he checks them? I need to find a way around this. I’ll use a fake when he’s not looking…*

“You should be proud.”

“Of what?”

“Because you’re the first one to ever try to fake these passes! I mean it. I’m proud of you.”

“……”

“…?!”

The students started whispering.

“He faked a pass?”

“Wow… Who would dare to do that?”

“It must be a Black Tortoise Tower student. They’re the only ones who know how.”

“It hurts me to punish my own student, but I have to. It’s your fault for getting caught. Try not to get caught next time.”

“Kuh…” Angalo walked forward, looking defeated. The other students stared at him in shock.

“Angalo did it?!”

“How did he manage to fake it?” The White Tiger Tower students glared at Asan when he muttered that.

The skeletal headmaster looked kindly at Angalo.

“If you have any helpers, tell me. Your punishment will be less.”

“!”

Ethan’s heart skipped a beat. *If I were Angalo, I would definitely…*

“There aren’t any!”

“Really?” The headmaster asked, looking at Ethan.

Ethan stayed still, not showing any emotion. *There’s no proof anyway.*

“Yes!”

“That’s why those guys are… Good! Off to the punishment room with you! Take him away!”

The undead grabbed Angalo and dragged him away.

Watching this, Ethan promised himself, *Angalo, I’ll make sure you get good food.*

“I need to study for the exam…”

“Let’s just sleep a little.”

“Good idea.”

“Huh? I need to study for the exam?”

Ethan and his friends went back to their tower and went straight to bed, falling asleep quickly.

After all the excitement with the Death Knight in the middle of the night, they were exhausted, exams or no exams.

Because of that, they woke up to find it was already midday on Sunday.

“Wodanaz!”

As I hurried down the stairs to the common room, a Blue Dragon Tower student, face red and eyes wide, shouted,

“The Headmaster must be mad! You’d better hurry!”

“Calm down,” I said, even though my first thought was always to suspect the Headmaster. “It’s probably a trap.”

“A trap? What do you mean?”

“Ah. Sorry. Habit.”

I always suspected the Headmaster.

“What’s going on?”

“Look at that!”

The student pointed at Gainando as he entered.

Gainando was carrying a large cotton candy in one hand and a clinking glass of beer in the other.

I was so surprised!

The festival was over, and so was the outing, so where did he even get that?

“Where did you get that?”

“The Headmaster threw a party to celebrate the end of the festival! Maybe he’s not such a bad guy after all!”

Lee Han didn’t believe it at first, but he had to see for himself if his friends were telling the truth.

The door to the main banquet hall on the first floor of the main building, which was usually closed, was open, revealing a dazzling sight. Tables inside were overflowing with food and drinks.

Stacks of fluffy whipped cream cakes, rich cheese cakes, and golden butter cakes. The candies, cookies, and chocolates that Gainando had brought out earlier were all there.

Not just desserts, but all sorts of delicacies from the Empire were piled on the table, starting with a whole roasted wild boar covered in sauce. The smell of roasted meat filled the air.

“You must have woken up. Have a drink!”

The skeletal Headmaster discovered Lee Han and generously offered him a glass.

Apple cider, fermented from apples, filled the glass with a clink.

“Now! Normally, I wouldn’t give you students anything as good as alcohol, but today is a special day!”

“…I don’t understand. Why is today a special day?”

“It’s the weekend of the week the festival ended!”

“Why is that special?”

“Is that so? Then just think of it as me being considerate of the students!”

“…Headmaster. Don’t tell me the midterm exams start tomorrow…”

“That’s why you’ve got to be quick-witted.”

The skeletal Headmaster stared at Lee Han as if he was very displeased.

Lee Han was truly speechless.

‘Seriously, he’s going this far?’

A person who is usually so stingy with feeding the students delicious food is now serving them alcohol because of the midterm exams tomorrow…

At this point, I was impressed.

Amazing, really!

“It’s already too late. Many students are already eating and drinking. Do you think you can stop them?”

” ? ”

Lee Han was puzzled by the skeletal Headmaster’s words.

‘Why would I stop them?’

It would be a good thing for Lee Han if other competitors drank beer and apple cider and fell asleep happily on the main building’s lawn.

“Why would I stop them?”

“Don’t play innocent. You’re always trying to outsmart me, aren’t you? Having fun with your little games?”

“……”

Lee Han realized what he was talking about.

The skeletal Headmaster still misunderstood that Lee Han was a person who was devoted to his friends.

“Of course, I understand. Intellectual competition with a worthy opponent is enjoyable. I won’t deny that I’ve also become a little more entertained thanks to you.”

‘This is driving me crazy.’

Lee Han wanted to bang his head against the wall. The Headmaster was completely missing the point, and it was infuriating.

Thanks to his efforts to avoid the skeletal Headmaster’s nonsense, the skeletal Headmaster was inspired.

“Think what you want.”

Lee Han nodded roughly, left the place, and thought he should bring some food to Angra.

“Tomorrow is the Basic Magic Personality Education lecture. You know that, right?”

“Yes.”

“Tell the students. The Basic Magic Personality Education exam will be held in the Beetle Lecture Hall on the 4th floor of the main building.”

“I understand… sir?”

Lee Han nodded, but a chill went down his spine. There was something in the Headmaster’s voice, a glint in his eye sockets, that made him deeply uneasy.

“The exam starts now and lasts until next Friday.”

“Are there that many questions?”

“What are you talking about? It’s only one page at most. You can go to the lecture hall and submit the questions whenever you want. I’m giving you plenty of time.”

“… ?”

Lee Han felt an ominous feeling for a moment.

There was no way the skeletal Headmaster would give out the questions so kindly.

“So, I can go anytime until next Friday, solve the problems, and submit them?”

“Yes.”

“…Is it easy to get to the Beetle Lecture Hall on the 4th floor of the main building?”

“It might be a little difficult?”

“……”

Lee Han jumped up and ran out of the grand banquet hall.

The fact that the skeletal Headmaster gave him time until next Friday meant…

‘It might not be enough even if I find it now!’

Lee Han’s mind raced. ‘Next Friday?’ With all the other exams… and ‘a little difficult’ to find? His blood ran cold.

Considering the other lecture exams during the midterm period, it was definitely not enough time.

The skeletal Headmaster burst into a sinister laugh behind Lee Han, who was running away.

“Gainando! Wake up! Exam!”

Lee Han slapped Gainando’s cheeks on both sides, but Gainando didn’t wake up.

‘Should I have learned a spell to wake up from alcohol?’

Not only Gainando, but the Blue Dragon Tower students were too happy to answer the call.

Lee Han glanced back at the snoring Gainando and the other students, a flicker of guilt in his stomach. But there was no time. The exam was more important.

There was really no excuse for drinking the day before the exam.

‘Foolish fellows…’

No matter how hard and painful it is, how could they gulp down the alcohol the headmaster gives them?

Lee Han took out a book while moving. Time was running out as there was more than one lecture for the midterm exam.

‘I’ll read the Blood Magic book later, and I’ll have to read the book the headmaster gave me later. I’ve decoded almost all the magic in the box the headmaster gave me… I’ll do this later too.’

On the way, he saw White Tiger Tower students singing excitedly while drunk.

A sly smile crept onto Lee Han’s face. This could actually work to his advantage.

“Hey. Tell your friends! The Basic Magic Personality Education exam has opened! It’s in the Beetle Lecture Hall on the 4th floor!”

“What nonsense are you talking about? You’re trying to trick us…”

With a flick of his wrist, Lee Han’s wand tip glowed briefly before connecting with the White Tiger student’s solar plexus. The opponent vomited out the alcohol he had just drunk.

“Keoheoheoheok!”

It didn’t end there.

Lee Han summoned a mass of water and poured it on the White Tiger Tower student.

“Are you a little sober now?”

“I’m, I’m sober! I said I’m sober! Stop it, you bastard!”

“That’s a relief.”

Lee Han nodded sincerely.

“Now. Remember well. The Basic Magic Personality Education exam has opened. It’s in the Beetle Lecture Hall on the 4th floor. Got it?”

“I, I got it.”

Lee Han left the White Tiger Tower students behind.

Shaking and soaked, the White Tiger student watched Lee Han disappear, muttering, ‘He’s… he’s completely mad!’

“Shhh. What if he comes back!”