Surviving As A Mage In A Magic Academy [EN]: Chapter 176

Giselle muttered, “Arrogant bastards.”

Rihan looked at Giselle, tilting his head slightly as if asking what she meant. “Arrogant? What do you mean?”

“You can see it in their eyes. Can’t you feel it?” Giselle replied.

The students from White Tiger Tower were smart enough to notice that the gazes of the newly arrived apprentice knights were not exactly friendly.

Originally, there was no need to be overly kind to sparring partners they would soon face, as it could only create hesitation during the fight. However, the apprentice knights’ gazes crossed the line, even considering that.

It was arrogant pride.

Giselle, who had never lost her position as a leader, recognized the emotion in those gazes more keenly than anyone.

Deuregyu spoke with a low groan, “They’re… looking down on us.”

Giselle nodded. “Yes. They’re looking down on us.”

Rihan asked, seemingly unable to understand, “Why would they look down on you?”

Giselle sighed, “Rihan, think about it. We’re from knightly families, but we came to school to learn magic. What do you think they’d make of that?”

Rihan tilted his head. “That guy uses both swords and magic, so he must be twice as strong? But isn’t magic strong too? Why would they look down on us?”

Giselle stared at Rihan, a bit exasperated. “Thank you. But short-sighted young knights often look down on those who go to learn magic or pick fights. I didn’t expect to see it firsthand like this, though.”

Rihan nodded. “Hmm. I see.”

Knightly families would know each other’s names to some extent, so it was only natural for the heirs of those families to have pride battles like this. Especially since they were young, even the smallest things could wound their pride.

‘They’re really doing pointless things. They’ll all be working together later anyway,’ she thought.

Another White Tiger Tower student spoke to Rihan in an indignant voice, “Wodanaz. Aren’t you angry? How dare outsiders pick a fight?”

Rihan asked, “Me?”

“Yes! Those guys are looking down on you too!” the student exclaimed.

Rihan shrugged. “I’m not from a knightly family, so it doesn’t matter, does it?”

The White Tiger Tower students realized that Rihan wasn’t from a knightly family. He was so naturally among them that they unconsciously…

One of the apprentice knights knew Deuregyu and came over to greet him. “Choi.”

Deuregyu nodded in acknowledgment. “I didn’t expect to meet you like this.”

The apprentice knight said, “Me neither. I’ve heard a lot about Einroguard. They say they teach magic harshly. Did you have time to train in swordsmanship?” There was a hint of mockery in his tone, but Deuregyu didn’t care.

Deuregyu looked at Rihan, then back at the apprentice knight. ‘Rihan would already be planning his attack, not just talking,’ he thought.

Deuregyu replied, “It was tough, so I was able to focus on swordsmanship even more. I’ve realized anew that it’s not good to have all the conditions perfectly set up to focus solely on swordsmanship.”

It was a half-truth. His skills had improved faster here at the magic school than when he had plenty of time, lavish meals, and comfortable bedding provided by his family while he swung his sword. A harsh environment and competition with outstanding friends were the things that honed a swordsman’s skills.

It seemed that his words had touched a nerve with the apprentice knight, who frowned. “Hardship is what completes swordsmanship. But the hardship you’ve experienced can’t even be compared to the hardship we’ve experienced, Choi.”

Deuregyu retorted, “Maybe not. But swords don’t judge victory or defeat by comparing such things. I think it would be better to speak with swords beyond this point.”

The apprentice knight turned away with an even more furrowed brow. “Hmph! I was going to show you even if you didn’t say that.”

Rihan, who had been listening to the conversation, asked Giselle with a puzzled expression, “Where do those apprentice knights stay?”

Giselle answered curtly, “They must be staying at the knight order’s building in the city.”

Rihan continued, “Don’t they give them meals?”

Giselle replied, “Of course they do.”

Rihan asked, “Are they perhaps forbidden from going out?”

Giselle said, “I told you it’s the knight order’s building in the city. There’s no way they’d be forbidden.”

Rihan’s voice had become so cold that it was almost chilling. “…Then in what way are they saying they’re having a harder time?” Even Giselle was surprised.

Professor Ingledell nodded, seeing the students’ eyes shining with motivation. Everyone was still young, so it was natural for them to burn with competitiveness in this situation.

It was far more humiliating to lose to a trainee knight of a similar age than to a knight of the distant Poplarwood Knight Order. Even Wodanaz was staring at the apprentice knights with a determined expression. It was a good face, full of resolve.

Professor Ingledell was approached by Rihan. “Professor.”

“What is it, Wodanaz?” she asked.

Rihan stated, “We are students learning magic at a magic school. I believe it is right to allow us to use magic, as we did in the last sparring match.”

Naturally, Professor Ingledell had forbidden the use of magic in this sparring match. There was no need to use magic against someone who wasn’t even a formal knight. It was right to focus only on swordsmanship. Of course, that meant the magic school students might be pushed back by the apprentice knights…

Professor Ingledell thought it didn’t matter. If their pride was slightly hurt because they were pushed back in this sparring match, that in itself would motivate the magic school students to focus on swordsmanship.

“No. It’s a swordsmanship test,” she said.

Rihan argued, “But Professor. A swordsmanship match doesn’t mean we only swing swords. We also use striking techniques or joint techniques when we have the chance, so taking away our magic is too harsh.”

Rihan’s logic was persuasive. Only fools would only swing swords in a swordsmanship match. If necessary, they should be able to aim for openings and throw punches, or trip their opponent to throw them off balance. These were all included in swordsmanship in a broad sense.

While the apprentice knights had been practicing such comprehensive techniques outside, the magic school students had been practicing magic, so it might be natural for them to want to use it in the sparring match.

‘Was I too harsh?’ Professor Ingledell felt a slight pang of remorse at Rihan’s words. Perhaps she had been too harsh in her desire to raise strong students…

The elf professor raised her head and looked at Rihan. Then, she suddenly came to her senses. She could immediately foresee what would happen if she allowed the Wodanaz family boy in front of her to use magic.

“No.”

‘Tsk,’ Lee Han thought, feeling a little sad.

*If only I could use magic,* he thought again, *I could win this so easily.*

He wasn’t being arrogant. It was just a clear, honest thought.

Magic worked best when your enemy knew little about it. The trainee knights knew nothing of Lee Han’s magic. If he could just tie their feet with water orbs, put a curse on them, and then finish them off with a blast of lightning, it would be simple.

*It’s a shame, but I can’t do that here,* he sighed to himself.

Lee Han picked up his wooden sword. There was no reason to keep thinking about magic when it wouldn’t help. He had to focus on what he *could* do.

“…Wodanaz? Why are you coming out?”

The opposing trainee knight stared at Lee Han with a confused look.

Lee Han replied with an innocent face.

“I am taking swordsmanship lessons for health and culture.”

“Ah… is that so.”

The trainee knight nodded.

Among the nobles, learning swordsmanship as a hobby or for culture wasn’t that unusual.

Of course, such swordsmanship was mostly just for show, a basic level compared to the real combat swordsmanship of knights.

Thinking of it that way, the trainee knight’s body naturally relaxed. The grip on his wooden sword also loosened. You could see from everything about him that he thought Lee Han was not a threat.

Lee Han was pleased with that sight. A small smile played on his lips. *Easy*, he thought, *too easy.*

‘He wouldn’t have lasted a week if he had entered the magic school.’

To be fooled by such a basic trick.

“So, are those White Tiger Tower guys giving you a hard time?”

The trainee knight even showed concern for Lee Han.

Since he wasn’t from a knightly family, he didn’t see him as a competitor.

“No. Everyone is kindly helping me. Thanks to them, I am able to keep up, though I am still lacking.”

“That’s what being a knight is all about, you know. Helping those who are weaker,” the trainee knight thumped his chest and said with a proud smile.

‘The White Tiger Tower guys ganged up on me three-to-one from the first day, though,’ Lee Han thought to himself.

“Shall we start then?”

“Yes. Be careful not to get hurt.”

The trainee knight stood holding his wooden sword. Lee Han also stood holding his wooden sword.

Professor Ingardel, with a flourish of his brightly coloured flag, waved it down. The sound of wooden swords clashing echoed around the dusty training yard.

Wham!

The trainee knight momentarily felt as if a boulder was rushing towards him. The power of Lee Han’s strike far exceeded expectations.

Before he could even think ‘Oh?’, the wooden sword in his hand broke and flew away, and the wooden sword Lee Han held out was stopped right in front of his neck.

“Do you admit defeat?”

“Wodanaz wins!”

Professor Ingardel said quickly, as if there was nothing more to see.

Only then did the trainee knight, who had come to his senses, blink repeatedly and say in a hurried voice.

“Wait, wait…!? What is this…?!”

But Lee Han was already turning around and walking away.

‘I need to run quickly since I used a trick.’

“Where are you going, Wodanaz?”

“Isn’t it over?”

“You have to fight the winners again.”

Professor Ingardel pointed to the other side.

The trainee knights who had won against the White Tiger Tower students were walking over one by one.

Lee Han took a deep breath. *They’ll be watching me now,* he realised. *I need to be even smarter.* He glanced at the approaching knight, trying to look calm but his mind was racing.

But it was already too late. The trainee knights who were walking over were whispering while looking at Lee Han.

-So, Lee Han from the Wodanaz family defeated Sir Bickelnetz?

-That’s what I heard.

-No way! Really?

-Didn’t he use magic or something?

‘It would be impossible a second time.’

Lee Han knew the next fight would not be easy.

* * * * * * * *

“Wodanaz. Let me ask you something.”

“What is it?”

“Did you really defeat Sir Bickelnetz?”

“I didn’t do it alone. Actually, Dergyu and Moradi contributed more.”

“Sir Bickelnetz said otherwise?”

“……”

Lee Han cursed Bickelnetz inwardly. ‘He had to be an unnecessarily honest knight.’

“There is a hidden story there.”

“What story?”

“That is…”

“Start!”

Professor Ingardel waved the flag again. The two grabbed their swords and took their stances.

The opposing trainee knight had won once and come up, and knowing that Lee Han had won, he wasn’t as careless as before.

Lee Han opened his mouth again.

“Actually, Sir Bickelnetz is…”

“!”

The trainee knight unconsciously listened when Lee Han opened his mouth. At that moment, Lee Han’s Stone Wall Sword shone.

The Stone Wall Sword, a heavy and strong greatsword style, was difficult to counter once the initiative was taken. The trainee knight’s stance was disrupted by the heavy incoming attack.

Whack, whack, whack, whack, whack!

After five consecutive attacks, the trainee knight stumbled back, his feet tangling, and crashed to the ground. Lee Han stopped his sword in front of his opponent’s neck.

“Wodanaz wins!”

Lee Han turned around quickly as before.

There was no need to make eye contact with the trainee knight who was glaring at him as if he wanted to kill him out of betrayal.

‘Phew. I finished cleanly.’

Fortunately, he was able to finish easily. Both fights were finished perfectly without allowing a single effective hit, so the midterm exam is naturally perfect…

“I’m sorry. Lee Han.”

“?”

“I lost…”

Dergyu apologized.

He had finally lost after a fierce battle with the trainee knight.

“…What about Moradi? Did Moradi lose too?”

“Moradi is a draw. His bones were broken along with his opponent.”

“…No way.”

“Wodanaz. Rest for a moment and prepare for the final battle.”

Lee Han sighed inwardly at Professor Ingardel’s words. ‘Damn it. I have to go to the third round.’

He thought Dergyu or Moradi would win against the remaining trainee knights, but one was left.

Lee Han raised his head.