Surviving As A Mage In A Magic Academy [EN]: Chapter 21

“If you only see crazy people around someone, you should suspect that person is also crazy.”

There was a saying like that.

Magic school felt the same way. If *all* the professors seemed like madmen, then even the professors who seemed normal might be a little crazy too!

‘Hmm. Right. Professor Garcia was close to that crazy headmaster. I shouldn’t trust any of the professors after all.’

Professor Garcia would be very annoyed if she knew what Lee Han was thinking.

Of course, keeping a spell going until the end of class could feel mentally taxing.

Keeping the water spell going was hard work for his mind. It felt like trying to hold a fragile glass ball in the air without letting it drop.

However, Professor Garcia had her own reasons for giving Lee Han this task.

First of all, succeeding in creating water in just three attempts meant that Lee Han was exceptionally talented, even considering his affinity for water.

Moreover, his magical power was immense, overwhelming even that talent.

This kind of raw gem needed to be polished so that its light could shine even brighter.

Professor Garcia gave the order because she thought this was a practice that Lee Han could definitely handle.

Of course, that sincerity was not conveyed to Lee Han.

‘From now on, I should think of all the professors in this school as having a screw loose.’

Squeezing out his concentration to maintain the water mass, Lee Han thought so.

The remaining time in the >Understanding Basic Magic> class flowed warmly.

Some of the Blue Dragon Tower students additionally succeeded in >Light Creation>, and the Princess even succeeded in >Flame Creation>.

Yoner was delighted to realize that he had a good affinity with the wind element, and Gainando almost burned a wand.

And Lee Han had to shut his mouth and concentrate on maintaining the water mass for the rest of the time.

“Isn’t this too much?”

Professor Thunderstride tilted his head, looking confused by Lee Han’s words.

“Didn’t Garcia Kim just like you? That’s why she gave you such a task, right?”

“Are you saying I’m managing the vegetable garden now?”

Professor Thunderstride thought to himself, *He’s really complaining.*

Friday afternoon, when everyone is waiting for the weekend, Lee Han was managing the vegetable garden at Professor Thunderstride’s cabin.

If other students saw it, they would whisper, ‘That professor is really cruel. How can he give such chores to someone from the Wodanaz family?’

But Professor Thunderstride also had something to say in his defense… This was because Lee Han had come and offered to do it.

-Professor. I came to help manage the cabin.

-Oh. Thank you.

-Instead of working, can I eat something in the cabin?

-…Do as you please. That much…

-Then, while I’m eating a little, can I take some with me?

-No. You rascal.

“I was wrong to ask. Yes.”

Thunderstride shook his head and raised both hands.

Thunderstride was surprised by this answer to his simple question, ‘How was the first week?’

But apart from his grumbling habit, Lee Han was indeed the most anticipated student among the new students right now.

Isn’t that why Professor Garcia Kim is giving Lee Han special treatment?

And Professor Thunderstride thought Lee Han’s abilities were outstanding.

Thunderstride wasn’t talking about magic. *The way he does chores so willingly… he’s a natural,* Thunderstride thought. *Yes, a natural at chores.*

It was a thought that Lee Han would have immediately frowned upon if he had heard it, but Thunderstride was serious.

The most necessary ability for alchemy, in Thunderstride’s opinion, was the ability to do such chores tirelessly.

A natural magical power detection ability that can distinguish any reagent? Spirit affinity that allows you to quickly become friendly with any spirit? Fine magical power adjustment ability that can perform any delicate process?

None of that was necessary.

What a great alchemist needed was a steel-like patience that didn’t run away while silently wiping mountains of flasks.

And Lee Han had that ability from the first time he saw him.

If he were another noble, he would never do chores like managing the vegetable garden and managing the cabin, no matter how much food he was given, but Lee Han came regularly to do chores and receive food.

That was because he had the talent of an alchemist.

‘Why do I feel strangely creeped out?’

Lee Han wondered while digging up potatoes.

It was a cool day, but he felt strangely creeped out.

“Aren’t you tired?”

“I’m fine.”

Lee Han answered without much thought to Thunderstride’s question.

He wasn’t really tired.

His stamina was good, but he was originally very used to doing such chores under a professor.

Honestly, pulling fresh vegetables from the garden and taking out fish from the fish trap installed in the river was easy.

“Hehe.”

“?”

Lee Han was even more puzzled when Professor Thunderstride smiled contentedly.

What is it?

‘Is he happy that someone else is working hard? Professors are like that after all…’

“You have talent. Wodanaz.”

“Ah. Yes.”

“You didn’t listen to me, did you?”

“No, Professor.”

Thunderstride clicked his tongue.

Even if he told him now, he wouldn’t listen because of his grumbling personality.

How could such a guy come from the granite statue-like Wodanaz family?

Thunderstride sank deeply into the armchair, filled a long pipe unique to the dwarf race with tobacco, and lit it.

Then, he puffed out smoke with pleasure and opened his mouth again.

“Was there anything else?”

‘How bored is this person?’

Lee Han was dumbfounded as he brushed the dirt off the carrots.

Well, Thunderstride was a professor, so it might be natural for him to do that.

A true professor should make students work and be bored next to them.

“Didn’t have any friction with other dormitory students?”

“Oh? How did you know that?”

“You’re not the first freshman to come here, and you won’t be the last. I can guess that much.”

Thunderstride said in a voice that was full of pleasure from smoking.

“Let me guess. The other party is the White Tiger Tower students.”

“Yes. That’s right.”

From Thunderstride’s words, Lee Han realized that the Blue Dragon Tower traditionally had a bad relationship with the White Tiger Tower.

“It’s inevitable that they don’t get along. One side is the great noble families of the Empire, and the other side is the knight families. How can there not be fights at a young age?”

“Isn’t that a ridiculous reason? To have to fight for such a reason. I’m busy learning magic.”

Thunderstride nodded at Lee Han’s words.

Lee Han was right. It was a foolish thing to do.

But wasn’t everyone foolish when they were young?

“Still, you have a bit of an eye for things, Wodanaz. Yes. There’s no need to fight each other for such a ridiculous reason. Wouldn’t it be better to practice magic instead of fighting unnecessarily?”

“That’s right.”

“Maybe there will be less fighting this year because there’s someone like you. Even if the White Tiger Tower guys pick a fight, just ignore them.”

“Oh. I already fought, though.”

Thunderstride put down the pipe he was holding in his mouth and looked at Lee Han as if he was dumbfounded.

He hates having to fight unnecessarily for ridiculous reasons??

“No. What can I do if they pick a fight first?”

Lee Han protested as if he was wronged.

Thunderstride nodded for now.

Well, there were times when you couldn’t avoid it if they picked a fight first.

“Are the White Tiger Tower guys this year all rough? They usually don’t rush to make a fight in the first week. How did you end up fighting?”

“They picked a fight because I was taking swordsmanship class.”

Thunderstride dropped the pipe he had picked up again. He was that dumbfounded.

“Aren’t they terrible guys?”

“You’re the weird one…!”

Thunderstride was speechless.

Why is he taking swordsmanship out of so many lectures?

He felt like he knew why the White Tiger Tower guys picked a fight.

“You managed to escape. The White Tiger Tower guys are generally good at fighting even if they learn magic late.”

“Yes. It was hard to knock them down because three of them rushed at me.”

Thunderstride quietly put the pipe aside.

He shouldn’t smoke any more today.

“You knocked them down?”

“It was hard. I was lucky.”

“…You can stop working here today. I’ll make you something to eat.”

“Oh. Can I?”

“Of course. Absolutely.”

Thunderstride decided to treat Lee Han better.

He might become the best swordsman in the Empire later and come to assassinate him.

The vegetables growing in Thunderstride’s cabin were plump and fresh, perhaps because they were full of the spirit of nature.

The professor washed the potatoes, onions, and carrots with water, peeled them, and cut them into large pieces.

Then, he threw butter into the pot and stir-fried the onions and garlic.

“Bring some of the hanging meat.”

“No. This meat is for me and Yoner.”

“…Am I the only one eating?”

“I understand.”

Lee Han decided to apologize to Yoner later and brought the hanging smoked pork.

Thunderstride stir-fried the meat and poured plenty of wine. The strong wine scent stung his nose.

Soon after, potatoes, carrots, onions, etc. were added in order. Thunderstride seasoned it with salt and said appropriately.

“It’s a stew that’s been passed down in the family. You don’t need any other side dishes with this. All you need is a freshly baked white bread.”

There was a reason why Professor Thunderstride said that with such confidence.

The stew was really delicious.

The dwarf stew warmed Lee Han’s stomach, who hadn’t had warm soup for days.

Only the sound of the spoon scraping the wooden bowl and the sound of eating stew echoed.

‘Ah. It’s really good.’

“Delicious, right?”

“Excellent.”

Like a skilled graduate student, Lee Han answered immediately.

Thunderstride didn’t express it in words, but he looked proud. He looked very happy.

“Come to think of it, did the professor manage all of this before I came?”

“Yes.”

“What about other people?”

“Hmm hmm. Everyone else is lazy and doesn’t have the knack for it, so they ran away.”

Lee Han regretted for a moment, ‘Did I get caught?’, but it was already spilled milk.

“It must have been quite… cumbersome.”

“Cumbersome! This much is basic to become an alchemist!”

Cleaning the dust piled up in the cabin, cleaning the fireplace, checking the ingredients, managing the vegetable garden, checking the fish trap in the river, and checking the small traps installed on the path were not actually basic.

‘It’s strange when I list them. Why did I think it wasn’t that difficult?’

Lee Han realized he was too used to doing chores.

“There’s a lot of vegetable garden left, can I grow something too?”

“Oh…”

Thunderstride was impressed.

Lee Han didn’t know, but Thunderstride was admiring him inwardly, ‘That natural alchemist guy’.

That figure of creating work rather than succumbing to numerous chores.

It wasn’t ordinary talent.

“Of course. What are you going to grow?”

“Shouldn’t I plant some cabbage and green onions?”

“Both would be fine.”

Thunderstride, who was nodding, paused.

“…You’re not going to do business with that, are you?”

“Ah. How did you know? Did other students do this before?”

You’re the first, you rascal!