Surviving As A Mage In A Magic Academy [EN]: Chapter 217

“Go! Get ready!” the Headmaster’s voice echoed, dry as old bones. “And you’d better pack for camping in a dungeon, just in case.”

“But… Headmaster…” A student started to protest, voice weak with shock.

The Headmaster didn’t wait. He spoke quickly while the students were still too stunned to reply. He seemed to enjoy their silence.

Sent out of the lecture hall, the students blinked in the bright hallway, staring at each other in confusion.

“What do we do?”

“What do you think we do? We get ready, of course.”

“A real dungeon? It can’t be *that* bad, right?”

Someone muttered with a hint of hope, but no answer came.

The quick-witted students were beginning to understand.

If the skeletal Headmaster was saying this much, it wouldn’t be easy at all.

“Wodanaz, you’re friendly with the Headmaster, aren’t you? Can’t you say something… Where are you going? Wodanaz?”

The Black Tortoise Tower student, who had been about to ask a favor, was puzzled.

Lee Han was already walking down the hallway.

“Going to prepare for camping.”

“…Let’s go prepare too.”

At Lee Han’s reply, even the students who couldn’t let go of their remaining hopes gave up neatly.

…Guess we’ll just have to prepare!

“What do we need if we’re camping in a dungeon?”

The Blue Dragon Tower students, back in their tower, were in disarray.

They were shocked by the skeletal Headmaster, but more than that, they all lacked experience in this area.

Many of them had never even been inside a dungeon, let alone camped in one.

Conquering a dungeon was difficult enough, but preparing to camp in one was many times more difficult.

Moreover, the Blue Dragon Tower students were different from the others. Most of them had never even camped before coming to Einroguard.

It was only natural that they were more disorganized than the others.

Fortunately, however, the Blue Dragon Tower students had someone they could rely on.

It was Lee Han.

“Wodanaz, should I take this axe?”

“A dagger is enough. No need to increase the bulk. Let’s also pack a hammer, nails, and rope, just in case. Put them in the backpack.”

“Do we really need to bring this cloth and oil bottle? We can use magic…”

“It’s not like we have an endless supply of mana.”

At Lee Han’s words, all the Blue Dragon Tower students, who had been preparing diligently, stopped and stared at him.

Lee Han replied as if it were obvious.

“There’s no guarantee I’ll be sticking with you guys the whole time, is there?”

“W-Well, no, I suppose not.”

“Lee Han, can I stay with you?”

Pushing aside Gainando, who was quick to line up in a safe spot, Lee Han checked his friends’ backpacks.

Before entering, he had been trained by Knight Alar Long.

After entering, he had been trained by Nilia, a hunter from the Shadow Patrol.

Having been consistently trained by professionals, Lee Han was now at a level where even experienced mercenaries or adventurers would think, ‘That wizard is quite seasoned.’

“Just in case, everyone put a can of food in their backpack. Don’t forget to fill the leather water bottles. Don’t take out the tools from your backpack because they’re heavy. You never know when you’ll need them. Gainando, take out the cards. You’ll lose them. Your Highness, you won’t be able to eat that many snacks.”

“?!!”

The Princess, who had been packing snacks for her followers, was flustered and waved her hands.

But Lee Han had already turned around and was checking the backpacks of other friends.

The Princess blinked her eyes, filled with injustice. Gainando said from the side.

“I understand. I wanted to bring more snacks too… Ack! Did you just step on me?!”

“They must have made a mistake because the lounge is crowded.”

“No! They stepped on me on purpose!”

“Are you the Princess? They wouldn’t be that childish, would they? Especially with their family background…”

Asan, who had been saying that, paused.

Gainando was glaring at him as if to say, ‘Say more.’

“…Well, Wodanaz says that what determines a person’s worth isn’t their family background, but their actions.”

“Shut up.”

30 minutes later.

The skeletal Headmaster smacked his lips as he watched the Blue Dragon Tower students, who had finished preparing and arrived again.

They were too well-prepared.

‘One good student ruins the fun.’

The skeletal Headmaster thought sadly to himself.

Originally, the Blue Dragon Tower students were always the most chaotic whenever new students entered the library each year.

Unlike the students from the other three towers, they had been protected and raised like flowers in a greenhouse, so it was only natural.

As such, it was several times more amusing to see them crying, rolling around, and clutching their hungry stomachs while they groaned…

He wouldn’t be able to see that enjoyment this year.

All because of one student!

‘Why is that guy, who’s from the Wodanaz family, so good at taking care of himself?’

Why was someone from one of the most prominent noble families in the Empire so capable in practical matters?

He was unusually unique.

Alright. Go in and come back safely.

“Yes, we’ll go in and come back safe.”

At Lee Han’s reply, the skeletal Headmaster felt annoyed for no clear reason.

It was because he felt that the disciple before him would really go in and come back safely.

‘I hope they get into an accident and get separated from their group.’

‘Surely you’re not thinking that I hope they get into an accident and get separated from their group, are you?’

Lee Han had a feeling that was the case, but he doubted that the skeletal Headmaster would have such small thoughts.

‘But I think he might actually do it.’

“Headmaster.”

“Why?”

“What about the other tower students?”

“They all went in first. You’re the last.”

Lee Han was puzzled by that answer.

The White Tiger Tower students might have rushed in, thinking, ‘Let’s not get involved with that Wodanaz guy,’ but that wasn’t the case for the other towers.

“Weren’t there any friends who waited for us?”

“Are you going on a picnic? I told them to go in first.”

‘As expected.’

Lee Han wasn’t surprised.

If the skeletal Headmaster’s personality allowed him to let the students from other towers enter together, that would be even stranger.

It seemed like he wanted to split up the groups…

‘But it doesn’t matter.’

Lee Han thought to himself.

He had already talked to some friends in preparation for this.

-Nilia. I want you to know that I have always respected the Shadow Patrol. But if we happen to enter the library separately, would you be willing to meet up later and cooperate?

-Of course, it’s something I would do, and it’s not difficult at all. You’re not starting with praising the Shadow Patrol because you thought I might refuse, are you?

-Tizling Priest. I don’t want to mention the fact that I’ve always treated you to refreshments, but perhaps the priests of the tower…

-If you want us to cooperate, you can just say it comfortably. We would have accepted it even if you didn’t say it that way, so why bother…

Fortunately, the friends from the other towers readily accepted Lee Han’s proposal.

Even Deorgyu.

-Deorgyu.

-Lee Han. I’ll do my best, but don’t expect too much.

-I haven’t said anything yet… but thanks anyway.

‘The deep levels might be impossible, but the lower levels are manageable.’

Lee Han had his own calculations.

The library was known to be dangerous, but students like Lee Han had actually been inside the library several times.

They had searched the bookshelves near the entrance during breaks or on weekends to find books.

The structure of the lower levels near the entrance was quite simple.

If they met their friends in the lower levels…

Lee Han, who had opened the door to the library and entered, was shocked by the sight of the vast wilderness.

The familiar library filled with bookshelves had disappeared without a trace, and a dungeon he had never seen before had taken its place.

Asan, who had seen the old library, stared in confusion.

“I-It can’t be. Even if a monster was caught, it’s impossible for the appearance to change like this…”

But Lee Han had no choice but to accept it.

He could feel the flow of powerful magic in the air.

He didn’t know what kind of monster it was, but the flow of magic within the library that the monster had been blocking had returned to normal, and thanks to the strong burst of the unblocked flow, the internal structure of the library was changing just as drastically.

…Of course, it was questionable why the first-year students had to enter at such a time…

“Asan, let’s get a grip. We have to accept it.”

“B-But…”

“Everyone, move! Observe your surroundings carefully.”

Lee Han pulled himself together and shouted. The Blue Dragon Tower students snapped out of it and grabbed their wands.

“There’s a bookshelf over there!”

There were bookshelves scattered throughout the vast wilderness. The students who arrived hurriedly scanned the books.

“It’s no good. There’s nothing useful.”

“Who on earth put their failed exam papers here?”

“I think we need to find the next bookshelf.”

Exploration.

Movement.

Search.

It was a simple and easy task, but it was also a task that used more energy than expected.

Especially in a wilderness close to another world.

The flow of magic made it difficult to see clearly, as if there was dust in the air, the hot midday sun beat down even though the sun was not visible, and several students coughed whenever a dry wind blew.

“Lee Han.”

“I know.”

Lee Han nodded at Yoner’s words. No matter how urgent the books were, if they continued the forced march without taking a break, his friends would collapse first.

“Let’s take a break.”

The students sighed and plopped down. Several students immediately tried to fill their water bottles.

They hadn’t found a water source yet, but that wasn’t important to a wizard.

The reason why they tried to include at least one wizard in the party!

“Spring forth!”

The wand was confidently swung.

And nothing happened.

“?!!”

“Hey. How long have you been learning? How can you mess up the water creation spell? Fine. I’ll do it. Spring forth!”

But still, nothing happened.

“…W-Was the incantation bad? But it worked fine outside?”

“Spring forth! Spring… Ack.”

Only then did the students realize.

Very small water droplets were forming in the air.

The magic hadn’t failed.

The effect of the water creation magic had been greatly weakened due to the strong flow of magic in this area.

The faces of the students who realized that turned pale.

They were the students who had suffered from the early cold wave last week.

They knew very well how painful this natural flow of magic could be.

“How much water is left? Anyone have extra?”

“I don’t have a single sip left…!”

“Take out the water bottles you brought separately!”

‘I made a mistake.’

Lee Han clicked his tongue.

Lee Han had put in an extra leather water bottle just in case, but his friends hadn’t.

He hadn’t wanted to increase the weight unnecessarily, but he should have prepared them for this kind of situation.

Anything could really happen inside a magic school.

“Can’t Lee Han do it?”

“Is that even a question?”

Asan scolded Gainando, who was tilting his head and muttering.

“Don’t waste Wodanaz’s magic. He needs it for important things.”

“But it doesn’t matter if he wastes it…”

‘He’s right, though.’

The friends scolded Gainando, saying, ‘Are you even a friend?’, but Lee Han unknowingly agreed.

Well, it doesn’t matter if I waste it!

“Spring forth.”

Lee Han swung his wand to check one more time for sure.

Then, a huge sphere of water sprang forth in the air.

“…Wodanaz. Have I ever told you that I’ve always thought of you as a genius?”

“Lee Han, don’t give those guys water… Mmph!”

The friends quickly covered Gainando’s mouth with their hands and began to line up.

“Who said Wodanaz’s magic failed?”

“Surely not. I’ve never even heard of that.”

‘I wonder if they’ll be surprised when they all return to their families later.’

Lee Han thought as he filled his friends’ leather water bottles with cold water.

If his friends’ families were surprised and asked, ‘What on earth happened at school that changed their personality like this?’, it wasn’t Lee Han’s fault, but the skeletal Headmaster’s fault.