Surviving As A Mage In A Magic Academy [EN]: Chapter 227

Lee Han listened to the professor. He thought, “This is funny. I got in trouble this morning for trying to do this exact thing.” But he didn’t say anything.

He knew it wouldn’t help to argue.

Professor Milly said loudly, “Some wizards think summoning magic is easy because it *looks* easy. If you think that, you are wrong. If you think summoning is just simple, you can leave now.”

Professor Milly spoke in a stern voice. Gainando, who was trying to sneak out to use the bathroom, glanced around and quickly sat back down.

Lee Han thought, ‘Summoning magic does take a lot of work.’

Lee Han didn’t notice Gainando’s groaning. He thought about what Professor Milly had said.

Wizards from other schools have to cast many spells to make a dancing sword.

But summoning wizards can just summon one.

So, summoning magic seems easier, but there are downsides. No magic is perfect.

To summon a dancing sword quickly, you need to prepare a lot. Magic needs to be stored in special metal objects or magic circles.

Lee Han thought, ‘Making a deal with a smart being is also hard.’

Lee Han looked at Sharkan’s bone fragment on his belt.

He remembered he had to be nice to Sharkan, or he might get bitten.

Clatter!

Sharkan’s bone fragment moved as if it was complaining.

Professor Milly said, “Today, we will make the things we need for summoning magic. It will be boring, but be careful. Summoned things can attack you.”

Gainando nudged Lee Han. “Lee Han. Lee Han.”

Lee Han nodded. “Don’t worry, Gainando. I’ll help you.”

Gainando was surprised.

Lee Han was the kind of student who didn’t trust the professor!

Professor Milly said, “Now, you know this quill summoning magic circle. But it’s hard to make from scratch. The area around this ◇ symbol is a trap.”

Lee Han said, “That’s not it…”

Professor Milly said, “It’s hard, but I’ll explain it well.”

Gainando said, “I need to go to the bathroom, you idiot!”

Lee Han watched a student from White Tiger Tower falling asleep. ‘Oh dear,’ he thought.

He thought his friends were acting like first-year students, falling asleep so easily.

Lee Han would never fall asleep like that. ‘Professor Milly must have noticed,’ he thought.

Students from all the towers were dozing off. It was easy to see why.

Drawing magic circles and writing symbols with magic ink and stone powder was tiring. Only a few people could do it for 24 hours like Lee Han and think it was easy.

Lee Han checked his magic circle. ‘Is it done?’ he wondered.

It was made of paper, ink, metal, and magic stone powder. The more complex the thing you want to summon, the more complex the magic circle needs to be.

Lee Han had to redo it many times because he made mistakes. Even summoning a magic quill that wrote ‘I am a student learning summoning magic’ took a lot of work.

He worried about how hard it would be later. ‘The professor could just make the students do it,’ he thought.

Lee Han felt sad thinking about all the work behind the magic. People think magic is amazing, but it’s just like everything else.

Professor Milly came over and looked at Lee Han’s work. “Well done,” she said.

She didn’t praise easily, so this meant he had done very well.

Lee Han said, “Thank you. I was lucky.”

Professor Milly said, “…I’m sorry for misunderstanding.”

Lee Han wondered what she meant. ‘Misunderstanding? What is she talking about?’ he thought.

Maybe she thought he was as bad at summoning as Gainando. If so, it made sense she would apologize.

Lee Han said, “No, it’s alright.”

Professor Milly said, “The other students need more time. Do what you want in the meantime.”

Lee Han paused. ‘Uh…’

He knew you shouldn’t ignore what professors say. It could mean different things depending on who it was.

If Professor Garcia said it, it was okay to take a nap. But if Headmaster Skull said it, you might end up in the punishment room.

Lee Han thought, ‘There’s an easy way to find out.’

Lee Han asked, “Will you be checking the results, Professor?”

If she checked, it meant ‘work hard.’ If not, he could relax.

Professor Milly thought. ‘Hmm.’

She didn’t like giving special treatment. She believed in fairness. But she felt bad for misjudging Lee Han.

She had thought he was arrogant. So, she felt sorry.

Professor Milly said, “Alright. I will check it.”

Lee Han thought, ‘Damn it.’

He realized Professor Milly was like Headmaster Skull. “Understood,” he said.

Lee Han sighed and started playing with the quill. He needed to do something that would impress Professor Milly.

He thought, ‘A floating shield, I suppose.’

He was good at changing elements, but he liked shields the best.

He couldn’t make it move on its own, but he could add some tricks to make it look like it was moving.

Even a shield that stayed in place and blocked attacks would be good. If he added a little movement, it would be even better.

Professor Milly was curious. ‘But what is he trying to do?’ she wondered.

Lee Han was one of the most talented students. She wanted to see what he would do with free time.

She thought, ‘It’s a shield.’

Professor Milly felt a little regretful. He was trying too hard. He should have practiced water shield magic more before trying to draw it with a magic circle.

She knew the sphere and shield forms were very different. ‘But failure can also be a lesson,’ she thought.

She knew everyone fails sometimes. It just depends on how you handle it.

Lee Han looked up. “Everyone, you’ve worked hard,” Professor Milly said.

The other students were stretching. They had finished their magic circles. ‘I was almost done. What a shame,’ Lee Han thought.

Professor Milly said, “I think everyone will be disappointed when the lecture ends like this today.”

The students hesitated.

Gainando said, “Yes!” The students were impressed by his answer.

Professor Milly said, “Of course.”

Gainando mumbled, “Too borin…”

Lee Han poked Gainando. Gainando was speechless.

Professor Milly said, “But this is what you’ll be doing for years. Get ready for it.”

Professor Milly waved her wand. The lecture hall changed shape. The students were pushed to the side, and the center became empty.

Professor Milly said, “Today, we will learn about contracts.”

The students were excited.

They would get to meet and talk to beings from other worlds, not just summon boring objects. This was the fun part of summoning magic.

Lee Han thought, ‘It’s dangerous, though.’

He knew how dangerous it was to make a deal with a spirit like Perkontra. The other party could trick you.

It was easy for a demon to trick young wizards. Professor Milly knew this.

Professor Milly said, “Never try to look into other worlds without a teacher present.”

She was making a passage to the Spirit Realm, but it had a safety device. Only weak spirits could come through.

Lee Han thought, ‘The professor is so careful. I wonder what crazy things the older students did to summon the Frost Giant King.’

Lee Han was lost in thought, blaming the older students.

Professor Milly said, “Lee Han.”

Lee Han asked, “Yes?”

Professor Milly said, “Use this magic circle.”

Lee Han asked, “Why?”

He was confused. She had made a different magic circle.

Professor Milly said, “I heard the spirits avoid you. I have opened a realm of the undead.”

Lee Han said, “…Thank you.”

He tried not to look upset.