Surviving As A Mage In A Magic Academy [EN]: Chapter 264

Lee Han still felt uneasy. “I almost had a terrible misunderstanding,” he thought.

He worried Duke Icaldoren might go back to talking with important people and spread rumors. Rumors like, “Lee Han from the Wodanaz family is friends with Gonadaltes.”

If that happened, what would people who were angry at Headmaster Skull do?

There would be many of them.

Duke Icaldoren smiled slightly, holding his teacup. “So, how is Einrogaard? Are you happy there?”

Lee Han’s heart jumped. *This is…?*

*A trap!* he thought.

What if Duke Icaldoren was friends with Headmaster Skull? Was he trying to trick Lee Han into saying bad things about the school?

Lee Han forced a smile. “I am very happy, Your Grace.”

“Really?” Duke Icaldoren raised an eyebrow.

“Yes,” Lee Han said quickly. “The Headmaster is great. He helps us focus on learning magic. At Einrogaard, we only think about magic.”

Duke Icaldoren looked puzzled. “…?”

Einrogaard was supposed to be secret. Outsiders didn’t know what happened inside. But secrets never stay hidden forever.

Rumors about Einrogaard always got out. Duke Icaldoren had heard some. The rumors said Einrogaard was *not* a happy place.

*What is Wodanaz doing?* Duke Icaldoren thought. *What is Gonadaltes planning?*

His small eyes narrowed. He was confused by Lee Han’s answer. But the boy seemed honest. Why would he lie?

Had Gonadaltes really changed things?

*Maybe,* Duke Icaldoren thought. *But why? What for?*

Gonadaltes was famous for being rude, even to the Emperor. Why would he change the rules now?

Duke Icaldoren thought harder. *Could it be… is Gonadaltes trying to get the nobles and the Emperor to like him?*

If Gonadaltes was trying to make friends, it meant he was planning something big. What could it be?

A cold feeling went down Duke Icaldoren’s back. *Is Gonadaltes targeting *me*? Is that why?*

“And,” Lee Han continued, “all the professors are amazing. They help us learn as much as possible.” Professor Voladi nodded quickly. Lee Han almost laughed, but he kept talking. “They really do.”

Duke Icaldoren watched Professor Voladi’s nod. He was even more sure now. Lee Han was telling the truth. Something had changed at Einrogaard.

*I need to be careful,* Duke Icaldoren thought. *Very careful.*

“Your Grace,” a voice whispered.

“Speak,” Duke Icaldoren said, not turning his head.

One of his men bowed low and leaned in. “We found it, Your Grace. The thing you asked for.”

“And?” Duke Icaldoren asked, his voice low.

“It’s a Basilisk.”

Professor Voladi slowly put down his teacup. His face stayed still, but his eyes gleamed. He looked like a cat who had just caught a very large mouse. Satisfaction filled him.

*Duke Icaldoren,* Professor Voladi thought. *I will remember this.*

Lee Han sighed quietly. *Another problem,* he thought. He strengthened his resolve. *I have to deal with this too.*

“This… this isn’t a Basilisk, is it?” Lee Han asked, looking at the object carefully wrapped in cloth.

“To be exact, it’s the egg,” the subordinate said. “Magician.”

Lee Han felt a little relieved. An egg was better than a live Basilisk.

Professor Voladi, however, looked annoyed.

“When will it hatch?” Professor Voladi asked, his voice flat.

“That’s hard to say,” the subordinate replied. “Basilisks are… unpredictable creatures, as you know.”

*A Basilisk egg,* Lee Han thought. He remembered reading about them. An egg laid by a rooster, then kept warm by a snake’s venom for a long time. That’s how it became a Basilisk egg.

It was rare and valuable. But Professor Voladi needed someone for Lee Han to fight *now*. An egg was useless. He couldn’t tell Lee Han to fight an egg!

Professor Voladi stayed silent, and the air became tense. The Duke’s men looked unhappy. They had given a valuable gift, and the magician wasn’t even saying thank you!

Lee Han saw this and quickly spoke up. “Thank you! Thank you very much, Your Grace,” he said, bowing slightly. “We are so grateful. The Professor is just… speechless with thanks.”

“Haha,” Duke Icaldoren chuckled. “We are glad you like it.” The Duke’s men relaxed, smiling again.

“It was very hard to find,” one of them said. “You wouldn’t believe how much extra we paid!”

*Damn it,* Lee Han thought. *I just want gold.*

Everyone was unhappy. The Duke’s men, Lee Han, and Professor Voladi. Lee Han even wondered if Duke Icaldoren would send killers after him if he stole the egg and sold it.

Once the Duke’s men were gone, Professor Voladi turned to Lee Han. “Useless,” he said flatly.

“No, Professor!” Lee Han said quickly. “It’s not useless. If we look after it, it will hatch.” He really wanted to stop this conversation. He was worried Professor Voladi would decide to go hunt a dragon next.

“It’s a Basilisk egg,” Lee Han explained. “Even just an egg is valuable. If we raise it right, it will grow fast.”

Professor Voladi was silent for a moment, thinking. Finally, he said slowly, “…I see. Maybe… maybe we can use it for the next exam. If it hatches in time.”

“No!” Lee Han said, his face serious. “That’s not what I meant at all!”

Gifts exchanged, and Duke Icaldoren seemed satisfied that they weren’t spies for the Headmaster. He started to say goodbye.

“You came to town for ingredients?” Duke Icaldoren asked.

“Yes, Your Grace,” Lee Han replied.

“Have him go with you,” Duke Icaldoren told his subordinate, pointing to Lee Han. “Merchants don’t give up good items easily.”

Duke Icaldoren knew merchants weren’t clever enough to trick a magician. But they were stubborn. They wouldn’t sell their best things without a fight.

Duke Icaldoren liked to collect favors. Giving gifts was his way of doing this. Especially to nobles. Nobles were supposed to remember favors and pay them back later.

The Wodanaz family was usually trouble. But this boy, Lee Han, seemed different. More normal.

*Is Duke Icaldoren too nice?* Lee Han wondered.

He was giving away so much! Was he hoping Lee Han would feel bad and return the favor someday? Or was he just trying to show off how generous a noble he was?

If that was it, it was strange. Why do something so pointless?

“First,” Lee Han said to the alchemists in the workshop, “give me all the low-grade mental enhancement potions you have. And do you have Setrivi’s Dew Potion? Also, Dobruk’s Blood Drop Potion.”

“J-Just a moment!” one of the alchemists stammered. They were surprised by such an important customer. The workshop smelled of herbs and bubbling liquids. Shelves were filled with colorful bottles.

“We need to check our stock,” another alchemist said. “And make some more. Are you really buying *this* much?”

“Yes,” Lee Han said firmly.

Lee Han had a plan. Professor Thunderstride told him to find ingredients himself. So, Lee Han would show his “ability” by buying everything he needed! He would buy potions for the pre-final assignment and even for the final exam!

He had planned to buy only a little, because he was poor. But now Duke Icaldoren was paying. No need to save money now!

The Duke’s men watched, their faces confused.

*Is he buying too much?* one whispered to another.

But no one stopped Lee Han. They didn’t want to upset Duke Icaldoren. It was costing more than they expected, but maybe it was worth it to please the Duke.

“Let’s go to the candy store next door,” Lee Han said, turning to the Duke’s men.

“Yes?” one of them asked, surprised.

“Is there a problem?” Lee Han asked.

“Oh… no, no problem,” the man said quickly.

They followed Lee Han into Dasigu’s Candy Store. It was a bright, colorful place. Long, twisty candies hung from the ceiling. The air smelled sweet.

The Duke’s men wondered why a magician was in a candy store. Maybe he needed special candy ingredients for magic? Could there be a potion made with crème brûlée? Or a spell powered by éclairs?

*Is that even possible?* one of them thought, shaking his head slightly.

Lee Han stopped in front of a huge chocolate cake. “This giant chocolate cake looks special,” he said.

“You have a good eye, sir!” the candy store owner said proudly. “Adventurers buy it to celebrate after months of hard work. It takes a whole week to make just one!”

“Good,” Lee Han said. “I’ll take it.”

“My goodness!” the owner exclaimed. “I knew you were important, but I never thought you’d actually buy this!”

Lee Han nodded confidently. The Duke’s men behind him looked even more puzzled than before.

“That’s everything, Professor!” Lee Han said, out of breath. The shopping trip was finally over. It was Sunday evening, and they met Professor Voladi at Amur’s stable.

Amur stared at Lee Han, his mouth open wide. Lee Han was carrying a huge pile of bags and boxes.

“What…?” Amur gasped. Even someone who carried goods for a living wouldn’t carry so much!

“It’s fine,” Lee Han said, trying to sound casual. “Let’s go.”

“Wait!” Amur said, worried. Getting back into school without being caught was the most important thing. More important than escaping in the first place!

They had a plan. They would sneak in around midnight, dressed as Amur and his helpers. But this luggage… it was too much.

A few boxes would be okay. But this mountain of stuff? Even a blind guard at the stables would say, “Hold on, let’s check this.”

“Okay, maybe I bought a *little* too much,” Lee Han admitted.

“A *little*?” Amur repeated, his eyes wide.

“It’s fine!” Lee Han said again.

“Huh?” Amur was still confused.

“We’ll say it’s Professor Voladi’s luggage,” Lee Han explained.

“Oh… is that… okay?” Amur asked nervously. Using his teacher’s name for sneaking things in? Professor Voladi was like a god to him!

Professor Voladi just nodded, as if it was the most normal thing in the world. Lee Han had expected that.

“Then let’s go!” Lee Han said, trying to sound cheerful. “Oh, I got some desserts! Here, eat them if you get hungry.”

“No, students probably don’t have money for…” Amur started to say, then stopped. How *had* Lee Han bought so much? Selling his family name? He must be very… bold.

“…Okay,” Amur said finally. “Let’s go!”

Lee Han gave the griffon a treat (the griffon happily ate the best jerky). Then he looked at Professor Voladi’s luggage. While they were in town, Professor Voladi had also bought things. Now there were several long boxes, big enough for a person to fit inside.

*Please don’t be monsters,* Lee Han thought, feeling uneasy. But even Professor Voladi couldn’t have found more monsters so quickly.

“What’s in those boxes?” Lee Han asked, pointing.

“Adventurers,” Professor Voladi said calmly.

“…Huh?” Lee Han blinked.

“Adventurers,” Professor Voladi repeated. “You know, those cheaters from earlier.”

He said it so calmly, like boxes of adventurers were the same as boxes of candy.

Lee Han was definitely surprised. “Professor,” he asked, “why do you need *them*?”

“For the final exam,” Professor Voladi said. “They’re trash, but I can train them to be useful.”

Lee Han stared at the boxes. Adventurers. In boxes. He didn’t know what to say.