Surviving As A Mage In A Magic Academy [EN]: Chapter 275

You’re wrong about what you think is happening.

“Mistaken?” Lee Un-rade’s voice was shaky. “How could you do this? You knew I was coming!”

Lee Un-rade said this in a flustered voice.

There was only one reason why a wizard from Einroguard would investigate the state of Einroguard students.

Because wizards from other schools would never understand Einroguard!

Only wizards from Einroguard could understand Einroguard’s unique educational culture.

…But even considering that, Einroguard should have shown some consideration when visiting as an imperial official.

Einroguard sometimes had ridiculous accidents, but those accidents didn’t necessarily have to happen when an imperial official was visiting.

You’re wrong. This isn’t my doing.

“If the Headmaster didn’t do it, who did? Surely you don’t mean the first-year students did it themselves?”

Yes.

“…Don’t say such ridiculous things.”

Go and ask them.

“……”

The Skeleton Headmaster was an evil, spiteful, vile, and cruel wizard, but he wasn’t one to make absurd claims.

Lee Un-rade asked the student who seemed to be the leader among those holding the phoenix.

“Did you really try to catch the phoenix? Just you first-year students?”

“Yes.”

“And you caught it?”

“Yes.”

The adventurers whispered from behind after hearing the answer.

Lee Un-rade originally thought that most of the rumors about Einroguard were baseless nonsense, but this time, he couldn’t deny it.

It was expected, but capturing the phoenix was much more difficult than anticipated.

Imprisoning the phoenix in the main building was just the beginning.

“First, catch it. Lure the phoenix in!”

“How?”

“Guide it with magic…”

Fortunately, there was no need for that. The phoenix that entered the main building excitedly ran towards Ethan.

■■■■! ■■■■!

The phoenix seemed to recognize the current situation as a game. Even as the students rushed at it from both sides with grim faces, it flapped its wings and clung to Ethan.

It was absurd, but it was still an opportunity. They were spared the trouble of luring the phoenix.

“Everyone, grab it!”

■■■■■…

“……”

The phoenix chirped.

It was a much louder and clearer cry than when it sang in front of the tower last time.

The friends who had been so high-spirited just a moment ago all sat down as if possessed, staring at the phoenix with their mouths agape.

‘Damn it. I should have cast a mental defense spell too!’

Ethan lamented inwardly.

The phoenix’s song, sung with intent, was much more powerful than expected. It was enough to bury any ordinary resolve or determination.

“What are you going to do now?”

The Skeleton Headmaster, who came in late, asked in an excited voice.

He seemed overjoyed that all the friends except Ethan had been eliminated.

“…It’s okay. It won’t keep singing, so I just need to endure it alone until it stops.”

Isn’t that too reckless?

Ethan ignored the Skeleton Headmaster, whether he was teasing or not.

If it was something he had to do anyway, complaining wouldn’t change anything.

“Come out, Sharkan!”

Ethan summoned Sharkan and the skeleton warriors. Then, he firmly held the phoenix so it couldn’t escape.

The phoenix, even though it was being held, didn’t care and playfully flapped its wings.

Flap, flap!

“Ethan! Pour magic on it! The only way to further deplete the phoenix’s stamina is that!”

Ethan, who was already thinking of doing that, waved his wand. As ice and lightning flew, the phoenix became even more excited.

Sharkan bit and clawed at the phoenix as if he was dumbfounded. The phoenix nibbled at Sharkan’s beak in an adorable way.

It looked like they were playing with a pet.

If it weren’t for the phoenix’s flames causing the surroundings to blaze.

Crafty fellow! Luring the phoenix with magic.

The Skeleton Headmaster criticized Ethan as the phoenix continued to play without any retaliation.

Of course, Ethan was too busy wrestling with the phoenix to hear him.

“…I don’t think Ethan intended to do that.”

Professor Garcia defended him instead.

Judging from the phoenix’s attitude of accepting any attack as a game and playing along, it seemed to be completely enamored with Ethan’s magic.

It wasn’t surprising that mythical creatures that feed on magic would crave magic.

The only reason the fickle phoenix would continue to accept such play and stay without leaving was that.

But Professor Garcia decided not to tell Ethan that fact.

The truth, ‘The phoenix chased you because of your magic,’ was too harsh for a student who was already struggling.

But even a cunning trick won’t last long.

“I really don’t want to ask… but why?”

As you know, phoenixes are fickle. It’s quiet now because it’s intoxicated with magic…

“Not exactly quiet.”

Professor Garcia said, watching the phoenix trying to stick a feather into Ethan’s ear.

…It will slowly try to leave when it gets bored. Do you think you can catch it then? Unfortunately, you were not prepared enough.

‘Certainly.’

Professor Garcia couldn’t help but agree with the Skeleton Headmaster’s words.

With even the other students knocked out by the song, it seemed difficult for Ethan to stop the phoenix alone.

If the phoenix gets bored and tries to fly somewhere else…

……

“……”

The Skeleton Headmaster and Professor Garcia stood still, watching Ethan and the phoenix playing.

How much time had passed?

The Skeleton Headmaster burst into anger.

“Why is that phoenix so patient!?”

As time passed, the friends woke up from the song and joined in.

“I’ll help you, Wodanaz!”

“We’ve already caught it all!”

“Shhh. Be quiet.”

Thanks to the friends joining in, Ethan was able to buy some time to rest…

■■■■! ■■■■!

“Wodanaz! The phoenix is trying to escape!”

“Wodanaz!! What should we do?!”

Ihan was tired and ready to stop, but he turned back and gently took the phoenix. The phoenix wings moved happily.

“Can I, can I give you a little snack?” Ihan asked.

“Yes, please do,” the phoenix seemed to say with its happy flutter. Ihan really wanted to feed it. He just kept trying.

The Skull Headmaster watched Ihan holding the phoenix tightly. He kept grumbling under his breath. ‘If you are just going to grab it hard, why do you even need magic?’

Yiunrade listened to the explanation. He nodded slowly. “Indeed,” he said. But then he quickly shook his head. “No!” Someone seemed to ask, though not out loud, *Did you understand?* Yiunrade answered loudly, “No! If you knew I was coming, you should have stopped all this! The Headmaster could have handled it! Especially now, during exams!”

A voice replied, calm and firm, “I cannot do that. Rules are rules. They must be followed, always.”

Yiunrade was shocked. *Rules?* he thought angrily. *You talk about rules? You break them all the time when it’s easy for you!* *How hard would it be to help the students just this once, during exams!*

Yiunrade sighed. “I don’t know what to do! I will try my best, but I can’t change what already happened.”

The Skull Headmaster just made a sound like “Hmph.” He didn’t care about rules. His eyes narrowed for a moment. He was probably thinking about how much less money he would get now.

“Come in, one at a time,” Yiunrade said. He sat down at the table. He had put his papers in order. He was ready to listen to the first-year students.

Students from all years were at Einroguard, but the new first-year students were the most worried and unhappy. Yiunrade remembered his own first year. He knew how shocking it was to arrive. New students had to leave their servants and helpers outside the tower gates. They had to wear plain, rough clothes inside. And then there was the Headmaster – a scary Lich Archmage!

Life in the tower was not easy at all. It was hard and miserable. Students had to do so much homework and study all the time. The food was terrible: black bread as hard as stone and cold, dry rice balls.

*My heart aches for them,* Yiunrade thought sadly. He felt a wave of sadness as a student from the Blue Dragon Tower came in. Yiunrade was also from the Blue Dragon Tower. He knew how tough it was, especially for them. All first-years had a hard time, but Blue Dragon Tower students had it worst. Being from a rich family or being very smart didn’t help in the first year.

Also, students from the White Tiger Tower and Black Tortoise Tower were mean and small-minded. They just didn’t like the Blue Dragon Tower, for silly reasons. Sadly, Blue Dragon Tower students weren’t good at finding food or making it themselves. So, they were often very hungry.

“Please, sit down,” Yiunrade said gently. As the Blue Dragon Tower student sat, Yiunrade wrote down his name. Then he looked up. “I know it must be very hard for you,” he said kindly.

Gainando looked surprised. “How did you know?” he asked.

Yiunrade smiled sadly. “I’m a wizard who studied at Einroguard too. And I was in the Blue Dragon Tower, just like you.”

“You were a senior here? Really?” Gainando’s eyes widened.

“That’s right,” Yiunrade nodded. “So, you can talk to me honestly. Don’t worry about saying too much. I will only write down what’s important for the Empire. They just want to know if any students are planning to cause trouble, like burning down the world or calling up demons. They don’t care if you are hungry.” Yiunrade leaned forward. “So, tell me… how is the food?”

Gainando shrugged. “It’s… a bit lacking, yes.”

“I understand,” Yiunrade said. “That black bread and those cold rice balls… they are awful. I never got used to them, even when I graduated.”

“Really?” Gainando blinked. “Ah, well, I don’t eat that.”

“Huh?” Yiunrade stopped. He looked at Gainando closely. “You… don’t eat the black bread and rice balls?” he asked slowly. “Then what *do* you eat?”

Gainando thought for a moment. “Well, for breakfast, I had a bacon omelet. And for lunch, a sandwich with tuna, eggs, and corn. For dinner…”

“Wait, wait, wait!” Yiunrade held up his hand. He couldn’t believe his ears. “Are you serious?” he asked, his voice rising. “Are you making fun of me?”

“Huh? Did I do something wrong?” Gainando looked scared. He shrank back in his chair.

Yiunrade suddenly realized he was shouting. “I-I’m sorry,” he said, lowering his voice. “I lost my temper. I thought you were joking…”

“I’m not joking!” Gainando said quickly. “Look!” He pulled a cookie from his bag and held it out. “I even have dessert!” It was a real cookie, the kind made with butter and sugar, not the hard, tasteless kind some students tried to make. It was too good a snack for a first-year student to have.

Yiunrade stared at the cookie. “…Where did you get this?” he asked quietly.

“Ihan brought it from outside,” Gainando said, starting to smile again. “He gets food from inside the tower too, and he cooks for us!” Gainando started talking quickly and happily. He told Yiunrade all about Ihan: how Ihan got the food, how he cooked it, and how he fed all the Blue Dragon Tower first-years.

Yiunrade listened, his face changing slowly. He didn’t even realize he was frowning more and more. Finally, Gainando stopped talking. Yiunrade just stared at him. “…You have been… very lucky,” Yiunrade said, his voice tight.

“Right?” Gainando beamed.

Yiunrade suddenly understood something. He felt sad when he thought about students being hungry. But seeing these students eating *too well* made him angry! *Could this be why the other towers always hated us?* he thought, shocked.

Yiunrade asked more Blue Dragon Tower students. The answers were all the same. Yiunrade had hoped it was just Gainando, but no. All the first-year Blue Dragon Tower students were eating well. Yiunrade was shocked and a little angry. *How can they become good wizards if they live like this!* he thought. *We never had it so easy when I was a student!*

Yiunrade didn’t realize he was thinking just like the Skull Headmaster. He kept talking to students from all the towers. At first, he was surprised by the Blue Dragon Tower students. But then, as he talked to students from other towers, he became even more surprised.

“So,” he said to a student from another tower, “you’re saying that this Wodanaz student is taking Summoning Magic, Illusion Magic, Enchantment, and all sorts of other magic… basically, every single one?”

“Yes,” the student said. “I think so?”

“And he’s also the one getting food for the Blue Dragon Tower students?” Yiunrade asked, surprised.

“Huh?” the other student said. “No, no. Wodanaz? He’s not doing that. Isn’t Ihan doing that for the Blue Dragon Tower guys? That’s what everyone says. Isn’t that really strange?”

Yiunrade was silent, thinking about what he had just heard.