Surviving As A Mage In A Magic Academy [EN]: Chapter 346

“What is it?”

“I don’t want to amplify the fire energy to suppress it.”

“I see.”

Puyo nodded, as if he understood Lee Han’s meaning.

“You don’t like it because it’s too simple.”

“…It’s not that.”

Lee Han almost choked. He knew his personal style as a Buyeo wizard wasn’t important here.

“I’m having trouble controlling fire magic.”

“A wizard as skilled as you?”

Puyo was surprised. Fire was usually considered an easy element to control. It was common in everyday life. What Lee Han said was like a calculus expert struggling with basic addition.

“Because I have a lot of mana…”

“Even with a lot, is it so hard to control fire?”

“Yes.”

Puyo was surprised again by Lee Han’s quick answer, but then nodded.

“That’s really surprising… really surprising.”

‘You didn’t need to emphasize it twice,’ Lee Han thought.

“Then I understand. Amplifying the fire energy unnecessarily could backfire.”

“Thank you for understanding.”

“But it’s become difficult. That was the best method. Not that there aren’t other methods, but…”

Lee Han asked with a worried look, “Is it an expensive method?”

“Not at all. It’s a difficult method, which is why I hesitated. It’s not just about using magic; it also requires skill from the wizard using the staff.”

Puyo drew a quick sketch on the paper. It was the stone from the Frost Giant King. To control its power, they needed to use the opposite element, fire, or another controllable element.

If not fire, the next best element was…

“Darkness element. The question is whether it’s okay to put a darkness element gem into the staff of a wizard who doesn’t know how to handle darkness…”

Unlike fire, darkness was one of the hardest elements to control. Adding a gem with that power to the staff could affect the wizard’s spellcasting later.

“I know how to handle the darkness element.”

“…Is that so? Then we’ll do that.”

Puyo looked at Lee Han, astonished.

Yoner carefully rolled the dice. If he rolled a 3, he would land on the ‘Magic Exam Failure’ space and skip a turn. He was already in a bad spot, so winning seemed impossible.

“Heh heh heh.”

Gainando chuckled beside him, sounding a bit sinister. After losing eight games, he was finally about to win.

“Hey. Be quiet and play,” Nilia said.

“That’s right. Please be quiet,” Ratford added.

They were both upset after landing on the ‘Tricked by a friend and lost magic potion’ and ‘Arrested for trying to steal an artifact’ spaces.

Gainando shut his mouth and thought about his strategy. ‘After Yoner rolls, I’ll use ‘The Great Gathering of Necromancers’ Graveyard’…’

“Huh? Wodanaz!”

Nilia saw Lee Han entering the main gate from the window and stood up, startled. She bumped the game board, and the horses fell over. Gainando yelled and tried to grab them.

But Ratford and Yoner also stood up. The board flipped over, and the horses scattered on the floor.

“Wodanaz!”

“Hey, don’t shout. My head is ringing. …Why is Gainando crying?”

“He’s… he’s happy that you’re back…”

Lee Han looked at the horses on the floor and asked, “Did you lose because you were about to win the game…?”

“No, I didn’t? I didn’t?”

Gainando pushed the horses away with his feet as Lee Han sat down on the sofa. Ratford looked confused.

“Why haven’t you been to the mansion for the past few days? Did they lock you up in that workshop?”

“They did lock me up.”

“…”

“…”

“They didn’t directly lock me up, but it was the same thing.”

Lee Han groaned. They gave him too much work and a deadline, so he couldn’t come to the mansion. He couldn’t even sleep, so how could he visit?

Nilia was angry seeing her tired friend.

“Isn’t this too much? Locking someone up for days and making them work! Even the Shadow Patrol doesn’t do that… well, they do, but not in the Imperial City!”

“It’s okay, Nilia.”

“What’s okay about it?”

“The pay is good.”

“…”

“…”

Lee Han grabbed Gainando’s cocoa and drank it. Ratford watched and then spoke.

“The workshop is one thing, but aren’t the guys who took him there the bad guys? They were from the White Tiger Tower, right?”

“Those White Tiger Tower guys, honestly!”

It wasn’t the White Tiger Tower’s fault this time, but the two Black Tortoise Tower students cursed them anyway. While they did that, Lee Han told Yoner what happened.

“…So, I went to the workshop to solve that riddle. But they said they’d give me gold if I worked there…”

“Wait.”

Yoner tilted his head. Gainando nodded.

“No matter how important gold is, a place that makes you work so much you can’t see your friends isn’t good. Right? That’s what you’re saying, right?”

“No, I wasn’t.”

“…You weren’t?”

Yoner was confused because of the riddle. ‘It’s not about making a staff, it’s a real riddle…?’ He thought it sounded like the moon. He knew Duke Icardoren had a moon-powered artifact, so he wondered if that was it.

But…

“Then what were you trying to say?”

“…Never mind. It’s nothing.”

“What is it?”

Gainando grumbled, but Yoner didn’t say anything. The Princess’s followers would know more, so it probably wasn’t a riddle. And more than anything…

‘It’s too sad to say now.’ How would his friend feel, after working so hard to return, to hear that it wasn’t the answer? Duke Icardoren had accepted it last time to respect the Princess. So it would be fine this time too.

“Oh, by the way, where’s Professor Verdus?”

Lee Han asked. Professor Verdus would have made a fuss about Lee Han’s absence, but it was quiet. That made him uneasy.

“He left?”

“He left?”

Lee Han was surprised.

“Did you ask where he was going?”

“How could we do that?”

Nilia looked at him like he was crazy. They were glad Professor Verdus was gone; why would they ask him to come back?

Lee Han understood. ‘I guess that’s true.'”Still, it’s a relief. All the professors have left now, right?” Lee Han asked sadly.

“Other professors might come.”

“That’s impossible…”

“Is Lee Han here?”

“…”

Ratford looked out the window. A large troll hybrid professor stood politely at the gate.

“See?”

Lee Han wasn’t surprised or angry. Ratford whispered, “Should we say you’re not here?”

“It probably won’t work. He came right when I arrived, so he must know I’m here.”

“Th, then…”

“Even Professor Garcia is doing this?!”

Nilia felt betrayed. She didn’t expect Professor Garcia to harass students during vacation.

“Nilia, all professors are the same. Don’t be too disappointed.”

“Even so! I trusted Professor Garcia!”

“I heard rumors that other professors were bothering Lee Han, so I came to stop them. I’m glad Professor Verdus understood and left.”

“…”

“…”

“Waaah! Professor Garcia!”

Nilia cried and hugged Professor Garcia, who looked embarrassed.

“Why are you doing this…?”

“It’s nothing, Professor Garcia. Thank you for coming.”

Lee Han bowed sincerely. He felt ashamed for doubting such a professor. ‘Have I lost my mind dealing with the professors?’

“But are you really not going to assign anything?”

Gainando asked suspiciously. He still didn’t trust the professor. Every professor had taken Lee Han for extra lessons. Professor Garcia might do the same.

“You! How dare you say that to Professor Garcia!”

“What if Professor Garcia secretly kidnaps Lee Han and runs away!”

“…”

Professor Garcia’s head hurt seeing the students argue. How much trouble had the other professors caused at the Wodanaz mansion? ‘This is the Headmaster’s fault!’ He thought. It was wrong to tell the professors where Lee Han was staying. Every professor was visiting and turning the mansion upside down. Professor Verdus had stayed in the guest room, working until Professor Garcia arrived. It took a lot of effort to get him to leave…

“I really have no intention of assigning anything.”

Lee Han thought, ‘Actually, me too.’ A professor who didn’t assign anything was hard to believe.

“I just want Lee Han to rest. Do what he wants. What were you planning to do before the professors came?”

“Earn gold…”

Before Lee Han could say he was going to work, Yoner nudged him. Professor Garcia would worry.

-We have to talk about something related to rest!

-That’s right.

Lee Han understood.

-…Uh. What kind of story is related to rest?

-……

Yoner felt like crying. His friend, who knew everything about magic, couldn’t think of anything related to rest.

-What if you say you’re going to buy something?

-Not bad.

“I was thinking of walking around the shopping district and buying things.”

Professor Garcia smiled. ‘That’s a relief!’ Lee Han had a rest plan.

“Don’t tell me it’s wizard cards?!”

“No. It’s not that.”