Surviving As A Mage In A Magic Academy [EN]: Chapter 35

“By the way, what riddle did the talking oak tree give you?” Lightning Stride asked, sounding curious.

“Well… it gave me some rather strange and peculiar riddles.” Lee Han replied.

The shadow riddle was one thing, but the dwarf and candle riddle seemed far-fetched.

“Talking oak trees,” Lightning Stride said, nodding slowly, “they’re known for giving riddles that sound important, but are actually very simple. Don’t overthink them.”

Talking oak trees were famous for confusing wizards with strange problems that sounded plausible.

Inexperienced wizards were often fooled by the imposing appearance of the talking oak trees, mistakenly believing that some mystery was hidden in their riddles, but there was nothing of the sort.

He chuckled. “People see a talking tree, all old and wise-looking, and they expect some deep mystery. But really, they just like silly puzzles.”

Lee Han was surprised.

“So… they’re not meant to be clever?”

“Not at all,” Lightning Stride confirmed. “Most things in this world, once you really understand them, are much simpler than they seem.”

Lee Han was a little confused by Lightning Stride’s explanation.

So, was the goblin problem, sneaking into the orc feast, also a simple puzzle?

‘Come to think of it, there was a hint of that in the candle problem.’

“The riddles I heard were…” Lee Han recounted the riddles he had heard from the talking oak tree.

-Several orc tribes gathered for a feast, and a nasty goblin joined in, eating and drinking heartily. How could that be?

“Easy. The answer is by disguising himself as an orc.”

“…Pardon?”

“I told you, you shouldn’t overthink the talking oak trees’ riddles. Think simply. If it’s a goblin, it wouldn’t be too difficult to deceive and disguise himself among the orcs.”

“……” Lee Han suppressed his dismay and focused.

Of course, it was an absurd riddle, but it wasn’t given without reason.

Wasn’t this riddle a hint from the talking oak tree to escape the school?

At the very least, it must contain some meaning.

‘So… the meaning of the riddle is, to disguise myself?’

It was too obvious, but in a way, it was a clever twist.

This magic school wasn’t a completely closed-off space.

Priests from other orders were entering the school from the outside.

‘Besides, there are supplies.’

From the food supplies used in the magic school to various reagents and materials, these things had to be brought in from the outside.

And the people who transported these things were usually workers who didn’t know magic.

There was a way to escape this school even without magical means!

Lee Han clenched his fist.

Lee Han felt like he was trapped in the dark shadow of Headmaster Skull’s rules. But then, a ray of light…

“…?” Professor Lightning Stride looked at Lee Han’s face with curiosity.

Clearly, the young wizard was wearing an expression of enlightenment.

What was it?

‘How did he gain enlightenment from those simple puzzles of the talking oak trees?’

Just like how he was better at farming than a skilled farmer, this boy from the Wodanaz family was a fascinating fellow who never failed to amaze.

After Lee Han cultivated the garden, Professor Lightning Stride somehow procured a few chickens.

Seeing Lightning Stride looking at them with a sad expression, it was clear whose chicken coop they had come from.

“Take good care of the animals, Wodanaz. If you treat them well, you will always be rewarded.”

“Thank you. I will enjoy them.”

For the first-year students, who were so hungry they could chew on rocks, freshly laid eggs were an almost dizzying luxury.

If he took those eggs, he could become the king of the dormitory.

“These chickens… they were my best layers. Treat them well… better than I could.” Lightning Stride said with a sigh.

“Take this too. Hmm. This would be good as well.” Professor Lightning Stride seemed eager to give his new disciple something, filling the basket with various items.

Starting with eggs, freshly harvested fresh cabbage, tomatoes, onions and potatoes, butter and cheese, and thickly cut venison.

Each time something was added to the basket, the wrinkles on Lightning Stride’s face deepened, and his sadness intensified, but Lee Han pretended not to notice.

“Then, I’ll see you at the next class.”

‘Suddenly, I’m going to eat well.’

The meal with the two dwarves was chaotic, but he certainly gained a lot.

The secret of the wand, as well as a hint to escape the school, and the extra food was a bonus. They were already running out of food.

‘How on earth did the other first-year students before me survive?’

Lee Han received food by working under a professor, but other students couldn’t have done the same.

Did they just endure it by starving?

“Wodanaz!”

“Wodanaz is here!”

The students of the Blue Dragon Tower were sitting in the first-year common room with tired and hungry expressions.

The students, who had been whiling away the time playing chess or cards, were overjoyed to see Lee Han.

And they were even more delighted to see the basket hanging on Lee Han’s arm.

“Wodanaz! My honorable friend!”

“The most honorable family in the Empire!”

‘It’s not really my place to say, but they’re all too unrefined for members of great noble families.’

But he understood.

Whether they were royalty or beggars, people weakened when they were hungry.

As the rumor of Lee Han’s arrival spread, the students of the Blue Dragon Tower rushed out of their rooms and gathered in front of Lee Han.

They looked like baby birds staring at their mother bird, waiting for food.

“Everyone seems hungry. Wait.”

Using the vegetables and meat he received from Lightning Stride, he could make a pretty decent soup.

Even if all the students gathered here ate together, it would be a meal that everyone could share.

The smell of onions and venison sizzling in the pot filled the room. Lee Han carefully chopped the vegetables, his face serious as he added them to the bubbling soup, the red tomatoes turning the broth a rich color.

Even seasonings that were easily obtainable outside were precious to the first-year students now.

The soup, tinged red by the tomatoes, bubbled and simmered, and the students stared at Lee Han with eager eyes.

-Can’t we stop boiling it and eat it now?

But Lee Han firmly stopped them.

‘Now I can add the cabbage.’

He added the cabbage, put in some butter, re-seasoned it…

His solemn expression and serious cooking made him look like a skilled alchemist.

The students of the Blue Dragon Tower unconsciously straightened their clothes and politely adjusted their posture.

“It’s done. Bring your bowls.”

“Yes!”

‘Why are they using honorifics?’

Lee Han was puzzled, but instead of questioning it, he picked up the ladle and generously poured soup into the bowls.

Yoner, who had heard the news, also helped by writing in the ledger while dipping his quill in ink.

“Killeen family, eight silver coins… Gainando, eleven silver coins…”

“Wodanaz. Isn’t one silver coin too little?”

“Shouldn’t we receive a little more? It’s too little money compared to your dedication.”

The young nobles lacked a sense of money.

Lee Han and Yoner lamented at the sight.

‘I don’t know how they’re going to live when they become independent with that kind of attitude!’

“Um, Wodanaz.”

“?”

“Could we bring some to the Princess too?”

Two or three students from the Blue Dragon Tower spoke cautiously. They seemed to be followers of Adenarte.

Lee Han’s face darkened slightly at the words.

“Well, that’s it. Wodanaz. I’m not forcing you, but…”

“I know you’re close to Prince Gainando, but it doesn’t mean you have to fight. I just want the Princess to have some decent food.”

‘Huh?’

Lee Han realized that his friends were misunderstanding something.

The reason Lee Han was reluctant to bring food to the Princess wasn’t because he supported Gainando.

It was simply because he didn’t want to give away food for free.

“I think you’re misunderstanding, but I’m not going to refuse to give food to the Princess because of Gainando. I wouldn’t do something so childish.”

“Wodanaz…!”

“As expected!”

The students’ faces brightened at Lee Han’s words.

Feeling better, Lee Han casually asked.

“By the way, who’s paying the silver coins? Is it the Princess who’s paying?”

“We’ll pay instead! We’ll each pay double.”

“Thank you, Wodanaz!”

“No… Are you sure you want to spend that much?”

“This is nothing compared to what you’re doing for us, Wodanaz.”

“Thank you so much. I know you must be worried because of the Prince.”

The students were sincerely grateful. Lee Han was surprised by their reaction.

He was surprised that they were willing to spend their own money for the Princess, surprised by their lack of financial sense in increasing the amount when they could have bargained, and surprised by their high opinion of Gainando.

‘Gainando has close to zero political power to create and manage his own faction as a member of the Imperial Family.’

There were many misunderstandings, but since the other party had a good impression of Lee Han, there seemed to be no need to clarify.

“I hope all the members of the Imperial Family get along well. For the sake of the Empire.”

“Wodanaz…!”

“You are…!”

Lee Han knocked on the door of the Princess’s private room with a bowl of soup. After a moment, Adenarte appeared.

“?” Adenarte raised her eyebrows slightly, asking with her eyes why he had come.

Lee Han held out the warm bowl and said.

“I made some food in the common room, please have some.”

Adenarte hesitated for a moment instead of immediately accepting it. She seemed to be unsure of Lee Han’s intentions, thinking, “Why is *he* offering me food? Is this a trick?”

Having already heard about the misunderstanding regarding Gainando from below, Lee Han decided to clear things up.

“All the other students have taken some. It’s safe to eat.”

In fact, he had received silver coins for it, but Lee Han didn’t bother to mention it.

Adenarte hesitated even more than she had just done, but eventually carefully accepted the bowl with both hands.

Her hunger seemed to have overcome her hesitation.

Adenarte, who bowed her head slightly in gratitude, picked up a spoon and put the soup in her mouth.

She took one spoonful, then two, and then her speed gradually increased, indicating that it suited her taste.

“You can go inside to eat.”

At Lee Han’s words, Adenarte stopped the hand holding the spoon.

Then, she bowed her head once more, closed the door, and went inside.

‘Should I not have said that?’

When Lee Han came down to the common room, the students who had been waiting expressed their gratitude.

“Wodanaz. The Princess…”

“Ah. She seemed to like it.”

“Amazing! You’re a truly outstanding alchemist!”

‘I think they’d eat anything if they were starving…’

“Can we continue to ask you in the future? We’ll pay the silver coins, so if you make food, please bring some to the Princess too.”

“…Dedication to the Imperial Family of the Empire is a matter of honor for nobles.”

Words flowed smoothly from Lee Han’s mouth. Even Lee Han himself was surprised.

‘Still, the Imperial Family is really amazing.’

Just by bloodline alone, so many people gather to support them.

He felt the power of blood once again.

Of course, Gainando was a bit of an exception…

Basic Magical Combat Repetitive Learning was taking place on the first basement floor of the main building.

Vampire Professor, Voladi Bagrek, was contemplating, although it wasn’t shown on his face.

The only student left now.

What should he do to keep that student listening to this lecture?

‘It’s truly difficult.’

Originally, Professor Voladi wasn’t very interested in making students listen to his lectures.

Professor Voladi’s contract was to give lectures here, not to gather students.

But the current situation was a bit of an exception.

That boy from the Wodanaz family with a considerable amount of magical power.

Could he find another talent like that boy?

If he missed him this time, he might have to wait several years to move on to the next content of the lecture.

Besides, there was no guarantee that the next student would have as much talent as that boy.

After much deliberation, Professor Voladi opened his mouth.

“Do you have any questions?”

“…Yes?” Lee Han, who had been concentrating on spinning the bead, was startled and raised his head.

Why the sudden question?

Could it be that Lee Han’s dark heart, trying to freeload, had been exposed?