Surviving As A Mage In A Magic Academy [EN]: Chapter 356

For a researcher whose work was stuck, nothing was scarier than hearing, “Let’s check on your research progress.”

Alsicle trembled. His teeth clicked together from fear.

“Alsicle Pengaerin. Get a grip. Are you planning to show weakness in front of the inspector?”

“I… I know. If I kidnap the, the inspector…”

“I said, get a grip.”

“Y-yes, sir.”

“You seem a little lost lately, but you’re a good researcher, Alsicle. Just tell me exactly what you are trying to do.”

“Yes…”

Yumidihus, calm as always, wasn’t worried about the inspector. He spoke softly to Alsicle, calming him down, and then walked out of the cave.

Gainando looked at the inspector’s serious face and asked nervously, “Did I… did I save a bad guy?”

“I’m not a villain!!”

The inspector looked hurt and surprised.

Of course, he knew very well that wizards disliked people like inspectors.

Wizards often complained about inspectors. They felt inspectors didn’t understand magic and only cared about money. Wizards thought, ‘Inspectors just want to stop us from doing great things!’

How could wizards who received investments for their research possibly like inspectors?

But people like inspectors were essential to the Empire.

Without inspectors watching, who would protect the people who gave money for research?

“It’s just that wizards are a little wary of them.”

“Really, I understand. I’m a wizard myself, you know.”

Gainando wondered if he had saved an enemy. The inspector was taken aback, but Gainando was already slowly backing away.

“Stop it, Gainando. The man is just doing his job.”

“Th-thank you.”

The inspector was touched by Leehahn’s words.

No one had ever said anything like that to him before.

However, Leehahn’s true feelings were different.

‘This is a disaster.’

Come to think of it, hadn’t Leehahn been using Alsicle’s top-quality rare materials, just when his research was already blocked?

No matter how the situation unfolded, he couldn’t help but worry.

‘Even if bribery is impossible…’

As things stood, he had no choice but to draw the inspector to his side.

If they became friendly, wouldn’t he look at things in a way that was slightly more favorable to him!

“Well, Your Highness. Thank you once again for saving me.”

Before leaving, the inspector bowed politely. Gainando looked at Leehahn with a proud expression.

“See?”

“See what? From now on, don’t disappear without a word and worry your friends.”

“Hmph.”

Gainando grumbled and followed behind Leehahn, then suddenly remembered.

‘Wait a minute. Come to think of it, Leehahn also disappeared without a word and caused a lot of worry!’

“Hey, Leehahn did the same thing!”

“Is that the same thing?”

“Don’t talk nonsense.”

“……”

Back in the magic tower, Alsicle nervously cleared his throat and greeted the inspector.

Of course, his eyes were subtly avoiding the inspector.

“Mr. Alsicle Pengaerin. I am here today as the representative of four individuals, and this letter bears their seals.”

“I… I see.”

Alsicle stared at the letter. He looked like he wanted to eat it to make it disappear.

“Yes. If it’s not too much trouble, regarding the magical research currently in progress…”

“Wait! Do you see that boy from the Wodanaz family over there?!”

Alsicle suddenly pointed at Leehahn.

Leehahn was puzzled.

‘Has the pressure driven him mad?’

“Yes? I see him…”

“I’ve had the opportunity to teach that boy this time. And that boy is truly amazing!”

“Is that so.”

The inspector from the capital had not yet heard the rumors of Granden City.

As such, he simply reacted with something like, ‘He’s from the Wodanaz family, so he must be good.’

“It’s not just that. He has… a talent superior to mine.”

“Is that so!?”

The inspector was a little surprised by these words.

For Alsicle of the Pengaerin family to say such a thing.

Alsicle’s eyes watered. He felt his pride hurt and was angry at himself.

“T-take a look…”

Leehahn understood what Alsicle was trying to do.

He was trying to divert the topic somehow to avoid the inspector.

‘My heart aches for him.’

As a fellow wizard, and as someone who had emptied Alsicle’s magic tower warehouse to learn ice elemental magic, Leehahn resolved to help as best he could.

“Ice, become a shield and float!”

Leehahn summoned fog along with the floating ice shield.

“Mist, spread out! Darkness, gather here!”

“Ooh… Oooooh!”

The inspector wasn’t a wizard, but having seen and verified countless spells, he knew very well that Leehahn casting spells in rapid succession was impressive.

Especially since he was still a young student!

“Bone… no, not that. Shine!”

Leehahn quickly cast spell after spell.

The inspector was constantly exclaiming in admiration.

“Truly amazing…”

“How much have you learned?!”

“Mr. Alsicle Pengaerin?”

“Ah, m-my apologies.”

Alsicle shouted without realizing it, then snapped back to his senses at the inspector’s words.

Leehahn had successfully distracted the inspector, but now Alsicle was also losing focus.

‘Where on earth is Einroguard…?’

At this point, instead of being amazed by Leehahn’s talent, he suspected that Einroguard was teaching him too harshly.

Is this okay?

“Einroguard’s education is… no… anyway… isn’t it amazing?”

“Yes. It is amazing.”

“Teaching him today…”

“Mr. Alsicle Pengaerin. But I would like to see the research…”

“Y-yes, of course. Did you perhaps enjoy the surrounding scenery on your way here?”

“I fell off my horse and broke my ankle, so I didn’t have time to look around.”

“M-my apologies. I should have had a spirit on standby. I was too distracted by the guest.”

“It’s alright. His Highness saved me.”

“T-that’s right? Do you know how amazing His Highness is? He has many followers, and the great noble families of the Empire support him!”

“……”

Leehahn and Yoner turned bright red and lowered their heads.

Gainando, on the other hand, stood there blankly, unaware that they were talking about him.

“Huh? Wait. Are you talking about me?”

“…I don’t think so…?”

The inspector was startled.

“Is that so? Well, after seeing your magic, I thought you’d be famous already.”

“Y-yes! That’s right!”

“But Mr. Alsicle Pengaerin. I would like to see the research…”

Alsicle was on the verge of tears. His eyes were brimming with tears.

Leehahn, unable to watch any longer, cleared his throat.

“Please wait a moment. Everyone must be exhausted from wandering around in the blizzard, so I’ll bring out some warm drinks.”

“Ah. I’m alright, but…”

“Mr. Inspector. No. I know you’re strong, but you’ve been rolling around out there, so you need to rest a bit. Besides, the other students…”

Leehahn gestured with his eyes.

Then Yoner, Ratford, and Nilia coughed frantically.

“Cough cough.”

“Ugh! Ugh ugh!”

“I… I can’t feel my fingertips…”

‘I shouldn’t ask Nilia to do this again.’

Her frostbite acting was too realistic and stood out too much.

“Look. Even the professor here has turned pale from the cold.”

“……”

Yumidihus was dumbfounded to see Leehahn saying such things to Voladi Begreck.

He knew he was fearless, but…

What was surprising was that Voladi Begreck was standing still and playing along.

“A-alright. It would be better to rest a bit.”

“Yes. I’ll bring the drinks out soon.”

Having bought some time, Leehahn asked Yumidihus,

“But what kind of research is Pengaerin doing?”

“Alsicle Pengaerin is challenging the extreme cold.”

Yumidihus tapped the floor with his staff. Then, the ice fragments scattered on the floor of the magic tower soared into the air.

“Do you know that even ice elemental mages often don’t know the true characteristics of the ice element?”

“Is that so?”

“That’s right. Originally, all magic shows a different side when you delve into the extreme. Although we haven’t reached the extreme cold yet, if we reach somewhere near it, we can see unusual phenomena.”

From the wizards’ perspective, even the biting blizzard raging outside was considered ordinary cold.

If the cold were to drop to the point where that blizzard felt like a warm spring breeze, then unusual phenomena could be observed.

Magic power moving freely without any consumption or loss, or matter losing its viscosity and changing into unusual forms…

“Or even time stopping…” Yumidihus paused, watching Leehahn. “You don’t seem very surprised?” Leehahn blinked, then leaned forward slightly. “Time stopping? That’s… incredible. I am amazed, really!”

In fact, Leehahn wasn’t very surprised by such things.

Whenever you go to the extreme, a world beyond human imagination unfolds.

Even more so if it’s magic.

“Of course, to challenge something like this, it’s impossible with a wizard’s power alone, so I’m trying in various ways, but…”

As Yumidihus said that, Leehahn, who had stolen Alsicle’s potion, felt quite apologetic.

Perhaps that potion was going to be used in those various ways.

“Even if you’ve been researching steadily, the inspector shouldn’t be able to say anything, right? There should be records and everything…”

“Knowing Alsicle’s personality, I doubt he’s been keeping detailed research logs, too much of a bother.”

“……”

Leehahn asked Professor Voladi.

“Professor. Do you have any advice you can give to Mr. Pengaerin?”

“Hmm.”

Professor Voladi pondered for a moment, then slowly opened his mouth.

“When fleeing, it’s best not to leave any traces.”

“……”

Leehahn was about to ask what kind of experience he was giving such advice from, but stopped himself.

“I mean, besides that.”

“In the current situation, that seems like the best method.”

Professor Voladi pointed ahead with his eyes.

Leehahn turned his gaze and was horrified.

Alsicle was looking around and packing his bags.

“What on earth are you doing?!”

“U-uh? This? It’s nothing. I-I just suddenly wanted to gather some things…”

“No matter what, you can’t run away!”

“R-run away? What are you talking about? I’m not trying to run away.”

However, Alsicle’s eyes were darting back and forth, rolling around frantically.

Leehahn tried to persuade Alsicle.

“The inspector doesn’t know much about magic anyway. It would be better to prove that Mr. Pengaerin has been diligently researching and hasn’t wasted anything else.”

“I did buy a lot of sardines…”

Leehahn pretended not to hear and ignored him.

“Do you have any logs written down? What about data?”

“Over there.”

“…Wasn’t that a junkyard?”

At Leehahn’s words, Alsicle looked slightly hurt.

“Gainando will be dealing with the inspector, so let’s find them as quickly as possible.”

Leehahn quickly began sorting through the junkyard, no, the warehouse filled with logs and data.

Alsicle watched with an impressed expression as he dusted off the papers, divided them by date, and quickly organized them.

“Can’t I send him to my place instead of Einroguard and make him my disciple?”

At Alsicle’s question, Yumidihus gave an ambiguous smile.

If he did that, the Einroguard professors might raid Alsicle’s magic tower.

“It wouldn’t be bad to try if you want to.”

“No. He probably wants to live happily and enjoyably with his friends in Einroguard. I didn’t need that, though.”

Alsicle decided to be considerate of Leehahn.

Of course, Alsicle didn’t need friends, so he learned magic alone, but many nobles considered forging friendships with friends to be happiness.

Leehahn was probably one of those cases.

“Happily and enjoyably?”

“Yes?”

“It’s nothing.”