Surviving As A Mage In A Magic Academy [EN]: Chapter 385

Despite the Headmaster Skeleton’s words, Ethan was increasingly concerned about his friends in the Blue Dragon Tower.

It had been about two weeks. Were his friends even eating properly?

Realizing this, Ethan felt a renewed surge of anger towards the Ghoul King.

Of course, he could sell food to students from other towers, but business with his own tower was always the most profitable.

And the Ghoul King had cut that off.

“That Ghoul King is truly wicked! For the peace of the Empire, he should be locked away forever!” Ethan exclaimed.

Ethan thought, ‘Why is the Headmaster saying this now? The Ghoul King is already captured.’

The Headmaster Skeleton looked puzzled at Ethan’s sudden outburst.

The Ghoul King was already in the Headmaster Skeleton’s grasp.

As a powerful undead, he was struggling to escape, but once properly imprisoned like this, it was impossible.

If he continued to resist, the moment he yielded, he would be reborn as a servant of the Headmaster Skeleton.

“By the way, the Ghoul King was captured by Ethan, wasn’t he? Shouldn’t he receive a reward?” a teacher asked.

“Oh. Is that so? I wasn’t aware. If you give me one, I’ll gratefully accept it,” Ethan replied.

The Headmaster Skeleton blinked in annoyance at the two teachers and their student.

Ethan thought about the Outing Pass inside the Headmaster Skeleton’s carriage.

For other students, an Outing Pass would be a reward worth risking their lives for, but it wasn’t quite that significant for Ethan.

The escape route—or rather, the outing route—he’d created during his first semester still remained: a way to slip out into the sky using the spire’s stables.

This was a route that even the Headmaster Skeleton hadn’t noticed yet. Surely, the Headmaster Skeleton wouldn’t have imagined that he’d gained outside help to go out in such a short time.

‘But I should use the Outing Pass, too,’ Ethan thought.

Ethan calculated carefully. What would the Headmaster Skeleton think if Ethan didn’t use the Outing Pass but continued to use lots of supplies?

‘That rascal is going out!’ He’d definitely notice.

Someone like Guinan might say, ‘Why do you have to be so careful?’ but Ethan was very careful. He knew small mistakes could cause big problems with the Headmaster.

“What are you thinking about so amusingly?” the Headmaster asked.

“Ah, I was just thinking about the lectures I’ll be taking in the second semester, and I was so excited I couldn’t help myself,” Ethan replied.

“Indeed? I felt the same way,” a professor said.

“A truly delightful time,” another professor added.

Ethan felt a chill down his spine at the professors’ reaction, accepting his nonsense as perfectly natural.

‘Is there only one sane person in this carriage?’ Ethan wondered.

“We’ve arrived,” the Headmaster announced.

As the carriage passed over the walls of Einroguard, Ogoltos, who was next to him, became transparent and disappeared from Ethan’s sight.

While Ethan watched with mixed feelings, the Headmaster Skeleton stopped the carriage in front of the tower.

“Go inside and get your remaining belongings. Or rather, it would be better to go together,” the Headmaster said.

“Yes? Is there perhaps a trap inside?” Ethan asked.

“The ironheads of the Blue Dragon Tower might grab you and not let you leave,” the Headmaster explained.

“…They aren’t those kinds of friends. Probably,” Ethan said.

The scene at the Blue Dragon Tower was chaotic.

“-It can’t be! It’s a lie! It must be a lie spread by those White Tiger Tower bastards!” someone shouted in denial.

“-Guinan, you bastard! You should have gone in, not him!” another yelled in anger.

“-I tried to go in, but I couldn’t! It’s Professor Mortum’s fault!” Guinan retorted.

“-Didn’t those White Tiger Tower guys hide and ambush him?”

“-F-fine. If Ethan comes back now, I’ll forgive the professor,” one student said, trying to compromise.

“-M-me too,” another agreed.

“-If he comes back within this week, I’ll donate to the Empire’s black mages. I’ll donate, so…!”

“-Why does this only happen to us? Are the gods jealous of our bloodline?” someone lamented in depression.

“-It’s because of those White Tiger Tower guys.”

They were repeating this cycle of emotions.

At the Headmaster Skeleton’s words, Ethan made an expression that was hard to describe.

‘Am I really not going to be able to get out if I go in?’ Ethan wondered.

The Headmaster Skeleton seemed to think so too, as he cast a spell instead of letting Ethan go inside.

One by one, Ethan’s belongings flew out of the tower window from his room.

“Is that all?” the Headmaster asked.

“Ah, yes. Mostly…” Ethan replied.

“Alright then… Ironheads!!!” The Headmaster Skeleton shouted in a voice that echoed loudly.

The first-year students of the Blue Dragon Tower were startled and stood in front of the window.

Seeing that, Ethan clicked his tongue in pity.

‘To show their faces right away when the Headmaster calls. After all they’ve been through,’ Ethan thought. ‘If it were Ethan, he would have checked what kind of trap was outside the window before showing his face.’

“Ethan of the Wodanaz family has returned!” the Headmaster announced.

The Blue Dragon Tower students reacted with excitement.

“-R-really?!”

“-Wodanaz! Wodanaz! Over here!!!”

The friends opened the window and waved their hands. All of them looked tired and thin.

“Thank you, Headmaster! I knew you’d rescue him!” they shouted.

“Of course. It took a little longer, but who do you think I am?” the Headmaster replied.

It was the first time in a long time that the students of the Blue Dragon Tower called the Headmaster Skeleton’s name and cheered.

One couldn’t even guess how long it had been since the Headmaster Skeleton had received such respectful and voluntary praise.

But there was one more surprising fact.

“Did Ethan bring a chocolate cake with him?” someone asked.

“Wodanaz needs treatment until the evil energy disappears,” another student said.

“Oh, dear! Black magic is really something!”

Guinan grumbled and cursed black magic.

“So, it seems he’ll be staying in the Phoenix Tower for this semester. Well then! Have a good evening, everyone!” the Headmaster said.

The Headmaster Skeleton picked up Ethan and flew away with a whoosh!

The Blue Dragon Tower students were shocked.

A monstrous scream that even the devils of hell would have trouble matching erupted from the tower behind them.

“Please take care of me, everyone,” Ethan said as he opened the door to the Phoenix Tower. He was surprised by the quiet atmosphere.

While the Blue Dragon Tower felt luxurious with bright banners, the Phoenix Tower gave off a quiet and solemn feeling with dim lights and the smell of old books.

The students inside welcomed Ethan quietly.

“Welcome, Ethan of the Wodanaz family,” one student said.

“We were worried that you were late,” another added.

Perhaps because they were from a priestly background, the Phoenix Tower students welcomed Ethan and then didn’t bother him any further, understanding that anything more would feel bothersome.

Each sat in their place reading a book, praying, or talking about doctrine with another student.

Ethan was moved by the sight.

‘These are real students,’ Ethan thought, contrasting them with the students who were crazy about chess or wizard cards. Seeing the diligence of the Phoenix Tower students, Ethan was overcome with emotion.

“Priest Tizling,” Ethan said.

“Yes, what is it?” Priest Tizling, who was preparing for prayer next to him, turned his head.

“Could you perhaps tell me about the rules of the Phoenix Tower?” Ethan asked. He knew most of the priests here and was quite close to a few, but as a new student, he didn’t want to break any rules by accident.

“Of course. However, the rules aren’t that strict…” Priest Tizling began.

“I’d appreciate it if you could tell me anyway,” Ethan said.

According to Priest Tizling, the rules of the Phoenix Tower were basically focused on respecting and helping each other.

If someone was having a hard time, they would help; if someone was stuck on an assignment, they would help; if someone was sick, they would find a way together…

Ethan shook his head, remembering the time he saw his friends in the Blue Dragon Tower grabbing each other by the collar for playing a card wrong.

‘My friends should learn from this,’ Ethan thought.

“…Prayer time is as follows, and dinner time is… Oh. It’s almost dinner time,” Priest Tizling said.

“We came in a hurry, so there may not be many ingredients, but let’s do our best to make something,” another priest said.

“You don’t have to do that?” Ethan asked.

“Huh?”

“Here, we all prepare together,” a priest replied.

Not only the priests sitting in the lounge but also the priests who were in their rooms came out and began to gather the food ingredients they had.

The ingredients weren’t much, but the priests washed the vegetables and peeled them with serious faces, as if they didn’t care.

Ethan took out the seasonings and spices he had brought. Two priests came and asked for the recipe, taking it away, saying they would do it instead.

“Do you always gather and prepare like this? The… the food you have must be different?” Ethan asked.

“Yes. It may be different, but if you give, you can receive it someday,” a priest replied.

“Here. Ethan of the Wodanaz family. I’ve peeled all the potatoes,” another priest said.

“You must be tired from the long journey. Wouldn’t it be better to rest a little?”

Ethan suddenly began to feel very comfortable in the Phoenix Tower.

‘What is this? This comfort?’ Ethan wondered.

The weekend was over, and the morning of a new week dawned.

“Ethan must be lonely by now,” Guinan said.

Yoner tilted his head, but the other students reacted strongly, agreeing with Guinan.

“Of course, he would be! He went to another tower!” one student exclaimed.

“The Headmaster isn’t evil for nothing. How could he do such a ridiculous thing?” another added.

Even the Princess was nodding, which surprised Yoner.

“Let’s all go out to meet Wodanaz! He must be lonely in the Phoenix Tower,” Guinan suggested.

“That’s a good idea!” the others agreed.

The students of the Blue Dragon Tower headed to the Phoenix Tower to soothe Ethan’s homesickness, hoping to show him that his friends in the Blue Dragon Tower hadn’t forgotten him.

“Wodanaz! Wodanaz!!” they shouted.

“We’re here! Wodanaz!”

The students of the Blue Dragon Tower shouted loudly as they climbed the hill below the tower. However, the scene that greeted them was different from what they had expected.

Ethan was laughing and having breakfast with the priests in the open space in front of the Phoenix Tower.

“You’re really amazing, Ethan of the Wodanaz family!” a priest said.

“It’s nothing. It’s not a big deal,” Ethan replied modestly.

“No, it’s not. To make such a soup with such simple ingredients,” another priest praised.

“Please have some more cheese, Ethan of the Wodanaz family,” one offered.

“Would you like me to pour you some more soup?” another asked.

The Blue Dragon Tower students stared at the breakfast scene with betrayed faces. Tears welled up in the eyes of some students.

“C-can a priest do that? Can a priest be so sneaky??” one student asked, shocked.

“Hey. Don’t insult the priests… Damn it. That’s not the point right now. This is too much,” Guinan said, frustrated.

“Just you wait…!” another student exclaimed.

The students of the Blue Dragon Tower turned away, grinding their teeth, determined to let the students of the Phoenix Tower know which tower Wodanaz originally belonged to.

“Just you wait!” they muttered.

“That was a really good meal,” Ethan said.

“No, it seems like we’re the ones who are indebted to you,” a priest replied.

During the first semester, the students of the Blue Dragon Tower spent a lot of money on food brought in from outside. The White Tiger Tower and Black Tortoise Tower gathered ingredients inside the school, while the students of the Phoenix Tower were good at using the food they received sparingly.

They were thrifty, somehow boiling and dissolving hardened bread or cold rice balls again to make them more filling.

Ethan made a firm resolution at the sight of them trying to give him even more: ‘I must feed them well.’

“By the way, Ethan of the Wodanaz family,” a priest said.

“Hmm?”

“It may be rude, but do you perhaps have a religious order that you believe in?”

It might have been his imagination, but Ethan felt the air among the gentle and kind priests suddenly ignite with competitiveness.