Surviving As A Mage In A Magic Academy [EN]: Chapter 448

‘This is not good.’

Lee Han frowned deeply.

The test questions were harder than he thought.

Actually, the questions about the “Boltzmann’s Summons” festival were okay.

Lee Han knew a lot about this festival, more than most students.

He had worked harder than anyone to get ready for it. So, he knew exactly how it all happened.

The problem was the areas he needed to improve himself.

What magical weaknesses did he feel during this festival?

‘No, honestly, can I even improve from here?’

He had truly done his best with the paper birds, controlled the golems, and even demonstrated dark magic that wasn’t necessary.

Lee Han seriously couldn’t think of how to improve his magic from here.

To improve further, wouldn’t he practically need to be at a fourth or fifth-year level?

But if he wrote that honestly…

‘Hmm. No matter how I think about it, that doesn’t seem right.’

Professor Milray had told him to write sincerely, but Lee Han wasn’t naive enough to believe everything the professor said.

No professor would like a student who wrote in their report, ‘I was too amazing, so there’s nothing to improve.’

‘I have to find something to write!’

Lee Han thought very hard.

Even if it was impossible to master at his current level, he needed to find a goal that could be plausibly packaged.

‘That’s strange. Why is Wodanaz acting like that?’

Salco, sitting behind him, was puzzled by Lee Han’s behavior.

If it were a student who had prepared carelessly for the festival, it would be understandable, but Lee Han was the student who had taken on the most tasks.

For Lee Han to be struggling so much with a report like this.

‘Am I missing something?’

Salco carefully reviewed his own report.

It seemed fine on the surface, but looking at it again, there were some parts that seemed too easily written.

‘No, I have to rewrite it.’

Scritch scritch-

When Lee Han didn’t finish writing, the students sitting around him cautiously glanced at each other and began to rewrite.

Professor Milray looked surprised.

‘This report should not be so hard,’ she thought.

After the exam ended and the students left the lecture hall, Professor Milray immediately began reviewing the reports.

Originally, she would have finished other tasks first, but today was a little different.

The students had been unusually troubled, rewriting and starting anew.

Even the top students who showed talent in summoning magic had displayed such behavior, so even the strict Professor Milray couldn’t help but be curious.

“Hmm…”

Professor Milray slightly adjusted her monocle and focused her gaze on the reports.

During the “Boltzmann’s Summons” festival, I learned that even in summoning magic, there are many different ways and choices that fit each person. The magic of older wizards, who are experts in summoning magic, showed me how I can fix my weaknesses, and…

‘Good.’

A smile lingered on Professor Milray’s lips.

It seemed they had not simply enjoyed the festival but had also given it deep thought.

…After seeing Wodanaz’s magic, I saw that golems can be used like that too. I want to use golems in the same way…

‘…No…’

Professor Milray muttered to herself without realizing it.

Of course, taking on challenges was good, but there were also challenges that, from a general perspective, seemed hopeless to anyone.

And research attempting to use golems for chores seemed closer to the latter.

Professor Milray hoped that this student would realize it on their own and back down, or perhaps gain their own enlightenment.

…After seeing Wodanaz’s magic, I realized that double majoring in enchantment magic and dark magic makes summoning magic even more powerful. I am thinking of taking a few lectures related to enchantment magic and dark magic in my second year…

‘This isn’t right either…’

Professor Milray felt a slight throbbing in her head.

Studying many subjects at once might look impressive, but it is risky. A wizard could get lost if they are not careful.

The professor hoped that this student would adjust appropriately.

Tap-

Except for a few unexpected contents, the level of the reports was generally high.

It was much better than Professor Milray had expected.

‘It must be because outstanding students sharpened each other.’

Professor Milray closed her eyes to the students’ achievements and felt pleased.

Comparing different grades was not a good behavior as a professor, but it was hard to deny that this year’s freshmen were achieving some of the highest accomplishments among the freshmen Professor Milray had taught.

Students like Lee Han Wodanaz were certainly part of the reason.

Of course, the other students had needlessly become frightened and done foolish things after seeing Lee Han’s worries, but Professor Milray couldn’t have known such circumstances.

Professor Milray opened Lee Han’s report. Her eyes lit up again when she saw how perfect it was.

A wizard proficient in academics knew well how pleasant it was to see such a report.

He wrote down everything that happened at the festival, with correct times and places. He also included an introduction, the magic he used, what happened, and even his thoughts about it, all very neatly…

So, I learned that I still need to improve in many ways…

‘?’

First, I want to summon and control more undead creatures. But I know it’s important to keep them strong, not just have many of them. So, I will make sure each one is still powerful. Also, I will make the paper birds better so they don’t break so easily… (omitted) By using transformation magic… (omitted) I will also work on making the golems myself…

‘????’

Professor Milray’s usual calm expression vanished. Professor Milray blinked and read it again several times. However, the content did not change.

The professor’s face became serious.

‘Shouldn’t I stop him…?’

Professor Milray was usually reluctant to interfere with a student’s choices, respecting that they would learn from their failures, but this report was a bit serious.

No matter how she thought about it, it wasn’t a goal that a freshman should be pursuing.

Professor Milray thought about calling him to talk, but then she decided against it.

‘No,’ she thought.

She would have called other students to talk, but Wodanaz was different.

Professor Milray did not want to be a teacher who didn’t understand and stopped a student with great talent for no reason.

‘I should just tell the other professors.’

Professor Milray was strict and rarely expressed her emotions, but that didn’t mean she didn’t love her students.

If the other professors knew about Wodanaz’s goals, they would surely help him discreetly.

“Hoo.”

Lee Han let out a sigh of relief.

Professor Milray, whom he had encountered in the hallway, had briefly told him that he had received full marks.

When I first wrote the report, I wondered if my goal was too big. But now, I felt like I could do anything.

When I started writing the report, I wondered if I had aimed too high. But as I wrote, I felt like I could achieve anything I planned. I remembered that writing the report didn’t mean I had to do everything in it myself.

Professor Milley was different from Headmaster Skull. Headmaster Skull was known for being very strict and even using magic to punish students later for things they didn’t do. But Professor Milley wouldn’t do that.

“Are you Wodanaz?”

Lee Han jumped, surprised.

It wasn’t because the person was walking on water. Professor Milley had been walking on water easily just moments before.

Lee Han’s surprise was because this person was an older student, a senior.

What’s going on? He looks like a third-year. Should a third-year be talking to a first-year like me? Is this some kind of trick by Headmaster Skull?

“You are tall. Your face is as sharp and perfect as a statue. And I sense great magic in you…”

As he spoke, the senior pulled out a small, shiny monocle. He held it up to his eye and looked closely at Lee Han.

Clang!

The monocle immediately shattered. The senior nodded without surprise.

“Seems like I’m right. Aren’t you Wodanaz?”

“That’s right. What brings you here to find me?”

“I’m Anpagon. I’m taking over the Enchantment exam because Professor Verdus is… unavailable. So, I’ll be in charge.”

“…Ah!”

Lee Han showed off the feat of grasping the situation with those few words.

So, right now…

Headmaster Skull must have locked up Professor Verdus!

Knowing Professor Verdus, Headmaster Skull wouldn’t be gentle. Professor Verdus probably argued, but Headmaster Skull likely sent him to the disciplinary room as punishment. Even though it was midterm time, Professor Verdus wouldn’t care about being considerate, and Headmaster Skull wouldn’t either.

Thanks to that, now a situation has come where Professor Verdus’s student has to prepare for the exam instead.

“…?”

Lee Han, having finished grasping the situation, tilted his head.

“But why did you come to me?”

“Because I have to prepare with you.”

“…Excuse me?”

Lee Han doubted his ears.

There were many absurd things in Einroguard.

Like raising a basilisk and facing it directly, or taking exams with second-year students…

But preparing for the exam was a little more absurd.

“Why would I do that…? Who decided this?”

“The Headmaster and Professor Verdus.”

“Then what will I be tested on?”

“You already have a perfect score.”

Anpagon took out a letter and handed it to Lee Han.

Get me out of here!!!!!

-Verdus

“…???”

“Look at the back, not the front.”

Lee Han turned the letter over.

Anpagon, because Professor Verdus is busy, you have to prepare the first-year exam. If you are lazy and don’t prepare it well, I will cancel your experiment permit from last time. To make sure you actually try, I’m making a first-year student help you. He already has a perfect score, so he doesn’t need to take the exam. I know you won’t care as much as Professor Verdus would. – Headmaster Gonadaltes

“…Ah, no. This is impossible.”

“Impossible?”

Anpagon didn’t get angry or argue with his junior.

He just repeated the question as if to quickly grasp the current situation.

“Yes. No matter how hard I try, I don’t have the skill to create an exam to check my friends’ skills yet.”

“I’m making the exam.”

Anpagon looked at Lee Han as if asking what he was talking about.

“You’re in a supporting role.”

“…Ah!”

Lee Han exclaimed.

Come to think of it, no matter how you slice it, Einroguard wasn’t so messed up that they would ask a first-year to create an exam assignment.

If I just help and get a perfect score, it’s a very profitable deal.

Lee Han’s face brightened again. The talented first-year junior said to Anpagon.

“I will do my best to help you.”

“Thank you.”

However, Anpagon already thought that Lee Han was a slightly strange junior.

As his mind returned, Lee Han realized that this situation was a better opportunity than he thought.

Because there weren’t many opportunities to talk to seniors in Einroguard.

“Senior. May I ask you a few questions?”

“Sure.”

“Are you learning under Professor Verdus?”

“Yeah.”

“Does the professor teach well?”

“No.”

Anpagon answered immediately without any hesitation.

Lee Han was slightly impressed.

As expected of that professor’s student.

If Professor Verdus’s student had said ‘He teaches well,’ Lee Han would have been more surprised.

“Then how are you learning Enchantment, senior?”

“With books, practice, and experiments. The professor is not very useful. In the first place, magic is learned alone.”

Thanks to saying that the professor was useless, Anpagon gained Lee Han’s favor.

Although he didn’t realize it himself.

“It must be difficult for you to suddenly be in charge of preparing for the exam.”

“It’s not difficult. I just want to finish it quickly and prepare for my experiment.”

“By the way, where exactly is Professor Verdus locked up?”

“How would I know? I don’t care.”

Lee Han smiled.

Even though he didn’t know much else, Lee Han liked the independent feeling of Professor Verdus’s students.

This atmosphere where everyone does things on their own is perfect for me.