Surviving As A Mage In A Magic Academy [EN]: Chapter 45

Ratford was different from most people. He could pick a lock and steal things even when the headmaster and professors were right there.

The glass flasks contained potions of all colors. Leehahn could feel the complex magic coming from them.

“By the way… what kind of potions are these?”

“I’m not sure?”

“…Oh, right.”

Then Leehahn remembered, Ratford was a thief, not someone who knew about potions.

He just grabbed whatever he could get his hands on; he didn’t know what he was taking.

‘I don’t know either,’ Leehahn thought.

Leehahn had read many books and learned a lot when he was with the Wodanaz family, but he couldn’t identify the potions without labels.

“Yoner, do you know anything about these?”

“This one…” Yoner picked up a flask and looked closely.

“It looks like wine?”

“…No way.”

“Like grape wine.”

Yoner carefully opened the flask, smelled it, and nodded. “Yeah, it’s wine.”

“…”

“Still, the others seem to be magic potions? I think I need to go to the library to find out what they are…”

“That’s a relief, at least.”

Ratford wasn’t surprised to hear the Wodanaz and Maykin family members casually talking about the stolen potions.

Ratford thought, ‘It’s not my place to question them.’

‘They’re okay with using stolen potions,’ he thought.

“Thank you, Ratford. I’ll use them well,”

“It’s nothing. I’m happy to help. Call me anytime you need me.”

“Don’t be so formal… Oh, right. Want to help take care of the horses together?” Leehahn asked.

Since they were at the stables early, it seemed like a good chance for Ratford to meet the horses.

Ratford bowed his head at Leehahn’s offer. “Yes, I’m happy to help.”

“Enough with the ‘happy to help’.”

“Happy to…”

“Stop it.”

“Yes, sir.”

Plop-

“?”

Someone dropped something behind them. Leehahn turned around.

Nilia looked shocked. “…You, you made a new… friend…”

Seeing Nilia looking betrayed and about to leave, Leehahn and Yoner rushed to her.

“What? That’s all? You should have told me. I wouldn’t misunderstand,”

“…”

“…”

Leehahn and Yoner looked at each other.

‘She almost misunderstood, didn’t she?’

‘She was definitely about to misunderstand.’

Luckily, they cleared up the misunderstanding. Nilia thought they were making Ratford a new friend instead of her. But it was all sorted out now.

Ratford said seriously, “I’m not a friend, but a subordinate… Mmph!”

“Oops. My hand slipped.” Leehahn used the brush to block Ratford’s mouth.

“Now, let’s all take care of the horses together.”

Some other students had also come to the stable to meet the horses.

Professor Lightning-Foot had said to get to know the horses, but not many students were willing to wake up early to do it.

And the horses were mean to those who did.

“Ack! Stop spitting!”

“Listen to me! Why are you doing this! What’s your problem!”

The horses headbutted, spat, neighed, and tried to bite the students.

But Leehahn wasn’t surprised. Leehahn thought, ‘Animals in schools are always trouble.’

Of course, the horses were rough, but it could be worse.

At least they weren’t running away or throwing dung.

“Now, let me brush your fur.”

-Puh-hurmph!

The white horse that Professor Lightning-Foot gave him glared at Leehahn. It looked ready to attack.

But Leehahn walked closer anyway.

Whoosh!

The white horse tried to headbutt him. Leehahn leaned back, expecting it.

The white horse’s eyes widened. It didn’t expect Leehahn to dodge.

Ptoo!

This time, the white horse spat. Leehahn dodged again.

“Good, good. That’s right.”

Snap!

The white horse tried to bite him, but Leehahn stepped aside and got closer.

The white horse didn’t give up. Even with its legs tied, it tried everything.

Leehahn dodged, blocked, and endured the attacks.

Nilia watched from behind, impressed. ‘How can he be so patient?’

Nilia would have cursed or used a whip. But Leehahn didn’t get angry. He just kept saying, ‘Good, good.’

‘Is that how a great noble acts?’ she wondered.

-Puh-huff…

The white horse lowered its head, tired from rampaging.

Leehahn picked up the brush and started brushing its fur.

The white horse glared at Leehahn, still wanting to attack as soon as it had energy.

‘Is this horse part monster?’ Leehahn wondered.

The other horses weren’t this mean.

Clunk!

“I’m done, I’m done.” Yoner walked out, covered in mud, but smiling.

Nilia and Ratford were also messy.

“But it’s starting to listen,”

“I think I’m getting close too,”

Leehahn looked at the white horse. It turned its head away.

Usually, a student would be angry or give up with such a stubborn horse, but…

‘Well, it’ll give up someday,’ Leehahn thought.

Leehahn was calm. Could the white horse be worse than a professor?

Leehahn just ignored his feelings and did what he had to do.

After brushing, Leehahn mixed feed and put it in front of the white horse. The white horse stared at Leehahn while eating.

It seemed to say, ‘Don’t think this will make me forgive you.’

“Now I’m thinking of taking it for a walk,”

Nilia said, shaking off the mud.

Walking was important for taking care of horses. It kept them healthy and helped them bond with people.

‘Hmm,’ Leehahn thought.

He wasn’t sure if the white horse would follow quietly.

It was still attacking him. If they went to a wide space, wouldn’t it attack even more?

“Hmm…”

Leehahn looked at the iron bracelet and belt he was wearing, then at the white horse. The white horse seemed to sense danger.

“I’m here!” Thunder-Foot said, trying to look normal as he opened the door.

Lightning-Foot came in with a tin cup. “Boil some tea!”

“You don’t even like my tea…”

“I’ll drink it anyway!”

“…”

Thunder-Foot sadly boiled the water. He missed having Leehahn around.

“The new students are working hard at the stables,”

Lightning-Foot said, drinking the tea. Diligence was important for both alchemy and horsemanship.

That’s why they put difficult horses in the class and told the students to bond with them: to teach them to be diligent.

You can’t get close to animals if you’re not diligent.

“I made the horses mean on purpose. If you work hard and care for them, they’ll calm down. But if you try to force them, you’ll have a bad time.”

The students reacted in two ways to this assignment.

Some students came early to bond with the horses.

Others tried to force the horses with whips, like they were used to. But Lightning-Foot’s horses couldn’t be forced.

The lazy students would regret it.

“Kha-hah-hah!”

“…”

Thunder-Foot shook his head as Lightning-Foot laughed. He thought Lightning-Foot enjoyed tormenting the students too much.

Thunder-Foot didn’t know that Leehahn thought of him as similar to Lightning-Foot. I’m different!

“Is Wodanaz doing well?”

“Ah, Wodanaz. He’s diligent, so he’ll be fine. Of course, the Griffin is picky. But with hard work, smarts, and luck, he’ll get close enough.”

“?”

Thunder-Foot looked up, confused. What did he just say?

“What did you just say?”

“What?”

“Just now… what did you say?”

“You must have misheard. I said horse.”

“…”

Thunder-Foot looked at Lightning-Foot, shocked and scared. Could he have turned the Griffin into a horse…?

“No, right?”

“What?”

“…”

‘No. Calm down. Maybe the horse’s name is Griffin,’ Thunder-Foot thought.

A Griffin is a flying monster with the head and wings of an eagle, and the claws and legs of a lion.

It’s arrogant, picky, and has a violent temper.

Its personality changes depending on where it lives, but one thing is certain: a new student can’t tame it!

“What’s the horse’s name?”

“Gr… phonrig.”

“…Are you crazy?!” Thunder-Foot finally exploded.

Why was he making his alchemy student, who was already injured, take care of a Griffin?

“Are you out of your mind! Why are you yelling when I was having tea!”

“You turned a Griffin into a horse!”

“When did I do that! Do you have proof? And even if I did, wouldn’t it be safer as a horse!”

“Do you think Griffins are stupid?!”

The sound of breaking cups, flying chairs, and breaking tables came from the hut. It was a normal dwarven family fight.

-Puh-hee hee hee hee hee-humph…

“You,”

Leehahn looked at the white horse, satisfied. It was now calm and obedient.

Leehahn had made it that way. He had put all his magic absorption bracelets and belt on the horse.

Leehahn realized, ‘It works! It’s calmer now that I’m taking its magic.’

Since all living things have magic, they lose energy when it’s taken away.

The white horse, wearing all of Leehahn’s items, had lost all its energy and couldn’t resist.

“Okay. Let’s get along well,”

-Puh-humph…

The white horse quietly followed as Leehahn pulled the reins.

Leehahn suddenly had a thought. ‘Even with all the bracelets and the belt, it can still walk. Does the horse have more magic than I thought?’

Either the bracelets didn’t absorb much, or the horse had a lot of magic.

‘Even if it’s part monster, it shouldn’t have that much magic. Do the bracelets take away less magic than I thought?’

Leehahn walked with the horse, thinking. In front of him, some students were crying and begging after rashly getting on their horses.

-Get me down, get me down!! Please! I was wrong!

‘Is there a way to absorb more magic?’ Leehahn wondered.

He was getting used to the magic school without even realizing it.