Surviving As A Mage In A Magic Academy [EN]: Chapter 453

“Ack, you… you little rascal! I was worried about you…!”

“Sorry.”

Lee Han knocked down the screaming trainee knight.

Originally, it was difficult to win even with sword skills, but the trainee knight was caught by surprise and couldn’t defend himself.

“Choi! You too!”

“S-Sorry.”

Deregyu quickly knocked down the trainee knight.

“Moradi, you… I see! You ordered this trick?!”

“……”

Giselle frowned and kicked the fallen trainee knight off the deck. The trainee knight fell into the sea with a splash!

“It’s a surprise attack! Come quickly and help!”

“Put down the ballista and come here! Wodanaz has attacked!”

“What? We’re not supposed to use magic!”

Deregyu protested without realizing it.

“I didn’t!”

“Now is not the time to answer that, Deregyu.”

Lee Han quickly scanned the deck. They had knocked down a few people with the surprise attack, but there were still trainee knights left. As expected of those who trained in the Knight Order, they quickly gathered on the deck and formed ranks even in this sudden situation.

In comparison, Lee Han’s side had fewer numbers and lacked stamina because they had been swimming for so long. It would be dangerous to fight for long.

“Lee Han, they’re trying to surround us!”

“I know. Let’s move to the side!”

Lee Han moved away from the center of the deck and ran towards the bow. The side passage connected to the bow was quite narrow, making it difficult to surround them.

The trainee knights who were trying to surround them from behind shouted in embarrassment.

“Hey! Why are you running away! We have to take over the ship!”

“Are you going to fight us one-on-one?!”

“W-Well, that’s not possible, but…”

When the trainee knights kept chasing after him, Lee Han suddenly stopped and turned around. Then he pointed his sword.

The trainee knights carefully grabbed their swords, thinking that he was finally going to fight. They had been fooled many times by the name of the Wodanaz family and suffered terribly, so they were never careless.

“I’m coming.”

“Come on, Wodanaz. We won’t back down easily…”

Whoosh!

Lee Han turned around again and started running backwards.

“……”

“…Hey, are you really from the Wodanaz family?!”

The trainee knights shouted as they chased after him again. They couldn’t figure out what this rascal was up to. There was no point in running around the ship like this…

“He might be aiming for individual attacks. Moradi is over there! Be careful!”

“Okay. Everyone, don’t let your guard down! Even if the path is narrow, don’t get too far apart!”

Giselle, who was running in front of Lee Han, cursed the trainee knights in her mind. They were fools who couldn’t see the truth because of the family’s image!

After a chase, when the group’s pace gradually slowed down, the trainee knights barely caught up from both sides.

“Huff… huff, huff.”

“Hoo, hoo.”

In a situation where only heavy breathing could be heard because everyone was exhausted.

“Wo… Wodanaz. There’s nowhere to run now. Let’s fight.”

“Okay. I understand.”

Lee Han nodded obediently. Of course, the trainee knights didn’t believe him.

“Don’t fall for it, ever.”

“That Choi guy is the same. You saw him using tricks with an innocent face, right?”

“……”

Deregyu blushed slightly with embarrassment.

At that moment, Lee Han suddenly pointed behind them and shouted.

“Behind you! Look behind you!”

“Wodanaz… do you think we’d fall for that?”

The trainee knights said with pride. They felt like they had become skilled at dealing with all sorts of tricks while facing Lee Han’s group.

Seeing that expression, Giselle clicked her tongue and muttered.

“Is being fooled a lot something to be proud of…”

“Try anything, Moradi. We won’t be fooled by your schemes anymo- Ack!”

One of the trainee knights fell forward. White Tiger Tower students, who had climbed up with hooks from behind, glared at the trainee knights, panting.

“Shoot again, you dirty bastards! I said shoot!”

“N-No…! It’s not like we wanted to shoot, but…”

“Throw these bastards into the sea! Throw them into the sea and make them climb up themselves!”

“What kind of guys are these!?”

The trainee knights were furious at the White Tiger Tower students’ response, who showed no gratitude.

There was an ugly fight, but fortunately, Professor Inguldel and the knights were there to quickly sort it out.

While some knights were saying, ‘This is an interesting training, maybe we should have our knights try it too,’ Professor Inguldel evaluated the students’ test.

“Everyone, you’ve worked hard. Alpha, finding the hook in the pile of garbage and hanging it on the ship was excellent.”

“I was lucky.”

Angaro scratched the back of his head, feeling proud.

“Jay, blocking the water spear was excellent. But blocking the water spear with your own body is dangerous. Even if you’re wearing armor, you can get seriously hurt in a real battle, so be careful.”

“Don’t worry! I’m tough!”

‘No, what an ignorant guy.’

While Lee Han was clicking his tongue, it was finally Lee Han’s group’s turn.

Professor Inguldel looked at the three and opened his mouth.

“Finding a path that others didn’t think of…”

“Professor, just a moment.”

Lee Han, who was waiting in anticipation for a perfect score, paused at Giselle’s sudden remark.

“I have something to say.”

“Moradi, what’s wrong? We’re on the same team.”

Feeling uneasy, Lee Han tried to appease Moradi as much as possible. Besides, this test was truly unfair. Unlike other situations, he hadn’t particularly screwed Moradi over, had he?

“Are you saying that because you were misunderstood for using the trick earlier? I didn’t intend that. Let’s not unnecessarily deduct each other’s points.”

Lee Han thought that Moradi was going to deduct Lee Han’s points even if it meant her own score would be reduced. However, Moradi didn’t bring it up because of that.

“Wodanaz briefly showed magical light from his whole body while climbing the ship earlier.”

“?!!”

Professor Inguldel was startled. The knights next to him stopped talking about ‘Should we throw him now?’ and were also surprised.

“Magical light!? Is that true!”

“Is it true?! Wait. Why didn’t I see it?”

“Wodanaz, that rascal, had already climbed all the way up the ship at that time.”

“Ah…!”

“Oh dear…!”

“We should have made the ship taller…!”

Professor Inguldel and the knights simultaneously sighed. That’s how regrettable the opportunity Lee Han missed was.

Of course, Lee Han thought it was nonsense.

‘What does he mean by making the ship taller? Is he crazy?’

He began to understand a little why the Skull Headmaster disliked outsiders coming in.

“Wodanaz, this is a really important opportunity. Do you understand?”

Professor Inguldel eagerly explained how important the flash of magical light was. In the extreme situation of carrying his friends and climbing the ship, Lee Han had fallen into a state of trance.

All unnecessary power disappeared, and the experiences from all sorts of trials naturally melted into his body, accurately controlling an absurdly large amount of magical power…

“What did you just say?”

“Just ignore it.”

Professor Inguldel glossed over the curse that came out in his excitement. Lee Han was slightly hurt.

“Anyway, it was an opportunity.”

“That’s right!”

“Indeed!”

Professor Inguldel and the knights were much more upset than Lee Han.

The more magical power one has, the harder it is to control. Even with Wodanaz’s talent, that amount of magical power was difficult, so it couldn’t be helped that this opportunity felt particularly more regrettable.

Of course, Lee Han didn’t think much of it.

‘There will be other opportunities.’

First of all, the opportunity came and disappeared too quickly, so he couldn’t really feel it, and more than anything, Lee Han didn’t grab the sword with the conviction of a warrior to walk the path of the sword to the end.

He learned it to pass the time, build a healthy body, and for self-defense…

He was more curious about his year-end grades than what was at the end of the path of the sword.

“I understand. It’s really a shame. So, Professor, what about the midterm grades…”

“It might not be over yet.”

One of the knights of the White Poplar Knight Order spoke seriously.

Professor Inguldel cast his gaze as if to listen carefully with a cautious face.

“Tell me. I’m listening.”

“Unless a lot of time has passed, it hasn’t been that long now. We can recreate the same situation and reproduce it.”

“…!”

Professor Inguldel was surprised.

“…!”

And Lee Han was also surprised.

‘What nonsense is he saying so seriously?’

“Professor, the test is ove…”

“Wodanaz, this is a really important issue. This might be more important than the test.”

“That doesn’t make any sense…”

One of the White Tiger Tower students behind him blurted out without much thought.

“With Wodanaz’s skills, he doesn’t really need to study for the test anymore, does he? He’ll get a perfect score anyway.”

Lee Han glared at the student as if to kill him. Angaro was terrified and avoided his gaze.

‘Wh-What did I do wrong…!’

“And it would be impossible to recreate the exact same situation as before. My friends are all tired and need to prepare for the next test.”

“Hmm.”

Professor Inguldel felt sorry because it was definitely true. Since the White Tiger Tower students were tired now…

“There are young knights here.”

The knights of the White Poplar Knight Order stepped forward. They pointed to the trainee knights and said.

“You can carry them and climb up.”

“……”

While Lee Han was speechless and lost for words, Professor Inguldel was moved.

“Everyone…! Thank you. I knew the honor of the White Poplar Knight Order, but I didn’t know it was to this extent…”

“As knights, how can we abandon our comrades who walk the path of the sword together?”

The trainee knights’ faces turned black. Lee Han sighed deeply as he watched them.

The White Tiger Tower students thought to themselves.

‘I’m so glad I’m not Wodanaz.’

‘Being the top student isn’t always a good thing!’

Seeing that, they realized that happiness might not always be related to grades.

“Moradi… I curse you.”

Lee Han returned several hours later than the other students. He had to swim in the sea with the trainee knights and climb the outer walls of the ship with ropes tied to each other.

Of course, the phenomenon he felt earlier did not return. Professor Inguldel and the knights were very disappointed.

-It’s really a shame.

-I think we should have had him carry his close students and climb up…

Lee Han was grateful for the first time that this week was midterm season. Otherwise, the knights would have shown Lee Han hell until he realized it.

‘Are the knights becoming like Einrogaard, or was the world originally Einrogaard?’

Thinking that, Lee Han moved his feet. A familiar white skull was visible beyond the darkening waterway.

“Headmaster.”

What is it? Why are you so late? And alone?

Lee Han decided not to mention what Professor Inguldel had ordered. He didn’t want to increase the Skull Headmaster’s happiness for no reason.

“I was a bit late because I was studying to prepare for the exam.”

I would have praised other students, but you’re just wasting your time. Stop doing useless things and quickly master the magic you haven’t learned yet.

The Skull Headmaster advised him kindly and gently. Lee Han nodded, grateful for the warm advice.

“Ah. Yes. What are you doing, Headmaster?”

I was looking around at the submerged scenery of Einrogaard, feeling sorry for the students’ suffering.

“…Ah. Yes. I understand.”

Lee Han pretended to walk away after saying goodbye. Then he immediately cast Transparency Magic and Underwater Breathing Magic as much as possible and jumped into the water, approaching the direction where the Skull Headmaster was.