Surviving As A Mage In A Magic Academy [EN]: Chapter 461

Einroguard. Many called it hell, and the Skull Headmaster seemed to agree.

Even hell, he thought, had its rules.

The Skull Headmaster watched the students. He couldn’t believe they were making younger students ask for supplies. *Are they crazy?*

Perfect timing! Verduse was complaining. The Skull Headmaster thought, *I should find him some company. Let’s see what this young one is up to.*

“I wasn’t ordered to do this,” Lee Han said.

The Skull Headmaster stopped, surprised. “What?” he asked.

“I volunteered.”

“Ha!” The Skull Headmaster chuckled, a dry, rattling sound. “Of course. At Einroguard, students *always* ‘volunteer’ for everything, especially living like this.”

“……”

Lee Han looked at the Skull Headmaster, confused.

*How can he say that? This place is terrible!*

*Hmm,* the Skull Headmaster thought. *Now that I look closer, something is strange about this situation.*

The Skull Headmaster noticed the oddity with his clever brain.

Come to think of it, even if they are seniors, it doesn’t seem like they could threaten this young one.

*This young one,* the Skull Headmaster thought, studying Lee Han. *He doesn’t seem like someone who would be easily threatened.*

“No… I can be threatened…” Lee Han protested, but the Skull Headmaster ignored him.

“Then what is it?” the Skull Headmaster asked, narrowing his eyes. “You wouldn’t be here to help those lazy seniors. So, what do you want? Are you trying to use that bone you took before?”

“To help the seniors…”

“To help the seniors…” Lee Han repeated. The Skull Headmaster considered this. “That’s… ambitious,” he said slowly. “Very ambitious. It won’t be easy to use that bone’s power at your level. But challenges are good…” He paused, then his skull head snapped up. “Wait. Help *who*?”

“I’m asking for support to help the seniors.”

The Skull Headmaster stared at Lee Han. He looked shocked and disgusted.

*Why on earth would you do that?*

“Just give me some.” Lee Han was getting annoyed and decided to be bold.

Lee Han hadn’t come to beg. He was here to get what he deserved for his work.

The Skull Headmaster was silent for a while, then, realizing he couldn’t persuade Lee Han, he clicked his tongue and said, “Follow me.”

“Thank you.”

Death Knights appeared from beside the hallway, riding bone barges. They were there to carry the load.

“Take him to the east warehouse. The Bunting Warehouse. You know it?”

-Which Bunting Warehouse? Fourth or seventh floor?

Clang!

The Skull Headmaster struck the Death Knight’s helmet, producing a clear sound.

“Watch your mouth, idiot! Don’t be stupid!”

-Yes… wait. How does knowing the floor help him find it?

“That kid is clever. How many times do I have to tell you, don’t underestimate him!”

Lee Han shook his head with an innocent face, as if to say no.

Of course, he was thinking to himself, ‘Bunting Warehouse on the 4th and 7th floors. Remember that.’ He planned to steal from the Skull Headmaster’s secret stash if he got the chance.

“Go.”

“Yes. Thank you.”

“You’ll regret it.”

“Yes. Thank you.”

“Do you think the seniors will remember that you helped them? They won’t even meet you in the first place.”

“Yes. Thank you.”

“If you think you can meet them next year, you’re sorely mistaken. The upperclassmen are all busy with their own research, so they won’t have time to…”

“Yes. Thank you.”

-Master. The more you say, the more pathetic you seem to be becom…

The Skull Headmaster sent the Death Knight who spoke out to another dimension.

Lee Han followed the Death Knights on the bone barge.

They floated through the dark hallways of Einroguard towards the east warehouse.

“Professor, Professor.”

“Yes, come in.”

Lee Han knocked and entered the Lecture Hall. Professor Thunderfoot was on the first floor, drawing a map. He looked up and gestured for Lee Han to come in.

“What were you doing?”

“Ah, Lee Han, come in,” Professor Thunderfoot said, sighing. “The flood… it washed away all the student cabins. I used magic to protect them, but I need to find them quickly. Einroguard is full of dangerous monsters, you see.”

Professor Thunderfoot pointed at the map, tracing lines with his finger. He seemed to be working out where the flood might have carried the cabins.

Lee Han paused when he saw that.

“…Come to think of it, I think I saw sirens surrounding and attacking one of the cabins. I couldn’t see clearly because of the heavy rain.”

Professor Thunderfoot groaned.

“Oh no…!” Professor Thunderfoot groaned. “Those cabins… they were expensive!”

“I’m sorry. I wanted to stop them, but as you know, sirens are…”

“It’s alright, Lee Han. Sirens are very dangerous, even for older students.”

“But…,” Professor Thunderfoot said, looking at Lee Han thoughtfully. “Maybe… maybe *you* could handle them…”

“Ah, Professor. I came because I have a favor to ask.”

“Oh?” Professor Thunderfoot said, putting down his teacup. “What is it?”

“The Black Magic faction in the school is short on reagents. Could you perhaps provide some support?”

“Cough!” Professor Thunderfoot choked on his tea, coughing loudly.

After coughing for a while, the professor waved his staff to clear away the tea and calmed his breathing before shouting, “Did the seniors tell you to do this?!”

“No. I’m just helping because I feel sorry for them.”

“Hmm. I see you want to help, but… I don’t think this is a good idea.”

Professor Thunderfoot tried to persuade Lee Han.

If the seniors are short on reagents, they should gather them with their own abilities. Even if a junior is outstanding, they shouldn’t be running around doing it for them.

No matter how talented a Wodanaz you are…

Hmm…

Hmm…

“Yes, even if you are very talented, you shouldn’t do this.”

“You hesitated just now,” Lee Han pointed out.

“You must be mistaken.”

“Actually, Professor,” Lee Han said, “it’s partly my fault.”

“Your fault?” Professor Thunderfoot scoffed.

No matter how he thought about it, it didn’t seem like a junior could be at fault.

Even if a first-year junior did something wrong, what could it be?

Even if they did, it was only natural that the senior should take responsibility.

“Did you break something in an experiment?” Professor Thunderfoot asked. “Don’t worry about it. Seniors should take responsibility for accidents like that.”

“No,” Lee Han said calmly. “The seniors made a wave of undead creatures, and I accidentally destroyed them all.”

Silence filled the room.

Professor Thunderfoot thought for a moment, then quickly drank all the tea in his cup and spoke.

“What do you need?”

After getting the supplies, Lee Han went to find Professor Willow in the greenhouse.

Lee Han went to the greenhouse and knocked on the door. “Professor Willow?” he called out. Professor Willow was the teacher in charge of plants.

This class was not for new students, but Lee Han thought he could still ask. They had met before and knew each other a little.

Lee Han thought about Professor Willow. ‘For a professor at Ain Rogard, he’s one of the nicest.’

“Hello again! Is Gainando here? You know, the little troll who called me ‘Oak Tree’ last time?”

“Gainando is not here,” Professor Willow said. “And again, I am sorry about what happened last time.”

“No, no,” Lee Han laughed. “I was just joking because I’m happy to see you again!”

Professor Willow put down his watering can and slowly walked towards Lee Han.

“So, what brings you here? Do you need plants?”

“Well,” Lee Han said, “the Black Magic group in school needs some reagents. We are running low, and I was hoping you could help us out…”

Professor Willow’s eyes widened. “What?!” he exclaimed, his voice rising.

Before Professor Willow could say more, Lee Han quickly said, “No one made me come! I wanted to help the older students myself. And I did defeat the Undead Wave, you know!”

Professor Willow stared at him, even more surprised. “The Undead Wave?!” he repeated loudly.

Lee Han’s words came out too fast. Professor Willow made a strange, high-pitched sound, like a bird surprised by danger.

Ten minutes later, after a short conversation.

“…and that’s what happened.”

“I see. I’m surprised. If that’s the case, I’ll give you as much as you need.”

Professor Willow nodded readily and began to open a chest, filling it with the necessary reagents.

Lee Han was touched by how willingly he gave them.

‘It’s said that those who have more give more, and Professor Willow is indeed different.’

Lee Han had chosen to visit Headmaster Skull, Professor Thunderfoot, and Professor Willow first for a reason. Everyone knew Headmaster Skull had secret warehouses full of everything! And Professor Thunderfoot and Professor Willow needed lots of reagents for their classes, so they were likely to have extra.

Professor Thunderfoot was helping Lee Han with chores, but Professor Willow…

“Thank you very much.”

“It’s nothing. I can do this much for a student who will be learning from me next year.”

“…?”

Huh?

Koholti carefully pushed aside the loose dirt above him and peeked out. He looked around quickly. “Ogoltos, you can come out now,” he whispered.

Ogoltos grumbled as he climbed out of the muddy hole. “Senior, why are we hiding in this ditch? It’s all your fault!”

“Hey, you didn’t stop me!” Koholti argued, spitting out a mouthful of dirt. “You’re part of this too!”

“Do you think Dirette has cooled down a bit?”

“No…”

“Hey. Why are you so negative?”

“Even the most positive person wouldn’t say that Dirette is no longer angry in this situation.”

Ogoltos said, looking at Dirette in the distance, who was wandering around the field, scraping together reagents.

Her wings were shooting upwards, and her feathers were standing stiffly; no matter how he looked at it, she was in a state of extreme anger.

“Then hurry up and pretend to scrape together reagents.”

“I’m just going to scrape them together. Not pretend.”

“……”

Koholti briefly considered throwing him back into the pit.

Just then, Lee Han walked back towards them. “I’m back,” he announced.

Koholti jumped up as soon as he saw Lee Han. He dropped the reagent pouch and rushed over. “Lee Han! You’re back! I’m so sorry you had to do all that! It’s my fault!”

Lee Han blinked, surprised. “What? Why are you acting like this all of a sudden?” he asked. He wondered if Koholti was feeling okay.

“I should have stopped you more,” Koholti repeated, glancing nervously at Dirette in the distance. “I tried, but I should have stopped you harder! You must be exhausted! Those other groups are so unfair!” He put a hand on Lee Han’s shoulder, trying to look comforting. “Don’t worry if you couldn’t get anything. It’s not your fault.”

“No… senior.”

“Huh?”

Lee Han pushed Koholti away and said.

“I got them.”

“…Huh?”

Death Knights, who looked familiar, entered and leisurely placed the chests down.

-Is this enough?

“Thank you! Please also convey my thanks to the Headmaster!”

-Uh… I don’t think my master will be very pleased.

“Then please convey it even more.”

The Death Knight smiled and nodded.

Koholti, who watched the scene, was dumbfounded.

What on earth is happening right now?

“…I, is this what you brought?”

“Ah. There’s more.”

The Death Knights went outside and stacked the chests one by one.

He thought he would receive one or two leather pouches worth, but Koholti could only blink at the amount being stacked up like chests.

This was enough to last for a whole year.

“That… uh… junior. Don’t misunderstand what I’m saying… I’m not doubting you, but how did you get this?”

“First, I asked the Headmaster and received some.”

“Cough. Cough.”

Koholti and Ogoltos coughed simultaneously.

It was too far beyond expectations from the start.

“Are you alright?”

“Ah, no. It seems some dirt remained in my mouth from being in the pit earlier.”

“You were in a pit!? Why?!”

“Diret… no, we just like pits… we sometimes just go into pits.”

Ogoltos glared at his senior with contempt.

If he was going to act strange, he should do it alone; why was he dragging him into it?

“In a pit? Is it one of the Black Magic training methods?”

“Uh… well… you could say that. That’s not important; you asked the Headmaster?”

“Yes.”

“And he granted it?”

“I persuaded him.”

“……”

“……”

The two felt anew that Lee Han was receiving Headmaster Skull’s favor.

Which student would receive such love?

“Amazing. Really. What about the other one?”

“I asked Professor Thunderfoot for this.”

“Wasn’t that professor a bit… stingy?”

Professor Thunderfoot was known among the students as a miser.

For such a person to just give it away?

“I persuaded him.”

“……”

“……”

The two began to feel faint, unsure of what this junior meant by ‘persuaded.’