Surviving As A Mage In A Magic Academy [EN]: Chapter 537

Ethan wanted a different magic ability. But after a year in Einrogard, he learned to understand Headmaster Skull’s thoughts a little.

And now, it was happening again.

Watching the mercenaries training to leave the warehouse, he had a very clear idea of what might happen this year.

Headmaster Skull would suddenly make a fuss about an attack, warn everyone about outsiders, and then those mercenaries, who were good at fighting wizards, would rush in…

“Could it be that even those anti-magic people or adventurers from before were part of Headmaster Skull’s trap?”

He remembered last year’s ‘attack’ which felt staged. Skull always seemed to be creating drama.

Headmaster Skull would be angry if he knew what Ethan thought. But it was his own fault.

Like the story of the boy who cried wolf, Headmaster Skull had lied too many times. No one believed him anymore.

Ethan peered through the cracks in the warehouse wall at the mercenaries.

It was strange to see mercenaries who looked like they could easily kill people, now scared of a Death Knight and talking about ‘how to deal with wizards.’

‘I’ll remember their faces and warn the others to be careful.’

Having finished his final exam, or rather, confirming the mercenaries, Ethan turned away.

He needed to return quickly to avoid making people suspicious.

Ethan quickly walked back to the café, trying not to be noticed. As he got closer, he could hear a loud noise coming from inside.

Ethan was very confused when he got back to the café.

The applause was even louder than before, when Ipadur sang. It came from everywhere in the café!

‘What’s going on? Has Einrogard fallen or something?’

It was hard to imagine such applause unless Einrogard was collapsing.

In the loud noise, Ethan grabbed the elf merchant next to him. He tried to speak calmly,

“What happened?”

The elf couldn’t answer, still very emotional and crying.

“Please, just one more song!”

“One more song! One more!”

“I think I should be going. More importantly, where is that Wodanaz fellow?”

At Headmaster Skull’s words, Ethan raised his hand.

“I’m here.”

“Why are you over there?”

“There were so many people, I got pushed to the back.”

“Ethan, honestly! Have you been paying attention in Einrogard at all? Or have you just been daydreaming in a field somewhere?”

Headmaster Skull scolded Ethan and gestured.

The people were very emotional. They looked happy and tried to touch Headmaster Skull, but they were pushed back by magic.

“Let’s go. I have to do all this because students want to learn magic.”

“Oh, it was truly moving.”

Ethan said carefully.

He hadn’t heard Headmaster Skull’s song, but judging from the reactions, it must have been very touching.

Ipadur strongly agreed. The old minstrel’s eyes were wet.

“Yes! This kind of song is why I am still a poet!”

‘What on earth did he sing?’

Ethan thought that Headmaster Skull had used Death Knights to scare them into being moved.

“Enough. It’s not a compliment that makes me feel good.”

“How on earth did you learn such an amazing song?”

“I learned it when I was a prince, to make the people in the palace happy. It was a long time ago.”

Ipadur was touched by the sad story.

But Ethan was still a little confused.

‘I can’t imagine it.’

Hearing about Headmaster Skull’s childhood only made him feel puzzled.

It was like hearing, ‘Professor Volardy was a very kind little boy in his childhood,’ which would only be confusing.

“Let’s go. We need to stop by a place before they close.”

“Yes? Where to?”

“We need to get an instrument, of course. If you’re going to practice music magic.”

The central part of Granden City was quiet. Rich people and nobles often went there.

There were many old shops there. One of them was called ‘Inphalenin’s Trio’.

“Ah, I’ve heard the name. He’s an excellent instrument maker.”

“Maybe. He was very good when I asked him about magic objects before.”

‘Why Trio?’

Ethan wondered as he followed them into the shop.

The shop was amazing, like a museum filled with music. The smell of polished wood hung in the air. Violins, flutes, harps, and strange instruments Ethan had never seen lined the walls.

The sound of a small zither could be heard from somewhere, then it stopped.

Then, Inphalenin appeared. He was an Asura, with three heads that turned to look at them and six arms that gestured nervously.

“R-really… In all my life! The two most important people I can think of, in my small shop…!”

“Calm yourself. And keep your arms still.”

Headmaster Skull quickly stopped Inphalenin, worried he might knock over an instrument with his six arms.

Headmaster Skull did not want the nice shop to be ruined with broken instruments.

“Welcome, Headmaster Skull! It’s… it’s a great honor to have you here. Were you perhaps needing help with… with another artifact? I… I would be happy to try, though I know my skills are… are perhaps not always enough.”

“We are not here for a magic object today.”

Inphalenin’s face brightened at Headmaster Skull’s words.

“That’s good! I was not sure I could do what that wizard wanted!”

Ethan looked at Headmaster Skull, somehow understanding the things that wizard does.

Headmaster Skull sighed, looking truly sorry.

“…I’m sorry about that. You don’t have to worry about being involved with that fellow again. If I need your help again, I will keep him away from you.”

“No, it was an honor that you trusted me. But I was not good enough.”

“We came to buy an instrument today. My student here is going to perform… Ah, right. Do you know how to play any instruments?”

Headmaster Skull asked, not expecting much.

He was planning to choose the easiest instrument for him since he probably didn’t know any, like a pan flute or a kalimba…

“I know how to play the violin.”

“The violin?”

Headmaster Skull was surprised by the answer.

Music was part of the education of nobles, but only for listening, not playing.

It is very hard to play well, and nobles are usually lazy.

So, for a Wodanaz boy to play the violin… that’s surprising.

“The Wodanaz family doesn’t even have concerts often, do they? You must really like music.”

“No…”

Ethan was surprised. He had just mentioned learning an instrument without thinking, and now he was being treated like he loved music.

“I’m not that fond of music, though.”

“Yes, yes, of course. That’s what you’d say.”

“……”

The skeletal Headmaster ignored Ethan’s words, as if they were unimportant sounds, like pebbles rolling on the ground, before turning to discuss instruments with Ipadur.

Ethan glared at the skeletal Headmaster.

“How about this one?”

“The wood is too strong and untamed. It would make the music sound harsh.”

“Indeed, you speak truly. This one’s shape of the back is too strange. Though the resonance is good, it would instill bad habits.”

“Excellent point. Ah, this one is quite fine. It uses Red Duskwood.”

“Red Duskwood? Hmm, maybe it has too much magical energy… Still, let us set it aside for now. We shall know once we play it.”

The excited Inpallenin hurried over as well.

“In my opinion, this one might suit the student. I waited a month in the frigid Gold Dust Mountains to acquire the wood for this bow…”

Ethan, who had been silently watching the three of them chatter away, suddenly grew curious and asked,

“By the way, Headmaster, who’s paying for these instruments? Surely not me…?”

“Don’t speak such nonsense! Someone might misunderstand.”

The skeletal Headmaster reacted faster than usual, perhaps because there were ears nearby.

“Of course, I shall pay with my own gold. It is a necessary item for magical research, after all.”

“Oh? Is that alright?”

“Yes, though it pains me to no end. Remember this well: saving money on magic research now will only cost more money later.”

‘Is this why the Empire’s officials dislike Einrogaard?’

There was a certain logic to the skeletal Headmaster’s words.

If one tried to save gold by using cheap materials and equipment, the results could be flawed.

Which would ultimately necessitate re-experimentation, and the costs would only multiply…

To avoid such a predicament, it was best to prepare as thoroughly as possible from the start.

Of course, such reasoning held little sway with the officials in charge of the Empire’s finances.

Imagine officials getting reports like, ‘We burned half a ton of gold on magic, and it’s still not done! We need more money!’ Reports like that would make them very angry and confused.

“Thank you. I will use it well.”

“Yes, but don’t go selling it.”

“……”

“Why can’t you answer immediately?”

“I was briefly worried someone might steal it.”

“Fear not. I shall place a magical enchantment upon it, and if anyone steals it, I will chase after them and retrieve it.”

‘Tch.’

Ethan clicked his tongue inwardly at the skeletal Headmaster’s firm words.

It seemed impossible to sell it, no matter what excuse he came up with.

“It would be best to choose one of these three…”

“I concur.”

After a long and drawn-out discussion, the choices were narrowed down to three.

One was made from a fully grown Eight-Span Tree, a stable violin that Inpallenin had created by taking the best aspects of the Empire’s most famous violins.

Another was made using a young Red Duskwood. The structure of the body and fingerboard was quite adventurous, making it less stable but possessing a unique flavor, ideal for growing alongside a young performer.

And the last one was not a violin made by Inpallenin, but one he had purchased.

The previous performer died due to a love affair, the one before that died in a tragic accident during a performance, and the one before that died in a fire—it was an ominous object with a history full of bad luck and death.

“The first one seems the safest bet…”

“I agree. Considering the student’s lack of experience…”

Ethan was naturally inclined to choose the first one, but the skeletal Headmaster made a strong statement.

“The third one is best.”

“Why on earth?”

The skeletal Headmaster answered Ethan’s question as if it were absurd.

“Can you not sense the magical power? It is rare for such power to reside in a natural object.”

“No…”

‘I came to choose an instrument, not an enchanted object!’

Of course, Ethan was aware of the magical power emanating from the third violin.

It was just terribly ominous and violent.

All of its owners had met tragic fates; it would have been stranger if the magical power it exuded were pure and serene.

“Considering music magic, one should naturally choose an object with high magical power.”

“But it’s an ominous object.”

“Look at your arm.”

” ? ”

Ethan looked at his arm at the skeletal Headmaster’s words.

The cursed artifacts he usually wore jingled.

“And here you are, draped in cursed artifacts… Take this.”

“A-are you really sure? This isn’t something we put out for sale…”

“Then it should be cheaper!”

By the time all the appointments were finished, the weekend was nearly over.

Ethan sighed as the carriage passed through the gates of Einrogaard.

Even Ethan felt a pang of regret as the golden weekend came to an end.

“Oh.”

The skeletal Headmaster spoke without thinking as he looked ahead, and Ethan followed his gaze.

Professor Voladi was waiting with a blank expression.

“Why is the Professor standing there like that?”

“Ah… Blast. I forgot. Begrek Professor was supposed to teach you something this weekend.”

“Why on the weekend?”

“His schedule must have been packed with other professors during the weekdays.”

“…?”

Ethan tilted his head, feeling something strange about the conversation.

‘What is going on?’

“Professor Begrek! Sorry to bother you, but it’s not what it looks like!”

The skeletal Headmaster got out of the carriage and approached Professor Voladi. Ethan, helping Ipadur out of the carriage, was surprised by what happened next.

“This fellow is very interested in music magic and insisted on going out together. So, I had no choice. Well, I’m off.”

The skeletal Headmaster returned to his skeletal form and vanished with a *whoosh*.

Ethan met the expressionless gaze of Professor Voladi and inadvertently glanced at Ipadur.

‘Hmm. I’m out of options.’

Ethan’s magic was too lacking to blame Ipadur and disappear.