Surviving As A Mage In A Magic Academy [EN]: Chapter 606

Silvas listened to the story, his eyes widening as it went on. By the time Lee Han finished, Silvas was nodding quickly, a tear in the corner of his eye. Without even thinking, he had already signed the document.

“I promise! I will support this research on what trolls like to eat! The Empire *must* study this! In fact, we should be ashamed we haven’t started already!” Silvas declared, his voice full of feeling.

“Thank you,” Lee Han said, letting out a quiet sigh of relief.

*This* official, Silvas, was much kinder than the Skeleton Headmaster. Lee Han smiled to himself. It was easier than he thought to get what he wanted by touching someone’s feelings.

*’That was lucky,’* Lee Han thought. He finished saying goodbye and stepped out, pulling out the next research paper.

-Research on the Most Efficient Wand-Wielding Motion

Lee Han frowned, reading the title of the next proposal. He walked down the long hallway, thinking hard. Sunlight streamed through the tall windows, making dust motes dance in the air.

“More and more wizards are getting hurt because they move their wands wrong each year,” he muttered to himself. “Even at Einroguard, over ten students get injured every year. Some people think it’s because of *how* they move their wands…”

He pushed open the door to the outside and stepped onto the sunny terrace of the >Rock Spirit’s Apple Jam Cafe<. The Skeleton Headmaster was already there, waiting for him. The Skeleton Headmaster, who had tasted the finest foods in the Empire, was usually bored by the popular cafes in the capital. But this place was different. "Amazing," he said, taking another spoonful of dark broth. "The coffee and apple pie are good, but this rock soup... it truly touches your soul." *Creak!* The small rock spirit, who was serving him, peeked shyly from behind the counter. The Skeleton Headmaster dropped a few coins as a tip. "Keep up the good work," he said kindly. "Headmaster!" Lee Han called, walking towards him. "Ah, you're here," the Skeleton Headmaster said, seeing Lee Han's tired face. He waved to an empty chair. "You're later than I thought. Persuading those officials is like arguing with bandits, isn't it?" "Not exactly bandits..." Lee Han said, sitting down. "Hmph. Officials are all a bit like thieves. Want to test my theory?" The Skeleton Headmaster grinned, a flash of teeth in his skull-like face. He turned to a young woman walking by. "Excuse me! Are imperial officials thieves, or not thieves?" The woman jumped, startled. "Well... they can be a bit greedy sometimes!" she said quickly, then hurried away. "See?" The Skeleton Headmaster chuckled. "Maybe she just had a bad experience with taxes," Lee Han mumbled. The Skeleton Headmaster ignored him and pushed the bowl of rock soup towards Lee Han. "You've earned this. It's just boiled rocks, but somehow, it's... special." Lee Han looked at the grey liquid with floating bits of rock. *It looks like dishwater,* he thought, trying not to wrinkle his nose. He gently pushed the bowl back. "Thank you, but I'm not very hungry right now." "Even though it took a while," Lee Han said, "I think it went pretty well." "Oh?" The Skeleton Headmaster raised an eyebrow, genuinely surprised. He knew the proposals he'd brought were terrible. Normally, good ideas got approved easily. These were the ones everyone else had rejected – the bottom of the barrel. He'd expected Lee Han to get maybe one approved, if he was lucky. "What did you manage to get through?" he asked, still doubtful. "Everything," Lee Han said simply. The Skeleton Headmaster blinked. "...Don't joke around." "I'm serious." Lee Han laid the signed proposals on the table. Each one had the clear signature of an official, promising their support. The Skeleton Headmaster picked them up, his bony fingers turning the pages. He read one, then another, then another, his eyes scanning the words. He went back and read them all again, his silence stretching out. Lee Han started to worry. "Headmaster? Are you okay?" The Skeleton Headmaster looked up, his eye sockets seeming to shine. "Lee Han," he said, his voice a little shaky. "I am... incredibly proud of you." Lee Han blinked, confused. "...Thank you...?" Before Lee Han could say more, the Skeleton Headmaster stood up suddenly, his chair scraping on the stone terrace. He raised his arms, and his voice boomed across the cafe. "Everyone! Listen up! This amazing young man is my student! He is the... the official-persuader of Einroguard!" "Headmaster! Please, stop!" Lee Han hissed, his face turning red. But the Skeleton Headmaster was too excited to notice. "Owner!" he shouted. "Drinks and food are on me for everyone in the cafe today!" A cheer went up from the other tables. "Hooray!" "Who is this generous man?" "His student must be someone special!" A few people started chanting, "Official-persuader! Official-persuader!" Lee Han groaned and buried his face in his hands. He made a silent promise to himself: he would never, *ever* go out in public with the Skeleton Headmaster again. Morning sunlight streamed into the Skeleton Headmaster's villa in the capital. It was a grand house, though Lee Han couldn't help but notice the servants were all strangely pale and silent. He knew they were Death Knights, magically disguised. He went downstairs for breakfast and found the Skeleton Headmaster already there, in his usual human form, reading the *Imperial Daily News*. His eyes scanned the pages quickly, missing nothing. He looked up as Lee Han entered and nodded. "Yesterday was excellent," he said, a hint of a smile on his lips. "You were a bit... enthusiastic at the cafe," Lee Han said carefully. "Hmm, perhaps," the Skeleton Headmaster admitted. "But sometimes, even a powerful mage cannot contain his joy." Behind him, the Death Knights nodded in agreement, their faces still and pale. -*Master was very happy yesterday.* -*Those officials, so hard to please usually, were tricked so easily!* "They weren't tricked," Lee Han corrected. "They understood my sincere words." -*Haha, yes, of course. Sincere words,* the Death Knights echoed, exchanging knowing glances. One of them even winked, a surprisingly human gesture from a Death Knight. Lee Han sighed and sat down at the table. Breakfast was laid out: steaming rice, grilled fish with a delicate sauce, and colorful pickled vegetables. It was an Eastern-style meal. Lee Han was surprised. "Do you... like Eastern food?" he asked the Skeleton Headmaster. "My excellent official-persuader disciple," the Skeleton Headmaster said, ignoring the question. "If you keep calling me that, I really will go back to the Wodanaz family," Lee Han threatened, but his voice lacked force. "My excellent disciple," the Skeleton Headmaster repeated, his eyes still warm with approval. He was clearly still very pleased with yesterday's success. "It's just... asking a lich what kind of food he likes seems a bit pointless," Lee Han mumbled. "Ah, sorry," Lee Han said quickly. "I was just surprised you made Eastern food." "I had it prepared because I know it's to your taste," the Skeleton Headmaster said. Lee Han was even more surprised. He hadn't realized the Skeleton Headmaster paid such close attention to him. At Einroguard, he ate whatever was available – Western, Eastern, anything. It was hard to imagine anyone knowing his specific food preferences. "Thank you," Lee Han said, genuinely touched. "I'm really surprised." "Don't mention it," the Skeleton Headmaster said casually. "I also know which students are stealing snacks from the kitchens." "But you didn't know I was going out yesterday," Lee Han pointed out. The Skeleton Headmaster paused, his warm gaze flickering for a moment, then returning to its cheerful warmth. Yesterday's success truly had been remarkable. *'He uses his amazing observation skills for such silly things,'* Lee Han thought, shaking his head slightly. It was a strange talent – to be able to notice the smallest details, whether it was someone's favorite food or the perfect place to set a trap. "What are we doing today?" Lee Han asked, finishing his breakfast. "You can relax this morning," the Skeleton Headmaster said. "I have a few more meetings with officials. Now that the lower-level ones have agreed, the bosses can't really argue." "Good," Lee Han said. "I need to write some letters anyway." He had a stack of letters to send to his friends back at Einroguard, and he was always behind on his magical assignments. "And this afternoon," the Skeleton Headmaster continued, "we visit the... generous supporters of the capital." "Supporters?" Lee Han repeated, raising an eyebrow. "Not... pushovers, like you almost said?" The Skeleton Headmaster chuckled. "Did I say pushovers? My mistake. Patrons. Wealthy people who like to support Einroguard." "Right," Lee Han said slowly. "So, people who give money to Einroguard." "Exactly. And we're taking Peng-Elin with us." "Peng-Elin?" Lee Han frowned. "Why?" "Think of it like... you used your charm on the officials, right? Well, Peng-Elin has his own kind of charm for the patrons. It'll be even easier with them, trust me. My excellent disciple." "I didn't use charm," Lee Han protested. "I just explained the research." "Of course, of course," the Skeleton Headmaster said, his eyes twinkling. "Explaining things so well it's like magic. Truly impressive." Lee Han stared at a bright red tomato on the table, considering picking it up and throwing it. But then he remembered the gold coins he was expecting. Patience, he told himself. Just a little more patience. "So, the patrons are easier than the officials?" Lee Han asked, changing the subject. "Much easier," the Skeleton Headmaster confirmed. "Just do what you did last year, and it'll be fine." "What did I do last year?" Lee Han asked, genuinely confused. The Skeleton Headmaster stared at him, his eye sockets wide with disbelief. -*...He doesn't remember?* -*Unbelievable,* The Death Knights exchanged shocked glances. The wild, embarrassing things Lee Han had done in front of the patrons last year were just normal to him? He didn't even remember them? "N-Never mind," the Skeleton Headmaster stammered. "It's better if you don't remember. Just... be yourself. My excellent disciple. I'll be back later. Oh, and tell Peng-Elin to wait for his breakfast." "Wait?" Lee Han asked. "Are we going to a fancy restaurant for lunch with the patrons?" "Restaurant? No," the Skeleton Headmaster said, a strange glint in his eye sockets. "Peng-Elin will be eating sardines... in front of the patrons." Lee Han stared at him, a growing sense of unease creeping up his spine. Sardines? In front of wealthy patrons? What was going on? The Skeleton Headmaster was right. The patrons were nothing like the tight-fisted bureaucrats. They were gathered in a lavishly decorated room, all velvet drapes and glittering chandeliers. The air hummed with polite conversation and the faint scent of expensive perfume. One patron, a stout man with a booming laugh and rings on every finger, clapped the Skeleton Headmaster on the back. "Headmaster! Always a pleasure! What wonders has Einroguard cooked up this time?" The Skeleton Headmaster smiled smoothly. "Ah, Lord Grimbold, always so generous. You may have heard that our students recently achieved a breakthrough, surpassing even the alchemists' guilds in potion-making!" "Grimbold Tes Gong!" Lord Grimbold exclaimed, impressed. "Truly remarkable!" He turned to Lee Han, who stood quietly beside the Skeleton Headmaster. "And who is this young man? Another prodigy from your school?" "This is my disciple, Lee Han," the Skeleton Headmaster announced proudly. "From the esteemed Wodanaz family." Lord Grimbold's eyes widened. "Wodanaz? Indeed! A pleasure to meet you, young mage." He beamed at Lee Han, then his gaze fell upon something behind them. "And... what is *that*?" Lee Han followed his gaze. Sitting on a small, ornate cushion, right in the middle of the room, was Peng-Elin. And Peng-Elin was eating sardines. He was delicately picking them from a silver dish, chewing slowly and deliberately, with an air of utter seriousness. The smell of fish, surprisingly strong in the perfumed air, wafted through the room. A few patrons were staring, their polite conversations faltering. Lee Han felt his face flush. What was Peng-Elin doing? And why sardines? But then, Lord Grimbold chuckled, a deep, rumbling sound. "Sardines, eh? A simple taste for a complex mind! I like it! Shows he's focused on the important things, not frivolous luxuries!" He reached into his velvet pouch and pulled out a heavy bag of gold coins. "Headmaster, consider this a little extra sponsorship. For... encouraging such dedication!" "Well done," the Skeleton Headmaster said as they walked out of the patron meeting and onto the bustling street. Carriages rattled past, street vendors called out their wares, and the air was filled with the smells of food and horses. "That was much easier than dealing with those officials. No strange proposals today, thankfully." "Strange proposals?" Lee Han asked, curious. "What kind of strange proposals do patrons make?" "Ah, you wouldn't believe it," the Skeleton Headmaster sighed dramatically. "Wealthy nobles sometimes get... ideas. Ideas that are very expensive and very, very silly." He shook his head. "Like that one noble last year. He wanted Einroguard to help him build teleportation devices all over the Empire. So people could just... *poof*... travel anywhere instantly!" "Teleportation devices?" Lee Han repeated, trying to imagine it. "How would that even work?" "Exactly!" the Skeleton Headmaster exclaimed. "When I asked him that, he just shrugged and said, 'That's for the wizards to figure out, isn't it?'" Lee Han chuckled. "And what happened?" "I had to explain, very politely, that teleportation on that scale was... slightly beyond our current magical capabilities. And that maybe, just maybe, it wasn't the most practical business venture." The Skeleton Headmaster rolled his eyes. "If they weren't patrons, I would have laughed in their faces. But we have to be nice. We don't want them to go bankrupt and stop giving us money." "So, we shouldn't accept those kinds of proposals?" Lee Han asked. "Absolutely not," the Skeleton Headmaster said firmly. "Sometimes, these rich fools get it into their heads to start businesses with our sponsorship, even when they have no idea what they're doing. It almost always ends in disaster." "Oh," Lee Han said. "So... how much sponsorship did we get today?" The Skeleton Headmaster stopped walking and stared at Lee Han, a flicker of his usual coldness returning to his eye sockets. "...Did you even hear a word I just said?" "Yes, of course," Lee Han said quickly. "I was just... also wondering about the sponsorship." The Skeleton Headmaster sighed, the warmth from yesterday fading slightly. "Some things," he muttered, "will never change."