Surviving As A Mage In A Magic Academy [EN]: Chapter 630

Bishop Ines blinked, surprised. He hadn’t expected Yihan to react like that to a simple question.

Bishop Ines raised an eyebrow, a small smile playing on his lips. “You seem to have a… *very* interesting relationship with your student, Yihan?”

Yihan’s eyes widened. “Good? *Good* relationship?” His voice was sharper than he intended. Normally, he was calm and controlled, but the words ‘good relationship with the Skeleton Headmaster’ seemed to push a button.

The Skeleton Headmaster answered instead.

Yihan clenched his fists. For a split second, he imagined grabbing the nearest chair… but he took a deep breath instead.

‘Did he just use mind magic on me?’

Barely regaining his composure, Yihan asked the question that had been on his mind.

“But what’s the problem with being a thief?”

Someone who doesn’t know Einrogaard might think it’s a place for polite and clever wizards. After all, the Empire’s best come here. But really, Einrogaard is more like a battlefield where everyone is fighting for themselves.

And in this situation, it wasn’t nobles who thrived, but thieves.

Even Yihan knew that a well-raised Ratford was worth more than ten Gainans. If it weren’t for Ratford’s skills, he would have been in the disciplinary room several more times.

Yihan thought, ‘Actually, a thief is a useful talent here. Maybe Einrogaard needs *more* thieves.’ He even imagined sending an invitation himself. ‘Less royals and nobles, more people like Ratford,’ he mused.

“I’m touched, Wodanaz. To think you believe that even thieves should be given an equal opportunity to learn.”

“Ah, no. That’s not what I meant… Anyway, Einrogaard doesn’t mind thieves. In fact, it’s good…”

“Quiet, quiet,” the Skeleton Headmaster said, holding up a hand. He looked surprised by Yihan’s words.

The other students were under a binding contract, but this Wodanaz wasn’t, so the truth sometimes slipped out.

“Of course, thieves can enter Einrogaard. That’s a good thing. But if a priest serving Bildotzcal is a thief, that’s a slightly different story.”

If he was just a thief, it would be fine to steal. But what if a priest serving Bildotzcal couldn’t control himself and stole?

That would be a problem as a priest. A priest should embrace and reform thieves, not engage in thievery himself.

‘Ah, I see. That’s true.’

Yihan felt a bit awkward. He seemed to be too immersed in Einrogaard. To think that his first thought was, ‘Wouldn’t it be good if he’s a thief?’

“Well, it would be a bit difficult if he steals while being with the priests. The Turtle Tower guys can control that sort of thing, but the Phoenix Tower priests are a bit…”

The Skeleton Headmaster nodded as if he understood.

“The Phoenix Tower priests are… the kindest of all the towers,” the Skeleton Headmaster said. “They are like doves. You can’t put a hawk among doves, can you?”

“Hey, now. The Phoenix Tower priests aren’t *that* soft,” Yihan argued. “If you steal from them, they’ll definitely make you regret it.”

“……”

“……”

At Yihan’s words, the Skeleton Headmaster and the bishop were simultaneously silent.

While the bishop was amazed, the Skeleton Headmaster sighed and said,

“The priests in your grade are unique.”

“Is that so?”

‘You’re the cause…’

The Skeleton Headmaster looked at Yihan, feeling dumbfounded. No matter how he thought about it, there was no reason for the change other than Wodanaz.

Of course, the Skeleton Headmaster was very pleased with the changes in the priests who had entered this year. Even if they were priests, it was difficult to achieve magical accomplishments if they were passive and inactive.

…But haven’t they changed a bit too much? Last time, the Death Knights seemed to have reported, ‘The Phoenix Tower freshmen raided the kitchen!’…

“I understand,” the Skeleton Headmaster said firmly. “I’ll have a word with him.”

Yihan frowned, confused. “But… how will *you* persuade him?” he asked. “You’re not even a priest of Bildotzcal.” The Skeleton Headmaster just smiled mysteriously. “Ah, no, *you* will.”

“No. This really doesn’t make sense. How can I persuade a priest I’m meeting for the first time? We have nothing in common!”

Yihan grumbled as he walked out of the bishop’s office.

The bishop was flustered and asked,

“Is it alright?”

“Don’t worry. It’s his hobby to grumble like that and still get it done.”

“…???”

“Priest Karre?” Yihan called out, walking through the temple area. He was looking for the new priest, the freshman.

He spotted a young priest who looked nervous and quick, like a startled squirrel. “Priest Karre?” Yihan asked. The young priest jumped. “No! I’m Ines!” he insisted, his voice a little too high.

“Arise, emotions.”

Yihan used a simple magic spell to sense emotions. “Emotion Sense,” he murmured, then spoke again.

“Are you really not Priest Karre?”

“Why… why are you doing this? What did I do wrong? Sniff. I’m Ines.”

“Ines is the *Bishop’s* name,” Yihan pointed out, raising an eyebrow.

“Oh,” Karre said quickly, “well, we’re… namesakes! Yes, namesakes!” He tried to look innocent, but it didn’t quite work.

“Priest Karre. I actually know everything.”

Karre sighed, finally giving in. “Fine! I’m Priest Karre. But really, the Bishop talks too much! Telling a stranger my name? What if you were dangerous?”

“Actually, he didn’t tell me.”

“……”

Karre was shocked. He thought he was a handsome aristocrat who had never lied, but he had been tricked.

“A swindler!” Karre exclaimed, looking betrayed.

“Well,” Yihan said calmly, “you learn to see through lies quickly in Einrogaard. And I don’t usually lie.”

Karre’s eyes widened in realization. “Wait… you’re a senior student?!”

Yihan nodded and gestured for him to sit down.

Karre sat down with a face full of excitement.

“I got an invitation to Einrogaard!” Karre said excitedly. “I heard it’s like a dream!”

Yihan blinked, taken aback. ‘A dream?’ he thought. He had come to talk about being a priest, but first, he had to deal with *this* misunderstanding.

“Actually, Einrogaard is…”

“Speak comfortably, Senior!”

“Um. Okay. Actually, Einrogaard is a doggone awful place.”

“Weren’t you a little too comfortable with that?”

Karre looked at Yihan, flustered. He didn’t expect him to speak so comfortably.

“What did you hear about Einrogaard, Priest Karre?”

“I heard there are huge feasts every night, mountains of delicious food, and rich nobles just throwing money around!”

Yihan shook his head gently. “Almost everything you heard is… not true.”

Karre’s face fell. “Really? No mountains of food? No easy money?” He looked truly disappointed.

“Einrogaard is closer to a cold, hungry, and painful place. There’s no need to come if you don’t want to learn magic.”

“But there was also this song on the invitation.”

“What song?”

Karre hummed and sang a song.

“Einrogaard. Einrogaard. It’s so good. A place with warm meals and fluffy beds. Einrogaard. The juniors will soon come and enjoy this paradise. Einrogaard.”

“……”

Yihan shuddered at the Skeleton Headmaster’s wickedness. He put this on the invitation and spread it!?

“…That’s a fake song. I don’t know what vile and dirty bastard sang that fake song.”

“Wow, really!? Is it okay for a senior to say that!?”

“There aren’t many trustworthy seniors in Einrogaard. Don’t trust me too much either.”

Karre drooped his shoulders in disappointment. He was planning to make a lot of money in Einrogaard.

“Are you not interested in magic?”

“I am, though.”

“Are you interested in… magic that makes you invisible? Magic to open any lock? Magic to vanish in a blink? Magic to hide in shadows? Magic to see in the dark?” Yihan listed, watching Karre.

Karre gasped, stepping back as if Yihan had read his mind. “How did you know?!”

“I have a friend who is an excellent thief.”

“Hmph. I’m better.”

“That’s for you two to figure out… Anyway, if you’re interested in magic in that way and are prepared for a difficult life, I recommend coming to Einrogaard. Junior. It’s a good place to learn magic.”

“Oh, I thought you would tell me not to be interested in magic with impure intentions.”

“Actually,” Yihan added, a hint of a smile finally touching his lips, “I’m learning magic to make money too.”

Karre stared at Yihan’s usually serious face, then burst out laughing. He laughed so hard he had to catch his breath. He hadn’t expected a joke from someone who looked so… serious all the time.

“?”

“Hah, hah… It’s unfair to suddenly make a joke like that. Then, can I really go in?”

“If you’re prepared for a difficult life.”

“Senior. I was a thief who wasn’t even affiliated with a thieves’ guild. A difficult life is just my daily life.”

“I see. The friend I mentioned earlier is also adapting well.”

“Thieves are originally outstanding.”

Karre boasted.

Yihan asked cautiously,

“But apart from your intentions, the bishop is worried.”

“Ah.”

Karre became gloomy again.

“Is the bishop telling me not to go in?”

“Not that… He seems worried because you’re a priest but can’t control yourself.”

“I’m not a priest, I’m a thief.”

“You’re wearing a priest’s robe?”

“The bishop forced me to wear it because he was worried.”

Karre complained. Bishop Ines was a figure respected by all the thieves and mercenaries in the area thanks to his innate character.

Not all priests of the order were kind to criminals. Even in the Aphah Order, if criminals steal, a firestorm immediately flies at them…

The person Ines was most worried about was Karre. If he wasn’t affiliated with a guild and didn’t receive protection, and kept doing things on his own, it wouldn’t be strange if a problem arose at any time.

That’s why he forcibly brought him to the order and made him wear a priest’s robe. If he wore a priest’s robe, he wouldn’t be attacked in this area at least.

Of course, Karre didn’t stop stealing even after that.

“Do you not have faith in Bildotzcal?”

“I do? I believe in him in my own way. That’s why I wore the priest’s robe, even if I was forced to.”

“Then why do you steal?”

At Yihan’s question, Karre answered as if it was a stupid question.

“Because I want to be rich?”

‘I can’t argue with that!’

Yihan deeply sympathized with that honest answer. Well, Ratford believed in Bildotzcal too.

“I have to admit it.”

“Oh… I didn’t expect you to admit it.”

“Wealth is important. Whether you become rich through stealing or through other means, magic will be helpful. Maybe magic will broaden your horizons.”

“Then I’ll go in!”

“No. I mean, you have to persuade the bishop to let you in.”

“Ah.”

Karre looked dejected and asked cautiously,

“Do you have a way, Senior?”

Karre’s eyes widened at Yihan’s words.

“What is it?!”

“The bishop is worried that you can’t control yourself and might get hurt.”

“That’s right…”

“Then,” Yihan said, “show the Bishop you’ve changed. Show him you can stop stealing, that you have self-control.”

Karre made a face, like he’d tasted something sour. “Easy for you to say,” he grumbled.

“Who doesn’t know that? I can’t do that for the rest of my life. I would have done it a long time ago if I could.”

“I’m not telling you to endure it for the rest of your life?”

“??”

“I’m telling you to endure it only until you enter Einrogaard. Once you’re in Einrogaard,” Yihan continued, “you’ll probably end up stealing anyway. It’s… that kind of place.”

Karre was silent for a moment, thinking. Einrogaard sounded less like a dream and more… complicated than he’d imagined.