Surviving As A Mage In A Magic Academy [EN]: Chapter 636

Many wizards had contracts with lower-level spirits. So, people in the Empire knew more about spirits than you might think.

Even fairy tales had stories of kids escaping danger by talking to spirits.

But really, most of those stories weren’t true. Regular people couldn’t talk to spirits.

Spirits were from another dimension. You needed strong contracts or magic to cross that barrier.

For example, even Ihan didn’t know the true name of the spirit that the Pengaerin family had a contract with.

Ihan has a powerful spirit, Perkontra. Perkontra can even talk to humans. But Ihan still didn’t know the spirit’s name. Only someone from the Pengaerin family would know it.

But to naturally speak the spirit language…

“Arsil, what kind of magic are you researching? How can you speak the language of spirits?”

“Brother is not a wizard.”

“What?!”

Alsicle was even more surprised than when he heard that Arsil could naturally speak the spirit language.

To have so much talent and not be a wizard.

“But why?!”

Arsil shrugged and said something. Ihan listened and told Alsicle,

“He’s not interested in magic.”

Alsicle was shocked. He thought this was crazy.

If you can control spirits so well, isn’t that enough? Do you have to turn heaven and earth upside down to be considered talented?

“Ah, no. Haha. Oh, come on. You’re exaggerating,” Ihan said.

“What did he say?” Alsicle asked.

Ihan replied, “He says he’s not as good at magic as me. But he’s just being nice because we have a guest.”

Alsicle thought, *That makes sense.*

The Wodanaz family in front of him didn’t seem more talented than Ihan, except for being loved by spirits.

“How can someone naturally speak the language of spirits? Even spirit hybrids would have a hard time…” Alsicle muttered, shocked.

Some spirit hybrids inherit strong spirit traits. They might be asexual or use spirit abilities naturally.

But even they can’t naturally speak the spirit language. At best, they might hear a few words from a spirit they’re very close to.

To naturally speak the spirit language and be so close to spirits, wouldn’t they have to be a spirit themselves?

*Is he really not a spirit?* Alsicle wondered if Arsil might be a spirit of the Wodanaz family.

That would explain a lot.

He can speak the spirit language (because he’s a spirit). He can talk with Ihan (because he’s from the contracted family).

“Pengaerin?”

“Huh? What is it?” Alsicle asked, looking up at Ihan.

The two Wodanaz brothers were looking at him. Arsil was giving him a curious look.

Ihan said, “My brother wants to see you eat a sardine… Sorry about that.”

“Ah, no. I just wanted to eat a sardine,” Alsicle replied.

“Yes. It’s possible. He even controls demons. Right. Hmm. Yes. It’s possible. He even controls demons.”

“Pengaerin, you’ve said that almost a hundred times now,” Ihan said.

“Like a broken record?” Alsicle asked.

Ihan shushed him. “Pengaerin is just surprised.”

Alsicle, finally snapping out of his shock, said, “Ah, no. I’m just… surprised. It’s an amazing ability.”

“Oh, come on. I have similar abilities,” Ihan said.

“What!? You can also talk to spirits?!” Alsicle asked, startled.

So, the conversation he had with Arsil wasn’t just because they were brothers. Ihan could also speak the spirit language?

“No. I make spirits run away. Just kidding. Sorry,” Ihan said.

Alsicle was speechless. Arsil laughed and tapped the table.

“I was so surprised, I didn’t even greet Arsil properly… Tell him I’m sorry,” Alsicle said.

“He doesn’t mind,” Ihan replied.

“So, what does Arsil *do*?” Alsicle asked, nodding towards Arsil.

“Treasures,” Ihan said simply. “He looks for treasures.”

Alsicle’s eyes went to the worn leather backpack at Arsil’s feet. *Ancient artifacts? Powerful magical objects?* He leaned forward. “Is *that* it?” he asked, pointing at the bag. “The treasure?”

Arsil beamed and nodded.

Alsicle frowned. He couldn’t feel any magic coming from it. “But… I don’t feel any magic?”

Ihan sighed, translating Arsil’s words. “He says… treasures don’t *have* to be magical. They can be… old things.” He hesitated. “Things with… history.”

Arsil added something else, and Ihan’s face turned slightly pink. “Okay, um… he says these are less than thirty years old.”

Alsicle blinked. “Thirty years old? What’s so special about that?”

Ihan mumbled, “They have… *charm* because they’re old. And… he’s going to give them to the spirits.”

Alsicle was even more confused.

It all just looked like junk you’d find on the street.

He’s going to give that to the picky spirits?

Alsicle knew that spirits had specific requirements for gifts. He’d needed their help when researching magic.

If you gave them a bad gift, they might get angry.

Arsil gave a chipped and cracked ceramic cup as a gift. The drought spirit sitting on his shoulder was very happy and flew away to the spirit realm.

Alsicle stared in disbelief.

Were spirits really that happy with gifts?

“Amazing. Really. I didn’t know spirits would be so happy,” Alsicle said.

“Oh, right. Brother. I made a contract with a spirit,” Ihan said.

Arsil pointed to Perkontra’s symbol and asked with interest. Ihan shook his head.

“You don’t have to worry about that. Look here,” Ihan said.

Ihan summoned the sparrow spirit and the squirrel spirit.

Arsil smiled. He was happy to see his younger brother, who usually had trouble with spirits, getting along so well.

He was a little curious why Ihan wasn’t showing off the mighty lightning spirit.

As soon as they were summoned, the sparrow spirit and the squirrel spirit ran to Arsil and climbed onto his shoulders.

“Okay. This way,” Ihan said to the two spirits. But they were too busy playing on Arsil’s shoulders to listen.

Ihan’s face darkened.

“…I said come this way?”

The spirits didn’t listen. Only after Arsil nudged them did they finally notice Ihan.

The two spirits hurried to Ihan and tried to climb onto his shoulders.

But Ihan coldly moved away.

Arsil, who had been happily watching his younger brother play with the spirits, rummaged through his backpack. He seemed to remember something. He called out to Ihan.

“Yes, Brother. Ah, a gift? It’s really okay. It’s to celebrate surviving a year under the evil, corrupt official. Who’s the evil, corrupt official… Ah. The headmaster. Thank you,” Ihan said.

Alsicle carefully asked, “Do you not get along with Headmaster Gonadaltes?”

“Well, it seems the headmaster buys a lot of treasures,” Ihan said.

Arsil traveled around the Empire looking for treasures and artifacts. He was different from regular collectors.

Imperial collectors waited and bought items from adventurers at auctions. Arsil did the work himself.

He hated seeing artifacts he wanted end up with adventurers and then collectors who just had money.

*Oops. I also buy a lot at auction houses,* Alsicle thought with guilt.

Wealthy nobles often went to auctions. It was fun to see all the different items.

“You’re asking if Pengaerin also buys a lot of treasures? Oh, come on. Pengaerin wouldn’t do that,” Ihan said.

“G-Gonadaltes is really too much! He should give the treasures to the students, but he’s taking them all for himself!” Alsicle said, criticizing Gonadaltes.

Arsil smiled as if he agreed.

“You want me to choose one of these? But Brother, the treasures you brought were often dangerous… You’re saying it’s different this time? But you said that last time too,” Ihan said.

Arsil looked at Ihan with innocent eyes. It was hard to hate him, even if he was an enemy, because he looked like a spirit.

But Ihan was cold-hearted.

“The gift you gave me last time had a monster coming out when I wound it up. Alarong had a hard time catching it,” Ihan said.

Alsicle realized something.

Just because someone looked like a spirit didn’t mean they were sane.

*Let’s get a grip. This is the Wodanaz family!* Alsicle thought.

“You’re saying it’s really different this time? You carefully picked them out and brought them? Hmm. You really didn’t have to… I see. What’s this dagger? It burns the opponent’s blood when you stab them? Hmm. I’ll pass on this for now. What’s this landscape painting? The coastline at the far west of the Empire? Ah, you just drew it yourself?” Ihan asked.

Arsil nodded.

He had been traveling in the west when he saw the aurora and quickly drew it because he thought of his younger brother.

*I should pass on this,* Ihan thought.

Ihan passed it over. It was worth even less than the cursed dagger. Arsil was a little disappointed.

“What’s this necklace? If you break the jewel, a demon comes out? Is it contracted? It’s not contracted. Hmm. Then it’ll just attack randomly?” Ihan asked.

Arsil nodded.

That necklace was found deep in the ruins of the southern Great Desert of the Empire.

The design was beautiful, and the demon inside even had a name.

A great gift should have a surprising twist.

Ihan coldly passed over the necklace. Arsil was disappointed.

“What’s this cloak? Does it turn you into a berserker if you put it on? Ah. It’s just a cloak of defense? Then I’ll take this. No. It’s okay. I won’t change my mind. This is good. It’s not boring at all? It’s fun enough? Look at this cloak design. It’s intriguing,” Ihan said.

Alsicle could only hear Ihan’s voice, but he felt like he knew what was happening.

“You are the best coachman in the Empire!” Gainando said.

“Hehe. Just leave it to me,” the coachman replied.

Gainando lay down in the carriage. It was the most comfortable position in the Empire.

The carriage was pulled by eight horses. The coachman was hired directly by the family and drove smoothly.

Gainando nodded as he watched the scenery change quickly.

*I’ll be there soon?* he thought.

The carriage stopped briefly at a fork in the road.

The coachman stopped to let the horses rest and asked someone for directions.

“Excuse me. Is this the right way to the Wodanaz family?”

“Are you going to the Wodanaz family?” the passerby asked.

“Yes. As a guest…”

The passerby suddenly turned and ran away.

“…?!”