Surviving As A Mage In A Magic Academy [EN]: Chapter 654

“This way! Please wait a moment.”

The gatekeepers guarding the Kraha family’s mansion called for the servants as soon as the Valdrogard students arrived.

The students were immediately impressed by the vast mansion grounds. Among the noble families with a long history, few were as wealthy as the Kraha family.

“The Kraha family is truly amazing. It would be cool if someone from the Kraha family went to Valdrogard, right?”

“I agree. I heard there’s a wizard about our age who entered Einrogard.”

“Ah, you mean the Prince.”

“Hmph. I don’t like the royals. Too many of them, and they’re all stuck-up.”

“Watch your mouth, Basiu! The royals are the descendants of the great Emperor. They deserve respect.”

Ingsen came from a family loyal to the royals, and Basiu from a family that wanted nobles to have more power. Even though they were close friends, they often disagreed on such matters.

“Ingsen, I respect you, but I’ll take back what I said. Some royals deserve praise! But what about the others?”

“I won’t say all royals are outstanding! But only a few are lazy and spoiled. They’re the ones who ruin the Imperial Family’s honor! The Kraha family’s Prince will surely be someone to respect.”

“Hmph. I won’t respect him unless he’s a Valdrogard student. As an Einrogard student, he might be twisted and mean.”

“No. Since he’s from the Kraha family, he won’t be easily influenced even if the Einrogard seniors are mean and vulgar.” Ingsen believed in the Kraha family name.

If the Prince had Kraha family blood, he would surely deserve the trust of the families loyal to the royals.

“Ugh, this is awful!”

“?”

“The inside was better. It was full of rotten soil… Gasp. What am I saying! This crazy mouth, this crazy mouth!”

A boy with bright blond hair, wearing clothes that were too big and patched in several places, was digging in a shady area with a hoe and dirt shovel. He looked tired and frustrated.

Intrigued, the two got off their horses and walked closer.

“Basiu, what do you think he’s doing?”

“Hmm. Judging by his clothes, he seems to be a servant of the mansion… Is he digging up rotten soil?”

“Could it be for a magic ingredient?”

“Is there magic that uses rotten soil?”

Valdrogard didn’t teach black magic. So, the students wondered if any magic used rotten soil.

“The Empire has all sorts of strange magic… Maybe there is.”

“Basiu, let’s help him.” Ingsen said, grabbing his wand. Basiu looked confused.

“Help a servant with his work? Are you serious? We are guests of the Kraha family!”

It was shameful for a noble to help a servant.

Why should a visiting noble do lowly work when the servants here could do it?

“You heard right. But we’ll help with magic, which is different.”

“Ingsen, I’m always amazed by your wisdom!” Basiu admired his friend’s cleverness.

It was shameful for a noble to squat down and dig up soil with a servant, but helping with magic was a kind and generous act.

How much would the servant praise them in the mansion?

“Hey, you there!” Ingsen called out to the servant boy. Gainando turned his head, looking puzzled.

“Looks like you have to dig up soil, so we’ll help you. Step aside!”

“Huh…?”

“Gather, soil. Gather, soil. Gather, soil…” Ingsen focused, chanting the spell.

Gainando blinked, not understanding what they were doing because they were casting the spell so slowly. Then, he realized.

“Wait, are you by any chance…”

“…Gather!”

Whoosh!

The soil Gainando was digging gushed upwards.

It was a lot of rotten soil.

Ingsen wiped the sweat from his forehead and smiled.

“How is it? This should be enough for you to collect.”

“…What in the world are you talking about?! You idiots!” Gainando shouted, his face turning red.

“?!”

Ingsen and Basiu were shocked and speechless. They never thought they would hear such words from a servant at the mansion they were visiting.

“H-h-how dare you say that…”

“What do you mean, how dare I say that? I can say it a hundred times! You brainless beetles! You clumsy oafs!” Gainando stomped his feet, feeling wronged.

As the curses he learned from Professor Mortum came out, the two noble boys were stunned.

“Y-you dare to insult us like this after we helped you…”

“Help? Who said I couldn’t dig up soil?! Gather, soil!”

As he waved his wand and chanted the spell, soil gushed out right next to them.

The two were so surprised they couldn’t speak.

It was more surprising than the servant cursing.

A servant could cast magic.

And faster and more accurately than them!

“H-how…?!”

“What do you mean, how?! It’s an easy spell! Are you guys really stupid? The soil loses its power when it touches magic! You have to dig it out with tools made of grave iron to keep it working!”

“T-that’s…”

“W-we didn’t know.”

“Does not knowing fix the problem?! What are you going to do?! I’ve been searching all day because it’s hard to find rotten soil!” Gainando jumped up and down.

He had been working hard all day to get black magic ingredients, but it was ruined by some crazy people.

If he went back like this, Ihan might think he was playing around.

“Come with me! You guys explain!”

“W-we have to go now.”

“Let’s go!”

The two quickly ran to their horses and rode away. The wizard boy seemed very angry and serious.

“Where are you going?! Get down now! Come back!”

“W-we’re guests! Don’t attack us!”

“What kind of crazy people are these?!”

Gainando was speechless, but he didn’t curse them. They were guests, so he couldn’t attack them.

But he was still angry and upset.

“Just wait until I catch you! I’ll bury you upside down in a pit of soil!”

“F-faster! Ride faster!”

“He wasn’t a servant. He was definitely a family wizard!” The two realized as they rode away.

That boy was a wizard from the Kraha family, not a servant.

Otherwise, his strange reaction made no sense.

Where else would you find people who ignored rules and acted as strangely as the wizards of the Empire?

“He looks young, but is he really a family wizard?”

“He must have been using a potion to hide his age!”

“Wizards are really strange people. I’m glad Valdrogard is different!”

* * * * *

“So, some strange guests used magic on the rotten soil you found and ran away, making it all useless?”

“Yeah.”

“……”

The friends looked at Gainando strangely. Eandurde said, “Liar!”

“No! You’re a junior, accusing a senior?! If you don’t believe me, come with me! I’ll show you!”

“Calm down, Gainando,” Ihan said, trying to calm him down.

He didn’t really believe Gainando. He had lied like this before.

-Ihan. The Headmaster’s helper stole my homework.

-Ihan. The Headmaster’s helper chewed up my magic book.

-Ihan. The Headmaster’s…

-Hey. Stop it.

These lies worked because they could actually happen in Einrogard.

Whether the lie was true or not, Ihan got what was needed.

“Here. Isn’t this enough?”

“Huh?! You had it?!”

“I can do black magic too, so I carry ingredients. Here, take it. It’s good quality soil, so it should be enough for black magic. You need ingredients in case the Valdrogard students come.” Ihan took out a bottle of rotten soil from his pouch and gave it to Gainando.

“Ihan…!” Gainando was touched.

Yoner looked at the soil, confused.

‘Where did he get it?’

It was easy to get in Einrogard because the black magic students lived near their magic towers, but it shouldn’t be easy to get outside.

“How did you get it?”

“I stopped by the Moradi family’s land and packed it when I had time.”

“……”

Yoner was shocked that Ihan would pack rotten soil when visiting another family’s mansion.

‘I have to keep it a secret from Moradi…’

If Giselle knew, she would be angry, saying, ‘Who goes to someone else’s family and digs up rotten soil when they have free time?’

“Gainando.”

“Huh?”

“I believe in you.”

“…Ihan!” Gainando was choked up.

The mean friends, no, they weren’t even friends.

The mean Einrogard classmates didn’t believe him, but Ihan was different.

“You’re a true friend!”

“Yeah, yeah. Anyway, since I believe in you, don’t lose to the Valdrogard students.”

“……”

Gainando realized something was strange, stopped being emotional, and looked around.

Ihan’s face was serious.

“…Well, you know, everyone is better at some magic than others.”

“That’s right.”

“So, if I’m unlucky, I might lose to the Valdrogard students…?”

“That’s right. But don’t lose.”

“……”

Gainando looked at his friends for help, but they quietly looked away. They were also scared of Ihan.

“Gainando. If you have a weakness, attack the opponent’s weakness first. Anyway, don’t lose. If you lose… Never mind.”

“Ihan…!” Gainando suddenly wanted to go back to Einrogard.

“Everyone. The Valdrogard students are here. They want to see you. What should I say?”

“They’ve come.”

At Ihan’s words, the friends became nervous.

It seemed unlikely they would lose to the Valdrogard students, but just in case…

‘I might die with Gainando.’

‘I don’t want to die with Gainando!’

“Tell them to come in. We’ll have to meet them anyway.”

* * * * *

“This is Yoner of the Maykin family. This is…”

When nobles met, servants usually introduced each other’s families and names.

Ingsen and Basiu listened carefully as the Einrogard students were introduced.

“…This is Gainando, who has Kraha family and Imperial family blood.”

“Cough.”

“Cough cough.”

“Y-you guys…!”

Not only the two visitors, but even Gainando was shocked.

Gainando wanted to shout, ‘Soil destroyers!’, but he had to shut his mouth because Ihan was glaring at him.

‘W-what?’

‘Wasn’t he a family wizard…?’

The two tried to understand, but they were just more confused.

“This is Ihan of the Wodanaz family.”

“5… 5th grade!”

“??”