Surviving As A Mage In A Magic Academy [EN]: Chapter 719

Trouble always seemed to find Ethan.

After turning down several ideas from Professor Voladi, ideas he came up with after thinking hard (some of them were about attacking, blinding, or stunning students who weren’t expecting it), Ethan wished he’d made a different choice.

‘I should have asked another professor!’

“Professor, I would prefer a more peaceful approach, if possible.”

“Why?”

“…Because I don’t want younger students to spread weird stories about me. And I don’t want them to get revenge when they are older.”

“Hmm.”

Professor Voladi thought to himself if Ethan was good enough to fight back against angry students. But he didn’t say it out loud.

It never hurt to be cautious.

For a fighter mage, having fewer enemies was always a good idea.

“What I’m hoping for is… a quick Invisibility Spell, or perhaps a spell that detects when students approach, Professor.”

“But that would be too easy.”

“…Oh, it’s such a hardship, Professor, but I guess I have to learn these simple spells sometimes.”

Ethan didn’t understand why Professor Voladi said “too easy” or started with “but.” He was too scared to ask.

Professor Voladi agreed with Ethan and nodded.

“Very well.”

“Thank you.”

“You know about Silent Casting, right?”

Ethan was shocked that Professor Voladi would just casually mention a magic trick that was super hard.

In magic, saying the words of a spell is very important. It focuses the mage’s power.

Almost all spells need words, even if you use gestures or potions.

These words are a key part of how magic works in the Empire.

‘Is he telling me to die?’

You can’t skip saying the spell words, even to be faster. It’s not allowed, even if it’s for your own safety.

If spells could be cast just by thinking about them, without saying words, then spells could happen by accident.

Imagine if a mage just dreamed or felt angry – spells might go off!

In fact, newspapers in the Empire often report magic accidents. These accidents happen when mages try to do Silent Casting badly.

They might accidentally bring monsters or demons from other worlds.

Casting a spell without words needed so much control, it was almost impossible.

“Impossible!”

“I know. It’s dangerous, so don’t try it in secret.”

“……”

Ethan was amazed at how Professor Voladi could annoy him even more. He was even more irritating than last year.

Professor Voladi didn’t notice Ethan cursing him in his head. He kept giving careful warnings.

“What you should practice is spell shortening.”

Spell shortening, or abbreviation, is just what it sounds like: making spells shorter.

It’s safer than Silent Casting, but it still needs a lot of focus and magic power compared to saying the full spell.

Luckily, Ethan had lots of magic power. This was a big help.

“Wait. What about concentration?”

People can only focus so much. Even if you have magic power, you can’t cast a spell if you can’t focus. You might just faint.

Professor Voladi misunderstood Ethan and replied,

“It’s fine.”

“……”

Ethan stared at the professor, confused. He had asked about ways to keep focused or get his energy back.

What was fine about it?

“Practice magical storage along with spell shortening.”

Magical storage.

Basically, it’s all the ways to keep magic ready to use.

Even simple things like magic scrolls count. You can use a spell on a scroll just by tearing it.

But fighter mages didn’t like magic scrolls. They were expensive to make and took up too much space.

Good fighter mages would draw magic patterns on their skin with ink. They could use these spells in fights. Or they could store spells on their cloaks or other things.

Spirits or creatures you summon could also store magic, if you could convince them to do it…

‘That makes sense.’

Professor Voladi’s ideas were logical.

If you don’t want to attack the younger students, cast the Invisibility Spell faster.

If you have it ready beforehand, you can react much quicker.

“How do you store magic, Professor?”

“On the lower part of my arm.”

From my elbow to my wrist. It’s easy for a mage to reach, so it’s a good place to keep spells ready.

Professor Voladi rolled up his sleeve. You could see magic patterns drawn on his wrist. They looked complicated and strong, and you couldn’t understand them just by looking.

“These spells activate the moment I’m attacked. In order, >Begrek’s Retaliation>, >Random Transference>. And I can’t tell you about this one.”

Ethan was confused why he wouldn’t say the third spell.

“Is it that dangerous?”

“It’s a spell that attacks if you learn its identity.”

“!”

Fighter mages on the battlefield were scary, but people also wanted to get rid of them.

A mage’s power comes from their spells. But the mage is just a normal person, made of skin and bones.

So, it was smart to hide some spells a mage knew.

Even Ethan had spells he kept secret, just in case he got in trouble for fighting his White Tiger Tower friends.

But a spell that attacks just for knowing what it is…

‘Is that how you become a famous fighter mage?’

Professor Voladi thought Ethan was curious, not shocked. So he encouraged him.

“You’ll have a chance to learn it someday.”

“Yes… well… Wait, Professor. If I happen to learn that spell by chance, won’t I recognize its identity when I see it?”

“Indeed.”

“Then I’ll be attacked by the spell?”

Professor Voladi nodded. Ethan cursed inwardly.

‘Is this guy crazy?’

It was practically wishing death upon him someday.

After Ethan wished bad things on him in his head, Professor Voladi explained how to draw and store spells on skin.

It was a 3rd Circle spell called >Lesser Magic Storage>.

It could store two spells of the same level or lower.

This spell was actually quite hard to cast for its level. It used ideas from different kinds of magic, and mixing magic types makes spells harder.

But Professor Voladi knew Ethan was skilled because he had learned from Professor Verdus. So he didn’t say anything more about the difficulty.

Ethan drank some potions while drawing the spell. Then he quickly understood how to do it.

“Am I doing this right, Professor?”

“Correct. You’re doing well.”

“Is it perhaps on the easier side?”

Professor Voladi smiled slightly, a smile as light as morning mist. Ethan thought it was a kind smile.

‘It must be an easy spell.’

However, what followed was unexpectedly difficult.

Even though he had drawn the spell perfectly, it kept going wrong when he tried to use it.

“?”

Ethan wondered if even a simple 3rd Circle spell was too hard for him.

Professor Voladi, who had been watching from the side, spoke up.

“There are too many patterns.”

“Sorry?”

“You have too many patterns drawn on you by strong beings.”

Spirits or other powerful creatures – their patterns have power.

The stronger the creature that made the pattern, the stronger the pattern is.”

Someone like Ethan, who had patterns from great spirits like Perkontra and Uphinum on his wrist, would definitely have problems drawing spells over them.

“I hadn’t considered that.”

“Most people don’t etch that many.”

“…Is there no solution?”

“Calculate the error.”

“……”

Ethan really wanted to frown. Professor Voladi’s idea to “calculate the error” just sounded like “do it perfectly.” He asked again,

“Isn’t there an easier method?”

“Move the location higher.”

It was such an easy and good idea! Why hadn’t he thought of it? Ethan nodded.

“That seems like a good idea. Then…”

“Here.”

Professor Voladi pointed his staff to the crook of Ethan’s arm, between the upper and lower arm.

Ethan replied with an embarrassed expression.

“The Phoenix pattern overlaps there.”

The professor moved his staff further up the upper arm. Ethan replied with an even more embarrassed expression than before.

“Verdus’s pattern is there…”

“……”

-Wodanaz. It’s been quite a while since the new semester started and we haven’t been able to meet. We’re from different towers and not on the best terms, but we have to admit we respect each other as mages. If you’re willing to meet briefly to catch up and exchange information, come to the place where we all gathered last time.

Salco Tutanta

“It’s not a trap, is it?”

“Salco isn’t the type to set such a trap… though he is. Probably not, though?”

Ethan spoke as he moved with his Blue Dragon Tower friends.

Actually, Ethan and all his friends from the tower felt the same way.

They had only been second-years for a short time, but they were already getting too much new information.

Last year, they could have easily met and exchanged information, but this year it was difficult.

-Tell me if the White Tiger Tower guys attack. I’ll retaliate for you.

-Thank you, senior.

-It’s nothing. I should do this much as a senior.

-In that case, could I have a piece of the bread you’re eating, senior?

-Are… are you crazy? How can you say such a rude thing?

The Blue Dragon Tower seniors weren’t often seen or particularly friendly, but they were very active in fights against other towers.

So much so that such incidents occurred.

-Oh. Angloda. He’s waving.

-How dare that guy insult my junior?!

-Uh, senior. Angloda was just waving?

-You must have seen wrong. White Tiger Tower guys don’t just wave. He must have raised his middle finger without you noticing!

So, the younger students were a bit scared to meet in public.

That’s why Salco suggested meeting in the second-floor warehouse, where they had met last year.

Ethan and his friends checked their surroundings, entered the second-floor warehouse, verified the basement door, and descended.

It was a place that reminded them of the teleportation statue and escaping from the Skull Headmaster’s house.

“Wodanaz!”

“Wodanaz, is it true you’ve joined every club? Really?”

“……”

Ethan wore a bitter expression at the question his tower friends asked as soon as they met.

His friends already had expressions that said, ‘It wouldn’t surprise me if Wodanaz did.’

“…It’s true.”

“No way. Wodanaz doesn’t have two bodies!”

“Even two wouldn’t be enough, would they?”

“Everyone, come here! Stop wandering around!”

Salco said loudly in his rough voice.

Ethan walked inside.

He saw most of the second-year students from each tower gathered and talking.

“Moradi. Good to see you.”

“Likewise. Good to see you.”

“…Uh, what, did you eat something wrong?”

“Hey. Switch seats for a mo…”

Giselle stood up, annoyed. But then she realized that if she switched seats, she’d be next to Salco.

Salco glared at her, telling her to go away with his eyes.

“…Actually, Wodanaz is better. Sit down.”

“Can’t I just sit somewhere else?”

Ethan asked, thinking it would be loud between them. But Salco and Giselle grabbed his arms and pushed him into the seat.