Surviving As A Mage In A Magic Academy [EN]: Chapter 720

“Guys, my arm hurts.” Leahan groaned.

“It’s because you keep trying to get up!” Salco said.

Giselle leaned forward. “Wodanaz, it would be best if you remained seated.” Nigisor, a student from Phoenix Tower, nodded in agreement.

Leahan sighed and sat down.

“Alright, alright,” Leahan said. “But don’t you all fight. Last time I sat between you, my ears were ringing.”

“If Tootan didn’t spout nonsense, there wouldn’t be any fighting,” Giselle retorted.

Salco didn’t back down from Giselle’s sarcasm. “If you vulgar tower folks hadn’t stolen our prey, we wouldn’t even be talking to you.”

“Ha! How well you twist things. We found that deer first,” Giselle shot back.

“Just because you found it doesn’t mean it’s yours. Do you knights even know the imperial law? That prey stepped on our trap,” Salco argued.

“It stepped on the trap after being shot with an arrow! Seeing how cleverly you distort things, are you from the lawyer’s guild instead of the stonemason’s guild?” Giselle said, her voice dripping with sarcasm.

Leahan closed his eyes, trying to block out the escalating argument between Giselle and Salco, which was quickly turning into a quarrel between the students of the two towers.

“It stepped on the trap first! Are you lot blind?!” one student shouted.

“Did you drink some strange potion during the winter break? Unlike you, deer have eyes. There’s no way it would just step on your poorly laid trap! It stumbled because it was hit by our arrow!” another retorted.

A student from the Black Tortoise Tower called out to Leahan, who still had his eyes closed. “Wodanaz! What do you think?! Those deer that appear on the Frosty Soles Road in the north. They get caught in traps easily! We even set traps together! Remember!?”

Angalo glared at the Black Tortoise Tower student. He was trying to sway Leahan by reminding him of their shared memories.

“Wodanaz! Don’t listen to those guys! You… yes! You were invited to the Moradi estate this winter break!” Angalo blurted out, grasping at straws.

Silence fell over the students.

Giselle covered her face, thinking, ‘Should I just kill that guy…?’ She had made it clear that she was only helping the Skull Headmaster, but Angalo kept making things worse.

Angalo, realizing his mistake, quickly added, “Actually, the Moradi family didn’t invite me, I just followed the headmaster around and helped out!”

“What kind of nonsense is that?” a Black Tortoise Tower student whispered. “If you’re going to lie, at least make it believable.”

Tizling tilted his head. “Isn’t inviting and visiting each other’s family estates a good thing?”

“Oh dear, Priest Tizling. It’s not that simple. The delicate animosity between the Black Tortoise Tower and the White Tiger Tower has been maintained by Wodanaz’s neutral stance, but if he starts siding with the White Tiger Tower…” Giselle explained.

Thud!

“Hey. Just take the deer, you bastards,” Giselle declared, her voice laced with a murderous tone.

Salco, who wasn’t afraid to speak his mind even in front of the Skull Headmaster, nodded in agreement. He knew it would be troublesome if Wodanaz became too close to the White Tiger Tower.

“Alright. Let’s pretend we didn’t hear that,” Salco said.

“But Salco, it’s true that I helped out while following the headmaster,” Leahan insisted.

“Wodanaz, the more you side with Moradi, the more weight Nigisor the priest’s prediction carries,” Salco warned.

It took about 30 minutes for Leahan to explain what happened during the break.

Tizling raised his hand. “Priest Tizling, what are you curious about?” Leahan asked.

“Shouldn’t we send a letter denouncing the headmaster to His Majesty?” Tizling suggested.

“Good point. But surprisingly, it was a journey conducted with the emperor’s tacit permission,” Leahan replied.

Leahan thought he heard someone whisper, ‘Is the empire doomed?’ but he dismissed it.

“Well, Wodanaz visits anywhere as long as he can work,” Salco said, now relieved.

“That’s right. He wouldn’t have visited the Moradi family’s estate if it weren’t for the headmaster’s terrible threats and harassment,” Salco added.

“No, it wasn’t that bad. The estate was alright. Moradi, tell us about the estate,” Leahan said.

“Don’t call me…” Giselle leaned back, bored. If she agreed with Wodanaz, she would be seen as close to him, but if she didn’t, it would be like admitting the estate wasn’t great.

While Giselle pondered, the students began to chatter about their recent experiences.

“Has anyone taken the >How to Live Well with Spirits> course? I can’t find it,” one student asked.

“I think that course doesn’t exist. I can’t find the classroom,” another replied.

“Wodanaz, which course do you think would suit me better, >Elemental Form Change – Fire Element> or >Elemental Control Enhancement – Fire Element>?” a student asked.

“I don’t know why you’re asking me that, but I think the control enhancement course would be better for you. You were a bit shaky when you used the Burning Hand magic last time,” Leahan advised.

“Really? I should take the control enhancement course then,” the student said.

“Wodanaz, me too, me too. I’m worried about clubs right now…” another student chimed in.

The room quickly became noisy, filled with questions and answers. Leahan was surrounded by students seeking his advice.

“Everyone, line up. Okay. Stand behind here. I’ll let you stand in front if you give me some snacks,” Leahan joked.

“Wodanaz! The prince is scamming us!” a student exclaimed.

“Ah, no! I was just kidding!” Leahan laughed.

After advising 13 students about courses and 9 about clubs, Leahan’s friends finally had a chance to talk to him.

Salco, ready to have a serious conversation, began, “Wodanaz, you’ve been working hard, and I’m sorry, but there’s something important I need to discuss with you.”

Giselle pulled up a chair, sensing what Salco was about to say.

“What is it?” Leahan asked.

“I thought we’d be able to trade with the seniors once we moved up to the second year. I thought it would be much better than our first year when we had to supply ourselves with materials. But…” Salco trailed off.

“The seniors seem to have gone mad,” Giselle finished.

“I was so surprised I almost set something on fire,” Nigisor added, equally shocked by the high prices.

Salco took out a copper nail. “Is it some kind of magic nail?” Leahan asked.

“No. It means this is all I could buy. Wodanaz, the seniors absolutely won’t do credit transactions,” Salco explained.

“At this rate, we’ll be even more strapped for cash than last year. And since Wodanaz joined the kitchen club, we’ll probably have a food shortage too,” Salco said.

“?” Leahan tilted his head, confused. “What does my joining the kitchen club have to do with a food shortage?”

“Wodanaz… you haven’t visited the kitchen club yet, have you?” Giselle asked, surprised.

“I haven’t visited yet,” Leahan admitted.

“What? Why? You joined,” Salco exclaimed.

“To be exact, I was forced to join. I have so many clubs and classes that I haven’t even visited yet,” Leahan explained.

An awkward silence filled the air.

Tizling cautiously suggested again, “The letter, seriously…”

“No. I don’t think it’ll be a problem that I joined a lot of clubs. I already take too many academies,” Leahan said.

Tizling wanted to ask why he took so many, but he held back.

“Salco, more importantly, what does the kitchen club have to do with a food shortage?” Leahan asked.

“Wodanaz, all kitchen club members make a sacred oath,” Salco explained.

“Is it an oath to make delicious and safe food?” Leahan asked.

“No. It’s an oath not to sell food cheaper than other fellow members out of unnecessary sympathy,” Salco said.

Leahan thought Salco was joking, but his friends looked serious.

“What kind of oath is that?” Leahan asked.

“It’s not unreasonable. Look at the other clubs. They’ll charge dozens of gold coins for a request to bring a glass of water. The kitchen club can’t just stay still,” Giselle said.

“Do I have to sell the food I secured expensively too?” Leahan asked.

“Probably. Let’s think about last year’s case,” Giselle said, analyzing the situation.

“I have to sell my food for gold coins…” Leahan muttered.

“Wodanaz, are you happy right now?” Salco asked, unsure if Leahan was shocked or happy.

“I’m shocked. The club’s rules are truly harsh. Don’t worry too much. I’ll sell it to you guys at last year’s prices,” Leahan reassured them.

“Hey. What did you just hear? They’re making an oath. Of course, there will be a magical restriction,” Giselle said.

“And stop feeding the other guys. It’s about time they earned their own living,” Giselle added.

“Maybe there won’t be a magical restriction,” Leahan said, not too worried.

“Besides, unlike last year, there won’t be many opportunities to feed them even if I wanted to. There are club rules, as well as the seniors’ eyes… wait. How about this? Let’s secretly gather here from now on. Periodically. We’ll cooperate with each other,” Leahan suggested.

Leahan urged them to take out the paper bundle artifact. “I haven’t even used it once, but now there’s a reason to use it. I’ll teach you how to charge it. It’s a subtly magic-consuming artifact, so it can be annoying if you don’t prepare.”

“Wodanaz, we talked with this during the Saint Iactus Festival,” Salco said.

“Did you forget because I was frantically treating the injured while you guys were insisting on participating in the festival? Thanks for reminding me, Salco,” Leahan replied.

Angalo grumbled, “Tootan. That bastard. Why are you reminding him of something Wodanaz forgot?”