Surviving As A Mage In A Magic Academy [EN]: Chapter 722

Lee Han sighed. ‘If that’s how it is, I’ll just have to do my best.’ He knew not every club in Einroguard would be welcoming. Some, he suspected, were downright hostile.

*Thud.* Luckily, Lee Han had been smart. He’d packed his backpack with groceries, just in case. He pulled them out: creamy butter from the Eastern Mountains, fragrant salt and pepper, cheese, salted chicken, oil, mushrooms, flour, and more. He decided to make two simple but tasty dishes: potato and chicken. If he had more time, more ingredients, and maybe some help, he could have made a feast! But for now, this would have to do.

Lee Han got to work. He boiled water, then mashed the potatoes until they were smooth. He added salt and pepper, the smells already making his mouth water. He melted butter in a pan, then carefully layered cheese, then the mashed potatoes, a sprinkle of mushrooms, and finally, more cheese on top. Most of the older students were too busy with their own cooking disasters to notice him. But one senior beside him, struggling with a burnt pot, suddenly stopped. He’d smelled something delicious, and he was curious. It was strange enough that a second-year student was cooking at all, but the *amount* of ingredients Lee Han had was truly surprising.

“…Wait a minute, Junior,” the senior said, peering closer. “What are you actually making?”

“Potato gratin, sir,” Lee Han replied politely.

“Potato… *gratin*?!” The senior’s eyes widened. “Do you even know what that is?”

“Of course,” Lee Han said, slightly confused. “Is there something wrong?”

“Well,” the senior said, looking completely lost, “isn’t potato gratin supposed to be… like this?” He then described, with a bewildered expression, what he thought was potato gratin in Einroguard: “You boil potatoes, mash them, then put layers of mashed potatoes on top of more mashed potatoes, and then cover it all with even more mashed potatoes and bake it.”

Lee Han blinked. “Isn’t that just… baked mashed potatoes?”

The senior stammered, “W-well, yes… but isn’t *that* also gratin?”

Lee Han gently shook his head. “I don’t think so.”

The senior stared blankly at the pan, muttering to himself in shock. *Was it? Was that really gratin? If that’s gratin, what have I been eating all this time? Who am I? What even IS Einroguard?*

The peace didn’t last. Just as Lee Han finished the potato gratin and pulled out the chicken, another senior, red-faced and wrestling with a bronze goose whose feathers seemed glued on, suddenly noticed him. “Ah, rock chicken!” the senior boomed, puffing out his chest. “You’ve chosen a good one, Junior. Tough as rocks, they are! You could break your teeth on it, but if you know how to cook it right, you can *almost* chew it!” Eager to impress the younger student, the senior launched into a detailed explanation of how to soften rock chicken. “Some say marinating it in a jar of five different venoms for a month works wonders! Or, if you’re lucky, you can borrow some acid from the alchemist.”

*It’s just normal chicken from the market,* Lee Han thought, feeling a little bad as the senior went on and on, clearly proud of his ‘knowledge’.

“So, Junior,” the senior asked, leaning in conspiratorially, “what’s your plan for cooking this beast?”

“Oh,” Lee Han said casually, “I’m just going to sprinkle it with pepper and cook it in oil in a pan.”

The senior froze, his jaw dropping. “*Pepper*? And *oil*?!” He looked like he’d been struck by lightning. In Einroguard, pepper and oil were practically mythical treasures.

Oblivious to the senior’s utter astonishment, Lee Han continued, “Then, in another pot, I’ll make a sauce with broth, butter, and flour. I even have some parsley from the garden to add. More spices would be nice, but it’s just the start of term…” He then turned to the senior, genuinely curious. “How would *you* cook it, Senior?”

The senior, now looking completely deflated and intimidated, mumbled, “Uh… I was just going to boil it in water.”

Lee Han blinked again. “Oh.”

The Kitchen Club in Einroguard was famous for one thing: needing the most guards on campus. They stored valuable food supplies, and even during mealtimes, riots and attacks were common.

A bored voice announced the menu: “-Today’s menu is a little simple because of the spirit flood. First, seaweed lasagna… without noodles, cheese, or sauce. Seaweed soup. Seaweed cookies…”

The reaction was immediate and explosive.

“-You crazy thieves! You want *gold* for this?!” someone yelled.

“-Spoiled brats!” another voice retorted. “Eat what you’re given and shut up!”

“-Ha! Let’s take over! They’re hiding mountains of meat in the warehouse!”

The students of Einroguard were known to become easily angered and violent when hungry. And in Einroguard, everyone was almost always hungry. If the Kitchen Club’s food dropped below a certain terrible standard, the cafeteria could turn into a war zone. Even on a good day, there were always complaints.

One student stared at the seaweed lasagna. “This costs one gold coin?” he grumbled.

“Haha,” a kitchen club member sneered. “If you don’t want it, leave—”

“I’d pay *ten* gold coins for this!” the student suddenly shouted.

” ?” Falcrius, who was serving the awful lasagna, stopped, confused.

His friend hissed, pulling him back. “Shut up, you idiot! What if they actually raise the price to ten coins?!”

” ? ? ?” Falcrius was suspicious. Was this some kind of trick? A new way to complain? But then, more students started saying similar things.

“The Kitchen Club finally got it right!” someone cheered. “This is what the Saint Iactus Club should be serving!”

“First time I’ve eaten food that doesn’t taste like rocks!” another student exclaimed. “Keep making food like this!”

” ? ? ? ? ? ?” Falcrius, completely bewildered and now slightly worried they’d all gone mad, or worse, that the new juniors had poisoned the food with some strange magic, decided to investigate.

But when Falcrius pushed open the kitchen door, he was hit by an amazing smell. A rich, mouthwatering aroma filled the air, making his stomach rumble instantly. Inside, all the kitchen club members were gathered around a single junior, staring at him with wide, awestruck eyes.

“…Wh-what in the world happened?” Falcrius stammered.

“Senior! Look at this!” one of the members said, pushing a bowl towards him.

Falcrius took the bowl and cautiously tasted the food Lee Han had made. His eyes widened. He couldn’t believe it. He fumbled for a gold coin and offered it to Lee Han. Lee Han politely refused. “It’s okay, Senior. It’s for the club.”

“Nonsense!” Falcrius cried, his voice choked with emotion. “I’m not okay! And by the way,” he added, turning to the other seniors, “everyone who ate first, pay up!”

A chorus of groans filled the room as the seniors reluctantly handed over their gold coins, their faces glum. They hadn’t earned any money today, and now they were spending it! *Clink, clink!* went the coins into the club’s pot.

Falcrius, having devoured his bowl in seconds, looked at Lee Han, tears actually welling up in his eyes. To make food like *this* in Einroguard… it was a miracle.

“The reincarnation of Saint Iactus has joined us!” Falcrius declared dramatically.

“It is not,” Lee Han said flatly.

“Pfft, it’s a metaphor!” Falcrius laughed, grabbing Lee Han in a bone-crushing hug. A loud *crack* echoed through the kitchen.

*Thank goodness for swordsmanship training and magic-enhanced body,* Lee Han thought faintly. *Otherwise, I might actually be crushed to death.*

“I’m so happy!” Falcrius exclaimed. “Should we go fight those other club guys again, just for fun?”

“That might be a bit much…” Lee Han said cautiously.

“Hahaha! Just kidding, Junior! Just kidding!” Falcrius slapped Lee Han on the shoulder again, nearly sending him flying. “But seriously, Junior, I hope you’ll cook for us often! If you were here more, I bet cafeteria raids would drop by half!” With another booming laugh, Falcrius finally left.

The remaining seniors turned to Lee Han, their faces no longer gloomy, but now… calculating. Lee Han suddenly felt a chill. *It’s just as I thought,* he realized. He had made the Kitchen Club famous, but he’d also just taken away all the other seniors’ income. Falcrius, being the leader, was probably fine, but the others… they looked hungry for more than just food.

Ready for a magical attack, Lee Han braced himself.

“…Junior Wodanaz,” one senior said, stepping forward.

“Yes?” Lee Han replied, tensing.

“…Hire me!”

“Huh?” Lee Han blinked, completely thrown off. Not a duel? Not a threat? A job offer?

“No, hire *me*!” another senior shouted. “You saw me catch that bronze goose today, right? And that other guy just fainted while picking mushrooms!”

“Is he crazy?” a third senior yelled. “All *you* did was pick it up after *I* scared it!”

And just like that, the magical battle Lee Han had been expecting began. But it wasn’t against him. It was between the seniors themselves! The kitchen club seniors started swinging their staffs and yelling, a chaotic brawl erupting in the kitchen.

Lee Han, watching the ridiculous scene unfold with a sigh, quietly slipped out of the kitchen and ran to find Falcrius.

“Senior!” Lee Han called out, running to catch up with Falcrius, who was already walking away.

“Huh?” Falcrius turned around, looking puzzled as Lee Han approached, slightly out of breath. “Did you need something else, Junior?”

“The seniors are fighting!” Lee Han said urgently. “You have to stop them!”

“Why?” Falcrius asked, raising an eyebrow.

Lee Han just stared at him, speechless.

Falcrius burst out laughing again. “Just kidding, Junior! Just kidding! Hahaha!”

“Haha,” Lee Han said dryly. “Very funny. So, are you going to stop them?”

“Nope,” Falcrius said cheerfully.

Lee Han glared at him.

“Okay, okay!” Falcrius chuckled, seeing Lee Han’s expression. “It’s better to let them fight for a bit first.”

“Ah,” Lee Han said, nodding slowly. “So they can calm down and make up?”

“Nah,” Falcrius said, grinning. “So they get tired of each other, and it’s easier to knock them out.”

Lee Han stared at him, speechless again.

Falcrius waited until the sounds of fighting inside died down a bit. Then, with a grin, he charged back into the kitchen. A loud crash and a few yelps of pain were followed by Falcrius’s booming voice. “-Alright, everyone! Come on out!”

Soon, the seniors emerged, looking sheepish, their staffs confiscated. Some grumbled under their breath.

“Kraah,” one muttered. “If I’d known Senior Falcrius was coming, I would have been ready.”

“Pfft,” Falcrius laughed. “Excuses, excuses! Losers have no say!” He then turned to them, pretending to be serious. “Now, why were you all fighting?”

Lee Han held his breath, hoping he wouldn’t get blamed. *Falcrius, as a leader of a traditional club, might not like that seniors were fighting to work for a junior.* And honestly, Lee Han still didn’t quite understand *why* they were fighting to work for him.

“You were fighting… to work for a junior?” Falcrius asked, sounding genuinely surprised.

“Yes,” the seniors mumbled.

“And who won?”

“Senior arrived before we could decide,” one explained.

“Oh dear,” Falcrius said, shaking his head. “So, we don’t know who gets the job!” He looked genuinely disappointed. “It would have been cleaner if only the winner got to work with Junior.”

“…Senior,” Lee Han said hesitantly.

“Pfft, ask away, Junior!” Falcrius said, waving his hand. “What is it?”

“Well…” Lee Han said, “could… could *all* the seniors work for me?”

Falcrius threw back his head and laughed. “Hahaha! Wizards don’t care about age when choosing research assistants! Skill is what matters!”

The seniors nodded eagerly, forcing smiles. They weren’t just trying to avoid ingredient gathering. They knew, like true wizards, that skill was more important than age.

“Research… is like cooking?” Lee Han asked, still confused.

“It’s similar!” Falcrius said. “Many members work together in the kitchen! Just like they team up to gather ingredients, they often cook together too. If someone’s making a big dish, it’s normal to hire others to help. Stable pay is often better than risking your life for ingredients, after all.”

“Pfft,” Falcrius said, scratching his chin. “But it’s a problem now. No winner.”

“Um,” Lee Han said, hoping to avoid any trouble, “maybe we should just forget about it?” He really didn’t want to order around older students.

But Falcrius shook his head firmly. “No! I’ve made a decision!”

“Which is?” Lee Han asked, bracing himself.

“All of you!” Falcrius declared, pointing at all the seniors. “All of you will work for Junior!”

“…” Lee Han was speechless. But the seniors cheered and clapped, relief washing over their faces. This new junior was, in their eyes, a miracle worker with ingredients. Who else could produce such amazing groceries out of nowhere? They’d been worried about getting beaten up and missing out, but Falcrius’s decision was truly worthy of a leader.

“As expected of Senior Falcrius!” one senior cried.

“Fair as the Phoenix Tower!” another agreed.

Lee Han leaned closer to Falcrius, whispering urgently, “Isn’t it… a bit much for me to order around seniors?”

“Nah!” Falcrius boomed, clapping Lee Han on the back again. “You can handle it! Hahaha!”

Lee Han just stared at Falcrius, remembering the scene of destruction he’d just witnessed. *Good thing I saw that,* he thought grimly. *Otherwise, I might have actually lost my mind and attacked him.*