Surviving As A Mage In A Magic Academy [EN]: Chapter 759

Lee Han grabbed onto the tall bronze golem senior, his metal fingers digging into the cold arm. The golem tried to shake him off, its bronze head turning stiffly.

“Senior, please!” Lee Han’s voice was desperate. “You have to listen!” He rushed to explain everything, the fear still tight in his chest.

The golem senior stood like a statue, unmoved. His metallic voice clanked as he spoke, “Student. Life is hard for everyone at Einrogaard. You are not special.”

After saying this, the golem senior then remembered that Lee Han was taking classes from every school.

Considering that, he thought that some students might indeed have it harder, but the senior did not budge.

“That doesn’t mean everyone tries to change the future. Trying to change it rashly is more dangerous.”

“My case is specifically dangerous. You know what I went through this week.”

“I don’t?”

“Pardon?”

“I don’t really know. What did you do?”

The golem senior looked at Lee Han, like a singer who becomes famous in the city and thinks everyone in the countryside knows them too.

These singers often wrongly believed that everyone in the Empire knew who they were, but upon leaving the capital and arriving at a local inn, they would be met with jeers like, ‘What is that pig squealing?’ and realize the truth.

Lee Han’s face flushed slightly with embarrassment.

He had assumed that everyone would know since the seniors kept calling him ‘that guy’ or ‘that kid,’ but on second thought, that wasn’t the case.

Everyone was busy with their own affairs; would they care about each and every detail?

“I’m sorry.”

“No need to apologize. I don’t go out much in the first place.”

“Don’t you have to attend lectures?”

“I skip as many lectures as possible using precognitive magic.”

Lee Han was astonished.

Just how vast was the world of precognitive magic?

“So? What happened this week?”

The golem senior urged his junior in a calm manner.

He figured that at most, the professors had given him a task that was difficult to solve during the lecture.

“I was kidnapped by the headmaster’s insane doppelganger and barely escaped.”

At the junior’s answer, which was far more serious than he had expected, the golem senior’s eyes widened in astonishment.

It was a terrifying story that made even his cold metal heart tremble.

“S-so…”

“Yes. That’s why I couldn’t attend the lectures.”

“What I meant was, did the prophecy say that you would face an ancient being and that you shouldn’t wander outside day or night… I see.”

“More importantly, you had such an experience and you came to listen to the lectures you missed?”

“But if I don’t listen, won’t it be harder next week?”

“Hmm… yes. I see.”

Lee Han nodded, thinking that his senior had understood.

Of course, the senior hadn’t understood; he had simply ignored it. After all, one shouldn’t argue with a madman.

‘Well, he is taking all the schools’ courses.’

“Senior. Please help me. I have to avoid the future from the prophecy!”

“Ugh. Trying to change it rashly is really not a good thing… I understand.”

After much deliberation, the golem senior eventually gave in to Lee Han’s words.

Under normal circumstances, he would have told him to just endure it, but with the skull headmaster’s insane doppelganger involved, he felt he had to do something.

“As I said before, predicting the future is also an act of increasing the possibility of that future. You might be bringing a future that you could have avoided closer. The same goes for the constraints of luck and misfortune. If you recklessly overuse them out of overconfidence, even stronger misfortune may befall you. Do you understand?”

“I will keep that in mind.”

“Alright. Then…”

The golem senior prepared his precognitive magic, making a metallic sound.

Aside from a few reagents (mainly star-related reagents centered around meteorites) and incantations, and the fact that the senior’s arm flew off entirely (the senior said it was okay as he reattached the arm with his other arm), it proceeded fairly smoothly.

“…Tell me how to avoid misfortune!”

Starlight flickered in the senior’s eyes, and a sound lower and heavier than anything he had heard so far flowed out.

-If you avoid physically contacting the Imperial family, you will be able to suppress misfortune!

As the prophecy ended, the senior’s eyes returned to normal. Curious about what prophecy the junior had received, the senior asked with a voice mixed with curiosity.

“What did the prophecy tell you to avoid?”

“It told me to avoid touching the Imperial family.”

“Not bad! I’m glad you got an easy constraint.”

Avoiding touching the Imperial family was indeed an easy constraint.

Especially since this was the secluded Einrogaard. There weren’t many opportunities to meet the Imperial family.

“Hmm. There are members of the Imperial family among my classmates, though.”

“Oh dear.”

At the junior’s words, the golem senior made a suggestion.

“How about framing them and sending them to the disciplinary chamber?”

“…I’ll just try to avoid them.”

Lee Han, who had found Yoner and Siana working in Professor Uregeol’s workshop, said with a moved voice.

“A second-year lecture. Aren’t you all really happy?”

The two exchanged glances, unsure of how to respond.

-What should we say in this situation?

-Let’s just pretend we didn’t hear it…

Priest Siana, who was grinding insect husks into powder in a mortar, asked with a puzzled expression, “So, Master Wodanaz. What brings you here? I thought you were resting?” Yoner answered the question instead.

“Isn’t he here to study the lecture content he missed?”

“Master Maykin. Don’t say ridiculous things. How long has it been since he was kidnapped?”

Lee Han hesitated, unable to open his mouth. Siana quickly changed her words.

“But to become a true wizard, one must not let go of studying even in the moment of being kidnapped… I’m sorry.”

“It’s okay. Priest Siana. You can speak comfortably.”

“Then why don’t you just go back and rest?”

Regretting that he should have told her to speak a little less comfortably, Lee Han asked a question.

“I’ll go back once I hear the content. What did you do this week?”

“We studied the reagents first, before starting complex alchemy.”

“Indeed…”

Lee Han concentrated on the words of the two top students and picked up his quill.

The completion of alchemy depended greatly on the quality of the reagents, as well as the ability of the wizard creating them. It was only natural to check and study the various reagents first.

‘Thankfully, it’s traditional. A lecture should be like this.’

If someone were to ask Lee Han to evaluate the Einrogaard lectures, he would like to give Professor Uregeol a high rating.

Lectures where you steal and check the professor’s work, like in a certain magic school, are not good lectures.

“Would you like to see my notes?”

“Thank you. Priest Siana.”

-List of Reagents Needed for the Year and How to Obtain Them-

-Snow Pine Flower

-Dream Herb

-Einrogaard’s Lava

Lee Han stared at the list of ingredients for Professor Thunderfoot’s latest potion. His brow furrowed as he read, “San Hwan Mushroom, Mist Cloud Mushroom, Dwarf Willow… and Wizard’s Tears. Must be over 100 years old.” Wizard’s Tears? What on earth were those?

He continued reading, *Harvesting Method:*

Lee Han’s eyes widened at the first instruction. *San Hwan and Mist Cloud Mushrooms: 7th floor mushroom fields. ‘Seniors occupy it, so steal it secretly.’* He blinked and muttered to himself, “Steal it? Is that really the professor’s advice?”

The list continued, “Steal Einrogaard’s lava from the Death Knights.”

“Snow Pine Flower can be found in the glacier area or in the Ice Hell section between the 7th and 8th floors… If it seems difficult, steal it from the seniors.”

Lee Han paused, then asked, “Siana Priest, have you joined the Location Transfer Club by any chance?”

“What kind of club is that? A space-time magic club?” Siana tilted her head, curious about the unusual name. There were all sorts of clubs, and some were quite strange.

“No, it’s nothing. The harvesting method here seems a bit… biased. Who recommended this method?” Lee Han asked cautiously, wondering if Ratford was involved.

“Lee Han, the professor recommended it.”

“Professor Thunderfoot?”

“…”

Lee Han quietly revised his opinion of Professor Thunderfoot. This alchemy professor might not be so worthy of admiration after all.

“Was there no other way besides stealing?” he asked.

“He did say to exchange if possible, but the prices were high, so he suggested learning to steal,” Siana replied.

“Okay,” Lee Han said, writing down the harvesting method. If all else failed, stealing would be the last resort.

Crash!

Lee Han paused, startled by the loud noise from the inner workshop. These days, there were so many attacks and battles that he couldn’t relax.

Angry shouts echoed from inside. It was hard to make out the words, but the tone was definitely a furious argument, punctuated by crashes and bangs.

Lee Han wondered who dared to fight in Professor Thunderfoot’s workshop and asked, “Who on earth is attacking the professor in the alchemy hall?”

“Huh?” Yoner looked puzzled. He thought Lee Han would know.

“It’s Professor Bendozol. He’s helping Professor Thunderfoot with his work in your place, Lee Han. Didn’t you know?”

“…”

Before Lee Han could answer, Professor Thunderfoot burst out with curses, “Get out!”

Another voice roared, “You get out!”

Professor Thunderfoot continued, “That crazy barbarian is making all my beard fall out! Everyone, just leave everything and go back today! Even if it ruins my work, I’m going to throw that beast into the cauldron!”

“If you don’t mind, I’d like to watch!” Siana said, looking forward to the professors’ fight.

Professor Thunderfoot belatedly noticed Lee Han and cried out with tears in his eyes, “What did I ever do to you that you sent Professor Bendozol instead? Huh??” He was deeply hurt that his trusted disciple had sent Professor Bendozol.

Taking care of the cabin was tedious, but sending Professor Bendozol was too cruel.

“I didn’t send him, Professor! What ability do I have to control you?” Lee Han protested.

Yoner thought to himself, ‘I think I could control some professors though…’

“Professor Bendozol moved on his own. I really wanted to work,” Lee Han insisted.

“Really?! That crazy barbarian…!” Professor Thunderfoot ran back inside.

Lee Han quietly exchanged glances with Yoner and sneaked out of the alchemy hall. “Siana Priest, come out quickly,” he urged.

“Can’t we watch a little longer?” she asked, disappointed.

Despite Professor Thunderfoot’s instructions, Lee Han hesitated to steal without trying to negotiate first. ‘Is this the mushroom cultivation field?’ he wondered.

He found a field south of the 7th floor student village. A sign read ‘Mushroom Cultivation’ and, less prominently, ‘Do Not Steal’.

Lee Han pretended not to notice the erased words and looked around for the owner. He spotted a senior practicing magic on a nearby rock.

“Senior, hello. Are you the owner of this field?” Lee Han asked.

The senior looked at Lee Han warily. “Hmm, yes. What’s the matter?”

“I’d like to buy some mushrooms…”

“Really?!” The senior jumped up, forgetting his dignity in his happiness. “You really came to buy them?! Not to steal them?!”

“Yes. Is the price of mushrooms very expensive?”

“Not that expensive. One Imperial gold coin for three baskets.”

Lee Han barely suppressed a groan, using all his mental fortitude. ‘It’s not expensive for Einrogaard prices. It’s not expensive for Einrogaard prices. It’s not expensive for Einrogaard prices…’

With gritted teeth, Lee Han asked, “At that price… I can… pay… it… I think.”

“Wait, I’ll pick out the best ones for you,” the senior offered.

“Senior, but who are those people?” Lee Han asked, noticing some seniors staring at him near the field.

The senior waved his hand dismissively. “Ah, those guys? They’re crazy bastards who mistakenly think they own the field. Ignore them.”

“Then do I have to pay those people too?”

“No, no. You only have to pay me. If they tell you to pay, just ignore them.”

“…”

“No! Don’t go!!” the senior cried desperately as Lee Han slowly backed away.