Surviving As A Mage In A Magic Academy [EN]: Chapter 761

Professor Mortum spoke quickly, his hands moving nervously. He felt Professor Taswhan’s eyes on him, a look that made him uncomfortable. They hadn’t seen each other in years, but Professor Taswhan was looking at him like he had grown two heads.

“He’s a second-year student,” Professor Mortum said, “but not like the others. He’s… he’s like a third-year student in skill, maybe even a fourth-year! But he’s only in his second year!”

Professor Taswhan blinked slowly. He didn’t say anything for a moment.

Professor Mortum’s words just didn’t make sense. Professor Taswhan thought, *What has happened to Professor Mortum since we last met?* It was like he was seriously trying to convince him that night was day.

“I’m serious. You have to believe me.”

Professor Mortum wanted to tell Professor Taswhan that Lee Han was Headmaster Skull’s student, but he stopped himself. He worried it would cause problems.

Telling someone who was still under Headmaster Skull’s curse about his student wouldn’t be good for either of them.

“Hmm… I understand. If you say so…”

Professor Taswhan saw that Professor Mortum was serious, so he had to accept it.

He was a guest at Einrogard, so he had to be polite.

But he couldn’t help thinking:

‘Maybe Einrogard School of Dark Arts doesn’t have enough students either?’

Professor Taswhan guessed the truth without meaning to, and he was surprisingly right.

Lee Han went up the bank to look around the field and clicked his tongue.

“The seniors are tougher than I thought.”

Lee Han knew he had to be serious, even against older students.

His opponents weren’t just classmates or younger students; they were Einrogard seniors.

Anyone who had survived in this tough school for a year or two probably had some tricks.

‘The best way is to win quickly.’

Professor Voladi always taught that speed was most important in magic fights.

No matter how strong a wizard was, they would be in trouble if they were attacked before they could cast a powerful spell.

That’s why a wizard’s level didn’t always show how good they were at fighting.

In a fight, you needed to stay focused and cast spells correctly, which took training.

He didn’t know how good the seniors were at fighting, but he couldn’t take them lightly. He wanted to surprise them, but…

None of them left the mushroom field. It would be hard to surprise them all.

“That’s it. I thought one or two would leave, but they’re all staying put with sleeping bags or blankets.”

“Oh dear! They’re seniors for a reason.”

Siana set up a simple pot and put up a magic smoke screen to hide the colorful smoke from the potion she was making.

“What are you making now?”

“>Arlkan’s Ferocious Beast Potion>.”

Yoner answered instead.

He held a book with the Meikin family symbol and stared at the pot, making sure he didn’t make any mistakes.

“Arlkan, you say…”

Arlkan Meikin was a famous alchemist from hundreds of years ago and one of Yoner’s ancestors.

“Are you talking about the famous alchemist who invented Meikin Family Chocolate?”

“Well, yes, but… why that one?”

Siana was a little embarrassed that Lee Han picked chocolate as an example from an alchemist who had made many great potions.

“What are you talking about, Siana Priest? Don’t you know how much money the Meikin family makes from that chocolate?”

“I don’t know. Who would know that?”

“It’s in the Imperial Newspaper!”

“The Meikin family’s income is in the Imperial Newspaper?!”

“No, not exactly, but you can figure it out from the economy section…”

Yoner said, sounding annoyed.

“Both of you, be quiet.”

“Sorry.”

“I’m sorry.”

They both lowered their voices and whispered.

“So, is that book like Arlkan’s secret book?”

“Yes. You’ve been studying it seriously this year, right? I also brought some secret books from the Flehmeng Order.”

Siana shook a small book with the Order’s symbol on it.

Even in the same alchemy school, wizards went in many different directions.

Yoner had his family’s secrets, Siana had the Order’s recipes, and a senior like Ilendil was making artificial spirits to finish the Forest of Death…

‘No. That last one seems a bit strange.’

Lee Han felt a little worried seeing the second-year students finding their own paths and getting ready so quickly.

“I wonder if I’m just following the lectures too much.”

“What nonsense…? I-I’m sorry.”

Siana apologized again when she saw her friend looked sad.

“Everyone is using their family’s secrets or the temple’s secrets and studying them in their own way, but I’m just…”

“Listening to all the school’s lectures.”

“…Right. I didn’t mean that.”

“If you’re worried, why don’t you learn >Arlkan’s Ferocious Beast Potion> with me? Meikin teaches it well.”

Siana thought Lee Han would say no.

He was already pushing himself to do the alchemy lecture when he should be resting.

He was taking so many lectures already; he didn’t need to learn another potion.

“Can I really? Thank you.”

Siana looked at her friend like a priest looking at someone with a very bad illness.

“What’s wrong?”

“Haha. It’s nothing.”

A bone rat ran up and turned into a bone fragment in front of Lee Han. It was a message.

Guest arrived from Calarogard. Need a trustworthy School of Dark Arts student. Return immediately.

Professor Mortum

“What’s the message?”

“A guest has arrived from another magic school.”

“Oh, that’s interesting!”

Siana’s eyes lit up.

A guest from another magic school!

“Wait. It’s not Valdrogard, is it?”

“No. Calarogard.”

“Oh, Calarogard. That’s good.”

Lee Han wanted to ask her what she meant, but something else was more important.

“Why did they call me?”

“Hmm. Since it’s the School of Dark Arts… maybe they’re gathering all the School of Dark Arts students to meet each other?”

Siana guessed, based on what she knew from the temple.

When priests from other groups visited, all the young priests would come out to greet them and talk about their beliefs.

Sunlight streamed through the high windows of the temple classroom, dust motes dancing in the golden beams. An older priest, his face kind but serious, looked at Siana. “But our Siana is still young,” he said to Wodanaz, a tall priest with scales glinting on his neck, “and the path to becoming a mage will be harsh.”

Siana, sitting straighter, called out, “It’s alright! I can do it!”

Wodanaz nodded slowly, but inside he thought, *Hmm. Looking back, maybe pushing her so hard was a mistake.*

Siana’s smile wavered, and her lips pressed together. A sudden memory flashed in her mind: the warm smiles of the clergy, their voices full of encouragement, “Siana, you are so gifted! Einroguard is the only place for you!” She had been so eager to please them then, so proud to show off her magic. That eagerness had led her straight to Einroguard…

*Well,* Siana thought, trying to feel better, *I probably would have ended up here anyway.*

Wodanaz noticed her change in mood. “What’s wrong, Siana? You look a little troubled.”

“Oh,” Siana said, “I was just thinking about the day I got into Einroguard.”

“Ah,” Wodanaz replied, his voice softer. “I understand. That must bring back some difficult feelings.”

Siana looked at him. “So, Wodanaz, what about you? How did you end up here at Einroguard?”

Wodanaz paused for a moment, his scaled eyelids flickering. “I volunteered to become an imperial official after graduation,” he said, his voice even and calm.

“Ah, I see,” Siana said again.

But as Wodanaz nodded, he thought to himself, *Why did I say that? It wasn’t true.* He could have just changed the subject. It was a strange, unnecessary lie.

Ihan hurried down the hallway, his friends Gainando, Imyurg, and Raphaelle trailing behind him. “Professor Mortoom said there’s an exchange event today,” Ihan explained, glancing back at them. “Guests are coming from Kalarogard.”

He stopped suddenly, turning to Gainando with a serious face. “Gainando, listen up. Because of the prophecy, I can’t be near you right now. Got it? Stay back, or I’ll have to use a spell!”

Gainando blinked, his eyes wide. He looked from Ihan to Raphaelle, then back to Ihan, scratching his head. “Prophecy? But… wait, is this because I didn’t study and went to play cards yesterday? Are you mad about that?”

Raphaelle sighed, rolling his eyes slightly. “Gainando, you never listen. You tease Ihan all the time, and now look what’s happened. You little prince, you should have been studying instead of causing trouble.”

“Yeah, seriously,” Imyurg agreed, nodding his big head. Gainando looked like he might cry.

“Hey, I only played a *little*!” Gainando protested.

“Guys, guys, it’s not about playing,” Ihan said, trying to keep a straight face. “It’s the prophecy! In precognitive magic class, we learned that bad luck will happen if I’m close to royalty.” He quickly explained what he had learned about seeing the future.

His friends were amazed. Precognitive magic was one of the strangest and coolest kinds of magic.

“So, you can’t be near royalty?” Imyurg asked, his eyes wide.

“Wait a minute!” Gainando suddenly clapped his hands together. “I get it! It’s Adenart! Princess Adenart is making you unlucky, Ihan! Not me!”

“Huh? How could Princess Adenart do that?” Imyurg wondered.

“Who knows? Maybe she’s secretly casting bad luck spells on Ihan!” Raphaelle joked.

“Hey! That sounds like something *you* would do, Raphaelle,” Imyurg said, narrowing his eyes at Raphaelle.

Raphaelle and Imyurg started to look suspiciously at Gainando. It really did seem like the prince was the one bringing bad luck to Ihan.

“No, it’s not like that!” Gainando said, his voice rising in panic.

“Cough. What is it? Why are you all here?” Professor Mortoom, who was waiting in front of the Black Magic Faculty building, was puzzled when the second-year students flocked to him.

“Didn’t you say guests were coming from Kalarogard? Since it’s an exchange event, we brought our friends.”

“What? Cough. It’s not an exchange event… There is an exchange event, but it’s only for the Wizard Card Club, and they’re here to trade potions and a few magic books.”

Ihan became even more puzzled by the professor’s explanation.

“Then why did you call me?”

“Cough. I needed someone to guide them around Einroguard.”

“I-isn’t that usually what the upperclassmen do…?” Imyurg asked in a timid voice that didn’t suit his size. Professor Mortoom sighed deeply.

“That’s right. It’s usually Dirett’s job. But Dirett is a fifth-year now.”

Gainando muttered, “Maybe the professor doesn’t know how to count 3 and 4?” It was something you could only say if you only knew the numbers 1, 2, and 5.

Instead of being flustered, Ihan received the list of tasks from Professor Mortoom and checked it. A seasoned Einroguard student gets to work instead of being shocked.

‘Oh. There’s a mushroom field too.’ While wondering how to handle the work quickly, Ihan found ‘Wizard Card Club Exchange’ and called Gainando.

“Gainando. This is good. It seems these guests are also interested in wizard cards.”

“Uhh,” Gainando replied with a gloomy expression. All three were shocked by the reaction.

“What’s wrong with the prince??”

“S-sounds like a terminal illness…”

“Maybe he’s pretending to be gloomy because he’s afraid he’ll get hit if he shows he likes it?”

Surprisingly, however, Gainando remained gloomy. Ihan didn’t understand and asked.

“Isn’t the Wizard Card Club Exchange the opportunity you’ve been dreaming of? What’s wrong?”

“Ihan. Actually… I didn’t join the Wizard Card Club.”

The three tilted their heads.

If a friend who had been singing the praises of the Wizard Card Club since first year didn’t join it, where else would he go?

“Then where did you go?”

“The Wizard Card Collecting Club.”

“Isn’t that the same thing?”

Gainando flared up at Raphaelle’s question.

“It’s different! One is a club for enjoying wizard cards, and the other is…”

“Is what?”

“…a club that collects expensive wizard cards and sells them for even more…”

“What? That’s nothing.”

The friends immediately lost interest.

While Gainando was cursing behind them, Ihan continued to listen to Professor Mortoom’s explanation.

“Cough. This is the >Black Magic School’s Royal Scepter>. It’s an artifact useful in combat situations.”

The scepter-shaped bone artifact was radiating powerful dark energy. There were cracks everywhere, and some parts were broken, making one wonder if it could even be used…

“And this is the key to the school’s warehouse. Cough. You can take and use anything you need. This is the key to the vault. What’s inside is your reward.”

“Thank you.”

Even though Professor Mortoom was a professor who didn’t know how to count 3 and 4, he wasn’t the type to exploit students without pay.

Ihan opened the vault with the bone key he had just received, feeling satisfied.

Clunk!

Inside was a handful of imperial gold coins. Ihan, who was about to scoop up the gold coins as a reward, paused.

“…Professor. Does our school have other vaults?”

“Cough. No, why?”

Ihan took the school’s entire fortune and squeezed his eyes shut to avoid seeing the cobwebs in the back corner of the vault.