Surviving As A Mage In A Magic Academy [EN]: Chapter 770

‘Let’s think about that again later,’ Lee Han muttered. He carefully wrapped the black book in cloth and pushed it deep into his bag, sealing it shut. Even inside the bag, he could feel a faint vibration, almost like the book was buzzing with annoyance. He sighed and headed towards the Black Magic Hall.

Ogolodos, who Lee Han hadn’t seen for weeks, spotted him and waved.

“Wodanaz! Good to see you.” Ogolodos’ voice was a bit flat.

“It’s been a while, Senior,” Lee Han replied. “You look really tired. Is everything okay?”

Ogolodos sighed, rubbing his eyes. “Just thinking… trying to figure out what black magic thing anyone would actually buy.”

“!” Lee Han was surprised.

Ogolodos’ face was pale, and dark circles sat under his eyes, like he hadn’t slept. He hesitated for a moment, then spoke slowly. “Wodanaz, I admire your spirit…”

“?” Lee Han tilted his head.

“But… black magic just doesn’t make money, you know? Don’t push yourself too hard on this.”

Lee Han stared, surprised by this unenthusiastic encouragement. “But you don’t know unless you try, right?”

Ogolodos shook his head. “Some things you just know. Like the sun will rise in the east, or that the headmaster is always up to no good… Black magic is like that. It’s just not profitable.”

Ogolodos turned and walked into the Black Magic Hall. His shoulders were hunched, making him look smaller and more tired than ever.

“Ahem, Mr. Wodanaz,” Professor Mortoom said, walking towards Lee Han. Lee Han bowed politely.

“Hello, Professor. Thank you for agreeing to my request.”

“Request…” Professor Mortoom frowned, looking confused. He seemed to be trying to remember something. This student had not only bothered the older students in the Black Magic department, but now he was bothering him, a professor, about… magic?

Professor Mortoom was already tired and wanted to say no, but this persistent student had kept pushing.

– *If you keep saying no, Professor, I will complain to the headmaster!* Lee Han had said, with a surprisingly serious face.

– …! Professor Mortoom had been taken aback.

“Ahem, can we really call that a ‘request’?” Professor Mortoom mumbled.

“Sorry?” Lee Han asked, innocently.

“No, never mind.” Professor Mortoom sighed inwardly. Dirett, another student, had started causing trouble in his fourth year. But this Wodanaz boy was already learning to… ‘persuade’ professors in his second year! Professor Mortoom felt a sudden cold shiver. *Maybe I’m raising a baby dragon here,* he thought with a touch of worry.

“Anyway,” Professor Mortoom cleared his throat. “Ahem, Mr. Wodanaz.”

“Yes, Professor?”

“I do admire your enthusiasm, but… black magic just doesn’t make money. Don’t get your hopes up too high.”

Lee Han watched, speechless, as Professor Mortoom turned and hurried into the Black Magic Hall, echoing Ogolodos’ words.

*What is with everyone today!* Lee Han thought, frustrated.

It wasn’t as if the Black Magic department at Einrogard hadn’t tried to make money before. They had. Many times.

First, there was the **Flesh Golem**. They tried to sell it for 30% less than the regular golems. Five were sold at first, which seemed promising. But then the complaints started pouring in. Apparently, the Flesh Golems had a terrible smell, like rotting meat, and their appearance was… well, let’s just say most people found them deeply disturbing. Sales stopped completely, and the remaining golems were quietly taken apart.

Then came the **Skeleton Legion**. The idea was to rent out skeletons to help with chores. They even made contracts with the undead! However, while black magic students were used to skeletons, other magic students were not. They found the undead helpers terrifying and complained loudly. The Black Magic department had to pay back everyone and cancel the skeleton service.

After that, they tried **Ahrak’s Venom Series**. Ahrak’s venom was famous for its powerful and varied effects. This was their most successful attempt. People were interested! But then they saw the price. Ahrak’s venom was very expensive to make. Students bought it once out of curiosity, but nobody bought it again. Sales dried up, and this idea was also abandoned.

Basically, most of the Black Magic department’s attempts to make money failed because their products were either too disgusting, too scary, or too expensive – or sometimes all three!

Agdung cleared his throat and unrolled a scroll. “I’ve been thinking,” he announced, “and I believe the key to making money is powerful, top-quality black magic! Here at Einrogard, we can make almost anything ourselves. We need to sell magic that is strong and rare!”

“Hmm,” some students murmured, interested.

“I’ve been researching **Ahrak’s Azure Poison**,” Agdung continued, his voice rising with excitement. “This poison is legendary! Wizards would love to get their hands on it. Just imagine the power!”

The students exchanged glances, looking intrigued. Ahrak’s venom was well-known among black magic students at Einrogard. Ahrak himself was a famous poison master from a long-gone empire. The idea of making and selling **Ahrak’s Azure Poison**, often said to be the deadliest poison of all, was definitely tempting.

“We couldn’t make the Azure Poison last time because we didn’t have enough ingredients,” one student said thoughtfully. “Maybe it would be different if we could make it now.”

“Yeah, that could be really popular…” another agreed.

“Ahem. Wrong!” Professor Mortoom interrupted, his voice sharp.

Agdung’s face fell, slightly embarrassed. “Wrong?” he repeated.

“It’s not written down anywhere, probably because they were too ashamed to record it,” Professor Mortoom said dryly, “but we already tried to make and sell Azure Poison. A long time ago. We even tried to find buyers *before* we made it, because it needed so many rare ingredients.”

“Really? And… how many buyers did you find?” Agdung asked, his voice quiet.

“Zero.” Professor Mortoom stated flatly.

“…Zero?” Agdung’s voice was barely a whisper.

“Ahem. Zero. You’re all missing the point! No matter how amazing the poison is, only *black magic* students will care! Other students won’t buy it. It’s too expensive, and they don’t understand the difference between a good poison and a… less good poison.” Professor Mortoom sighed, as if explaining something obvious to very slow children. “They might buy it once out of curiosity, but they won’t buy it again, especially if the price is high.”

“Why isn’t this written down anywhere?!” one student exclaimed, frustrated.

“Ahem. Like I said, they were probably too embarrassed,” Professor Mortoom repeated.

“W-Well,” Agdung stammered, “maybe things are different now… it’s been a long time…” But even as he said it, his voice wavered, showing he wasn’t convinced.

“Yeah, Senior, don’t worry!” one student declared. “Anyone who can’t appreciate good poison just has bad taste!”

“Exactly!” another agreed. “We’d be selling Azure Poison at a great price! They should be *grateful*!”

The black magic students grumbled in agreement, patting Agdung on the back.

Agdung’s eyes welled up a little at the unexpected support. “Th-thank you, everyone,” he said, his voice thick with emotion. “Actually… the **Contaminated Body Mantle** sold pretty well too. So I thought maybe Einrogard students *do* understand the value of black magic, even if they aren’t in our department.”

“*That* sold?!” Professor Mortoom coughed, nearly choking on his own spit in surprise. “The Contaminated Body Mantle?!” He stared at Agdung, then at Lee Han.

Selling the Contaminated Body Mantle was more shocking than finding a black magic item that *wouldn’t* sell.

“Ahem, how on earth did you manage that?!” Professor Mortoom demanded, turning to Lee Han.

Ogolodos pointed at Lee Han. “*He* sold it, Professor.”

“Gainan, ahem… you didn’t… you didn’t force them to buy it, did you?” Professor Mortoom asked, narrowing his eyes slightly.

Lee Han stared at Professor Mortoom, his mouth slightly open in disbelief. “I sold it properly,” he said, his voice flat. “I didn’t blackmail anyone.”

“Really? How?” Professor Mortoom asked, still suspicious but also curious.

“There was a contaminated body outbreak on the 7th floor…” Lee Han explained the situation simply, leaving out the part about the contaminated bodies appearing by accident.

Professor Mortoom listened, his eyebrows slowly rising. When Lee Han finished, he nodded slowly. “Ahem, I see! You used the situation to your advantage. Clever. But it’s still strange. They are magic students themselves. Why were there so many contaminated bodies that they needed to buy protection?”

“…That’s what I’m saying,” Lee Han replied, shrugging. “It was… a lot.”

“Well, in any case, well done, Mr. Wodanaz,” Professor Mortoom said, sounding genuinely impressed. He had assumed Lee Han had bullied students into buying it. But if he had sold it through cleverness and quick thinking, then he deserved praise. *Maybe this young man really is a genius,* Professor Mortoom thought. *Maybe he will find a way to make black magic profitable after all.*

“Ahem. So… what have you got for us?” Professor Mortoom asked, gesturing for Lee Han to continue.

“Well,” Lee Han said, “I’ve been thinking about… protection.” He pulled out the notes he’d taken from the black book again. “I learned a new spell. It’s called **Gonadaltes’ Black Magic Mantle**. It’s… a kind of magic that makes things. An artifact.”

He explained, “It’s designed to protect you from black magic things – like undead creatures, poisons, and curses.”

*This is actually really useful,* Lee Han thought to himself. *Even though I still think that black book is trying to kill me.* He had to admit, the magic itself was practical. Just walking around Einrogard, you ran into undead, curses, and strange poisons more often than you’d expect. A cloak that could protect you from all that…

*…students who aren’t even interested in black magic might want something like this,* he reasoned.

“Ahem. Is that it?” Professor Mortoom asked, his voice sounding… underwhelmed.

“Wodanaz,” Ogolodos said gently, “this sounds… a bit boring.”

Professor Mortoom, Agdung, and Ogolodos all looked at Lee Han with slightly pitying expressions.

Boring! That was the word for it.

“Yes? That’s it,” Lee Han said, confused by their reactions.

“But… isn’t it a bit… plain?” Agdung asked. “Do you think students will actually buy this?”

“Artifacts don’t have to be exciting, do they?” Lee Han argued. “I think practical, reliable things will sell well…” He had read the economics section of the *Empire Newspaper* carefully. He was sure he was right. But seeing the unimpressed faces of the black magic experts, he started to doubt himself.

*Had he missed something?*

“Wait, I get it!” Ogolodos suddenly exclaimed, his eyes widening. “Wodanaz is going to *release* poison all over the school! Then everyone will need his protection mantles! That’s brilliant!”

“Indeed!” Professor Mortoom nodded, looking slightly impressed despite himself. “Ahem. Curses and undead too?”

Lee Han stared at them, completely bewildered. “I… no, I didn’t think of that at all.”

“Ahem. You didn’t?!” Professor Mortoom looked surprised again, but this time, it was mixed with a hint of worry. “Wodanaz, that sounds… rather dangerous.”

*Dangerous?* Lee Han thought, confused. *Is it really that dangerous to sell a protective cloak?*

While Lee Han was still trying to understand, Agdung stepped in to defend him. “Wait, Professor! Trial and error is part of being a wizard! You can’t stop him before he even tries anything!”

“Ahem. That’s… true,” Professor Mortoom conceded. “And it’s his own… materials he’s using. Mr. Wodanaz is free to experiment as he wishes. Wizards learn from their mistakes, after all.”

“Ahem. Well then,” Professor Mortoom said, clapping his hands together. “Shall we move to the workshop and see Mr. Wodanaz at work?”

As they walked towards the workshop, Ogolodos leaned in and whispered to Lee Han. “Wodanaz, don’t be too upset if it doesn’t sell. I once made **Al Azif’s Bone of Bad Luck**. Not a single one sold.”

*No surprise there,* Lee Han thought dryly. *“Bone of Bad Luck”? Who would buy that?*

The market on the 7th floor was bustling. Lee Han set up his small stall and displayed the first batch of **Black Magic Department Defense Mantles** (he’d decided to simplify the name for selling). And then… he watched in amazement.

In what felt like minutes, they were all gone. Sold out.

Later, watching his stunned seniors stare at the empty stall, Lee Han made a firm decision: *Never again would he ask black magic students for business advice.*

“H-how is this possible?!” Ogolodos stammered, looking around at the crowd as if expecting the cloaks to magically reappear. “Why did they all sell out?!”

“This… this plain thing?!” Agdung added, picking up the empty display stand and turning it over as if searching for a hidden trick.

*I was an idiot to doubt myself,* Lee Han thought, feeling a surge of satisfaction. He looked at his seniors, who were still gaping in disbelief, and a small smile touched his lips. They just didn’t get it. They thought something had to be powerful and terrifying to be valuable.

The **Black Magic Department Defense Mantles** had sold out almost instantly.

“But… the defense isn’t even that strong, is it?” Ogolodos mumbled, still trying to understand. “It wouldn’t stop a really strong undead creature, not at this level.”

“And the poison protection is limited too,” Agdung added, shaking his head. “It’s not like it blocks *everything*.”

Lee Han sighed inwardly, but spoke calmly. “Seniors.” He wanted to correct their mistaken ideas once and for all.

Agdung and Ogolodos looked at him, still bewildered.

“I might not know as much about magic as you do,” Lee Han began, “but…”

Agdung blinked, waiting for him to continue.

“I think I understand a little better what people actually want to buy. It’s not always about the most powerful black magic that only experts appreciate. Sometimes, people just want things that are easy to use and… comfortable.”

“B-but…” Ogolodos stammered, still struggling to grasp the idea.

“Plain things… like this…” Agdung finished, gesturing vaguely at the empty stall.

Agdung and Ogolodos were clearly in shock. Could it be true? Could simple, practical items really sell better than powerful golems, terrifying curses, and deadly poisons? It seemed impossible. But looking at the empty stall and the happy students walking around in their new cloaks, they had to admit… maybe Lee Han was right.

Just then, a commotion broke out as students rushed up from the lower floors, shouting excitedly.

“Toxic swamp! The toxic swamp on the 6th floor has overflowed!”

“Run! Don’t go near the 6th floor! Toxic swamp everywhere!”

Ogolodos and Agdung exchanged knowing glances.

“Ah,” Ogolodos said, nodding slowly.

“I knew it,” Agdung added, a small smile playing on his lips.

Lee Han frowned, confused. “What’s ‘ah’ and ‘I knew it’?” he asked, looking from one senior to the other. They were acting like they had expected this all along.