Surviving As A Mage In A Magic Academy [EN]: Chapter 81

“Can we forget our problems and work together for a better future?”

“I’d rather see this whole school fall down!” one student from White Tiger Tower shouted back angrily.

Ethan thought that didn’t sound too bad either.

“You? Wardanaz? Talking about working together?” another student yelled. Some of the White Tiger Tower students already thought Ethan was like a very bad wizard.

“It’s your fault! Because you stole the flag, we’re going to fail Basic Magical Character Education!”

“Wait, wait,” Ethan said, trying to sound calm. “Maybe it’s not so bad. Are you *sure* you’ll get an F? It’s not definite, right?” He tried to make them think reasonably.

If he could convince them by using reason why cooperating is good for each other, perhaps those stubborn knights would listen.

“Of course, there’s a 95% chance it’ll be an F, but still!”

“Haha! Haha! He says F! F!”

Of course, there was no guarantee that the Blue Dragon Tower friends would be helpful.

Asan and Gainan tried to help Ethan, but after receiving Ethan’s angry look, they shrank back.

‘W… Did we do something wrong?’

‘We were just trying to help…’

“Think about it. The headmaster is giving this Basic Magical Character Education class for the sake of the students’ education. Do you really think he’d give you an F just for one mistake on an assignment?”

Of course, Ethan thought he might, but he didn’t show it and said,

“Wouldn’t giving up just because of one mistake be something that deserves an F? If you try hard enough from now on, everyone can get an A at the end of the semester. Besides, there’s the outing pass. Do you know how great the outside world is? I’ve been there once, so I know. Outside is like paradise.”

‘Except for the headmaster’s trap.’

“You don’t have to wake up early on a hard bed, and you can eat whatever you want. Think about it.”

The White Tiger Tower students couldn’t deny that they were being drawn in, even as they tried to ignore it.

Already, some students were wondering, ‘Should we work together just this once?’

However, things didn’t work out so easily.

Giselle stepped forward. A cold silence fell over the White Tiger Tower students. She looked at Ethan with hard eyes.

“Is any of that *really* true, Wardanaz?” she asked, her voice sharp.

Ethan tried to smile. “Moradi,” he said, using her name to sound friendly. “I know you don’t like me, but I’m being honest…” He wanted to make the White Tiger students argue with each other, but it was hard.

Giselle had a strong hold on them. When she spoke, with that serious, cold feeling around her, all the White Tiger Tower students looked only at her, waiting for her next words.

“Has anything good ever come from being involved with Wardanaz?”

“Moradi, you had your people attack me. Don’t be fooled, Moradi is…”

“What about the friends who went to the disciplinary room because they got involved with Wardanaz?”

“That’s a misunderstanding. The headmaster caught them.”

“Also, who attacked the lounge last time?”

“The headmaster ordered that too…”

Ethan tried his best to defend himself, but the atmosphere had already shifted.

Yoner grabbed Ethan’s shoulder and shook his head.

It meant there was no other way.

‘Damn it.’

There was a limit to pretending to be good, given the things Ethan had done. Ethan sighed.

Was this the only way?

“Deurghyu, come here.”

“?”

The honorable Orc friend of the Choi family, Deurghyu, tried to approach when Ethan called him.

“Deurghyu, don’t go.”

“Yeah. Something’s strange.”

Despite his friends’ words, Deurghyu replied as if asking what they were talking about.

“Ethan isn’t that kind of friend.”

“……”

‘Isn’t he?’

Despite his friends’ warning, Deurghyu walked over.

“I’m here. Ethan. What’s the matter?”

As Deurghyu approached, Ethan grabbed him and shouted fiercely.

“If you don’t work together, Deurghyu’s life cannot be guaranteed! I’ll drag him to the lake, use him, and then throw him to the bottom!”

“…That, that guy is serious!!!”

The White Tiger Tower students were shocked.

In the end, that Wardanaz guy showed his true colors!

Deurghyu wore a confused look but soon realized the situation.

‘Ethan is doing this to bring the two towers together.’

“Sa, save me.”

“Deurghyu!!”

When Deurghyu spoke with a very sad face, some of the White Tiger Tower students felt their hearts ache.

Raphaelle rushed out and shouted.

“Stop it, you Wardanaz! We’ll work together! We’ll work together, so leave Deurghyu alone!!”

“That’s right. We’ll work together, so let Deurghyu go!!”

The White Tiger Tower students shouted at Ethan together.

“On your word of honor?”

“On our word of honor!”

“Good. I’ll let him go. But be careful from now on.”

Ethan released Deurghyu.

Giselle was staring at Ethan with a shocked look, as if looking at a crazy person.

“See, it would have been easier for everyone if you had agreed to work together earlier.”

“You’re… a more evil human than I am, Wardanaz. You can be proud. It’s the first time I’ve seen someone like you.”

“You’re probably the only one who thinks so.”

Ethan replied to Giselle’s words and turned his head.

Gainan nodded, then stopped when he met Ethan’s eyes.

“You don’t mean…?”

“Ah, no! I was just doing neck exercises!”

A troublesome assignment came up in Basic Magical Character Education, but Ethan and his friends couldn’t focus on it.

Not because of the cooperation with the White Tiger Tower students, but…

“So, when are you going to blow it up, Ethan of the Wardanaz family?”

“I’m still thinking about it.”

At Ethan’s words, Yoner whispered with a puzzled voice from the side.

“But why are you using polite words with Priestess Siana? You didn’t before.”

“…Did I?”

Lee Han suddenly understood. Priest Siana’s crazy idea had taken over his thoughts.

It wasn’t really Lee Han’s fault.

Anyone would be surprised if someone said, “We need a potion, so let’s raid the professor’s lab.”

“What’s wrong, you two?”

“Haha. It’s nothing… No, it’s nothing.”

Yoner saw Lee Han’s worried face and quickly spoke up for him.

“The Flemen Order… they just want results in alchemy,” Yoner explained. “They don’t worry too much about *how* you get them.”

‘Yoner isn’t very good at promoting the Order,’ Lee Han thought.

The truth was, the madness of Priest Siana or the Flemen Order wasn’t important right now.

What was truly important was when to raid it.

If he opened the door and Professor Thunderstride saw him, Lee Han would have nightmares for a month.

‘The time would obviously be between evening and night. But the day is the problem. Should I raid it during the remaining weekdays? Or on the weekend?’

Lee Han didn’t know Professor Thunderstride’s schedule exactly.

He met him at the cabin, but he didn’t know exactly what he did at other times.

And if he subtly asked Professor Thunderstride, he’d be suspected later…

Professor Lightningstride came to Lee Han. He was about to start the Basic Mount Training lecture.

“Wodanaz,” he said, “you don’t need to come to the cabin today.”

Lee Han had been learning additional training knowledge to tame flying mounts after finishing chores at the cabin.

“Is something the matter?”

“I’m thinking of going to the market with my nephew. I have something to buy.”

“Ah. I see.”

Lee Han tried his best to manage his expression. And he did his best to make sure his voice didn’t sound awkward.

“When are you leaving?”

“I’ll go after the lecture this afternoon and come back tomorrow. I’m sorry that only my nephew and I are leaving.”

Professor Lightningstride was sincerely sorry.

Frankly, he felt that he should take a working student like this boy from the Wodanaz family with him, even if he didn’t take other students.

He was literally working like a cow…

“No, Professor. The school rules are equal to everyone.”

“Did Gonadaltez threaten you? Anyway, I understand. I’ll buy you some beer candy when I come back.”

The dwarves’ snack preferences were a bit unique, but Lee Han didn’t bother pointing it out.

He was grateful for anything they bought him.

And…

‘Tonight!’

The opportunity came suddenly. Lee Han called his friends and said secretly.

“Tonight.”

“…!”

“Tonight…!”

The friends looked surprised at the suddenly scheduled event. But no one backed out.

“It’s even better. I can rest well on the weekend.”

“Tonight… I’ve been waiting.”

Asan reached out his hand with a determined expression. And then he said.

“For a comfortable semester without assignments.”

“For a comfortable semester without assignments!”

“…?”

Lee Han was puzzled.

When did you guys make this slogan?

“Stop talking and go to your respective positions. Well. Everyone must be getting along well with their horses. Some guys feed and brush their horses early in the morning, and some guys wake up late and just pat their horses once.”

Gainando flinched. Professor Lightningstride’s words about students who ‘wake up late’ sounded like they were aimed directly at him.

“I’m not going to say anything. This school takes students to the water, but it doesn’t force them to drink it. Everyone has to do it on their own.”

‘It feels like they start by throwing you into the water…’

“Are we riding horses today?”

One of the students asked with a nervous expression.

Everyone lacked the familiarity to ride horses and show complex horsemanship.

“No. It would take a semester of dedication to get that close. Today, we’re going to learn how to deal with other monsters.”

Professor Lightningstride put his fingers to his mouth and whistled loudly.

Then, a blazing puppy jumped out from behind.

The students, who had seen all sorts of crazy beings, naturally exclaimed.

But Lee Han was nervous.

In this magic school, a cute being might be more dangerous.

Lee Han thought, ‘Just because a monster looks ugly doesn’t mean it’s *more* dangerous than a cute one.’

“Anyone who likes it because it’s cute is disqualified. You should have seen this flame before you liked it because it’s cute. Half of you will die the moment this puppy runs at you.”

The burning puppy panted and rolled around. Professor Lightningstride scratched its belly as if it had done a good job.

“Wizards are basically good at handling elements, but that’s only the case for wizards who have survived various accidents. Why do the people of the Empire think wizards are good at handling elements? Because stupid wizards die before they become known to people. There are too many wizards who died trying to tame monsters with fire attributes to list them all.”

The students unknowingly took a step back. It seemed like they had moved several meters away from where they were standing.

“Today, you will learn how to handle monsters with fire attributes. Be grateful that it’s just a puppy. If it were just a horse, you’d have to worry about being kicked to death by its hooves before it burned. Wodanaz.”

The top student was always the first to come out in times like these.

Lee Han walked forward, suppressing a sigh.

“You’ll have to demonstrate. Drink this.”

Professor Lightningstride threw a potion of fire resistance. Lee Han was slightly relieved.

‘I’m not touching it with my bare hands.’

Thinking about how Professor Lightningstride would have been angry if he had heard that, ‘What do you think of me?!’, Lee Han drank the potion of fire resistance.

His throat felt hot, as if he had drunk strong liquor. When he breathed, a slightly pungent smell rose.

“Did you drink it all? Good job. Now, get along with that puppy for as long as possible.”

“How long does the potion last?”

“You have to guess that.”

Lee Han paused.

‘So, you’re telling me to realize the dangerous moment and get out of there on my own?’

The professor wasn’t just teaching them to use potions. He wanted them to learn to feel danger themselves. To know when to run, even without magic.

It wasn’t easy to convince himself.

‘Damn it. This always seems to end well.’

Wouldn’t it be advantageous to measure the potion time of other guys!

Lee Han concentrated.

He raised his magic power to a state of alert so that he could cast a spell at any time in case of an emergency.

Then, with a gentle smile, he approached the puppy.

The burning puppy groaned with a frightened expression.

“Don’t scare him!!”

“But I didn’t do anything…”