Surviving As A Mage In A Magic Academy [EN]: Chapter 820

Ragesa, a seasoned pirate with connections to the Skull Headmaster, knew a lot about how Ainrogard’s school worked.

Ainrogard hadn’t changed much when he visited 17, 29, and 37 years ago.

Ragesa remembered a time 37 years ago.

“Why don’t you have a wand?”

“I traded it for a loaf of bread.”

“…Right. I understand. Why don’t you have a cloak? Did you trade that for a loaf of bread too?”

“No, I didn’t.”

“Then?”

“I traded it for half a loaf…”

“……”

Ragesa recalled another visit, 29 years ago.

“Still, you have a wand!”

“Yes! We found the kitchen yesterday! We raided all the food in the kitchen and used it to get back our wands and cloaks.”

“Hee hee hee, good! That’s great. At least you got the food with your own strength! But what’s that iron chain around your ankle?”

“I got caught by the kitchen keeper. He asked if I wanted to go to the punishment room or do chores in the kitchen… I decided to do chores in the kitchen. I have to help with kitchen work for ten hours a day.”

“I don’t know much about teaching magic, but can you even learn magic while working in the kitchen for ten hours a day?”

Ragesa thought back to 17 years ago.

“Amazing, you caught quite a big beast!”

“Thank you.”

“But why aren’t the others eating and just lying there?”

“They tried to knock me down and take it, so I fought a little…”

“Oh dear! It’s not your fault. Those who tried to take the food from a troll hybrid are the stupid ones.”

“I said I would share, but they tried to ambush me from behind… Hng…”

“Tsk tsk. You can’t reason with those who have been starving for a week. You have to control them with violence. Use that fist of yours.”

“But I hate violence? If you hate violence, you need even stronger violence. At least hold your fist tightly! Those who have been starving for a week might give up after a few hits, but those who have been starving for two weeks won’t give up even after a few hits.”

“Doesn’t seem like it’s changed much?” Ragesa said, ending his memories.

He realized Ainrogard would stay a miserable place until the leader changed.

Ragesa often told his pirates, “You shouldn’t complain about sailing all year! There’s a place called Ainrogard…”

“When I was a freshman, everyone was hungry, but I think we managed to eat three meals a day…”

“Really?? Maybe you went to Baldrogard?”

“Ragesa, sir!” Lee Han protested, and Ragesa chuckled.

There was no better way to tease magic school students than to mention ‘Baldrogard’.

‘Wait. Is it because of Ehandurde?’ Lee Han wondered.

Ehandurde, who was connected to the Black Turtle Tower, was experienced in fighting and liked it.

Lee Han remembered Ehandurde saying he was ‘taking food from other tower friends’ when they met in Professor Volardy’s class.

Lee Han had given him food to share, but he doubted Ehandurde actually shared it.

‘If it were me… I would have secretly put it in the warehouse,’ Lee Han thought.

He knew it wasn’t easy to care for those who rushed at him for food. Why would he help them just because they were nice?

“I have a guess,” Lee Han said.

“What is it?” Ragesa asked.

“I have a junior like this…” Lee Han explained about Ehandurde.

Ragesa didn’t seem to care.

“How much can one person take? And they are all wizards. Even if they can’t take it, they can hide it.”

“No. If Ehandurde wants something, he will take it,” Lee Han insisted.

‘Does he hate him, maybe?’ Ragesa wondered, surprised by Lee Han’s seriousness.

“Then I’ll go ask. You follow behind invisibly,” Ragesa said and walked away.

The first-year students, who were eating cheese, bread, rice cake, and fruit, were startled.

“Wh-Who are you!”

“Calm down! Even if you all attack me, you won’t touch my clothes. I am the owner of that food basket!”

“…We, we can’t give it back! We absolutely can’t give it back!”

“……”

Ragesa and Lee Han were embarrassed by the students’ strong reaction.

“…I didn’t come to take it away. Would I have left the food basket if I wanted it back? I gave it to you to eat,” Ragesa explained.

“Th-Thank you…!” The first-year students were moved and cried.

They quickly became friendly and answered Ragesa’s questions, ready to share all of Ainrogard’s secrets.

“Why are you so hungry?” Ragesa asked.

“The amount of food is too small… And it often disappears along the way,” one student said.

“This place is so big, why don’t you get food yourselves?”

“We’ve been trying, but we usually fail…” They explained that gathering or hunting only made them hungrier, especially for beginners.

Wandering around Ainrogard was dangerous. They could get lucky, or they could end up in the punishment room.

“Oh dear. Is it because a guy named Ehandurde takes away a lot of food?” Ragesa asked.

“Ehandurde? No.”

“Ehandurde even shared food last time. It’s just that Father Karle stole it all.”

“No way!” Lee Han shouted in surprise.

The first-year students were also surprised. It was hard to stay calm when they heard a voice from nowhere.

“What was that just now?”

“Don’t worry about it. It’s just a ghost pirate following me. Anyway, it’s not because of Ehandurde?” Ragesa asked.

The freshmen nodded and explained that they often fought with Ehandurde, who was from the Black Turtle Tower.

They described how Ehandurde beat up students from other towers, including Father Karle, and was the pride of the Black Turtle Tower.

Only strong students like Ulgan and Alhidl could stop him.

“So, it’s because of Ehandurde, right?” Ragesa asked again when he heard the voice from the air.

The first-year students looked confused.

“So… Ehandurde doesn’t attack unless we attack first,” one student said.

“He doesn’t take any more food if he’s full,” another added.

‘Is he some kind of wild beast?’ Lee Han wondered, regretting not telling Ehandurde to save food.

“And last time, he brought food and shared it. He said he got it from a senior whose name can’t be revealed…”

“I see.” Lee Han felt sorry for Ehandurde, realizing he hadn’t trusted his junior.

Ragesa, who was listening, asked, “What’s that about Father Karle stealing it?”

It was a natural question since priests usually don’t steal.

“Father Karle is from the Bildotscal Order…”

“Oh, Bildotscal! The true order of the Empire!” Ragesa clapped and cheered like a pirate, confusing the students.

“I knew it. He was connected to the Bildotscal Order,” Ragesa said.

“Isn’t a priest not supposed to steal?” The students asked sadly.

Ragesa scoffed, “How do you knights beg? I saw you eating more than beggars earlier!”

“……”

“If you’re hungry, you steal and take. The one who gets caught is the idiot,” Ragesa said.

“We didn’t know the priest would steal!”

“Yes. That’s a good thing! Hee hee hee!”

Lee Han stopped Ragesa and took out more food, worried the students would guess Ragesa’s identity.

“Here. Take some more food,” Lee Han offered.

“Th-Thank you! Ghost Pirate-nim!”

“I recommend eating the canned goods first. Don’t just grill the corned beef cans and eat them when you’re hungry. Put them in a pot and boil them with the bread. Don’t give up just because it’s hard, it’s better to boil it somehow,” Lee Han advised.

The students looked at the ghost pirate with respect, impressed by his wisdom.

Lee Han watched them pack up the food and leave, then wondered, “Wait. If it’s not because of Ehandurde, why are these guys starving?”

“Didn’t I tell you? This is normal for Ainrogard. Why wouldn’t they have wands,” Ragesa replied.

“Why wouldn’t they?”

“Are you really asking that because you don’t know!? They traded it for bread! Are you really an Ainrogard student?'”

“…?!” Lee Han was confused.

“We didn’t have that kind of thing back then. Except for Gainando secretly trading books to get snacks…”

“That’s amazing? There was a place where you could get food regularly?” Ragesa asked.

“In my case, I regularly went out and managed the garden to secure food,” Lee Han explained.

“……”

Ragesa looked at Lee Han like he was the most foolish wizard in the Empire.

“It’s all because of you!!!”

“Indeed…” Lee Han said.

“It’s shocking! There were Ainrogard students who spent that school year comfortably,” Ragesa exclaimed.

“No. We had a hard time in our own way,” Lee Han argued.

Ragesa scoffed. Anyone who hadn’t traded their wand for bread wasn’t a true Ainrogard student.

“Then, Ragesa-nim. I’ll go to the lecture now,” Lee Han said.

“Let’s go together. I should take a look. Anyway, everyone who sees me after wandering around will think I’m a fool who wasted money,” Ragesa replied.

“It won’t be very interesting? It’s a healing magic lecture,” Lee Han said.

“Healing magic won’t be interesting,” Ragesa agreed.

“Then wouldn’t another place be better?”

“No, no. Something will definitely happen where you are going. It’ll be fun enough,” Ragesa insisted.

‘Isn’t he being too harsh?’ Lee Han thought.

It wasn’t like Lee Han caused trouble wherever he went…

The fact that the hallway was half-destroyed when Ragesa taught magic was because Ragesa taught strangely, not Lee Han’s fault.

Lee Han had listened to many other lectures… No, there were a few.

“Wait a minute. Ragesa-nim. Have you seen Senior Yookbeltire’s research? If you haven’t seen it yet…”

“That arrogant guy looked down on me the most?” Ragesa interrupted.

“……”

Lee Han was amazed that Ragesa could fail to get sponsorship even with such a great bronze golem.