Surviving As A Mage In A Magic Academy [EN]: Chapter 824

The Mad Doppelganger didn’t notice Lee Han thinking about turning off the Echo Stone. He just said, “Indeed.”

“…Er, why on earth does such a spell exist?”

>Gonadalte’s Fall< is a spell that takes bad things from someone else – like curses, pain, and injuries – and puts them onto yourself. No matter how much he thought about it, it made no sense that the Mad Doppelganger would use such a spell. It wasn't as if the Mad Doppelganger would want to transfer the world's pain or wounds onto himself… That was… “Ah! I understand!” Lee Han had an epiphany. Come to think of it, it was a simple matter. “In order to transfer curses, pain, or wounds to someone else, one must be able to control them. And the easiest stage of control is absorption. This spell is a basic one learned before transferring the fall to an opponent, isn't it!” “What silly nonsense are you talking about so confidently?” “Ah, is that not the case?” Lee Han was taken aback by the Mad Doppelganger's scornful gaze. No other reason came to mind. “This secret magic is meant to gather all the pain, injuries, and curses from everywhere in the world and put them in one place. This spell is just the first step.” “??” Lee Han tilted his head. “What for, gathering them? To use as a weapon?” …If they were gathered in one place, wouldn't the world's pain disappear? The Mad Doppelganger looked at Lee Han, but his gaze was more than just contempt now. It was something else, something hard to explain. Lee Han, most surprised by what he'd heard today, exclaimed: “Th-then, does that mean you researched this secret art with truly pure intentions, Master?” “I hear doubt in your voice, little one,” “No, it's just so amazing that I couldn't help but admire it.” Overcoming his shock and regaining his senses, Lee Han quickly tried to smooth things over. 'Amazing. The scale of the magic is astonishing, but the intention is even more so.' The sheer scale of the magic—aiming to erase the very concept of pain from the entire dimension—was astonishing, but the intention was even more so. To research such magic in order to erase the world's pain. No matter how he thought about it, it didn't seem like research suited to Headmaster Skull. 'Could I be mistaking him for another doppelganger, not Gonadalte's?' While Lee Han was having mad thoughts, the Mad Doppelganger calmly continued his explanation. “This research ultimately failed. It was impossible to gather and seal concepts scattered throughout the entire dimension. That failure is still humiliating…” “No, you made the right decision. There was once a wizard who tried to fly towards the sun…” “Silence, you lowly thing. If one doesn't attempt to fly towards the sun because the flames are fierce, then one cannot be called a wizard.” Lee Han, who had tried to comfort the ancient being with an old tale, was immediately suppressed. The Mad Doppelganger gazed into the distant void, reminiscing about the past. “In the end, only a few secret arts remain like this.” “Still, isn't it a sufficiently great achievement?” “Perhaps. The black mages of the Three Kingdoms stole this secret art and used it on their enemies. Utterly vulgar.” “How can it be used against enemies?” “Lowly one, isn't it about time you stopped asking foolish questions? If you can absorb this fall into yourself, you can also transfer it to your enemies.” “……” Lee Han felt a surge of emotion. In the end, wasn't what Lee Han said earlier correct? 'It is a basic magic after all…!' First, you learn to absorb it into yourself, and then you learn to transfer it to your enemies. There would probably be a spell to transfer this fall to a higher circle as well. Wouldn't its name be something like >Gonadalte’s True Colors> or >Gonadalte’s Hidden Heart>?

“I apologize. I asked a foolish question.”

“Understood. Prepare yourself.”

“Master, please wait a moment.”

Lee Han, realizing that he hadn’t brought up the important matter due to hearing the shocking past story, hurriedly called out.

“What is it?”

“Doesn’t casting this mean I’ll be absorbing the opponent’s curse?”

“Has your intelligence declined?”

“…Please listen to the end. Wouldn’t I be in pain if I accepted the opponent’s curse into my body?”

“So?”

“……”

Lee Han decided to think of his opponent as either a three-year-old child or Professor Verdus.

‘I must explain from the beginning without wavering.’

“Haha. So, wouldn’t it be painful if a curse entered my body? If it’s painful, daily life would be difficult, and it would be hard to learn magic, wouldn’t it?”

The Mad Doppelganger, disgusted by his disciple’s suddenly revolting tone, replied:

“Lowly one, first correct that complacent attitude of finding it difficult to learn magic just because the body is falling. You cannot learn magic with such an attitude.”

“Ah, yes.”

Lee Han was indifferent.

Lee Han was a young mage from the Empire. He didn’t think the old mage’s words made much sense.

“You must be able to control all sorts of falls and declines, even if they torment you. Do you understand?”

“Yes… I will try.”

“Pain is not the enemy of a mage.”

“Then is it a friend?”

“Neither a friend. Lastly, you lowly one, you don’t need to worry about such things.”

“Why is that?”

“Because it won’t affect you.”

Lee Han, wondering what he meant, belatedly understood the meaning.

Then, dumbfounded, he retorted:

“No, Master. This isn’t an ordinary curse; it’s from some mad mage…”

“Silence. It’s just a mishmash made by mixing fourteen curses at most.”

The Mad Doppelganger refused Lee Han’s explanation and strongly ordered him to quickly learn the magic.

Lee Han grumbled inwardly and grabbed his wand.

‘Is he perhaps recommending that I become a lich if I can’t endure the curse and my body gives out?’

*

*

“……”

Lee Han, having cast >Gonadalte’s Fall>, scanned himself from top to bottom.

The Mad Doppelganger sighed, his voice flat with boredom as he asked, “How is it?”

“I feel a bit dizzy… and a slight fever…”

“Incorrect. You are fine.”

‘Then why did you ask?’

Lee Han complained, but he couldn’t really argue.

It was because he was truly perfectly fine.

As the mage of the Mulmasan Mountain Magic Tower opened his soul and Lee Han accurately absorbed the curse within, the curse bounced off powerlessly and disappeared.

He checked several times, but there really was no effect at all. Lee Han was even a little embarrassed.

He needed to be at least a little dizzy or have a fever to make a show of it…

“I seem to be perfectly fine. Thank you.”

“It should be so.”

The Mad Doppelganger paused for a moment, lost in thought, and then spoke.

“If you wish, you lowly one, you may continue the research.”

“Pardon?”

“This secret art, I mean.”

“……”

Lee Han was about to say, ‘Do I look stupid enough to take on research that even Master failed at?’ but he held onto his sanity.

It was because of the other’s expression.

Surprisingly, the Mad Doppelganger wore an expression filled with sorrow and regret.

It was so shocking that it was hard to believe it was the Mad Doppelganger, who usually only showed limited emotions such as contempt, scorn, annoyance, irritation, anger, and mockery.

‘Ah. It seems it was truly cherished research.’

Regardless of success or failure, everyone had something they cherished.

Just as Gainando tried to use the terrible wizard card deck he had made before falling into the curse deck, the research starting from this fall magic was such a sore spot for the Mad Doppelganger.

‘Damn it. Then I can’t refuse.’

Originally, refusing would have been the cleanest option.

However, judging from the atmosphere, it seemed impossible to predict what would happen if he did.

Lee Han made a quick decision.

“I will work hard!”

“Very well. Then I shall teach you another secret art next time. First, become familiar with this magic.”

“?”

Lee Han felt a sense of bewilderment.

It might sound a bit presumptuous, but Lee Han thought he had completely mastered this fall magic just now.

And he had actually completely absorbed the opponent’s curse.

“Was there a mistake in my spellcasting?”

“No.”

“Then what does it mean to become familiar with it?”

“That is something you must realize on your own.”

The Mad Doppelganger waved his hand, showing he wouldn’t say anything else. It was a signal to end the conversation.

“Ah.”

As if remembering something belatedly, the Mad Doppelganger called out to Lee Han.

“Do you have any more words to leave?”

“From now on, make sure to pay your respects every day as you did today. I am truly pleased to see you engrave even a little respect for your master into your body.”

“Haha. Yes, I understand.”

The Echo Stone went dark.

The enraged Lee Han immediately threw his wand at the wall.

*

*

“’This, this can’t be!’”

Bajun, the mage of the Mulmasan Mountain Magic Tower, who had regained his senses, checked his condition and exclaimed in astonishment.

No matter how he looked at it, the curse had completely disappeared.

“What trickery did you use! Tell me!”

Bajun shouted as he usually did.

Originally, the mages of the Mulmasan Mountain Magic Tower would say things like, ‘This can’t be! It’s a trick!’ when they saw truly outstanding magic.

However, this was Einroguard.

“What was that?”

Lee Han glared at his opponent with a serious expression.

His eyes were filled with murderous intent.

For some reason, he seemed to hear a chilling hiss from somewhere.

Bajun suddenly felt his heart constricting and regained his senses.

“Ah, no… I was just… surprised. I just couldn’t believe it.”

“Do you know all the Imperial magic? Haha. I’m just learning that now. I don’t know why someone who knows so much was brought here.”

“No… I said I’m sorry.”

Bajun appeased the arrogant and prickly Einroguard student.

He had made a slip of the tongue, but more than anything, he was too curious about how the curse had been cured.

If he was a mage who could use such magic, then this level of arrogance might be natural.

Lee Han, who had been grumbling, soon softened his temper.

Strictly speaking, the other party was not at fault.

No, more strictly speaking, he was at fault for creating the curse and getting afflicted…

At least, calling the Mad Doppelganger to ask was Lee Han’s choice.

‘Alright. It’s a choice I made. Let’s not get angry at the other person.’

“You said your name was Ohsu? The skill of a mage who uses the name of the Maringuan as a pseudonym is impressive. Very impressive…”

“……”

Lee Han momentarily considered strangling the other person with telekinesis, but he regained his senses.

“You remember opening your soul, right?”

“I opened the defenses and completely exposed it. Did you perhaps blow it away with magic?”

“If I had, you wouldn’t be able to talk to me like this. I took out the curse.”

“…What? How?”

Curses were basically made to have a strong attraction to the soul, so it was not easy to extract a properly attached curse.

Especially if the curse was located deep inside the soul.

To extract it, rather than erasing or destroying the curse itself?

“Wouldn’t it move on its own if there was a soul that the curse was more strongly attracted to?”

“That’s true.”

“That’s what I did.”

“??”

Bajun was astonished. Then he looked around and whispered softly.

“Where is it?”

“What are you talking about?”

“…You didn’t bring a prisoner and transfer the curse to them, did you? Shhh. Don’t worry. I won’t tell anyone. Rather, I’m grateful. To break Imperial law for my sake.”

“…I transferred it to myself.”

“What?”

“I absorbed it.”

“……”

Bajun momentarily doubted his ears. Then he began to ponder deeply.

Lee Han, worried that the other person had suddenly gone silent, asked:

“Are you alright?”

“I understand.”

“…What are you talking about again?”

“You… you must be a saint.”

“You should probably check your head a bit more. It might not be fully healed yet…”

“I’m being serious!”

“Crazy people all say that. Just stay still for a moment.”

Lee Han suppressed his opponent with telekinesis and looked for a senior to help.

Bajun, who never imagined he would be so easily suppressed by a second-year student, blinked in shock.

“…?!!!”