Surviving As A Mage In A Magic Academy [EN]: Chapter 841

“Did I really look like that?”

Lee Han was surprised that Professor Garcia thought less of him now. He tried to convince the Professor.

“Professor, please believe me.”

“Yes, yes, I believe you.”

When Lee Han looked at him with sad eyes, Professor Garcia’s heart softened a little.

“What am I saying… I’m sorry, Lee Han. I’m sure you didn’t want this either, did you?”

“That’s right, Professor.”

Lee Han agreed, glancing at the Echo Stone in his staff and subtly turning it.

‘This is a bit unusual, so I should think about it separately.’

“Actually, if a student only does what the teacher wants, that’s not a good student. A good student should go their own way.”

“No, I only want to do what Professor Garcia tells me.”

Professor Garcia was speechless at his student’s obvious flattery.

How could he say such things? Did the student have no shame at all?

“…Just be careful, Lee Han. That doppelganger is like a magical idea that became real. It’s not alive, but more like a force of nature or a problem that won’t go away. It’s very hard for us to understand how long it can last.”

“I will keep that in mind.”

“Now, let’s go see Professor Verdus.”

Professor Garcia checked the time and stood up.

He really wanted to lecture him for another hour about being careful, but Garcia had almost given up, feeling it was pointless.

Professor Garcia didn’t realize that giving up on lecturing Lee Han would have really hurt Lee Han’s feelings, if Lee Han knew.

“Oh, Lee Han.”

“Yes?”

“Do students these days not use exclamation marks much when writing letters?”

“I think they use them normally. Is there a reason to use a lot of exclamation marks?”

“Oh… is it… trendy or something?”

“I haven’t heard of such a trend.”

Professor Garcia looked shocked.

He mumbled things like, ‘Unbelievable,’ and ‘The trend is already finished.’ Lee Han was confused and asked…

“Are you sending a letter to a student?”

“Ah… no. I was just asking.”

‘He seems a bit too shocked for just asking.’

The air around the Sacred Tower felt different today. It was thick with magic, and guards were everywhere. Professor Verdus must have really angered someone this time.

Even before they reached the heavy oak doors, a small golem rolled into view. It was made of shiny bronze, and its blue sapphire eyes glowed like tiny lamps. It moved with a clanking sound on the stone path.

“No outsiders allowed,” the golem announced in a metallic voice that echoed. “No outsiders allowed.”

“It’s Professor Garcia,” Garcia said, a little impatiently.

“And Lee Han,” Lee Han added.

The golem paused, its sapphire eyes seeming to scan them. “-Einroguard staff confirmed. Next check. Have you been asked by Bibby Verdus to kidnap him, or anything like that? Answer now.” A strange, twisting magic pulsed from the golem, making the air shimmer.

Garcia and Lee Han exchanged a look. Kidnap Professor Verdus? What had he done now?

“I have not,” Garcia said clearly.

“Me neither,” Lee Han replied.

“-Truth confirmed,” the golem stated. “You may enter.” The heavy oak doors creaked open slowly.

‘Should I just smash it to pieces?’

Professor Garcia grumbled to himself as he moved forward.

Wouldn’t it be better to teach the students something or give them materials instead of making something like that?

On the first floor of the Sacred Tower, several students from the Enchantment Magic School were sitting and talking.

Seeing that, Professor Garcia felt even more sad.

‘They should be getting help from their professor, but they have to study on their own like that.’

Thinking he might be able to help, Professor Garcia went over to the students.

“I think we should kidnap Professor Verdus and sell him now. If we wait a few more days, the clients might give up and leave.”

“No, we need to think carefully. Professor Verdus’s value might go up as the weekend gets closer.”

“I think how we kidnap and sell him is more important than when we sell him. Haven’t you all forgotten? From the moment we decide and get a request, those golems will stop us.”

Seeing the students seriously planning to kidnap the professor after getting requests from outsiders, Professor Garcia sighed.

“Oh, Professor Garcia. Hello.”

“I can’t say I’m doing well…”

“Is something wrong?”

“…Never mind. Everyone, keep up the good work.”

Professor Garcia gave up trying to say anything.

In a way, this was Verdus’s own fault.

‘It’s not my place to interfere.’

As Professor Garcia walked along, he suddenly felt something was off.

Lee Han was nowhere to be seen.

“Seniors, who exactly are the people who want to kidnap Professor Verdus?”

“Lee Han!”

“Sorry.”

Lee Han quickly apologized and ran over.

“Why are you asking that there?”

“You never know when it might be helpful…”

“…Just follow me.”

Professor Garcia stepped onto the spiral staircase of the Sacred Tower.

Then, he shouted in an annoyed voice.

“You’ve put unnecessary magic here again. Professor Verdus! Open up!”

“Professor Verdus doesn’t listen to words, does he?”

Lee Han thought Professor Garcia was wasting his energy.

It would be better to just break the magic and go up to Professor Verdus’s place…

-Alright, alright! Calm down!

Lee Han was really surprised.

‘Professor Verdus is listening?’

Unable to believe it, Lee Han looked at Professor Garcia again. His clenched fist strangely caught his eye.

‘Could it be because of that?’

Whirr-

Several confusion spells disappeared, and the traps hidden in the stairs were disarmed. A new path appeared from the wall, and a door appeared in the ceiling.

“Can we go up now?”

“Not yet, Lee Han.”

Clang! Clang!

A loud noise came from behind the door in the ceiling. Professor Garcia said in an annoyed voice.

“How long do we have to wait??”

-Just a moment! I tied too many chains! Just wait a little longer!

It was quite rare to see Professor Verdus shouting so urgently.

Professor Verdus, who was quickly releasing the chains, said worriedly.

-Don’t break it! Professor Garcia!

Under Lee Han’s gaze, Professor Garcia’s face turned slightly red.

“I don’t usually break things, Lee Han. I accidentally bumped into it last time.”

“Professor, I would respect you even if you destroyed the entire Sacred Tower.”

‘Don’t respect me for that…’

Professor Verdus, who had hurriedly released the chains, opened the ceiling door and lowered a magic ladder.

He was covered in sweat from rushing so much.

“Here! I didn’t break it, did I?”

“Anyone would think I go around breaking everything, Professor Verdus.”

“You do go around breaking everyth… Ack!”

Professor Verdus paid the price for his carelessness in a situation where Professor Garcia was close by.

Professor Garcia, with his natural talent and wisdom, bypassed Professor Verdus’s magic defense and grabbed his shoulder tightly.

The pain made Professor Verdus tear up, and he blamed his own kindness.

‘I’ve been tricked again! I shouldn’t have trusted him, even if it’s Professor Garcia!’

“Don’t say strange things, got it?”

“Yes! Yes!”

Lee Han looked at Professor Garcia with admiration.

‘I want to be like Professor Garcia.’

The Skull Headmaster and the crazy doppelganger were not important. He might be the real wizard.

The two who went up to the ceiling were surprised by what they saw.

The area above was not the magic workshop Professor Verdus usually used, but an attic.

There were fewer magic tools, and the space was smaller, making it more cluttered and cramped. Professor Verdus grabbed the artifact he had been making and asked.

“What brings you here? But can you let go of my shoulder?”

“Professor Verdus, I came because I have a favor to ask.”

“Alright, but can you really let go of my shoulder?”

Professor Verdus pleaded with the cute voice and face of a beaver beastman, but Professor Garcia shook his head.

If he let go because he felt sorry, things would become difficult.

“Would you process this obsidian for Lee Han?”

“Huh? No.”

Violence and submission.

A breaking sound was heard from Professor Verdus’s collarbone, and healing magic was used.

“Alright! I’ll do it!”

“Thank you, Professor. I’ll forget about the time I patrolled for you, graded exams for you, prepared assignments for you, made artifacts to put on criminals for you, and managed materials for you.”

“You’re a complete extortionist…”

Professor Garcia wanted to use more force at Professor Verdus’s grumbling, but he held back.

He didn’t want to use force for his own feelings, unless it was for his student.

“Did you bring the obsidian?”

“You have it, Professor.”

Professor Verdus made a sad face, but Professor Garcia coldly shook his head.

Sniffling, Professor Verdus rummaged through his pockets and took out the obsidian ingot.

‘The professor usually carries a subspace pocket and backpack attached to his clothes.’

Lee Han remembered Professor Verdus’s item list in preparation for the future.

“Aren’t you being too much, even compared to Gonadaltez?”

Professor Garcia endured the insult with patience.

“Take a look at this. Now, as you can see from the shape of this staff…”

“Specialized for ancient magic? Did Gonadaltez ask for it?”

“No, it’s Lee Han’s staff. Weren’t you listening to me?”

“No… Gonadaltez could also ask for a Wodanaz staff…”

Professor Verdus, slightly scared by Professor Garcia’s angry look, stammered.

Professor Garcia was surprised by the accurate statement.

‘That’s true?’

The Skull Headmaster could also ask for Lee Han’s staff. It was a good idea for Professor Verdus.

“That’s true, but anyway, no. Now, can you feel this wood here?”

“A King-level spirit? How did you get it?”

Professor Verdus was starting to get interested.

Unlike boring work, this staff had some new things.

“I’ll tell you everything when it’s done.”

“Wait, is this from the Forest of Gwangmok!? How did you get in there!?”

Professor Verdus asked in surprise.

A branch from the Forest of Gwangmok.

He had wanted it for a long time!

“Listen to me.”

“Ack!”

“You have to finish the staff to match this.”

“Alright…”

“Can you do it?”

“Yeah, it looks like it’ll be fun.”

Professor Garcia was happy to hear Professor Verdus’s words.

Words like ‘I’ll try,’ ‘I will,’ ‘I’ll do my best,’ and ‘really’ were not trustworthy, but Professor Verdus’s words ‘It looks like it’ll be fun’ were reliable.

Professor Verdus worked harder than anyone else when it was something he enjoyed.

“Then I’ll have to do what Gonadaltez left for me later. It wasn’t fun anyway.”

“Go ahead.”

Lee Han, who was listening, was worried and whispered.

“Professor, is that okay? If you don’t meet the deadline, Professor Verdus will…”

“So what? It’s his problem. Who told him not to meet the deadline?”