Surviving As A Mage In A Magic Academy [EN]: Chapter 842

Professor Garcia felt a little bad for speaking so coldly.

“I’m sorry, Mr. Lee Han. I shouldn’t have gotten angry.”

‘Hmm. He’s not apologising to Professor Verdus, I see.’ Lee Han thought to himself.

Professor Garcia apologised for speaking curtly to Lee Han, but he would never apologise for entrusting the work to Professor Verdus, and Lee Han actually agreed with him.

‘He’s right, though. There’s no reason to apologise.’

Apologizing here was seen as something only a new student at Einroguard would do. Professional students and professors believed apologizing showed weakness.

Even if they hadn’t assigned him the work, Professor Verdus would have found another excuse to postpone it anyway.

“But can I do this?”

“What nonsense are you talking about, Professor?”

Professor Garcia almost got annoyed when Professor Verdus spoke. But he stopped himself. He had a student listening next to him, after all.

Originally, Professor Verdus wanted to do whatever was fun, whether his student was interested in the topic or not, but there were a few exceptions.

One of them was when an angry Professor Garcia was in front of him.

If he later found out that the creation of this wand was actually a topic his student wanted to do…

Then not just his collarbone, but all the bones in his body might be crushed. Professor Garcia’s strength awakened the common sense that lay dormant within Professor Verdus.

“Did I not tell you not to play tricks?”

But Professor Verdus’s sincerity didn’t get through.

Professor Verdus screamed at the sound coming from his shoulder.

“No, I’m not playing tricks!”

“What do you mean Yukbertire wants to do it? You don’t even know what your students want to do.”

“Well, that’s true, but Yukbertire really wanted to… Ack! Aargh!”

“Stop it. Stop it. Don’t try to pass it on to Yukbertire.”

Professor Verdus, succumbing to the force, shut his mouth. In the first place, he didn’t bring it up because he wanted to pass it on to his student, but because he was afraid Professor Garcia would punish him severely later, so he had no intention of talking about it again.

‘I definitely said it. It’s not my fault.’

“Shall we start, then?”

“Yes.”

“Could you take your hand off my shoulder?”

“No.”

“Okay…”

Professor Verdus began his work with a slumped back that evoked sympathy. Fortunately, Lee Han and Professor Garcia were not shaken in the slightest.

“Your skills are amazing, Professor,” Lee Han said, his voice full of genuine admiration. He watched, eyes wide, as Professor Verdus worked.

Even with all the earlier commotion, Lee Han couldn’t deny his awe. The black obsidian, a metal that drank in magic like a thirsty sponge, was notoriously difficult to work with. He knew even ordinary blacksmiths, those who didn’t wield magic, relied on enchanted tools just to shape normal metals.

Yet, despite the obsidian’s stubborn nature, Professor Verdus’s hands moved with incredible speed. He shaped the dark metal as if it were soft clay, sparks of silver-blue flame dancing around his fingertips.

‘Of course, it’s also because Professor Garcia has his hand on his shoulder, but even considering that, it’s still amazing.’

Whoosh!

Professor Verdus took out a necklace with a small glass cube hanging from it and blew on it. Flames flickered inside the glass cube.

‘A microcosm!’

Lee Han was surprised, wondering if the magic imbued in that necklace was perhaps microcosm magic. He might have misjudged it, but that’s how powerful it felt.

The flame inside the glass cube escaped on the wind and wrapped around the black obsidian as if licking it.

If it were a flame mixed with magic, it should have quickly died down, but instead, the flame blocked the properties of the black obsidian and softened the ore.

‘To refine it while changing reality itself like that, it would be difficult without a microcosm.’

“Professor Verdus is indeed a skilled craftsman.” Professor Garcia nodded as if in agreement.

The flame of Magnum Opus, the microcosm magic Professor Verdus was using now, could melt and burn all sorts of rare and unusual materials.

There were only a handful of wizards in the Empire who stored such a production-specialised microcosm in the form of imbued magic and carried it around.

“Hmm!”

Professor Verdus grabbed the heated black obsidian with his hands and shaped it.

The second way to refine a metal that absorbs magic was to simply endure it. Each time magic was absorbed, he would continue to cast spells and endure with force!

Still, it seemed a little difficult, as Professor Verdus glanced back. Lee Han, who met his eyes, was puzzled.

“How can I help you?”

“Yes! …Ack! Aargh!”

“Turn your head forward again, Professor.” Professor Garcia cut off the conversation with force before he could even speak.

Lee Han, who still didn’t understand what was going on, asked a question.

“What’s wrong?”

“Lee Han, Professor Verdus was looking at you to borrow your magic. Ignore him.

“Ah.”

If he had a student with infinite magic, he could have them do this kind of work instead of constantly recovering with artifacts and potions himself.

Lee Han finally understood and called out to Professor Verdus.

“Professor.”

“?”

“Good luck.”

“……”

Professor Verdus pouted and went back to work.

The third way to refine a metal that absorbs magic.

Whirr!

A magical device, all gears and gleaming metal, rose from the floor, connected to a giant forging hammer that hung suspended above them. Steam hissed from its joints, smelling faintly of ozone and magic.

In ancient times, to forge metal, a craftsman had to directly cast magic on the hammer and control it to pound the metal.

But these days, Imperial craftsmen didn’t use such primitive methods. They could just use a giant blacksmithing magic device with magical gears and devices built into it, so there was no need to cast magic on it one by one.

Just pull the rope and the hammer would automatically pound the metal, spewing steam from the magic combustion.

“Won’t the magic be absorbed because of the black obsidian?”

“That’s why I modified it. Look, Lee Han.” Professor Garcia pointed upwards.

The role of magic was only to amplify the mass of the giant hammer and lift it above the ceiling. The moment it was dropped from there, even if the magic disappeared due to the black obsidian, the force would remain the same.

‘Ah.’

Lee Han was impressed, unlike before.

Using microcosm magic or simply using it while taking into account the absorption of magic was a great method, but this was an impressive method in that it caught you off guard.

‘I should have thought of it before hearing it, but have I been too dependent on magic lately?’

“I’ve been reflecting, Professor Garcia. I learned from the time I entered school that I shouldn’t be too dependent on magic, but I couldn’t think of this method.”

“You’re too strict, Lee Han. On the contrary, it’s great that you’re reflecting like this. It’s not easy for a wizard to forget magic.”

“Haha. I suppose that’s true.”

Lee Han and Professor Garcia had a pleasant conversation.

Meanwhile, Professor Verdus, who was sweating profusely while working, turned his head, panting.

“Can’t I take a break?”

“No. Rest when you’re done.”

“Hmph…”

‘He’s really so cool.’ Lee Han once again sent the hottest gaze of respect this year. I want to become a wizard like that!

“Hmm.”

Lee Han scanned the completed wand and moved his feet.

Originally, he wanted to leisurely test the wand for a few days, tame it, and check it out, but Einroguard’s tight schedule (especially in Lee Han’s case) didn’t allow it.

-Huff, huff. I finished it all. Save me.

-Are you really done? If you left anything out because you were too lazy, your bones will be broken too, Professor.

-I don’t do that to works I make with interest! There’s not a single flaw!

-You shouldn’t have any flaws in works you don’t make with interest either… Okay. Just tell me the precautions.

-Like any powerful new wand, it’ll take some getting used to. A few days at the shortest, a few months at the longest. This will be especially true because both materials are so strong and unique. You’ll have to test it in various ways.

‘Was the tree spirit’s power >Power of Recovery>, >Power of Life>, >Power of Tenacity>? The 투전승목왕 guy woke up, so it must have increased. It would be nice if I could use >Power of Grafting> too.’

Just because Lee Han was taking all the school’s classes didn’t mean he was learning all the magic equally.

There were some types of elemental magic that he didn’t use as much, such as earth and wood elements.

In that respect, Gwangmokwang’s branch was certainly useful. Even if Lee Han didn’t invest time separately, it would be advantageous for him when using wood or earth element magic.

‘The two elements are quite closely related, so they influence each other. The problem is…’

The time it takes for the wand to get used to his hand, as Professor Verdus said.

It would be different if it was a basic wand supplied to freshmen at Einroguard, but since it was made of such strong materials, there was no way there wouldn’t be trial and error.

How troublesome would it be if he accidentally summoned a tree wall in front of him and locked himself in a wooden coffin?

‘…I should do some practice.’

Lee Han, who had taken his eyes off Gwangmokwang’s branch, looked at the black obsidian.

This ore, which emitted a subtle glow of black and purple, maintained one axis of the wand in a bizarre shape.

At first, it was a material chosen to control Gwangmokwang’s branch, but since this material was not an ordinary ore either, it would certainly have an effect.

“Water.”

With the spell, a familiar mass of water appeared.

‘It’s gotten faster. The magic is also stronger.’

Lee Han tried to control the mass of water, but accidentally focused his mind on the black obsidian part of the wand. Then the mass of water immediately scattered into the air.

‘The control has become more difficult… but it’s not impossible.’

Other students would have groaned, but Lee Han had suffered too much to be troubled by this kind of path now.

As he entered the >Poison, Bone, Blood> classroom, Dirette, who was sitting and reading the >Monthly Black Magic Trend> magazine, raised her hand in greeting.

“You’ve arrived, junior?”

“Hello, Dirette senior.” Lee Han, who bowed his head in greeting, discovered several black magic reagents in front of the classroom.

>Large Beast Bone>-Skeleton Golem

>Shriveled Toad Skin>-Demon Toad

>Soul Fragment of Chiyeon Angui>-Chiyeon Angui

Like a clever junior, Lee Han realised the intentions of the reagents Dirette had prepared.

“Is it perhaps undead enhancement?”

“That’s right.” Dirette smiled contentedly, a hint of mischief in her eyes.

It was worth preparing so hard and bringing them. Whether they used ancient orthodox black magic or current Imperial black magic, there was no black magician who didn’t like to enhance and evolve the undead they commanded.

Just as an excellent 격구 club player takes care of their ride from the time they are young, black magicians also enhance their undead summons by adding this and that.

‘Is this a pop quiz? I have to work hard.’

Lee Han scanned the reagents with a cautious expression.

Currently, the skeleton warriors Lee Han commanded were being enhanced by adding dark elements or blood elements. Both were rare and powerful methods, but it was still difficult to escape the limitations of being skeleton warriors.

Maybe it was time to learn how to find and create new undead.

‘Skeleton Golem… hmm. It has similarities to skeleton warriors, but I don’t know if I’ll be able to summon such a medium-sized summon for the first time. Did Dirette senior summon the demon toad when she kidnapped the duke last time? It’s not bad, but I don’t know if I’ll have the skill to implement even the muscles. Hmph. If I choose something easy, Dirette senior will give me a low score, right?’

‘Hehe. I like it. I like it.’

Dirette was delighted to see her junior carefully contemplating.

She had prepared it to give him a break since there had been several things happening recently and there would be a pop quiz this week, and it seemed to have worked.

To think he would like it so much!