Surviving As A Mage In A Magic Academy [EN]: Chapter 845

Ihan was surprised by the sudden, harsh words.

He hadn’t seen the second-year students because of Ihan himself, and he hadn’t been able to collect wands thanks to him.

What on earth was that supposed to mean?

“Is he mad?”

Then again, Aeinrogard was known to have many strange people.

Ihan was not bothered. He tried to talk calmly.

“What do you mean you haven’t seen the second-years because of me? And what’s this about wand collecting?”

“Do you know what my job is?”

“Isn’t it guarding the kitchen?”

Unless the word ‘kitchen guard’ had acquired some new, secret meaning, that was the only possibility.

“Half right. The other half is exchanging food supplies with the students.”

“!!!”

Ihan was truly amazed by this kind job, something no one expected in Aeinrogard.

“Really? Aeinrogard has such a role? Why have I never seen it?”

The kitchen guard cast an even more ferocious and sullen glare than before.

Then, he spat out,

“You’ve never seen it because you’ve never been desperate enough.”

“Pardon?”

“To meet me, you have to be truly impoverished. Your belly has to be stuck to your back, willing to sell even a wand for a can of food. You shouldn’t even mind going to the punishment room if you can raid the kitchen.”

The more he listened, the more astonishing the other’s words became.

Ihan thought to himself.

‘So, he only appears before truly hungry Aeinrogard students?’

A being who appears before a student so starved that they’re caught raiding the kitchen.

It was a peculiar and demanding condition for appearing, but in Aeinrogard, it was considered quite normal.

‘More than that, if I’d known this, there was no need to stockpile food so diligently, was there?’

Ihan said regretfully.

“That’s a shame. If we had held out longer, my friends and I could have received food supplies too.”

“Received? What do you mean?”

“Aren’t you giving out food supplies?”

“I said exchange.”

Only then did Ihan’s senses return.

Now that he thought about it, it seemed odd.

There was no way the Skull Headmaster’s minion would appear before hungry students and give out food supplies for free.

“…Perhaps, what do we have to do to get food supplies? Do you give us odd jobs?”

“You think too highly of the students. Are small jobs from students worth much to me? I only accept magical items.”

The kitchen guard never gave out food supplies for free. He only gave them out in exchange for various magic-related equipment.

Starting with the magic wands the students received, to small alchemy pots and pans, cloaks, hats, and so on.

Hungry students had to snatch even their friends’ wands to offer them up.

‘The reason the first-year juniors didn’t have wands, could it be…!’ Ihan realized the truth and was horrified.

At first, he thought the first-year students of the Black Turtle Tower were collecting wands to commemorate and boast about their victory.

But the Black Turtle Tower students were just as hungry and struggling, so there was no way they could afford such leisure. Naturally, they collected them because there was a source of food.

Making students who were already poor and had nothing steal from each other.

“Why do you only accept those things?”

“Because the master ordered it.”

‘Ah.’

Ihan was about to get angry, but then he understood right away.

If the Skull Headmaster ordered it, there was nothing to be surprised about. It was all too understandable.

“Last year, the master scolded me for not having any results. It’s because of you.”

“But… then are we supposed to forcibly endure when there’s food to eat?”

“It’s enough to eat alone, why do you have to share it with your friends too? It’s because of you.”

“Then, are we not supposed to give food to friends who are starving?”

“Even if we concede a hundred times and say it’s okay to share with friends, why share it with the entire student body? No matter how I look at it, it’s definitely because of you.”

Ihan was slightly speechless at the kitchen guard’s words.

Strangely, after listening, he thought that feeding the entire student body was a bit much…?

“Wait.”

The Duke, who had been listening from behind, interjected as if he didn’t understand.

“What is it, prisoner?”

“…Do you not know who I am?”

“I know. You’re the fool who tried to steal the master’s treasure and got caught, aren’t you?”

The kitchen guard spat out sullenly.

At those words, Duke Icardoren’s face flushed red, but he didn’t shout.

He had already bitterly realized that getting angry at the Skull Headmaster’s minion with the customs of the Empire was meaningless.

“That’s enough. More than that, isn’t this the disciple of the Magic Authority? And you’re the Magic Authority’s minion. Is it okay for a minion to act so impudently towards a disciple?”

The Duke sternly pointed out the etiquette.

Ihan, who was listening from the side, was dumbfounded and pointed out.

“What nonsense… Your Highness. I am not a disciple…”

However, the kitchen guard heard those words and hesitated, then bowed his head deeply.

“I apologize. Please forgive my rudeness.”

“…No. Why are you apologizing! I’m just a student!”

Ihan felt even more frustrated when the kitchen guard suddenly bowed his head.

What kind of guy was this?

However, whether Ihan got angry or not, the kitchen guard seemed to have made up his mind. He maintained his politeness with his head bowed.

Come to think of it, no matter how spiteful he was, being rude to the Magic Authority’s disciple was not a good choice.

Even if he got his revenge right now, retaliation could come back a hundredfold, a thousandfold soon.

Even when Ihan got very upset and told him to stop, the kitchen guard kept bowing until he was finished.

“…Let’s stop. So, Kitchen Guard, what brings you here? I’m not hungry, nor do I have any intention of exchanging wands.”

“I didn’t come because of Wodanaz. I came because of the fool behind you.”

“Because of His Highness the Duke?”

“Yes. He called me.”

The kitchen guard took out a small brass bell from his waist. The bell shook outwards, creating a clear sound.

“Right now, that fool is full, so it doesn’t ring, but originally, it rang in this direction.”

The Bell of Starvation that the kitchen guard possessed was an artifact that found the starving within the Aeinrogard territory.

When a person starved to the point of screaming with their soul, the bell sensed their location and resonated the sound in that direction.

The kitchen guard used this magic item to get wands and other magical things from the students. Sometimes, it also helped him find students who were starving in faraway places in Aeinrogard.

Duke Icardoren, who heard the explanation, flushed red again.

He hadn’t thought that the kitchen guard had come here because of him.

“I… I wasn’t that hungry.”

“Would a bell that can’t speak lie? You fool. Magic doesn’t lie.”

“…You rude fellow… !”

The Duke was indignant, but there was nothing he could do inside the bars. The kitchen guard put the bell back in his pocket.

“If the Duke isn’t hungry and doesn’t have anything to exchange, I should be going. Wodanaz, please forget my rudeness today.”

“No. I’m fine. When you think about it, isn’t the Headmaster the bad one?”

“?!”

The Duke, who was listening from behind, was taken aback.

He never thought he would openly insult his teacher.

‘Is that okay?’

The kitchen guard bowed his head again as if he was grateful that Ihan had said that, then turned around.

“Wait!”

” ? ”

” ? ”

It was the Duke who called out to the kitchen guard. Ihan and the kitchen guard looked at the Duke as if they were wondering.

“…Ah, no. I heard you exchange food. Yes. What can I give you?”

The Duke felt deeply ashamed, like Ihan’s sad look had seen right through him.

He wouldn’t have been this embarrassed if he had sent a look of contempt.

“First, I need to check what you can offer.”

“…Can you see the ring here? You can buy a fortress with just this one ring.”

Duke Icardoren held out his index finger and shone the ring in the light.

Eighteen jewels were meticulously cut and radiated their light brilliantly. It was an expensive work of art that anyone could see. However, the kitchen guard shook his head.

“That won’t do.”

“What!? Why won’t it do!”

“As I said, I only accept magical items. There’s no magic on that.”

“You can buy dozens of magical items with just this one!”

“Complain to the master. You fool.”

No matter how much he talked, the kitchen guard was unmoved. The Duke thumped his chest and shouted to Ihan in frustration.

“Then, boy! You can exchange it. Exchange it for a magical item!”

“No. That’s a bit…”

“Why!!”

The Duke stared intently with bloodshot eyes when even Ihan refused. He couldn’t understand why he was refusing.

“This is too… expensive. I feel a bit guilty exchanging it for a few cheap magical items that I have.”

Even Ihan, who loved collecting Imperial gold coins, was worried that this big trade might cause problems later.

He was hungry now, so he was trying to exchange such a ring for a pair of magical leather boots, but wouldn’t his mind change when he went outside later?

“I said I’m okay! I am!!”

The Duke jumped up and down inside the bars, begging to sell the artwork passed down from his family for cheap.

The kitchen guard put his finger next to his head and spun it around.

“He. That fool has gone completely mad.”

“Please don’t say that.”

“I’m sorry.”

“And don’t use honorifics with me either.”

Then the kitchen guard shut his mouth completely. Ihan wanted to hit him.

“Your Highness the Duke. Then let’s do this. I’ll just give you a few magical items.”

Ihan was the one who tried to enchant and sell portable leather water bottles just last year.

A few cheap magical items that he made to help Professor Verdus with his work or for practice during lectures were left in his backpack.

The Duke asked as if he didn’t understand.

“You’re just going to give it to me? Then… then what do you get?”

“Pay me back when you go outside later.”

Tears streamed down Duke Icardoren’s eyes at that moment.

It was the first warm words he had heard since being dragged into Aeinrogard.

“…Sniff. Sniff!”

“Yo, Your Highness the Duke. Did I make some kind of mistake?”

“No.. it’s nothing. Thank you. Thank you! I… I will definitely repay you.”

The Duke forgot his age and face and promised, crying.

He felt so sorry that he had suspected and been wary of this boy because he was a disciple of the Magic Authority.

How could he insult such a kind boy?

“I will definitely sponsor you when I get out.”

‘Hmm. It would be too trashy to ask him to write a few more promissory notes now.’

Ihan regretted it inwardly.

He couldn’t ask, ‘Can you write more promises to pay for my research?’ to someone who was crying so much.

The Duke, who had obtained a week’s worth of food supplies from the kitchen guard, hid it preciously in the corner of the prison. He tried to disguise it so diligently that Ihan even cast an illusion spell on it.

Yucbeltire wasn’t the type to take such things away, but the Duke had become someone who didn’t trust anyone anymore.

-Your Highness the Duke. Senior Yucbeltire may not be interested in cooking or meals, but she won’t take away Your Highness’s food…

-No! I don’t believe it. That princess might do anything!

-…Al, alright. Still, please don’t worry too much. Senior is busy right now, but she’ll be back soon to check if there are any inconveniences.

-No, no! Please. Tell her not to come anymore!

-No… she has to visit periodically. What if there are any inconveniences?

-Please, you come! Please, please!!

-…I’ll, I’ll try.