Surviving As A Mage In A Magic Academy [EN]: Chapter 856

“I think there’s a surprising amount of potential here,” Lagesa said with a chuckle.

Lagesa summoned a Death Knight.

The Death Knight, who had been at the front gate, hurried over, looking puzzled.

“What is the matter?”

“Do you see that sailboat over there?”

“I do.”

“I’m going to hand this sailboat over to the boy from the Wodanaz family here. Would you be a witness?”

At first, the Death Knight didn’t understand what he was saying and asked again.

“Is a witness really necessary?”

“Ah, it’s Bibles’ old sailboat. Of course, I researched it with my gold, so it’s technically mine. But Bibles isn’t the type to care about such things, is he?”

The Death Knight immediately understood what Lagesa meant.

And he called his comrades.

“Hey!”

“What’s going on?”

“Professor Verdus is transferring ownership of the sailboat, which was researched with Lagesa’s funds, to Wodanaz here. Everyone, please be a witness.”

“Good heavens! I understand! If Professor Verdus disgracefully covets his student’s property, he will face the harshest punishment!”

“I swear it too!”

The Death Knights excitedly swore, each trying to be the first.

Lee Han said, flustered.

“No, you don’t have to go that far. It’s too much trouble.”

“No. It’s because we want to lock him up, that’s why.”

Lagesa patted Lee Han’s shoulder as if he knew everything and said goodbye.

“Well, farewell. Remember, you’ll be a Maryeong Officer soon – a powerful magic user in the academy!”

“Yes. Take care…”

Lee Han, who was politely saying goodbye to Lagesa, paused, thinking, ‘Why is he saying such harsh things when saying goodbye? What else would you expect from a pirate!’

“Hello, Senior,” Lee Han greeted as he walked towards the dining hall storage room of the 7th-floor Kitchen Club on Monday morning.

Falkrius, who would normally be wearing a huge apron and cutting up some meat for cooking, was sitting at a table in a neat school uniform, reading a book.

Lee Han was surprised by the sight and asked.

“Perhaps…”

“Oh, Wodanaz. You’re here?”

“Are you short on the grades you need to graduate?” Falkrius, who was usually always laughing heartily, asked with a gloomy face.

“Do I look like that to you?”

“Ah, no. You’ve only ever worked in the storage room.”

“I have to prepare for the midterm exams this week.”

With the midterm exams coming up next week, Einroguard students couldn’t be their usual selves. Everyone was similar when they were freshmen, so Lee Han nodded.

“So you’re studying here.”

“Studying… it’s a little different from studying.”

“Yes?”

“This is the midterm exam that the juniors will be taking.”

Lee Han tilted his head, not understanding what Falkrius was saying. Why was Falkrius taking the midterm exam that the juniors would be taking?

“Why are you, a senior, taking the midterm exam that the juniors will be taking… Ah. Did the professor perhaps tell you to help with the preparation?”

Falkrius chuckled at the absurd question.

“Unless they’re completely mad, professors don’t ask their students, let alone 5th-year students, to help them prepare for exams!”

‘Huh?’

“This is a club tradition, Wodanaz. I guess you don’t know.”

Originally, clubs weren’t survival groups for making a living, but rather gatherings for maintaining common hobbies, interests, and traditions. It was easy to misunderstand, but Einroguard’s clubs had their own dignity and traditions. One of those traditions was helping the juniors!

Many clubs in Einroguard, including the Kitchen Club, had seniors stepping up to help prepare for the juniors’ exams.

‘No way. There was a culture like this?’ Lee Han was surprised. He never knew that such a culture existed in Einroguard, a place as cold and unwelcoming as a winter desert.

“What does it mean to help with the exam? Do you tell them what they don’t know, or summarize the key points?”

“Well, there’s that. You could also say that breaking into the professor’s magic tower to find out the exam questions in advance is helping.”

Lee Han was starting to feel something was off. No matter how he looked at it, it didn’t seem like the warm friendship between seniors and juniors that Lee Han had initially expected.

Falkrius continued to explain.

Of course, answering questions or summarizing key points, as the junior had just mentioned, was also a good help. However, when clubs competed honorably, they became very active. Sometimes, they even used extreme methods like breaking into the professor’s magic tower to find out the exam questions, or preparing for cheating during the exam…

“Why go so far?”

“That’s what I’m saying, Wodanaz. I’m so sorry. If the other clubs competed fairly, we wouldn’t have to do this…” Falkrius looked up at the sky with a pitiful expression.

How much more cheerful and harmonious would the school be if there were only places like the Kitchen Club in Einroguard?

‘I don’t think so.’

“Now that I think about it, it might be a good thing that you joined several clubs. If you had only joined one, everyone would have fought over you. We usually don’t mess with juniors, but if it were you, Wodanaz, we might have…””

“Anyway, Wodanaz. You came at the right time! I’m sure you’ll do well on your own, but as a member of our club, I have to help you as a senior.”

“I’m not good at doing things on my own. Please help me,” Lee Han replied quickly. He wouldn’t refuse help with the exam, no matter what.

“Woo-ha-ha! Of course. Then decide on a lecture.”

“Yes?”

“You’re taking so many lectures that it’s hard for one club to handle it all. We talked to the other clubs and decided to divide it up.”

Originally, the seniors were supposed to help with the lectures that the juniors were taking, but things were different when a junior took lectures from all the departments. Wouldn’t it be better for each club to take charge rather than having the club seniors collapse?

“Just so you know, I’d like you to give us the >A Drop of Potion Instead of Complicated Magic> lecture. Our club members are generally good at alchemy.”

“That’s certainly true.”

With a few exceptions, alchemists were also skilled in cooking and brewing. Lee Han didn’t want to be mean by asking for Professor Voladi’s >Understanding Intermediate Combat Magic>, so he decided to ask for the alchemy lecture.

Bang! Bang! Bang!

“Hey! Why is the door closed!”

“Kitchen Club! Are you not open today?!”

Falkrius poked his head out at the sound of someone knocking from outside and shouted.

“We’re not open because we have to prepare for the exam next week!”

“What… what are you talking about! You were open even during the exam period last year?!”

“We were open during the exam period last year because we didn’t have any money. We’ve saved up enough this year, so we’re not open! Woo-ha-ha!” Falkrius burst into a relaxed laugh.

Unlike last year, their sales numbers were much higher thanks to the junior who brought in surprisingly high-quality ingredients, so much so that they could close whenever they wanted.

“No… no way!”

“I woke up early and ran here to eat tomato egg soup…” The seniors slumped down with expressions as if the sky had fallen. They had been greatly anticipating it since the quality of the meals coming out of the Kitchen Club had greatly improved compared to last year.

Lee Han felt sorry for no reason and poked his head out, saying in a small voice.

“…Shhh. Be quiet. I’ll make enough for the two of you.”

“Wo… Wodanaz!’

“You’re like a kind nanny to us 2nd years!”

“?” Lee Han paused.

“Was that an insult just now?”

“It, it was a compliment…?” The seniors were puzzled. Weren’t they given this nickname because he took good care of them?

A little later, while the two hungry seniors were cutting up the rye bread they had brought and dipping it in the soup, Lee Han continued the conversation he had been having with Falkrius.

“So how are you going to help me?”

“The >A Drop of Potion Instead of Complicated Magic> lecture exam is ultimately half about securing reagents. The other half is about making it,” Falkrius pointed out the key points with the experience of a senior.

Professor Thunderstride’s alchemy lecture was difficult in itself, but the fact that students had to secure the reagents themselves made it even more infamous.

“You can still find them by wandering around the Einroguard territory now, but if you go into more advanced courses, they’ll ask you to get jewels! It’s completely crazy!”

“You’re absolutely right!” Lee Han responded in an agitated voice.

“What kind of alchemy uses jewels! Lunatics!”

“Wo, Wodanaz. What’s wrong? Are you hungry? We’ll have to use jewels someday…” Alchemy wasn’t just about potions, it was a study of all kinds of materials. No matter how expensive it was, they couldn’t not use it forever.

Falkrius cleared his throat once and said.

“We need to check the professor’s magic tower or herb garden near the cabin to see what reagents are needed.”

“And borrow them at the same time?”

Falkrius gave a thumbs up to his junior’s excellent learning.

“But the security is a bit tight this year. Do you know who’s guarding Professor Thunderstride’s herb garden near the cabin, located south of the training hall?”

“I don’t know?” Lee Han was puzzled. He knew the herb garden relatively well since he was in charge of managing it. Was there additional security added?

“Professor Bendozol! Can you believe it? Professor Bendozol is guarding it himself!”

Lee Han had to concentrate to manage his expression. Professor Bendozol, who loved animals, was doing chores instead to make time for Lee Han.

“I, I see… It will certainly be difficult.”

“But we still have to break through.”

A 3rd-year student, who had emptied the tomato egg soup and wiped it clean with the remaining bread crumbs, called out to Falkrius.

“I know about the herb garden that Professor Thunderstride secretly made in the mountains.”

“What?! Really? How did you find out?”

“I spent a few days on the cliff because of an assignment, and the professor passed by underneath.”

“You were lucky.”

‘Am I the only one who finds it strange that he spent a few days on the cliff?’ Lee Han thought to himself.

Falkrius took notes on the 3rd-year student’s testimony with interest.

“I see, I see… good. I’ll have to check here too. I’ll have to sweep away everything we need. What about you? A junior went out of his way to light the pot and treat you to a meal?”

“Oh, that’s…” Unlike his friend, the senior, who had nothing to report about Professor Thunderstride, blurted out in embarrassment.

‘I… I know who attacked Professor Thunderstride’s ingredient cart last summer.”

“What! This is also interesting. I can negotiate with the professor. Tell me the name!”

“Karnell from the Hormasi family…”

While Falkrius was talking to the two students, the other members of the Kitchen Club arrived one by one. The students seemed to know what they were doing when they saw Falkrius questioning and recording things.

“You’re preparing for the midterm exams.”

“Wait. Isn’t Wodanaz taking lectures from all the departments? Can we handle it all?”

“They said they talked to the other clubs and divided it up.”

“Phew. That’s a relief.”

“I think this is enough. Let’s all go! We have to work hard all this week to help our juniors with their exams!”

“Yes!”

At Falkrius’s shout, the members gathered and set off with great enthusiasm. When Falkrius handed out the pickled tentacle sandwiches he had prepared in advance for breakfast, the members’ enthusiasm increased even more.

So the members didn’t notice it right away at first.

‘…Uh, why is Wodanaz coming with us?’ The 2nd-year junior was there with them so naturally. It was something the 2nd year didn’t have to do!