Surviving As A Mage In A Magic Academy [EN]: Chapter 867

Many people thought dragons were greedy. It was a common idea.

Old stories told of people who tried to steal dragon treasure and were punished badly. There was a reason for these stories. People who tried to sneak into a dragon’s home and steal gold often met a terrible end.

But those who said dragons were greedy didn’t really understand them.

Actually, dragons were not really greedy. They just protected what was theirs very strongly. They didn’t like anyone taking their things.

Lee Han thought to himself, ‘It’s not fair to call a dragon greedy just because it punishes thieves! If someone breaks into your house and steals, you wouldn’t be called greedy for stopping them.’

The one who sneaked into another’s lair to steal was the greedy one, not the dragon.

No matter how much a dragon enjoyed collecting gold and jewels, thieves had no right to steal them.

Lee Han thought, ‘If I were a dragon, I would be very angry and attack anyone who stole from me.’

‘To be called greedy for just protecting what’s mine… Does everyone really think that way?’

There weren’t many dragons, and most of them lived alone. This meant they couldn’t stop other races from spreading rumors.

Lee Han was sad that the Empire listened too much to what everyone else thought.

“Dragons are just protecting their treasures, but people misunderstand them as greedy. It’s really a shame,” Lee Han said.

“Hee hee,” Zo Ulin giggled, happy that Lee Han agreed with her.

Yoo Kveltire acted like he didn’t care about the rumors about dragons.

“The silly things people say don’t matter. What’s important is that a dragon never gives up what belongs to them,” Yoo Kveltire said.

“Hmph,” Zo Ulin became sad again. Then, she whispered to Lee Han.

“Lee Han, keep that last thing a secret…”

“What’s supposed to be a secret?” Lee Han asked.

Yoo Kveltire heard the whisper and turned his head, looking confused. Lee Han quickly made up an excuse.

“It’s nothing. She’s asking me to keep her insults about Professor Verdus a secret,” Lee Han said.

“There’s no need to keep that a secret at all,” Yoo Kveltire replied.

Lee Han tricked Yoo Kveltire and then calmed Zo Ulin again.

“Your Highness, don’t listen too much to what your senior says. Everyone is different. Don’t worry about what a dragon should be like. Just be yourself, Your Highness,” Lee Han said.

“Lee Han!” Zo Ulin was very touched and widened her eyes.

“Then, can I give you another gift next time?” Zo Ulin asked.

“Absolutely not. Don’t say such silly things,” Lee Han replied.

“……” Zo Ulin puffed out her cheeks, looking unhappy.

“Isn’t that different from what you just said!” Zo Ulin exclaimed.

Lee Han, Dirette, Yoo Kveltire, Professor Voladi, and Zo Ulin left the lecture hall and stood in the middle of the hallway.

Lee Han thought to himself, ‘This is a group I really want to avoid.’

If Lee Han were any other student, he would have used an invisibility spell and jumped out the window to get away from them.

It was a scary group, and he couldn’t even guess what might happen around them.

“Is the next lecture >Wand Materials and Magic Amplification>?” Yoo Kveltire asked.

“Yes,” Lee Han replied.

Because it was Professor Verdus’s lecture, Yoo Kveltire knew Lee Han’s next class.

“I don’t really need to go, do I?” Yoo Kveltire asked.

“No…” Lee Han said carefully.

Normally, finishing a semester’s worth of lectures would be something to brag about. But Yoo Kveltire was the one who had his wand crafting taken away by the professor.

Zo Ulin was going to punish him.

Zo Ulin waved her forepaws around.

“Your Highness, if you do…” Lee Han started to say.

“Don’t worry, Lee Han. Zo Ulin is a dignified member of the Imperial Family and wouldn’t attack without a good reason!” Zo Ulin declared.

“No. I was going to say you could hit him once if you do skip the lecture,” Lee Han clarified.

“…?!” Yoo Kveltire looked surprised but kept a blank expression.

“Then I have free time during the lecture. I have a suggestion,” Yoo Kveltire said.

“?” Lee Han and Dirette tilted their heads at the same time.

‘Yoo Kveltire has a suggestion?’ Lee Han wondered.

“What are you suggesting?” Lee Han asked.

“I wonder. Yoo Kveltire never gives advice to younger students…?” Dirette said, also surprised. It was very different from his usual behavior.

“Magical drafting tools. Since you are taking >Magical Algebra and Esoteric Geometry>, you will need to have useful drafting tools ready,” Yoo Kveltire explained.

‘Oh,’ Lee Han thought.

Drafting tools included simple things like rulers and protractors, as well as compasses and dividers—tools used for drawing diagrams.

Wizards could imagine amazing magic and build things in their minds. But to get money from the Empire, they had to draw their ideas. Investors needed to see plans on paper.

Normal drafting tools made wizards draw and calculate everything by hand. But good magical drafting tools were convenient items that skipped these boring steps.

The best magical drafting tools were like intelligent spirits, or even had spirits living inside them.

Knowing that Yoo Kveltire was one of the best enchanting wizards in Einroguard, Lee Han asked with excitement, “Are you going to give me one as a gift, Senior?”

“No. I don’t have one,” Yoo Kveltire replied.

“……” Lee Han was disappointed.

‘More stingy than Zo Ulin…’ Lee Han thought.

Even Zo Ulin muttered with a disappointed look, ‘To say all that and not even give a single treasure.’

Even Professor Voladi joined in, “If you don’t have the materials, I’ll help.”

Yoo Kveltire’s eyelashes fluttered slightly at the group’s reaction.

He didn’t realize it, but Professor Verdus’s wand crafting theft still bothered him.

“…There’s no need for that. Keep listening, Junior of the Wodanaz family. I don’t have one, but I know how to get one. I know where it is,” Yoo Kveltire said.

“Ah,” Lee Han put aside his disappointment and looked at him again with hopeful eyes.

In Einroguard, knowing where something was located was almost the same as owning it.

‘Knowledge is power,’ Lee Han thought.

After all, the one doing the stealing had a big advantage.

“Let’s go,” Professor Voladi said, agreeing that it was a good idea. Lee Han hesitated.

“…Um, Professor, is it okay to take Her Highness Zo Ulin to the location transfer site?” Lee Han asked.

“It’s not like she’s being robbed. She’s going to do the robbing, so it should be fine,” Professor Voladi replied.

‘Damn it. Am I being convinced by greed?’ Lee Han wondered, feeling strangely persuaded by Professor Voladi’s logic.

He wondered if he was being persuaded because he wanted the treasure.

“Lee Han, Zo Ulin wants to go with you too…” Zo Ulin said.

“No… well… um… yes. Let’s go,” Lee Han said, unable to say ‘We’re going to steal’ in front of the young dragon.

Meanwhile, Dirette asked her friend, “An artifact that you think is useful is in another part of the school? That’s amazing. Where is it?”

“The Holy Engraving Hall,” Yoo Kveltire replied.

“……” Dirette was speechless.

The Holy Engraving Hall, also known as Professor Verdus’s magic tower.

‘You’re definitely angry…!’ Dirette thought to herself.

No matter how she looked at it, he wouldn’t suddenly be so nice to a junior he had never cared about unless he was angry at Professor Verdus.

But the group moved towards the Holy Engraving Hall without hesitation. None of them felt bad about robbing Professor Verdus.

‘…Should Professor Garcia have been here…?’ Dirette wondered.

Of course, if Dirette were asked, ‘If you could take as much as you want from Professor Verdus’s magic tower, would you take it or not?’, she would probably hesitate for a moment and then take it.

But seeing Professor Voladi actively destroying the magic tower’s defenses like this, she wondered if she was doing something wrong.

‘Is this okay?’ Dirette thought.

Crack!

Professor Voladi precisely destroyed only the core of the defense golem, and it scattered in all directions. Powerful restoration magic tried to fix the golem, but the discord magic that Professor Voladi added stopped it.

The defense golem that had just fallen was no ordinary golem. It was made with high-purity moonstone and magnetite, and each one cost a fortune.

Professor Verdus, who didn’t give a penny to his students and only cared about his own research, was able to use these golems.

Professor Voladi brought down those expensive golems in the most efficient way. It was like watching a great warrior fall to a shepherd’s stone.

“Wow!” Zo Ulin exclaimed.

“Professor’s magic is the best!” Lee Han said.

‘…Is this really okay?!’ Dirette struggled inwardly again, seeing Zo Ulin and Lee Han excitedly chatting.

‘It’s good to rob them, but I don’t think the professor should be doing this…’ Dirette thought.

“Yoo Kveltire, what do you think?” Dirette asked.

“The defense has been raised even further,” Yoo Kveltire replied.

Having had some trouble recently, Professor Verdus had made the Holy Engraving Hall’s defenses even stronger.

Professor Ga had been grabbed by the collar, and student Lee had stolen his precious things.

In some ways, this reaction was normal.

…Of course, that wasn’t what Dirette was asking.

“Never mind. I’m the fool for asking,” Dirette said.

“??” Yoo Kveltire looked confused.

Rumble-

While they were talking, Professor Voladi had destroyed all the defense golems on the first basement level. Zo Ulin and Lee Han clapped at the same time, deeply impressed.

‘This is what a professor is!’ Lee Han thought.

If it were Lee Han, he would have tried to break through that defense with brute force. But Professor Voladi quickly approached, struck only the vital points, and stopped the restoration magic.

Only someone like this could raid other professors’ workshops.

“Ah,” Professor Voladi suddenly stopped and looked around as if searching for something. Lee Han asked, confused, “What’s wrong?”

“I should have left one. I made a mistake,” Professor Voladi said.

As the golems were strong in combat, Professor Voladi had to be careful. If the golems fought with all their power, they could easily defeat even a skilled wizard.

“Why do you need one?” Lee Han asked.

“Weren’t you hoping to fight one?” Professor Voladi asked.

“Wow!” Zo Ulin exclaimed.

“No wow, Your Highness,” Lee Han immediately stopped Zo Ulin.

Zo Ulin probably expected Lee Han to fight like Professor Voladi, but that was impossible.

“I’m not that good yet,” Lee Han said.

“But Lee Han is also a very talented wizard…” Zo Ulin said.

“Hmm,” Professor Voladi, standing next to him, seemed to think about Zo Ulin’s words for a moment, which made Lee Han’s heart sink.

‘I should have left Professor Begreck behind!’ Lee Han deeply regretted it and stopped Zo Ulin again.

“I’m not that good. My grade is low, too. It’s hard enough for me to protect myself in Einroguard,” Lee Han said.

“That’s not true,” Zo Ulin said.

“It doesn’t seem that way,” Yoo Kveltire added.

“……” Lee Han was getting a headache because not only Professor Voladi but also Yoo Kveltire were agreeing with Zo Ulin.

‘This really is a terrible group,’ Lee Han thought.

“Senior, just tell us the way. I want to finish this and get out of here before Professor Verdus comes,” Lee Han said.

“This way,” Yoo Kveltire moved slowly through the destroyed first basement level, guiding the way.

Lee Han asked, wondering if there was a problem, as Yoo Kveltire kept stopping while walking, “Is there a problem?”

“No. Let’s move,” Yoo Kveltire replied.

“…If you’re happy to see this, you can look at it a little longer,” Lee Han slyly suggested.

If Lee Han were Yoo Kveltire, he would have admired the completely destroyed first basement level for about an hour before moving on.

“There’s no reason to do that,” Yoo Kveltire said.

“Should we leave this as a painting?” Lee Han whispered.

Dirette nodded at Lee Han’s whisper. Dirette also thought this was worth recording.