Surviving As A Mage In A Magic Academy [EN]: Chapter 886

Jo-Woo-Rin kept his thoughts to himself. He had learned a lot about people at Einroguard. Maybe it was a dragon thing, but he felt like he knew what others were thinking. Jo-Woo-Rin thought that if he said what he really felt, even nice Yi-Han might get mad and tell him to leave.

‘Jo-Woo-Rin is clever,’ he thought. ‘He will be quiet and wait.’ Happy with his smart idea, Jo-Woo-Rin waited nicely.

“Your Highness,” Yi-Han said calmly, “please look where you are going.”

“Uhh,” Jo-Woo-Rin mumbled, eyes still glued to his book.

“Your Highness,” Yi-Han repeated, a little louder, “look ahead!”

“Uuuh.”

Yi-Han sighed. With a flick of his wrist, using magic, he pulled the book right out of Jo-Woo-Rin’s hands.

Jo-Woo-Rin let out a loud squeak! He tried to roll away to the left, then to the right, trying to grab his book back. But Yi-Han just watched him, not even a smile on his face.

‘If he breaks the walls,’ Yi-Han thought, ‘that’s the Headmaster’s problem, not mine!’

After rolling around for a while, and Yi-Han still didn’t give back the book, Jo-Woo-Rin got sad. He stopped rolling and just walked behind Yi-Han, his head down.

“I’ll give you your book back when we get to the lounge,” Yi-Han said. “Or you can read it there now, if you want.”

Jo-Woo-Rin shook his head quickly. *Following Yi-Han is much more fun!* he thought.

“Oh?” Yi-Han raised an eyebrow. “Are you enjoying the lectures, Your Highness? You really are a talented wizard!”

Jo-Woo-Rin blinked. *It’s not really the lectures…*

Jo-Woo-Rin almost said that he liked watching Yi-Han’s adventures more than boring lectures. But he stopped himself. He felt that same warning feeling again – if he said the wrong thing, Yi-Han might send him away!

Jo-Woo-Rin puffed out his chest a little. *I’m getting so good at this!* he thought.

“What were you going to say about the lectures?” Yi-Han asked, looking at him curiously.

“Ah, nothing!” Jo-Woo-Rin said quickly. “I was just wondering… what lecture are *you* going to?”

“It’s called ‘Wizard Plants Class’,” Yi-Han said. “But actually, I’m not going to the class itself.”

Jo-Woo-Rin tilted his head, confused. Then his eyes widened.

“Aha!” he said, like he suddenly understood.

“Exactly!” Yi-Han smiled. “You’re quick, Your Highness.”

Jo-Woo-Rin beamed.

“Are you going to help the teacher make the test?”

Yi-Han blinked.

“…No,” he said slowly. *Maybe Jo-Woo-Rin thinks strange things happen here all the time,* Yi-Han thought. *Because they kind of do… for me.* He worried that Jo-Woo-Rin was getting the wrong idea about Einroguard because of all the weird stuff that kept happening around Yi-Han.

“I don’t usually make tests,” Yi-Han said. “Music class was special, remember?”

*But other teachers probably do,* Jo-Woo-Rin thought.

“Krooh,” Yi-Han groaned dramatically, pretending to be hurt. “Your Highness doesn’t believe me! I’m so sad, I might faint!”

“Ah, no!” Jo-Woo-Rin cried out, worried. “I believe you, Yi-Han! Sorry! Please don’t faint!”

“Thank you,” Yi-Han said, suddenly standing up straight, all better.

Jo-Woo-Rin stared at him, a little unsure. *Was Yi-Han just pretending?* he wondered. *No way,* Jo-Woo-Rin thought, shaking his head. *Kind Yi-Han would never trick me.*

“We’re going to work with the plants now,” Yi-Han explained. “You have to look after them carefully, even between classes.”

Einroguard students were always busy. Even if they weren’t taking as many classes as Yi-Han, they were always studying or practicing magic. This term, everyone in ‘Wizard Plants Class’ had to grow Mandrakes. These plants were tricky! They needed lots of care and attention.

“Aha,” Jo-Woo-Rin said again, nodding. He finally understood.

“Do you get it now, Your Highness?” Yi-Han asked.

“Uhh,” Jo-Woo-Rin replied. But now he had a new question. *When does Yi-Han ever sleep?* he wondered.

Soon, they reached the sixth floor and stood outside the greenhouse. Warm, damp air filled with the smell of earth and flowers drifted out. Jo-Woo-Rin breathed it in happily. But then he saw Yi-Han stop. Instead of going into the greenhouse, Yi-Han looked around and knocked on the door of a classroom next to it.

A voice called from inside, “-Who’s there?”

“It’s someone who knows how amazing Mandrakes really are,” Yi-Han replied with a grin.

“-Wodanaz? Come in!” the voice said.

The door opened, and two other students, Bartrec and Raetford, were inside, waiting. They smiled when they saw Yi-Han. Jo-Woo-Rin blinked, even more confused now. *Wait,* he thought. *Aren’t we here for the plants? In the greenhouse?*

“How’s it going?” Yi-Han asked, stepping inside. “The pattern?”

“Halfway there,” Bartrec said. “The snowflake is really hard, like we thought.”

“What are you talking about?” Yi-Han said, sounding annoyed. “You used all those expensive magic ingredients!”

Bartrec quickly tried to explain.

“W-well, what can I do? I’m only a second-year student, Wodanaz!”

“No excuses, Bartrec!” Yi-Han said. “The person buying them doesn’t care what year we are! They just want good patterns!”

“Um, Wodanaz,” Raetford said, raising his hand like in class. “I have a question.”

“What is it?” Yi-Han asked.

“Is it okay for His Highness to hear all this?” Raetford asked quietly.

Bartrec suddenly noticed Jo-Woo-Rin standing in the doorway, looking very large and dragon-like. Bartrec gasped.

“Hey!” he whispered loudly to Yi-Han. “Why did you bring the Prince here?!”

“You brought Gainando last time,” Yi-Han shrugged. “Why can’t I bring Prince Jo-Woo-Rin?”

“Gainando is… different!” Bartrec hissed.

Bartrec looked like he was about to explode. *Are you crazy?!* his face seemed to say. Yi-Han, Bartrec, and Raetford had a secret plan for this class. *Mandrakes are good for medicine,* Yi-Han had explained to them earlier. *But if you can grow them with special patterns on their leaves, people will pay a lot of money for them. There are collectors who really want them.* *So,* Yi-Han had continued, *while we’re learning to grow Mandrakes for class, we can also try to make patterns on the leaves and sell them!* *Isn’t that a bit much?* Raetford had asked. *No way!* Yi-Han had said. *Wizards should always be smart and make money when they can! If we can get good grades *and* get rich, that’s the best kind of wizard!* So, Yi-Han and his friends were trying to grow Mandrakes and draw patterns on their leaves at the same time.

“Quiet!” Yi-Han hissed. “Prince Jo-Woo-Rin won’t tell on us.”

“Okay, Wodanaz,” Bartrec said, still looking worried. “I trust you… But, Wodanaz…”

“What now?” Yi-Han asked, a little impatient.

“Isn’t that… Professor Voladi… behind the Prince?” Bartrec’s eyes widened in horror. He pointed behind Jo-Woo-Rin. Standing there, with a face like stone, was Professor Voladi.

Yi-Han sighed. “Bartrec,” he said, sounding tired. “Are you trying to change the subject? Are you going to blame me if the patterns don’t work? Is that how students from White Tiger Tower behave?”

“N-no…” Bartrec stammered. “You’re right… sorry.”

“Don’t worry,” Yi-Han said, trying to sound confident. “Professor Voladi won’t tell on us either.”

‘Is he really crazy?’ Bartrec shivered.

He knew Lee Han (Wodanaz family boy) was different from other students, even a bit mad. But today, he seemed completely out of control.

Just to say to Professor Voladi, ‘Our professor is fine.’ It was like he was trying to trick her.

“Okay, I understand. Just hope Professor Willow doesn’t see your bad work when she hears the rumors!”

“I don’t think that’s the main problem. Isn’t it worse that the leaf is still only half done, even after using so much potion? We used almost a whole box of those special stones on the Nethergrass…”

Ratford made a small, worried sound.

Bartrec didn’t know what to say. He looked down, avoiding Lee Han’s eyes. It was a common sight – students who couldn’t finish their work after getting money and help always stood like this.

Bartrec didn’t realize it, but many older students and even professors had stood in the same way before him.

“Hoo,” Lee Han sighed. “Well, we can’t change it now. Bartrec, we just have to do our best with the time left. Let’s go back and look after the Mandrakes.”

“Okay. Sorry again, Lee Han.”

“Stop saying sorry,” Lee Han said sharply. “Just finish the pattern.”

Bartrec was annoyed inside. ‘Ugh, next time, I’m getting the potion myself!’ He thought. It was a thought many older alchemy students had before.

The conversation was ending when Zo-Rin, who had been watching them, spoke. “I have a question,” Zo-Rin said. “Are you making the leaf pattern for the gold?”

“Well, not only for the gold…” Bartrec started to explain quickly.

“Yes, we also like plants!” Ratford added, trying to sound enthusiastic.

They both tried to avoid the real reason, but then they gave in. “Yes,” Bartrec admitted. “We want to earn some gold.”

“What about you, Lee Han?” Zo-Rin asked.

“Gold is part of it,” Lee Han said honestly.

Zo-Rin rested his chin on his paw and asked, “Why not just take gold from my vault?”

“!!” The three students’ eyes went wide, like they had been hit by lightning.

Bartrec shouted, surprised, “Y-Your Highness, are you going to pay for my alchemy?”

“No,” Zo-Rin said, a little embarrassed. “I was only talking to Lee Han…”

Bartrec felt awkward too. “Ah, sorry.”

“No problem,” Zo-Rin said. “It’s okay. Your Highness. We can earn the gold ourselves,” Lee Han said.

Bartrec was a little impressed by his friend. ‘Wow, Lee Han,’ Bartrec thought. ‘He really acts like he’s from a noble family sometimes.’

Bartrec was also proud, coming from a knight family, but he was very tempted by the idea of getting dragon treasure. Everyone knew how rich dragons were.

But Lee Han refused the offer with honor and strength. He probably thought it would look bad if he took money from royalty who was visiting.

“Lee Han, I respect you,” Bartrec said. “I was really thinking about saying yes.”

Bartrec patted Lee Han on the shoulder. Then he saw Lee Han’s face and jumped back. Lee Han was staring at Bartrec with a deadly look.

“You better finish that pattern this semester,” Lee Han said, his voice low. “Understand?”

“Y-yes, I understand…” Bartrec stammered.

“Meikin, do you think Bartrec is being extra careful with the plants today?” Siana asked, tilting her head.

She watched Bartrec, who was sweating a lot as he looked after the small Mandrake plants. Bartrec’s family, the Bark family, was known for alchemy among the dwarf families from the East, so he usually worked hard. But today, it seemed even more intense.

“Maybe it’s because the exam is next week?” Meikin replied.

“It feels more urgent than that…” Siana said.

“Look,” Meikin pointed. “Magic aphids!”

“Oh, thanks!” Siana said. She sprayed a weak poison to kill the magic aphids.

Siana looked around. The students were all different as the midterm exams got closer. Some students, like Siana and Yoner, had taken good care of their Mandrakes and were calm.

They just caught a bug now and then or added water. But most students had been lazy and were now rushing around. They were trying to fix the parts of their plants that bugs had eaten, or making a lot of noise trying to catch the bugs.

There were also students who were completely calm, but not because they were ready. They had already destroyed their plants and just sold them to older students.

“Hehe… I’m going to get detention,” one student whispered.

“Be quiet! It’s embarrassing,” another student hissed.

Bartrec should have been in the first calm group, so why was he so worried? Siana couldn’t understand it.

Some students, the ones who had been lazy, slowly went to Lee Han. “Lee Han! Please help us!”

“I can’t hear you,” Lee Han said, ignoring them.

“You have to help us! You were so good in the first year!”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” Lee Han said. “People will misunderstand if they hear you.”

Zo-Rin watched, amazed, as the students begged Lee Han. “Meikin, Meikin,” Zo-Rin whispered. “I have a question. What are those wizards asking Lee Han for?”

“Ah,” Yoner chuckled and explained. “Those are the students who didn’t work hard at the start of the semester. You see, to grow Mandrakes, you need water, care, and sunlight. If you could make something that gives the Mandrakes sun-like power, they would grow much faster.”

Yoner continued, “The headmaster has a magic sun lamp in his vault. They think if they steal it, they can get a perfect score right away.” These students thought this was a good idea and wanted Lee Han to help them.

But Lee Han ignored them completely. He was already growing his Mandrakes well, so he didn’t need to take such a big risk.

“If he had that lamp, would Lee Han’s Mandrakes grow even better?” Zo-Rin asked.

“Maybe,” Yoner said.

Zo-Rin looked at Lee Han’s plants. He opened his mouth wide, narrowed his eyes, and looked around the greenhouse, as if checking how far he could breathe fire without causing trouble.

“Meikin, you are very kind!” Zo-Rin said suddenly.

“…Yes? Why do you say that?” Meikin asked, surprised.

“I want to ask one more thing,” Zo-Rin said. “Is there ever a time when no one is in this greenhouse?”

“Yes, sometimes, but…?” Yoner felt a bit worried. When royalty praised you suddenly, it usually meant they wanted something.