Surviving As A Mage In A Magic Academy [EN]: Chapter 9

Wizards weren’t the only ones who could use mana.

Swordsmen, with years of training, could also use mana. They could focus it to power their swords, creating something called Aura.

Aura was amazing to see, so many young nobles wanted to learn swordsmanship. Even nobles from wizard families wanted to try it.

When Ethan first said he wanted to learn swordsmanship, Alarong thought, ‘Oh no, he wants to learn Aura. He’ll be upset when he finds out it’s not that easy.’

Alarong was a strict knight.

He didn’t tell Ethan the truth right away. He thought Ethan would give up on his own.

But Ethan kept trying harder than expected, and Alarong decided to tell him the truth himself.

But Alarong was surprised when Ethan didn’t care about Aura.

‘I just want to train and protect myself,’ Ethan said.

Alarong was impressed. Ethan was so serious for a child. He was learning swordsmanship for a real reason.

‘Actually, Ethan,’ Alarong said, ‘you could use Aura one day.’

‘No, thanks,’ Ethan replied. ‘Aura is fine. I just want to be a wizard.’

‘Learning Aura takes more than just swinging a sword for a year or two,’ Alarong explained. ‘But if you keep training like I showed you, you might discover it later.’

‘I just want to be able to protect myself,’ Ethan repeated. ‘I want to work in an office.’

Ethan kept training with Alarong.

He wasn’t trying to become a Sword Master or learn Aura. He just thought training was a good idea.

And now, he was seeing the results.

‘This feels… better than I expected?’ Ethan thought, surprised.

He wasn’t surprised he knew how the pig would move. Alarong had hit him enough times for him to learn!

He swung his wand just as the pig charged. The magic school wands were strong, like clubs.

*Whack!*

When he hit the pig, something strange happened. He felt magic in the air move towards his wand. It tingled in his hand. He had never felt anything like this when training with a sword!

‘Is this because I’m learning magic now?’ Ethan wondered.

Was this what Alarong meant about ‘discovering it someday’?

It felt like magic was just flowing into his wand. It wasn’t Aura, not even close. Aura was about really focusing and making magic strong. But even this little bit of magic helped. A hit with magic was much stronger than just hitting something.

*Grrrr…*

The pig, which had been grunting loudly, suddenly went quiet. It wobbled and fell to the ground.

Nilia stared at Ethan, confused.

‘Did I miss something? Did you use magic?’

Magic was huge and complicated. There were spells to make you stronger or faster, of course. But those spells were too hard for first-year students.

‘Did you get it?’ Nilia asked.

‘I think so,’ Ethan said.

He lowered his wand and checked the pig. It wasn’t breathing. It was dead.

Yonel got up, helped by Nilia. He looked confused.

‘Is this class supposed to be like this?’ he asked.

‘I’ve been wondering that since we met the headmaster,’ Ethan replied.

Alchemy might be about nature, but it was crazy that monsters were wandering around where first-year students were learning magic. It was just a pig, but it was so strong it could probably smash a tree.

‘Maybe I shouldn’t take alchemy,’ Ethan thought seriously.

If all the teachers here were a little crazy, like the headmaster, then maybe this class was too dangerous. Being outside was definitely more dangerous than being in a classroom. He thought alchemy would be easy, but now it looked like it would get much harder.

‘They might make us go deep into the forest to get troll spit,’ Ethan said.

‘Ugh,’ Yonel groaned, worried.

He wanted to open an alchemy shop, but he didn’t want to die!

‘Wait!’ Nilia said quickly. ‘You’re not going to quit, are you?’

She didn’t have many friends. Ethan and Yonel were the only two she had made. If they left alchemy, she would be alone in class again.

‘You’re not going to quit, right?! You’re both from the Blue Dragon Tower! Don’t you have any… pride?’

‘Nope,’ Ethan said.

‘I think being practical is more important than pride,’ Yonel added.

Nilia frowned. ‘Fine, do what you want!’ she said, sounding annoyed.

‘Hey, why are you annoyed?’ Ethan asked.

‘Yeah, we didn’t say we were quitting,’ Yonel said.

‘…Really?’

Nilia turned to them, hopeful. Just then, they heard a familiar grunt.

*■■■!*

‘…Sounds like another one,’ Ethan said.

‘…Maybe I *will* quit,’ Yonel mumbled.

Nilia just sighed.

When they ran to the sound, they saw another mutant pig, just like the one they had fought.

Ethan quickly realized something.

‘There’s more than one of these things.’

‘Hey…!’ Nilia started to protest.

‘I don’t think we should argue about that now,’ Yonel said, pointing down.

The pig wasn’t alone. It was attacking other students.

‘Six of them,’ Yonel said. Princess Adenarte was there too.

‘They should be able to handle it,’ Ethan said.

‘Huh?’

Yonel looked at Ethan, then back down, then back at Ethan again.

‘Are you sure?’

‘Let them deal with it,’ Nilia grumbled.

She didn’t like Adenarte and her group. They seemed like a stuck-up princess and a bunch of people trying to impress her.

“‘I’ll take it on!'”

One of the six stepped forward. Ethan had seen his face in the dormitory before; he was a noble.

“‘Who is it?'”

Of course, just seeing his face didn’t mean he could recognize him right away. Ethan knew the imperial noble families, but he didn’t know their children’s faces well.

“‘Asan Dalcard.'”

“‘Ah, so it’s the Dalcard family.'”

“‘…You know the family, but why don’t you know the face…?'”

Yonel was puzzled.

The Dalcard family.

If the Wodanaz family had traditionally served as advisors to the emperor, the Dalcard family had traditionally held the positions of prime minister or finance minister of the empire.

A family renowned for its outstanding and precise work.

“‘If it’s the Dalcard family, they must be reliable.'”

“‘Yeah. Unlike Gainan, they seem trustworthy.'”

“‘?'”

Nilia, who was listening, tilted her head.

Did she just mention the prince?

Asan was tall and lanky, but his stance after grabbing his wand was plausible.

Ethan realized that Asan had learned swordsmanship quite well.

Experts recognize each other.

“‘That Dalcard also learned swordsmanship.'”

“‘Indeed… if that’s the case, it’ll be alright.'”

Yonel was relieved.

He didn’t want the six people below to get hurt.

Asan grabbed his wand and aimed it at the pig.

“‘I’m reading your movements 100%.'”

And one step.

“‘You cannot escape my predictions. Pig!'”

And one step.

It was the exact same stride, as if drawn with a ruler. Ethan was slightly impressed.

‘A human compass?’

Imperial swordsmanship was as diverse as magic.

Strong and heavy swordsmanship, fast and light swordsmanship, swordsmanship with many changes and complexities…

And Alarong said that there was also swordsmanship like the one Asan was using now.

-Based on complex mathematical calculations, a geometric swordsmanship that creates shapes centered on one’s position each time a footwork is taken…

-Oh. That looks fun. Can I learn it?

-…Excuse me!? You think that looks fun!? Doesn’t it seem like crazy swordsmanship?

Alarong didn’t know that swordsmanship, so he only taught the swordsmanship he knew, but seeing Asan grab his wand and move reminded him of that.

Thorough!

-■■■!

As Asan provoked the pig while stepping on his footwork, the pig seemed to get angry.

It cried fiercely and charged at Asan.

Asan dodged to the side as if doing a bullfight and fiercely stabbed the pig’s flank with his wand.

“‘Ha!'”

-■!

Wham!

And Asan flew away.

The angry pig slammed its body sideways after braking suddenly.

“‘……'”

“‘……'”

He wasn’t hit head-on, but the impact was considerable. Asan rolled away.

“‘Ugh. My calculations were wrong…'”

“‘…He was just a guy who worked hard at swordsmanship…'”

Ethan muttered.

Judging by it, he had worked hard at swordsmanship, but he seemed to have little practical experience.

So his stance is okay, but he can’t predict and fly away against a charging pig like that!

“‘Let’s help him.'”

“‘!'”

Nilia was surprised at Ethan’s words.

She never expected him to step up to help in that situation.

‘Is this the dignity of a noble…?’

Unlike other nobles who were only good with their mouths, he took the initiative in dangerous situations himself.

He was like a noble from a story. Nilia was a little touched.

“‘If we help him, we can ask for favors in other classes in the future. Exams or assignments too. Even more so if it’s the princess’s connections.'”

“‘……'”

Nilia’s emotion disappeared.

You materialistic jerk…!

Adenarte gestured behind her.

The meaning was clear even without words.

The remaining four students hurriedly hid behind Adenarte.

It’s not like they could really hide, but…

Adenarte suddenly felt lonely.

It was she who told them to step aside, but she wasn’t happy about this situation.

But this was also just a mission she had to accomplish.

Just like the other things she had done perfectly so far, Adenarte was planning to deal with this pig perfectly as well.

‘Read its breathing. If it charges…’

Wham!

With a deafening sound, the pig rolled to the side.

“‘?!!??'”

And Ethan appeared from behind it, letting out a sigh of relief.

“‘Thankfully, I wasn’t noticed.'”

“‘Do you understand how important it is to approach against the wind?'”

“‘Yes. The wisdom of the hunter is great.'”

“‘…Maybe if we continue to take the alchemy class, we can deepen that wisdom?'”

“‘No. I don’t want to.'”

“‘……'”

Ethan had already made up his mind.

I hate alchemy!

‘I’m going to live inside the classroom.’

Adenarte was briefly stunned, but soon regained her composure and bowed her head.

“‘…Thank you, Wodanaz.'”

“‘It’s nothing, Your Highness.'”

Nilia, who was listening from the side, whispered, looking puzzled.

-Why are you using honorifics?

-That’s what I’m saying. I got caught up in the atmosphere too.

Everyone was the same age, and the school’s rules also stated that casual speech was normal regardless of status, but when the princess spoke like that, he unconsciously used honorifics.

“‘Well, if you think you owe me a favor, may I ask you for one thing?'”

Adenarte nodded.

“‘If there’s a class that’s good for getting grades, please recommend it.'”

The princess had wider connections than Ethan, so she would have more knowledge.

Ethan thought so.

“‘……'”

Of course, from Adenarte’s point of view, it was a slightly mind-boggling sound.

What is this wizard from the Wodanaz family talking about right now?

He couldn’t be asking because he wanted to coast through the class, could he? Could there be another meaning?

“‘I know a class that’s good for getting grades!'”

A dwarf’s voice, which he had heard somewhere before, came from behind.

Ethan suddenly felt an ominous foreboding.

Just like when he met his old graduate school professor…

Thump-

The dwarf professor, Thunderfoot, grabbed the hem of Ethan’s clothes as he hurriedly tried to step aside.

And then said in a pleasant voice:

“‘That’s the alchemy class, Wodanaz.'”

“‘……'”