Surviving As A Mage In A Magic Academy [EN]: Chapter 955

“In… in my forest… an artificial demigod…?”

Ilrendil asked slowly. His voice was very serious, like someone facing a big problem.

He had heard correctly, but he looked like he wished he hadn’t. It was a truly sad sight.

“Yes? You agreed to share the relic, right? Would you rather keep it in the dormitory or another magic tower?”

“……”

Ilrendil was shocked and hurt by Ihan’s words.

Ilrendil wanted the relic to help the forest grow and recover.

To do that, the relic needed to be in the forest, so it could work all the time.

His junior knew this and was trying to be helpful, but…

‘I really hate this!!!’

Still, he really did not want an artificial demigod in his forest. He also didn’t want dangerous, old magic used there.

The forest Ilrendil loved could become a ‘haunted forest’ or a ‘forest of destruction’ at any moment.

“Is… is that not dangerous? For you, junior…”

Ilrendil nervously moved his fingers, trying to find an excuse.

Ihan was touched by his words.

His opinion of Ilrendil, which had dropped lower than Yukbeltire, went up a little.

‘Still, he’s not a bad person!’

It might seem strange that his opinion improved for such a small thing, but it couldn’t be helped.

People had to judge Einrogard seniors with lower expectations.

Just being worried about him was enough for Ihan to think better of Ilrendil.

“Senior, are you actually worried about me? Looks pretty risky, right?”

“Quiet.”

The mad doppelganger, who had silenced his clumsy student, looked at Ilrendil and asked,

“If the royal family has any problems with the student learning magic, speak now.”

“…No, I don’t…”

Ilrendil recoiled, stepping back as if burned.

Ilrendil wasn’t foolish enough to speak boldly in front of someone who looked like the skeletal headmaster.

Ihan felt sorry for him.

‘How could he be so petty?’

Who would speak up when he openly said, ‘Speak up if you have any complaints’?

“Then, may I speak?”

“No.”

“……”

The mad doppelganger stopped his student and used the >Echo of the Demigod> again.

A dark red light like blood flowed from the relic. A scream, cold and sharp like ice, ripped through the air, sounding like someone dying.

Ihan, who had been watching, asked carefully,

“Is it done?”

“Yes. I have sealed the evil god’s power inside the relic. Try using it after you have tamed the demigod.”

“?”

Ihan had expected the relic to be purified or broken. Ilrendil also looked like he couldn’t believe what he was hearing.

I will remember you…

“…Master, the evil god is threatening to remember me.”

“Evil gods do not remember, and they do not hold grudges. Do not give those words any meaning.”

It’s like a parrot repeating words without knowing what they mean. Evil gods are similar. They speak based on their nature, not with real understanding or feelings.

A divine being does not speak with a personality but according to its own rules and ideas.

The evil god’s threat to remember Ihan was not a real act of remembering.

It was chosen as the most effective way to make contact.

“The fighters who served the evil god already had their souls taken. But you, student, have no ties. All the evil god can do is threaten you. It is useless if you don’t fear that threat.”

The evil god was created from evil power and worship. It tries to keep moving based on its rules and where it came from.

The only thing it could do to Ihan, who was protected from any ties or curses, was to try to taint his heart with such threats.

‘Indeed.’

Ihan understood his master’s words.

He felt a chill.

It was easy to think it had a personality if someone wasn’t careful, but an evil god should be seen as pure power that just exists, like magic.

If someone gives it more meaning and becomes afraid, it makes the evil god stronger and traps them without them knowing!

‘…But even so, there’s no reason not to purify it completely, is there?’

Actually, he could guess the reason.

Having a way to contact the evil god could be useful in some ways.

It was like saying, ‘Don’t break it. Use it later when you can’…

‘That doesn’t sound good.’

Ilrendil’s eyes were wide as he stared at the mad doppelganger. His mouth was slightly open, and his shoulders slumped. He looked like he wanted to shout, ‘Why are you doing this to me?’ but couldn’t find the words.

It was hard not to feel worried when an old relic had an evil god sleeping inside it.

Ilrendil realized that staring at the mad doppelganger was useless and looked at Ihan. But Ihan had no solution either.

‘I’m sorry, senior. There’s nothing I can do.’

He could tell that the mad doppelganger would ignore him, so persuading his master about magic was almost impossible.

All Ihan could do was delay it.

“I understand. After I tame the demigod, I’ll say something if I remember later.”

“Do so.”

“……”

Ilrendil’s shoulders drooped as he watched the two masters and students. He regretted his decision.

This ancient relic hunt seemed to have more problems than benefits.

“Still, Senior, you have to take my side in the Watchers Club.”

“…Yeah… I know…”

After the mad doppelganger left, Ilrendil seemed more tired than before.

Einrogard students were often sad and tired, so Ihan didn’t pay much attention.

“By the way, are you going straight back to Einrogard?”

“That’s right.”

“How did you get out?”

“Another student helped me.”

Ihan was surprised by Ilrendil’s words.

‘Wow, he has friends!’

It was a rude thought, but he couldn’t help it.

Ilrendil seemed to have no friends, like Yukbeltire. He didn’t seem to have any human relationships except for his alchemist juniors.

But Yukbeltire also had a friend named Dirette. Ilrendil could have friends too.

‘I hope it’s not Dirette senior.’

If Ilrendil’s friend was Dirette, Ihan felt he might cry.

“What kind of help?”

“It’s a special glass bottle…”

Ilrendil explained slowly.

It was a secret magic, a way to fold oneself into a space smaller than a breath, hiding inside a glass bottle as if becoming a trapped whisper.

By using this magic, it was possible to escape Einrogard.

Of course, it only worked when other students were out, but Ilrendil didn’t like going out anyway. If it wasn’t for this ancient relic story, he wouldn’t have come out.

“I see. Where is your friend?”

“?”

Ilrendil tilted his head at his junior’s question.

“I don’t know…?”

“…Uh, aren’t you supposed to meet up and go back together? Is there another way to return?”

“I can just find another student.”

“…!!”

Ihan suddenly realized something.

“Was the student you came out with also someone you didn’t know well?”

“Hmm? Yeah…”

‘He didn’t receive help at all!’

Usually, sneaking into someone else’s pocket wasn’t called ‘receiving help.’

Ihan realized again that the person in front of him was an Einrogard senior. If they were not strange or unusual in some way, they wouldn’t be a senior student from Einrogard.

“I see. So that’s how you go. Could we ask you to take our luggage too?”

Ihan and his friends had their own ways of hiding things, but it was never completely safe.

If the Death Knights acted stubborn like they did at the start of the semester, things could go wrong.

Leaving it with Ilrendil early would lower the risk and make it easier to move other luggage.

“……”

Ilrendil looked like he was about to cry. Ihan, seeing the senior’s expression, spoke again,

“You don’t have to if it’s too hard or you don’t want to.”

“No… I can do it. But the problem is…”

“If it’s a magic problem, I’ll help you.”

Ihan was ready to help as much as needed, no matter what.

Since it was Ihan’s group’s luggage, he couldn’t just leave it to him.

“I don’t want to meet my juniors again…”

“……”

Ilrendil sighed deeply, thinking about having to meet several unfamiliar juniors again.

Ihan pretended not to hear and ignored him.

‘I was worried for nothing.’

“Thank you, Senior!”

“Plea-Please speak quietly…”

“We’re in your care, Senior.”

Ilrendil packed up all the luggage and returned. The second-year students praised him, saying they had misjudged him.

“I didn’t think that senior would agree to such a request.”

“Right. He’s the one who released an artificial spirit in the forest. And yet, he agreed to such a request.”

‘I hope that doesn’t last forever.’

Ihan was worried that even after he graduated, Ilrendil’s name would be remembered as ‘that guy who released an artificial spirit in the forest?’

He had done quite a few good deeds too…

“Yoner, Anglago and Salco are not here. Where did they go?”

“They said they were going out for a while. …Wait. Where are you going?”

Yoner was confused by his friend’s clothes.

It wasn’t his usual Einrogard beggar’s clothes, or the normal wizard’s clothes he wore when going out. The protectors and equipment on his arms and legs made him look like a Quidditch player…?

“I’m going to practice Quidditch.”

“What!? Why!?”

Yoner was shocked by the words that seemed least likely to come from his friend.

“…Because it’s the Quidditch Club?”

“Ah.”

Only then did Yoner remember that his friend belonged to several clubs.

Ihan said sadly,

“Actually, I’m not very confident either.”

“You don’t have to play if you’re a second-year, do you?”

“I have too many rare mounts…”

Ihan had many rare mounts, starting with the Griffin. If he didn’t play, some of the seniors who loved Quidditch would be very upset.

He didn’t know how much it would help, but Ihan was planning to practice as much as possible before the Quidditch Club match.

“The clothes look good on you. If I saw you on the field, I would think you were a good player.”

“That’s right, Master. And don’t be too nervous. You will be great at Quidditch too.”

Amur and Arion praised him, not knowing Ihan’s worries.

‘I don’t know if it will be okay.’

The Quidditch he had played a few times in Einrogard was different. It used the power of mounts and magic.

Seniors like Carnella had high hopes for Ihan, but real Quidditch players would have different skills.

He might be completely outplayed.

“I want to cheer for the game, but we’ll probably be back before then.”

“What? Wardanaz is playing in the game?”

His friends were very disappointed.

A second-year student was going to play in the club’s game. When else would they cheer if not now?

However, the Drama Club’s trip was ending, and it was almost time to return to the Death Knights and say, ‘We came back on time and helped people because of the monster in Hugh’s Palace.’

“Can’t you just not go back and stay out?”

“Then we’ll get detention for sure. Don’t say that.”

“Asan is right. Detention because of a game? That’s crazy.”

Ihan told his friends to return on time and then got a quick Quidditch lesson from Amur and Arion.

The remaining friends prepared to return, feeling sad.

They packed and hid the new items, checked for anything left behind, and remembered the tools and equipment so they could make reagents even after returning to school…

…Anglago and Salco did not return until all of that was done.

“……”

Ihan took out the artifact.

-Anglago, were you kidnapped?

-What? I wasn’t kidnapped! You guys go back first. I have something left to do.

-…Don’t tell me you ran off to watch the Quidditch game?

-Noooo, am not? What are you talking about?

-What are you guys talking about right now?

Giselle was shocked.

What were those idiots doing outside?