Surviving As A Mage In A Magic Academy [EN]: Chapter 992

Yoner thought to himself as he unlocked the tower door.

With a loud *click* that echoed in the quiet hallway, the door swung inwards. Warm air, thick with the smell of dried herbs and something faintly sweet, rushed out from the dark workshop, wrapping around them like a blanket.

“The professor won’t be here, will he?”

“At this hour, he’s taking care of cacti in the Einrogard Desert. Let’s go in.”

Gainando was surprised Ihan knew Professor’s schedule so well, even down to the hour.

“How does Ihan memorize all that?”

“You memorize every single letter on the wizard cards, though.”

“Why… why bring that up!”

While the two were chattering behind him, Ihan quickly checked the first floor.

Even if the professor was gone, you always had to be careful in the magic tower.

He had to check for any added boundary magic or traps first.

‘Nothing here.’

Ihan clicked his tongue inwardly.

It was Professor Thunderfoot’s fault for being careless.

Even if he trusted his students and gave them the key, his security was too relaxed!

‘Honestly, the professor is so sloppy.’

Of course, he was benefiting from it, but that was one thing, and his duty as a student was another.

While checking his surroundings, Ihan found a letter on the table. Surprisingly, the handwriting on it looked familiar.

‘…Wait. It’s a letter from Professor Begregg?’

Ihan was surprised.

First, he was surprised that Professor Voladi had written a letter, and he was also surprised that it was to Professor Thunderfoot.

Normally, as a loyal disciple, he should protect the professors’ secrets, but unfortunately, the letter had slipped out of the envelope and was lying open on the table. This was also due to Professor Thunderfoot’s carelessness.

‘Honestly, Professor, you’re so sloppy. I have no choice.’

Ihan held the letter so it wouldn’t fall. He accidentally read what was inside.

“Capital. Urgent. Summons. Duke Gonadaltes. Request for lecture exchange.”

Voladi Begregg

“????”

At first, Ihan thought it was a secret code, but then he understood.

‘Ah. So, the Headmaster urgently summoned him to the capital, and he left?’

This was surprising.

Several professors were already in the capital with the Skull Headmaster, and now Professor Voladi too?

‘…Did a rebellion break out in the capital??’

Ihan couldn’t understand.

He couldn’t understand why so many professors from Einrogard needed to be in the capital.

If he didn’t know the Emperor’s race, he might have thought the Skull Headmaster was staging a rebellion.

‘Could it be that Jo-woorin caused an accident?’

Ihan, feeling uneasy, shook his head.

The Skull Headmaster and the professors had gone to the capital before that. Jo-woorin’s escape couldn’t be the cause.

…Probably!

‘More importantly, what’s this lecture exchange? Surely, he’s not thinking of changing lectures later because of the cancellation.’

Ihan didn’t know he had guessed right. He started to think deeply.

Someone heading to the capital in a hurry wouldn’t be leisurely worrying about lecture cancellations…

“Ihan?”

“Sorry. It’s nothing.”

Ihan snapped out of his thoughts at the sound of his friends’ voices.

Professor Voladi going to the capital was one thing; they had to do what they had to do.

In some ways, it could be considered fortunate.

If Professor Voladi and the Mad Doppelganger were to lecture together…

……

The mere thought of such a chilling combination sent shivers down Ihan’s spine.

“Ihan is acting strange. Could he be under a spell?”

“But the potions and incense here don’t affect Ihan…”

Gainando and Yoner whispered to each other. Ihan waved his hand, saying sorry.

“Sorry. I’m really okay. I was just surprised that Professor Begregg went to the capital.”

“Gasp. Professor Mortoom went too???”

“No.”

“Aww.”

Gainando became dejected.

Why wasn’t Professor Mortoom invited to this either?

“More importantly, we need to check what Professor Thunderfoot was doing. Can you both help?”

The friends nodded.

The three cautiously approached the workshop area used by Professor Thunderfoot and began to deduce clues.

“High-quality paper, water bottle, brush, tobacco leaves, acacia tree sap… What kind of magic is this, Ihan?”

“…That’s just what the professor uses to make his cigarettes.”

“Oh.”

Gainando grumbled.

Why would he hand-make cigarettes in the workshop area, confusing people?

“He seems to have used deadly nightshade.”

“He made two new elixirs…”

Because Gainando and Yoner were so good at alchemy, they figured things out quickly.

The two set aside the recently used ingredients and potions, and then separately set aside those that seemed to have been used for lectures.

“Is Cockatrice venom for lectures or not?”

“That’s for lectures. I heard he used it in the 4th-year lecture.”

‘I shouldn’t have asked…’

Yoner wished he hadn’t asked. He crossed out a line on the paper with a pen.

Knowing what was going to happen made him feel worse than he expected.

“Mercury sulfide, the wing feather of a three-year-old raven.”

“Thunderbird’s cry, ghoul giant’s toenail.”

“Crystal Golem’s core, evil mushroom, mandrake…”

“…Cinnabar, wait a minute. Isn’t this Arlkan’s Eternal Severance??”

Yoner exclaimed in surprise.

As it was a recipe created by his family’s ancestor, he was able to recognize it first.

Yoner, taking out the Arlkan’s Grimoire he usually carried, quickly flipped through the pages and compared.

“It seems right?”

“Sorry, Yoner. I know a lot about [Meikin Family’s Sweet Pan Chocolate> or [Meikin Family’s Magical Chocolate Eclair>, but I don’t know much about Eternal Severance…”

“…Th-that’s right.”

Most people wouldn’t even know about chocolate or eclairs. But Yoner stayed calm and started to explain.

“It’s a poison. A poison that works on the soul…”

It was a terrible poison that, as the name suggested, severed the connection of the soul forever.

Even if one had high poison resistance in their flesh or blood, it was not easy to withstand such a poison.

‘Why did he make this?’

Ihan wondered why Professor Thunderfoot had made this poison.

Gainando, terrified, shouted.

“Co-could it be that he made it targeting Ihan? Because Ihan is immune to poison, he got angry and…”

……

“…No. This probably won’t work well on Ihan either. If your magic power is high, soul-based approaches don’t work.”

‘Couldn’t you deny it in a different way?’

Ihan thought to himself but remained silent.

The most likely hypothesis was that Professor Thunderfoot made it to deal with the Mad Doppelganger.

The Mad Doppelganger gave an absurd order, and Professor Thunderfoot, who couldn’t possibly do it, made the poison…

“…First, I need to find out the antidote. Yoner, can you show me the grimoire?”

“Here.”

“Thank you.”

Yoner wasn’t the type to hide such things, but even considering that, readily handing over his family’s grimoire was not easy without trust in a friend.

Ihan expressed his gratitude and accepted the book.

……

……

“…Ihan, you’re not looking at the chocolate eclair recipe right now, are you?”

“S-sorry. It’s too extraordinary… Indeed. Raspberry was the secret. I was only thinking about custard cream…”

“I’ll show you later if you’re curious, so look at the antidote part.”

Yoner urged his friend with a slightly annoyed voice.

Yoner liked that Ihan was interested in his family’s secrets. But right now, Ihan was staring at the eclair recipe like he was in a trance, which was hard to believe.

No matter how much cooking was a part of alchemy…!

“Thank you, Yoner. I’ve confirmed it.”

“Are you going to make it?”

“…I think I’ll have to make it.”

Ihan said with a heavy expression.

He couldn’t know if Professor Thunderfoot would really use the poison or not, but Ihan, as a disciple of both wizards, needed to prepare.

“Then let’s gather the ingredients. It’s hard to make this with what’s in the warehouse.”

“Ihan. Ihan!”

“But then it will be revealed that we visited here.”

“…Ihan! Hey! Yoner!”

“Should we use what the seniors made…”

“Look here!!”

As the two ignored him and talked, Gainando stamped his feet. Only then did the two realize that their friend was calling them and turned their gaze.

“What’s wrong?”

“Isn’t this the antidote the professor made?”

……

Ihan checked the potion bottle that Gainando was holding and shaking. Surprisingly, it was indeed the antidote.

“Where did you find this???”

“The professor left it on the table where he was making cigarettes.”

“…We shouldn’t be the ones saying this, but isn’t the professor too careless?”

At Yoner’s words, Ihan nodded absentmindedly.

“Master. You must not drink or eat anything that anyone offers you.”

“…Are you perhaps out of your mind?”

Morning.

The Mad Doppelganger, heading to the [Imperial Languages That Become Blood and Flesh> classroom together, cast a glance that said, ‘Why is this disciple acting like this?’

He was usually a disciple who was difficult to predict, but today’s statement was truly perplexing. He couldn’t even guess what it meant.

“There’s a trend going around in Einrogard of poisoning food and drinks.”

Even as he said it, Ihan wondered if it was too much nonsense. However, the Mad Doppelganger surprisingly nodded.

“That could be. It’s a frequent occurrence among wizards. You, disciple, may have never had to worry about poison due to your innate abilities, but you must not be careless.”

“…Yes!”

While they were talking, the demon Oriphylas, who had been working as an Imperial Legal Officer for 132 years, walked over from the opposite side.

A reliable helper who assists the professor with lectures…

Aaaargh! No! No! I haven’t done anything wrong yet!

Oriphylas suddenly screamed and tried to run away in the opposite direction.

Of course, the shackles of the contract didn’t just let the demon go. Professor Rogine was startled when the demon, trying to escape, was caught by the contract and gagged.

“Why are you doing this? You know you can’t escape anyway!”

The demon didn’t give up. He inflicted a strong blow on himself and was temporarily reverse-summoned.

……

……

As Ihan stared with an absurd look, the Mad Doppelganger replied as if it didn’t matter.

“Since there is royalty present, what need is there for the advice of a demon? It is a good thing, rather.”

“…I’m sorry, Professor.”

“Ah, no. It’s alright, Ihan. I didn’t expect Legal Officer Oriphylas to disappear like that either.”

“Demons do strange things from time to time, don’t they?”

Ihan answered shamelessly.

Professor Rogine looked at Ihan, as if to say, ‘Are you serious?’ But Ihan pretended not to notice.

Meanwhile, the Mad Doppelganger strode into the classroom. The already familiar second-year students greeted him politely.

“Hello, Great Archmage.”

“Oh, where did the demon Legal Officer go?”

When someone expressed doubt, Ihan answered in a small voice.

“Today, my master will be helping instead.”

“…Wodanaz, at this rate, all the other professors might disappear within two weeks!”

The friends whispered excitedly.

Wodanaz said it was a coincidence, but it was an undeniable fact that the number of professors was decreasing particularly this semester.

If there were a few more of the Headmaster’s doppelgangers, this year might truly be a pleasant year with only Einrogard students…

“Did you gain any enlightenment on the non-Euclidean geometry we discussed last time?”

……

The students all fell silent and quietly averted their gaze. The Mad Doppelganger expressed displeasure at the dull achievements of his disciple’s colleagues.

“Despite giving you more than a day, this is all you’ve accomplished. My disciple mastered it on the spot.”

“No…!”

Ihan tried to stop the Mad Doppelganger from speaking.

Right now, his master was trying to socially bury Ihan among his friends!