Surviving as a Mage in a Magic Academy Chapter 811

Chapter 811

"How on earth can one person be a 4th year, 5th year, and 6th year? Don't you feel something's odd?"

"Hmm. Certainly, rumors are not to be trusted. A cultured nobleman would..."

"It's not about culture, but intelligence... No. Never mind."

Garal was about to blurt out but caught himself.

He still hadn't broken the habit from when he was affiliated with the magic tower.

This was something to reflect on.

'I am no longer a mage affiliated with a magic tower. I must discard my pride.'

Hadn't he suffered many times because of this pride?

-Um. Mr. Mage. We'd like you to leave the party now.-

-Wh-what?! Do you think a party like yours can afford a mage like me?! Why on earth are you saying such things?-

-It's because of that very attitude! You keep muttering that we're stupid behind our backs every time we do something, how can we fight risking our lives?-

-That's simply pointing out the fact...-

-Enough. Here's our party's new mage. We hit it off at the inn yesterday. He's a talent who can cast two 1st Circle spells.-

-That's not even a mage! It's below a magic parrot! Even a magic parrot would...-

-Anyway, please leave quickly. If you don't leave, we'll call the guards!-

Thanks to several bitter experiences, Garal had gained enlightenment.

How difficult it was to earn gold coins himself!

"He must be a 6th year?"

"I think he's probably a 6th year. There's a low possibility he could be a 5th year... Wait, where are those guys going?"

The Baldurguard students belatedly realized something was amiss.

The Kalaroguard students who had been there until just now were running away far off.

"Where are you going! Our battle isn't over yet!"

'It's over, you idiots.'

Garal grumbled inwardly.

It was a battle that had been over from the start, as anyone could see...

One of the fleeing Kalaroguard students stopped and shouted.

"You Baldur bastards. I don't like you, but as a fellow imperial magic academy student, I'll tell you. Run away!"

"What?"

"Wait, didn't you just call us Baldur bast..."

"Run away! That's ancient forbidden magic! You don't know what will happen to you if you stay here!"

With those final words, the Kalaroguard students scurried away.

Yi-Han quickly explained.

"I'm controlling it well! Don't worry!"

The Baldurguard students might have lacked talent in magic, but they weren't stupid in other areas.

Just the fact that they hadn't enrolled in Einroguard showed they had an excellent talent for instinctively pursuing the happiest life as a mage.

As such, the Baldurguard students sensitively picked up on the sense of discomfort in this situation.

"Are you sure it's being controlled well? Considering the rumors about the Wardanaz family and the testimonies about that boy, this situation looks quite dangerous."

"...I agree. That magic looks very dangerous."

When even Garal agreed, the Baldurguard students made a bold decision.

"Retreat!"

Yi-Han called out in a regretful voice as he watched the students flowing out like the tide.

"Everyone! I'm controlling it well, I tell you! If you listen to the explanation, you'll understand! Actually, I didn't use this magic because I wanted to..."

"Hmm! Even more suspicious! Everyone, don't look back!"

'I underestimated the Baldurguard students too much...!'

He had thought he could persuade the Baldurguard students even if not the Kalaroguard students, but that wasn't the case.

Though lacking in magical skills, the Baldurguard students knew when to run away.

"Kuk."

Yi-Han lamented inwardly. He was worried that strange rumors might spread unnecessarily.

'No. The Kalaroguard students are all unsociable, and the Baldurguard students will be disliked by all other magic school students, so rumors won't spread that much.'

Yi-Han tried to pull himself together somehow.

Of course, the problem of rumors spreading within Kalaroguard and Baldurguard still remained, but Yi-Han glossed over that.

[To let those trash run away. And taking this long despite a royal's order is shameful.]

The mad doppelganger lightly admonished, unaware of Yi-Han's true feelings.

"..."

Yi-Han glared at the mad doppelganger. Come to think of it, if this mad doppelganger hadn't made a fuss about using magic to teach them a lesson, wouldn't it have ended happily with just the fight between Kalaroguard and Baldurguard?

"I understand. Please go back now."

[The characteristic of this Black Coffin is that it brings control over nearby undead. Especially against dark mages who summon undead...]

'How do I turn this off?'

As the mad doppelganger ignored his disciple's words and explained the characteristics of the Black Coffin he had just summoned, Yi-Han closely examined the <Echo Stone> embedded at the end of his staff.

The mad doppelganger stopped explaining and said.

[Lowborn, your senses won't be able to grasp the structure inside yet, so don't touch it needlessly...]

Pop!

With those words, the illusion disappeared. Yi-Han looked at the <Echo Stone> with a dazed expression.

He had tried touching a specific part inside by extending his mana like a thread just in case, and luckily it turned off.

The mad doppelganger had been evaluating Yi-Han's talent quite highly.

But he still lacked understanding of the tenacity shown in certain situations.

'Hmm. I should keep it off for a while.'

Yi-Han left the staff alone, intending to insist he had turned it off by mistake if they talked later.

  *

Eaktus: Hey. I heard someone cast forbidden ancient magic on students from other magic academies this time?

Beaver-Penguin-Fox: Excellent!

Eaktus: What do you mean excellent!

Beaver-Penguin-Fox: Why? Don't you want to do that, Eaktus?

For Einroguard upperclassmen, casting ancient forbidden magic on students from other magic schools was something to be admired, not criticized.

After graduation, students from other magic schools would end up being competitors too, right?

They would have to fight fiercely for support funds, clashing within the imperial magic world, so to make one's name known and imprint one's reputation first.

This was an excellent preemptive strike.

If other students had the time and opportunity, anyone would have cast ancient forbidden magic to make their name widely known.

So why was Eaktus reacting like that?

Eaktus: I should have done it!

Beaver-Penguin-Fox: Ah. I understand. How could they use such magic when there wasn't enough time to prepare at the start of the semester?

Eaktus: They must have prepared since last year. Whoever it is, they're a cunning bastard!

Immortal: Wait. Why don't we all think about this again? Of course, you might gain some fame for a moment by bringing out ancient forbidden magic. But isn't a mage who steadily researches and presents magic, building up achievements, the truly great mage?

Eaktus: No.

Beaver-Penguin-Fox: I don't think so.

"..."

Yi-Han watched the Sentinel club's conversation with a complicated expression.

Apart from Immortal freezing the atmosphere of the conversation, it seemed rumors were spreading faster than expected.

Fortunately, since it wasn't the same magic school, Yi-Han's name didn't seem to have come out yet...

Eaktus: So who is it? This enviable fellow?

Beaver-Penguin-Fox: From what I heard, there were rumors it was a 5th or 6th year...

"!"

At that moment, an evil inspiration flashed through Yi-Han's mind.

Gonadaltes: Heh. I know who it is.

Eaktus: Ooh! You evil friend! Who is it, who?

Gonadaltes: Normally I should receive payment, but I'll just tell you this much. It's Yukbeltire, the 5th year from Blue Dragon Tower, top student of the enchantment magic school, descendant of a great bloodline.

Eaktus: !

Beaver-Penguin-Fox: !

Immortal: !!!!!

Eaktus: Immortal. One exclamation mark is enough. I've been curious for a while, but why do you use so many?

Immortal: ...Just... for emphasis?

Beaver-Penguin-Fox: That's not important right now. Yukbeltire, you say? She's certainly a 5th year, but it's strange.

Gonadaltes: What's strange?

Beaver-Penguin-Fox: From what I heard, it was dark magic alchemy.

Gonadaltes: That can be explained too. In Yukbeltire's case, it's because she's close friends with Direth, the 5th year student from the dark magic school.

Beaver-Penguin-Fox: Close friends?

Eaktus: Is that so? I don't think so. Just like Professor Verduus has no friends, his disciple has no friends either.

Beaver-Penguin-Fox: I agree. Their relationship is... closer to that of Professor Garcia and Professor Verduus? Professor Garcia takes care of Professor Verduus because she's kind. But if you ask if they're close, even Professor Garcia would punch you.

Immortal: I don't think Professor Garcia is that kind of person...

Yi-Han grumbled at the unexpectedly picky response and changed his words.

Gonadaltes: Just get the gist of it. Anyway, I'm saying there's a connection. Then the dark magic alchemy can be explained too.

Beaver-Penguin-Fox: Indeed. That Yukbeltire might have stolen it.

Eaktus: Or maybe she extorted it.

Immortal: Perhaps she endured in the workshop until she got help...

'Did they all get slapped by Senior Yukbeltire or something?'

Of course, Yi-Han wasn't one to talk, having thrown the infamy that came to him onto his senior, but the response was colder than expected.

But it couldn't be helped.

'Senior. I'm sorry. But this is Einroguard, isn't it?'

Yi-Han was acting as Yukbeltire had taught him.

Baqwantallana: What were you all talking about? What does 'Perhaps she endured in the workshop until she got help' mean?

Baqwantallana, who came late, seemed to have only seen the last sentence before the conversation disappeared.

Yi-Han kindly explained.

Gonadaltes: We were saying that the person who showed forbidden magic to students from other magic schools this time was Yukbeltire.

Baqwantallana: ...That's not right? What are you talking about?

Eaktus: What? It's not? Then who is it?

Baqwantallana: I haven't confirmed who it is yet, but it's definitely not Yukbeltire. Surely...

'Gasp'

Yi-Han was flustered.

To think there was someone who knew the truth!

But even while flustered, Yi-Han immediately responded. In these things, the person who reacted late always lost.

Gonadaltes: Well, if you don't want to believe it, don't. I'm offended to be flatly denied after giving information without even receiving payment.

Eaktus: Wo, whoa. Calm down, friend. Baqwantallana probably didn't mean any harm.

Gonadaltes: I think Baqwantallana is a bit jealous of Yukbeltire. They don't want to watch Yukbeltire gain such glory. But flatly denying it is a bit harsh, isn't it?

Baqwantallana: What...! No!

Gonadaltes: Everyone, think carefully about what I said. In this Einroguard, during club week, how many people would be capable of showing forbidden magic to students from other magic schools? Huh? Don't you feel my claim is convincing? It's that very Yukbeltire!

Yi-Han subtly appealed to emotions.

Indeed, the other club members immediately fell for it, perhaps having had feelings about Yukbeltire usually.

Eaktus: I'll believe Gonadaltes's hypothesis. It seems highly likely.

Beaver-Penguin-Fox: Me too.

Baqwantallana: Then think as you please, you idiots. To think such fools are Sentinel members, it makes me sigh.

Immortal: Everyone, don't fight!

Eaktus: Immortal, don't act like a bat, pick a side! Is it Gonadaltes's hypothesis, or Baqwantallana's hypothesis?

Immortal: I, I... well... I did think another student could be possible...

Beaver-Penguin-Fox: Who? Don't just keep saying there is, present a name convincingly.

Immortal: Well, if I had to say, maybe Yi-Han of the Wardanaz family...

"!!"

Yi-Han felt chills for a moment. Indeed, Einroguard seniors could never be underestimated. How could his name come up here?

Eaktus: Hey. He's a 2nd year, isn't he?

Beaver-Penguin-Fox: Are you an idiot?

Gonadaltes: Oh come on. What nonsense. Really, to think I'm hearing such things.

Eaktus: Gonadaltes, you should endure. There's a lot of strange talk today.