Surviving as a Mage in a Magic Academy

The spirits did not always welcome guests unconditionally. They did not speak, but they had personalities and preferences as well.

Obviously, there were guests who the spirits were afraid of as well.

Professor Uregor recalled a story he had heard before.

The story of a wizard who had little interest in spirits, but after becoming an Archmage, he attempted to summon a spirit once and reached out to the spirit realm.

As skilled as the wizard was in magic, and while reaching out to the spirit realm was easy,  the spirits did not take the Archmage kindly.

It was the intense aura emanating from the wizard’s soul that had frightened the spirits.

Those who had lived a tumultuous life, such as mercenaries who fought in countless battles, or swordsmen who had defeated dozens of opponents, will inevitably have their soul’s color changed.

From Professor Uregor’s perspective, it was hard to understand why a skilled mage who had acquired various spells was treated the same as those individuals above, who were often underhanded or ruthless…

But what could be done about it?

So it was better to get close to the spirits from a relatively young age. As one grew older, it became harder to establish that connection.

“But why me?”

“Could it be that the spirits sensed your nasty thoroughness?”

“….”

“Just kidding. It’s probably because of the amount of mana you have.”

Being from the Wardanaz family, there was no way that Yi-Han, even as a human, had killed someone to get into the academy. All that was left was his magical power.

A crazy overwhelming amount of mana that could easily overpower most spirits!

“Fortunately, there is a solution. The story I mentioned earlier about the Archmage also succeeded in getting close to the spirits in the end.”

“Oh. What method is that?”

“Using magic to forcibly capture the spirits and then becoming close to them.”

“…In the spirit realm, aren’t the spirits usually more powerful?”

Just as how beasts are stronger in their own territory, fighting spirits in the spirit realm was a life-threatening endeavor.

“Well, there are indeed some minor issues like that. Anyways, stay strong!”

“….”

Yi-Han was not disappointed.

Because being disappointed was something that pleased Professor Uregor.

‘Next time I go to the cabin, I should sneak more food and bring it out.’

***

Fortunately, his friends were genuinely concerned about Yi-Han’s troubles as if they were their own.

“This is really a big problem, Sir Yi-Han of the Wardanaz family.”

“??”

The Blue Dragons Tower students thought that Priestess Siana was their fellow Tower student for a moment since she was too natural.

‘Since when has she been here?’

‘I don’t know as well…’

“Sometimes, due to misunderstandings of the spirits, there are people whom they become afraid of. We’ve had cases like that even within our order.”

“Is there no way to resolve this?”

Yonaire’s question made Priestess Siana ponder deeply.

“If the spirits in the spirit realm avoid and fear you… perhaps one way is to first establish a connection with the spirits in the real world. Gaining their recognition or building an affection with them to earn their token of appreciation might help ease their caution.”

Yi-Han looked at the wooden wand he was holding.

…Come to think of it, this is a wand imbued with a wood spirit, right?

Internally, Yi-Han let out a sigh. It seemed that the problem couldn’t be solved only with the wand of the wood spirit.

“Is there no other way? Does the Flameng Order by any chance…”

“In our Order, we often used potions to resolve such issues.”

Being an alchemical Order, the Flameng Order had sought solutions through alchemy.

Upon Priestess Siana’s words, Yi-Han rejoiced.

“Can it be solved with potions?”

“Of course.”

The potion he drank during Professor Uregor’s lecture was also a potion for befriending spirits.

A potion that made it a bit easier to connect with the spirit realm and allowed him to stay there for a longer period.

Since that was a low level potion, using a more potent one could potentially dispel the spirits’ fear and make him appear even more appealing to them.

“Ooh…!”

“To think that’s possible!”

The students of the Blue Dragons Tower were amazed.

The reputation of the Flameng Order was not in vain. Yonaire spoke with eyes full of anticipation as well.

“I’ve heard of it before. Among the prospect potions of the Flameng Order, there’s one specialized for spirits…”

“You know it very well, Miss Yonaire of the Maykin family. I’ve assisted in crafting one of the prospect potions. If you wish, I can create it for you.”

Priestess Siana spoke kindly.

While it was the prospect of the Flameng Order, it could be bestowed upon those who, like the boy from the Wardanaz family, recognized and respected the greatness of the Flameng Order.

That was the ideology of the Flameng Order.

“If it’s completed, could we also…?”

“Of course.”

At the cautious words uttered by the students of the Blue Dragon Tower, Priestess Siana nodded her head as well.

If only it was completed, sharing it with other students wouldn’t have been particularly difficult.

“However, there are quite a lot of necessary ingredients. Here, take a look.”

Priestess Siana took out a piece of paper and began listing down the necessary ingredients with a quill pen.

Despite writing rapidly, the list quickly became so extensive that it was densely filled.

Reed pipe

Nissins Flower

Dadu Beetle

Ruby Transformed Crow Stone

…

…

…

“Can we obtain all of these?”

“It might be difficult to acquire it by searching on your own indeed. However, there is a way. In Professor Uregor’s laboratory which is located on the upper floor of Horn Constellation Pavilion, you’ll find all the items listed here.”

“….”

“…?”

Yi-Han, who had been listening without saying anything, was taken aback for the first time.

…What does it mean?

‘Ah, so we’re told to obtain Professor Uregor’s permission.’

Yi-Han self-reflected.

It was not like Priestess Siana would ask them to steal it like Yi-Han would.

“If all of you are determined, I will secretly enter the laboratory with all of you and bring out the materials.”

“….”

Yi-Han was astonished.

No…

No…!

However, the other students from the Blue Dragon Tower were deeply moved.

“Priestess Siana!”

“I’ve wondered why Wardanaz praised you so much, but now I understand!”

“Priestess, you are the light and salt of the Empire!”

To calm down his friends who became very excited, Yi-Han asked.

“Priestess Siana, I appreciate your words, but the method… wouldn’t it be a bit risky?”

“But Sir Yi-Han of the Wardanaz family, this is something even the academy encourages.”

“….”

That’s indeed true!

Yi-Han couldn’t refute.

Because it was indeed true that Principal Skelly said that.

Priestess Siana smiled, her vertically elongated pupils, a characteristic of the serpentine race, narrowing.

“Oh dear, I suppose you’re worried. But it’s alright. I heard that Sir Yi-Han of the Wardanaz family has wandered around the school at night many times before and has never been caught.”

“Well, Wardanaz did that indeed.”

The students of the Blue Dragon Tower felt proud as if it was their own accomplishment. Asan, on the other hand, felt embarrassed and wiped the area under his nose in return.

“Even if I get caught, I won’t hold any resentment.”

“The same goes to us. Wardanaz.”

“…Thanks soo much.”

“No need to be like that.”

Separate from the bonds of their friendship, upon careful consideration, Priestess Siana’s words did seem enticing.

Why do the bank robbers in stories keep fixating on a big heist instead of just retiring?

It’s because their life would become easier if they could pull off one big job.

Uregor’s laboratory was the same.

‘As I think about the upcoming semester, Alchemy class has a high potential to become a hell of homeworks.’

Not only Alchemy class, but also other lectures could easily turn into a hell of homeworks at any moment.

If they had amassed a significant amount of alchemy materials, they would be able to deal with such homeworks flexibly.

If only we could pull off this one big job…!

Press press—

“?”

Yi-Han turned his head.

Nilia was gently poking Yi-Han’s side.

At that sight, Yi-Han regained his senses slightly.

‘Oh, right. Was I entertaining a really crazy idea?’

“Why, Nilia?”

“Don’t just bring Ratford without me this time, really.”

“….”

Yi-Han raised his head and gazed at the sky.

Irrespective of Yi-Han’s complex emotions, the sky above the magic academy was a clear blue without a single cloud.

***

Despite the worries about summoned monsters escaping within the academy, and professors devising troublesome assignments for the students, there were a few things that remained unchanged.

That was precisely Professor Bolady’s teaching style.

Bam!

‘Uuh.’

Once again, as the bead flew toward him from behind, breaking through his defense, Yi-Han clenched his teeth in response.

While Yi-Han had become somewhat accustomed, he couldn’t entirely keep up with Professor Bolady’s control.

Twisting in unpredictable directions, creating unforeseeable paths, and then piercing vulnerabilities—the control held a ruthless sense of intimidation that only those who experienced it firsthand could understand.

Furthermore, the penetration power was far from ordinary.

If Yi-Han even slightly relaxed the cohesion of the water bead, Professor Bolady would be able to sense it somehow and attempt to penetrate.

“You can’t concentrate, I see.”

“No.”

Yi-Han was concentrating.

Professor Bolady was gradually increasing the difficulty, that’s why.

It wasn’t like his skill wasn’t improving, but every time his skill level went up, Professor Bolady raised the hurdles much higher, making it nearly impossible to avoid failure.

However, Professor Bolady was convinced he had put forth his full effort, so he could not fathom the idea that Yi-Han had managed to penetrate him.

‘How come?’

As Yi-Han, who had been doing relatively well up to now, began to struggle oddly, Professor Bolady became perplexed.

While it might be understandable if there were students who couldn’t do it from the beginning or gave up and ran away, this boy from the Wardanaz family had been doing relatively well up until now.

Of course, while in Professor Bolady’s view it might have been considered ‘relatively well done,’ for other professors, it could have easily been deemed a workload that warranted reporting to the Emperor along with Principal Skelly. Nevertheless, that was how it appeared to Professor Bolady.

Thud—

The bead came to a halt in midair.

“?”

Yi-Han was cautious, wondering if it was a trap.

‘Is it a new pattern?’

The bead feigned a pause as if taking a breather and then launched the attack again…

It was truly something Professor Bolady would do.

“Now I see why you can’t concentrate.”

“!”

Yi-Han was surprised.

“Is this like when you defeated the golem last time, trying to add a spinning attribute to the water bead?”

“….”

Yi-Han had an assumption where the story had leaked from.

‘Principal Skelly…!’

Since Professor Uregor and Professor Bolady weren’t particularly close, there was only one person who could have gone to Professor Bolady and chatted away about it.

“No, I don’t have such ambitions…”

“It’s greed.”

‘I know it as well.’

Yi-Han let out a sigh inwardly at the absurd misunderstanding.

Even though he managed to luckily defeat the mud golem, he never entertained delusions like ‘Oh, I must be a genius, I should add spinning to the water bead from now on.’

“Don’t be so anxious.”

If someone knew Professor Bolady, they would have been surprised to hear advice like ‘It’s greed’ or ‘Don’t be so anxious’ just like this.

Fundamentally, Professor Bolady was a person with a strong sense of teaching principles and common sense.

–If I can do it, then you should be able to do it too. Why can’t you? Just do it.

The person who seriously believed in such a saying was none other than Professor Bolady.

To think that someone like that would say things like ‘It’s greed’ or ‘Don’t be so anxious’.

It was something as unlikely as the sun rising from the west, but Yi-Han obviously didn’t know the weight behind those words.

‘I’m not doing such things…’

He really had no intention whatsoever, so when Professor Bplady said things like that, he was just bewildered.

These Professors are indeed something!

“Wait.”

“?”

However, Professor Bolady extended his hand and fell into contemplation once again.

For the first time, Professor Bolady considered things from a student’s perspective

It was a great step that even he had not noticed.

–What if I were that boy from the Wardanaz family?

Hearing the words ‘Don’t be so anxious’ wouldn’t have necessarily put my mind at ease.

Those who didn’t move forward despite the path being in front of them lacked the qualifications of a wizard.

“I see.”

“What do you mean with… I see?”

Yi-Han had an ominous feeling . There had never been a good outcome when professors proceeded with their own understanding.

“From now on, you can be anxious. I’ll make you focus.”

“Wa…!”

Before he could even say the word ‘wait,’ Professor Bolady’s storm had started again.

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