Surviving as a Mage in a Magic Academy
chapter-448

'This is serious.'

A deep frown formed on Yi-Han's forehead.

It was because the exam question was more difficult than he had thought.

In fact, the content about <Boltzmann's Call> was fine.

There were few students who knew about this festival as well as Yi-Han.

As he had prepared the most by running around here and there, he perfectly understood how it had flowed.

The problem was the points he had to improve on his own.

[What lack of magic did you feel at this festival?]

'No, honestly, can it be improved further from here?'

The paper birds were really done to the best of his ability, the golem was controlled, and even unnecessary dark magic was shown.

Yi-Han seriously couldn't think of how to improve the magic from here.

To improve further from here, wouldn't it be almost 4th or 5th year level?

If he wrote honestly...

'Hmm. No matter how I think about it, that doesn't seem right.'

Although Professor Millei told them to write sincerely, Yi-Han was not naive enough to fully believe the professor's words.

No professor would overlook a student who wrote in the report, 'I was too amazing, so there are no more points to improve.'

'I have to come up with something somehow!'

Yi-Han fell into desperate thought.

Even if it was impossible to master at the current level, he had to find a goal that could be packaged plausibly somehow.

'Strange. Why is Wardanaz acting like that?'

Salko, who was sitting behind, was puzzled by Yi-Han's appearance.

If he were a student who had prepared the festival carelessly, it would be understandable, but Yi-Han was the student who had taken on the most work among the students.

To think that Yi-Han would be so flustered over a report like this.

'Did I miss something?'

Salko carefully looked over his own report.

It seemed to have no particular problems on the surface, but looking again, there seemed to be some parts that were written too easily.

'This won't do. Let's rewrite it.'

Swish swish-

When Yi-Han didn't finish writing, the students sitting around him glanced at each other and started rewriting.

Seeing that, Professor Millei raised an eyebrow.

'The festival report shouldn't be that difficult?'

What is it?

After the exam was over and the students left the lecture hall, Professor Millei immediately started checking.

Usually, she would have done it after finishing other tasks, but today was a bit different.

The students were unusually groaning and rewriting and writing anew.

Since even the top student who showed talent in summoning magic showed such an appearance, even the strict Professor Millei couldn't help but be curious.

"Hmm..."

Professor Millei slightly raised her monocle and focused her gaze on the report.

[At this Boltzmann's Call festival, I learned that even within the same summoning magic, there are countless factions and possibilities befitting them. The magic of the senior mages who are walking the path of summoning magic ahead of me became a signpost for how I should fill my shortcomings…]

'Good.'

A smile lingered on Professor Millei's lips.

It seemed that they had not simply enjoyed the festival but had deep thoughts.

[...Seeing Wardanaz's magic, I realized that golems can also be utilized in such a way. I will also try to utilize golems in such a way…]

'...No...'

Professor Millei muttered without realizing it.

Of course, it was good to challenge, but there were also challenges that anyone could see had no answer, generally speaking.

And the research of attempting miscellaneous tasks using golems seemed closer to the latter.

Professor Millei prayed that this disciple would realize it on his own and back down or gain his own enlightenment.

[...Seeing Wardanaz's magic, I realized. The double major in enchantment magic and dark magic makes summoning magic even more powerful. I'm thinking of taking a few classes related to enchantment magic and dark magic in my 2nd year…]

'This is not it either...'

Professor Millei's head ached slightly.

Of course, majoring in multiple fields might look flashy on the outside, but if touched wrongly, it was a dangerous path where a mage's soul could collapse.

The professor prayed that this disciple would control it at an appropriate level.

Tak-

Except for some unexpected content, the overall level of the reports was high.

This was much better than Professor Millei's expectations.

'It must be because the outstanding students polished each other.'

Professor Millei closed her eyes and was satisfied with the students' achievements.

Comparing different years wasn't usually a good practice for a professor, but it was hard to deny that this year's freshmen were among the highest achievers Professor Millei had taught.

Students like Yi-Han Wardanaz surely contributed to this reason.

Of course, the other students might have panicked and made unnecessary efforts after seeing Yi-Han's struggles, but Professor Millei couldn't have noticed such details.

Professor Millei opened Yi-Han's report. Her eyes slightly sparkled with satisfaction again at the flawless content.

A mage well-versed in academics knew well how pleasant it was to see such a report.

[Not only recording the events that occurred during the festival with accurate times and locations, but also the introduction of this festival, the magic used and the results, and the consideration were all neatly…]

[Thus, I realized that I am still lacking in many aspects…]

'?'

[Therefore, first of all, I will try to increase the number of undead that I can summon and control. Of course, I can't neglect the quality while focusing on quantity, so I intend to maintain the strength of each individual as well. On the other hand, I will further improve the paper birds to increase the durability that is currently lacking... (omitted) By combining transformation magic... (omitted) Directly developing golems as well…]

'????'

Professor Millei's calm face crumbled. Professor Millei blinked and read it several times. However, the content did not change no matter how many times she read it.

The professor's face became serious.

'Should I stop him... right?'

Professor Millei was someone who really did not interfere with students' choices unless it was extreme, and even if they failed, she respected that they would learn from it, but this report was quite serious.

No matter how she thought about it, it was not a goal that a 1st year should aim for now.

Professor Millei pondered whether to call him separately and counsel him, but eventually made up her mind.

'No.'

If it were another student, she would have really called and counseled them, but Wardanaz was an exception.

She was convinced that if it was Wardanaz, he must have submitted such a plan because he was confident he could do it.

Professor Millei had no intention of becoming a tactless teacher who unnecessarily hindered a disciple with genius talent.

'I'll just have to tell the other professors.'

Although Professor Millei was strict and rarely expressed her emotions, it wasn't that she didn't love her disciples.

If the other professors knew about Wardanaz's goal, they would surely help him implicitly.

"Phew."

Yi-Han let out a sigh of relief.

Professor Millei, whom he met in the corridor, had briefly told him that he got a perfect score.

'It was worth setting a higher goal.'

At first, while writing the report, he thought, 'Can I set the goal this high?' but once he started writing, he thought he could do it.

In any case, there was no law that Yi-Han had to do everything he wrote in the report.

It wasn't like Professor Millei was the skull principal and would go back to the past and deduct points for not keeping his word.

"Are you Wardanaz?"

"...?!"

Yi-Han was startled.

It wasn't because the other person walked on water. Professor Millei had also walked on water earlier.

Yi-Han was surprised because the other person was his senior.

'What is this? Seems like a 3rd year? Can a 3rd year reveal themselves in front of a 1st year? Is it a trap set by the skull principal?'

"Tall height. Sculptural handsome face. Enormous mana..."

With those words, the senior took out a small monocle and looked through Yi-Han.

Clang!

Then the monocle immediately shattered. The senior nodded without being surprised.

"Seems right. Aren't you Wardanaz?"

"That's right. What brings you to me?"

"I'm Anpagon. I was put in charge of this semester's enchantment magic exam in place of Professor Beavle. Nice to meet you."

"...Aha!"

Yi-Han demonstrated the trick of grasping the situation with just those short words.

So now...

'In the end, the skull principal got Professor Beavle!'

Considering the things Professor Beavle usually did, there was no way the skull principal would be lenient.

No matter how the professor argued, there was a very high possibility that he was thrown into the punishment room as a sign of reflection.

Even if he was considerate because it was the midterm exam period, Professor Beavle wouldn't care at all, so the skull principal probably didn't care either.

As a result, now Professor Beavle's disciple had to prepare the exam in his place like this.

"...?"

Yi-Han, who finished grasping the situation, tilted his head.

"But why did you come to me?"

"Because I have to prepare with you."

"...Pardon?"

Yi-Han couldn't believe his ears.

There were many absurd things at Einroguard.

Like raising a basilisk and telling them to face it directly, or taking the exam together with 2nd years...

But being told to prepare the exam was an even more absurd thing.

"Why would I...? Who decided that?"

"The principal and Professor Beavle."

"Then what do I take the exam with?"

"You already have a perfect score."

Anpagon took out a letter and handed it to Yi-Han.

[Get me out of here!!!!!]

[-Beavle]

"...???"

"Look at the back, not the front."

Yi-Han flipped the letter.

[Anpagon, you will prepare the 1st year exam due to Professor Beavle's circumstances. If you prepare carelessly because it's bothersome, I will cancel the experiment I approved last time. To prevent the dog-like behavior of preparing carelessly and insisting that you did your best, I will assign a 1st year student to prepare together with you. That student originally has a perfect score anyway, so you don't have to worry about that. Of course, you won't care as much as Professor Beavle.]

[-Os Gonadaltes]

"...Ah, no. This is too much."

"Too much?"

Anpagon did not get angry at his junior or question him.

He just asked back as if trying to quickly grasp the current situation.

"Yes. No matter how much I do my best, I don't have the skills yet to create an exam that can check my friends' abilities."

"I'm the one making the exam."

Anpagon looked at Yi-Han as if asking what he was talking about.

"You're just playing a supporting role."

"...Ah!"

Yi-Han let out an exclamation.

Come to think of it, no matter what, Einroguard wasn't a mess to the point of telling a 1st year to create exam tasks.

'If I just help and get a perfect score, it's a very profitable deal.'

Yi-Han's expression quickly returned. The talented 1st year junior said to Anpagon.

"I will do my best to assist you."

"Thank you."

However, Anpagon already thought that Yi-Han was a slightly strange junior.

When he came to his senses, Yi-Han realized that this situation was a better opportunity than he thought.

There weren't many opportunities to talk with seniors at Einroguard.

"Senior. May I ask a few questions?"

"Go ahead."

"Are you learning under Professor Beavle?"

"Yeah."

"Does the professor teach you well?"

"No."

Anpagon answered immediately without any hesitation.

Yi-Han was slightly amazed.

'As expected, the disciple is just like the professor.'

If Professor Beavle's disciple had said 'he teaches well,' Yi-Han would have been more surprised.

"Then how are you learning enchantment magic, senior?"

"Through books, practice, and experiments. The professor is useless. In the first place, magic is something you learn on your own."

By saying the professor was useless, Anpagon gained Yi-Han's favor.

Although he himself did not realize it.

"It must be difficult for you to suddenly be put in charge of preparing the exam."

"It's not difficult. I just want to finish it quickly and prepare my own experiment."

"But where exactly is Professor Beavle trapped?"

"How would I know? I don't care."

"..."

Yi-Han smiled.

He didn't know about other things, but the atmosphere among Professor Beavle's disciples seemed really good.

'This atmosphere of not caring about each other. It's the best.'