Surviving as a Mage in a Magic Academy
chapter-474

"Oh."

Yi-Han looked at Ferkuntra with a surprised expression.

Ferkuntra was even more dumbfounded by that reaction.

Isn't it natural for seniors to come looking first if something happened to a professor?

Why is a 1st year coming and acting surprised?

"Well, there were seniors too."

-That's right!-

"But the seniors probably won't come even if I call them..."

-...-

Ferkuntra was dumbfounded, but Yi-Han was serious.

Of course, Yi-Han didn't know all of Professor Verduus's disciples, but he had a rough idea of what kind of people the seniors were.

'The only people who can endure under Professor Verduus are people like Professor Verduus.'

People who walk their own path of enchantment magic, regardless of what Professor Verduus barks.

Such people would never react like 'My master has disappeared! I'll go save him!' just because Professor Verduus disappeared.

If someone was that soft, they wouldn't be able to endure under Professor Verduus in the first place!

"What can I do since I'm the only one?"

-...How does that grand mage who takes care of you guys manage the professors?-

If the skull principal were here, he would have fiercely refuted, 'I did my best to filter and filter,' but unfortunately, the skull principal wasn't present.

Ferkuntra once again piled up prejudices against imperial mages and the skull principal.

'He's not just an ordinary madman! He should manage the professors instead of making time to expand the punishment room!'

"Anyway, is Professor Verduus here?"

-He's not here.-

"Ah. Did he already escape!?"

-No...-

Ferkuntra expressed his dumbfounded feelings with crackling discharges and slowly explained.

Einroguard's punishment room wasn't the only one.

From Ferkuntra's punishment room, which managed students who had made mistakes, to the punishment room for other races within the school located in the western desert, to the underwater punishment room for aquatic creatures located under the lake...

"Why are there so many punishment rooms?"

-Well, you can't put external felons and students together...-

Ferkuntra had a slight suspicion that designing the structure of the punishment room and building new ones might actually be the skull principal's hobby, but apart from that, it wasn't a good choice to lump students together with other criminals.

-The felons imprisoned from outside are in a deeper place. I don't manage there. The grand mage's subordinates directly manage it.-

"I see... Ah. Then where is the professor?"

-In the place I just mentioned.-

"..."

Yi-Han was dumbfounded.

'You said you can't put them together with external felons...'

Students can't, but professors can be imprisoned together?

Of course, professors at Einroguard's level could probably subdue external felons with a single glance even if they were together, but...

"This is a big problem. If it's a place managed by the principal, it will be even more strict and complex."

Yi-Han was lost in deep thought.

Originally, he had planned to meet Professor Verduus with Ferkuntra's help and somehow bring him out, but now that he heard he was in a more dangerous place, his thoughts became complicated.

'Can I bring him out?'

-...-

Ferkuntra looked at Yi-Han with a subtle gaze.

'...Isn't he going to ask for help?'

Why do mages make contracts with beings greater than themselves even though they know it's dangerous?

It's to accomplish tasks that they can't handle on their own.

Anyway, when a problem like this arises, it's common to ask the contracted being for help.

But this boy with an absurdly large amount of mana seemed to have forgotten about Ferkuntra's existence and was lost in thought alone.

Ferkuntra asked in a disgruntled voice.

-Aren't you missing something?-

"Huh? Uh... Did the principal perhaps set traps around?"

-No. Not that.-

"?"

Yi-Han tilted his head at Ferkuntra's words.

What am I missing?

-The way for you to bring out your professor! There must be something you're missing?-

A slightly angry tone could be felt in Ferkuntra's resounding voice.

"Ah. Perhaps Sharakan?"

-That rat-like summon!-

"No, isn't that too harsh?"

Yi-Han protested.

How loyal of a summon is Sharakan to say such harsh words?

"Sharakan works so hard..."

-Shut up, next!-

"Niffirg?"

-What can you do with a single griffin!-

"Uh, Gonadaltes? Not the principal, but the other Gonadaltes. The skeleton warrior I contracted with."

-...Next!-

Yi-Han took out a few magic spells and items, but Ferkuntra kept refusing.

Only then did Yi-Han realize.

"I understand."

-...Finally? Speak!-

"You mean I don't have the skills to save him yet, right? But the situation is urgent now..."

-What do you think of my contract with you! Do you think the mark is a decoration!-

Ferkuntra was so angry that he thundered for 30 minutes.

Yi-Han, who had been listening because it seemed like the other party was being wronged, asked a question when Ferkuntra took a short break.

"But you said you wouldn't help with the flood earlier..."

Ferkuntra wanted to hit this boy who had a good memory in useless parts.

-Really!-

-...That's the flood. Going to the punishment room to save a professor is a different story.-

"It seems similar..."

-I said it's different!-

When Ferkuntra growled, Yi-Han decided to acknowledge it.

"I see. It seems different. But are you willing to help?"

-Yes!-

"Really?"

-I said yes!-

Ferkuntra, who was getting angry while shaking his lightning-like beard, suddenly felt something strange.

Why was he begging to help first?

When the mage should politely say, 'Please lend me your strength according to the contract'?

-Wait! Why are you doubting...-

"Ah. As I thought, you're not going to help..."

-I said I'll help, didn't I!!-

Ferkuntra shouted and immediately regretted it.

How did things turn out like this!

Ferkuntra, who had consumed his power to create an avatar, constantly grumbled as he guided the way.

-Keep in mind that consuming my power to help like this is by no means a common situation!-

'Does he have bipolar disorder?'

Of course, from Yi-Han's point of view, Ferkuntra only seemed like a strange spirit who got angry on his own, saying he would help, and then grumbled.

Of course, Ferkuntra was indeed a powerful spirit, and it was true that it would be reassuring if he helped, but he couldn't understand at all why he was helping so capriciously.

-Step back! It's dangerous if you carelessly touch it.-

A huge door with a strong magic barrier could be felt after passing through a maze-like complex path.

[Intruders are strictly forbidden!]

[If there are any outsiders who touch this door, I will specially let them taste a more terrible fate!]

[Thief-students who have come this far, keep this in mind. This is not my warehouse, not the kitchen, and a place where vicious criminals are kept! Don't regret it by acting up!]

The skull principal's writing was scribbled all over like graffiti.

Yi-Han saw it and shook his head.

Rumble!

Ferkuntra inflated his body like a cloud. On top of that, he borrowed Yi-Han's mana to replenish his strength.

If he were in his original state, he could have opened it with a breath, but he had no choice in a situation like now where his main body was tied up in the punishment room.

-This much should be fine, right?-

"Huh? What are you talking about?"

-...-

Ferkuntra felt embarrassed when the mage himself didn't even notice even though he thought he had taken quite a bit of mana.

If he had a human face, it might have turned red by now.

-Open...!-

Lightning became a huge blade and pierced the gap between the doors, making a roaring sound.

'Wow.'

Ferkuntra didn't know, but Yi-Han was quite impressed from behind.

The fixation and transformation of the lightning element that Professor Bagrak had recently emphasized for Yi-Han to accomplish.

Ferkuntra was easily performing that violent and difficult process.

And on a tremendous scale at that!

Just watching this process provided a lot of inspiration and lessons to a mage.

'If I see it a few more times, I think I'll get the feeling.'

Yi-Han discovered a new path in lightning element magic training, where he had been stuck.

Now, if he just walked this path, he could overcome the wall of lightning element magic and challenge the dozens of other advanced magic theories that Professor Bagrak had assigned.

...Remembering that, the realization that was about to come suddenly disappeared.

'Oops. Let's focus.'

Yi-Han decided to stop thinking gloomy thoughts and only think happy thoughts.

Creak!

Finally, the door began to open with a roar. Ferkuntra exhaled roughly as if satisfied.

-It's open!-

"...Uh. Mr. Ferkuntra?"

The mage and the great spirit froze.

Beyond the opened door, a huge torrent of water began to rush in like crazy.

-What...? Did this crazy mage bastard trap all the water here!?-

Ferkuntra hurriedly drew up his strength again with curses.

The vessel of the created avatar screamed as it reached its limit, but there was no choice.

If he didn't hurry and block it, the young mage would be swept away beyond that torrent, and after that...

-Hmph. I will never trust you again.-

-Hmph. I've learned that rumors are always exaggerated. What kind of fight did you have with the principal? You must have just surrendered.-

...It was obvious that he would show such a cynical reaction.

He's already indifferent now!

-By using the faith of the bell tower keepers, I summon my subordinates! Attendants, reach as quickly as possible!-

Ferkuntra hurriedly summoned other spirits, lacking in strength.

The spirits summoned for something unrelated to them would harbor complaints, but he had no choice because it was urgent.

Cracks connected to realms appeared in the air, and other spirits created a strong wall according to Ferkuntra's instructions.

-By using the fear offered by the lookouts on the small boats, I borrow my authority! Thunder, become a wall and strike the water!-

Ferkuntra converted the roar into physical force and strongly pushed it away.

The torrent rushing in from beyond the prison right now wasn't just an ordinary natural phenomenon.

It was clear that the angry spirits were constantly summoning water to submerge this area.

Ferkuntra, who had barely blocked the water by mobilizing all means and methods and caught his breath, shouted beyond the underground punishment room passage completely submerged in water.

-The owner of thunder and lightning, the fear of the bell keepers and lookouts, commands! Stop the water right now!-

Yi-Han, who was behind the wall set up by the spirits, asked in puzzlement.

"Will the spirits obediently listen when they're angry enough to cause a flood?"

-The mage's words will not be heeded. But they will listen to the words of this Ferkuntra.-

Ferkuntra's words were arrogant, but there was not a single waver in them. It was because he was that confident.

Even if the spirits had caused a flood, if it had grown to this scale, they must have summoned a high-ranking spirit from another dimension, and a spirit of that level had intelligence and refinement in proportion to their strength, so negotiation was naturally possible.

They wouldn't ignore it after hearing Ferkuntra's name.

Splash!

However, no answer came back, and the torrent began to intensify.

Realizing that someone was blocking it, the spirits in the invisible place created even more torrents and poured out intense pressure.

-...-

Ferkuntra was so furious that his entire body was distorted and discharged to the point of breaking down.

-How dare you?!?!-

"Uh, I heard it's difficult to negotiate when spirits are angry enough to cause a flood. Let's just ignore it and go find the professor?"

Yi-Han shared his knowledge as a mage, but Ferkuntra had already lost his reason.

-I swear by my true name, achievements, and fear! I will stick lightning in your chest and end this petty water play!!!-

"No... Uh... Mr. Ferkuntra. I came to find the professor..."