Surviving as a Mage in a Magic Academy
chapter-519

Having reached a conclusion, Yi-Han sent a reply.

-He’s already taking it.-

-He’s taking it?-

Although the face was not visible, it could be felt that the other person was surprised.

Yi-Han wrote the letters firmly.

-I don't know where you heard it, but check again.-

-Alright. I'll check.-

Seeing how they ended it like that without further questioning, the other person seemed to be either cold or didn't trust the person who had provided the information very much.

'Or maybe both.'

Yi-Han carefully threw a question back.

-But why are you asking that?-

-Are you asking for a reason?-

'Oops.'

Yi-Han realized that he had made a mistake.

Since they didn't know each other, he shouldn't have asked unnecessary questions.

To rectify the situation, Yi-Han quickly made an excuse.

-I recently received the same question. Considering the value of the information I provided, I think I can hear this much?-

-I see.-

The person with the louder voice has an advantage in negotiations.

He just blurted it out, but fortunately, the other person seemed to agree and didn't refute it.

-That 1st-year seems to have talent in enchantment magic.-

-I guess so.-

-If he takes enchantment magic, I plan to have him assist my work next year.-

"..."

Yi-Han was shocked.

'Are there only bastards in this school?'

He couldn't tell if bastards originally enrolled or if Einroguard turned students into bastards.

Wasn't it normal to feel sorry for a junior suffering in a barbaric festival?

But seeing that and thinking, 'That guy has talent, I should have him assist my work.'

No wonder they were Professor Beavle's disciples.

'The saying birds of a feather flock together is not in vain.'

Yi-Han vowed to maintain an emotional distance from the enchantment magic school seniors even when he became a 2nd-year.

If he got close to them by mistake, who knew what more he would have to do.

***

The person on the other side of the mirror was not surprised even when there was no answer on the mirror for a while.

'Was he surprised because it was extraordinary?'

The unknown Black Tortoise Tower student probably guessed that he was not a lower-grade student.

Because no matter how much a lower-grade student at Einroguard tried to hide it, it was bound to show in what they said.

As such, it was natural to be surprised to hear that the freshman from the Wardanaz family was invited to a higher-grade student's work as soon as he became a 2nd-year student.

It was an enormous privilege.

A student who had just become a 2nd-year was getting an opportunity to participate in a higher-grade student's personal work!

Any student at Einroguard would be surprised.

However, the person on the other side of the mirror was not an ordinary person bound by common sense and rules.

He was the most mage-like mage who could transcend rules whenever necessary.

Seeing some students borrow the strength of a freshman at this festival, he thought the freshman was fully qualified to be summoned.

Woong-

While he was lost in thought, a reply came to the mirror again.

-What if that junior refuses the offer?-

-That's unlikely. There's no reason.-

'Finding fault, huh.'

The person on the other side of the mirror let out a faint sigh at the sight of the Black Tortoise Tower student finding fault.

A mage with extraordinary abilities inevitably witnessed the jealousy that followed.

It was clear that this Black Tortoise Tower student was also showing jealousy towards this enormous privilege.

As a student of Einroguard, he would know well what it meant to be invited as soon as he became a 2nd-year student.

-...I'm telling you out of goodwill. As I said, he's a junior who takes classes from various schools. Couldn't another senior invite him first?-

"!"

The person on the other side of the mirror was surprised.

The Black Tortoise Tower student, whom he had been looking down on, pointed out something he hadn't even thought of.

It was definitely a valid point.

If he were to make an excuse, the concept of taking classes from various schools was so unfamiliar that he had overlooked it...

-Good point.-

-Right?-

-I'll have to negotiate in advance and divide the time.-

He was planning to secure time favorably by contacting higher-grade students who would do such things and either persuading or pressuring them.

-Thanks to you, it was helpful. I'll consider this a debt.-

-...Okay...-

Somehow, the other person's handwriting seemed to tremble a little.

The person on the other side of the mirror wondered if something had happened.

***

'I should just stop talking.'

Yi-Han sighed deeply and put down the quill.

Certainly, the seniors at Einroguard were as formidable as the professors.

He had tried to manipulate them with a shallow trick and ended up getting more severely injured.

'I should at least get compensation...'

-So what's the reward?-

-Ah. Right. I almost forgot. Open the third straw bundle in the Stargazer Barn on the 4th floor. The professors are preparing for the final exam.-

"...???"

There was no further response from the other person.

Yi-Han organized the information he had just heard with a confused face.

'The Stargazer Barn on the 4th floor... It's not impossible to go there.'

There were times when he had to go to the 4th floor during exams, and even if not, Yi-Han had visited the 4th floor a few times.

It wasn't to the extent that he couldn't go.

However, he couldn't understand that the professors were preparing for the final exam.

'It's likely to be an entrance connected to somewhere else.'

Yi-Han thought this was the most likely possibility.

Even the <Spider Web Lake> in the deep underground of the main building was used as a shortcut by the professors, wasn't it?

The Stargazer Barn on the 4th floor must also be a shortcut connected to somewhere.

'I need to call my friends and check.'

***

Ratford put down the chest, dusted it off, and sighed.

Ymirg, who had stripped the bread of a White Tiger Tower student in a game of putting dice in a cup and matching pairs, asked in puzzlement.

"Why... are you like that?"

"Mr. Wardanaz was severely injured."

"Wha... what? No way! By whom?"

If Yi-Han had been next to him, he would have said, 'I can get hurt too, am I the skull principal?' but Ratford sympathized with his friend's reaction.

"Yeah. It's unbelievable. Me too. The festival must have been really intense."

"Th-that can't be..."

While the two were talking, a White Tiger Tower student who had obtained a bar of chocolate from somewhere shouted.

"I challenge you again!! Ymirg! This time with a card game! I will definitely find the queen for you!"

"Sh-shouldn't you stop?"

"Ha! You're scared. But you can't do that! What did you guys from the Black Tortoise Tower write in the black market rules? You wrote that you would never run away when challenged to a match!"

"I-it would be better to stop..."

Ymirg placed three cards and began shuffling them.

The Black Tortoise Tower students around them looked at the scene with a satisfied expression.

As expected from someone from a gambling guild, Ymirg had a knack for making the opponent keep challenging him no matter how much he won.

The knack for making them fall into the trap of 'Just a little more and it will work!'

Ratford whispered softly while watching Ymirg shuffle the cards.

"What I just said is a secret. Mr. Wardanaz has many enemies."

"What? Wardanaz?"

The White Tiger Tower student, who had been concentrating so much that he could have banged his head on the table, raised his head at the familiar name.

His friends behind him screamed at the sight.

"What if you fall for the trick!"

"Ah, no! This is invalid! This is invalid!"

"Don't talk nonsense about being invalid. It's over!"

While the Black Tortoise Tower students and White Tiger Tower students were rushing in and arguing, a paper bird flew in from afar.

Ratford quickly took the paper bird.

'Could it be that he needs help!?'

-Ratford. There's a place I need to check on the 4th floor, can you call some trustworthy friends?-

"..."

Ratford very slightly considered whether he should call trustworthy friends to tie Wardanaz to the bed.

***

Ratford, Ymirg (Salko sent him instead because he had something to do), Nillia, Asan, Yonaire, and Gainando gathered on the 3rd floor.

"Huh? Where's Dolgyu?"

"He's from the White Tiger Tower. You can't tell him."

"Right. Wardanaz. You're being too reckless right now. You need to think about your condition. If the White Tiger Tower guys find out, the probability of them attacking is 100%."

Asan spoke firmly.

"It's not 100%..."

"I think it's 100% too. No. It's about 120%."

"Gainando. There's no such thing as 120%..."

"Everyone, be quiet."

Yi-Han tapped the floor with his staff to quiet his friends.

"The place we're going today is not that dangerous, but it's not good to let your guard down either. You wouldn't want to be trapped and become a missing person in the school over the weekend, right? You all agree?"

His friends nodded their heads.

There was no nightmare like wasting the hard-earned weekend by getting lost in a maze.

"Then... to your positions. Let's go."

Having rummaged through the school more than once or twice, Yi-Han and his friends immediately found their positions and moved.

Ratford and Nillia took the very front and the very back.

Asan and Ymirg took the next...

"By the way, Ymirg. I understand that you came instead of Salko, but is it okay?"

Yi-Han was slightly puzzled that Ymirg had come.

Although it was easy to misunderstand because of his size as a giant mixed-blood, Ymirg was one of the most moderate people within the Black Tortoise Tower.

He probably wouldn't prefer this kind of school exploration...

"I-I owe him."

"To Salko?"

Ymirg rummaged through his pocket and took out a chick.

Seeing that, Yi-Han nodded as if he understood.

"You're thinking of raising chickens to secure eggs."

"Ah, no... I-I'm just raising it... It's cute."

"..."

Yi-Han was about to say 'Cuteness doesn't fill your stomach' but swallowed his words when he saw Ymirg's fist.

Come to think of it, there was no need to go against the mood of a friend like Ymirg in an already weakened situation.

"I see. Raising it because it's cute. That's reasonable."

"...?"

Gainando, who was next to him, stared at Yi-Han.

He was sure that when he said he would raise a pet pig in the dormitory lounge, Yi-Han had hit his back...??

"But why did Tutanta send Ymirg? He wouldn't be suitable for this kind of covert operation."

"Ah... ah. Because of this."

Ymirg lightly lifted Yi-Han and sat him on his shoulder.

"Honestly, it's comfortable. Thanks. Ymirg."

Although it looked a bit unsightly, it was true that it was comfortable. Yi-Han expressed his gratitude honestly.

"Can't I get on the other shoulder too?"

"Huh? Uh... y-you can."

Thwack!

As Gainando tried to get on the other shoulder with excitement, Yonaire hit the back of his head with a metal ladle.

***

"Stargazer Barn... Stargazer Barn... Here it is."

The 1st-year students carefully climbed the stairs and walked down the corridor.

Although it was still broad daylight, they couldn't let their guard down at all. In fact, Einroguard was not a less scary place just because it was bright.

Squeak-

"There's nothing here?"

"Look for the straw bundle. There should be a passage underneath it."

Asan and Gainando floated spheres of light and checked the surroundings.

"I found it! There's really an entrance!!"

"!"

Yi-Han was delighted that the work was going much more smoothly than he thought.

"Well done! Let's go in!"

"If it's really the final exam...! I might become the top student this year...!"

At Gainando's words, his friends remained silent instead of pointing it out.

They were also getting tired of pointing it out.

The passage under the straw bundle was long and dark, but it was straight and had no particular traps.

How long did they walk?

As the end of the passage came into view, Yi-Han sensed that he had found the exit.

"Everyone, check the invisibility magic with each other. Is it properly cast? Good. Let's go."

Squeak-

His friends opened the door and poked their heads out.

There, a lush jungle they had never seen even around Einroguard was waiting for them.

And in the middle of that jungle was...

-That guy. Causing trouble again.-

-I told you to hold it in until the exam!-

...a hydra boasting its enormous majesty, not caring about the dense jungle.

The death knights ran around trying to appease the hydra.

Thud!

His friends quickly came down.

Then they looked at each other with startled eyes.

"...?"

"????"

Yi-Han was also surprised.

Seeing the death knights, it seemed like the skull principal's exam, but...

'Isn't a hydra too much?'

"Yi-Han. Yi-Han."

Yonaire whispered softly.

"What?"

"That person said it was the final exam preparation, right?"

"Right."

"...But he said he didn't know you were a 1st-year, right?"

"Ah."