Surviving as a Mage in a Magic Academy
chapter-536

'Are you picking a fight because you're in a bad mood?'

Yi-Han, who couldn't understand the skull principal's words, thought so.

Indeed, the skull principal was a person who was in a bad mood more often than in a good mood. How annoyed must he be to have to spend his precious weekend with a bothersome minstrel and a bothersome disciple?

"Then let's go to the next location."

"Yes."

Ipadour, who had finished taking notes, moved his steps toward the next location.

Next were the stonemason guild members who were repairing the castle walls that had been destroyed by a wild wyvern attack.

-A ten-fingered dwarf swings his hammer, becomes a nine-fingered dwarf, a nine-fingered dwarf swings his hammer, becomes an eight-fingered dwarf…-

-Excellent, excellent!-

-This is a miracle!-

The next was the <Tvalladla> tavern that sold the best beer on the street.

-One day, a lost monster attacked and knocked down the village. People asked for compensation, but I'm fine with beer! Bigger monsters burned down the territory, so I knocked them down. People praised me, but I'm fine with beer!-

-Boo! Get lost!-

-You call that a song!-

The next was a gambling house that was running a big mage card game...

-If you bet your life on each card…-

-Could you please be quiet?-

-Isn't it because of you that I keep getting trash cards!-

And the next was a small club where local historians gathered.

-In the book, there is a secret that we…-

-I just had a new inspiration.-

-This is a song of miracles!-

After finishing a round of tours and sitting in a cafe to take a short break, Yi-Han spoke as if he couldn't understand.

"Primitive magic is truly fickle beyond words. I can't figure out what the rules are."

He was highly praised by the stonemason guild members and the historian club, but he was booed at the tavern and the gambling house.

Yi-Han couldn't understand the difference.

"..."

"..."

Ipadour and the skull principal exchanged glances.

Unlike Yi-Han, the two seemed to know.

The turtle mixed-blood cleared his throat and spoke to Yi-Han.

"Student Wardanaz. Do you perhaps not enjoy playing around much?"

"What???"

Yi-Han was startled.

Yi-Han didn't enjoy playing around much.

It was as insulting as being told, "You actually don't like money much, do you?"

"What did I do wrong for you to say such an insulting thing?"

"Ah, no..."

The old minstrel was flustered by the fierce reaction shown for the first time by this model student.

The skull principal answered on behalf of Ipadour.

"You don't like playing around much."

"No!"

"You really don't like it. Look at all the courses that you take."

"No, that's...!"

He tried to argue that some of them were because of you, but the skull principal moved on without giving him a chance.

"I didn't know it would be to this extent, but the tendency is really clearly showing. At this level, rather than being uncertain, it should be called regular."

"You're right."

Ipadour agreed, scanning the records with his wrinkled fingers.

Originally, primitive magic was difficult to find rules for because the conditions were so obscure, but in the case of the boy from the Wardanaz family, it was rather easy to understand.

It was clear that he sang well the songs that matched the direction of life he pursued, but he couldn't put emotion into the songs that didn't.

Originally, even the matching songs should have had a low success rate, but thanks to the boy from the Wardanaz family succeeding in all of them with his unique ability, they were able to confirm it like this.

"I'm truly grateful. Student Wardanaz."

"Could there be a problem with the theory?"

Yi-Han tried to find fault, but the two just ignored him.

Ipadour was busy looking at the scores he had recorded today.

"Hmm. This melody... Seeing it appear continuously..."

"Wouldn't it be better to establish a score system first and then reorganize the scores with a common standard?"

Yi-Han carefully offered his opinion while looking at Ipadour's scribble-like scores.

Since they were sung or received from various people, the methods of recording the pitch and rhythm were all mixed up, and some parts were even omitted.

It didn't matter when Ipadour was singing alone, but to organize it into music magic, a common format was needed.

"Aha... You're right."

The old minstrel admired Yi-Han's words.

As expected of an Einroguard student, he pointed out a method that Ipadour himself hadn't thought of.

Ipadour drew a simple score frame and symbols and handed half of the notes to Yi-Han.

"Could you organize it for me?"

"..."

Yi-Han, who had dug his own grave, started organizing with a gloomy face.

The skull principal, who was watching from the side, clicked his tongue.

At that level, he didn't just dislike playing around, he abhorred it.

***

Ipadour, who had finished organizing neatly, found some common measures and harmonies and was satisfied.

Although 80% of music magic was the caster's emotion, such rules were always discovered in such a process.

These rules would serve as excellent guidelines when creating and trying new music magic in the future.

"But a more important issue than that is casting. No, casting."

"You're right."

Ipadour also agreed.

The biggest weakness of music magic was that the power of the magic itself was too weak, making it difficult to cast.

"Could you give me some advice? With Lord Gonadaltes's wisdom..."

"There are ways."

The skull principal, who had been constantly grumbling that he didn't like music magic, didn't ignore the request.

"Both increasing the surrounding mana density and infusing mana into words. Both methods are practically difficult to implement right away. So the mages who challenge this magic will have to use both methods to somehow produce results."

"Both methods... I never thought of that!"

When Ipadour exclaimed, the skull principal continued arrogantly.

"That's right. First, you should start by singing in a chorus. Even if it's difficult alone, if there are many people, you can increase the surrounding mana density to some extent. It's the same with infusing mana into words. Looking at the cases, there were ordinary people who instinctively squeezed out their own mana when momentarily intoxicated with emotion. It's a much inferior method to infusing it into the words themselves, but it will serve as a breakthrough."

Ipadour diligently took notes of the skull principal's golden advice.

"Do the students already know how to increase mana density with many people?"

"There's probably little chance of that. It's a rare method, and there wouldn't have been an occasion for it. Keep showing them what Wardanaz is doing and make them implement it. There will be trial and error, but it can't be helped."

"?"

Yi-Han, who was resting on the side, was startled when an arrow suddenly flew at him.

"As for squeezing out mana..."

"It's the same. There will be few students familiar with such a violent method. Likewise, keep making Wardanaz sing. Just like command magic, in the end, the best method is to repeatedly see and hear it. Even if they can't infuse mana into words, they can squeeze out mana and pour it out as close as possible."

"I'm truly grateful for your advice!"

"Uh..."

Ipadour, who was in a great mood, stood in front of the cafe and started singing.

It was a singing skill that made even people who were passing by without much interest lend their ears.

People gathered in an instant. The gathered people all exclaimed and applauded.

Everyone was happy with the music. Except for Yi-Han and the skull principal.

"..."

"See, I told you music magic wouldn't be of much help."

"...No. I'm happy..."

Yi-Han put on airs because he didn't want to make the skull principal happy.

The skull principal shook his head at the sight.

"At this rate, you'll pick up all kinds of trash magic and study them."

-Master.-

A Death Knight, who had wrapped his entire body to avoid scaring the people of other cities, approached and spoke.

-I have made them wait as you instructed.-

"I see. Good work. Tell them to wait a little longer. Is there anyone complaining?"

-They shut their mouths when they heard the master's name.-

"I see."

"...?"

At the conversation between the skull principal and the Death Knight, Yi-Han's eyes immediately lit up.

It felt like there was some hidden information in the conversation.

"Who is it?"

"The workers needed for this construction. Why? Do you want to work with them too?"

"No. I was just curious."

The skull principal answered nonchalantly. As someone who had dealt with countless students, he knew well that there was nothing good about hiding or getting angry here.

The best disguise was one's usual self.

But Yi-Han was no pushover either.

No matter what the skull principal said, he had decided not to believe it unconditionally.

'I'll check before I go.'

Just then, Ipadour finished a song and was receiving thunderous applause. Yi-Han whispered to Ipadour while bringing cold water.

"Mr. Ipadour. I have a favor to ask."

"What is it...?"

"The school rules are strict, so I didn't have a chance to go out, but there's a book I really want to buy. Sob sob."

Yi-Han tried his best to look pitiful as he spoke.

It seemed to have an effect, as Ipadour felt very sorry.

He had wanted to repay him somehow for diligently helping with music magic, but he didn't know there was such a story!

Even if the rules were strict, students in their prime couldn't help but want to go out.

Ipadour nodded his head.

"What can I do for you, Student Wardanaz?"

"Could you talk to the principal separately for a while and buy me some time? Then I'll go buy the book right away."

The old turtle mixed-blood winked as if to leave it to him.

"Now... everyone. Everyone. I'm extremely grateful that you liked this old man's song. For the next song, I'm going to sing with someone else."

"Co-could it be one of us?"

"No way. If that were possible, it would be an honor even for my grandson's grandson!"

"It's a great person whose name you all know. Lord Gonadaltes! It would be an honor if you could sing a song with me."

"????"

The skull principal, who was sitting in his seat with a bored expression and his eyes closed, raised his head.

What did he just say?

"Lo-Lord Gonadaltes?? The grand mage?"

"As... As far as I know, I heard that everyone who made eye contact with him in the past turned to stone. And he keeps those petrified people in his dungeon and uses them as decorations..."

"What nonsense! How could someone who teaches Einroguard students do such a violent thing? It must be a malicious rumor spread by enemies!"

People murmured, and among them, the city's gossipmongers shouted with sparkling eyes.

Ipadour's song was amazing, but a song by a grand mage like Gonadaltes on top of that!

It meant they would have a story to talk about at parties and banquets for the rest of their lives without getting bored.

"Lord Gonadaltes. If you sing just once, I will remember it as a lifelong honor!"

"Please! I beg you!"

'Should I kill them all...'

The skull principal thought about the donations offered by this city's families.

Then his anger subsided a little.

***

"Sharakan. Thank you."

Yi-Han carefully followed the Death Knight with Sharakan's help.

The Death Knight was increasingly heading to a secluded part of the city. Yi-Han cast an invisibility spell to avoid being detected.

'Are they really workers?'

Seeing the Death Knight heading to a shabby warehouse, Yi-Han thought he might have been too sensitive.

Indeed, even though Einroguard looked quiet on the outside, countless people were always coming and going inside.

With so many people, it was impossible for merchants or workers not to enter.

Thud!

As the door closed, Yi-Han quickly pressed his ear against the warehouse.

-You've all waited a long time.-

"Damn it, are you saying that after locking us up here for three days?! I was going to let it slide, but this is really..."

Smack!

-Shut up. You trash.-

The Death Knight slapped the mercenary who spoke.

-Just be grateful that your lives were spared, you criminals. If you utter one more complaint, I will turn you into statues and bury you deep underground where no one comes.-

The mercenaries shut their mouths in fear.

-There is only one way for you to get out of here. Train and practice. Until you can defeat mages even in a head-on confrontation.-

"I don't know which mage you're targeting, but bring them here! I can kill them right now!"

-You're still far from it. Train more. I will only let out those who pass the standard.-

"..."

Yi-Han let out a deep sigh.

He could guess why he had brought those mercenaries.