Surviving as a Mage in a Magic Academy
chapter-547

"Today's task is to read these mission forms and distinguish the good from the bad."

Mages regarded themselves as beings of light leading the forefront of the empire's intellect, but in fact, mages were not always smart.

Especially when it came to contracts or missions, it was even more so.

If they got caught by the empire's seasoned scammers who made a living by deceiving others, even an Einroguard mage could be fooled in an instant.

"Since these are actual mission forms, if you find one you like, you can apply for it!"

"Do we do it during the break?"

"Yes, yes. Usually during the break! Some students do it during the semester, but academics come first after all."

The friends murmured after hearing the professor's explanation.

"There are people who do it during the semester?"

"Are they crazy?"

"It's possible, you bastards."

Yi-Han reflexively defended, feeling upset.

As someone currently being forced to do a mission arranged by Professor Alpen, it hurt to just listen.

"Do you know how much cost is spent on lectures, experiments, and research? You have to earn even a penny more. Even if it's during the semester, you can still take missions."

"O-okay. Wardanaz. We were wrong."

"Why are you getting so angry? You're not angry because we cheered when you got hit in the arm earlier, are you?"

The friends flinched and backed away.

They didn't expect Wardanaz to defend to that extent.

'But no matter how urgent, taking missions during the semester really doesn't seem right.'

'It's already hard to keep up with the studies now.'

[Seeking people!

Must be human race!

Must not have drinking habits!

Must be healthy without any particular illnesses!

Must not have received magic experiments!

...]

"Gasp. Yi-Han. Yi-Han. This seems like a total scam!"

Gainando was excited, thinking he had found a mission that matched what Yi-Han often said about 'wanting to scam'.

Yi-Han carefully read Gainando's mission form and then called the professor.

"Professor. I think we should report this to the security team."

"?!"

[Do you want to work at the Maykin family's alchemy workshop?

-Preference for those from the Alchemist Guild

-Preference for those who can work night shifts

-Preference for those who can stay awake for more than a week

For long-term employment, the following benefits will be provided, so please show interest...]

'Shouldn't this be reported too?'

Yi-Han pondered for a moment.

No matter how he looked at it, it was a job posting by Yoanen, Yonaire's sister.

'I should let it slide since I might work there again during the break.'

The students checked the mission forms with interest.

Since everyone had worked during the summer break, they were interested in good missions.

"This one seems good."

"I'll take this one."

Unlike the strange missions, the popular missions among the students were all similar.

[Magic book translation!

Please translate a magic book found in ruins. Additional payment will be made if it sells at a high price.]

[Regarding magic education

Seeking a mage who can teach 1st circle magic such as <Light Creation> or <Flame Creation>.

Those who pretend to be mages without such skills will be politely declined (there may be retaliation for failure).]

'No. There are quite a lot of good missions, aren't there?'

Yi-Han looked at Professor Rosine Fluerwerk with eyes full of respect.

As someone who had struggled to find decent work during the break, Yi-Han could immediately tell how high-quality these missions were.

As a professor from an imperial bureaucrat background, the level of missions she brought was on a different level from Yi-Han's.

Of course, there were also many strange missions, but those were clearly brought intentionally for lecture purposes...

'I respect you. Professor.'

Professor Rosine Fluerwerk, who was sitting and talking with Orifulas, was startled when Wardanaz suddenly sent a gaze full of respect.

"What happened while we were talking?"

-He must respect your lecture, mage. It's something to be proud of.-

"What kind of nonsense are you talking about? How many lectures is he taking?"

Professor Rosine Fluerwerk was very good at self-objectification.

There was no way Wardanaz, who was taking all the top-notch lectures at Einroguard, would send such a gaze at a mere lecture on looking at mission forms, right?

"Translating or interpreting magic books seems good."

"I can be a tutor. I think I can teach at this level."

missions that involved risking one's life to enter dungeons or ruins were actually not very attractive to mages.

There were so many places that coveted mages' abilities that there were plenty of safe and comfortable missions.

Among them, tasks like translating or interpreting magic books or magic education were excellent opportunities to easily fill the pockets of Einroguard students.

"But who requested this mission?"

"Isn't it a merchant?"

"It seems like a mage too..."

Even if magic books were not written in abstruse characters, they could not be easily understood by outsiders unless a mage personally deciphered and wrote them.

However, now, to sell this or assess its value, the contents had to be analyzed or interpreted.

At this time, orthodox mages like Einroguard students were popular.

"Well, well. These translation missions are generally good! You all made good choices. But there's something to keep in mind. If it's a mission made by merchants or collectors, it's fine, but if it's a mission made by another mage, refuse it! Most mages are people with broken personalities!"

"...?"

"???"

The students tilted their heads, feeling something was strange as they listened.

Of course, most mages in the empire did not have the ability to interpret such magic books.

It was because mages who learned magic through self-study without proper magic education only knew how to use their own magic.

And such mages often became more obsessed with interpreted magic books as they realized their lack of skills or knowledge. To the point of being willing to pay any price to obtain them.

Naturally, there was nothing good about getting involved with such mages, so refusing was the right thing to do, but...

Somehow, listening to it made them feel a bit strange.

"What about this education mission?"

"Ah. That's good! It's a really good thing that many people in the empire are taking an interest in magic."

Mages had an honorable image befitting their intellect.

Naturally, there were quite a few among the noble families and newly rich families of the empire who wished for their children to become mages.

However, there were also those who found it distasteful to send their family's bloodline to a boarding school.

For these people, mages sometimes took on the role of private tutors.

They stayed at the mansion or estate and taught magic to the people of that family.

"These missions are also generally good! You all made good choices. But there's something to keep in mind. You have to check the reputation of that family first. What would happen if you took a job from a family with a poor reputation?"

"Gasp. Will they break their promise to pay in gold coins?"

Yi-Han spoke in a fear-stricken voice.

Professor Rosine Fluerwerk shook her head.

"Of course, they might not pay, but that's a trivial matter."

'How is that a trivial matter?'

"If you're not careful, you might be forcibly detained in the mansion and have to continue teaching magic. So be careful! People who want to learn magic are not ordinary either."

The students were amazed and murmured after hearing the professor's explanation.

Since it was difficult to find excellent mages even for teaching, it was natural for people to try to hold onto such mages once they found them.

However, it was shocking to hear it directly.

"Yi-Yi-Han. What if I get detained while visiting?"

"Hmm. Gainando. Dark magic is usually not..."

Yi-Han was about to say, "People usually don't ask to be taught dark magic well," to ease Gainando's fear.

"If they lock me up and only give me chocolate? Should I pretend I can't resist the threat and accept it??"

"Anyway, if you don't return by the end of the break, the principal will come looking for you, right..."

Yi-Han, who had picked out the strangest mission forms together with his friends, took a few magic book interpretation mission forms and education mission forms that seemed useful.

'Hoho. I should take care of them later when the break comes.'

However, Yi-Han's face soon hardened.

Other friends also started picking the same mission forms as the ones Yi-Han had chosen.

It was only natural since good missions were bound to overlap.

"...Should I apply first..."

"Huh? What did you say?"

"Nothing. Gainando."

Yi-Han snatched the <Seeking a Master of Mage Cards> mission from Gainando's grasp and lightly threw it away.

***

As Wednesday passed, it began to snow more heavily.

The students' expressions became complicated as they saw the rapidly accumulating snow.

They already knew from experience in the 1st semester how painful it was when the school was covered in snow.

"Take out the sleds from inside!"

"One, two! One, two!"

Fortunately, thanks to Yi-Han and his friends' hard work during the enchantment magic lecture, they had various winter preparations ready.

However, none of the students thought this level of preparation would be sufficient.

"Why are the White Tiger Tower guys taking out sleds? Are they going to take out horses and have them pull the sleds?"

"Horses are dangerous in this weather... Th-those bastards! They're pulling it themselves!"

From the White Tiger Tower students who divided into groups, with one group pulling the sled and the other riding on it, to the Black Tortoise Tower students who were making paths by connecting ropes and poles outside the dormitory tower.

Thanks to experiencing the ordeal a few times, the students did not collapse even if they wavered or cursed.

"Good work. Good work."

Professor Uregor came down on long skis, looked around, and clicked his tongue.

"I should reduce the lecture load a bit. You won't have time to study because of the work."

"Professor...!"

Yi-Han looked at Professor Bungaegor again with the same gaze he had given Professor Rosine Fluerwerk earlier.

Is a person's true nature revealed during a crisis?

"Oh. An unwelcome guest keeps coming to the vegetable garden, so you'll have to help me out a bit. Wardanaz."

"...No, didn't you just say the students don't have time to study?"

Yi-Han spoke in bewilderment.

He was worried about the students just now, and now he was asking Yi-Han for additional work.

Was Yi-Han not a student?

"Ah. Right. That's right. I'm sorry. Wardanaz. I unconsciously thought of you separately."

"..."

"I prepared food to give to you."

"So what's the matter?"

Instead of finding fault, Yi-Han got to the point.

Due to the heavy snowfall these days, the amount of food being salvaged from the vegetable garden was gradually decreasing.

Some vegetables and eggs that were resistant to the cold were fine, but the rest were blocked.

If it was Professor Uregor, who always abundantly procured groceries from the kitchen or outside, he would be of great help.

"An unwelcome guest. If it's too strong, it'll be hard for me to deal with."

"It's not a strong one."

As he spoke and moved his steps, Professor Uregor suddenly became curious and asked again.

"By the way, what level is a strong one by your standards? I'm asking because it might be a bit different from my standards."

"...Just tell me what it is."

"It's a spirit. A spirit. A cold spirit."

"!"

Yi-Han's face brightened at those words.

When winter came, as the cold energy intensified, spirits would come riding on the snow.

A cold-type spirit would really appear nearby!

When Yi-Han went to the spirit world, the spirits ran away, so it was difficult to make a contract with them, but the reality now was the opposite.

Since the spirit came directly, even if it discovered Yi-Han belatedly, it wouldn't be so easy to run away.

"If it's a cold spirit, it must be the kind of spirits you showed me, right?"

"That's right."

"They were quite capable fellows in many ways."

"Indeed."

"Perhaps I could make a contract with them on this occasion?"

"That's impossible."

"..."

Yi-Han glared at Professor Uregor.