Surviving as a Mage in a Magic Academy

Lee Han was slightly thrown off by the man’s reaction.

“How does he know about my family? Could it be...”

...Don’t tell me he suspects me?

Perkuntra was bewildered by the look from the contractor.

Even if this was being discarded after use, was this not a little too fast?

“Maybe you said it in the heat of the moment?”

It seems the fortress has been completely swept clean. Let us return now.

The Thunder King felt proud of such patience. To think anger had not erupted even after hearing such nonsense.

This would have been impossible with ordinary training. After forming a contract with this contractor, Perkuntra was also experiencing spiritual growth.

Rumble!

“Hmm. Doesn’t seem like it.”

“It’s not really my place to say this, but is it all right to suspect a high-ranking spirit like that?”

“I wasn’t suspecting. I was confirming. Or did we make some mistake with our disguises?”

Lee Han checked his own clothes and his friend’s.

Instead of the usual Einroguard rags—no, Einroguard uniforms—they were both wearing plain outer coats without any patterns. It would be difficult to identify their status from these.

“Even if he knew we were from Einroguard, he couldn’t have guessed the family name.”

“That’s true.”

“Maybe he heard about your recent infamy and guessed?”

“...”

Lee Han shuddered involuntarily at that chilling speculation from his friend.

“That’s ridiculous. A man who’s been hiding underground would recognize me just from rumors?”

That seems entirely possible, though.

Giselle honestly thought there was a fair chance of it. The rumors this friend had recently accumulated were no joke.

“There is absolutely no way. Moradi. Got it? Don’t bring up such ridiculous theories.”

“...I got it, so calm down. He definitely seemed to recognize you. Let’s ask once he wakes up.”

After calming down the unusually talkative friend, Giselle bound the man tightly.

That really is an unusual cloak.

It was easy to understand why Wardanaz had taken an interest in it. Lee Han whispered knowingly from beside Giselle.

“You’re calculating how many gold coins it would be worth, right? Actually, I was too...”

“...No. I wasn’t thinking that at all.”

“?!”

Lee Han was flustered.

Then what had been the first thought upon seeing that cloak?!

A moment later.

The two Einroguard students had completely stripped the fallen bandit leader bare. Lee Han even cast detection magic on the soles of his boots.

“Nothing there. Disappointing.”

Since supplies were often hidden in such places at Einroguard, Lee Han was even more disappointed.

“Well, considering he commanded subordinates on this scale, he probably wouldn’t hide things in such petty places.”

“A mere thief, living in such luxury!”

While Lee Han was getting angry over strange things, Ibinta regained consciousness.

Realizing that everything from equipment to magical items had completely disappeared, Ibinta felt dejected.

“Cursed fate! I tried so hard not to get involved with mages, and this is what happens?”

“You’re awake? How did you know I was from House Wardanaz?”

“I’ve seen a mage from your family before.”

Ibinta answered obediently.

If this had been another thief, there might have been resistance born of pride and humiliation, but Ibinta was not that kind of thief.

And honestly, Ibinta could not bring himself to act arrogantly in front of the blood of House Wardanaz.

Though calmness was being maintained on the outside, inside, Ibinta was trembling, not knowing what might happen.

“You’ve seen a mage from our family? When?”

“During the Southern Volcanic Chaos.”

“The Southern Volcanic Chaos was...”

Lee Han, who had been counting on his fingers to check the year, paused. Giselle, listening nearby, seemed to remember as well and asked.

“Wasn’t that ten years ago?”

“A little more than that. Then it must have been something Brother Hierdan resolved.”

When Lee Han mentioned another member of House Wardanaz, Giselle felt a rare surge of interest.

Among the Empire’s great noble families, House Wardanaz was unusually shrouded in mystery.

It was not the only reclusive family in the Empire, but it was rare for a family with such prestige to remain so thoroughly secluded.

Wardanaz definitely had two older brothers, and one of them was the master of that spirit seen before...

The eldest. The first son.

“Even now, it gives me chills. The sight of one archmage settling all that chaos alone.”

Ibinta spoke without being asked. The voice still carried vivid fear.

“I can imagine.”

Giselle was not particularly surprised.

Laypeople were bound to be shocked when witnessing an archmage’s magic.

Just seeing something like a unique world unfold would give them the sensation that everything they thought they knew was crumbling beneath their feet.

“Brother Hierdan is definitely a bit uncomfortable to be around.”

Lee Han nodded and agreed with Ibinta’s words.

Seeing this, Giselle tilted the head slightly.

Huh?

Something seems... different?

What Ibinta had just said about being “scared” and what Wardanaz had said about being “uncomfortable” seemed to have different meanings.

If the former meant being overwhelmed by the transcendent realm of magic, then the latter was...

There’s no way Wardanaz would be uncomfortable because of magic, right?

The guy who would show interest faster than anyone upon seeing overwhelming magic being uncomfortable with family because of that did not make sense.

Giselle asked carefully.

“Why is he uncomfortable?”

“Hmm? Well, Brother Hierdan is a bit... efficiency-focused.”

“...Aren’t you the same?”

“He has perfectionist tendencies.”

“You do too.”

“He manipulates people a little, I suppose...”

“You do too...”

“Moradi. If you were going to be this rude after asking a question, why did you ask in the first place?”

“Ah, no...! No. I misspoke. I apologize.”

Giselle was about to retort, then closed the mouth.

It could indeed sound quite rude, and more importantly, the backstory of House Wardanaz was far too interesting.

“He’s on a different dimension from me. Let me give you an example.”

Lee Han brought up something he had personally experienced to convince the friend.

“Young master... here... these are the newly acquired books...”

“Thank you, demon servant with eighty-eight eyes.”

“Wait.”

“?”

“...No. Continue.”

Giselle had to bite the lip to avoid asking about the servant just mentioned.

House Moradi was also located in a rather barren part of the north, so visiting guests often reacted with surprise, but it could not compare to House Wardanaz.

“<Highly Promising Imperial Profit Ventures Even Idiots Can Do Easily>? No, who on earth brought in such an excellent book? I’ve never heard of this book before.”

“Hehe... Thank you for the compliment...”

“I particularly like the business with red pine flowers mentioned here. If we just secure the bulbs of unique and varied flowers, we could later sell them to Imperial gardeners for a lot of money. Moreover, red pine flowers are plants that don’t die even when their bulbs are dried and stored, right?”

“That’s right... Actually, there are some planted in the manor’s garden as well...”

“By any chance, would it be all right if I dug some up?”

“Of course... Young Master... If it helps you, please put in a good word for me with the Family Head later...”

“Wait. Wait.”

Unable to listen any longer, Giselle finally interrupted.

While it was amusing that Wardanaz had been doing this alone at the manor, they had strayed too far from the current topic.

“What does this have to do with anything?”

“Just listen to the end. Moradi. It’s all connected.”

“...Fine.”

Lee Han returned to the story.

Having obtained both information and permission, Lee Han wandered around the vast garden searching for red pine flowers and began digging up their bulbs.

And while he was diligently collecting and gathering them, doubts suddenly arose.

“...But is this really profitable?”

When he thought about it coldly, it did not seem likely that people would pour out gold coins just because the petals were somewhat unique and pretty.

Coming to his senses, Lee Han checked the book <Highly Promising Imperial Profit Ventures Even Idiots Can Do Easily>.

He had read it without checking because the title was far too tempting, but originally, the author of a book was important as well.

<How to Survive at Einroguard> written by Gainando and <How to Survive at Einroguard> written by Professor Garcia felt different in weight despite having the same title.

But surprisingly, there was no author.

“Who wrote this?”

“Young Master... the wisdom of the book is what matters... who wrote it is not important...”

“...If you don’t tell me, I’ll frame you for defiling the garden!”

“Please...! Anything but that...!”

When Lee Han interrogated the demon servant, the truth finally spilled out.

The author of the book was truly someone unimaginable.

“The Skull Principal?”

“What? What Skull Principal?”

“Oh, no... You said it was someone unimaginable, so nothing else came to mind.”

“Moradi. There’s only one person who could come up here. Obviously, it was Brother Hierdan.”

“?”

Giselle could not understand, but Lee Han had already started the story again.

“Brother. I have something I’d like to ask...”

“Is that you, Lee Han? I’ll give you two minutes and twenty-four seconds. Finish your business within that time.”

“Ah. Yes. I’ll finish in thirty seconds. Did you personally write <Highly Promising Imperial Profit Ventures Even Idiots Can Do Easily> and put it in my study?”

“Yes. That’s correct.”

“...Why did you do that?”

“I heard that recently you’ve been reading too many books instead of going around with Alalarong. Maintaining a balanced body before entering magic is naturally important.”

“Uh... You could have just told me to walk...”

“If I had, you would have rebelled. There was also the possibility that forcing you would reduce efficiency. But you made your body healthy with a joyful and happy heart. Why are you not satisfied?”

“...No, how can I be satisfied when the book is fake?”

“Then you should not have dug into the truth. If you learned a lesson, don’t do that in the future.”

“...”

It was fortunate that the other person was an archmage in another dimension, otherwise...

“No. Even if he wasn’t, I still couldn’t have done anything.”

“...”

Returning to reality, Giselle was overwhelmed by Lee Han’s story.

Giselle had thought Jiklin was quite an unusual person, but compared to Wardanaz, that sister seemed like an entirely sensible and normal person.

Just someone who was a little skilled at swordsmanship and had a slightly strong competitive spirit!

“Anyway, now you understand why I feel uncomfortable?”

Lee Han was often falsely accused by the nasty friends from other towers, who said things like, “Wardanaz, you bastard! How dare you manipulate people!” but compared to his eldest brother, this was not even manipulation.

He had been truly lucky to notice the truth about <Highly Promising Imperial Profit Ventures Even Idiots Can Do Easily>, but how many things had he failed to notice?

“Maybe my constant clashes with powerful beings from other dimensions are also part of Brother’s schemes.”

“That definitely doesn’t seem likely.”

Giselle answered firmly, but Lee Han pretended not to hear and ignored it.

He wanted to make someone responsible for his misfortune.

“Anyway, Ibinta. I am a completely different mage from Brother, one with a human heart, so you can rest assured.”

“...”

Ibinta unconsciously looked up and down the passage. The scars left by lightning were vivid to a nauseating degree.

This bastard seems even crazier...