Surviving as a Mage in a Magic Academy

—You just said Professor Verdus was inside...

“Just say you misspoke!”

—We’re not Valdrogard students. Who would fall for a lie like that? More importantly, what is this bet about?

“It’s nothing much.”

Professor Verdus explained what had happened with Professor Verdus’s direct disciple, Yukbeltire.

“That method is absolutely impossible! You don’t have high-purity adamantite plates, you haven’t found the ancient magic needed to supplement the missing parts of the magic circle, and anyway, Yukbeltire is really stupid!”

—...

—...No, shouldn’t you teach your disciple if something is not understood?

—Shh. Talking to a wall would be faster.

The Death Knights were speechless at Professor Verdus’s novel teaching method.

If a disciple had shortcomings, the proper thing to do was teach, not make a bet while saying, “Idiot! You can’t do it!”

The knights had plenty to say, but held back. Professor Verdus was not someone who would listen anyway.

—If it is impossible, then that is all the more reason to meet them. Especially since this is your own disciple.

“That’s... true, but.”

Professor Verdus hesitated.

Having many enemies, this beaver beastkin mage had quite a keen sense for danger.

Even if Yukbeltire was stupid, she was not at the level of Valdrogard mages. Would she really bring something incomplete and tell such a flimsy lie when it would be exposed at once?

—Then we’ll open it. Professor Verdus is here!

“Wai, wait...!”

Before Professor Verdus could say anything else, the Death Knights quickly opened the carriage door.

Led by Yukbeltire, the Einroguard students were waiting outside with savage faces, smiling like rebellious farmers.

“Senior. You’re not angry, are you?”

“I’m not angry at all, so there’s no need to worry. I don’t even know why you’re asking such a question in the first place. It’s a completely useless question.”

‘She’s angry.’

Lee Han, who had spoken to his senior, thought to himself.

Although he had not yet reached Diret’s level, he was beginning to understand what this senior from the same tower was thinking.

When her words became that long, it was safe to assume she was either angry or sad.

Actually, he could understand how his senior felt.

The conversation between the Death Knights and Professor Verdus had been audible from outside.

—That method is absolutely impossible! You don’t have high-purity adamantite plates, you haven’t found the ancient magic needed to supplement the missing parts of the magic circle, and anyway, Yukbeltire is really stupid!

—...

—Se, Senior. Honestly, Professor Verdus was wrong for not telling you. How could you have known that there were damaged parts in the magic circle and that only ancient magic could supplement them?

Among Einroguard upperclassmen, few lacked pride in their magic.

Yukbeltire, especially, was the top student of Blue Dragon Tower, so her pride would naturally be several times stronger.

Of course, the fact that she had missed this would be humiliating.

“Professor. Please come outside.”

At Lee Han’s call, Professor Verdus pressed firmly back against the chair inside the carriage and said,

“I can’t. There are assassination threats.”

“The knights here are all protecting you. What nonsense are you talking about? Even Professor Bagreg came.”

“What? Why?!”

—Are they really here to attack?

The Death Knights whispered among themselves with serious expressions.

Among the knights, Lee Han was already treated as half the Skull Principal’s successor, and now even Professor Voladi Bagreg had come along like this.

They seriously wondered whether this might be a retaliatory attack.

“Why did you bring Professor Bagreg?”

“The professor accompanied us in case we ran into any bad people.”

“With all of you moving in a group like that, what bad people? They’d run away just from seeing you.”

“Enough. Come out quickly. We have something to show you.”

Lee Han entered the carriage, pried Professor Verdus out of the chair, and dragged the professor outside.

Professor Verdus was dragged out with a face that very clearly did not want to come out.

“Why...”

“Please look at this plate. Baquantalana’s Dimensional Rod and Ahriman’s Refraction are engraved on it.”

“Don’t lie. That can’t be.”

Professor Verdus, who had been denying reality, fell silent after seeing the plate Yukbeltire held out.

“...”

—?

“My calculations can’t be wrong. Did someone else make this for you?”

—Wow. What kind of bastard is that?

One hot-blooded knight became angry and muttered.

If a disciple completed something without being taught, the proper reaction should have been to shed tears of joy, not disparage the disciple like that.

But surprisingly, Professor Verdus was actually right. Lee Han shuddered inwardly.

‘As expected of Professor Verdus. I must never let my guard down.’

If Professor Verdus looked closely, traces of the young prince’s magic might be found. Lee Han pressed hard.

“Don’t deflect. Professor Verdus. Valdrogard mages are the ones who do things like that. Are you perhaps a Valdrogard mage?”

“But it really doesn’t make sense...”

“Admit it quickly!”

—That’s right. Please admit it!

Not only Lee Han, but even the Death Knights joined in. The students also chorused in unison, telling Professor Verdus to admit it.

Alshicle also joined in excitedly.

“Admit it! Woo!”

“It doesn’t make sense... It really doesn’t make sense... With Yukbeltire’s level, surely...”

“Just get down on all fours quickly.”

“This is strange...”

Professor Verdus grumbled, but did as told.

With completed high-level magic right before those eyes, Professor Verdus could not deny it.

When they saw Professor Verdus crawling on all fours, the students burst into loud cheers. Passersby who witnessed the scene were horrified and turned their carriages around.

—Crazy mages! Avoid them!

—Aren’t those Einroguard mages?

—You can say that after seeing that?

Blocking a carriage, dragging out the person inside, and making that person crawl on all fours certainly was not a very pleasant sight.

And that was true for the Death Knights as well.

—N, no. Why are you making Professor Verdus crawl on all fours?

“Didn’t I explain earlier? It was part of the bet.”

—...

The knights pondered.

Surely their job was to escort Professor Verdus safely until the professor’s business was finished.

Should they stop Professor Verdus from crawling on all fours right now?

—Hmm. Crawling on all fours should be fine. It is the escort target’s freedom.

—Indeed, you are truly wise. I look forward to your continued guidance.

—Haha. Such fuss over a small matter!

The Death Knights were very flexible. They respected Professor Verdus’s free will and let the professor back into the carriage.

“It’s cramped, so why don’t you stay outside?”

—Understood. Professor.

It was truly strange.

Seeing Professor Verdus prostrated on all fours on the carriage floor, even when Professor Verdus acted exactly the same as before, they felt much more generous!

‘I hope Professor Verdus keeps crawling on all fours from now on.’

***

Professor Verdus’s outing was not only a major event for the guards. It was also quite a big deal for those who were meeting the professor.

Master Puyo, a half-wood-spirit mage treated as an outstanding artifact craftsman and staff specialist, checked the surroundings several times.

Puyo was worried about being followed.

Knock, knock, knock—

Puyo stood before a shabby three-story building at the edge of the capital’s southern district and carefully knocked on the door.

The wooden door, painted with cheap green dye, creaked as if it might collapse at any moment.

“Teacher, you’ve arrived. Please come in.”

“It’s been a while. Have you been well?”

“I’ve been well. There’s no tail, right?”

“None.”

“You didn’t tell anyone about this, did you...”

“Do I look like such a foolish mage to you?”

“I’m sorry. I apologize.”

The middle-aged man inside bowed in apology.

This mage’s name was Abalkaigen.

Abalkaigen was an outstanding artifact craftsman who had inherited the scholarly tradition of Abalkai, an enchantment mage who had made a name for himself several hundred years ago.

Although both of them were craftsmen {N•o•v•e•l•i•g•h•t} and mages recognized by the Empire, there was a reason they were being so cautious.

...Today’s meeting partner was Professor Verdus.

If the fact that they were meeting Professor Verdus leaked out...

—What? You met that mage? Why didn’t you tell me? You know very well how much of my gold that bastard squandered!

—Haha. I understand you. So write another letter. If we can just catch that professor, I’ll give you a thousand gold...

There were enough people who held grudges against Professor Verdus to form a line from the western edge of the Empire to the eastern edge.

If the truth leaked out, it was impossible to imagine how bothersome those people would become when they came looking.

And that was not all.

“I met a Valdrogard mage last time, and when that mage saw someone connected to Professor Verdus, the mage’s face hardened completely.”

Even among fellow mages, many held grudges.

No matter how outstanding the two craftsmen were, neither wanted to walk around with a tag on the back saying “person who recently met Professor Verdus.”

“We need to be careful. Very careful... But who is that mage?”

“That is my disciple.”

The reason the mages had gathered here was cooperation.

Even if each of them was an outstanding enchantment mage, it was not easy to handle everything alone.

If each helped in their own area of expertise, efficiency would increase much more.

Puyo was an outstanding staff specialist.

Abalkaigen was an expert in interpreting and improving ancient artifacts.

Professor Verdus was simply Professor Verdus.

“Will it be all right? Professor Verdus won’t be easy to deal with.”

“I guarantee my disciple’s abilities.”

“If you guarantee it, then the skill must be there, but Professor Verdus is such a picky fellow...”

Puyo, who knew Professor Verdus’s personality well, showed concern.

Since Professor Verdus’s standards were so demanding, there was a high chance that even a decent mage would be rejected.

After all, the reason these mages were gathering was not for something soft like friendship.

The purpose of this meeting was to hide even the fact that they had met, quickly exchange only what they needed from one another, and then part ways.

As such, if the disciple’s abilities were lacking, Puyo would not be able to stop Professor Verdus either.

“...What if the disciple attacks Professor Verdus?”

“If it’s that bastard Verdus, Professor Verdus can block it alone, can’t Professor Verdus?”

“That’s true too. Professor Verdus will take care of that body.”

Knock, knock, knock—

While the two sat at a round wooden table and boiled water for tea with a kettle, someone knocked on the door.

“Looks like Professor Verdus is here.”

“I’ll open it.”

Abalkaigen carefully opened the door. However, there was nothing in front.

“???”

“Down here.”

“?!!”

Abalkaigen was shocked by the voice coming from below.

Professor Verdus was down there on all fours.

“Hurry up and move. You’re blocking the way.”

“No, wait. Why are you crawling around?”

“I lost a bet.”

“Professor! How could you run ahead first!”

A voice came from the alleyway.

It sounded like a master desperately running after a dog whose leash had slipped free.

“Come on. Let’s go in, Professor.”

“Can’t you hurry up a bit?”

“Haha. I didn’t know you’d be so fast on all fours, Professor.”

When Lee Han entered, the mages were startled.

Professor Verdus had come with a disciple?

No matter how they looked at him, Lee Han was an Einroguard student.

“What business do you have here?”

“To monitor whether Professor Verdus crawls properly on all fours... I mean, as the professor’s disciple, I wanted to help with magic, so I accompanied Professor Verdus.”

Lee Han shamelessly lied without batting an eye.

“Guards or colleagues are one thing, but having an inexperienced disciple participate is a bit much. This isn’t a social gathering.”

“Should I tell him to leave, then?”

Professor Verdus asked back in a voice full of anticipation.

However, Puyo, who recognized Lee Han’s face, stopped Abalkaigen.

“That boy’s abilities are sufficient.”

“Is that really true?”

“Yes. I heard he’s been handling Professor Verdus’s work since his first year.”

“You made him work since his first year?!”

“...”

Professor Verdus quietly moved behind Lee Han.

It was to get out of kicking range in case the other person lashed out.