Surviving as a Mage in a Magic Academy

To think there was a trap like this at the very end.

Lee Han sank into deep despair.

He had never imagined it would be clothing visible only to good people.

The Young Prince must have introduced it so confidently because he firmly believed Lee Han to be virtuous, but...

Master. What is wrong?

“Ugh. I’m not a good person, so I can’t see the clothes.”

A good person? I am not sure what you mean... The reason you cannot see it right now is that it is clothing made through parallel dimensions.

“Ah.”

Embarrassed, Lee Han straightened his posture at once.

So that was it!

And if it were clothing visible only to good people, you would be able to see it perfectly well, Master.

“I wonder about that...”

Ignoring the muttering disciple, the prince began to explain.

In fact, Lee Han had obtained an artifact similar to this outer robe once before.

A crown of thorns woven from bronze, copper, and branches.

The Lesser World Basilios.

Even among Lesser World spells, Basilios was an extremely unusual form of magic. More precisely, it was an inheritance-type spell.

Most Lesser World spells could be taught and learned individually, then used separately. Basilios, however, existed as a single unique entity.

Judging by its characteristics alone, it was closer to a Personal World.

But Basilios was valuable enough to justify that.

Its essence had been divided and engraved across countless parallel dimensions, and from all those concepts, pure power was called forth.

The sum total of that power possessed a might that ordinary Lesser World spells could not match.

Since it uses parallel dimensions, it isn’t easy to target directly, either.

Every time Lee Han advanced as a mage, he felt all over again just how incredible Basilios was.

Suddenly curious, Lee Han asked a question.

He could not ask the Projection of Desire for Glory anything, since it grew angry whenever he tried, but the Young Prince seemed like a different case.

“But, Master. Was there a reason you made the spell in this particular way?”

Basilios was originally a crown passed down through generations of the royal family. I did not want to hand it over as spoils to the greedy.

Ah.

Lee Han understood what the prince meant.

This Lesser World spell had not been created from nothing. It had been built from a royal crown handed down through the Young Prince’s family.

The Young Prince had probably judged that it was better to shatter it across countless dimensions, allowing worthy successors to summon it in the future, than to let the kingdom’s invaders seize the crown.

No. The spell was completed long before the invaders came, Master. The greedy people I mentioned were members of the royal family, such as my uncles.

The Young Prince corrected his disciple’s misunderstanding.

The prince had smuggled out the crown long before the kingdom fell.

After removing the expensive jewels and converting them into money to distribute among the poor, he shattered the crown across countless dimensions.

“...”

Lee Han was genuinely frightened.

It was truly astonishing to feel this much fear from someone so gentle and kind.

This outer robe is called Euangelion. In my family, it was worn on auspicious occasions.

“What kind of auspicious occasions?”

Nothing especially grand. Coronations, things of that sort...

The Young Prince answered as though it were nothing at all. Lee Han, however, could not help being shocked.

If it was clothing worn at coronations, was that not a treasure among treasures?

And it sounds like you stole this one too...

Lee Han began to suspect that the assassins who had chased the prince across the continent had not actually been sent by demons, but by the royal family.

When dangerous situations arise in the future, this robe will protect you, Master.

“Thank you.”

Perhaps as soon as tomorrow?

“...”

That was a joke.

“I-I see.”

An archmage’s jokes were difficult in their own way. Lee Han felt his heart go cold.

Was it really a joke?

***

Ipelldrem: Thank you so much! You won’t believe what happened!

Gonadaltes: What happened?

Ipelldrem: I was digging out the basement, and there was an ancient watcher inside!

Gonadaltes: Did you drink, by any chance?

Ipelldrem: ...

Irendy was angry, but did not lose his temper the way he had before. This time, he owed them a favor, and...

...honestly, even he had to admit it sounded absurd.

Ipelldrem: Once you hear the details, you’ll understand! We still have guests here, so it’s hard to explain everything right now...

Baquantalana: It’s done.

Beaver-Penguin-Fox: It’s released!

Unbreakable One: It wasn’t really the Principal, right? It really wasn’t the Principal, right??

“!”

The two who had been speaking separately were startled when <Einroguard’s Watchers> returned to normal.

He released it right away.

Lee Han realized what had happened.

After obtaining the outer robe he wanted, the Young Prince had returned the club he had occupied and gone back to the original basement.

Beaver-Penguin-Fox: Who was the intruder, anyway?

Baquantalana: Got away. But next time, definitely...

Beaver-Penguin-Fox: You didn’t even find out who it was, so how are you going to catch them next time? Shouldn’t we change administrators?

Baquantalana: ...You talk well for someone who couldn’t do anything either.

Beaver-Penguin-Fox: I wasn’t the administrator.

Gonadaltes: Everyone, calm down. Let’s not blame each other. In any case, we should be grateful it’s resolved. Good work, everyone.

???

Beaver-Penguin-Fox—Ilendil—tilted their head.

Normally, Gonadaltes would have been the first to attack Baquantalana, yet now he was acting like this.

Had Baquantalana bribed the junior or something?

Why is he acting like this...?

Baquantalana: Thanks, Gonadaltes.

Unbreakable One: Everyone did excellently. It’s very nice to see you all getting along.

This Unbreakable One person seems a little... strange.

Irendy felt puzzled.

Unlike the other members, Unbreakable One gave him a strong sense of discomfort every time a message appeared.

Rather than a student, it felt more like an adult from an older generation...

Is it just my imagination?

Ipelldrem: Everyone, I’m glad we can talk again. I was hosting guests from Einroguard.

Baquantalana: ?

Beaver-Penguin-Fox: ?

Unbreakable One: ?

Hmm. As expected of Einroguard.

Lee Han nodded as if he understood.

If Lee Han had not been involved himself, he probably would have typed a question mark too.

Ipelldrem: Why is everyone reacting like this?

Baquantalana: You’re being deceived right now. Call the guards immediately.

Beaver-Penguin-Fox: Pretend they aren’t there. Just pretend they aren’t there!

Unbreakable One: They came to extort money! You absolutely must not open the door!!

“...”

Irendy was flustered.

Huh?

Wasn’t that something Gonadaltes had said just to be spiteful?

Ipelldrem: You’re joking right now, aren’t you?

Baquantalana: If this looks like a joke to you, your sense is terrible.

Beaver-Penguin-Fox: Want to hear a joke? One day, the ghost of the Skull Principal appeared before an Einroguard student and said, “Throw ten Valdrogard students into the lake, then sprinkle chicken blood on the main building.” So the student asked, “Why do I have to sprinkle chicken blood?”

Unbreakable One: The Principal’s ghost probably answered, “I knew you wouldn’t ask about the first part.”

All the Einroguard students burst out laughing. Only Irendy failed to understand.

Ipelldrem: What’s funny about this...?

Beaver-Penguin-Fox: ...Sorry. I thought it would be funny. Anyway, don’t let Einroguard students in. {N•o•v•e•l•i•g•h•t} I warned you.

Ipelldrem: They already came in, and I gave them full hospitality. I even received advice from Gonadaltes.

A brief silence fell.

Then, immediately, a private message flew to Senior Ilendil.

Beaver-Penguin-Fox: You. Isn’t that going too far...?

Gonadaltes: I know what you’re thinking, but I didn’t do anything. I only gave sincere advice.

Beaver-Penguin-Fox: Oh, really?

Ilendil felt relieved.

For a moment, Ilendil had thought the junior had deceived and swindled an innocent Valdrogard student, but apparently that was not the case.

Beaver-Penguin-Fox: If you’re going to deceive someone, we should deceive them together.

“...”

Lee Han sent a faintly contemptuous look at the notebook. Naturally, Ilendil, beyond the page, did not notice.

Unbreakable One: Um, what kind of advice did you receive...? It wasn’t advice that demanded money or anything like that, was it?

Ipelldrem: I said it wasn’t.

Irendy was good-natured, but even he was starting to get angry.

Had all the members of this club lived such deceived lives that they could no longer trust anyone?

They did not even know what the upperclassman from House Wardanaz had done for him!

Ipelldrem: I won’t say anything more.

Unbreakable One: Wait, wait! Wait! At least tell us who it was!

However, Ipelldrem no longer answered. Curious, Ilendil contacted Lee Han separately.

Beaver-Penguin-Fox: Who was it?

Gonadaltes: I don’t know either.

Lee Han answered shamelessly.

He did not want his name mentioned here for no reason.

Fortunately, judging from Irendy’s current attitude, he seemed thoroughly angry and unlikely to tell the other members.

Beaver-Penguin-Fox: What kind of advice did you give?

Gonadaltes: General and safe advice.

Beaver-Penguin-Fox: Does advice like that exist? “Don’t show your back to Einroguard students”?

Gonadaltes: Senior, you’re strangely cheerful only when speaking in the club.

Beaver-Penguin-Fox: ...You. Isn’t that going too far?

It had been a casual remark, but it seemed to strike Ilendil harder than expected. Lee Han apologized.

Gonadaltes: I didn’t mean it that way. I’m sorry. Oh, right. In exchange, I’ll give you one important piece of information.

Beaver-Penguin-Fox: Well. I don’t know what information it is, but I probably know most things. Do you know what happened at the Empire Gardener Club’s internal auction this time?

Gonadaltes: Azirmo swept everything up?

“!!!!!”

Ilendil fell backward out of the chair.

How!?

Beaver-Penguin-Fox: Who did you hear that from!?

Gonadaltes: That isn’t what’s important, Senior. Please stop getting distracted like that.

This... this bastard...

Ilendil trembled with rage.

There were two ways to make a senior angry. One was to stop speaking halfway through a sentence...

Gonadaltes: Two dragons will be coming to Einroguard this semester.

Beaver-Penguin-Fox: ...Don’t lie.

Gonadaltes: Why would I lie about something like this? It’s true.

Beaver-Penguin-Fox: No matter how much the Skull Principal enjoys tormenting us, there’s no way the Principal would hire dragons to—

Gonadaltes: Ah. It isn’t like that. They’re coming as inspectors.

Lee Han realized the other person had misunderstood and quickly clarified.

Hiring two dragons to torment the students and having two dragons arrive as inspectors were completely different matters.

Beaver-Penguin-Fox: Inspectors?! The Principal has caused incidents... though... well... yes. Many incidents.

After a moment of confusion, Ilendil convinced themself.

Even if inspectors came, Einroguard’s mages would not be surprised. Their only reaction would be, “What had to happen has finally happened.”

Beaver-Penguin-Fox: Wait. Then what about the other dragon? Is that one also an inspector?

Gonadaltes: That one is just coming to tour Einroguard.

Beaver-Penguin-Fox: ...Could it be the one who came last semester?

No. How did Ilendil know?