Surviving as a Mage in a Magic Academy

This is serious.

Lee Han looked at the mountain of letters with a grave expression.

The people of the Empire knew far more about rumors than Lee Han had expected, and they were far quicker to act on them.

The semester had not even begun yet, and this many letters had already piled up.

He could not even guess how many more would come flying in once classes started.

At least there’s one good thing. Once the semester starts, letters won’t be able to fly straight into my room.

Who would have thought the Skull Principal’s censorship would prove so helpful?

Lee Han began tearing open the letters one by one to dismantle the pile.

“Gainando!”

“!”

Gainando, who had been hiding inside the closet and playing Mage Cards, flinched.

Had he been caught?

“Gainando, who is playing Mage Cards in the closet!”

“...Why?”

Gainando walked out with a face full of awkwardness, embarrassment, and shame.

The friend who had been playing with him in the closet looked at Gainando with resentful eyes.

This bastard. He said we’d never get caught.

“I’m opening letters, so check them for curses.”

“Okay...”

Gainando obediently prepared magic like a docile sheep.

If he worked hard, perhaps the punishment for the crime of hiding in the closet would be a little lighter.

“But, Lee Han. Why are you checking them for curses?”

He wondered if the letters might have been sent by Valdrogard students.

If so, there was a fairly good chance they had placed curses on the letters before sending them.

“These letters came from all over the Empire, so I can’t let my guard down. I’ll check with my senses too, but it won’t hurt to inspect them one more time. You have reagents, right? Use them.”

Gainando nodded and took out his reagent pouch.

As a student of the dark magic school, he could perform curse detection with his eyes closed.

He drew a simple magic circle by drawing a little fresh blood from his fingertip, placed a silver scale on top of it, and began weighing the curse—

“Gainando. You left out one character in the magic circle. The efficiency will drop.”

How did he see that?

Gainando was shocked by his friend’s observation.

Lee Han definitely had not even been looking in this direction. How?!

“Once you confirm there’s no curse, read who sent it and pass it over.”

“Okay. I’ll read the letter from Granden City first. It’s from Master Puyo, who runs <Banyan Tree Staff>.”

“I see. That person sent one too.”

“Yonair’s sister sent one too.”

“Yoanen? I received one earlier. Did I put it over there by any chance?”

Lee Han checked the letters in confusion.

Surprisingly, it was true that Yoanen had sent another one.

To Yonair’s friend,

I am writing because I thought you might refuse the request because of what Yonair said...

“...Thank you. Put it aside.”

“Asan sent one too. Special Administrator of Granden City.”

Just how many came from Granden City alone?

Suppressing his fear, Lee Han opened the letter.

During this vacation, I was deeply moved to hear how you met my twin sister Hidan and resolved Einroguard’s financial problems. I trust your abilities enough to entrust this matter to you. I would like you to bring Asan with you, but if he seems unqualified, please scold him instead...

I should tell Asan that his family misses him terribly.

For his friend’s sake, Lee Han quickly distorted the contents of the letter.

If Asan could not come, then Asan could not come. Why ask someone else to scold him?

“The Greenvell family... Oh. Prince Bogajun sent one too.”

“!”

Prince Bogajun was one of the many ordinary, non-dragon members of the Imperial Family.

He did receive support from various guilds, families, and mage towers, but from Lee Han’s perspective, after recently being tormented by dragons...

Honestly, is there even a chance that a non-dragon member of the Imperial Family could become emperor?

Even if every noble in the Empire joined forces and said, “Your Majesty, please abdicate soon,” it would still be questionable. And since a considerable number of great noble families were saying, “Haha, Your Majesty, please remain forever,” even dragon members of the Imperial Family seemed to have a difficult path to the throne.

Much less an ordinary member of the Imperial Family.

Though Bogajun would be angry to hear that.

“This is the person I met at the mansion last year.”

He remembered not only Bogajun, but also Princess Judrantes, who had been competing with Bogajun—she was somewhere around the twenty-somethingth in succession, though he could not remember that far—looking at him with very greedy eyes.

“I’ll just postpone this one. Gainando. Put it aside.”

“L-Lee Han. You’re not avoiding meetings with other members of the Imperial Family because of me, are you?”

Gainando looked at his friend with eyes that were slightly moved.

If Lee Han maintained close contact with other members of the Imperial Family while having Gainando, a close friend, beside him, it could have a negative effect on Gainando’s reputation.

Could his friend be acting with that in mind?

Lee Han was surprised.

Gainando was not a stupid friend, but Gainando was definitely not the sort of friend who showed intelligence in such political matters.

“You were thinking about things like that?!”

“Actually, I was just repeating what Moradi said.”

***

“Ugh. Senior Yukbeltire and Adenart too... Why do all the members of the Imperial Family torment Lee Han like this?”

Frustrated that the chance to have fun had disappeared, Gainando grabbed Giselle, who happened to be passing by, and complained.

At that appeal, Giselle looked at Gainando as if looking at the greatest piece of trash in the Empire.

What was this guy, who was practically the leader of all the tormenting members of the Imperial Family, babbling about?

Still, Giselle suppressed the anger and explained as calmly as possible. This was not some unseen mountain region of Einroguard, but a mansion in the capital.

“...There are probably political considerations too. Even if they’re from the same magic school, being close only to one member of the Imperial Family could cause misunderstandings. He probably doesn’t want to receive unnecessary pressure from outside either.”

People who kept Gainando in check or suspected him were extremely rare in the Empire, but if he showed an especially close relationship with the next archmage of House Wardanaz, the story would change.

That would be enough evidence for people to think, Could that prince be...?

“What? Then Moradi is saying Lee Han is forced to associate with those nasty people because of me?”

“It’s not necessarily because of you, but when maintaining balance, there would be some of that reason...”

“Thanks! I need to go confront those two right away!”

“Moradi. Hold back! You can’t beat up that prince here!”

***

“...You managed not to get beaten up. And Moradi overinterpreted it. Moradi likes politics too much. I’m just trying to avoid troublesome situations because there are too many letters.”

“I see. Still, if anyone asks, can I say it’s because of me rather than Adenart?”

“No.”

Gainando grumbled and continued inspecting the remaining letters.

By the time they had checked all the letters from Granden City and the other places as well, nearly half a day had passed. Lee Han sighed.

No matter how much I refuse, there’s a limit. Even if I only accept the requests I absolutely have to take, one semester will be completely full.

There were even proposals from Valdrogard, Kalarogard, and Petrogard.

Valdrogard aside, why would magic schools entrust requests to outside mages?

Everyone, pay attention!

“!”

“Huff, huff! Is it Einroguard?!”

One of the students who had been dozing off, struck by the Skull Principal’s glare, mistook the call for their arrival at Einroguard and hurriedly got up.

“Phew. We’re still outside.”

His Highness wishes to personally escort you all.

“Prince Jowrin?!”

Lee Han was shocked and confronted the Skull Principal.

The Skull Principal seemed to be letting down his guard because vacation was ending, but perhaps Lee Han needed to remind him that complaints could still be filed.

The Skull Principal looked at his disciple as if looking at a madman.

Of course it’s Prince Uman. Are you insane?

“Ah.”

As the students gathered with murmurs, Uman began the prepared speech.

“Thank you all for gathering. I am truly delighted to meet the young pillars of the Empire and the mages who will be responsible for our future!”

“He seems like a good person!”

The students, who had been restless just moments ago, immediately changed their attitude.

They had been worried when they heard he was an inspector, but judging by the way he spoke, he seemed incredibly kind.

After all, it would not be easy to be more terrible than the Skull Principal.

Hmph. Foolish brats.

The Skull Principal, standing nearby, sneered inwardly.

They might be looking at him with expectant eyes now, but once the semester began, they would long for his rule.

“Uman has dragon blood, so I can carry you all and fly. It would be an honor if you gave me the opportunity to fly with Einroguard’s talents on my back!”

“!!”

The students were flustered by the unexpected words.

“Do you really need to go that far? It seems rather burdensome...”

“More importantly, aren’t dragons extremely rare in the Empire? How on earth did His Majesty take a dragon as his wife?”

“Professor Bendozol would faint if that were heard.”

“Still, how often would we get a chance to ride on a dragon’s back?”

“That’s true. It would be an honor difficult to experience even once in a lifetime.”

Jowrin, who was holding Eandurde’s hand with one hand while sucking on a lollipop with the other, bristled at those words.

“Jowrin can carry you too! Lee Han!”

Lee Han, who had been talking with his friends in front, was horrified.

Considering the distance from here to Einroguard, if Jowrin flew there personally, she might collapse from exhaustion.

Eandurde. Please.

Lee Han sent a pleading look to his junior before turning around.

A junior who was close to Jowrin should be able to persuade that stubbornness.

Swish!

Eandurde snatched the candy from Jowrin’s hand. Then he spoke in a stern voice.

“If you don’t stay still, no more candy.”

“...L-Lee H...”

“Even if you call senior, no candy.”

“...”

Jowrin held back what she had been about to say, sniffling. Eandurde returned the candy to her.

“You won’t tattle, right?”

“Yeah...”

While the master was talking with friends, the baby basilisk that witnessed what had just happened wondered whether this could simply be left alone.

Isn’t this lese-majeste?!

But seeing Jowrin happily sucking on her candy again, it seemed to be all right...

“Oh, right. When the new semester starts, it would be nice for us all to go see the lake together.”

“Got it.”

“The snow mountain too!”

“...Fine.”

“The desert too...”

“Stop! Pick just one.”

Jowrin was startled by her friend’s strict response.

Pick just one.

It was a coldness she would never have seen from Lee Han.

“Wh-why...”

“Sister!”

While they were chattering, Uman approached. Jowrin was delighted to see her younger brother.

“Uman! What brings you here?”

“Since the new semester is about to begin, I have something to tell you, Sister.”

Jowrin nodded magnanimously.

Though, with the difference in size between her and Uman in his large human form, there was no sense of dignity at all...

“When the new semester begins, Einroguard students must be able to focus solely on their studies.”

“Mm. That’s right.”

“So please avoid contact with the students, Sister.”

“...Huh?”

Jowrin’s complexion changed.

What?

“Your purpose in touring Einroguard’s sacred grounds is truly extraordinary, but you cannot interfere with the pillars of the Empire, can you?”

“Th-th-th-th-that...”

Jowrin’s eyes began spinning frantically. Beside her, Eandurde wore an expression that said, So that was your excuse?

“E-Eandurde...”

“You’re already saying your farewells. How admirable.”

Even though Eandurde was a first-year student with high combat ability, defeating Uman would be impossible.

While Jowrin was flustered, Uman finished the conversation.

“C-can’t I even talk to Lee Han? He’s my contractor!”

“Hmm... Contractors would be an exceptional case. Please converse only in ways that do not interfere with his studies.”

“Y-yes! I’ll do that!”

Jowrin’s voice was full of relief as she barely managed to protect her contractor. Seeing that, Eandurde suddenly became worried about his senior.

...Is this really all right?

Uman bowed politely and turned away. Then he walked with long strides, spotted Gainando, and said,

“Mage Cards, I see.”

“Yes! Do you happen to know them well?”

“If you’re an Einroguard student, aren’t you past the age for playing Mage Cards? Please yield them to the little children.”

Uman gripped Gainando’s shoulder, left those encouraging words behind, and departed.

“...Wh-what was that just now?”