Surviving as a Mage in a Magic Academy

“Isn’t that right?”

The friends who had no interest in Mage Cards spoke as if it were no big deal.

Actually, was it not right?

Perhaps polo, chess, or the mage board game known as magical dice throwing were different, but there was no reason to be so obsessed with Mage Cards...

“What nonsense are you talking about!”

“This is why people who don’t know anything are the worst!”

The students who were Mage Cards enthusiasts, including Gainando, naturally became angry.

Reacting like that just because it was not their business. They truly were shameful as Einroguard mages.

“You should take this opportunity to stop buying Mage Cards.”

“They can all be converted into money later!”

“But, Prince, you don’t sell yours.”

“...That’s true, but... You—would you all react the same way if the things you enjoyed were treated like that?!”

Determined that he could not die alone, Gainando called out again to Uman, who was walking away in the distance.

“Your Highness!”

“What is it?”

“What do you think about polo, chess, and other games?”

“Hmm.”

Uman fell into thought for a moment.

“If you are a student of Einroguard, you would not have time to spend on polo. Like the Mage Cards earlier, would it not be better to yield it to people outside?”

“...”

“...”

The students’ faces, mainly those from the White Tiger Tower, turned pale. Giselle was about to clap in admiration, then stopped.

Oops. I almost did something only Wardanaz would do.

“The same goes for other amusements! If you are a student of ✧ NоvеIight ✧ (Original source) Einroguard, you should naturally focus on magic.”

The friends who had been teasing Gainando finally realized the situation.

This dragon, who was both royalty and an inspector, believed in iron-blooded rules that, in some ways, were even more severe than Wardanaz’s.

Dergeu carefully opened Dergeu’s mouth.

“B-but, Your Highness. Don’t mages need physical training too? Polo is helpful for that.”

The White Tiger Tower students looked at their orc friend with eyes that said they could die from love.

It was an extremely accurate point.

“Hmm! That is true. Mages also need physical training.”

“Then polo is excluded...”

“However, polo is not very efficient as physical training. The probability of injury is too high, and since the mount’s influence is so great, one ends up becoming obsessed with that. Here. Take this.”

Uman took out a booklet he had written himself and handed it to the White Tiger Tower students.

Written on the booklet was <Physical Training Exercises for Mages>.

Slightly embarrassed, Uman continued explaining.

“It is a book Uman wrote himself. I thought quite deeply about the mages of Einroguard. I believe this book will make Einroguard mages healthy instead of polo!”

“...”

The faces of the White Tiger Tower students, who skimmed through the booklet, began to rot.

It looked like exactly the sort of content that would be included if one were choosing the most boring sport in the Empire.

Asan, who had been watching from the side, swallowed and asked,

“Your Highness, doesn’t chess help rest tired minds and develop thinking?”

“Hmm! I agree.”

“Then chess is an exception...?”

“However, chess can lead to excessive immersion due to competitiveness, and if one is not careful, it can develop into gambling-like speculation.”

The Black Turtle Tower students made expressions as if they had been slightly pricked.

They were the ones who had scraped together the most Imperial silver from fellow students through betting chess in the black market.

“Here. Take this!”

Uman took out another booklet. This, too, was a booklet he had written himself.

The expressions of Asan and the others darkened when they saw the title, <Thinking Training Puzzles for Mages>.

“If you solve these puzzles instead of playing chess during break time, Einroguard mages will become much healthier!”

“Wow... Whoa...”

“Sh-shouldn’t someone call Wardanaz?”

The students could not recover from the sharp taste of an inspector they were experiencing for the first time in their lives.

They wanted to call Lee Han and discuss countermeasures, but when they thought about it...

“But Wardanaz would probably like this.”

“...No way. That could... actually be true.”

“That’s why I always told you to take it easy with Mage Cards!”

“That’s what I should say! I know you all skipped out to play polo last time when we were supposed to study together!”

Uman had left, but the students began arguing over whose fault it was. In the process, each hidden wrongdoing came out one by one.

What a truly shameful fight.

Giselle thought to herself.

It was such an embarrassing sight that if an outsider entered the villa mansion and asked about them, she would lie and say they were Valdrogard students.

But where did Wardanaz go?

Wardanaz had definitely been among his friends just a little while ago, but strangely, he was nowhere to be seen.

Had the Skull Principal called him again?

“...”

Giselle, who had been looking around, was shocked.

Her friend, who had quietly finished taking notes, dispelled his invisibility magic and appeared beside her.

“Ah. Moradi. Do you have anything to report too?”

“...Alpha and Dulark lied about being sick last time and then went to play polo.”

“Thank you.”

Lee Han expressed his gratitude and made an additional note. Giselle nodded slightly.

Apart from the shameful fight, friends who deserved punishment deserved to be punished, did they not?

***

In the Empire, dragons were one of the rarest races. Most people usually heard their names in legends or folk tales and rarely saw them in person.

Once they spread their wings, they covered the sky like giant clouds; with a single flap of those wings, they traveled from one end of the continent to the other...

Lee Han had heard quite a few such stories, but he had not thought they sounded plausible. No matter how powerful a race was, there had to be limits.

Even after meeting Jowrin, that thought had not changed much. Honestly, Jowrin’s appearance was rather far from the image of dragons that boasted transcendent power.

However, after flying to Einroguard in one go on Uman’s back, Lee Han began to reconsider the power of dragons.

Such absurd performance was possible through nothing more than the physical strength they were born with.

More than that, Jowrin will also be able to do things like this once she grows more.

Lee Han suddenly felt a chill run down his spine.

For now, she did not think much about her own strength, so it stopped at digging traps and putting on handcuffs. But if she realized the full extent of her own power, there was no telling what she might do.

Was this why the Skull Principal was wary of dragons?

Didn’t the Principal say he learned magic under dragons in his youth? Come to think of it, he really did learn well.

It seemed like it would be difficult to learn magic properly with even two dragons like Jowrin around.

“What?! What is that?!”

“The Principal has finally angered the dragons! I knew it!”

The students gathered in front of the main gate were shocked by the sight of the giant Black Dragon covering the sky.

They had always wondered when the evil lord of Einroguard would be subjugated, and that day had finally come!

—Quiet! Quiet! Do not cause a disturbance! That person is the new Imperial Inspector who came this semester, Prince Uman.

“Inspector?!”

“Hooray! Hooray! We’re free!”

“Die, you vile undead bastard!”

As rumors quickly spread among the gathered students, some of them began rioting.

When magic was thrown at the Death Knights, the knights skillfully dodged, then counterattacked.

“Kugh!”

The students, struck by several arrows of dark energy and knocked down, collapsed to their knees. Though all strength had left their bodies, their mouths continued babbling.

“E-everyone... now’s our chance. If we strike while the inspector is here, we won’t be sent to the punishment cells!”

—Truly inexperienced. Do they think we would not prepare for that?

The knights shook their heads at the students’ amateurish behavior.

They had already heard the Skull Principal’s orders and formed a tight encirclement.

This looks like something I saw last semester.

After landing and climbing down from Uman’s back, Lee Han thought to himself.

The chaos that broke out in front of the main gate at the start of every semester seemed to be an Einroguard tradition.

Thinking this was an opportunity, the students fiercely charged despite the encirclement. The Death Knights skillfully raised magic shields and herded the students.

Stop! Stop!

Uman’s eyes welled up with tears at this unbelievable sight as he unleashed dragon fear.

The dragon’s roar, commonly called Dragon Fear, was not merely a simple shout. It was a powerful area attack unleashed through the dragon’s pure magical power.

Aside from people like Lee Han, who could endure it with sheer magical power, or professor-level mages who diligently maintained defensive magic, everyone staggered and fell to their knees.

Why are the honorable students of Einroguard causing such a commotion!

“W-who is that?”

“They say he’s the new inspector.”

Everyone, wait in an orderly fashion. This Uman will personally inspect the entrance!

“!”

The quick-witted students exchanged glances.

This was...

Wait. Does this mean we don’t need to smuggle anything?

Einroguard students had to be sensitive to change.

Several experienced third-years immediately gave up their smuggling preparations and brought everything out into the open.

They judged that with an inspector present, supplies would simply be allowed through.

“Just pass through?”

“Hurry up and take out your stuff! There’s no need to hide it. We need to bring in more!”

The fifth- and sixth-years went in first. When Lee Han’s eyes met Diret’s, he politely bowed slightly.

Princess Yukbeltire merely stared blankly, whether she was going in or not.

“...”

Diret whispered to the friend beside Diret.

“Didn’t you feel something just now?”

“You mean the inspector’s magical power?”

“...No... the junior’s respect... Never mind. If you didn’t notice, it’s fine.”

The fifth- and sixth-years finished quickly, just like last time.

After that came the second- through fourth-years.

Ah. It’s Senior Dreumcha.

Lee Han brightened at the familiar face.

This third-year from the Black Turtle Tower had the trustworthy face of a dwarf craftsman, but possessed the despicable heart of someone who would deceive juniors and use them as smuggling decoys.

Of course, that was average for Einroguard seniors, but that did not make it any less despicable.

No... has Senior Dreumcha given up on smuggling?

Lee Han was confused as the senior confidently dragged along a huge backpack.

Dreumcha was not ignorant of smuggling, having done it before, yet this was such an obvious mistake.

“Here it is!”

—Has this one gone mad?

The knights were dumbfounded.

Was Dreumcha protesting out of a desire to be sent to the punishment cells?

“Hmph. Ask His Highness the Inspector.”

When a commotion broke out at the checkpoint, Uman, who had transformed into human form, approached. He checked inside the backpack.

“Sugar, tea leaves, canned goods, wine, gold coins...”

“These are supplies for surviving at Einroguard. Hehe.”

“I cannot permit such things!”

“?!”

When Uman declared it firmly, Dreumcha was shocked.

Was he not an inspector?!

“W-why not?!”

“If students prepare meals carelessly, it could cause nutritional imbalance and, in the worst case, even food poisoning. Do not worry. This Uman has prepared a meal plan for Einroguard students.”

Uman pulled out another booklet. It was titled <Healthy Meals for Mages>.

“What about the gold coins?! Gold coins aren’t food ingredients!”

“Bringing excessive money into the school could cause disputes. If you need gold coins, fill out an application and submit it. Uman will personally review it and provide support!”

The faces of the students standing behind them changed.

Students who had tried to receive support from imperial officials, outside investors, or sponsors knew well how picky they could be.

At least the Skull Principal, being a fellow magic school principal, tried to approve even strange topics as much as possible.

Would an inspector really fund <Research on Gem Preferences That Metal Spirits Want to Eat>?

“Q-quickly prepare for smuggling again!”

I told everyone to wait in an orderly fashion!

When the students tried to whisper from the back, Uman firmly suppressed them. The faces of the students, who had now lost even the smuggling preparations they had already made, went blank with despair.

Lee Han thought to himself.

This semester was going to be really difficult too.