Surviving as a Mage in a Magic Academy

The banquet was over.

The students walked out laughing.

Lee Han was not hallucinating. The students really were laughing.

Wuman had forced them to.

-Students of Einroguard. The meal is over. However, your bodies have not yet fully recovered from fatigue. Now, everyone, laugh.

-...Excuse me?

-Hurry. Laughter keeps both the soul and the body healthy.

The students had been about to protest that they could not possibly laugh after eating a meal like that, but before they could, Wuman pulled out a booklet titled 【Healthy Jokes for Mages】.

The moment the first joke revealed itself in all its majesty, the students began laughing for survival.

They did not want to hear any more!

“Haha, hahaha. Hahahaha.”

“We’re outside now, so you can stop laughing, Gainando.”

“Hehaha. Haha. ...Huhueong!”

“Don’t cry while laughing... It’s terrifying.”

It was not only Gainando. Several upperclassmen were sobbing as well.

“How can things get even worse from here? The people who graduated before us didn’t suffer like this. Why only us?”

“If only we had enrolled one year earlier, we wouldn’t have had to see this...”

-There are instructions for the students.

The Death Knights waiting in the corridors and on the stairs called out to the students.

“What is it?”

-As you already heard in the banquet hall, cooking food inside the school grounds as usual is forbidden. Instead of unsanitary and nutritionally unbalanced meals, you will be served His Majesty’s healthy food at every meal.

“...”

Not only would they be forced to receive meals every time, but even cooking separately was prohibited.

The students looked as though they might suffocate to death from the dragon’s love.

“Th-that goes against Einroguard’s spirit!”

When someone shouted, everyone nodded as if in agreement. Lee Han thought to himself.

What exactly is Einroguard’s spirit?

Even after talking with upperclassmen and professors, Lee Han still did not know exactly what Einroguard’s spirit was.

It seemed to be something along the lines of sleeping outdoors and somehow making meals out of whatever materials one could find...

The knights looked annoyed even with their fleshless faces.

Already exhausted by the external inspector, the knights had no intention of patiently persuading the students.

-The following acts are also prohibited. Making meals for friends, selling food cheaply, bartering...

“??”

“Does anyone actually do that?”

The upperclassmen were baffled, wondering what this was about.

It sounded as absurd as a rule like, “Being kind to Valdrogard students is prohibited.”

Even without such a rule, who would be kind to them anyway?

“...”

“...”

However, the second-years looked extremely shaken.

Lee Han was no exception.

No way. Prince Wuman is an outsider, so how could he know...?

This was clearly a rule aimed precisely at Lee Han.

In fact, the knights were also staring directly at him.

...Could the Skull Principal have tattled?

Highly likely.

Lee Han shuddered.

The inspector had come because of the Skull Principal’s poor management, yet the principal was still being this petty.

It was not easy to be that petty.

-Anyway, War... no, students who usually do such things should be careful.

“...”

Had the knight not just almost said someone’s family name and stopped?

Lee Han became even more certain. This was definitely aimed at him.

-In addition, the following acts are prohibited. Receiving more help than necessary from friends, being taught magic...

“Why is that prohibited?”

Lee Han, who had been trying to listen quietly, found himself speaking before he realized it.

Why in the world was that forbidden?

The knights answered in voices full of fatigue.

-A certain great mage whose identity cannot be revealed offered advice. Receiving more help than necessary from one particular student would be unfortunate for both that student and the other students.

“...”

“...”

Gradually, not only Lee Han but the other second-years also seemed to realize the danger of these new rules.

If these rules were enforced, the upperclassmen would suffer to a tolerable degree.

They had been suffering normally already, so they had adapted somewhat.

But the second-years were likely to suffer as though they had fallen into hell.

All the more because they had been living relatively comfortably until now!

“Why are the knights proposing rules like that?”

“I don’t know. Did they drink the wrong undead liquor?”

In truth, the upperclassmen were only listening to the new rules in a daze. Except for a few quick-witted ones, they did not seem to understand why those rules had been created.

There’s no need to help more than necessary in the first place, so why make rules like that?

“This is ridiculous!”

-What’s ridiculous is that you people have been living happily just because you chose the right enrollment year. Honestly, is this Valdrogard or Einroguard?

One spiteful knight answered.

The knight knew the Skull Principal found the second-years irritating, but to use an external inspector’s visit to deal with them like this...

As a minion, it was admirable work. Truly, not just anyone could become an archmage.

-It would be best not to think about secretly helping while deceiving everyone’s eyes. Prince Wuman is more thorough and persistent than you think.

One of the knights whispered to Lee Han.

Normally, the Skull Principal generously overlooked students gathering materials and cooking for themselves, but Wuman was different.

Wuman was exactly the sort to monitor them persistently and chase them around while preaching.

Lee Han answered with displeasure.

“But why are you telling only me that separately...?”

-...Because I can see it? Haha.

The Death Knight winked, blinking blue eye-light at him. Lee Han fully understood the meaning contained in that gesture.

I’m the prime suspect.

Seeing even a relatively friendly knight whisper like that, it seemed Lee Han had been properly marked.

Well, among the second-years, he was the only one who would help the other students...

Even so, doesn’t the principal have any pride?

Lee Han found the Skull Principal’s instigation absurd.

The person who had grumbled so much when Wuman arrived was now shamelessly using him.

“Hmph. Prince Wuman and the principal seem to have forgotten one fact.”

-What fact do you mean?

“The fact that I can also send letters outside the school.”

The knights tilted their heads at the meaningful words of the Skull Principal’s successor.

-What are you planning to send?

“That Prince Wuman and the principal wickedly conspired to stop me from helping my friends with their assignments and making meals for them...”

As Lee Han spoke, he felt something was odd.

Huh?

Strange. Why does it sound weird when I say it out loud?

The knights seemed to think the same.

-Successor.

“Please don’t call me successor.”

Even in the middle of all this, Lee Han immediately became serious.

-Understood. Lord Wardanaz. That... although we are minions who follow our master, objectively speaking, the contents of that anonymous tip do °• N 𝑜 v 𝑒 l i g h t •° not seem likely to be very effective.

“...”

Lee Han had to admit that the Death Knights had refuted him.

No matter how much of an Emperor the Emperor was, he would not read such an anonymous tip and say, “This skeleton has finally gone mad! Make Wardanaz help his friends with their assignments and cook meals for them at once!”

-Honestly, our master probably did this to torment the second-years, but isn’t this actually rather good for you, Lord Wardanaz? Even we think you have been overworking yourself far too much.

“I won’t completely deny that I’ve been busy, but this goes against the spirit of Einroguard!”

Though he had lost in logic, Lee Han stubbornly held on out of sheer indignation.

And as people often do when they are being unreasonable, the spirit of Einroguard naturally flowed from his mouth.

Instead of answering, the knights exchanged glances.

The new rule seems well-made, doesn’t it?

You’re right. If we hadn’t gone this far, our successor would never have rested.

“Are you listening? The spirit of Einroguard is...”

-Yes, yes. Of course.

-I also think it goes against the spirit of Einroguard.

Though I’m not really sure what that is!

***

The second-years of Blue Dragon Tower gathered in the common lounge, giving off an atmosphere gloomier than a funeral home.

They had gathered to hear advice from the upperclassmen.

And to incite the upperclassmen into joining forces with them.

“Right. Everyone, take back what you left with me.”

Lee Han spoke first so he would not forget.

Right now, Gainando’s basement was packed full of contraband his friends had entrusted to him.

Since there was no telling what Prince Wuman might do next, he had to distribute everything to its owners as quickly as possible.

It’s frightening that I can’t tell how powerful dragon magic is. Could he possibly detect even serving meals?

Considering the warning the knights had given earlier, he absolutely could not underestimate Wuman.

Still, this strictly complied with the rules. He was not sharing food, merely returning items the students had entrusted to him.

“L-Lee Han.”

“What?”

“I... I didn’t bring much food this time...”

Gainando muttered with a pale face.

“What? What do you mean?”

“M-me too.”

“Actually, me as well...”

Surprisingly, not only Gainando but quite a few students had not brought much food with them.

Since Lee Han usually kept such ample supplies, they had judged, “I don’t need to bring any myself, so I should pack other things instead.”

Gainando stared blankly at the chocolate box inside the chocolate box inside the chocolate box.

He had to survive an entire semester with just this?

“Th-these damn books! It’s because of these damn books! I’m going to burn them all!”

Lee Han quickly stopped his friend, who had fallen into a frenzy and was trying to burn the dark magic books.

“Calm down. I’ll find a way somehow. I don’t know how they’re monitoring us, but there must be a way to deliver food.”

“No. No such method exists.”

“...”

At the familiar voice cutting through the commotion, Lee Han turned his head.

Princess Yukbeltire was walking over.

“What is it, Senior? If you’re not going to help, please go away.”

“Didn’t you want to know about dragon magic?”

“!”

At her words, not only Lee Han but even the second-year students widened their eyes.

“Do you know how His Majesty detects things?”

The senior nodded.

At that sight, Lee Han let out a shallow sigh. Adenart, who was standing beside him, asked with a puzzled expression.

“Why are you sighing?”

“She’s going to use this to torment people again. Sigh. It would have been so nice if Senior Diret were in the same tower.”

“...Sh-she’s not that kind of person...”

Adenart timidly defended a member of the Imperial Family. Lee Han did not listen and grumbled.

“She’ll probably tell me to participate in research and block dangerous magic with my body again.”

“Prince Wuman possesses the 【Scales of the Soul】.”

Unexpectedly, however, Princess Yukbeltire began explaining immediately.

Though Adenart stared at her intently, Lee Han did not back down.

“She’ll ask me to give her something later.”

“...”

Whether the two juniors were chattering or not, Princess Yukbeltire continued saying what she needed to say.

The 【Scales of the Soul】, passed down among dragons, was a powerful artifact that appeared in various fairy tales and legends.

Its effect was to actually bind the target’s soul, place it on the scales, and make the target confess their sins.

“What kind of ridiculous... There’s really an artifact that can do something like that?”

Lee Han was shocked by the effect.

Even after hearing it, he found it hard to believe. Princess Yukbeltire nodded.

“According to legend, it is one of the artifacts inherited along with all the rights to Mage Cards.”

“What do the rights to Mage Cards have to do with... No. Never mind. Let’s assume it exists. Does he really have it? And he uses an artifact like that for such trivial matters?”

“I went and observed it just now.”

Whether a dragon came and turned the school upside down or not, Princess Yukbeltire moved for her own purposes.

Since Wuman might possess the 【Scales of the Soul】, which she had only heard of through rumors, she had gone directly to request permission to observe it.

Wuman naturally accepted gladly. This righteous dragon would not refuse something that would help the students.

“And he said he would use it to correct the students’ corruption.”

“...”

“...Send me to Valdrogard!! Send me to Valdrogard!!!”