Surviving as a Mage in a Magic Academy

Clinging to the Bronze Golem Senior, who was trying to refuse him coldly, Lee Han laid out in full just how miserable and desperate his situation was.

But perhaps because the senior truly did possess a heart of cold metal, it did not work.

If you tried to interfere just because you had seen a little of the future, you could easily bring about an even worse result.

“Junior. I know you’re having a hard time, but all Einroguard students have a hard time.”

Only after saying that much did the Golem Senior belatedly remember that the junior standing in front of the senior was taking every school.

Taking that into account, it did seem possible that some students truly had it harder than others, but the senior did not bend.

“That doesn’t mean everyone tries to change the future. Trying to alter it rashly is even more dangerous.”

“My situation is a bit specifically dangerous. You know what I went through this week.”

“I don’t?”

“Pardon?”

“I don’t really know. What happened?”

The Golem Senior looked at Lee Han the way one might look at a minstrel who had just become popular in the imperial capital.

Those types of minstrels were often convinced everyone in the Empire knew who they were, only to leave the capital, arrive at some inn in the provinces, ◆ Nоvеlіgһt ◆ (Only on Nоvеlіgһt) get heckled with things like, “What kind of pig-squealing racket are you singing?” and suddenly come to terms with reality.

Lee Han’s face reddened slightly in embarrassment.

Upperclassmen kept referring to him as that one or that kid, so he had naturally assumed everyone knew.

But thinking about it now, that was not true at all.

Everyone was busy with their own lives. Why would they care about every little thing?

“My apologies.”

“No need for that. I hardly go outside in the first place.”

“But you still have to attend lectures.”

“With divination magic, I skip every lecture I can get away with skipping.”

“……”

Lee Han stared in shock.

Just how vast was the world of divination magic?

“So? What happened to you this week?”

The Golem Senior prompted him in a bored tone.

The senior had assumed that at worst, the professors had assigned him some difficult task during class.

“I was kidnapped by the Skull Principal’s insane duplicate and barely escaped.”

“……”

The junior’s answer was far more serious than expected, and the Golem Senior’s eyes went wide in shock.

It was horrifying enough to make even that cold metal heart tremble.

“S-so…”

“Yes. That’s why I missed the lecture.”

“What I meant was, so that’s why the prophecy said you would face an ancient being and that you mustn’t go outside day or night… but I see.”

“……”

“More importantly, after something like that happened, you came here to hear the lecture you missed?”

“But if I don’t, next week will just be even harder.”

“Mm… yes. I suppose it would.”

Lee Han nodded, thinking the senior understood.

In truth, the senior had not understood at all and had merely let it pass. There was no point arguing with crazy people.

Well, he is taking every school.

“Senior. Please help me. I have to avoid the future from that prophecy!”

“Ugh. Trying to change things rashly is truly a bad idea… Fine.”

After some hesitation, the Golem Senior finally gave in.

Normally, the senior would have told him to endure it, but if the other party was the Skull Principal’s insane duplicate, then it did feel as if something had to be done.

“As I said before, predicting the future is also an act that increases the possibility of that future. You may just end up drawing a future closer when you could have avoided it. It’s the same with lucky and unlucky constraints. If you get overconfident and abuse them recklessly, even stronger misfortune may come crashing down on you. Understood?”

“I’ll remember that.”

“Good. Then…”

The Golem Senior prepared the divination spell with a scraping clatter of metal.

Aside from a few reagents, mostly star-related materials centered around meteorites, the incantation, and the senior’s entire arm getting blown off in the middle of it, the process went fairly smoothly. The senior calmly reattached the severed arm with the other hand and said it was fine.

“…Tell me how to avoid misfortune!”

Starlight gathered in the senior’s eyes, and a voice lower and heavier than any Lee Han had heard so far flowed out.

-Avoid physical contact with anyone from the Imperial Family, and you will be able to suppress the misfortune!

When the prophecy ended, the senior’s eyes returned to normal. Curious what kind of prophecy the junior had received, the Golem Senior asked in an interested voice,

“What did it say you had to avoid?”

“It said I should avoid touching anyone from the Imperial Family.”

“Not bad! You’re lucky that’s an easy constraint.”

As constraints went, avoiding contact with the Imperial Family really was a relatively easy one.

Especially here. This was closed-off Einroguard. There were not that many chances to meet members of the Imperial Family.

“Mm. Though there are some people from the Imperial Family among my classmates.”

“Oh dear.”

At that, the Golem Senior offered a suggestion.

“How about framing them and getting them sent to the punishment cells?”

“…I’ll just avoid them myself.”

*****

Fortunately, <A Drop of Potion Instead of Complex Magic> was a second-year lecture.

Lee Han happened to spot Yonair and Siana working in Professor Thunderwalk’s workshop and spoke in a moved voice.

“A second-year lecture. Isn’t everyone thrilled?”

“……”

“……”

The two only exchanged glances, unsure how they were supposed to answer that.

-What are we supposed to say at a time like this?

-Let’s just pretend we didn’t hear it…

“So, Lord Wardanaz. What brings you here? I thought you were resting.”

Siana, grinding insect husks into powder in a mortar, asked in puzzlement. Yonair answered for her.

“Isn’t he here to study what he missed in class?”

“Lord Meikin, don’t be ridiculous. It hasn’t even been that long since he got kidnapped.”

“……”

Lee Han hesitated, unable to answer. Siana hurriedly corrected herself.

“But to become a true mage, one must never let go of study, even in the very moment of being kidnapped… My apologies.”

“It’s fine. Priestess Siana. You can speak comfortably.”

“Then why don’t you just go back and rest?”

Lee Han immediately regretted not telling her to speak a little less comfortably, then asked,

“I’ll go back once I hear the content. What did you do this week?”

“We studied the reagents first before starting complex alchemy.”

“I see…”

Lee Han focused on the two model students’ words and took up his quill.

The quality of an alchemical product depended not only on the skill of the mage making it, but also heavily on the quality of the reagents. It was only natural to examine the various ingredients first and study them in advance.

Fortunately, this one is orthodox. Lectures are supposed to be like this.

If someone ever asked him to evaluate Einroguard’s lectures, Lee Han felt he would rate Professor Thunderwalk highly.

A lecture that involved stealing and examining a professor’s finished work, like a certain school’s class, was not a good lecture.

“Would you like to see my notes?”

“Thank you, Priestess Siana.”

<List of Reagents Needed for the Year and Methods of Collection>

-Snow Pine Blossom

-Sleepwort

-Einroguard lava

-mountain-ring mushrooms, mistcloud mushrooms

-dwarf willow

-a mage’s tears (must have lived over one hundred years)

…

…

The methods of collection are as follows…

-mountain-ring mushrooms and mistcloud mushrooms can be found in the mushroom cultivation fields on the seventh floor. The upperclassmen have occupied the area, so steal them quietly.

-Einroguard lava should be stolen from the Death Knights.

-Snow Pine Blossoms can be gathered in the glacial zone of the territory or in the Frozen Hell section between the seventh and eighth floors of the main building…

-If that seems too difficult, steal them from upperclassmen.

“…Priestess Siana. Did you happen to join the <Teleportation> Club?”

“What kind of club is that? A spatial-movement magic club?”

Siana tilted her head at the unusual name.

People said there were all kinds of clubs, but apparently there really were some very strange ones.

“No. Never mind. It’s just that these collection methods seem a little… biased. Who recommended them?”

Lee Han asked cautiously, wondering whether Ratford had suggested them.

“Lee Han. The professor recommended them.”

“Professor Thunderwalk did.”

“……”

Lee Han quietly revoked the high opinion he had just held of Professor Thunderwalk.

This professor did not deserve a favorable evaluation as an instructor of alchemy.

“Was there no other method besides stealing?”

“The professor did say we could trade for them if possible, but since the prices are all pretty steep, the professor said it would be better to learn how to steal them.”

“…I see.”

Lee Han wrote the collection methods down for now.

If nothing else worked, that might end up being the last resort.

CRASH!

A violent noise rang out from the inner workshop, and Lee Han flinched.

There had been so many attacks and fights lately that he could not relax his guard.

-You ███ bastard!

-Curse you, ████!

-You’re going to █████…

It came so fast and so viciously that he could not make out the exact words, but someone was definitely fighting.

Lee Han could not imagine who would dare attack Professor Thunderwalk inside the workshop, so he asked,

“Who in the world is attacking the professor inside the workshop?”

“Hm?”

Yonair looked at his friend in confusion.

He had assumed Lee Han would obviously know.

“It’s Professor Bendozol, Lee Han. The professor’s helping with Professor Thunderwalk’s work in your place. Didn’t you know?”

“……”

Before Lee Han could answer, Professor Thunderwalk burst out from inside amid a stream of curses.

“Get out!”

-You get out!

“That mad barbarian’s going to make my beard fall out from stress! You lot, just leave your things and go today if you can! Even if it ruins my work for the day, I’m throwing that beast into the cauldron!”

“If it’s all right with you, I’d love to stay and watch!”

While Siana answered eagerly, clearly looking forward to spectating a fight between professors, Professor Thunderwalk finally noticed Lee Han.

Lee Han, with a guilty conscience, flinched.

Damn it. I should’ve run first.

But instead of attacking him, Professor Thunderwalk cried out with tears glistening in the eyes.

“What exactly did I ever do to you that you sent Professor Bendozol to me instead? Huh??”

The professor had been deeply wounded by the disciple he had trusted, after that disciple had apparently sent Professor Bendozol over.

Granted, watching over the hut was an annoying chore, but even so, sending Professor Bendozol to do it in his place was far too cruel.

“I didn’t send the professor, Professor! What power do I have to control a professor like that?”

Though there did seem to be a few professors he could control…

Yonair kept that thought to himself.

“Professor Bendozol just moved on his own. I truly wanted to work.”

“Really?! That lunatic barbarian bastard…!”

Professor Thunderwalk charged back inside.

Lee Han quietly exchanged a look with Yonair, then slipped out of the workshop.

“Priestess Siana. Hurry and come out.”

“Couldn’t we stay just a little longer and watch?”

*****

Despite Professor Thunderwalk’s teachings, Lee Han did not immediately follow them.

Was it not a bit too extreme to start with theft before even trying negotiation?

So this is the mushroom field?

A field far south of the student village on the seventh floor.

Judging from the sign that read “Mushroom Cultivation in Progress” and “Do Not Steal,” this seemed to be the place.

Mushroom Cultivation in Progress

Do Not Steal

“……”

Pretending not to notice that some of the lettering had been scratched away, Lee Han looked around for the owner who managed the field.

As it happened, he saw an upperclassman practicing magic on a nearby rock.

“Good day, Senior. Would you happen to be the owner of this field?”

“Mm. I am. What is it?”

The upperclassman looked at Lee Han with a guarded gaze.

“I’d like to buy a few mushrooms…”

“Really?!”

The upperclassman leaped in delight, dignity forgotten. That was how happy the offer was.

“You really came here to buy them?! Not to steal them?!”

“…Yes. Um, are the mushrooms very expensive?”

“They’re not that expensive. One Imperial gold for three baskets.”

“!”

Drawing on the same strength of mind he had possessed when he first learned a fifth-circle spell, Lee Han barely managed to keep the groan from escaping.

That isn’t expensive by Einroguard standards. That isn’t expensive by Einroguard standards. That isn’t expensive by Einroguard standards…

Clenching his teeth, he asked,

“At that price… I think… I can… pay… it…”

“Wait here. I’ll pick out the best ones for you.”

“Senior. Then who are those people?”

While they were talking, a few upperclassmen nearby the field had been glaring at Lee Han.

The senior waved it off as if it were nothing.

“Oh, them? They’re lunatics who’ve convinced themselves they own the field. Ignore them.”

“…Then do I have to pay them too, by any chance?”

“No, no. Just pay me. If they tell you to pay them, ignore them.”

“……”

“No! Don’t go!”

As Lee Han slowly began stepping backward to widen the distance, the senior cried out in sorrow, trying to stop him from leaving at any cost.