Surviving as a Mage in a Magic Academy

With the exception of students from certain schools who treated magic as little more than a hobby, mages were fundamentally beings who pursued truth.

The path of magic was already difficult enough when following one’s own discipline toward its ultimate conclusion. Few people could endure that road for long with the casual mindset of a hobbyist.

This dimension was one of the mightiest among countless worlds.

The universal truth that existed at its summit would likely be no different from truth itself.

…Of course, people like Lee Han — who had picked up a staff for wealth, glory, and a comfortable life — were a bit of an exception.

“It’s not that my soul is damaged. It just looks incredibly dangerous. Besides, there’s no guarantee that everything people desire is really up there.”

“That’s true.”

To Lee Han’s surprise, Yachaowang accepted the criticism without resistance.

For ages, the shining point at the peak of the dimension had been called everything itself, the embodiment of desire.

But no one had ever proven it.

In the first place, almost no one who attempted the climb ever returned alive. Even Yachaowang knew of no confirmed example besides Osyu.

“Still, ordinary mages don’t think as calmly as you do. Every mage besides you immediately revealed their desires the moment they heard the rumor.”

“I must have received an excellent education. Greed is improper no matter where you are.”

“Hmm. So Osyu learned from his earlier failure? When he came here, he practically begged with tears in his eyes.”

“I would very much like to hear that story in detail.”

Lee Han answered instantly.

The Skeleton Principal’s embarrassing past was infinitely more interesting than the glowing point above.

“It isn’t a particularly important story.”

No it isn’t!

Lee Han was furious at the blatant refusal to discuss the important matter before returning to the irrelevant topic.

What would a yacha know about proper human priorities?

“Your master Osyu came to this dimension after hearing the rumor of truth. I respected both his magic and the good karma he possessed, so I helped him as much as I could. He remained in my kingdom for some time while recovering and investigating the matter… then departed. According to later rumors, he wandered the dimension for quite a long time afterward.”

“Did Master actually reach the summit?”

“Hm.”

For once, Yachaowang looked uncertain.

“In truth, I never met Osyu again after that. I merely assumed it was him after hearing rumors that a human mage had obtained what he sought and left this place. So I cannot say for certain. However, the fact that he survived and even raised a disciple like you could itself be proof that he succeeded, no?”

“Couldn’t he have simply given up halfway through and spread false rumors afterward?”

“Hm. The theory I mentioned earlier about Osyu’s personality changing is becoming slightly less convincing because of your emotional hostility toward him.”

“…”

Lee Han was speechless.

“But your argument is possible. Such a thing could happen.”

Even while saying so, Yachaowang clearly seemed convinced that the Skeleton Principal had reached the summit and obtained what he desired.

Nor did he appear interested in concealing his thoughts.

“Osyu was the sort of mage who would continue pursuing what he wanted even if his body and soul were shattered in the process.”

“That part is definitely true.”

“Hmm. Are you forcing yourself to praise your master because I criticized your irrational resentment earlier?”

“…No.”

“Now then. We’ve arrived.”

Yachaowang reached into the distant heavens and seized one of the planets drifting through the sky.

Lee Han’s eyes widened at the utterly surreal sight that ignored all sense of perspective.

The moment Yachaowang dragged the planet closer and tossed it aside, it transformed into a royal palace.

Then Yachaowang split apart into dozens of Yachaowangs.

The dozens became hundreds.

Those copies in turn transformed into gatekeepers, servants, attendants, and musicians.

“You’re the king of the yachas, so where are the other yachas?”

“Below. Only rulers insecure {N•o•v•e•l•i•g•h•t} in their own authority would force subordinates to remain nearby despite being perfectly capable of managing a palace alone.”

Lee Han almost said, The Skeleton Principal also employs Death Knights in bulk, but wisely held his tongue.

At this point, anything he said would probably just make him look like a resentful disciple.

Yachaowang first offered Lee Han a chair made of lava, then one made entirely of blades.

Only after Lee Han rejected both did Yachaowang finally produce an ordinary chair.

“As I said, humans rarely visit this place. My memory of what sort of chairs humans use has become vague.”

“…Are there really races that enjoy sitting on blade chairs?”

“Osyu sat there.”

“…”

After giving Lee Han enough time to process that horrifying information, Yachaowang finally returned to the main topic.

“Now then, disciple of Osyu. I am somewhat puzzled. You entered this dimension with proper qualifications. You possess immense good karma. And you are Osyu’s disciple. Naturally, I assumed you had come seeking the same thing he did, so I came personally to aid you. But if Osyu did not send you here, and you yourself did not come seeking the rumored truth…”

Yachaowang muttered to himself thoughtfully.

He had lived so long that even he no longer remembered the passage of time.

And throughout all those years, his principles had remained simple.

Aid those with qualifications.

Expel those without.

Never had he imagined a mage would arrive here without any grand desire at all.

“I didn’t come out of boredom. I was kidnapped.”

“Hm. If you are Osyu’s disciple, shouldn’t you have been able to resist being dragged in by a dimensional gate?”

“…That black book tricked me!”

Lee Han pointed furiously at the black book hovering nearby.

The black book quietly slipped behind him to avoid his glare.

“More importantly, if this situation troubles you so much, couldn’t you simply send me back?”

Since he had been dragged here against his will, Lee Han had no reason to remain in this dimension.

Everything he had heard suggested this place was vast, dangerous, and increasingly troublesome the longer one stayed.

The black book fluttered indignantly, insisting he should learn something useful while he was already here, but Lee Han ignored it.

By that logic, I’d have to immediately tour the dimensions of the Ghoul King and the Frost Giant King too.

“No. That won’t do.”

“…Why not?! Is returning impossible?”

“Hm. It is not impossible. The gate leading back to your original dimension can easily be found. However, I am a principled ruler. I cannot allow a guest who arrived with qualifications to leave without obtaining what they desire.”

“…I already stated that what I desire is to return home.”

“Returning home is already guaranteed by the qualifications that allowed you to enter this place. Therefore, it cannot count as a wish.”

Thank heavens this person never became a professor.

Lee Han felt a headache coming on.

If the Skeleton Principal had recruited Yachaowang back then, Einroguard would somehow have become even worse.

“It can’t be helped, disciple of Osyu. Then let us uncover your true wish.”

“I want treasure. Let’s go with treasure.”

“Hm. You are a poor liar. Such deception won’t work on me once I know you are Osyu’s disciple.”

Lee Han’s fist clenched tightly.

The black book fluttered nervously as though trying to calm him down.

Just as before, Yachaowang reached toward a distant palace tower and seized it.

The enormous tower shrank small enough to fit into his palm.

A black rat emerged from inside and began squeaking quietly into Yachaowang’s ear.

“Hm. Hm… I see.”

After sending both the rat and tower away again, Yachaowang looked back at Lee Han.

“Disciple of Osyu. It appears you will soon be taking an examination. Is it very important?”

“…It’s just a school exam…”

***

The explanation took another thirty minutes.

Yachaowang simply could not understand why a mage of Osyu’s disciple’s caliber would devote such serious attention to mere academy examinations.

“It’s not as though failing means decapitation. Nor are magic towers burned down over poor grades.”

“I might get sent to the punishment cells.”

“Hm. Then I truly do not understand why you voluntarily became Osyu’s disciple.”

“I didn’t volunteer!”

“In any case, I understand now. I shall assist you with your examinations.”

Yachaowang lowered his enormous body before the table.

Books immediately began sprouting across its surface — a table nearly as massive as its owner.

Some were written in languages from dimensions Lee Han couldn’t even recognize.

“Let us see… <Wand Materials and Magical Amplification>. Hm. Where did I place the blood silver extracted from melting down that regicide eight hundred years ago? The evil energy should be somewhat intense, but Osyu’s disciple ought to control it easily enough.”

“No.”

Lee Han answered immediately.

Past experience with Einroguard’s professors had taught him one absolute truth:

Pretending confidence in situations like this could get him killed.

Yachaowang frowned slightly, as though reproaching him for needless humility.

“Disciple of Osyu. Naturally, bloodstone is an exceptionally dangerous material. It has driven dozens of masters insane. But if you are truly Osyu’s disciple…”

“I already have a staff.”

“Black obsidian?”

The unusual material immediately caught Yachaowang’s attention.

Ordinary mages rarely chose such metal for their staffs.

“Yes. It just turned out that way…”

“I see. A staff specialized for dealing with mages. Truly fitting for Osyu’s disciple.”

“…”

At this point, Lee Han was too exhausted to continue correcting misunderstandings.

“I understand. Then the next examination… <Terribly Beautiful Creatures>?”

“That one was cancelled.”

“Hm. If such a trivial examination can simply be skipped, why are you so anxious about the others?”

“There are just too many exams.”

“Well. Whether there is one substandard examination or ten, the difference seems negligible. Perhaps…”

“?”

“…you simply possess an excessively anxious personality. Interesting.”

“…Let’s move on to the next one.”

“Next is <Poison, Bone, Blood>.”

“That one was cancelled too.”

“Hm.”

The other person is a king. The other person is a king.

Lee Han repeated the mantra internally while enduring Yachaowang’s deeply knowing expression.

“<Divination Spells Perfect for Going Mad>… demons are useful for that.”

“By any chance, does Your Majesty also capture demons and use them as slaves?”

“No. I do no such thing. As ruler of the yachas and many other races, such behavior would be beneath me.”

“Haha. Of course.”

“But did you not just say ‘also,’ Your Majesty?”

“I’m emotional, irrational, a poor liar, and my soul is heavily damaged, so I occasionally misspeak.”

“…I feel as though your words contain hidden meaning.”

Yachaowang looked suspicious but ultimately let it pass.

More important matters remained.

“You said you were wondering about the examination involving the <Star Guide>.”

“Yes. Do you happen to know?”

“It is simple. If human mages are using stars, then the answer is obvious.”

Mages did not crudely force the world to change.

They manipulated it skillfully and intelligently.

Naturally, borrowing the power of outside beings was part of that process.

The power of spirits.

The power of demons.

The power of beings dwelling in other dimensions.

And among those powers was the power of stars.

A symbol of permanence far more stable than dimensions themselves.

Lee Han nodded. He already knew this much.

“I know that high-ranking mages sometimes use the power of stars…”

Using stellar power for divination magic.

Using stellar power in spirit contracts.

Those concepts were familiar to him already.

What he wanted to know was the actual content of the examination involving the <Star Guide>.

“As I said, it is obvious. The examination must involve using the artifact to locate a star, then forming a contract with it to borrow its power.”

“…Wait. Isn’t that far too difficult? Shouldn’t a third-year exam be easier than that?”

Lee Han abruptly became suspicious.

Stars were hardly beings one could contract with as casually as spirits or demons.

Yachaowang immediately rebuked him with solemn gravity.

“Disciple of Osyu. I have lived through countless ages beyond memory. I have met innumerable mages and heard the secrets of their magic. Yet you casually doubt my wisdom? Youthful arrogance may be natural, but you must also learn restraint.”

“Umm… sorry.”

The authority radiating from Yachaowang crushed the small doubt that had begun to form.

In the end, Lee Han found himself persuaded.