Surviving as a Mage in a Magic Academy

After dusting the soot off his collar, Lee Han started checking again.

No matter how he looked at it, there had to have been some extra provocation involved.

“Professor. Do you see this staff? Actually, this staff…”

Lee Han briefly explained the circumstances surrounding the staff — namely, that Princess Yukbeltire had been the one to propose the idea in the first place and had wanted to make it herself.

After hearing the whole story, Professor Verdus tilted his head in confusion.

“That’s strange.”

“What is?”

“Professor Garcia forced me to make the staff. I even told her Yukbeltire wanted to do it, but she wouldn’t listen.”

“…”

-It looks like Princess Yukbeltire wanted to handle this herself.

-I told you not to fool around, didn’t I?

-Ack! Aack! I-I’m not fooling around!

-What do you mean Princess Yukbeltire wanted to do it? You don’t even know what your own disciple wants, Professor?

-That’s true, but this time Yukbeltire really did want to— Ack! Aaaack!

Since he had witnessed it himself, Lee Han could vividly remember the exchange. His expression stiffened.

Completely unaware of his disciple’s thoughts, Professor Verdus continued talking.

“Then this is Garcia’s fault? I should tell Yukbeltire!”

“What are you talking about? I don’t remember anything like that.”

“Huh?”

“I don’t remember anything like that happening. Did Professor Garcia really say those things?”

“Huh? Huh huh?”

Professor Verdus looked flustered.

“She did! Right here! She even snapped my collarbone while saying it!”

“Professor Garcia is the sort of person who couldn’t even kill a bug. There’s no way she’d threaten someone like that. Since she’s rather large, you probably imagined the body language yourself while listening, Professor.”

Professor Bendozol, who had been listening nearby, also sided with Lee Han.

“I don’t know about other matters, but Professor Kim definitely isn’t the kind of person who makes threats. If she were, she wouldn’t bother running errands for you in the first place. She’d just smash your skull immediately.”

“She really did! I’m telling you, she really did!”

“Professor. That isn’t the important part right now. The important thing is that Senior Yukbeltire is angry.”

Lee Han swiftly changed the subject. Professor Verdus obediently nodded.

“Right. That’s true.”

“We need to resolve this first.”

“Should I go lecture her again about acting irrationally?”

“…Please absolutely do not do that. Just apologize.”

“You think something that trivial will solve it? I doubt it.”

-Wouldn’t it be better to simply hand it over?

Unable to keep watching, the demons cautiously offered advice.

***

“Sen—”

Bang!

“—ior—”

Bang!

“—!”

Bang!

Lee Han called out to Yukbeltire one syllable at a time while blocking and dodging incoming attacks.

Only after noticing his face did Yukbeltire pause and narrow her eyes suspiciously. The upperclassmen around her whispered among themselves.

-Isn’t that Professor Verdus disguised as a student?

-No. The Professor doesn’t have the observational ability necessary to disguise himself as someone else.

After confirming that it really was a junior, Yukbeltire asked coldly,

“What is it? Why are you here?”

“There seems to have been a misunderstanding, so I came to explain.”

Lee Han hurriedly spoke before the attacks resumed.

Professor Verdus had recovered the artifact, and he was planning to personally visit Professor Paserlet to apologize—

“And he also wanted to apologize to you upperclassmen!”

“It’s a scheme.”

“It’s obviously a trap.”

“Hasn’t Wardanaz been deceived?”

The upperclassmen remained ice-cold.

Professor Verdus was someone who could cast thousands upon thousands of spells, yet had absolutely no idea how to apologize.

Hurry!

Jowrin smacked Professor Verdus across the back with her forepaw. She was worried the enraged students might attack Lee Han.

“I’ll apologize!”

“!”

When Professor Verdus suddenly poked his head out from the attic entrance and shouted after being shoved forward, the students recoiled in shock.

“As a professor, I failed to properly support all of you!”

“Has he finally lost his mind??”

Ignoring their shock, Professor Verdus began reciting the apology he had only just memorized.

At first, the students listened with folded arms and expressions that said, Let’s hear this nonsense first.

But as the apology continued, their expressions gradually began to waver.

After all, apologies were most effective when delivered by someone who never apologized under any circumstances.

Professor Verdus’s apology was so devastatingly effective that even the cold-hearted students of the divination magic school started softening.

“Hmm…”

“Hmm…”

The upperclassmen’s stern expressions were visibly loosening, so Lee Han quickly pressed the advantage.

“Hurry and apologize to Senior Yukbeltire too.”

“Got it! What was I supposed to apologize for again?”

“…The staff.”

Watching someone who could remember every single nail in his airship forget an apology shorter than a page made Lee Han want to hit him.

“Yukbeltire, I’m sorry! I apologize! I made the staff you were supposed to make!”

“!”

Yukbeltire’s eyes widened slightly at the completely unexpected apology.

The students behind her immediately started whispering.

-He ignores us whenever we ask for help, but he made something Senior Yukbeltire was working on instead?

-Obviously. He probably thought it looked interesting.

-Shouldn’t we just subdue him now and hand him over to Professor Kraer?

Sensing the atmosphere turning dangerous again, Lee Han quickly jabbed Professor Verdus in the back once more.

Like a golem receiving orders, Professor Verdus obediently continued.

“I’m truly sorry!”

“…I don’t know what you’re talking about. I don’t care about that at all.”

At those words, /N_o_v_e_l_i_g_h_t/ Professor Verdus turned to Lee Han indignantly.

“See? She says she doesn’t care!”

“Please shut up and keep apologizing.”

“…I’m sorry! Th-that is… I couldn’t help it because I’m more talented than you!”

“???”

Lee Han was horrified.

Because Lee Han had kept pressuring him, Professor Verdus’s apology had apparently malfunctioned and veered into insanity.

Since he had never once apologized properly in his life, perhaps this outcome had been inevitable.

Having exhausted the phrases he memorized earlier, Professor Verdus was now improvising on his own.

“Professor!”

Lee Han tried to stop him in alarm, but Professor Verdus misunderstood and continued speaking enthusiastically.

“You can just leave it to me next time! Uh… work hard on your magic until then!”

“…”

Yukbeltire’s already frigid gaze became cold enough to rival the Frost Giant dimension itself.

Behind them, Jowrin and Eandurde whispered quietly.

“…Shouldn’t we push him back down there right now?”

“I think so too.”

***

Surprisingly enough, Yukbeltire accepted the apology.

She herself had no desire to become overly emotional over the stolen-staff incident.

“I’m not the sort of person who behaves emotionally. You understand that, right?”

“…Yes…”

Lee Han nodded while glancing at the upperclassmen and siege weapons gathered behind her.

Things already looked excessive enough as they were. If he pointed that out, he feared the siege weapons might suddenly be aimed at him instead.

“Still, thank you for accepting the apology.”

“You’re a junior from House Wardanaz, Diret’s close junior, and you also agreed to assist with research during vacation.”

Professor Verdus, who had been listening nearby, looked puzzled.

“Huh? If that’s the case, then my research would be even more—”

“Please be quiet.”

Professor Bendozol dragged Professor Verdus away and tossed him behind the group. Apparently, he still didn’t trust him not to vanish again before the artifact was safely returned to Professor Paserlet.

Amazing. When those two are standing together, Professor Bendozol actually feels relatively normal.

Lee Han silently named this phenomenon the Professor Madness Conservation Hypothesis.

Following the Inverse Proportion Between Beastman Personality and Cuteness Hypothesis, it seemed he had discovered yet another great theory.

Resolving to someday submit a proper paper to the Einroguard alumni association, Lee Han quickly followed the group onward.

Jowrin tilted her head in confusion.

Lee Han. Jowrin has a question.

“Please speak, Your Majesty.”

If Professor Verdus just needs to return the artifact to Professor Kraer, couldn’t he simply go do that himself…?

She genuinely couldn’t understand why the entire group needed to escort him there.

“There are several reasons.”

Ah! Jowrin understands! Because some students still might not know the bounty on Professor Verdus has been lifted!

Jowrin exclaimed proudly, delighted to feel like Detective Toberiz.

Technically, it hasn’t actually been lifted yet.

“That’s right, Your Majesty. But there’s another reason too.”

What is it?

“Professor Verdus might take the artifact and disappear again halfway there.”

Jowrin burst into cheerful laughter at the amusing joke.

The rest of the group, however, remained completely serious.

Even the demons looked serious.

…That wasn’t a joke?

“Yes.”

…

Jowrin stared at Professor Verdus with visible disgust.

***

Professor Paserlet of House Kraer was a banshee half-blood with multiple personalities.

Unfortunately, the current personality happened to be the foulest-tempered one.

Which was perfectly understandable, considering a certain professor had failed to bring the promised artifact and instead made excuses like Someone stole it! — excuses so pathetic that even Einroguard students would have been embarrassed to use them.

“Verdus! Don’t think your life is protected just because the Principal isn’t here right now!”

“…Professor Kraer is really furious.”

“No wonder today’s divination felt ominous!”

The divination magic students immediately lowered their heads and hurried out of the workshop.

Professor Paserlet was normally kind despite her eccentricities, but when one of her enraged personalities surfaced like this, survival demanded immediate retreat.

“Uh… Professor…”

“Who is i—”

Professor Paserlet stopped mid-shout.

The group standing there was completely unexpected.

Not just Professor Verdus, but also Professor Bendozol, demon servants, a dragon, and even students…?!

Suppressing her anger slightly, Professor Paserlet asked,

“What is all this?”

“Professor. Professor Verdus recovered the artifact he lost.”

“…It was actually lost?”

Professor Paserlet asked suspiciously.

Jowrin wagged her tail energetically.

It’s true! Jowrin guarantees it!

“Your Majesty. I trust Your Majesty’s testimony. But Professor Verdus is another matter entirely. Do you know what excuse he gave last year when he failed to bring the divination counting rods I asked for? He said, ‘Why are you angry? I’m making better ones.’”

B-but this time is a little different…

“And the year before that, when I asked him to properly prepare a turtle shell, he claimed he used it himself and no longer had it. Even the Principal had to step in and claim it was lost. And before that…”

Completely crushed by facts, Jowrin lowered her tail and hid behind Lee Han.

Due to the size difference, it wasn’t especially effective.

“…Still, Professor. This time he really did come here properly.”

“Hmph.”

Professor Paserlet was still angry, but she softened somewhat once Lee Han stepped in.

Professor Verdus was at fault, but what fault did his disciple bear?

Especially when that disciple was arguably the most pitiful student in all of Einroguard.

“Fine. I’ll remove the bounty. Still… it’s very well made.”

“If I’d had a bit more time, I could’ve added user-protection functions too.”

“Then why didn’t you do that from the beginning?!”

Professor Paserlet’s furious rebuke slammed into Professor Verdus’s ears hard enough to make him stagger.

Lee Han suddenly realized something.

So I suffered through all that because he forgot to add safety functions…

Thinking about it now, if Professor Verdus had prioritized proper safety magic instead of obsessing over pointless extra functions, none of this would have happened.

The realization made fresh anger surge up inside him.

While examining the 《Star Guide》 from every angle, Professor Paserlet suddenly remembered something and looked toward Lee Han.

“You didn’t use it recklessly, did you?”

“Uh…”

“Well, even you, Wardanaz, probably wouldn’t have been able to use this properly yet. I’ll teach you how to use it during midterms, so don’t get impatient. You can look forward to it. Finding stars is quite enjoyable.”

“I’m also looking forward to the contract.”

“…I’m not making any contract, though? What are you talking about?”