Surviving as a Mage in a Magic Academy Chapter 1033

Chapter 1033

The Great Artist showed serious concern at the school's youngest's statement.

It wasn't something that could be said in one's right mind.

Thinking of the enemies they had faced, perhaps their mind had been contaminated by madness without knowing...

"I really have met one."

Of course, Yi-Han felt very wronged.

It was because he had really met the young skull principal from the past realm using <Kairos's Scepter>.

When Yi-Han told about the young skull principal in human form he had met, the Great Artist retched.

"Urgh. Uurgh."

"...Ah, n-no. Are you really retching?"

"Does this look like fake retching to you? I felt my ears and soul being insulted and contaminated."

The Great Artist shuddered and snapped their fingers. Then the mucous membrane irritated by the reflux of stomach acid returned to normal.

"Whew."

After sighing, the Great Artist walked one lap around their quarters.

Then sighed again.

"Whew."

The Great Artist walked two laps around...

"...Can I leave?"

"Wait, just wait a moment."

The Great Artist stopped the youngest who was trying to leave and pleaded.

The artist's original plan was to gather hundreds of works depicting the skull principal.

Even borrowing the power of primitive magic based on artistic inspiration and unique worlds, breathing a soul into inanimate objects wasn't an easy task.

One work wasn't enough to raise that possibility and accuracy. Perhaps thousands or tens of thousands of works would be needed.

"If that's the plan, do you need my help?"

"If I create them alone, the limitations become even clearer."

And those works needed perspectives from others besides the artist.

The aspects of the skull principal that the artist thought of were inevitably limited.

Given their old hatred, they might be even more biased.

If the being they completed had only one strangely twisted aspect, it would be worse than not doing it at all.

"As diverse and detailed as possible. That's how to raise the completion."

"Indeed... Ah. If that's the case, should I call the professors?"

Yi-Han subtly brought up the professors outside who were on his mind.

Since they had all learned under the skull principal, they could bring out new aspects based on careful observation.

"I already collected everything from them before, no need to call them."

'Oh dear.'

The other wasn't a great mage for nothing.

If they needed anything from traitors who became the enemy's minions, they got it all before cutting contact.

"So I was going to hear your view of that madman... but I just can't believe it."

A skull principal who warmly welcomed and politely cared for disciples who flew from the far future realm.

The artist felt their whole body twisting and brain being destroyed at such a terrible possibility.

"But... but. But, but..."

'How many times are you going to say but?'

"...If that aspect is true, it would be greatly helpful for my work. What I want is a kind and righteous great mage of ancient times."

Finally recovering from shock, the artist bit their lip until it bled while steeling their resolve.

If Yi-Han's words were true, it would clearly be of great help to the artist's work.

After composing hundreds of aspects making up the skull principal, they needed to reinterpret them in a kind and righteous way, so if there was already a being close to completion...

...Though hard to believe, if there was, they shouldn't reject it.

"Then let's begin. So... you said you talked about magic school when you met the young skull principal?"

"Yes."

"What kind of magic school did he envision? A school of righteous mages governed by strict discipline?"

The Great Artist made their best effort to guess.

"Uh, no. He was thinking of a warm and loving place."

"...I see. Next..."

"Are you alright?"

"No need to worry."

However, the artist staggered. Yi-Han became slightly worried.

"What was the young skull principal doing there? Was he waging war to expand the kingdom's territory?"

"No. Rather, he was embarrassed about being royalty and hid it. He created a secret organization to eliminate suffering from the continent and went around helping unfortunate people..."

"Stop! Stop!"

The artist screamed in a shrill voice full of pain.

It was just unbelievable.

"To think that madman had such a time. Then why did I meet a tyrannical madman? If luck had favored me, I could have learned under a benevolent madman!"

"...I agree!"

Yi-Han answered without realizing.

The Great Artist, seemingly overcome with emotion, embraced Yi-Han and wailed.

"To think such an impossible past... such an impossible past existed...! Then why did other disciples have to suffer so much!"

"...Stay strong! Senior, you're doing something no one has achieved. You're resolving the grudges of all the disciples!"

The senior's painful and heartfelt emotions were directly conveyed to Yi-Han.

The artist was deeply moved by the school's youngest's sincere encouragement.

This comfort could only come from someone who shared the same hell.

"...Thank you. I won't forget this comfort. Even if you become a professor, I won't treat you as a traitor."

"..."

So they were originally planning to?

While Yi-Han was dumbfounded, the artist regained composure and continued questioning.

Certainly, hearing the youngest's experiences, countless inspirations came flooding like a tide.

And...

'How fascinating.'

The artist had a fresh thought of fascination.

There had been many disciples who learned magic under the skull principal and among them were those who revealed ambition, but they had never heard of someone who directly faced the skull principal's young days like this.

Was it possible because he was a mage walking the path of fate to inherit the tasks without any ambition?

"Why are you looking like that?"

"Nothing. I just had this thought. That you might really become the true heir and successor..."

"...What did I do wrong for you to say this?"

When the junior who had been enduring finally exploded and glared, the artist was bewildered.

This time they had really spoken without any intention.

  *

"Well done. After organizing what I heard today, it will be farewell to Petroguard too."

The Great Artist spoke while storing the works back in one place.

Though they didn't know how many works would come from what they heard today, they were confident it would bring much progress to their stalled work.

"Then is the magic complete?"

"It's not that easy. I don't know when it will be complete."

The artist smiled bitterly behind their mask.

The difficult part of magic was that they couldn't be certain even with such progress today.

"When it's completed someday, I'll send you a letter. Now, I can't not reward you as a senior for helping like this, right?"

"!"

Yi-Han was greatly moved by the senior's words.

Indeed, there was naturally a strong bond between those of the same school.

Of course there were exceptions like Einroguard's enchantment magic school but that was really an exception...

"I'll help you with magic."

"..."

Yi-Han became slightly dejected.

He had thought they would give an expensive work as a gift.

"You said you have talent in music magic?"

"Yes. But rather than talent, it's through mana's power..."

"That's the same thing."

The artist gestured as if telling their humble junior not to bother distinguishing that.

"You probably guess too, but music magic is also a path leading to command magic. But that madman wouldn't have taught carefully dividing things one by one, right?"

"How did you know?"

Yi-Han was startled.

Both the skull principal and his doppelganger had such high goals they whined about learning command magic right away.

The artist sighed faintly.

"Not surprising. From someone who throws you off a cliff and tells you to realize it yourself if you don't want to die... But as your senior, I want to teach you what I learned first. If you've learned music magic, start applying it to chants. Then the path to command magic will naturally open."

Yi-Han didn't understand immediately.

The artist's words were that abstruse, and the magic field they dealt with was that strange.

To begin with, not many mages were interested in music magic belonging to primitive magic...

"It's like this. Coveting light, placing in water, that water vanishes, only regret remains."

After that, the artist made no additional movements.

There wasn't even any reagent input, or the basic mana movement fundamental to magic.

However, several water doppelgangers appeared in the air. They were very high quality doppelgangers.

'How?!'

Though they didn't deny the role of chants, to implement magic with just chants while completely removing all other elements...

"Is it command magic?!"

"Indeed clever. But it's not command magic. Command magic is compressed much more completely... This can be seen as magic in between."

The Great Artist's chant just now contained rhythm.

They had amplified its power by applying methods of primitive magic using music to the chant.

Though not quite command magic, it was truly amazing power.

"I'll tell you in advance but it's not as convenient as commands. If you've used music magic, you'll know amplification is difficult with short chants. It's suitable for magic with somewhat longer chants."

This was a method especially suited for artifact craftsmen dealing with enchantment magic.

Such mages often used several magics consecutively so chant length could be extended indefinitely.

"But Senior, I can only cast a few music magics."

Yi-Han pointed out the worrying part.

Like most such primitive magic, it heavily depended on the caster's aptitude.

Yi-Han couldn't use songs that didn't match his sensibility well either, so he worried if he could apply this so broadly to chants.

The artist spoke as if telling him not to worry.

"No need to worry. There is arcane magic cast on this. Magic for music mages like you and me."

Arcane knowledge close to a small world that forcibly succeeded by fixing rhythm to chants.

Hearing those words, Yi-Han was greatly surprised. He hadn't noticed at all.

"Such magic exists?"

"Yes. I'll teach you that gradually too, but first try memorizing the chant."

After pondering, Yi-Han carefully chose a magic.

For magic with long chants and high difficulty requiring separate help...

"By Verduus's name, as I wave my staff..."

"Why that one? Ah, no. Continue."

Yi-Han brought out <Beavle's Flying Sword>, a 5th Circle complex enchantment magic he had practiced several times but failed.

It was magic he had to practice secretly because whenever he failed practicing out of curiosity in the professor's workshop, Professor Verduus would irritate him by saying "Is that difficult?"

'<Beavle's Flight Enchantment>, <Beavle's Penetration Enchantment>, <Beavle's Enemy Detection>...'

He couldn't disrupt their balance while quickly casting the required magics consecutively within the time limit.

Yi-Han put rhythm into the chant. His will to definitely complete it made the chant more intense.

Whoosh!

The sword placed on the floor sprang up as if moving alive on its own. He could tell without asking. It was a success.

"D-did I succeed?!"

"Yes."

"What arcane magic is it?"

Even while marveling, Yi-Han asked questions.

He couldn't understand what kind of magic could amplify the power of music magic like this.

Could it be a small world the Great Artist created themselves?

'If so, I want to learn it.'

"Actually nothing is cast on it."

"What?"

"I said nothing is cast on it. I just lied a bit because I thought you could do it."

"..."

Yi-Han felt he could understand why Professor Garcia didn't much like seniors.