Surviving as a Mage in a Magic Academy Chapter 1030

Chapter 1030

"But you said you don't get angry..."

"Surprisingly, even the happiest person in the empire can get angry. Only something done by the most evil mage in the empire could make that possible."

The Great Artist pushed aside the shattered black jasper flower and spoke nonchalantly.

"Then you must be Yi-Han of the Wardanaz family. Am I right?"

"Yes."

There was no point in making clumsy lies to a great mage who had already guessed everything.

Yi-Han answered calmly.

"The youngest of the Wardanaz family and a 2nd year at Einroguard."

"Yes."

-2nd year?-

-Wasn't he 5th year?-

Whispers came from behind, but Yi-Han was too focused on the other to hear.

"The sacrificial lamb who will bear the most tragic and pitiful fate in the empire. A mage for burnt offering. A poor soul who will soon burn!"

"...Th-that's not quite right."

The other seemed to be mistaken.

However, the Great Artist spoke with a powerful voice as if having seen the future.

"You may think not. But it will soon be so. If you don't flee immediately!"

"That can't be... Ah. Or can it?"

Yi-Han, about to deny it, wavered slightly.

Come to think of it, unlike other friends, he felt his life had become particularly full of difficulties since separately learning magic from the skull principal.

Seeing the skull principal's youngest disciple seemed more reasonable than expected, the Great Artist nodded.

There was still hope for that boy.

Before he went mad, or became corrupted and turned into a professor, or became something even more terrible, they needed to guide him and bring him to the bright path where light shone down.

"I have quite a bit to teach you. Follow me."

At the artist's words, the Petroguard students spoke with expressions full of envy.

"Such fortune! To have a private audience with the Great Artist and learn their truth right after arriving..."

"You should be grateful, mage from the Wardanaz family. Remember well. Listen to what your soul tells you. Don't waver at what your family demands of you. Even if they try to force work on you for the sake of imperial face, ignore it."

'Damn. If this were Einroguard I would have beaten them.'

Yi-Han cursed the Petroguard students inwardly while following the Great Artist.

  *

The Great Artist's quarters were smaller than expected and even gave off a somewhat frugal atmosphere in some ways.

Seeing Yi-Han seemed surprised, the artist asked.

"Did you expect it to be much more luxurious?"

"A little bit."

"Though I pursue my own pleasure and happiness alone, that doesn't necessarily connect to luxury. That might rather be the path away from it."

Looking around the bare interior, Yi-Han discovered several paintings. Among them, surprisingly, was a familiar figure.

Long flowing hair and perfect features like those seen on ancient kingdom statues.

It was a portrait of the skull principal in human form.

"May I ask something?"

"Go ahead. I brought you here to teach after all, how could I not take one question?"

"Were you indeed the principal's disciple?"

"No."

"!"

Yi-Han was shocked.

Could they be a magic criminal???

'Oh no. How could I act so carelessly...!'

"I was merely a pitiful Einroguard student deceived by that vile and evil one."

"..."

They were definitely a disciple!

The other seemed to have a habit of speaking roundabout to say they were the skull principal's disciple. It was similar to how Gainando would speak roundabout instead of directly saying 'I played instead of studying'.

"But why do you suddenly ask that? Didn't you come knowing?"

"Ah. Seeing that portrait made me think..."

Yi-Han was about to ask if they painted it because some respect remained but paused.

He might needlessly provoke the other.

"I paint them occasionally."

"Is that so??"

"Yes. For my pleasure."

Since it came up, the Great Artist showed how they pursued pleasure through painting.

Whoosh!

They immediately burned the portrait.

"When I see a burning painting, even intense hatred becomes somewhat faint."

"..."

Yi-Han was sincerely grateful he hadn't asked about respect.

If he had asked, he might be burning along with that painting.

"Sit. I have something to tell you."

As the junior from Einroguard sat obediently, the Great Artist slowly opened their mouth.

"Where should I begin the story... Ah yes, it may not hit home yet. The story that your fate is unfortunate and you will soon be offered as a burnt sacrifice."

"Actually I can somewhat guess that."

"?!"

Just studying magic under the skull principal, a second doppelganger might appear, or a magic criminal might appear, or anti-magic extremists might appear and involve him in fights.

As such, he could guess what this school senior meant by such words.

Of course, the Great Artist seemed slightly surprised at Yi-Han's response.

They couldn't help but be surprised at such a response from a mere 2nd year student.

"You can guess? No! The possibility that you're mistaken is much higher!"

"Uh, you mean fighting magic criminals, anti-magic extremists, evil god worshippers, great demons, realm monsters... or the principal's doppelganger?"

"...!!"

At the much more specific and sharp answer than expected, the Great Artist was even more surprised.

What?

"You know that and still aren't thinking of running away?"

"Well there's quite a story behind that..."

"Wrong! You still haven't come to your senses."

The Great Artist cut Yi-Han off without even listening.

Yi-Han grumbled inwardly.

'Isn't this senior going a bit too far?'

"Do you know who the wisest person at Einroguard is?"

"Professor Garcia?"

"Ha!"

The artist substituted evaluation with contemptuous words. Yi-Han grumbled inwardly again and said.

"Then Senior Direth?"

"...Who is that? Since you don't know the answer, I'll tell you. The wisest person at Einroguard is the one who never enrolled in the first place."

"..."

Yi-Han was dumbfounded at the unfair question.

Regardless, the artist continued their words.

"The next wisest person is one who enrolled but graduated as quickly as possible and never got involved with Einroguard again."

"Who is the next wisest person?"

"From there on, they honestly can't be called wise. It would be right to call them foolish. The foolish ones are those who seek teachings from the skull principal and receive even a bit of his magic."

'Even though you received it too...'

"However, one can find fragments of wisdom even among the foolish. The less foolish ones choose to cut the chains of slavery and flee far away."

"...Wait, then are professors the most foolish?"

Listening while counting, now only professors remained.

"No. Listen to the end. Though professors are indeed more foolish. Some, instead of fleeing, remain at Einroguard and take on the yoke of professorship themselves. It's an incredibly foolish thing. But there are even more foolish ones than this, those who could be called the most foolish."

If you keep hearing nonsense repeatedly, you naturally start getting curious.

That was exactly Yi-Han's case.

'Are there still people left?'

If even professors weren't the most foolish, then who?

"Who could that be?"

"It's one who dares to try inheriting all duties and tasks, beyond just receiving the skull principal's magic!"

The Great Artist spoke with sincerity.

The duties and tasks this great mage had carried down from ancient times were by no means light.

Even if an ordinary mage inherited just a tiny portion of these, they would be crushed or burned to death unable to endure.

However, occasionally there were disciples among those who learned magic from the skull principal who revealed such ambitions.

Such ones could be called the most foolish and pitiful ones.

"Indeed! That's a relief. I don't fall into that category."

"..."

Are you in your right mind?

For a moment the Great Artist couldn't understand what Yi-Han was saying and doubted their ears.

Anyone who knew even a little about the long history of the skull principal's school could see that this boy before them was calmly walking the path of the very last case.

Even though just a 2nd year, he had already built up achievements glorious enough to reach the artist's ears, so how many more things must have happened within the closed Einroguard?

If a disciple like this didn't challenge for succession, then who would?

"You're saying you have no intention of inheriting?"

"Pardon? Yes."

"Really? Then..."

Though they still couldn't really believe it, the Great Artist felt somewhat relieved.

If this youngest disciple truly had no intention of inheriting, persuasion would be easier.

He just needed to stay as far from Einroguard as possible after graduation, and burn any letters asking if he wanted to become a professor.

However, the artist's relief was immediately shattered. It was because of what Yi-Han said next.

"I was just thinking of helping a bit from the side..."

Crash!

"!?"

The Great Artist, extremely enraged, destroyed another work.

"Such naive words!"

"N-no. Just helping..."

"You talk about helping from the side when even keeping distance wouldn't be enough? You haven't understood the teachings I just conveyed at all!"

Though hidden by mask and magic, anger could be felt blazing in the artist's voice.

"Do you know what that means? It means sacrificing yourself for unknown people of this continent instead of the pleasure and happiness you want for life. No matter how it's wrapped in magic's mysterious arcane knowledge, it's absurd. Why should you make such sacrifices?"

"It's not quite that..."

"There is only being beside him or not. Nothing else! You don't understand. Look at those foolish traitor brats."

"Who?"

"The professors."

"..."

"Do you think these professors can research just their own magic even if they want to? As long as you're beside him, you're bound to get involved!"

The Great Artist had not just logic but firm sincerity.

Yi-Han couldn't help but be overwhelmed by that sincerity.

'There certainly are some plausible points.'

Given the nature of the skull principal's work, it was likely difficult to just help moderately from the side.

How could there be a way to help leisurely when demons were pouring out of realm gates opening in the back mountains? You'd have to help desperately.

"Do you understand!"

"Yes..."

"Then you won't make such naive statements anymore. Do you feel like running away after graduation?"

"No?"

"...Why???"

"Well, I've already received things... so I'll just help prepared for more hardship."

"..."

The Great Artist felt their mind going blank even amid their angry worry for the youngest.

Though there had been many disciples under the skull principal who tried to burn their master or themselves or the continent, this was the first of this type.

How could someone reveal such grand ambitions without any personal ambition?