Surviving as a Mage in a Magic Academy Chapter 1006

Chapter 1006

"No. What do you mean sending around letters like this? Making it widely known will only attract evil people around Her Highness."

"Since Jourin rarely goes out, that's fine. And it's not really 'widely' known."

The skull principal was already happy because of the debt erasure.

In that state, seeing his disciple jumping up and down made him feel even happier.

"Only family heads of houses of certain scale would have received the letter. And since imperial bureaucrats are bound by oaths of silence, it won't spread. Don't worry too much."

'What nonsense you're speaking.'

If noble family heads and bureaucrats knew, that was already enough to worry about.

At that point, it wouldn't be strange to hear 'Ah! Aren't you that mage who newly contracted with a dragon?' wherever Yi-Han went.

It was touching that even dragons without contracts would protect the contractor, but more than that...

'From now on, I must definitely use disguises and aliases when doing bad things.'

Feeling he would need to keep using the identity of Setlad Anog in the future, Yi-Han thought inwardly.

-Indeed. Did you calculate even that far, Master? That bureaucrats wouldn't dare treat a newly appeared dragon contractor harshly...-

"Heh. That was just one of the reasons."

-As expected of Master!-

At the sight of the Death Knights cheering excitedly and the skull principal, Yi-Han grumbled.

Seeing them so happy while he remained troubled made him want to hit them from behind.

  *

Haidan, who belonged to the Dargard family and was Asan's older sister, was currently staying in the imperial capital.

It was because of guests who had come from various noble families of the empire.

"Though Lord Gonadaltes dedicates himself to the empire, he went too far this time."

"That's right. We can't just let this pass."

...More precisely, they were closer to victims who had come from various noble families of the empire.

Families who had their treasures forcibly taken by the skull principal's outrageous act had gathered to accurately calculate and claim damages together.

As they had come representing each family, their status was by no means ordinary. Some families had even sent their family heads.

Given this, even Haidan had no choice but to come up to the capital from the east.

"We believe in Lady Haidan's ability."

"Since the Dargard family also suffered damage this time, please handle it strictly."

Several nobles sent expectant looks to Haidan.

Haidan of the Dargard family, as a member of the Eastern Bronze Dwarf Bank, was a prodigy recognized by those fastidious dwarves.

Such a Haidan would be able to calculate the damages received from the skull principal this time coldly and accurately.

Since everything was taken so suddenly, each family hadn't even decided exactly how much to claim.

"But... Isn't Lady Haidan's younger sibling at Einroguard? There's a saying that arms bend inward for a reason..."

A noble participating as a family spokesperson carefully raised a doubt.

Someone with family studying at Einroguard might take the skull principal's side.

However, other nobles instead chided the person who raised the doubt.

"Watch your words. Lady Haidan is someone who would never show leniency even to family."

"When Lord Daihal of the Dargard family visited the Bronze Dwarf Bank, Lady Haidan drove him away without even looking at his face. Even if it's family, she'll ruthlessly cut them off if they're not profitable."

Though it sounded somewhat like an insult, Haidan rather felt proud.

The twins Daihal and Haidan were always pursuers of coldness and reason.

For them, ruining work due to family and blood ties was absolutely unacceptable behavior.

Though Haidan had refused Daihal's request, Daihal hadn't felt displeased at all. Rather, if she had accepted, he might have despised her.

"Thank you for the praise."

"Ah yes. Your younger sibling Asan also seems to have quite excellent qualities as a mage."

"Still far to go. Should be at least half as good as their friend..."

'How truly humble.'

Though Haidan meant it sincerely, the surrounding nobles took it as simply words of modesty.

Just entering Einroguard was amazing enough, but Asan was achieving quite high grades even among them.

No one realized that Haidan was comparing with a friend who was top of the year.

"Then please submit lists of the treasures and reagents you each lent. I will calculate the damages."

While Haidan was receiving lists from various nobles, Yoanen whispered to Lady Kraha as if terribly annoyed.

Lady Kraha, Gainando's mother, was friendly with Yoanen as her own younger sibling had married someone from the Maykin family.

"Why do we have to do this?"

"Yoanen. Don't complain too much. Someone has to take charge of this work, right?"

The task of presenting lists of items taken from each family and determining their prices didn't actually require such high intelligence.

Moreover, weren't people from the Dargard family handling all the practical work?

However, that didn't mean responsibility wasn't needed.

Since they would discuss and make final decisions here, they essentially needed full authority.

Though not necessarily the family head, at least direct family members needed to come for decisions to be easy.

Lady Kraha spoke with elegant demeanor.

"I heard the Maykin family also lent several precious treasures."

"Since they're not my treasures anyway, I don't care."

Yoanen was indifferent.

While a noble with strong family loyalty might care, it was rare for high-level mages to be obsessed with family pride.

Whether family treasures were taken by the skull principal or not, managing reagents for tomorrow's workshop was far more important.

"More importantly, Lady Kraha seemed generous to Lord Gonadaltes, wasn't she?"

Yoanen tilted her head slightly and asked.

This lady who led the Kraha family, always mentioned when discussing wealth in the empire, had been Einroguard's most generous supporter from before.

Previously, Yoanen had even seen the skull principal turn a noble who insulted the Kraha family into a frog and bury him deep in a swamp. Such affection wouldn't come without considerable donations.

"That's right. But Lord Gonadaltes clearly said he would repay when he borrowed."

Lady Kraha drew a clear line.

Though she had consistently sent support funds to the skull principal due to his dedication to the empire (Lady Kraha still slightly suspected the support funds had influenced Gainando's admission), she wasn't kind enough to side with all his eccentric actions.

"Then shouldn't we collect it?"

"This is just my calculation, but I don't think Lord Gonadaltes will be able to repay on time."

Befitting an outstanding alchemist, Yoanen showed a sharp prediction.

The gold coins the Einroguard madmen spent like water every year.

Roughly calculating the gold coins supported by the empire and sponsored from various places on top of that...

...The skull principal's vault absolutely couldn't be sufficient. Unexpected extreme expenditures like this situation were especially fatal.

"That too must be something Lord Gonadaltes considered before acting. It's not something Yoanen needs to worry about. He'll come prepared with some countermeasure."

"...I'm worried we'll have to stay long..."

Yoanen let out a long sigh filled with frustration.

As the lady said, the skull principal was certainly someone who would come with various countermeasures.

But Lady Kraha right beside her and that bloodless-tearless gold collector from the Dargard family were absolutely not pushovers.

Since the skull principal wasn't one to give generously either, negotiations were likely to drag on with pushing and pulling.

What a waste of time this was.

'If it were Einroguard's break, I would have asked Yonaire.'

Yoanen had an absurd thought.

Even if the Maykin family trusted Yonaire, they wouldn't send their youngest sibling for something like this.

'I hope Lord Gonadaltes brings a usable countermeasure...'

"Is everyone well!"

"!"

The nobles gathered in the spacious hall were startled by the cheerful voice and appearance of the skull principal in human form.

Some nobles wore hopeful expressions at that sight.

"Seeing His Excellency like that, isn't it a positive sign?"

"Right. He must have secured compensation!"

Usually the skull principal was always in a moderately bad mood.

Moreover, in a situation like this, it wouldn't be strange for it to be even worse. Yet such a cheerful attitude.

This couldn't be explained without good reason.

"This doesn't make sense..."

"I heard rumors he borrowed gold coins from bureaucrats too. They're not people who would be persuaded even if their necks were cut."

Of course, there were skeptical nobles too.

While everyone was whispering among themselves, the skull principal opened his mouth.

"Everyone, I sincerely thank you for lending your strength to seal the thought entity this time."

"..."

"Yes... well..."

The nobles present nodded with sour expressions.

Strictly speaking, it was closer to the skull principal visiting and threatening them with his staff, but that was all in the past now.

From the nobles' perspective too, the expression that they stepped up voluntarily sounded better.

"Have you prepared compensation for the borrowed items?"

Regardless of whether the skull principal was cheerful or unpleasant, Haidan opened her mouth.

When the bloodline of the Dargard family that had always tormented him through generations aimed an arrow, the skull principal sighed.

"Compensation. About compensation..."

"I believe in Lord Gonadaltes."

When even Lady Kraha joined in, the skull principal felt even more overwhelmed.

"Of course, I know you all have some complaints about me."

'Some?'

The nobles flinched inwardly but couldn't speak it out loud.

Though he was a debtor, he was simultaneously the most outstanding great mage in the empire.

If they needlessly picked at his words and picked a fight, they might disappear from the empire forever.

"It can't be helped since I've disappointed you many times."

"Your Excellency Gonadaltes. I'll speak frankly. If you just hand over that Verduus fellow, I would gladly pay any price, even a castle..."

One family head spoke grinding his teeth, but the skull principal pretended not to hear.

It was truly regrettable, but that was a request he couldn't grant.

"But here, wouldn't it be different if it's my disciple's request? Hmm?"

The door opened again and Death Knights entered in a crowd bringing the disciple.

Ta-da!

Yi-Han had to exert superhuman effort to hide his emotion of dying from embarrassment at his master.

It was even more painful because there were several familiar faces among those present.

"Couldn't you show mercy for my disciple's face here?"

One noble was dumbfounded.

"Your Excellency... There's no way we would grant it just because Your Excellency's disciple asks? Are you mocking us?"

It was a natural doubt.

They might not even grant it if the skull principal begged, yet to say they would grant it because his disciple asked.

Other nobles who had similar thoughts looked at Haidan.

The Dargard family bloodline would surely give a sharp rebuke befitting their reputation!

"If it's your disciple's request, I understand. It makes sense."

"????!??!?!"

The nobles present nearly fell backwards.

Could that be not Haidan but an Einroguard professor disguised as Haidan?

When the pillar they trusted crumbled, the nobles instinctively looked at Lady Kraha.

Now the only person they could trust was this lady who led the Kraha family.

However, Lady Kraha spoke with an apologetic expression (though her expression wasn't visible to others due to her veil).

"Oh dear. What should we do? If it's the disciple's request, I have no choice but to grant it too..."

"!?!?!?!??!?!?!?!"