Surviving as a Mage in a Magic Academy Chapter 1004

Chapter 1004

The skull principal sent a reassuring look at his disciple who was muttering while looking down at a stack of papers.

As he had thought before, perhaps this Wardanaz family mage's most genius talent wasn't his magic ability but his way with words.

This time too, please sweep away the empire's bureaucrats!

  *

Silvas, who worked as an examiner in the imperial finance department, was startled.

When he returned from evaluating whether the <Centaur Magic Relay Station> being constructed in the east was feasible, the atmosphere in the imperial palace was very ominous.

-What on earth happened?-

-Don't even ask. Lord Gonadaltes attacked the finance department. His Excellency the Finance Officer was hung upside down.-

-N-no! For that nonsensical research and experiments?! Isn't that going too far?!-

Einroguard mages were notorious for harassing bureaucrats asking for gold coin support even for trash-like research.

And it was the skull principal who visited carrying those applications.

From Silvas's perspective, he couldn't help but think that way.

-This time is a bit different. He said he would permanently confine a thought entity that invaded Einroguard. But who knows the truth? What if Einroguard's mages took gold coins with another strange excuse?-

-Still, would His Lordship make such a shallow lie... Well, he might.-

-Right. Be careful yourself. Everyone's nerves are on edge now.-

No bureaucrat would be happy about lending a massive amount of gold coins in what was practically robbery.

The bureaucrats' nerves were now as sharp as those of Einroguard students who had lost their food storage.

'Hmm.'

Silvas sat before his heavy rosewood desk and fell into thought.

The story he had heard was so shocking he couldn't just let it pass.

Lord Gonadaltes, the lord of Einroguard, received enormous trust as His Majesty the Emperor's mage administrator.

Indeed, not just anyone could do things like entering the imperial palace, hanging the finance officer upside down, and forcibly borrowing gold coins like this time. It would be impossible without His Majesty's tacit approval.

Then had something truly dangerous happened in Einroguard's territory?

'No. Even so, to hang His Excellency the Finance Officer upside down...'

Now other bureaucrats were grinding their teeth.

If the skull principal didn't repay the borrowed gold coins on time, they planned to mercilessly tear gold coins from Einroguard's other support funds to make up for it.

"Excuse me. Are you in?"

"Why, if it isn't Master Yi-Han of the Wardanaz family?"

Silvas was startled by the unexpected visitor.

And he thought.

'Huh? Has Einroguard's semester already ended?'

It seemed like there were still a few days left?

"Here's a gift. You seemed to like it last time."

Yi-Han took out coffee and apple pie he had bought from the <Rock Spirit's Apple Jam Cafe> located in front of the imperial palace.

At this warm consideration not seen from the arrogant bastards who visited the imperial palace, Silvas's heart warmed up like the apple pie.

'Sniff. Others should learn from this.'

After sharing snacks with his colleagues (the bureaucrats looked at Yi-Han with expressions of shock and emotion), Silvas expressed his gratitude again and spoke.

"By the way, Mage. The <Research on Races Preferred as Food by Trolls> is already showing effects."

"Pardon?"

Yi-Han paused at the sudden statement, then belatedly realized.

This wasn't his first visit to the imperial palace in the imperial capital. Last year, he had come with the skull principal and spouted nonsense to pass his seniors' absurd research topics.

One of those was the <Research on Races Preferred as Food by Trolls>.

'What did I say back then? That research on races preferred as food was needed to reduce damage caused by trolls?'

Looking back now, it sounded like nonsense. Yi-Han was amazed how this had passed.

"Wait. You say it's showing effects? Already?"

"Yes. The trend of damage caused by trolls is clearly decreasing. The <Wasteland Stargazers> in the west even sent an appreciation plaque."

"..."

Yi-Han reflected on the fact that he hadn't trusted his senior.

To think it was such good research...!

"Einroguard mages' research is always only for the empire's sake. Though Baldur... ahem. Though some outside mages slander us, it's fortunate that at least Sir Silvas knows the truth."

'Is that so?'

Silvas tilted his head inwardly.

Of course, the research the Wardanaz family boy had brought last year was excellent despite its appearance.

But separate from that, the fact that Einroguard mages were being slandered was a bit puzzling.

They didn't seem to be particularly slandered...

"Actually, I visited today because of the thought entity incident at Einroguard."

"So that really happened!"

"Pardon?"

"Ah, no. It's nothing."

Silvas quickly changed the subject.

He couldn't say he had doubted the skull principal's words in front of an Einroguard student.

"I heard the principal went to great lengths for the students' safety this time. And because of that, he caused trouble for the bureaucrats..."

"Ah, no. I understand Lord Gonadaltes's heart."

"Thank you for understanding. The principal is usually a cold-headed person, but he loses his reason when it comes to students."

'Is that so?'

Silvas tilted his head inwardly again.

For that to be true, the rumors flowing out of Einroguard seemed quite ominous...

"Though the gold borrowed from the empire's vault must be returned soon, would it be possible to delay it a bit longer? For the sake of Einroguard mages' research too."

"Hmm..."

Silvas wore an expression full of worry.

Though he wanted to agree, he doubted whether he could persuade the other bureaucrats.

"I'll do my best, but I can't make any promises. Of course, I personally think supporting Einroguard mages is important for the empire too, like with this <Research on Races Preferred as Food by Trolls>, but the other bureaucrats are quite angry..."

"There's no need for that!"

"!?"

A stranger opened the door of the luxurious palace guest room and entered.

Thud!

The man was so huge he hit his forehead on the doorframe while entering. After briefly frowning in pain, he ducked his head and came in.

Yi-Han had never seen such a large human race before. His build surpassed even Senior Falcrius.

"Are you Yi-Han of the Wardanaz family?"

Though he seemed to be speaking lightly, his voice seemed to reverberate throughout the spacious guest room.

Not only that, but his eyes flickered like flames, and an intense aura spread in all directions from his trained physique. He looked like a warrior from ancient myths.

Yi-Han suspected the finance officer might have hired guards from the north for revenge.

"Yes I am, but who..."

"I am Uman, His Majesty's fourth son. I've heard much about you from my sister. Let me express my gratitude first!"

"????"

Yi-Han's brain froze for a moment wondering who he meant by sister.

Then he belatedly realized.

'...Jourin's younger brother!?'

Come to think of it, Jourin was the third. If the man before him was the fourth, she would indeed be his sister.

...Though it was completely unimaginable from their appearances...

"Um... that..."

"What's wrong? Feel free to ask if you're curious! You are a dragon's contractor after all!"

"Her Highness Jourin... still... seems... quite young...?"

"Ah! My sister's vessel of the soul is just that large."

Uman explained simply in his booming voice.

A small vessel completes quickly, but a large vessel takes longer to complete.

Uman grew quickly because he was a small vessel, but Jourin grew slowly because she was a large vessel.

'...Is there any basis for this?'

As a mage, Yi-Han wanted to bring up logic and theory, but he didn't dare present different opinions before someone whose build surpassed Senior Falcrius and Professor Garcia.

Uman opened his mouth again.

"Actually, besides hearing from my sister, I've heard about you separately."

"Gasp. What stories?"

Yi-Han instinctively tensed.

He had done so many things after all.

Last year he had defeated strong opponents like King of ghouls and the King od Frost Giant, magic criminals and anti-magic extremists, basilisk and sea serpents, and this year ancient great mage thought entities and evil hamster, demigod trying to conquer the continent, and in his spare time he had done some robbery in Granden City...

'Which of those is he talking about?'

"That you are very righteous!"

"...Specifically which?"

"???"

Silvas was bewildered by Yi-Han's question.

Were there so many stories that he needed to ask which specifically?

However, Uman shook his head.

"Though I'd like to talk at length, I cannot, as you have your business and I have mine! Anyway, Silvas. You don't need to trouble yourself!"

"Eh? What do you mean by that..."

Silvas, belatedly coming to his senses, was puzzled.

Even if Uman was His Majesty's fourth child, he couldn't suppress the angry bureaucrats...

"I will pay the necessary gold to the imperial vault instead! Don't touch the support funds going to Einroguard."

"...Are-are you sure that's alright?"

"Of course!"

Silvas jumped up.

Then he hugged Uman tightly in emotion.

Though there was a noble faction in the empire that ignored over a hundred members of the royal family, if they saw this today, they wouldn't dare say such things.

How could anyone make such a decision if not of noble blood?

Silvas, while hugging Uman tightly, realized there was one more person beside them.

The Wardanaz family mage was also tightly hugging Uman.

"Both of you, let go!"

"Yes, Your Highness!"

  *

The emperor's fourth child personally saw off Yi-Han as he left the imperial palace.

"Thank you so much, Your Highness."

"No! No need for thanks. You rightfully deserve such help, and Einroguard is also a school well worthy of it."

"?"

Listening to Uman's words, Yi-Han felt something off.

Just looking at how he spoke, this dragon clan member seemed like he could naturally become a faithful supporter and investor of Einroguard.

He was of the dragon clan, and acknowledged Einroguard's value...

But why had he never heard this person's name from the skull principal?

'Was he poor until recently?'

"Your Highness. But the amount of gold isn't small, will you be alright?"

"No need to worry about me. I stack gold in my vault every year from selling mage cards."

"...You sell mage cards?!"

"Yes! An honorable role inherited from ancestors!"

Yi-Han felt like he had entered a myth.

To meet the current era's mage card maker like this, that mysterious maker whose identity no one knew.

"It's an honor. My friend really loves them too."

"Your friend must be young?"

"Huh, don't older people often enjoy mage cards too?"

At those words, Uman frowned. He looked very displeased.

"That's wrong! How dare adults steal and enjoy items made for children?"

"..."

Yi-Han resolved to keep the person he met today a secret from Gainando.

"Anyway, thank you so much for helping. Now that we've persuaded the most difficult bureaucrats, the remaining nobles and mages should be much easier to persuade."

"You're doing the persuading?"

"Huh? Yes."

Uman muttered.

"Another evil deed by Lord Gonadaltes."

"It's nothing. Ah! I have a request. Could you keep this meeting with me a secret from Lord Gonadaltes? Of course, I know it's a difficult request. You are Lord Gonadaltes's disciple after all. But this is truly for the greater cause and justice..."

"It's not difficult. I'll do it."

"?!"