Surviving as a Mage in a Magic Academy Chapter 968

Chapter 968

Rest time.

The mages were busy replenishing what they had consumed.

Sigunting drank a mana potion, then checked the tips of the crossbow bolts and cast additional magic if any had weakened.

He sprinkled a bit of purple powder taken from his reagent pouch into the grooves carved in the crossbow, then sprayed a specially made solution...

'Indeed.'

Yi-Han watched with interest and learned from the side.

In fact, in the enchantment magic school, he had learned more from watching seniors like this than directly from Professor Verduus.

"Senior Sigunting."

"What?"

Though Sigunting would gruffly reply "What, senior" when Yukbeltire spoke to him, he didn't ignore Yi-Han's words, as he was still a junior after all.

"I'd like to learn some magic."

Currently, the enchantment magic school seniors each had their own outstanding strengths.

In Sigunting's case, he had shown excellent performance with just one crossbow during the battle in the southern cave earlier.

Even Yi-Han, who had initially thought 'Did he set up a general store on one crossbow?', became slightly intrigued as he watched.

If he made such a weapon, Yi-Han could also conveniently take it out and fire away instead of casting magic each time to create ranged weapons in the future.

"I see. That makes sense."

The dwarf senior pushed his crossbow aside with an expression that said 'I knew it'.

Then he took out a rusty, cheap crossbow.

"You want to implement this kind of crossbow as a disposable artifact, right?"

"...????"

Yi-Han was flustered when the senior brought up something he hadn't said.

"A disposable artifact?"

"Isn't that your research topic?"

"...?"

Yi-Han became even more confused.

Research topic?

He was even more confused since he had no memory of deciding on such a thing.

'Did Professor Verduus secretly decide on a research topic in my name and then collect support funds from the imperial capital??'

Though Professor Verduus was certainly capable of such a thing, Yi-Han trusted the imperial bureaucrats more than Professor Verduus.

Surely if Professor Verduus had been involved, they would have checked two or three times.

"You made them last year too."

Sigunting explained, looking strangely at the confused junior.

Yi-Han had shown deep interest in disposable artifacts since learning under Professor Verduus last year.

Even when Professor Verduus said to make a leather water bottle artifact using aquamarine or spirit whale leather, didn't he make an artifact using only deer hide, coyak thread, and copper rings, saying there was no need to use such expensive materials?

He had somehow covered the lacking performance by inputting massive amounts of mana.

Though the artifact's lifespan would be shorter, it was work to make disposable artifacts, not permanent ones in the first place.

Since it was essentially close to a makeshift artifact, there was no need to worry about such aspects.

"I think it's quite an interesting topic too. You chose well. Actually, that's why I'm answering like this..."

Sigunting liked the junior's research topic.

Artifact craftsmen were always obsessed with permanence and eternity, but sometimes when they broke away from that, a wider world could be seen.

If one thought of using it just once, one could create powerful firepower and output by breaking free from various constraints of artifacts.

It was a bold and generous research topic that only a noble from a great family could come up with, unthinkable for a poor artifact craftsman.

"..."

Yi-Han was more shocked than when he had blocked the swarming enemies alone in the cave earlier.

'I was trying to make it cheaply to sell cheaply, but what...?'

Yi-Han had made the leather water bottle artifact to secure initial funds for going out.

Professor Verduus's advice to use aquamarine or spirit whale leather was naturally meaningless.

Famous imperial craftsmen might be able to use such materials because they received various sponsorships, support, and expensive compensation, but Yi-Han was still an unknown mage.

Of course he had just chosen a method he could realistically do, but what was this about a bold and generous research topic that only a noble from a great family could come up with?

"But how did you know that? Professor Verduus... No. There's no way Professor Verduus would talk about such things?"

"You're clever indeed. Of course. Professor Garcia told me."

'...Professor Garcia didn't put wiretapping artifacts on students' clothes, did she?'

Yi-Han unconsciously looked around.

"Now, look. To implement my crossbow as a disposable artifact..."

"But Senior, what if my research topic isn't this kind of disposable artifact?"

"Huh?"

Sigunting stopped his explanation, raised his head, and looked at Yi-Han.

Then he looked at Yukbeltire.

The meaning was conveyed without words.

-I treat even seniors like rolling stones if they're not doing research I'm interested in!-

Yi-Han, who didn't want to be ignored like Yukbeltire by Sigunting, immediately answered.

"Actually, my research topic is disposable artifacts. Please continue explaining."

"As I thought, you're no ordinary junior. You're quite extraordinary."

Sigunting proposed a methodology for implementing his crossbow as a disposable artifact.

The materials focused on explosive power, firepower, and output (and instability) rather than stability, durability, and permanence.

"...Aren't there any cheaper materials?"

"What? Why? Using cheaper materials than this would make it more unstable and dangerous."

"...I enjoy such dangers. I feel my magic boiling as I control such instability and danger."

"I knew you'd say that. You crazy bastard!"

Sigunting laughed as if he liked it even more.

It seemed he had judged the person correctly.

According to the junior's desires, Sigunting adjusted the magic and spell composition.

Removing all stability and adjustments that helped the mage...

"Whew. This could blast the mage's face off if used wrongly. Wardanaz. I'd like to hear your impressions after you make and use it later."

Sigunting made a firm request.

Though he lacked the ability and family background to handle it himself, he was very curious how the junior would make this research topic bloom.

"Yes... Thank you..."

Perhaps it was his imagination, but the junior seemed slightly less energetic than before.

Sigunting thought it was because of Senior Yukbeltire.

Because he had wasted time unnecessarily and shared potions with Senior Yukbeltire...

"Do you have any final advice?"

"I do."

"Oh. What is it?"

"Don't share potions with Senior Yukbeltire. It's a useless waste."

"...I meant magical advice."

  *

"Advice?"

Anpagon, who was building a small mud tower on the ground, was puzzled.

"Yes."

"Don't share food with Senior Yukbeltire. It's a useless waste..."

"I've already heard that. I mean magical advice."

"Hmm."

The 3rd year boy from the same tower as Yi-Han pondered.

As the most sociable among the enchantment magic school and from the same tower, he wanted to help (except Yukbeltire)...

"My research topic is too different from yours."

"...Is it perhaps disposable artifacts?"

"Was there another topic besides that? Amazing. As expected, someone who takes all schools' classes is different..."

'No. Don't these people not talk to each other??'

Yi-Han was dumbfounded.

Why did they all know about this trashy rumor when they didn't have necessary conversations normally?

"You say your topic is different from mine, ah. Are you perhaps talking about what you summoned during the fight earlier?"

"That's right."

Anpagon's specialty was buildings.

But it wasn't permanent buildings like Salko's. Anpagon was skilled at summoning magical structures from another realm space and returning them.

What he had tried to summon during the earlier battle (of course, he couldn't because the junior finished everything before that) was one of those.

As such, he wouldn't be of much help to a junior trying to research disposable artifacts...

"Ah. No. Come to think of it, there might be a way to simplify these structures further to make them closer to disposable."

"You don't have to make them disposable..."

Yi-Han was more curious about the proper structure summoning magic, but Anpagon chose to modify it anyway.

From the junior's perspective, he had no choice but to listen to the lecture while grumbling inwardly.

  *

Instead of eating a meal replacement potion, Yukbeltire had to eat chocolate cream wafer cookies.

Though she thought it was a bit inefficient, Yukbeltire quietly ate and replenished her nutrition.

"..."

"Do you have something to say?"

Yi-Han asked curiously as the senior stared at him.

Just in case, he didn't forget to firmly grip the hand holding his staff.

If she said something like 'The meal replacement potion would have been better', he would have to control himself.

"Which family's product is this?"

"Pardon?"

"These cookies. Are they a new product from the Maykin family?"

"I made them."

"...!"

Yukbeltire was shocked.

For a mage of that level to put butter-mixed flour dough in the oven and bake it in his spare time...

...She couldn't recall what came next. Yukbeltire had little interest in cooking.

"You wasted time on such things?"

"Then you spread cream or coat it in chocolate. Usually. Why? Do you have any complaints?"

Yi-Han's voice was full of killing intent, dissatisfaction, threats, and intimidation.

Yukbeltire shook her head and answered.

"I was thinking I could rationally consume sugar, so I was going to purchase some separately later."

"...Have more! Senior!"

Yi-Han smiled brightly as if his grumbling just now had been a lie. However, Yukbeltire answered immediately.

"I'm full."

"...Is anyone else interested?"

"I'm fine because I drank a potion."

"I don't like eating snacks."

"..."

Yi-Han suddenly missed his friends.

  *

-Disciple of Os. It's been a while.-

There weren't many people who called Yi-Han in such an insulting way.

A dream he had briefly during rest.

When Yi-Han came to his senses in that dream, he had already arrived at the Yaksha King's palace.

"..."

Yi-Han glared at the black book.

Was this bastard now sending people directly to the Yaksha King's palace, not even a separate realm?

The black book jumped up as if to say it was a misunderstanding.

This time, it wasn't the book's fault.

-Seeing that this world called you, the Disciple of Os, you must have been accumulating good deeds.-

"...Huh? That's not true."

Yi-Han answered as if to say 'What nonsense is this?'

"Right now, some crazy senior found an orichalcum vein, so I'm trying to snatch it with other seniors..."

-What appears on the surface is not important, Disciple of Os.-

"..."

Though the Yaksha King spoke with an attitude sparkling with profound mystery, it didn't really resonate with Yi-Han, who was already biased.

'Isn't this a trick to gloss over after talking nonsense?'

-The world does not distinguish between the ten directions and three times. Don't trust your own eyes, trust the world.-

"Can I go back?"

-You will naturally be able to return when it's time to go back. Hmm. Disciple of Os. You look particularly displeased today, is it because of the disrespect the king showed to your master?-

"..."

-But it was unavoidable to stop Os's madness. That attitude of respecting your master is admirable.-

Yi-Han gritted his teeth.

He knew it was pointless to deny it, as the other would just distort it with intention distortion magic.

To think such a formidable opponent existed.

"What magic do I need to learn to go back?"

-Revealing your ambition and greed for magic, your true colors? Disciple of Os.-

"...Yes. That's me. I'm crazy about magic."

Yi-Han answered, half giving up.

After giving up in front of Sigunting, the next was easier.