Surviving as a Mage in a Magic Academy Chapter 957

Chapter 957

"Why are you so nervous? It's Professor Garcia, not some other professor."

Perse was puzzled by the junior's reaction.

Of course, being summoned by Einroguard professors wasn't exactly comfortable from a student's perspective.

But that was about general professors, and Professor Garcia was a bit different, wasn't she?

She wasn't the type of professor to get angry, scold, or tell you to make 173 artifacts for her work by tomorrow.

"...That's true..."

Yi-Han nodded while thinking inwardly.

'I'll have to move to another club right after the ball game.'

He might be able to avoid meeting her by making excuses about kitchen club or stonemason club schedules.

Senior Perse couldn't understand the junior fearing Professor Garcia, but there are always exceptions to rules.

Yi-Han didn't want to risk his neck to check whether Professor Garcia was angry or not at the moment.

'...Even if the professor is angry, it will subside with time. Probably...'

While Yi-Han was deeply absorbed in thoughts about the professor, the seniors beside him were discussing today's game.

"Did you hear? They say the Granden City ball game club brought a fully grown hippogriff! Apparently Hadagak will be riding it."

"That's vicious, really. They don't need to go that far against us."

The club seniors shuddered.

Of course, true ball game players don't let their guard down even against weak teams, but it was also human nature to wish they would let their guard down against them.

"If it's Hadagak, that's the position the junior will have to face directly... He must be very worried."

"No. Look there."

The senior pointed at Yi-Han.

The boy from the Wardanaz family was deeply lost in thought without a change in expression.

Seeing this, the seniors unconsciously reflected on themselves.

The junior was focusing his best on the game, while they were just making unnecessary fuss.

"...Wardanaz. Don't worry. We're behind you."

"Just do what we practiced in the club. You don't need to do more than that."

"Huh? Oh... Thank you."

Yi-Han, who had been trying to guess whether Professor Garcia was angry or not, was flustered by the sudden encouragement.

  *

"A-amazing. To think the Granden City ball game club was this good."

"Weren't they always strong players?"

"They were, but not to this extent."

Anglago said while reaching for the popcorn bowl Salko was holding. Salko unpleasantly swatted that hand away.

Countless people had already gathered in the Granden City stadium, chattering in groups.

As could be guessed from its popularity, the admission price was expensive, and Anglago, who relatively enjoyed overspending, had to save money for snacks.

"...Still, since we came together like this, couldn't you share a bit?"

Salko grabbed a handful of popcorn, swallowed it, and then spoke.

"I told you not to buy unnecessary things. Why did you buy a cloak too?"

"I-I needed a new cloak. This is much better for hiding than the original cloak when playing ball game..."

"What about that helmet?"

"I needed a new ball game helmet. It absorbs impact better than the original helmet..."

Salko looked at him more and more pitifully and asked.

"Why did you buy another ball game mallet? Don't you have several already?"

"Th-this is for Wardanaz."

"???"

"Wardanaz is in the ball game club too. If he receives a good ball game mallet, he might become more interested in ball game."

Anglago felt sorry that his friend with outstanding qualities was always indifferent to ball game.

He couldn't understand why both Jijel and Yi-Han didn't like ball game.

Salko tilted his head inwardly.

'He'll probably sell it.'

"And also to express gratitude while I'm at it..."

"!"

Salko made a surprised expression. Anglago grumbled and asked.

"What is it?"

"I didn't know you had a conscience."

"...Shut up."

"By the way, I think Wardanaz would be happier if you didn't go out without permission rather than such a ball game mallet."

"You're criticizing me for going out without permission when you did the same!"

As Anglago flared up, Salko shrugged his shoulders and turned his hand back to the popcorn.

'Come to think of it, it wouldn't be bad to buy a gift for that Wardanaz bastard as a token of gratitude.'

Salko was a student who was clear about debts of gratitude.

He had no intention of just letting it go after receiving so much.

Most students probably wouldn't even think of it (Anglago was really unexpected), so it wouldn't be bad for Salko to express gratitude on their behalf.

Salko couldn't imagine that over dozens of Einroguard students were having similar thoughts.

-It's a hippogriff!-

-Wooooow!-

Large-scale ball games didn't just start.

There were several additional events before the game.

Tricks by the animals participating in the game, life-and-death battles between monsters and humans (this was abolished), promotions by some guilds or trading companies, and so on.

Right now, the Granden City ball game club players were out showing various tricks.

There was even a player riding a fully grown hippogriff.

"No way. Are fully grown hippogriffs common in ball games normally?"

"How could that be? Hippogriffs are so fierce. They say they're dumber than griffins, but not easy to tame. Especially fully grown ones like that."

Salko, who was explaining, grumbled that it was unfair.

The Granden City ball game club could receive sponsorship from various families and organizations and obtain rare mounts from all over the empire, but the Einroguard ball game club couldn't even go out easily.

"Still, to bring a hippogriff? That's really cowardly."

"Alpha. You seem too absorbed in the game. It doesn't seem particularly cowardly..."

"That's because you don't know ball game!"

"Tsk tsk. I don't understand why he's so emotional."

Salko shook his head.

To Salko, who had come to see the game in person and figure out how a ball game stadium should be, Anglago's ups and downs were incomprehensible.

"Ugh. Why have they become so strong, both the monsters they brought and the players' skills?"

"Something must have happened. Like losing to someone... Defeat is often the driving force for growth, you know."

"Don't talk nonsense. By that logic, our ball game club should be a hundred times stronger than now."

  *

Bulpard, the city noble who was the captain of the Granden City ball game club, looked around at the players and mounts with a determined expression.

"Everyone has worked hard."

"I doubted at first, but I've come to realize that Your Lordship's opinion was correct."

The shocking defeat to an Einroguard student last year had brought a huge storm to the Granden City ball game club players.

Though it wasn't the starting players, the content of the game had been shocking.

Well-trained mounts panicking and scattering or running away!

As time passed after the shocking defeat ended, Bulpard came to feel grateful.

Wasn't it much better to realize now than at a crucial moment later?

Afterwards, Bulpard made painstaking efforts with the players.

So that the mounts could endure any fear.

They trained by seeking out monsters that emitted threats or fear regardless of time and place, and when abnormal phenomena occurred due to mana excess in an area, they didn't hesitate to go there and train.

And the painstaking training finally bore fruit.

Not only had they overcome fear, but the capabilities of both players and mounts had greatly increased.

-It's a griffin!!!!-

-My goodness, to think we'd see a griffin! Today's game is really amazing!-

"!"

The players turned their gazes in surprise.

They knew that Einroguard's mages were the empire's top talents, but weren't they also very busy?

Yet to tame a griffin and bring it out...

But Bulpard nodded as if he had expected it and said.

"Among the Einroguard students, there is one who has tamed a griffin."

"..."

'Shouldn't you have told us that first?'

Though the players were dumbfounded by the captain's arbitrary decision, Bulpard had his reasons.

"If you believe in your own skills, there's no reason to be shaken even if a dragon comes out as an opponent."

"No, a dragon is a bit..."

"And didn't we thoroughly train to prepare for griffins?"

"That's true."

The players nodded.

The Granden City ball game club had trained for various situations.

From situations where they bring out a small and skinny griffin in a restricted game to situations where they bring out a fully grown griffin.

Hadagak, a renowned defender in the club, beat his chest and said.

"Just leave it to me. I'll make the griffin so tired it collapses."

"Ooh!"

"That's reassuring!"

Hadagak wasn't boasting without basis.

Though griffins were clearly smarter and more powerful monsters than hippogriffs, they had as many weaknesses.

Basically, wise monsters weren't easy for humans to handle arbitrarily.

This was even more so in a ball game like now.

Intelligent monsters like griffins immediately realized that what was happening now was not a life-and-death battle, but just a game set up by humans.

'Judging by its size, it seems to be an adult. Then it's more likely to act on its own.'

A fully grown griffin was much smarter, so it would realize it was a game even faster.

If Hadagak endured well, it would soon get bored and start slacking off.

Griffins, being loyal to their masters, didn't want to throw away their pride for useless games.

-The griffin is performing tricks! These are tricks dedicated to the honorable people of Granden City!-

-Wooooow!-

"Even tricks? To do such careless things... Are they still students after all?"

Hadagak felt pity for the opponent.

They should be resting until the game, but to be doing tricks like that.

At this rate, the griffin will get bored even faster!

  *

"Wardanaz. You can let the griffin rest."

"Huh? Why?"

"Griffins are smart, so if you make them do too many annoying things at once, they pretend not to hear."

"...Was that so!?"

Yi-Han was startled and looked at Niffirg.

Niffirg, who had been very excited due to his master riding on his back after a long time, looked around bewilderedly. Then he glared at the students, clicking his beak.

What nonsense!

"See? He's already angry."

"Um... But Niffirg has never gotten angry at me or disobeyed me."

As his master took his side, Niffirg blinked his large eyes and kept nodding. His face was full of joy.

"It might have been fine so far, but everyone has limits. Wardanaz. You know so well about other animals, but you seem to have made a small mistake about griffins."

"I'm sorry. I guess since I've been taking care of him directly, at some point I stopped reading books."

Yi-Han reflected.

He had made a mistake due to becoming complacent, thinking he knew enough after becoming close with the griffin.

Niffirg, who had been listening to the conversation, had an expression like he wanted to cause a riot right away.

But Niffirg's high intelligence didn't allow it.

He predicted that the moment he caused a riot, those evil, vile, and petty mages would say, "See! That's how griffins are!"

All Niffirg could do was endure and bear this despicable insult.

Grrrr...

As a fierce sound rumbled out from inside his beak, Yi-Han cautiously asked.

"Niffirg. If you don't want to go out, you can tell me even now. You don't need to run forcibly because of a crazy senior's greed. We have Basil too."

-What?!?!-

However, Niffirg shook his head firmly. Then he stomped the ground hard as if asking to proceed with the game quickly.

...He swore by his noble blood that he would crush everything blocking his path!