Surviving as a Mage in a Magic Academy Chapter 932

Chapter 932

Yi-Han muttered as he secured <Asen's Polarizing Lens>.

Basically, illusion mages had very poor compatibility with Yi-Han.

Moreover, Yi-Han had recently deeply realized the principles of Decline.

Now that his understanding of souls had greatly increased, the difficulty for illusion mages to attack Yi-Han was unimaginably high.

'I hope other places are like this too.'

Yi-Han felt joy at the unexpected luck.

Though he hoped other places would be like this too, it probably wouldn't be. Not all mages holding items would be illusion mages.

Even if they were illusion mages, they wouldn't necessarily compose their defensive magic only with illusion magic...

What happened here in Uap's workshop had to be seen as luck. Yi-Han reminded himself not to hope for such flukes.

"...Hmm. Did I break too much?"

Yi-Han hesitated as he was about to leave after securing the polarizing lens.

Checking the workshop one last time before leaving, it seemed like he had broken a bit too much magic.

...To be more precise, all the defensive magics were in a destroyed state.

Though it could be said to be excessive, Yi-Han had his excuses.

The magics placed in the basement workshop were so numerous and complexly interconnected that Yi-Han couldn't carefully undo them appropriately.

Some magics were hard to even grasp, and if he touched them wrongly, unexpected side effects could occur. From Yi-Han's position, he had no choice but to smash through with full power.

As just a second-year student, how could he control his strength and be considerate? That was still too much to ask.

'In a way, this is also a method of changing location. The seniors will understand.'

Though it was closer to robbery than theft, Yi-Han shook his head.

He hadn't revealed his identity, he had secured the targeted item, and he hadn't caused any particular damage to the surroundings.

Though the magics inside the workshop were miserably shattered, this much should be fine.

'Surely some of the other seniors must have done it this way too!'

  *

"Hmm. I'm not sure if it will be alright."

Arien, who had been waiting on the first floor of the guild hall building on the opposite side, spoke worriedly.

"It will be fine. That student is excellent at improvising."

"I know Einroguard students are talented, but it's still a mage's workshop, isn't it?"

Originally, Arien had planned to contact Uap directly himself.

To naturally approach someone holed up in their workshop, one had to visit with an excuse.

However, Yi-Han had rejected Arien's proposal.

-In that case, it would be easy to be traced later when the item disappears. I don't want to cause trouble for you, Mr. Arien.-

-But just infiltrating is dangerous. It's a mage's workshop, isn't it?-

-Hmm. I'll carefully scout it out first. If it seems impossible, I'll ask for help.-

The Wardanaz family boy had declared he would cast invisibility magic himself and then explore the basement.

Though they couldn't dissuade him further because his will was unshakably firm, they still regretted it.

Arien knew well how dangerous mages' workshops were.

Though small in size and ordinary-looking on the outside, mages' workshops were sturdier and more lethal than ordinary fortresses. No matter how much of an Einroguard student and genius from the Wardanaz family he was, another mage's workshop was a different story.

One mistake and...

"I did it!"

"?!!"

The two were startled when Yi-Han returned with a bright expression.

To return so quickly?

"Did you find a way to enter?"

"Ah. No. While looking around, I thought I could break through with force, so I broke in, knocked out the other party, and secured it."

Yi-Han carefully took out <Asen's Polarizing Lens>.

As it was the targeted item, he had to handle it carefully.

Of course, the two weren't particularly interested in the artifact Yi-Han had brought out. The story they had just heard was too shocking for that.

"Wait, wait a moment. Young Master. I don't understand!"

"I thought you might say that."

Yi-Han nodded as if he had expected the other to react that way.

As expected of an experienced merchant, he quickly noticed the dissonance.

"You must be saying that because of the evil aura you feel from this artifact. I think it's contaminated."

Though it wasn't easy to detect with mana, Yi-Han could see that the spirit body passage connected to <Asen's Polarizing Lens> from another realm had discolored to a dark, murky state.

It was clear that the things observed or seen through the polarizing lens were being secretly contaminated by the power of another evil realm.

What was more vicious was that it wasn't easy for mages to notice this.

Even if they checked the mana immediately, there was nothing strange, and since the power of the other evil realm didn't have an immediate effect, it was difficult to notice.

By the time the mage felt something off, they would already be in an irreversibly corrupted state.

"It's not easy to notice the contamination, as expected, Mr. Arien. Your discernment is excellent!"

"...N-no. It was contaminated? That's not what I meant."

Arien hurriedly cleared up the misunderstanding, flustered.

What would he know? Arien was an experienced merchant, not a mage.

He had heard rumors that Uap was collecting suspicious artifacts, but he hadn't expected that polarizing lens to be such an artifact.

Then Yi-Han was puzzled.

"Then what don't you understand?"

"...Everything that just happened! How did someone who went in to check the workshop structure come out with the polarizing lens?!"

Amur nodded beside him as if to say 'Well said.'

Not being of a talkative nature, he was extremely grateful that Arien was probing now.

"Ah. You mean that."

Yi-Han explained what had happened, looking sheepish as if he hadn't thought of it at all.

He cast invisibility and a few illusion magics, then passed through the first floor and went down to the basement where magics were densely installed, but it looked like he could break through with force, so he broke in...

"That's all. Nothing special."

"..."

"..."

The two suffered, feeling that the magical common sense they knew was being denied.

...Were workshop magics so easily broken like that?

'Even if he's from the Wardanaz family, to so easily destroy the magic Uap installed...'

Arien shuddered deep in his heart.

It seemed he would have to raise his evaluation of Young Master Wardanaz much higher.

To so easily rob Uap's workshop in broad daylight.

"Excellent. Impressive."

Amur, who regained his senses first, praised him. Yi-Han spoke with a humble attitude.

"I was just lucky. If it had been different magic, I wouldn't have been able to break it so easily."

"Haha. In my hometown, there's a saying that even bringing luck is a person's ability."

Arien, who belatedly regained his senses, joined the conversation.

"Young Master. Is there perhaps anything that needs to be cleaned up inside?"

If he had summoned fire or threatening summons, they would have to send someone.

If they didn't, the danger in the basement workshop might spread outside at any time.

"Ah. You don't need to worry about that. All the magics inside were destroyed. There's no particular danger."

"I-I see... Indeed."

In front of the Einroguard student, the two thought simultaneously.

'Can this be called a quiet retrieval?'

If one had to say, it was quiet, but it seemed too brazen an attack...

'No. This must have just been a coincidence. Even Young Master Wardanaz wouldn't deliberately cause a commotion.'

  *

The next target was a mansion located in the noble district in the center of the city.

It was a mansion of a branch family connected to none other than the Greenbel family.

In Granden City, the Greenbel family was a traditional urban noble family whose power couldn't be underestimated. Arien warned that they should be careful.

"Even though it's a branch family, if a commotion grows large, people from the Greenbel family will move to help. Besides that, as they're financially wealthy, the defenses will be thorough."

A mansion defended by non-negligible patrons and abundant gold coins.

Arien thought that now was the time to choose the orthodox method.

Disguise oneself as a merchant who came to offer gifts and see through the mansion's weaknesses.

"Hmm. I'll go in and check it out first."

"...You're not going to knock them out and bring it out like last time, right?"

At Arien's joke, Yi-Han burst into laughter.

"Haha. You really are good at jokes!"

"It was a joke, but..."

'With a bit of truth mixed in.'

"I'll just check the mansion's structure and come out."

The two waited for Yi-Han to return at a nearby tavern.

About 30 minutes passed.

Yi-Han undid his invisibility magic and came out of an alley, exhaling deeply.

"You're back! You must be tired. Now, how can we help you prepare?"

"Well. About that."

Yi-Han hesitated, then lifted his backpack. Then he took out a squirrel statue artifact from inside.

This copper statue emitting a vivid red color was a divination magic artifact Professor Parsellet Krair had asked for.

"Actually, I brought it out."

"..."

"..."

Amur almost dropped the tin cup he was holding. Arien glared at the young master, forgetting even the merchant's iron rule out of disbelief.

What on earth?

"Didn't you say you'd just check the structure and come out?!"

"Well... There are circumstances here."

"Perhaps the other party looked too weak?"

"What are you saying? It's not like that."

Yi-Han waved his hands at their reactions and tried his best to explain.

Though he had acted somewhat like a robber at Uap's workshop because luck was on his side, Yi-Han was originally a mage who enjoyed quiet and traceless work.

Mages who liked head-on confrontations and showing off couldn't enter the Change Location Club in the first place.

As such, Yi-Han had really intended to go with the most orthodox of orthodox methods when attacking this mansion.

Secretly check the mansion's structure, identify weaknesses, then visit the mansion with the help of others, gradually spread confusion to widen the gaps...

When numerous events that looked like coincidences were woven together in an order only mages knew, the target was supposed to quietly disappear without anyone knowing.

The two were indifferent even to Yi-Han's explanation. Their expressions said to hurry up and tell the story of robbing the mansion.

"...Well, when I went in, I found that the eastern area of the mansion was guarded by a water spirit."

Not only the water spirit, but powerful water magic was also swirling inside the east wing, guarding against intruders.

Seeing this, Yi-Han tried controlling the water element, just in case.

It wouldn't be easy enough for an outside mage to steal control, but there was no harm in trying.

And Yi-Han gained control of the element.

-...Oh.-

The powerful mana and trained water element magic gave Yi-Han the power to steal the mansion's magic.

Realizing that some intruder had stolen control of the element, the water spirit rushed over in anger.

And after seeing Yi-Han, it quickly ran away.

-Uh...-

Yi-Han realized the matter had grown bigger than expected and decided to retreat.

The other areas of the mansion hadn't noticed the anomaly yet, but it was only a matter of time before he could be discovered at any moment...

-Who's there! What bastard is messing with the magic... Ugh!-

-Damn it.-

Unfortunately, a nobleman wearing a red silk vest came running at the commotion.

Yi-Han had no choice but to knock out the other party with the water power he was controlling. Whoever it was, he couldn't just leave them be.

"After that, I searched his body and found he had this. So I just brought it out."

"..."

"...Is it okay to bring it out so blatantly?"

"I don't know either..."

It was the first time they had seen a thief who brought things out so aggressively while not revealing his appearance.