Surviving as a Mage in a Magic Academy Chapter 920

Chapter 920

'Oops. Right after making that resolution.'

Yi-Han quickly reflected on his actions.

He had resolved to do good after seeing the young skull principal's good deeds, but he immediately got irritated like this.

"Um. I'm sorry. I've had a lot going on lately, so I got angry for no reason. Here, I'll put some grapes in for you."

-Get lost!-

"..."

At the angry hamster's curse, Yi-Han threw several grapes into the cage in succession.

The hamster screamed and fled to the corner.

'Oops. I'm doing it again!'

Yi-Han reflected once more. At the same time, he felt slightly self-loathing.

To act like this right after making a resolution.

'Ugh. Is it really impossible for me? To act like the young principal...'

"Yi-Han. Are you alright?"

Professor Garcia, who had carefully stored the scepter's light back in its case, looked at her disciple with concern.

The experience from the scepter was like cramming compressed information into one's head for a short time.

Even an outstanding mage would be confused and flustered.

"I'm fine, Professor. And I learned a lot."

"Really? Like what?"

"Seeing the real principal, no, the young principal's appearance..."

"Didn't you just say 'real principal'?"

"...I thought I should do more good deeds."

'Is that really necessary?'

Professor Garcia tilted her head inwardly.

In the professor's view, her disciple was already doing plenty of good deeds.

By Einroguard student standards, he was already quite kind...

'No. There's no need to stop such thoughts.'

Professor Garcia, who had been puzzled, regained her composure.

There was nothing bad about doing more good deeds. If her disciple had gained such an insight, as a teacher she should just cheer him on.

"Yi-Han. I'm proud of you. For having such thoughts."

"Sigh. But as soon as I came back, I took out my anger on this hamster..."

"...Th-that much is fine. That hamster will understand too."

Throwing a few grapes at an evil magic criminal was something even the young skull principal would surely react to with 'Well, that much is...'

There was no need to be dejected over such a thing.

"Decline?"

Professor Boladi, who had been quietly listening from the side, asked calmly.

In fact, Decline was the most important purpose of this journey.

If they couldn't turn the mad doppelganger's heart, they would have to rethink the solution from the beginning.

In that case, the situation could really grow beyond Einroguard.

"I've grasped a clue."

Yi-Han answered carefully after some consideration.

He wasn't completely certain yet. But thanks to what he heard from the young skull principal, there were parts he could grasp.

-Just as you came down out of sincere concern for me, sincerely worry about others. Then you'll soon be able to understand.-

And the mad doppelganger had said something similar.

-Get used to this magic. You lowborn must realize it yourself.-

'Hmm. Come to think of it, those aren't similar words at all.'

The former was kind, but the latter was just self-centered talk.

Yi-Han newly realized how twisted a great mage the skull principal had become with age.

How could one understand the latter?

'In the end, to surpass a certain level in magic, one must be able to understand the meaning contained within.'

This was rare for lower circle magics. One didn't need to think about what the mage meant in creating this magic if they just grasped the movement of mana and the chanting of spells.

But high circle magics couldn't be perfectly reproduced by simply following the process.

Small worlds were a good example. Though it was the same magic, it was impossible to cast without fully understanding the meaning the mage put into this magic.

Yi-Han speculated that high-level magics, though different in composition, contained small worlds like small world magic.

A structure where one couldn't fully draw out the power without grasping and understanding the ideas contained in the small world.

...In fact, this was something Yi-Han didn't need to learn at all in his current year, but he had figured it out on his own through self-study.

'Decline is the same. I should have cast it sincerely.'

Yi-Han, deeply impressed by the young skull principal's words and actions, planned to try casting Decline again with that resolution.

Though he wasn't certain, it was the only method he could think of for now.

"There's no guarantee of success, but I'd like to try..."

"That's great!"

"Good."

"..."

When the two professors conversed as if he had already succeeded, Yi-Han was dumbfounded.

What's with these people??

"Professor. Did you perhaps mishear me? I clearly said there's no guarantee of success..."

"Yes, yes. I heard you, Yi-Han. Let's depart as soon as you rest and regain your strength. The Yaksha King must be straining himself a lot too."

"..."

Yi-Han suddenly missed the young skull principal.

If the young skull principal were here, he would have scolded them, 'Listen to your disciple's words properly!'

'What are they going to do if I fail?'

The two professors, certain of resolving the matter regardless of their disciple's worries, talked about what they wanted to.

"Oh right. I wrote down some of the young principal's magic while visiting. I jotted it down hastily, but I'm going to organize it carefully when we get back."

Professor Garcia pulled out a crumpled bundle of papers.

There were magics the young skull principal had directly taught, and magics Professor Garcia had seen and reverse-analyzed their structure to write down.

Though it wasn't such a long journey, it was enough to receive deep inspiration as a mage.

"Didn't Professor Bagrak write anything down?"

"I wrote too."

"I thought so."

Professor Boladi took out a well-bound black leather manuscript. The two professors exchanged which magics they found impressive.

'Professors. They're really terrible.'

Yi-Han shook his head.

He had just been thinking about how terrible the ancient era was and how they couldn't invite the young skull principal to Einroguard...

Yet the professors were already discussing magic as soon as they returned. He supposed one had to be at least this level to become an Einroguard professor.

"Hmm. Then we can start by teaching Yi-Han the time magic here."

"Alright. The young principal's Fedor seems difficult to teach now."

"..."

Yi-Han opened his eyes wide at the sight of the two professors trying to forcibly pass on the magic they had learned from the young skull principal to him.

What kind of malice was this??

'If the young principal were here, he would never have allowed this!'

  *

The Yaksha King was greatly surprised by Yi-Han's group's arrival.

-Hmm. Disciple of Os. My prediction was off. I didn't think you would fail.-

Seeing Yi-Han's dark expression, it was clear the preparation had failed.

It was shocking, but it couldn't be helped. The Yaksha King immediately offered his next advice.

-In that case, we have no choice but to annihilate him together. Evacuate the students and call the mages. I'll interfere as much as I can, but you must never let your guard down...-

"Wait, we didn't fail! Your Highness."

Professor Garcia shouted, stopping the Yaksha King who was going ahead.

The Yaksha King asked in bewilderment.

-You didn't fail?-

"No!"

-Then why does Os's disciple look so gloomy?-

"My face is always like this."

Yi-Han said with a sullen expression.

Of course, he understood Professor Garcia and Professor Boladi's feelings too.

As Yi-Han was also the skull principal's disciple (and moreover his direct disciple), it would be rude and vile for just the two of them to monopolize the magic.

Considering the young skull principal's generous heart, they had to pass on the magic to Yi-Han as quickly as possible.

...Of course, Yi-Han's own opinion wasn't included in this.

'Why does the amount of magic I have to learn increase because the professors forcibly learned magic?'

No matter how he thought about it, it was an incomprehensible problem.

-Hmm. I was mistaken. Then disciple of Os. Show me what you've prepared!-

At the Yaksha King's shout, Yi-Han shook off his distracting thoughts and stepped forward.

The people around cheered for Yi-Han too.

"Yi-Han can do it!"

-You must succeed!-

"..."

Yi-Han kicked the hamster cage once with his foot. The hamster squeaked and spewed curses.

-Why are you only doing this to me?-

"How can I kick the professors?"

-...-

The hamster had to accept the strangely logical words.

Well, that's true!

'I concentrate. Forget hatred and contain the realization I felt then.'

Yi-Han threw away his irritation towards the hamster and resentment towards the professors, and sank deeply into thought.

<Gonadaltes' Decline> was ultimately magic that started from the young skull principal's resolution to bear others' suffering himself.

He had to understand that resolution, and prepare himself to help a little too.

'I don't know how much I can help... but as much as I can...'

As he concentrated, Yi-Han wondered for a moment if he could make such a compromising resolution.

Shouldn't he at least put forth a resolution like 'I'll dedicate all my remaining fortune and life' when casting magic?

But it couldn't be helped. Such lies were impossible before the magic he was casting.

A little more than he had done so far.

Doing his best within what he could do.

At that moment, Yi-Han felt his vision spiritually expanding widely.

A vast sense of expansion like understanding an unknown world and laws shook his soul.

'This is...!'

  *

The first thing the mad doppelganger saw when he regained consciousness was the Yaksha King choking his neck with one arm.

"...What are you doing?"

-You've regained your senses, my friend.-

"Regained my senses? What..."

The mad doppelganger immediately grasped the situation just by looking around the workshop once, perceiving the mana flow outside, and lightly detecting the magic set up on the outskirts.

"I was reversed?"

-That's right.-

"How did you stop it?"

-The outstanding mages here and your disciple stopped it.-

Professor Garcia waved her hand with a very awkward expression.

Unlike her disciple, Professor Garcia was still awkward dealing with this cold and mad doppelganger.

"As royalty, I shall express my gratitude."

"Ah, no. We just did what we had to do."

"Mage. Stand tall and receive royalty's praise. Not everyone can receive it."

'Is there no way to drive him mad with the young principal's personality...?'

Professor Garcia became slightly dejected as she recalled the young skull principal's kindness.

To think she would miss him already when they hadn't parted that long ago.

"Release me."

-I shall do so.-

The Yaksha King promptly removed his arm. The mad doppelganger quickly reverse summoned the foundations of the demigod army he had cast outside.

Professor Garcia, who had been watching cautiously, carefully asked.

"Um, you've given up on the desire to conquer the continent, right?"

"Did royalty say such things? Indeed, I must have. You need not worry."

The mad doppelganger spoke with a sneer.

From the mad doppelganger's standards, continental conquest was close to a mistake made from failing to overcome impatience.

Setting aside what would happen after conquest, how many resources would be wasted in the process of conquest?

To the mad doppelganger trying to achieve his long-cherished wish through magic, this method felt excessively crude and clumsy.

'Phew.'

Professor Garcia let out a sigh of relief. From the way he spoke, it really seemed like he wouldn't conquer the continent.

"Royalty shall ask one question too."

"Ah. Yes."

"Why does royalty's disciple not show himself?"

"...Well..."

As Professor Garcia hesitated, the mad doppelganger tensed slightly.

Surely there wasn't some mistake while casting Decline?

"...He went to take his remaining exams."

"..."