Surviving as a Mage in a Magic Academy Chapter 884

Chapter 884

After talking with Einroguard's best senior and returning to the lounge, Yi-Han gained some insight.

'Senior Direth is right. In certain situations, deception is self-defense.'

Yi-Han covered Jourin, who was curled up and dozing off near the fireplace, with a huge blanket (made by weaving students' cloaks together).

For Jourin, who usually stayed quietly and peacefully in the mansion, the magic school was like a festival full of all kinds of joys, so even when sleepiness came, she never returned to the lounge and just followed Yi-Han around.

Thanks to that, every time they returned to the lounge like this, she immediately curled up and fell asleep.

In fact, it wasn't too bad from Yi-Han's perspective either. Taking care of Jourin wasn't that difficult, but he needed time for himself too.

Yi-Han wrote down and organized what he would do on Friday tomorrow, on the weekend, and points to be careful about during next week's midterms on paper.

'Hmm...'

Looking at the darkness settling outside the window, Yi-Han felt the need to refresh his thoughts for a moment.

The convenient thing about being a mage was that at times like this, there was no need to fill a kettle with water and put it on the stove to boil.

Yi-Han waved his staff to create water in the air and boil it.

'This is what being a mage is about.'

In fact, ordinary mages didn't waste their precious mana on such trivial tasks, but Yi-Han felt the utility of magic most strongly at times like this.

Holding the hot, strong coffee he had made, Yi-Han approached the window.

Though it was a barren and harsh place, Einroguard was truly a place with beautiful scenery.

If you poked your head out the window in the middle of the night, you could see the brilliant trajectories of stars passing overhead and hear the breath of the forest below...

-Snore!-

"..."

Yi-Han made a very complicated expression as he witnessed Professor Bentozol sleeping rough with his bare body under the window.

To think one of his few pleasures would be destroyed like this. It seemed he wouldn't be able to look out the window for a while.

'I guess I'll have to use deception, no, self-defense.'

Yi-Han took out the <Whispers of Einroguard> artifact and opened it. Then he started scribbling on the Sentinel club's page.

Gonadaltes: Have you all heard the rumor?

Beaver-Penguin-Fox: What rumor?

Gonadaltes: The rumor about the intruders who entered this time. It's really so shocking and surprising that my hands are still shaking.

Beaver-Penguin-Fox: For something like that, your handwriting looks fine... So? What's the rumor?

Gonadaltes: I heard that the intruder actually stole the principal's treasure! Isn't it really surprising?

Beaver-Penguin-Fox: What?! That's really surprising... Wait. How do you really know that?

'Oops.'

Yi-Han realized his mistake.

He had only thought about mobilizing the Sentinel club members and hadn't considered how he would look.

'There's no choice. I'll have to insist.'

Beaver-Penguin-Fox: No matter how I think about it, you seem to know unusually well about the principal...

Gonadaltes: Oh, come on. I don't know how long I'll have to hear such words. To be slandered like this even when I share a rumor. Fine. Let's stop talking.

Beaver-Penguin-Fox: No. I was wrong! I'll apologize.

Beaver-Penguin-Fox inwardly found it suspicious but apologized for now.

There was nothing good about persecuting someone who brought information within the club.

Baqwantallana: It's convincing. The one moving to catch the intruders now is the Wardanaz family boy. He's the principal's disciple. If they took the principal's treasure, it's logically sound.

Beaver-Penguin-Fox: ...Do you perhaps know what treasure it is? It's not the <Light of the Forest>, is it?

'What's that?'

Though he didn't know what artifact the other was talking about, Yi-Han decided to agree for now.

Gonadaltes: I can't completely deny that possibility. Of course, it's not certain.

Beaver-Penguin-Fox: This won't do. I have to go kill the intruders. I'll apologize to everyone first. I'm going to take the treasure.

'This person can be reliable at times like this.'

Yi-Han was almost certain that Beaver-Penguin-Fox's identity was Ilendil.

As such, he couldn't help but be surprised by her active attitude within the Sentinel club.

Senior Ilendil, a dryad mixed-blood, was usually a slow and indifferent person.

'No. I think she moved actively when it came to forests...'

Come to think of it, she seemed to have cursed indiscriminately when forests were being destroyed.

Her usual slowness might have just been because it wasn't her area of interest.

Gonadaltes: Baqwantallana. Beaver-Penguin-Fox is saying that, but you're not interested? Beaver-Penguin-Fox might monopolize it.

Baqwantallana: I have my own plans.

Gonadaltes: Do you know that among the principal's treasures, there's a realm gate connected to outside the school? The rumor says the intruder took that...

Though he threw out any words to stimulate the other party, Baqwantallana seemed to have closed the book as there was no more reply.

Yi-Han, who had been waiting, clicked his tongue in disappointment.

'Let's not be hasty. This is just the beginning.'

It was a good enough result to have caught one person for now, and other club members who opened this artifact later might show additional interest.

Yi-Han fell into thought about how to lie plausibly the next time the topic came up.

'I'm not sure what Eaktus likes. Immortal... seems like an old-fashioned taste. This Klzenberg person is just creepy beyond persuasion.'

Tap-

"?"

How much time had passed?

A paper bird came in through the window. Yi-Han was surprised at the sender's identity when he checked the contents.

[Come to the common lounge as soon as you confirm.

-Yukbeltire]

'Ah. It seems the senior has heard the rumor too.'

Yi-Han realized what the situation was.

The rumor that the intruders had treasures must have reached Yukbeltire's ears too.

"Senior."

"Mm."

Yukbeltire, who was sitting in a chair in the common lounge (as they would be stolen if left behind, one had to carry them or make them on the spot), nodded when she saw her junior.

"What's the matter? Is it because of the intruders?"

"That's right. Your insight is excellent."

"I'll be reassured if you help, senior. Thank you."

Yi-Han spoke with an artificial attitude.

Of course, from Yukbeltire's perspective, who had stepped up because of the skull principal's treasure, she would feel very betrayed, but Yi-Han was cold.

Wasn't deception self-defense in certain situations in Einroguard?

If the target was enchantment magic school seniors, it was even more likely to be accepted.

"I want to know the information you have about the intruders. And about the other students who are participating."

"I'll explain to the best of my ability."

Yi-Han started explaining what he knew.

He knew little about the intruders, but he at least knew in detail about the students participating now.

Yukbeltire took notes of her junior's words and pondered how to approach.

'Approaching from below the mountains might be meaningless. Should I set traps further inside...'

"Senior. By the way, what treasure are you aiming for?"

Yi-Han asked with the intention of getting information about the treasures the skull principal had.

If there was a treasure of the skull principal that Yukbeltire was aiming for, it would be that valuable.

"?"

However, Yukbeltire's reaction was unexpected.

She stared blankly with transparent eyes as if she didn't understand what Yi-Han was saying.

"Weren't you aiming for the intruders' treasure?"

"Not really. Even if they stole the principal's treasure, it's likely to be a relatively trivial level."

Yukbeltire was cold.

She judged that even if the intruders had stolen a treasure, it was likely to be a trivial level treasure.

If it wasn't and was really an important treasure, the Death Knights wouldn't be roaming around so leisurely now.

Yukbeltire wasn't stupid enough to act on such uncertain rumors.

'No. Then why did she step up?'

"If not that... then why?"

"Since you, the Wardanaz family junior, are helping with my research, I'm helping you too."

"...!!!"

Yi-Han was truly surprised by the unexpected answer.

'That's impossible!'

To think someone like Yukbeltire would step up to help out of pure goodwill.

Of course, Yi-Han had promised to help with research during the break, but it was still amazing even considering that.

'If anyone calls senior "Little Verduus" from now on, I'll grab their collar immediately.'

Yi-Han was surprised and moved.

To think people could change.

Then did that mean the day would come when Professor Verduus would abandon his attitude and step up to help out of pure goodwill?

'...I can't imagine it at all...'

"Thank you, senior. I really didn't expect you to help like this without any compensation. What made you think that way?"

"Direth told me to do it."

"..."

More than half of Yi-Han's emotion disappeared.

No wonder!

"By any chance, was the part about you helping as much as I help also written by Senior Direth?"

"Yes."

"...But did Senior Direth give permission to tell me this?"

Yi-Han, who had been listening to the story, felt slightly doubtful.

Given Direth's personality, if she was pushing her friend's back to help her junior, it didn't seem like she would reveal it but keep it secret.

Yukbeltire slightly frowned her pale face and pondered.

Then she said.

"I don't think she gave permission. I'd like you to keep it a secret."

"I understand... Anyway, thank you..."

"Properly convey it to Direth too. That you, the Wardanaz family junior, are grateful to me."

"Yes, yes."

  *

Jourin, who had been dozing off and woke up, crawled out to the common lounge when she didn't see Yi-Han.

Yi-Han, who was seeing off Yukbeltire, opened his eyes wide in surprise when he saw Jourin.

"Did you wake up?"

-...Jourin didn't sleep!-

'Why do both Jourin and the baby basilisk keep insisting they didn't sleep?'

He didn't understand why they insisted they hadn't slept when no one would say anything even if they did sleep.

As it wasn't important, Yi-Han briefly explained what they had been talking about.

"It seems Senior Yukbeltire will also step up to catch the intruders along with other enchantment magic school seniors."

-Yukbeltire is so kind!-

"Um... Well... That... No. Yes. She's kind."

Yi-Han just let it pass, not wanting to criticize that sister in front of Jourin.

'I'm sure she was trying to hang Professor Verduus upside down in front of Her Highness.'

Jourin nodded her head and said.

-Actually, Jourin thought Yukbeltire had come because of the exam.-

"Exam?"

-Yi-Han is taking exams early! So to take the exam early...-

"...That's a misunderstanding, Your Highness."

Yi-Han explained again to Jourin, who didn't clear up her misunderstanding despite his explanation.

He wasn't deliberately taking exams early, it was a coincidence, and if it was the lecture Senior Yukbeltire was in charge of now, it was <Magical Algebra and Arcane Geometry>, which was a difficult lecture so taking it early was really impossible...

"Even if I study more all weekend, not just today and tomorrow, it won't be enough."

-Yi-Han seems like he could just take it.-

"Absolutely not..."

The common lounge door opened and Yukbeltire, who had left earlier, returned.

Yukbeltire sat down lightly in front of Yi-Han and said.

"I missed another agenda while talking about the intruders. I have something to say. Wardanaz family junior."

"I'm listening."

Thud!

A thick stack of papers appeared on the table.

"It's the <Magical Algebra and Arcane Geometry> exam. We'll start when you're ready."

"..."