Surviving as a Mage in a Magic Academy Chapter 873

Chapter 873

Contracting with a star was several times more difficult than finding one.

Under the Yaksha King's harsh tutelage, Yi-Han was barely able to draw out a fragment of the star's power.

-Hmm. It seems you could draw out a bit more.-

"I'll be going back now."

-Come to think of it, aren't you curious about this area?-

"I'll be going back now."

-That valley is where Os got beaten...-

"I'll be going ba... Wait. What did you say?"

Yi-Han paused for a moment and stared at the Yaksha King.

'Could it be. Is he doing this knowing everything?'

However, the Yaksha King pointed to a distant valley with an unreadable expression.

-That's where the Kinnara and Gandharvas live. They respect me as a king, but don't serve me. I, too, reign as a king but don't govern them.-

A Kinnara musician with a half-human, half-bird body discovered Yi-Han and played music as if welcoming him.

The music, imbued with unique magical power, was reminiscent of a siren's song, but the effect was the opposite. Yi-Han felt the fatigue from focusing on the star disappearing.

"They seem like joyful people. ...But why did he get beaten?"

-Hmm. I didn't ask, but Os probably thought he needed their power. To advance up there, even if one scraped together all the wisdom and secrets of this realm, it wouldn't be enough, so it's not strange that he tried to obtain the power of the indigenous races.-

"So when did he get beaten?"

The Yaksha King ignored Yi-Han's words.

-Os recuperated and recovered here, then went to them. And he said this: 'O you who sing the notes and burn incense, a mage who inherited the legacy of dragons speaks. Help me obtain the truth up there. Then I shall make you freer.'-

"No. Did he get beaten for saying that?"

Yi-Han found himself defending the skull principal without realizing it.

While it might be understandable for the current skull principal, the skull principal of the past was someone who at least tried to do good things, so to treat him so harshly...

When he glared at the Kinnara musician in the valley, the other shrugged as if he didn't know anything about it.

-No. He wasn't beaten for saying that.-

"Then why?"

-When they ignored him, Os tried to use magic to gain recognition through force. That's when he got beaten.-

Even though the young Os was a great mage who had learned dragon magic, the Kinnara and Gandharvas in that valley were warriors who had dealt with countless strangers visiting the realm over long years.

When the warriors attacked, taking advantage of the environment they were familiar with, Os couldn't withstand it and retreated to the Yaksha King's palace.

"..."

-Are you thinking of taking revenge as his disciple? If so, I can help.-

'Could this be a trap?'

-If you think I've set a trap, I'd like to point out that you're wrong. Of course, I am their king, but I haven't sworn to protect them absolutely. If Os's disciple wants to...-

"...No. It's fine."

-Hmm. Is it because of your emotional attitude towards your master?-

If he had to choose, Yi-Han wanted to hit the Yaksha King one more time than those races.

"If my master wanted revenge, he would have done it himself. And didn't my master try to subdue them with force first?"

-Indeed. But there are still parts that are hard to understand. Wouldn't a mage naturally have to show their power in such a situation? I'll tell you in advance, they are beings that can't be persuaded. They're only interested in music and incense.-

"If persuasion is impossible, can't we just leave them alone and go somewhere else?"

Yi-Han answered, thinking the Yaksha King was talking nonsense.

From the start, what would change by forcibly subduing such strong opponents and making them follow?

If a knife flew from behind, so be it, but it wasn't a choice to make with a high-difficulty goal in front.

-Wouldn't it be the same elsewhere? In this realm, those who lend wisdom to strangers are extremely few. Kings like me are very exceptional.-

"Just because it's bleak doesn't mean a foolish choice becomes a good one..."

-Hmm.-

Yi-Han was surprised.

Surprisingly, the Yaksha King burst into laughter.

'Could he be laughing because I insulted the skull principal?'

-The disciple is superior in some aspects.-

"Huh? What..."

Naturally, it wouldn't be about magic, and Yi-Han hesitated, thinking it might be about personality.

If he were to have a personality contest with the current skull principal, he was confident of winning every time, but he wasn't so sure about the past skull principal.

'Honestly, it's hard to believe, but objectively speaking, there might be some possibility that the skull principal was... a bit... quite... considerably... anyway, not insignificantly good person in the past.'

If that were the case, Yi-Han would likely lose in a personality contest. Yi-Han honestly didn't have the confidence to live like the past skull principal.

"In what aspect do you mean?"

-I would tell you if you didn't have emotional resentment towards your master, but I can't tell you in the current situation.-

'No, this bastard.'

-Instead, I'll tell you another anecdote. There are demons in that sky, and Os was deceived by them once.-

"Is that really true?!"

-Yes. How he was deceived...-

The Yaksha King paused mid-sentence.

The realm gate behind the black book had started to ripple.

-Hmm. Is it already time to return? I'll be looking forward to your next visit.-

"Wait, I'll just listen to the story about being deceived by demons...!"

However, as much time had already been spent on celestial magic, the realm gate didn't wait and swallowed Yi-Han.

The black book bowed to the Yaksha King and then followed into the realm gate.

Left alone, the Yaksha King paid his respects.

A mage who had reached the truth and his disciple deserved the respect of a king.

  *

"Ugh."

Waking up from sleep feeling the sunlight pouring in from the window, Yi-Han groaned at the sensation of a huge dragon tightly hugging him. His telekinetic barrier was on the verge of breaking.

After quickly reinforcing the magic, Yi-Han was about to wake Jourin when he felt something in his pocket.

"!"

A familiar horn-shaped piece.

It was a horn piece he had received from a Yaksha within Einroguard's territory before. The difference was that it contained a much deeper and richer aura.

If Yi-Han's memory was correct, this was an item for requesting help.

'...Uh, but can he come?'

Unlike the Yaksha within the same territory, the Yaksha King was a being residing in a far, far realm.

He hadn't made a contract with Yi-Han and had no particular connection here, so Yi-Han wondered if he could appear with just one horn piece.

Tap-

While he was pondering, there was a sound of something hitting outside the window.

When he looked up, it was a paper bird. The paper bird flew in through a small gap and came right in front of Yi-Han. And then it spewed out the voice contained inside...

-Help m...-

Splat!

...it couldn't. Jourin, drunk with sleep, irritably crushed the paper bird.

'I think that was Professor Verduus's voice just now?'

While Yi-Han was bewildered, a few more paper birds flew in. Jourin neatly intercepted the paper birds with her wings and tail.

She wasn't a dragon for nothing. Yi-Han was newly impressed by Jourin's abilities.

"Your Highness. Your Highness."

-Mmm?-

Jourin, still half-asleep, half-opened one eye at Yi-Han's voice and looked around.

She could hear Yi-Han's voice from somewhere, but couldn't see him.

"I'm here."

-...Nooooooo!-

Jourin let out a scream strong enough to shake the dormitory tower.

To think she had crushed Yi-Han in her sleep!

-Yi-Han! Don't die! Don't die!-

"I'm fine..."

"What's the matter?"

Eandurde, who had picked fruits early in the morning for Jourin, was startled by the scream.

-Jourin crushed Yi-Han!!-

"...Grrrr!"

Eandurde immediately revealed hostility and glared at Jourin. Jourin hurriedly made excuses.

-I-I didn't do it on purpose...! In my sleep...!-

"Grrrrrrrr!"

"I'm not dead."

Yi-Han amplified his telekinesis to lift Jourin's front paw and slipped out. Jourin, who had been whimpering, blinked at Yi-Han's unharmed appearance.

-Is Yi-Han sturdy so he doesn't get hurt?-

"Absolutely not. I blocked it with magic."

Yi-Han answered immediately, lest she misunderstand and really hug him tightly in the future.

Nevertheless, Eandurde glared at Jourin as if looking at a senior killer. Jourin explained while whimpering.

-In, in my sleep...-

"Grrrr."

-I didn't do it on purpose!-

"Grrrr!"

"Eandurde. Calm down. If it had been dangerous, I would have come out. More importantly..."

"What's going on?!"

Before Yi-Han could bring up Professor Verduus, Professor Bentozol rushed in hurriedly.

He had heard Jourin's scream while sleeping rough in front of Blue Dragon Tower.

"What on earth is going on! Your Highness! What eternally cursed bastards surprised you?!"

-Jourin thought she had crushed Yi-Han.-

"You bastard! Making Her Highness the Dragon have such a misunderstanding!?"

-Don't get angry at Yi-Han!-

Jourin growled a warning at Bentozol. Bentozol made an expression as if he wanted to strangle himself.

"It was my fault! Please calm down!"

-O-okay. I understand.-

"I've prepared a meal. If you wish, I'll bring it in."

-Uh, Jourin wanted to try Einroguard meals together with friends here...-

"Haha. Absolutely not."

Yi-Han firmly dissuaded her.

If Jourin ate the meals distributed at Einroguard, she might evolve into a light dragon or magic dragon.

After persuasion, when Jourin nodded, Bentozol began to bring in meals in order.

"Hey! Bring in the dishes!"

The demons working at Einroguard grumbled as they carried the dishes.

What unnecessary trouble was this because of that crazy professor!

Almost all the dishes that Einroguard students could imagine seemed to be on the huge banquet table.

Potage made with pumpkin or potato, gratin and salad, southern imperial style sautéed dishes, towers of juicy wild boar meat and turkey, veal roasted whole and stuffed, fish dishes decorated with sauce on a lake of broth, custard and tart, soufflé and chocolate, pudding and cream...

Yonaire, who was coming down rubbing her sleepy eyes, paused, wondering if she had been caught in an illusion magic.

"Wh... What is this?"

"A meal prepared by the professor."

"Does Her Highness usually eat this?"

Jourin answered with an embarrassed face, shaking her head.

To begin with, Jourin didn't even eat this much.

"Professor. Can we call other students to eat together?"

"Are you crazy??"

"Your Highness. Can we call other students to eat together?"

-Yes.-

Professor Bentozol glared at Yi-Han once and then went to call the students.

At first, students from other towers wondered what was going on, but as they arrived one by one and grasped the situation, they hurriedly called their friends.

"Praise be to Her Highness!"

"Long live Princess Jourin! Praise the true royal's mercy!"

"...Hey."

Except for a few disgruntled royals, it was a happy time for everyone. Especially Jourin, who suddenly received praise, seemed very excited.

-Can you perhaps treat us the same way tomorrow?-

"Of course, Your Highness the Dragon!"

Professor Bentozol answered with a happy, beaming smile.

His complaints about students eating had already disappeared far away.

Yi-Han could see the faces of the demons moving food at the bottom of the tower becoming fiercely distorted.

'Won't the professor get attacked later?'

Jourin, excited, chattered to Yi-Han.

-Come to think of it, Yi-Han. Jourin caught a bug targeting Yi-Han in a dream! Yi-Han can rest assured. Jourin will protect you outside of dreams too.-

"That's reassuring, Your Highness... Ah."

Yi-Han paused, just now remembering the paper birds.

'Hmm. It should be fine to talk after finishing the meal.'

Yi-Han nodded to Gainando, who was pulling his sleeve, and cut the steak for him.