Surviving as a Mage in a Magic Academy Chapter 845

Chapter 845

Yi-Han was flustered by the sudden reproach.

He had never seen the 2nd year students because of Yi-Han himself, and because of that, he couldn't collect staffs?

What on earth did that mean?

'Is he crazy?'

Well, Einroguard originally had many crazy people.

Yi-Han tried to converse calmly without being surprised.

"What do you mean you couldn't see the 2nd years because of me? And what's this about collecting staffs?"

"Do you know what my job is?"

"Isn't it to guard the kitchen?"

Unless some unknown meaning had been added to the word 'kitchen keeper' in the meantime, there was nothing else but this.

"You're half right. The other half is exchanging food ingredients with students."

"!!!"

Yi-Han was truly surprised at this humanitarian role he was hearing about for the first time in Einroguard.

"No. Is there such a role in Einroguard? Why have I never seen you?"

"..."

The kitchen keeper threw an even more hostile and curt gaze than before.

Then he spat out.

"You've never seen me because you had nothing to want."

"What?"

"To meet me, one must be truly impoverished. One must be able to sell even their staff for a single can of food, with their belly sticking to their back. One must not mind going to the punishment room if they can raid the kitchen."

The other's words were more and more surprising as he listened.

Yi-Han thought inwardly.

'Does he only appear before truly hungry Einroguard students?'

To think there was a being that appeared when students were so starved they would be caught trying to raid the kitchen.

It was an eccentric and picky appearance condition, but in Einroguard, this level was considered normal.

'More than that, if I had known this, I wouldn't have needed to stockpile food ingredients so diligently.'

Yi-Han said regretfully.

"That's a shame. If I had thrown away more, my friends and I could have received food ingredients too."

"What do you mean receive?"

"Don't you give out food ingredients?"

"I said exchange."

"..."

Only then did Yi-Han come to his senses.

Come to think of it, it was strange.

There's no way a minion of the skull principal would appear before hungry students and give out food ingredients for free, right?

"...What do we have to do to get food ingredients? Do you make us do chores?"

"You're overestimating students too much. Do you think your chores have that much value? I only accept magic items unconditionally."

The kitchen keeper never gave out food ingredients for free. He only gave out food ingredients in exchange for various magic-related equipment.

Starting from the magic staffs students received, to small alchemy cauldrons or pots, cloaks or hats, and so on.

Hungry students had to steal even their friends' staffs to offer.

'Could it be that the 1st year juniors didn't have staffs because...!'

Yi-Han realized the truth and was shocked.

At first, he thought the 1st year Black Tortoise Tower students had collected staffs to commemorate and boast about their victory.

But Black Tortoise Tower students were just as hungry and struggling, so they couldn't have had such leisure. Of course, they had collected them because there was a place where food came out.

To make students who were already poor and had nothing steal from each other.

"Why on earth do you only accept such things?"

"Because the master ordered it."

'Ah.'

Yi-Han, who was about to be indignant, immediately understood.

If the skull principal had ordered it, there was nothing to be puzzled about. It was all too understandable.

"Last year, the master scolded me for having no results. It's because of you."

"No... Then do we have to forcibly endure even when we have food?"

"If you eat alone, that's fine, but why do you share with your friends? It's because of you."

"Then do you not give food when friends are starving?"

"Even if I concede a hundred times, why do you share with the entire student body when you could just share with friends? This is definitely because of you no matter how I look at it."

"..."

Yi-Han was slightly at a loss for words at the kitchen keeper's words.

Strangely, as he listened, he started to think that feeding the entire student body was a bit excessive...?

"Wait."

The duke, who had been listening from behind, interrupted as if he didn't understand.

"What is it, prisoner?"

"...Do you not know who I am?"

"I know. You're the fool who got caught trying to steal the master's treasure."

The kitchen keeper spat out curtly.

At those words, Duke Icaldoren's face turned red, but he didn't shout.

He had already painfully realized that there was no point in getting angry with imperial customs to a minion of the skull principal.

"Never mind. More importantly, isn't this the Imperial Mage Administrator's disciple? And you're the Imperial Mage Administrator's minion. Is it okay for a minion to act so arrogantly towards a disciple?"

The duke sternly pointed out the etiquette.

Yi-Han, who was listening beside him, pointed out in disbelief.

"What nonsense... Your Grace. I'm not a disciple..."

However, the kitchen keeper hesitated after hearing those words, then bowed his head deeply.

"I apologize. Please forgive my rudeness."

"...No. Why are you apologizing! I'm just a student!"

When the kitchen keeper suddenly bowed his head, Yi-Han felt even more frustrated.

What kind of person was this?

However, regardless of whether Yi-Han got angry or not, the kitchen keeper seemed to have made up his mind. He maintained his politeness with his head bowed.

Come to think of it, no matter how irritated he was, it wasn't a good choice to be rude to the Imperial Mage Administrator's disciple.

Even if his resentment was relieved for now, revenge might come back a hundred or thousand times over soon.

Even though Yi-Han jumped up and down angrily telling him to stop, the kitchen keeper persisted to the end.

"...Let's stop. So why did you come here, Mr. Kitchen Keeper? I'm neither hungry nor thinking of exchanging my staff."

"I didn't come because of Young Master Wardanaz. I came because of that fool behind you."

"Because of His Grace the Duke?"

"Yes. He called me."

The kitchen keeper took out a small brass bell from his waist. The bell made a clear sound as it swung outwards.

"Right now it's not ringing because that fool is full, but originally it rang in this direction."

The <Bell of Hunger> the kitchen keeper had was an artifact that found hungry people within the Einroguard territory.

When someone who was extremely hungry screamed with their soul, the bell detected that person's location and resonated sound in that direction.

Using this artifact, the kitchen keeper extracted students' staffs and various magic equipment and tools, and sometimes even found students dying of hunger in remote parts of the territory.

Duke Icaldoren, who heard the explanation, blushed again.

He hadn't thought that this kitchen keeper had come here because of him.

"I... I wasn't that hungry."

"Would a bell that can't speak lie, you fool? Magic doesn't lie."

"...You insolent bastard...!"

The duke was indignant but couldn't do anything inside the bars. The kitchen keeper put the bell away again.

"If the duke isn't hungry and has nothing to exchange, I should go. Young Master Wardanaz. Please forget today's rudeness."

"No. I'm fine. If you think about it, isn't the principal the bad one?"

"!?"

The duke listening from behind was flustered.

He didn't think he would openly curse his master.

'Is that okay?'

When Yi-Han said that, the kitchen keeper bowed his head again as if grateful, then turned around.

"Wait!"

"?"

"??"

It was the duke who stopped the kitchen keeper. Yi-Han and the kitchen keeper looked at the duke as if puzzled.

"...N-no. You said you exchange food. Yes. What can you give me?"

"..."

At Yi-Han's pitying gaze, the duke felt shame as if his soul had been stripped bare to the bottom.

If he had sent a gaze of contempt instead, it wouldn't have been this embarrassing.

"First, we need to check what you can offer."

"...Do you see this ring? This ring alone could buy a fortress."

Duke Icaldoren held out his index finger and shone the ring in the light.

Eighteen jewels, carefully cut, were shining brilliantly. Anyone could see it was an expensive work of art. However, the kitchen keeper shook his head.

"That won't do."

"What!? Why won't it do!"

"As I said, I only accept magic items. There's no magic on that."

"This one ring could buy dozens of magic items!"

"Complain to the master, you fool."

No matter what he said, the kitchen keeper was immovable. The duke beat his chest in frustration, then shouted at Yi-Han.

"Yes, boy! You can exchange it for me! Exchange it for magic items!"

"No. That's a bit..."

"Why!!"

When even Yi-Han refused, the duke stared at him with bloodshot eyes. He absolutely couldn't understand why they were refusing.

"This is too... expensive. I feel guilty exchanging it for a few cheap magic items I have."

Although Yi-Han was devoted to collecting imperial gold coins, he was worried about the aftermath of such a large-scale fraud.

He might be trying to exchange such a ring for a single pair of magic leather boots now because he's hungry, but wouldn't he change his mind later when he gets out?

"I'm telling you it's fine! Me!"

The duke jumped up and down inside the bars, begging to sell the family heirloom artwork cheaply.

The kitchen keeper put his finger to the side of his head and spun it.

"Do it. The fool has completely lost it."

"Don't say that."

"I'm sorry."

"And don't use honorifics with me either."

At that, the kitchen keeper shut his mouth completely. Yi-Han wanted to hit him.

"Your Grace. Then let's do this. I'll just give you a few magic items."

Just last year, Yi-Han had tried to sell portable leather water bottles with magic on them.

He had a few cheap magic items left in his backpack that he had made to help Professor Verduus or for practice during lectures.

The duke asked as if he didn't understand.

"You'll just give them? Then... then what do you get?"

"You can repay me when you get out later."

"..."

For a moment, tears streamed down Duke Icaldoren's eyes.

It was the first warm words he had heard since being dragged to Einroguard.

"...Sob. Sob sob!"

"Y-Your Grace. Did I say something wrong?"

"No... No. Thank you. Thank you! I... I will definitely repay you."

The duke forgot his age and face, and promised while crying loudly.

He felt so sorry for doubting and being wary of this boy for being the Imperial Mage Administrator's disciple that it pierced his heart.

How could he have insulted such a kind boy?

"When I get out, I'll definitely sponsor you."

'Hmm. It would be too trashy to ask him to write a few more promissory notes now.'

Yi-Han regretted inwardly.

He couldn't bring himself to say 'Would you write a few more research sponsorship notes?' in front of someone crying so profusely.

  *

The duke, who had obtained a week's worth of food ingredients from the kitchen keeper, carefully hid them in a corner of the prison. He put so much effort into concealing them that Yi-Han even cast illusion magic on them.

Yukbeltire wasn't the type to take such things away, but the duke had become a person who no longer trusted anyone.

Especially royalty, even more so.

-Your Grace. Although Senior Yukbeltire isn't interested in cooking and doesn't care about meals, she won't take away your food...-

-No! I don't believe it. You never know what that princess might do!-

-...I, I see. But don't worry too much. Senior is just busy now. She'll come back soon and check if there's anything uncomfortable.-

-N-no! Please. Tell her not to come anymore!-

-No... She has to visit periodically. What if you have any discomfort?-

-You come! Please, please!!-

-...I'll, I'll try.-