Surviving as a Mage in a Magic Academy Chapter 819

Chapter 819

The thoroughly cowed Duke Icaldoren hurriedly grabbed a quill pen and began signing that he would 'sponsor Yukbeltire's artificial realm research.'

There was not a trace of the confidence he usually displayed in manipulating the underworld dealings in the shadowy parts of the empire.

It was as pitiful as a bankrupt tycoon writing his will with trembling hands in his final years.

Yi-Han and Yukbeltire watched the scene with satisfaction. Fortunately, Direth, who was still in her right mind, grabbed both their shoulders and whispered.

"Hey. Wait a moment."

"?"

"??"

The two looked at Direth as if to ask what was wrong.

"...Didn't I say we should show some manners?"

'It's resolved, isn't it? Now we just need to keep him confined until the end of this week.'

"Don't worry, Senior. I'll make sure to feed him well."

While her friend was grating on her nerves and her junior was obliviously saying something else, Direth gritted her teeth and maintained her patience.

"Grumblegrumblegrumble..."

"Direth. Speak clearly. Don't be so undignified."

"I think she said 'Even so, this is too much'..."

Yi-Han spoke and stepped back one step. Yukbeltire was puzzled as to why her junior stepped back.

Smack!

Direth hit her friend's head with the end of her staff.

Yukbeltire blinked repeatedly with eyes as if the sky had fallen at this betrayal from a trusted friend.

"Wh-why?"

"How can you say that! Are you only going to do magic for one year from now on? That duke will be released and return someday, do you want to be blacklisted among imperial nobles!"

"But..."

Yukbeltire tried to argue.

There were several great nobles in the empire, and even if Duke Icaldoren held a grudge and spread bad rumors, as long as she had outstanding magical skills, she could find enough nobles interested in sponsoring...

Smack!

"And you're getting your junior's hands bloody to receive sponsorship for your research! Are you even human!"

"That's..."

Yukbeltire tried to argue again.

The threat Yi-Han had just made wasn't directly ordered by Yukbeltire herself, was it?

But Yukbeltire shut her mouth without saying anything.

Somehow, she felt that if she spoke here, a curse would fly instead of a staff.

It was a mistake not to prepare for close-range curses, trusting Direth. Yukbeltire reflected on her own innocence.

"Senior. Please calm down."

Yi-Han tried to explain while hiding behind Yukbeltire.

"Honestly, that duke was impossible to persuade. You know that too, don't you?"

"...He was a bit scared and rambling... but still, persuasion... Wait. It seems like you two have met before, what happened?"

"Nothing more than receiving a few invitations."

"Really? His reaction seems too intense for just that."

"I did go to arrest him with the principal at the end..."

Direth glared at her junior.

Shouldn't you have said that first?

"No wonder he was saying something about the Imperial Mage Administrator's disciple... Sigh. There's nothing good about making enemies if you want to do magic for a long time."

"No matter how much Duke Icaldoren holds a grudge and spreads bad rumors, with outstanding magical skills, it's possible to overcome..."

"You be quiet."

Shutting up her friend who was additionally grating on her nerves, Direth sighed.

She didn't care if Yukbeltire made enemies by the legion, but she was worried that her junior had already built up enmity with an imperial duke.

There was nothing good about having many enemies on a mage's path.

The skull principal would know that too, yet he took Yi-Han to arrest him.

It was a truly malicious intention that anyone could see was meant to spread rumors.

As Direth let out a deep sigh, Yi-Han became slightly worried.

"Is the rumor of being the Imperial Mage Administrator's disciple that dangerous...?"

"No... You'd be respected to some extent."

"And hated just as much."

"Senior. Please endure!"

Yi-Han hurriedly grabbed Direth's arm and stopped her. Seeing green flashes in her eyes, at least a curse with poison was being prepared.

Yukbeltire asked as if she didn't understand.

"I explained, so why are you doing this?"

"I think I understand... Anyway, it seems the rumor of being the Imperial Mage Administrator's disciple is a double-edged sword."

Direth was about to say 'It's closer to a sword with the edge only towards the owner' but held back, feeling pity for her junior.

Seeing her friend and junior looking depressed, Yukbeltire felt the need to give realistic advice.

"Direth. If you're that worried about the junior, there's a way."

"...What is it?"

"We threaten Duke Icaldoren more decisively now. So he doesn't dare go against our will even when he's released."

Since the situation had already gone beyond manners and reconciliation, it was about making sure there were no aftereffects by thoroughly scaring him.

Yi-Han was tempted by those words.

"Could you explain in more detail..."

"Hey. Come outside."

'No. I wanted to hear more.'

At Direth's chilly voice, Yi-Han felt regretful inwardly.

He thought he should ask Yukbeltire separately for details later if he got the chance.

He didn't know about other things, but as Professor Verduus's disciple, she seemed very reliable in this aspect.

  *

After mediating the duel between the two seniors and guiding the duke to a warm bed in the basement of the Dark Shadow Hall (it was quite cozy with a corpse-burning stove next to it), Yi-Han returned to the dormitory as if nothing had happened.

He could see friends and seniors who had been eyeing sponsors with predatory eyes on the 7th floor finishing their work and returning one by one.

"You worked hard, Senior Perse."

"I didn't work that hard. Most of the sponsors for the ballgame club are kind people. And we also receive support from the Imperial Ballgame Association... Oh right. Junior. I heard you received separate sponsorship too? As expected of the owner of the Basilisk and Griffin."

Perse sent a respectful gaze to his junior who had achieved outstanding results.

He didn't seem to even think that an ancient being might have awakened and come with hidden wealth.

Yi-Han smiled artificially.

"I was lucky."

"What luck? By the way, you guys. Have you heard the rumors about the duke?"

Perse asked not only Yi-Han but also the other friends behind him.

The 2nd year students from Blue Dragon Tower nodded and answered.

"Of course we heard."

"Is it true that if you catch the duke, he'll pay out his weight in gold coins?"

'How quickly did the rumors spread?'

Yi-Han was slightly flustered.

To think it would spread even to his friends, let alone the seniors.

Perse spoke with a serious worry on his angular face.

"Just in case, don't be greedy for Duke Ancalden."

"It's Duke Icaldoren."

"Ah. Right. Duke Icaldoren. That's right. Don't be greedy for Duke Icaldoren."

Perse paused in his explanation.

How did the junior even know the name?

'Well, he takes all schools, so he'd hear rumors faster.'

"The principal wouldn't have confined someone without money just to release them, so he'll probably pay out an enormous amount of gold coins, but the competition will be that much fiercer. There are even rumors that 5th year seniors are aiming for him."

"Isn't that too much! 5th years should just graduate!"

"Stop! That's going too far. Show respect to seniors who've risen to 5th year. Do you have no sympathy?"

'Senior Perse's words seem crueler...'

Yi-Han grumbled inwardly.

"Don't worry, Senior. We're not very greedy for the duke."

"That's right. I heard the 6th floor corridor was destroyed because 5th years fought over the duke."

"..."

Yi-Han shuddered as he saw what he had done subtly mixed into the rumors.

So this is how rumors are made!

Anyway, thanks to this, the 2nd year students seemed to have lost much of their interest in the duke.

The thought of getting involved decreased sharply when they heard that upper year students were fiercely competing.

Some friends whispered to Yi-Han while saying they weren't interested.

"Wardanaz. Are you really not interested?"

"You really, really have no interest, right?"

"I don't."

"Whew. I see. Then I'm not interested either."

"Me too!"

"..."

Yi-Han was at a loss for words at his friends' steadfast friendship, ready to join him if he were to go kidnap the duke.

"It's fortunate that you're not interested in the duke. I wasn't going to say this, but there's a 5th year senior in White Tiger Tower. Senior Caten of the Jahan family, a great swordsman who can freely handle aura."

"He must be good at magic too?"

"Huh? Uh... Well. I suppose so. Anyway, I heard this person participated in the duke snatching competition and had his arm shattered. That's how many strong students are participating. Everyone be careful, okay? If you're misunderstood as trying to snatch the duke, you might be carried to the healing room instead of the punishment room."

"We'll keep it in mind!"

"Junior. What about you?"

Perse asked sternly when Yi-Han didn't answer.

This student taking all schools had no fear and might get involved in anything. He needed to emphasize it more.

"I'll keep it in mind too!"

"Good. That's enough."

"But Senior Perse. Isn't the rumor about Senior Caten of the Jahan family having his arm shattered false? I can't believe he was injured."

Yi-Han came to his senses and attempted to manipulate public opinion.

However, Perse shook his head.

"That's not true. I heard it directly."

"...From whom?"

Yi-Han asked again, intending to brand whoever said it as a liar.

"Directly from Senior Caten of the Jahan family himself. He emphasized several times what a formidable opponent it was."

"..."

Yi-Han secretly clenched his fist.

  *

Even if it was club week, it didn't mean lectures weren't held at all.

Students had to attend lectures while also kidnapping and persuading sponsors.

Especially in Yi-Han's case, he was even busier.

'It's fortunate I took care of most things on the weekend.'

If he had to kidnap everyone from the ancient servant sent by the mad doppelganger to Duke Icaldoren during the weekdays, it would have been several times more tiring.

Thinking that, Yi-Han moved his steps. It wasn't for lectures or sponsorship. There were periodic chores he had to do.

Taking care of the animals he raised (Niffirg would sulk if he met the unicorn first and went to see it, and the unicorn would sulk if he brought the basilisk, so he had to calculate well), obtaining additional food from the vegetable garden he had and the kitchen club area he received from seniors...

Yi-Han, who was moving secretly taking advantage of the darkness of night as dawn approached, paused when he saw the familiar figure of the pirate grandmother in the distance.

"Lady Ragesa!"

"What brat... It's you. Why are you sneaking around like a mouse with invisibility magic at this hour?"

"Because we're supposed to be in the dormitory at this hour. What are you doing here, Lady Ragesa? This isn't where the sponsors stay, is it?"

"I was just looking around because I was bored. And feeling sorry for the students."

"The seniors are certainly a bit pitiful."

Yi-Han deeply sympathized.

Then Ragesa flared up in anger.

"What's pitiful about those brats! They're arrogant and disrespectful bastards!"

"Huh? You mean the seniors?"

"Yes! Those damn brats."

'What on earth did the seniors do?'

Yi-Han was truly surprised to see Ragesa getting sincerely angry in that short time.

"Just because I invested some gold coins in Beavle, those damn brats think Torgerard's daughter is a complete fool! You don't think that way too, do you?"

"Lady Ragesa. I'm Professor Verdu... the professor's disciple. Professor Verduus's research is certainly worth investing in."

"That's not it."

"..."

"Never mind. The ones I said were pitiful are the freshmen here. Look over there."

When Ragesa pointed ahead, Yi-Han enhanced his vision and looked.

It seemed there was a food basket Ragesa had thrown there.

'What?'

A moment later.

Skinny 1st year students came running, grabbed the food basket, and started devouring it frantically.

Ragesa shook her head and said.

"Even so, to starve them like that."

"N-no. They're not usually starved to that extent..."

"Really? As far as I know, this should be normal. Has it changed in the meantime?"