Surviving as a Mage in a Magic Academy Chapter 769

Chapter 769

After that, Ilendil continued to rage for about 15 more minutes before leaving. She was truly furious at having her pure love for beavers insulted.

"Th-that was scary. You guys were right."

When the senior disappeared, Gainando said, breaking out in a cold sweat.

She had looked as peaceful as a tree judging by appearance alone, but when she got angry, even the surrounding air trembled.

'It seems Gainando was in the wrong this time.'

Even the kindest senior at Einroguard would probably grab someone's collar immediately if they heard something like "Do you like Professor Verduus?"

Even Yi-Han himself would immediately throw a curse if someone came up while he was practicing dark magic and said nonsense like "Look! You're learning dark magic... so you must respect Lord Gonadaltes!"

"This isn't the kind of scary we were talking about."

"Th-that's right. We meant scary in an alchemical sense. She often attacks when you enter the forest... She leaves 1st years alone for the most part, but I heard she sometimes attacks 1st years too."

"..."

"..."

The students' faces grew solemn at Ymirg's detailed explanation.

Agdung, the Kalaroguard student, asked, not understanding.

"You're joking, right?"

"Uh... Yes. It's a joke. Haha. An Einroguard-style joke."

"Hahaha! Right? I thought so. Einroguard jokes have always been a bit hard to understand."

Yi-Han, who had quickly glossed over it, realized that other Einroguard students had glossed things over as jokes before too.

They just couldn't explain everything to outsiders.

"Yi-Han. I think we really need to think of a way to deal with Senior Ilendil."

Yonaire whispered.

Although it was troublesome for other students too, the forest monster was a very real threat to alchemy school students.

As the school that used the most diverse reagents and materials, they had no choice but to roam the forests within the territory in the future, but to face such an enemy...

Originally, it would have been right to ask for help from the school's seniors, but surprisingly, Ilendil was an alchemy school senior.

For a senior from the same school to be the strongest enemy hindering learning.

"Even seniors must have weaknesses."

"Like what, for example?"

"Fire or something..."

"...I think a more peaceful method would be better."

Siana, who was listening from the side, nodded quietly.

Something more peaceful seemed better than burning the senior with fire.

"How about Mr. Wardanaz trying to persuade her? Mr. Wardanaz receives the seniors' favor, so it might be possible."

"Can that be called favor? By that logic, even Professor Verduus's actions would be affection... I'll try my best for now. Although I'm not very confident."

Although Yi-Han was treated as an expert in negotiating with seniors among his friends, he himself wasn't very confident.

It was closer to exchanging based on mutual interests rather than being that close with the seniors.

Moreover, all Einroguard seniors were eccentric individuals, so you never knew when they might suddenly go crazy.

Even Ilendil was evaluating Yi-Han favorably now because he had contracted with an artificial dark elemental spirit and was trying to purify contamination sources, but if she caught him cutting trees in the forest, she would likely attack immediately.

"Maybe it would be better to avoid the senior. Einroguard's forests are vast, but the senior is alone. It might be better to look for times when she's not around."

"Mr. Wardanaz. I heard Senior Ilendil is an outstanding spirit mage, so even uncontracted forest spirits give her information."

"Damn it!"

Yi-Han showed rare anger.

Siana was startled. That level of anger was almost like when he discovered White Tiger Tower students who had fled without studying.

"Calm down, Yi-Han. We won't have much reason to enter the forest right away anyway. We've secured reagents like this."

"That's right... Ah. I should ask Senior Agdung."

Yi-Han approached Agdung, who was drawing while observing the contaminated being purification.

"Senior Agdung. When are you returning to Kalaroguard? If it's alright, I'd like to talk more."

Agdung smiled pleasantly at the outstanding junior's proposal.

"Don't worry. I'll stay for another week. I still have work with the juniors too. You want to discuss dark magic, right?"

When different dark mages met, they naturally exchanged their achievements.

Even within the same school, as everyone walked their own path, comparing each other's paths was always enjoyable and beneficial.

"Hmm. Yes. Something like that."

"Is there anything specific you want to discuss? If you've decided, I'd like to prepare a bit."

"I'd like to discuss dark magic items that might sell well."

"..."

Agdung was flustered at the completely unexpected topic.

  *

'The wisdom of Einroguard's dark magic school. And the wisdom of Kalaroguard's dark magic school. If we combine the two, we can surely make something that will sell.'

Yi-Han was thinking of trying to make sellable items in the Dark Shadow Hall workshop.

He needed to improve the dark magic school's vulnerable financial situation, even if it meant mobilizing seniors like Ogoldos or even Professor Mortum.

Of course, some mages might criticize 'Is something that can make money worth researching by gathering talents from various magic schools and even professors?', but Yi-Han didn't care about such criticism at all.

If he had his way, he wanted to make something together even if it meant calling the skull principal.

'I must... fill... the dark magic school's safe...'

As he fell asleep thinking such thoughts, at some point Yi-Han found a familiar place appearing before his eyes.

A wasteland where the sky and horizon were all empty.

It was the black book's illusion.

"Nice to see you!"

Yi-Han shouted as soon as he saw the black book fluttering in the distance. The black book flinched slightly at his unusually proactive attitude.

"I know why you called me, black book! It must be because I'm worrying about the dark magic school's financial situation. Right? If so, give me the secret method!"

Originally, Yi-Han would complain about the black book's coercive method of not letting him out until he learned, but today was different.

As he needed to think about new dark magic items, he couldn't help but welcome the call of the black book containing the skull principal's secret teachings.

However, the black book slowly shook its body sideways.

"...You're saying no?"

The black book nodded its body up and down to express affirmation, then opened its pages and pointed ahead.

Yi-Han was puzzled when it pointed to that distant horizon where there was nothing.

"What's over there?"

Instead of answering, the black book shrugged. It seemed to be telling him to look again.

'What is it?'

Yi-Han focused his gaze intently. He cast enhancement magic, and when that wasn't enough, he drew out mana and filled his eyes with it...

Then a blurry human figure appeared on that distant horizon where there had been nothing. Yi-Han immediately recognized who it was.

It was the skull principal in human form.

"You cowardly bastard. I trusted you!"

Yi-Han, thinking he had been deceived by the black book, grabbed its collar in anger.

Even if the skull principal had created it, how could it silently call the skull principal like this after all the time it had spent with Yi-Han?

The black book fluttered its pages as if to say that wasn't the case and pointed for him to look again.

Looking again, instead of approaching to kill Yi-Han, the skull principal was slowly disappearing somewhere in the distance.

'Underground... No, a realm gate?'

The realm gate engraved with a golden wheel pattern created an optical illusion as if it was sending the person entering underground.

And in the far distance, the skull principal was closer to an illusion that repeatedly showed the same appearance rather than a mage's doppelganger with self-awareness or will.

The skull principal entered the golden wheel gate and disappeared, then appeared again and entered, repeating this.

As he watched, Yi-Han realized the illusion's face felt much younger than the skull principal's usual human form.

'Is this from before he became a lich?'

Come to think of it, even if the skull principal was a great mage who reached his level at a young age, there must have been a time when he was even younger than that.

He must have learned magic from someone, and also had time to train in magic.

Although it was hard to imagine...

The black book fluttered its pages and moved its body. It seemed to be saying Yi-Han should go there too.

"...Are you saying I should go there?"

The black book moved up and down happily.

"Why on earth?"

The black book pointed to the skull principal's illusion, then opened its pages and drew a picture of a great mage, then pointed to Yi-Han again, and once more pointed to the picture of a great mage.

It was a complex action, but Yi-Han pondered deeply and summarized.

"So when the principal was young, he entered such a realm, and thanks to that he was able to become a great mage?"

Agreement.

"So I should enter too?"

Agreement once again.

'Isn't this crazy?'

Yi-Han started to think he should burn the book as soon as he returned to reality at the black book's suggestion.

Who was this bastard trying to kill?

Among the unconfirmed outer realms that mages could set foot in, there were all kinds of dangerous and bizarre worlds.

If it was somewhere the skull principal could enter and gain magical enlightenment, it must be so dangerous that Einroguard would pale in comparison.

To boldly recommend that...

"The principal may have been an amazing mage even at that age, but I'm still a student. To try to kill me like this after making me let my guard down by just teaching magic!"

Yi-Han criticized the book in a voice full of betrayal.

The book fluttered its pages as if wronged.

The illusion and realm gate in the distance had revealed themselves because Yi-Han's level had risen, not because the black book had shown them to kill him.

"You're saying they appeared because my level rose?"

The book nodded up and down. Yi-Han spoke in a serious voice.

"You've misjudged."

-...-

"Forget it. Pretend you didn't see that. Come on. Just teach me magic. You didn't call me without magic, right?"

The black book nodded with a disgruntled motion.

Separate from Yi-Han discovering that distant realm gate because his level had risen, there were still many magics left that the black book had to pass on.

But shouldn't a mage depart immediately upon discovering such a realm gate?

Even if it looked distant and like a mirage, it wasn't enough to keep walking...

  *

'My anger is subsiding a bit.'

Yi-Han thought as he prepared to depart for the Dark Shadow Hall after waking up.

Although it had explained the dimensional gate first, the black book was certainly gifting magic tailored to Yi-Han's needs.

It was still hard to forgive it for suggesting entering that suspicious realm gate though!

'Could it be giving me useful magic so I can't burn it? If so, it's truly an evil artifact.'

In old imperial fairy tales, there were often stories about owners who met their doom after being enchanted by evil artifacts they had picked up.

At first glance, one might not understand and think 'Why do they fall for it?', but originally evil artifacts didn't reveal their true nature right away.

At first, they deceived their owners by pretending to be useful, and when they thought they had gained trust, they revealed their true nature.

If the black book was such a case, it might be right to cut it off right now.

'But it is useful. Kuk. Is this why people fell for evil artifacts?'

Yi-Han agonized while staring at the black book.

Reading that emotion, the black book vibrated its cover in dissatisfaction. It was an incredibly rude owner.