Surviving as a Mage in a Magic Academy Chapter 762

Chapter 762

"Is-is this really okay?"

"Isn't there another safe?"

The other dark magic school friends whispered, seemingly having similar thoughts to Yi-Han.

No matter what, could a safe responsible for an entire school at Einroguard be this empty?

"Cough. Dark magic is originally a poor magic."

"..."

"..."

As they were all 2nd years now, Professor Mortum spoke the truth without hesitation.

Originally, it was common for dark magic school safes to be empty.

Basically, magic school safes were usually filled with donation funds paid additionally by clients as thanks when students resolved external missions, or additional school support funds received when submitting research plans.

Or they were filled with various magic-related items sold proactively within the school, and so on...

...But the dark magic school was at a disadvantage in all these methods.

Missions?

Imperial missions were divided into profitable missions and unprofitable missions, and the dark magic school mainly received unprofitable missions.

'It's hard to receive profitable missions, which are usually called for by nobles or merchants.'

Seeking advice on magic-related items, seeking education, or commissioning magic needed for banquets.

These were missions that were no longer difficult and had generous rewards.

...And such missions rarely came to the dark magic school.

The missions that mainly came to the dark magic school were poor townsfolk asking to exterminate undead appearing from nearby graveyards, or missions to resolve curses rampant in swamps where contaminated mana had pooled.

They were fulfilling but not very profitable.

Research support funds?

The research plans submitted by dark magic school students were usually at a disadvantage even in support funds.

-I plan to develop an efficient low-circle magic that can be cast on carriage wheels to improve the empire's transportation network.-

-That's a good idea.-

-I want to research divination that professionally predicts the climate for farmers in the east suffering from capricious weather.-

-It could be dangerous, but it's worth trying.-

-Through my previous research, I developed a poison that instantly kills blade demons. This time, I want to develop a poison that can instantly kill bronze demons.-

-Do you think the imperial treasurer just throws money at you if you just submit a research plan?-

'It's disadvantageous no matter what.'

Having met imperial examiners with the skull principal during winter break, Yi-Han knew well how difficult it was to receive support funds.

Administrators basically liked magic that helped imperial operations, not ultimate magic or legendary poisons.

And magic item sales weren't very popular for dark magic-related items anymore...

"Cough. But don't worry."

At Professor Mortum's words, Yi-Han's friends' faces brightened slightly.

They wondered if there might be a source of money coming in.

"Does the principal perhaps donate to the dark magic school?"

"What are you talking about?"

"You said not to worry..."

"Oh my. Cough. What nonsense. I meant it's fine because dark magic isn't greatly hindered even if it's poor."

"..."

Professor Mortum was now spewing out raw truths without hesitation since they had become 2nd years.

All the students were shocked, but only Yi-Han was calm. He had already seen some fragments of this in 1st year.

'Even then, there was a fuss about not having materials.'

Certainly, the dark magic school was a school with a somewhat strong ability to endure even without resources.

Just look at the enchantment magic school, where the professor there threw materials on the floor if he didn't like their quality.

If someone in the dark magic school threw materials on the floor because they didn't like them, even a professor might get beaten by Senior Direth.

"Professor. Then where did these gold coins come from?"

Yi-Han asked, suddenly curious. Professor Mortum fell into thought, his memory seeming hazy.

"Direth brought them... Was it from a mission? Support funds? Sales?"

'...I should do something too.'

At Professor Mortum's words, Yi-Han felt a sudden sense of guilt.

Whether running missions to receive donations, submitting plans to receive support funds in the school's name, or even selling magic items, it seemed he should gather additional funds somehow.

Gainando asked anxiously.

"Professor. If we're this poor, won't juniors stop coming? Did juniors enter this year?"

At the prince's question, Professor Mortum drew a circle with his finger. Gainando let out a sigh of relief.

"That's a relief. It seems some entered."

"Cough. What are you talking about?"

"Pardon?"

"It means zero so far."

"..."

"..."

The 2nd year students felt intense pressure that they should do something as members of the dark magic school.

  *

"Hello, Professor Taswhan. I'm Yi-Han. These are my friends, Gainando, Ymirg, and Raphael."

"Cough. Nice to meet you all."

Professor Taswhan responded favorably to the Einroguard students' welcome.

Gainando spoke as if it was regrettable.

"Did your body become unwell due to dark magic research? As expected, curses or poisons..."

"...Y-you could say that."

'What's this?'

Yi-Han felt like the other party was hiding something.

Even though there shouldn't be anything to hide in this situation.

"This is my disciple, Agdung. He's a 4th year student at Kalaroguard."

"???"

The dark magic student called Agdung greeted politely.

With the sound of rattling bones, a skeleton mage took off his hat and bowed his head, confusing Yi-Han's friends.

'Why is he a skeleton??'

"Professor Taswhan. I have a question."

"What is it?"

When Yi-Han opened his mouth, his friends nodded. It seemed their friend had also noticed something strange.

"Where are the other students?"

"They're still resting because the poison flared up during the journey. It seems Agdung here will have to handle everything alone."

"I see. I understand."

Yi-Han nodded at the words that the other students were resting.

Certainly, long journeys tended to tire weak mages.

"...Wardanaz!"

"What is it, Raphael. Why?"

"Is that all?!"

"??"

At Raphael's reaction, Yi-Han looked at him with eyes that said 'Why is this guy acting like this?'

"Are you telling me to ask about the payment now? That seems a bit rude, Raphael."

"...That's not it! There! Isn't it strange that that senior Agdung is a skeleton!"

"Ah."

Only then did Yi-Han realize what his friend was talking about.

"Well, that could happen. One Einroguard senior was walking around transformed into a golem."

"..."

"..."

His friends fell into confusion.

Is...

Is that so?

'Am I being narrow-minded?'

"Don't fight because of me, everyone. Haha. Are you confused because I'm transformed into a skeleton mage?"

Agdung intervened to soothe the Einroguard students.

"It's because of the dark magic I'm researching now, so don't think strangely of it."

"What research are you doing?"

"Hmm! I'm researching how to change a human body into undead. Since becoming a lich by completely discarding the mortal body has many side effects, I'm leaving some organs and systems alone and permanently changing replaceable parts into undead..."

"Aha."

Yi-Han and his friends quickly drew conclusions and distanced themselves.

He's a crazy person!

They suddenly realized why dark magic school research wasn't very popular in the empire.

  *

However, Agdung was unexpectedly a sociable and friendly skeleton mage.

He won the Einroguard students' favor with various cheerful jokes and witty remarks, enough to make them forget he was conducting crazy research.

"You're playing mage cards? What kind of deck do you like, Gainando?"

"Da... Dark magic curse deck..."

"Hm? What kind of deck did you say?"

"Da-dark magic curse deck."

"Wow, that's a really good deck! Many people at our Kalaroguard are trying to make that deck too."

"Really?! Is that true?!?!"

Gainando cried out with wide eyes.

Was there such a good school in the world?

"Of course! Some ignorant people say it's a cowardly deck, but is there anything cowardly in competition? If so, there's no reason to play mage cards. Right. We'll have a mage card club exchange competition later, want to participate?"

"...I'm not a member there..."

"Oh my. That's a shame."

"C-can't we do it separately?"

"We can't do that, Gainando. We can't use time arbitrarily for content not in the plan."

Gainando cursed himself for checking the wrong club name.

It might have been a chance to make a friend who could share the philosophy of mage cards!

"Raphael. If you're from the Gral family, isn't that a knight family famous for anti-dark magic? Are you learning dark magic despite being from such a family?"

"...That's right. To be honest, I'm not learning dark magic because I like it, but to know its weaknesses..."

"I respect that attitude, Raphael! Only a true knight can make such a choice by sacrificing himself."

"R-right?"

Raphael brightened at receiving praise for the first time among dark mages.

His friends always just bullied him saying 'You're someone who likes dark magic, just admit it already'...!

"Ymirg. May I ask what your purpose is for learning dark magic?"

"Th-there are many undead appearing in city outskirts, and I want to try stopping them..."

"That's admirable, Ymirg. There aren't many dark mages with such a noble purpose as yours."

Ymirg became shy at that praise.

After all, as many mages who entered the dark magic school had higher and grander goals, the goal of serving by traveling around imperial cities and towns seemed a bit trivial.

"Yi-Han. Come to think of it, I didn't ask about your family. Which family are you from?"

"I'm from the Wardanaz family."

Crash bang bang!

"?!"

Yi-Han was startled when the skeleton mage fell over and a few bones flew off in the process.

"Are you alright?!"

"I-I'm fine. I just tripped on a rock."

Agdung inwardly exclaimed in shock while reassembling and fitting his shinbone.

'Crazy!'

When Professor Taswhan first said "It seems 2nd year students will guide us this year," Agdung had thought 'Is the Einroguard dark magic school short on people?'

But to think it was a boy from the Wardanaz family.

Then it made sense. He was the Imperial Mage Administrator's disciple.

'More than that, he was a 2nd year?!'

When he heard rumors last winter that Lord Gonadaltes was going around with a Wardanaz family disciple, he had thought he must be a 4th or 5th year, but he was a 2nd year.

'To think I would face that Mage Administrator's disciple...'

He felt tense and afraid enough to make his non-existent heart pound.

As could be seen just from Professor Taswhan, getting involved with Lord Gonadaltes wasn't a wise choice.

Of course, getting involved with his disciple would be the same.

"Let me help you up."

"Yes! Thank you."

"...?"

Yi-Han felt a sense of discomfort at Agdung's answer.

"What did you just say?"

"Th-thank you."

"Do you perhaps have any bad memories related to the Wardanaz family...?"

"Wh-what are you talking about, Yi-Han? How could I have any bad memories of the Wardanaz family, a pillar of the empire."

'This person is hiding something!'

There was no way Yi-Han wouldn't notice the other party's reaction.

The other party clearly had bad memories related to the Wardanaz family.

'Damn. Could he have visited Udamhwa Town and met a demon? It can't be the territory.'

While the other dark magic school friends were happily getting close to the guests, only Yi-Han was being alienated because of his family. This was too unfair.

"A-anyway. Yi-Han. About the mushroom field, I know its location too. I'll go get them myself, so why don't you and your friends rest here? I'm sorry it's such a trivial task!"

"Pardon? Quite some time has passed since then, so it would be difficult with just a map. And I have things I need to get from the mushroom field too. Why don't we just go together?"

"Th-then how about this?"

"?"

"I'll get the mushrooms you need too."

"..."

At Yi-Han's suspicious gaze, Agdung realized he had made a mistake.

Indeed, it couldn't help but be strange for a 4th year student who came as a guest to offer to run errands for a 2nd year student.

"I-I was joking! Haha."

"I see..."