Surviving as a Mage in a Magic Academy Chapter 717

Chapter 717

"Where did you get it?"

"I received it from Professor Verduus."

"What?!?!"

An even more intense reaction burst out than before.

As the senior looked at him as if treating him like a spy, Yi-Han hastily explained.

"I can explain."

"I don't usually enjoy chatting during relocation, but I need to hear this before we go."

Sebius looked at his junior with a stubborn attitude, arms folded.

He couldn't even guess what reason there could be for receiving such a key from Professor Verduus.

Wasn't Professor Verduus a crazy professor who wouldn't give even a handful of reagents to his direct disciples in his school?

It was even more impossible for a junior who had been a 1st year until last year to receive it.

"Actually..."

Yi-Han briefly explained what had happened last year.

Last year, he was overworked by Professor Verduus, and a graduated senior in the punishment room who saw this became enraged and secured some rights for him...

'What am I hearing right now?'

Sebius endured the dizziness in his mind and focused.

He couldn't distinguish whether this was the story of a 1st year student or the story of an ancient senior from legends wandering around Einroguard.

"...That's how it happened. This key is what I received as compensation for working last year."

"Hmm. I see. That's really surprising."

Sebius realized that when there are too many points to question, people give up.

There wasn't enough time, but there were too many things to ask about.

"You were lucky. To think you had the key to this place."

'Hasn't his way of speaking become a bit strange?'

Yi-Han was puzzled as the senior answered stiffly as if hit by some paralysis curse.

"I'm sorry. If we had come here directly, it would have been much easier."

"That's not true. We would have had to go around anyway to secure all the books. It was just a difference in entrance, it would have been the same."

"Thank you for saying that. Shall we go in then?"

Sebius checked the time briefly and decided to ask just the one thing he was most curious about.

"...But what on earth did you do to end up in the deep punishment room?"

  *

The door opened and Professor Verduus's official underground warehouse revealed itself.

Unlike the disorderly previous warehouses, a thoroughly managed appearance...

...wasn't visible, and it was similar to other warehouses. Odds and ends were rolling around everywhere and reagents were mixed up in crates.

But there was clearly a difference.

'This is indeed where the professor uses.'

While the items in forgotten warehouses were full of garbage that had broken or lost their effects due to lack of management, everything in this official underground warehouse connected to the Spirit Festival Hall could be used immediately.

Sebius glanced at his junior and said.

"You can take things if you want."

"!"

"I usually don't allow arbitrary stealing during work, but... We were able to enter here purely thanks to you. If you want to take something, you can."

"It's fine."

"...I can see why Ratford evaluates you highly. The ability to restrain greed is a really great talent. Don't you think so?"

"Actually, I was thinking of coming back with friends to sweep everything later since I can enter anytime."

"..."

Sebius grumbled inwardly.

He had thought he had become somewhat accustomed to Einroguard, but seeing this junior made that thought completely disappear.

Einroguard was always a surprising place. It seemed he would never adapt in his lifetime.

"I'm worried the Change Location club members might get fat because of you."

"?"

"If you rely too much on others, you forget how to take care of yourself. How are you getting along with Blue Dragon Tower students?"

"Don't worry. I'm always helping within appropriate limits."

"Well, a guy like you wouldn't just give things away thoughtlessly."

Sebius, not knowing that Yi-Han was thoughtlessly giving things to Blue Dragon Tower students, passed over it without realizing.

If he had known the truth, he would have grabbed his collar and shouted 'Is that helping within appropriate limits?'

"Do you know why I only take books?"

"Because other valuable items are likely to have separate alarm or defense magic cast on them, and trying to undo that magic would consume time, mana, and concentration, increasing the risk of getting caught, right?"

As a more professional reason than expected immediately came out, Sebius's jaw dropped.

'Is this bastard really from a thieves' guild?'

"...That's right too, but there's another reason. It's because of Senior Illeg."

Yi-Han was surprised when the name of the library club president came up.

"Did Senior Illeg threaten to kill you if you stole?"

"Hey. What do you think of Senior Illeg?"

Sebius was slightly offended.

Although Senior Illeg did have powerful strength, he wasn't someone who...

...Well, he was someone who beat people, but anyway, he didn't beat just anyone.

"I'm sorry. Then why?"

"It was when I was actively relocating in Einroguard. By chance, I ended up entering a place where Senior Illeg was staying."

Sebius spoke while reminiscing about the past.

Illeg discovered Sebius raiding the warehouse, but instead of subduing him with his fists, he gifted him the book he was holding.

"He gifted you a book?"

"Yes."

"Ah. Was it a magic book that could be tracked? To sweep up your comrades too?"

"...It was just a book, you brat. Senior Illeg said this. It's good to take treasures, but it seems you've forgotten the real treasure here."

Sebius, who left that place, at first thought he was a strange guy befitting an Immortal Phoenix Tower priest.

No matter how kind, to even gift a book to a thief.

Then, becoming curious, Sebius opened the book once. He was curious what kind of book it was that he would give it to such lengths.

"What kind of book was it? A scripture? A fable?"

"It was just a popular novel. It was about a thief who was falsely accused and imprisoned on a remote island in the vast sea, escaping and taking revenge on those who framed him. Strangely, it made me tear up."

'I think I know the reason for that.'

Yi-Han thought he knew why Senior Illeg had given that novel too.

He must have given it with a practical purpose.

Surely to refer to when escaping Einroguard...

"I read it all night and then went to find Senior Illeg. I returned the book and thanked him. Then the senior gave me the next book. When I read that book, he gave me the next one... That's how I ended up joining the library club. From then on, I stopped relocating other things."

"That's amazing."

Yi-Han looked at Sebius with a hint of respect in his eyes.

If someone told Yi-Han right now not to relocate from the skull principal's warehouse, he would immediately grab their collar and say 'Who are you to say that?'

But the senior in front of him had escaped from such greed.

"It's not that amazing... Damn, I don't know why I'm telling this to a junior who just joined. Maybe it's because you look like someone who will consistently perform well whether in the library club or the Change Location club. I won't be here from next year, but you'll continue to be here."

As Sebius kept emphasizing that he wouldn't be here from next year, Yi-Han felt strangely ominous.

'Surely he won't be here next year too?'

"Relocation is good, but don't forget what's important by falling into greed. I've seen many guys who kept doing it because the work went well and ended up in the punishment room."

"I'll keep that in mind."

"There it is."

Sebius pointed to <General Treatise on Gemology> shelved in the bookcase.

The thick, purple-bound book had several bookmarks inserted. It was dust-free as if it had been read recently.

"..."

"What's wrong?"

"It seems Professor Verduus was reading it."

"That's even better. Let's take it."

Yi-Han thought if he could give Professor Verduus some pain at the end of the work, he would consider it a small bonus.

"...No. If Professor Verduus was reading it, we can't."

"Senior. Don't you remember the other books? There was even a book trapped in slime, wasn't there? This book might end up like that anytime too."

"I know. I know, but. Damn it."

Despite his junior's logical persuasion, Sebius sighed deeply and shook his head.

"I'm really sorry. But I can't take it."

"No... It's your work, senior, so it's fine. It's your decision."

As his junior comforted him, Sebius felt even more sorry.

He had brought him all the way here, only to back down.

"Damn it. The books we took were ones he absolutely never read, but for some reason this book..."

"It's right to back down if taking such a book could get us caught. Instead, senior. Let's take these."

Yi-Han pointed to other books shelved in a different part of the bookcase. They were thickly covered in dust as if they hadn't been touched for a long time.

Seeing this, Sebius chuckled.

"You're better than me. Right. We should take those."

The hamster mixed-blood senior skillfully swept the remaining books into his backpack.

They had entered through the back door, but since they had the key, they could just leave through the front door.

The two headed for the warehouse's main entrance...

"Who's there?"

With a rustling sound, the odds and ends behind collapsed and a mage stood up.

It was Professor Verduus.

"..."

"..."

Yi-Han could clearly see the blood draining rapidly from his senior's face, turning pale.

"It's me, Professor."

"Oh, what's going on? How did you get in here?"

Professor Verduus recognized Yi-Han and was puzzled.

"You gave me this key last year, didn't you?"

"How did you get that key?!"

At the sight of him shamelessly trying to erase memories unfavorable to him, Yi-Han explained seriously.

"Didn't I receive it as compensation for helping with work last year?"

"Can't you return it?"

"Am I crazy?"

Professor Verduus grumbled at his disciple's appearance.

Although he said he had taken it legitimately, to not return the key to his warehouse because of his own greed.

He was truly greedy.

"And who's next to you?"

"It's my senior."

"Why are you together?"

"He came to help me take reagents from the warehouse."

"...How much are you going to take?"

Professor Verduus looked at Yi-Han pleadingly.

His usual appearance of squeezing Yi-Han like a madman was nowhere to be seen. The professor instinctively utilized the beaver mixed-blood's unique appearance to try to evoke sympathy.

Of course, Yi-Han had long since lost any feeling of cuteness towards all beavers in the world since meeting Professor Verduus.

"I'm going to take as much as I need."

"What magic are you going to do? Tell me. I'll help you. Originally, if you compose magic well, reagent consumption decreases too."

"I'm planning to attack the principal..."

Yi-Han gestured to Sebius. It meant to go outside in this gap.

Shuddering at the sight of his junior toying with Professor Verduus, Sebius headed outside.

'No one will believe today's events.'

To think he could persuade Professor Verduus through conversation.

Even students who had broken through all sorts of mysteries and obstacles in Einroguard wouldn't believe this!

  *

"Are you alright?!"

"Yes."

Sebius, who had been waiting outside, rushed over hurriedly when Yi-Han came out.

He had come out much later than expected.

"What happened that..."

"Ah. Professor Verduus kept trying to recommend cheap magic, so I was late. Nothing special happened."

"...Take this."

Sebius took out a small pouch and held it out. Yi-Han received it with puzzlement. It was heavy and made a jingling sound when he received it.

"Imperial gold coins. Twelve? Is that right?"

"...How did you know?!"

"Why are you giving me this?"

"Why, you ask. I'm giving it because you did the work. We usually settle up after relocation is over. If we had brought out more expensive treasures, I could have given you more... And, don't worry too much about what I said earlier. Whether it's the library club or the Change Location club, if you're not interested, just say so comfortably. I can take responsibility and get you out of both clubs."

'I should at least do this much.'

Sebius thought even this compensation was insufficient considering the dedication his junior had shown today.

He might be subjected to bookshelf punishment or have Change Location club members clinging to his trouser legs, but this was something he had to do.

However, his junior answered seriously.

"What are you saying? Let's go recover the next book."

"Do you perhaps not sleep?"