Surviving as a Mage in a Magic Academy Chapter 704

Chapter 704

"Oh, oh right. So this was it... Wait, then was this the warehouse you said you got from a graduated senior?!"

Direth, who had previously responded "Don't say such nonsense" when they talked through the artifact, was surprised again.

Yi-Han looked puzzled, as if wondering why she was acting like this now.

"I told you earlier, didn't I?"

"That's... right."

Seeing her junior act as if something obvious had happened, Direth felt a bit calmer.

For this junior, receiving a secret base as a gift from a graduate in the punishment room was just an ordinary occurrence.

So Direth should also calmly...

'...No. He's the strange one.'

Trying to calm her unsettled feelings, Direth checked the artifact.

The old senior who installed this notebook-shaped artifact here had clearly placed it like this to secure the mana needed for operation.

Artifacts with built-in magic were convenient tools that helped mages, but they weren't tools that could use magic without any cost.

Especially important was securing mana. The more powerful the magic the artifact tried to use, the more exponentially the required mana increased.

This notebook-shaped communication artifact simply exchanged text.

However, even that required considerable mana. It was even more so as the artifact itself lacked the function to collect or generate mana.

Even Direth periodically charged mana and soaked it in reagents to operate that artifact...

'He connected it to the mana flowing in the secret base.'

Direth, who had been interestedly observing another senior's method, belatedly realized.

"Wait, you don't have any reason to fix this here? You could carry it around and it would charge itself?"

"Pardon?"

"This artifact. It's fixed here to draw mana from the room."

"Ah. That can be done too? I just left it because it was fixed..."

"If it's alright, I'll detach it for you."

With Yi-Han's permission, Direth took out her staff and paper knife, engraved a simple inscription, and began working.

Detaching an artifact connected to the mana of that space was a trickier job than expected.

One needed to be versed in enchantment magic and accurately grasp the mana flow of the space. Otherwise, the artifact could burn out or mana could splash into the space, causing unexpected phenomena.

Yi-Han watched Direth work intently and marveled.

"That's amazing. Did you learn enchantment magic too?"

"Not formally, just a little because I needed it. When you learn dark magic, there are many cursed artifacts, so you need to know a bit of enchantment magic too."

"..."

Unaware that she had just said something that would decrease the popularity of dark magic, Direth focused on her work.

Sizzle-

With a burning sound, the book was detached. Direth carefully checked where the notebook had been connected and then handed the artifact to her junior.

"Here you go. It's quite a useful artifact, so keep it safe so others don't steal it."

"How about disguising it as another magic book?"

"Not bad."

Yi-Han picked up a quill and wrote <On the Great Life and Achievements of Gonadaltes> on the notebook.

Seeing this, Direth patiently advised.

"Others won't take it, but if you're caught with that, you'll be treated as a crazy person."

"Indeed."

Yi-Han erased the title and wrote <Beavle Verduus's Diary> anew.

Direth silently snatched the notebook, erased the title, and wrote <Whispers of Einroguard>.

"This will do. With this, no one will be interested."

"Thank you, senior."

"If anything happens or you need help, contact me. Even if I can't answer right away, I'll reply as soon as I check."

Yi-Han nodded with eyes glistening with emotion.

What senior from any school would take care of their junior like this?

One senior like Direth was better than a hundred seniors like Yukbeltire.

"Wait. This mirror too... Ah, is this the other communication artifact you mentioned before?"

"Yes. It was a completely crazy person."

Yi-Han grumbled, badmouthing the person on the other side of the mirror.

This person had treated Yi-Han as an eccentric with narrow and poor social relationships because he had some acquaintance with Ilendil and was taking dark magic.

Hearing this story, Direth became indignant.

"What kind of bastard is it?"

"An utterly rude person. They even thought I was eccentric because I'm from the Wardanaz family!"

"What else?"

"...Senior, why aren't you getting angry about this one?"

Direth, who was about to pass over that one without much thought, realized her mistake.

"That's really rude!"

"Thank you. Other than that... They heard rumors and tried to get me to participate in their research."

"This is maddening. I blocked Yukbeltire for a moment and now from all over..."

Direth sighed.

Personally, she thought Einroguard's 1st year protection rules should be expanded to apply to 2nd years too.

Right now, the junior in front of Direth looked like a defenseless, fragile lamb.

Outside the fence, numerous senior wolves would be waiting, drooling.

"Don't worry, senior. I can refuse."

"...Right. You're not to be underestimated either."

"?"

"Be careful when talking with other students. Don't fall for it carelessly. Are you still talking with this person?"

"I talked occasionally last year. The information was quite useful..."

Direth nodded as if she understood.

Cooperating with peers or seniors at Einroguard wasn't always because the other person was morally excellent and a good match.

There were more cases than expected where one had to join hands inevitably to survive or to conduct research.

Even if the other person was trash, it was better to maintain contact to obtain information.

"You haven't revealed your identity, have you?"

"Don't worry. I acted perfectly, so they won't even dream of it. A rough and rude 3rd year, no. It would be 4th year now. Anyway, that's my disguised identity."

"They'll think you're from White Tiger Tower?"

"...That's right!"

Actually, the other person seemed to think he was from Black Tortoise Tower, but Yi-Han was considerate of Direth.

After all, Direth was a Black Tortoise Tower student, not a White Tiger Tower student.

"Hmm. It might be a good disguise."

"Right?"

"Then I'll move this artifact too."

Direth began extracting the core spell engraved on the mirror.

As it was a much more difficult task than the notebook earlier, Yi-Han helped Direth with her work from the side.

"Can you arrange the reagents here and stabilize it?"

"Yes."

"Is there perhaps a mana emission enchantment here... No. That would be too much for now."

"I learned it. While helping Professor Verduus."

Yi-Han immediately cast <Beavle's Mana Emission Enchantment>.

At the near-perfect skill, Direth was unsure whether to praise or feel sad.

But regardless of that, the junior beside her was a near-perfect assistant.

No matter what reagent she mentioned, he brought it without asking again, there was no basic magic he couldn't use, and above all, he didn't need rest.

"This is... interesting."

"?"

"It doesn't seem like such an old artifact? The spells inside are recent magic."

Einroguard had numerous artifacts over a hundred years old.

Even the notebook Direth and Yi-Han were communicating with was something found in some antique warehouse.

When you looked through the magic in these artifacts, you could feel traces of age.

Magic also has trends and developments, so people with discerning eyes can distinguish the era.

This mirror artifact had relatively recent magic in it, and you could tell the mage's craftsmanship was very precise and excellent.

Flash!

Yi-Han's notebook glowed and absorbed a new spell. Direth quickly calculated the mana amount and clicked her tongue.

"It'll need much more mana than expected. You'll be fine though."

"..."

Even though Yi-Han knew he would be fine, he felt slightly disappointed that Direth didn't worry too much.

'Couldn't I not be fine?'

If it unexpectedly consumed a lot of mana...

"Are there any more artifacts to move here in the warehouse? Let's do them all together since I'm here."

"Hmm. I do have a paper artifact I'm holding..."

Yi-Han took out the paper fragment artifact he had received when he climbed the Tower of Rewards as the top student of his year.

It was a communication artifact shared by Jijel, Adenart, Anglago, Salko, Shyles, Tijiling, and Nigisor.

Direth was amazed at the artifact that allowed eight people, not just one-on-one, to talk.

"It must get harder with each increase in number."

"Actually, I've never used this."

At Yi-Han's words, Direth nodded as if that made sense.

Such artifacts needed mana charged, and Yi-Han's friends were all 1st year students.

It could be harder than expected for such students to charge the necessary mana.

"Right. So..."

"Wouldn't it be better to sell it?"

"...I'll teach you a few ways to charge... Huh?"

Direth and Yi-Han looked at each other as if asking what the other was saying.

"Uh, wouldn't it be better to sell it? I've barely used it?"

"...No matter how urgently you need silver coins, it's better not to sell things like this. How useful is being able to contact your friends?"

"It didn't seem very useful to me though..."

Yi-Han recalled the contacts he had received last year.

Most of the paper birds sent by his friends were annoying and troublesome requests for help.

"Forget it, don't sell it. I'll teach you how to charge it, so tell your friends."

Direth explained while putting the paper bundle artifact into the notebook.

"First, gather the rotten blood of underground fallen ones..."

"Senior. I don't think my friends can easily catch underground fallen ones."

"...Right. That was my mistake. I'll tell you an easier method."

Direth explained an easier method.

On the night when the moon's energy is strongest, take out a silver cup, fill it with clear water, and receive the moon's energy for two hours, then mana will gather thickly...

'Hmm. Maybe I'll just go find an underground fallen one, catch it, and sell its blood.'

At the unexpectedly troublesome method, Yi-Han thought inwardly.

***

Befitting someone who would be invited to an award ceremony if there was a <Einroguard's Best Senior> award, Direth helped with the remaining small tasks without a single complaint.

Finishing organizing the secret base, moving supplies to the outside cabin...

'How did he get a ghost chicken?'

Direth wondered inwardly.

No matter how she looked at it, it wasn't an animal a 1st year could obtain.

"This cabin, who made it? It's too neat."

"Professor Bagrak."

'I shouldn't have asked.'

Direth regretted it but asked more questions since she had already asked.

"For what purpose? It's not to attack people where others can't see, is it?"

"Haha. There's no need to make a new one for that reason when no one comes to the underground lecture room anyway. This is a cabin made to raise a basilisk. It hatched and I'm carrying it around, but when it gets bigger, I'll have to keep it here."

Yi-Han spoke as if it was obvious.

Now it's as light as a bracelet so it hangs on Yi-Han, but originally basilisks are classified as large monsters.

-?!-

Of course, to the baby basilisk, Yi-Han's words were as shocking as the sky falling.

As the basilisk's tail, which was sticking out slightly from the sleeve, trembled as if shocked, Direth said in bewilderment.

"Uh... Junior. The basilisk seems shocked."

"Huh? It's probably just hungry."

"No... It seems a bit different from that...?"