Surviving as a Mage in a Magic Academy Chapter 702

Chapter 702

"What kind of act is this?"

At the senior's ice-cold voice, Yi-Han quickly answered.

"You looked cold, senior."

"Are you really calling that an explanation?"

'Oh?'

Yi-Han was slightly taken aback.

It would have been enough for Professor Verduus...

It seemed Yukbeltire had higher social intelligence than Professor Verduus.

'But why does someone like that act like Professor Verduus?'

While he was pondering, Yukbeltire removed the cloak and looked at Yi-Han. Her gaze was mixed with half indifference and half contempt.

"Put your hand on the clock again."

"...?"

Yi-Han was surprised once more.

Surprisingly, the other person didn't recognize Yi-Han!

'What's this? The luck of starting 2nd year?'

The saying about beginner's luck wasn't for nothing.

Perhaps luck was helping Yi-Han, who had just moved up to 2nd year, out of pity.

'It's not over yet. The goal is to escape without arousing suspicion as much as possible.'

Meanwhile, Yukbeltire took out a small magnifying glass and looked at the junior.

It was a magnifying glass fitted with a self-made advanced mana recognition lens.

Although mages handle mana, not all mages can perfectly recognize the flow of mana.

Even in a space that looks calm without any movement, numerous mana flows and changes occur.

The flow of mana was so complex that even those with innate mana sensitivity found it difficult to grasp with just their senses.

This simple artifact Yukbeltire had made accurately recognized the junior's mana flow.

Yukbeltire intended to directly check what nonsense the junior had done to make the artifact stop.

Crack!

As soon as it was activated, the magnifying glass lens shattered.

"..."

"..."

Yukbeltire tilted her head slightly. Then she cast magic on her own pupils.

"Pierce through."

As <Baqwantallana's Blue Eyes> was cast, the information of the expanded space was directly transmitted to Yukbeltire's brain.

Yukbeltire, who remembered mana well even if she didn't remember faces well, quickly recalled the junior's mana from her memory.

"2nd year from the Wardanaz family?"

"...Might you be mistaking me for someone else?"

Yi-Han attempted a final resistance with a voice mixed with resignation.

***

Having recognized the junior, Yukbeltire showed a much friendlier attitude than before.

Of course, that didn't mean she brought out tea or offered refreshments.

Just speaking to the junior in front of her first and asking questions was a very friendly attitude by Yukbeltire's standards.

"Have you thought about research?"

'Here it comes.'

Yi-Han steeled himself at the senior's question.

Fortunately, Yi-Han had a prepared answer for this situation.

"I'm honored, but unfortunately I have a prior engagement. Also, that person said they wouldn't forgive me if I pursued other research alongside..."

"What rude person is that?"

"It's Senior Direth."

"..."

Yukbeltire made a slightly disappointed expression.

Just as it was hard to imagine Professor Verduus with a disappointed expression, Yi-Han was quite surprised to see the senior before him like this.

"To tell me that and then try to monopolize you herself. Direth, how disappointing."

'Don't refute. Don't refute.'

Yi-Han suppressed his desire to defend Direth.

Direth had told him something.

-Junior, since you're in Blue Dragon Tower, you might meet Yukbeltire.-

-What should I do if I meet her? Should I play dead?-

-That's a good method, but it won't work. Yukbeltire will check your pulse right away. Just use me as an excuse.-

-What? That you killed me?-

-...No! Make the excuse that you don't have time to participate in other research because of me!-

-Isn't that... too much of a loss for you, senior?-

-My life has already been at a loss since I decided on 5th year. It won't change even if it increases here.-

-...-

-...Sorry. That wasn't something I should say in front of a junior. Anyway, using me as an excuse is the only thing that might work with Yukbeltire. Oh, and whatever Yukbeltire says about me, just stay quiet. Don't refute. The moment you refute, you'll get dragged in.-

While peers gave Yukbeltire insulting titles like Verduus's top disciple, in fact, Yukbeltire was very different from Professor Verduus.

If Professor Verduus had no social intelligence at all, Yukbeltire had it but didn't use it.

As she would use any means necessary if needed, one shouldn't approach her carelessly. It was best to just keep your mouth shut.

'Endure.'

While Yi-Han was enduring, Yukbeltire smiled coldly.

"But I'm satisfied. Has Direth finally stopped taking care of juniors who don't match her level and decided to focus on her magic... Maybe there's been a change of heart now that she's in 5th year."

'...Would I lose if I challenge her to a duel?'

Yi-Han almost challenged the senior in front of him to a duel for a moment.

How could she insult Direth like that no matter how much she insulted her!

Unaware of Yi-Han's thoughts, Yukbeltire spoke in a chilling voice.

"If it's because of Direth's research, I'll yield for a moment."

"Really?"

"Of course. I can persuade Direth later."

"..."

Yi-Han suddenly became very worried about Direth.

Professor Verduus's persuasion was roughly harassing the other person until they were sick of it...

...How different would his disciple be?

'I might really need to subdue this person here!'

Not expecting that a far junior would seriously consider assassination, Yukbeltire turned her gaze back to the artifact.

"So, Wardanaz family junior... I've thought about why the artifact became inoperable. You said you're taking quite a few schools, right?"

"Yes."

"That's probably the cause."

Yukbeltire looked at the giant lecture clock artifact and gave an order.

"Exclude lectures that can be substituted!"

If one takes many schools, the number of lectures would inevitably increase accordingly.

Yukbeltire ordered to exclude lectures that had overlapping content with other lectures or could be substituted.

Then...

Ting!

"..."

"..."

The clock clicked and stopped. Yukbeltire frowned very faintly.

Her pride as an enchantment school mage was hurt.

"To think I didn't anticipate this case."

"I-I'm sorry."

"It's not your fault. It's mine. There was Professor Garcia's precedent, yet I overlooked it."

"..."

Yi-Han remained silent with a complex expression.

He didn't know whether to be happy or sad.

"Then... let's try to find schools that can be excluded."

"Can that be done too?"

"Yes. I included some divination magic too."

"!"

Yi-Han was surprised at the senior's words.

He had thought it was a complex artifact, but it was a far more amazing artifact than he had expected.

To think it even had divination magic in it.

"How does this clock operate?"

"There are priorities. I mentioned schools, interests, and abilities, right? Next are talent and professors."

"Talent and professors... Professors?"

Yi-Han felt something strange and asked again.

He understood talent, but what about professors?

"You can think of talent as your abilities that you don't know about. If strange and unusual lectures come up, think that you have talent in that area. The last is professors, which simply put, is how well your personality matches. After all, it's hard to learn if you don't get along well with your teacher."

"To think such a function exists in the world?!"

Yi-Han sent a gaze of admiration.

He thought the skull principal should use such magic instead of grand magic when finding new Einroguard students.

"Shouldn't the priority of professors be raised?"

"What nonsense are you talking about? In magic, personality compatibility with the teacher is the least important part."

Yukbeltire looked at the junior as if he was pathetic. Yi-Han became gloomy.

Click, click, click... Ting!

"..."

"..."

While they were talking, the clock stopped again.

The wrinkle between Yukbeltire's brows deepened slightly compared to earlier.

"Why is it like this this time?"

"...It seems there's no school where you’re lacking in talent. Amazing..."

Yukbeltire looked the junior up and down anew.

She had thought he had outstanding talent in enchantment magic (and spirit affinity as a bonus), but looking at him like this, he was an absurdly versatile talent.

How could he have talent evenly distributed across all schools?

"I'm sorry for not lacking talent in any school."

"No. As I said, this is my fault. Don't apologize."

An outstanding enchantment mage doesn't fear finding flaws.

The more flaws are found, the more the artifact develops.

...Although it didn't seem likely another junior like this would appear...

"Good. Then... let's try to find schools that can be excluded again. Focusing on the least compatible professor!"

"!"

Yi-Han was surprised when Yukbeltire ordered to find schools to exclude based on the lowest priority, compatibility with professors.

'I wonder who the professor least compatible with me is?'

Honestly, he was curious.

There were so many people he could guess that it made him even more...

Ting!

The clock stopped again.

"..."

"...It seems there's no professor you don't get along with."

"This is broken!"

Yi-Han shouted angrily.

What kind of crazy clock was this?

Or Yukbeltire must have made a mistake in divination magic. What would an enchantment mage know about divination magic?

"Do you know how much I dislike Bea... anyway, several professors?"

"I'm sure you do. But it seems those professors don't dislike you. Given this result."

"..."

Yi-Han felt a chill down his spine at the senior's blunt explanation.

Come to think of it, given some professors' personalities, it wouldn't be strange if lectures were forcibly added if he tried to avoid them.

If this clock had predicted even that?

'Scary...!'

"There's no choice."

Yukbeltire, who had been pondering, opened her mouth.

"Is there a way?"

"Yes. Exclude easy lectures that can be self-studied, and focus on difficult lectures."

"No, what's that...?"

Click!

The clock, spewing smoke, finally completed a day's lecture schedule.

It was a packed schedule with almost no empty spaces from morning to evening.

Yukbeltire nodded as if telling him to write it down. Yi-Han wrote it down with a very sour expression.

"The <Wand Materials and Magic Amplification> lecture is worth learning. If you learn it, you'll have much less minute errors when conducting research. Before taking the lecture, prepare the following materials..."

After writing down the schedule, Yukbeltire gave additional explanations for some lectures.

Before taking the <Tragic History of Ancient Artifacts and Summoning Magic> lecture, he should prepare at least 3 mental defense-type artifacts...

Yi-Han, who was diligently taking notes, felt slightly grateful.

"Thank you, senior. I didn't expect you to explain in such detail."

"You think I’m spending time explaining so you feel grateful? So, do you want to help with research now?"

"No?"

***

Even though explanations had ended and evening had come, Yi-Han and his friends couldn't rest.

They had to deal with the smuggled goods before visiting the tower's new spaces.

'Don't put all your eggs in one basket.'

Some in each person's private room, some in the secret base, some in the cabin, some in the 2nd year lounge...

Given the large quantity, it might not be enough even if they worked all evening today.

"Junior."

"!"

Yi-Han, who was leaving the tower, was startled to find Direth.

"Senior. Lower your voice!"

"...Hey. You're a 2nd year. You won't go to the punishment room for talking to me now."

"I'll go to the punishment room if I meet 1st years."

"What are you saying? 1st years can't see you?"

"The taboo wasn't cast on me."

"..."