Surviving as a Mage in a Magic Academy Chapter 692

Chapter 692

Originally, as a senior, he should have been happy that an outstanding junior had entered the tower, but even considering that, the junior before him was too...

...unlike a 1st year.

'What kind of guy is this?'

"You, which family did you say you were from again?"

"Don't forget. If you want something to eat, you need to give advice or information about smuggling."

Yi-Han subtly changed the subject instead of answering.

Alde didn't notice and was led along.

"Are you telling me to betray my comrades? Me, Alde of the Marcan family?"

"Didn't you just try to escape after swearing on your family name?"

"Shh. Priestess Siana. He's still our senior."

The sound of other juniors whispering behind him could be heard, but Alde didn't waver.

If one lost their composure out of embarrassment from such whispers, they weren't qualified to be an Einroguard student.

"Tell me. Do you think this Alde of the Marcan family would betray his comrades!"

"...Are you perhaps trying to raise the conditions now?"

Yi-Han asked, wondering if that might be the case.

No matter how he looked at it, it seemed like Alde was subtly sending a message that he would betray them if there were good conditions.

"What do you take me for! Moreover, my comrades would know about my betrayal, wouldn't they? Unless there was a way to prevent that, of course!"

"We checked the surroundings thoroughly after kidnapping you, senior. No one followed separately. Later, when you're released, just say you were kidnapped by the principal's Death Knights. The principal is always a good excuse. Your comrades won't think you were kidnapped by juniors."

"Hey, that's a really good idea!"

Alde exclaimed without realizing it.

The 1st year junior before him had a charisma that made him forget even the fact that he had just been tricked.

No wonder he was leading this group of kidnappers.

'He might be someone who'll make it big!'

"..."

"..."

Belatedly noticing the juniors' gazes, Alde cleared his throat.

"I'm not saying I'll betray them. I was just impressed."

"Yes..."

"Yi-Han. Let's quickly raise the conditions. He seems like he'll accept if we raise them."

"Oh my! What an insult!"

Alde pretended to be angry and looked at Yi-Han.

It meant if he was going to make an offer, he should do it quickly.

Yonaire thought inwardly.

'Are all seniors like this...?'

Even if they had adapted to Einroguard, to think it would be to this extent.

Yi-Han calmly looked at his senior.

He could have offered gold coins or various artifacts, but Yi-Han had no intention of wasting the wealth he had accumulated with blood and sweat during the break.

"Senior. I only have one condition to offer."

"What is it?"

"If you help us, we'll smuggle your items along with ours when we smuggle."

"...Hahaha!"

Alde, who had been listening quietly, burst into laughter.

He laughed so hard he was out of breath, and then looked at Yi-Han as if he couldn't believe it.

"Are you serious? You really intended to smuggle on your own?"

"Otherwise, why would we have any reason to confine you like this, senior?"

"You're even crazier than I thought."

Alde looked up at the ceiling as if lamenting.

He didn't want to say this, but today's 1st years were really different from when he was a 1st year.

To think they were this reckless and fearless!

"Alright. As a fellow Blue Dragon Tower member, and to commemorate meeting a junior like you, I'll give you advice without charge. Give up on smuggling on your own. Find another trustworthy senior and join hands with them. Though I'm not sure if you can."

"I think I can do it."

Yi-Han said calmly.

It wasn't bravado or bluffing, but he seriously felt the possibility.

However, Alde, who had no idea what Yi-Han had done during his 1st year, shook his head and answered negatively.

"Let me tell you what will happen. The new semester will start, and you'll gather at the main gate. When you gather at the main gate, there will be a lecture from the principal. Then the search will begin, and what do you think will happen?"

"Don't they just search us?"

At Gainando's question, Alde clicked his tongue.

"No. Experienced seniors will immediately find the most vulnerable student as soon as they see you. Someone has to be sacrificed for the surveillance and pressure to decrease. 1st years trying to smuggle? If it were me, I'd expose them immediately to draw attention. Everyone there will think the same."

Students attempting to smuggle could risk their lives just to create a moment's gap and commotion.

Such people wouldn't be considerate just because they were 1st year juniors. If you show weakness, they'll bite even more persistently.

Alde folded his arms and looked at Yi-Han.

No matter how bold he was, after hearing this, he couldn't help but be discoura...

"Thank you for the advice, senior. Please let me know if you change your mind."

"...?!!"

Alde was shocked.

What kind of heart of steel did this guy have?

To be so calm even after hearing this...

"Wait!"

As Yi-Han and the juniors were about to leave the annex, Alde shouted urgently.

But after calling out, he couldn't think of what to say.

Alde shouted as if putting on airs.

He couldn't lose face like this in front of the juniors.

"I shouldn't be saying this, but is it okay to confine me here like this? I might escape at any time, you know?"

"Ah. That's why we're going to place some summons."

"You can't keep watching with summons. The mana..."

Yi-Han just shrugged and left with his friends.

Sharakan, the leopard-shaped summon, yawned and crouched down in front of Alde.

As Alde stared at Sharakan, Yi-Han poked his head out from outside the door and said,

"Senior. If you try to attack Sharakan, I'll put a basilisk here."

"Alright, alright!"

If nothing else, Alde could tell that this junior wasn't good at joking.

A basilisk? What a cold joke was that?

***

'What are they doing?'

For the next few days, Alde sat in a private room on the upper floor of the annex, watching the front yard, garden, and warehouse.

During his stay here, he had realized a few things.

First, these 1st year kidnappers didn't seem to have worked together just once or twice. Their teamwork was extraordinary.

The way they divided into groups to go in and out of the mansion and shared roles showed a level of trust in each other that was impossible without it.

How could juniors from different towers move so uniformly?

Going out and coming back, then going out and coming back again...

Each time, the leader of that group would bring something back and tell his friends, "I've figured out the method."

Surely they hadn't figured out the methods of other seniors preparing to smuggle, so he was very curious about what they meant.

Another fact was that changes had occurred in the carriages near the warehouse.

The carriage decorations had disappeared, the interior space had been expanded, and reinforcements had been added to the floor and axles.

It was as if they were trying to use them as cargo carriages.

Not stopping there, the 1st year students painted patterns on the carriages. They were patterns that seemed familiar from somewhere.

'Where have I seen... Oh?'

Come to think of it, there seemed to be a merchant group in Granden City with such a pattern.

'...Why are they making merchant group cargo carriages?'

Alde pondered for a long time, but no matter how much he thought, he couldn't come up with an answer.

Why on earth were they making merchant group cargo carriages?

"Hey."

Finally unable to bear it, Alde called a junior.

"Did you call, senior?"

"...What are you doing now?"

"If you want to know, cooperate with us."

"...Forget it! Never mind!"

Alde turned away angrily.

But Yi-Han wasn't easy enough to be shaken by such tactics.

When the junior showed no reaction, Alde, who was feeling regretful, finally spoke first.

"What exactly do you want from me? Let me tell you first, smuggling isn't that easy. It's not something that can be done just because I help you."

"I know. And you don't need to worry about the smuggling method, I've prepared that."

"...???"

How on earth...?

"What method?!"

"First, what I want to know is the methods of other seniors attempting to smuggle."

"Hmm."

Alde nodded as if he had expected this.

He had guessed to some extent since being asked to betray his comrades.

Understanding other students' methods in advance when attempting to smuggle was more important than one might think.

One could follow that method, or gain benefits by reporting that method, or at least prepare in advance even if neither. Smuggling was quite affected by the incidents caused by others.

"First, there's Dhumcha's group. Those guys..."

"Ah. I know about them. They'll use <Lesser Box Transformation>, right?"

"...How did you know that?!"

"Are there any others?"

Yi-Han spoke with an attitude that said not to keep asking about unimportant things.

Alde was dumbfounded.

'How did he find out...?'

"There's Ibanna's group..."

"I know about them too. They were planning to use physical enhancement magic and race transformation magic together to move things, but honestly, it looked a bit dangerous. It doesn't seem easy to endure during inspection by transforming into a large race."

"Hey! If you know everything, why are you asking?!"

Alde shouted in exasperation.

He couldn't even guess what this 1st year was thinking.

"What are you saying, senior? I'm asking because there's a lot I don't know."

"Who knows as much as you...! First tell me how you found out!"

As if he wouldn't move on unless told, Alde folded his arms and sent a firm gaze.

Yi-Han answered with a face that said 'Why does this senior keep asking such obvious things annoyingly?'

"I approached the seniors and asked them."

"...What are you saying? They wouldn't just tell you."

"I said I wanted to smuggle together, then dug it out of them."

"..."

Alde dropped the cup he was holding.

So now, he had approached each group, deceived all the seniors in the groups, and then dug out all the methods they were preparing?

'Is that... possible?!'

"Anyway, senior. Are there no more?"

"There's my group and... maybe one or two more teams, but I don't know much about what seniors above me are preparing. It's not good for it to be known, after all."

"I see."

Yi-Han nodded and picked up his quill to start organizing.

Even if he only grasped part of it, not all, it would be of great help on the day.

"So... What method are you thinking of using to smuggle? Let's hear it."

"I was about to tell you anyway. Since you're the only one among us with inspection experience, it seems we'll have to do it together after all."

Alde was startled to realize that he was unknowingly looking forward to it.

Was he now looking forward to the clumsy smuggling plan of mere 1st year juniors?!

'N-no. That's impossible.'

But the junior before him had an atmosphere that gave credibility to that impossible situation.

Could it be...?!

"We'll pull a merchant group cargo carriage through the underground passage, leave the smuggled goods, and get out."

"...Wh-what...?"

Alde was flustered, not knowing where to start pointing out the completely unexpected plan.

"What are you saying? Do you know where the underground passage is? Even if you found it, there will be guards, and not just any merchant group can enter..."

"We've figured out where the underground passage is located. There will be guards, of course, but the warehouse keeper will be above, so it'll be relatively easy. The merchant groups that deliver supplies are fixed. The pattern painted on the carriage now is that merchant group's pattern."

"..."

Alde closed his eyes and started muttering.

Yi-Han asked curiously.

"What are you doing?"

"I must... have fallen under illusion magic. This is... an impossible dream. I need to wake up."

"This is reality, though."