Surviving as a Mage in a Magic Academy Chapter 688

Chapter 688

"I know it's difficult, but if we seize the opportunity during the semester..."

Having suddenly become a pathetic junior, Yi-Han desperately made excuses, but Direth and Ilendil coldly shook their heads.

No matter how they thought about it, bringing things in at the start of the new semester was a much more likely method.

"I understand. But doesn't the principal inspect at the start of the new semester too?"

"That's right."

This was something even new students had experienced.

After passing through Einroguard's main gate, what followed was the skull principal's inspection.

During this process, items, snacks, or servants that new students had secretly brought in were all expelled outside.

Direth pulled over a blackboard and grabbed a piece of chalk.

She intended to explain as much as possible for her junior, taking advantage of the opportunity.

"But there are always loopholes in rules."

'She's especially cool today.'

Yi-Han sent a gaze full of admiration to his senior who was using words that applied to magic theory to explain smuggling.

She looked several times cooler than when teaching dark magic.

-Mixing with luggage

Detection risk: ★★★★☆

Difficulty: ★☆☆☆☆

Volume limit: ★★★☆☆

"As you know, Einroguard's rules don't block legitimate items."

Although the skull principal was a mischievous person, he didn't prohibit the circulation of all items.

He didn't prohibit the entry and exit of items students obtained in Einroguard or through Einroguard activities.

Wasn't Yi-Han's Mana Hammer such an item?

And even excluding special cases like Yi-Han, students had more items they needed to take out of Einroguard as they advanced in years.

They had to study even during breaks, so they needed to bring out various research materials and magic books.

Diligent students cleverly used this pile of luggage when returning to school.

"This pile of luggage is surprisingly jumbled, so it's good for mixing things in. Even if a sack of coffee beans or an artifact of bread dough goes in, it's not easy to notice."

"But if they inspect in detail..."

"Right. There's no method without weaknesses."

Direth wrote down more words.

-Throwing in

Detection risk: ★★★☆☆

Difficulty: ★★☆☆☆

Volume limit: ★★★★☆

Although Einroguard was a domain protected by powerful magic, it had the weakness of being too vast in area.

As could be seen from the steady occurrence of intruders every year, if one was determined, it wasn't impossible to create a hole from outside to inside.

"If you go around the outskirts of the school domain, there are occasionally places where the flow of magic weakens. You throw contraband in through those spots."

"That seems like a good method, but why is the detection risk so high?"

"Because the principal periodically releases realm hounds to recover contraband first."

"..."

Yi-Han was at a loss for words at this cat-and-mouse relationship.

Well, the skull principal wouldn't just sit back and watch such smuggling attempts.

"And in remote places, other monsters often damage or take away items before the principal's minions arrive, so the recovery rate isn't high."

Direth spoke as if it was regrettable.

If not for Einroguard's harsh environment, better methods would have been possible.

"Sometimes fearless people punch holes in the magic near the main gate and throw in contraband, but this is also a dangerous method."

"It certainly seems dangerous to temporarily disrupt the defensive magic protecting the school walls."

"Huh? No, it's because it's easy to get caught if you punch holes in the magic near the main gate. It's also easy to be tracked."

"...What about disrupting the defensive magic...?"

"That's for the principal to deal with."

Ilendil nodded as if agreeing with Direth's words.

At that sight, Yi-Han felt slightly dizzy.

As expected of Einroguard seniors, they were utterly cold-blooded.

If a student's duty was to bring in items, the skull principal's duty was to deal with the aftermath!

"Besides these classic and basic methods, various other methods have been attempted."

-Using transformation magic

Detection risk: ★★☆☆☆

Difficulty: ★★★★☆

Volume limit: ★★☆☆☆

-Using subspace

Detection risk: ★☆☆☆☆

Difficulty: ★★★★★

Volume limit: ★★★☆☆

...

...

"Mainly transformation magic and subspace artifacts..."

"How do you smuggle with transformation magic?"

At Yi-Han's question, Ilendil kindly demonstrated. A potion bottle smoothly disappeared among Ilendil's hair.

"Many students put them inside their bodies too. It's a popular method especially among large-bodied races. Using subspace means using artifacts with space magic cast on them."

Direth continued her explanation while sipping her teacup, her throat slightly dry.

"Besides these, there are various smuggling methods. What I've explained now are just the best-known methods. How you combine various methods determines victory or defeat."

Experienced Einroguard students never attempted smuggling with just one method.

Rather, they tried smuggling in as many diverse ways as possible. It was to avoid putting all their eggs in one basket.

Even if 99 out of 100 attempts are caught, it's profitable if just 1 succeeds!

This was the basic smuggling approach at Einroguard. If they could succeed just once, it was a profitable business even if all other methods failed.

"The principal's inspection method changes every year, so some luck is needed too. Sometimes he inspects in detail, but sometimes he passes over roughly. So junior, if you have anything you want to bring in, you should start preparing from now."

Direth's impromptu lecture was worth its weight in gold.

Yi-Han nodded deeply, deeply impressed.

"Thank you so much, senior. I'm impressed."

"Is, is it that much?"

"I think it was the most impressive lecture I've heard."

"Really?"

Direth was about to feel slightly pleased but then paused.

'...Wait, he's saying this was more impressive than the dark magic I taught last semester?'

That was a little disappointing in its own way...

Ilendil, who had been listening quietly, opened her mouth and asked.

"What smuggling method... do you think will be popular this year?"

"Well. From what I've heard, some are saying they'll create fake students and hide things inside, but I'm not sure exactly how it will work."

"..."

Yi-Han, who had been pondering which method would be good, flinched at the seniors' ideas.

Indeed, Einroguard seniors were no ordinary people.

***

"Everyone! We're in big trouble!!"

"???"

"Wh-what's the matter?"

His friends, still in deep sleep from their hardships in the mountains, were startled awake when Yi-Han visited the annex and knocked on the door.

"We're late!"

"...Huh? Huh?! Is, is it the start of school?"

Gainando hurriedly checked the calendar.

Fortunately, the new semester start date marked as 'End of the World' still had some time left.

"It's far away!"

"Gainando. Now is not the time to be complacent because there's more than a week left. Everyone else is already preparing."

'That sounds familiar...'

Gainando tilted his head.

It sounded similar to what Yi-Han often said when preparing for exams.

-Huff... Huff huff. I've done up to here, so can't I rest a bit? How about a round of mage cards…-

-Gainando. Now is not the time to be complacent because you've done up to here. Everyone else is preparing! We need to do more!-

-Im-impossible! Are you saying other guys' progress is faster than mine?!-

-Of course. I checked the White Tiger Tower guys' progress, and they're much faster than you.-

-Eek...!-

As he found out later, in fact, the White Tiger Tower students' progress was slower than Gainando's.

Even now, when he recalled that truth, Gainando felt a bitter sense of betrayal.

"Are, are you deceiving me again?!"

"Gainando. Again? Are you saying I've deceived you before?"

"Well... not never..."

"How can you say that? When did I ever deceive you? What month and day?"

"Well, I can't recall immediately if you put it like that..."

"So you're doubting your friend based on something you can't even recall immediately?"

"...I was wrong... What should I do?"

Gainando gave up and closed his mouth.

Nothing he said would work against Yi-Han when he was like this.

"Everyone get up! We need to prepare quickly and depart for Granden City."

"What's going on? Why are we leaving so early?"

Alcicle was surprised, looking at Yi-Han and the students.

"Mr. Pengerin. There was something I missed."

"Wh-what is it? Don't tell me the school start date was different? That's certainly something Gonadaltes would do."

Alcicle wondered if perhaps the skull principal had given a different school start date.

A clever deception of casting magic that changed numbers as time passed to trick careless students.

It was certainly something the skull principal would do.

"That's not it. We need to go to Granden City now to prepare for smuggling."

"I see. ...What? Prepare for what?"

"Smuggling. Smuggling."

"...Ah! Into Einroguard!"

Alcicle momentarily considered whether he should report this to the empire somewhere, but then belatedly realized.

Well, it was natural for Einroguard students to think about smuggling.

"Do you need to go and prepare for that from now?"

"Yes. Other seniors said they arrive earlier to prepare."

"I see..."

Alcicle, who had been nodding, suddenly thought.

Was it right for the pillars who would shoulder the empire's future to pour so much passion and time into smuggling?

However, Yi-Han and his friends' expressions were too serious and heated to bring up such words.

"Indeed... I hadn't thought of it. You caught me off guard."

"I hadn't thought of it either. Ratford. We became lazy because of the break. The principal was aiming for that weakness. The later we arrive, the more pleased he would have been."

"First, we should organize the items we're going to smuggle in. How much food do we have left..."

"Blue Dragon Tower has five sacks of flour and six sacks of rice, one box of cheese and dried meat..."

Yi-Han and his friends pondered deeply while organizing the supply list they had prepared just before the winter break.

What should they bring in to survive for a year?

Alcicle felt a presence behind him and turned his head. Brilliant light flowing from behind a veil.

It was Lady Kraha.

"Mr. Pengerin. What are you doing now?"

"Ah, well, that is, to welcome the new semester, studying in advance..."

-No, I'm telling you we don't need chocolate now!-

-Chocolate is honestly a necessity! Can you endure studying without chocolate? Can you endure without hot chocolate?!-

-Sh... sharp point...!-

The students chattered about smuggling without giving Alcicle a chance to make excuses.

At that sight, Alcicle hung his head, feeling doomed.

What had he done as a senior mage if he couldn't even stop this!

'But it's unfair. It's that Wardanaz kid who's unusual...'

"It's really good to see."

"...?!"

Alcicle was taken aback by Lady Kraha's words.

Surprisingly, the lady didn't seem very angry.

"Um, is it... okay?"

"Look. Aren't they seriously discussing magic with their friends?"

-You bastard, for real! I'm never lending you magazine crossword puzzles!-

-Let go of this! And I don't need crossword puzzles!-

Although they were grabbing each other's collars after discussing magic, Lady Kraha was very satisfied.

"Everyone. Your enthusiasm is truly moving. If you need any items, the Kraha family will prepare anything for you."

"!"

"Uh... uhh."

Ratford unknowingly let go of Gainando's collar that he had been grabbing. Seeing that, Lady Kraha gestured and said,

"You can grab it comfortably."

"Th-thank you."

Ratford grabbed Gainando's collar again. Gainando insisted on including magazines even while choking.