Surviving as a Mage in a Magic Academy Chapter 1097

Chapter 1097

“What a bunch of fools.”

The skull principal, now in human form, muttered beside him. Yi-Han wore a disgruntled expression.

'Why is this person here?'

Someone who would normally be at the checkpoint tormenting students alongside them was clearly here because Uman was over there.

"Before long, they will miss my teachings."

"Eh. I don't think it will be that bad."

-......-

The death knight beside them was amazed.

He was always impressed by the successor’s talents in various ways, but this particular kind of courage was especially astounding.

How could he say such things right in front of his master?

"Uman is closer to a vampire or succubus than a dragon. Instead of blood or dreams, he sucks away pleasure."

'Isn't there no pleasure at Einroguard anyway?'

Yi-Han thought inwardly again. The skull principal smirked slyly and spoke.

“You’re thinking that Einroguard never had any pleasure to begin with, aren’t you?”

"!"

“You think I’m using mind-reading magic?”

‘Is he not using magic?’

"But it's not magic, it's observation. Your thoughts are obvious. Never mind. You'll find out soon enough anyway. That Einroguard was actually a place full of pleasure."

-......-

"......"

Even the death knights looked at their master as if dumbfounded.

No matter what, that was too shameless a statement.

“Uman will push you into studying magic at every hour except break time.”

“Well, that’s nothing new, is it?”

“Mage cards? Hmph. The thing Uman hates the most is adults playing mage cards.”

“I don’t play them anyway…”

“Ballgames too. Uman probably sees them as a supreme waste of time.”

“I agree with that as well.”

“……”

The skull principal fell silent.

Come to think of it, threatening this particular disciple with Uman was meaningless.

What good was it to threaten to take away enjoyment from a student who already lived without it?

‘I picked the wrong target.’

The skull principal abruptly turned and walked towards Gainando. Yi-Han looked at his back, perplexed.

What was with this person?

  *

The inspection was finally over.

Though Yi-Han could safely pass through without his basement being discovered thanks to the young prince's help, other students weren't so lucky.

With a regretful expression, Uman delivered a lecture.

“Talents of Einroguard! You are the future pillars of the Empire…”

A long lecture followed about how those who would shoulder the Empire's future must not eat strange things or waste time on trivial amusements.

The Einroguard students' expressions turned like fog on a gloomy day. Some clever students were already muttering that all was lost.

"My speech has grown long. You must all be tired from your long journey, so let us rest after a meal. Everyone to the banquet hall!"

"???"

"Was there a banquet hall at Einroguard?"

Students who hadn't diligently snuck out at night tilted their heads at the name banquet hall.

What was a banquet hall?

As the name suggested, it was a place for holding banquets. Naturally, it was an unfamiliar name to Einroguard students.

"There was... one. I didn't know it was still usable."

"Wasn't it just like a museum? To show Einroguard had such a place."

The banquet hall was unfamiliar even to students who knew of its existence. They kept whispering as they moved there.

However, surprisingly, when they opened the large brass doors, a properly prepared banquet hall welcomed the students.

Long, large tables with enough space for students from each tower to sit together with room to spare.

Unlike the dark tower lounges, which remained pitch-black unless students lit them themselves, this place was bright and radiant.

‘Hmm. It seems everyone’s standards have dropped too low.’

Yi-Han thought as he watched the students exclaiming in awe.

Actually, thinking objectively, Einroguard's banquet hall wasn't particularly splendid or beautiful compared to other banquet halls outside.

If anything, it was lacking in many ways.

But the students already seemed to think 'for Einroguard, this level of banquet hall is amazing.'

Even Yi-Han was slightly swayed, showing how fearsome expectations could be.

"Can we sit? We won't get sent to punishment room for sitting, right?"

"When we snuck in before, this place was just empty, but I guess there were tables and chairs after all.”

Though murmuring, the students took their seats.

Despite trying to appear calm, excitement showed slightly on everyone's faces. It was everyone's first time starting a new semester by gathering in the banquet hall like this.

Once everyone was seated, the candles on the table lit up. Exclamations burst out from all around.

"Wow! Candles!"

"...Should we really be impressed by this though?"

Someone muttered as if they still had their senses, but it didn't have much impact. Everyone's expectations were rising in earnest.

Ding ding-

While students were marveling, Uman rang a bell. The professors had already gathered at the front of the banquet hall.

The professors' attitudes toward the new inspector varied.

Some professors were indifferent or uninterested like the skull principal, some were full of worry like Professor Garcia, and some, like Professor Bentozol, seemed eager to wag their tail at the dragon inspector right away.

Actually, only Professor Bentozol fell into the last category.

"Uman has personally prepared this meal to host the Einroguard mages today. I hope it will be to your liking."

"This alone is wonderful!"

"Long live the next principal!"

Cheers erupted here and there for the free meal. Yi-Han would bet imperial gold coins that the skull principal had memorized the names of those who just shouted.

"Kuk. Those students supported me, Jorzik, last time."

Professor Jorzik muttered in a voice full of betrayal.

They had been students who pledged to support him as the next principal, and now they flipped like a coin.

Professor Garcia patted his back sympathetically.

"First, enjoy this aperitif. Though not alcohol, it's a better drink than wine."

Before the students, glass goblets appeared, each filled with a thick, black, sticky liquid that sloshed inside.

It looked like tar boiled with medicinal ingredients…

"I-is this really safe to drink?"

"Isn't this the skull principal hiring imposters to trick us?"

Yi-Han almost found that convincing for a moment. If he hadn't known Uman was a real imperial member, he might have believed it.

"Seems like a real drink... No poison. Can't feel any energy either."

"Really? Looks like poison."

The students lifted their glasses slowly with suspicion. Some alchemy school students even began testing for poison.

"Kek!"

"Kuk!"

"Kraak!"

All the students who drank the aperitif wrinkled their faces and groaned in pain.

"C-crazy. Tastes like Gainando's hodgepodge soup."

"This is worse!"

Yi-Han also frowned. Though he usually ate even quite unpalatable meals well, this was a bit much.

It was like a drink where all kinds of flavors were amplified and mixed, then finished with bitterness.

What kind of drink was this?

"This is a herbal drink made from a dragon's seven herbs. Uman brewed it personally. It will purify your souls and drive out impurities from your bodies."

Uman spoke with satisfaction.

Upon checking, Uman was right. Like a powerful potion, this drink had effects of restoring the body and purifying mana of those who drank it.

...Though considering the taste, wouldn't it be better to just drink a potion!

"Everyone seems satisfied. Next is the appetizer."

The cups disappeared and plates appeared.

Anglerfish soup with ginger and lime. Crackers garnished with orange, olives, coconut, pickled oysters, and cheese that could be eaten with one hand. Plus walnut and fruit salad.

This time it looked somewhat normal, so the students sighed in relief.

"Yi-Han, this looks okay!"

"Wai-"

Though Yi-Han tried to stop him, Gainando grabbed the soup bowl with a bright face.

The drink from earlier had needlessly increased his hunger.

"...Kek!"

Gainando dropped his spoon.

Again it was an intense taste beyond recognition.

As if all his taste buds were forcefully pried open and shaken hard!

'I tried to warn him about the mana.'

Yi-Han had first noticed the mana swirling in the anglerfish soup.

Normally ginger, lime, and anglerfish wouldn't make mana fluctuate like that. Clearly Uman had added dragon's secret herbs again.

Looking around, students who ate the crackers or salad were suffering similarly.

"These are appetizers using dragon's spices. The intense flavors will activate your metabolism and boost mana circulation."

"Hmm. Perhaps His Majesty judged that Einroguard students weren't suffering enough?"

The skull principal who tasted the food muttered beside them.

Though he usually maintained that Einroguard students needed hardship and trials, he hadn't wanted something this severe.

What wrong had the students done to deserve this?

"Now that appetizers are done, I should bring out the main course."

"Y-Your Highness. I have something I'd like to ask."

Professor Garcia carefully raised her hand and asked.

"Please do ask, Professor Garcia. What would you like to know?"

"This special treatment is just for today, right?"

"No! I plan to personally prepare meals for students and faculty throughout this semester. I've prepared all necessary ingredients for that purpose."

"..."

"...Outsider get out!!"

Crash!

When someone threw a plate, it became a signal for students everywhere to rise and smash the tableware.

It was frustrating enough being tormented by the skull principal, but now they had to endure such torture from an outsider for a whole semester?

Despite magic flying savagely, Uman didn't even blink. Instead he roared loudly.

--------!

The incoming magic spells couldn't overcome the force of the roar and dissipated. Yi-Han watched in admiration.

To think pure mana could be applied like that!

'Perhaps dragon's roar could be implemented as magic too...'

“Calm down, everyone. Why are you so upset?”

“The food tastes awful!”

“All because of that?”

Uman looked genuinely shocked, as if he’d heard something unbelievable.

How could Einroguard students say something so childish?

"Food is eaten for health, not taste. If you chase only taste, the balance of body and mind will be ruined."

"We don't care about that! We just want to eat something tasty!"

"I cannot allow that! I, Uman, as inspector, will definitely change your thinking!"

At Uman's gesture, knights dragged away the student who had just shouted.

Though not the punishment room, he would be taken to a solitary room to receive meals and lectures until he was persuaded.

The skull principal whispered to Professor Garcia beside him.

"The students are suffering anyway, and those who should go to punishment room will go, so was there really any need for an inspector to come?"

"Don't be happy about this situation..."

While Professor Garcia muttered with a devastated face, Yi-Han took out his notes.

‘It seems I might have to consider going out more often after all.’

To think Einroguard could become even more harsh.

This was something even Yi-Han hadn't expected.