Surviving as a Mage in a Magic Academy Chapter 61

Chapter 61

He had never expected the students to become so distrustful. But curiosity was curiosity, after all. Professor Uregor, considering Yi-Han as his prized student, sought him out.

"Wardanaz."

"Yes, Professor."

"You do believe what I say, don't you?"

Just as Yi-Han had trusted Professor Ingurdel's words, he would trust Professor Uregor's as well!

Yi-Han nodded and replied affirmatively, "Yes! I trust you! How could I ever doubt you, Professor!"

"Just say you can't trust me, you brat," Professor Uregor expressed his annoyance. He found it more annoying dealing with students like Yi-Han, who spoke in roundabout ways, than those who outright doubted him.

"Did you really not meet the real bull? That's too bad. I had prepared it quite expensively... Why did mud golems appear instead?"

"...Wait. What are you talking about?"

Professor Ingurdel, having heard Professor Uregor's muttering, suddenly turned serious. Professor Uregor hastily made an excuse.

"Hahaha... Professor Ingurdel, it seems there's a misunderstanding. Actually, I prepared both the bull and the mud golem, but it seems the bull has wandered off somewhere."

Despite his excuses, Professor Ingurdel's gaze remained cold. A swordsman gone mad was indeed a fearsome adversary.

Professor Uregor dragged Yi-Han with him in a hurry.

"Wardanaz. You tell me. Who do you think prepared the mud golem?!"

Yi-Han was dumbfounded by the sudden reversal of the professor's earlier stance, but he played along, seeing the desperate look in Professor Uregor's eyes.

"Of course, it must have been you, Professor."

"See? Even the smart Wardanaz says so, Professor Ingurdel."

"Is that so? But do you really think a mud golem is an appropriate challenge for the freshmen?"

Professor Uregor looked back at Yi-Han, but he had already run off to a safe distance with his friends.

—

Saturday had come, but instead of going outside for a walk or exploring the mysteries of the academy, the friends from the Blue Dragon stayed in the lounge, nursing headaches. Assignments from the week had piled up like a mountain.

"Damn... What's the logical flaw in this book? Wait, isn't it a flaw in itself that someone of my noble status has to struggle with such a book?"

"How am I supposed to know how much the construction of a magic circle cost? Just use the spare money from the family, why be so stingy...!"

The students groaned and wrestled with their thoughts. Each assignment was as challenging as the next. Thanks to this, the snacks Yi-Han had stocked up in his cupboard were selling like hot cakes.

Eventually getting tired, Yi-Han filled a basket near the fireplace with various cookies and candies, placing a sign with prices next to it.

Apple flavored candy - One silver coin

Apricot jam cookie - Two silver coins

Maykin family's sweet flat chocolate - Four silver coins

Cup of sugared black tea - One silver coin

...

...

Although the prices were steep, the students didn't complain. Being able to purchase these treats was a joy in itself. Meanwhile, students of the Black Tortoise were enduring by making fake cookies, fake candies, and fake gum...

“Phew. You guys are taking it easy because you’re not taking alchemy and only taking easy classes.”

"Are your assignments difficult? After taking Alchemy, everything else seems like a sweet dessert."

The few Blue Dragon students who attended Alchemy lectures boasted to their peers busy with assignments. Their arrogance was palpable, as if they had conquered a dragon themselves.

The students grumbled, "Those guys... it must have been Wardanaz who did all the work..."

"Let it be. They deserve some sympathy. Meeting a mud golem, of all things."

"Indeed. Such a crazy class. How could they be asked to fight a mud golem?"

Instead of telling them to stop exaggerating, the other friends listened and endured. It was due to honor and friendship.

'They think they won't experience such things themselves...'

Yi-Han shook his head with a bittersweet expression. Students who had not yet taken alchemy classes were deluded, thinking, 'We don't take alchemy, so we'll be fine, right?' But as one could tell from the <Basic Riding Training> class, madness was a virtue necessary for a professor at this academy. Even if one managed to avoid one crazy class, another would surely find its way to them. When that time comes, they will understand!

Bubble, bubble, bubble...

"Orcbell Flowers and Tiny Feather Mushrooms, right? Add these and..."

"Ugh, this smells so toxic, are you sure this is right?"

Students in the alchemy class were huddled around their cauldrons, deep in thought. They had gathered the ingredients for their assignment, the <Lesser Spirit Affinity Potion>, but they were just starting to learn alchemy. Gathering the ingredients was half the battle; the other half was combining them correctly. Moreover, with limited ingredients, the students' hands couldn't help but tremble.

Bang!

"Ahh!!"

Pop, pop, pop!

"Argh!"

"Wait."

Yi-Han extended his hand to stop the students. From what they had learned in classes, they knew that even a minor mistake or timing difference could lead to the failure of an alchemy experiment. But...

'Something's not right here.'

The situation seemed odd. Even the students who seemed to be doing well were having their cauldrons explode with smoke. A small error should only affect the quality of the potion, not produce something completely different from the expected result.

"What's wrong?"

"...Did Professor Uregor teach us the wrong method?"

"..."

"..."

A chill wind seemed to sweep through the lounge. A friend working on a different assignment incredulously said, "Come on, as if that could happen..."

"No, it makes sense! It's a 100% probability!" Friends who would have doubted such a possibility before now suspected the professors more than Yi-Han did. They had truly become students of this academy.

"It's outrageous...! How could they teach us the wrong method on purpose?!"

"Figure it out on our own, is this some kind of joke?!"

While the students vented their frustration, Yi-Han and Yonaire quietly pondered. Anger was one thing, but grades were another. They wanted to grab the professors by the collar, but the assignment still needed to be submitted.

"We should try changing one ingredient at a time in the potion recipe. Yonaire, do you have any guesses?"

"The Devil's Whiskers Flower, Troll Mushroom, Malene, and Jade Dragon Flower in the recipe are suspicious... As far as I know, they have nothing to do with spirits."

"Is this all a trap then?"

"Probably not all of it. Maybe just one or two ingredients? Even if they're unrelated to spirits, they might amplify the power to summon them or strengthen the user's mind."

Yi-Han was impressed by Yonaire's quick analysis. Though Yi-Han was a skilled experimenter himself, he couldn't match Yonaire's extensive knowledge, who had been reading alchemy material books since childhood.

'Should I have read alchemy books instead of the economic section of the newspaper?'

"Experimenting by removing one ingredient at a time is the fastest way, but the problem is... we'll run out of ingredients."

Yi-Han was lost in thought. Professor Uregor had set a trap in the potion recipe, but why?

"Perhaps we need to search through alchemy books and compare with old recipes to find what's wrong..." Yonaire murmured in a disheartened voice.

At that moment, Yi-Han seemed to understand the professor's intention.

'Ah. The message was not to rely on others' recipes but to search and discover through our own efforts.'

Knowledge learned through personal study always lasted longer than that taught by others. Realizing this, Yi-Han felt a shiver run down his spine. He had understood the professor's thinking all too well. One who gazes long into the abyss eventually becomes like it. Yi-Han shook his head to dispel the fear.

'I shouldn't be swayed by the professors anymore.'

"Shall we go look for the book?"

"Yonaire. Even if we look in the books, it might take the whole weekend, right?"

"Probably..."

"We can't let that happen. I need to go out tomorrow, " Yi-Han spoke with a resolute face, his eyes blazing with a determination that no professor could shake.

Yonaire felt a moment of inspiration from that resolve.

'...Should I be moved by the mention of going out?'

"Everyone, stop making potions and gather here!"

"??"

"We'll find out the method through experimentation."

"But we'll run out of ingredients, won't we?"

"We'll pool everyone's ingredients to maximize what we have. We might need to visit other towers too."

"Wow!" Asan was impressed.

While the ingredients from one student might not suffice for multiple experiments, pooling everyone's supplies would make a difference. More leftover ingredients meant more trials.

Yonaire nodded in agreement.

"If students from other towers join in, it could be helpful. They might point out things we don't know."

"Sianna, the priestess, would be a good choice."

"She's from the Immortal Phoenix, but will she come if Wardanaz asks?"

"Wardanaz gets a lot of praise from her, maybe she'll come if he asks?"

Leaving his friends' voices behind, Yi-Han confidently exited the lounge. His departing figure exuded a belief that he would not let the weekend be taken from him.

"Wardanaz...! Please, we need your help!"

"I'll be back soon."

"Hey. Wardanaz. Please invite the princess too."

"...Can't you guys do that?"

Yi-Han asked in disbelief.

"No... We're not close to her..."

"You're the closest to her, after all."

"It's a bit tough dealing with royalty, you know."

"Alright, fine..."

It wasn't a difficult task, so Yi-Han nodded.

“Oh, Gainando! What if you get the multiplication wrong again!! Then we have to redo all the calculations!"

"I didn't get it wrong! You did!"

"Where do you come up with such lies! Your formula is wrong!"

"..."

Yi-Han was dumbfounded by their behavior.

These guys?

—

“Princess, it's Wardanaz.”

-!

As Yi-Han knocked on the door, the princess looked at his hand with hopeful eyes. However, Yi-Han's hand was empty, holding no snacks.

After hearing the explanation, the princess nodded and went down to the lounge, but she seemed a bit disappointed.

Yi-Han felt a pang of guilt.

'Next time I go up, I should bring something...'

After all, the other friends were keeping the accounts, and giving more snacks was a win for Yi-Han.

Feeling a twinge of guilt for having taken advantage of his innocent friends, Yi-Han's conscience pricked him slightly.

"Is this the place?" Arriving at his destination, Yi-Han looked around. Being part of the Blue Dragon, he rarely had the opportunity to visit other towers.

The Blue Dragon exuded a sense of opulence and splendor, almost to the point of extravagance, but the Immortal Phoenix radiated a sacred aura. Perhaps, this was due to the difference in its students.

‘...Wait. How do I get in?’

It was only upon reaching the Immortal Phoenix that Yi-Han realized he had no idea how to enter. Yi-Han decided to give it a try without much thought.

Thud-

"!"

As if an invisible barrier was present at the main gate of the tower, Yi-Han was repelled.

'A spell to prevent intruders. Of course, it makes sense.'

It would be chaos if non-members of the Immortal Phoenix could enter freely.

"Mr. Yi-Han of the Wardanaz family?"

A familiar voice called out from behind. A snake mixed-blood student, dressed in a priestess's robe, tilted her head in curiosity.

Upon seeing Priest Sianna, Yi-Han instinctively started with flattery, "The talented Priestess Sianna who made that excellent potion last time!"

"Oh my. Such excessive praise."

"It's not praise, but a mere statement of fact."

"I've made a potion this time. Please take it. It'll help with fatigue recovery."

Priestess Sianna handed over the potion with a broad smile.