Surviving as a Mage in a Magic Academy Chapter 27

Chapter 27

"Be thankful that those rascals got a dose of sleeping grass instead of poison!" Nillia declared indignantly. After Yi-Han and Yonaire told her what happened, she was furious with the White Tiger students.

"They dared to target Wardanaz who has done nothing wrong!"

"It's not exactly that I did nothing wrong. I did sneak into the White Tiger students' swordsmanship class."

"What? Why would you..."

"But that's not the point."

Nillia looked at Yi-Han with wide, incredulous eyes, but he continued, ignoring her surprise.

"Anyway, Dolgyu. I know you're shocked, but this wasn't cowardly or dishonorable. It's strategy."

"Yeah, the fools who got tricked are to blame," Nillia chimed in.

To Nillia, a hunter by origin, such retaliation was nothing.

"I would have preferred a more honorable way..."

"Oh, Dolgyu. You have a narrow view of honor. Think of the outcome. If we had fought here and caused a commotion, getting caught together, it would have been a disgrace. But thanks to the sleeping grass in the water, we avoided that, ending things smoothly. We weren't caught, and those guys will return to school unharmed. Isn't that honor?"

"Is it...?"

"Honor, indeed."

Nillia supported Yi-Han's statement, and Yonaire and Gainando joined in agreement.

"Seems like an honorable act to me."

"Even the royal palace would consider it honorable."

"Is that so..."

Like ink slowly staining the paper, Dolgyu gradually adopted Yi-Han's way of thinking without realizing it.

—

Tatatatatat-

Hearing the approaching sound of the undead, Yi-Han nodded.

“Suppression complete.”

“Suppression complete.”

The bone pursuers didn't find it strange that the White Tiger students were asleep.

Being low-intelligence undead summons, they couldn't distinguish such details.

'I guess I'll just wait.'

Yi-Han was confident that the bone pursuers would soon disperse.

Having captured all their targets from the White Tiger, they had no reason to stay.

"Where are you going?"

"I want to check around while we wait."

Yi-Han cautiously moved towards the wall.

The original plan to escape the academy had been thwarted by an unexpected commotion, but he couldn't return empty-handed.

'I need to find something.'

How far did the massive walls encircling the academy extend into the mountain range? And was there truly no way to escape?

The other students followed Yi-Han, stepping cautiously.

Even though the bone pursuers had vanished, dark shadows lay ahead, and the higher they climbed, the steeper and denser the trees and bushes became.

"It's too... dark."

"This is dangerous. We might fall."

The absence of the White Tiger students, who usually carried torches, made the surroundings even darker.

"Wardanaz, we need to light a fire."

"Isn't that risky?"

"There are so many obstacles around here, it should be fine."

"Alright… Light!"

With Yi-Han's spell, intense light enveloped the area, as bright as day.

Nillia suddenly felt uneasy.

Theoretically, at such a distance, with dense and lush trees and bushes, the light should not be visible from below...

But Yi-Han's spell seemed too powerful.

‘Surely we won't be discovered.’

"Extinguish the fire, young students. You're making it impossible to sleep."

"!!!"

A deep, resonant voice, imbued with magic, echoed from within the forest. The students, already tormented by the insane principal, were left in shock.

Could there be a trap here too?

"Who are you?"

Yi-Han was the first to regain his composure and speak.

'If it were the principal's summon, it would have attacked first.'

"I shall ask the first question since you students have come here. Answer correctly, and you'll be treated as guests. But if wrong, you'll be treated as intruders. Now, don't be nervous. It's a really easy question. A dwarf lit five candles in his room late in the evening. A strong wind blew one out from the window. Soon after, another dwarf, drinking beer in the next room, opened the door forcefully, blowing out another candle. The dwarf then closed the window and door to prevent the other candles from going out. How many candles were left in the morning?"

'This is a trap.'

Yi-Han realized the hidden catch in the riddle.

At first glance, one might think three candles remained from the original five, but candles burn out over time.

So, by morning, there would be zero candles left.

"Three!"

Gainando blurted out the answer without thinking. Yi-Han was astounded.

"!"

"Correct."

"Wait, wait. Shouldn't the candles have burned out?"

Yi-Han couldn't help but ask. The voice answered, sounding puzzled.

"When posing such riddles, one naturally assumes the use of magic candles that don't burn out. Isn't that obvious?"

"..."

Yi-Han inwardly cursed.

'Such an absurd magic society.'

It was indeed as easy a question as promised.

"Since you've answered correctly, you will be treated as guests. But... it feels a bit disappointing to end it just like this after meeting guests for the first time in a while. How about trying another question? You'll still be treated as guests even if you're wrong, but if you're right, I'll give you a gift."

"We're ready."

Yi-Han answered immediately without any hesitation.

Missing such an opportunity would be foolish.

"In the morning, there is a large creature. At noon, it shrinks in size, and in the afternoon, it grows large again. At night, it disappears. Who is this creature?"

The students hesitated.

They were puzzled by this unexpected riddle.

'What is it?'

'I'm not sure.'

Gainando, emboldened by his previous correct answer, shouted again.

"It's a monster that grows large in the morning and afternoon but shrinks at noon!"

"...Incorrect."

"Why not?! Ah. Because it disappears at night..."

"I said you're wrong."

"Is the answer a shadow?"

"Correct!"

"!!!"

The friends looked at Yi-Han with amazed eyes.

"How did you guess?"

It was a famously well-known riddle.

One of the riddles of the Sphinx, wasn't it?

Not wanting to explain his knowledge from a past life, Yi-Han answered simply.

"I concentrated my mind and entrusted my body to wisdom, and the answer came to me."

Vague answers always tend to be interpreted favorably.

The voice seemed very impressed by Yi-Han's response.

"Excellent. I welcome you, clever young students."

The dense trees that had filled the space parted to the sides, and the landscape began to change, shrouded in a mist-like fog.

With the dense magic of the greenery, a clearing for spirits, seemingly unreal, revealed itself before their eyes.

—

The one to greet Yi-Han and his friends was a talking oak tree.

The deep forest was home to various monsters, spirits, and other fantastical beings.

The oak tree before them was one of these entities.

"You all look quite tired. Try drinking this."

The talking oak tree extended its branches, offering a wooden cup filled with a cool, green liquid that rippled gently.

'The smell isn't very pleasant.'

The drink looked and smelled like green juice.

However, the magic it exuded was abundant. Yi-Han cautiously took a sip.

"!"

He felt as if the fatigue accumulated in his muscles was instantly relieved.

Like drinking cold ice water after sweating on a hot summer day, the green drink provided a refreshing coolness as it went down his throat.

Despite its bitterness, the effects were undeniable.

"This is a beverage made from the sap of the forest trees. Do you like it?"

"Yes, it's quite good. May I have some more?"

"Help yourself."

Yi-Han filled his leather water pouch with the sap. Given the harsh conditions of the academy environment, it was essential to take advantage of such opportunities.

While Yi-Han was busy collecting, the other students bombarded the talking oak tree with questions, intrigued by the mystical clearing known only to the forest spirits.

"What is this place for?"

"Are there other trees like this one?"

"Hey, is there anything to eat? This is too bitter. Maybe some sweet fruit or something?"

As his friends chattered, Yi-Han too posed a question to the talking oak tree.

"May I ask you a few things?"

"Go ahead. But first, tell me who you are. Introduce yourself."

"I am Yi-Han."

The oak tree found it curious that Yi-Han mentioned his name before his family name, an uncommon practice for a noble boy.

"Your family name?"

"The Wardanaz family."

Thump-

The oak tree stepped back. Yi-Han felt slightly wronged.

"Sorry about that. It's not your fault, but because of the rumors. The Wardanaz family has produced many great mages."

"Is that so?"

"And quite a few mad mages as well."

"..."

"To introduce oneself by name rather than family, admirable. You'll make a fine mage. But what brings students here in the middle of the night?"

Yi-Han answered without batting an eyelid.

"We were enjoying a night walk."

"..."

Yonaire, who heard the answer, bit her lip to suppress a laugh.

Of course, the talking oak tree wasn't fooled by such a lie.

"Ah. You're trying to find a way out of the academy? But considering the moon's phase tonight, it's only the first week since the new students arrived. Are you already attempting to leave?"

"There are... certain circumstances."

Yi-Han was about to make excuses, but the talking oak tree was already expressing admiration.

"Trying to leave in the first week... This batch of new students is quite remarkable."

'Damn.'

Yi-Han gave up on making excuses.

"Talking Oak Tree, if there have been many students before trying to leave, could you perhaps advise us on how to do so?"

"I have lived in this forest for over hundreds of years. I've seen many students attempt to leave this academy. It's not that there are no ways out. It's just impossible for freshmen like you."

The talking oak tree showed no inclination to reveal more.

Having not expected much to begin with, Yi-Han decided to ask a different question.

"Could we possibly escape over the mountain if we continue in this direction?"

"It would be difficult. There is a wall."

"...There's a wall here too??"

"Yes. And the wall is enchanted with magic. Anyone trying to climb it carelessly will taste bitterness."

Yi-Han was flabbergasted.

To think that the steep mountain range they had climbed for hours also had a continuous wall.

It was truly remarkable!

'Finding a break in the wall to escape seems practically impossible then.'

Since climbing or bypassing the wall was not an option.

The talking oak tree spoke as if to caution them.

"Do not try to leave rashly as freshmen. It's an extremely dangerous task. The mountain might be calm now, but in a few weeks, the dormant monsters will awaken."

"Thank you for the information."

The talking oak tree observed the look in Yi-Han's eyes.

Despite hearing such warnings, he was not shaken in the slightest.

Far from being scared, his eyes seemed eager to plunge into more challenges.

The oak tree was impressed by his spirit.

"I'll give you a riddle. The Black Axe Tribe Orcs, the Red Feather Tribe Orcs, the White Eagle Tribe Orcs, and the Green Frog Tribe Orcs gathered for a feast. A naughty goblin also squeezed in, indulging in the food and drink. How was the goblin able to do this?"

"…?"

"???"

The students gathered were perplexed by the talking oak tree's riddle.

Gainando spoke up.

"Was the goblin popular?"

The oak tree ignored the question, pretending not to hear.