Surviving as a Mage in a Magic Academy Chapter 24

Chapter 24

While Dolgyu was underestimating the merits of Gainando, Nillia began to count the necessities for wandering long into the night.

"We must prepare well since we don't know how long we'll be on the move. It would be good to have sturdy boots and several pairs of quality socks, but..."

"We don't have such things," said Yi-Han, casting a solemn mood over the group.

The principal had intentionally given them rough, worn-out clothes; it was unlikely they would have such items.

Nillia, as if expecting this, began unpacking her bag.

"I made spare boots using the hide of the beast we caught last time. And I tore the fabric from the lounge curtains to make foot wraps. Here, give me your feet."

Silence fell as Yi-Han and Yonaire remained speechless.

Nillia wondered to herself, 'Did I behave too pitifully again?'

Ever since she brought meat to them, Nillia had become somewhat close to the students of the Black Tortoise, but there was an unavoidable distance in their conversations.

Born and raised in the cold northern mountains as a member of the Shadow Patrol, Nillia's background was inherently different from that of a student born into a great merchant family in the heart of the empire.

-"Wow, do you see that red flower?"-

-"Yeah. That flower tastes sweet."-

-"...No, isn't it pretty?"-

-"It's pretty and tasty, so isn't that better?"-

Nillia, not being a fool, was aware of the awkward atmosphere. Once it became awkward, she had been swallowing her words, keeping silent.

But now, she found herself speaking again. It was a mistake.

"This, well... I sewed it myself... it was out of necessity..."

"You're amazing!"

"Yeah! Incredible!"

Their reactions caught Nillia off guard.

"Is this really amazing?"

"Of course. You made this yourself right?"

"Not anyone can do this. You sewed it with a needle, right?"

At Yi-Han and Yonaire's reactions, the corners of Nillia's mouth and eyes quivered pleasantly.

"It's nothing special."

"Nothing special? What are you talking about?"

"Right. Who else could do this here?"

"Nillia. You should go into business."

"Yeah. Sell these to other tower students for money."

As the conversation took a strange turn despite the praise, Nillia waved her hands in dismissal.

"I don't like business."

"Why not?"

"Why, Nillia? Why don't you like money?"

Yi-Han and Yonaire asked with genuine expressions, leaving Nillia dumbfounded.

'Selling to friends isn't normal, right?'

With her prideful demeanor, anyone would think Nillia belonged to the Blue Dragon.

"Why would I take money for this? I don't like it!"

At her words, Yi-Han and Yonaire became serious.

"That's nonsense. Whether you can take money for it or not is decided by the market, not you."

"That's a really good point. You understand, Nillia?"

"...Can I just finish explaining? Please??"

"Ah. Sorry. Go on."

Nillia, finally escaping the topic, cleared her throat. Her expression was much brighter than before, and her long ears seemed to perk up happily. Being acknowledged was undeniably a joyful feeling.

"But what's so great about this?" Gainando asked, not understanding the fuss.

Whack!

Yonaire slapped Gainando on the back, and Yi-Han kicked his shin.

"Don't give any to him, Nillia. He won't understand how great it is without experiencing it."

"Right. He needs to experience some hardship."

"You... isn't that too much?! I'm still a prince..."

"Prince?!" Nillia gasped in shock.

While the noble-born Yi-Han and Yonaire were indifferent to the plethora of royals, to Nillia, the concept of the Emperor's direct lineage was immensely significant. Just the title alone conveyed an aura of dignity.

'...which is evidently lacking,' Nillia thought, seeing Gainando being slapped on the back by Yonaire and kicked in the shin by Yi-Han. Gainando seemed more like a patient than a prince.

"Hey, do you even realize how valuable these boots and foot wraps are, especially when you might have to walk for hours? Even after just one hour, your feet will be sore and blistered."

"We should just leave him behind."

"No... no! I get it! Don't leave me!"

After the situation settled, Yi-Han apologized on behalf of Gainando.

"Sorry, Nillia. You prepared diligently, and here Gainando is being rude."

"No, it's really fine. Don't worry about it."

"Do you want me to hit him again?"

"I'm really okay!!"

Nillia quickly intervened, alarmed again. She genuinely harbored no ill feelings. It was clear Gainando, a prince no less, had probably never walked long distances in his life. His ignorance was understandable.

"Here, I've also made these coats. It's spring, but it can get chilly at night. And the wind around here can be quite strong."

"Nillia..."

"Really..."

"...Could you stop reacting to every single word?"

Although flattered, Nillia was becoming annoyed with their excessive reactions.

"Leather backpacks. You'll need them when we enter the village. And leather water skins. I made these too."

Yi-Han was genuinely impressed. To craft all these from just leather, needle, and thread was remarkable.

'Why isn't she using her skills for business?'

Had it been him, he would have made a tidy profit. Yonaire, too, seemed to share similar sentiments, her face expressing a touch of regret.

"To move through the darkness for a long time, you need to wrap your feet well, prepare for the cold with coats, and have enough to drink and eat, but..." Nillia hesitated as she spoke. She was worried about food. While Nillia could survive a day in the mountains without food, could the others manage?

"I've brought food. Sliced sausage and bread, goat cheese, and Dwarven honey candy. Will this be enough?"

Nillia was astonished. The food Yi-Han brought was more than sufficient for emergency rations.

"Where did you get this?"

"I swiped it from Professor Uregor's cabin."

‘...Are you really from the Blue Dragon?’

—

"Today, to the honorable friends gathered here, who have sworn to follow my command."

At Jijel's words, the robust students nodded. They were students from the White Tiger who trusted Jijel and had agreed to attempt an escape with her. Though they had not heard any specific plan, their gathered presence alone was a testament to Jijel's influence.

There were several students taller and bulkier than Jijel, and even some with more fearsome appearances. Jijel, an elf with a delicate and slender appearance, stood undauntedly in front of them.

And with a haughty and sharp voice, she said, "Don't worry about the fools and traitors who didn't gather here. They'll realize soon enough."

"Of course!"

"You're right, Moradi."

"We depart in ten minutes."

Jijel's confidence was not without reason.

'If we follow the map, four hours should be enough.'

Surprisingly, Jijel had a map for escaping the academy. It was an escape map she had found before entering the academy, while she was with the Moradi family.

—

-"A Beginner's Guide to Magic, What is Magic, The Legends of Einroguard... Is this all there is?"-

-"Sorry, Lady Moradi."-

-"Bring everything you can. I have no intention of being scorned by other mages."-

Students from knight families shared similar concerns before entering magic academy.

Would they be able to keep up?

It was natural for them to worry, especially since they had spent their lives wielding swords rather than practicing magic.

The prideful Jijel refused to be looked down upon. She studied extensively, reading various books before entering the magic academy. Among those books was the escape map.

-"Einroguard Escape Map...? How does something like this exist?"-

A detailed map outlining the escape routes from the academy.

Jijel was incredulous when she first saw it. Einroguard wasn't just any academy. It was the empire's premier magic academy, accepting only the most talented.

What kind of fool would secure such an opportunity only to think about escaping?

However, within a day of entering the academy, Jijel understood why the map was created.

Ah, it makes sense!

"Concerning Escape from Einroguard -

I tell you truly, the path shown in this map is the only way to escape. Future generations will escape the school through the path my friends and I have carved and refined..."

The map was detailed and meticulously prepared by seniors for their juniors.

With this map, escape was certainly possible!

—

"They move through the mountains."

"Indeed..."

Lying hidden in the bushes, Yi-Han and his group witnessed torches flickering in the distance. The White Tiger students had started to move.

'Is it through the mountains, after all?'

To Yi-Han, there seemed to be two main routes to escape the magic academy. One was through the academy's massive front walls or gates. While this route was familiar and quick to the imperial highways and towns, breaking through the walls or gates was no easy feat. The other was the vast and majestic mountain range behind the academy. The long walls ended deep in the mountains, suggesting an escape route if one could navigate them properly.

Yi-Han had thought that if Jijel knew a way, it would likely be the latter. The expansive mountain range behind the academy, dense with forests and daunting from the outside, could be breached with a map by someone capable.

His assumption had been correct.

"Move out. Let's follow!"

"Why are we going through the mountains?" Gainando followed in confusion, having assumed they would exit through the gates.

"We'll breach through the mountains."

"Why?!"

"There's a path there. Dolgyu, take care of Gainando."

"Understood."

Dolgyu nodded readily.

Nillia was the most experienced in mountain climbing among them, and Yi-Han and Dolgyu, as knights, were well-trained. Yonaire, who had roamed far and wide collecting alchemy ingredients since childhood, was confident in her walking ability. The biggest concern was Gainando!

"What are you asking me for??"

"I'll be right behind you, Prince. Breathe through your nose and don't stop walking. Now!"

"Wait, what, no, just a sec..."

Gainando had questions, but soon he found himself unable to ask any more. He gasped for breath, "Huff, huff, huff."

"Come on!"

"What... come on... huff, huff, huff."

"Keep going!"

'Stop...!'

It was a faintly moonlit night. Walking along unfamiliar mountain paths in the dark was an exhausting task. Even though Nillia led the way, clearing obstacles and guiding them, the entire group was drenched in sweat.

Yi-Han, despite the arduous journey, endeavored to record the path. Trained rigorously under many mad professors, Yi-Han sketched the map on paper, even in near darkness.

"???"

Yonaire, walking alongside him, looked at Yi-Han in disbelief.

'Is he using some sort of magic like <Night Vision>?'

It was a feat that seemed inexplicable unless Yi-Han had learned it in advance from the Wardanaz family.

"Ah, look at this."

"What's that?"

"Sleeping grass. If you grind it into powder and mix it with water, it helps you sleep."

"Let's take it."

"Eh?"

"Take it. We never know when we might need it."

"We're going to need this?"

Yonaire, puzzled, gathered the sleeping grass.

'It must have been over an hour by now.'

"Nillia. How long have we been walking? Feels like an hour."

"An hour and ten minutes."

Nillia responded and looked at Yi-Han anew. It was unusual for someone who wasn't a hunter to keep such accurate track of time in the wilderness.

At that moment, Yi-Han felt a chilling sensation run down his spine.

'A monster!? No, Nillia would have noticed, right? Could she have missed it?'

“Hahahahahaha!”

Silence fell.

It was the familiar sound of a skeleton laughing.