Surviving as a Mage in a Magic Academy

Are you all right?

The Skull Principal asked in puzzlement.

He had expected Professor Garcia to react violently after reading the letter. It would have been the same no matter what it said.

If it said they would be returning soon...

-If you're coming back, then come back immediately! Why send such an obviously transparent letter?!

If it said they would be returning late because something unexpected had happened...

-I knew it! Things could go wrong, and you still took Student Lee Han with you?!

No matter what the contents were, he had expected Professor Garcia to explode in anger and smash a few pieces of furniture or equipment nearby.

But Professor Garcia's reaction was different from what he had expected. Eyes wide, the professor simply reread the letter that had arrived.

The sight made the Skull Principal needlessly worried.

Did Professor Voladi kill some innocent person or something? Give it here.

After snatching the letter away, the Skull Principal understood why Professor Garcia had frozen stiff.

An evil god spoke to them.

That's serious. We'll need to organize a subjugation force to bring it down. Send out the letters.

Leaving the frozen Professor Garcia alone, the Skull Principal gave orders to the knights.

If an evil god had been corrupted, they needed to deal with it as quickly as possible. The Skull Principal intended to strike before it grew more intelligent and mature.

"I'll participate too!"

You? Why would you need to...

The Skull Principal reacted reluctantly to Professor Garcia's words.

Many people in the Empire were frightened by Professor Garcia's appearance alone, but the Skull Principal knew very well that this was a misunderstanding.

What was a mage so unaccustomed to violence going to do in a subjugation force?

"Student Lee Han is participating too. Why shouldn't I?"

It doesn't say anywhere here that Wardanaz is participating... Though I suppose he will.

The Skull Principal accepted the logic.

Professor Voladi would certainly participate in the subjugation force, and in that case Wardanaz and Professor Kirmin would naturally accompany the professor.

Now that Wardanaz had built up a fairly solid foundation as a mage, the Skull Principal had no intention of forcibly stopping him. Even if he went along, he would undoubtedly be able to pull his own weight.

And considering the people who had sent this letter, having Wardanaz accompany them might actually be advantageous...

'They'll probably be a little more motivated.'

Fine. It's about time you grew as well.

-There's really no need for that kind of growth...

One of the knights muttered.

It was genuinely difficult to imagine Professor Garcia completely overcoming that aversion to violence.

***

"Master."

When Lee Han came to visit, the young prince staying in the basement welcomed him warmly.

-It's been a while, my disciple. Did you leave that rodent behind?

"Haha. I'm letting it get some exercise outside."

Lee Han defended the hamster.

If he said the hamster had stubbornly refused to come, the young prince did not seem like the type to simply let that pass.

The prince was kind to disciples, but very strict with outsiders, especially wicked people.

-It seems something happened again.

"Yes."

The young prince gestured from within the painting for him to explain. Lee Han conveyed the shocking events that had occurred this time exactly as they happened.

-A corrupted evil god. It isn't impossible. My disciple, do you remember the Black Emperor Coffin?

Ancient magic dealing with artificially created demigods.

The coffin used to confine such a demigod was the Black Emperor Coffin.

"Indeed..."

-Depending on how a mage handles it, even divinity can be given an ego and will. So it isn't impossible for a corrupted evil god to awaken either.

Despite discussing a confrontation with an evil god, the young prince was not overwhelmed in the slightest.

Even if it was a divine being, it was still merely an idiot who could not properly distinguish right from wrong and was being dragged around by its own power.

With a mage's wisdom, it could be annihilated forever.

-In some ways, you could even say this was fortunate. Now it can be completely annihilated.

"Ah. I heard that from the hamster."

-You did?

The young prince resolved to make the hamster pay someday.

How dare it advise the disciple first.

"What I'm actually worried about is something slightly different. It might just have been that evil god's bluff, but..."

As someone who had personally spoken with the evil god, Lee Han remembered even the smallest things it had said.

The evil god had clearly laughed that the magical criminal, the hamster, and even the mage above were all truly afraid of it.

Lee Han could understand the magical criminal or the hamster being afraid of the evil god.

But Professor Voladi was afraid?

-I see. My disciple. It might have been a bluff, but I think it's more likely that it wasn't.

"Could it perhaps have been Professor Ku who was frightened rather than Professor Bagreg?"

If Professor Kirmin had heard that, the professor would have glared at him for being ungrateful.

The young prince slowly shook his head.

-The fact that it deliberately mentioned someone who wasn't even there means there's a high chance they had bad blood from long ago. It was probably Disciple Voladi. My disciple. Are you perhaps thinking this? If Disciple Voladi is afraid, wouldn't it be better not to participate in the subjugation force?

"Ah. Yes. If we ambush Professor Voladi together with Professor Ku while Professor Voladi's guard is down, couldn't we somehow confine the professor inside Einroguard?"

If Professor Voladi did not participate, Lee Han and Professor Kirmin had no particular reason to participate either.

They could simply leave it to the Skull Principal and wait for the outcome.

Rather than rebuking the disciple for showing not even the slightest respect for the teacher, the young prince gently persuaded him.

-That's an ingenious method too. But I would like you to have a little more faith, my disciple. Anyone can be afraid. What's important is how they overcome that fear.

Lee Han paused at the young prince's words.

It was a general principle, but Lee Han simply found it difficult to imagine Professor Voladi feeling fear.

"But the opponent is powerful and will probably be extremely dangerous. Is it really all right to act before overcoming that fear?"

-Continuing to wait doesn't guarantee that you'll overcome fear. Sometimes you can only overcome it by taking action. Even if Disciple Voladi does feel fear, I believe the professor can overcome it. There are such dependable people nearby, after all.

"...I don't know about myself, but that's certainly true. Someone like Professor Ku even put aside all of the professor's own work to come with us..."

-I meant you and me, my disciple, but yes. Let's include Professor Ku as well.

The young prince spoke as though granting a favor.

The dependable people the prince had meant were Lee Han and the young prince himself, or perhaps someone like Professor Garcia.

-In any case, if my disciple is participating in the subjugation force, I can't simply send you off like this. Please take this.

The paint of the picture rose like rippling water, transformed into a strand of energy, and flew forward.

Into the remaining space of the Behemoth bone necklace Lee Han wore.

-With this, I'll be able to help you even outside.

"But Master. Didn't you say something like this was originally impossible?"

Lee Han asked, unable to understand.

At present, the young prince existed by borrowing the power of an unstable and unique form of magic that was difficult to reproduce.

Inside a sealed room like this was one thing, but freely casting magic outside was difficult.

-My disciple. Sometimes I think you forget who I am. I inherited the orthodox lineage of ancient magic, and I broke the staves of countless wicked mages across the continent. Something like this is easy for me.

"That's truly amazing. So what magic did you use?"

-...Magic you don't know, my disciple.

"Even just the name... What exactly was it?"

-I can hear people calling for you outside. It seems the subjugation force has arrived.

"Ah. Then I'll come see you again next time."

After Lee Han left, the young prince let out a faint sigh.

Having an intelligent disciple was not always a good thing.

Even lying became this difficult...

***

"Principal, have you arrived?"

Lee Han ran out happily.

The human mind was truly remarkable. After suffering a little outside, one could even begin to miss Einroguard.

Who would have thought dealing with evil-god worshipers would make him happy to see the Skull Principal...

Good to see you, disciple of Osu.

"......"

At the unexpected sight, Lee Han's expression immediately hardened.

Waiting outside was a huge, imposing yaksha clad in dark-gold armor and a helmet.

It was none other than the Yaksha King.

-The Yaksha King... Gonadaltes actually mobilized the Yaksha King... Terrifying!

The hamster trembled.

With its magic sealed and trapped in this pathetic body, even facing a powerhouse like that was difficult.

The Yaksha King's wise eyes, blazing golden, were said to pierce straight into the deepest reaches of a wicked person's soul the instant they met its gaze.

"Didn't the Principal come?"

Of course, to Lee Han, the Yaksha King was not some great figure of the dimensions, but simply a bizarre madman who raised the difficulty of Lee Han's life every time they met.

Looking for your master the moment you see me. I think I understand. So when you insulted Osu last time, it was because you didn't want to acknowledge how much you respected your master.

"......"

The moment they met, Lee Han vividly remembered exactly why he hated the Yaksha King.

This was why!

Rather than make himself furious by needlessly talking with the Yaksha King, Lee Han decided to change conversation partners.

"Professor. Isn't the Principal coming?"

Disciple of Osu. I understand that you wish to see your master, but I, the Yaksha King, will be leading this subjugation force.

Perhaps because the student's expression looked so utterly miserable, Professor Kirmin carefully explained.

"The Principal doesn't personally participate in everything, Wardanaz."

"...That's true. Now that I think about it, I don't know why I assumed otherwise."

Lee Han reflected deeply.

Thinking about it, this was something he obviously should have expected.

The Skull Principal was not the type to leave Einroguard easily, and if they had to fight a powerful opponent in another dimension, a major figure like the Yaksha King was the most likely candidate.

-Good to see you.

Another familiar figure appeared from behind the Yaksha King.

And just like the Yaksha King, it was someone who made Lee Han's stomach turn.

"...Apazragon!"

Lee Han ground his teeth at the sight of the angel.

If that stupid angel hadn't lost the dimension to Professor Voladi...

-Wise King. Thank you for granting me this opportunity.

I, the Yaksha King, am a king who always bestows guidance upon those who seek wisdom, so there is no need for such gratitude.

"......"

Lee Han already felt dizzy.

Seeing the Yaksha King and Apazragon praising each other made his chest feel tight.

"Apazragon... Why is that angel... participating in the subjugation force?"

-It walks the path of an ancient mage in pursuit of enlightenment. Naturally it would participate.

Disciple of Osu. Even if another walks the same path, do not become jealous or interfere. Such emotions offer no help whatsoever in the pursuit of enlightenment.

Lee Han immediately regretted asking.

Why did I ask?

An evil god that has gained an ego cannot be left alone. Disciple of Osu. I expect great things from your abilities this time.

"I'm going over there to prepare some magic... I don't know what kind of magic yet, but anyway, I'll go prepare some."

Lee Han quickly retreated, afraid he might attack one of the two if he stayed any longer.

At that moment, light flickered in midair, space warped, and a dimensional rift appeared.

Then the Death Knights and Professor Garcia arrived.

"Ah. Professor."

"Student Lee Han! Where is Professor Ku?"

"...May I ask why?"

Lee Han flinched at the faint murderous intent coming from Professor Garcia.

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