Surviving as a Mage in a Magic Academy - Chapter 824

The insane duplicate nodded, unaware that his disciple was already considering putting the Echo Stone away again.

That is correct.

“…Uh, why does magic like that even exist?”

<Gonadaltes’s Downfall> was a spell that transferred another person’s downfall—curses, pain, wounds, and the like—onto oneself.

No matter how Lee Han thought about it, he couldn’t understand why the insane duplicate would ever use such magic.

It wasn’t as though the insane duplicate would willingly take on the world’s pain and wounds…

That is…

“Ah! I understand!”

Lee Han realized the answer.

Thinking about it, the logic was simple.

“To transfer curses, pain, or wounds to someone else, you first have to be able to control them. And the easiest stage of control is absorption. This must be a foundational spell you learn before transferring downfall onto enemies!”

What nonsense are you spouting with such confidence?

“Ah. Is that not it?”

When the insane duplicate looked at him with open contempt, Lee Han panicked.

He couldn’t think of any other reason.

This secret art is something I researched in order to gather all the pain, wounds, and curses scattered throughout the world into one place. More precisely, it is the beginning of that research.

“??”

Lee Han tilted his head.

“What do you do after gathering them? Use them as weapons?”

…If they were gathered into one place, would the world’s pain not disappear?

The insane duplicate’s gaze had now gone beyond contempt and reached some indescribable realm.

Lee Han gasped in the greatest shock he had felt during today’s conversation.

“Th-then Master truly researched this secret art with pure good intentions?”

I sense suspicious intent in your voice, you wretch.

“No. I was simply amazed because it was so incredible.”

Having recovered from the shock, Lee Han quickly tried to salvage the situation.

Amazing. The scale of the magic is shocking, but the intention behind it is even more shocking.

The enormous scale of a spell meant to erase the entire concept of suffering from a dimension was astonishing enough.

But the intent behind it was even more astonishing.

To think he had researched this magic to erase the world’s pain.

No matter how Lee Han looked at it, this did not seem like research suited to the Skull Principal.

Could I have been wrong? Is this not a projection of Gonadaltes, but someone else entirely?

While Lee Han entertained that outrageous thought, the insane duplicate calmly continued his explanation.

This research ultimately failed. Gathering and sealing concepts scattered throughout an entire dimension proved impossible. That abandonment remains a humiliation even now…

“No. You made the right decision. There was once a mage who tried to fly toward the sun—”

Be silent, you wretch. If one refuses to fly toward the sun merely because its flames are fierce, one cannot be called a mage.

Lee Han, who had attempted to console the ancient being with an old story, was immediately crushed.

The insane duplicate gazed into the distant void, lost in memories of the past.

In the end, only a few secret arts like this remained.

“Still, isn’t that already a great achievement?”

Perhaps. The dark mages of the Three Kingdoms stole this secret art and used it against their enemies. Utterly vulgar.

“How did they use it against enemies?”

You wretch. Is it not about time you stopped asking foolish questions? If you can absorb downfall into yourself, then naturally, you can transfer it to enemies as well.

“…”

Lee Han felt frustrated.

In the end, hadn’t his first guess been correct?

It really is foundational magic…!

First, one learned to absorb it into oneself. Then, one learned to transfer it onto enemies.

There was probably a higher-circle spell that transferred this downfall outward.

Its name would likely be something like <Gonadaltes’s True Nature> or <Gonadaltes’s Hidden Heart>.

“I apologize. I asked a foolish question.”

Good that you know. Prepare yourself.

“Master. Please wait a moment.”

Realizing he had been so distracted by the shocking story of the past that he had failed to discuss the most important matter, Lee Han hurriedly spoke up.

What is it?

“If I cast this, I’ll be absorbing the other person’s curse, correct?”

Has your intelligence declined?

“…Please hear me out. If I take the other person’s curse into my own body, won’t it hurt?”

So?

“…”

Lee Han decided to think of the being before him as either a three-year-old child or Professor Verdus.

I won’t waver. I’ll explain from the beginning.

“Haha. What I mean is, if a curse enters my body, it will be painful, won’t it? And if I’m in pain, daily life becomes difficult. Wouldn’t that make it harder to study magic?”

The insane duplicate answered with disgust at this disciple who had suddenly begun speaking in such an appalling tone.

You wretch. First, fix that complacent attitude of yours that assumes learning magic becomes difficult merely because your body suffers downfall. With that mindset, you cannot learn magic.

“Ah, yes.”

Lee Han remained unmoved.

As a young mage of the Empire, he found the ancient mage’s spiritual theories deeply unpersuasive.

Even if every manner of downfall and decay torments you, you must be able to control it. Do you understand?

“Yes… I’ll do my best.”

Pain is not a mage’s enemy.

“Then is it a friend?”

It is not a friend either. And lastly, you wretch, you do not need to worry about such things.

“Why not?”

Because it will not affect you.

Lee Han wondered what he meant, then belatedly understood.

And answered in disbelief.

“No, Master. This is not an ordinary curse. Some insane mage—”

Shut up. It is merely a mishmash of fourteen curses.

The insane duplicate dismissed Lee Han’s explanation and sternly ordered him to hurry up and learn the spell.

Lee Han grumbled inwardly as he gripped his staff.

If I can’t endure the curse inside my body, is he planning to recommend I become a lich?

***

“…”

After casting <Gonadaltes’s Downfall>, Lee Han looked himself up and down.

The insane duplicate asked in an utterly bored voice.

How is it?

“I think I feel slightly dizzy… and maybe a little feverish…”

Wrong. You are fine.

Then why did you ask?

Lee Han complained inwardly, but in truth, he couldn’t argue.

Because he really was perfectly fine.

When the mage of the Watercloud Mountain Tower opened his soul and Lee Han precisely absorbed the curse inside it, the curse bounced weakly off him and vanished.

No matter how many times he checked, there was truly no effect at all.

Lee Han felt almost embarrassed.

There should have at least been some dizziness or fever so he could make a show of it…

“I seem to be fine. Thank you.”

As you should be.

The insane duplicate thought for a moment, then spoke.

If you wish, fool, you may continue this research.

“Excuse me?”

This is a secret.

“…”

Lee Han nearly said, Do I look stupid enough to take on research so difficult even Master failed at it? but stopped himself.

What held him back was the other party’s expression.

Surprisingly, the insane duplicate wore a look filled with melancholy and regret.

It was shocking enough that one would never think this was the same insane duplicate who normally displayed only a limited range of emotions: contempt, disdain, irritation, anger, rage, and scorn.

No. This research must really matter to him.

Regardless of success or failure, everyone had something they treasured.

Just as Gainando had once tried to somehow make use of the awful Mage Card deck he built before falling into curse decks, this research beginning from downfall magic was such a sore spot for the insane duplicate.

Damn it. Then I can’t refuse either.

Normally, refusing would have been the cleanest option.

But judging from the atmosphere, Lee Han couldn’t predict what might happen if he did.

He made a quick decision.

“I’ll work hard on it!”

Good. Then I shall teach you other secrets next time. First, make sure you become familiar with this magic.

“?”

Lee Han felt puzzled.

This might sound arrogant, but he was fairly sure he had just completely mastered this downfall magic.

And he had, in fact, fully absorbed the other person’s curse.

“Was there a flaw in my casting?”

No.

“Then what do you mean by becoming familiar with it?”

That is something you must realize on your own, fool.

The insane duplicate waved his hand lightly, showing that he would say nothing more.

It was a signal to end the conversation.

Ah.

As if remembering something belatedly, the insane duplicate called to Lee Han again.

“Do you have more to say?”

From now on, come offer your daily greetings as you did today. The sight of you carving even a little respect for your master into your body is truly satisfying.

“Haha. Yes. I understand.”

The Echo Stone went dark.

Enraged, Lee Han immediately threw his staff at the wall.

***

“I-impossible!”

Bajun, the mage from the Watercloud Mountain Tower who had regained consciousness, checked his own condition and cried out in shock.

No matter how he examined himself, the curse was completely gone.

“What trick did you use? Tell me!”

Bajun shouted out of habit.

The mages of the Watercloud Mountain Tower usually said things like, “This is impossible! It must be a trick!” whenever they witnessed truly outstanding magic.

However, this was Einroguard.

“What?”

Lee Han’s expression turned grave as he glared at the mage. His eyes were full of murderous intent.

From somewhere, there also seemed to come a faint, threatening hiss.

Bajun felt his heart shrink and abruptly came to his senses.

“No, no. I was just… surprised. I simply couldn’t believe it.”

“Do you know every spell in the Empire? Ha. I had no idea. I can’t understand how someone so knowledgeable ended up being brought here.”

“No… I said I’m sorry.”

Bajun tried to appease the arrogant, prickly Einroguard student.

He had misspoken, but more than anything, he was desperate to know how the curse had been healed.

If this was a mage capable of using such magic, perhaps this level of arrogance was only natural.

After grumbling for a moment, Lee Han’s anger soon faded.

Strictly speaking, the other man was not at fault.

No, even more strictly speaking, he was at fault for creating the curse and getting afflicted by it…

…but choosing to call the insane duplicate and ask had been Lee Han’s decision.

Right. It was my choice. Let’s not get angry at someone else.

“You said your name was Osyu, correct? Your skills befit a mage who uses the name of a Demon Lord as an alias. Truly impressive…”

“…”

For a moment, Lee Han nearly grabbed the man by the collar with telekinesis before regaining control.

“You remember opening your soul, right?”

“Yes. I released my defenses and opened it completely. Did you blow the curse away with mana?”

“If I had done that, you wouldn’t be having a conversation right now. I extracted the curse.”

“…What? How?”

Curses were fundamentally designed to cling strongly to souls, so extracting a properly attached curse was no easy feat.

Especially a curse embedded deep within the soul.

Erasing or annihilating the curse itself would be one thing.

But extracting it?

“If there is a soul the curse is more strongly drawn to, wouldn’t it move there on its own?”

“That’s true.”

“That’s what I did.”

“??”

Bajun froze in shock. Then he glanced around and whispered quietly.

“Where is it?”

“What do you mean?”

“…You didn’t bring a prisoner and transfer the curse into them? Shh. Don’t worry. I won’t tell anyone. Actually, I’m grateful. You broke Imperial law for my sake.”

“…I transferred it to myself.”

“What?”

“I said I absorbed it.”

“…”

For a moment, Bajun doubted his own ears.

Then he fell into deep thought.

When the man suddenly went silent, Lee Han asked worriedly,

“Are you all right?”

“I understand now.”

“…What do you understand?”

“You are… definitely a saint.”

“I think your head needs to be examined again. You may not be fully healed yet…”

“I’m serious!”

“All madmen say that too. Stay still for a moment.”

Lee Han restrained the man with telekinesis and went looking for a senior who could help.

Bajun, who had never imagined he could be subdued so easily by a second-year student, blinked in stunned disbelief.