Surviving as a Mage in a Magic Academy - Chapter 858

This is ridiculous.

Stunned, Lee Han immediately began denying reality.

Surely only the Kitchen Club was like this. The other clubs had to be different.

“But why are you volunteering?”

“Junior, you’re a second-year. Why would you need to gather information about midterm exams for yourself?”

“…”

The upperclassmen from the other clubs responded just as coldly.

Lee Han regretted coming along.

Now that I think about it, nobody actually told me to follow them.

Come to think of it, even Senior Palcrius had only told the other seniors to go. He’d never specifically called for Lee Han.

Lee Han trembled with indignation.

“Wait, junior. There is one exam you should record.”

Perse, a Blue Dragon Tower senior, suddenly spoke as though something had just occurred to her.

“I knew second-years had to do it too!”

“No, not normally. But there’s an exception.”

“??”

“If you take the exam for 【Understanding Intermediate Combat Magic】 this time, leave a record for us.”

【Understanding Intermediate Combat Magic】 was Professor Voladi Bagreg’s lecture.

If upperclassmen had taken it before, records would already exist, but since nobody had, Lee Han would have to make one himself.

“We probably won’t need it anytime soon, but maybe some junior in the future will take it.”

“…But Professor Bagreg did get new disciples among the first-years.”

“Seriously?! How many?”

Perse looked genuinely shocked.

To think new disciples had appeared in Professor Voladi Bagreg’s lecture.

Had the Professor finally changed teaching methods a little?

Lee Han subtly changed the subject. He didn’t want to mention that the exact number was one.

“Anyway, understood. I’ll leave proper records behind after I take the exam.”

“Right. Don’t overwork yourself with it. Even a rough record is enough.”

“What do you mean by that? Are you saying it can be rough because nobody’s going to take Professor Bagreg’s lecture anyway?”

“Ah, no! I just meant any junior would already be grateful a senior bothered recording it at all, so there’s no need to waste too much time on it.”

“Ah. I see.”

I really need to watch what I say around this junior.

Perse reflected inwardly.

Just like how you never mentioned the number five around fourth-years, Einroguard had certain courtesies people instinctively observed.

Until now there hadn’t been any disciples of Professor Voladi Bagreg, so Perse had never felt the need to care, but after meeting the junior standing in front of her now, caution suddenly felt necessary.

Still… just how many joined?

***

“Eandurde. I owe you my gratitude all over again.”

“…?”

The sole first-year disciple of Professor Voladi Bagreg’s school tilted her head while chewing on rice cake a senior had given her.

“No, it’s nothing. More importantly, class is over. Shouldn’t you head back?”

“Want to watch?”

“…Don’t jump Professor Bagreg just because I’m getting beaten up.”

Eandurde chewed irritably.

Against someone as strong as Professor Voladi Bagreg, shouldn’t they at least gang up together to increase the odds by even one percent?

What a precious kid.

Lee Han nearly teared up, though he kept it hidden.

Professor Voladi Bagreg was staring at them from the side.

“Haha. Junior. The purpose of the Professor’s lecture is to receive instruction, not to beat the Professor unconscious and mock him afterward.”

“I see…”

Eandurde nodded uncertainly at the oddly specific post-victory scenario.

After returning to the lecture hall with snacks for his junior, Lee Han heard Professor Voladi Bagreg suddenly ask:

“Did you learn much from Lady Ragesa?”

“Uh…”

Lee Han hesitated.

Had he learned much?

I definitely learned a lot. I’m just not sure any of it was magic.

He’d certainly learned plenty about stealing, looting, raiding, and swindling from pirates, but actual magic…

Well, I did learn Lady Ragesa’s secret spell. Even if I also blew up a corridor.

Lee Han decided moderation was safer than digging his own grave.

“Yes. I learned a great deal.”

“You’re too greedy. Lady Ragesa’s magic contains many difficult concepts. There’s no need for you to study it already.”

“…”

Who could possibly have guessed that “I barely learned anything” had been the correct answer?

Lee Han was speechless.

Ignoring his disciple’s confusion, Professor Voladi Bagreg calmly began pointing out the problems with Lee Han’s current state one by one.

Ever since first year, Lee Han had attended lectures from every school and absorbed all sorts of disciplines, and Professor Voladi Bagreg had constantly tried to forge those fragments into a coherent foundation for magical combat.

But now that his disciple was in second year, the breadth and depth of Lee Han’s interests had expanded so wildly that even the Professor could no longer keep track.

Just this semester alone, Lee Han had already been investigating the Crimson Jade Orb, the Spirit King’s Lightning Transfiguration, suspicious ancient projection secrets, and more.

“It’s not investigation. I’m being forced into it…”

“Hmm?”

“It’s nothing.”

“In any case, I recommend finishing one thing before adding more. It doesn’t have to be the Crimson Jade Orb. Choose whatever you want.”

Professor Voladi Bagreg had already realized there was little point in saying, “Focus on the Crimson Jade Orb first.”

Given this disciple’s personality, there was a good chance Lee Han would stubbornly rebel out of spite.

Hmph. Don’t arbitrarily define my magical studies.

“…But I thought I’d followed your instructions fairly diligently… Were you dissatisfied with the Crimson Jade Orb manuscript from last time?”

“No.”

That’s a relief.

Because Lady Ragesa had arrived midway through, Lee Han had never actually heard the Professor’s evaluation of the book he’d been writing.

He’d worried it might have been a failure.

Professor Voladi Bagreg continued expressionlessly.

“However, precedent suggests telling you to continue researching the Crimson Jade Orb would accomplish little.”

“…”

Now that he thought about it, every single time Professor Voladi Bagreg brought up the Crimson Jade Orb, Lee Han somehow returned after learning some completely unrelated and bizarre magic instead.

It wasn’t intentional, but from the Professor’s perspective, his disciple clearly seemed more fascinated by other branches of magic.

“Study whatever you want. I’ll adjust next week’s exam accordingly.”

Wait. Isn’t that actually good?

Lee Han was initially startled, but the more he thought about it, the less disadvantageous the misunderstanding seemed.

Wasn’t the Professor effectively saying the exam topic would be based on whatever field Lee Han chose?

Then he could simply pick the branch he felt most confident in.

No. It won’t be that simple.

The problem was that he still had no idea what the actual test would be.

If he proudly declared, I’ll use telekinesis, only for Professor Voladi Bagreg to prepare an exam specifically designed to make telekinesis useless, Lee Han would suffer horribly.

“Professor. Could you at least tell me a little about the exam?”

“Hmm.”

A trace of awkwardness crossed Professor Voladi Bagreg’s usually impassive face.

Oh.

If it had truly been impossible, the Professor would have rejected the request immediately. Seeing that reaction, Lee Han felt both hope and dread at the same time.

“Professor. I also worked very hard helping with Eandurde’s lessons.”

“Why are you bringing that up?”

“…No reason.”

Lee Han cursed inwardly.

As expected, professors fundamentally lacked human compassion.

When a disciple worked hard helping, the natural response should have been, Excellent work. What reward do you want? Not Wasn’t that your duty anyway?

Unfortunately, Professor Voladi Bagreg genuinely believed his disciple had volunteered because he enjoyed teaching.

Naturally, the Professor couldn’t understand why Lee Han had abruptly brought up the topic.

“…Originally, I was instructed to keep the contents of this exam confidential.”

The Skull Principal again.

Lee Han instantly identified the culprit.

Professor Voladi Bagreg had no friends in the first place. Professor Kirmin Ku existed, but that person would never suggest hiding exam topics.

“It’s fine, Professor. You don’t need to obey requests /N_o_v_e_l_i_g_h_t/ like that.”

“I’m not sure. Given the difficulty of the exam, I think you should know in advance.”

“…?”

A cold sense of foreboding crept over Lee Han.

Recently, after Lee Han had been repeatedly tormented by genuine lunatics, Professor Voladi Bagreg had started seeming relatively kind and reasonable by comparison.

But originally, hadn’t Professor Voladi Bagreg himself been one of the true madmen of first year?

What kind of monstrosity had they prepared?

“Professor, please trust me and tell me! I swear I’ll protect your honor.”

“Very well. The exam involves a dragon.”

“…”

“Wow!”

Eandurde gasped in admiration while staring at her senior.

So members of House Wardanaz hunted dragons by second year.

Naturally, Lee Han lacked the mental capacity to correct the misunderstanding.

“…Dragons aren’t exactly common in the Empire, are they?”

Even basilisks, rare as they were, barely qualified as anything compared to dragons.

In the current Empire, dragons were beings you couldn’t encounter even if you desperately wanted to. None were publicly known to exist.

The only exception would be His Majesty… and surely the Emperor himself isn’t coming to administer an exam.

If the Skull Principal had somehow persuaded the Emperor to participate in a midterm, Lee Han genuinely intended to surrender on the spot.

At that point, the malice would simply deserve respect.

“That’s correct.”

“Then where exactly did you even find one?”

“Hmm.”

Professor Voladi Bagreg looked more troubled than before.

He needed to provide enough information for a fair test, but he’d also made a promise to the other side.

“Professor. The type of dragon matters tremendously too. Please give me a chance to prepare proper countermeasures.”

“…Very well. Your opponent is Prince Jowurin.”

“…”

Lee Han’s expression twisted even more violently than when he’d confronted the insane ancient projection in person.

The Emperor’s third child — and the young dragon Lee Han had once met during his visit to the capital with the Skull Principal.

Eandurde’s eyes sparkled so brightly they looked ready to explode.

“Wow, wow… Dragon slayer!”

“Eandurde. That’s not what this is. Calm down.”

“Imperial-family slayer!”

“That’s even worse.”

In fairy tales, titles like imperial-family slayer sounded cool.

In reality, it simply meant the Empire’s greatest criminal.

Having absolutely no desire to become public enemy number one, Lee Han desperately tried to reason with reality.

“Professor. How exactly did you even contact Prince Jowurin? No, more importantly, I think there’s been a misunderstanding. Prince Jowurin is still a young dragon who enjoys playing around. If he visits this harsh, brutal, hellish place where even demons tremble in fear, he’ll be traumatized.”

Eandurde tilted her head.

Einroguard honestly didn’t seem that terrible.

“His Majesty possesses sufficient ability.”

“No, it’s not a matter of ability. It’s temperament! You know this too, Professor. A battle mage must be cold and decisive.”

That was precisely why Professor Garcia, despite her overwhelming talent — though Lee Han privately believed she already qualified — was never classified as a battle mage.

Her personality was simply too gentle.

Someone like that couldn’t survive in a field where battle mages had to unleash multiple spells in less than a second while simultaneously cutting down their opponents.

Prince Jowurin was the same.

The young dragon would never adapt to Einroguard’s savage environment, and placing Lee Han’s exam in his claws was even more absurd.

“This is a trap. The Skull Principal deliberately set this up to make your life difficult, Professor.”

“His Majesty personally sent a letter.”