Surviving as a Mage in a Magic Academy - Chapter 862

I was a fool. I should’ve suspected this brat first.

Professor Thunderstep inwardly lamented his own stupidity. A mage truly had to keep learning for life.

“From now on, whenever something absurdly abnormal happens at Einroguard, I’ll suspect you first without question.”

“No… isn’t that taking it a bit too far?”

Lee Han protested indignantly.

Granted, this incident was Lee Han’s fault, but future incidents could easily be caused by upperclassmen instead.

Lee Han? Lee Han??

“Your Majesty! You can’t break walls with your forepaws!”

Professor Thunderstep shouted urgently, but Jowurin had already swung his paw the moment he heard Lee Han’s voice.

A dragon’s claws, naturally imbued with powerful anti-magic properties, sliced cleanly through the lecture hall wall. The second-years erupted into cheers.

“Long live the dragon!”

“According to Einroguard legend, a liberator will one day defeat the Skull Principal and save us all. It must be the dragon!”

“Quiet, you idiots!”

Professor Thunderstep, having immediately realized the young dragon was Jowurin, barked at the students to shut up.

At least this wasn’t some dragon that had appeared to overthrow the Skull Principal and rescue oppressed young mages.

That much was fortunate.

Unfortunately, the actual situation was a nightmare in its own right.

Surely the other professors refused. The Principal must’ve refused too.

He genuinely couldn’t understand how the Emperor’s third child had managed to get inside Einroguard.

“Your Majesty! Why did you come all the way here!? You were supposed to stay inside!”

S-sorry, Wardanaz. I woke up and nobody was there…

Intimidated by Lee Han’s {N•o•v•e•l•i•g•h•t} raised voice, Jowurin carefully gauged his mood while speaking.

The dragon had been dozing comfortably in the warm common room, but after waking to find everyone gone, panic had set in.

Like a young beast searching for its parents, Jowurin had wandered through Einroguard looking for Lee Han.

And with a dragon’s senses, locating Lee Han and the others inside the Horned Beast Studies lecture hall had been effortless.

…I wasn’t supposed to break the wall?

“…It’s fine. Just don’t do it again.”

“What do you mean, it’s fine?”

Professor Thunderstep grumbled from beside them.

Though if he had been in Lee Han’s position, he would’ve answered the same way.

The rumors must already be spreading.

Lee Han felt a headache coming on as his plans continued falling apart.

Originally, he’d intended to hide Jowurin quietly and send him back quietly.

Instead, more and more people kept learning about the dragon.

And because Jowurin had come searching for him in a panic, there was almost no chance the dragon had moved stealthily. Upperclassmen had definitely seen him already.

“Professor, please help me. What if someone attacks His Majesty?”

“That would never happen! …I’d like to say that, but unfortunately I can’t. More importantly, how exactly did His Majesty end up here?”

Lee Han explained the situation.

The students inside the lecture hall listened so intently that not even breathing could be heard.

This was a member of the Imperial Family—one high in the line of succession—whose existence they had never even heard rumors about before.

And on top of that, the prince was a dragon.

None of them could even begin imagining what kind of secrets surrounded him.

“…His Majesty wanted to visit, and Professor Bagreg has a soft heart, so eventually he gave in.”

“…”

“…”

“Whose what is soft?”

Professor Thunderstep wondered if old age was finally catching up to him. His disciple’s words sounded deeply wrong somehow.

“But Professor Bagreg was the only one who actually received the proposal.”

“…That’s true. Hm. This was a failure on the professors’ part. We should’ve warned Professor Bagreg in advance.”

“Did all the professors know about this?”

“His Majesty sent letters to every professor who seemed likely to help.”

“To Professor Verdus too?”

“I said professors who seemed likely to help.”

Professor Thunderstep looked annoyed that his disciple had asked something so self-evident.

What kind of ridiculous question was that?

Right. That really was a stupid question.

Lee Han immediately understood.

Jowurin might be mentally young, but he certainly wasn’t stupid.

“Since things have already reached this point, there’s nothing we can do now. Come inside and observe the class. Wardanaz will remain beside Your Majesty.”

Wow!

Jowurin excitedly entered the lecture hall while Professor Thunderstep quickly repaired the destroyed outer wall.

Then the professor quietly whispered to Lee Han,

“About what we discussed earlier. Be careful of upperclassmen trying to target His Majesty.”

“Yes, Professor.”

“More specifically, His Majesty’s claws, scales, tears, blood…”

Professor Thunderstep proceeded to list three hundred and sixty-five types of magical materials obtainable from dragons, ranging from tendons to molars.

“…and all of those need protection. Understood?”

“…Th-there are that many?”

Lee Han was overwhelmed by the absurdly long list.

At this point, Jowurin practically deserved the title:

<Walking Vault of Magical Materials>

Professor Thunderstep replied irritably,

“This is the shortened version! Who told you to bring His Majesty into a place overflowing with lunatic mages?”

“I didn’t bring him here.”

Lee Han muttered resentfully.

And calling them lunatic mages felt a little excessive, didn’t it?

“Making His Majesty cry to collect tears. Stabbing His Majesty to collect blood. Secretly plucking scales and running away…”

…No, maybe not.

The moment Professor Thunderstep started giving concrete examples, Lee Han had no choice but to admit it.

Einroguard upperclassmen were absolutely capable of all that and worse.

Just imagining someone stabbing Jowurin, ripping off scales, and fleeing afterward was horrifying enough.

“Actually, I had considered the possibility that rumors might spread. I just didn’t expect it to happen this quickly.”

“And what was your plan afterward?”

“I planned to openly request protection from upperclassmen and professors.”

“Hmm. Go on.”

“Fifth-years like Senior Diret and Senior Yukbeltire, and reasonable professors like Professor Garcia and Professor Thunderstep.”

“It’s not a bad plan. I’d help, and Garcia would too. But remove Yukbeltire.”

“…”

When Lee Han stared blankly in confusion, Professor Thunderstep repeated himself firmly.

“Remove Yukbeltire.”

“I heard you. But wouldn’t Senior Yukbeltire still be reliable? He’s a fifth-year…”

“What do you think would happen if I added Professor Verdus to the list of professors protecting His Majesty?”

“What kind of insane idea is that?”

“Exactly. That’s how including Yukbeltire sounds to me.”

“…!”

From Professor Thunderstep’s perspective, Yukbeltire wouldn’t protect Jowurin at all.

If anything, he’d be the first person to extract blood, tears, scales, and clipped claws before fleeing the scene.

Lee Han had to concede the point.

There were limits to arguing logic against a professor.

***

You’re Nillia? From the Shadow Patrol? I’ve heard stories about you!

“Uh… Uhhh…”

Tell me about the Northern Mountains! Jowurin wants to hear stories!

“U-Uhhhhhh…?”

Having suddenly become the focus of a dragon’s attention, Nillia’s thoughts completely froze.

Never in her life had she imagined she would casually converse with a dragon.

Help me, Wardanaz!

Lee Han noticed her pleading look.

Then quietly pretended not to.

Seeing that, Nillia was consumed with regret.

I should’ve trusted my friend!

This was the bitter price of betraying friendship.

“Now then. Focus.”

Aside from the fact that an enormous dragon sat at the back of the classroom, the lecture continued normally.

Professor Thunderstep threatened the students while warning them about next week’s exam.

“Don’t assume this test will be as easy as the last one! This exam won’t go gently on you!”

Gasp. Wardanaz. The exam sounds difficult. Should Jowurin bring out a dragon stone??

“…Your Majesty. If you do that, the exam becomes meaningless.”

Professor Thunderstep sounded exhausted.

A dragon stone formed within a dragon’s body was a magical material comparable to a philosopher’s stone.

Most alchemy exams could probably be solved by tossing one into water and chanting a spell.

Jowurin looked close to tears.

But the exam sounds hard…

“…It won’t be particularly difficult for Wardanaz. Don’t worry.”

“What do you mean by that?”

Lee Han protested indignantly.

After watching Professor Thunderstep raise Nephertem with incense before, where did this ridiculous confidence come from?

Professor Thunderstep ignored his offended disciple and handed several potions to Jowurin.

“Your Majesty. This potion instantly kills students attempting to steal scales. This one turns tears into deadly poison…”

“…”

After finishing the lengthy explanation, Professor Thunderstep turned back to Lee Han.

“If you need help, contact me. And be careful of Professor Verdus.”

“…I’ll remember that.”

“And Professor Bendozol as well.”

“Come to think of it, why did Professor Bendozol refuse?”

Looking back on it, wouldn’t it have been better to send a letter to Professor Bendozol instead of Professor Bagreg?

Wasn’t he exactly the sort of person who’d risk his life if Jowurin asked him to?

Maybe Jowurin simply didn’t know he existed?

“The Death Knights probably intercepted the letter. I can’t be certain, but most likely.”

Lee Han silently admired the Death Knights’ competence.

At moments like this, he truly felt they were protecting Einroguard’s safety.

I wish they’d intercepted the letter to Professor Bagreg too!

***

Professor Bendozol furiously berated his students.

“Hey! The wyvern frowned because of you! What are you going to do if stress shortens its lifespan!? You wyvern-murderers!”

“Doesn’t the professor seem even crazier than usual?”

“Definitely.”

The students whispered among themselves.

Professor Bendozol truly seemed more beastlike than ever today.

I think that bastard deceived me.

The professor’s nerves were fraying because of that second-year brat from Blue Dragon Tower.

Despite personally handling the chores himself, the unicorns still didn’t look perfectly satisfied.

Of course, the unicorns were doing perfectly fine.

In fact, they might’ve been happier if the professor left them alone entirely.

But by Professor Bendozol’s standards, that wasn’t nearly enough.

That fraudulent scoundrel! A proper week requires eight days’ worth of investment, and he dares neglect unicorns like this?

Having finally reached his limit, Professor Bendozol set out to find Lee Han personally.

On the way, he overheard students whispering.

—He really rides around on a dragon?

—A dragon personally chose him?

—I heard he subdued one. Honestly, that sounds more believable.

“…?”

Professor Bendozol abruptly stopped and turned around.

But the students had already walked past.

Did they just say dragon?

Dragon.

A single word capable of making his heart race.

Wasn’t it the most magnificent and beautiful creature in existence?

…I must’ve misheard.

—There’s seriously a dragon? Are there any scales left?

—Didn’t you hear? She’s royalty!

—So what? There are plenty of royals.

“???”

Professor Bendozol’s head snapped around so violently it nearly spun a full one hundred eighty degrees.

The students shrieked and ran the moment they locked eyes with him.

“It’s Professor Bendozol! Run!”

“Wait! I need to ask something— Damn those brats! Worse than poachers!”

The students were smart.

Everyone at Einroguard knew nothing good ever happened when Professor Bendozol caught you outside class.

In the end, the professor had no choice but to continue searching while grumbling.

I’ll just find that brat directly.

Professor Bendozol decided to ignore the rumors and locate Lee Han himself.

“…Your Majesty. Could you please climb down?”

…Am I making you uncomfortable??

“Uncomfort— No. I’m not uncomfortable. I’m worried you’ll get hurt.”

Jowurin is fine! Now, Wardanaz. Act like a proper knight!

“Ugh.”

The moment Professor Bendozol witnessed Jowurin playing dragon knight with Lee Han riding on the dragon’s back, he clutched his chest and collapsed to his knees.

The shock was simply too overwhelming.