Surviving as a Mage in a Magic Academy - Chapter 878
“Hmm.”
After his friend fled, Lee Han wondered if he had been a little too harsh.
If Professor Jorzik simply weren’t aiming to become the next principal of Einroguard, he would be a perfectly decent person…
No. That one flaw is far too severe.
On second thought, he could understand why his friend had been frightened.
Meanwhile, Professor Jorzik, having proven that he would not abduct Lee Han or drag him off ❖ Nоvеl𝚒ght ❖ (Exclusive on Nоvеl𝚒ght) to be worked like Professor Verdus would, entered the common room.
Then he spotted Jowrin, and his eyes lit up.
“Oh! Great Prince Jowrin! Your golden radiance is like the sun itself!”
Eek.
Being a dragon, Jowrin instinctively recognized a strange person when she saw one. She quickly released the baby basilisk and hid behind Lee Han and Eandurde.
Eandurde looked at Jowrin with disdain. Where did someone that enormous think she could hide?
“Your Majesty! What offense has this Jorzik of House Benmalpa committed?”
I-it isn’t like that. Jowrin is simply very shy by nature.
“?”
“??”
Lee Han and Eandurde looked at her as if asking what in the world she was talking about, but Jowrin only shook her head pleadingly.
In the end, Lee Han stepped in to mediate.
“Professor. What brings you here?”
“An excellent question, Student Wardanaz of House Wardanaz, heir to all schools of magic, and the Principal’s foremost disciple!”
Did he really have to add that last part?
Lee Han felt slightly irritated.
“Naturally, I came to guard His Majesty. Of course, every Einroguard student is a gemlike soul of excellent character, but…”
“?”
“??”
“…among them, there may be students who accidentally cause harm to His Majesty!”
“If the upperclassmen are such gemlike souls, couldn’t we just trust them?”
Gainando, who was gathering up his Mage Cards, asked in confusion.
Professor Jorzik pretended not to hear him.
He really is impressive. To go this far just to become principal.
Lee Han was inwardly impressed.
After receiving the Skull Principal’s permission to “try it if you can,” Professor Jorzik was attempting a fair and honorable coup by gaining the support of the students, professors, and the Emperor.
That was why he was dressing up even the beastlike Einroguard students as people of excellent character.
It was something Lee Han could never do.
“In any case, you came here for guard duty?”
“That’s right!”
“Thank you, then. We’ll be counting on you.”
It was obvious why Professor Jorzik had come. He wanted to make a good impression on Jowrin and gain the Emperor’s support.
Still, that was much better than people who showed up to steal Jowrin’s scales or claws.
“By the way, Student Wardanaz. I heard you’ve been visiting professors to pass your exams early. This Jorzik is always ready.”
“…That is a misunderstanding.”
***
The professors who helped Lee Han protect Jowrin from the evil students of Einroguard generally shared a few characteristics.
First, they had to be professors whose lectures Lee Han attended, but since that was essentially the same as saying “Einroguard professors,” it did not mean much.
Second, they needed free time. They could not stand guard if they had lectures to teach.
Of course, there were people like a certain Professor Bendozol who threw away their own lecture and prepared for punishment, but that was a special exception.
Given those conditions, it was not strange that Professor Voladi appeared often.
“Hmm.”
When the newly arrived Professor Voladi looked at Professor Jorzik with a faint frown, Lee Han asked in confusion.
“Did something happen between you and Professor Jorzik?”
“No.”
“Then why?”
“I remember Professor Jorzik’s teaching methods being extreme.”
“??”
Lee Han wondered if Professor Voladi had somehow confused Jorzik with Voladi, but Professor Voladi was completely serious.
Ah. Professor Jorzik did set me on fire…
Professor Jorzik, who taught 《Elemental Magic and Its Linkages》, had eventually resorted to drastic measures when Lee Han struggled to properly control the fire element.
He cast 《Vagni’s Flame Bull》 on Lee Han.
The name 《Vagni’s Flame Bull》 sounded dignified, but in practice it meant setting Lee Han on fire and telling him to endure it himself.
…It was extreme, yes, but when Professor Bagreg says that, it has absolutely no persuasive power!
The same words sounded very different depending on who said them.
Professor Voladi had often criticized other extreme educators, including the insane duplicate, and each time Lee Han felt a deep confusion.
“Casting 《Vagni’s Flame Bull》 on me was extreme, but thanks to that, I somehow learned to control fire elements…”
“Professor Jorzik declared that he would make you master blue flame within this semester. That is too…”
“Pardon?”
Lee Han froze.
Huh?
“Wasn’t this about 《Vagni’s Flame Bull》?”
“It was about blue flame. Professor Jorzik set it as your semester goal.”
Once a mage learned to control and handle the fire element to a certain degree, the next step was learning to alter its properties into advanced attributes.
Advanced attributes strengthened or transformed the very nature of the fire element, which was to burn and incinerate, and they paired well with fire.
-Even if it is Student Wardanaz, transforming it and granting completely different properties from the start may be difficult…
-You’re wrong, Professor. Wardanaz already knows how to summon white flame through divine magic.
He remembered how Professor Jorzik had grown excited when Adenart indignantly defended him during the previous lecture.
Lee Han thought to himself.
I should have put a rock in that sandwich.
Regardless of Adenart’s slip of the tongue, Professor Jorzik was truly something else.
He was trying to make Lee Han handle advanced fire-element property changes within a single semester.
“That really is too much!”
“I agree.”
Professor Voladi gave a slight nod.
Usually, having a professor agree with him should have made Lee Han happy, but for some reason he felt wronged instead.
Why do I feel wronged even when he’s agreeing with me?
“You are currently learning too many spells.”
“Professor, please give him a stern warning!”
“Hmm.”
Professor Voladi thought for a moment, then agreed.
Professors usually respected one another’s educational policies, but Professor Voladi was the type to say what needed to be said.
“Professor Jorzik.”
“Ah. Professor Bagreg! Welcome!”
The moment Professor Jorzik spotted Professor Voladi, he welcomed him with open arms.
If he later succeeded the Skull Principal and took charge of Einroguard, he would need excellent combat-mage professors as well.
Professor Kirmin Ku and Professor Garcia were also excellent combat mages, but surely the most reliable one was the vampire professor standing before him.
“I was truly disappointed you did not attend the gathering last time.”
“A gathering? What gathering?”
Lee Han, who had been listening nearby, asked curiously.
A gathering of Einroguard professors.
What sort of gathering could that be?
I hope it was a “Report the Skull Principal! Petition-Signing Gathering.”
“The 《Make Jorzik of House Benmalpa Principal of Einroguard》 gathering.”
“…Oh. That was an actual gathering?”
“What do you mean, actual? What are you talking about?”
“It’s nothing.”
Lee Han quickly changed the subject.
Who would have thought the gathering he had only imagined in his head actually existed?
And Professor Jorzik himself was running it.
Unbelievable.
“Which professors participated?”
“Haha. The professors didn’t participate. They all seemed busy.”
“…”
“Instead, students participated.”
“!”
Lee Han was surprised.
Of course, Lee Han had once imagined the 《Make Jorzik of House Benmalpa Principal of Einroguard》 gathering himself, thinking it might be nice if Professor Jorzik replaced the Skull Principal.
But that imaginary gathering had completely dissolved the moment Professor Jorzik tried to force him to learn blue flame.
He had realized that all Einroguard professors were the same.
But students had participated?
“And giants too.”
“What?!”
“Aren’t they wonderful friends?”
“…Professor, by any chance, was there plenty of food at the gathering?”
A sudden possibility occurred to him, and Lee Han asked cautiously.
“Oh. Did you hear about it too, Student Wardanaz? We specially invited chefs from outside. We could hardly neglect hospitality at such a gathering!”
They went for the food…
Lee Han was impressed by his upperclassmen.
To attend a gathering like that just for a hearty meal.
They really were upperclassmen for a reason.
“I had reasons for being unable to attend.”
“It’s fine, it’s fine. Einroguard professors are always busy.”
Lee Han, who had been listening to their conversation, quietly asked Professor Voladi,
“Professor. What reason kept you from attending? Was it because of Prince Jowrin?”
“No. I simply did not want to go.”
“…Ah.”
It was the very simple reason of not wanting to attend.
Lee Han had no choice but to accept it.
If someone did not want to go, then there was nothing to be done.
“Professor Jorzik. I have something to say.”
“Anything! I’ll listen carefully.”
Professor Jorzik stroked his mustache while gazing at the battle mage before him.
If Professor Voladi later demanded the position of right-hand man once Jorzik ascended to the seat of Einroguard principal, he was willing to consider it.
“You appear to be teaching Wardanaz something excessively difficult.”
“Huh?”
At those unexpected words, Professor Jorzik let out a foolish sound completely unlike his usual old-fashioned gentlemanly appearance.
That was how surprised he was.
Lee Han shamelessly cut in.
“Haha. Professor, it seems Professor Bagreg is worried about me. He really is a caring person who worries about his students.”
Professor Jorzik did not point out the strange thing Lee Han had just said.
There was something far more important to worry about.
“No… what…?”
“You know. Blue flame. The advanced attribute of the fire element.”
Lee Han, like a sycophant, subtly fed the words from the side.
Professor Jorzik nodded.
“Yes, I know, Student Wardanaz. You’re talking about blue flame.”
“Yes. But why?”
“No… Professor Bagreg… wasn’t that your recommendation? I thought it was.”
“???”
Lee Han looked at Professor Voladi as if he had been struck by lightning.
Jowrin, Eandurde, and the baby basilisk, who had been quietly listening from the side, also stared at Professor Voladi in shock.
Who could have imagined such an absurd twist?
Professor Voladi slowly shook his head, his face as expressionless as ever.
“I never did such a thing.”
“Huh? Think carefully. We spoke in the faculty lounge.”
Professor Jorzik reminded him of what had happened, assuming Professor Voladi had forgotten.
The first anecdote.
-The crystal orb is complete.
-…What? What did you complete?
-Next is…
-What next, Professor?!
The second anecdote.
-He learned fifth-circle magic.
-Professor…!
-The ancient projection’s teachings are dangerous and harsh… caution is necessary.
-…I’m relieved you weren’t the one who taught him, but do you truly feel nothing while saying that?
-?
The third anecdote.
-Hmm. Professor Bagreg. You have often spoken of Student Wardanaz’s talent. Is he truly that exceptional?
-That is correct.
-Hmm! After teaching him this semester, I, Jorzik, have also been thinking. Perhaps this disciple may bring even greater honor to Jorzik’s name…
-That is an accurate judgment.
-Indeed! Professor Bagreg. I would like to ask a few more things. Would advanced elemental attributes be too difficult for Student Wardanaz?
-That is not the case.
-You mean they would not be? Well, he can handle lightning, frost, and dark elements as well. By the way, what level is he at in those?
-That is…
“We had that conversation, did we not?”
By now, even Lee Han was looking at Professor Voladi with eyes full of betrayal.
Even then, without the slightest wavering, Professor Voladi calmly answered.
“I did not recommend teaching him advanced fire-element attributes.”
“Is that so? In any case, if he can handle advanced attributes of water or telekinesis, and if he handles difficult elements like lightning, frost, and darkness so well, advanced fire-element attributes should be within reach, shouldn’t they?”
“…”
For once, Professor Voladi seemed at a loss for words and hesitated.
Lee Han lamented inwardly.
This is his own doing!
If there was anything unfair about this, it was that Professor Voladi had been the one chattering in the faculty lounge.
So why was Lee Han the one who had to suffer for it?
