Surviving as a Mage in a Magic Academy - Chapter 938
“What? Why do we need calming potions?”
Anglago asked, unable to understand.
Shouldn’t they be making poison, monster-summoning potions, or at the very least potions that would terrify people and drive them mad?
Lee Han looked at Anglago as if he were looking at garbage.
“What are you planning to do to innocent people?”
“N-no… I mean, I was just speaking theoretically.”
“When the commotion starts, the play will be temporarily halted. The audience will want to step outside and rest as well. That’s when we distribute the potions.”
Adenart and her guard knight Rowena looked at Lee Han with slightly moved expressions.
Even in this situation, he did not forget his devotion to the people of the Empire.
House Wardanaz was not called a pillar of the Empire for nothing…
“And after we distribute them, we’ll say we need to fetch more ingredients and slip out with some of the nobles. If there are nobles beside us, the Death Knights won’t suspect anything either.”
“…”
“…”
Ignoring the disappointed looks the two were giving him, Lee Han continued.
“Even if the area becomes chaotic, we’ll be caught easily if we all rush out together, so we need to split into groups. You’ll be… let’s call it the Potion Escape Party. Tell any upperclassmen confident in alchemy to join this side.”
“Wait, Wardanaz. I’m not that confident in alchemy. Wouldn’t Meikin be better?”
Anglago hesitated.
As someone from the healing magic school, he had studied potion-making on his own to some degree, and he had taken classes in his first year, but it was not his main specialty.
“No. Yonair has another role. Yonair is in the Noble Deception Party.”
“…”
Yonair looked at his friend as if asking what kind of name that was.
But the other students immediately understood. Salco nodded.
“I see. Talk to the nobles in advance and deceive them.”
“Exactly.”
When the play stopped midway, some nobles would inevitably decide to leave rather than wait.
It would be best if students from great noble houses, including Yonair, spoke naturally with such nobles beforehand and received invitations from them.
Then, when the play stopped, they could leave together with the nobles present.
“If you tell them you need to slip out secretly without the Death Knight guards noticing, they’ll cooperate.”
“I see.”
‘I’m in the Potion Escape Party.’
Nillia nodded as she listened to her friends’ conversation.
As someone who majored in alchemy, she was confident in potion-making…
Just then, Yonair took Nillia’s hand and said,
“Nillia. You need to speak well for us.”
“…Huh?? Aren’t I in the Potion Escape Party?”
“What are you talking about? You’re in the Noble Deception Party.”
“That’s right. Lady Nillia suits the Noble Deception Party.”
“Even I, as someone from the same tower, think that suits you.”
“…”
Nillia was so flustered by her friends’ comments that she couldn’t speak.
Why??
“Salco. You move with the upperclassmen who prefer to break through directly.”
“Can we call it the Dwarf Tunnel Party?”
“…Call it whatever you want. Anyway, you need to slip out quietly once the chaos starts. Can you do it?”
“Of course. Leave it to me.”
They couldn’t all leave with the nobles.
Some students planned to escape directly through the palace where the play was being held.
With the Death Knights’ surveillance reduced, digging tunnels or finding other routes would be relatively easier.
“I’ll stay behind and support whichever party runs into trouble. Good luck, everyone.”
Lee Han and his friends exchanged determined looks.
With this much preparation, if everything went well, even if some were caught, a considerable number should be able to escape.
***
“Wait. Dalcard. Come to think of it, why didn’t you join the Noble Deception Party?”
“Ah. I’m not confident dealing with nobles.”
“…”
Anglago was dumbfounded.
What was this Blue Dragon Tower bastard saying?
But, surprisingly, the other Blue Dragon Tower upperclassmen nodded as if they understood.
“Dealing with nobles isn’t easy.”
“Right. Alchemy is much more comfortable by comparison. The potions in the cauldron don’t talk to me.”
Encouraged by the support of the upperclassmen, Asan said,
“Socializing is something for people like Nillia now. I don’t really suit it. I prefer numbers.”
“She really is different.”
Even Anglago of the White Tiger Tower had to acknowledge Nillia’s affinity.
She would probably befriend every noble here in about thirty minutes.
“But I’m curious about something.”
One upperclassman lowered the voice slightly.
They were currently inside a palace bathroom.
It was hardly a space worthy of great alchemy, but if they wanted to secretly brew potions while avoiding the Death Knights prowling around, this was the only option.
“What are you curious about?”
“Why don’t we see any of the other members of the <Teleportation> Club? It can’t be that only one came.”
“…Uh…”
Anglago hesitated.
That was true.
Asan also seemed to think so and tilted his head. But since the two of them weren’t members of the <Teleportation> Club, they had no idea.
“I’m not sure.”
“Could it be that your friend Wardanaz said he’d handle it alone? To show off his ability in front of the upperclassmen?”
The upperclassmen threw out the joke and laughed.
However, Asan and Anglago immediately became serious.
“…No way…”
“Come on… surely not… though it is possible…”
***
Nillia received invitations from five families in just fifteen minutes.
‘Save me!’
When the nobles all proposed going hunting in the Northern Mountains together, Nillia felt cold sweat run down her back.
Nobles who came to the treacherous Northern Mountains to enjoy hunting usually died by being killed by the prey, stepping wrong and falling to their deaths, or getting struck by arrows suspiciously similar to those used by the Shadow Patrol.
“Um, the Northern Mountains can be rather dangerous…”
“Hunting is supposed to involve danger, Miss Meikin!”
“The more dangerous it is, the more thrilling it becomes, doesn’t it?”
‘Then why don’t you enroll in Einroguard…’
Yonair felt frustrated inside.
Why were people who liked such dangerous things all gathered in front of a theater?
“Excuse me. Imperial Princess. Could you help a little?”
“…Hmm…”
Adenart, who had been hesitating, finally decided to step forward.
She felt a sense of responsibility as an Imperial Princess, but even putting that aside, Nillia’s eyes looked far too pitiful.
“Everyone. I have something to say.”
“When shall we leave? This coat should be enough even in the Northern Mountains, right?”
“You should wear a scarf with that! Oh, I wonder if there are theaters in the Northern Mountains too?”
“…”
Adenart’s fingertips trembled.
Unlike Gainando, Adenart did have quite a few Imperial supporters who backed her, but unfortunately, none of them were present today.
Because of that, the nobles were excitedly chattering among themselves about when to go to the Northern Mountains.
“Everyone… everyone…”
Adenart’s voice grew smaller and smaller as she became intimidated by an experience she had never faced before in her life.
Seeing that, Rowena was about to shout in anger, but Yonair hurriedly stopped her.
“If you do that now, you’ll only embarrass the Imperial Princess more!”
“B-but those people! Those people…!”
“Calm down! They’re just excited among themselves!”
Now people were asking specific questions about good dates for the hunt.
Nillia, whose eyes were beginning to spin, spotted Lee Han passing by and desperately called out.
“Mr. Stedal! Mr. Stedal!”
“??”
Lee Han hurried over, wondering whether some problem had occurred.
“What’s wrong?”
“Ah! Perfect timing, Mr. Stedal! Would you like to go hunting in the Northern Mountains with us?”
“You’ll freeze to death for certain.”
“!”
At those shocking words, everyone who had been ★ 𝐍𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐥𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭 ★ chattering froze at once.
Still, the person who had brought up the subject tried hesitantly to persuade him.
“But… Miss Nillia here is an experienced hunter from the Shadow Patrol… and there will be others too…”
“That’s absurd. The north is one of the harshest and most savage lands in the Empire’s territory. And the Northern Mountains are harsh even by northern standards. I once wandered the north and met a knight from House Moradi.”
Lee Han began persuading them while selling out Giselle’s family.
The people who had frozen in shock at Stedal’s rude words were soon drawn back into the story.
When imugi, minotaurs, and even evil god worshippers appeared in the tale, the horrified nobles became cautious.
“How could this be! I had no idea the north was such a dangerous land… I was planning to visit House Moradi next month, but I suppose I’ll have to postpone it.”
“…That’s not really necessary… no, never mind.”
Lee Han felt slightly guilty.
But the monsters he had just mentioned were all things he had either heard about directly or experienced with others.
‘The north really is dangerous, after all.’
***
Surprisingly, of the three groups, Salco’s party progressed the most smoothly.
After finding a storehouse behind the area where the illusion mages were working, Salco and the upperclassmen dug an underground passage on the spot.
Lee Han admired their skill and said,
“It would be nice if we could escape Einroguard like this too.”
“That would be difficult. There are barriers underground as well.”
‘He wastes money on the most useless things.’
After cursing the Skull Principal once in his mind, Lee Han asked,
“What about the Death Knights?”
“They don’t seem to have noticed yet. They looked distracted by something else.”
‘Is it because of what I said?’
Lee Han wondered whether it was because he had reported Madpre as suspicious.
If the Death Knights still couldn’t focus on the students, then the effect had been far better than expected.
‘Heh. At this rate, we can immediately—’
“Lord Nago.”
“!”
Lee Han, who had been walking out, flinched when Death Knights approached from ahead.
‘…Were we caught?’
“What is it?”
“Madpre was an evil god worshipper. When we interrogated him, he confessed that they’re targeting the palace.”
“…”
Lee Han was momentarily stunned.
He had been thinking only about escaping the palace, so the sudden mention of evil god worshippers left him bewildered.
‘What the…?’
Come to think of it, Diret had recently told him that evil god worshippers were running rampant and people were tracking them.
But he had never imagined it would happen this close by.
‘So what should I do? Cancel all the plans?’
“Lord Nago.”
“Yes?”
“We’re gathering everyone in the palace who can cooperate and explaining the situation. Would you come with us?”
“…Understood.”
Lee Han nodded for the time being.
When he followed them, everyone from Einroguard students to illusion mages, and even Alsicle, had gathered in the hall.
It seemed they had called every mage who might be of help.
“What on earth is going on? Evil god worshippers? Surely they aren’t hiding here too.”
“Wouldn’t it be better to stop the play?”
“To stop our work because we’re afraid of evil god worshippers would be even more shameful. It would tarnish the names of the knights and mages gathered here!”
“Still, shouldn’t we tell the nobles?”
“No. We don’t know which of the nobles might be collaborators.”
While everyone murmured among themselves, Anglago quietly approached and whispered,
“…War— Wardanaz. Don’t tell me the commotion you prepared involves evil god worshippers… no, right…?”
“…”
Lee Han kicked Anglago away.
Seeing this, the Death Knights thought to themselves,
‘Indeed, a violent mage!’
