Surviving as a Mage in a Magic Academy

"I was surprised. I’d never thought you’d met one so soon."

"?"

Yi-Han was puzzled by Professor Millei's words.

He had visited the Spirit Realm once before, guided by Professor Uregor, and knew that beings from other realms were naturally curious about intruders.

'Won't they approach even if I stay still?'

...It was strange that the spirits were running away from Yi-Han. Normally, they should have been the ones to approach.

"As it should be. But as I mentioned, there are safety measures in place."

"Ah."

The safety measures preventing powerful beings from approaching also concealed the presence of mages.

With no presence to be detected, encounters with beings from other realms naturally decreased.

"But we did meet, didn't we?"

"It must be because of the mana."

Professor Millei said, looking at Yi-Han.

Even hidden by the safety measures, the mana couldn't be completely concealed. It was clear that the undead had been drawn by it.

'No. It wasn't because of the others.'

He had thought it was because he was with students talented in dark magic, but that wasn't the case.

Gainando looked at Yi-Han with a face full of betrayal.

So that's why the undead came searching!

"Indeed, it was Yi-Han..."

"Have any complaints?"

"No, no. Thanks for calling the undead."

Gainando vowed never to take Yi-Han with him if he ever had to visit a cemetery in the future.

"I'll keep this magic circle running until the weekend. Those who failed to make a contract today, keep trying."

"!"

Yi-Han brightened up at the news that the magic circle would stay open until the weekend.

'Maybe I can find a skeleton mage.'

Though he had contracted with a skeleton warrior, having one more wouldn't hurt.

Clink-

Sharakan inside a bone fragment cocked its head, questioning why he was wasting mana.

"Gainando. Raphael. Good. The magic circle will stay open. Let's go back in and look for new undead. There will be others to contract with you."

"Wow... Wardanaz. That's a bit..."

Raphael, slightly pale, waved his hand in refusal.

Yi-Han, thinking he was being cunning, spoke firmly.

"Raphael. Stop pretending it's hard."

"...I really don't have any mana left, you jerk!"

Raphael was furious.

He didn't want to show weakness in front of Yi-Han, but traveling to another realm and returning always drained significant amounts of mana and mental strength.

Gainando too seemed exhausted, sitting and munching on chocolate.

"Ah. You're out of mana."

"Exactly!"

"Then let's rest for today and enter during the next break. When is the next break? Tell me."

"..."

Raphael shuddered in fear at Yi-Han's intent to check his class schedule.

'This... This jerk!'

A different kind of terror, one not even a fearsome, burly knight could inflict.

Feeling an unfamiliar fear, Raphael stiffened.

"Hurry up and tell me."

"Do you really need to take me with you?"

"No. There should always be a dec... I mean, a frontline presence for peace of mind."

"Did you just try to call me a decoy?"

"Don't try to frame me with strange accusations. So when's the break? Don't think of lying. I can just ask the students of the White Tiger."

Taking advantage of the moment, Gainando slowly backed away. Yi-Han spoke without looking back.

"Gainando, I already know your class schedule, so there's no need to tell me."

"…!!"

After the class ended and the students had left, Professor Millei began to tidy up the remaining space. The area was quite messy from the various materials used to draw the magic circle.

'Was that the magic circle drawn earlier?'

Professor Millei noticed the magic circle left at Yi-Han's seat and turned her gaze to it. It was clear that not much progress had been made in summoning a shield-shaped form. Still, even failure would have been a lesson in itself…

“?!”

To her surprise, Professor Millei was taken aback by the incomplete magic circle drawn by Yi-Han. How could a first-year student, who had never properly handled shield-shaped magic, complete such a level of magic circle?

...Could he really be a genius??

Raphael wanted to keep his distance from Yi-Han until his mana was fully restored. He also hoped to face him next time with at least three others. However, his wish did not come true.

“...”

“Ah, nice to see you.”

Less than two hours had passed before he ran into Yi-Han in the dark magic class.

"Cough. I feel a different mana from the three of you. Did you visit the undead realm?"

Professor Mortum, unaware of Raphael's inner thoughts, asked. Yi-Han nodded and explained what had happened.

"Cough, very well done!"

Professor Mortum exclaimed, coughing so hard that his body shook.

"Is it that significant?"

"Of course, cough. Necromancy is not the only form of dark magic, but among the best dark mages, there is no one who cannot practice necromancy.”

Dark elemental manipulation, poison, and curses were also part of dark magic, but what most people thought of was necromancy, the arcane magic of summoning the undead.

"Cough. It's a bit disappointing that it was done during summoning magic time... but still, it's something. Did the other students not look at you with envy?"

"..."

Yi-Han hesitated.

When he mentioned contracting with a skeleton warrior, the students' reactions were...

'They didn't seem envious.'

They were amazed, but there were certainly no students who said, 'Wow, I envy dark magic, I want to learn it too.'

However, Yi-Han couldn't refuse the sympathetic look from Professor Mortum.

"It seemed like that."

"?"

"Exactly! I knew it. Cough."

Professor Mortum rejoiced as if it were his own achievement.

Raphael sent a look that said, 'That didn’t happen, did it?' Yi-Han ignored it.

"A mage who has discovered the charm of the undead cannot help but be interested in necromancy, cough. What's the use of just wielding a sword and shield?"

That versus the dark mage who infuses mana and gives orders from one to ten and then summons a being, who has its own will, from another realm.

The latter was undoubtedly more convenient.

Of course, there were downsides to the latter.

Having a will meant the summoned beings might not always obey the mage. However, this disadvantage was mitigated if one had already subdued and contracted with a being.

If not...

There were methods like living in a tomb or applying rotten materials to the body to mitigate the hostility of the summoned undead.

Professor Mortum tactfully did not mention this and swiftly moved on.

"Cough. Anyway, you did well in contracting. Who did you two contract with?"

"Eh."

"Ah."

"?"

"We haven't yet..."

At Gainando's words, Professor Mortum frowned.

"That's not good. Cough. Opportunities to make contracts in the undead realm aren't common."

"Don't worry, Professor. I will take them there by the weekend to make the contracts."

"Cough. You seem to be the only reliable student here."

"No, that's too much praise."

"..."

Gainando and Raphael glared at Yi-Han.

He was a friend, but today he was particularly irksome.

"Cough. Ymirg, you should also go and try contracting with the undead."

"Me... too?"

Ymirg, the giant mixed-blood student who was inadvertently caught in this, was flustered.

He hadn't even attended the summoning magic class, let alone having any interest in necromancy.

‘Ymirg isn't necessary.’

Having already sized up the situation with Raphael, Yi-Han decided to show mercy to his other friend.

"If you don't want to, there's no need to force..."

"No, we should go together!"

"It seems better to go together. The professor also suggested it."

Gainando and Raphael quickly interjected. Yi-Han thought to himself.

‘These despicable guys.’

Dragging their friend into something he didn't want to do!

Professor Mortum taught the characteristics and methods of countering several monsters commonly seen in the undead realm in preparation for the contracts. He also asked the students learning summoning magic who showed interest in the undead to persuade others about how good the undead are, how excellent necromancy is, and how great dark magic is.

‘It’s almost painful to listen to.’

Yi-Han inwardly scoffed.

"Cough. Wardanaz."

As the lecture was ending, Professor Mortum called out to Yi-Han, who nodded in understanding.

"Don't worry, Professor. I will lead my friends well and ensure they contract with useful undead monsters."

"Cough. That's not it."

"?"

"Take this."

Professor Mortum handed over a thick brown book. It looked quite worn, even compared to other books Yi-Han had seen.

‘<Ancient Fundamentals of Necromancy - On True Summoning of the Undead>?’

"May I ask why you are giving me this book?"

Yi-Han was puzzled as to why he was suddenly given such a book.

Professor Mortum cleared his throat and began to speak.

"Cough. Do you think there are only two ways in necromancy, especially in summoning the undead?"

"Aren't there only two?"

One was summoning an uncontracted entity. It was not bound by a contract, so it had to be controlled by magic and placated by various methods, but its relative freedom in summoning was an advantage.

The other was summoning a contracted entity. There was no need for control or placation, but the contract itself could be a disadvantage.

"Cough. Wrong. There are actually three ways."

"Three ways? ...Could it be?"

Yi-Han paused.

"It seems you've caught on."

There was something he had in mind.

‘Could he be talking about a method similar to using magic items?’

Like in the previous lecture with Professor Millei, items without a will like swords or shields had to be precisely manipulated by the mage.

But in the case of undead, this was the epitome of wastefulness.

Summoning undead just to have the mage construct everything from scratch? Starting from the expended mana to the setup, it was an utterly inefficient and complex method.

Naturally, it wasn't the method currently in use. Yi-Han wasn't wrong to say ‘Aren't there only two?’.

"Cough. Right."

"I've heard that such summoning methods are hardly used these days?"

"It's not just rare, it's nonexistent. Cough. It's essentially a method used in ancient times. This book contains that ancient method."

"!"

Yi-Han was surprised once again.

He was astonished not only that he was being encouraged to use a method not currently in use, but also why it was being recommended.

'What could be the advantage... Wait. Isn't there a reason why it's not used now?'

"Why me?"

"Cough. It's the principal's directive. He specifically requested that you learn to summon the undead using this method."

"..."

Yi-Han's expression turned serious.

He had thought it was recommended due to some hidden talent or his abundant mana...

"Yes. Well. I'll try."

'I better brush this off.'

He was already managing his grades well in dark magic.

Even without mastering the outdated method of summoning the undead, he was confident of achieving perfect scores.

"Cough. I believe in you. You'll be able to master it. The principal said to check your progress weekly. He jokingly mentioned sending you to the punishment room if there's no progress... but what a joke..."

"..."