Surviving as a Mage in a Magic Academy

“!”

Startled, Yi-Han nearly stumbled as he entered the classroom that morning. In fact, his surprise caused him to accidentally knock over a chair.

Clatter!

-What's the matter?-

"Nothing at all," Yi-Han replied.

-Alright then, study hard.-

The Death Knights left the corridor.

Regaining his composure, Yi-Han read the notice on the classroom's chalkboard: Class Cancelled Due to Professor's Circumstances - Boladi Bagrak.

‘Professor Boladi…’ Yi-Han mused, deeply touched by the professor's consideration. He knew of no one more benevolent than a professor who would cancel class when students were busy with other classes’ assignments and exams. Had Professor Boladi always been such a thoughtful person? Though Yi-Han wished the message had been conveyed in person rather than on the chalkboard, he appreciated the gesture nonetheless.

‘At least this is something.’

Yi-Han had a conscience. He didn't even hope for too much luck.

To have gotten free time like this.

-Why are you coming back out?-

"Professor Boladi has some matters to attend to, so class is cancelled. Is there a problem with Professor Bagerak?" Yi-Han inquired, just to be sure.

Professor Boladi wasn't someone who would get into trouble, but oddities were not uncommon in the magic academy, even among the professors.

-I haven't heard anything.-

-It seems quiet, so it's probably nothing serious. It's admirable how you worry about your teacher.-

“...Ahaha, it’s embarrassing.”

Yi-Han blushed and nodded, managing his expression.

-Oh, by the way, have you been attending Professor Verduus's lectures too?-

"Yes, how did you know?"

-Professor Verduus was looking for you, Wardanaz.-

“...”

Yi-Han checked the time. It was still morning, and there were at least six hours left until Professor Verduus's extra lecture.

"Could you have mistaken the time?" he suggested.

-I don't think so. When I asked, he said the class time wasn't important.-

'I'll have to stay out of the Artifact Hall until the class starts.'

Yi-Han resolved to keep away from the vicinity of Artifact Hall until the time of the class.

"Why are you so late?!" Professor Verduus exclaimed with affection upon seeing Yi-Han.

"I'm not? I arrived right on time," Yi-Han responded, feigning ignorance.

"What does the class time matter? If it were up to me, I'd stay here all the time!" Professor Verduus, who found the Enchantment Magic the most fascinating, couldn't understand Yi-Han. If he were Yi-Han, he would have abandoned all other classes and devoted himself solely to research in the Artifact Hall.

"That's not what's important, Professor. I brought the assignment here."

Yi-Han presented a shield infused with mana that he had completed before coming.

The other students who arrived late cursed inwardly upon seeing it.

'Wardanaz, that guy. If he finished it, he should have turned it in last.'

'Doesn't he have a conscience?'

"Oh..."

Professor Verduus, who was always indifferent whether students slept or danced in his class, showed interest for the first time.

"Is this the crude and clumsy shield you mentioned?"

"Your compliments always make me happy, Professor," Yi-Han said.

Regardless of whether Yi-Han grumbled beside him, Professor Verduus examined the shield. He had wanted to see it ever since the Death Knights spread the word, but his viewing had been delayed by Gonadaltes, who was malicious and twisted, tormenting students for fun.

"Wow..."

Professor Verduus stroked and tapped the shield, nodding his head. To him, the magic circles and structure were still clumsy and inexperienced, but the sheer amount of mana made these flaws negligible, which he found intriguing.

Dozens of artifacts flickered through Professor Verduus's mind.

If he could overcharge mana in this way, he could finally create the artifacts he had been postponing.

"What year are you in?"

"First year."

"Ah, why!?"

Yi-Han was not flustered, for he already knew well that the person speaking to him was eccentric.

In contrast, the students behind him looked at Professor Verduus with a mix of fear and astonishment.

"Why so junior in your studies... then you can't make a spirit sword... nor a lens artifact yet... maybe I should teach you myself?"

Yi-Han sensed something ominous in Professor Verduus's demeanor as he muttered to himself.

"Alright! Though I really don't want to, I'll teach you myself... huh? Where did you go?"

"Wardanaz? He said he went out to fetch something he left in the tower."

Yi-Han had hoped that Professor Verduus might forget about his interest if given some time and distracted by other students' assignments. However, Professor Verduus's concentration was more formidable than anticipated. When Yi-Han returned to the classroom, Professor Verduus immediately exclaimed.

"80 points."

"Oh. Is it well-made?"

"Huh? No, it's terribly made."

"...But isn't 80 out of 100 considered good?"

"No, it's just that the others made theirs even worse. Ah! Wardanaz!"

Yi-Han lifted his head, cursing inwardly.

"Did you hear earlier?"

"I didn't catch it properly."

"I'll teach you a few basic enchantment spells."

Professor Verduus was not one to hold students for one-on-one teaching. Like a shepherd who leaves his flock in the pasture and waits, he let students learn in the classroom until they got it on their own. Being someone who never did things he found uninteresting, teaching students one-on-one was out of the question for him.

But this time was different.

To even consider having Yi-Han assist with artifact creation, he needed to know at least a few basic spells (by Professor Verduus's standards). According to his memory, his disciples usually learned these basic spells around their third year, meaning a two-year wait.

"During class hours?"

"No, that's when you learn other things. I'll have to find separate time."

"But you said it was basic?"

"Yes, basic."

"Then can't we learn it during class hours?"

"Aha."

It seemed Professor Verduus finally realized what Yi-Han was getting at.

"It's basic, but not the kind of magic you're supposed to learn now."

'Then it's not basic...'

Yi-Han bit back a curse.

Do you not understand what basic means?

"Professor."

"What?"

"I'm sorry. I'm attending many other classes. It would be difficult to spare more time here."

"What!??!?"

Professor Verduus looked as shocked as if he had been told the world would end in one minute.

"Why?!??!"

'Did I explain it weirdly?'

Yi-Han reconsidered his words.

Was saying that he couldn't spare more time because he was attending many other lectures that difficult to understand?

"Isn't Enchantment Magic more interesting?!"

"Maybe?"

"Enchantment Magic will be more interesting!"

"Maybe..."

"Enchantment Magic is more interesting..."

Professor Verduus murmured, clearly shocked. He had not expected Yi-Han to refuse.

"Why is Wardanaz behaving like that?" Professor Verduus asked, grabbing the unfortunate Dolgyu, who was passing by with a box of materials.

"What?"

"He says he can't make time because of other classes."

"Isn't that exactly what he meant...?"

Dolgyu wondered why the professor couldn't understand such a straightforward statement.

"Can't he skip other classes?"

"Wouldn't the professors of those classes be upset?"

"Do professors getting upset matter?"

"If they get upset, they might attack Yi-Han, right?"

Faced with the professor's nonsensical talk, Dolgyu also began to speak nonsensically, though it wasn't entirely absurd. If the principal could attack students, why couldn't the professors...

"That's too much!"

"Exactly."

"How can we make more time?"

"Exactly..."

Dolgyu sent a pleading look to Yi-Han for help. He was stuck with a mad professor and needed to get away to study his magic.

Yi-Han then spoke to Professor Verduus.

"I have a good idea, Professor."

"Oh, you've thought of something?"

"No... It's not about what I want, but the lack of time. I need to create time."

"How?"

"To gather materials, I need to get them from the merchants."

Materials were needed for practicing enchantment magic, and they weren't free. Students had to work to obtain them from the merchants.

"If you provide the materials, Professor, that would save me time."

"Me?"

Considering Yi-Han's words, Professor Verduus pondered for a moment. His philosophy was that students should work for themselves, including sourcing their own materials...

"Alright, then."

That was Professor Verduus, ready to flip his stance for his own needs.

"So, have you made time now?"

"It’s still not enough, Professor."

"Not enough?!"

"Yes. Right now, I and my friends are still experiencing a lot of trial and error. Why do you think that is?"

"Because you're terrible at magic?"

"..."

"..."

Students passing by with their boxes glared at the back of Professor Verduus's head.

"...But a few words of advice from you could be a big help, couldn't they?"

"Alright, then."

Professor Verduus nodded.

"Now have you made time?"

Yi-Han was surprised at how easily Professor Verduus agreed.

Huh?

'Maybe I can ask for more?'

Yi-Han was about to suggest that Professor Verduus show off some skills but stopped himself. Suddenly, a question occurred to him.

"By the way Professor, you're not suggesting I cut down on sleep or rest, are you?"

"Oh? Ah. Gonadaltes banned that. It's really too much, isn't it?"

"...Haha. Exactly."

With the professor agreeing to provide the materials and personally conduct the lectures, the students were momentarily overjoyed.

"Professor, the magic circle for amplifying power is blocked here..."

"Draw a line here."

"...????"

The student who asked blinked in disbelief as Professor Verduus casually drew a line across the blocked circuit and walked away.

Um... what?

"What does this line mean?"

"What?"

Professor Verduus sent a look of 'How do I explain something this simple?' and seemed flustered.

The flustered professor called for the person responsible for this situation.

"This won't do. You explain it.”

"No, Professor. If it's blocked, I wouldn't know either... Ah, the issue is that too much mana is concentrated at the top, which needs to be dispersed. If left as it is, the lines of the magic circle will break due to overload."

"Oh... I see!"

Pleased that his friend understood, Yi-Han suddenly paused.

'Oops.'

He should have pretended not to know...

Regardless, Professor Verduus seemed satisfied that a student had understood.

And every time someone got stuck, he called for Yi-Han.

"Wardanaz."

"Wardanaz?"

"Wardanaz!"

"..."

Yi-Han pondered whether he should just let Professor Verduus lose interest in the students again.

"Right. I need to inform you about the final exam."

While busily conducting the lecture, Professor Verduus checked the time and spoke up.

"There's more than a week left, isn't there?"

"Artifacts take time. You all are so inept that even with this much time, many will fail to complete their tasks."

Everyone was moved by the professor's encouraging words.

"The final exam assignment is simple. You know the assignments you submitted today? Just upgrade them by one level and bring them. That's what I'll evaluate."

"Hmm..."

"Umm."

The students fell into deep thought, wondering how to proceed with Professor Verduus's instructions.

"..."

And Yi-Han felt a deep sense of despair for the first time in a while.

'Damn it.'

What more could he possibly upgrade here?