Surviving as a Mage in a Magic Academy

'Is he really okay?'

Yonaire couldn't understand.

Her sister, Yoanen's specialty was to drive alchemists who were doing well enough to the point of mental breakdown.

What was even more absurd was that she had no malice towards them.

She was simply devoted to alchemy.

Yonaire had expected Yi-Han's face to be distorted or filled with pain when she returned.

Even though he was the top student of his year who had shown the madness of taking all magic courses at Einroguard, he might not run away, but...

Still, wouldn't it be difficult to completely endure Yoanen's mad obsession?

However, Yi-Han's expression was too calm. Like a lake without a single breeze.

"Did you not start working by any chance?"

"Here. <Dobruk's Soul Amplification Potion>."

Yoanen shook the potion in the flask, looking at it lovingly.

Yonaire had seen the potion a few times before, but she could feel that it was different from that potion.

'That deep color, is it the color of mana? If so...'

A friend called to work, his mana stronger than usual.

Yonaire couldn't help but think of Yi-Han.

"Did you help with the work?"

"Yeah."

"Wasn't it difficult?"

"I only took on the role of an assistant though."

"Wha... What??"

Yonaire was surprised by Yi-Han's words.

Not just support work or other tasks, but taking on the role of Yoanen's assistant.

Yonaire knew well what the role of Yoanen's assistant meant. There was no way her sister would have stayed still.

"Are you okay...??"

"It was difficult. But most of the work was done by Madam Maykin here."

"You don't need to be so humble. Thanks to you, a good potion was made."

Yoanen had a truly satisfied expression. Yonaire was honestly surprised by that rare sight.

She really didn't make such an expression unless something extraordinary happened.

An expression that was hard to come by unless dozens of alchemists were replaced...

"Are you really okay? No, just tell me what happened one by one."

"Don't do it here, let's talk while having lunch."

Yoanen gave her sister and her sister's friend a break.

Yonaire was surprised again by her generous attitude.

"Is it okay to have lunch?! While working?"

"Don't do that too much in front of the guest. They'll misunderstand."

"...!!!!!!"

Yonaire blinked her eyes in frustration.

Who was the one who usually ignored meals and everything else and focused on work if the work wasn't finished?

When the lead alchemist, Yoanen, didn't have a meal, the assistant alchemist who took on the support work naturally couldn't have a meal either.

There were many experienced alchemists in this workshop, but among them, no one wanted to take on the role of Yoanen's assistant.

Usually, an unfortunate newcomer would take on the role and run away crying...

"...Forget it. Let's have lunch. Yi-Han."

"I guess I'll have to go to the mansion to eat and come back."

"Meals are provided here at the workshop. Don't worry, they won't charge the alchemists working."

Yi-Han, who was about to leave, stopped and nodded.

"This is a really good workshop."

"...How can you say that when you saw it when you came in earlier..."

Pahuseok, an alchemist who had been working at the workshop for 8 years, didn't pay much attention even when Yonaire from the Maykin family visited with a friend.

Whether it was Yonaire's friend or the Emperor's friend, whoever took on the role of Yoanen's assistant and worked wouldn't last long anyway.

The last record was about 23 minutes, so they would probably make an excuse and leave in about 15 minutes.

That's why Pahuseok couldn't help but be surprised to see the red-haired girl and the black-haired boy sitting at the table in front and having a meal.

'No way!?'

It seemed that Pahuseok wasn't the only one surprised. Other alchemists were also whispering and looking at Yi-Han.

"What happened?"

An alchemist who was eating flat bread dipped in bean soup mixed with spices said in a small voice.

"...It seems the new assistant survived."

"What did you say?!"

"Shh. Your voice is too loud."

"Ah, no... I'm sorry. I was just too surprised."

Pahuseok almost dropped the bowl of fried rice he was holding.

He endured the morning as Yoanen's assistant.

Moreover, surprisingly, he came out to have lunch.

Didn't that mean Yoanen allowed him to go have lunch?

"How in the world? Is it because he's a friend of her sister?"

"You know Madam Maykin isn't that kind of person."

"Indeed, she's not that kind of person."

The workshop alchemists quickly understood.

Yoanen wasn't someone who would go easy on her sister's friend.

If she was someone who could be flexible and considerate like that, the dozens of people who had challenged for the assistant position wouldn't have all been driven out.

"Could it be... Could it be... It's really unlikely, but is there a possibility?"

"What are you trying to say?"

"That he passed as an assistant..."

"Does that even make sense?!"

The workshop alchemists firmly denied it.

There was no way Yoanen would easily pass someone as an assistant.

There must be another reason.

"But another reason... Moreover, as far as I know, that boy from the Wardanaz family won against a mage from Baldurguard this time and bas..."

"Whether he won against a mage or even defeated a basilisk, that's not important."

"Huh? You knew about it too? News travels fast."

"What are you talking about? No. Anyway, that's not what's important. You know an alchemist's ability is completely separate. Anyway, there's no worse habit than hastily judging as an alchemist. Let's wait until we ask Madam Maykin directly. It probably wasn't the role of an assistant."

"Is that so..."

Soon, when Yoanen came out, some of the alchemists quickly walked over and asked questions. Pahuseok was one of them.

"Madam Maykin. That person hasn't left yet, did he do well in the role of an assistant?"

Even as they asked the question, the alchemists were expecting a different answer.

That he did other tasks in the morning, like inventory organization or tool inspection...

However, Yoanen shook the potion with satisfaction.

"...!!!"

"That's... That's impossible!"

"Does the blood of the Wardanaz family overcome even Madam Maykin's madness?"

The alchemists tried to accept reality, but it wasn't easy.

How could such a young student...?

"He's really amazing... Is it because he's from Einroguard?"

"You know it has nothing to do with Einroguard. The mage who ran away last time was also from Einroguard."

"Ah, right. This isn't the time for that."

One of the alchemists came to his senses and started putting various foods on a plate.

On top of the fresh oysters mixed with seasoning, the alchemist poured a little of the vitality recovery potion he was going to drink.

Another alchemist took out smoked eel and sprinkled the powder of mental recovery he was going to eat instead of spices.

Pahuseok put a concentration potion in the pumpkin porridge. It was a potion he had been saving, but that student deserved to receive it.

Tak-

"??"

"Please eat this too."

"This too."

"This as well."

"...???"

Yi-Han, who was chatting with Yonaire, was surprised to see the alchemists adding food and leaving.

'Is this some kind of initiation ceremony to welcome a newcomer?'

"What does this mean?"

"It means don't collapse and work for a long, long time."

Yonaire said with a sigh.

As the alchemists who worked as Yoanen's assistants fell like autumn leaves, it was natural for the workshop alchemists to have such expectations.

Of course, from a friend's perspective, the actions of those workshop alchemists were very unpleasant.

In short, they were telling him to eat potions and work for a long, long time.

At Yonaire's explanation, Yi-Han said with a slightly touched expression, "This is really a good workshop."

"Yi-Han. I think your standards for what's good are too low..."

Even after the meal, Yi-Han did a great job.

No matter what task he was given, seeing Yi-Han complete it in one go, Yoanen seemed reluctant to send him back to Einroguard.

"You've really worked hard."

"Not at all. I was able to learn a lot."

Yi-Han shook hands with Yoanen after finishing all the work.

It wasn't that the work wasn't tiring, but the pouch of silver coins Yoanen gave him made him forget such fatigue.

Wasn't she a much better person, giving silver coins while making him work similarly to the professors at Einroguard?

"Sister. Let go."

"...When do you think you'll come next?"

"I said let go."

Yonaire whispered. Yoanen wasn't letting go of the hand she was holding.

"I think it will be difficult to attend this week because I have many other appointments."

"What about next week?"

"I remember next week, Wednesday might be free."

"Then will you come and help on Wednesday?"

"I'll try."

"In case you forget, should I send someone to the Wardanaz family?"

"No. I'll remember."

Only after Yonaire stepped on her foot several times did Yoanen let go of his hand.

As Yoanen waved her hand and went into the workshop, Yi-Han muttered in a slightly worried voice, "Madam Yoanen has some aspects similar to Einroguard professors."

"Some? Some??"

"Ah, right. Yonaire."

Yi-Han took out the ring and helmet he had brought. Yonaire was interested in the unfamiliar artifacts.

"Why these?"

"To sell."

"...Huh?"

Yi-Han explained where he got these artifacts and why he wanted to sell them.

If there were other friends, they might have said, 'Still, we're mages, isn't it a bit much to sell such artifacts for money? Let's disassemble and study them instead!'

But Yonaire immediately understood.

"Of course. If it's like that."

"Right? I'm thinking of looking around the stores in the central district."

The central district of Granden City had stores that traded rare artifacts, as it was a district where the city's nobles resided.

Yi-Han was planning to go around those stores and ask, 'How much they would offer?'

"Should I introduce you to a store I know?"

"I'd be grateful, but is it okay?"

"Yeah. After being treated like that by my sister, I should at least do this much for you."

"I wasn't really mistreated..."

Yonaire ignored him and guided the way.

'Greenbel's Opportunity? Is it a store of the Greenbel family?'

Yi-Han was intrigued by the name, having encountered someone with that family name during his last visit to the Dargard family's mansion.

Despite the sun slowly setting, bright light flowed out from the window.

By looking at the color or brightness of the mana light, one could guess the purity of the mana and whether they were using expensive or cheap artifacts.

'It's definitely an expensive place.'

"Welcome."

A clerk with not a speck of dust on his clothes greeted the two politely, bowing so low that his forehead almost touched the ground.

It was a natural reaction, as the visiting customers were important customers.

There were a few customers who had arrived earlier inside, looking at artifacts while listening to the explanations of other clerks.

"So this bracelet raises luck, you're saying?"

"That's right. Sir."

"How much does it raise luck? Can I draw the card I want?"

"I'm not a mage, but as far as I know, luck can't be quantified like that. Sir."

"Hmm... Don't you have anything else? Something that can make me win more definitely... Like... Shuffling the cards the way I want... Or being able to see the cards the opponent is holding... Something like that..."

The clerk's eyebrows rose slightly.

Although it was a store that sold artifacts, it didn't sell all artifacts.

As a store with class, it didn't deal with artifacts for blatant cheating.

The clerk's expression now was close to 'As a nobleman, are you looking for an artifact to use for such trickery?'

"Ah, no. I'm not trying to use it when playing card games."

"Gainando?"

"?!"

Gainando turned his head, discovered the two friends, and was startled.

Then he quickly covered his face with his cloak.

"I'm not Gainando."

"..."

"..."