Surviving as a Mage in a Magic Academy

"How is it? Is it okay?" Yi-Han asked.

"I think it's fine, but how did you even make this?" Nillia examined the leather water bottle up and down in amazement. It was even more astonishing that there were no special gems, unique materials, or reagents visible.

"But it only lasts about two weeks."

"Two weeks? That's a bit disappointing, but still usable."

"If you were to buy this with silver coins, how much would you pay?"

"???"

Nillia was taken aback by her friend's sudden serious dive into market research. What was he trying to do?

The hunters selected quite useful artifacts and expressed their gratitude.

"Thank you. I never thought I'd be able to get something like this."

Baishada, who found a ring of strength enhancement, was very satisfied. Of course, wearing it would inflict a curse of movement impairment, but it was a curse he could sufficiently endure.

"It's not me, but the people from the Presinga Order who gifted them."

"That's true. But if it weren't for you, we wouldn't have received them. By the way, priests, I feel bad just receiving these..."

"No, please think of it as the mercy of Lord Presinga and be joyful."

The two hunters pondered for a moment, then asked as if they had suddenly remembered something.

"Come to think of it, I heard a small dungeon was discovered in the forest outside the Bridge Gate. Is the Presinga Order not interested?"

The Bridge Gate was the southern gate of Granden City, meaning the dungeon was discovered in the forest about half a day's journey south of the city.

It wasn't a large dungeon or an ancient ruin, so it didn't become a sensational topic. Dungeons were found more frequently than one might think.

It would be a matter that adventurers could leisurely explore and clear out slowly, but...

...the story was different for the priests in nearby cities.

Just as peddlers targeting adventurers would immediately prepare their goods and rush to the site upon hearing news of a dungeon, priests would be on alert as soon as they heard about a dungeon.

Even if it was a small dungeon, no one knew what curses might emerge from inside. If a cursed person entered the city, it could potentially lead to an epidemic outbreak.

Therefore, religious orders usually sent priests to the vicinity when a dungeon was discovered. It was to prepare for any contingencies.

"We were already planning to go and check it out. We'll ask the city council for an escort..."

"If it's alright with you, we will escort you."

And naturally, in such situations, the priests didn't go alone.

They either had a holy knight from the order accompany them or hired reliable escorts to prepare for any eventualities.

From monsters to adventurers gone mad, there were many dangers, so these precautions were absolutely necessary.

Hunters from the Shadow Patrol or the Wasteland Stargazers were more than sufficient forces.

"I apologize for imposing such a favor..."

"No, it would be disrespectful for us to just leave after receiving these gifts. The mountain spirits would laugh at me."

"Indeed. Please allow us to help."

When the two hunters earnestly requested, Priest Mehrid realized it would be rude to refuse any further.

"Thank you. Then let's leave the remaining work to the others and go for a bit."

"I will also assist you."

"Thank you, child."

Priest Mehrid expressed his gratitude for Priestess Tijiling's voluntary offer.

Seeing this, Yi-Han felt a flash of inspiration.

'This is an opportunity!'

"I will also help you."

"Huh? Mr. Yi-Han Wardanaz. Uh... didn't you come with the professor?"

"It's alright. The professor will handle the remaining work."

While Professor Beavle was out for a meal, Yi-Han planned his escape.

What could he do if he said he was going out for a bit to help the Presinga Order?

"I'll help too."

Tap-

Nillia placed her hand on Yi-Han's shoulder as she spoke.

She couldn't just stand by when not only the hunters but even Yi-Han were trying to help the order in every possible way.

"But are there that many monsters in that area?"

"Hm? I don't know either."

"...???"

Nillia tilted her head in confusion.

"Weren't you going to help because there are monsters?"

"No. I'm trying to run away from the professor. I'll also check the demand for artifacts among adventurers while I'm at it."

"..."

Hey!

The group quickly passed through the city gate. Yi-Han looked back. Fortunately, there was no sign of Professor Beavle chasing after them.

'It seems he hasn't noticed yet.'

After running along the road past the gate, it didn't take long to reach their destination. Tents and processions set up by the forest could be seen in the distance.

Swift peddlers had already arrived with their wagons and set up tents. Adventurers sat around them, sharing information.

"So you're saying mud lizards came out from inside?"

"That's what I'm telling you. It would be good to bring a bludgeon."

"I don't want to change weapons just for a mud lizard. Isn't there another way?"

"Wait. I have a book. Mud lizards, mud lizards..."

"Forget about monsters. Did anything useful come out? Even if we catch and sell monsters, how much would we get? Something useful is what really matters."

"Asura. It's a naturally occurring dungeon. We wouldn't even recognize anything useful if we saw it."

"Why? Can't we just dig everything out? Whether it's minerals or plants, if we take everything inside, there's bound to be at least one thing that's worth money, right?"

"Have you ever been inside a dungeon? As if you could do that. In that pitch-black place, you don't know what will come out. And how will you verify it after bringing it out? The mages will toy with you."

"Damn... You have a knack for ruining the mood before we even start."

Yi-Han listened to the conversation with interest. Nillia wasn't particularly interested in such talks. She had heard plenty of them during her time in the patrol.

"Did you hear that, Nillia?"

"Huh? What? Hear what?"

"Don't you feel the need arising from that conversation? I smell a business opportunity."

"I don't know... about that..."

Nillia couldn't understand her friend's suspicious obsession with business.

Does he have to do business?

It seemed like Yi-Han would do well on his own even without doing business...

"Oh?"

"Aren't those the priests?"

The adventurers brightened up when they saw the priests from the Presinga Order arriving.

While the peddlers would charge expensive silver coins for even a simple healing potion, the priests were different.

In this place, the only people who sincerely cared about and considered the adventurers were the priests.

"Thank you. Priests. Thank you for coming!"

"Ah, move aside a bit. The priests need to sit."

"But we arrived first..."

The adventurers tried to secure good seats for the priests by pushing the peddlers aside. The grumbling peddlers were scolded by the adventurers.

"Don't you have a god you believe in? Won't you go to the temple if you get hurt?"

'Filthy and petty bastards.'

The peddlers moved their seats while vowing to sell to the adventurers at even higher prices.

"Priests. We will help you set up the tent."

"Ah. It's alright."

Yi-Han stopped the approaching adventurers and raised his staff.

"Dig it out."

Holes for the tent poles were created, and the surrounding soil was neatly trimmed.

Once the tent work was finished, Yi-Han immediately lit a fire, summoned water into the pot, and sat comfortably.

The adventurers watched with awe-filled gazes as magic completed in mere minutes what would have taken others several hours.

"That's magic...!"

"Was that also possible?"

"Of course it's possible. It's magic, after all."

"It's strange. I was once in a party with a mage. I begged him to summon water because my throat was so dry, but the mage absolutely refused, saying it was impossible. He said he had to conserve mana."

"That guy was lying to you."

"That bastard...! So that's how it was!"

While the adventurers were misunderstanding, Yi-Han looked around at the nearby peddlers.

'Potions, tools, miscellaneous goods. Hmm. The competition is quite fierce.'

As it was a matter of buying good quality items cheaply and selling them at high prices, the competition was intense.

But there was always a niche market.

'There are no artifacts.'

It was natural.

What crazy peddler would bring expensive artifacts here to sell? They would be lucky not to get robbed on the way.

'If I were to make artifacts...'

As Yi-Han was pondering with a serious expression, Priestess Tijiling asked Nillia with a puzzled look.

"Is he worried about curses emerging?"

"Well... I don't know..."

Nillia couldn't bring herself to tell Priestess Tijiling the truth.

"Priest!! My leg!! Is it a curse!?!"

"No. It's muscle pain."

"Aha."

As expected, nothing major happened.

Occasionally, adventurers would come out with tired faces or with a broken limb.

Sometimes, an adventurer would come out groaning while dragging a huge monster.

Thud!

"That guy has perseverance."

"But butchering is also important."

"Right. Just bringing it out isn't enough."

Even if you hunted a monster, selling it at a high price required skill.

If a magic stone was found inside, it would be easier, but skinning and obtaining good meat was also a very difficult skill.

Of course, for the hunters from the Shadow Patrol and the Wasteland Stargazers here, it was a task they could do with their eyes closed.

"Oh dear... Tsk tsk."

"The knife work was lacking. Just now."

"I know, right?"

The two hunters critiqued the adventurer's butchering skills with a hatchet and a utility knife.

Yi-Han also nodded and said,

"If he had cut sideways first and pulled there, it would have been easier to skin."

"No way...?!"

Baishada was surprised.

Like last time, that boy from the Wardanaz family was skilled in hunting and butchering as if he had learned directly from the Shadow Patrol.

It was truly amazing.

"..."

Nillia stared intently at Yi-Han. Yi-Han slightly lowered his head.

"Thanks for teaching me."

"No... it's fine..."

Nillia had a hunch that telling those two hunters, 'Actually, I taught him,' would only make things troublesome.

She was already misunderstood enough.

'What the hell is social skill? It's not some wicked cult's sorcery.'

Rumble rumble rumble!

The ground shook as the underground rumbled.

Everyone present was startled by the sudden change.

"What in the world...?"

"Priest. This way!"

The hunters immediately protected the priests first. Although they didn't know what had happened, it was clear that something had been triggered in the dungeon.

'What is it?'

Thud!

Fortunately, they could soon find out what had happened inside the dungeon.

An adventurer who had rushed out in a complete mess began to babble.

"P-People have been teleported...! People who were elsewhere have been teleported with monsters...!"

"What? What are you talking about??"

"Out of the way!"

Another person who had the ability to explain properly rushed out.

"I am Burhirg, a knight of the Kerel family! My subjugation team and I, the Crimson Lotus Forest were in the midst of subjugation when we were teleported and thrown here! There are many severely injured, so I request support! In the name of my family and the families participating in the subjugation, I will duly reward those who help... Cough."

The knight knelt down and coughed, likely due to severe injuries.

However, that alone was enough for people to understand what had happened.

"It seems a spatial movement spell was cast during the subjugation, and they were thrown into the dungeon along with the monsters. Let's contact the city and urgently request them to send healers."

The peddlers prepared to lay down the injured, and the priests contacted the city for additional support.

Yi-Han approached Burhirg, first treating the large wounds with magic and giving him potions to drink.

It wouldn't be feasible to heal everyone with potions alone, either due to the limitations of their bodies or the potion supplies.

"...???"

Priest Mehrid was taken aback, startled by how naturally Yi-Han cast the healing magic.

What are you doing???