Surviving as a Mage in a Magic Academy

"That's right!"

"..."

When Rowena quickly answered instead, Yi-Han looked at her with a shocked gaze.

But Rowena didn't notice Yi-Han's gaze and continued speaking with a cheerful expression.

"Wardanaz here is also studying other magic, but he is receiving the professor's favor."

'The White Tiger Tower guys really have no sense at all.'

Yi-Han lamented inwardly.

Without even knowing whether the other person was an enemy or a friend of Professor Beavle, to immediately say he's a disciple, what was that supposed to mean?

"I see."

"Do you also know Professor Beavle, Mr. Puyo?"

"He tried to cut up my body before."

"..."

"..."

The atmosphere turned icy.

The Princess and Yi-Han simultaneously looked at Rowena.

It was a look that said, 'What are you going to do about this atmosphere?'

Unlike Yi-Han, who could quickly intervene even among the demons of hell, Rowena didn't have that skill.

Rowena was at a loss for what to do and finally blurted out a sentence.

"Were... were you cut?"

"...Hey... That's really not it..."

Ctran was also dumbfounded by the absurd statement.

The exasperated Yi-Han interjected.

"It's truly an unbelievable thing. No matter what, to try cutting someone's body, that's just wrong. I've always thought Professor Beavle's actions were not right, even though I'm learning under him."

"Y-yeah. And Wardanaz isn't receiving the favor because he wants to. What kind of madman would want to work under a professor during the break?"

When Ctran made an excuse, Puyo waved his hand as if satisfied.

"I don't hold a grudge against the disciple just because the master and I have a feud. And I don't fail to understand Professor Beavle either. Even I would have wanted to cut if I were him. A tree spirit mixed-blood's body is a precious material, you see."

Normally, spirit mixed-bloods appeared because there were ancestors who had made a pact with spirits.

The power embedded in the bloodline manifested in later generations, awakening as a mixed-blood.

As such, the body of a spirit mixed-blood was a precious material.

'Hmm. He's a madman.'

Of course, that explanation didn't convince the students' inner thoughts.

The moment Puyo said, "Even I would have wanted to cut if I were him," the students had already regarded him as at least half as crazy as Professor Beavle.

'Are all enchantment mages mad?'

"I'm more curious about something other than what happened between me and Professor Beavle. You're receiving Professor Beavle's favor?"

"There's an element of exaggeration."

"Have you met separately outside of class?"

"Uh... Yes."

"Have you worked together in those separate meetings?"

"Th... Yes."

"Did he let you work in his workshop?"

"No... That's..."

"Isn't this just a question that can be answered with a simple 'yes' or 'no'?"

"...Yes."

"So you are indeed receiving his favor."

Yi-Han was genuinely wronged, but no words of rebuttal came to mind.

"Professor Beavle doesn't usually treat his disciples that way. You must have exceptional talent."

"It's because of my mana."

Yi-Han tried to explain.

I have a lot of mana, so Professor Beavle is like a thug, eyeing that mana...

Hearing the explanation, the amazed Puyo nodded.

"I see!"

"Yes. Professor Beavle..."

"Ah. That's not what I meant. I felt a fierce oppressive aura from you when you came in."

"..."

Yi-Han belatedly remembered that Puyo was a spirit mixed-blood.

He thought there was no problem since Puyo didn't say anything.

"Did you feel that way?"

"I did. But don't worry about it. I've met much more dangerous guests than you."

"That's not very comforting."

Yi-Han felt bitter.

Telling someone with an ugly appearance, 'It's okay! You're better than the Empire's top criminals!' wasn't really comforting.

"But it's a bit strange. Given Professor Beavle's personality, even if you have a lot of mana, he wouldn't have a disciple with poor skills participate in the work."

"He must have needed that much mana."

Yi-Han grumbled cynically, but Puyo accepted it and became curious instead.

"You said you're a freshman, right? How many circles of enchantment magic have you successfully completed?"

"...4..."

"What did you say? I didn't hear properly."

"4... circles..."

A brief silence fell.

From Yi-Han's friends to Puyo, everyone stared at Yi-Han.

No matter how they thought about it, it was unthinkable for a freshman to have succeeded at that level of magic.

"I see."

"What happened was..."

"No. You don't have to tell me the details."

Puyo, who wasn't particularly curious about the backstory, cut off Yi-Han's words.

Whether Professor Beavle had forced him or Yi-Han had succeeded by luck, the important thing was that he had succeeded.

That was enough to know, so what was the point of getting involved in the circumstances?

"If you've been working with Professor Beavle, you must have made a few simple artifacts. What did you make?"

Puyo seemed to have become genuinely interested, picking up paper and a quill to ask questions.

Yi-Han answered carefully.

"I made magic fireworks."

"Magic fireworks. That must have been difficult for a freshman."

"??"

Ctran, who was listening, asked puzzledly,

"Was there something like that in the lectures?"

"I was summoned separately to make them."

"..."

'Just how many times was this bastard Wardanaz summoned?'

It was clear that everyone had the same 24 hours in a day, but something was off.

Why did Wardanaz's day seem to be several times longer than others?

"Magic fireworks... Was that all?"

"There's the shield, isn't there, Mr. Wardanaz?"

Rowena whispered. Yi-Han answered gently.

"Thank you so much."

"...Did I do something wrong..."

"A shield? What shield?"

"The floating one with automatic defense..."

"And it reflected too, right?"

"Reflected?!"

When Ctran interjected, Yi-Han tightly closed his eyes.

'I think I understand why the Blue Dragon Tower and White Tiger Tower are always fighting.'

"I didn't do the reflection on top of them..."

"Reflection attribute too... Honestly, I'm impressed."

The faster Puyo's quill moved, the more anxious Yi-Han became.

Professors usually did such things, and there was rarely anything good that came out of it for Yi-Han afterward.

Puyo persistently asked further, and then put down the quill with a satisfied expression.

"I see. I understand why Professor Beavle worked with you."

"The professor has never said anything good to me, though..."

"That's just Professor Beavle's personality. You have to look at his actions to understand. I've heard a lot about how outstanding Einroguard students are, but this is truly amazing. Hmm... How about coming this way?"

Puyo pointed to the inner part of the workshop, which he had not allowed earlier.

Seeing that, Yi-Han felt a sense of foreboding.

It was similar to the feeling when Professor Beavle had summoned him.

"Mr. Puyo. May the Princess also come with me?"

"?!"

The Princess, who had been thinking that Yi-Han was going to the inner part of the workshop, was flustered.

"Mr. Wardanaz...!"

"See, this bastard Wardanaz has some consideration."

Rowena and Ctran were amazed at Yi-Han's consideration.

To have the opportunity to tour Puyo's workshop together with a friend.

But the Princess's thoughts were different.

She had a strong feeling that Yi-Han had called her because he didn't want to be dragged away alone.

"Do as you please. I didn't ask, but I'm sure your skills aren't lacking."

"Okay, let's go."

The Princess nodded at Yi-Han's words and felt a slight regret.

To have doubted the good intentions of a friend who was being kind, just based on a feeling, was an arrogant act unbecoming of a royal.

"...Thank you for calling me."

"It's nothing. Just help out a bit if Mr. Puyo assigns us any work."

"...!!"

The Princess looked with a shocked expression at Yi-Han, who was walking ahead.

What...?!

"Try refining these staffs."

Puyo handed them wooden materials along with papers with drawings.

Yi-Han and the Princess sat silently on chairs inside the workshop and began working.

Yi-Han ignored the Princess's intense gaze on him.

'I have to avoid her gaze until we leave.'

Originally, when a professor summoned him, it was better to go with a friend.

They could divide the work, and most importantly, in the worst-case scenario, he could use the friend as a scapegoat to escape.

Of course, there was a minor problem that the friend might resent him.

"Excellent."

Puyo was satisfied with the work of the two students.

In Yi-Han's case, in addition to the facts he had just heard, the fact that Professor Beavle had vouched for him raised expectations, and he had not disappointed those expectations at all.

This level was far superior to mediocre novice enchantment mages.

The Princess's case was the same.

Although he had been worried based on the words of the other followers, watching her hands move, he could feel her natural talent for magic.

Shaping the staff was not something that could be done just by looking at the picture and copying it.

One had to grasp the flow of mana around the staff with each shaving, and shape it without disrupting that flow.

Mages lacking in sensitivity couldn't follow the instructions no matter how much they were told, so the results of the two were even more satisfactory.

Puyo gave them a few more assignments after that, and they completed them excellently.

Finally, the confident Puyo spoke.

"How about learning enchantment magic in my workshop during the remaining break?"

"!"

Puyo's offer was not just a job offer.

Puyo was an artifact craftsman recognized not only in Granden City but also in the Empire.

Moreover, Puyo had the fastidiousness of not even accepting most mages as disciples in his workshop.

The fact that he was offered to work under such a Puyo was itself a boost to his reputation. Moreover, they were still freshmen.

The Princess nodded.

"...I will do my best."

Puyo answered gratefully.

"I can't say the work will be easy, but you'll definitely learn a lot..."

As Puyo was speaking, he realized something strange.

Only the Princess had answered.

"Do you have other plans?"

When Yi-Han hesitated to answer, not only Puyo but also the Princess were perplexed.

To bring her along and then leave her behind, what kind of nonsensical act was this?

Tap tap tap tap tap!

Ignoring the Princess's tapping next to him, Yi-Han carefully opened his mouth.

"I... have a question."

"Ask."

"Is there also pay?"

It was an important issue for Yi-Han.

Professor Beavle, for example, was already exploiting him without paying a single gold coin.

And no matter how outstanding an enchantment mage, he didn't want to add more exploiters like that.

"Of course there is. Are you joking?"

Puyo tilted his head, not understanding Yi-Han's question.

That a student like Yi-Han would ask such a question didn't make sense.

"Yes, it was a joke. I'm sorry. I want to work too! I look forward to it."

"I should be the one saying that."

Yi-Han shook Puyo's hand.

If there was pay, Puyo's workshop would be a really good job.

Above all, the ability to freely access rare materials was the biggest draw.

Among these, there would surely be a few that were discarded.

'I wonder if he'll say anything if I say I want to take them to practice?'

While rejoicing inwardly, Yi-Han suddenly remembered something and asked.

"But won't Professor Beavle be upset if he finds out I'm working here?"

"You don't have to worry about that."

At Puyo's immediate answer, Yi-Han was relieved.

It was undoubtedly that enchantment mages tacitly overlooked such matters among themselves.

"Ah. As expected, among enchantment mages, they respect each other in this aspect..."

"A fool loses what he can't keep, after all."

"..."