Surviving as a Mage in a Magic Academy

'This must be an illusion.'

Despite his reluctance to believe it, Yi-Han couldn't deny what he had just witnessed.

These were the priests of the Immortal Phoenix Tower who, until just moments ago, had been trusting and caring for each other, making him believe that there was a glimmer of hope even in this hellish place.

Surely such priests wouldn't fight over which religious order Yi-Han believed in, would they?

"I'm currently interested in a few orders."

"!"

"Does that mean... you haven't chosen a true faith yet?"

"How does it sound like that?"

He clearly said, 'I'm interested in a few orders,' but to the priest next to him, it sounded like, 'I'm wandering around, unable to find a true faith.'

"I'm not wandering around unable to find a faith. It's more like I'm supporting temples, as is common for nobles in the Empire."

To persuade the priests, Yi-Han did something he normally wouldn't do.

He claimed to be a typical noble of the Empire.

Of course, it was of little use to do that now.

"But Mr. Yi-Han of the Wardanaz family, while there are many nobles who support temples, there aren't many who directly visit temples and participate in prayers. I think your sincerity is different from other nobles."

Nigisor of the Aphar Order spoke as if puzzled.

Yi-Han gritted his teeth and said, "Thank you for the kind explanation."

"I'm embarrassed."

When they heard that Yi-Han had visited the temples of the Aphar Order or the Presinga Order and participated in events, the eyes of the other priests sparkled even more.

To the priests right now, Yi-Han looked like a wandering lamb.

"Please visit our order as well. You will surely find the true faith you have been seeking."

"So without any of that, just with a pure heart of support... No, your order doesn't allow multiple faiths, does it?"

Among the Empire's orders, there were those that allowed having multiple faiths together, and those that insisted on only their own faith.

Since Yi-Han was trying to gain benefits by visiting the former, he couldn't get close to the latter.

"That's not important right now. If you just find a true faith, you will forget about other faiths."

"Wait. I can't accept that. Forget the faith of the Aphar Order? There are few people in the Empire as faithful to the Aphar Order as Mr. Yi-Han of the Wardanaz family here."

'You're just saying that because of mana.'

Yi-Han cursed Nigisor inwardly.

The guy who thinks of Yi-Han as a huge fuel tank for flames!

"You seem to be interested in other orders, but it's the Flameng Order after all. Look at your alchemy grades."

"Even if you say that, my grades in other lectures are all..."

Siana ignored him and changed the subject.

"Since you've been consistently working in the alchemy workshop even during the break, you can't help but be satisfied if you visit the Flameng Order."

"Not all alchemists believe in the Flameng Order. In my opinion, Mr. Yi-Han of the Wardanaz family, you are very interested in swordsmanship. In other words, our order that worships the sword..."

"You're all wrong! I heard from Mr. Gainando that Mr. Yi-Han likes mage cards the most. Worshipping luck..."

The priests sat at the table and began a heated debate.

Their attitude was polite, but the force contained within was unyielding and uncompromising.

The priests gradually raised their voices as if they would never back down. Passing students looked their way, wondering what was going on.

"Wait, everyone calm down!"

At Priestess Tijiling's shout, the students of the Immortal Phoenix Tower flinched.

Yi-Han was touched by that sight.

'As expected, Priestess Tijiling was sane.'

Even if the other priests were blinded by their desire for faith, only Priestess Tijiling didn't lose her mind.

Priestess Tijiling spoke quickly.

"Let's all draw lots and decide the order. If we consider each other, we can create a schedule that satisfies everyone."

"Indeed!"

"As expected..."

"..."

Yi-Han suddenly wanted to return to the Blue Dragon Tower.

"Hey. Your Wardanaz has retur..."

"If you talk to me, I'll kill you."

The students of the Blue Dragon Tower growled in a voice full of murderous intent.

The students of the White Tiger Tower, who had tried to talk to them without much thought, were naturally flustered.

"Wh, what...? Ah, no. I just wanted to ask! If Wardanaz had returned!"

The students of the Blue Dragon Tower, without exception, grabbed their staffs with a fierce look on their faces.

There was a firm determination that they would not hesitate to fight if they were spoken to any further.

The students of the White Tiger Tower were overwhelmed by the spirit that seemed to be shown by a knight order that had been abandoned by their lord and returned from a place of death.

"What... what's with them? Are they crazy?"

"Wait. Are you going to leave those guys alone?"

The students of the three towers, except for the Immortal Phoenix Tower, didn't get along well with each other.

Usually, they would exchange a few sharp words, but if they openly picked a fight like just now, they had no intention of backing down either.

Whoever won, it was a matter of pride to have a fight.

But...

"Let's leave them alone today."

"Why!?"

"I think Wardanaz was seriously injured."

"!"

The students of the White Tiger Tower made a startled expression.

No wonder...!

"I see. That's definitely why they reacted like that..."

"The guys from the Blue Dragon Tower are arrogant and rude, but it's not an honorable thing to mess with them when they're so sad because of their friend. Let's let it go today."

"You're right. We're knights."

The students of the White Tiger Tower sniffled and looked at each other with satisfaction.

They couldn't be more proud that they were each other's friends.

"But Wardanaz was injured. Why was he injured?"

"Didn't he challenge the principal to a duel?"

"Yesterday, a guy from the Black Tortoise Tower said that the principal was flying around carrying Wardanaz. Could it be that?"

"Wardanaz... That guy, I knew he was fearless, but to that extent."

The students of the White Tiger Tower suddenly fell silent.

"...Will that guy be okay?"

"What's with you? Don't tell me you're worried about him?"

"I... I'm not. Not worried? You're the one who's worried, aren't you?"

"I, I'm not worried either?"

While chattering like that, the students of the White Tiger Tower arrived in front of Professor Garcia's <Basic Practical Magic> lecture hall.

Creak!

"Every... Wardanaz!!"

"??"

Yi-Han was puzzled to see the students of the White Tiger Tower startled.

"Didn't you know I came back on the weekend?"

"We, weren't you injured?"

"No? What nonsense... Did you hear some strange rumor?"

Yi-Han looked at the students of the White Tiger Tower as if they were pathetic.

Knights being swayed by such false rumors.

"...Then why the hell did these Blue Dragon Tower bastards go crazy?"

"I don't know. I guess they're crazy."

The students of the White Tiger Tower gritted their teeth and sat down.

Just you wait!

Meanwhile, the students of the Blue Dragon Tower also started coming in groups of three or five.

They looked at Yi-Han's side with a gloomy face.

And then they widened their eyes, realizing that the students of the Immortal Phoenix Tower were not there.

"Wardanaz! The pri... the priests?"

"They're sitting over there."

Yi-Han pointed to the area where the students of the Immortal Phoenix Tower were gathered. The priests waved their hands in greeting.

"Wi, with us... will you sit with us?"

"Not sitting with the Immortal Phoenix Tower over there?"

"...Did you guys eat something wrong?"

Yi-Han was flustered, thinking his friends from the Blue Dragon Tower had gone crazy.

However, the crazy behavior of his friends from the Blue Dragon Tower was just the beginning.

"Wahhh! Wardanaz!"

"I thought you would leave us!"

"Even if you're in another tower, we're still friends!!"

The students of the Blue Dragon Tower clung to Yi-Han's arms and legs and started bursting into tears.

Yi-Han seriously considered hitting them with his staff.

'These guys are embarrassing me in front of all the students from other towers.'

"We'll do better! Don't leave us again!"

"We'll clean the lounge on time from now on!"

"Didn't those bastards not even clean the lounge separately?"

A student from the Black Tortoise Tower next to them was shocked.

What kind of trash are they?

"Every... Oh. Student Yi-Han. Shall we give you some more time?"

"It's fine. Professor."

Yi-Han peeled off his friends who were clinging to him like leeches one by one. Gainando, who remained until the end, was pushed away after being hit on the head.

"I'm glad student Yi-Han is back. As you all know..."

"It's because he was late recovering from the duel with the principal, right?"

A student from the White Tiger Tower spoke as if he knew everything.

Yi-Han thought to himself as he saw that.

'Do those guys believe all rumors?'

If he spread a rumor that 'if you bury all your wealth in the courtyard, a spirit that grants wishes will appear,' would they fall for it?

"No?"

"Oh. It's not?"

The students of the White Tiger Tower were abuzz. A student from the Black Tortoise Tower next to them spoke as if it was pathetic.

"I told you. Pathetic guys. It’s dragons."

"Tsk."

"...It’s not dragons either. He was just trapped while exploring, so everyone stops your strange imaginations."

At Professor Garcia's words, the students were abuzz.

Just getting trapped while exploring.

Does that make sense?

"Are you hiding it?"

"Shh. Let's acknowledge it. If we keep prying, he might get angry."

Professor Garcia gave up on speaking further and sighed.

"Today's lecture will be in the next lecture hall. Everyone follow me."

The students followed behind Professor Garcia and moved.

Yi-Han asked Yonaire.

"Was the last lecture held somewhere else too?"

"Yeah. The professor made the lecture hall like a cave."

No matter how much it was for the dark vision magic, to think she would change the lecture hall into a cave.

Yi-Han was amazed by Professor Garcia's scale.

'It would have been nice to see it in person.'

...Until a huge lake appeared before his eyes.

"...?!"

Gainando, who almost fell into the lake after opening the wrong door, staggered and tried to grab Asan's clothes.

Asan dodged as if to say where he was grabbing. Gainando cursed profusely.

While grabbing the back of Gainando's neck as he was about to fall, Yi-Han asked.

"Professor. Is the magic we're learning today by any chance..."

"You noticed, student Yi-Han."

"...Eumidiphos's Water Bullet or Evaporation?"

"...Look at the name of the lecture again?"

Of course, <Basic Practical Magic> didn't teach Water Bullet or Evaporation.

The magic they were learning today was underwater breathing magic.

"Ah... Indeed."

Yi-Han was visibly relieved.

He was worried about what kind of monster might be in that lake.

"Everyone gather in pairs. First, try casting the magic on yourself, and when you're somewhat familiar with it, try casting it on your partner as well."

As soon as the professor finished speaking, the students of the Blue Dragon Tower started pushing and shoving each other.

"Move, you bastard."

"You move. If Wardanaz is disappointed because of you and transfers to the Immortal Phoenix Tower, will you take responsibility?"

"Shall we do it fairly in order of grades? Huh? Who had good grades in enchantment magic?"

"We should do it with water element magic!"

"I'm the closest, so I..."

"If you take one more step, I'll throw you into the lake, Gainando!"

While the students of the Blue Dragon Tower were fighting over 'who will firmly grasp Yi-Han's wavering heart and bring him back to the Blue Dragon Tower,' a shark mixed-blood priest from the Immortal Phoenix Tower spoke cheerfully.

"Mr. Yi-Han of the Wardanaz family. Let's do it together!"

"Alright."

Since there was no reason not to, Yi-Han readily nodded.

"But why? There should be other priests too."

"Ah. I drew the first lot."

"..."