Chapter 389
Surviving as a Mage in a Magic Academy
'I had also vaguely guessed it.'
Yi-Han had also felt it.
Since Professor Bagrak was not an expert in raising basilisks and probably didn't have other disciples...
...There was a high possibility that Yi-Han would end up taking care of the basilisk!
However, that didn't mean his heart wasn't aching.
"Do your best. It's a really valuable experience."
"Ah, yes."
"Good experience, valuable experience, why do you have to do that kind of experience?"
Professor Uregor grumbled as if it didn't make sense. Then Professor Bungaegor was dumbfounded, asking what he was talking about.
"Think about it. When and where else will you get the experience of caring for and raising a basilisk egg? And how helpful will that experience be? After doing that well, other snake monsters in the Empire will feel like babies."
'As if.'
There were countless monsters in the Empire, so there was no need to prepare for snake monsters in advance.
Couldn't he just not go where they appeared?
"I think it's right to avoid dangerous places or leave it to snake experts..."
Professor Uregor said that while holding out a basket with food to Yi-Han. It contained bread, rice cakes, a large chunk of meat wrapped in a bag, cheese, salt, sugar, a bottle of fruit pickled in honey, and a few cans.
"What is this?"
"Take it and eat some. You'll be busy coming late anyway."
Although Yi-Han could sufficiently catch up with the progress of other students even if he came two weeks late, that didn't mean it wasn't hard.
Considering the things to do in the 2nd semester, he had to at least eat well.
Yi-Han was honestly touched.
There weren't many professors who did this kind of thing.
"Professor...!"
"Hmph. Don't misunderstand. I'm giving it to you because you work well."
"Thank you."
Yi-Han bowed his head and then took out the cans he had hidden in his bosom and put them back in the basket.
Seeing that, Professor Uregor glared at Yi-Han.
Evening.
Yi-Han prepared a simple dinner using the food he had brought from the cabin and the vegetable garden.
It was more abundant than the meals provided by the school, but since he hadn't been able to properly bring supplies from outside yet, there were clearly empty corners on the table.
The priests weren't the type to actively hunt or gather either.
'Hmm. It's a bit of an eyesore.'
Yi-Han skewered rice cakes, meat, and asparagus, roasted them over the fire, and then held them out to the priest.
"It's still a bit lacking, but please bear with it until the next outing. I'll bring it back packed full when I go out."
"What... This is more than enough already!"
"That's right! If we eat more luxuriously than this here, we'll be punished."
The priests said while gobbling down the soup made by boiling potatoes, vegetables, spices, and rice.
Seeing their admirable appearance, Yi-Han unknowingly felt pleased.
'The guys from the Blue Dragon Tower should see that and learn.'
Just a moment ago, while preparing, he had thought, 'I wonder if the guys from the Blue Dragon Tower are eating well,' but seeing the priests, his thoughts changed to 'Well, they'll do well on their own.'
"Ah. Mr. Yi-Han. Will you go with me to get the assignment?"
"It's already that time. Sure."
Yi-Han nodded at Sharukal's words. Sharukal hurriedly started to drag Yi-Han down, worried that the other priests would notice.
"Why are you in such a hurry?"
"If the other priests notice, it will be troublesome... No, I was originally supposed to go and get the new duty, but I'm a bit late."
"It doesn't seem that late..."
-Where did Mr. Yi-Han of the Wardanaz family go?-
-Who knows? Didn't he go into the tower for a bit?-
-Wait, didn't Priest Sharukal go to get the assignment? I think he went together?-
-Chase after them!-
"..."
Yi-Han stared at Sharukal. Sharukal ignored his gaze, pretending not to see it.
"Let's go quickly!"
"Don't priests dislike lying...?"
When they arrived in front of the main building, the undead waiting there greeted Yi-Han and Sharukal.
-You arrived quickly.-
"..."
-But why is the bloodline of the Wardanaz family among the priests?-
"There are circumstances. If you ask the principal, you'll know."-
-Ah. Does the master want to torment the students of the Blue Dragon Tower?-
"...It's not for that reason... No. Is it?"-
-Indeed, the 1st-years of the Blue Dragon Tower had it too comfortable last semester. The master cursed them several times.-
"..."
Yi-Han decided to pretend he didn't hear it.
While they were talking like that, students from other towers arrived one by one.
Unlike Yi-Han and Sharukal, the faces of the other tower students were full of tension.
Yi-Han waved his hand and called his friends.
"Did you have a good dinner? Did Gainando properly deliver the ingredients?"
His friends noticed Yi-Han and started crying instead of waving back.
"Wa, Wardanaz...! Sob! Please come back!"
"...Did Gainando cook?"
"No. I told Gainando not to cook, but..."
A student from the Blue Dragon Tower said, sobbing.
Yi-Han had tried to be careful in his own way, but there was a flaw in that thought.
Even if he told Gainando not to cook, it wasn't like his other friends were particularly good at cooking!
The students from the Blue Dragon Tower made all the mistakes beginners would make, such as burning, seasoning incorrectly, and mixing incompatible ingredients.
No matter how much an outstanding student in alchemy like Yonaire tried to control it, there was a limit.
-Reduce the heat! I said reduce the heat!-
-Why? Isn't it better if the fire is strong since the cooking will be done faster?-
-Measure the salt properly and put it in!! Don't just sprinkle it!!-
-Huh? Wardanaz just sprinkled it? Isn't it done by feeling?-
-What feeling when you're doing it for the first time!! You there! Don't add more water! I told you there's enough moisture in the vegetables!-
"Why don't you change the tower name to the Hungry Blue Worm Tower?"
"We're not that bad. Hoho."
The students from the White Tiger Tower, who were listening next to them, suddenly became arrogant.
Of course, it was an absurd thing to say in Yi-Han's eyes.
'What are these guys who can only grill saying...'
They were better than the students from the Blue Dragon Tower, but that was something that should be obvious for a human being, and the students from the White Tiger Tower weren't particularly good at cooking either.
He knew it well from hearing it from Jijel and Dolgyu.
-I caught a rabbit!-
-Oh... Let's grill it!-
-I got some bread!-
-Oh... Let's grill it!-
-I bought some fish!-
-Oh... Let's grill it!-
-I got some spices and sugar, can't we make something with this? Like the dish Wardanaz made. That was delicious.-
-There's a good thing. Let's sprinkle it after grilling.-
Guys who only know how to grill!
'Well, at least they grill.'
"You guys just eat it raw. Don't bother cooking."
When it was confirmed that all the students had gathered, the undead opened its mouth.
-Attention. Everyone has gathered. Then I will explain the things to do this week. First... The 3rd-year students tried to raid the kitchen on the 4th floor but failed and a fire broke out inside, so this needs to be completely cleaned up.
A student raised his hand and asked.
"Uh... But why aren't the 3rd-year seniors cleaning that up?"
-Good question. The 3rd-year seniors are cleaning up the accidents caused by the 4th-years.-
"..."
"..."
-And next is... Has anyone been to the forest stream south of the main building?-
"I have been there."
A student from the White Tiger Tower answered. Seeing that, Yi-Han felt a bad premonition.
-I see... I haven't told you to go there yet, so you went in secretly? I'll remember your name.-
"Ah, no...!"
'As expected.'
You absolutely couldn't let your guard down when answering either.
-Anyway, I heard it's swarming with pests. They're not that strong, so you can just go and deal with them. Next is... Organizing the 2nd floor warehouse. It seems to take a long time because there's so much junk.-
"!!"
When his friends flinched, Yi-Han asked, puzzled.
"Why are you surprised?"
"Ah. That came out last week too. The White Tiger Tower members were in charge of it."
"I see."
Yi-Han looked at the students from the White Tiger Tower and asked.
"How was that?"
"Hmm. It wasn't that difficult. Wardanaz."
"But there was too much, so we couldn't finish it..."
Yi-Han immediately noticed from their shaking eyes.
'It must have been hard.'
Judging from the reaction of the White Tiger Tower guys, it was clear that the workload was large and difficult.
If not, those guys would have tried to do it again.
-Well then. Let's divide it.-
The undead hurriedly made lots and threw them one by one. Sharukal grabbed Yi-Han's wrist and spoke seriously.
"Mr. Yi-Han. How about praying to Lord Agltakwa?"
"Uh... Wasn't he the god of the sea and storms?"
Yi-Han had never heard that Agltakwa also presided over drawing lots.
"Yes. But Lord Agltakwa's power is great, so if you believe and pray..."
Yi-Han unfolded the lot.
Organizing the 2nd floor warehouse.
"..."
"...Come to think of it, he doesn't preside over drawing lots."
"I'm sorry for no reason. It seems like you drew a difficult one."
"No. How can there be easy and difficult things in this kind of work?"
"That's right. Difficult work is more rewarding."
'I can't get used to it.'
Yi-Han was distressed by the priests' words.
If it were the students from the Blue Dragon Tower, they would have been blatantly shameless, but the priests here were too kind, so it was a bit distressing at times.
Creak-
When the door opened, a huge garbage dump greeted the students.
It was a warehouse where all kinds of junk were tightly stuffed in, though it was unknown who had piled it up.
The terrain inside Einroguard changed frequently, and as a result, spaces like this that many students had secretly used as a warehouse would suddenly pop up.
And now, if it was left here, this space could suddenly explode and scatter garbage in all directions.
Once discovered, it had to be cleaned up as quickly as possible.
"...Wait."
Looking around the mountain of junk, Yi-Han noticed a cloth covering the corner next to it.
When he removed the cloth, there was a new pile of garbage inside.
That in itself wasn't so surprising, but...
'This pile of garbage doesn't seem to have been created long ago.'
Yi-Han felt suspicious and checked the top of the pile of garbage.
Then, the broken wooden swords frequently used by the White Tiger Tower students appeared.
"..It seems the White Tiger Tower guys got lazy while cleaning and hid the garbage here."
"Oh my..."
"We have no choice but to work harder."
The priests spoke as if it was unfortunate.
Yi-Han stared at the priests for a while, then thought for a moment and said.
"Can I go to the tower for a bit?"
"Of course. Go ahead and come back comfortably."
"You don't have to worry about the stream forest. There are no dangerous ones. I've been hunting there many times."
"Really?"
The student from the White Tiger Tower who had been in the forest spoke confidently.
"Yeah. There are absolutely no dangerous monsters here- Ack!"
Thud!
Yi-Han subdued one of the White Tiger Tower students by shooting magic from behind, then pointed his staff at another student.
"Raise your hands. The moment you move your fingers, one of your bones will break."
"Wa... Wardanaz!! You bastard! Earlier, you made fun of us by calling us the hungry worm tower..."
"What are you talking about?"
"...No?"
"The guys who cleaned the warehouse last week. Did you do it properly or not?"
At Yi-Han's question, the White Tiger Tower student flinched.
Anyone could see that he had something to feel guilty about.
"We... We worked hard."
"I see. Move two steps to the right."
"Wh, why?"
"If you faint there, you might fall into the stream. You wouldn't want your clothes to get wet."
"...Actually, we used a little... trick..."
"I see. Two steps to the right..."
"A, a little! It was really just a little!"