Surviving as a Mage in a Magic Academy

"Professor. No matter how I think about it, it's impossible to take care of the basilisk egg in the dormitory. If it hatches by mistake..."

"By mistake?"

"...Anyway, if it hatches, an accident could occur."

Yi-Han wanted to step on Professor Verduus's foot, but the distance was a bit far. Yi-Han felt regretful.

"But I received advice from an expert that it's better for you to take care of it."

"Which crazy expert...? No, I'm sorry. Excuse me, but who is it?"

Yi-Han wondered if the skull principal had said such nonsense.

"Professor Bungaegor."

"..."

Yi-Han tried his best to stay calm and listened carefully to Professor Bagrak's explanation.

According to the explanation, it seemed that Professor Bungaegor had answered Professor Bagrak's question as sincerely as possible.

However, no matter how hard one takes notes, raising and nurturing something requires interest and sense that goes beyond theory.

Worried, Professor Bungaegor said this.

-Wouldn't it be better to just entrust it to your disciple?-

-Indeed.-

Professor Bagrak decided to respect the expert's opinion.

"Indeed... But Professor. Professor Bungaegor's words don't mean for me to take it to the dormitory and raise it."

"Is that so?"

"Let's compromise and raise it in a third space. You'll need to prepare a lot of things to take care of the basilisk anyway..."

Yi-Han pondered where would be good.

Professor Uregor's cabin was also a pretty good option.

It was located away from the surroundings and good for additional work...

'Hmm. It wouldn't be good to anger the food supplier.'

Indeed, given Professor Uregor's personality, if Yi-Han said he would take care of the basilisk egg in the cabin he cherished, there was a high possibility of him sulking.

Yi-Han gave up and opened his mouth.

"I'll find a place, then you will build it."

"Huh? Me?"

"...You said you'd take the materials."

"What does that have to do with it?"

Professor Verduus asked, genuinely not understanding.

Yi-Han smiled at the sight of the genius trying to transcend the concept of a deal.

And he asked Professor Bagrak.

"Professor. Please persuade him."

"Alright."

1 minute later, Professor Verduus was persuaded.

"Hot during the day, cold at night... In addition to a fireplace, we'll also need a space to enhance cold magic."

"Heat enhancement and cold enhancement. Both are magic with no fun at all."

Ignoring Professor Verduus's words, Yi-Han moved his steps.

'We'll need a lot of water, so near a stream would be good. Since it's a basilisk, we'll have to go to a place with few people... Professor Verduus will take care of materials and such.'

This was the good thing about constructing with a mage, especially an excellent enchantment mage.

Yi-Han went north from the main building, thoroughly searched the forest at the entrance of the mountain range, and made a decision.

"Please build it here."

"Alright."

Professor Verduus swung his staff without a word. In an instant, the ground was firmly compacted and deeply hollowed, and logs were stacked up, starting to take the form of a house.

A quite cozy log cabin, although not spacious, was quickly completed. Professor Verduus cast a flame enhancement spell at the location of the fireplace and even cast a cold enhancement spell at the opposite location.

'After raising the basilisk, should I store food here?'

It seemed a waste to just abandon such a solidly built building.

Yi-Han carefully placed the basilisk egg in the center of the log cabin. The energy of life could be felt wriggling inside.

"Oh right. We have to prevent intruders from coming, right?"

"Pro, Professor...!"

"Why?"

"I'm surprised. I didn't expect you to think of that."

Yi-Han was honestly surprised.

Of course, since it was a cabin for raising a basilisk, he was going to ask for detection interference or direction confusion magic to be cast around it so that other students couldn't come.

But for Professor Verduus to do that himself.

Professor Verduus answered smugly.

"Of course. What if someone else steals the basilisk?"

"...Th, that's right."

Yi-Han canceled his surprise just now. Professor Verduus cast magic without minding.

"If you don't follow the red-marked trees to enter, you won't be able to find your way."

"Indeed."

"What are you doing now?"

"I'm making a meal for the basilisk."

Yi-Han poured the basilisk feed made by Professor Bungaegor into a pot and boiled it with water. A foul smell spread inside the log cabin.

To hatch a basilisk, a considerable amount of nutrition is needed. According to ancient texts, it is written that 'seven chickens, four sheep, five pigs, two oxen, and sixteen fish must be caught and fed to the egg every day,' but if feed mixed in the correct way is given, it's not necessarily so...

Yi-Han was sincerely grateful to Professor Bungaegor.

Otherwise, Yi-Han would have had to catch all of that.

"The smell is bad, do you really have to make this?"

"You can catch and give seven chickens, four sheep, five pigs, two oxen, and sixteen fish if you want."

"Alright. Work hard."

"...I won't. I'm going to give this."

"Why?!"

Ignoring Professor Verduus's words, Yi-Han started feeding the egg.

The basilisk egg absorbed the boiled feed porridge like a sponge absorbing water.

'Does it like it?'

The egg slightly trembled, and the flow of mana waves could be felt. It wasn't certain, but it seemed satisfied with the meal.

Yi-Han, who had been carefully feeding the egg, called Professor Verduus to prepare for the next task.

"Professor. Please feed it for a moment."

Professor Verduus grumbled about the smell and picked up the ladle.

Then the egg trembled again and emitted waves. This time, it was a considerably negative reaction.

"...Professor. I'll just do it."

Yi-Han snatched the ladle, thinking it couldn't be. Then the egg reduced its negative reaction.

'To be hated by a basilisk that hasn't even been born yet.'

Honestly, it was surprising.

That was also a skill if it could be called a skill.

"Why are you looking at me like that?"

"It's nothing. Professor. Next is... mana."

The task of periodically infusing mana.

For other mages, it was an annoying task of having precious mana taken away regularly every day, but...

For Yi-Han, it was the easiest task.

Whoosh!

The egg seemed to be even happier than before. Perhaps it was because Professor Verduus had moved away.

'I might have to keep Professor Verduus at a distance.'

If he kept stressing the basilisk for no reason and its personality became strange, only Yi-Han would suffer.

Knock knock knock-

"Are you here?"

Yi-Han opened the door of the log cabin. Professor Bagrak was standing with an armful of groceries.

"What did you bring... canned food? There's still basilisk feed left?"

"These are for you to eat."

"!"

While Yi-Han was touched, Professor Bagrak came inside.

Then he pulled Professor Verduus out of the armchair he was lying on and stacked the groceries in that spot.

Various canned meat, fish, and pickled fruits. And things like coffee and sugar were also neatly stacked on top.

"Professor...!"

"You'll need food if you're going to stay here and take care of the basilisk."

"...Professor. I'm going to return to the dormitory in the evening."

Yi-Han answered with a serious face.

Evening.

Yi-Han called the White Tiger Tower students like last time and started cleaning the warehouse.

The only difference was that the White Tiger Tower students were sighing with each task.

"Sigh..."

"..."

"If the golem was here..."

"..."

"Oops... there's no golem now..."

"...We can repair it tomorrow. I was busy today."

Even at Yi-Han's words, the White Tiger Tower students didn't stop grumbling.

"What were you so busy with? It's just studying anyway, right?"

"Magic is important, but you don't know what's really important. Wardanaz doesn't understand people's hearts."

"...I spent time preparing for the basilisk egg hatching under the professor's orders. Satisfied?"

"..."

"..."

The White Tiger Tower students suddenly became solemn.

'I told you Wardanaz must have his own circumstances too.'

"By the way, Mr. Wardanaz."

"What is it, Priestess Siana?"

When Siana, the snake mixed-blood priest from the Flameng Order, spoke to him, Yi-Han turned his head.

"Since you worked last time, you don't have to work today."

"Ah. But I came late and also came from another tower, so I'm trying to do more."

If it were the Blue Dragon Tower, he would never show such kindness, but the Immortal Phoenix Tower priests deserved this kindness.

However, Priestess Siana firmly shook her head.

"There's a problem."

"What is it?"

"Originally, it was your prayer time, but you're being robbed of that time because of this work."

"That... that's true."

"Now it's my turn... Did those White Tiger Tower people perhaps ask you to work together, so you had no choice but to come out?"

"Wh, what...!"

"No way!"

The White Tiger Tower students were upset by the absurd misunderstanding.

If Yi-Han had dragged them out, that would be one thing, but for them to have dragged him out.

It was so upsetting that they couldn't even speak properly.

"But there aren't many reasons to keep coming out for unnecessary work... And it seemed like you were pressuring him to fix the golem earlier..."

"It wasn't pressure, it was a request!"

"Yes... Many people say that."

Priestess Siana spoke as if she didn't believe it at all.

The White Tiger Tower students couldn't believe why they were being suspected like this.

If Yi-Han and the White Tiger Tower students were together, who would have beaten up whom?

One hundred out of one hundred times, the culprit would be Yi-Han.

"You know how strong Wardanaz is!"

"But I heard that mages are usually slow at casting, so they often lose to knights."

"...That's true, but such disadvantages are meaningless to Wardanaz! He's someone who can ambush first as much as he wants!"

"There's no way Mr. Wardanaz would do that. He's such a polite person."

"..."

"..."

Not only the White Tiger Tower students but also Yi-Han felt a bit embarrassed.

Who knew the compliments he gave every time they met would come back like this?

What was surprising was that the other priests also agreed with that.

"That's right. There's no way Mr. Wardanaz would do such an ambush."

"No... I do it though."

"Are you telling a white lie so that the White Tiger Tower people won't feel embarrassed?"

"That's not it, I really do it..."

Yi-Han explained as kindly as possible.

"They really came out to work together, not because they threatened me. The golem was their request."

"Yes. Well. If you say so."

"If you say it like that..."

Yi-Han realized that explaining now would have little effect.

He could hear the other priests working next to him whispering.

-Did the White Tiger Tower people forcibly drag out Mr. Yi-Han Wardanaz?-

-Well... I don't want to hastily speculate, but judging by their current attitude…-

"...Hey. Wardanaz. You go and rest."

"But I called you guys, so I'd feel a bit sorry if I rest alone."

"Is this the time to say such things?!"

The White Tiger Tower students learned one fact.

Being called someone who threatened Wardanaz could be even more upsetting than being called someone who was threatened by Wardanaz!