Surviving as a Mage in a Magic Academy

Yi-Han smoothly changed the subject, realizing his mistake.

"But you don't make golems do tasks that require a lot of strength?"

However, as if proving their lack of sociability, the dark mages reacted coldly.

"No... Why golems...?"

"Isn't it a waste of mana? Do Einroguard mages use golems for that?"

"Wouldn't it be better to just hire workers with money?"

'Dark mages really lack consideration.'

Yi-Han cursed the dark mages inwardly.

Not knowing that the student in front of them was grumbling inside, the dark mages continued their questions.

"Anyway, we don't do chores with golems, so we were greatly impressed to see chores being done with golems at Einroguard."

"That's right. To think of doing chores with golems. It sounds absurd, but if you think about it, isn't it the most effective training?"

"I just did it because there was no other way..."

Yi-Han tried to explain that there was no other choice but golems if he wanted to finish all the work within the set time and secure food.

However, the dark mages admired him once again.

"You mean there was no other way for golem training?!"

"...No. I'm saying there was no other way to do chores and receive food."

The dark mages ignored Yi-Han's additional explanation as just a joke and admired him on their own.

"Oops. We were so surprised that we didn't explain ourselves... We are dark mages who came to participate in this festival. Don't be too surprised just because we're dark mages. There are many dark mages who are quite skilled in summoning magic."

The dark mages hurriedly explained that they were not strange people, worried that Yi-Han might run away screaming, 'Ahhh, dark mages!'

However, it was meaningless. The student in front of them was an outstanding dark mage from the beginning.

"We specialize in golem research... We'd like to hear a bit about how student Wardanaz controls golems. Most rumors about dark mages are malicious false rumors, so please don't believe them too much..."

Seeing the dark mages clarifying that 'dark mages are actually okay' with every word, it was a bit pitiful.

'I should end it simply.'

"Yi-Han is also learning dark magic, so you don't have to keep saying that."

Gainando, who was listening, intervened.

He was upset because it seemed like the dark mages were constantly disrespecting Yi-Han.

However, the dark mages were startled and asked back.

"You're learning dark magic?"

"Huh? Yes."

"Th, then you're a dark mage?"

"Uh... in a way?"

"Don't tell me that golem was also with dark magic?!"

"I don't know about that... Yi-Han. Yi-Han?"

Gainando, who was calling Yi-Han, flinched.

Yi-Han was staring at Gainando with eyes colder than the eternal snow of the permafrost.

"...Di, did I make a mistake?"

Yi-Han didn't answer.

"...Will it be resolved by skipping dinner?"

Yi-Han didn't answer.

"...Then until the next morning??"

"Enough, I'll see you later."

Gainando, who was trying to somehow resolve it by skipping two meals, made a tearful face.

'It's all because of the dark mages!'

Why did they come to the summoning festival and cause this commotion out of nowhere!

"Inanimate object summoning this way!"

"Living creature summoning, please come this way."

"Let me compare it with the documents you submitted. Open your reagent pouch."

The senior disciples of Professor Millei, the summoning magic major students of Einroguard, worked hard to manage the mages who came to the <Boltzmann's Call> festival.

Unlike other large festivals in the empire, the <Boltzmann's Call> festival was a small festival where only mages gathered, but in a way, that made it more dangerous.

If mages caused accidents even with ordinary people around, how many accidents would they cause without ordinary people?

"He... here."

"Three containers of Negelep seeds, one container of peace grass, one pentagonal bead with a fire spirit trapped inside, tentacles of Gulakalman... Wait. Tentacles of Gulakalman weren't in the documents. What is this?"

"...Please overlook this. It's essential to summon something stronger. If you think about how powerful a being the tentacles of Gulakalman can call..."

"Are you crazy?? Were you trying to summon a giant sea monster behind our backs just now??"

"N, no. What are you saying? It's completely controllable."

"Put down the reagent pouch and throw the staff on the ground! Know that if you move, one of your limbs will break."

"Wh... why are you doing this! I thought Einroguard mages would naturally understand this much!"

"Shut up and get down!"

"Ugh! Why my magic...!"

Those who tried to deceive Einroguard or other mages and make dangerous attempts were caught and dragged away.

Seeing that, the summoning mages shook their heads and said.

"Such people appear every year."

"That's right. I understand the greed to prove one's magic at the festival, but magic that one can't control is no different from a disaster."

"Ah. Professor Millei. Hello."

The summoning mages showed respect-filled greetings to Professor Millei's appearance without exception.

Among the summoning mages gathered here, there were many whose specialties didn't overlap.

Some specialized in artifacts with self-awareness among inanimate objects.

Some specialized in giant golems among inanimate objects.

And some specialized in spirit-type creatures among living beings...

They all had their own specialties, but Professor Millei's skills were outstanding enough to be respected by all such summoning mages.

The senior Einroguard students, who reconfirmed their teacher's position among mages, looked at each other with satisfied eyes.

Outstanding professor, many new students entering every year, diverse and interesting curriculum, a bright future for the school.

The summoning magic school was a textbook-like and exemplary school within Einroguard with no flaws.

"The 1st years are doing well, right?"

"I heard they're doing well."

"We should treat them well. The teacher will be secretly disappointed even if she pretends not to be."

When it was time for a short break during the organization, the senior students whispered.

Unlike the 1st year students, the seniors who had learned under Professor Millei for several years could guess their teacher's inner thoughts to some extent.

Although Professor Millei seemed not to be swayed by the students' grades due to her strictness, she unexpectedly took pride in her students.

If the 1st year students showed a performance that fell short of expectations in front of the mages from outside, how disappointed would Professor Millei be inside?

The senior students hoped that the 1st years would show outstanding performance, even if only to not disappoint their teacher.

"It'll be either a paper rat or a paper bird, right?"

"I took a peek, and it was a paper bird."

"Ah... a paper bird will be difficult?"

"Should we help them even now?"

"Leave it. It'll backfire if we get caught. It's the punishment room."

The other seniors stopped a senior student who was trying to write various tips on paper and pass them on.

Magic bloomed from the effort of steadily researching and training on a regular basis, not just by listening to others' advice.

"But there's a good 1st year, I heard? From the Wardanaz family."

"The Wardanaz family! ...Even so, aren't first-years usually too overwhelmed? They'll be so hungry that they won't have the mind to study magic or anything."

The students recalled their own 1st year.

Honestly, in the 1st year, it seemed like they searched for things to eat more than studying.

Memorizing all the types of weeds and wild grasses rolling on the roadside, memorizing the appearance and how to deal with monsters appearing near the academy, desperately learning magic that helps secure food first...

...When did we really study magic?

"Ah. That first-year from the Wardanaz family?"

"You know him?"

"...I heard from Direth and Coholti, but it's a bit strange. Even if I don't know about Coholti, Direth isn't someone who would talk nonsense. But..."

"What did you hear? That he's not a person but a transformed dragon?"

"First of all, I heard he's taking lectures from all the schools of magic."

"Oh no."

"Why is he doing such a crazy thing?"

"There are sometimes guys who want to destroy themselves."

The seniors reacted with pity rather than surprise.

It wasn't that mages couldn't take lectures from various schools of magic, but they didn't.

Because they would die if they took them all!

"So is he still alive?"

"I heard he's taking them all together in the 2nd semester too, ranking first in all the academy lectures."

"..."

"..."

A silence filled with horror.

"...Could he be a relative of Professor Garcia?"

"He's from the Wardanaz family. You crazy bastard. How can he be a relative of Professor Garcia?"

"It... it doesn't make sense."

The seniors were agitated.

Although Einroguard was the place that gathered the most outstanding talents in the empire, even so...

"There were rumors of a monster entering in the 1st year, but it's not a rumor, it's a real monster."

"But in a way, isn't it fortunate? If there's such a guy in the 1st year, the teacher won't be disappointed."

"Right. He's someone we can trust in terms of summoning magic skills, right?"

The senior student who heard from Direth and Coholti hesitated and opened his mouth.

"That's true, but..."

"Why? What, do you still have something to say?"

"So when the King of Frost Giants was summoned in the 1st semester, he..."

From the King of Frost Giants incident to what happened during the break.

It was a considerably reduced and summarized incident, but the seniors' expressions distorted.

"...You were fooled by Coholti."

"That guy exaggerates a lot."

"Re, really??"

The student who conveyed the story also had doubts from the beginning, so his voice gradually weakened.

As expected, it felt too absurd...

"Wait. Why are dark mages gathered over there?"

"I'll go check just in case."

"Yeah. Even if they insist on summoning strange undead, never allow it. If a strong one is summoned, it'll be troublesome... Huh??"

"Huh??"

The summoning magic students who were talking hesitated in bewilderment.

There was a 1st year student among the dark mages.

...Why are you there!?

"Wow... it's really amazing."

"I know, right?"

The dark mages who saw Yi-Han controlling the golem sent gazes of admiration.

To think that such detailed control is possible.

"Even if you consume a lot of mana, you wouldn't just consume raw mana, so how do you save mana?"

"...I just use it while consuming raw mana."

"I see that the core of this golem is quite damaged, so how are you moving it?"

"...The core was damaged!?"

"..."

The dark mages were so perplexed that they didn't know whether to admire or be dumbfounded by this student.

His appearance of controlling the golem was like a skilled dark mage who had reached the realm, but his knowledge was like a novice dark mage who had only learned for a few years.

"What is everyone doing?"

While they were murmuring, mages from other places approached.

At that sight, the dark mages frowned. They were those who specialized in golems among summoning mages.

Even within the same school, there was competition if they had the same research topic, and if they were from different schools, the competition was even more fierce.

"Get lost. Don't spy on someone else's golem."

"Ha. Why would I spy on a golem summoned with dark magic? Pure summoning magic is enough."

"Enough, my ass. Was it because it was enough that the leg of the golem you summoned last time flew off with a single magic spell?"

"Th... that was a temporary phenomenon that occurred because I reduced the armor and changed the material for mobility! Your golem that collapses and rolls with a single holy magic... Uh?? Wh, what is that?"

The golem summoning mages were shocked to see Yi-Han controlling the golem to do chores.

What the hell did those dark mages do?!