Surviving as a Mage in a Magic Academy Chapter 680

Chapter 680

"You just said directly..."

"Direth."

"!"

An unfamiliar mage approached them.

The mage had features somewhat resembling Adenart. Especially the silver hair and blue eyes created a stronger sense of similarity.

The difference was that the mage before them exuded a much more inorganic and cold atmosphere.

It could be because Yi-Han had become quite close to Adenart, but Adenart wasn't as cold as she was often misunderstood to be.

She cared about etiquette and formality and had a strict personality, but someone who stole bread for her followers couldn't be cold, could she?

'She's like a capable Gainando.'

In contrast, the mage before them felt fundamentally different in character.

The mage spoke to Direth without showing any interest in Yi-Han.

"You came to see."

"Of course, it's your work, Yukbeltire."

"You thought well. It will surely be helpful."

'So she's the princess!'

Yi-Han realized this person was Princess Yukbeltire that Direth had mentioned earlier.

'Then is she Adenart's older sister?'

Yukbeltire, who had been discussing complex matters about this magic with Direth, seemed to finally notice Yi-Han.

Yukbeltire looked at Yi-Han once and then said to Direth with a frown.

"Are you taking care of juniors again?"

"Ah. Stop it. It's my choice."

"Then my advice is my choice too. Stop taking care of juniors who don't match your level. It won't be of any help to your magic."

The princess's voice didn't contain any emotional aspects like arrogance or contempt.

Only an emotionless certainty that her words were correct could be felt.

Direth answered with a shudder at the cold kindness her friend always showed.

"Enough, I'll handle my own business. And this junior is smart."

"You always say that. But I don't think I've seen a truly smart junior yet."

Direth's face reddened slightly as her friend's words hit a sore spot.

There hadn't been anyone among the dark magic school juniors with grades as good as Direth's yet.

"This junior is really smart!"

"You said that last time too. Is there any difference?"

"Hey. Go away. Get out of here."

"This isn't a space you own, so you don't have that right."

"...Junior. Let's go."

Direth tried to move, pulling Yi-Han's sleeve.

However, the princess followed behind with an expressionless face. She continued trying to persuade her friend.

"We're moving up to 5th year together now, how long do you plan to take care of juniors? You need to focus on your magic too."

"Why on earth did I come to a place like this?"

Direth regretted coming.

She felt like she had gained a bigger lump just for coming to see her friend's magic.

When Direth ignored her words, Yukbeltire turned her arrow to Yi-Han.

"3rd year. You answer. How long do you plan to rely on Direth? Aren't you ashamed of holding back Direth, who will become a great mage, as an Einroguard student?"

'Why did she think I'm a 3rd year?'

I'm a 1st year?

Yi-Han was puzzled.

But before he could answer, Direth exploded in anger.

"Hey. You're crossing the line now. There's a limit, friend or not."

"I'm just giving advice as a friend..."

"Keep talking. You'll die here today, presentation or not."

"!"

Yi-Han shuddered, feeling how powerful the anger of a senior moving up to 4th, no, 5th year was.

Mana fluctuated, and he felt about five spells he couldn't identify reach the point just before pulling the trigger.

"Well. But isn't she right?"

"...Hey... Junior..."

Direth looked at Yi-Han with an expression that said 'how could you say that'.

He should take her side, not her rude friend's side.

"No, it does seem like the dark magic school seniors depend too much on Senior Direth... Like last time too... Even the professor, isn't it a bit much?"

"You have discerning eyes."

Yukbeltire quickly agreed.

She might not know his talent, but it seemed he had some conscience.

"The dark magic school is exploiting Direth's talent. Not just Professor Mortum, but Ogoldos hasn't been of any help despite being in the same year. Do you deny this too?"

Direth hesitated as another sore spot was hit.

"That's the characteristic of the dark magic school..."

"It does seem to be true."

"Hey!"

Direth was enraged at her junior's betrayal.

Is this kid a spy?

Yi-Han soothed Direth and expressed his opinion.

"In my opinion, the dark magic school students should stop relying on Senior Direth now. They should do their own work. Professor Mortum should stop using Senior Direth too."

"...!"

Direth forgot about fighting and was moved to tears.

It was the first time she had seen a junior say such admirable things.

"...I'm glad even if it's just the thought."

"I'll also submit anonymous letters to the principal every time Professor Mortum calls for Senior Direth!"

"..."

"..."

Both Direth and Yukbeltire looked at Yi-Han as if he was insane.

"Is this junior perhaps mentally unstable?"

"...No. He's just close with the principal."

"Then he is mentally unstable, isn't he?"

The princess spoke without malice.

There was no way he could be the skull principal's disciple, and if he wasn't a disciple but was close to him, he must be a regular in the punishment room.

"Junior... I appreciate the thought. But you don't need to go that far. And the dark magic school just seems to have a heavy workload because there are so few of us."

"To be precise, the workload Direth alone takes on is much heavier."

"You shut up."

"I refuse."

Yi-Han, who had been listening to their conversation, suddenly thought of something and asked.

"By the way, which school does Senior Yukbeltire major in?"

"Enchantment magic. I'm Professor Beavle's direct disciple."

"Ah, I see!"

Yi-Han immediately understood, thinking 'as expected'. Direth spoke with a disgruntled expression.

"Isn't that too harsh even if she's my friend...?"

"I don't know what you mean."

Direth sighed.

There were few things as rude as asking someone "Are you perhaps Professor Beavle's disciple?", but there were exceptions.

When the person really was Professor Beavle's disciple!

Yukbeltire was such a case, so there was nothing to say even with ten mouths.

-Miss Yukbeltire. Please prepare.-

When mages called her name, the princess checked the time and turned around.

"Direth. Don't forget today's advice."

"Yes. I'll definitely change!"

'Why are you answering...'

Yukbeltire said she would watch with an expressionless face and then left.

Direth felt as tired as if she had sprinted.

"What trouble this is, coming to see magic..."

"Indeed."

"And why are you taking her side!"

"I-I'm sorry."

Yi-Han felt slightly wronged.

Honestly, it seemed like the dark magic school was at fault too.

"But why did that senior think I was a 3rd year earlier?"

"She knows the 4th years, and 2nd years have no reason to be here, so she must have thought you were a 3rd year."

"But there are 1st years too, aren't there?"

Direth looked at Yi-Han as if he had asked the most pathetic question in the world.

***

As Gawon prepared his magic, Direth flipped through a book with an uninterested expression.

"Aren't you interested in that magic?"

"I saw the pre-presentation, and it wasn't much."

The magic presented at exchange meetings was basically compiled into a catalog in advance and distributed to mages.

Sharp-eyed and clever mages could tell whether this magic was good or cliché just by looking at it.

"There was no development from <Ota's Brilliant Prism> magic."

"B-but wouldn't it be good if the magic circle is improved and the process shortened?"

"It would be good if that happened, but it's not easy."

Improving magic required both knowledge and intuition.

Knowledge from experience creating and modifying all sorts of magic circles, and intuition to sense mana flow more sensitively than others.

These were needed to set the direction for improvement.

Moreover, it wasn't over just by setting the direction. The ability to implement that direction was also needed.

For example, let's say compressing 1,000 mana into a magic circle improves the effect.

Then the mage had the obligation to actually obtain it, put it in, and prove it. Just claiming without being able to do it would only make everyone indifferent.

"But he improved the luminous spirit ink magic circle again, and compressed mana into the black shadow sand..."

"...Really?"

Direth closed the <Monthly Dark Magic Trends> book and narrowed her eyes.

Looking closely, she could definitely feel something had changed.

"He simplified the shape fixation much more? He removed the left side shape fixation magic?"

Direth was surprised at the bold choice.

Unless they were from Einroguard, outside mages tended to cling to safer choices.

Yet to see such a bold magic circle.

"Is it okay?"

"It's good... It's fine."

Yi-Han felt proud.

It seemed what he had fixed wasn't wrong.

"Wait, he improved the magic circle completely and then compressed mana into the black shadow sand? How did he come up with such an idea, he's not Professor Beavle?"

"...Other people besides the professor can do it too..."

"That's true, but that method is one Professor Beavle likes to use."

A magic method that cuts out unnecessary things for efficiency regardless of difficulty.

It was a method Professor Beavle liked to use.

Yi-Han was disgusted.

'How unfair.'

To be mistaken for using Professor Beavle's method!

It seemed his experience learning under the professor had influenced him knowingly or unknowingly. Yi-Han felt a great sense of humiliation.

"Amazing."

Direth spat out a brief evaluation and leaned back. Her eyes were full of interest.

"That mage seems to have come prepared... Come to think of it, junior. How did you recognize that right away?"

She suddenly thought it was amazing.

From this far distance, and the junior probably hadn't even seen the catalog, yet he noticed the extraordinariness of that magic.

"I helped with the improvement."

"...What?"

"For giving us a ride in the carriage..."

Yi-Han told the story of how he repaid the kindness of the mage Gawon who had lent them the carriage.

Direth was so dumbfounded she couldn't answer.

Seeing this, Yi-Han cautiously asked.

"Is it not allowed to touch magic submitted to the exchange meeting?"

"No. That's not it. But usually people don't modify magic just for lending a carriage..."

It wasn't like the story of a mage who cast magic on a village for receiving one coin, what kind of generosity was this?

Direth shook her head and looked ahead.

-Isn't this no different from Ota's Brilliant Prism?-

-W-well...-

-How stupid! Don't you have eyes? Look at that magic circle. It's been improved several times over Ota's Brilliant Prism!-

-That level of improvement isn't enough!-

-Can't you see the mana compressed in that black shadow sand! Are you an idiot?-

-How dare you... Come out! It's a duel!-

-That's my line. I need to remove one idiot from the exchange meeting!-

Except for a few minority opinions who tried to find fault but ended up getting cursed at and going to duel, the mages participating in the exchange meeting showed positive reactions.

Gawon sighed in relief and brightened when he saw Yi-Han.

Then he shouted from the stage, pointing at Yi-Han.

"Mr. Yi-Han, thank you! Thank you! This magic would have been impossible without his help!"

As all the mages sitting in their seats turned to look at Yi-Han, Direth pulled her hat down low and said in a low voice.

"Junior. I think it would be better if we sit separately from now on."