Surviving as a Mage in a Magic Academy Chapter 1076

Chapter 1076

'Such rude people.'

Even if they had no way to contact him, why harass Alcicle?

"So what did you do?"

Alcicle had already confirmed that something was done under the name Setlad Anog.

"I might not have done anything."

"How could that be?"

Firm belief.

Of course looking at time, Yi-Han hadn't had leisure to do anything recently.

During break he had been hunting monsters from the void beyond realms, visiting another magic school to solve problems, getting kidnapped by an evil dragon, or subjugating evil god worshippers.

'No. Come to think of it, why is this bastard doing this during break?'

Alcicle suddenly fell into a fundamental question.

Shouldn't a student spend a more fresh and clear break?

Though there would be limits being an Einroguard student, even accounting for that Wardanaz's break had too high professor density.

"Actually I did something."

Yi-Han gave up and confessed.

"When did you do what?"

"Last night I went around under the identity of Setlad Anog."

"...What!? When!?"

Alcicle was shocked.

Though he thought something had been done recently, he hadn't imagined it would be yesterday.

Hadn't he been modifying the small sailing ship on the second floor?!

"We briefly launched it for testing... But didn't Professor Verduus feel any dissonance when we all disappeared?"

"Would he?"

'Well that's true.'

While Yi-Han and company worked on the second floor and even flew in the air, Professor Verduus had been deeply immersed in his own work, the most interesting thing in the world.

Even hearing the two mages had left, he just said 'Oh? Then I should finish this and return'.

Of course the knights were cold. They immediately grabbed Professor Verduus's nape, stuffed him in the carriage and departed for Einroguard.

"More importantly it's unfortunate Professor Verduus returned."

"What?!"

Yi-Han explaining was startled at Alcicle's words.

Had some magic contamination phenomenon occurred?

"With Professor Verduus here, Professor Boladi Bagrak would attack him instead of me first."

"Indeed."

Yi-Han admired.

As expected the genius mage's name wasn't empty.

To make such calculations in that short time?

"So when sailing the airship people gathered and you said you were Setlad Anog?"

"Yes. Aren't people a bit excessive?"

"I think I'd be curious and go look too if I heard there was a mage who stole Professor Verduus's property..."

"..."

Alcicle was serious.

If there was a mage who completed eternal frost magic and a mage who stole Professor Verduus's property, he would want to meet the latter first.

"Though replying to all would be impossible, you can't ignore them all either. How about accepting one or two good invitations?"

"I was planning to ignore them all."

At Yi-Han's answer, Alcicle shook his head and explained.

"Seems you plan to keep using this careless alias, but if so there's nothing good about ignoring all invitations. Rather it would feel strange."

"What do you mean careless alias."

Lightly ignoring the protest, Alcicle continued speaking.

"And when inviting a mage who achieved outstanding deeds, they prepare appropriate proposals and gifts. Though you might refuse proposals, wouldn't you be tempted by gifts?"

Though it was a bit embarrassing calling stealing a professor's treasure an outstanding deed, Alcicle's words certainly had reason.

Just attending would get him gifts.

'It certainly matches my tendencies.'

"Lastly one more thing."

"What?"

"Please go tell them you're not that close with me..."

Alcicle's voice was plaintive, having nearly died buried in letters overnight.

Yi-Han had no choice but to nod.

  *

"Direth. But are you okay?"

Coholti carefully asked.

Unlike the Einroguard dark magic school students here, Coholti was a graduate.

Perhaps because of that, he was extra worried about his same-year friend.

"With what?"

"Well, not meeting your friend and just taking care of juniors here..."

As soon as the words ended, resistance burst from the dark magic school juniors.

"What's wrong with us to say such things!"

"Come to think of it you're not even a senior anymore right? Mr. Coholti. Why are you here? Go to where you work!"

'These bad bastards.'

Coholti was inwardly upset.

Of course even during school Coholti hadn't been a reliable senior.

But still he had helped juniors as Direth ordered, yet this was how they repaid his kindness.

"Which friend?"

Direth wondered.

She couldn't guess who Coholti meant.

"Aren't you talking about the princess?"

"Must mean Senior Yukbeltire."

When answers burst from the juniors and Coholti nodded too, Direth answered in shock.

"Why is she coming up here?!"

"Uh, huh? You two are super close... ah, not?"

The dark magic school students hesitated.

"We're not super clo... ugh... not close... well. We are close, but I absolutely don't want to meet her even during break? Rather I feel refreshed not meeting!"

"You take too good care of her for that."

"Senior is just naturally caring. Last time she even contracted that ugly undead saying it was pitiful."

When the juniors whispered, Direth flared up.

"It's not ugly. Be quiet."

"Sorry."

"And Yukbeltire will be busy with her own work too. Got it? Don't say ominous things when I'm comfortable not meeting for once. I have no complaints at all about moving with juniors."

At Direth's words, the juniors attacked Coholti in unison.

"That's right. Sen... no, Mr. Coholti why did you say such things!"

"Senior Direth has no complaints at all about making time for us. Please stop trying to drive a wedge."

At the juniors' cold attitude, Coholti resolved.

Even if the juniors came to where he worked later, he would absolutely not acknowledge knowing them.

'These bastards. Just wait.'

Still, since Coholti was getting too attacked as a friend, Direth personally changed the subject.

"Coholti. Tell us about where you work. So the juniors can listen and reference."

"Hmph. Go to 5th year."

"..."

"..."

The atmosphere instantly turned cold. Coholti realized his mistake.

It was the worst statement making not only the juniors but even Direth angry.

"...I made a mistake. I'll apologize."

In the end Coholti had to give out ice cream packed with peaches and plums to the dark magic school students.

Even while licking ice cream in waffle cones, the students didn't stop glaring.

"I said I'm sorry..."

"Hmph."

"I did it because work has been hard lately."

Coholti opened up about his recent work.

Though dark magic school might be unpopular, students graduating from Einroguard didn't lack proposals. Naturally several proposals had come to Coholti too.

Imperial army mage in the northern contaminated region, research mage at a dark magic tower, guest mage in a knight order formed to track magic criminals, dark mage managing and supervising regional gravekeeper...

And among those, what Coholti chose was sentinel of the western <Wasteland Stargazers>.

The Wasteland Stargazers, outstanding hunters and patrollers, also monitored demons and magic crimes, needing skilled dark mages for this.

"Come to think of it, why did you join the Wasteland Stargazers, Senior Coholti?"

"Huh? Because the pay was best."

'Shouldn't have asked.'

The juniors all regretted.

It was quite a talent to inspire so little respect despite being in the same year as Senior Direth.

Should they just remove 'senior' and call him 'Mr.' again?

"Anyway this Wasteland Stargazer work is harder than expected."

"Ah. Certainly the distance to travel..."

The western wasteland boasted one of the empire's largest areas. For Wasteland Stargazers, galloping across this land staying up three nights straight was ordinary.

"No. That wasn't very hard. Rather my body was more comfortable than at Einroguard."

"Really? Strange. Did they show consideration since you're mages?"

"..."

Direth inwardly fell silent.

It was truly sad how the juniors' senses were distorted.

It wasn't the Stargazers showing consideration but Einroguard life being that harsh...!

"Then what was hard? Were enemies powerful?"

"No. Haven't even seen powerful enemies. From the start such demons or magic criminals wouldn't appear often right? What's hard is people."

"People? But you said magic criminals don't appear often?"

"Not magic criminals, ordinary people."

Actually patrollers' work prioritized finding and preventing before things happened rather than chasing and arresting after.

If someone obtained an evil dark magic relic, stop them before causing accidents, if they made wrong potions and got poisoned, go detoxify them...

And in this process Coholti realized imperial people listened less well than expected.

-You must throw away that amulet!-

-What nonsense! Do you know how much I paid for this?-

-The mirror is cursed! Let me in to remove it!-

-Think I'd carelessly let outsiders into my mansion? Don't even dream of it!-

"...They wouldn't listen even when told it was dangerous."

"Oh my."

"Can't help it if they don't know about magic. Try persuading like we learned at Einroguard."

'Did we learn that?'

Others wondered inwardly at someone's words.

They didn't seem to have particularly learned persuasion...

Hearing the juniors' words, Coholti became slightly more dejected.

"Like we learned at Einroguard? I tried but... it... had rather the opposite effect."

"Opposite effect?"

"I tried sneaking in to secretly destroy it but got caught."

The dark magic school students couldn't help feeling regret.

"What a waste! To get caught!"

"If only you hadn't been caught...!"

"Right? I think so too."

Direth fell silent again.

She wanted to tell the juniors 'The problem isn't getting caught but trying to secretly destroy it' but it seemed useless.

"So you got fired? Are you perhaps re-enrolling at Einroguard?"

"Don't make such horrible jokes even in jest."

Coholti glared seriously.

Then met eyes with Direth.

"...Ah, n-no. I don't mean 5th year is horrible..."

"Shut up and just continue talking."

"So I came to the capital. To apologize."

Direth and the juniors had come to the capital taking advantage of break for several requests, research, visits etc.

Then hearing Coholti was in the capital too, they met like this...

"Is the owner of the destroyed item a capital noble?"

"No, that family's elder. Count Jau. Someone renowned for generosity."

Arriving in front of the count's mansion, Coholti lightly shook the prepared gift.

If he went and explained a Stargazer mage's work and gave this gift, surely the generous count would step forward himself to resolve the problem.

"Isn't that... too optimistic? Is there guarantee His Excellency the Count will definitely resolve it?"

"I said he's renowned for generosity. Just watch."

Direth felt needlessly worried.

Though rumors of Count Jau's generosity weren't false, being generous didn't mean he would definitely forgive and resolve everything.

The juniors seemed to have similar thoughts as they whispered.

"Senior Direth. Should we abandon Mr. Coholti and move separately?"

"...Let's not do that..."

While whispering, an unfamiliar family's carriage stopped in front.

Then someone radiating a rough and fierce atmosphere jumped out. Direth stepped aside thinking it was the count's guest.

...Until the other whispered in a familiar voice.

"Senior Direth. It's me."

"...?!!"